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<v Speaker 1>Time to catch up with our friends. It's Sporting Jacks.

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<v Speaker 1>And you want to know why we're catching up with

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<v Speaker 1>our friends at Sporting Jack So it's because, well, frankly,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean right, you look off my right shoulder and

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<v Speaker 1>you see that the evidence is always here, so it's

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<v Speaker 1>always close to the headset and we have to find

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<v Speaker 1>out what's going on with our buddy Steve Livingson. So

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<v Speaker 1>all right, my first question for you, sir, is right

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<v Speaker 1>now you've got two teams that are on the field

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<v Speaker 1>in the W League and in USL League two, so

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<v Speaker 1>you're kind of getting your feet wet into this whole

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<v Speaker 1>thing with League two right now as we're talking first

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<v Speaker 1>four matches, you're in a street fight in the Southeast,

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<v Speaker 1>which you kind of anticipated you would be. And then

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<v Speaker 1>in the W League right now you're running rough shot,

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<v Speaker 1>winning your first four and you've only given up two

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<v Speaker 1>in your first eighteen with eighteen that you've scored in

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<v Speaker 1>your first four.

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<v Speaker 2>When you look at the W League and USL League

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<v Speaker 2>two so far, what do you think.

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<v Speaker 3>I think we've been unlucky with the two losses that

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<v Speaker 3>we had in League two, to be honest with you,

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<v Speaker 3>with a couple of close calls, they are in a

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<v Speaker 3>penalty on a debatable decision on the women's side, they're

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<v Speaker 3>crushing it. There's no doubt they're crushing it, and they're

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<v Speaker 3>crushing it without two of our leading W League players

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<v Speaker 3>that we thought would be in the squad this year,

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<v Speaker 3>but they've just been pulled in for international duty in

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<v Speaker 3>Ashton Perth and Georgia Brown. So arguably the you know,

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<v Speaker 3>the best two players on the squad out Yet those

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<v Speaker 3>girls that are on the squad have stepped up and

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<v Speaker 3>filled it out and are doing an amazing job. Are

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<v Speaker 3>getting ready for a game tonight uncharacteristically Thunder has rolled

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<v Speaker 3>in here to Florida, so then delaying that one. But no,

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<v Speaker 3>I think in terms of the w League and lead

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<v Speaker 3>two teams, we'd like to take credit for it, but

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<v Speaker 3>we really can't. It's it's been what was there before

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<v Speaker 3>with Florida Elite Sean Bubb and his team. Michael and Levo,

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<v Speaker 3>the two coaches of those two teams have done an

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<v Speaker 3>amazing job and they've done it over over a number

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<v Speaker 3>of years. We've been fortunate to kind of move the

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<v Speaker 3>brand into those two teams at you know, just a

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<v Speaker 3>good time and being really grateful to to kind of

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<v Speaker 3>ride the ride the wave of the development that they've

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<v Speaker 3>put in. We are hopeful that a number of those

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<v Speaker 3>players that are playing W League in League two will

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<v Speaker 3>be Super League Championship League players of the future. We

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<v Speaker 3>are at the moment implementing a program that will link

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<v Speaker 3>our pro teams into our youth development squads through into

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<v Speaker 3>League two and W League as well. We just announced

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<v Speaker 3>the acquisition the signing, if you like, of Steve Fell

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<v Speaker 3>the US national team pay Performance. Luckily for US, Steve

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<v Speaker 3>lives here in the Jacksonville areas in August team and

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<v Speaker 3>only spends about thirty percent of his year on his

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<v Speaker 3>international duty, so we get him for the other seventy

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<v Speaker 3>percent and he's an exceptional fellow. What he's going to

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<v Speaker 3>bring normally to our pro teams, but also extend that

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<v Speaker 3>into the youth programs, the youth set up, the youth organization,

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<v Speaker 3>and the structure that we're building through Mark Warburton, through

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<v Speaker 3>Sean bubb I think is going to be exceptional.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you keep all of this straight considering that

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<v Speaker 1>you have a runway for leagues coming up in the future.

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<v Speaker 1>You've got two going on right now, You've got Super

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<v Speaker 1>League coming up. How do you keep all of this

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<v Speaker 1>straight with all the personnel and all of the players,

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<v Speaker 1>and all the contracts and all the negotiations.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you have a big float chart that I don't

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<v Speaker 2>see there in the office?

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<v Speaker 3>How are you right here? Right over here? I'm not

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<v Speaker 3>going to show you, but there's a considerable whiteboard up

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<v Speaker 3>there that is broken into maybe I don't know, sixteen sections,

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<v Speaker 3>and I call it. I call it the splate, the splate,

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<v Speaker 3>the plate spinning board, because each of those sections kind

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<v Speaker 3>of represents a particular plate that we're spinning, whether it

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<v Speaker 3>be investment for the team, ticketing, soccer, ops, partnerships, preparations

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<v Speaker 3>at unf you know, whatever it is, it's up there

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<v Speaker 3>on the board. I think, you know, I am fortunate,

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<v Speaker 3>extremely fortunate and blessed to have an amazing, amazing front

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<v Speaker 3>office team. We're now up to about twenty two in

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<v Speaker 3>our front office, which is great. Our ticket sales team

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<v Speaker 3>have been killing it, knocking out the park. Our partnerships

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<v Speaker 3>team are being out doing an equally good job. We've

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<v Speaker 3>got something in the region of about thirty different potential

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<v Speaker 3>sponsors that we're about to close on. You know, We've

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<v Speaker 3>just excellence across the board, our operations people or soccer people.

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<v Speaker 3>We're just truly fortunate. So yeah, I couldn't handle all

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<v Speaker 3>of us without them. So those are the guys that

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<v Speaker 3>do it.

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<v Speaker 1>How long did it take you in your career to

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<v Speaker 1>understand the importance of delegating and not being like hovering

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<v Speaker 1>over shoulders and things like that, Knowing that you have

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<v Speaker 1>all of these chainsaws, specifically in this case that you're

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<v Speaker 1>having to juggle, how long did it take you to

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<v Speaker 1>just sit there and trust the folks that you bring

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<v Speaker 1>in to do their job and understand that their focus

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<v Speaker 1>is on the path that you all want.

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<v Speaker 3>It took me a while. I mean, I'll be honest

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<v Speaker 3>with you, probably you know, in a thirty year career,

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<v Speaker 3>it probably took me twenty to figure that one out.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, being a younger guy, you always think you

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<v Speaker 3>can do everything and anything and can handle anything, and

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<v Speaker 3>you know, I think it takes time experience to develop

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<v Speaker 3>that wisdom and realize that you're only as strong as

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<v Speaker 3>the rest of your team. And you know, again, I

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<v Speaker 3>put a lot of credit to them. I'm really just

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<v Speaker 3>the conductor of the orchestra here, just making sure that

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<v Speaker 3>everything's in place and everything's working and the plates continue

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<v Speaker 3>to spin. But those are the guys that are doing

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<v Speaker 3>the job. I think hiring and selection is really important

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<v Speaker 3>as well, making sure that you get the right people

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<v Speaker 3>and then you know, the idea is to let them

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<v Speaker 3>go on and get out their way and support them

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<v Speaker 3>where you can. And yeah, I think a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>CEOs and management executives will tell you that that's fairly straightforward.

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<v Speaker 3>But it took me a wee while to figure that

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<v Speaker 3>one out. And we're here now though.

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<v Speaker 1>So when you have questions, I mean, obviously, since you're

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<v Speaker 1>at the top of the you know, the top of

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<v Speaker 1>the pyramid, do you have faults that you reach out

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<v Speaker 1>to outside the organization that you have as peers or

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<v Speaker 1>role models that it's like, hey, I've got a question,

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<v Speaker 1>can you you know, then they're going to pick up

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<v Speaker 1>the phone.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah. I like to think of myself more is the

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<v Speaker 3>one neck to strangle John rather than being at the

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<v Speaker 3>top of the top of the file. But yes, absolutely,

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<v Speaker 3>I think you know, internally, we spend a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>time collaborating and talking. I think that's important. I think

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<v Speaker 3>ultimately it's my job to drive things forward and make

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<v Speaker 3>decisions and help but you know, when I get into

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<v Speaker 3>areas where I need help, the great thing is that

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<v Speaker 3>we've got an incredible ownership group that I can turn to.

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<v Speaker 3>We've got investors kind of across the spectrum. Some of

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<v Speaker 3>our investors are our leaders in their industry that have

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<v Speaker 3>done extremely well, whether it be in event management or marketing,

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<v Speaker 3>sports marketing for example. And I really turned to those

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<v Speaker 3>guys a lot to chat with them. I think. Also,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, our ownership team read by led by Ricky Kaplan.

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<v Speaker 3>He's a younger guy than me, but Ricky is a

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<v Speaker 3>visionary and does a is always thinking about things, always

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<v Speaker 3>looking at ways that we can approach things and do things,

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<v Speaker 3>and challenging the state is quot To be honest with you,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm a big believer in best practice, but even at

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<v Speaker 3>times that can be challenged, and you know, Ricky does

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<v Speaker 3>a great job of that. I mean, he definitely is

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<v Speaker 3>a visionary and thinks big. You know, he likes to

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<v Speaker 3>say we're all Andrew will have a big God, and

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<v Speaker 3>you know that's why he likes to think big. So really,

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<v Speaker 3>without Ricky's thinking, without that that group of support, we

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<v Speaker 3>just we wouldn't be where we are right now.

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<v Speaker 1>When you have something that you're building from the ground up,

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<v Speaker 1>like you've been doing there, that's sporting Jacks, and you

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<v Speaker 1>want to be visionary in your approach, but you understand

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<v Speaker 1>that you're in a league framework, and you want to

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<v Speaker 1>break down barriers, and you want to do all these

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<v Speaker 1>new things, but understand that you're doing it within the

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<v Speaker 1>framework of a sport and a professional sport and a league.

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<v Speaker 1>How difficult is it to juggle trying to maintain a

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<v Speaker 1>status quo and at the same time be a visionary

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<v Speaker 1>in something.

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<v Speaker 2>That's new, that is established. Does it make any sense?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah? It does. I think you know, there's a basic

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<v Speaker 3>foundational level. No matter what you do, you've got to

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<v Speaker 3>take care of the fundamentals, the x's and o's. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>you can't sell tickets unless you've get a ticket sales team.

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<v Speaker 3>You can't develop sponsorships unless you get really good people

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<v Speaker 3>that can go out there and drive partnership sales for you.

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<v Speaker 3>I think generally speaking, you know, we try and we

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<v Speaker 3>try and take care of all those fundamentals, all those

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<v Speaker 3>foundational things to start with, and then I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>once we get comfortable there, we can start then looking

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<v Speaker 3>at other better ways. Of doing things. You know, is

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<v Speaker 3>there an easier way of doing things for us? We're

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<v Speaker 3>doing a number of things you know, as we start

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<v Speaker 3>up that some people would probably say, you know why

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<v Speaker 3>you can wasting time on that, You get enough in

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<v Speaker 3>your plate. But I think it's important to continue to

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<v Speaker 3>challenge that. And again, working within the league structure, we

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<v Speaker 3>like to keep the league informed of what we're doing.

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<v Speaker 3>We just don't go out and do stuff. We like

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<v Speaker 3>to talk to them. We like to share that we'd

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<v Speaker 3>love to be again a case study for other teams

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<v Speaker 3>around the league. And anything that we get right, we'd

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<v Speaker 3>love to share that. Anything we get wrong, we love

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<v Speaker 3>to share that too. And you don't always get it right.

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<v Speaker 3>But you know, again, I think we're kind of proud

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<v Speaker 3>in that respect that we tried to do things the

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<v Speaker 3>right way. We try to do them, you know, and

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<v Speaker 3>I considered fashion where we're going to give ourselves a

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<v Speaker 3>chance of being successful. But again, we're happy to share

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<v Speaker 3>any of that with anybody that wants to know.

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<v Speaker 1>So, what was it like for you and for the

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<v Speaker 1>organization to have the big reveal where you get to

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<v Speaker 1>show off the kike and the jersey.

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<v Speaker 2>In front of all of those things.

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<v Speaker 1>To finally have that step of this process out there

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<v Speaker 1>in the open. It's like, hey, here's what we're going

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<v Speaker 1>to look like, because that's part of it.

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<v Speaker 3>That was awesome. I mean, it took probably about three

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<v Speaker 3>months of planning for that one, but you know, and

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<v Speaker 3>there was a lot of different components to that, a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of different people. Adidas obviously, we are presenting partner

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<v Speaker 3>on that one, and we're a huge support I think,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, our early discussions with Adidas were, hey, guys,

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<v Speaker 3>we'd like to do this, We'd like to do it big,

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<v Speaker 3>we like to do it with the city as a backdrop,

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<v Speaker 3>and they were incredibly supportive of that. So they got

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<v Speaker 3>it really from it from an early point, and and

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<v Speaker 3>we're supportive throughout. You know, the city of Jacksonville were great,

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<v Speaker 3>Our partners or sponsors came in and supported that event.

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<v Speaker 3>It really was truly a kind of it's flipping to

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<v Speaker 3>say it, but you know, a team, you know, pursuit

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<v Speaker 3>and we all work together to make that event so successful,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know, I think, you know, just the event

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<v Speaker 3>itself as we rolled it out was fun. It was

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<v Speaker 3>just a lot of fun because we put a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of work into it. Obviously, we were kind of biting

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<v Speaker 3>our nails a little bit because of the weather partners

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<v Speaker 3>that were passing, you know, downtown Jacksonville at you know,

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<v Speaker 3>five o'clock on a Thursday evening. But we got away

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<v Speaker 3>with it. And the best thing about that whole event

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<v Speaker 3>was when we introduced the league too. In w League

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<v Speaker 3>team players. These these are kids that range you know,

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<v Speaker 3>between sixteen and twenty two, and for some of them,

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<v Speaker 3>this is the first time that they'd ever stepped on

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<v Speaker 3>a stage or are being showcased in a way, and

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<v Speaker 3>it was just it was wonderful. It was just great

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<v Speaker 3>to introduce them to the community. And you know, as

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<v Speaker 3>a result of that, I mean, had we had a

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<v Speaker 3>game a couple of weeks ago, our first home game,

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<v Speaker 3>we had close to three thousand people turn out for

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<v Speaker 3>that game. So it's all about kind of making it,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, pertinent, making it real, introducing those players to

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<v Speaker 3>the community, and encouraging the community to come out and

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<v Speaker 3>support them.

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<v Speaker 1>Steve Livingston hanging out with us for the Sporting Jacks

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<v Speaker 1>update and how much Super League are you watching these days?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we're getting down to the end of it, so

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<v Speaker 3>not as much as as has been watching but to

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<v Speaker 3>be to be honest with you, John, I don't get

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<v Speaker 3>an awful lot of time. I mean I kind of

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<v Speaker 3>relegate that again to our technical teams to go out

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<v Speaker 3>and look at that. They've got this wonderful program called

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<v Speaker 3>why Scout where they can dial up any player at

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<v Speaker 3>any time and take a look at them. They've been

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<v Speaker 3>spending some time traveling to some of the games, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>taking in you know, the atmosphere, doing some scouting. Technically,

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<v Speaker 3>we can't can I sign anybody until I think it's

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<v Speaker 3>July the first or something like that. From other teams,

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<v Speaker 3>we have a free agent list that we're looking through.

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<v Speaker 3>So yeah, I leave that to them that they are

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<v Speaker 3>the they are the experts and that. But again I

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<v Speaker 3>think I think the announcements that we made in the

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<v Speaker 3>past couple of weeks are going in to kind of indicate,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, the level that we're working at here. And

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<v Speaker 3>there's been a lot of local involvement in that, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>with our first to Ashland and Georgia, terrific players that

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<v Speaker 3>were then called up for international duty, you know, then

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<v Speaker 3>announcement today on on Zara, who's a local girl as well,

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<v Speaker 3>plays at UNF and then Caroline and part of the

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<v Speaker 3>two more kind of experienced players. I think you'll see

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<v Speaker 3>as we go through these announcements a nice mix of local, younger,

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<v Speaker 3>more season professionals, and then we'll get an international players

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<v Speaker 3>to come as well. So I'm really excited about the

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<v Speaker 3>work that's been done around that, and you know how

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<v Speaker 3>how that roster's been built. We'll see how it goes.

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<v Speaker 1>Ye have a like worth Caroline Murray from New Kind

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<v Speaker 1>of Connecticut. Parker Rabbits with Kansas, has the relationship with

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<v Speaker 1>Allen kirkup there with Sporting Jack's associate head coach. When

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<v Speaker 1>international players are dialed up in might be something that

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<v Speaker 1>you might have a conversation with Warburton about.

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<v Speaker 2>Or just want to let involve.

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<v Speaker 1>Would you have international players either reach out or are interested?

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<v Speaker 1>What's that like to sit there and now that they're

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<v Speaker 1>interested in something new and conquering what you guys want

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<v Speaker 1>to accomplish coming out of the Blacks.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's been terrific. Again, his international reputation, he's

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<v Speaker 3>a name out there, has certainly opened, you know, additional

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<v Speaker 3>doors for us that maybe we wouldn't have got. And

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<v Speaker 3>I think you'll see that reflected in international players when

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<v Speaker 3>we make the announcements on them. We're just going through

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<v Speaker 3>the visa process with a lot of them right now.

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<v Speaker 3>But I think it's been a nice combination as well.

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<v Speaker 3>Mark has really focused a lot on those international players.

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<v Speaker 3>But we've then you know, been complemented by you know,

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<v Speaker 3>the work with Stacey and Allen and Becky Burley are

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<v Speaker 3>consultant have done as well in identifying US players and

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<v Speaker 3>younger potential players. And then we've had a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>input as well from our academy. Sean Bob and his

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<v Speaker 3>team have done a great job of identifying, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>some diamonds and they're off there as well that can

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<v Speaker 3>command to help us. So I feel really good about

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<v Speaker 3>you know that that group that's that's put us together.

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<v Speaker 2>All right.

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<v Speaker 1>So now that you've got lightning to dance around and

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<v Speaker 1>it kind of shocks everything going on where you've got

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<v Speaker 1>to go to generator power, what are the next things

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<v Speaker 1>to cross off on the are you.

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<v Speaker 2>Going to hire?

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<v Speaker 1>I guess my next question, are you going to hire

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<v Speaker 1>Tim Degan as your official staff mediologist?

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<v Speaker 3>We probably, we probably should. We do have we do

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<v Speaker 3>have a television partnership with First Coast News. Tim's old

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<v Speaker 3>Tim's old station and Lewis his his replacement. We'll probably

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<v Speaker 3>recruit Lewis and to do our pre match Whaler forecast.

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<v Speaker 3>You know that we that we show in the video

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<v Speaker 3>board in the stadium. So yeah, we would have been

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<v Speaker 3>would have been nice to have Tim there. We just

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<v Speaker 3>just missed him. He could have he could have hung

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<v Speaker 3>on for another, you know, another ten months. Tim do

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<v Speaker 3>is a favor.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, come on now, I mean you get you

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<v Speaker 1>get Chris Porter over there to hang out with you,

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<v Speaker 1>and uh yeah, Chris is uh I've known Chris forever,

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<v Speaker 1>but it's it's really good to see how everything continues

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<v Speaker 1>to grow and involved. I just wanted to poke my

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<v Speaker 1>head in the door and see what's going on and

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<v Speaker 1>have you survived stuff that never happens in North Florida

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<v Speaker 1>in the middle of an afternoon, late spring and early summer.

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<v Speaker 2>As always, my friend, great to see it. We'll catch

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<v Speaker 2>up soon.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you, John, all the best as always,