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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
Sports Marketing
Sponsorship
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 weeklyEpisodes551Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementSportsBusiness

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Latest Episodes

On 22 April 2026, Coca-Cola unveiled Cole Palmer as its newest football brand ambassador, fronting Premier League and World Cup activations. A month later, Tuchel left him out of the England squad. We use the Palmer story as a way into a wider conver... more

Richard Gillis, Mike Jakeman and invited guests dissect the business of cricket.

The IPL auction has become one of the most watched events in world cricket — part financial instrument, part entertainment spectacle. This episode gets under the bonnet... more

The news agenda around this summer's FIFA World Cup in North America has been dominated by the price of tickets. 

Why are they so expensive? 

What's it got to do with changes made by FIFA specifically for this tournament? 

Guests:

Professor Rob Wil... more

The Bundle is the original and much copied series on the sports media and streaming marketplace with co-hosts Yannick Ramcke, General Manager of OTT at the streaming service OneFootball and Murray Barnett, founder of 26West Sport and formerly of F1, ... 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

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
Shaun Steward
Vice Principal of StubHub
StubHub (Viagogo in Europe)
Episode: UP549 Priced Out: FIFA’s Big Ticket Gamble
Murray Barnett
Founder of 26West (formerly Formula One, World Rugby and ESPN Disney)
26West
Episode: UP548 The Bundle: Gary Neville's Noise Strategy; What World Rugby sees in IMG; Amazon pitches for the Super Bowl
Yannick Ramcke
General Manager of OTT at OneFootball
OneFootball
Episode: UP548 The Bundle: Gary Neville's Noise Strategy; What World Rugby sees in IMG; Amazon pitches for the Super Bowl
David Dellea
Partner at Altman Solon, sports finance expert
Altman Solon
Episode: UP547 Picks and Shovels: The Ecosystem Investment Thesis
Christophe Sommer
Consultant at Altman Solon, sports market analyst
Altman Solon
Episode: UP547 Picks and Shovels: The Ecosystem Investment Thesis
Matt Del Percio
Consultant at Altman Solon, market strategist
Altman Solon
Episode: UP547 Picks and Shovels: The Ecosystem Investment Thesis

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 361 ratings
  • Really good sports podcast

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

    Definitely worth a listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Userz12345
    United Kingdom2 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 Kingdom2 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 Kingdom2 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 Kingdoma year 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.

Top Sports Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

UP541 Addicted To Fake Fan Numbers: When Sport Met The Dead Internet
Q: Can you quantify the scale of bot and IVT fraud in digital advertising today?
The scale is enormous and growing; bots can generate billions of impressions, far exceeding human traffic, while verification vendors often miss the vast majority of fraud due to tech limitations and verification stripping.
UP542 Wedge Issues Live: The Golf Business in 2026
Q: What is the state of the golf business today in 2026?
Panelists describe a thriving participation and engagement landscape, with record TV narratives, strong sponsorship activations, and growing interest in women's golf, alongside ongoing challenges like balancing formats and ensuring access for new audiences.
UP536 Other People's Money: Bex Smith's thesis for women's football multi club ownership
Q: How does Crux plan to handle governance and investor incentives across multiple clubs?
Crux structures ownership with minority voting rights and consent-based governance to protect clubs' independence while maintaining strategic alignment, ensuring operational control remains with Crux and incentives are aligned through equity arrangements.
UP536 Other People's Money: Bex Smith's thesis for women's football multi club ownership
Q: What is the core premise of Crux Football's investment strategy in women's football?
Crux aims to acquire and operate multiple women's clubs across Europe as independent entities with strong brand identities, dedicated fan bases, and data-driven operations to drive growth and profitability, rather than folding them into the men's clubs.
UP530 Spurs For Sale: Shirts, Gambling Bans and the Post-Levy Era
Q: What's the link between on the field performance and commercial performance?
The commercial side aims to drive revenue to reinvest in the team, but there are inherent challenges in controlling on-pitch performance. Building value where possible is key during difficult times.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
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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. The Sports Agents
4. The Football Boardroom
5. SportsPro Podcast

How many episodes of Unofficial Partner Podcast are there?

Unofficial Partner Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 551 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?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Unofficial Partner Podcast?

Recent guests on Unofficial Partner Podcast include:

1. Charlie Hartley
2. Gaurav Sundararaman
3. Rob Wilson
4. Shaun Steward
5. Murray Barnett
6. Yannick Ramcke
7. David Dellea
8. Christophe Sommer

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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