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Unofficial Partner Podcast

Unofficial Partner
Women's Football
Cricket
Golf
Premier League
Private Equity
Artificial Intelligence
NFL
Fan Engagement
Formula One
Youtube
Football
Media Rights
Sports Investment
Women's Sports
Netflix
Sponsorship
Sports Marketing
Two Circles
Sports Technology
Community Engagement

Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. Our guests are a who's who of the international sports industry talking about the big issues.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes560Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessSportsManagement

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Artwork for Unofficial Partner Podcast

Latest Episodes

Today's guest Adam Kelly has been at IMG since 2001, connecting the business back almost to the McCormack era. Now President of IMG within TKO Group — which also owns UFC and WWE — he oversees IMG's media rights, production, digital, brand partnershi... more

FIFA will make $13bn from the four-year cycle culminating in this summer's tournament — nearly $9bn of it landing this year alone. For comparison, the Paris 2024 Olympics, the other Greatest Show on Earth, generated $5.24bn. Total. For the whole Game... more

Host: Richard Gillis (Unofficial Partner) Co-host/analyst: Andy Shora (TFG Labs)

Three stories this episode:

• The Mythos/Fable shutdown — Anthropic ordered by the US government to disable its two most powerful models for all foreign nationals glob... more

AI commoditises knowledge production and throws judgment into scarcity. In this episode, Ed Smith asks what that means for sport, education and the people building careers in the business — and why the humanities might be the most undervalued edge in... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Licht
Chief Sports Officer at Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Episode: UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix Threat
Katie Maier
Chief Marketing Officer at the MCC
MCC
Episode: UP555 The Lord's Question: What Does The MCC Brand Stand For?
Ellie Roach
Senior Consultant at InCrowd
InCrowd
Episode: UP555 The Lord's Question: What Does The MCC Brand Stand For?
Andy Shora
TFG Labs leader, AI strategist
TFG Labs
Episode: UP552 Chat_UP: Google's AI pivot and the end of the subsidised era
Blake Wooster
Founder of TFG
TFG
Episode: UP552 Chat_UP: Google's AI pivot and the end of the subsidised era
Ricardo Fort
Former global head of sport at Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Episode: UP551 Coke's Cole Palmer Problem: When the ambassador misses the party
Charlie Hartley
Former county cricketer for Kent, cricket coaching resource author, children's author
Independent cricket professional / author
Episode: UP550 Inside Edge: IPL Auctions and the Financialization of Everything
Gaurav Sundararaman
Cricket analyst and commentator with deep IPL knowledge
Cricket analyst/commentator
Episode: UP550 Inside Edge: IPL Auctions and the Financialization of Everything
Rob Wilson
Professor, Dean of University Campus of Football Business
University Campus of Football Business
Episode: UP549 Priced Out: FIFA’s Big Ticket Gamble

Host

Richard Gillis
Host of Unofficial Partner Podcast; appears as a primary host with broad coverage of sports business, media rights, and governance.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 364 ratings
  • Really good sports podcast

    Started listening to this podcast and it’s very interesting.

    Definitely worth a listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Userz12345
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Great podcast for sports business insights

    Really enjoying Unofficial Partner.

    Great listen if you’re interested in what goes on behind the scenes in sport.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vicks0303
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Amazing podcast

    Love listening to regular episodes, UP cover everything in good detail with an bring excellent entertainment👍

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    George Haynes .
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • It’s like a Sports MBA in your pocket

    I thoroughly enjoy listening to this podcast because it dives into detail on many topical issues in the business of sport. If you’ve listened to enough episodes, you have a sports MBA in effect.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Makalima
    South Africaa year ago
  • Relevant and insightful

    Big fan of the unofficial partner. Insightful conversations around shifts in the industry, reflections on the past and predictions for the future. Always a good to listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LMOR33
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Readers note the podcast provides practical takeaways for careers in sport business.
Listeners highlight its strong insights into sports business and sponsorships.
The show is praised for detailed, industry-level analysis and guest diversity.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#222
India/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#248
Singapore/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix Threat
Q: How does Sky view the tension between creator-led channels and traditional broadcasting in terms of attribution and audience trust?
Sky sees talent and creator-led content as integral to its brand, with attribution managed to reflect where the audience engages, while preserving the integrity and premium nature of the Sky broadcast experience for core live sports coverage.
UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix Threat
Q: What's the stance on women's sport and Sky's investment in it—does it merely serve marketing purposes or is there a deeper business rationale?
There is a strong business rationale and a higher purpose; Sky believes in growing audiences for women's sport, expects measurable growth, and views long-term partnerships as central to enabling broader participation and equality, while also driving brand and subscriber growth.
UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix Threat
Q: How does Sky balance long-term rights certainty with the fast-evolving streaming landscape and multi-market strategies?
Sky emphasizes market-by-market partnerships, preserving UK leadership and value while exploring selective global and multi-market deals, ensuring that core audiences receive a premium, localized experience and that rights remain financially sustainable for both Sky and its partners.
UP556 'Serviette Maths': Sky Sports Boss On The Premflix Threat
Q: So what is Sky's role in the development and evolution of The Hundred, and how did Sky Labs contribute to that process?
Sky played a central, co-creative role in shaping The Hundred, working with the ECB to design a fan-friendly format, on-site ground experiences, and broadcast integration that would broaden cricket's appeal, especially to families and younger viewers, while maintaining a high-quality broadcast.
UP555 The Lord's Question: What Does The MCC Brand Stand For?
Q: What role does data play in shaping content and experiences for fans both at the ground and online?
Data guides audience segmentation, informs where to invest content pillars (Cricket, food and beverage, heritage, etc.), and enables personalized experiences that deepen engagement both physically and digitally, while avoiding overreliance on vanity metrics.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Unofficial Partner Podcast

What is Unofficial Partner Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A show focused on the business of sport, featuring a steady stream of industry leaders, analysts, and brand/rights holders who dissect sponsorship, media rights, platform strategy, and the economics of modern sports. Episodes frequently explore how data, technology, and emerging ownership models reshape talent pathways, fan engagement, and governance across global leagues. Notable threads include the shift toward multi-platform rights, the role of AI and digital ecosystems in sports consulting, and the tension between profitability and accessibility for fans. The program tends to host senior executives, analysts, and founders who bring practical, on-the-ground perspectives on deals, sponsorships, and platform strategy, making it a useful re... more

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How many listeners does Unofficial Partner Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Unofficial Partner Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unofficial Partner Podcast:

1. Business of Sport
2. Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast
3. Are You Not Entertained?
4. SportsPro Podcast
5. The Price of Football

How many episodes of Unofficial Partner Podcast are there?

Unofficial Partner Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 560 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Unofficial Partner Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Unofficial Partner Podcast?

Recent guests on Unofficial Partner Podcast include:

1. Jonathan Licht
2. Katie Maier
3. Ellie Roach
4. Andy Shora
5. Blake Wooster
6. Ricardo Fort
7. Charlie Hartley
8. Gaurav Sundararaman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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