Welcome back to The Varsity, my twice-weekly private email on all the news, rumors, and innuendo running through the sports business. I’m writing this from my hometown of Washington, D.C., while trying to process another disheartening Orioles playoff letdown. At least I have my October back.

On Tuesday, the legendary Chris “Boomer” Berman celebrated his 45th year at ESPN. He joins me on The Varsity podcast this weekend for a wide-ranging Sunday Conversation (get it…) that traces his personal arc at Bristol and also captures the extraordinary story of a regional sports network that grew into a global colossus. Meanwhile, make sure you listen to this week’s pod with Business Insider’s Peter Kafka, who goes deep into the streamers’ sports strategies. (Subscribe here and here.)

Tonight, some scenes from the R.S.N. telenovela, some major Beltway sports business news, an Athletic sign of the times, and a major signaling hire at YouTube. As always, please stop forwarding this email to freeloading cheapskates and merely encourage them to sign up on their own. As you know, Puck’s audience is the most influential cross-section of executives, lawmakers, financial professionals, media elites, collectors, and rainmakers in our culture. This is merely one reason why we keep returning Marchand’s cashier’s check. (Hey, Andrew, give Semafor a try!)

Let’s get to it…