Business of Sport

The Football Regulator has released the first draft of its State of the Game report. Lock in. This is like Christmas for Charlie Snr. After months of talking about what could come from it, Charlie delivers an explanation for the ages, even by his standards. Add to this a look at the damage the City case is doing to the Premier League after a crushing result at Anfield, a check in with F1 which is balancing excellent business reportings with murmurings of discontent, and a long overdue look at the AJ vs Fury fight which for now seems like it’s finally going to happen. A big emphasis on for now. All of that plus a deeper look at Everton’s impending sale on Substack, and we have ourselves a Breakdown.Disclaimer:The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transferroomwww.transferroom.com/businessofsportSubscribe to our Substack for bonus content:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

What a week it was last week. Man City’s very well publicised indiscretions will once again be looked at as we question the grounds for appeal and take a look at the role of the Premier League in securing this verdict, while also taking a peak across the pond as the LA Clippers come to terms with a very strong set of sanctions for 113 less guilty charges charges, albeit one serious one. Add to this yet more chaos at Celtic as fans pelt their main shareholder with tennis balls on a golf course, the claims from LIV 2.0 that teams are going to be worth $100m, and the revelation that despite being in serious financial trouble, the WTA are increasing their prize money, and we have ourselves a breakdown.Disclaimer:The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Transferroom⁠https://www.transferroom.com/⁠Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

It won’t surprise you to hear that today’s show will be focused completely on the guilty verdict handed down to Manchester City last Friday. Firstly, there have been many of you who have been relentlessly calling for us to do a show on this since it broke. We explain why we didn’t jump straight on at the start of today’s episode, and I am pleased that we did hold off and can come to you with a more complete set of thoughts and information. Secondly, it is the size of this story and the potential ramifications both in football and beyond that make it so important to cover properly. There is a lot of emotion flying around, as there always is in sport, and at the end of all this I think I can speak for many in saying that this is not something to gloat over, to celebrate, to enjoy. This country’s greatest export is Premier League football. What happens in the coming weeks will determine whether the product can both deliver a punishment that befits the crime and acts as deterrent while also protecting the interests of everyone involved in the game who calls it work or gives their everything as fan. So let’s get into it. This is our take on the Manchester City case on The Breakdown.Disclaimer:The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase⁠⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠⁠Transferroomhttps://www.transferroom.com/Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

With an extra long international break upon us, it is time to take our first proper look at what the early parts of the season have delivered, and to Charlie Snr’s no great surprise, Spurs have continued to heap more pain on their fanbase. But why? This was also the week where Manchester United released their accounts, showing record revenues, but there is much more to the story than that. Clearlake have now really got the keys to Chelsea, albeit at a price which seems hard to justify based on, well, everything that the club has done in the last few years. Add to all this a look at whether Eddie Hearn really could transform rugby into the powerhouse he believes the sport should be, and why the WTA have been allowed to flutter away a major cash injection from CVC, and we have ourselves a breakdown.Disclaimer:The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.As Charlie mentions in todays show, here is our full breakdown of Manchester United from June: https://youtu.be/H7VFxzAnzuk?si=oilOwybsLUePMtDuA huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠GIS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gis.sport/BoS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In a week that has seen a bucket load of big sporting events and an equal amount of controversy, you won't be surprised to find out there is some heat in this show. The Ultimate Athletics Championships and Solheim Cup both delivered some serious entertainment over the weekend, emphasising the strength of women’s golf and proof that existing federations can create new IP and make it work. It’s also about time we check in on regular pod appearance maker Mr Infantino and his quest for survival. There is then of course the Sydney Sweeney drama, but the big one we want to grapple with this week is what on earth has happened to Nike, as they come to terms with dropping out of the S&P100 and a valuation drop of over $200bn in just a few years. All of that and we have ourselves a breakdown.Disclaimer:The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠TransferRoom⁠https://www.transferroom.com/⁠GIS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gis.sport/BoS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at⁠[email protected]

Have you ever heard of the owner who’s the manager who’s been the CEO as well as the kitman? Well if you haven’t, you’re about to, and this is a serious conversation despite at times seeming comical when you read that out.Marc White founded Dorking Wanderers in 1999 with a group of friends in the lowest division of English football, 17 tiers below the Premier League. In the last few years, they have got as high as the 5th, just one promotion from the EFL. Marc is still the owner, and the manager. His views on football as a business, how you can prove yourself without a background in the game, and building a club that does not run the risk of going out of business is one that anyone who tunes into this show regularly will love. As you will see, he is also a massive character. Time to meet him. I’m delighted to welcome Marc 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 at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Finally we’ve taken the jump into the world of NFL as we welcome Brett Gosper to the show. The former CEO of World Rugby, Brett now heads the NFL in Europe and Asia Pacific, making this the perfect time to speak with him as there will be a record 9 matches hosted outside the US. It is also the perfect way for two Brits to get our feet under the table and get to grips with the business of the most successful sports league in the world. What can other sports take from the way the NFL has achieved that? What is unique to it? A very fresh conversation to bring you as we welcome Brett Gosper 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 at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

It’s another returning great this week as we welcome Matchroom Boxing & Talent Agency CEO Frank Smith back to the chair. Frank was show number 8 on Business of Sport, and a lot has happened since. On top of deciding the sweeping curtains should be replaced by a buzz cut, he has been front and centre of a first class Netflix series looking behind the curtain at Matchroom, organised some of the biggest fights in the industry, and has set up Matchroom Talent Agency, signing some of the most notable but undervalued talent in sport, including Tom Aspinall & Henry Pollock.There was an air of confidence, surety, calmness, whatever you want to call it, about Frank this time round. To operate successfully in an industry where I think it is fair to say emotion can drive and get in the way of decision making and clarity of thought, Frank’s approach is pretty unique. Whether it is putting on Anthony Joshua’s mega fights, dealing with the Conor Benn fallout, adapting to the changing face of boxing as the influencer category flexes harder than ever, the approach doesn’t seem to change. I loved doing this again. We’re delighted to welcome Frank 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 at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]