The Groundsmen discuss the Perfect Storm in sport. From how the social platforms are preparing for the green shoots, to how the money guys are smelling the opportunity. Featuring a brutally honest and personal assessment of sponsorship past and present from Giles “THE CAPTAIN” Morgan.
Grant and Roger get their teeth into the comical and tragic of a week in sport. Barca, F1, Iggy Pop, golf etiquette, content cock-ups, The Mets, failing at Roma, and Ronnie!
AYNE has managed to attract some top top guests. In today’s GOG episode we host hedge fund legend Hugh Hendry. An “eclectic” conversation that inevitably followed no order or structure. Enjoy the mind of a working class maverick and macro rockstar.
The lads have an intimate relaxed chat with one of the key personalities of the last 30 years in sport and media. From the shambles of the efl, charlatan owners, selfish players, Arabs and Newcastle; to the role of The Murdoch dynasty in financing the world of sport for over a generation. Be a fly on the wall to a rare conversation with Kelvin MacKenzie.
Captain Giles Morgan welcomes 2018 Ryder Cup superstar Tommy Fleetwood, one of the most successful English golfers in recent years. Tommy shares his passions with us: the love for Everton Football Club, his all-time 3 course dinner and who his idols were growing up.
The Groundsmen take on UEFA, Ferrari, sports’ profitability post ManCity, Tilsley’s whinge, athlete content overload, the GymShark valuation and, finally, the lure of “cool”.
This week’s guest on The Captain’s Table podcast is Lord Sebastian Coe. One of the world’s greatest ever athletes and currently President of World Athletics, Seb shares his experiences of a lifetime competing, working and being a fan of sport.
The boys change gear with GOG to have a good laugh with snooker, tennis under pressure, Lenny Kravitz, FIFA excesses, Wigan, baseball and Michael Vick. Parental guidance recommended.
The boys welcome Gerry Cardinale of RedBird Capital to the podcast for a remarkable discussion that explores the mindset of potential investors in sports franchises in a post-Covid world. Gerry brings a wealth of experience, both as a top-class athlete and successful investor, and opens a window into the very highest levels of investment in the sports universe.
Golfing royalty Gary Player joins this week Giles “The Captain” Morgan. One of the original “Big 3”, The Black Knight won 9 Majors and 163 tournaments over 7 decades. Widely considered to be the world’s most travelled human being, Gary shares stories of meeting Elvis, growing up in South Africa and his love of horse-racing and rugby.
The Groundsmen ask whether sport really wants to move into direct relationships with its fans. Or actually just prefers safe cash up front. How to manage the importance of betting, whilst controlling recklessness. And a discussion around Swing Low Sweet Chariot. All comments welcome.
This week, Giles “the Captain” Morgan welcomes British golfer Lee Westwood to The Captain’s Table. An avid fan of all sports, Lee shares his love of Nottingham Forest FC, his one-and-only experience of going to the Yankee Stadium and what his favourite 3-course meal would be!!
In association with Loch Lomond Malts.
On Goal/Own Goal this week, Grant and Roger tackle sport and #blacklivesmatter, with a bit of help. The legendary Jim Kerr of “Simple Minds” and “Artists against Apartheid” helps AYNE try to Walk The Talk and find the right tone.
The boys host one of the most progressive football club owner/managers around. Listening to Gary Sweet of Luton Town is the shot in the arm the whole game needs. Listen to how he explains the beauty of Association Football.
In our current theme of “how investable is sport?” we pick the brains of financier deal-maker Laurie Pinto, in order to understand how opportunities are assessed and deals structured. Macro and micro. From data strategy to game theory!
Giles “The Captain” Morgan welcomes aboard former Wallabies Scrum-Half and Rugby World Cup winner, George Gregan aboard the Rive Gauche. Together they discuss George’s love of cricket, the great West Indian cricketers and George’s passion for golf and his unbridled desire to attend an Open Championship.
On today’s episode of the Groundsmen we get a sponsorship masterclass from the Captain, as we assess the debris caused by Covid like in DAZN, F1, EFL women’s football and NCAA. Is all this a necessary cull of a bull market caused by zero cost capital?
A discussion with Scottish football insiders around how the game needs to change to attract outside capital. Pertinent, however, to all sports short of cash post Covid19.
The Jordan episode. Roger asks Grant, as a lifelong NBA fan, to unpack the beauty and power of the The Last Dance. It’s not an explanation, it’s a sonnet. Unmissable conversation about what Michael Jordan means for the world of sport and for the definition of the word “Leader”.
This week The Captain hosts one of the finest rugby players ever to play for Scotland and the British Lions – Gavin Hastings. A career encompassed 61 Caps for Scotland – two Lions Tours and 3 World Cups – Gavin has also been to over 20 Hong Kong Sevens. Once as a player for the BaaBaas. And the rest as a dyed in the wool fan!
In association with Loch Lomond Malts.
The competition for kids’ time has never been so intense. From TikTok to esports to Disney+. How will traditional sport address that battle for attention? Tomi Kovanen, our guest this week, is an ex pro gamer and now investment banker in esports. If you believe in this new future, why and where should investors and sponsors place their money? How are esports evolving as an entertainment business? What is the real potential for brands and for rights owners? Where is the ROI coming from?
Giles Morgan this week welcomes around The Captain’s Table former European Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjorn: a real golfing legend. Brought to you by Loch Lomond Whiskies and Are You Not Entertained, this is a cracking episode with one of the nicest (and scariest) men in golf indeed! Thomas, also known as “The Great Dane”, has been one of the most influential golfers on the European Tour for the past 25 years. In love with sports, he is also a lifelong and passionate supporter of Liverpool Football Club.
Grant, Roger & Giles focus on what the future commercial landscape of sport will look like – and what rights-holders, media, investors and sponsors need to think about in the difficult months that lie ahead. Not to be missed.
Goals and Own Goals with special guest Chris Cairns. Great segue from gold medalist swimmer Mark Henderson. Wonderful conversation, including the demands for excellence of Jordan, Brady, and Malcolm Marshall. Laughs re Totti and Amsterdam cafes in 2000. The Test and the future of great sport content. Premflix! And why pay top $ for Newcastle? “Calling an audible :D”.
Could competitive sport deliver the next generation of politicians? We think so. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Mark Henderson shares his personal journey to success and glory. Mindset, discipline, coaching, teamwork. Unique and emotional access to an elite athlete’s make-up.
The Captain’s table welcomes aboard retired England Rugby Captain and Rugby World Cup winner, Lawrence Dallaglio. Together they muse the true meaning of sport, what it means to be a fan of EVERYTHING sport, and an insight into what was ultimately the best day of sport Lawrence has ever witnessed. Pour some grog, sit back, and enjoy a truly special half hour at the Captain’s Table.
The lads discuss how the dominoes will fall in the sport reset. Sport has globalised, commercialised and polarised in the last generation. How will this unwind now? How should clubs and rights holders get ahead of this? And who will be making huge mistakes?
This week the boys welcome back to the podcast golfer, bon vivant and all-round good guy Eddie Pepperell. The conversation covers the proposed “Premier League” and Patrick Reed’s archaeological digs. How golfers entertain themselves under quarantine, and Eddie’s new podcast: “The Pepper Pod”. We also find out why Eddie would choose to be locked down with Bryson DeChambeau and an uncanny impression of Mrs. Doubtfire.
This week Giles Morgan welcomes on board Jonathan Davies, former Welsh Rugby Union and Great Britain Rugby League superstar. Jonathan has a light-hearted 35 minute chat around the galley table. He shares with our “Captain” his passion for sport, Cornish pasties and who his own 70s Welsh rugby hero was growing up in South Wales.
Analysing the coronavirus disaster for sport. Where to now? Which dominoes fall? How does sport come out the other end? The lads wind the tape forward. Goals and Own Goals around Agnelli elitism, losing to Atletico, Rory’s principles, Charles Barkley generosity vs Frank Williams selfishness, and losing the best voices in sport.
A more serious and in depth discussion this week from the lads, to discuss the impacts of coronavirus on sport and economics. Our guest is football financier Fausto Zanetton. He partnered with Italian football superstar Gianluca Vialli, to create Tifosy, an online platform allowing sports clubs raise funds by connecting them with a global fan and investor base. Fausto clearly and competently explains how big finance is changing sport in every way. How does that actually work at the sharp end? Agnelli and super leagues et al. Passion vs cold rationality.
This week Giles Morgan welcomes on board Jonathan Davies, former Welsh Rugby Union and Great Britain Rugby League superstar. Jonathan has a light-hearted 35 minute chat around the galley table. He shares with our “Captain” his passion for sport, Cornish pasties and who his own 70s Welsh rugby hero was growing up in South Wales.
The boys talk about coronavirus and sport, and where the dominoes will fall. The unfairness of gender fluid sports, and drugs cheaters revisited. Adam Levine and Sharapova. Magnificent sports rage cursing from Jim McLean to F1. The usurping of the BDO and disruption lessons from the Hearns family. Boxing costumes and denim fashion disasters. And Rocky revisited with ice hockey goaltenders.
The lads welcome football journalist Duncan Castles to discuss the seedy underbelly of football. Wee Jim and bribery in Rome, pushing the drugs envelope in Brescia, Ollie’s awfully cosy agent, and “gaming” FFP on a grand scale. Does UEFA have an “out shot”? Very candid.
This week, “Captain” Giles Morgan welcomes onboard the World Number One golfer Rory McIlroy. It is a light-hearted 35 minute chat around the galley table about Rory’s passion for Manchester United, Ulster Rugby and his heroes, when growing up in Northern Ireland.
The boys (nervously) laugh at the absurdity of politics and sport including: the best Presidential insults; floating mulligans; forgetting your nation’s anthem; diddy internationals; the rate card for holding Avuero‘s hand; and the future of pensioner’s baseball. If you don’t laugh, you’d cry!!
With Grant (009) in absentia saving the world, Roger and Giles “The Captain” play host to the wonderfully elegant and smart Caroline Rowland. THIS is a fantastic fresh perspective from a person, who has absolutely influenced the sector for the last 15 years. From bidding for big sports events, to content that now works a new decade, Caroline’s insights are truly enlightening.
Giles “The Captain” Morgan invites Irish Rugby Union legend, Brian O’Driscoll, to sit down to the captain’s table. Brian tells us the unique nature of being a fan of Gaelic football in Ireland, why you should really avoid stadium burgers at live events, where the most terrifying place to be on a golf course is, and how talent is something that you need to be a truly great chef. All this tasty stuff and much more on The Captain’s Table.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The lads have a Christmas chat with one of sport’s true disruptors from the new generation: Joe Markowski of Dazn. Discussing the lessons of working cross culture in sport in Japan, Europe and the States. The importance of making the most of your “break” and finding yourself with great mentors. Debating fiercely, at 30, the future of boxing with top guys like Skipper and Gleasure. Great insight into how Dazn was conceived and executed, and how it approaches new markets. And why its model is unique, especially in attracting young viewers. Obvious mentions of “frenemies” like Snapchat, FB, TikTok. The sports rights market will not be the same after Dazn. This podcast perhaps helps explain why. Superb.
The boys host the legendary multi sports administrator Ian Ritchie. Forthright discussion on the Damned United, West Ham, Wimbledon, Rugby. Focussing on salary caps, media/fan balance private equity, introducing tech whilst protecting tradition. And recruiting top people. Wonderful insight from a top top operator.
One of our most authentic chats. Roger and Grant discuss Mexican boxers, Dazn, the return of the Old Firm, Patrick Reid and bunkers, asking football to play politics and solve racism, and the simple pleasures of Craven Cottage with your dad.
The lads are joined by the legendary golf author John Hopkins, to discuss golfing heroes, the beauty and the codes of great sports writing. John brilliantly takes us through a million anecdotes from inside the ropes. It is indeed wonderful listening from a true craftsman. In the margins, a very honest discussion around the resignation of the CEO of English football. Finally, some chat around sports films, like Ford v Ferrari.
Simon Hallett, the new owner of Plymouth Argyle football club, talks about running a community club on 2019 and attracting new audiences. He discusses player strategies and the “no dickheads” culture. He goes on about league politics, and media strategies. Is football like running an investment firm? And the lads, of course, discuss Mourinho, Bale, sex before games, and Magic Johnson.
The lads are joined by senior sports insider Andy “the nugget” Sutherden from industry giant CAA. Very spikey discussions around Gomez/Sterling; “media bollocks”; PE investment in sport; new faces in tennis; Man City and FFP; Taylor Swift getting “scootered”; defending the Carabao Cup; Logan/KSI; did the Leeds doc turn boomerang; great insight into building the Beckham brand; are bookmakers good sponsors; and the future of sports partnership. And of course Timmy Tryline.
Statler and Waldorf come back for their Goal Own Goal “ok boomer” rants 🙂 This week it is about: fake boxing; the end of influencers; glorious Lionesses; and a full health check around the glorious game of Association Football. The conversation goes on from the Kop, to Inter; from unreasonable coaches, to algo player trading strategies; from selling our Champions league soul, to banning heading. And part 2 of our series on Realpolitik in sport; Saracens rugby and closing the eye when needed. A great chat between two passionate souls.
The lads are joined by the world famous caddy Craig Connolly (the wee man) and ex LPGA pro and golf visionary JeeHae Lee from TopGolf. A roundtable discussion on the future of Golf. Can it attract new audiences? Where are the characters? Will we ever see a Nicklaus/Jacklin moment again? Tiger not getting it off the tee. Amazing stuff. Just way way too short.
The team are joined by rugby legend Gavin Hastings on the eve of a world cup final for an eye-opening discussion. We discuss the Haka; TMO; tiny margins and accepting those defeats; rugby parents; has Union become League?; winning in Paris 95 and rugby afterparties; the 1990 Grand Slam; the zenith that is the Lions; the players with gravitas. And, of course, a prediction for The Final.
The lads are schooled by English commentator and journalist Phil Liggett, the Oracle of Cycling. He talks about Mercx, Bartoli, Coppi and all the fresh exciting young riders of today. Astonishingly frank statements around Mr Armstrong and loyalty. Moreover, Phil tells us his view as to where cycling (and Lance) go from here.
Grant and Roger discuss realpolitik in sports. Having “shameless liars” as fit and proper owners; who really cares about international football; closing an eye to drugs and shoes in athletics; Wagatha Christie; gangsters running Italian football; the Tokyo International Allstars in rugby; and PR disasters from the NBA in China. It doesn’t get any richer than that.
Chris Sweeney joins Giles, Grant and Roger to discuss his book on Thomas Gravesen, the last of the football mavericks. From porn stars to poker and knocking out Ronaldo’s teeth. What is today’s role of the sporting maverick. Will we ever see the likes of John Daly, Brian Barnes, Gazza, or Cantona again? How do you coach them? And, therefore, how do sponsors manage the latent risks? Leave any snowflake tendencies at the door.
Roger and Grant discuss the impossible job of running a league, as sport polarises and money talks. The conversation then continues on the impact of fan-run leagues; managers and their “shelf-life”; Roy Keane’s punditry; what could possibly be wrong with the Rugby World Cup and the Athletics in Doha; German goalies. And, of course, Bernardo Silva and the Milky Bar Kid.
Giles Morgan joins the home team for an astonishing conversation with Mark Oliver, one of the most prescient minds in sport. We get to see the future on new formats, new business models, new leagues. From Football to Cricket, Rugby to Golf and everything in-between.
..And here they are again! Grant and Roger come back for Season 2 and review an amazing summer of sport, both on and off the field. Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Politics, and of course Fulham and Football. Biting honesty as always.
