Sports Pundit Podcast Network

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Paddy Carberry, Global Sports Marketing Manager at Guinness. Based out of the iconic St James’ Gate in Dublin, Paddy leads the brand's global sports activations—from Six Nations Rugby to the Premier League and everything in-between. With nearly six years at Diageo, Paddy’s career has spanned roles in sustainability, corporate relations, culture and partnerships. Now, he’s shaping Guinness' connection to fans worldwide, activating the brand across diverse markets and sports. In our conversation, we dive into how Guinness aligns with the cultural heartbeat of each market, why the timing was right for partnering with the Premier League, the role of zero-alcohol options in connecting with younger generations, and the significance of Guinness' brand homes in their broader strategy. We also explore the brand’s heritage, its long-standing ties with rugby, and some creative new campaigns—including fashion collaborations, which Paddy hints are on the horizon for football fans. Timeline 3:00 - Paddy’s Journey 8:00 - The Premier League Partnership and Global Fan Behaviours 14:00 - Guinness’ Alignment with Rugby 18:00 - Going Beyond In-Stadia Activation and ‘Pouring Rights' 23:00 - The Booming Popularity of Guinness and Their Pub and Retail Activation Strategy 27:00 - How Guinness Zero is Shaping Consumer Trends and 'Out-Innovating' the Internet 30:00 - Guinness' Brand Home at St. James's Gate and Around the World  37:00 - Future Partnership Plans and a Potential Fashion and Football Collab? Additional Links Connect with Paddy on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Drew Rauso, who leads Strategy and Operations at Playmaker HQ, a top-tier sports podcast network owned by Bettor Collective. Playmaker’s lineup features some of the biggest names in sports, including Shaquille O'Neal, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. Drew's role focuses on driving growth, fan engagement, and uncovering commercial opportunities, from merchandise to live events. With a background that includes working at The Players' Tribune, Drew and I dive into the rise of athlete-driven media and the key areas involved in building a successful podcast network. Timeline 3:00 - Drew Journey 4:00 - Athlete Driven Media 7:00 - Playmaker HQ's Distribution Network 10:00 - Landing and Navigating Commercial Deals 12:00 - Balancing Politics and Priorities 14:00 - Leveraging Bettor Collective's Relationships 17:00 - Podcast Monetisation 19:00 - Launching Physical Events 27:00 - Could Teams Launch Their Own Podcasts? 34:00 - Why Streaming Killed the Group Chat 37:00 - Expanding into International Sports Additional Links Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart host block party for Roommates Show in Central Park Angel Reese Launches 'Unapologetically Angel' Podcast amid Breakout WNBA Season 'Streaming has killed the mainstream': the decade that broke popular culture Connect with Drew on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Marieke Visser and Frederique De Laat from HERA United, a pioneering women’s-only football club based in Amsterdam which is  set to launch in 2025. This conversation dives deep into their ambitious goals for club, including their vision for competing in the Champions League, as well as creating long-term growth for Dutch women’s football. Marieke, who is the founder and CEO, talks about the possibilities created by building HERA United from the ground up and shares with us her lifelong fight for gender equality in sports, which is rooted in her early experiences of exclusion from the game.  Meanwhile Frederique, who heads up finance and operations, reflects on transitioning from strategy consulting to the sports industry, drawn in by the untapped potential and commercial opportunities she could see within women’s football. Together, they reveal the challenges of launching a women’s-only club in a system designed to favour men’s teams, including how they successfully lobbied the KNVB and how they acquired Telstar's women’s team license. They also discuss HERA’s innovative female-first approach to coaching, sports tech, and talent development, which they believe is essential for building a more sustainable, collaborative football ecosystem. Timestamps:3:00 - Marieke’s Early Fight for Gender Equality in Football8:00 - Frederique’s Journey from Strategy Consulting to Women’s Football11:00 - The Founding Story of HERA United16:00 - Overcoming the System: Securing a Place in the Eredivisie25:00 - Why a Female-First Approach is Key to Success30:00 - The Power of Collaboration in Dutch Football35:00 - Retaining Talent in the Netherlands: Challenges and Opportunities40:00 - Future Ambitions: Competing in the Champions League44:00 - HERA’s Vision for Long-Term Growth and Social Change Additional Links Hera United should become the first professional club for women only: "What gets attention, grows" Amsterdam could get a new all-women pro football club Connect with Marieke on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Frederique on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dani Gonçalves, Co-Founder and CEO of Fantasy WSL. Dani’s journey is a unique blend of creativity and technology. She started her career as a musician, moved to London to pursue her dream, and soon found herself immersed in the world of social media and digital marketing, even before it became the major industry it is today. After honing her skills with brands like Lush Cosmetics, Dani transitioned into the world of tech, working for a fintech startup, which is where she met her co-founder, Jimmy. Their shared passion for fantasy sports and a desire to make women’s sports more accessible, having watched the Lionesses win the Euros, led to the creation of Fantasy WSL. In this conversation, Dani shares her fascinating background, the pivotal moment that inspired Fantasy WSL, and how she’s helping to bring the women’s game to new audiences - and in the process building one of the most engaged platforms and communities around women's football. Timestamps  3:00 - Dani’s Journey 7:00 - Applying lessons from Lush Cosmetics 10:00 - The Fantasy WSL Audience 14:00 - Women’s Football Rivalry 17:00 - Breaking Through 19:00 - Leveraging Media Relationships to Build Community 23:00 - What if the League Launch an Official App 27:00 - Differentiating the Product 31:00 - Getting Engagement from Players 35:00 - Leveraging First Party Data 37:00 - Future Plans…  Additional Links Create your own Fantasy WSL team Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big? The Guardian Connect with Dani - Here Connect with Andy - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Corey Breton, Head of Venues at Cosm. From starting out in ticket sales with major sports organizations like the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves, before transitioning into a broader operational role, first with LAFC in the MLS, and later as Chief Revenue Officer for Global Attractions at Legends, Corey made the move last year to join Cosm, bringing together his unique skillset at a company which is at the forefront of immersive entertainment experiences.   In this conversation, Corey shares with us his journey, what drew him to Cosm, and how the company is poised to expand the concept of fan engagement beyond the traditional stadium through its groundbreaking “Shared Reality” venues.  Timestamps 3:00 - Corey’s Journey  5:00 - What is Cosm?  13:00 - The Viral Man Utd v Fulham Clip 16:00 - Tailoring the Fan Experience  21:00 - Shared Reality vs Virtual Reality  24:00 - Signing a Deal with the NFL 28:00 - Is this a New Media Right?  31:00 - Complimenting In-stadia Attendance  36:00 - Raising $250m from the likes of Marc Lasry and David Blitzer 39:00 - Cosm's Investment ‘Moat”  41:00 - Incremental Revenue Opportunities  Additional Links Cosm Raises Over $250 Million In Funding To Expand Experiential Entertainment Venues GloballyNFL to Air Sunday Night Football in ‘Shared Reality’ Cosm Domes

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Jack Withinshaw, Chief Commercial Officer at Alauda Aeronautics and CCO and Co-Founder of Airspeeder.  Jack’s started out his career with giant advertising agencies like MediaCom and Val Morgan before transitioning to work with various startups across in industries like logistics, recruitment, and retail.   He joined Alauda Aeronautics in 2019 where he co-founded Airspeeder, alongside Aluda’s founder, Matt Pearson. During this conversation, we discuss what drove him to, together with Matt, to start a racing series, as well as his aspirations more broadly for the adoption of eVOTL vehicles and why he believes now is the time to finally deliver on the promise of flying cars.  Timestamps 3:00 - Jack's Journey to Joining Alauda 5:00 - The Promise of Flying Cars 7:00 - Founding and Developing Airspeeder 10:00 - Recruiting Pilots 13:00 - Digital Racetracks 16:00 - Airspeeder's Revenue Model 19:00 - Why Automotive Brands are Getting Involved 24:00 - Navigating Media Rights and Opportunities 29:00 - The Role of Esports 31:00 - The Impact of eVOTL as a Mobility Revolution 34:00 - Cities of the Future 39:00 - Approaching Investment 42:00 - Going Behind the Scenes on YouTube Additional Links Alauda Aeronautics - Taking Flight Series Airspeeder EXA Championship 2023 - Full Race Highlights Evolving the eVTOL market one race at a time Connect with Jack - ⁠Here⁠ Connect with Andy - ⁠Here⁠

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Alexander Jobst, CEO at Fortuna Dusseldorf, a football club based in the North of Germany and competing in the second tier, Bundesliga 2. Fortuna’s home, the Merkur Spiel Arena, hosted a number of matches during this summer’s European championships, including England’s 5-3 penalty win over Switzerland in the quarter finals, which was witnessed live by almost 47,000 fans. One of the greatest challenges facing Alex in his role at CEO, is achieving similar attendance figures throughout the club season - which led to the innovative launch of 'Fortuna for All.' Almost three years into the role, Alexander has leant heavily on his past experiences working with the likes of Siemens, Real Madrid, FIFA, and FC Schalke on areas around commercialisation and internationalisation. We discuss what he has learnt over his career and how this has lead him to such a unique solution now that he is at the helm at Fortuna... Timestamps 2:00 - Journey to becoming CEO 5:00 - Fortuna Düsseldorf's Long-Term Vision 8:00 - Fortuna for All: Concept and Implementation 10:00 - Business Model and Revenue Impact 13:00 - Fan Loyalty and Community Building 15:00 - Digital Transformation and Future Plans 20:00 - Commercial Partnerships and Sustainability 29:00 - Applying the Model Elsewhere 36:00 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Additional Links 'Fortuna For All': Fortuna Düsseldorf confirm four free fixtures for 2024/25 season How the Application Process Works Connect with Alexander on LinkedIn - ⁠Here Connected with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here

Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Cherry Beagles, the founder of The 400 Club, an all-female members club redefining what it means to be a sports fan and increasing culturally relevant brand deals in women’s sport. Having studied law at the University of Manchester and gained experience at the likes of NBC Universal and Dentsu, Cherry founded The 400 Club as a side hustle to address an audience that was being underrepresented in traditional sports marketing - and an audience she herself fell in to.  Since launching, she has brought on successful female founders, international athletes, and Olympians, as well as hosted events with the likes of Nike, and done brand campaigns with rightsholders such as Arsenal - all within her first year of starting the club - suggesting that Cherry is very much on to something big.  We discuss her perspective on women’s sport, why this is not to be confused with a female-fan strategy, and the importance of engaging not just the biggest female brands, but those that hold the most cultural relevance. Time Stamps 2:00 - What is The 400 Club and who are the members 4:00 - Recruiting New Members 8:00 - The Athlete x Brand Flywheel 13:00 - Creating a Female-Fan Strategy 17:00 - Culturally Relevant Brand Partnerships and Collaborations 20:00 - That Taylor Swift Jacket 28:00 - What Athletes can Learn from Social-First Brands 32:00 - Creating a Campaign with Arsenal FC 35:00 - Giving Rugby a 400 Club Twist 44:00 - Future of the 400 Club Additional Links ⁠The 400 Club x Nike for The FA Cup Final⁠ ⁠Follow The 400 Club on Instagram⁠ Connect with Cherry on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠ Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Peer Naubert, CMO and Managing Director of Bundesliga International. Growing up in Germany, Peer has gained experience working in South Korea, China, and the Netherlands. His current role involves working closely with clubs to further develop a joint international approach, providing them with global marketing and commercial opportunities and offering financial support for their global activities.  Managing a team of 44 employees across Frankfurt, Singapore, New York, and Beijing, Peer is focused on developing and executing local marketing strategies that drive fandom. To date, this has resulted in the Bundesliga becoming the fastest growing, among Europe's top football leagues, in terms of awareness, interest, and media consumption globally.  Taking time out of his schedule at the recent SportInnovation Summit in Dusseldorf, I sat down with Peer to discuss what he has done, and what he’s aspiring to do in the months and years ahead.  Time Stamps 2:30 - A Recap of SportInnovation Summit 6:00 - Peer’s Journey to the Bundesliga 9:00 - Lessons from Living in Korea 12:00 - The Arrival of England Captain, Harry Kane  16:30 - The Launch of Fortuna for All  23:00 - Appealing to the US Soccer Fan 26:00 - Remaining Affordable 33:00 - Building Up a Database of International Fans 35:00 - The NFL and Playing Internationally 38:00 - Overcoming the Language Problem  Additional Links ⁠Sports Innovation 2024: Wonderment and warnings in equal measure as AI dominates Düsseldorf event⁠ ⁠Fortuna Favours the Brave⁠ Connect with Peer on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠here⁠ Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠ 

Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with CiCi Bellis. Cici is the Founder and General Partner of Cartan Capital as well as a former professional tennis player. Still only 24 years old, she’s never let age be a barrier, famously having won a match at the 2014 US Open as a 15 year-old against a top 20 opponent. Having failed to shake-off a recurring injury, CiCi announced her retirement in 2020 and she has set to work on reaching the top in the world of venture. This was initially set in motion thanks to WTA’s partnership with Indiana University where CiCi got her degree. She then joined leAD Sports and Health Tech Partners Investment Team before setting up as a solo GP and launching Cartan Capital in 2023, a $10 million pledge fund focused similarly on sports and health but more specifically now leveraging her network and her experience as an athlete.  Time Stamps  2:00 - Early Professional Tennis Career  5:00 - Developing an Interest in Venture Capital  12:00 - Cartan Capital's Areas of Interest 15:00 - The Opportunity in the Wearables Space  18:00 - Cartan’s Investment into Proto Holograms 23:00 - Investing into Sports Betting  27:00 - Finding a Silver Lining to First Hand Experiences in Rehab and Recovery 29:00 - The MASSIVE Opportunity to Invest into Femtech  35:00 - Attracting attention from Female Founders and Athlete Founders  Additional Links ⁠Cartan Capital's Monthly Newsletter⁠ ⁠Former tennis pro CiCi Bellis on launching her own VC to invest in sports and health tech⁠ ⁠How former WTA World No. 35 launched a $10MM Sports & Health Tech Fund⁠ ⁠Cartan Capital Invests in Proto Hologram⁠ ⁠Flo Health on how its content drove daily app usage with pregnant mothers⁠ - ⁠ABBA Voyage passes 2 million tickets sold⁠ Connect with CiCi on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠