1) What’s the last good thing you watched on Netflix?
It’s not as easy to answer as it once was and that’s arguably what’s done for erstwhile Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, almost certainly the highest ranking casualty in the streaming giant’s latest personnel defrag. There’s some analysis on how and why Bajaria got the boot here, and it’s important context for the sports industry given she championed Netflix’s move into live sports rights, turning round a seemingly intractable position set out by the once anti-sports Ted Sarandos. Evan Shapiro is typically incisive in his piece on the latest lurches at Netflix here. The gist: perhaps it’s not the content but the business model which is creaking. Personally, I can’t remember the last good thing I watched on Netflix since the chess thing.
2) Is ‘Relevent Sports’ nominative determinism with a wonky spellchecker?
The football agency that now controls all the commercial rights to Uefa’s club and national team competitions certainly seems to muscle itself closer to the centre of gravity in the sporting ecosystem by the day. Its latest move is something of a coup: capturing the vastly experienced and very highly rated Dan Miodownik and his colleague Luc-Antoine Charial from HBS to start a new media production business. Relevent will now have control of the top tier European football product as well as the pipes that bring it to people around the world.
3) Is the IOC bringing back big-time bidding for Olympic hosting?
It certainly seems that way, and – as David and I discussed on this week’s Leaders Worth Knowing podcast – that is a decidedly good thing. The IOC has set out the process and timelines for cities bidding to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, and a more public communications campaigning element is back on the agenda. The move away from the consultative, behind-closed-doors approach that had come to characterise the latter stages of the Thomas Bach presidency – which resulted in Brisbane being awarded the Games without competition for 2032 – might partly be driven by the sheer number of realistic candidates sticking their hands up for 2036. Germany, Hungary, Turkiye, South Africa, India, Qatar, and Korea are all in the mix – and the consultants are already queuing up. Public-facing bid campaigns do provide a service to the IOC beyond acting as part of the process to choose the ultimate host: they help evolve the concept of what a modern Games could be; they refresh the relevance and cultural heft of the Olympics in periods of the year – and of the Olympic cycle – when the Games are not top of mind; and they help spell out the importance for any major city of hosting major, global events.
4) What’s driving the biggest growth in the UK ‘experiences’ economy?
Immersive attractions – the likes of ABBA Voyage, of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour – which generated £7.4 billion in expenditure this year.
5) How should I prep for an intimidating meeting?
Ahead of time, jot down an opening sentence, a problem worth raising, and a practical next step. That’s it. Excellent advice.
6) How should I pack for an intimidating trip?
If you’re a woman with three dress codes, a week’s-worth of weather, and a catalogue of flights to prepare for, there’s more excellent advice here.
7) Has Javier Tebas said something to upset Real Madrid recently?
The answer to this one is always ‘yes’. LaLiga’s president does sometimes lean towards the sledgehammer over the scalpel and the latest skirmish in the war between Tebas and Real Madrid is a doozy.
8) Should I use AI or not use AI?
LinkedIn can’t make its mind up. It’s a bit like those gambling adverts that warn you not to gamble too much.
9) Is a 24-hour live football YouTube channel – genuinely always on, not just always programmed – genuinely what people want?
Well, if it is, then they can have it here.
