1) What is LinkedIn for?
I don’t mean that metaphysically. But feeling increasingly irritated by a feed mechanism that throws a realistic appreciation of chronological time out of the window, and instead seems to over-value AI drivel from 3 weeks ago, I’m just wondering what LinkedIn thinks it’s for. One of the things it should be for is pure, detailed, credible professional endorsements like this one from Tottenham Hotspur’s Chief Technology & Digital Officer for his favourite monolithic CRM platform.
2) Is LinkedIn the best platform for club communications?
David and I were on the Unofficial Partner podcast last week talking about the appointment of Dave Hopkinson as CEO of Newcastle United amongst other things. As we were talking, Hopkinson himself was probably watching the rushes from this beautifully filmed introduction video. Meanwhile, over in the Tottenham Hotspur rose garden, newish CEO Vinai Venkatesham was finding the perfect set-up for the softbox lights ahead of his own sit-down interview to spell out the club’s vision in the wake of Daniel Levy’s resignation from the executive chairmanship at the Spurs. Both these videos encapsulate the modern era of club comms done well: nothing particularly ground-breaking, but excellent execution, well produced, and very definitely in-house. The Venkatesham piece, in particular, is a masterclass in outward communication. Open but studied, affable and human, but serious, informative, clear, reassuring and authoritative. And it’s on the club’s channel, so there are clearly no attempts at a gotcha moment. Birmingham City’s new CCO Stephen Haines – no stranger to public presentation training after 16 years at Meta – was up to something similar this week too. We’re living in an era in which media CEOs hire LinkedIn experts to run their personal accounts and PayPal hires for a role – worth up to $290,000-a-year – titled ‘Head of CEO Content’. Maybe English football leaders have cottoned on too: all kinds of stakeholders want to hear from people, rather than faceless entities; more communication, not less, is the way forward. But controlled, strategic, high quality, and high impact.
3) Are there any clouds to go with this silver lining?
As The Athletic gets in on the act with a new deal for NFL clips, Callum McCarthy takes a good look at the output – and performance – of the new wave of non-traditional sports broadcasters who have bought rights recently. Success will not be automatic; laziness and a lack of – you guessed it! – authenticity will be punished.
4) Is Roger Goodell your new favourite comedian?
He’s got a flair for it from the looks of this much-hyped (and rightly so) Mr Beast video. Already lobbying for him to begin his session at Leaders on 2nd October with a tight five on his observational material from the owners meetings.
