Telling The Story of A Visionary From Inside The Room; Dr. Harvey Schiller on Ted Turner

Very few of us get a seat at the table of history, and few in our industry have been at the table…a diverse set of them of many shapes and sizes…than Dr. Harvey Schiller.

When talking about someone who was in the room, at the table and in the meetings at the cusp of some of the most historic decisions in the history of sports and media in the past half century, that discussion can start with Dr. Schiller, especially when you bring up the subject of his longtime boss, friend and business partner Ted Turner.

And there are few who can tell the stories about Turner’s legacy in sports. So we asked him, and the result is today’s podcast.   CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.

Schiller shares firsthand stories about the visionary executive who helped reshape sports media, cable television, and global broadcasting. The conversation explores Turner’s role in building the Superstation model, launching CNN, expanding Turner Sports, and pioneering ideas around vertical integration long before they became industry standards. Schiller also discusses Turner’s impact on the Braves, the NHL, the NFL, WCW, the Goodwill Games, NASCAR, America’s Cup, international sports, and the early evolution of streaming and out-of-market sports distribution. We also dive into leadership lessons from Turner, his relentless creativity, his global mindset, and the entrepreneurial culture he built throughout Turner Broadcasting.

 Along the way, Harvey shared memorable behind-the-scenes stories involving David Stern, Vince McMahon, George Steinbrenner, the NFL, HBO, Sports Illustrated, and the early days of digital sports media.

Some of the snippets… did you know, Turner, who enjoyed being called “The Mouth of The South,” tried to pioneer:

• A women’s sports channel
• A western sports lifestyle channel
• A media business focused on youth sports
• A US network…and ownership…of European soccer clubs

While CNN/SI was lost to history as an ESPN challenger (at a time when Turner owned more sports rights than ESPN), Schiller talked about the greatest regret the pair had…passing on the renewal rights for Turner and the NFL…he talked fondly about the entrepreneurial spirit, and the vision that Ted Turner had that gave him the ability to do in a time when many tried to hold on to the traditional.

A fun and always informative worthwhile listen on a tireless leader, conservationist, philanthropist, and maverick whose legacy should be revered…by one of the key leaders who helped execute the vision.

Click away and enjoy.