Sports Pundit Podcast

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Avelino, a rapper known for his sharp lyricism, deep wordplay, and cultural influence far beyond music.

From his early freestyles on YouTube to collaborations with Stormzy, Aitch, Wretch 32 and Skepta, Avelino’s journey has always been about using his voice to represent something bigger.

Now, he’s stepping into a new arena.

Alongside presenter Harry Pinero and football entrepreneur John Loaiza, Avelino has co-founded Nexus Football Group, a next-generation agency built to reshape the future of football representation. 

Beyond managing talent, Nexus aims to unlock overlooked brilliance, bridge culture and sport, and create a new blueprint for how players are seen, supported, and celebrated.

In this conversation, we talk about the lessons that Avelino brings from music into football, why the system needs disrupting, and how Nexus plans to elevate both the game and the people in it.

Timestamps

02:00 - Journey into Music and Football

04:00 - Music Career Highlights

06:00 - Founding Nexus Football Group

12:00 - Mentorship and Player Development

14:00 - Updating the Agency Model

17:00 - Scouting and Talent Pathways

24:00 - Leveraging Technology in Football

28:00 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

This is the third episode in a series of 5 focused on #Innovation and hosted by Leanne Bats, a former All Blacks and FC Barcelona executive now leading innovation for a regional sports trust in New Zealand. 

On this week's episode Leanne was joined by Jason Steele, a visionary strategist reshaping the way global sports approaches brand and audience growth, engagement, and commercialisation through digital.

Jason is Currently the Head of Marketing Strategy at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), where he has led and executed strategies relating to data and marketing technology, fan engagement and digital experience, including the development of the fan data platform and engagement activations for Paris 2024.

With a career that span creative agencies, media and sports consultancy, Jason blends deep expertise across marketing and commercial disciplines for global brands, agencies, and sports rights holders. He knows how to build the right strategies, technologies, and operating models that connect the dots between data-driven digital fan experiences and unlocking greater commercial value.

In this episode, Leanne unpacks Jason's career journey and his thoughts on how sports rightsholders and potential investors in sport need the correct approaches and levers to drive long-term brand growth. The conversation goes deep into his experience into growing, engaging, and commercialising audiences with innovation at the heart to create long-term value for sports brands.

Timestamps

02:00: Jason’s Career Beginnings at PlayStation and Habbo Hotel

06:00 – Transition to Sports & Brand Activation at JMI

10:00 – Bridging Digital + Sponsorship at CSM

15:00 – Building Fan Data Foundations

21:00 – Long vs Short: Brand vs Performance Marketing

27:00 – Three Pillars: Grow, Engage, Commercialise

32:00 – Segmenting & Valuing Fans

36:00 – AI's Real-World Impact

42:00 – Ownership vs Partnership in Innovation

47:00 – What’s Next? Excitement, Worries, and Recommendations

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Misha Sher, Global Head of Sport, Entertainment and Culture at WPP, and one of the most respected voices in the intersection of sport, creativity, and brand strategy.

Misha has spent the last decade helping some of the world’s biggest brands, from Toyota to eBay, connect with culture through sport. He’s also worked directly with global icons like Pele and Mesut Özil, helping turn talent into brands that last far beyond the pitch.

In this conversation, recorded at the Johan Cryuff ArenA in Amsterdam during Soccerex Europe, we explore what great sponsorship really looks like in 2025, why it's no longer about exposure, but experience, and how WPP works with both talent and brands.

Timestamps

2:00 - Misha's Career Journey

4:00 - The Importance of Networking

06:00 - Working with Pele: Challenges and Insights

10:00 - Building a Personal Brand

15:00 - Athletes Leveraging Media

19:00 - Brand Partnerships and Strategies

23:00 - Working with Alessia Russo

27:00 Case Studies: eBay and Toyota

Connect with Misha on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Rob Pilgrim, Head of Sport & Primetime at YouTube EMEA.

Rob has spent the last eight years leading YouTube’s end-to-end sports business across the region, from commercial deals and product launches to strategy and societal impact. He’s helped build a team that’s landed global rights deals, launched paid products like Primetime Channels, and championed the platform’s role in accelerating the growth of women’s sport.

In this conversation, we explore what that future looks like — through the lens of YouTube CEO Neal Mohan’s four big bets: AI, Creators as Studios, The Living Room, and Protecting the Creator Economy. If you care about how sport is being reshaped by platforms and creators, this one’s a must-listen.

Timestamps

02:00 – Rob’s Career Journey

06:00 – YouTube’s Evolution in Sport

09:00 – What Partnerships Really Mean at YouTube

12:00 – Broadcasters as Partners, Not Competitors

15:30 – Sky Sports Case Study

17:00 – DAZN & Women’s Champions League

20:45 – Redefining “Free to Air and Rise of YouTube on smart TVs

25:30 – Fragmentation, Friction & the Future of Viewing

28:20 – Alternative Feeds & Personalised Viewing

32:15 – The Creator → Broadcaster Evolution

35:00 – Future of Exclusivity in Sports Rights

38:00 – NFL & Creator Access

41:00 – Rethinking the Media Rights Revenue Model

43:00 – The Role of AI at YouTube

45:00 – Final Thoughts

Additional Links

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

This is the second episode in a series of 5 focused on #Performance and hosted by Rich Buchanan, a former Performance Director at Swansea City FC in the Premier League and Human Performance Consultant for DC United in the MLS.

On today’s episode, Rich is joined by Dr. Daniel Parnell, CEO of the Association of Sporting Directors, among other roles.

From university corridors to the boardrooms of football clubs, Dan has built a career at the intersection of sport, business and research.

As an academic, CEO, technical expert, and consultant, he's uniquely placed to talk about what drives high performance and what hinders it in the business of football and beyond. And that's exactly what this podcast does.

Through poignant examples and personal experiences, this conversation dives into the impact of meaningful relationships, strategic thinking, effective leadership as well as the importance of, and application of, network theory.

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn - Here

#Ad

This series is kindly supported by  award-winning sports technology and innovation company, Genius Sports.  

Discover the new operating system for sport brought to you by the world leader in AI and sports data by visiting ⁠geniussports.com/perform/⁠

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Vansa Chatikavanij, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Present Ventures, a firm investing in emerging leagues, media, and fan-driven technology.

Vansa’s background is as global and multidisciplinary as it gets, from advising on water and climate projects at the World Bank, to building billion-dollar web3 infrastructure in Asia, to now shaping the future of sport through investments in companies like Togethxr, Unrivaled, and Good Good Golf.

In this conversation, we explore the investment thesis behind Present Ventures, why community is increasingly the engine behind commerce, and what the rise of alternative leagues and women’s sports tells us about the next generation of fans.

Timestamps

2:00 Vansa's Unconventional Path to Sports

05:00 Present Ventures' Sports 3.0 Investment Thesis

07:00 Investments in Emerging Leagues like TGL

09:00 Golf's Growing Popularity in Asia

13:00 The Role of Content Creators in Sports and Present Venture's Investment in Good Good Golf

23:00 The Rise of Women's Sports and Creation of Unrivaled

29:00 Togethxr and The Media Space Around Women's Sports

33:00 The Power of Merchandise and Community

42:00 Team Formats in Emerging Sports Leagues

The Women’s Sport Content Landscape

The Rise of Alternative Sports Leagues and Formats

When Community Powers Commerce: A Sports 3.0 Playbook

This is the second episode in a series of 5 focused on #Innovation and hosted by Leanne Bats, a former All Blacks and FC Barcelona executive now leading innovation for a regional sports trust in New Zealand. 

On this week's episode of the Sports Pundit Innovation Podcast, Leanne is joined by Tareq Nazlawy, co-founder and CEO of Trace, a new product focused on recognising the 99% of fans who aren't at the game.

Tareq brings a rare blend of strategic, digital, and creative expertise to the world of sport from his early days at BCG to leading global digital innovation at Adidas, including its groundbreaking entry into Web3.

Now at Trace, he is building a new way for fans to collect and own the moments that matter most, digitally. Whether you're in the stands or halfway across the world, Trace captures the emotional electricity of live sport, transforming into verified digital memorabilia for fans to collect, share, and build identity around.

In this conversation, we'll unpack Tareq's journey, the future of fandom, how the technology can deepen these fan connections, and why sports organisations need to start seeing their global audience as active participants, not just spectators.

Timestamps

02:00 Tarek's Journey from BCG to Adidas and Beyond...

06:00 The Birth of Trace: A New Era for Fans

15:00 The 99%: Recognising Remote Fans

22:00 The True Size of Your Stadium: Engaging All Fans

28:00 Introducing Trace: The Fan Credential System

34:00 Case Studies: Formula One and ATP Tour Success Stories

44:00 Challenges and Misconceptions in Fan Engagement

49:00 Closing Thoughts

Additional Links

Connect with Tareq on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

This is the first episode in a series of 5 focused on #Performance and hosted by Rich Buchanan, a former Performance Director at Swansea City FC in the Premier League and Human Performance Consultant for DC United in the MLS.

On today's episode of the Sports Pundit Performance Podcast, Rich sits down with James Young, someone who has walked both sides of the line, from advising elite sports organizations at Deloitte, to living the daily pressures inside a football club like Sunderland AFC.

Now shaping strategy for rights holders around the world at Genius Sports, James isn't just a leader in the performance technology space, he's someone who understands the nuance of bridging performance insight with business strategy.

This conversation isn't just about tech, it's about why sports organizations sometimes get it wrong. And what the best do differently to get it right. So, whether you're a performance professional, an exec, or someone who's simply trying to understand how the future of sport is being shaped behind the scenes. This one's for you.

Connect with James on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

#Ad

This series is kindly supported by  award-winning sports technology and innovation company, Genius Sports.  

Discover the new operating system for sport brought to you by the world leader in AI and sports data by visiting geniussports.com/perform/

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Matthew Jafarian, Executive Vice President of Business Strategy at the Miami HEAT. 

Over the past eight years, Matthew has led one of the most ambitious digital transformations in American sports, overseeing the HEAT’s approach to data, technology, and strategy. But what really sets him apart is the fact that he hasn’t just transformed his own organisation, he’s also helping to reshape the entire industry.

Matthew is also the co-founder of 601 Analytics, a data and analytics platform born inside the HEAT that’s now used by over 20% of the NBA, the league office, and teams across the NFL, NHL, NWSL, MLB, and (soon) MLS. From fan insights to ticketing to food and beverage optimisation, it’s become the operating system behind some of the smartest front offices in sport.

In this conversation, we dig into how the role of data is evolving in sport, why teams need to start acting like the billion-dollar businesses they are, and what it means to build a company within a world-famous organisation.

Timestamps

01:00 - Matthew's Journey to Joining the HEAT

03:00 - Digital Transformation and the Start of 601 Analytics

08:00 - Expanding to the Milwaukee Bucks

14:00 - Balancing Roles and Responsibilities

19:00 - Solving Industry Challenges

24:00 Leveraging Consumer Profiles and Loyalty

29:00 Expanding into Europe

32:00 - Court Culture and Empowering Entrepreneurial Ventures

35:00 - Approach to Investing and Sports Technology

40:00 - Customer-Centric Growth Strategy

42:00 - Closing Remarks and Future Opportunities

Additional Links

Miami Heat: the basketball team turned tech startup
Miami Heat Tech Team Expands Data Services To NBA And Beyond
Miami HEAT boosts season ticket sales by 30% and saves approximately $1 million on operations

Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Rich Buchanan, a leading voice in performance strategy and one of the most thoughtful minds working at the intersection of elite sport, data, and leadership.

Rich spent nearly two decades in the trenches of professional football, first as a physio, then as Performance Director for Swansea City during their Premier League run. He’s since held roles with the Premier League, DC United, and Zone7, and now advises sports tech companies and delivers leadership masterclasses on how to embed high-performance cultures that actually work.

Today’s episode is a little different. It’s not just a conversation - it’s an announcement. Rich will be hosting a brand new spin-off of this podcast, The Sports Pundit Performance Podcast, a five-episode mini-series exploring the big themes shaping elite performance today. From workload to wellbeing, technology to team culture, the aim is simple: to bridge the gap between the boardroom and the changing room. 

In this episode, we introduce the series, unpack Rich’s journey through performance, and talk honestly about where the industry is heading next and what needs to change.

2:00 - Rich Buchanan's Journey in Performance Strategy

4:00 - Innovations and Challenges in Sports Technology

8:00 - The Role of Data in Sports Performance

15:00 - Leadership and Communication in Sports

24:00 - Launching the Sports Pundit Performance Podcast

29:00 - Future of Sports Technology and Data

36:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Additional Links

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here