Sports Content Strategy podcast — MrRichardClarke ｜ Sports Digital Consultant and Journalist

Alex Fynn: The 'Spiritual Godfather of the Premier League'* outlines his European vision

Feb 26

Feb 26 Alex Fynn: The 'Spiritual Godfather of the Premier League'* outlines his European vision

The Sunday Times described Alex Fynn as the ‘Spiritual Godfather of the Premier League’. He is uncomfortable with the label but, in many ways, it is an apt description. The marketer and author also had an influence on the inception of the Champions League and he is critical how both conceptions have developed.

Now, Fynn is outlining his proposal for a fully-fledged European League. The concept has been talked about a lot in recent months and, if you believe the revelations in Der Speigel last year, the Continent’s elite clubs are trying to hammer out a format right now. It is fraught with difficulties but, more importantly, is it dangerous to the future of the game?

Jordan Gardner: Growing US soccer players on a foreign field

Feb 20

Feb 20 Jordan Gardner: Growing US soccer players on a foreign field

Increasingly, football clubs come in groups. Wealthy owners have multiple teams in different leagues on different continents. Sometimes there is an obvious vision, sometimes not.

US-based soccer investor Jordan Gardner is taking a different approach. He is leading a consortium that hopes to take over a top-flight Danish club and change their business model. A major part of that is developing talented players from the overseas, primarily the fertile development area of the US, then selling them on to major clubs.

It is a twist on an established approach and the among the first to link the North American game and Europe in such a direct way.

Daniel Weston: Founder, European Cricket League

Feb 3

Feb 3 Daniel Weston: Founder, European Cricket League

Daniel Weston is a Germany international cricket players with a distinctly Aussie accent. But, having had considerable success growing the sport at home, his love for the sport has inspired him to start the Europe Cricket League. The inaugural event will see the best clubs in France, Romania, Russia, Denmark, Italy and Holland do battle at the La Manga resort in Spain this summer.

The focus will be to serve fans with a predominately digital and social media product, not only because it is cost-effective and modern but the ignorance of the sport by traditional media has forced fans to follow it that way.

Time to explore a new venture whose audience has been entirely overlooked until now.

Pearse Connolly/Ted Matthews: Meaning > Branding for Norway's national football team

Dec 19

Dec 19 Pearse Connolly/Ted Matthews: Meaning > Branding for Norway's national football team

The Norwegian FA are trying a potentially revolutionary idea at their national team games.

Instead of merely branding matches, they are revealing the true meaning of them to their supporters.

Using a sociological approach to service design they have reimagined the experience at their games by concentrating on the symbols, rituals and stories of Norwegian football.

Richard Glover: Tennis South Africa's return of service

Nov 12

Nov 12 Richard Glover: Tennis South Africa's return of service

These are crucial times for tennis in South Africa. When Richard Glover took over as CEO two years ago, the governing body was in a perilous financial state. Therefore his first job was to develop the organisation’s partnership portfolio. His second was to start schemes to develop the grass-roots of the game. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum and unrelated to Glover’s tenure, South African men’s No 1 Kevin Anderson reached the final of the US Open and Wimbledon.

It has all created the correct conditions for a resurgence.

But can Tennis South Africa close out the game when they are only a challenger sport in the country? What groups in this deeply sectionalised population are they targeting? Will the blazers or the country’s difficult history play a part? Where does social media fit in? How does a CEO balance short-term and long-term aims? And, most importantly, why are they talking about eating elephants?

UFF: The future of football fan channels

Oct 16

Oct 16 UFF: The future of football fan channels

Football Fan Channels have made a huge leap forward over the last few years. The likes of Arsenal Fan TV and United Stand have started to become essential viewing whether you supporter the club involved or not.

Now, the movement is evolving. Or, more specifically, organising, professionalising and monetising. We are seeing better videos by better presenters on a wider variety of platforms.

They have even moved to our television screens.

Ultimate Football Fan are at the vanguard of this development. I spoke to Managing Partner, Brett Lotriet Best and Rob Walk, from parent company DIG, about this maturing area of content.

Alan Smith: Penalty Box to Xbox via Press Box

Oct 8

Oct 8 Alan Smith: Penalty Box to Xbox via Press Box

Alan Smith has had a long career in English football

But, in all probability, his different achievements have different meanings depending on the demographic of the supporter.

For the over-40s, he is most famous as an unselfish striker for Leicester City, Arsenal and England. The thirtysomethings will recognise Smith from his co-commentary on Sky Sports. However, millennials will know him best as the voice of the video game Fifa.

He has just written a book, Heads Up, charting his career and I wanted to explore his journey from the pitch to the virtual pitch, via the commentary box.

John Dykes: Taking the Premier League to Asia

Sep 19

Sep 19 John Dykes: Taking the Premier League to Asia

If you live in Asia and you follow the Premier League then John Dykes will be a familiar face.

He hosts coverage of the English top flight for Fox Sport Asia out in Singapore.

John is English but has spent the majority of his broadcasting career in South-East Asia. Therefore he is well-positioned to discuss how interest in the Premier League has grown in the past few decades, analyse which leagues are best-placed to compete and also challenge some of the myths about football fans in this part of the world.

Misha Sher : The Art of Branded Sports Entertainment

Sep 13

Sep 13 Misha Sher : The Art of Branded Sports Entertainment

Branded entertainment is one of the most important new components in the content strategy for any sports rights-holder.

Every club, governing body or broadcaster needs partners and, in the digital age, their demands have changed rapidly and dramatically

I wanted to explore this area so I spoke to Misha Sher, whose LinkedIN profile says he’s Worldwide Vice President, Sport & Entertainment at MediaCom.

Misha has vast experience in the field and sits on the Entertainment jury at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

He has collaborated with his fellow jurors on a new book called the ‘The Art of Branded Entertainment’.

This podcast is called the Art of Branded Sports Entertainment.

Neil Smythe: Turning Hashtag United into a 'real' non-League team

Jul 22

Jul 22 Neil Smythe: Turning Hashtag United into a 'real' non-League team

For the last two decades, Neil Smythe has forged a career at the vanguard of football content.

He was behind the camera (and in front of them too) at Soccer AM before helping to launch Copa90 and the Man United fans' YouTube channel, FullTimeDevils.

But his new role is helping Hashtag United convert from a 'YouTube team' filming friendlies to one that plays competitive football in the non-League pyramid in England. Their launch channel promised the Premier League in 10 years!

Suddenly, it is serious football and how with that affect the well-publicised success story of Hashtag United

Mark Pougatch: How to present the World Cup

Jun 24

Jun 24 Mark Pougatch: How to present the World Cup

By his admission, Mark Pougatch is enjoying the highlight of his career.

He is the lead presenter for ITV coverage of the World Cup.

Mark spoke to me from Russia on the tournament itself, his presenting style, his career, the tricks of the trade and his advice for youngsters

David Murray 2: Who won the race for the Premier League TV title?

Jun 13

Jun 13 David Murray 2: Who won the race for the Premier League TV title?

It's sod's law. You produce an in-depth podcast on TV rights and then someone drops a digital bombshell a week later

When I spoke to former head of BBC Sports Rights David Murray about the current market for the Sport: Digital and Social podcast, little did I know that the Premier League were just about to announce that Amazon had made their much-anticipated move into football.

Then there was more on BT, Sky and the departure of the Premier League's executive chairman Richard Scudamore.

It was worth a revisit so here's an updated podcast on Premier League rights deal 2019-2022.

Call it an extra chapter in our co-authored book on the current field of play

Josh Chetwynd: Major League Baseball makes its UK pitch

Jun 5

Jun 5 Josh Chetwynd: Major League Baseball makes its UK pitch

Josh Chetwynd is the UK’s Mr Baseball.

He captained his country and then carved out a career as a broadcaster on Major League Baseball for the BBC and Channel 5.

He has also been a minor league player in the US, agent, international team manager and has written books on the topic.

Therefore he is perfectly positioned to explain the challenge baseball faces in finding a foothold in the UK and Europe.

It was announced recently that the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will play a pair of games at London in 2019.

Josh and I look forward to those games, the game’s history in Europe, MLB’s international expansion and the issues the game is having in the US.

Paul Beirne: A new leaf for Canadian Soccer

May 5

May 5 Paul Beirne: A new leaf for Canadian Soccer

Paul Beirne is a serial builder of Canadian sports organisations.

He was employee #13 at the Toronto Raptors basketball team, #1 at current MLS champions Toronto FC and was also first through the door at the Candian Premier League.

The CPL will launch in April 2019 with Beirne as President. We talk about the compelling metrics behind the League’s formation, the role fans are playing in building it from the ground up, the specific Canadian solutions they are searching for and the content strategy they’ll need to tell their story

Henry Winter: Social media and sports journalism

Apr 23

Apr 23 Henry Winter: Social media and sports journalism

As Chief Football Writer of the Times, Henry Winter is one of the most respected and influential sports journalists currently working the UK.

Winter’s career started well before social media but he has fully embraced the medium and now boasts a Twitter following akin to that of a mid-table Premier League club.

This is a wide-ranging conversation taking in the state of sports journalism, the newspaper industry, TV and sport as well as social media. But it is all underpinned by the thoughtful analysis and humility Winter’s readers will know so well.

Rudy Gestede: Entrepreneur, YouTuber, Striker

Apr 14

Apr 14 Rudy Gestede: Entrepreneur, YouTuber, Striker

Rudy Gestede is the epitome of a modern footballer.

Aside from training and playing, he is building businesses, developing his charity and promoting a personal brand on YouTube.

The Benin international has featured for Blackburn, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough during a high-calibre career. But his is looking ahead to later life with a spirit of entrepreneurship and self-development.

And social media underpins all it.