SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro's editor at large, Eoin Connolly, and Frank Gregory, social intelligence practice lead at 50 Most Marketable analysis partner NorthStar Solutions Group take you through some of the most prominent themes in this year's list.

In this special episode of the Playbook Podcast, Two Circles co-founders Gareth Balch and Matt Rogan reflect on the first ten years of the business.  The duo share some of the lessons from building a differentiated offer right from the start, to developing a performance culture in the team, while prioritising client retention and pushing on with international growth. The episode tracks the ideas which have taken them from Rogan's kitchen table through two acquisitions into becoming one of the pre-eminent international sports marketing agencies of the digital era. 

As the Paralympic Games continue in Tokyo, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Craig Spence, chief brand and communications officer at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and Jarrod Clyne, human rights advisor for the Human Rights Council at the International Disability Alliance. They discuss the opportunity the Paralympics creates to celebrate and support people with disabilities, and how the IPC’s positioning and that of its brand partners are changing to meet the needs of the wider movement. Craig and Jarrod also talk about how athletes are building advocacy and introduce WeThe15, a multi-organisation campaign for the 1.2 billion people with disabilities worldwide.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Jon Varney, chief executive of newly promoted Premier League soccer club Brentford FC. They reflect on Brentford’s unlikely journey to the top level of the English game – making their return after a 74-year absence – and the careful building that has gone into that process on and off the pitch. Jon also discusses the move from their much-loved old home, Griffin Park, to the new Brentford Community Stadium, adapting to different demands and financial horizons, commercial development and sustaining the team’s community.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by senior contributor Matt Rogan to discuss the first season of the Hundred, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) much-heralded new short-form competition.  They talk about what worked and what needs work across the format, presentation and delivery, what the centralised model made possible and where existing teams and structures still bring irreplaceable value. They also consider what other rights holders and organisations in sport can learn, and how new fans can be brought in with or without new tournaments. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan speaks with John Dowson, chair at the English Institute of Sport to discuss the role of the board. They talk about how the bi-monthly board meeting is just the start and how the very best not only support the organisations they are a part of but challenge them in their entirety. John outlines the importance of role clarity at the highest level and how cognitive diversity is fundamental to good decision making.  The SportsPro Playbook is the place to go for agenda-free, pragmatic advice to understand how to navigate your organisation through change. Head to sportspromedia.com/playbook to catch up on our library of articles and podcasts, and learn more about how our new Playbook Labs programme can help you lead your organisation to success in 2021 and beyond.

For this special edition podcast, SportsPro digital editor, Tom Bassam, is joined by Greenfly chief executive, Daniel Kirschner, to break down the 50 Most Marketable Athletes list. Then, Zoomph's director of business strategy, Scott Lewis, is on to explain the methodology behind the rankings. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

The New York Times’ global sports reporter Tariq Panja joins deputy editor Sam Carp to assess the commercial impact of Lionel Messi’s arrival at Paris Saint-Germain. Following Lionel Messi’s shock departure from FC Barcelona, The New York Times’ global sports reporter Tariq Panja joins SportsPro deputy editor Sam Carp to discuss whether it really should have come as a surprise at all. They discuss what led to one of the greatest soccer players of all time having to leave the Nou Camp after more than 20 years, 672 goals and 35 trophies, the inevitability of his subsequent arrival at Paris Saint-Germain, and the potential commercial implications for Ligue 1 and La Liga. There is also time for the pair to consider what this all says about Uefa’s existing financial fair play (FFP) rules, how Qatar will look to capitalise on Messi’s presence in Paris in the build-up to the 2022 Fifa World Cup, and some of soccer’s regulatory issues that have been laid bare by the whole saga. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro managing director Nick Meacham speaks with the FuboTV co-founder and chief executive, David Gandler, on the platform's recent success as well as its plan for the future. It has been a successful period for FuboTV after announcing a record set of results for the last financial year and a bumper Q2 in 2021 - with that in mind, and with regular host Eoin Connolly away, we dip into the vault to bring you one of the most compelling conversations from a recent SportsPro event. FuboTV is one of the most exciting streaming platforms on the planet and SportsPro was fortunate enough to have Gandler appear a keynote speaker at the OTT Summit USA back in February. In this conversation, Gandler offers an insight into FuboTV’s key numbers and what they tell us about the platform’s strategy. He also identifies where the streaming platform's opportunities lie in betting, ecommerce, as well as live and on demand content.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Digital editor Tom Bassam and deputy editor Sam Carp look ahead to the start of the 2021/22 top-flight English soccer season. With the 2021/22 Premier League season set to get underway with Arsenal’s trip to newly promoted Brentford on Friday, SportsPro digital editor Tom Bassam is joined on the podcast by deputy editor Sam Carp for a commercial preview of the upcoming campaign. They consider the return of fans to grounds, the measures being implemented to keep them safe, and whether attendances will immediately bounce back to pre-pandemic levels on the back of 16 months when habits and priorities might have changed. There’s also time for the pair to discuss some of the hefty fees Premier League clubs have been spending on player transfers, and what that says about the strength of England’s top flight compared to Europe’s other major leagues as clubs continue to manage the financial fallout from the pandemic. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/