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Features
The Premier League waits for sun to shine on chilly UK media market
The Premier League usually auctions its domestic media rights halfway through its three-season cycle, but Covid has uprooted its plans. Callum McCarthy examines the likely bidders and the league's hopes for an uplift in the value of the rights.
Miles Jacobson I Who are the winners and losers of Brexit’s impact on football?
Miles Jacobson, the man behind the Football Manager simulation, explains some of the likely effects of Brexit on the game and the transfer market in both the UK and Europe
Football Association’s Swarbrick looks for silver lining in “tough” 2021
Matthew Glendinning talks to Kathryn Swarbrick, the FA’s commercial and marketing director, about what is on the horizon for English football's governing body as it continues to develop its brand strategy amid the pandemic.
Wimbledon plans to split commercial and marketing roles when Desmond retires
Mick Desmond, outgoing commercial and media director for the All England Lawn Tennis Club, talks to SportBusiness about his plans to retire at the end of the 2021 championships and his hopes that his successor will respect his commercial legacy.
Simon Cummins | What CEOs need to know before joining a PE-backed sports business
Simon Cummins, partner and head of the global sports, gaming and media practice at executive search and talent consulting firm Odgers Berndtson, discusses some of the tensions involved in working with private equity investors
Inside Edge named global sponsorship sales agency for 2023 Cycling Worlds
Organisers of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which will be held in Glasgow and across Scotland, have appointed Inside Edge, the UK-based sponsorship agency and consultancy, to sell sponsorship…
PCB announces international media-rights deals
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a series of international media-rights deals covering cricket played in the country during the 2021 to 2023 period
St Helens becomes latest club to sign with Iqoniq to boost fan engagement
English rugby league club St Helens has become the latest sports team to sign with fan engagement platform Iqoniq
Sports offering lifts Amazon subscriber numbers in UK streaming battle
Online retail giant Amazon secured almost half of all new UK subscriptions to streaming services in the final quarter of last year, according to new data.
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Matt Vandrau | A year of self-reflection for the industry
Matt Vandrau, group chief executive, CSM Sport & Entertainment, says one of the biggest changes brought about by this year’s pandemic was the reappraisal of rights values by clients
Gareth Balch | Why 2021 consumer behaviour presents an opportunity for sport
Two Circles CEO Gareth Balch explains why 2021 will present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow the world’s engagement with sport – making it more important than ever to be a sports marketer
Tony Simpson | The year when sport had to act on diversity and inclusion
Tony Simpson, partner and head of sport at board advisory firm Savannah, looks back on a year in which sports bodies had to take a long, hard look at their diversity & inclusion policies and working from home became the new norm
EFL’s iFollow experiment unlikely to inform future media strategy, says commercial chief
Ben Wright, chief commercial officer for the English Football League, explains what the league has learnt from streaming more games on its iFollow service and how the league has targeted the fast-food sector to shore up revenues during this year's lockdown
Rebecca Hopkins | The technology that came to the fore in 2020
Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of The STA Group and partner in Sightline Ventures, reflects on the way sport has relied on technology during the Covid-19 pandemic and asks which adaptations are here to stay.
Bobbie Ttooulis | Making sure sports brands deliver on online sales
Bobbie Ttooulis, executive director of shipping and e-commerce delivery company, Global Freight Solutions, says sports merchandising needs careful management at peak sales periods, like kit launches and Christmas.
Mission accomplished for ATP and O2 as Finals bids farewell to London
The ATP Finals’ 12-year run in London helped to boost the profile of the event and showcase London's O2 Arena as sports venue. Adam Nelson examines the tournament's stay in the city and looks at how the commercial model will change now that it is moving to Turin.
R&A keeps faith in sponsors and strategy in turbulent year
The R&A’s maintenance of event cancellation insurance “slightly eased” the burden of lost income from the cancellation of this year’s Open and Senior Open
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Stevenage FC tries to build on the success of innovative Burger King gaming partnership
Stevenage FC were pleasantly surprised when news arrived of Burger King's interest in becoming its main sponsor. SportBusiness speaks to Stevenage chief executive officer Alex Tunbridge to hear about the journey the club has been on since the association with Burger King began in July 2019.
Ben Cronin | Masters needs to come up with football reforms before they are forced upon him
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is being assailed on multiple fronts as the UK government threatens a systematic review of football governance and clubs plot European competition reform.
Lockdown dampens Brentford FC’s new stadium celebrations
Brentford FC’s plans to open a brand new 17,250-capacity stadium this autumn have been thwarted by the Covid pandemic. Chief executive Jon Varney describes how the club is coping with the lockdown and its plans to compete on a more even commercial footing in the English Championship.
The future of sport business education webinar
Ambassador Real Madrid, President of Global Institute of Sport Governor UCFB, Partner and Head of Sport and Media Practice Savannah Group, Associate Dean New York University, Preston Robert Tisch Institute Global Sport
Reimagining the financial future of lower-league football
Omar Chaudhuri and Ben Marlow from consultancy firm 21st Club examine the trends driving football’s underlying financial crisis and suggest a new approach and competition format designed to reduce costs and promote sustainability.
Ingrid Silver | Rethinking media deals and capturing value as we adapt to the new world order
Ingrid Silver, partner in the global entertainment and media industry group of international legal firm Reed Smith, predicts the sports that could command a commercial premium following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Football finance | How the EFL can build a bridge to post-Covid sustainability and profitability
Legal practice Charles Russell Speechlys has outlined a plan to help English Football League clubs survive, restructure and rebuild in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kevin Roberts reports.
AEG’s O2 Arena targets April comeback for London live events
Paul Samuels, executive vice-president of global partnerships for live sport and entertainment company AEG, says the company is targeting a full schedule of events at London's O2 Arena from April next year. Ben Cronin reports.
Martyn Turze | Premier League PPV – the Publicis Sport & Entertainment ‘office’ debate
Martyn Turze, consumer research account director at Publicis Sport & Entertainment, highlights 11 key points from the agency's internal discussions on pay-per-view Premier League matches conducted via the team’s Whatsapp group.
Professional Body of Sports Leadership Launch | Is sport fit for the future?
Head of Commercial, Partnership Development Formula 1, Global Head of Central Content Creation Red Bull, Chair Rugby League World Cup 2021, Senior Campaign Manager (Europe) DAZN, Global People Director Sail GP, Founder/Chair and Managing Director Kinsey Sears
Writing the new rules of sponsorship using technology & data webinar
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Two Circles, Global Head of Sponsorship & Events Standard Chartered Bank, SVP & MD Octagon, Chief Executive & Co-Founder Satisfi Labs