Sports Pundit Podcast with Andy Marston

Andy Marston
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SPORTS NEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Sports Pundit Podcast with Andy Marston

Brought to you by Andy Marston, the Sports Pundit podcast is your ticket to conversations around industry-defining ideas and trends with athletes, executives, founders, and investors - keeping you ahead of the pack within the ever-evolving world of sports and entertainment. The Sports Pundit podcast is part of the Pundit Media Group and you can also dive into weekly newsletters and score details on monthly events in cities like London, Manchester, New York, and Los Angeles at SportsPundit.co

  1. Drew Rauso: Developing an Athlete Podcast Network Full of NBA, NFL, and WNBA Stars

    2 DAYS AGO

    Drew Rauso: Developing an Athlete Podcast Network Full of NBA, NFL, and WNBA Stars

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Drew Rauso, who leads Strategy and Operations at Playmaker HQ, a top-tier sports podcast network owned by Bettor Collective. Playmaker’s lineup features some of the biggest names in sports, including Shaquille O'Neal, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. Drew's role focuses on driving growth, fan engagement, and uncovering commercial opportunities, from merchandise to live events. With a background that includes working at The Players' Tribune, Drew and I dive into the rise of athlete-driven media and the key areas involved in building a successful podcast network. Timeline 3:00 - Drew Journey 4:00 - Athlete Driven Media 7:00 - Playmaker HQ's Distribution Network 10:00 - Landing and Navigating Commercial Deals 12:00 - Balancing Politics and Priorities 14:00 - Leveraging Bettor Collective's Relationships 17:00 - Podcast Monetisation 19:00 - Launching Physical Events 27:00 - Could Teams Launch Their Own Podcasts? 34:00 - Why Streaming Killed the Group Chat 37:00 - Expanding into International Sports Additional Links Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart host block party for Roommates Show in Central Park Angel Reese Launches 'Unapologetically Angel' Podcast amid Breakout WNBA Season 'Streaming has killed the mainstream': the decade that broke popular culture Connect with Drew on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

    45 min
  2. Marieke Visser & Frederique de Laat: Launching the First Professional Female-Founded Football Club in Europe

    OCT 15

    Marieke Visser & Frederique de Laat: Launching the First Professional Female-Founded Football Club in Europe

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Marieke Visser and Frederique De Laat from HERA United, a pioneering women’s-only football club based in Amsterdam which is  set to launch in 2025. This conversation dives deep into their ambitious goals for club, including their vision for competing in the Champions League, as well as creating long-term growth for Dutch women’s football. Marieke, who is the founder and CEO, talks about the possibilities created by building HERA United from the ground up and shares with us her lifelong fight for gender equality in sports, which is rooted in her early experiences of exclusion from the game.  Meanwhile Frederique, who heads up finance and operations, reflects on transitioning from strategy consulting to the sports industry, drawn in by the untapped potential and commercial opportunities she could see within women’s football. Together, they reveal the challenges of launching a women’s-only club in a system designed to favour men’s teams, including how they successfully lobbied the KNVB and how they acquired Telstar's women’s team license. They also discuss HERA’s innovative female-first approach to coaching, sports tech, and talent development, which they believe is essential for building a more sustainable, collaborative football ecosystem. Timestamps: 3:00 - Marieke’s Early Fight for Gender Equality in Football 8:00 - Frederique’s Journey from Strategy Consulting to Women’s Football 11:00 - The Founding Story of HERA United 16:00 - Overcoming the System: Securing a Place in the Eredivisie 25:00 - Why a Female-First Approach is Key to Success 30:00 - The Power of Collaboration in Dutch Football 35:00 - Retaining Talent in the Netherlands: Challenges and Opportunities 40:00 - Future Ambitions: Competing in the Champions League 44:00 - HERA’s Vision for Long-Term Growth and Social Change Additional Links Hera United should become the first professional club for women only: "What gets attention, grows" Amsterdam could get a new all-women pro football club Connect with Marieke on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Frederique on LinkedIn - Here Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

    52 min
  3. Dani Gonçalves: Creating a Fantasy Product to Drive Women's Football Fandom

    OCT 2

    Dani Gonçalves: Creating a Fantasy Product to Drive Women's Football Fandom

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dani Gonçalves, Co-Founder and CEO of Fantasy WSL. Dani’s journey is a unique blend of creativity and technology. She started her career as a musician, moved to London to pursue her dream, and soon found herself immersed in the world of social media and digital marketing, even before it became the major industry it is today. After honing her skills with brands like Lush Cosmetics, Dani transitioned into the world of tech, working for a fintech startup, which is where she met her co-founder, Jimmy. Their shared passion for fantasy sports and a desire to make women’s sports more accessible, having watched the Lionesses win the Euros, led to the creation of Fantasy WSL. In this conversation, Dani shares her fascinating background, the pivotal moment that inspired Fantasy WSL, and how she’s helping to bring the women’s game to new audiences - and in the process building one of the most engaged platforms and communities around women's football. Timestamps  3:00 - Dani’s Journey 7:00 - Applying lessons from Lush Cosmetics 10:00 - The Fantasy WSL Audience 14:00 - Women’s Football Rivalry 17:00 - Breaking Through 19:00 - Leveraging Media Relationships to Build Community 23:00 - What if the League Launch an Official App 27:00 - Differentiating the Product 31:00 - Getting Engagement from Players 35:00 - Leveraging First Party Data 37:00 - Future Plans…  Additional Links Create your own Fantasy WSL team Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big? The Guardian Connect with Dani - Here Connect with Andy - Here

    39 min
  4. Corey Breton: How Cosm's 'Shared Reality' Venues Enhance Fan Engagement Beyond the Physical Stadium

    SEP 25

    Corey Breton: How Cosm's 'Shared Reality' Venues Enhance Fan Engagement Beyond the Physical Stadium

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Corey Breton, Head of Venues at Cosm. From starting out in ticket sales with major sports organizations like the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves, before transitioning into a broader operational role, first with LAFC in the MLS, and later as Chief Revenue Officer for Global Attractions at Legends, Corey made the move last year to join Cosm, bringing together his unique skillset at a company which is at the forefront of immersive entertainment experiences.   In this conversation, Corey shares with us his journey, what drew him to Cosm, and how the company is poised to expand the concept of fan engagement beyond the traditional stadium through its groundbreaking “Shared Reality” venues.  Timestamps 3:00 - Corey’s Journey  5:00 - What is Cosm?  13:00 - The Viral Man Utd v Fulham Clip 16:00 - Tailoring the Fan Experience  21:00 - Shared Reality vs Virtual Reality  24:00 - Signing a Deal with the NFL 28:00 - Is this a New Media Right?  31:00 - Complimenting In-stadia Attendance  36:00 - Raising $250m from the likes of Marc Lasry and David Blitzer 39:00 - Cosm's Investment ‘Moat”  41:00 - Incremental Revenue Opportunities  Additional Links Cosm Raises Over $250 Million In Funding To Expand Experiential Entertainment Venues GloballyNFL to Air Sunday Night Football in ‘Shared Reality’ Cosm Domes

    48 min
  5. Jack Withinshaw: Why Alauda Aeronautics are Creating 'Formula 1 for the Skies'

    SEP 17

    Jack Withinshaw: Why Alauda Aeronautics are Creating 'Formula 1 for the Skies'

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Jack Withinshaw, Chief Commercial Officer at Alauda Aeronautics and CCO and Co-Founder of Airspeeder.  Jack’s started out his career with giant advertising agencies like MediaCom and Val Morgan before transitioning to work with various startups across in industries like logistics, recruitment, and retail.   He joined Alauda Aeronautics in 2019 where he co-founded Airspeeder, alongside Aluda’s founder, Matt Pearson. During this conversation, we discuss what drove him to, together with Matt, to start a racing series, as well as his aspirations more broadly for the adoption of eVOTL vehicles and why he believes now is the time to finally deliver on the promise of flying cars.  Timestamps 3:00 - Jack's Journey to Joining Alauda 5:00 - The Promise of Flying Cars 7:00 - Founding and Developing Airspeeder 10:00 - Recruiting Pilots 13:00 - Digital Racetracks 16:00 - Airspeeder's Revenue Model 19:00 - Why Automotive Brands are Getting Involved 24:00 - Navigating Media Rights and Opportunities 29:00 - The Role of Esports 31:00 - The Impact of eVOTL as a Mobility Revolution 34:00 - Cities of the Future 39:00 - Approaching Investment 42:00 - Going Behind the Scenes on YouTube Additional Links Alauda Aeronautics - Taking Flight Series Airspeeder EXA Championship 2023 - Full Race Highlights Evolving the eVTOL market one race at a time Connect with Jack - ⁠Here⁠ Connect with Andy - ⁠Here⁠

    47 min
  6. Alexander Jobst: Why Fortuna Dusseldorf Decided to Give Their Tickets Away for Free with CEO

    SEP 10

    Alexander Jobst: Why Fortuna Dusseldorf Decided to Give Their Tickets Away for Free with CEO

    On today’s episode, I’m joined by Alexander Jobst, CEO at Fortuna Dusseldorf, a football club based in the North of Germany and competing in the second tier, Bundesliga 2. Fortuna’s home, the Merkur Spiel Arena, hosted a number of matches during this summer’s European championships, including England’s 5-3 penalty win over Switzerland in the quarter finals, which was witnessed live by almost 47,000 fans. One of the greatest challenges facing Alex in his role at CEO, is achieving similar attendance figures throughout the club season - which led to the innovative launch of 'Fortuna for All.' Almost three years into the role, Alexander has leant heavily on his past experiences working with the likes of Siemens, Real Madrid, FIFA, and FC Schalke on areas around commercialisation and internationalisation. We discuss what he has learnt over his career and how this has lead him to such a unique solution now that he is at the helm at Fortuna... Timestamps 2:00 - Journey to becoming CEO 5:00 - Fortuna Düsseldorf's Long-Term Vision 8:00 - Fortuna for All: Concept and Implementation 10:00 - Business Model and Revenue Impact 13:00 - Fan Loyalty and Community Building 15:00 - Digital Transformation and Future Plans 20:00 - Commercial Partnerships and Sustainability 29:00 - Applying the Model Elsewhere 36:00 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Additional Links 'Fortuna For All': Fortuna Düsseldorf confirm four free fixtures for 2024/25 season How the Application Process Works Connect with Alexander on LinkedIn - ⁠Here Connected with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here

    42 min
  7. Cherry Beagles [ARCHIVE]: Why Having a Women's Team Isn't a Female-Fan Strategy by Itself

    AUG 28

    Cherry Beagles [ARCHIVE]: Why Having a Women's Team Isn't a Female-Fan Strategy by Itself

    Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Cherry Beagles, the founder of The 400 Club, an all-female members club redefining what it means to be a sports fan and increasing culturally relevant brand deals in women’s sport. Having studied law at the University of Manchester and gained experience at the likes of NBC Universal and Dentsu, Cherry founded The 400 Club as a side hustle to address an audience that was being underrepresented in traditional sports marketing - and an audience she herself fell in to.  Since launching, she has brought on successful female founders, international athletes, and Olympians, as well as hosted events with the likes of Nike, and done brand campaigns with rightsholders such as Arsenal - all within her first year of starting the club - suggesting that Cherry is very much on to something big.  We discuss her perspective on women’s sport, why this is not to be confused with a female-fan strategy, and the importance of engaging not just the biggest female brands, but those that hold the most cultural relevance. Time Stamps 2:00 - What is The 400 Club and who are the members 4:00 - Recruiting New Members 8:00 - The Athlete x Brand Flywheel 13:00 - Creating a Female-Fan Strategy 17:00 - Culturally Relevant Brand Partnerships and Collaborations 20:00 - That Taylor Swift Jacket 28:00 - What Athletes can Learn from Social-First Brands 32:00 - Creating a Campaign with Arsenal FC 35:00 - Giving Rugby a 400 Club Twist 44:00 - Future of the 400 Club Additional Links ⁠The 400 Club x Nike for The FA Cup Final⁠ ⁠Follow The 400 Club on Instagram⁠ Connect with Cherry on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠ Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠

    52 min
  8. Peer Naubert [ARCHIVE]: Bringing German Football to the World with Bundesliga International CMO

    AUG 21

    Peer Naubert [ARCHIVE]: Bringing German Football to the World with Bundesliga International CMO

    Today’s episode, we revisit a conversation with Peer Naubert, CMO and Managing Director of Bundesliga International. Growing up in Germany, Peer has gained experience working in South Korea, China, and the Netherlands. His current role involves working closely with clubs to further develop a joint international approach, providing them with global marketing and commercial opportunities and offering financial support for their global activities.  Managing a team of 44 employees across Frankfurt, Singapore, New York, and Beijing, Peer is focused on developing and executing local marketing strategies that drive fandom. To date, this has resulted in the Bundesliga becoming the fastest growing, among Europe's top football leagues, in terms of awareness, interest, and media consumption globally.  Taking time out of his schedule at the recent SportInnovation Summit in Dusseldorf, I sat down with Peer to discuss what he has done, and what he’s aspiring to do in the months and years ahead.  Time Stamps 2:30 - A Recap of SportInnovation Summit 6:00 - Peer’s Journey to the Bundesliga 9:00 - Lessons from Living in Korea 12:00 - The Arrival of England Captain, Harry Kane  16:30 - The Launch of Fortuna for All  23:00 - Appealing to the US Soccer Fan 26:00 - Remaining Affordable 33:00 - Building Up a Database of International Fans 35:00 - The NFL and Playing Internationally 38:00 - Overcoming the Language Problem  Additional Links ⁠Sports Innovation 2024: Wonderment and warnings in equal measure as AI dominates Düsseldorf event⁠ ⁠Fortuna Favours the Brave⁠ Connect with Peer on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠here⁠ Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠

    44 min
See All (40)

About

Brought to you by Andy Marston, the Sports Pundit podcast is your ticket to conversations around industry-defining ideas and trends with athletes, executives, founders, and investors - keeping you ahead of the pack within the ever-evolving world of sports and entertainment. The Sports Pundit podcast is part of the Pundit Media Group and you can also dive into weekly newsletters and score details on monthly events in cities like London, Manchester, New York, and Los Angeles at SportsPundit.co

Information

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada