Art of the Game

AOTG is back for another season and this time around we have the third piece of the SDA puzzle on board officially, with Ryan Ellul joining the team earlier this year. We unpack the last few years of Ryan’s career journey and what has led him to Sport Design Australia. We also start to dissect the ROI conversation and talk through the formula for success when commercialising sports content.

Gaby Barns is one of Australia’s leading content creators in the sports industry. She previously worked at the Gold Coast Titans as the Social and Content Lead before taking on the wonderful world of freelance. Gaby’s story will resonate with most who are on the tools in sports content. We talk workload, burnout, expectations, and the balance. We also talk about the athlete and content creator dynamic and unpack the successful start to her freelance journey with gigs at the Australian Open and Sail GP already on her resume.

Edwin Smith is the founder of The Social Sandwich but his unfiltered and raw approach to telling it how it is on social media is likely where you’ll recognise his name. That or his love for party shirts - a strategic brand play that we will discuss! Along with 10+ years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry, Edwin has uniquely found a way to identify, dispel and discuss social media trends and predict the unpredictable when it comes to social algorithms. Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too! ⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter

Lee Olsen, AKA @Shiftrefresh, is a pioneer in sports design. He is an early adopter in this space and is reaping the benefits of his desire and passion. Today, he stands among the industry's elite, and the rewards of his dedication are evident in the impressive list of organisations he has collaborated with. Lee's creative prowess has seen him work with the NBA, NFL, NRL and Bleacher Report. Beyond the boundaries of traditional sports, he has also lent his talents to the virtual arenas of NBA2K where he continues to dish up an insane smorgasbord of mural artwork. Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too! ⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠ ⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Follow us on Twitter

Nicole Chesher has spent over 15 years in sports, primarily at a league level in traditional marketing. Since the rise of digital media and content she has been an early adopter and believer in investing in this for a brand to gain relevance and cut through with their audience. She has taken this mentality with her to the Parramatta Eels - NRL team in Australia - in recent years, now heading up the Content team there and creating content that is the envy of her competitors. Nic has been successful in this space by finding a way to make content relatable and tangible for those at an executive level to provide her the trust, investment and authority to go and do what she does best. This chat is something all content owners need to listen to if they are having trouble butting through management or finding a way to ensure there is investment at all levels of the content creation process. Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too! Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Twitter

Co-founders, Reece Carter and Cass Wilkins, have spent over a decade working within the field of sport, social media and creative. This experience has led them to their business Sport Design Australia, and now this podcast Art of the Game. Their journeys aligned over 9 years ago at the National Rugby League where they spent 7 years building the largest and the most engaged online sporting community in Australia reaching over 6 million fans on their channels. Of late, their business venture Sport Design Australia is becoming increasingly popular within the sporting industry as it tackles the intersection between the creative and sporting sectors. Have a listen to how they got here and what their vision is for SDA, Art of the Game and beyond.

Dan Beltran (@DesignwithDan) joins the podcast from international waters and offers an incredibly detailed, grounded and powerful insight into his journey within sports design as well as how others can find their way in this space. Dan has always relied on communication and professionalism to ensure his personal brand is one others have a desire and preference to work with, along with an incredible talent for unpacking briefs and translating them into sports masterpieces. This chat is a must listen for young designers in the space and those looking for direction on how to approach their careers in sports design.