Sports Pundit Podcast

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Brett Gosper, Head of NFL Europe & Asia Pacific.

Growing up in Australia, the recent announcement to bring an NFL match to the iconic MCG will be something of a full-circle moment for Brett, who has, most notably, previously held the role of CEO of World Rugby.

In this conversation, we dive into these internationalisation efforts, the NFL’s Global Markets program, as well as how the league is creating an impact beyond the headline fixtures.

Time Stamps

2:00 - Brett's Journey and Bringing the NFL to Melbourne

5:00 - NFL's Current Projects Internationally

7:00 - Homegrown Players and the Heritage Program

13:00 - Could the NFL Launch a Local League?

15:00 - Expanding into New Markets like Ireland and Spain

20:00 - Global Markets Program

27:00 - Balancing Needs of International and Domestic Fans

29:00 - Activating in Local Markets

31:00 - Impact of Netflix and YouTube deals

35:00 - Future Plans for the League

Additional Links:

Sports Pundit: Touching Down: How the NFL is Becoming the International Football League 🏈

Connect with Brett on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m grateful to be joined by Roddy Campbell, Director of Partnerships & International Business at Tennis Australia 

We’re catching up right off-the-back of the busiest three weeks of the year for Roddy and his team, having just seen the Australian Open conclude in Melbourne. The tournament has developed an incredible reputation as the 'startup slam’ and innovation flows through everything that they do - including across partnerships. 

Although starting out in sport at The FA, Roddy has spent a lot of his career in the worlds of music and entertainment at the likes of EMI and Universal. 

In our conversation, we discuss the “festivalisation" of sport, his team's co-creation approach to partnerships, their focus on China, and wanting to become the ’Super Bowl of APAC’, we also touch on the AO’s approach to media and launch of a Venture Fund - particularly how it fits into Roddy’s work with partners. 

Time Stamps

2:00 - Roddy's Career Journey 

3:00 - Music and Sports Partnerships 

6:00 - The Australian Open Experience 

7:00 - Tennis Australia's Broader Role 

11:00 - International Expansion and China Focus 

14:30 Innovative Partnerships and Brand Integration 

22:00 Melbourne Park and Event Logistics 

27:00 Tourism and Economic Impact 

30:00 Innovation and Future Trends 

42:00 Closing Remarks and Future Aspirations 

Additional Links

The Festivalisation of Sport: How The Australian Open Is Serving Up A New Era Sport & Spectacle

AO Ventures completes first close of $US30 million VC fund

By the numbers: Recapping Aussie singles success at AO 2025 

Connect with Roddy on LinkedIn - Here 

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Flora Bell, Business Director at LALIGA Studios.

Having worked in the marketing and advertising industry for the likes of M&C Saatchi and LOLA MullenLowe across huge brands such as Magnum, Kraft-Heinz, Dove, Mattel, and PG Tips, just over a year ago she was brought in to help set up LALIGA Studios.

Based in Madrid, LALIGA Studios is a new sports-related content production company which combines the forces of Banijay, a global content powerhouse with LALIGA, one of the most followed football leagues in the world. As well as serving all of LALIGA’s content production needs, as an independent studio, they have also since taken on work with leading brands like EA Sports and Logitech and have an ambition to expand to other sports and across other markets.

Timestamps

2:00 - From Sunderland to Madrid 

6:00 - Conceptualising LALIGA Studios

10:00 - Partnering with Banijay

14:00 - Netflix’s LALIGA: All Access and The Rise and Rise of Sports Docu-Series

19:00 - Expanding the Client Base Beyond Spanish Football 

23:00 - Operating with the LALIGA Name

28:00 - Expanding into New Markets 

31:00 - Telling Individual’s Stories 

37:00 - Creating Media That Cuts Through 

39:00 - Measuring Success

42:00 - Aspirations for LALIGA Studios 

Additional Links

⁠LALIGA partners with Banijay Iberia to launch production arm⁠

⁠LaLiga Studios Expands Management Team, Announces Doc Project ‘The Power of Our Fútbol’⁠

⁠LaLiga launches FAST channel with behind-the-scenes content⁠

⁠Mike Tollin’s MTP and LaLiga Studios to Develop Slate of Soccer-Centric Projects⁠

Connect with Flora on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

Connected with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Olga Correia, Host and Activation Manager at supertri.

Over the past 12 months, I’ve got to work with supertri in an advisory capacity and got to know more and more about the organisation and their unique structure operating across three core pillars; supertri League, supertri-E, and their mass-participation series By supertri.

With events hosted in vibrant cities like Neom, London, and Chicago, supertri combines innovation with a thoughtful approach to community and legacy. Alongside supertri's CEO, Michael Dhulst, who appeared on this podcast almost exactly a year ago, Olga has been at the heart of this journey, playing a pivotal role in delivering world-class events.

In our conversation, we’ll discuss how supertri adapts to the unique needs of each city it partners with, their plans to roll out more and more mass participation events, and the exciting opportunities presented by supertri-E’s hybrid reality format - with the World Championships set to take place in April - as well as much much more.

Time Stamps

2:00 - Olga’s Journey

5:00 - Shifting from Federation to Rightsholder

 7:30 - What is supertri? 

10:00 - Developing a Mass-Participation Offering

15:00 - The Appeal of Short-Course Triathlon 

18:00 - Operating Across Different Markets (from America to Saudi Arabia)

20:00 - Impact of Hosting a supertri Event

25:00 - The Format Advantages for Cities Hosting supertri (Vs Other Triathlon Events)

27:00 - Overcoming Hosting Barriers Using supertri-E 

30:00 - What is supertri-E

33:00 - Future Opportunities for supertri-E

35:00 - The IOC’s Recognition of eSports/ Hybrid Reality

38:00 - The Gamification of Sport

41:00 - Future Ambitions of supertri and supertri-E   

Additional Links

Why host cities should embrace hybrid reality sports

Running Partners: Supertri Opens the Door to External Team Owners 🏃‍♂️

Highlight Reel: Podium Racing Become Supertri’s First Team Out the Blocks 🏅

Connect with Olga on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Jessica Hammond Graf, President of Women’s Elite Rugby - the first professional womens rugby league in the US set to launch later this year. 

Built upon the strong foundation of the Women’s Premier League and looking ahead to the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup to be hosted in the U.S., WER aims to usher in the next stage of evolution for world-class women's rugby and Jessica is the perfect fit at the helm. A former US rugby 7's player, and retired NCAA Division I Deputy Athletic Director, her career has been dedicated to creating empowered women to lead in the sporting world. 

In our conversation, we discuss turning women’s rugby in the U.S. from pay-to-play to paid-to-play, selecting locations for the initial teams, securing sponsors and media distribution, the impact star players can have on a sport, and so much more. 

Timestamps

2:00 - Jessica's Journey

5:00 - The Creation of Women's Elite Rugby

6:00 - Women's Rugby in the U.S.

10:00 - Women's Rugby World Cup Momentum

13:00 - Securing Sponsorship and Investment as a Startup League

17:00 - Exploring Revenue Streams

20:00 - What Will WER Look Like in 2025?

24:00 - Being Player-First

27:00 - Owning a Slot on the Calendar

30:00 - Thinking About a Broadcast Strategy

33:00 - Ilona Maher and the Impact of a Super-Star Athletes

41:00 - The Future for WER

Additional Links

Women’s Elite Rugby pro league plans 2025 launch ahead of US World Cups

Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Jack Withinshaw, Chief Commercial Officer at Alauda Aeronautics and CCO and Co-Founder of Airspeeder. 

Jack’s started out his career with giant advertising agencies like MediaCom and Val Morgan before transitioning to work with various startups across in industries like logistics, recruitment, and retail.  

He joined Alauda Aeronautics in 2019 where he co-founded Airspeeder, alongside Aluda’s founder, Matt Pearson.

During this conversation, we discuss what drove him to, together with Matt, to start a racing series, as well as his aspirations more broadly for the adoption of eVOTL vehicles and why he believes now is the time to finally deliver on the promise of flying cars. 

Timestamps

3:00 - Jack's Journey to Joining Alauda

5:00 - The Promise of Flying Cars

7:00 - Founding and Developing Airspeeder

10:00 - Recruiting Pilots

13:00 - Digital Racetracks

16:00 - Airspeeder's Revenue Model

19:00 - Why Automotive Brands are Getting Involved

24:00 - Navigating Media Rights and Opportunities

29:00 - The Role of Esports

31:00 - The Impact of eVOTL as a Mobility Revolution

34:00 - Cities of the Future

39:00 - Approaching Investment

42:00 - Going Behind the Scenes on YouTube

Additional Links

⁠Alauda Aeronautics - Taking Flight Series⁠

⁠Airspeeder EXA Championship 2023 - Full Race Highlights⁠

⁠Evolving the eVTOL market one race at a time⁠

Connect with Jack - ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠

Connect with Andy - ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠

On today’s episode, I have something a bit different for you as I shift from interviewer to interviewee after being invited to join David Chimbaza on his podcast, the 'Business of Football' back in October. 

David is a recent graduate from UCFB who is aiming to forge a career in the world of football and I really admire his drive - which is highlighted by the fact that he has launched this podcast in the first place. 

As well as hopefully providing you a little bit of insight on myself, the motivations behind starting Sports Pundit four years ago, as well as more recently my work with The Players Fund, I really hope that you also take a moment to check out what David is doing. Based on his actions to-date, he’s someone I’d expect to go far within the game over the course of his career - and I was very flattered to be invited on to have this conversation with him. 

Episode Description

In the episode, we talk about community building within the football industry. I shares insights from my experiences having founded Sports Pundit, which aims to connect professionals in the sports sector.

We also explore the need for greater inclusivity of younger voices in the industry, drawing parallels with successful models from other sectors, such as Gucci's shadow board.

Additionally, I delves into the Players Fund, an athlete-backed venture fund that empowers sports professionals to invest wisely and prepare for life after their athletic careers.

Additional Links

Connect with David on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Elena Mirandola, CEO of FC Como Women — the first club to be backed by Mercury13, a pioneering women’s football consortium with bold ambitions to build a global multi-club network and unlock the commercial potential of the women's game.

Elena’s path to becoming a football club CEO is anything but conventional. Her career began in digital marketing, working with global powerhouse brands before moving to work directly with travel platform Expedia just as the pandemic struck.

In our conversation, we explore the unique business model of FC Como Women, from its approach to branding and operating like a tech start-up to its success in attracting blue-chip sponsors like Nike. We also discuss the unique opportunities and challenges of running a women-only football club — one of only two to do so in Italy’s top flight.

Time Stamps

3:00 – Elena’s Unconventional Path to CEO

7:00 – Addressing Gender Disparity

10:00 – Reframing the Women’s Football 'Product'

12:00 – Overcoming Infrastructure Challenges

14:00 – Speaking to a Global Audience

17:00 – BEYOND: Launching an Educational Program for their Players

18:00 – Understanding the Modern Female Fan

20:00 – Building Partnerships with Global Brands

21:00 – Merchandising & Nike Partnership

27:00 – Adopting a Female-First Approach

30:00 – Building a Fan Database from Scratch

32:00 – Empowering Female Athletes as Content Creators

36:00 – Avoiding the Pitfalls of the Men’s Game

40:00 – Future Ambitions & Mercury13’s Multi-Club Vision

Additional Links 

Como Women appoint new CEO and COO following Mercury/13 takeover, plus more

Nike announces multi-year deal with FC Como Women

Women's football investors Mercury/13 'ripping up blueprint' on club ownership

Giorgio Chiellini makes six-figure investment in women’s soccer, inspired by watching Angel City

DAZN has partnered with F.C. Como Women to bring Exclusive Content and Behind-the-Scenes Access

Connect with Elena on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr Susie Tomson, one of the world’s leading proponents of sustainability in sport. 

Having led the UK Sport research project into environmental support for NGBs and co-chaired the UN Sport for Climate Action working group, Susie brings hands-on experience that very few could match.

Currently a Senior Partner at Think Beyond, her experiences underpin much of their approach to climate action, where, she has developed and delivered sustainability programmes for the likes of SailGP, World Athletics, and Liverpool FC. We discuss some of these programs, as well as what others could do - both at a rightsholder and an individual level…

Time Stamps

2:00 - Susie’s Journey

5:00 - Motivations for Becoming Sustainable 

7:00 - Building a New Sports Property with a Sustainable Vision (such as SailGP)

12:00 - Developing Sustainability into the DNA of an Established Rightsholder (like Liverpool FC)

18:00 - Sporting Product vs Sustainability Promises 

23:00 - Sport’s Ability to Impact Things

25:00 - Sports as an Incubator for New Technologies

28:00 - The Role and Responsibilities of Athletes

32:00 - The Importance of Purpose

38:00 - How Could the Environmental Movement Communicate Better? 

43:00 - Formula 1 Case Study 

45:00 - Understanding Your Supply Chain 

52:00 - Final Thoughts and Takeaways 

Additional Links

Connect with Susie on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Ashwin Desai, Senior Vice President of Games & Experiences at OneTeam Partners.

Ashwin’s career spans media, entertainment, and sports, beginning in film and TV financing before moving to the likes of NBCUniversal, Formula One, and 2K. 

Joining Formula One in 2018 during its digital transformation under Liberty Media, Ashwin worked on a broad range of projects, from live streaming deals with Twitch and Facebook, to global betting partnerships, gaming deals, and fan experiences like F1 Arcade and the F1 Exhibition.

Now at OneTeam Partners, which was founded as a joint venture between the NFL Players Union, the MLB Players Union and Redbird Capital, Ashwin leads their games and experiences portfolio, helping athlete collectives to explore gaming, gambling, and emerging technologies.

We touch on a number of fast-evolving areas, from NIL and gambling legislations, to what opportunities are there around player data and AI.

Time Stamps

2:30 - Ashwin's Journey

4:00 - Working on Formula 1 under Liberty Media

7:00 - Founding Story of OneTeam Partners

12:00 - Negotiating Players Rights for EA's College Football Game

18:00 - Athletes Balancing Individual vs Collective Power

23:00 - Dominance of Dual Licensed Video Games and Potential Growth for Single Licensed Games

27:00 - Competitive Socialisation and Fan Experiences Outside of the Stadium

29:00 - Ideas for New Venues

35:00 - Taking the NFL Combine to Other Sports

37:00 - Leveraging Athlete Data

42:00 - Utilising AI for New Commercial Opportunities

46:00 - Approaching New Areas with Caution

48:00 - Expanding into Other Markets

Additional Links

Connect with Ashwin on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here