Podcast · 85 episodes
Unofficial Partner Podcast
by Unofficial Partner · English
Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. Our guests are a who's who of the international sports industry talking about the big issues.
Latest episodes
UP573 The Summer That Changed The Sports Business - LiveA live panel on “the summer that changed the sports business,” focusing on major global events (Men’s FIFA World Cup in the US, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, European Athletics Championships…29 Sep 2026 · 1 h 3 min
UP572 Creators: What Are They Good For?Creators/influencers at major sports events, the “Wimbledon banned influencers” story vs what actually happened, and how creator marketing is shifting budgets and strategy away from relying only on…25 Sep 2026 · 57 min
UP571 The Bundle: Warning signs from the top of the market; IPL and NFL the same but different; DAZN's IPO; The Anti-NetflixSports media rights are hitting a monetization ceiling, with NFL and IPL acting as “top-of-market” barometers.22 Sep 2026 · 1 h 4 min
All episodes
UP573 The Summer That Changed The Sports Business - LiveA live panel on “the summer that changed the sports business,” focusing on major global events (Men’s FIFA World Cup in the US, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, European Athletics Championships…29 Sep 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 30 chapters
UP572 Creators: What Are They Good For?Creators/influencers at major sports events, the “Wimbledon banned influencers” story vs what actually happened, and how creator marketing is shifting budgets and strategy away from relying only on…25 Sep 2026 · 57 min · 23 chapters
UP571 The Bundle: Warning signs from the top of the market; IPL and NFL the same but different; DAZN's IPO; The Anti-NetflixSports media rights are hitting a monetization ceiling, with NFL and IPL acting as “top-of-market” barometers.22 Sep 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 32 chapters
UP570 Spin Class: Here We Go! Premier League Transfer Window SpecialPremier League transfer window communications—how transfer stories become “noise,” who controls narratives, and how clubs explain money/sustainability to fans; plus implications for women’s football…15 Sep 2026 · 49 min · 17 chapters
UP569 Rushman's Rules: Deals, Woke and the Lost World of Langan'sNigel Rushman’s career in sports PR, event accreditation/media management, and dealmaking—plus his views on DEI/woke, football governance, and the future of sports media and betting (clips-first).8 Sep 2026 · 55 min · 23 chapters
UP568 Real Time Economics: When the Clip is the ProductReal-time “clip” distribution is reshaping sports consumption (from TV to scrolling).1 Sep 2026 · 56 min · 20 chapters
UP567 Spin Class: Infantino's fightback; Saudi post-LIV; AJ v Tyson, Hearn v White“Spin Class” episode on sports PR and crisis/reputation battles: FIFA/Infantino’s fightback, the collapse-and-identity struggle of LIV Golf, and the AJ vs Tyson Fury negotiations/PR war ahead of a…25 Aug 2026 · 1 h 1 min · 16 chapters
UP566 Chat UP: I never want to hear the phrase 'Palantir for Sport' againAI and data in sports business, but the core argument is organizational change: whether sports are “in charge of technology” or “enthralled to it,” and why open standards matter more than proprietary…18 Aug 2026 · 53 min · 24 chapters
UP565 The Buy Side: Unilever on FIFA, creator budgets and the new World Cup playbookUnilever’s Rexona debrief on its first men’s FIFA World Cup campaign as an official partner, focusing on FIFA/World Cup “playbook” changes, creator-led budgets, and how sponsors measure engagement…11 Aug 2026 · 56 min · 22 chapters
UP564 Other People's Money: Andrea Radrizzani and Alistair Brownlee OBESports finance and ownership, focusing on football club investing (Andrea Radrizzani’s Leeds United experience), mass-participation endurance sports economics (triathlon/“Ironman vs SuperTri/PTO”),…28 Jul 2026 · 41 min · 18 chapters
UP563 Jude Inc: 'I don't suppose you've got any Bellingham?'Icons’ CEO Dan Jameson discusses signing and merchandising Jude Bellingham (England/Real Madrid) ahead of the World Cup final, and how football memorabilia is moving into “retail attainment”/live…20 Jul 2026 · 46 min · 18 chapters
UP562 The Bundle: Hydration Economics; Sky's ITV portfolio; Survive to Survive; DAZN, NRL and BundesligaSports media monetization and the streaming rights marketplace, covering (1) FIFA World Cup hydration breaks as new ad inventory and its impact on future rights pricing, (2) Sky’s £1.6bn ITV takeover…17 Jul 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 21 chapters
UP561 Is your name on the list? The winners and losers in Two Circles' $174bn sports IP revenue league tableTwo Circles’ 2026 Sports IP Revenue League ranks sports rights holders by “new-to-ecosystem revenue” (revenue first monetized into the sports IP ecosystem, avoiding double counting).14 Jul 2026 · 59 min · 33 chapters
UP560 What is IMG now?What IMG is now and how sports rights, fandom-building, and streaming economics are changing; discussion includes FIFA/World Cup impact, governing-body roles, and how global streamers monetize sport…7 Jul 2026 · 53 min · 22 chapters
UP559 Revenue-maxxing: How FIFA Changed The GameFIFA’s “revenue-maxxing” strategy for the 2026 World Cup—how commercial optimization (broadcasting, sponsorship, hospitality, ticketing, premium experiences) is driving revenue growth and reshaping…3 Jul 2026 · 36 min · 17 chapters
UP558 Chat_UP: What The Mythos Shutdown Means For AI in the Sports BusinessThree AI-in-sports business stories: (1) Anthropic’s “Mythos 5” and “Fable 5” export-control shutdown ordered by the US government (90 minutes notice), raising questions about building on foundation…30 Jun 2026 · 48 min · 19 chapters
UP557 Ed Smith: What Sport Got Wrong About MoneyballEd Smith argues that sport (and other fields) shouldn’t treat “scientific proof” as the only valid input.26 Jun 2026 · 53 min · 24 chapters
UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix ThreatSky Sports’ dominance in UK sports broadcasting and how broadcaster–league partnerships are evolving amid streaming, creator-led channels, and potential “Premflix” direct-to-consumer threats.23 Jun 2026 · 58 min · 24 chapters
UP555 The Lord's Question: What Does The MCC Brand Stand For?How the MCC/Lord’s brand balances a 200-year-old, still-97%-male members club with modern inclusion, while also scaling the London Spirit franchise (51% MCC stake) using data-led marketing and…16 Jun 2026 · 54 min · 21 chapters
UP554 The Bundle World Cup SpecialWorld Cup 2026 media and streaming shifts, focusing on broadcast vs digital platforms, AI-driven clipping, creator/personality-led “shoulder programming,” rights monetization, and market-by-market…12 Jun 2026 · 53 min · 20 chapters
UP553 Live: The Business of Horse RacingHorse racing’s business model and investment case, using Spotlight Sports Group’s report “The Horse Racing Audience Opportunity.” Panelists debate whether racing should lead as a sport/leisure…9 Jun 2026 · 57 min · 25 chapters
UP552 Chat_UP: Google's AI pivot and the end of the subsidised eraGoogle’s I/O 2026 shift from search to AI infrastructure, with Gemini 3.5, Gemini Omni (real-time), and Gemini Spark (always-on proactive agent).2 Jun 2026 · 58 min · 24 chapters
UP551 Coke's Cole Palmer Problem: When the ambassador misses the partyCoca-Cola’s multi-year football ambassador deal with Cole Palmer and how endorsement risk, contract leverage, and World Cup sponsorship logistics work when the player isn’t selected (Palmer left out…26 May 2026 · 43 min · 22 chapters
UP550 Inside Edge: IPL Auctions and the Financialization of EverythingHow IPL franchise auctions work and what they do to cricket’s “talent economy,” competitive balance, and UK prospects; whether the system rewards skill or perceived market value.19 May 2026 · 1 h 7 min · 25 chapters