SportsPro Podcast

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined again by Matt Slater, football news reporter at The Athletic, to look back on the opening days of the men’s Uefa European Championship.  They discuss the handling of Christian Eriksen’s shocking collapse during Denmark’s game against Finland, reflecting on crucial advances in medical protection for players but asking whether Uefa and the media will review their protocols after the tournament. They also consider the UK government’s stance on the booing of England players’ anti-racist gesture of taking a knee, and share some wider reflections on the competition so far. Then (36.22), TJ Iaciofano, head of growth and strategy consulting at Infront X, lays out some of the key trends for rights holders to look out for in developing digital products for fans. He explains how the delivery of fan experiences is changing – both for live content and, as supporters return to venues, for live events – and how to assess your own priorities and match that to design. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Tim Green, global head of delivery at the GAP Partnership, about the art and science of negotiation.    Drawing on Tim’s experience with Coca-Cola, in sports marketing and now with a leading global negotiation consultancy, they discuss the finer details of a discipline which, while fundamental to success in business, is acquired by many mostly through on-the-job experience.    Tim sets out some clear frameworks for how to negotiate effectively in practical scenarios from rights tenders to agency pitches to pay rises, explains how sales and negotiation skills differ, dispels some pervasive myths, and examines the role of leadership and culture.  The SportsPro Playbook is the place to go for agenda-free, pragmatic advice to understand how to navigate your organisation through change. Head to sportspromedia.com/playbook to catch up on our library of articles and podcasts, and learn more about how our new Playbook Labs programme can help you lead your organisation to success in 2021 and beyond.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and deputy editor Sam Carp are joined by Octagon managing director of football Phil Carling to preview one of the biggest events in some time: Uefa Euro 2020. They ask where the tournament now fits in the wider soccer industry; what the 24-team, multi-nation format means for fans, partners and hosts; what to expect from incoming sponsors like Just Eat and TikTok; and how Covid restrictions will affect plans over the next month. Then (39.32), Liquiditeam co-founder and co-chief executive Thomas Euler goes beyond the headlines about NFTs and cryptocurrency to explain how blockchain technology and digital tokens can build engagement, add value for fans, and even help them build a stake in their teams. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Noah Garden, chief revenue officer of Major League Baseball.    They discuss the financial and commercial impact of Covid-19, as a full schedule plays out across 2021, and how the pandemic has changed the interactions between the league, its teams and its partners.    Noah also lays out the implications of MLB’s ‘One Baseball’ initiative to coordinate more of the sport’s activities and talks about balancing the regional sports network economy with the need to digitise its media strategy, the changing approach to filling stadiums, innovations in technology and international ambitions. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Ahead of a busy summer of sport, SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly and editorial director Michael Long reflect on some recent stories that draw together some key industry themes.  First, they discuss the withdrawal of tennis star Naomi Osaka from the French Open – where the world number two had wanted to avoid mandatory press conferences to protect her mental health – and consider what it says about the need to modernise communications between athletes and the media.  They also look back on the Uefa Champions League final in Porto, picking up on an intriguing New York Times report about a future ‘final four’ week for European club soccer’s showpiece, and comparing the ownership strategies of the Super League class with Premier League-bound Brentford. Then (39.36) to coincide with the release of the whitepaper ‘Making the Personal Possible: Powering Interactivity and New Experiences in Sports OTT’, Limelight Networks’ Charlie Kraus explains some of the technology that enables interactive, customisable experiences in live digital broadcasts.   Making the Personal Possible: Powering Interactivity and New Experiences in Sports OTT is a whitepaper produced by SportsPro in collaboration with Limelight Networks. Find out more and download your copy here. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Jane Purdon, the chief executive of Women in Football, and former head of governance and leadership at UK Sport and director of governance at the Premier League.  They discuss some of the best ways to think about governance as a means of responsibly exercising power, listening to a more diverse range of voices, and working effectively to meet fundamental challenges. The conversation covers some of the best governance structures for different types of sports organisation, lessons in governance from the pandemic and soccer’s collapsed Super League, and how everything comes down to people. The SportsPro Playbook is the place to go for agenda-free, pragmatic advice to understand how to navigate your organisation through change. Head to sportspromedia.com/playbook to catch up on our library of articles and podcasts, and learn more about how our new Playbook Labs programme can help you lead your organisation to success in 2021 and beyond.

Gaming takes centre stage in this session from the SportsPro Insider Series. Hosted by Becca Henry, vice president of communications at Misfits Gaming Group, and with a panel featuring George Mead, Fnatic’s partnerships director, and Alex Nuñez, brand partnerships and advertising sales lead for EA Sports Madden NFL, the three unpick what brands can do to flourish in the expanding esports sponsorship space.  Topics covered include bridging the gap between traditional sports and esports, creating effective activations, the evolution of partnerships, maximising return on investment, breaking non-endemic barriers and how branded campaigns are treated differently in competitive gaming.

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly talks to Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of the Jockey Club, one of the most important commercial organisations in British horse racing and operator of venues like Cheltenham, Epsom Downs, Newmarket and Aintree.    With fans returning to UK sports events in larger numbers, Nevin talks about the summer ahead for the business and its vision for the years ahead. He also discusses a year of difficult financial restructuring, how a rebuilt Jockey Club team is now being prepared for the opportunities on the horizon, and the roles of data, betting, new waves of partners and elite athletes in racing’s future.  Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SportsPro editor at large Eoin Connolly is joined by managing director Nick Meacham and Tony Maroulis, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, to discuss two huge sports media stories. First up, they consider what the Premier League’s rollover of its UK£4.7 billion domestic rights deals with Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon says about the strategic outlook for English soccer’s top flight ahead of a period of digital transition, the health of the market in Europe, and the merits of the three-year sales cycle. Next on the agenda is AT&T’s decision to merge its WarnerMedia assets, including the likes of Turner Sports, with Discovery, which owns Eurosport and GolfTV. They ask what the creation of another massive media group will mean for the industry, what the implications are for partners like the NBA and IOC, and whether this creates a path to a more globalised sports offering. Music: Surf Inspector by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4447-surf-inspector License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

In a session recorded for SportsPro Live in April, SportsPro senior contributor Matt Rogan talks to Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of men’s tennis’ ATP.  They discuss the challenges of taking sports organisations through internal and external change – updating the structures within the ATP and tennis, and addressing wider industry forces through the media and fan behaviour. Gaudenzi reveals how his experiences on the court, as a former world top 20 player, and in business, particularly in music when that sector was undergoing its own profound transformation, have informed his leadership style, his attitudes to managing and coordinating expectations, and his strategic vision for the game. The SportsPro Playbook is the place to go for agenda-free, pragmatic advice to understand how to navigate your organisation through change. Head to sportspromedia.com/playbook to catch up on our library of articles and podcasts, and learn more about how our new Playbook Labs programme can help you lead your organisation to success in 2021 and beyond.