The Network With Rich Kleiman host talks to Yahoo about his new show. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)As a sports fan, debate is the centerpiece of the experience. The conversation is always about who's the greatest of all time, who's not living up to expectations or what someone isn't doing but should be. Rich Kleiman wants to shift that energy.
With his new Yahoo Sports conversation series, Network With Rich Kleiman, the Boardroom cofounder and host blends his deep network, behind-the-scenes access and love for the game into something uniquely his own. The show brings together athletes, executives and cultural figures for unfiltered conversations that don't just chase headlines - they ask different questions. From GOAT rankings to brand building to what greatness actually looks like today, Kleiman is creating space for the kind of talk that usually happens off-camera.I caught up with Kleiman to talk about the launch, why likability is an underrated superpower and how Travis Kelce might be the blueprint for the modern athlete-celebrity hybrid.
You've had Boardroom as a brand and media platform for a while. What feels different or special about launching a show specifically for Yahoo Sports?There's a real sports fan in me, and I don't always flex that side when I'm interviewing people like Spike Lee or Michael Rubin. I'd like the opportunity to sit with Michael Strahan and talk football. This show lets me do that - talk football, speak directly to the camera and give my own point of view. It's a whole new approach to how I talk to people.
Michael Strahan's career has spanned sports, morning TV and business. What drew you to him as the show's first guest?Michael's been a big supporter of mine and a real friend. Some people only know him as a TV personality, but as a New Yorker and diehard Giants fan, he's on Mount Rushmore. I really wanted somebody that I would have that comfort level with for the first episode and somebody who is such a great storyteller. It was exciting to talk to him about the Giants again.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWe did talk about his business, but really went through his career: the Super Bowl, what happened that year he wasn't gonna come back and then did and it turned out to be magical. Why he didn't come back the next year when all Giants fans were desperate for him to return. It was just fun to kind of take that, like, trip down memory lane with him.
On the business side of things, Strahan's fascinating too. His transition from NFL star to media powerhouse is pretty unique. What do you think is the secret to his longevity and reinvention?Likability. It's underrated. He's infectious, curious, honest and incredibly relatable. He shared how, early on, he'd forget what his third talking point was on Fox. Even though he's a "superhero" in how he's built and how successful he was on the field, there's humility in how he talks about the people who helped him. You can't fake likability - he's got it.
What other kinds of guests should we expect, and do you have a dream guest?You'll get a wide mix - people who are topical and have something to say, like [former NFL player] Ryan Clark on football, or [NBA players] Karl Towns and Donovan Mitchell on basketball. You'll also see people adjacent to sports who impact the industry but aren't on magazine covers, but are instrumental to what goes on every day.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI don't know if I have a "dream guest," but I love talking to people who are the best at what they do. People who have worked so hard on their craft to get as successful as they are - I really never get tired of those stories.I'm also curious about the intersection of sports and celebrity. I think of someone like Travis Kelce, who feels like the blueprint for a modern athlete these days. He's balancing football, podcasting, headlines as one half of the most famous couple in the world, and major brand deals. What do you see as the biggest opportunities or challenges for athletes who have one foot in the celebrity space in terms of building and protecting their brand?What's happened over the last few decades - and LeBron was instrumental in creating this blueprint - is the realization that athletes can build businesses while still playing.
There used to be a perception that if an athlete focused on other things, they weren't serious about their performance. That has shifted. Athletes now understand they can be the best at what they do on the field and still manage ventures off the field - if it's something that truly interests them.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe biggest challenge is making sure it's actually what you want to do, not something you feel pressured into because of fame or audience expectations. Some people, like Kevin [Durant], are hugely successful in business but don't want to be public-facing or constantly pitching products. There are other ways to build a successful enterprise without being in