Phil Hochberg on revenue generation in Major League Baseball today ~ "Well, interestingly, Major League Baseball is now suffering attendance losses over the past few years, but Major League Baseball is making more money than it ever had because of the media rights and everything . . . everything has just changed so much. It is no longer just radio. It is no longer radio and television. It is not radio, television and cable. It is the Internet. It is the streaming services. It is just everything." Phil Hochberg - Former Voice of the Redskins and Lawyer with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Our Town. This is Andy Ockershausen. In a conversation with not only a friend, but I would say a world known friend from doing his work as the public address announcer for so many of Washington sports teams that they could hear you all over the world because of the coverage. Welcome to Our Town, Phil Hochberg. Phil Hochberg: Thank you Andy. Thank you very much. Andy Ockershausen: And a local guy that made good. Phil Hochberg: Well, I don't know if I made good, the old Frank Sullivan line, the Frank Sullivan picture with the Boston Red Sox. He said, "I'm in the twilight of a mediocre career." So I don't know if made good is the right word, but, thanks a lot. Andy Ockershausen: Well, I had a friend said that but a difference is, I'm in the top three of the mediocres, you know, so I can live with that. But Phil, you went to high school here at Wilson? Wilson High School | American University | Syracuse | George Washington Law School | Federal Communications Commission Career Start Phil Hochberg: I did. I did. Andy Ockershausen: And I had thought you had gone and switched to the University of Maryland, but you didn't. Phil Hochberg: No. I went to Wilson and then one semester at American U, and then I transferred to Syracuse. Graduated from Syracuse, came back here, went to GW law school and began practicing law in 1965 with the FCC. Andy Ockershausen: TC or CC. Phil Hochberg: FCC. Andy Ockershausen: The Federal Trade? Phil Hochberg: The Federal Communications Commission. Andy Ockershausen: Oh, federal, I know it quite well. Phil Hochberg: Your friend Dick Wiley. Andy Ockershausen: Oh yeah. We had a ton of friends on the FCC that was involved. Dean Burch. Phil Hochberg: I guess you did. Harry was a communications lawyer himself. Andy Ockershausen: Absolutely. But Phil, I had really never knew about you in those days because my very relationship with you has always been through the sports world, not through the legal world, but you've had quite a career in the legal world as both a rep and an adviser, correct, to leagues and sports teams? Practicing Law 54 Years | Member of Firm to Sole Practioner | NFL, NBA, NHL, Nascar Phil Hochberg: I have represented, and still do represent the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, NASCAR in a very limited area dealing with communications and cable, satellite, copyright, very limited. People ask me when I'm going to retire, been practicing now for 54 years, and I say that right now I'm looking at 2021 so that I can be able to say I've represented the National Hockey League for 50 years. Andy Ockershausen: Wow. Phil Hochberg: Which is a pretty good relationship with the client. Andy Ockershausen: Well, wait a minute. It's a good relationship anytime. That is great Phil. You obviously have delivered a service that they appreciate. It's been 50 years. Phil Hochberg: Yeah. Yeah. Andy Ockershausen: But you are representing them as a agent or representing them as a lawyer? Phil Hochberg: As a lawyer representing the league. Andy Ockershausen: The league, right. Phil Hochberg: In terms of regulatory and administrative issues and legislative issues affecting the National Hockey League and some of the other leagues too. Andy Ockershausen: But you operate as a member of the firm. Correct?
Phil Hochberg, former “Voice of the Redskins” for 37 years and lawyer to major sports leagues, talks about his work both as a lawyer and sports announcer in and around Our Town. Hochberg discusses some of the influence he’s had on regulation and legislation impacting sports and the changes he’s seen especially as it relates to money flowing through sports today. Hochberg discusses the following with Ockershausen:
• Wilson High School | American University | Syracuse | George Washington Law School | Federal Communications Commission Career Start
• Practicing Law 54 Years | Member of Firm to Sole Practitioner | NFL, NBA, NHL, Nascar
• Hochberg 1969 Article on Cable Television in Sports Got NHL's Attention at the Time
• Stadium Announcer for Washington Senators - 1962 – 1968
• To Boston with Westinghouse then back to DC and Private Practice
• Law Practice: Administrative Law, Regulations and Legislation| Senator Pastore and Anti-Blackout Legislation
• On Developing Legal Representation of Sports in Washington DC
• On Passage of Copyright Bill in 1976 | Tax Exemption for Priority Seating Plan Contribution to Colleges
• On What College Coaches Get Paid Today
• Major League Baseball Making More Money Than Ever Despite Attendance Losses
• Jack Kent Cook and LA Kings
• "Voice of the Redskins" for 37 Years - Some Benefits
• Size Matters
• Player Representation
• Baseball's Salary Cap and the "Luxury Tax"
The entire transcript for this podcast episode can be found on our website here:
https://ourtowndc.com/phil-hochberg-lawyer/
A special thanks to Our Town sponsors Attorney Mike Collins, The Eric Stewart Group, Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.