The Sports Agents

Big crowds filling big stadiums is the dream for most sports - and women's football did just that (well, at least the big stadiums bit) at the weekend. For the first time ever, all the games in the top two leagues of women’s football were hosted in main stadiums. 

But, after Arsenal's recent fixture clash - is sharing stadiums feasible? If not, what's the long-term plan to grow attendances? And how does moving around impact the players and fans? We spoke to ex-England player Anita Asante and host of Counter Pressed podcast, Flo Lloyd-Hughes.

As England and Wales continue long losing runs in the rugby, Gabby and Mark ask, if Steve Borthwick and Warren Gatland were football managers would they have lasted this long?

And thieves steal a phone from Mo Farah - did they really think they could outrun him?!

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

This week on The Sports Agents,

Donald Trump will be the President when the U.S. host the World Cup and the Olympics - what will that mean for global sport? We speak to The Telegraph’s Sport Investigations Reporter, Ben Rumsby, and Amnesty International’s Head of Sport and Labour Rights, Steve Cockburn. 

With Mike Tyson back in the ring 19 years later facing YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul - are influencers killing boxing or throwing it a lifeline? We debate it out with Kalle Sauerland, Co-President of Misfits Boxing and Head of Boxing at Wasserman and The Guardian’s Chief Sports Reporter, Sean Ingle. 

As cycling great Mark Cavendish retires, we find out about the man behind the lycra with his friend and ex-Team GB team mate Adam Blythe. 

And how does Gabby think influencers should be punished when they take things a bit too far...?

Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at [email protected]

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

04:51 - Will Trump change global sport

11:25 - Are influencers killing or saving boxing?

16:01 - Mark Cavendish the mini Usain Bolt

21:34 - When influencers go too far...

As a 58-year-old Mike Tyson gets back in the ring - 19 years after his last professional fight - to take on young YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, are boxing purists right to be up in arms?

Could Paul become the 'new face of the sport' if he wins? Are influencers killing boxing or giving it a lifeline? And in a world where content is king, are these fights here to stay?

We discuss it all with The Guardian's Chief Sports Reporter, Sean Ingle, and Kalle Sauerland, who’s promoted over 30 world champions including Oleksandr Usyk, and is also the brains behind the influencer boxing company, Misfits Boxing (along with KSI).

And did this influencer take it too far by bringing a camera crew to the New York marathon? And how does Gabby want him to be punished?

Plus, is Harry Kane right about England dropouts? Or has he got a Bayern bias?

00:00 - Prize money

06:57 - Harry Kane on club v country

12:03 - Tyson v Paul

36:20 - Influencer brings camera crew to marathon

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

So, Donald Trump is back in the White House - and while America has decided, the sporting world remains divided...

As the World Cup, Ryder Cup, Olympics and more descend on the US over the next four years, what impact will Trump’s Presidency have on global sport?

Is he on a collision course with the International Olympic Committee over transgender ban? 

Will FIFA’s powers grow thanks to Gianni Infantino’s ‘great friend’?

How would he fix golf in 15 minutes?

Investigations reporter for The Telegraph Ben Rumsby & Amnesty International's Steve Cockburn join Gabby & Mark to discuss...

Later, following Mark Cavendish's retirement, close friend and ex-Team GB teammate, Adam Blythe, joins us to discuss Cav's incredible comeback story and cycling legacy.

Plus, The Sports Agents reflect on *that* David Coote video and the potential ramifications for Howard Webb and the PGMOL.

00:00-08:40 - David Coote's rant

08:42- 28:13 - Trump's impact on sport

28:15-47:55 - Mark Cavendish legacy

48:05- 52:08 - Your sporting howlers

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

This week on The Sports Agents,

Do winning teams need to be a bit "toxic"? England rugby centurion Danny Care, who has won three Six Nations and two Premiership titles, joins us on the podcast to discuss the "dictatorship ruled by fear" at England under Eddie Jones.

Plus, Care spills some of his party stories - can you guess what tattoo he got in Vegas with his England team mates?

Later, we chat about the 'haves' and the 'have nots' in tennis. We're joined by former professional tennis player Conor Niland - if you haven't heard of him, that's kind of the point! The man who beat Roger Federer aged 12 tells us about the loneliness and grind of being outside the top 100, and life on tour with the golden generation.

As Arsenal lose their hugely popular sporting director Edu, we speak to Clive Palmer from The Arsenal Vision Podcast, about the void that he's left at the club and how to fill it.

And we share our sporting howler stories. If you've got one of your own please get in touch!

Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at [email protected]

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

02:40 - England's "dictator" with Danny Care

12:03 - How tennis' other half live

17:51 - Yin to his Yang: Edu and Arteta

23:11 - Sporting howlers

England rugby centurion Danny Care, who won three Six Nations and two Premiership titles, joins Gabby and Mark on the podcast today...

"A dictator who ruled by fear" - that's how Care describes ex-England manager Eddie Jones. Hyper-successful sporting environments can be toxic. But is that the price you pay to win? Is that healthy? And does it give one person too much power to define careers and lives?

Care also spills some of his rugby stories too - what tattoo do you think he got in Vegas with his England team mates? We find out.

And was that Noel Gallagher on Man City's Champions League commentary?!

00:00 - Habla español?

09:50 - England's Danny Care

36:30 - Noel Gallagher's commentary

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

As Arsenal lose their hugely popular Sporting Director, Edu, we ask why he'd want to join up with Nottingham Forest’s controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis? How it will impact Arteta and Arsenal's title hopes just under two months from the January transfer window? Clive Palmer from The Arsenal Vision Podcast fills us in...

Plus Gabby & Mark dissect two very different press conferences involving one former Manchester United manager (Jose Mourinho) and one incoming one (Ruben Amorim).

Later, as the world’s top eight tennis players battle it out at the end of year Finals, we look at what is life like for all the players that never make it to those heights? Former professional tennis player Conor Niland, who beat Roger Federer aged 12, tells us about the loneliness, the grind of being outside the top 100 and about life on tour with the golden generation.

00:00 - Mourinho & Amorim

09:28 - Arsenal lose Edu

20:16 - Conor Niland - life on tour with the golden generation

41:18 - Tom Daley's knitting

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

This week on The Sports Agents,

Imagine being stranded on an icy ledge 6,000m high in the Himalayas for three days with no food or water - that's what happened to British mountaineer Fay Manners who joined Gabby and Mark to tell her story.

Former England rugby captain Dylan Hartley opened up about getting a traumatic brain injury from playing the sport he loves. He called out rugby for having its 'head in the sand' on brain injuries and revealed he got no help with his aftercare post-retirement.

Plus, we had an emergency episode after Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag was sacked and looked at the man who'll be taking over, Ruben Amorim. Andy Mitten from United We Stand and Henry Winter joined us for that chat.

And we went down a rabbit hole of horse sex... yes, you read that right!

Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at [email protected]

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

03:05 - Himalayan horror

11:54 - Ex-England captain on brain injuries

18:20 - Manchester United manager

21:27 - Horse sex

Former England rugby captain Dylan Hartley tells Gabby and Mark that the sport still has its head in the sand about long-term brain injuries, after he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. Hartley reveals he had to fund his own post-retirement healthcare for his brain health and hip replacement.

As the firm leading rugby's concussion lawsuit is being investigated after claims from ex-England player Will Green, we ask if the case could threaten how rugby deals with brain injuries.

Ex-NFL player Jason Bell tells us what makes the NFL a world leader in brain injury aftercare and what lessons rugby can take from across the pond.

And Mark shares a story about pimping out horses...

05:29 - Dylan Hartley

26:04 - Jason Bell

40:11 - Pimping out horses

Jason Bell has partnered with Samsung, the official TV partner of NFL UK, to create the American Football Jargon Buster to help fans from fumbling the rules.

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

As Rodri and Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon D'Or and the Real Madrid boycott turned it into a soap opera, Gabby & Mark get all the gossip and fall-out from Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.

And why is there no female category for three of the awards? We ask ex-England player Natasha Dowie if the ceremony needs a shake-up.

Plus, imagine being stuck on an icy ledge 6,000 high in the Himalayas for three days with no food and water - that's what happened to British mountaineer Fay Manners who joined us to tell her story.

01:35 - Manchester United & Amorim

10:02 - Ballon D'Or soap opera

26:43 - Stranded up a Himalayan mountain

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

And, the Sports Agents now have merch!