Leaders Sport Business Podcast

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan take an amble through the sports industry week, joined by Seven League and Rematch Founder Richard Ayers. They discuss how politics and sport are mixing during the UK General Election campaign, and as French President Emmanuel Macron calls a snap election just weeks before Paris hosts the Olympics. It’s a free-flower of a conversation, taking in evolving agency models; what Richard plans to digitally transform next; table tennis and badminton’s incessant rise; how government sports policy is formed, and the impact a future UK sports industry trade body could have; creating live, theatrical ‘immersive’ experiences inside and outside sports venues, and the evaporating barriers between the physical and digital worlds.

Leaders' Content Director David Cushnan is joined by Javan Odegah, for the latest on the Leaders Meet: Diversity Series. They reflect on the recent Diversity breakfast hosted at 4se New York, touch on reports Anthony Joshua may be about to buy a stake in his hometown football club, Watford FC, and consider how Arsenal's newly-adopted anthem, North London Forever, has taken hold. Then you'll hear a portion of an on-stage conversation from 4se New York, our sports-entertainment-business event, featuring Curry Brand GM Ryan Drew. Drew, talking to Business of Fashion's Dan-Yaw Miller, shares how involved Curry has been in honing the values of the company and his qualities as a pitchman, as well as how the brand is likely to evolve as Curry's playing career winds down. The final deadline for Leaders Sports Award entries is Monday 11th June - to find our more and to enter any of the nine refreshed categories, visit leadersinsport.com/LSA.

Andy Anson is preparing Team GB for a golden summer in Paris. The British Olympic Association CEO is the guest on this month's Leaders in Focus, where he looks ahead to the Olympics; considers the major challenges the Olympic world faces; and discusses whether athletes should be paid directly for winning medals at the Games. He reflects on a long and varied career in sports and media: developing his love of brand at Disney; takeovers and working under the Glazers at Manchester United; and working out what went wrong with England’s bid for the 2018 Fifa World Cup, a campaign he fronted. Anson also reveals the leadership traits he’s learnt – and the leaders he’s learnt from – along the way, as well as how he dovetails his BOA commitments with his role as Chair of Lancashire County Cricket Club and the advice he has for the next generation of sports CEOs.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan take stock of a big week of sports, entertainment and business at 4se New York. As the green room is dismantled around them in Chelsea, they reflect on some of the big themes of the event: storytelling in all its forms, the rise Cowboy culture, and the budding relationship between sports organisations and the music industry. US Ski & Snowboard CEO Sophie Goldschmidt also stops by to discuss one of the big stories elsewhere this week - the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s new deal with the Women’s Tennis Association - and share her thoughts on the impressive group of Gen Z athletes, snowboarders Red Gerrard and Hailey Langland and NASCAR driver Rajah Caruth, she shared the stage with at 4se.

Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan lean into the sports industry stories of the week. They're joined by Anna Edwards, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at executive search and advisory firm Elite Performance Partners (EPP), to discuss Manchester United' Co-Owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's new work-from-office edict and, as the WNBA continues to expand, how to structure a start-up sports organisation's front office. They also discuss the latest Leaders Special Report, Succession in Sport, produced in partnership with EPP and the challenges of smooth executive change, managing internal leadership candidates and the skillsets a modern sports CEO should possess.

Barbara Slater is one of the most respected figures in the sports broadcasting industry. A former international gymnast and Olympian, Barbara joined the BBC 40 years ago and is on the cusp of retiring from her current Director of Sport role. During her tenure, she's changed attitudes and enhanced perceptions of women's sport, overseen remarkable growth in BBC Sport’s digital services, and cemented the BBC as the most popular broadcaster in the UK - all whilst managing the challenges that come with working for a publicly-funded broadcaster. Slater was in the hot seat for May's edition of Leaders in Focus and had a wide-ranging conversation with Leaders duo James Emmett and David Cushnan on her life at the BBC and what she leaves behind for her successor. This episode of Leaders in Focus was produced in partnership with IMG.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan shake down the global sports industry for the stories of the week. That includes Amazon’s potential broadcast deal with the NBA, Saudi giant Aramco’s new partnership with Fifa, difficult days for sports journalism, George Payne’s turf management, DAZN’s German football dispute, the rise of Cowboy culture, and reflections on the death of Ayrton Senna 30 years ago this week. And there’s time for a new feature, Inside The Deal, explaining how Hewlett-Packard’s new title sponsorship deal with Ferrari came about: the brand alignment, the value exchange, who was at the negotiating table, the Omnicom fingerprints on the agreement including the role of the Fuse and PHD agencies and why it’s a handy way to get a slice of Lewis Hamilton’s time. The agenda’s out for 4se New York, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May - visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan run the rule over the stories moving the global sports industry needle this week. They're joined in the studio by Aquatics GB CEO Drew Barrand. Together they discuss the fallout from the Chinese doping story; and the CEO response to scandal: the motivating factors behind any move or statement and the stakeholder sensitivities that have to be accounted for. Fifa's big ambitions for the new look Mondial de Clubes and the carve-out that's tempting Apple to the rights negotiating table are also covered. Meanwhile, Cushnan had a front row seat for the premiere of the third part of Thomas Bach's Olympic Agenda trilogy: the IOC's AI Agenda, and he liked what he saw. Plus, why the NGB equation of performance + governance = not a lot of room for much else has to change; and what Aquatics GB are doing with the data behind the 550,000 streams of the recent British Championships. The agenda’s out for 4se New York, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May - visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan pick out and poke around the stories of the sports industry week, joined by DAZN VP, Right Strategy, Tom Waterhouse. They discuss World Athletics’ announcement it will pay athletes who win Olympic gold this year - and the wider debate over whether and how athletes should be paid that’s opened up - and the BBC and its sports strategy, as Alex Kay-Jelski prepares to step into Barbara Slater’s shoes as Director of Sport. Plus, DAZN’s rights acquisition process; how data and intuition can work together; DAZN’s joint venture with the Professional Fighters League and the competitive MMA space it’s now part of; and whether it’s really possible to serve hardcore fans of a sport and attract casual viewers at the same time. The agenda’s out for 4se New York, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May - visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan have a roam around the stories of the sports industry week. On the eve of the Masters, there’s a reminder of Augusta National’s well-manicured and private approach to running a global sports event; remote reflections on the Caitlin Clark-inspired remarkable few weeks for women’s basketball in the United States; honourable mentions for Endeavour’s new arrangement with Silver Lake and Greenfly’s latest funding round; YouTube’s approach to live sport and live sport’s approach to YouTube; and a plan of action for how the Commonwealth Games ought to be reimagined as the search for a host of the 2026 edition continues. The agenda’s out for 4se New York, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May - visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan review the big sports industry stories of the week, joined in the studio by Giulia Zecchini, Co-Founder of Sneaker Sisterhood. There’s reflections on the big motorsport announcement which has seen F1 owner Liberty Media acquire MotoGP in a deal valued at £3.6 billion. Elsewhere, Giulia Zecchini joins the show for a deep dive on sneaker culture: what it is, the challenger brands in the market, and how fashion collaborations are put together. Plus a look back to the on-stage programme at 4se New York in 2023, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May for the 2024 edition – visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan return for an extended ramble around the stories of the sports industry week. There’s reflections on the Cheltenham Festival as an event, a social occasion and a sports industry hospitality hotspot; the competing visions for the future of global professional tennis; and the NFL’s latest expansion of its team international marketing programme. Plus a look ahead to the on-stage programme at 4se New York, our sports, media, brands and popular culture show, examining the spaces where sport, lifestyle, culture and entertainment are intersecting. There’s still time to join us in New York on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May - visit 4-se.com for more details.

Leaders' Content Director David Cushnan has the stories of the sports industry week, and he's joined by Winners Alliance CEO Ahmad Nassar. Nassar discusses Netflix's decision to halt production on tennis documentary Break Point and the latest on the NBA's next media rights deal. He also explains the rationale behind Winners Alliance, the for-profit affiliate of the Professional Tennis Players Association and the Federation of International Cricketers' Association, and its latest project: the launch of a new track and field professional series in partnership with Michael Johnson. Also on the show, Leaders' Javan Odegah stops by to share the latest on the Leaders Diversity Series, and preview his YouTube conversation with the LTA and Amazon Prime Video.

Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett sifts through the sports industry stories of the week in the company of World Horse Racing CEO and sports broadcast expert Russell Scott. Leaders MD Laura McQueen is also in the hot seat and outlines what you need to do to win a Leaders Sports Award this year. On the conversational agenda: Reviewing the National Rugby League’s first foray to the US with two action-packed games being played out in front of a 40,000 Las Vegas crowd; the content pillars that are helping World Horse Racing tell new stories; and China’s return as a global sporting superpower. Listen to the podcast below, and subscribe today on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or your chosen podcast platform.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan sum up the sports industry week, joined in the studio by British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton. They reflect on the first edition of the Greater Bay Area International Sports Business Summit, held last weekend in Macau, and a new positivity around China’s relationship with sport. There’s also time to examine the abandonment of the DFL’s plan to find a private equity partner for the Bundesliga, challenger sports trying to make it in the USA and Apple’s new scores app. Then Dutton discusses preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; how British Cycling is restructuring at a time when the national governing body model is “distressed”; the different rhythm of leadership required at an NGB versus his previous role as CEO of the Rugby League World Cup; and commercialising the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan take a purposeful stroll through the stories of the sports industry week, joined by Dee Kundra, Managing Director, Americas, for Bayern Munich. There are reflections on the NBA’s annual tech summit - and the concept of in-house rights-holder conferences - and the league’s NB-AI showcase, plus a look at China’s re-emergence on the global sports stage. Then Kundra explains exactly how a regional office for a major football club works and outlines the business, logistics and importance of pre-season club tours, as well as looking ahead to the first edition of the expanded and revamped Club World Cup, which will take place in the United States in the summer of 2025.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan sift through the stories of the sports industry week. They ponder China's decision to cancel two Argentina friendlies, as the row over Lionel Messi escalates; putting boots on the ground in new markets, as the NFL selects Madrid as its next host venue; Emirates' new deal with the NBA; the trio of media companies going into business together with a new sports streaming service; and the ATP's viral promo video. And, with half an eye on our 4se New York sport-meets-entertainment event experience (Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd May), there's no better duo to examine the deepening relationship between fashion and sport. For more details on 4se New York, visit: https://4-se.com.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan break down the stories of the sports industry week, in the company of big-time boxing promoter Kalle Sauerland. There's Lewis Hamilton's big move to Ferrari, the latest Saudi sports plays and a major deal in executive search, as Elevate acquires SRI. Then Sauerland, Global Head of Boxing at Wasserman and one of the driving forces behind crossover boxing series Misfits, takes us inside the boxing industry: Saudi Arabia's growing influence, working with KSI on Misfits and why he sold his business, Team Sauerland, to Wasserman in 2021.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan assess the stories of the sports industry week, with the help of Amanda Calder-McLaren, the new CMO of outdoor wear brand Montirex. They discuss stadium and Formula One team branding, as Levi’s renew a big deal with the San Francisco 49ers and Visa teams up with Red Bull in F1. Then Calder-McLaren explains her switch to Montirex after six years looking after The North Face’s brand and marketing activities. She outlines the challenges of building credible, meaningful partnerships with endurance/adventure events and fans; shares her perspective on the role purposes plays in modern marketing; and explains why she’s helped found Opening Up The Outdoors, a coalition of brands seeking to make outdoors spaces a more inclusive environment.

Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan pick over the stories of the sports industry week, in the company of Ladies European Tour Commercial Director, Fiona Harold. They react to Netflix’s big, bold move into live sports-entertainment with WWE and examine the latest news from Saudi Arabia, as World Snooker prepares to host its first event there and Formula E, Extreme E and E1 Series sign a sizeable partnership with the Public Investment Fund. Sticking with Saudi, Harold shares her perspective on the latest state of play in golf, the LET’s busy 2024 international schedule, and how the tour is working with and seeking to attract brand partners.