Are You Not Entertained?

Grant and Roger open with a heartfelt tribute to Matty Cutler, the quietly brilliant sports‑biz pioneer who helped spark this whole project. From there they dive into shadow banking and private equity creeping through sport’s finances, before landing on the U.S. Olympic hockey furore, media echo chambers, DEI rollbacks and a brutally honest question: has multicultural “integration” actually worked, or is sport just the latest battlefield in a culture war nobody’s winning? Brought to you by PEDL Labs.

In this episode of The Confessional, Roger Mitchell sits down with Caroline Rowland – one of sport’s most decorated storytellers and the creative force behind New Moon, and now archive disruptor Egoli – for a conversation about ambition, cost, and conscience. Caroline reflects on the toll of her perfectionism on colleagues and family, why asking forgiveness of yourself can be the hardest step, and what it feels like to push a team to do “the impossible” while wondering if the price was fair. She opens up about being undermined and dismissed in the venture capital world, how much harder the game can be for female founders, and the heavy responsibility she feels to every shareholder who backed her vision. It’s a deep dive into standards, sacrifice, and what integrity looks like when the business plan doesn’t go to script. Brought to you by PEDL Labs.

Grant and Roger tackle declining NBA appeal and fractured sports media rights at breakneck speed. But the real meat: Why are we tanking fan engagement everywhere? VAR theatre, empty stadiums, ticket chaos, polarized discourse—all while missing the actual product. F1 drivers in revolt and Chelsea chant blowups creating the Streisand Effect. Then the Olympics hit different: women dominate (Brida, the skiers, curling drama with the Canadians), but one catastrophically unqualified Italian commentator reminds us that merit’s dead. And traffic betting—because why not? Short version: sport’s eating itself. Brought to you by PEDL Labs.

Grant and Roger return with Roger in peak “miserable old bastard” form, tearing into Elon Musk’s latest stunt, a so‑called 10‑sigma gold crash, and Djokovic’s absurd epic over Sinner. From gimmick “sports” like bull poker and car‑jitsu to the very real quality of women’s volleyball in Italy, they ask what’s authentic, what’s trash, and whether Gen Z will ever care about real sport. Brought to you by PEDL Labs

Grant and Roger kick off 2026 in chaos—Brooks returns to the PGA, Bryson demands are eye watering, and the golf majors are now the only game that matters. Football’s imploding: VAR’s still broken, Chelsea’s new manager’s already doomed, Tottenham can’t stop losing, and the MCO’s circling the drain. Scottish football hires a charity worker, tennis gets weird, Luke Littler turns heel, and Walter Payton breaks hearts. Classic GOG: here for the madness. Brought to you by PEDL Labs

Grant and Roger wrap the year. Festive cheer giving way to grim reality checks on sport’s grift economy. Goals celebrate Lindsey Vonn, Max Verstappen, Rory McIlroy, Thierry Henry, and Kate Abdo; Own Goals hammer FIFA, Messi, Tether’s Juventus bid, and WNBA absurdities. It all peaks in a candid clash over Roger’s tough-love Confessional with Eddie Pepperell. Classic GOG: witty, worried, waving goodbye to 2025’s madness. Brought to you by PEDL Labs

In this episode of The Confessional, Roger Mitchell sits down with Eddie Pepperell, one of golf’s most thoughtful and unconventional voices, for a searching and challenging conversation about the game, and his own motivations within it. Both Roger and Eddie are known for speaking the truth without filter, and this comes out fully in what is a remarkable conversation, that will for sure polarise opinions. Sponsored by PEDL Labs

Roger checks in from his childhood bedroom in Glasgow, bacon roll on standby, as he and Grant rattle through a packed slate of goals and own goals from darts, golf, football and cricket. All of it wrapped in classic GOG fashion: sharp, funny, grumpy, and quietly worried about what modern sport is turning into. Brought to you by Pedl Labs.

The legendary John Skipper enters the Confessional to address the six questions. The conversation is beautiful and controversial, and certainly not consistent-“Consistency is the hobgoblin of the small mind”. Much of the debate touches on American politics and Trump. Big Media and Big Tech are the bidders for sports rights and how they operate under this administration is key to the future of our industry. For example, the fate of WBD and who Trump will allow to own it. Sponsored by PEDL Labs.

In this special edition of Goal/Own Goal, host Roger Mitchell is joined by friend Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, for a compelling conversation leaning on Jim’s new book. The common history of Burchill, Kerr and Simple Minds; Our Secrets Are The Same. They explore Glasgow’s football culture and Celtic’s importance, the return of Martin O’ Neill, while weaving in Jim’s personal journey through music, family, and resilience. With honest reflections, cutting banter, and heartfelt stories, this episode offers a fresh and soulful take on sport and life through Jim’s unique perspective.

Roger and Grant are back with a bumper Goal/Own Goal packed full of sharp takes, laughs, and the occasional existential sigh. From fiery Scottish football chaos to Fulham’s admirable fight against Arsenal, the lads cover it all — with detours into baseball brilliance, darts drama, and a cheeky OnlyFans scandal that has Roger lost for words. Expect passionate debate on fan boycotts, Ange’s downfall, AI’s economic bubble, and the creeping influence of Saudi money in global sport. Thoughtful, hilarious, and utterly unfiltered — it’s GOG at its best: sport, business, absurdity, and humanity, all colliding beautifully.

In Episode 3 of The Confessional, Roger Mitchell sits down with Danny Townsend. Ex-pro footballer, former A-League commissioner, and now CEO of Surge, Saudi Arabia’s sports investment powerhouse. A candid exploration of leadership, sacrifice, and conviction, Townsend opens up about the personal costs behind global success, including what it means to ask forgiveness from family, and the lessons learned when loyalty isn’t returned. He reflects on the “A-League Grand Final deal” that turned him into a lightning rod and how surviving that shaped his philosophy on governance, courage, and accountability. From building a global sports tech company to steering the Saudi sports revolution, Townsend reveals how resilience, risk-taking, and purpose drive him forward. This isn’t gossip or glory. It’s an unfiltered study of ambition, integrity, and belief in progress. Sponsored by Pedal Labs.

The Ryder Cup Episode. Post-match emotions run high as The Lads dissect Europe’s stunning triumph at Bethpage. From Luke Donald’s masterclass in captaincy to Bryson’s performative patriotism, from crowd abuse to clutch putting. Plus serious chat on private equity’s wall of money hitting sport, XG analytics revolutionizing the game, and Saudi’s $50 billion EA acquisition. Oh, and a blasphemous Italian tennis player who’s in hot soup with Chinese crowds. It’s GOG. Brought to you by Pedl Labs.

Peter Hutton joins Roger Mitchell in The Confessional for a deeply personal, honest conversation spanning 35 years in sports media. From his globe-trotting career and family trade-offs, to the philosophy of leadership, risk-taking, and loyalty. Hutton reflects on the deals that didn’t work out, lessons from navigating corporate politics, and how keeping relationships genuine (not transactional) built a career beloved by colleagues across continents. You’ll hear about the rise of IPL, the real meaning of sport beyond billion-dollar TV cheques, and the legacy of those who shaped his life, especially his dad. Expect humility, sharp insight, and practical wisdom for anyone seeking purpose in their work. Sponsored by Pedal Labs.

The lads this week have a right good laugh at Terry Vegetables at Glasgow Rangers, fantasy football losers, and the cuckold victims of Terence Stamp. Oh, and some serious chat on the dangers facing the EPL and the Ryder Cup. In short, it’s GOG.

Roger Mitchell sits down with insurance titan and One Football chairman Elliot Richardson for six brutally honest questions that dive into the moments that shaped his career—from apologizing for a notoriously sharp tongue to admitting the deal he regrets most, and uncovering the sliding doors that made him a believer in equity ownership. Richardson shares why anger is the worst business strategy and how “The Brothers Grim” taught him to choose partners wisely. Expect candid reflections, hard-earned wisdom, and a deep look at the philosophy behind success.  Sponsored by PEDL Labs.

From arguing golf etiquette with Japanese samurai to Denzel Washington and the Cowboys. From green dildos, to the Rocket in Saudi. From Snoop in Swansea to Mr Benn. And somewhere in between some serious discussion on the UFC Trump Turn, and the return of English football. It’s the usual crazy mixture of GOG.

The LIV episode, as the lads debate the last 5 years in golf, and where to now. Sliding into petty and ill-informed nonsense on WNBA, Sydney Sweeney and Hulk Hogan. This is GOG.

The lads discuss the good the bad and the downright ugly in sport. As always. From Nico Hulkenberg (and his wee girl), to Pat Stanton (and his dad), via penis insertions at Lazio, and shagger ball possession in the Club World Cup.  The glory of Wimbledon and the struggles of the WNBA. Petty and ill-informed to the max.

“Fandom isn’t being nurtured anymore. It’s being mined.” New York Time June 25. The lads today discuss in their own way the challenges of an entire industry. Golf, soccer, baseball, MotoGP, F1, NBA, WNBA.