Sportspro Podcast

As the Rugby World Cup arrives in Japan, editor at large Eoin Connolly welcomes back Richard Gillis, the former SportsPro columnist, sometime agency operator, occasional Irish Times writer, and host of the Unofficial Partner podcast. On the agenda: how does sponsorship creative comes together around global competitions? What does Japan mean to the future of the tournament? How do rugby's touring culture and big eventers combine to deliver crowds? And will CVC and venture capital change union forever?  There's then time to revisit an interview from earlier in 2019 with World Rugby COO and head of Rugby World Cup Alan Gilpin, who discusses the logistical challenges and the commercial and sporting opportunities of taking the event to Asia for the first time.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly revisits another session from the Fan Conference, where he is joined by Tottenham Hotspur head of partnerships Fran Jones, Huddersfield Town commercial director Sean Jarvis, and Sponsor.Online managing partner Maximillian von Portatius to talk about disruption in soccer sponsorship. On the agenda: Spurs' search for a naming rights partner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, getting Beavertown beer in that new ground, Huddersfield's mischievous activation of their shirt sponsorship deal with bookmaker Paddy Power, what brings brands and teams together, and plenty more besides.

The inaugural SportsPro Fan Conference ends with The Big Debate at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by Whistle's international managing director Jeff Nathenson, Copa90 chief business officer James Kirkham and sports consultant Drew Barrand to talk about toxicity in social media, the points where brands and hardcore supporters meet, bringing fans on the journey to new stadiums, and why anyone who's good at their job in sports media needs to know about KSI v Logan Paul II.  With the bars open in north London you can expect some strong opinions, and some strong language.

With November's P1 AquaX World Championship in the Bahamas on the horizon, SportsPro senior writer Sam Carp is joined on a special edition of the SportsPro Podcast by Powerboat P1 chief executive Azam Rangoonwala. An engineering graduate and former racer himself, Rangoonwala dials in from the global marine motorsport promoter's international racing headquarters in Orlando to discuss the development of P1's flagship series and its plans to expand in the future. 

As the Ashes summer nears its end, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly heads to the Kia Oval to talk to cricket legend Shane Warne.  The former Australia leg-spinner talks about his role with the Indian Premier League's Rajasthan Royals, and how franchise cricket has changed the job of a professional player on and off the field. He also discusses The Hundred and its tactical secrets, as he prepares to join the Lord's franchise as head coach, and shares his thoughts on preserving the historic Test format.  There's then time to revisit the Black Book Motorsport Forum, and hear the thoughts of senior figures from three leading teams about their challenges in 2019. M-Sport WRC team principal Rich Millener, Nissan global motorsport director Michael Carcamo and Yan Lefort, commercial director at Sauber Group for the Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team, join the conversation.

In a briefer edition of the SportsPro Podcast, editor at large Eoin Connolly speaks to Riot Games' Alban Dechelotte and the Kellogg Company's Dominik Schafhaupt to find out what Pringles' sponsorship of the League of Legends European Championship tells us about what brands are doing in esports.  How does a non-endemic sponsor prepare to engage with the esports community? How can partners spread their activities across groups of gamers and viewers? What can companies do to connect with a more marketing-savvy audience? And why is it that relevance and not breakthrough is what counts in this space? 

SportsPro has released its tenth annual list of the world's 50 most marketable athletes, with tennis star Naomi Osaka heading the class of 2019. Editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to editorial director Michael Long about what the feature is intended to accomplish, its unique criteria, how it has changed to reflect the media marketplace and the interests of brands, and the role of social data partner Hookit in compiling it.  Then it's over to SportsPro HQ where digital editor Tom Bassam and senior writer Sam Carp are on hand to talk through some of the themes that emerge from this year's edition.  What puts Osaka on top? How are brands becoming more comfortable with outspoken ambassadors like Megan Rapinoe? What magnetises people to young talents like Zion Williamson, Jofra Archer and Chloe Kim, or keeps them interested in established megastars like Stephen Curry? How are the stories of marketable athletes changing in their detail and range, and what do brands need to be aware of before they sign?

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by editorial director Michael Long to discuss Disney's aggressively priced bundle for Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu. The US streaming race, rebundling, and the concept of added-value membership packages - which could, in sport, mean pricing in tickets or other experiences - are all on the table in the OTT era. Then, as Anthony Joshua prepares to head to Saudi Arabia to retrieve his world heavyweight boxing titles from Andy Ruiz, there's a conversation about the pattern emerging for how events will be promoted in the controversial kingdom, and a brief reflection on the ongoing beoutQ dispute. And to coincide with Women in Sport Week on the SportsPro website, there's an interview with Eleven Sports chief operating officer Anouk Mertens.

As a new European club soccer season dawns, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and senior writer Sam Carp are joined by a rotating cast of writers and guests at HQ, with senior reporter Steven Impey making his pod debut to detail La Liga’s quest for a UK rights partner, and digital editor Tom Bassam discussing the Bundesliga and his trip to the German Super Cup. The Premier League is also back, while the British launch of The Athletic and a change in strategy for Otro provide food for thought on what fans will pay for in the digital space.  Then Black Book of Motorsport director Peter Jones drops in to discuss this month’s Black Book Motorsport Forum, a busy 2019 in racing with the launch of the W Series, and Formula One’s fortunes as it hits a mid-season break.  

With a new Premier League soccer season on the horizon, SportsPro digital editor Tom Bassam talks to Arsenal head of content Tom Hines and Southampton head of content and digital Luke Nicholson about the art of club storytelling. How does a team create a consistent, compelling media presence? How do you match the right output to the right digital channels? How do you ensure best practice across an editorial operation and communicate what matters throughout the whole organisation? And how do you make all that count for sponsors and partners?

Fresh from England's first ever ICC Men's Cricket World Cup title, England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison speaks to SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly about his reaction to an incredible final, the lessons of a UK free-to-air return, his reflections on the tournament and what's next for a team now enjoying their breakout moment. Also on the agenda: an Ashes summer for England's men and women; the latest on preparations for a radical and divisive new competition in The Hundred; the ECB's plans to grow the sport by embracing younger and more diverse audiences; what media contracts really tell us; and why the world champions celebrated at a school skills event at the Oval, rather than on the back of an open-top bus.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly, digital editor Tom Bassam and senior writer Sam Carp catch their breath just long enough to look back on an incredibly dramatic and impossible tight finale at Lord's, where England snuck past New Zealand to win the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup for the first time.  They also review the seven-week tournament, asking what could be learned from Sky Sports' late deal to bring the final to Channel 4, how far the event broke out beyond cricket audiences in the UK and elsewhere, and what changes might take the competition forward in the next edition in India in 2023.    There's time to take in news of a new NBA CMO from the social video space, and a new women’s sports marketing firm from Wasserman, The Collective. Then the team reflect on the rest of split-screen Sunday, which saw UK viewers in particular scrambling to watch the cricket, the F1 British Grand Prix and an epic Wimbledon men's singles tennis final at the same time. What, if anything, can broadcasters and event o

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and print editor Michael Long reconvene to review the Fifa Women's World Cup. After a tournament that represented a huge cultural moment, from Megan Rapinoe and the USWNT to a big TV breakthrough everywhere, where does women's soccer go next? How will commercial and development aims best be served?  Then, as Mediapro is linked with a new TV channel partnership with Italian soccer's Serie A and Lagardère Sports with a takeover by Wasserman Media Group, there is some time to reflect on where the agency sector is going. Meanwhile, there's also a chance to discuss a new direction for the flagship SportsPro magazine. 

With the New York Yankees having enjoyed two wins over the Boston Red Sox,  SportsPro senior writer Sam Carp returns from Stratford to tell editor at large Eoin Connolly about his impressions of the first ever MLB London Series. On the agenda: what can be done differently next year, what lessons can be learned from the NFL, and just why the two games at the London Stadium were so high-scoring.  Then, as the debate over the UK media impact of the Fifa Women's World Cup and ICC Men's Cricket World Cup continues, there's time to discuss free-to-air strategies in the digital age, and to dip into the Grabyo Global Video Trends Report for some insights into viewer tastes and device use. 

SportsPro editor-at-large Eoin Connolly and print editor Michael Long discuss a big week in Olympic circles, with Milan-Cortina awarded the 2026 Winter Games, a new Olympic House inaugurated in Lausanne, a unique deal signed with Coca-Cola and Mengniu for a reported US$3 billion, and more besides.  Then, with the Championships at Wimbledon a few days away, the AELTC's James Ralley and Alexandra Willis explain how the most prestigious tournament in tennis stays relevant in the global 21st century media landscape, from new content plans to the inaugural edition of Wimbledon Rematch, an immersive theatrical experience taking fans back to 1980. 

As the banned former Uefa president Michel Platini faces police questioning in France, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and print editor Michael Long discuss the latest developments in the ongoing saga around Qatar 2022, corruption allegations, Fifa and world soccer.  There's also time to consider a crowded summer soccer calendar, with the Copa America, Concacaf Gold Cup and Africa Cup of Nations colliding with the Fifa Women's World Cup, and to look into recent IPOs for Wanda Sports and the IMG and UFC owner Endeavor. Meanwhile, with the Nations League Finals marking the start of the Chinese payment giant's eight-year sponsorship of Uefa, Alipay's Rita Liu (26.58) explains the rationale behind the partnership, and outlines what to expect from the company's international strategy in sport.   

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly welcomes back print editor Michael Long from his travels to discuss some first impressions of the Fifa Women's World Cup in France, the impact of the Toronto Raptors' NBA Finals run in Canada, and the implications of the IAAF's move to rebrand as World Athletics.  Then we hear from Sanjay Patel (24.03), managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board's divisive new tournament, The Hundred. He explains why the ECB felt it had to respond to changes in fan behaviour and the competition for attention, how he hopes the new format can appeal to a new audience, and how The Hundred's commercial structure will create a different set of opportunities for brands.  

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly heads back to the office to chat to senior writer Sam Carp about the imminent Fifa Women's World Cup (16.45), with brands, broadcasters and fans promising to mass behind the competition as never before. Fifa head of women's football Sarai Bareman (31.47) is also on the line with her thoughts on the weeks ahead in France, and just what it is that is driving the commercial breakthrough in women's sport.  There's also time to talk through a week of massive events elsewhere in the world of sport, from the impact on DAZN and the rest of the fight game of Anthony Joshua's shock loss to Andy Ruiz in New York, to Uefa's twin club finals and its Nations League bow in Portugal, and the prospect of a Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar. 

The 2019 ICC Men's Cricket Cup is here, with ten teams heading to England and Wales for 48 games across six weeks until the middle of July. SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly presents a special edition of the podcast looking at some of the work that has gone into putting together one of the biggest events of the year.  First up is Cricket World Cup 2019 managing director Steve Elworthy (3.47), the former South Africa international running his sixth global ICC event but taking charge of the big one for the first time. He talks about the final days of preparation, the task of managing an expanded team, how the tournament can capture the public imagination and his ambitions for the future.  Then, with England heading into the tournament as favourites for a first title, ECB head of marketing Jenny Smith (41.41) talks about how the national body is trying to connect with younger fans before a pivotal 2020 season. And Surrey chief executive Richard Gould (60.11) reveals what The Oval expects from its host ve

Former British sports minister Tracey Crouch MP joins SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly to share her thoughts on the industry.   Crouch, who has taken on a role as a senior adviser to London-based communications agency The Playbook, explains why her objection to a delay on restrictions on fixed-odds betting terminals on UK high streets led her to resign her post, and gives her wider views on the role of gambling in British sport. She also recalls her experiences of working in government, from the reality of her remit to the challenges of securing funding in an era of austerity, and the likely impact of Brexit on sport.  And as a landmark decade of major events continues in the UK, she discusses the evolution of the sports business, the role of the public sector, the need for governance reform to reflect challenges like athlete safety, and the one sports job she would take if offered.