SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly checks in on the US sports industry with Sportico sports business reporter Eben Novy-Williams and seasoned soccer journalist Grant Wahl. Eben explains how supply chain issues are preparing to wreak havoc for sports teams, examines the latest controversy in the NFL and provides an update on the Kyrie Irving Covid vaccination row.  Then Grant looks at the fallout from the historic abuse scandal in the NWSL, assesses the mood of the sport in North America in 2026, and considers what Ted Lasso might mean for the Premier League’s US media rights prospects.

For a special edition of the SportsPro Podcast's Big Interview series we bring you one of the highlights from our new weekly StreamTime Podcast featuring Phil Lynch, Manchester United’s media chief executive.  In a wide-ranging conversation with SportsPro managing director Nick Meacham, Lynch talks about his work overseeing content and distribution for one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world. Lynch details his journey from the sunny beaches of California to the cloudier skies of Manchester to lead the transformation of United's media and digital businesses. This conversation covers how the Premier League giants work with their players, the impact of ‘the Ronaldo effect’ on social and United’s strategy to build their audience at scale whilst pushing fans towards their own platforms. The newly-launched weekly StreamTime Podcast is released every Wednesday, with profiling the people, businesses and technologies driving the sports streaming revolution.  The podcast is set to become the go-to place for sports leaders and broadcast professionals seeking ideas, insights, and inspiration in these times of rapid transformation. Find StreamTime on your favourite podcast platform and make sure to follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on the latest episode.

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Beth Barrett-Wild, head of The Hundred women’s competition and female engagement at the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), about engineering a female sports event to deliver an instant impact.  They talk about the decisions that helped shape the women’s edition of this summer’s much-discussed short-format competition, how they built a platform that leading female cricketers could share with the men and how the ECB hopes to deliver more young fans to the women’s game in years ahead. They also look at where the lessons of the Hundred’s first season can be applied in other sports, while Beth reflects on her career to date and considers the qualities that can inform more inclusive leadership.

As the 2021 edition of SportsPro 50 Most Marketable Properties list goes live, editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Adam Mitchell, chief executive of data partner and provider SponsorPulse.  They dive into some of the most significant case studies in the list, discovering what the data has to say about the Fifa World Cup and Olympic Games to WWE and League of Legends. They also tease out some of the longer-term trends that are emerging, from the rising forces of women’s sport to the globalising appeal of cricket, while Adam explains the methodology and what those working in the sports industry can learn from the project’s findings.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by Press Association chief sports reporter Jamie Gardner and Professor Simon Chadwick, global professor of sport at Emlyon Business School, to unpack the takeover of Premier League soccer team Newcastle United by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. They assess the response in Newcastle and across the English game, and consider some of the questions that have faced the Premier League since the deal went through, from the human rights record of the Saudi state to the reaction of other clubs. They also look into some of the motivations of the PIF and its partners in pursuing the deal, considering how Newcastle came to be identified as a target and how the acquisition fits into a wider sports investment strategy, and ask what comes next. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly heads to London’s West End to talk to Brett Gosper, head of Europe and the UK at the National Football League (NFL).  As the NFL stages two International Series games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gosper explains how the league is rebounding from a Covid-enforced break in the British capital, how it is taking on markets like Mexico and Germany, and the implications of a rule change allowing individual teams to market themselves overseas.  He also reflects on his opening months in the job after arriving from World Rugby, what lessons he is applying from leading a governing body and his previous experience in agencies, and how sports like rugby, soccer and American football can collaborate on player safety and the risk of long-term brain injuries. 

As in-person conferences resume in pockets of the sports industry, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly checks in with staff writer Rory Jones, on the ground this week at Sportel in Monaco. Rory shares his impressions from the influential sports media and tech event, sizing up the priorities of delegates and understanding how the experience has been adapted with Covid protocols. He also talks through the key themes that have been animating the sports media community this year, and looks ahead to new developments in how Sportel is delivered. Then former Liverpool FC chief executive Peter Moore, now the senior vice president and general manager of sports and live entertainment at 3D engine giant Unity Technologies, gives an insight into sport’s future in the metaverse – the shared virtual spaces that will evolve from the internet. He explains how Unity’s Metacast will create unique platforms for sport, and how best to understand the changes that are coming next.  Click here for a brief glimpse of the Metacast technology in action.

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Nick Meacham, managing director at SportsPro. In this episode Matt learns about SportsPro’s journey over the last two years, navigating international expansion, transitioning further into the digital space and managing through the pandemic - all while creating confidence in the parent company.  SportsPro operates across many of the spaces that impact our world: OTT, private equity and talent - things that resonate with all of us. With that in mind, this is an advertorial-free, candid wander exploring what is really going on in our sector at the moment and what impact that is having on SportsPro.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by two guests from the award-winning Ear To The Ground agency, chief executive Richard Adelsberg and chief innovation officer Owen Laverty. As EA Sports prepares to release the latest edition of its all-conquering FIFA videogame series, they discuss how that title and others like it have created communal spaces for fans, and what brands need to understand if they are going to add value. They also talk about the role of music and influencers, the importance of embracing play and participation, and the trends that are now shaping digital communities.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly speaks to Christian and Damien Devaux, the co-founders of World Chase Tag, about the realities of launching a new sport in the 21st century. The brothers reflect on WCT’s brief journey from the back garden to a burgeoning global series, refining the rules and creating a global network of athletes, enthusiasts and promotional partners. They also explain how they have been working out their commercial strategy, from digital content to relationships with broadcasters like ESPN and Channel 4, the governance and business models they are looking to, and what they are learning about how to get fans invested in a sport.