Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

Adam Silver met the press in New York on Tuesday, delivering a much-anticipated, but brief, status report on NBA Europe. James Emmett and David Cushnan, back in London, examine his comments, as the NBA's ambitious project - the talk of the industry on this side of the Atlantic at least - inches forward, and assess where it might leave Euroleague, which for the moment is moving forward with its own franchise expansion plan. Elsewhere, they reflect on a series of recent conversations and experiences in the sports hospitality space, and consider how sports organisations should be seeking to balance ultra-premium, high-end offerings with a renewed focus on general admission ticket packaging. And there's just time to remark on the other big topics of the week: Nairobi nabbing the World Athletics Championships in 2029 from London; Madrid's first F1 event at the Madring; and the innovations brought to life by World Athletics at the first Ultimate Championships in Budapest.----Leaders Week London is three weeks away. It’s where global sport does business, so you’ll be in great company. To secure your pass for Stamford Bridge, on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek

Richard Thompson wears several hats - Chair of M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment and the England & Wales Cricket Board among them - but it’s his role chairing hospitality giant Levy UK & Ireland, parent of Lyvera, that’s the focus of this conversation with David Cushnan.Thompson casts his eye over the trends influencing the sector right now, and those he’s anticipating, as he reflects on what makes an impactful and memorable guest offering at various pricepoints.He also considers hospitality as a business tool and assesses how that’s changing for agencies, executives and talent; Lyvera’s positioning as a disruptor in the space as it looks to forge deeper business partnerships with rights holders like the Jockey Club; and the importance of smaller touches, such as invitations and cars.This episode follows our recent conversations with Lyvera CEO Charlie Buck and The iLUKA Collective CEO Felicity Shankhar - iLUKA joined Lyvera, the Levy-owned sports hospitality group in February.-----Leaders Week London is three weeks away. It’s where global sport does business, so you’ll be in great company. To secure your pass for Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek.

The annual Two Circles EMEA client summit took place in London this week; hundreds of the agency's partner organisations - drawn largely from across the world of sporting rights holders - convened to discuss aspects of the central theme of fandom. The concept of fandom in sports and entertainment - and different approaches to building it and monetizing it - is the thread that links a series of conversations James Emmett recorded across the course of the event. Those conversations feature: - Two Circles Executive Director Mel Chapman, who unpacks Brat Summer as a fan marketing case study; - Dallas Mavericks SVP Strategy Kyle Burkhardt, who details what long-term strategy looks like at an organisation that needs to sell hundreds of thousands of tickets every season; and what sport can learn from musical theatre business; - WSL CMO Ruth Hooper, who gave her thoughts on the start of a new season in women's football and her plans to kick-start growth again in attendance across the league after a plateau last year; - FA Chief Digital Officer Alex Willis, on her opening efforts after joining Team England from the Premier League - focusing particularly on the launch of a new app; - United Rugby Championship CMO Tom Lister, who delivers an eloquent pushback to the idea that rugby needs fundamental change - Two Circles EMEA MD Harry Hawkins, who opened up the event with a slick presentation outlining what Two Circles sees as a $1.94 trillion economy in sports and entertainment fandom; he shows his working and spells out the opportunity for sport from here.-----Leaders Week London is less than a month away. To join 2,000 senior executives from 50+ countries, plus have access to three stages, private forums and unrivalled networking opportunities, at Stamford Bridge, visit leadersweeklondon.com

Fresh off the back of a whirlwind fact-finder to New York, James Emmett returns to the studio alongside David Cushnan with his observations from the US Open.As the tournament grows - physically and as a New York social and cultural occasion - they consider the impact of the $800 transformation project at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which will conclude next year, on the fan experience and corporate offering.The other big questions are pondered: As influencers continue to make their mark - for better or worse - on major sports events, how should organisers respond? And just how did the Honey Deuce become such an effective marketing asset?Elsewhere, the new NFL season begins with a four-year contract extension for Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the first regular season game in Melbourne this Friday, with the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers taking opposite approaches to preparation.----Leaders Week London is less than a month away. To join 2,000 senior executives from 50+ countries, plus have access to three stages, private forums and unrivalled networking opportunities, at Stamford Bridge, visit leadersweeklondon.com

Just over a week out from the first Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, David Cushnan and James Emmett are back in the studio to discuss why it could become one of the most important - and commercially powerful - events on the F1 calendar. They also consider how to define DAZN in the wake of its acquisition of commercial distribution platform Everpass, and the closing of its deal to buy streaming platform technology firm Viewlift. Does this indicate a change of tack from the company once dubbed the 'Netflix of sport'. There's also time to reflect on this week's conversation with Everton Chief Revenue Officer Aaron Duckmanton, and his role bringing major sports and music events to the club's new Hill Dickinson Stadium.-----The Summit at Leaders Week London takes place on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October. Visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek for more information on speakers, who's attending and networking experiences to suit every taste.