Sports Pundit Podcast Network

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr Susie Tomson, one of the world’s leading proponents of sustainability in sport.  Having led the UK Sport research project into environmental support for NGBs and co-chaired the UN Sport for Climate Action working group, Susie brings hands-on experience that very few could match. Currently a Senior Partner at Think Beyond, her experiences underpin much of their approach to climate action, where, she has developed and delivered sustainability programmes for the likes of SailGP, World Athletics, and Liverpool FC. We discuss some of these programs, as well as what others could do - both at a rightsholder and an individual level… Time Stamps 2:00 - Susie’s Journey 5:00 - Motivations for Becoming Sustainable  7:00 - Building a New Sports Property with a Sustainable Vision (such as SailGP) 12:00 - Developing Sustainability into the DNA of an Established Rightsholder (like Liverpool FC) 18:00 - Sporting Product vs Sustainability Promises  23:00 - Sport’s Ability to Impact Things 25:00 - Sports as an Incubator for New Technologies 28:00 - The Role and Responsibilities of Athletes 32:00 - The Importance of Purpose 38:00 - How Could the Environmental Movement Communicate Better?  43:00 - Formula 1 Case Study  45:00 - Understanding Your Supply Chain  52:00 - Final Thoughts and Takeaways  Additional Links Connect with Susie on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

Ashwin Desai, Senior VP of Games & Experiences at OneTeam Partners who built products across Formula One, 2K and NBCUniversal. He discusses athlete commercialization through games, gaming and gambling partnerships, player data and biometric products, fan venues and competitive socialization, plus cautious use of AI and international expansion.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Maurits Schön, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at OneFootball. Maurits has an intriguing career journey, having made the leap from law into the world of sports media, joining OneFootball as Senior Legal Counsel. Since then, he has risen through the ranks while navigating a period of significant transformation for the company. It is this evolution that makes today’s conversation so compelling. Once perhaps seen as just a football content aggregator, OneFootball has grown into a comprehensive platform. From expanding its OTT presence with recent landmark deals with the likes of MLS and Serie A, as well as launching a loyalty program and expanding into commerce, the company is redefining how fans connect with the beautiful game. Timestamps: 4:00 - Maurits Career Journey 6:00 - Unique Positioning of OneFootball 9:00 - Challenges with Club Apps 15:00 - Key Markets for OneFootball 16:00 - Collaborating with Apple and MLS 22:00 - Building a Loyalty Rewards Program 26:00 - Developing an OTT Offering (and PPV Access to Bundesliga 2) 30:00 - OneFootball Partnership with Serie A 34:00 - Non-Exclusive and Incremental Content and Rights Partnerships 37:00 - Differentiation from YouTube 41:00 - Having a Team in the Icon League 46:00 - Launching a Commerce Functionality Additional Links: Connect with Maurits on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Douglas Jakobi, Director of Team Development at the E1 Series, the world’s first electric powerboat racing championship. Having previously worked in commodities trading before starting his own company sourcing and producing fan engagement products for sports teams, Douglas joined E1 as one of its earliest team members and has been instrumental in shaping the championship into what it is today. In our conversation, we dive into what it takes to create an entirely new sport from scratch. What E1 has learned and borrowed from Alejandro Agag’s other sporting endeavours such as Formula E, Extreme E, and Hexagon Cup, as well as how the league has managed to attract, and aims to capitalise on, its high-profile team owners, which include the likes Tom Brady, Virat Kohli, Will Smith, and Rafa Nadal. Timestamps 3:00 - Douglas' Journey 5:00 - What is E1 Series? 7:00 - Aspiring to be 'F1 on Water' 10:00 - How E1 Differs from Powerboating 14:00 - Celebrity Team Ownership 20:00 - What does Ownership Look Like? 23:00 - Getting the Celebrities Actively Involved 26:00 - Converting Reach to Audience 28:00 - The Potential for a Behind-the-scenes Docuseries 30:00 - Sourcing and Telling the Stories of the Pilots 34:00 - What Makes a good E1 Pilot? 36:00 - Expanding Race Locations to the US 38:00 - Announcing New Team Owners... Additional Links ⁠Tom Brady team wins E1 championship Hopes 'Formula 1-style' electric boat race could come to London A celebrity’s playground: How is Saudi-backed E1 Series changing the world of water mobility? Connect with Douglas on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Paddy Carberry, Global Sports Marketing Manager at Guinness. Based out of the iconic St James’ Gate in Dublin, Paddy leads the brand's global sports activations—from Six Nations Rugby to the Premier League and everything in-between. With nearly six years at Diageo, Paddy’s career has spanned roles in sustainability, corporate relations, culture and partnerships. Now, he’s shaping Guinness' connection to fans worldwide, activating the brand across diverse markets and sports. In our conversation, we dive into how Guinness aligns with the cultural heartbeat of each market, why the timing was right for partnering with the Premier League, the role of zero-alcohol options in connecting with younger generations, and the significance of Guinness' brand homes in their broader strategy. We also explore the brand’s heritage, its long-standing ties with rugby, and some creative new campaigns—including fashion collaborations, which Paddy hints are on the horizon for football fans. Timeline 3:00 - Paddy’s Journey 8:00 - The Premier League Partnership and Global Fan Behaviours 14:00 - Guinness’ Alignment with Rugby 18:00 - Going Beyond In-Stadia Activation and ‘Pouring Rights' 23:00 - The Booming Popularity of Guinness and Their Pub and Retail Activation Strategy 27:00 - How Guinness Zero is Shaping Consumer Trends and 'Out-Innovating' the Internet 30:00 - Guinness' Brand Home at St. James's Gate and Around the World  37:00 - Future Partnership Plans and a Potential Fashion and Football Collab? Additional Links Connect with Paddy on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Drew Rauso, who leads Strategy and Operations at Playmaker HQ, a top-tier sports podcast network owned by Bettor Collective. Playmaker’s lineup features some of the biggest names in sports, including Shaquille O'Neal, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. Drew's role focuses on driving growth, fan engagement, and uncovering commercial opportunities, from merchandise to live events. With a background that includes working at The Players' Tribune, Drew and I dive into the rise of athlete-driven media and the key areas involved in building a successful podcast network. Timeline 3:00 - Drew Journey 4:00 - Athlete Driven Media 7:00 - Playmaker HQ's Distribution Network 10:00 - Landing and Navigating Commercial Deals 12:00 - Balancing Politics and Priorities 14:00 - Leveraging Bettor Collective's Relationships 17:00 - Podcast Monetisation 19:00 - Launching Physical Events 27:00 - Could Teams Launch Their Own Podcasts? 34:00 - Why Streaming Killed the Group Chat 37:00 - Expanding into International Sports Additional Links Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart host block party for Roommates Show in Central Park Angel Reese Launches 'Unapologetically Angel' Podcast amid Breakout WNBA Season 'Streaming has killed the mainstream': the decade that broke popular culture Connect with Drew on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Marieke Visser and Frederique De Laat from HERA United, a pioneering women’s-only football club based in Amsterdam which is  set to launch in 2025. This conversation dives deep into their ambitious goals for club, including their vision for competing in the Champions League, as well as creating long-term growth for Dutch women’s football. Marieke, who is the founder and CEO, talks about the possibilities created by building HERA United from the ground up and shares with us her lifelong fight for gender equality in sports, which is rooted in her early experiences of exclusion from the game.  Meanwhile Frederique, who heads up finance and operations, reflects on transitioning from strategy consulting to the sports industry, drawn in by the untapped potential and commercial opportunities she could see within women’s football. Together, they reveal the challenges of launching a women’s-only club in a system designed to favour men’s teams, including how they successfully lobbied the KNVB and how they acquired Telstar's women’s team license. They also discuss HERA’s innovative female-first approach to coaching, sports tech, and talent development, which they believe is essential for building a more sustainable, collaborative football ecosystem. Timestamps:3:00 - Marieke’s Early Fight for Gender Equality in Football8:00 - Frederique’s Journey from Strategy Consulting to Women’s Football11:00 - The Founding Story of HERA United16:00 - Overcoming the System: Securing a Place in the Eredivisie25:00 - Why a Female-First Approach is Key to Success30:00 - The Power of Collaboration in Dutch Football35:00 - Retaining Talent in the Netherlands: Challenges and Opportunities40:00 - Future Ambitions: Competing in the Champions League44:00 - HERA’s Vision for Long-Term Growth and Social Change Additional Links Hera United should become the first professional club for women only: "What gets attention, grows" Amsterdam could get a new all-women pro football club Connect with Marieke on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Frederique on LinkedIn - HereConnect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dani Gonçalves, Co-Founder and CEO of Fantasy WSL. Dani’s journey is a unique blend of creativity and technology. She started her career as a musician, moved to London to pursue her dream, and soon found herself immersed in the world of social media and digital marketing, even before it became the major industry it is today. After honing her skills with brands like Lush Cosmetics, Dani transitioned into the world of tech, working for a fintech startup, which is where she met her co-founder, Jimmy. Their shared passion for fantasy sports and a desire to make women’s sports more accessible, having watched the Lionesses win the Euros, led to the creation of Fantasy WSL. In this conversation, Dani shares her fascinating background, the pivotal moment that inspired Fantasy WSL, and how she’s helping to bring the women’s game to new audiences - and in the process building one of the most engaged platforms and communities around women's football. Timestamps  3:00 - Dani’s Journey 7:00 - Applying lessons from Lush Cosmetics 10:00 - The Fantasy WSL Audience 14:00 - Women’s Football Rivalry 17:00 - Breaking Through 19:00 - Leveraging Media Relationships to Build Community 23:00 - What if the League Launch an Official App 27:00 - Differentiating the Product 31:00 - Getting Engagement from Players 35:00 - Leveraging First Party Data 37:00 - Future Plans…  Additional Links Create your own Fantasy WSL team Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big? The Guardian Connect with Dani - Here Connect with Andy - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Corey Breton, Head of Venues at Cosm. From starting out in ticket sales with major sports organizations like the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves, before transitioning into a broader operational role, first with LAFC in the MLS, and later as Chief Revenue Officer for Global Attractions at Legends, Corey made the move last year to join Cosm, bringing together his unique skillset at a company which is at the forefront of immersive entertainment experiences.   In this conversation, Corey shares with us his journey, what drew him to Cosm, and how the company is poised to expand the concept of fan engagement beyond the traditional stadium through its groundbreaking “Shared Reality” venues.  Timestamps 3:00 - Corey’s Journey  5:00 - What is Cosm?  13:00 - The Viral Man Utd v Fulham Clip 16:00 - Tailoring the Fan Experience  21:00 - Shared Reality vs Virtual Reality  24:00 - Signing a Deal with the NFL 28:00 - Is this a New Media Right?  31:00 - Complimenting In-stadia Attendance  36:00 - Raising $250m from the likes of Marc Lasry and David Blitzer 39:00 - Cosm's Investment ‘Moat”  41:00 - Incremental Revenue Opportunities  Additional Links Cosm Raises Over $250 Million In Funding To Expand Experiential Entertainment Venues GloballyNFL to Air Sunday Night Football in ‘Shared Reality’ Cosm Domes

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Jack Withinshaw, Chief Commercial Officer at Alauda Aeronautics and CCO and Co-Founder of Airspeeder.  Jack’s started out his career with giant advertising agencies like MediaCom and Val Morgan before transitioning to work with various startups across in industries like logistics, recruitment, and retail.   He joined Alauda Aeronautics in 2019 where he co-founded Airspeeder, alongside Aluda’s founder, Matt Pearson. During this conversation, we discuss what drove him to, together with Matt, to start a racing series, as well as his aspirations more broadly for the adoption of eVOTL vehicles and why he believes now is the time to finally deliver on the promise of flying cars.  Timestamps 3:00 - Jack's Journey to Joining Alauda 5:00 - The Promise of Flying Cars 7:00 - Founding and Developing Airspeeder 10:00 - Recruiting Pilots 13:00 - Digital Racetracks 16:00 - Airspeeder's Revenue Model 19:00 - Why Automotive Brands are Getting Involved 24:00 - Navigating Media Rights and Opportunities 29:00 - The Role of Esports 31:00 - The Impact of eVOTL as a Mobility Revolution 34:00 - Cities of the Future 39:00 - Approaching Investment 42:00 - Going Behind the Scenes on YouTube Additional Links Alauda Aeronautics - Taking Flight Series Airspeeder EXA Championship 2023 - Full Race Highlights Evolving the eVTOL market one race at a time Connect with Jack - ⁠Here⁠ Connect with Andy - ⁠Here⁠