The Big Deal - Australian Sports Business Podcast

Former AFL players are threatening court action against their clubs over the use of an image. It taps into a bigger, more complex issue on athlete image rights in sport.  In the lead up to this weekend’s ‘Showdown’ between AFL rivals Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power, former players and brothers Troy (Crows) and Shane (Power) Bond are considering court action over the use of an iconic image f...

The AFL season is well and truly at boiling point, with things heating up in South Australia for the Showdown while just about everyone is in hot water at West Coast. As the Aussies retained the Ashes our ‘brand’ is in question, while the Women’s World Cup has seen success for a crowdfunded team, press conferences turning political and broadcast anger. And that’s just the beginning. We also cover:...

The Victorian Government's decision to pull out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games has stunned the sports industry, and the world.  Premier Dan Andrews said the decision came down to the numbers - he'd budgeted for a $2 billion spend, but had since discovered the Games could cost up to $7 billion.  There are now huge ramifications - for the Victorian economy and its regional areas, the Commonw...

In this week’s wrap of the big deals, AFL players, clubs and the league are making moves, highs and lows for women’s sport, Messi looms large in the United States and more.  In this discussion with Tredders and Monty: AFL club CEOs meet AFL boss Andrew Dillon to talk about league issues including a potential ‘Wildcard Round’ Leadership changes at West Coast Bombers no chance of matching Adelaide’s...

In this week’s wrap of the big deals in sport, we’ve got all the details and drama from the wild world of AFL coaching, The Ashes, the future of Australian netball, NRL players revolt, Patty Mills on the NBA merry-go-round and a lot more. Tredders and Monty talk about: The sacking of Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew, and how it impacts the AFL coaching landscape Josh Carr’s candidacy for the Richmond j...

There's plenty happening in Australian sports business, including The Ashes, NBA and local drama at AFL and NRL level. In this week's wrap, we talk about: The fallout from Australia's Second Test victory over England at The Ashes, with the Aussies accused of not playing in the 'spirit of the game' At the AFL, a returning coach, players becoming 'too friendly' and a change of approach from the Matc...

One of the biggest challenges in sports business is maintaining the pursuit of high performance without killing your culture and disconnecting from your community.  This is top of mind for Brock Schaefer, Chief Operating Officer at the NRL's South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Bunnies are 'the pride of the league', established in the foundation year of 1908, born in what was the working class Sydney subur...

This week's sports business wrap covers the big moves in the AFL, NRL, The Ashes as well as the stars shifting the landscape in the NBA, English Premier League and Formula 1.  In this discussion, Tredders and Monty talk about: The financials that will influence what the Eagles do with coach Adam Simpson and some of the senior stars, as they try to pick up the pieces during a horror 2023 season Eye...

In this week's wrap of the big deals in sport, we cover what's happening behind the scenes in the AFL, NRL, The Ashes ... as well as details from some huge deals unfolding in the US and Europe.  This episode covers: New details on the AFL's Gather Round The Ashes ratings and sledging ugliness An NRL star counting the cost of quitting The fallout from Netball Australia's fight with its players What...

Cameron Falloon is taking his insights from the world’s best high performance environments to a mainstream, global audience, and it’s paying off.  Cam is the founder of Body Fit Training, Australia’s fastest growing fitness empire with 220+ franchises and an annual turnover of more than $125 million. Over more than 30 years in elite sport and fitness, Cam has made the most of key moments.  Working...

In this week's wrap, we learn that Australian sport has closer ties to betting companies than what most people realise. Confusion reigns in golf as players and pundits try to wrap their heads around the PGA-LIV merger. Meanwhile Messi Mania is taking over the US. We breakdown Lionel Messi's unique MLS deal, including what it means for him and soccer in the US. There’s plenty happening in sports bu...

As one of Australia’s pioneers in fantasy sports and gaming, Andrew Cronyn understands the evolution of fan engagement better than just about anyone.  Andrew is the managing director of Accel Media and was also the co-founder of FanHub Media, building the company into a global leader in free-to-play (F2P) games and fantasy sports before it was acquired by Genius Sports in 2021. After starting out...

This week's wrap of the big deals in sport brings you news from AFL house, North London, Saudi Arabia and more, as players, managers and leagues make major moves.  Tredders talks about the fallout from the Hawthorn racism review, Port Adelaide's record winning streak and tough timing for injured crow Tom Doedee. We also cover Australian manager Ange Postecoglou's incredible move to the Premier Lea...

In this week's wrap, we see more than ever than money makes the (sporting) world go around.  Tredders talks about how football department cuts come at a cost to coaches, who are burning out. He has also called for great transparency on AFL contracts, for players and administrators, as well as the case for lottery picks to prevent draft tampering.  Headlines below (get the details in the newsletter...

Despite their brand power, sports stars are mostly under-valued and under-utilised, says PickStar CEO and former AFL footballer James Begley.  Begley founded PickStar , and sister-company Vlast , with AFL legend Matthew Pavlich to open up more commercial opportunities for sports stars and celebrities, and better manage their commercial engagements.  Backed by investors including cricket superstar...

We kick of this week's sports business wrap with AFL legend Warren Tredrea unpacking Damien Hardwick's shock decision to quit as Richmond coach, and what it means for the AFL coaching landscape including Port Adelaide and Ken Hinkley. Hardwick, a three-time premiership coach with the Tigers, said the job had become "a little too much" and he knew he couldn't give 100 percent.  It has created a dra...

India is set to become the sporting capital of the world, athletes will be at the centre of sport's growth and 'recession proof' opportunities await founders of sports companies in 2023 and beyond.  These are just a few of Andrew Petcash's views on the future of sports. The US college basketballer turned sports business influencer and investor is the founder of Profluence , where he is building a...

In this week's sports business wrap, the case for private ownership of AFL clubs, one NRL coach decides to stay as another gets the boot, fall out from the summer cricket schedule, an Aussie betting company sells off its US operations to an emerging giant and much more. (More notes coming soon)  Tune in and let us know your thoughts. Just reply or comment to our The Big Deal emails, or send a voic...

Owning a big name sports team may seem glamorous, but in reality it's not for the faint-hearted.  To provide incredible insight into what it's really like, we're joined by Adelaide 36ers owner and chairman Grant Kelley .  Grant leads Holdfast Assets, which has owned the license for the Sixers, one of the NBL's most iconic teams, since 2017. He oversaw the Sixers’ high profile move from its suburba...

AFL HQ has plenty of headaches, ups and downs for Aussie NBA stars, a broadcast blackout threat for the Women's World Cup and Messi gets set to sign the biggest deal ever, as we cover this week's big money moves at home and around the world.  Subscribers to The Big Deal also get our weekly sports biz wrap via the newsletter. In this chat, the AFL 'boo issue', an unpopular heir for AFL Commission c...

Sports apparel innovators are on the verge of solving a multi-trillion dollar brand protection problem, while opening up unprecedented fan experience opportunities. George Monemvasitis, founder of Solos , has been pioneering in the wearable sports technology space for around 25 years. Solos has been providing textile-embedded technologies to some of the world's biggest brands, including the NBA, N...

From the AFL's leadership transition through to Snoop Dogg biting at NHL team ownership, it's a big week in sports business. Subscribers to The Big Deal also get our weekly sports biz wrap via the newsletter. In this episode, Tredders talks about what's next for AFL CEO-elect Andrew Dillon, the Hawthorn racism investigation as well as plans for the league's 19th and 20th teams. The government cash...

In this week's sports biz wrap, we cover some big money moves in LIV Golf, AFL, NRL, NFL ... and even the lower leagues of English soccer! Subscribers to The Big Deal also get this weekly wrap via the newsletter. Tredders was there as LIV Golf took Adelaide, and the world, by storm. He talks about why it was an absolute winner, and also shares details on the big dollars underpinning the success of...

In 1997, rugby league in Australia was turned on its head. The 20-team ARL was sliced in two, reduced to 12 clubs as a breakaway “Super League” was formed. The new league included eight defectors and two new sides, the Adelaide Rams and Hunter Mariners. Long-time rugby league journalist and author of Two Tribes Steve Mascord lifts the lid on the forces at play that triggered this incredible divide...

In this week's sports business wrap, there's big money moves in the AFL, cricket, NBL, NBA, NHL and much more.  Subscribers to The Big Deal usually get the weekly wrap via the newsletter , this week we're giving you the best of both worlds by bringing it to the podcast too.  Tredders brings new insight into the AFL's highly successful Gather Round, and what the new deal to keep it in South Austral...