UP224: ReThinking Sport 10: Professionalisation

This is episode 10 of ReThinking Sport, our series created in collaboration with Portas, the global strategy consultancy dedicated to sport and physical activity.  

The focus today is on the idea of professional sport. What does it mean when a sport is professionalised. And what are the trade offs in terms of access to opportunity, competitive balance and for the well being of the athletes themselves. It’s a conversation that talks to the very nature and broader purpose of the sports business, where much of the attention is taken up by huge rights fees, sponsorship deals and the wealth of a few lucky superstars at the top of the pyramid. 

Our guests are Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, England rugby player turned media pundit Ugo Monye and Rowena Samarasinhe, expert partner at Portas Consulting.  

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