Business of Sport

This week we welcome Bristol Bears CEO Tom Tainton to the show. With a new league structure recently announced and some high profile investments across the Prem, this is a great time to talk rugby and look at one of the top clubs pushing for their first title, to take them to the next level.Now since we recorded this show last week, there has been a lot of blowback from some fans and media based on comments made by Tom at a sports industry event, most of which seems to boil down to his suggestion Bristol are a marketing business playing rugby. To those of you that listen regularly, you’ll know a huge part of our conversations with CEO’s running clubs will include our firm belief that teams are content/marketing businesses and have to think like that to continue to develop in the most competitive sports market there has ever been.On the blowback, what I can say is this. Tom is one of the most impressive CEO’s that has sat in this chair with us, across sport. He speaks like an executive that gets it. He understands the demands placed on clubs in this day and age to be more than their performance on the pitch. But, and it’s a big but, not once did I feel like he believed this was at the expense of what happens on the pitch. He clearly says the next big target is to win silverware. Win the Prem. A Bristolian running one of the city’s major sporting assets; this is what you want to see in sport. So for this conversation, think about the future of the club and the sport as a combination of striving to win on and off the pitch. It’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge all teams face to maintain relevance. From what I saw, for what it’s worth, Bristol Bears have someone in charge who is intent on driving both in equal measure. We’re delighted to welcome Tom to the Business of Sport.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: AirwallexThe intelligent financial platform for global businesses⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/GeminiWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth⁠https://geminisports.ai/If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠bos@20vc.com

MotoGP has hundreds of millions of die hard fans, has an excellent commercial model, some of the most talented sportspeople in the business, and now Liberty Media, the owners of F1, have arrived to try and bring a true global business to this already powerful sporting property. This is an awesome conversation looking into one of the great sports that you may not know much about. Carlos Ezpeleta is the man at the helm looking to front this change while ensuring the sport doesn’t lose its identity and the core fans which have driven its growth. In a world of sporting plenty, I think this is one of the most exciting areas in the industry. I’m excited for you to hear it. We’re delighted to welcome Carlos to the Business of Sport. The Growth of MotoGPHow MotoGP is expanding globally while maintaining its core fanbaseThe challenge of competing with F1’s explosion in popularityWhy Liberty Media’s involvement could transform the sportMedia, Content & AudienceThe role of Drive to Survive and why MotoGP is approaching content differentlyHow digital platforms and storytelling can unlock new audiencesBalancing tradition with entertainment in modern sportThe Business of MotoGPWhere the money comes from: broadcasting, sponsorship and race hostingThe importance of manufacturers and why they shape the sportCost control, competitiveness and keeping the grid balancedThe Future of MotorsportExpanding into new markets like the US and AsiaThe next generation of fans and how to attract themWhy MotoGP must evolve without losing what makes it uniqueA huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/

There couldn’t be a better time to have this chat. After the big news that Prem Rugby is set to embrace a franchise type model, we welcome Northampton Saints CEO Julia Chapman to the show.There is so much to unpick from this: what does it mean for the individual clubs? What opportunities does it offer the players? How will it impact the core business model? But there is also a huge amount to look at from the local level. One of the Prem’s great clubs, Saints have an amazing history with a dedicated fanbase that demonstrates the appetite and commitment of the audience to club rugby in England.Time to get stuck into the ins and outs of domestic rugby with a guest who we have had many requests for in the past. We’re delighted to welcome Julia to the Business of Sport.The Business of Northampton SaintsHow winning the Premiership created a sell-out season ticket boomThe financial reality of running a Premiership rugby clubWhy owning the stadium is one of the club’s biggest competitive advantagesThe Economics of Club RugbyWhy player salary spend directly correlates with league positionHow academies allow smaller clubs to compete financiallyWhy club rugby struggles to convert international fans into paying subscribersCommercial Growth in Modern RugbyThe power of player personalities and social media in growing audiencesHow clubs monetise content, partnerships and hospitalityWhy brands increasingly want access to players and behind-the-scenes contentThe Future of Rugby ClubsWhy Premiership rugby is moving toward a more aligned league structureThe investment required to modernise stadiums and unlock revenueWhy women’s rugby could become one of the sport’s biggest growth driversA huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/

Noel Mooney is the CEO of the Welsh FA. So, what does it take to run an international football organisation? It’s a question I’ve wanted to ask from day one, and today we get to. It has been a great few years for Welsh football. Multiple tournament appearances including an iconic 2016 Euro semi final, superstar players like Gareth Bale, a team which at the moment looks like one of the most together units in the international game, and now a big World Cup play off coming up at the end of the month. Noel Mooney is the man behind the scenes in charge of leading both the international team and overseeing domestic football in Wales. It’s no small job. How do you get the professional end firing while making sure grassroots and participation is building for future success? A fresh take with a truly fantastic leader. We’re delighted to welcome Noel to the Business of Sport.In Today's Show We Discuss:Building Modern Welsh FootballHow qualifying for Qatar 2022 unlocked £40–50m in grassroots investmentWhy the FAW deliberately runs a “non-qualification” budget modelTurning World Cup prize money into long-term infrastructureWhy Wales doesn’t own a national stadium and why that might be an advantageCentralised TV rights, sponsorship strategy and government fundingGrowing the Welsh League & Attracting InvestorsWhy investing £4m into the domestic league is a calculated riskThe Wrexham effect and why Wales is “ripe for investment”Whether the league could eventually sit outside the FAW structurePolitics, Performance & Global TournamentsManaging Qatar 2022 and the One Love armband controversyExpanding World Cups to 48 teams and what that means for smaller nationsWhy Craig Bellamy is “world class” and destined for the very topA huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/

Matt Richards is a double Olympic Champion and silver medallist in the pool, winning a historic back to back relay title and falling agonisingly short of individual gold in the 200m freestyle (2 hundredths of a second to be precise). And that won’t be the end of it; LA28 is firmly in his sights.At the age of 23, he has achieved more than most will in their whole career. You would think as an Olympic gold medallist, the world opens up to, and in some ways it does. But as he describes, these are athletes surviving on tiny salaries, reliant on sponsorship and external funding, all competing for the same dollars. So Matt decided to do something about it. He’s now not only an elite swimmer, but also a business owner looking to empower more athletes with the control over their revenue generating opportunities. I have put a link below to check out the platform. A special guy with a huge amount still to come. We loved this and I hope you do too. We’re delighted to welcome Matt to the Business of Sport.Olympic Gold & The Reality Behind It:Winning gold in Tokyo at 18 and why it did not feel how he expected.The brutal 0.02 second Olympic silver in Paris and how he reset overnight.What actually changes after you become Olympic champion and how fast the buzz fades.The Money Behind Olympic Sport:£28,000 lottery funding and what swimmers really earn.Why most Team GB athletes make nothing outside sponsorship.The three month Olympic window to monetize success without harming performance.Building a Business While Chasing Gold:Launching Sponsor while competing at the highest level.Why athletes must see themselves as marketing assets.Balancing brand building, training, and the risk of distraction.Pressure, Process & The LA 2028 Target:Calling himself Olympic champion at eight years old.The Olympic Village chaos, illness, and racing through adversity.Turning silver into fuel as he targets individual gold in LA.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/Seat UniqueDiscover your next premium experience https://wgl.io/s10it7AND check out Sponza, Matt’s business to revolutionise sponsorship for athletes & brands https://sponza.co.uk/

After numerous shows with players from Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, we have ourselves an England international. And what a way to kick off the red rose association.Anthony Watson is one of the game’s biggest names over the last decade. He broke onto the scene young, played over 50 times for England, a double British & Irish Lion, and retired by 30. Injury prevented him from achieving even more, but as you will hear it also opened up other opportunities for him. From losing his way when first dealing with life in the spotlight, to university and masters degrees with a big future to look forward to, this is an incredible insight into how the world of elite sport can deliver big success both on and off the pitch. We’re delighted to welcome Anthony to Business of Sport.Retirement, Injury & Identity:Why long injury spells prepared Anthony for the reality of retirement.The shock of going from England international to silence overnight.The unhealthy obsession with recovery and performance that followed.Building purpose beyond rugby through media, business and new ventures.Eddie Jones, England & Elite Standards:Why Eddie Jones was a better man manager than people realise.The detail and intensity required to succeed in the England environment.What really went wrong at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.The Business of Rugby & Innovation:Why the Premiership needs radical innovation beyond the pitch.The reality of salary caps, squad depth and financial sustainability.R360, disruption and why rugby cannot afford to stand still.Player Welfare, Superstars & Growth:Why growing the game cannot come at the expense of player health.The tension between protecting athletes and building global appeal.Whether rugby relies too heavily on its biggest names.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/Seat UniqueDiscover your next premium experience https://wgl.io/s10it7

It’s a return to the chair for one of our greatest guests, and what a time to do it. When Claire Williams came to see you in 2024 she delivered an account of Williams and the recent sale that few had heard. Today, we look forward. As the new season approaches, teams have had to deal with some of the biggest regulatory changes in the sport’s history. Are we about to see F1 flipped on its head? Without the pressure of having to be across every detail expected when Team Principal, Claire can take a breath and look at the sport from a different lens. Today, we, and hopefully you, are the benefiters of that. From how to prepare a car from scratch to why she thinks George Russell would be great in a McLaren (incredibly juicy we know), the educated eye once again casts a view of what could be the most dramatic F1 season on record. We’re delighted to welcome Claire to the Business of Sport.On today's show we discuss:Regulation Changes, Cost Caps and Competitive Balance:How sweeping technical regulation changes can reset the grid overnight.Why interpretation of rules and strength of engineering teams matter more than budget alone.How the cost cap has fundamentally changed the survival prospects of smaller teams.Drivers, Risk and the Harsh Reality of Performance:Why being a second driver at certain teams can be the hardest job in the sport.Making brutal decisions on drivers and why timing matters more than patience.How pressure, risk and scrutiny have intensified in the modern F1 era.Growth, New Teams and Protecting the Sport:Why Formula One is cautious about expansion despite having the money to support more teams.The balance between growth, dilution and protecting long term value.What adding new teams really means for competitive integrity.Stepping Away and Looking Back:Why leaving Williams was not a choice and how perspective changes with time.Missing the sport while recognising the toll it takes on life outside racing.Why Formula One will always be part of who she is, even from the outside.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Gemini SportsWe empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/SlateThe complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/Seat Unique Discover your next premium experience businessofsport.seatunique.com