As we reported today, the ISL has announced a 24-match Season 4 taking place over the course of 7 months and 3 continents. We sat down with ISL franchise Cali Condors GM Jason Lezak and ISL announcer Rowdy Gaines to digest this information and get their takes on what this massively expanded schedule will mean for the athletes, coaches, and fans. Lezak and Gaines speak on what it will mean to have swimming on nearly 100 hours of prime time TV over the course of the season, bringing the competition back to the USA, and complaints of late ISL payments.
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Very exciting stuff! So important to get the youth in the US excited… could be a game changer if done right…. I remember back in early 2000’s…Pros always had autograph signings at big meets and events were happening simultaneously to draw people in.. the youth fandom was crazy! If marketed right this could be huge.
Last time they tried to make ISL more exciting we got poorly thought out jackpots. 😒
Also sorta want to push back Mel’s comments that “the business world just takes longer to get you paid!”
The initial complaints were from ISL vendors, who you’d assume would be more accustomed to how business payments work than we mere commenters or the ISL athletes themselves. (I read about these issues on this site.)
Tho I am not shocked that Rowdy has secured the bag.
Another aspect is that I think was the more problematic piece of it was that ISL was paying on timelines that put on paper. It’s one thing if the contract said you can expect payments in small pieces over 6 – 18 months, but it’s another to say you’ll receive your money on this exact date and not do that.
Absolutely. Lezak mentioned something about solidarity payments going out around now – which is good! Unless they were promised to swimmers 6 months ago.
My reaction is that virtual background is not doing Lezak many favors.
Welcome to Kamino, General Kenobi.