1) Who’s got their fingers on the silkiest purse strings in sport?
There’s flux in the marketing departments of some of the biggest spending sponsors of sport. Last week came the news that Rory Sheridan, who’s been manning the money pumps at Guinness during a period of decades-long sports marketing growth, is stepping away from Diageo after a 30-year career there. This week comes the news that Steven Kalifowitz is leaving his role as CMO of Crypto.com, almost six years and US$1 billion in sports sponsorship rights fees after having started. Of course it’s worth tracking who takes on their responsibilities at the companies they’re leaving, but also where they end up. Another proven spender, Antonio Lucio, has just pitched up at PayPal as CMO in a ‘sweeping leadership reshuffle.’ It’s fair to say that Lucio likes the impact a global sports sponsorship deal can make. He’s been the global marketing leader at Pepsi, Visa, Meta, and most recently HP, where, in just two and a half years, he signed landmark deals with both Real Madrid and Ferrari.
2) What’s the best way to maximise a moment on digital platforms?
Sport is all about moments. Of triumph, defeat, joy and misery; and increasingly a full spectrum of entertainment in between. Making those moments sing on social is a curious alchemy: part chance, part prep, part sacrificing yourself at the altar of the algorithm. Every sports organisation has a department dedicated to it; and most of those departments have agencies who help them. Little Dot Studios is arguably one of the best in the business here. And Robbie Spargo, the MD of Little Dot Sport, let his guard down across a series of conversations we had recently for a newly launched report. The result – which details seven distinct tactics for unlocking hidden value on digital – is, ironically, worth printing out and reading in full.
3) Have you got a book in you?
In our ever more digital world, it does strike me that there’s something increasingly arresting and compelling in the physicality of a book. They’re becoming unusual. And what a great thing to be able to send someone instead of a sales deck, a LinkedIn profile, or a piece of native content marketing. They can be door openers as well as doorstops. And I’m always in awe of anyone who can actually get the things written. Kudos, then, to Next League's Dave Nugent, who has followed up his excellent first book about making sales without selling with a banger on sports technology. And to Group CEO of Canadian Soccer & Media Entertainment and former CEO of Football Australia James Johnson, who will later this year publish what he’s calling ‘a definitive guide for governments, sporting bodies and event professionals seeking to win, deliver and build legacy from major international sporting events’.
4) What’s DAZN up to now?
Ten years into the global sports streaming project (who remembers the pronunciation palaver that followed the launch in 2016?) and DAZN continues to make well-financed moves. Last week it announced a $100m deal to acquire Rick Allen’s ViewLift streaming tech company. The rationale for that deal is mapped out with typical aplomb here by Carlo de Marchis.
5) Is there more business in sports business?
Mainstream publishing companies seem to think so. Yahoo is the latest to provide an offering for the ‘financially curious’ sports fan.
6) How is Cricket Australia getting on selling stakes in its Big Bash League teams?
Not so well.
7) Which sports are on the verge of internal fisticuffs?
There’s trouble brewing in MotoGP, and in British horse racing.
