Business of Sport

Today we speak to a man who has been in and around football for over 40 years. Mark Bowen played over 400 games at the top of English football for the likes of Tottenham, Norwich and West Ham, before transitioning into management as both a head coach and assistant. For much of his management career he has partnered with Mark Hughes, acting as his assistant manager at Man City, Stoke, Southampton, Fulham and QPR.  Most recently Mark has spent a number of years with Reading, and is currently going through a delicate process around his exit from the club; a conversation for another time.  However this is something that we have wanted to do for a long time. Quite a lot of our shows fall into the more serious ‘business of sport’ category. Having got to know Mark, this is someone that has seen the inner workings of clubs transacting at the highest level, and has some incredible stories to tell off the back of it. From being at Man City when they were bought by Sheik Mansour and the Abu Dhabi Group to being in the opposing dugout for QPR when Aguero scored THAT goal, this played to the kid in both of us while emphasising the fact that the business of football isn’t always a smooth process. Kick back and enjoy some proper tales of signings, sackings, and outrageous transfer bidding. On today’s show we discuss: The birth of the new Man City: Which players did Sheik Mansour want to sign as a statement transfer when he bought the club? How do you integrate a load of new players to form a cohesive team when the money is flowing and budgets are virtually endless. The incredible transfer story of signing both Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta after the sale of one key player, and the conversation he had to have with Kompany when he arrived. Lionel Messi for £35m? How the club accidentally bid for one of the greatest players ever. Why was Mark Hughes fired by the club with the club flying in both the league and cups, and what happens to managers when they get that call? Tales from Stoke, Southampton, and QPR: Turning Stoke into a top performing Premier League club who were able to attract top European talent like Bojan and Shaqiri. Overseeing a QPR team struggling for survival in the League with Joey Barton as captain and Tony Fernandes as owner. The Man City title win story…from the QPR dugout: what does Mark attribute that memorable Aguero moment to? Moving to Southampton and the challenge of managing top teams when there is an agreement to sell players you want to keep. Football vs Money: Harry Redknapp’s reaction to Mark leaving West Ham to sign for a Japanese club…and the number that persuaded him the offer was too good to turn down. How to manage your personal life in football when the team takes you away from your family and home. Is it worth it? Is it always about the money, or do players need to be incentivised by other things in and around clubs? Where was Mark at his happiest both as a player and a manager? WSC Sports  https://wsc-sports.com/ Tyndall Investment Management  https://tyndallim.co.uk/  

Today we speak to a man who needs little introduction. Zak Brown is the CEO of McLaren Racing, one of Formula One’s most iconic brands and a team currently undergoing a resurgence as it challenges at the top of both the Drivers and Constructors Championships after years of struggling to match the success of Mercedes and Red Bull. Turning an organisation round and re-establishing a culture of success is no easy task, and Zak has been under no illusion that to reach the top of one of the most competitive and scrutinised sports in the world, you need to be exceptional.  F1 is a landscape of marginal gains. What does Zak attribute the success of McLaren to this year and how does he plan to build on this to get his two drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri challenging for the Championship in his cars. We were honoured to be hosted by the amazing McLaren team at their incredible offices for this recording, and we are so grateful to Zak for giving us his time in one of the busiest parts of his calendar as the season draws to a close. I really hope you enjoy hearing from one of sports' top executives.  On today’s show we discuss: Finances of F1: ‘Every team is worth at least £1bn’. What has made these businesses so valuable and how have they managed to build better performance off better financial structures? Profitability in F1 is now something that spreads across the grid rather than being an outcome enjoyed by the lucky few. How has this happened? What are the key revenue streams of an F1 team? What sits centrally with the governing body and what can the teams generate individually? How does sponsorship work and who would Zak’s dream partner be for McLaren? What has the cost cap done for the sport and why was it necessary to introduce it in the first place? Developing Great Drivers: What has made Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri so effective this year and what makes them stand out from the competition? Has Oscar Piastri developed quicker than the team expected and how do you integrate a young driver into the setup without exerting too much pressure? Can you have two number one drivers?  The importance of building respect and parity in the relationship between executive, garage, and driver. How much success is attributed to the driver, and how much is the car? The Importance of People Why does Zak attribute much of the success of the team to the culture of the organisation? How do you build a great culture? It is something often talked about but hard to execute and maintain? What is it about McLaren that makes it such a great place to work? How do you retain staff to ensure continuity in the team? A huge thank you to our amazing partners: WSC Sports  https://wsc-sports.com/ Tyndall Investment Management  https://tyndallim.co.uk/

The week we're delighted to welcome Felix Starck to the show. Felix is CEO of Baller League, an alternative to historic sporting competition. New propositions, new formats, new leagues. A lot of conversation we have on the show focuses on how leagues are in need of development and refreshment and subsequently what alternatives could be out there to entice the coveted youth audience rightsholders crave.  Baller League is this new product. 6 a-side, entertainment driven, quick football, short matches, free to air. It addresses many of the barriers identified in the footballing landscape. It’s revenues are approaching €20m, KSI, Figo, John Terry, ishowspeed all involved, Leagues being created in the UK and US after massively successful launch in Germany…and most impressive? It’s a year old. Felix is shaking up the sport. He coins it the UFC of football. What does that mean? And how do you ensure this is a sustainable competition not a flash in the pan. A new form of football to sit alongside the traditional game, not detract from it. As Felix says, go and check it out before passing judgement.  On today’s show: The UFC of Football: Why MMA was a sport in need of dramatic change to maintain its relevance when UFC was created to package a new product and create global icons in the process. Sport is increasingly hero driven; you need to create your own stars and not rely on the fandom of current players. How? This is not an enemy of football. Where does this competition sit in the current footballing landscape? ‘Slow sports are dead sports in the future’.  Why Baller League will create a product for women’s football that is tailor made to the qualities of female players. Baller League - Story so Far: How has Felix set up a challenger football league attracting some of the biggest names from sport and entertainment is a year? What are the rules of competition? Why is this format what the current attention economy craves? How do you become a player in Baller League? From academy to fustsal to professional footballers. Owning a franchise; who does Felix want to have as part of the ownership and what is expected if you take a franchise on? What are the financials of operating the league? How much does it cost to put on an event? Are the players paid? Global Expansion: The league has had an amazing start to life in Germany. What has worked? Establishing a league in the UK and US; the launches are imminent. What goes into launching in a new country?  From new sponsors to the best venues, who will be involved and where will it be played? Which country is best set for Baller League to thrive? Will there be purpose built stadia as Baller establishes itself in new markets?  A huge thank you to our amazing partners: WSC Sports  https://wsc-sports.com/ Tyndall Investment Management  https://tyndallim.co.uk/

This week we are delighted to welcome Gary Rowett to the show. Gary has managed over 500 games working at some of the most historic clubs in English football, and played at the highest level with 381 appearances in the Premier League and EFL.  Much of his career has been spent managing across the Football League with the likes of Birmingham, Derby, Stoke, Millwall, Burton Albion. One of the most popular and respected men in the game, he gives a detailed overview of the pressures of management, how to bring the best out of players, why he turned down the chance to manage in the Premier League, and the importance of accountability.  It can often be a thankless task being a manager. It takes a specific type of character to ride the highs and lows and block out the noise. Then it’s the need for heightened empathy alongside a streak of pretty ruthless decision making. It’s not easy being a manager. Gary’s is a fascinating career and it’s far from over.  On todays show we discuss: From Player to Manager: The similarities and differences between being part of a dressing room and running one. Does managing a team that you played for make the job easier? How do you build a relationship with the fans? What part of the transition is the hardest to make and how do you get that first job opportunity? The essential skills of a manager; what can you not do without if you want to manage at the top level? Gary’s Club Management: Burton Albion, Birmingham, Derby, Stoke, Millwall; the pressures of managing some of England’s biggest teams. There isn’t much regret in Gary’s management career, but his time at one club did not go how he wanted. Who? What is it like to manage a club that has just been relegated to the Championship and has to adapt from the Premier League? Who were the best owners Gary worked with and what makes a great club leader?  What does Tom Brady bring to Birmingham? A Manager's Decision Making: Why being a manager is a sales job; you have to make the players believe in what you are doing. Get them to buy into it! How do you leave players out of a team or squad and still keep them motivated? What is the balance to find between youth and experience? Taking inspiration from Klopp, Guardiola, Ancelotti & Simeone. If you're lucky enough to choose whether to take a job or not, what are the factors to take into account? A huge thank you to our amazing partners: WSC Sports  https://wsc-sports.com/ Tyndall Investment Management  https://tyndallim.co.uk/