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Football fan culture is a highly coveted commodity to many businesses who look to use the spectacle of the game and the love for teams to promote the consumption of their products. But what if this culture was leveraged for more positive outcomes?

Jenny Amann, a PhD student at the University of Brighton, recently co-authored a paper with an international expert on fan culture, Mark Doidge. In it, they present their research on how we might mobilise the collective behaviour of sports fans to help tackle climate change.

Jenny joins us today to summarise this absorbing research and establishes its goal, which is to instigate structural change and not merely small changes in behaviour. Building on this, she highlights the need for more authentic forms of climate communication, custom designed for groups that are not already engaged on the issues. We end with a discussion on the many contradictions embedded within the more ‘corporate’ understanding of sustainability.

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How does winning an Olympic gold medal in canoeing inform a career in environmental activism?

Etienne Stott, and his partner Tim Baillie, won the Men's slalom canoeing C-2 Event at the London 2012 Olympics, making history for Great Britain. Since retiring from competitive sport, Etienne has become increasingly involved with environmental activism, working with organizations such as Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness and push for action.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Etienne's journey from athlete to activist. We start with his sporting career and the pivotal moment that led to his Olympic success. Then, we shift our focus to the climate crisis and how Etienne understands the complex and systemic issues at play.

As a canoeist, Etienne has a unique perspective on the power of nature and its connection to sport. We delve into how this inherent connection impacts his worldview and informs his approach to the environment. Finally, we explore how athletes can use their platform within society to call for action and make a positive impact.

You can also see the recording of our interview at https://youtu.be/kV54aI716jk

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The Republic of Haiti is arguably the unluckiest country in recent history. It sits on a fault line and is regularly barraged by hurricanes. Additionally, it still struggles for social and economic stability after countless colonial injustices and outside interventions followed by dictators, gang violence and corruption. Sport, mainly football/soccer, plays a huge role in the nation’s culture which means it may be a source of relief. But how to leverage this potential in a country seemingly without hope? 

James Louis-Charles has a plan! As a history teacher, he is well aware of the complex history of his home. And after many years working in Sport for Development, James believes that with the right steps, Haiti can become a great football-playing nation. This would mean two things: (1) young Haitians would have more pathways out of poverty, and (2) it could give the country some hope and unity in a way few things have before.

Achieving this is exceptionally complex and requires a collaboration of local insights, good faith actors and external benefactors. But it’s worth fighting for! We begin this episode with James’ views on the history of Haiti followed by his passion for football and close with his compelling call for action!

You can contact James on Twitter: @James_LouCha

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To try to answer this complicated question we have Tristan Niesslein of Niesslein Sustainability Partners on the show. We discuss (1) the contradictions facing motorsport’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact, (2) how it’s time for ‘stick over carrot’ on sustainability regulations, (3) questions about the source of sponsorship funds, and (4) the big issues regarding diversity and inclusivity. 

We perhaps raise more questions than provide conclusive answers, but it’s essential to know where we are so we know where we need to go, and there is definitely some hope for this industry to improve.

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The relationship between the leaders of nation-states and the gatekeepers of sporting mega-events is both powerful and complex. Organisations, such as FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have revenues in the billions of dollars and are supranational. They have a disproportionate and troubling degree of political power.   

Much has been written about the environmental and human rights disaster of the men’s football World Cup in Qatar as finally being a step too far in terms of host selection. However, evidence suggests that this was an almost inevitable outcome of systemic problems within FIFA.   

To talk us through this, it’s a pleasure to be joined by Jules Boykoff, Professor of political science at Pacific University in Oregon, USA. He is the author of five books on the politics of sports mega-events, most recently, ‘The 1936 Berlin Olympics: Race, Power, and Sportswashing’. He is also a former professional footballer, having represented the US Under-23 Men’s National Team so he has seen how these events work from all angles.

You can also see the recording of our interview at https://youtu.be/yjskkjE8JjA with some additional visual information.

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Sport is one of the great joys of the human condition for athletes and spectators alike. It can bring happiness, livelihood, physical health, and mental well-being, and provides an education in teamwork, discipline, maturity, and humility. But for this to continue, sports around the world must acknowledge challenges both current and future and both internal and external. Then, steps must be taken to overcome what faces them or risk losing what so many people hold so dear. But what are the challenges and what steps can be taken?

Here we seek to address exactly that! Regular themes include sexism, climate change, racism, sponsorship ethics, mental health, social justice, the list goes on and on! We will also discuss potential remedies and look at how we as individuals can make a difference. It begins with a conversation. It may lead to raising awareness and mobilising people to question norms and behaviours. And hopefully, it will end with meaningful change.

Please remember the views expressed in this podcast may no longer be current when you hear them. My views are my own. As are my guests, who, while valued here for their insights, do not necessarily always reflect the values of this Sustaining Sport and do not speak on behalf of the show.

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Are regulators doing enough to safeguard people against betting companies and their aggressive customer acquisition strategies?

Problem gamblers account for 46% of betting company revenue while making up only 5% of players. Up to 1 in 20 British men will, at least for a time, be a problem gambler, something that can take decades to recover from. So what are regulators doing to help?

Here to answer this is Matt Zarb-Cousin, a former teenage problem gambler who went on to co-found Gamban, the award-winning software that blocks devices from accessing gambling sites and apps. He is also a long-time industry campaigner advocating for gambling regulation reform in the UK.

In this episode, we discuss: (1) how current regulation is insufficient to address modern betting technology; (2) what regulators could do to reduce harm; and (3) how sports betting is being spread into new markets, in part, to ‘bait’ people onto more dangerous games such as slot machines.

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While there is undoubtedly some potential for the sports industry to embrace blockchain technology, thus far it’s been marred by controversy and even criminality.

To find out how things can improve, I have been in conversation with industry commentator Pet Berisha of the Sporting Crypto newsletter. He is an optimist of the space but knows a poor product when he sees one. He highlights some areas where crypto brands might be able to provide more significant value to sport.

In addition, I have put together an article that serves as both a guide to help sports fans not get ripped off and calls for regulators and sports institutions to do more to protect sports lovers.

If this is of interest to you, you can read it on Medium: sustainingsport.medium.com
Or find it directly on our website: sustainingsport.com/articles

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Up to 20% of all athletes experience a crisis transitioning after retiring from competitive sport, meaning they face severe mental, physical, social, or financial difficulties and are often unable to cope. If you consider how many sports and athletes there are competing globally, this is a significant number, and it is vital more is done to help.

Fortunately, researchers like Associate Professor Suzie Cosh, of the University of New England (AU), have been trying to get to the bottom of why this problem is so prolific. Suzie joins us in this episode to share her insights after years of study.

We discuss the extent of the problem and potential consequences including depression, substance abuse disorders and bankruptcy. We also look at key drivers such as identity loss and a lack of transferable skills. Finally, we talk about solutions, looking for more proactive rather than reactive steps to help athletes lead fulfilling lives after the end of their competitive careers.

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Is your local club ground half empty because everyone is watching the Premier League on TV? Or perhaps you are a local Liverpool FC fan, but cannot ever get a ticket? Dr David Webber has been examining these struggles, dedicating much of his academic career to working out why it is happening and what we can do about it.

David postulates that football has become so commercialised that most of us are unable to imagine an alternative that would curb profit-seeking behaviour and restore some social value back into the game. Such an idea would mean the sports industry is not immune from the cautions of Mark Fisher and the concept of ‘Capitalist Realism’, work that David draws upon.

In this episode, we discuss the forces that currently see sports teams leveraged to the nth degree for their commercial brand value. We also talk about how this process erodes the social connections and authenticity of the communities.

Fortunately, David does not believe that all is lost. We discuss some more fundamental and drastic solutions that would bring back some community value and make football more democratic and even more competitive.

You can find David via Solent University profile or via his Twitter: @DrDaveWebber

The researcher of 'competitive balance' who I referenced in the episode is Vasileios Manasis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Athens University of Economics and Business. And thank you to The Sports Footprint for showcasing Dr Manasis' work.

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