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Ok, the intro to this one is maybe a bit weird – it spans a lot of things, but begins with a Google search for ‘whale sputum’ and pretty much goes downhill from there [0:00 – 25:27 ].

Then we welcome guest Martin Calladine, a football writer and author who does not shy away from the less salubrious side of the industry. We explore the involvement of football clubs in cryptocurrency scams and tokenized fan engagement, highlighting the lack of due diligence by world-famous football clubs in partnering with fraudulent crypto companies, resulting in financial losses for fans. The discussion covers examples such as Manchester City's sponsorship deal with a non-existent company and Fulham's partnership with a pyramid scheme. The conversation also delves into the pitfalls of tokenized fan engagement, where schemes exploit fans' desire for involvement while prioritizing trading volume and profit. We also explore the lack of regard for fans and the failure of football clubs to protect themselves and their supporters from fraudulent schemes, highlight the need for better governance and cost control in football, as well as the prevalence of corruption and gambling sponsorships. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the unsustainable nature of the current football model and the potential for future scandals [25:28 – 1:39:32 ].

Martin's new book is called No Questions Asked and is available from all good book outlets, and Amazon.

In a nutshell:

• Football clubs have shown a lack of due diligence in partnering with fraudulent cryptocurrency companies, resulting in financial losses for fans.
• Tokenized fan engagement schemes that prioritize trading volume and profit over meaningful fan involvement.
• The promise of fan participation in club decision-making often falls short, with voting on trivial matters and limited impact on club operations.
• The crypto market's volatility and the lack of regulation make it susceptible to scams and manipulation. Football clubs have shown a lack of regard for fans and have failed to protect them from fraudulent schemes.
• The proposed football regulator is a step towards better governance, but it may not address the underlying issues in the industry.
• There is a need for better cost control and sustainability in football to prevent financial instability.
• Corruption and gambling sponsorships are prevalent in the industry, and there is a lack of action to address these issues.
• The current football model is unsustainable and may lead to future scandals.

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