Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Mike Armstrong.

Mike is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Juventus. 

Moving from Toronto to Torino, Mike joined the club in September 2021, with a remit to innovate and to grow the club's global supporter base.

As the only English-speaking native within the organisation, this has required some cultural readjustment. As has moving into life working within a sports rights holder environment, having previously spent his time working in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) with both Kraft Foods and AB InBev, as well as in media at CBC, Google, and esports upstart Overactive Media.

The result is a unique perspective, and an approach that is unlike any other from across the top football clubs in Europe.

Time Stamps

2:00 - Ronaldo’s Exit

6:00 - Working Closely with Fans (Rather than Customers)

9:00 - Addressing the Economic Headwinds Facing European Football 

11:00 - Lessons from Working in Consumer Packaged Goods 

14:00 - Merging of Chief Marketing and Chief Communications Roles 

18:00 - Embracing Generative AI Tools 

21:00 - Brining Fan-Created Content In-House

26:00 - Content as a Driver of Fandom

30:00 - Creating for Netflix vs TikTok 

35:00 - Reducing Reliance on Individual Star Power 

38:00 - Borrowed vs Owned and Operated Platforms

42:00 - Becoming a Distribution Channel for Other Content

48:00 - Getting More Women In Football 

53:00 - Plans for the Future? 

Additional Links

⁠Brain games, 'LA-style' creator labs & TikTok: Embracing innovation at Juventus⁠

⁠TikTok Tactic: Juventus tap into the Freestyle World Championships⁠

⁠Chiesa to Segura: How Juventus' Creator Lab is Driving a New Approach to Content Creation⁠

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here