Jon Wertheim

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Renowned Sports Journalist

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Jon Wertheim: Biography at a Glance

  • A correspondent for 60 Minutes, longtime writer at Sports Illustrated, and analyst for the Tennis Channel, Jon Wertheim shares insights and stories from the sports industry, offering business leaders a unique window into broader economic behavior.
  • Drawing from a 20-plus-year career—and insights from his New York Times bestseller Scorecasting—Mr. Wertheim explains how the decisions made in the high-stakes world of sports, whether on the field or off, can be applied in the business world for a winning outcome.
  • Jon is a sought-after speaker on the intersection of geopolitics and sports, having covered stories such as the unlikely rise of Saudi Arabia as a sports power, the upending of the Ukraine ballet community amid the Russian invasion, and more. 
  • Using colorful anecdotes and storytelling, Jon highlights biases and processes that impact vital business decisions and explores the future of sports through the lens of geopolitics and the economy. 

Videos

Biography

L. Jon Wertheim is an accomplished sports journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent who joined the broadcast in 2017. His reporting for the newsmagazine spans from sports, foreign and national news to culture and has taken him to Saudi Arabia, the sports world's new nerve center, to see how the Kingdom is shelling out on events and athletes amid accusations of "sportswashing" and featured a look at how Russia's invasion of Ukraine is reverberating on the world's ballet stages. 

In addition to his role with 60 Minutes, Wertheim serves as a senior writer and executive editor for Sports Illustrated, a commentator for the Tennis Channel and has executive produced on various television and film projects. This includes the Emmy Award-winning doc RIVALS: Ohio State vs Michigan and a documentary about the Ohio State abuse scandal, based on his reporting for Sports Illustrated. Wertheim is the author of 11 books including New York Times bestsellers Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won (co-written with University of Chicago finance professor Tobias Moskowitz) and You Can't Make This Up (with sportscaster Al Michaels). His work has been anthologized in "The Best American Sports Writing" series, as well as the "Best American Crime Writing" series. 

Wertheim's reporting for 60 Minutes has included an investigation into the Taylor Energy Oil Spill, a storm-caused, environmental crisis that sullied the Gulf of Mexico and efforts to stanch the longest-running oil spill in U.S. history. He's profiled NBA Hall of Famer and, perhaps more recognizably, colorful TV basketball commentator, Charles Barkley, and one of basketball's generational stars, Sue Bird. Wertheim has reported on local newsrooms being strained by budget-slashing financial firms. He's traveled to Fogo Island, off the coast of Canada, where new life is being brought into a rural fishing village. 

Wertheim shared the story of the Ritchie Boys, a secret U.S. unit bolstered by German-born Jews who helped the Allies beat Hitler. He's reported from Iceland on Eurovision, the song competition that's rocked Europe since 1956. Wertheim led an extended on-camera interview with tennis legend Rafael Nadal from his home in Manacor. He interviewed the Red Hot Chili Peppers on 40 years of music with a stop on their stadium tour and a visit to the Roxy, one of their early haunts. He's reported on panini stickers and how the family collectibles business became a worldwide phenomenon.

Wertheim has interviewed Jerry Seinfeld on the coronavirus and his first New York shows during the pandemic, led a thoughtful piece on retired, legendary sportswriter Dave Kindred and profiled Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony-winner Viola Davis. He has also reported how a retired couple found lottery odds in their favor, on sports gambling, the coming of driverless trucks and populism in Hungary. His poignant feature on the remote Alaskan island of Attu remembered the obscure battle there that was the only land engagement on U.S. soil during WWII. On another island, the nation of Malta, he reported on corruption and drew attention to the murder of the journalist uncovering it, Daphne Caruana Galizia. Wertheim's profile of Japanese baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani foretold the pitching/hitting superstar's entry into Major League Baseball.

Prior to joining 60 Minutes as a full-time correspondent, Wertheim appeared on the sports edition of 60 Minutes as a commentator and reporter. His stories included a profile of NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and a news-breaking report on NFL receiver Doug Baldwin.

Topics

Business Lessons from the Multi-Billion Dollar Sports Worldarrow-down

Jon Wertheim shares insights from the multi-billion dollar sports industry that offer business leaders a unique window into broader economic behavior. Addressing insights from his New York Times Bestseller Scorecasting, Mr. Wertheim explains how the decisions made in the high stakes world of sports, whether on the field or off, can be applied in the business world for a winning outcome. Using brilliant anecdotes and colorful storytelling from the sports world, he highlights biases and processes that impact vital business decisions in any field. Jon Wertheim provides real world applications for a new spin on business success. Here are a couple of interesting examples:

  • How do ‘risky,’ and ‘conservative’ calls in sports relate to the same behavior behind business decisions?
  • Why are NFL coaches would be the last people you would want selling your securities and real estate?
  • How are draft decisions in sports similar to the risks and mistakes corporations face in their personnel decisions?
  • What do Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal—and sports rivalries in general—tell us about competition in the marketplace?
  • What can we learn from referees? Why do people avoid making the tough call? 
  • How tennis explains the world.
  • Based on his book, Glory Days, Wertheim explains why the summer of 1984 was the most pivotal 90 days in the history of sports.
The Future of Sports: When Geopolitics and Sports Collidearrow-down

Renowned journalist Jon Wertheim’s reporting has spanned from sports and culture to foreign and national news. Whether exploring Saudi Arabian-funded LIV Golf’s unlikely partnership with the PGA or how the Russian invasion upended the Ukrainian ballet community, Wertheim offers a unique perspective to explore the intersection of sports and politics. 

In this talk, Jon shares thrilling stories from his years of reporting and the insights he has gained from asking hard-hitting questions. He captures audiences with colorful anecdotes that provide both information and entertainment as he discusses vital business, economic, and political decisions through the lens of sports as well as the characters and personalities involved. 

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