SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Anouk Mertens, Eleven chief operating officer, Neo Studios managing director and executive producer of the Leeds United documentary series Take Us Home.   Mertens explains how the project came together, reveals what it took to get Oscar-winner Russell Crowe on board as narrator, and discusses the future of Neo Studios and the value of original and d...

As the Masters tees off, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly welcomes Giles Morgan, respected global sports sponsorship consultant and executive vice president of Pumpjack Dataworks, and Richard Gillis, creator of the Unofficial Partner podcast, to talk the business of golf.  Forming something of a sports industry podcast supergroup, given Giles' experience at the helm of the Captain's Table,...

SportsPro digital editor Tom Bassam talks to Mallory Rubin, the editor in chief at The Ringer, about how it approaches its podcasts across sports, entertainment and culture.    They discuss what goes into developing a Ringer podcast series, what the company has learned about what works in the medium, and building communities around shows, while Rubin also reveals how operations and ambitions have...

Joining editor at large Eoin Connolly on the latest edition of the podcast are editorial director Michael Long and deputy editor Sam Carp. The three preview the latest SportsPro magazine (02:07) before diving into some of the noteworthy news from the sports industry, including Fan Controlled Football (07:46), relaxed commercial inventory (15:16) – including US sports betting – and the continued ab...

The revelation from Barcelona's outgoing president Josep Maria Bartomeu  that the club have accepted a proposal to compete in a European super league has prompted further speculation over the new future of soccer on the continent as the sport continues to navigate through Covid-19. With much up for discussion, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by the Associated Press' (AP) global s...

In another entry from the SportsPro Insider Series, editor at large Eoin Connolly speaks to RC Buford, chief executive of Spurs Sports and Entertainment, about leading an organisation through uniquely challenging times. Buford discusses how the San Antonio Spurs reacted to a disrupted NBA season, preparing for life in and after the 'bubble', communicating difficult decisions during the Covid-19 pa...

As SportsPro Asia draws to a close, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and deputy editor Sam Carp review events on day two with Greg Turner, founder and managing director of Shenzhen High Performance Event Management. They take a long look at China, considering the government's role in sports events there and whether political developments will result in a strategic reset, and how the social...

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and editorial director Michael Long are joined by Unmish Parthasarathi, the founder of Picture Board Partners, to wrap up the first day of the SportsPro Asia virtual event.    The big talking points include Chatri Sityodtong on ONE Championship’s direct-to-consumer strategy, and India’s status as a market to watch, with NBA Asia EVP and MD Scott Levy saying...

Editor at large Eoin Connolly sees out 50MM 2020 alongside SponsorPulse's global lead Adam Mitchell as the two assess the World's 50 Most Marketable Properties.   With soccer dominating the standings, Eoin and Adam discuss the sport's success in this field, as well as exploring other notable results and SponsorPulse's formula, the Opportunity Score, which provides a universal currency for measurin...

Ahead of his appearance at SportsPro Asia, Rajasthan Royals chief operating officer Jake Lush McCrum talks to SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly about an unusual yet thrilling Indian Premier League season.  They discuss the challenges of operating in a Covid-19 bubble, the Royals' commercial programme and their work with sponsors like Red Bull, a groundbreaking women's health campaign with sa...

Editor at large Eoin Connolly welcomes back Scott Tilton, co-founder and chief executive of Hookit, to talk through SportsPro’s inaugural list of the World’s 50 Most Marketed Brands.  Among other topics of conversation include what brands need to do to promote themselves most effectively, what their priorities are, the impact of Coivd-19, how social marketing has changed, and recognising social ju...

SportsPro senior reporter Steve Impey talks to Sameer Pabari, the managing director for international media at the National Football League (NFL).   In a wide-ranging discussion of the league’s  global strategy, Pabari explores the implications of a new deal with digital giant Tencent in China and a dedicated Sky Sports channel in the UK, as well the impact of cancelled International Series games...

Now the World’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes list is out for all to see, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and deputy editor Sam Carp analyse the key findings from this year's edition with the help of Salvatore De Angelis, Nielsen Sports’ head of digital, international.  With much up for debate, the three break down the standings, the methodology used by Nielsen to reach the results and what...

As 16 teams head into an expanded play-off stretch, Major League Baseball chief operations and strategy officer Chris Marinak talks to SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly about the future of America's pastime. They discuss the unique challenges of 2020, new experiments in digital engagement, and how MLB is planning to build the baseball experience of tomorrow around each individual fan.

Endurance sport takes centre stage on this week's podcast as SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly welcomes the Professional Triathletes Organisation's (PTO) chief executive Sam Renouf and vice chairman Chris Kermode (04:03). After launching in January 2020, having secured significant capital from Crankstart Investments, the PTO is looking to improve commercial prospects for triathletes. Here, E...

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is back with editorial director Michael Long, wrapping up some of the key talking points from day two of SportsPro Live. They’re joined by Swipe Right PR founder Kirsty Endfield, who brings everyone up to date on the esports conversations from around the event, and Seven League consulting partner Charlie Beall returns from the conference round tables to give...

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and deputy editor Sam Carp are joined by Jeff Nathenson, managing director, international at Whistle Sports, to review the first day of the first fully virtual SportsPro Live.  They discuss Jeff’s chat with the CMOs of the Carolina Panthers and LA Chargers, Sam’s panel on the international strategies for the NFL, NHL and MLB, some more of their day one highl...

As the new National Football League (NFL) season kicks off, editor at large Eoin Connolly previews a very different campaign with Peter Schwartz, Sportico’s senior sports valuations and legal reporter. In a detailed discussion, the pair assess the mood in the US ahead of the league’s start, Covid-19 safety measures, potential broadcast rights plans and social justice issues, as well as unpicking S...

John Levy, the founder and chief executive of TheScore, tells SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly how the second most popular sports mobile app in North America is now the basis for a major new player in the emerging US sports betting marketplace. Levy outlines how the company's history has led it to this point, explains its plans to build on its experience in individualisation and user experi...

SportsPro managing director Nick Meacham heads up another entry from the SportsPro Insider Series, speaking to Rufus Hack, chief operating officer of golf's European Tour and Ryder Cup, and Charlotte Offord, UK senior marketing director at the NFL (4.04). They lay out approaches to developing an international media strategy, discuss the balance between OTT and linear options, explain the importanc...

In a session from the SportsPro Insider Series, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Octagon senior vice president Daniel Cohen and One Football commercial lead for OTT streaming Yannick Ramcke about the future of the sports rights market (4.50). They discuss what sports media rights are going to be worth in the years ahead, the impact of Covid-19, digital disruption, competition for s...

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Guy Voisin, director of cycling, Eurosport, and head of GCN Racing at Play Sports Network, and Mike Rich, Eurosport’s global head of sports marketing solutions.  In this Tour de France podcast special, the three examine what the event will be like for the pan-European broadcaster amid the current climate and what changes to this year’s schedule have...

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Paul Linden, founder and chief executive of specialist sports finance practice Endorser. Linden explains how the company has built its business on providing debt-free financing to live events operators in return for commercial-related income and discusses the longer-term implications of recent events, including how finance departments can develop a...

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 t...

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 mo...