Outlines - a podcast about sport, stories and the media

Writer and strategist Sam Diss discusses the ever-broader range of commercial storytelling modes and outlets in football, as clubs and brands lean into the experiences of their fan communities. The former head of content at Mundial magazine also explores the art of the athlete profile and reflects on The English Disease - his award-winning podcast series about football violence, male anger and gen...

Noah Media Group co-founder and CEO talks through the company’s approach to crafting its celebrated sports documentaries – including the headline-making Football’s Financial Shame: The Story of the V11.  He details the production of the film – which was aired on the BBC in September and follows a group of former Premier League stars allegedly brought to ruin by their own advisers – and how the Noa...

Acclaimed football writer and historian Jonathan Wilson introduces his new book - The Power and the Glory: A New History of the World Cup . He explores the unique attraction of the tournament on a personal and global level, its social and geopolitical impact on a changing world, and the potential effects of its latest format on how its story is told. And he talks the relationship between football'...

Channel 4 News sports reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan talks about inclusion and sports storytelling, from editorial decision-making to the framing of the Paralympic conversation. He delves into the specific relationship between TV news correspondents and their audience, explains how his Blakademik production company is generating new opportunities and fresh ideas, reflects on his move into lecturing...

Hayters co-owner and managing director Gerry Cox explains how the celebrated sports news agency has adapted to the demands of a new media era. He talks about following up on its track record of launching top-level journalism careers - like those of Henry Winter, Peter Drury and David Ornstein - as well as its embrace of digital-first storytelling and a closer relationship with football audiences....

Andrew Mangan - founder of the enduring Arsenal-based platform Arseblog - discusses the impact of fan media on football culture. He explains how Arseblog – an early mover in football blogging and podcasts – has evolved to meet audience expectations while maintaining its own identity and priorities.  He also talks about the dynamics between fan-led and conventional football media, and how the likes...

Luke Moore reflects on 18 years of the Football Ramble, the UK’s biggest independent football podcast, and how the show and the space have evolved in that time.  He discusses the Ramble’s relationship with its audience, and the impact of that on its content and the commercial model.  And in his role as COO and co-owner of Stak – the production company that grew initially from the Ramble – he talks...

The influential cricket writer, broadcaster, podcaster and filmmaker Jarrod Kimber tells Eoin Connolly about his eventful career and distinctive multimedia approach to finding and telling stories. He discusses his path through a period of rapid change in the sport, the nuances of cricket culture and history, and the possibilities opened by analytics, T20 and a globalising community. Outlines is a...

In another conversation about sport and younger audiences, Futrhood Media founder and digital media strategist Jo Redfern lays out the demands of multi-platform storytelling across channels such as YouTube, TikTok and Roblox. Redfern – the former Head of Brand for BBC Children’s and Education who has since advised sports bodies including the Premier League and the R&A – also discusses what spo...

Tifo Football’s Joe Devine tells Eoin Connolly how the video and podcast brand built its identity on distinctive explainer features, tactical analysis, curiosity and personality.  They discuss Tifo’s journey from creation through two changes of ownership, the importance of its art style and editorial priorities, discoverability on platforms like YouTube, and the particular dynamics of Tifo’s relat...

Eoin Connolly talks to Stuart Rowson – a veteran of senior sport and children’s roles at the BBC and the founder of Lucky Socks Media – about how young audiences discover sport in today’s media environment and what organisations can do to inspire new fans and participants.  Stuart explains why young people need the freedom to take ownership of their own communities, what makes sports stories relev...

Adam Hurrey – creator of Football Cliches – tells Eoin Connolly how he carved a career and a community out of affectionate observations on the language of football.  They discuss the growth of the project through two books and a hit podcast, the evolution of football vernacular across different settings in the online era, and the peculiarities of transfer and tournament speak.  And Adam reflects o...

Welcome to Outlines - a new podcast about sport, stories and the media, from Eoin Connolly and 26 Forty. In this first episode, Eoin talks to journalist and broadcaster Flo Lloyd-Hughes - host of the Counter Pressed podcast and founder of The Cutback - about the next chapter for women's football coverage. With UEFA Euro 2025 providing another big summer spectacle, they discuss how women's football...