SportsPro Podcast

The eyes of the sporting world are turning to Paris as the Olympics gets underway with Friday's opening ceremony. Tom Bassam is joined by SportsPro features editor Sam Carp and technology editor Steve McCaskill to preview Paris 2024, while they also discuss what changes they would make to the sports programme. Talking points: - Pre-Games news (2:12) - What we're looking out for (11:56) - What sports aren't in the Olympics but should be? (24:59) - What sports should be dropped? (30:51)

All the tears have now dried after Euro 2024 so it's time to unpick the last month's events in Germany. Tom Bassam is joined by SportsPro features editor, Sam Carp, and reporter Josh Sim for a review of the tournament. Talking points: - Did Euro 2024 deliver? (2:20) - Talent v broadcasters (6:11) - What we learned from the Euros (9:18) - Who changed their narrative during the tournament? (20:12) - Favourite moments and looking back at our predictions (26:26)

Now we're through Q1 and Q2, it's about time to recognise the sports industry's outstanding performers in first half of 2024. SportsPro Podcast host Tom Bassam is joined on the judging panel by deputy editor, Ed Dixon, and features editor, Sam Carp. Categories: - Executive of the year so far (1:29) - Property of the year so far (15:30) - Deal of the year so far (26:12) - Marketing campaign of the year (37:48) - I don't believe in this idea award (45:04)

These are changing times at Manchester United with new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe undertaking a root and branch overhaul of the club. Tom Bassam, Steve McCaskill and Josh Sim discuss the good and bad of the changes at Old Trafford, plus reports of Fifa wanting $2bn to beef up its OTT service, the role of esports, as well as AI in the sports industry. Then, in part two (37:20), Dizplai CEO Ed Abis joins the pod to talk about leading change in his business.

How do top female leaders juggle professional success and a personal life? Kate Miller, the ECB's chief communications and diversity officer, addresses the challenge head on in a candid conversation with SportsPro's Elena Kouyoufa. Kate, who is a NEW ERA steering group member, discusses navigating parenthood while also remaining professionally ambitious, upholding a strong internal compass and striving for meaningful change in the sports industry.

This week's guest is Michael Yormark, president of Roc Nation Sports International, the man taking Jay-Z's talent-led vision to the global sports industry. In an in-depth interview with Tom Bassam, Yormark explains how he left the US with a suitcase five years ago before going on to create a global sports agency with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Siya Kolisi on its books. Talking points:

A Hungarian striker primed to sell you power drills, a German defender-cum TV star and a keeper with his own partnerships web page, this is SportsPro’s entirely scientific and deeply researched Euro 2024 most marketable XI. Hosted by Ed Dixon, alongside Sam Carp, Steve McCaskill and Tom Bassam, this episode was recorded live from Hotel Mundial. Thanks to the kind folks at Footballco for having us.

The Football Ramble is an 'OG' sports podcast in the UK and Luke Moore has seen it grow from a hobby into the centrepiece of a successful, independent production company. Now the chief operating officer of Stak, Luke talks to Tom Bassam about sports podcasting, growing an audience and running a creative media business.

Euro 2024 is here, so to answer all the serious (and less serious) commercial questions ahead of the tournament, SportsPro Podcast host Tom Bassam is joined by features editor Sam Carp and technology editor Steve McCaskill. Talking points:

The advent of artificial intelligence is the biggest tech innovation since the dawn of the Internet. The sports industry, much like the rest of society, is still figuring out how to use it effectively, but companies like Relative Insight are leading the way. Tom Bassam speaks to Rauri Hadlington, business development director at Relative Insight, to understand more about the sports industry could - and should - be using AI.

Ice Cube is many things: a rapper, a film star, producer and more recently - with the Big3 - a sports mogul. The 'fireball' 3x3 basketball league that Cube co-founded with Jeff Kwatinetz has defied pessimistic projections to survive seven years and nine seasons, selling out arenas while airing on major US network TV. Speaking to Tom Bassam, Cube and Kwatinetz discuss selling Big3 franchises, the league's future and how the rapper's career has influenced his approach to being the CEO of a sports organisation. Talking points: - Franchising the Big3 (1:26) - Getting the right type of owners (8:27) - Taking risks (21:08) - What Cube's learned about owning a sports property (25:36)

A trailblazer in the tennis world, Katrina Adams has consistently championed gender equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout her career. Firstly as a player, then as a leader at the UTSA, US Open and the Fed Cup. Speaking to SportsPro’s Elena Kouyoufa as part of Women’s Sport Week, Adams discusses the initiatives she has spearheaded, her efforts to create equal opportunities in sports, and the journey that led her to receive the prestigious IOC’s 2023 Global Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion award.

A packed out TD Place full of young Ottawa fans have come to watch their team try to make the playoffs and SportsPro's Tom Bassam was lucky to have one of the best seats in the house. This is the PWHL, North America's incredibly popular, new elite women's ice hockey competition that is smashing attendance and viewership records in its first season. PWHL Ottawa's GM, Michael Hirshfeld, and Ottawa Tourism's Lesley Pincombe explain the impact of the new franchise in the Canadian capital, as well as what more the city has to offer as a sports destination.

Few sports properties in the world are embracing sustainability like the World Rally Championship. Co-hosting the Beyond Rally Forum, the most recent event in the FIA's Sustainable Innovation Series, was the latest initiative undertaken by the WRC to demonstrate its green credentials. We sent Cian Brittle to Porto get the inside track on the sustainability conversation in motorsport and speak to some of the key players in the space. Talking points: - Interview with Sara Mariani, the FIA's director of sustainability and diversity and inclusion (1:12) - Martin Popilka, CEO of P1 Fuels, on the potential impact of green fuel in WRC and for the automotive industry (26:09) - Santiago Peña Gomez, WRC Promoter's sustainability manager, explains how the series is putting its new Sustainability Roadbook into action (34:02) - Cian's final thoughts (1:00:06)

The year started with an Africa Cup of Nations that broke all manner of records and cut through globally unlike any tournament before. Now, with major players such as Fifa, the NFL and NBA all finally realising the continent's potential, 2024 could be a breakout year for African sport. Kicking off a new content series delving into the African sports landscape, SportsPro editorial director Michael Long and Pulse Sports MD James Torvaney speak to Sherif Hassan, head of digital and marketing products at the Confederation of African Football, about the sports business opportunity in Africa.

Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB, comes into the SportsPro Podcast studio to give his view from the top on the health of English cricket. Speaking exclusively to Tom Bassam, Gould discusses the role of the county game in 2024, dealing with the challenges of the IPL, investment in The Hundred, cricket on TV and the exciting future of the women's game.

Edmonton's history as a hotbed for women's basketball dates back more than a century with the all-conquering Edmonton Grads. Now with Fiba 3x3 events and the WNBA coming to the capital of Alberta, that tradition continues. SportsPro's Tom Bassam speaks to Janelle Janis, Executive Director of Business Development and Events with Explore Edmonton and the WNBA chief marketing officer, Phil Cook, to learn more about the city's credentials as an elite sports destination.

SportsPro's Katie Preston talks to Gemma Woor, a member of this year's NEW ERA class and a senior client director at the MKTG agency, about being a female in the sports industry and some of the initiatives she's involved in to improve it for women in the future.

The Women's Super League is under new management and top of the org chart is former Nike executive Nikki Doucet. Speaking to Sam Carp at SportsPro Live 2024 the CEO of NewCo, the commercial entity that is set to take over running the top two tiers of English women's soccer, discusses her vision for the WSL and how the league can forge a new path for women's sports. Talking points:

Last week Premier League ushered out the PSR era and in the dawn of 'squad cost' regulations - meaning the amount clubs can spend on players will be index rated against revenues. The Price of Football's Kieran Maguire joins Tom Bassam to unpack what it all means and provide a look across the financial landscape of English soccer's top flight.