Leaders Podcast

Sports rescue packages | Gamifying archive content | How to run an organisation remotely. Episode 75 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast sees former Jockey Club CEO and current board member of the EFL and the Roundhouse Simon Bazalgette (conversation starts at 10:06) and FIFA Chief Commercial Officer Simon Thomas (conversation starts at 28:48) chat down their line to James Emmett and David Cushnan for another episode of At home with Leaders. On the conversational agenda: - The £50 million rescue package for the EFL; - Advice for leaders on how to run an organisation as an abstract concept rather than a location; - The difference between sport and arts in this crisis; - How sports entities are mucking in to help; - WorldCupAtHome and the challenge of carving out, packaging, and gamifying archive content; - Managing FIFA's partners through the crisis; - The implications of UEFA's Euro 2020 postponement. Let us know what you'd like to talk about and who you'd like to hear from on At home with Leaders. @JamesEm

The greenshoots of recovery in China | Tips and insight from China's quarantined workforce | The situation in Australia | The Australian Open's bushfire relief work. Episode 74 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast sees Red Lantern's Head of Content Victor Lin (conversation starts at 10:25) and the Australian Open's Head of Digital Strategy Finn Bradshaw (conversation starts at 34:04) chat down the line to James Emmett and David Cushnan for another edition of At Home with Leaders. Based in Chengdu in China's Sichuan province, Lin leads digital media agency Red Lantern's content team, delivering services for western sports entities looking to drive engagement with Chinese consumers. Clients include Wimbledon, Formula 1 and Premier League side Liverpool. Based in Melbourne, Bradshaw joined the Australian Open from Cricket Australia last year, and led the tennis tournament's digital department to a record year in 2020, in the midst of the wildfires that devastated swathes of the country, and just a few weeks be

The sports industry faultlines exposed by COVID-19 | Brand purpose in times of crisis | Jean-Claude Biver on passion, emotion, and status. Episode 73 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast sees James Emmett and David Cushnan talk to Kate Bosomworth about the COVID-19 crisis and its ramifications on sport before introducing a recording of Kate's session with Hublot Chairman Jean-Claude Biver from the Leaders Sport Business Summit in October (session starts at 26:42). Kate, a former Sport England board member, sports marketing agency CEO, and CMO of M&C Saatchi, helmed a typically energetic discussion with Biver, a legend in the luxury brands world and the man credited with transforming the fortunes of Tag Heuer and Hublot through a savvy and committed marketing strategy. The discussion roamed fluidly from piercing business and marketing advice, to approaches to interpersonal skills and instinct, by way of colourful anecdotes about Diego Maradona. On the conversational agenda: - Biver's first job as a charis

Mentorship and role models | Imposter syndrome and professional confidence | The importance of reflection. Episode 72 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast features conversations from in and around the Leaders Meet: Diversity events on women in sport from 6th March with Liz Nicholl (conversation starts at 5:31), CEO of the International Netball Federation, and Becca Valle (conversation starts at 21.23), Head of Marketing at the New York Knicks. Nicholl, speaking at the live-streamed, behind-closed-doors event in London last week, was elected as the President of the International Netball Federation last year. A former netball player herself, Nicholl had two stints as the CEO of the All England Netball Association in her early career, before joining UK Sport in 1999, and serving as CEO of the government agency responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport in the UK from 2010 to 2019. Valle, speaking from her office at Madison Square Garden after the New York Leaders Meet: Diversity event was cancell

Under the hood of the NFL. Episode 71 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast features a conversation with SportsBusiness Journal NFL reporter Ben Fischer. On the agenda: - The NFL's business and political wins in 2019; - The CBA negotiations, what they mean and how they're going; - What to expect in the year ahead; - The XFL and its chances of success.

Under the hood of the boxing business | Manchester City's FFP penalty | Fun With Balls and squash. Boxing business heavyweights Lou DiBella, Joe Markowski, and Stephen Espinoza were joined by FuboTV Chief Strategy Officer for a spiky panel on the state of the boxing industry at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in New York in May (conversation starts at 13:56). Harvard law graduate DiBella spent 11 years building HBO into America’s go-to boxing platform before becoming an independent boxing promoter in his own right with DiBella Entertainment in 2000. Espinoza is President of Showtime Sports. He began his career while still at law school working for renowned sports agent Leigh Steinberg. He represented Oscar de la Hoya and Mike Tyson before becoming lead counsel for Golden Boy Promotions. Since joining Showtime in 2011, Espinoza has delivered the three highest grossing pay-per-view events in TV history : Mayweather Canelo in 2013; Mayweather Pacquiao in 2015; and Mayweather McGregor in 2017. Markowski is EVP

Changing a culture at British Cycling | The Premier League's new £2bn, six-year Scandinavian deal | A new buzz around Wimbledon's sustainability plans. British Cycling CEO Julie Harrington is the guest on episode 69 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast (interview starts at 8:28). Harrington joined British Cycling in May 2017, replacing Ian Drake at the helm of one of British sport's most successful National Governing Bodies, but one in need of governance reform following successive investigations into anti-doping procedure and workplace culture. Harrington took on the role having been Group Operations Director at the FA since 2011, running both Wembley Stadium and St George's Park. Prior to working for the FA, Harrington spent nine years with the Northern Racing Group as operations director. Harrington has also worked in senior marketing roles for brands such as British Airways, Whitbread, and Carlsberg-Tetley. Harrington sat down with Leaders during a break at Global Sports Week in Paris, where she was spe

David Cushnan and James Emmett are in Abu Dhabi to wrap up two days of the Leaders Sport Business Summit in the capital of the UAE, including interviews with Sheffield United owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Abu Dhabi Cricket CEO Matthew Boucher, and discussion around the developing sporting investment strategies across the MENA region, innovation in golf, cricket and esports, and word of a potential new football investor taking a City Football Group-style portfolio approach to club acquisition. More reflections on the summit can be found here. <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} /* St

Listen in on a conversation between Facebook and DAZN. Facebook's Director of Global Live Sports Partnerships and Programming Peter Hutton sat down for a conversation with DAZN Executive Chairman John Skipper in front of a main stage audience at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London in October (conversation begins at 4.28). Unscripted, unfiltered, and unmoderated, the session provided a unique insight into the minds of two of the executives - and two of the organisations - doing most to shape the future of sports broadcasting. The two men have had their hands at the wheel of the sports media industry through decades of unprecedented growth - Hutton in leadership positions at Eurosport, MP & Silva, Fox Sports International and ESPN Star, and Ten Sports, and Skipper through a storied career at ESPN. They now find themselves shaping the strategy and execution of the sports broadcasting operations at two organisations that promise to change the fundamental model of sports content distribution and consum

James Emmett and David Cushnan are joined by SBJ Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour to reflect on a busy Leaders Sport Business Summit, with discussion around John Skipper and DAZN, Peter Hutton and Facebook, sports content trends, the NFL, the latest stadium technology and other highlights. Also includes an interview with W Series driver Sarah Moore.

Everything you need to know about where to go, what to see, who to hear from, and what to do after that at day one of the Leaders Sport Business Summit, 2019, at Twickenham - 9/10/19.

Everything you need to know about where to go, what to see, who to hear from, and what to do after that at day one of the Leaders Sport Business Summit, 2019, at Twickenham - 8/10/19.

Wimbledon Head of Communications, Content, and Digital Alex Willis in conversation with her mentor, IBM Global Markets CMO Caroline Taylor. Episode 63 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast features the first instalment in a new mini-series of podcasts: Me & my mentor - a series of conversations that get to the heart of mentor-mentee relationships across the sports industry. A recurring theme in the Leaders Meet: Diversity series, mentorship is acknowledged as an increasingly effective personal and professional development, though one that is only scantly understood. In this first episode, Wimbledon's Alex Willis talks to her mentor, Caroline Taylor OBE, CMO of Global Markets at IBM, a long-time Wimbledon sponsor (conversation begins at 13:07). Willis is one of the leading lights in a new generation of sports industry digital and marketing specialists. She began her career as a journalist, before joining the All England Lawn Tennis Club, initially as Digital Content Editor, in 2011. Taylor is an internatio

***Special Offer Alert*** We're offering 19% off passes to Leaders Week to any woman who wants to attend the summit this year, as part of our commitment to championing a more inclusive sports industry. We also want to recognise male executives who share this commitment, and will extend the discount to any man who books on with a woman. Just visit https://leadersinsport.com/leaders-week-london/buy-your-pass/ and use the code LEADERSPODCAST when prompted. Episode 62 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast features a conversation with M&C Saatchi CMO Kate Bosomworth (interview begins at 12:50). Bosomworth founder her own PR agency, KTB PR, in 2003 and through a growth based acquisition and merger strategy, sold the agency first to the Writtle Group in 2012 to take over Speed Communications, then for a second time to AIM listed Mission Marketing Group in November 2014, developing a strong reputation for PR and communications strategy work across rights holder organisations and FMCG brands. A board member at Spo

As Luck would have it: How Carabao intends to become the number one energy drinks brand in the UK | The UK launch of the Athletic and its role as a paid-content market test | Big moves for Delia Bushell, Joanna Adams, and Jaymee Messler. Episode 61 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast sees James Emmett and David Cushnan discuss the UK launch of the Athletic, its role as a litmus test for non-live paid sports content; and the new roles for industry innovators Delia Bushell, Joanna Adams, and Jaymee Messler; before introducing a conversation with Intercarabao CMO John Luck (at 16:27). Luck joined the energy drinks company in 2016, following stints in the marketing teams of Coca-Cola, Time Out, and Duchy Originals among others. Part of a small team tasked with launching the Thai brand in the UK market, Luck has overseen almost every aspect of Carabao's initial UK launch to its position, just three and a half years later, as the seventh biggest energy drinks company in the UK and stocked in every major retailer.

The Premier League in China | Tencent and PP Sports spend big on NBA and Premier League rights | Sky Sun on Fosun's ambition for Wolves | Rowan Simons on the model for growth in Chinese football | Scott O'Neil on making the most of an NBA trip to China | David Nivelle on the challenge and achievement of a FIBA World Cup in China. The Leaders Sport Business Summit rolled into China for a third annual edition this July, hosted, for the first time, in Shanghai, and coinciding with the Premier League's Asia Trophy visit. Leaders Head of Content David Cushnan was on hand to capture some of the sights and sounds, lining up a quartet of conversations behind the scenes of the two-day event. On the agenda: - Sky Sun (15:44) - The Wolverhampton Wanderers Director on ownership group Fosun International's ambitious five-year plan for the club; the launch of a new club megastore in Shanghai and 400 branded products to go with it; and the lifestyle brand vision that would put the Wolves brand alongside the likes of the N

The NFL in London | Leaders in Shanghai. Alistair Kirkwood has been the MD of NFL UK since 2006, and was a key member of the senior executive team that brought the first league game to London in 2007. In episode 59 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast, Kirkwood reflects on the growth the league has undergone internationally over the course of his career, explains the why and how the league is launching the 'NFL Academy' in north London, and gives a firm response to the oft-repeated question: when will the NFL launch a franchise in London? Elsewhere in the conversation: - Inside the NFL's UK office; - Building the calendar out into the off-season;- The NFL Academy - what, where, who, how and why - inspired by the fact that the league will be playing in Tottenham into the next decade;- Teaching NFL values, as well as American football skills'- The new Tottenham stadium and why the NFL-spec build will be transformative for the league's future visits to London'- The current thinking on the NFL's ambitions to ope

Running Wimbledon | Broadcasting the Women's World Cup | Not broadcasting the Cricket World Cup. Philip Brook (conversation begins at 19.27)  is the Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, host of the annual Wimbledon tennis championships. Brook will leave his position, one of the most influential in world tennis, after nine and half years as chairman after this year's championships this summer. In episode 58 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast, Brook welcomes James Emmett to the boardroom at the AELTC for a discussion on the milestone moments of his tenure, what comes next for him, for the club and the tournament, and the state of world tennis. On the conversational agenda: - Why, with the tournament two weeks away, he's not very busy at all; - The new roof on number one court - what, why, how, and who it will benefit; and what else is new for this year; - The 50 other weeks of the Wimbledon year; - 73 acres of new land - what to do with it, and why the journey to the tennis club is likely to change

Val Ackerman has been the Commissioner of the Big East college conference since 2013. In episode 57 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast, she gives Leaders Editor-at-Large James Emmett her College Sports 101, before discussing: - The hows and whys of schools moving from one conference to another; - The compensation debate, its fragility and complexity; why college athletes aren't paid; and why we could be a few years away from major change; - The Big East revenues - where they come from, and where they go; - The growth of women's sport - Male-to-female mentorship and David Stern's ongoing influence on Ackerman's career; and why men have such an important role to play in the development of women's careers in the sports industry; - How to learn from other leaders' style, without being imitative; - The many ways of being a mentor; - Why young sports executives need to be aggressive but patient.

Monumental by name, monumental by nature | NHL vs NBA ownership | esports | gaming | the family business | new OTT models | sports betting | international acquisitions. Zach Leonsis (interview starts at 7.59) is SVP of Strategic Initiatives and GM of Monumental Sports Network, and his influence and interest extends across the group's growing suite of assets, which includes the Washington Wizards NBA team, the Washington Capitals NHL team, the Washington Wizards WNBA team, and Capital One Arena. The group, owned and helmed by Zach's father Ted, also has interests in esports, American football, and broadcast media, and it is on the development of these new, growing businesses that Leonsis junior aims most of his focus. In 2016, Leonsis spearheaded the transformation of Monumental Sports Network, the regional network co-owned by Monumental and NBC, from an ad-based blogging platform into a subscription model direct-to-consumer comprehensive broadcast product. A huge investment in programming has led to signif