SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly turns quizmaster for a festive reflection on some of 2021’s defining trends. Two teams – SportsPro digital editor Tom Bassam and senior staff writer Ed Dixon; SportsPro media and tech editor Steve McCaskill and Charlie Beall, VP of digital strategy and ventures at Seven League, the digital sports consultancy within IMG’s Media & Events division – battle to a dramatic and by no means contentious finish.   They cover soccer’s European Super League debacle and its fallout, NFTs and sport’s metaverse dreams, major events and geopolitics, media rights adjustments and the continued rise of the athlete voice.

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Louise Johnson, chief executive at sports marketing agency Fuse, about business planning going into 2022. They discuss how Louise juggles daily and long-term planning in an organisation with 100 staff in the UK and another 250 around the world. Louise also explains how she balances the needs of clients – including PepsiCo, McDonald’s, Nissan, and Carlsberg – with those of internal teams and Fuse’s parent, Omnicom. And they look at how best to assess annual targets, growth and resources, and future changes and obligations, in a testing period for the industry.

As the Formula One title race nears an incredible finish, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by the Black Book of Motorsport’s Peter Jones and Georgina Yeomans to review the 2021 season. They discuss how competitive racing and drivers like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have taken the championship’s profile to new heights. They also cover the influence of Netflix show Drive to Survive, the evolution of F1’s commercial platform, and what a more sustainable calendar might look like. Meanwhile, Georgina talks to Formula E chief executive Jamie Reigle ahead of a pivotal campaign in the all-electric series.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by Jean-Baptiste Alliot, co-founder of consulting agency LaSource, to make sense of 2021’s biggest tech trends and their lasting implications for the sports industry. Jean-Baptiste explains how remote workflows and experiences will absorb the return of in-person activities, why it is crucial to think more deeply about the applications of cryptocurrencies and NFTs, and what the metaverse really means for sport as the world prepares for the rise of Web3.    He also looks ahead to 2022 and the launch of Ignition, a new tech event and showcase platform from SportsPro.

As tennis star Peng Shuai’s generates headlines worldwide, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by China Sports Insider’s Mark Dreyer and Professor Simon Chadwick, global professor of sport at Emlyon Business School. They discuss local reaction to Peng Shuai’s sexual assault allegations against former vice premier Zhang Goali and consider the WTA’s response. With a US-led diplomatic boycott of Beijing 2022 possible, they ask whether sport’s relationship with China is changing. Then SportsPro staff writer Rory Jones talks to Danish Football Union (DBU) chief executive Jakob Jensen about its promotional boycott of the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup.

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Emma Barraclough, product owner at Blue Fuel. Emma leads elite sports nutrition company Blue Fuel, launched in 2020 within Chelsea Digital Ventures - a ‘digital-first, consumer product business spun out from Chelsea Football Club.’ Rather than narrowing the conversation to a single area, this conversation covers the expanse of responsibilities undertaken by a business leader - in particular ones in a fast growth sector. From launching during a pandemic to scaling both a B2B and B2C business simultaneously, this is a fascinating look inside a fast growth business and a really candid reflection on the highs and lows of leading and juggling divergent priorities.

With a racism scandal rocking English cricket, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Chris Grant, an independent Sport England board member and expert in change management, to ask how organisations can respond properly to reports of discrimination and protect people from abuse. Chris outlines the structural reforms sports bodies and businesses should embrace and explains why an honest dialogue is vital to the industry’s future, culturally and commercially. Meanwhile, SportsPro staff writer Rory Jones dials in from the Smart Cities and Sport Summit in Copenhagen to relay the key trends in event hosting and urban development.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Tom Beahon, chief executive of fast-emerging sportswear brand Castore. They discuss Castore’s growth from a premium-focused startup to a company serving the likes of Rangers, McLaren, Newcastle United and the England cricket team and consider the challenges and scrutiny that come with meeting fans’ needs in those sports. Tom also talks about how he and co-founder brother Phil have adapted to investment from backers such as British retail entrepreneurs Mohsin and Zuber Issa, the influence of early partner Sir Andy Murray and finding a sustainable route to international expansion.  

To bring the SportsPro OTT Summit to a close at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly gathers a panel of expert guests to tackle some big questions and preconceptions in digital sports media. Dan Porter, CEO of youth-focused sports media company Overtime, Ampere Analysis consumer lead Minal Modha, Albachiara’s Roger Mitchell and Anthony Arena, chief executive of videogame-styled sports broadcast platform Aura, take on the real significance of social media audiences, the viability of subscription-led streaming services and whether new channels can survive without premium rights.

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Adam Fraser, chief executive of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Adam talks about how to put purpose and social impact at the centre of a sports business, explaining how Laureus works through projects around the world and also laying guiding principles for any organisation.  He also reflects on his transition to a CEO role, exercising global leadership through the limitations of the pandemic, and where a generational shift will take the cause of sport for good in the future.