SportsPro Podcast

In February 2021, Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney surprised the world by completing a takeover of small National League football club Wrexham AFC. Alongside Strategic Advisor, Shaun Harvey, and Executive Director, Humphrey Ker, we lift the lid on the story behind the takeover and how the club has come to embody an innovative and bold approach, including: The impact of the Dis...

Part one sees Tom Bassam joined by BlackBook Motorsport writer Cian Brittle to discuss crown jewel of US motorsport, the Indy 500 to look at why the Indy 500 stands alone in terms of fan experience and commercial outlook. Part two sees George Breare chat to Amir Mirzaee and Clayton Larcombe from Bayes Esports about what the next phase of the esports industry looks like, including: ·       Why the...

This week regular hosts George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined on the podcast by SportsPro reporter Josh Sim to discuss the major off-field narratives ahead of the 2023 WNBA campaign.  Talking points: The expansion question (1:06) Scripps and the media rights picture for the WNBA (10:25) Are women's sports properties valued properly by media companies? (13:37) Does the WNBA need a new CBA? (19:31...

Back in January, Jane Fernandez was named as one of SportsPro's 'Ten Influencers' for 2023 . Now, with the countdown on to the 2023 Women's World Cup, the chief operating officer for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand explains how the organisers are planning to deliver what could be a landmark soccer moment.

SportsPro Podcast hosts George Breare and Tom Bassam dive into the fine print of the EFL deal which will see Sky Sports broadcast the Championship, League One, League Two and the Carabao Cup in the UK until the end of the 2028/29 season. Talking points: The detail of the deal (1:33) The Saturday blackout remains and the headline changes (4:19) The end of iFollow (8:28) What it means for clubs in e...

Tom Bassam is joined by Sam Carp for a whiparound the week in sports industry news.  Talking points: Record attendances in the Women's Six Nations and Women's Champions League (1:24) Setting an example for others to follow (10:12) Where we're at after the third round of bidders for Manchester United (14:00) The fan influence on the takeover process (20:00) The Hundred changing course? (24:16) Gian...

This week SportsPro took over the Kia Ova to stage SportsPro Live 2023. George Breare, Tom Bassam, Steve McCaskill - as well as a few special guests - capture the sights and sounds of the two-day event in London.

The roles are reversed for this week's SportsPro Podcast as regular host George Breare is put in the interview chair by Tom Bassam for a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into putting together our flagship SportsPro Live event. Drilling into Breare's day job as senior content manager, the conversation explores the themes that shape this year's event at the Oval in London and how SportsPro thinks...

This August in Glasgow - and across other parts of Scotland - the International Cycling Union (UCI) is holding its inaugural Cycling World Championships, where 13 individual titles will be decided in a true festival of the sport. On this week's podcast, SportsPro's Tom Bassam is joined by UCI digital transformation executive Adrien de Cheveigné and Jonny Murch, chief executive of Redtorch, to find...

This week SportsPro touched down in New York for the latest OTT Summit USA event. Hosts George Breare and Tom Bassam take you inside Citi Field to get a taste of the discussion onstage, while providing their own commentary on an insight-heavy agenda.

To celebrate International Women's Day this week's episode has been handed over to the women of SportsPro, with operations manager Milly Miller-Adams taking over as host. Talking points: SportsPro's head of marketing, Katie Devaney, and marketing executive, Alice Evans, on why pursuing equity is important for women in the industry and their personal experiences (1:10) Editorial assistant Elena Kou...

It’s Sustainability Week at SportsPro so Tom Bassam digs into the meaning of sport for purpose with SailGP’s chief purpose officer, Fiona Morgan, before George Breare talks to the team at Ottawa Tourism to find out why the Canadian capital prioritises events that deliver both a community and commercial benefit. Talking points: Fiona Morgan on the role of sport for purpose (3:26) Ottawa Tourism's a...

George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined by SportsPro's resident American and community lead Chris Stone to interrogate the forever booming business of the Super Bowl. The NFL title game continues to wrack up gaudy numbers and 2022 edition looks like it is going to be no different. Talking points: The media outlook for this year's Super Bowl (2:53) How has the NFL made the game so big? (7:13) The c...

Regular SportsPro Podcast hosts George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined by technology editor Steve McCaskill to talk about the latest Ideas to Invest in Now list , profiling the 20 startups who made it, while also looking at the trends behind their inclusion. Talking points: How is the list put together? (1:41) Diving into the 2023 Ideas to Invest in (4:32) Does the sports industry move too slowly...

Mindprober CEO Pedro Almeida joins the pod to explain how its platform analyses consumers’ physiological and behavioral responses to media content in real time.

SportsPro's George Breare is joined by Tom Bassam to hit a quick industry news wrap covering job cuts in tech sector, LIV Golf's US rights deal with the CW Network and the advances being made in influencer boxing by KSI's Misfits brand. Then, in part two, Edmonton Events director Cindy Medynski joins the show to talk about the Canadian city is taking a new approach to event hosting. Talking points...

Tom Bassam is joined by Allie Dinsmore, vice president, strategy and new business development at the Professional Fighters League; Sahaj Shah, product and UX/UI designer, Areto Labs; and Charlie Sizer, global partnerships manager at DAZN - all members of the 2022/23 SportsPro NEW ERA cohort - to discuss what the year has in store for women's sport, as well as women in the industry. Talking points:...

For the last SportsPro Podcast of the year, George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined by features editor Sam Carp, technology editor Steve McCaskill and community lead Chris Stone for a festive, sports business-themed quiz. Round one - A year in news (2:50) Round two - SportsPro long reads (22:15) Round three - Who said what? (42:49)

Regular SportsPro Podcast hosts George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined by senior staff writer Ed Dixon for a soccer-centric episode in World Cup final week. Talking points: Has the World Cup been a success? The legacy of Qatar 2022 What is happening at the DFL and what does it mean for the Bundesliga? How the WSL continues to surpass expectations  Under the radar stories

SportsPro news editor Tom Bassam is joined by editorial director Michael Long for a quick scan of the biggest industry news, before Simon Trewavas from RTB House joins the pod to talk about the data solutions firm's new report on the opportunities for sports brands and the fashion industry. Talking points: The NBA opens itself to sovereign wealth investment (1:10) Is it the right time for the ECB...

SportsPro’s George Breare is joined by Ahmad Nassar, executive director of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), in the latest episode of the SportsPro Podcast.

In this special episode of the SportsPro Podcast, host George Breare is joined by Adam Fraser, chief executive of the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation, and Jessica Clancy, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility at NBCUniversal, to discuss the second edition of the Laureus Sport For Good Index. Launched in 2021 to recognise brands making a positive social and environmental impact...

George Breare and Tom Bassam visit Six Nations HQ to talk to the annual European international rugby union tournament's chief executive, Ben Morel. Talking points: The evolution of the Autumn Nations Series (1:02) Making the best use of CVC's investment (8:39) The impact of the TikTok partnership (16:36) How technology changes the commercial conversation (20:28) The Six Nations' broadcast strategy...

George Breare and Tom Bassam are joined by SportsPro technology editor Steve McCaskill, who dials in from the wrong side of the tracks in Monaco, to provide an update from on the ground at Sportel. Then, in part two,  GB Snowsports chief executive Vicky Gosling and Tennis Channel editor in chief Andi Chu talk us through SportsPro’s NEW ERA gender equality programme, while also sharing some of thei...

SportsPro's George Breare and Tom Bassam are back together for a quick hit on the latest sports industry news. On the slate for this week's show are the new National Basketball Association (NBA) season and the English Football League's (EFL) plans to end the UK's Saturday 3pm soccer blackout with its next domestic rights deal. Talking points: Three big themes for the new NBA season (01:25) The NBA...