Unofficial Partner Podcast

The perfect weekend warm up. Richard is joined by Dave Cushnan and James Emmett from Leaders in Sport. Each picks a story of the week and asks, what just happened? Sponsored by:Women’s sport at Leaders WeekLeaders in Sport connects the most influential people and the most powerful ideas in global sport to catalyse discussion, and drive the industry forward.For over a decade, Leaders has created consistent spaces to support and accelerate the growth of women’s sport – while championing the people driving it forward. At Leaders Week London this year, now just 2 weeks away, the commercial growth opportunity for women's sport will be front and centre. From the headline stage to curated spaces – Leaders Week continues to offer the access, conversations and connections that move the industry forward.If women’s sport is part of your growth strategy, this is where you’ll find the people who can help make it happen.Visit leadersinsport.com/UP for more information and use UP15 for a 15% discount on your Summit passes.Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

SPORTEL Monaco takes place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco October 20th to 22nd. It's been the world's leading sports content media rights and technology convention for more than 30 years. This episode asks, what will people be talking about as they network and do deals that will shape the sports business in 2026? Joining Richard are:Imran Yusuf - Editor of Sport Business Media (attending his fifth Sportel)Ken Kerschbaumer - Editorial Director for Sports Video Group US and SVG Europe (17-year Sportel veteran)Nick Volante - Sportel commercial consultant (15 years with the event)NOTE - Regular ticket price period ends on September 11th, so to take advantage of the lower price, go to the SPORTEL Monaco website via this link now . Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

Richard is joined by David Cushnan and James Emmett of Leaders. Three stories from this week in the sports business.What happened, why do we care and where's it going?What does McLaren F1's valuation say about F1?Who is David 'Dave' Hopkinson and what's the job of Premier League CEO today?What's the role of the Ryder Cup in the LIV era?Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

Today's guest Paul Caine is the President of OnLocation, the premium experiential hospitality division of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). Under his leadership, OnLocation has become the global leader in sports and entertainment hospitality, managing premium experiences for over 150 rightsholders including the NFL, NCAA, UFC, IOC, FIFA, and PGA of America. Following TKO's recent $3.25 billion all share acquisition of OnLocation from Endeavor in February 2025, Caine is positioned at the forefront of the rapidly expanding premium sports hospitality market ahead of next year's FIFA World Cup in the US.This podcast is sponsored by Leaders in SportLeaders in Sport connects the most influential people and the most powerful ideas in global sport to catalyse discussion, and drive the industry forward. A new membership offering from them is the Leaders Club, the community for tomorrow’s sport industry leaders. With 650+ members across chapters in London, Manchester, New York, Chicago and LA, Leaders Club was created with the mission to support the personal and professional growth of the next generation of leaders. This is done through members-only exclusive events, interactive networking experiences, and access to knowledge from experts inside and outside of sport. Leaders Club is for talented Managers and Heads of who are ambitious to progress towards C-Suite - if this is you, or perhaps someone in your team, find out more about membership at http://leadersclub.comAlso, remember that Leaders Week London is now a month away, visit leadersinsport.com/UP for more information and use UP15 for a 15% discount on your Summit passesUnofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

 Today we are talking Other People's Money, this is our regular series on sports finance with regular co-host Matt Rogan, who was of course one of the Co-Founders of Two Circles. Today's guest is a special one is Ed McBride, who is Managing Director of UK Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank, one of the City's most prolific and successful deal makers. So we talk about what sport looks like from the outside, and we run some of the regular themes around sport and finance. Things like private equity, debt financing, takeovers, mergers, acquisitions, all of that stuff, and we go to Ed for his view, and it's enlightening to say the least.This is episode is sponsored by our friends at Leaders Week London.  Leaders in Sport connects the most influential people and the most powerful ideas in global sport to catalyse discussion, and drive the industry forward.With Leaders Week London, their flagship event, just over a month away, the 2025 agendas across all 3 stages at The Summit have just dropped.There's the Headline Stage, Tech and Innovation Stage and back by popular demand, the Creative Stage.  Our pick for the Headline Stage is the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.Visit leadersinsport.com/UP for more information and use UP15 for a 15% discount on your Summit passes.Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

As co-founder of Perform and DAZN, Simon Denyer has spent the last twenty years at the intersection of sport, media, and technology. Last week he brokered an innovative new relationship between La Liga and Disney+ via his new company PEAK Sports Media. This is a conversation about the big picture of sport's relationship with the major digital platforms, from YouTube and Netflix to Amazon and Apple. Unmissable.Sponsored by Leaders in SportLeaders in Sport connects the most influential people and the most powerful ideas in global sport to catalyse discussion, and drive the industry forward. Through a series of global summits in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, invitation-only memberships and long form content, Leaders in Sport provides professional executives, both on and off the field, with access to a community of peers to share best practice and trends that are shaping the future of sport. Their flagship event, Leaders Week London, returns from 29 September to 2 October, with The Summit taking place at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. They'll be hosting the most senior executives in sport from 54 countries, including over 100 brands. We'll be there, and you should join us. Visit leadersinsport.com/UP for more information and use UP15 for a 15% discount on your Summit passes.Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

Peter Hutton, Chair of the T20 World Cup and former head of sports at Meta, sheds light on cricket's intertwining with television, particularly in India. He discusses the evolution of broadcasting, the financial influence of the Indian market on global cricket, and the challenges of engaging audiences amidst shifting media consumption. Hutton emphasizes the role of innovative marketing strategies and athlete-generated content to foster genuine connections with fans, as well as the impact of tech giants on sports rights and viewership.

Every shirt tells a story. Joey D'Urso, an award-winning journalist from The Times and formerly of The Athletic, joins UP to discuss his new book: More Than A Shirt: How Football Shirts Explain Global Politics, Money and Power.• How the Gazprom sponsorship on FC Schalke 04's shirts reflects Russia's geopolitical strategies leading up to the invasion of Ukraine.• The criminal ties and money laundering schemes highlighted by clubs like Colombia's Envigado FC.• The dark side of the global gambling industry and the rise and fall of cryptocurrency sponsorships, like Football Index, that adorned shirts of clubs such as Nottingham Forest.• The use of football as a tool for authoritarian power, exemplified by Newcastle United's Saudi ownership.• And the symbolism of the England women's goalkeeper shirt, connecting to the broader story of women's rights and the growing popularity of the women's game.Get ready to see the world, and your favorite jerseys, in a whole new light.This episode of the Unofficial Partner podcast is brought to you by Sid Lee Sport.Sid Lee Sport is a new breed of agency that combines world class creativity with deep sponsorship expertise, flawless operational delivery, and a culture of marketing effectiveness. They have a creative philosophy of producing famous campaigns and activations that build buzz and conversation in a category that too often looks and sounds the same. And they're pioneering a new standard of effectiveness in sports marketing, using econometrics and attribution models to go beyond traditional media ROI.So if you're looking for an agency to take your brand to the top, get in touch with the team at Sid Lee Sport, where brands become champions.Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.

Yannick Ramcke, General Manager of OTT at OneFootball, and Murray Barnett, Founder of 26West Consulting and former executive at F1 and ESPN, dive into the booming popularity of women's football, noting its cultural impact and future potential. They also discuss a possible partnership between Formula One and Apple that could revolutionize U.S. sports broadcasting. Additionally, they explore current dynamics in sports media, including recent acquisitions and the strategic pivots required for sports leagues like Ligue 1 as they navigate the competitive landscape.

This is episode three of a four-part series created in collaboration with Redtorch called What's Sport Selling? It's a conversation with John Ridgeon, the chief executive of World Athletics. Previous episodes in the series:UP443 Big Sugar, Big Pharma...Where's the Big Sport Lobby?UP458 Fitness, Toxicity and the Importance of the ASICS MessageJon Ridgeon bioAthletic Career (1980s-1990s)Born: February 14, 1967, Bury St. Edmunds, SuffolkKey Achievement: Silver medal at the 1987 World Championships in Rome in 110m hurdlesOlympic Participation: Represented Great Britain at 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1996 Atlanta OlympicsPersonal Best: 13.29 seconds in 110m hurdles (British record holder)Education: Magdalene College, CambridgeBusiness Career (1998-2019)Fast Track Sports Marketing (1998-2012): Founding and managing partner of Fast Track. Broadcasting: TV commentator for BBC and BSkyB Achieve Events: Director where he helped build the mass participation events business until its acquisition in 2015European Sports Championships: Director of the 2018 multi-sport championship eventWorld Athletics Leadership (2019-Present)Appointment: Appointed CEO in December 2018Mandate: Working alongside President Sebastian Coe to modernize and grow athletics globallyThis podcast is sponsored by Redtorch, a global research & creative agency passionately dedicated to making sport more relevant. We help sports rights holders and brands punch above their weight. Born in the Olympic movement, we thrive under pressure – small teams, high stakes, global eyes. We’re trusted and retained by many of the world’s biggest sports because we offer everything you’d want from a specialist agency: unmatched flexibility, the best people and a constant stream of innovative ideas.Visit redtorch.sport to learn how we consistently grow audiences, deliver high-impact creative and turn cultural signals into a winning advantaUnofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 400 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series, you can reach us via the website.