The Attention Shift

Another week, another Attention Shift. This week, Ed and Jo break down the Supreme Court’s bombshell AI verdict, creators prove they are the only reliable funnel to the next generation, and we dive into new research that challenges everything brands assume about live shopping. We explore why the "no human, no rights" ruling is a ticking time bomb for automated media and how creators are moving pas...

We asked sports execs the $1M question: How do you solve anonymous fandom? This week, The Attention Shift goes live from the Solution Series event in Mayfair. Ed and Jo are joined by the captains of the night’s highest-scoring teams: Harry Hesp (Marketing Director, Baller League) and Naveed Raja (former Sky Sports Racing Director). We dive into why 76% of fans remain unknown to rights holders and...

Ed and Jo are back, breaking down the five shifts redefining the relationship between fans, data, and distribution this week. From the Sidemen providing a masterclass in value exchange, turning a classic TV format into a blueprint for fan data acquisition, to the Netflix and Apple TV "truce" that just rewrote the rules of the streaming wars. We dissect the Premier League’s high-stakes launch of it...

Ed and Jo are back, cutting through the noise on the five stories shaping sport, media and attention this week. From leagues finally waking up to the value sitting in their own fan data, to creators rewriting the rules of sports distribution, to why authentic influence is quietly beating celebrity reach. Add in a challenge to the hype around hyper-personalisation and a look at the women's sports m...

From the NBA's All-Star creator playbook to Publicis launching a shiny new sports unit, they question whether sports creator strategy is becoming lazy — and whether knowing your fans could soon be worth more than your sponsorship deals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Attention Shift, Ed and Jo dissect the aftermath of the creator-led Super Bowl, YouTube's identity crisis between creator platform and traditional media player, and why ITV's picture-in-picture Six Nations ads sparked universal fury. From flag football as Olympic trojan horse to the influencer vs. creator divide, we explore what happens when platforms and properties try to h...

Why are the world’s most powerful sports organisations suddenly comfortable with losing control of their distribution? In this episode of The Attention Shift , Ed and Jo break down the NFL’s massive creator-led Super Bowl strategy and why "distributed influence" is the new distribution model. From Manchester United's pivot into scripted Hollywood drama to the BBC's historic "YouTube-first" deal, w...

Why is the industry pouring record-breaking sums into sports sponsorship when the majority of marketers admit they can't actually track the results? The Attention Shift team debates the uncomfortable reality of "fuzzy" sports sponsorship ROI and the critical shift from passive visibility to active storytelling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you turn a 142-year-old football club into a tech-led global brand without losing what makes it special? Joe Darkins, Burnley FC's first-ever CTO, reveals the reality of football's digital transformation; from fixing broken Wi-Fi to building a single view of the fan, stopping ticket touting, and making cyber security the club's top priority. This is what happens when a historic, community-f...

When audiences are distracted by a second screen, is that a threat to creativity or the future of engagement? Lee, Jo & Ed react to Jameela Jamil’s viral comments on the second screen and TV. They also get into the controversial trend of ‘dumbing down’ TV content for phone users. Also, are attention spans shrinking or are audiences just becoming more selective? From F1 data to NFL RedZone, fin...

In the first official interview since announcing The Rest Is Football's exclusive video partnership with Netflix for the 2026 World Cup , Goalhanger Co-Founder Tony Pastor sits down with Ed Abis to talk origin stories, explosive growth, the shift to video-first shows, LaLiga rights, and what this Netflix deal means for podcasting, creators and sports broadcasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

What does the future of sports media really look like? In this special Sports Pundit x Attention Shift collab, Andy, Jo & Ed break down Speakers Only at Wembley. Featuring insights from the sports business executives driving change in the attention economy, they dive into how fan engagement and interactive media are reshaping the industry, and why legacy organisations need to look beyond sport...

Who truly holds the power in the attention economy? Lee, Jo & Ed dive into Ed's brand new report, The Great Attention Shift and the urgent need for sports media to evolve. They discuss how to move from one-way broadcasting to profitable content co-creation. Featuring insights from The Great Attention Shift Report and examples like Bryson DeChambeau & the Kelce brothers, they dissect the ch...

Is the price of global success worth the soul of the beautiful game? On this episode, Lee, Jo & Ed debate if football clubs are sacrificing their local fan loyalty for global commercial riches. The real challenge? Fan engagement, and how to unite, balance maintaining a relationship with loyal, local supporters while maximising commercial opportunities with massive international audiences in a...

In this episode of The Attention Shift , hosts Lee Rabourne, Ed Abis, and Jo Redfern dive deep into the multi-billion-dollar question that is defining the future of sports: Who owns the modern sports fan's data? As 70% of sports organisations report fan data as their #1 growth driver, the scramble is on. But why are clubs and leagues only playing catch-up now, and are they trying to genuinely impr...

In this episode of The Attention Shift , Lee, Ed, & Jo dive into the seismic changes reshaping the sports media business . From Netflix’s record-breaking NFL Christmas Day games and storytelling focus to DAZN’s global ambitions and YouTube’s growing dominance, the battle for attention in sports is heating up. We explore how storytelling-driven formats like Drive to Survive are fueling fan enga...

Networks aren’t bringing the eyes and attention to athletes. On this episode of The Attention Shift, join Ed, Jo, and Lee as they discuss how superstars are building direct relationships with their audience and blowing traditional media models out of the water when it comes to engagement. So if networks aren’t bringing the eyes and attention, what are they bringing to the table for athletes? Liste...

In this episode of The Attention Shift, Ed, Jo, and Lee dissect CazéTV's stunning World Cup coup that sent shockwaves through sports media. A digital-first disruptor just outmanoeuvred broadcasting giants to secure FIFA's crown jewel in Brazil, streaming free on YouTube and smashing records with 6.15 million concurrent viewers. The team explores how ad-supported streaming could revolutionise sport...

In this episode of The Attention Shift, Ed, Jo, and Lee dissect the sports rights divide between mega-deal winners and DTC gamblers. We've seen the NFL break from the norm and strike a revolutionary equity deal with ESPN, at the same time as Ligue 1 pursues a risky streaming pivot after falling out with DAZN. The team dig into why premium properties still command billions while mid-tier leagues st...

In this episode Lee, Jo and Ed break down the women's sports attendance paradox and what it means for long-term sustainability. The trio tackle questions like "Why are stadiums half-empty despite record TV numbers?" while exploring WSL's 10% attendance drop, Sky Sports' £60m expansion plans, and whether women's sports need their own identity separate from men's teams. With 76% of fans staying casu...

In this episode Jo, Ed and Lee break down PMG's five forces and how it's changing fandom. The trio will take on questions like "How is Baller League connecting with Gen Z as traditional sports struggle?" while digging into whether sports can adapt or if it'll take a complete new rule book to engage new age fans. With Gen Z more loyal to individual creators and athletes than they are to actual team...

DAZN’s $1B play for the FIFA Club World Cup isn’t just about broadcast rights—it’s about creators. With 100 digital stars tapped into a combined audience of 32 million, DAZN is betting big on creator-led content to drive engagement. Think docuseries like  Through Ball  and  Chasing the Trophy , a creator house in Miami, and a global push that spans the U.S. to Spain. But here’s the...

Don’t fit the format. Fix it. The Attention Shift dives into the evolving world of sport, media and culture. Where eyeballs go, business follows. Hosted by Ed Abis, Jo Redfern and Lee Radbourne, it’s unfiltered conversations about the battle for attention, platform power plays and the future of fandom. No fluff. No filters. Just sharp takes with the people shaping what’s next. If you’re in sport,...