Recode Decode: Ted Leonsis, Founder, Revolution Growth

Decoder with Nilay Patel

Vox Media Podcast Network

Technology, Business

4.3 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 October 2016

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Revolution Growth founder and partner Ted Leonsis talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about being a longtime executive at AOL and how the company changed dramatically when it merged with Time Warner in 2000. Leonsis says AOL correctly anticipated the social nature of the internet, but left several windows open for Google to beat it at its own game. After the merger, it had to turn its energies toward defending Time Warner's legacy businesses and missed still more opportunities. He also discusses his majority ownership of several sports teams, including the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals, and why he thinks Vice's cable channel Viceland is "the biggest con ever." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Recode Radio presents Recode Decode, hosted by Cara Swisher, powered by digital media.
0:07.0	Hi, I'm Cara Swisher, Executive Editor of Recode.
0:10.5	You may know me as the person who thinks the Washington Wizards are a Harry Potter fan
0:14.1	group, but in my spare time I talk tech and you're listening to Recode Decode, a podcast
0:18.5	about tech and media's key players, big ideas, and how they're changing the world we live
0:22.2	in.
0:23.2	You can subscribe to Recode Decode at iTunes.com slash Recode Decode, and while you're
0:27.4	there, leave us a review.
0:29.3	Today I am so happy to have in the red chair Ted Leonsis, who I've known since the dawn
0:34.2	of time.
0:35.2	He is co-founder of Revolution Growth.
0:37.8	He's also a majority owner of several Washington DC sports teams and CEO of monumental sports
0:43.1	and entertainment.
0:44.7	Most importantly, he spent 13 years as a senior executive at America Online, AOL, which
0:49.6	is where I met him and known him forever.
0:53.0	He's one of my favorite characters in the internet.
0:54.8	He's one of the most inventive and pioneering ones.
0:57.7	And also one that is one of the more creative ones, Ted, welcome to the show.
1:01.1	We're proud of you, mate, a nice little career at AOL right now.
1:04.5	Right, I know.
1:05.5	I know.
1:06.5	All on your backs.
	...

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