SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is back on hosting duties for the latest podcast. He’s joined on this women’s soccer special by Lisa Baird, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), to discuss the Challenge Cup, plans for growth, and ways to champion women’s sport.  Then (33:39), deputy editor Sam Carp speaks to Sarai Bareman, Fifa’s chief women’s football officer, about the journey to the 2023 Women’s World Cup and advancing the female game post-lockdown.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

SportsPro digital editor Tom Bassam talks to Iain Macintosh, director of narrative at The Athletic and founder of Muddy Knees Media, about what works and how in the sports podcast space (5.47). Iain relives the Muddy Knees Media journey from the month to month origins of The Totally Football Show in 2017, explains why creating content for Eurosport and the BBC was critical to a diverse business model, and reveals why the time was right to sell to The Athletic this year.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

As the Uefa Champions League returns this week, SportsPro journalist Ed Dixon is on the line with Tiago Craveiro, chief executive of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), to break down how the country plans to stage European club’s soccer elite competition. The pair also discuss the FPF’s wider activities (14:55), including how prioritising knowledge through launching the likes of Canal 11, and even its own university, has helped take Portuguese soccer to new heights.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In another podcast from the SportsPro Insider Series, SportsPro events content manager Chris Stone talks to John Cave, vice president of information technology, football solutions at the National Football League (NFL).  They discuss how the league pivoted amid the Covid-19 pandemic to run a fully virtual NFL Draft, devising a concept, procuring equipment and securing networks to capture the drama from the homes of team officials, coaches and graduating prospects. 

Digital editor Tom Bassam is off the subs bench and steps up as host for the latest SportsPro Podcast. He’s joined by deputy editor Sam Carp, the author of an in-depth report in the latest edition of SportsPro Magazine on what to expect from their in-venue experience post-Covid-19.  The pair breakdown the feature with expert insight from Populous’ Christopher Lee, Realife Tech’s Adam Goodyer, WaitTime’s Elizabeth Grabowski, and VenueNext’s Anthony Perez. (0:23) Then, Sam speaks to Botan Osman, chief executive of Restrata, to find out how the technology and services company is working to help get UK fans safely back into stadia. (40:35)  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In the latest entry from the SportsPro Insider Series, Bleacher Report senior director of social strategy Julian Patterson talks to broadcaster Lynsey Hooper, co-founder of soccer podcast The Offside Rule.  Patterson reveals how Bleacher Report devises content plans for channels including Instagram favourite House of Highlights, how it measures and compares audiences, how social media is maturing as a sector, the NBA’s live return and more. 

As MLB, the NBA and the NHL return in the US, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by CNBC sports business reporter Jabari Young to run the rule over the coronavirus challenges in the American industry. They discuss a difficult start for MLB, the financial battle ahead for all the majors, the power structures between players and owners, and the emerging technological picture. They also talk about the leagues' responses to the Black Lives Matter protests (32.50) and how their efforts against systemic racism will be judged. Then Major League Lacrosse commissioner Sandy Brown (44.25) is on hand to outline what it took to complete its shortened, pandemic-affected season. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In the second part of a double feature, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly speaks to Matchroom Sport group managing director and head of boxing Eddie Hearn. Topics include plans for a behind-closed-doors Matchroom Fight Camp, the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, taking events to Saudi Arabia, progress on an Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury showdown, boxing governance, Hearn's own profile and ambitions in the sport, and the team building the future of the company.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In the first of a two-part series, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Barry Hearn, founder and chairman of Matchroom Sport. They discuss how the promoter has fared through the Covid-19 pandemic, from improvising through social distancing regulations with Darts at Home and behind-closed-doors snooker to establishing financial certainty, Matchroom's changing structure and content strategy, why owning events is better than renting them, and plenty more besides. Barry's son, Matchroom Sport group managing director and boxing chief Eddie Hearn, will be the guest on the next edition of the SportsPro Podcast Extra. 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 welcomes back Matt Rogan, SportsPro’s senior contributor and co-founder of the data agency Two Circles, for the latest part of his series looking at how companies should react to Covid-19 and how to operate more effectively post-lockdown.    Having given us his five brilliant basics, Matt discusses how forward-thinking executives are positioning their businesses to best deal with the challenges set to be faced in 2022 and beyond.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/