Sport for Business: Recent Episodes
Rob Hartnett
We speak on your behalf to the people who make the decisions in the business of sport. From CEOs to Sponsors, Media professionals and creators of great campaigns, we open a window into their world through the art of conversation.If you'd like to know more about us and what we do in the commercial world of sport visit sportforbusiness.com
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Kevin Doyle joins us to talk about the buzz after Budapest and the graft that keeps a community club alive. We dig into girls’ football growth, the cost of renting pitches, and how a guaranteed-prize lotto can fund a permanent home.
• The celebration that lifted Irish football spirits
• Stepping from parent coach to club leader
• The weekly grind of facilities and scheduling
• Building girls’ teams and keeping them engaged
• Success defined by smiles, health and friendships
• Pride in underage internationals without chasing odds
• Clarity of purpose for fundraising
• How a €15k guaranteed jackpot actually works
• Reducing risk with prize cover and digital sales
• Long-term plan to buy and develop facilities
You can find out more by visiting clublottojackpots.ie
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We mark a landmark day as the Sport Ireland Campus breaks ground on a €100 million national velodrome and a new badminton centre, blending high-performance ambitions with real community access. Ministers set firm expectations on budgets and delivery while the CEOs of the two sports outline how a home base will transform pathways, participation, and pre‑LA 2028 preparation.
• €100m investment at Sport Ireland Campus
• National velodrome and 12‑court badminton centre
• Ministers set delivery timelines and accountability
• Local access for West Dublin communities prioritised
• Cycling targets structured camps and talent pathways
• Aim for pre‑LA 2028 training camps on-site
• Push for stalled infrastructure projects elsewhere to accelerate
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We explore how the newly titled Laya Arena aims to blend sport, culture and community in the heart of Dublin, and what a true home ground means to players and fans.
Rebecca Trevor outlines the brand vision, Barry Murphy bridges rugby and music, and Linda Djougang explains how crowd energy becomes performance.
• Decade-long path to Leia Arena naming
• Modular venue design across sport, music and show jumping
• Member-first experiences for 710,000 Laya customers
• National reach beyond Dublin and provincial pride
• Barry Murphy on Irish crowds, gigs and Munster-Leinster battles
• Metallica memories and the RDS as a cauldron
• Linda Djougang on home advantage and sightlines
• World Cup bonds, the 16th player and fan energy
• Growth without losing identity and community feel
• 2026 opening timeline and interprovincial hopes
If you want to come and join us for the Sport for Business Women in Sport Annual Conference, on the morning of Tuesday, December the 9th in Tallaght Stadium find out more at sportforbusiness.com
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
The headline reads like a simple renewal, but the story goes much deeper: Aviva is staying on Ireland’s biggest stage, and we unpack why that matters for fans, partners, and the future of Irish sport. We sit down inside the stadium with the FAI’s Head of Commercial, Sean Kavanagh, and Aviva’s Head of Sponsorship, External Communications and Sustainability, Brian O’Neill, to explore how a naming rights deal became cultural shorthand for big nights in Dublin 4—and how the partnership now stretches from elite fixtures to the kids lacing up their boots.
Sean pulls back the curtain on the FAI’s priorities: making every match feel bigger, smarter, and more welcoming. From dynamic LEDs and smarter in-bowl moments to fan surveys that shape pre-game and halftime, the focus is on engagement that families, new supporters, and die-hards can feel. We get into EURO 2028 and the “Dublin Arena” rules, how category exclusivity keeps partners aligned, and why the League of Ireland is riding genuine momentum—sell-outs, LOITV records, and clubs at the heart of their communities. The women’s game features strongly too, with targeted growth plans and fresh approaches to matchday that meet a different demographic where it is.
Brian charts the evolution from pure brand awareness to measurable value. He explains how social content, competitions, and broadcast reach tie directly to retention and acquisition across general, life, and health insurance. We talk third-party valuations, UK audience spikes for marquee games, and why heritage assets—Aviva’s yellow, the stadium itself—matter for recognition. The sustainability thread runs throughout: recycled materials, water systems, biodiversity around the ground, and programmes like In Her Boots that support girls through the teenage drop-off years. COVID stress-tested the partnership; delivery by the FAI and IRFU, and mutual trust, set the stage for a fresh five-year commitment.
If you care about sport business, fan experience, and how partnerships can drive real community impact, this conversation is a masterclass. Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves Irish sport, and leave a quick review to tell us what you’d like us to explore next.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We break down the 1-0 win over Armenia, the shifting maths in Group F, and the scenarios that could still send Ireland to a playoff and beyond. We also map Northern Ireland’s cleaner path through Bratislava and scan the wider sport landscape from social impact to sponsorship.
Please do visit us at the website or sign up, subscribe, comment, and share wherever you get your podcasts from
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
What happens when a swimmer refuses to settle and a mentor refuses to mail it in? We bring together Olympian Darragh Greene and business leader Pádraic O’Kane to explore how elite performance really works—on the stopwatch, on the balance sheet, and over a career.
Dara traces his path from a sport‑mad Longford upbringing, through a broken leg that sent him back to the pool, to sub‑60 history in the 100m breaststroke. He lays out the choices behind the results: switching programmes when the ceiling closes in, using lactate‑guided training to personalise pace, and building a four‑year Olympic plan down to daily targets.
Then he tells the story of the audacious two‑week trial that became six months inside Australia’s toughest squads—higher volume, world‑class teammates, and the pressure that sharpened him for Paris and beyond.
Pádraic adds the view from business and mentorship. He heard Darragh speak at a Longford rugby lunch and turned admiration into action—creating a support plan that blends funding with flexible work, real activation, and a roadmap for life after LA 2028.
We explore the gap between public funding and actual needs, and why private partners can make a difference when costs exceed stipends. This is not a quick logo deal. It’s patient mentorship, goal setting, and honest conversations about what comes next: entrepreneurship, events, or a role shaped by the water.
If you care about Irish sport, performance, and what it takes to sustain both, this conversation offers a clear blueprint—ask bold questions, choose the right environment, and back talent early in the cycle. Subscribe, share with a friend who mentors or manages athletes, and tell us: what’s one practical way the private sector can support an athlete in your county?
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We examine Shane Ryan’s move toward the Enhanced Games and the strong backlash from Irish sport, exploring what this means for fairness, health, and the future of clean competition. We weigh the promise of transparency against the risks, legal hurdles, and the meaning of sport itself.
• Ryan’s announcement and Las Vegas timeline
• Immediate condemnations from Sport Ireland, Swim Ireland, and OFI
• WADA’s warning on health risk and youth influence
• The harm-reduction argument set against fairness and safety
• Governance fallout and career consequences for athletes
• The ethics of enhancement versus the level playing field
• Legal, insurance, and institutional barriers to the Enhanced Games
• Distinguishing Ryan’s clean past from his new direction
• Key questions about transparency, prohibition, and athlete welfare
• Brief roundup of other Sport for Business stories
Please do visit us at the website or sign up, subscribe, comment, and share wherever you get your podcasts from
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We break down Ireland’s 9% shot at a World Cup playoff using a simple, transparent model, and celebrate five Champions of the Weekend across football, swimming, rugby, and Gaelic games.
I hope you enjoy all of the content that we see on sportforbusiness.com and look forward to having you back here again on the Sport for Business Daily tomorrow
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
Two Munster stories show how smart sponsorships shape jerseys, stadiums, and community impact. We dig into Tipperary’s Clover rebrand with Fiserv, Waterford’s Azzurri Walsh Park deal with Azzurri, and what naming rights mean for fans, facilities, and funding.
• Tipperary renews with Fiserv under Clover brand on county jerseys
• Performance-linked elements and support across senior and underage panels
• FBD Semple Stadium naming rights delivering upgrades and community programmes
• Waterford partners with Azzurri to rename Walsh Park, deepening local ties
• Facility modernisation at Walsh Park is improving safety, media, and fan comfort
• Strategic naming rights as sustainable funding for local sport
We’ve got the full lineup of TV and streaming details on sportforbusiness.com
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
Sony acquires a majority stake in StatSports, bringing wearables into a broader stack that already includes Hawkeye and Beyond Sports to build a hybrid tracking future. We also highlight Ireland’s growing sports tech ecosystem, preview Analytics Summit 2025, and scan today’s key headlines.
• StatSports’ journey from Newry startup to global leader in wearables
• Sony’s strategy to fuse optical and wearable data for richer insights
• Impact on Irish sports tech talent, jobs and R&D
• How hybrid tracking could change coaching, medical and fan experiences
• Preview of Analytics Summit 2025 with Kitman Labs
• Dublin Marathon entry changes for 2026
• Budget reactions from Federation of Irish Sport and IRFU
• Funding outlook for horse and greyhound racing
• World Sailing Championships results and daily TV guide
• Where to subscribe and how to get in touch
Please do subscribe wherever you get your podcast from
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We break down Budget 2026 for Irish sport and what it means for national bodies, players, clubs and facilities. We share the numbers, the politics behind them, and where the real gains can land over the next 18 months.
• €10.8m uplift for Sport Ireland and legacy programmes
• Core funding increases for GAA and IRFU
• Targeted support for inter‑county players
• Growth funding for hurling and camogie in new areas
• €3m for League of Ireland academies
• Women’s rugby pathway investment
• High-performance funding steps towards LA 2028
• Velodrome and Badminton Centre to begin in 2026
• LSSIF annual uplift and community facilities progress
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen daily at sportforbusiness.com. Get in touch at rob@sportforbusiness.com
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
A new boat, a fresh medal, and a partnership built on trust, this conversation dives straight into how Fintan McCarthy and Philip Doyle are reinventing Irish rowing momentum on the road to LA.
We pull back the curtain on their whirlwind post-Paris year: Philip navigating shifts in the emergency department before rediscovering his competitive fire, Fintan shifting from lightweight to heavyweight without chasing “dead weight,” and the two of them finding speed after only a handful of rows together.
The Shanghai story is bigger than a bronze. Fintan and Mags Cremen snatched a world title in the mixed double with a one-spin warm-up, proving that shared technique and fearless execution can trump rehearsal.
Then comes the moment that hits hardest: Jake McCarthy’s breakthrough podium in the single, a long-awaited result that Fintan counts among his proudest career highlights.
It’s high performance shaped by real life—family, grief, and the choice to let emotion sharpen, not shake, the blade.
If you’re curious about how elite teams actually build speed—through honest conversations, evidence-led training, and hard-earned trust—you’ll feel right at home here. Join us, subscribe for more candid conversations with Ireland’s best, and leave a review with the one insight you’ll take into your own work or training.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
What if public funding for major sporting events isn’t a gamble at all, but one of the smartest economic levers a country can pull? The core question remains the same: when do headline costs translate into visitor spending, tax receipts, jobs, global visibility, and a lasting legacy for participation?
We unpack why critics conflate two separate debates—event underwriting versus core domestic sport funding—and show how keeping those ledgers clean actually strengthens both.
Ireland’s edge is cultural and practical: a natural affinity for sport, cities that events can truly take over, and a hosting reputation that turns first‑time visitors into repeat travellers.
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, share with a friend who loves the business of sport, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find us.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
A week can crown a champion or cut one down. We follow Jim Gavin’s leap from the certainty of silverware to the volatility of a national presidential race, exploring why mastery in sport doesn’t automatically translate to survival in politics—and what that means for anyone tempted to cross the line from the sideline to the ballot box.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
What if the kit an athlete wears truly began with the athlete? We pull back the curtain on a partnership built around performance, comfort, and identity—then show how a Craigavon factory turned that ideal into everyday practice for Team Ireland on the road to Brisbane 2032.
We trace the journey from a founder’s small home office in 2004 to a thriving operation producing up to 2,000 garments a week, all while keeping production on Irish soil.
There’s more across the Irish sports landscape. We spotlight Goal Jersey Day and the families embracing the spirit, preview the domestic basketball season with streaming options for fans who can’t attend arenas, and recap the first Sports Technology Alliance gathering in Dublin.
If you enjoy smart stories from the commercial world of Irish sport—told with access, context, and clear takeaways—tap follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find us. Got a story we should cover? Email Rob at Sportforbusiness.com and join the conversation.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
European nights can change a season—and a balance sheet. We break down how Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers step into the UEFA Europa Conference League with around €3.8m already secured and a clear path to push total earnings past €5m with a couple of smart results.
Beyond the headline story, we shine a light on the local heartbeat of Irish sport: multinationals backing GAA clubs, the first speakers for our Sport for Social Good conference, and commercial momentum with BDO extending its relationship with Leinster Rugby.
Today's show is in partnership with GAA+, raising broadcast standards at home and abroad for our national games.
Listen in each morning for a crisp, five‑minute pulse check on money, matchdays, and meaningful impact. If you enjoy these daily briefings, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend who lives for Irish sport.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We trace Stephen Smith’s journey from analyst at Leinster Rugby to founding Kitman Labs and building league-wide systems that put evidence at the heart of athlete welfare and performance.
Along the way, we talk friction with tradition, mentorship, scaling globally, and why leagues now see themselves as talent businesses.
• moving from gut feel to objective decision-making in elite sport
• the early friction between medical staff, coaches, and data
• catalysts that proved the model beyond Leinster
• mentors, hiring like a coach, and scaling a team
• relocating to Silicon Valley and learning fast
• first believers: Everton, IRFU, and building a product with customers
• league-wide platforms for medicine, operations, and development
• why competitive balance and talent pathways drive league economics
• culture, home, and perspective between Ireland and California
• quickfire: sport memories, books, music, and a dream dinner table
If you enjoyed the conversation, if you want to know more about what we do at Sport for Business, you can do so at sportforbusiness.com
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic stands as a remarkable testament to sport's power in building bridges between nations. In this revealing conversation with Padraic O'Kane and John Anthony, the visionaries behind this extraordinary event, we discover how a college football game has transformed into a cultural and economic phenomenon that strengthens Irish-American relations in profound ways.
Since its inception with the Notre Dame game in 2012, this sporting spectacle has evolved into something far greater than just a competition. Each year, approximately 24,000 Americans travel to Ireland, staying 7-10 nights to explore their heritage while experiencing college football in a unique setting. The economic impact reaches every corner of the island, benefiting hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and local businesses nationwide.
What makes this event particularly special is its long-term commitment to Ireland. With games confirmed through 2028 and negotiations extending to 2037, the Classic has secured its place as a permanent fixture in both the sporting and cultural calendar. This foresight demonstrates exceptional planning in an era where most international events focus on short-term gains.
Perhaps most touching is the human impact. For over 25 players per team, this represents their first international travel experience, requiring their first passport. Coaches like Marcus Freeman from Notre Dame had never left America before participating. These cultural exchanges create lasting impressions and broader perspectives that transform young athletes into global citizens.
The government's enthusiastic support, including ministerial delegations and Taoiseach announcements, underscores the national importance of this public-private partnership. It has catalyzed approximately 15 annual business and academic events that continue throughout the year, creating lasting connections between Irish and American institutions.
As "Farmageddon" between Kansas State and Iowa State approaches, it promises exceptional competition on the field. But as John Anthony expresses through Maya Angelou's wisdom: "People don't remember what you said, but they remember how you made them feel." The overwhelming Irish welcome leaves American visitors feeling embraced and valued, creating ambassadors who carry their Irish experience back to the United States.
Looking to experience this extraordinary cultural phenomenon firsthand? Limited tickets remain available for this weekend's clash at the Aviva Stadium.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
The gaming revolution is reshaping entertainment, competition, and global business, and G2 Esports CEO Alban Dechelotte is at the forefront of this transformation.
With gaming now engaging 3.2 billion players worldwide, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into an industry that has grown from niche entertainment to global phenomenon.
Dechelotte shares remarkable insights from his journey from traditional sports sponsorship at Coca-Cola to leading one of esports' most successful organisations. G2 has claimed 12 of 16 League of Legends European championships and built a fanbase that rivals Champions League football clubs on social media - all within just ten years.
What makes this conversation particularly compelling is Dechelotte's vision of convergence between traditional sports and gaming.
G2 has already expanded into football, with ambitions to enter rugby and other sports. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee prepares for its inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2027, signalling gaming's mainstream acceptance.
The episode explores how esports organisations approach talent development, combining cutting-edge performance science with traditional coaching methods.
G2 maintains as many coaching staff as players, focusing on both technical skills and psychological wellbeing. Testing at Red Bull's athletic center has revealed that top esports players demonstrate faster reaction times than Formula One drivers in specific assessments.
Perhaps most intriguing is how gaming's business model contrasts with traditional sports. While established leagues increasingly rely on exclusive media rights and paywalls, esports has democratised distribution, allowing multiple broadcast sources and helping viewership quadruple in recent years.
Whether you're a gaming enthusiast, sports business professional, or simply curious about the future of entertainment, this episode provides essential context for understanding how digital competition is reshaping global culture. Subscribe now and join us next week as we continue exploring gaming and esports with interviews featuring industry leaders from Fenix Gaming and Riot Games.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
What does it take to transform a sporting organisation and earn recognition as National Governing Body of the Year? Enda Lynch shares the journey of Badminton Ireland's growth and success since taking the CEO position two years ago.
From his background in sponsorship at O2 and leadership roles at Munster Rugby, Lynch brings a wealth of insights about building high-performing teams and creating sustainable sporting communities. He reveals how Badminton Ireland has grown from 12,300 to over 17,200 members, with much of that growth coming from ethnic minorities and first-generation Irish residents who are forming communities around the sport they love.
The conversation explores innovative programs like the BadminTeen initiative, which is successfully reducing dropout rates among teenage girls by empowering them to become coaches and club leaders. Lynch also discusses the creative solutions being developed to address facility shortages, including collaboration with other indoor sports to unlock access to school halls across the country.
What stands out most is Lynch's philosophy on leadership – "Surround yourself with people who know more than you do" – and his emphasis on accountability at every level of the organisation. He offers a refreshingly honest take on the challenges facing sporting bodies in Ireland, from funding constraints to staff retention, while remaining optimistic about the potential for continued growth through community-focused sponsorships and digital innovation.
Whether you're involved in sports administration or simply interested in how organisations achieve breakthrough success, this conversation offers valuable lessons on leadership, community building, and creating sustainable sporting pathways. Subscribe to the Sport for Business podcast for more insights from leaders across the Irish sporting landscape.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
Kevin White's remarkable journey from accidental high school coach to the upper echelons of American collegiate athletic administration unfolds with warmth and wisdom in this captivating conversation. Recorded at Fire Restaurant in Dublin, White reflects on how family circumstances unexpectedly launched him and his wife Jane into coaching careers that would ultimately lead to leadership roles at some of America's most prestigious universities.
What began as a temporary teaching position while caring for his terminally ill father blossomed into a nine-year coaching career followed by 38 years as an athletics director across institutions like Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Duke. Throughout this conversation, White reveals how his recently published autobiography "The Good Sport" has reconnected him with athletes from across five decades, reinforcing the profound impact sports leadership can have on young people's development.
The discussion explores fascinating contrasts between American college sports and European models, with White sharing insights from his time consulting with Maynooth University in the early 1990s when they considered implementing American-style athletics programs. His perspective on the economic impact of collegiate sports—contributing to what he estimates as a trillion-dollar domestic sports economy—highlights just how embedded these programs are in American cultural identity.
Perhaps most compelling is White's candid assessment of the current challenges facing collegiate athletics, particularly regarding Name, Image and Likeness compensation. His concern that the system is being built "while the plane is in the air" reflects the unprecedented territory college sports now occupies, shifting rapidly from strict amateurism to what he describes as essentially a "play-for-pay" model without proper guardrails.
Whether you're fascinated by sports management, leadership development, or the economic forces shaping athletics globally, White's distillation of leadership into four fundamental characteristics—empathy, task orientation, adaptability, and passion—offers invaluable wisdom for anyone in a position of influence. His story serves as both inspiration and cautionary tale for the future of sports administration.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
The economic powerhouse of Irish golf takes centre stage in this bonus podcast episode with the leaders behind a groundbreaking new economic impact study.
What does a sport contribute when it delivers €717 million annually to the economy, supports 15,600 jobs, and returns seventeen times more to government coffers than it receives?
Professor Simon Shibli from Sheffield Hallam University breaks down the meticulous six-month research process that uncovered what he calls "the holy trinity" of economic indicators. His findings show golf represents 14% of all sport-related consumer spending in Ireland, with approximately €1 in every €200 of discretionary spending somehow connected to the sport. The contribution is so substantial that golf's economic impact is measurable within the context of the entire Irish economy, not just the sporting sector.
Perhaps most striking is the phenomenal growth trajectory, with participation increasing 86% over nine years. Mark Kennelly, CEO of Golf Ireland, explains how this growth spans both traditional club memberships and newer, more accessible formats of the game. With 22% of non-golfers expressing interest in trying the sport, representing a potential audience of over one million people, the ceiling for further growth seems limitless.
The conversation extends beyond participation numbers, with Robert Oxley from the R&A discussing the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Portrush, one of many prestigious events coming to Irish shores, and tantalising hints about future Open Championships potentially being held in the Republic of Ireland.
Whether you're a golf enthusiast, business leader, or policymaker, this episode provides evidence of how a single sport can drive significant economic activity while simultaneously delivering health, social, and community benefits. Listen now to understand why golf might just be Ireland's most valuable sporting asset.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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The digital revolution sweeping through sports broadcasting has long been central to thinking and planning for the future in the GAA.
As the Football and Hurling championships reach their climax, the way fans experience these games has undergone a dramatic transformation through GAA+, the streaming service, which brings more matches to more screens than ever before.
In this week's Sport for Business Podcast Noel Quinn, Director of GAA+, takes us behind the scenes of the evolution from serving the diaspora to becoming a cornerstone of domestic championship coverage.
"We've tripled the number of games compared to linear traditional broadcast partners," Quinn explains, with GAA+ delivering an unprecedented 42 championship matches across 13 action-packed weekends. More significantly, the service has broadened coverage to over 30 counties, giving exposure to teams that traditionally received little broadcast attention.
The journey hasn't been without challenges. From technical delivery across various platforms to shifting consumer expectations around paywalls, GAA+ has navigated the complex transition from emergency pandemic solution to established broadcast platform. Quinn shares fascinating insights into how they've developed a distinctive production style that differs from traditional broadcasters, featuring pitch-side analysis, on-field demonstrations, drone cameras, and a commentary team of recently retired players bringing fresh perspectives.
What emerges is a vision of sports broadcasting that balances innovation with tradition. While embracing digital delivery and creating bite-sized content for social platforms, GAA+ remains committed to the values that make Gaelic games special.
"We are essentially guided by our subscribers," Quinn reflects, while emphasizing that broadcast strategy must complement rather than compete with attendance. The construction of a new Croke Park studio and expanded weekly programming suggests this is just the beginning of a transformation in how Irish sports are consumed in the digital age.
Whether you're fascinated by the business of sports, interested in digital media trends, or simply a GAA fan wanting to understand how championship coverage is evolving, this week's episode offers valuable perspective on a pivotal moment in Irish sports broadcasting. The digital revolution isn't just changing how we watch – it's expanding what we can watch, bringing more of our games to more people than ever before.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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The sporting pitch has long been a battleground for social progress, and few fronts have been more challenging than the inclusion of LGBTQI+ individuals. In this thoughtful conversation, Jim McIlroy of Bohemian FC's Gay Bohs offers a candid look at what genuine inclusion means in Irish football today.
Founded in 2016 after Bohemian FC publicly supported marriage equality, Gay Bohs reclaimed a slur and transformed it into a symbol of pride. Since 2017, Dalymount Park has flown the Pride flag at every match—the only League of Ireland ground to do so. "That simple step made me feel a little bit more at ease," reflects McIlroy, "showing support, showing solidarity."
The stark reality remains that LGBTQI+ participation in sport lags significantly behind the general population. Research reveals that around 55% of LGBT individuals aren't active enough to maintain good health, compared to much lower figures for others. McElroy explains how many queer people gravitate toward solitary sports rather than team environments, where "locker room culture" can feel unwelcoming.
Most concerning is what McIlroy describes as a societal pendulum swinging back from progress: "We're probably at a point on that journey that is particularly challenging for LGBTQI+ people, particularly for transgender people." Despite Ireland having diversity policies and inclusion strategies, McElroy warns about "pinkwashing" and the creation of documents without meaningful change. "It's not enough to say, 'Oh well, we did the survey and that's it, it's done,'" he cautions. "We're setting ourselves up to do a lot of hard work over the next five, ten years."
This conversation arrives at a pivotal moment when corporations are quietly withdrawing support for Pride events and sporting bodies face pressure to roll back inclusive policies. McIlroy's powerful call for allyship reminds us that progress requires courage: "Now is the time for people to show their true colours and support."
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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When Aidan Walsh stepped away from swimming and water polo as a young man, he didn't see anyone who represented him in sport. The locker room culture, casual homophobic language dismissed as "banter," and complete absence of visible LGBTQI+ role models created an environment where he couldn't bring his full self to the activities he loved.
Fast forward to today, and Aidan is at the forefront of transforming Irish sport as a key figure with Sporting Pride, an organisation now in its ninth year of creating safer, more inclusive spaces where everyone feels they belong. Their work spans awareness campaigns, community outreach, and partnerships with Sport Ireland, national governing bodies, and local sports partnerships.
During our conversation, Aidan unpacks two groundbreaking initiatives making real impact across Ireland. The "Let's Get Visible" campaign encourages clubs and organisations to visibly demonstrate support during Pride Month through rainbow laces, inclusive signage, and participation in pride events. Meanwhile, an innovative advocacy programme with Clare Sports Partnership is training local LGBTQI+ advocates to be voices for inclusion within their own clubs – creating that crucial personal connection that humanizes inclusion efforts.
We explore the power of allyship in challenging locker room culture and how having visible supporters within sports clubs creates safe spaces for LGBTQI+ athletes. Aidan emphasizes how important it is for teammates to speak up when they hear homophobic language: "It's constantly people standing up and saying that wasn't the right thing to do."
The conversation also highlights the thriving network of over 45 LGBTQI+ sports clubs across Ireland that provide welcoming environments where people can connect with others like themselves while enjoying the physical and mental health benefits of sport. Many of these clubs offer pathways back into sport for those who stepped away due to feeling unwelcome.
Looking ahead, Aidan envisions a sporting landscape where every young LGBTQI+ person sees someone like them in sport – playing, coaching, or leading – and where inclusion is embedded in how clubs operate year-round, not just during Pride Month.
Ready to become a better ally? Visit sportingpride.ie to find resources for making your sports organisation more inclusive and welcoming for all.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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Keith Shorten invites us inside the commercial engine room of Ulster Rugby, revealing how his unlikely path from KPMG accountant to global entertainment executive with AEG perfectly prepared him for the challenges of provincial rugby.
The Head of Commercial shares candid insights about arriving at Ulster during a perfect storm of change - the conclusion of their long-standing Kingspan partnership, a head coach departure, and CEO transition all within his first three months. Rather than being deterred, Shorten's background working with iconic venues like the O2 Arena and Hyde Park Festivals helped him navigate these waters while bringing fresh perspective to Ulster's commercial strategy.
What really shines through is the fascinating collaborative relationship between fiercely competitive Irish rugby provinces. While Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht battle for supremacy on the pitch, their commercial teams work closely behind the scenes. "Four voices are very much stronger than one," Shorten explains, as they tackle common challenges together.
The conversation reveals Ulster's commitment to growing women's rugby and the commercial opportunities it presents. We also discovered how Shorten helped create Ulster Rugby's thriving Business Club, which consistently attracts 150 attendees representing 100+ companies.
Between reflections on his personal rugby journey (including memories of carrying Cornettos and celebrating Ulster's 1999 European triumph), Shorten shares exciting developments, including the new SAM Mouldings shirt sponsorship and a soon-to-be-revealed stadium naming rights partner.
Ready to discover the business beyond the rugby pitch?
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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The sporting landscape for women and girls in Ireland has transformed dramatically, but maintaining this momentum requires continued investment, strategic vision, and cultural change. In this illuminating conversation, Michelle Tanner – Chair of Sport Ireland's Women in Sport Committee and Head of Sport at Trinity College Dublin – takes us through the journey that's reshaping Irish sport from grassroots to governance.
Michelle shares her formative experiences growing up in north Dublin, where community-based sporting activities shaped her understanding of leadership and teamwork. From teaching herself camogie alongside her daughter to coaching volleyball teams, her personal journey mirrors the evolving relationship between women and sport in Ireland. As she puts it: "I just always knew that I wanted to work in sport, at a time when it wasn't recognised as a profession."
The recent announcement of an additional €4 million in government funding marks twenty years of dedicated investment in women's sport initiatives. While celebrating this milestone, Michelle highlights how the focus has matured from simply encouraging participation to building sustainable pathways for women's involvement as coaches, officials, and leaders. "We need to be looking at how we can sustain those programs," she emphasizes, "because we can't take a foot off the pedal when it comes to funding for women and girls."
At Trinity College, Michelle oversees a thriving sports program engaging 60% of the university's 22,000 students. This environment serves as a proving ground for female leadership, with women increasingly taking key roles within clubs – not just in traditional administrative positions but as performance directors and coaches. These experiences cultivate the confidence and skills needed to challenge persistent barriers in the broader sporting sector.
Despite significant progress in both grassroots participation and board-level representation, Michelle acknowledges that challenges remain, particularly in coaching and middle management. She advocates for "male allyship" and systemic changes to create truly inclusive sporting cultures where gender diversity becomes the norm rather than the exception.
Join us for this thought-provoking discussion on how strategic investment, cultural shifts, and dedicated leadership are transforming women's sport in Ireland – and what's needed to ensure this progress continues for generations to come.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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Nancy Chillingworth reveals the extraordinary journey of Team Ireland to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. As Chef de Mission, she's orchestrating a team of up to eight athletes competing across seven winter disciplines - despite Ireland having neither mountains nor snow to train on.
The podcast takes us behind the scenes of Olympic preparation, exploring how Irish winter athletes train globally from Korea to Canada while still maintaining a unified team culture. Nancy shares fascinating insights into the logistical challenges of an Olympics spread across northern Italy's Alpine region, and how Team Ireland is tackling them through innovative international collaboration with Denmark and Iceland.
We discover athletes like cross-country skier Thomas Maloney Westgard, who achieved an impressive 14th place in Beijing despite battling COVID, and learn how short track skaters and alpine specialists represent Ireland on the world stage. Nancy's passion for building team identity shines through as she explains her philosophy: "Success breeds success if you feel invested in it."
The conversation explores how permanent ice facilities in Ireland could transform winter sports participation, with young athletes already showing impressive potential through youth competitions. Nancy shares personal insights about her journey in Olympic sport, revealing what drives her commitment to Irish athletes competing in unlikely disciplines.
Whether you're a winter sports enthusiast or simply curious about Olympic preparation, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into how a nation without traditional winter sports infrastructure can still compete at the highest level through determination, creativity, and international cooperation. Don't miss Nancy's delight in small team advantages: "When you have a small team, you can get really specific in what's needed."
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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The digital revolution is reshaping sport in ways we couldn't have imagined just a decade ago. From wearable technology tracking every heartbeat, to AI analyzing performance metrics, to new platforms transforming how fans engage with their favorite teams – the future of sport is being written in code.
Dr. Kieron Collins of Technological University Dublin stands at this exciting intersection of tradition and innovation. As leader of the postgraduate diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation, he's helping to position Ireland as a global hub for sports technology while developing the talent that will drive this revolution forward.
"Sport is this broad ecosystem of sport, health, community, social," explains Collins. "We look at the kids, how they consume sport. They don't attend events the same way that their parents have done. They consume it very differently – through TikTok, short video clips, and creating sharing communities on Reddit or other platforms."
The program, supported by Digital Skillnet and SportsTech Ireland, attracts a fascinating mix of participants: sports tech entrepreneurs, C-suite executives seeking strategic advantage, coaches looking to leverage data, and former athletes transitioning to the business side. What unites them is a passion for sport and a desire to understand how technology can enhance it rather than replace its fundamental human elements.
Collins takes a refreshingly practical approach to innovation, focusing on what he calls "McGyvering solutions" – finding creative ways to solve real-world problems by bringing together siloed information, creating more efficient processes, and ensuring technology serves human needs rather than the other way around. When discussing artificial intelligence, he emphasises that success isn't about the latest models but about the "last mile" of implementation within organizations.
For those concerned that technology might be "wrecking" the purity of sport, Collins offers a reassuring perspective: "It's just a tool. It's how you utilise it. It can stay in your toolbox, you may never use it, but it requires a skill set to use it." Technology doesn't replace the joy of movement or the expertise of experienced coaches – it provides additional information to make better decisions.
Want to be part of this transformation? Applications are now open for the September intake. Search "sport analytics technology and innovation" to find the TU Dublin website and application details.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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The path from Olympic glory to meaningful leadership isn't straightforward, but Aifric Keogh is navigating it with the same determination that earned her bronze in Tokyo.
As the newly elected Chair of the Olympic Federation of Ireland's Athletes Commission, she's setting out to create and articulate a vision for athlete representation at the highest levels.
"Sometimes it's people doing great work, driving policies, making change, getting funding, but sometimes the actual athletes' concerns and opinions get lost," Keogh explains, pinpointing exactly why her role matters.
With nine athletes representing sports from team pursuits to individual disciplines like luge, the commission aims to bridge critical gaps between those competing and those administrating.
Keogh's personal journey adds depth to her perspective. She shares candid reflections on Tokyo's triumph – "one of the best teams I've ever worked in" – contrasted with Paris disappointment that she acknowledges will "take years to process." This honesty about sport's emotional extremes makes her uniquely qualified to advocate for athletes navigating similar challenges.
Perhaps most compelling is Keogh's transparency about transitioning from elite competition to corporate life through JP Morgan's athlete program. "Sport doesn't last forever," she acknowledges, describing the jarring shift from being at her career peak to "knowing absolutely nothing" in a new environment. Her observations about seeking feedback and applying the principle of consistency reveal the universal struggles athletes face when building second careers.
Throughout our conversation, her intelligence and thoughtfulness shine through – whether discussing the Galway sporting landscape, lessons from disappointment, or her eclectic fantasy dinner party with Ronan O'Gara, Taylor Swift, and President Zelensky.
Her combination of sporting excellence, leadership potential, and authentic humanity promises a powerful voice for Ireland's Olympic athletes in the years ahead.
Want to hear more inspiring stories from Irish sport? Subscribe to the Sport for Business podcast and join us at our upcoming events, including the PWC 30 Under 30 breakfast, League of Ireland Breakfast, and Business of Golf event.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
Patrick Nelson's journey from trainee computer programmer to guiding Northern Ireland football through nearly two decades of transformation reveals how sport can change a nation's cultural landscape. As CEO of the Irish Football Association, he's witnessed firsthand the unifying power of football, particularly during Euro 2016 – what he calls "the best period of my working life."
The newly christened Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park forms the backdrop for our conversation about football's remarkable ability to bridge divides in Northern Irish society. "Football happened on a Saturday, people got together, they played their games, they shook hands at the end and moved on," Patrick recalls of even the most challenging periods. This commitment to connection extends beyond football, with Patrick regularly meeting his counterparts at Ulster Rugby and Ulster GAA to strengthen cross-sport collaboration.
While the disappointment of missing out on hosting Euro 2028 at Casement Park lingers, Patrick remains characteristically forward-focused. He's championing Belfast's role in the ambitious bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup – a vision that would see "girls who are currently dreaming of wearing that green shirt turning out on that pitch in 10 years' time." Through personal anecdotes about his first football match (a remarkable 14-1 victory), his passion for skiing, and his direct management style, we glimpse the person behind Northern Irish football's impressive progress. Subscribe now to discover how sport continues to transform communities across the island of Ireland.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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Maeve McMahon is the CEO of OFX in Ireland, with a remit covering half the world and a passion for sport.
The company is the sponsor of the OFX Legends Golf event at Mount Juliet this week and Maeve also sits on the Board of the FAI.
We had time to sit and chat recently, after a few holes of golf on the Jack Nicklaus designed course, and the conversation moves across, sport, business and in the end with Severiano Ballesteros.
I think you'll enjoy it.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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This week's episode of the Sport for Business Podcast focuses on the historic upcoming test match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, taking place June 20th at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin—the first time the Lions will play a full test match on Irish soil.
Key Highlights:
- Cultural & Historical Significance:
- The British and Irish Lions hold a unique place in rugby, steeped in tradition yet evolving into a modern, commercially savvy enterprise.
- The Lions brand continues to resonate deeply with fans, particularly in Ireland, where debates over player selection are a passionate talking point.
- Reflections on the 2021 South Africa Tour:
- Played in the midst of the pandemic, the tour was marked by strict bubbles, no fans, and social unrest in South Africa.
- The "Secret Sauce" of the Lions:
- A unique mix of elite performance, rival players uniting, camaraderie, and deep emotional connection.
- The Lions defy modern sports marketing trends by maintaining relevance with a quadrennial schedule and a sense of community in an increasingly polarized world.
- Commercial Strategy:
- Instead of selling sponsorship tiers, the Lions focus on aligning with partners' goals—offering everything from hospitality to fan engagement via digital platforms.
- Building long-term partner relationships rather than one-off promotional deals.
- Andy Farrell as Head Coach:
- Chosen for his leadership qualities and ability to unify players quickly. He’s known for focus, discipline, and making "the main thing the main thing."
- Dublin Test Match Logistics:
- Coordinated calendar adjustments across rugby unions made it possible.
- The match will help fans who can’t travel see the Lions live, offer commercial benefits, and serve as a critical pre-tour performance fixture.
- Roadmap to the 2025 Tour:
- Key milestones include announcing assistant coaches, selecting the squad, and gradually building public engagement.
- The Lions aim to keep momentum going across a full two-year lead-up to the tour.
Overall, the episode offers a mix of nostalgia, strategic insight, and excitement for the Lions' future—blending tradition with modern sports business savvy.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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This week's episode is an interview with Benny Cullen, the Head of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland.
Benny has been a regular on the show and when the Irish Sports Monitor was published it was an easy call to make to get his valuable insight.
He asks the questions, the answers to which help guide sports policy in the long term. It is a vital piece of work in enhancing how we structure sport so that we can become a participation nation, and provide the foundation for all that flows from increased levels of sport and physical activity.
He also has a love of music from Mozart to Metallica, which we will get to...
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with Hannah Dingley, Head of Women's and Girl's Football at the Football Association of Ireland.
As a coach she made history become the first female manager of an English Football League team with Forest Green and now she is trying to make a difference for the generations yet unborn that are coming to football in the years to come.
We have an international team that has made it to a first world Cup, a domestic league that is growing in stature and a well of enthusiasm as deep as you could hope for.
We talk about the new strategy that she has just launched and how that might be executed over the next couple of years, and how it integrates with the overall approach to the sport.
And we also find out about her growing affection for Ladies Gaelic Football and more...
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with Lynne Cantwell, the newly appointed Head of Women's Strategy at the Irish Rugby Football Union.
The conversation was recorded live at the Sport for Business Sporting Year Ahead 2025 with Teneo a few weeks back.
Lynne is a legend of the game here with Grand Slams and World Cup appearances to her credit. She took that drive and leadership with her when she hung up her boots, Chairing the Sport Ireland Women in Sport Committee and working to develop the South African Women's Game before coming home for this new role.
She has an intelligence and an empathy that I think shone through in this chat and ineed whenever you have the pleasure to meet her.
We talk about the upcoming Guinness Six Nations, the Rugby World Cup in the autumn, the development of the game in Ireland and more.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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Welcome to the Sport for Business POdcast where this week we are chatting media, sponsorship and sport with Paul Henderson, the CEO of dmg media which is home to brands including the Irish Daily Mail, EVOKE, Extra.ie, Business Plus and more.
We talk about the world of digital media and the attention span we need to compete for.
About the new partnership between EVOKE and the Irish Women's Rugby team and about the value that media partnerships can bring to sport.
We also riff on Liverpool's comeback in Istanbul, the power of sport as a child and the idea of JFK, Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein sitting down to lunch in Chapter One...
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In this week's episode of the show we bring you a three for one deal.
League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon, SSE Airtricity Head of Sponsorship Ashley Morrow and FAI Commercial Director Sean Kavanagh all dropped by at the launch of the 2025 League of Ireland and filled us in on some of the reasons why this promises to be a year of great excitement.
We talk broadcast deals and sponsorship activations, the buzz surrounding the clubs after last season's climax and plenty more.
The League campaign for the SSE Airtricity Man's Premier and First divisions gets under way on Valentine's Day and the Irish sporting public is falling in love with the domestic game.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with David Courell, CEO of the FAI in a conversation that was recorded live at the Sport for Business Sporting Year Ahead 2025 with Teneo a few weeks back.
We talk about every aspect of the role from selecting international managers to managing relationships with government, about the need for more facilities and the excitement of the League of Ireland going from strength to strength.
Plenty of detail and plenty of hope for a bright future.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with Gordon D'Arcy, one of Ireland's most decorated Rugby internationals and now a man of many parts in the worlds of business media and life.
We talk about a career in which professional rugby grew up and touch upon the benefits and the sometime drawbacks of those changes; of reaching a state where everything goes right in a match, of the challenge of moving back into real life at the end of his playing career and plenty more.
We finish as ever with a round of quick fire questions the answers to which include a trip to watch Arsenal play football, memories of a Wexford great in Gaelic Games and a table of friends...
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
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In the latest episode of the Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with Irish athlete and European Champion Ciara Mageean.
She really is as likable a person as she comes across in her media engagements and we talk about her career, the highs and the lows, as well as the role of role models and the small matter of an invitation to meet the Pope as the result of a previous podcast...
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are chatting with Eimear O'Sullivan, the Corporate Affairs Director of Lidl Ireland.
The reason for kicking off the year here is the launch of Lidl's partnership for the year ahead with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
This is a sponsorship which has worked so well in so many ways and we explore the reasons why that might have been and continues to be the case.
We dive into the detail of fresh research into the importance of seeing the stars of the sport and getting to know them, and why sport is so important as part of the retailers marketing mix.
We finish as ever with a round of quick fire questions the answers to which include two Presidents, a very popular band from the 70's and the trauma of a B Final Penalty shoot out.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
In this week's Sport for Business Podcast we are looking back on the summer of sport in Paris with the man who was at the heart of making it possible.
Gavin Noble is responsible for Marketing and Communications at the Olympic Federation of Ireland but he is also the Chef de Mission for Team Ireland heading to Paris this year and already planning for LA in 2028.
We find out what that entails, how he goes about ensuring every obstacle is reduced and every opportunity enhanced from the villages of the athletes to the Olympic Village itself, in terms of kit, transport and the small matter of buying in the best air conditioning.
It is a master class in logistics told with humour and the appreciation of those who helped around him.
We finish as ever with a round of quick fire questions which might help you to find a path to the top in your own chosen field.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
In the latest episode of the podcast we chat with Matthew Dowling, a year into his role as Chief Commercial Officer at Leinster Rugby and relishing the complexity and the excitement of it.
On Croke Park
"So obviously we didn't have full control over over pricing. We don't always, but we tried to and our ticketing team are so experienced that they were able to kind of say, listen, if we keep this to the right price, we reckon we can get there."
On Sponsorship
"The amount of our commercial revenue that comes from partnerships, sponsorships, and ticketing is so high that you need to make sure you get those right because they're your bread and butter, but you have to look at other things that will future proof the club and you have to look at other things that will drive the club forward."
On Social Media
"We've grown our social engagement significantly in terms of social media. So I think last year we did nearly 40 million video views and obviously a lot of those are the big moments that people would be familiar with, but we've gradually tried to bring more and more focus on the women's game and the school's game. We've got some interesting stuff coming up in that space soon."
And plenty more as well including we finish off with our starters for ten, getting to know Matthew a little better.
Join us next week when Team Ireland Chef de Mission from the Olympic Games in Paris will be our guest, until then have a great week and thanks for listening.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
In today's 92nd episode of the Sport for Business podcast we are chatting with Stephen King about the announcement that KPMG is renewing it's partnership with the KPMG Women's Irish Open for another three years.
They were a key element in bringing the tournament back onto the schedule after an abeyance of a decade and the success over the past three years is evidenced by this renewal.
We talk about why it is important for a professional services company to be involved in sporting partnerships, the lessons that have been learned over the past three years, the new date on the calendar for the tournament from 2025 and plenty more.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
We are back on the subject of sponsorship in today's 91st episode of the Sport for Business podcast.
I'm delighted to be joined by Kevin Kent of Laya Healthcare to take about their new campaign - We are one Always which has the ambitious aim of using sport to combat loneliness.
There are some great insights and research into the subject and we talk about bringing those to life, working with Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby and their players and plenty more.
According to Chartable, we have risen to the Top 12 of home-produced Irish sports podcasts, which is humbling. Thanks for taking the time to listen.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Let us know what’s on your mind
For Episode 90 of the Sport for Business Podcast, we headed to the heart of Government. We had a wide-ranging conversation with Thomas Byrne TD, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education, and an Gaeltacht.
Recorded in his office within the labyrinthine corridors of Leinster House, nothing was off the table from his own entry into politics, getting to the matches of his children and his wife, the Government record on the funding of sport and its relationship with the sporting sector, especially the FAI and its new permanent CEO David Courell.
As a lifetime fan of Drogheda United, there are exciting times ahead with a Sports Direct FAI Cup Final to look forward to and the small matter of an upcoming election.
It is a peak behind the curtain of life in Government and the life of the Minister who is central to the funding and the future of sport in Ireland.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Future Proofing Irish Sport, Children and Sport and Sport for Social Good, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
It was a morning to learn, engage, and be inspired. Our Children and Sport conference, held in the foothills of the Dublin mountains, drew an audience of those working in the space and those who are attracted to helping and making a difference.
Dr Fiona Chambers was perhaps the most uncomplicated interview I have ever done on stage, brimming with enthusiasm and ideas on subjects as diverse and yet related as digital nativism, values fluency and the superpower that can come from engaging with future generations on their terms.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 88th episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we focus on the Amgen Irish Open, which will take place at Royal County Down between September 12th and 15th.
We are joined by the Tournament Director, Paul Gillmon, who invites us inside the ropes to look at what it takes to put on a major sporting tournament on the shore of the Irish Sea in Newcastle County Down.
We chat about preparing the course, building the facilities for a crowd like few others on the Tour, and some of the stars that will be there to light up the weekend.
Our Golf Series Coverage is in partnership with KPMG, sponsors of the Women’s Irish Open.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
It was only for a few minutes, but it was still great to spend time with Rhasidat Adeleke as she came down from the high of Paris 2024, with a whole new life as a full-time professional athlete laid out before her.
We spoke about the impact of the Olympics, village life, how she handles being involved in commercial partnerships, and whether she is still using her Gold phone from the athlete 'goodie bag'.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 86th episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we are diving back into questions of leadership and the future.
I’m joined by Warren Deutrom the CEO of Cricket Ireland and proud to be getting stuck in, after recent announcements, to planning for a future with a national cricket stadium; a World Cup coming to Dublin and Ireland in 2030; the possibility of an Olympics appearance two years earlier and growing the sport towards a six-figure level of participation.
We chat about the journey towards the stadium, a new strategic plan to deliver across a number of key areas and the magic of an Olympic dream for every irish batter, bowler and fielder.
Our Leadership Series Coverage is in partnership with PwC and we have a great line up of interviews coming down the tracks over the coming weeks.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 85th episode of the Sport for Business podcast, we continue our short series of interviews in advance of the Paralympic Games, which will get underway in Paris on August 28th.
Next up is Shot Putter Mary Fitzgerald, who will thrive on the energy of a full stadium, friends, and family in Paris.
An occupational therapist with Enable Ireland in the day job and one of our leading para-athletes ready to shine in the Stade de France.
Our Paralympic Coverage is sponsored by our Partners PTSB and Allianz and we will be reporting daily from Paris over the duration of the games.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 84th episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we continue our short series of interviews in advance of the Paralympic Games, which will begin in Paris on August 28th.
Next up is the lively spirit that is sprinter Orla Comerford, the visually impaired athlete working in the visual arts and running faster than ever heading to Paris.
We chat about her Tokyo experience and how she is looking forward to Paris in so many different ways.
Our Paralympic Coverage is sponsored by our Partners PTSB and Allianz and we will be reporting daily from Paris over the duration of the games.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 83rd episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we continue our short series of interviews before the Paralympic Games, which will get underway in Paris on August 28th.
Next up is Ana Maia, a crucial member of the team behind the team in Paris and the Classification Manager of Paralympics Ireland.
Over the next 15 minutes, we will guide you through what it means when you see an S11 or a T54 classification at a Paralympics event, helping you to understand what you will be watching more fully.
Our Paralympic Coverage is sponsored by our Partners PTSB and Allianz and we will be reporting daily from Paris over the duration of the games.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 82nd episode of the show, back after a short Olympic fuelled summer break, we are diving into the world of Formula One, and the position of an Irish company at its very highest level.
Colin Westcott-Pitt is the Global Chief Brand Officer at Glanbia Performance Nutrition, and his signature is only just dry on a deal with the McLaren F1 team.
Glanbia is now fuelling the drivers who are flying around the tracks, making life-and-death decisions in microseconds, and very much needing to be at the top of their game.
We chat about the role of nutrition in that high-octane environment, about the business, but also about the old days of James Hunt, when the driver was perhaps more about the high life than the details of high-performance prep, and, of course, about what Zac Brown is like to work with…
Our Leadership Series Coverage is in partnership with PwC, and we have a great line-up of interviews coming down the track over the coming weeks.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 81st episode of the show, we are kicking off a short series of interviews with Team Ireland members who will represent us in the Stade de France as part of the Athletics team at the Paralympic Games.
First up is 1500-metre runner Greta Streimikyte, who is ready to compete in her third Paralympic Games after coming to Ireland from Lithuania.
Our Paralympic Coverage is sponsored by our Partners PTSB and Allianz and we will be reporting daily from Paris over the duration of the games.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 80th episode of the show, we are back on the Road to Paris.
Our guests are Beibhinn Parsons and Harry McNulty, who hope to be stars of the Irish Rugby Sevens teams. They are coming off a great year and heading to the Stade de France with genuine medal ambitions.
TritonLake became the title sponsor of the Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams in June 2021 and is delighted to continue supporting and celebrating the success of both teams this season and in the coming season.
Our Olympic and Paralympic Coverage is sponsored by our Partners PTSB and we are enjoying bringing these human stories of those we will be cheering for at the games.
We have had some great interviews over recent weeks so if you are new dive in and take a listen.
If the commercial world of sport interests you, join us at Sportforbusiness.com, where we bring you the news and the personalities and bring you together at special events on a wide range of subjects that matter.
For now though let’s get into our conversations, first of all with Beibhinn Parsons and then with Harry McNulty
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Michelle Davoren of Wilson Hartnell, David McHugh of Wasserman Ireland and many more
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 79th episode of the show, we are again focused on the Sport for Business PwC 30 Under 30.
The 2024 intake came together in recent weeks, and this is the second in a short series of interviews with those who have shown the potential to be leaders in our industry for years to come.
We are joined by Craig Derham who could have been gracing the pitch at Elland Road or Richmond Park but instead has forged a career on the marketing and events side of sport with the team at Verve the Live Agency.
We have had some great interviews over recent weeks so if you are new dive in and take a listen.
If you like the commercial world of sport, join us at Sportforbusiness.com, where we bring you the news and the personalities and bring you together at special events on a wide range of subjects that matter.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Michelle Davoren of Wilson Hartnell, David McHugh of Wasserman Ireland and many more
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 78th episode of the show, we are firmly on our Olympic Pathway, chatting to James O’Callaghan, the Performance Director at Irish Sailing and a man with a real passion for the Games.
We chat about Ireland’s three boats, the sailors in them and their journeys both to Marseilles and beyond.
There are some great lessons to be learned about resilience, the love of a dog and the healthy concern that we will be able to cope should success come on the water this summer.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Michelle Davoren of Wilson Hartnell, David McHugh of Wasserman Ireland and many more
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from and thanks for taking the time to listen in.
In today's 77th episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we are focused on the Sport for Business PwC 30 Under 30.
The 2024 intake came together in recent weeks, and this is the first in a short series of interviews with those who have shown the potential to be leaders in our industry for years to come.
We are joined by Michelle Davoren, a master's Graduate in Sustainability, a former European Parliament public servant, a former worker with the Green Party, a business founder, a ladies' football champion with Dublin and Kilmacud Crokes, and, of late, a communications expert with Wilson Hartnell.
It’s a rollercoaster of a career and an entertaining listen
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Nuala Walsh of the British and Irish Lions, Noel Quinn, Head of GAAGo and many more.
We also put on great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including one on the Business of Golf coming up soon in partnership with KPMG, Sigmoid, Golf Ireland and the US Embassy here in Dublin.
In today's 76th episode of the Sport for Business Podcast, we are chatting with David McHugh, the newly minted captain of Wasserman’s Irish operation, founder of Line Up Sports, friend, mentor, and commercial adviser to a host of Irish sporting stars including Tadgh Furlong, Paul O’Donovan and Kellie Harrington.
We talk about what that role means in terms of his relationship with clients, about the power of sport and the special way in which the Irish public engages with its favourite personalities.
An interesting conversation from behind the spotlight and one I think you’ll enjoy.
We met up at the offices of Wasserman in Ireland, before the new branding has even gone up, surrounded by the jerseys and memorabilia of a life in sport.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Nuala Walsh of the British and Irish Lions, Noel Quinn, Head of GAAGo and many more.
We also put on great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including one on the Business of Golf coming up soon in partnership with KPMG, Sigmoid, Golf Ireland and the US Embassy here in Dublin.
In today's 75th episode of the show, we are chatting about sponsorship with Daragh Persse, the founder of the Brand Fans and the driving force behind the establishment last week of the European Sponsorship Association or ESA’s first fully-fledged national extension ESA Ireland.
Daragh’s credentials in the game are impeccable having worked with Vodafone on GAA, F1 and more, as well as Rights Holders like Arsenal FC, Dublin GAA and many more.
We talk about why sponsorship is such a fast-growing and ever more important element of the marketing mix, we name-check many of those doing great work here and we talk about Ireland’s sponsorship excellence on the European stage.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Nuala Walsh of the British and Irish Lions, Noel Quinn, Head of GAAGo and many more.
We also put on great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including one on the Business of Golf coming up soon in partnership with KPMG, Sigmoid, Golf Ireland and the US Embassy here in Dublin.
Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
I’m your host Rob Hartnett and In today's 74th episode of the show, we are chatting with the man who is in charge of guiding PTSB’s partnership with Team Ireland, the Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland, Ger Mitchell.
A softly-spoken man of Tuam in County Galway he lets us inside the ropes of one of the biggest sporting partnerships of the year.
We talk about why the bank got involved, why Team Ireland was such a natural fit, what we can look forward to over the summer and into September, and we finish on an Olympic memory that for those of us of a certain age had a very powerful impact on our view of sport.
I think you will enjoy the chat and please do stay to the end for a 100 metre finish down memory lane.
_________
PTSB are our Paris 2024 supporters as well and we will be tracking their activation and inspiration from now through September.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts including recent interviews with Ger Mitchell of PTSB, Nuala Walsh of the British and Irish Lions, Noel Quinn, Head of GAAGo and many more.
We also put on great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including one on the Business of Golf coming up soon in partnership with KPMG, Sigmoid, Golf Ireland and the US Embassy here in Dublin.
In today's 73rd episode, we are chatting with bestselling author, business leader, one-time sponsor of the Ryder Cup and now Director of the British and Irish Lions, Nuala Walsh.
She has written Tune In - How to make smarter decisions in a noisy world and it is a book that will make you smarter by reading it.
There are loads of examples to guide you, ten of the traps that can trip us up when it comes to decision making and loads more.
This is a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from golf and rugby to politics, religion and our very souls.
I think you will gain something from an entertaining and high-energy guest that we will be seeing more of over the coming months.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person.
In today's 72nd episode of the show, we are returning to a special occasion that takes place every year and gets us out of bed even earlier than usual.
Darkness into Light is a coming together of people from all walks of life and for thousands of very personal reasons to walk into the dawn and raise money for Pieta House.
Electric Ireland are the long term sponsors of the event and we sat down this week with Executive Director Pat Fenlon
We talk about why they have been involved for so long, what the motivation is for keeping it going and what we need to know to get ready for the morning of May 11th.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 71st episode of the Sport for Business Podcast we are kicking off our 2024 Series on Leadership.
In this we will speak to those who have risen to the top of their sporting organisations and for whom the buck stops at their desk.
It is our privilege to chat with Brian Molloy, elected in recent weeks as the first ever male President of the Camogie Association.
The Galway native got into the sport through daughters, coaching them, ferrying them, supporting them and getting gradually brought in to the fold of club, county province and now national level sport.
Over the next 45 minutes, we talk about leadership, inside and outside the sport; about the burden lightly worn of taking the sport into the hopefully final stages of full integration with the GAA and Ladies Gaelic Football Association, but without losing the essence of what makes Camogie special and which it has nurtured over a 120-year history.
We also touch on Lord of the Rings, cookery, life skills and a final message on what he considers to be at the heart of sporting leadership.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 70th episode of the show, we are joined from New York City by Laura Weber, the designer of Team Ireland’s Opening and Closing Ceremony outfits.
We chat about fashion and the way it should make you feel, where the connection came to become the designer of such an iconic piece of the Olympic story and so much more.
Our Road to Paris Series is in Partnership with Permanent tsb, sponsors of Team Ireland.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 69th episode of the show we are joined by the Race Director of the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, Jim Aughney.
We chat about the reasons why he is still excited about the race in his fourth decade of managing it, the things that wake him up in the middle of the night and the importance of the agreement with Dublin City Council to keep the race at the heart of the City
Irish Life won the Best of Europe Sponsorship Award for the event last year and we talk as well about the importance of partnerships.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
_________
The Irish Life Dublin Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 27th and promises to be another great occasion for the runners, the spectators and the city.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 68th episode of the show, we are joined by Hall of Fame former captain of the Irish Women’s rugby team Fiona Coghlan.
There was a record crowd for an Irish Women’s Six Nations Game at the RDS this season for the game against Italy but still no win and now the focus switches to Cork this weekend and the visit of Wales
Fiona joined us at an Energia event looking to encourage more fans to come along and cheer on the girls in Green.
Our Rugby Coverage on Sport for Business is in partnership with Bank of Ireland who are urging us and Irish Rugby to never stop competing…
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 67th episode of the show, we are back in the Business of Gaelic Games.
The GAA is basking in the glow of a great Allianz Football Finals weekend but sport is so often all about the next thing and with the Championship season starting almost straight away the Association has launched its first new advertising campaign in five years.
We have a preview of the radio ad
There are TV spots, football-specific ones and county-specific social posts as well, all pointing towards getting us to games.
We are joined from Croke Park by Noel Quinn, Head of GAAGo and GAA Marketing to talk about the campaign…
It’s not just about the action on the pitch
Our GAA Coverage on Sport for Business is in partnership with Club and County Partners AIB. Their Toughest campaigns have defined how the games register in the hearts and minds of fans all year round.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 66th episode of the show we are back in the Business of Golf, looking at the launch of the 2024 Legends Tour event at Seapoint Golf Club.
We have a rich cast of characters to explore why the Legends is an important part of the golf landscape.
We’ll hear from Roddy Carr on the impact of Tourism, and from Keith Mitchell about the importance of reaching out to an audience with time and money.
But first we had the opportunity to sit down with Ryder Cup legend, Sky Sports Analyst and so much more, including now Ambassador for the Legends Tour Paul McGinley.
KPMG alongside Golf Ireland and Forefront Sports are our Primary Partners for golf coverage on Sport for Business and what a summer we have to look forward to from the Legends at Seapoint in June to the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House in the last week of August and the Amgen Irish Men’s Open at Royal County Down in September.
You can book your tickets to the event in June at Legendstour.com and we look forward to seeing you there.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 65th episode of the show, we are back to the Business of Football and a big week for the FAI and their new sponsor Sky Ireland.
We are joined by Orlaith Ryan the Chief Commercial Officer of Sky here in Ireland
Sky are also our Primary Partner for football coverage on Sport for Business so we were delighted to head up to the offices, through all the Outbelieve messaging and record this chat where we discover the Why behind the partnership, a focus on collaboration and the role of an 11-year-old who may played a part in the expansion to the Men’s team…
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 64th episode of the show, we are starting a new series looking at the importance of Children’s sport.
We are joined by Anne Smyth of Electric Ireland and Nora Sullivan a Ph.D. researcher and a player with Belfast Ravens to look at some recent research and some lived experience.
The Electric Ireland Game Changers partnership with the Irish FA is into its seventh year and is a real winner.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 63rd episode of the show, we meet with Ireland’s Chef de Mission for the Paralympic Games.
What you may well ask is a Chef de mission?
This Road to Paris series is supported by Team Ireland partner PTSB helping athletes and all of us be altogether more human.
The human side of bringing the team to Paris involves a lot of decision-making.
This is about the nuts and bolts of bringing together a team of high-performance athletes in a way that will enable them to give their best on the biggest stage of all.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 62nd episode of the show we meet with Ireland’s first-ever Double Swimming World Champion and a genuine contender for Paris, Daniel Wiffen
This Road to Paris series is supported by Team Ireland partner PTSB and amongst other things we find out from Daniel what it is that an athlete looks for from a good sponsor.
We also find out about his hopes for Paris, the reason he started his popular YouTub channel, something of the science of altitude training, and what he does during a down week away from the pool.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 61st episode of the show, we meet with the Ireland and Leinster Full Back Hugo Keenan.
We don’t normally focus on players so much as those who enable them to be brilliant but when you are out at the High Performance Centre and Hugo is there well it would be rude not to.
The Business side comes when we are talking about the Energia campaign for which he is an enthusiastic ambassador but first, well we had to ask how he is ahead of the big games to come.
All of our rugby coverage on Sport for Business is supported by Bank of ireland who urge us to #NeverStopCompeting
Thanks to Hugo for taking the time out to chat.
Energia’s Half a Fan campaign is gaining traction and you can see the Women’s team in Dublin, Cork and Belfast during their Six Nations campaign.
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In today's 60th episode of the show, we meet with J Batt, the Athletics Director of Georgia Tech University in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech will play Florida State University in this year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
We chat about the changing world of college athletics, about managing 18 high performance programmes rather than just one and plenty more.
We start with how he got to the role he is in today, the excitement of the College Gameday experience and why it is a worthwhile undertaking to come to Dubli
The game will take place on Saturday, August 24th and it will as ever be one of the highlights of the sporting summer.
Public sale tickets will be out next month and we will be dropping in on the prep for the game and the College Gameday experience plenty over the coming months.
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In today's 59th episode of the podcast we focus on High-Performance sport and the funding of programmes and individual athletes.
I’m joined by Niamh O’Sullivan, High-Performance Director at Sport Ireland
Our conversation covers the background to the increase in Funding over this current cycle towards the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, what the money is used for, and lots more.
This is the story of how great athletes become so.
I think you’ll enjoy it.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 58th episode of the podcast, we return to the Business of Football in this week of the start of the 2024 SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Season
I’m joined by Mark Scanlon the Director of the League of Ireland at the FAI and we have a wide-ranging conversation about the growing popularity of the League, investing in grounds, the quality of the players we are seeing coming through, and staying longer, and among other things, the world of football broadcasting
Our Sport for Business Football Coverage is supported by Sky, you’re home for the best of sport. If you have just enjoyed the African Cup of Nations, the Super Bowl from Las Vegas, or the new Sky Sports Tennis Channel you’ll know it is the place to go for the best in sport around the world.
Let’s get into it then with Mark, in an unusual setting for a morning chat…
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In today's 57th episode of the podcast, we are talking all things Superbowl, live from Las Vegas with Conor Brophy of Teneo and the Irish NFL Show.
We talk about the big game itself and the juggernaut that is the NFL.
Along the way, we touch on TV numbers, Sponsorship, U2, Taylor Swift, the billionaire socialism that keeps the sport fresh and gambling, well, when in Vegas...
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In today's 56th episode of the podcast, we start a new Sponsorship Series talking to the decision-makers at the highest levels of Irish and international sport.
We start with Anneliese Mesilati who manages the North American sponsorship portfolio of UBS.
Working with Lewis Hamilton is one of the perks of Anneliese’s job but there are plenty more.
We get an international perspective on stadium naming rights, community engagement, measurement and so much more, as well as discovering her path towards sponsorship from a starting point of environmental science…
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In today's 55th episode of the podcast we dive into the Business of Football with Tony Doyle of Wexford FC.
We are on the cusp of the start of the 2024 SSE Airtricity League of Ireland season and this is the first in a series of interviews looking at where the League is and where it is going.
Our Sport for Business football coverage is in partnership with Sky, where you will find the best of sport every day and night of the week.
Wexford FC competes in the Men’s First and the Women’s Premier Division. They are continually developing a closer identity and relationship with their community in the South East.
They have a progressive approach to commercial partnerships as well with Campion Insurance and Energia among the Sport for Business brands that are backing their ambition.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's 54th episode of the podcast we turn our attention firmly to the future, and a focus on how innovation can make it better in the world of sport
Technology is driving change at a faster rate than we can comfortably stay on top of so we all need a helping hand. That is what TU Dublin and Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet are offering by way of an exciting new one-year part-time postgraduate course for all those working in sport, or wanting to.
We spoke to Dr. Kieran Collins, the man delivering the course as Head of Sports Science at TUD but the conversation goes way deeper than one course, veering into how technology is impacting sport and why Ireland can be a global centre in this really exciting space.
If you love sport and have a grá for the way it is changing every day across performance, sponsorship, fan engagement, and management, check out the details of the course at digitsalskillnet.ie. It could change the course of your career.
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In today's Podcast, we are focusing on the importance of volunteering.
It’s something on which the sporting world in Ireland turns, worth billions if you add up the hours of work that people willingly give, but there is a crisis.
One in Four volunteers did not come back after the pandemic.
To find out more and figure out ways to get it back on track, Sport Ireland have developed and released a new Volunteer policy.
So we went out to the Sport Ireland Campus to find out more in conversation with Participation Director Louise Burke
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Today's Podcast comes in our Women in Sport Series and tells the remarkable story of how the University of Nebraska Volleyball programme set about creating a world record attendance at one of their games.
92,003 supporters packed into the Nebraska Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska to watch the team and enjoy an experience that they will remember forever.
Great sport has the power to do that and great women's sport perhaps even more so.
The Women in Sport coverage of Women in Sport, including this podcast is supported by Lidl and it was a launch of new research into attendance that allowed us to chat with Lyndsay Peterson who was an integral part of this achievement.
The research showed that 59 percent of the Irish public have never been to a Women's sports event versus 29 percent that have never been to any sport. You can read about this and other numbers on the Sportforbusiness.com website but for now, let's dive into hearing the story of the Nebraska Volleyball Day that showed what is possible...
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In today's Podcast we are focusing on tennis and the staging of Ireland’s important Davis Cup tie against Austria on the first weekend of February.
We were joined at the Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin by Tennis Ireland CEO Kevin Quinn, player Osgar O h’Oisin, and Vice Captain David O’Hare for a chat about the context of this first home tie in nine years, how they are preparing for a sold-out venue at the University of Limerick and more
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In today's Podcast, we are back in the world of insight.
John Trainor is the founder of Onside Sponsorship and recognised across the industry as being the Father of detailed insight on what makes sponsorship work.
The Annual Who Won Sponsorship Series returned this week and it was a great gathering from across the sector.
After the lights dimmed and the conversation was stilled we sat down with John for a special recording where we talked about the best of the year, the trends in Brand Ambassadorship, and the holy trinity of Assets, Activation and Analysis.
John has been off the grid for a while and it was great to have him back among us.
Let’s tune in then to the conversation we had. I bet you will learn something…
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In today's Podcast, we are bringing you the second in a short series of Women in Sport interviews recorded live at the Irish Film Institute at our tenth annual Women in Sport Conference.
It was a great morning and we kicked things off after the all-important networking coffee with Nora Stapleton who is responsible at Sport Ireland for the policy that relates to all of the Women in Sport programmes that are inspired, supported and funded through the organisation.
Only 48 hours earlier she had launched a revised and updated policy, taking the learning of the last three years and bringing it right up to date.
We spoke about the why behind that updating, and the difference the campaigns are making across participation, coaching, leadership and visibility.
Our Women in Sport partners are Lidl who have been great champions of Ladies Football at every level over the past six years and long into the future as well. We joined the live session just as we were playing the original Lidl Ladies Football TV ad on the big screen…
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast, we are bringing you the first of a short series of Women in Sport interviews recorded live at the Irish Film Institute at our tenth annual Women in Sport Conference.
Our Women in Sport partners are Lidl who have been great champions of Ladies Football at every level over the past six years and long into the future as well.
It was a great morning and one of the stars was a woman who has been a trailblazer in pressing the case for women being involved as players, administrators, match analysts and as President of the Camogie Association.
Liz Howard is a tough cookie and does not suffer fools so it was with a little trepidation that I welcomed her onto the stage but I never need have worried.
She had us all in the palm of her hand and I think you’ll enjoy her take on Irish sport past, present and future…
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In today's Podcast, we are getting nerdy with the latest in our popular insight series.
I’m joined by Louise Burke, the Participation director at Sport Ireland who earlier in November launched Get Ireland Active, an online facility where we can all check on local sports facilities, clubs, and activities in our local area or when we are visiting a new place.
This feels like something which should always have been there and we touch on that. Now that it is it is a powerful means of tapping into technology that we are all familiar with to make it easier to be active.
It’s also so much more and will be vital for local authorities, sporting bodies, and government to plan for how sport can be delivered in the future.
On top of all that we get into a chat about the potential of AI as well.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast, we are focusing again on the Business of Rugby
This series is in partnership with our good friends at Bank of Ireland, proud sponsors of Irish Rugby, and where they encourage us to never stop competing.
We are doubling down with guests in this episode, our 51st, with Niall Woods, founder, and Jordi Murphy, newly retired from the pitch and now a Player Agent at Navy Blue Sports.
We are talking about the role of agents, the part they play in the day-to-day life of players, and the varied tasks that fall to them.
We also touch on the Rugby World Cup, the challenges of staying within the rules, and the value of experience, as well as much more.
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Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
I’m your host Rob Hartnett and In today's Podcast, we are focusing in once more on the world of Women in Sport.
This series is in partnership with our good friends at Lidl, proud sponsors and champions of Ladies Gaelic football where they are making a difference at every level of the game.
Our guest this morning is Méabh De Búrca, a footballer capped more than 50 times for the Republic of Ireland, a commentator at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, a coach on the TG4 Underdogs programme, an ambassador for keeping young girls in sport and working in finance with a multinational internet business. Where does she find the time?
We talk about her busy life, about the filming of the Underdogs, the transition from player to commentator, and lots more in a really engaging conversation.
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Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
I’m your host Rob Hartnett and In today's Podcast, we are back in the world of the Business of Football.
This series is in partnership with our good friends who support all our football coverage, Sky Ireland. They bring us the best of the football action from the Premier League and every sport under the sun, and if you don’t want to sign up to a contract they have Now TV which allows you to dip in and out on terms that suit you.
Our guest this morning is one of the leaders in the SSE Airtricity Premier League and has just secured a deal to secure the future of his club, his hometown’s club, Drogheda United.
Conor Hoey is the former Chair of the Club and has spent the last year putting together a deal with investors from Birmingham, Alabama that he feels will be brilliant for the club, the fans, and the town.
We talk about the new investment, the importance of local sport, and the need for upgraded facilities.
This is a conversation that you don’t get to eavesdrop on a regular basis and as this year’s League campaign draws to a conclusion, we think it is an important one that you will enjoy if you have an interest in the domestic game getting better and better.
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In today’s podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Olympian and two-time world champion Rhys McClenaghan.
Our Road to Paris Series is in partnership with PTSB - proud partners of Team Ireland for the Olympics and Paralympics and altogether more human.
Rhys is a joy to talk to and we do just that about his life as a Gymnast, the trauma of his fall at the Tokyo Games, what life might have been like without the sport, and how his personal road to Tokyo is looking now.
We will all be rooting for Rhys in Paris and he is a genuine medal prospect for Team Ireland.
Thanks again to PTSB for their support of this series.
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In today’s mini podcast I’m delighted to be joined by Davy Fitzgerald.
He is some man for one man and while his focus is now on Waterford Hurling ahead of next season, he is also the creator and Head Coach, well in his own head at least, of Ireland’s Fittest Family.
We chat about this, have a think about what Roy Keane might be like as a coach on the show and get into it on Davy’s Toughest Team, one of my favourite shows of last year.
Our Sport for Business Gaelic Games coverage is in partnership with AIB for whom The Toughest is very relevant around their support for the GAA and Camogie Club Championships.
Here’s Davy in full flow for ten minutes I think you’ll enjoy.
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In today’s podcast, the focus is on technology. Not in terms of broadcast or performance management but in the way we coach our kids.
I am joined by Michelle Walsh who has spent a life as a storyteller in advertising as a mum on the sidelines and now as the co-creator of an app that is taking her native New Zealand by storm.
Coachmate is improving not only the quality but the experience of coaching and playing sport and is hopefully coming to a sport near you in Ireland in the near future.
If you are a coach at all there are some real gems in her over the next half hour so let’s get to it.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast we are focusing again on the Road to Paris and in this instance the Paralympic Games
This series is in partnership with our good friends at PTSB who have just launched their great looking new branding, with Olympians and Paralympians to the fore, and who are proud sponsors of Team Ireland and proving that banking can indeed be altogether more human.
Our guest this morning is Paralympian High Jumper Jordan Lee.
Over the next half an hour you’ll hear how he overcame the laughter and the whispers to play Basketball as a five-year-old, his first memories of the Paralympic Games, and his first meeting with the great Jason Smyth that set him on the path to where he is today.
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In today's Podcast we are focusing in on the world of Gaelic Games and the role that one of its stars is playing in ending world hunger.
This series is in partnership with our good friends at AIB, proud sponsors and champions of the GAA at Club and County where they know what it takes to get to the top of the Toughest peaks.
Our guest this morning is five-time All-Ireland winner Gearóid Hegarty, a member of the all-conquering Limerick Hurlers. As we will hear he has a hunger to add to that medal tally but he is also taking time out to do something on the bigger world stage helping to pack 80,000 meals with Zambrero today in an initiative to end hunger in it harshest sense.
We chat about the power of history, what it’s like to be enjoying some downtime on the golf course, the return of John Kiely, those 80,000 meals, and a little about the Cranberries.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast we are focusing in on the world of Women in Sport.
This series is in partnership with our good friends at Lidl, proud sponsors and champions of Ladies Gaelic football where they are making a difference at every level of the game.
Our guest this morning is from a sport that doesn’t often feature on our radar something which makes it of interest in itself.
Roisin O’Shea has worked in Elverys and at the London Olympic Games, in Twitter and now as the Chief Operating Officer with Cage Warriors, the London based mixed martial arts enterprise that gave Conor McGregor first start and his first title in the sport.
We talk about where MMA is at, how Cage Warriors fits into the ecosystem, and more.
But we start with a chat about the Cage Warriors promotion taking place at the RDS on Saturday, clashing as it happens with the small matter of a Rugby World Cup Quarter Final featuring Ireland.
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In today's Podcast we are focusing in on the world of Sport for Social Good,
This series is in partnership with our good friends at Allianz. For years they have been supporting the Paralympic and Olympic movements here in Ireland as well as Gaelic Games, Cumman na mBunscoil, and memorably over the last two year’s, Women’s Aid.
They use the very best of sport to highlight ways in which we can be the very best of people and it’s a powerful force for good.
Our guest this morning is a powerful force for good in his own right. Peter Ryan was a promising Tipperary hurler when he started to lose his sight at the age of 19. As we will hear it turned his world upside down but he reimagined himself and became a Paralympian cyclist at the Rio Paralympic Games.
Covid scuppered the chance of a follow-up in Tokyo but Peter Ryan is not a man to slip away quietly.
On October 8th he will set off on a run from Malin Head to Mizen Head, taking five days and culminating on World Sight Day, October 12th.
His longest stretch will be a day when he runs the equivalent of three marathons, and a bit, as he stresses.
He is raising money for a Vision Bus, the first of its kind in Ireland for the NCBI and he will be speaking at our Sport for Social Good Conference in Dublin on October 5th.
You can donate at petersvision.org or just find out more about his ambitious project.
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Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast, we are back in the world of the Business of Football,
This series is in partnership with our good friends who support all our football coverage, Sky Ireland. They bring us the best of the football action from the Premier League and every sport under the sun, and if you don’t want to sign up to a contract they have Now TV which allows you to dip in and out on terms that suit you.
Our guest this morning is perfect for the eve of the UEFA Nations League Game between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in front of 30,000 fans.
Stephanie Roche exploded into our collective consciousness in 2013 when a goal she scored in the Women’s League of Ireland went viral, you might remember it led to a Puskas nomination and appearing alongside Messi and Ronaldo.
We talk about that, as well as where her career has gone to since then, not quite back in the Ireland squad, yet, but playing well and scoring goals for Shamrock Rovers, commentating on the Women’s World Cup, being a brand ambassador with Lockton and with her own coaching business..
We talk about the growth of the game, about Eileen Gleeson’s dual role as Head of Women’s and Girls Football and as Interim international manager, and plenty more.
I hope you enjoy it and if you do you can subscribe to our Sport for Business Podcast at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your Podcasts from.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast, we are back on the Road to Paris, to the Olympic and Paralympic Games with our partners and sponsors of Team Ireland, Permanent TSB.
An Olympic Gold Medal is about as rare a commodity as you will find in sport. In fact, there are only four living Irishmen that have one in their possession so it is special to chat today with one of them, Fintan McCarthy, who brought the nation to their feet in Tokyo and is hoping to do so again in Paris.
Along the way, he is a three-time world champion but our conversation isn’t all about the boat.
We chat inevitably about his partner Paul O’Donovan and what they talk about off the water, about where he keeps his medal, about what might be next and about the memento he likes to take from his races, even if the Marshalls would rather he didn’t.
He is as engaging a personality as you would imagine from seeing him on the telly so let’s head to West Cork and get the conversation started.
Next up on the Podcast is a chat with Ireland Football star Stephenie Roche, looking back on that goal, ahead to the next phase for Women’s football in Ireland and plenty more.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sporting areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from. There are over 40 interviews to listen back to already as well and if you like it give us a nice review and we will name-check you on a future episode.
Sign up as well to our twice-daily email bulletins or check us out on Twitter/X or Linked In Thanks for taking the time to listen in today.
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In today's Podcast, we are kicking off a new series that I have been really looking forward to. We spend a lot of time focused on youth but life is a spectrum and in The Voice of Experience we will be chatting to those who have made a significant contribution to the places we find ourselves in now and who have an informed perspective on how things might go in the future.
Our first guest in the series is Richard Hills who got into the sports game in the late 1970’s and became the European Director of the Ryder Cup overseeing the tournament's transformation into the massive event it is today.
We speak about the ‘Martini-driven' start to his career, the influence of Severiano Ballesteros, the shock of 9/11 and the things he would like to see change in the modern game. We also have a great motto to live life by and more so without further ado let’s head to Wicklow and get down to the chat.
Next up on the Podcast is The Road to Paris series, in partnership with Permanent TSB. We’ll be chatting next to Fintan McCarthy, Three-time World Rowing Champion and Gold Medal winner in Tokyo.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sporting areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
There are over 40 interviews to listen back to already as well and if you like it give us a nice review and we will name-check you on a future episode.
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
Twice daily Bulletins and Twice Weekly Podcasts as well as great events to bring the Sport for Business community together in person, including a major event on Children and Sport coming up on May 17th.
In today's Podcast we are returning to our Insights series looking at research into the world of sport and activity, and placing it in a meaningful context
Benny Cullen is our guest for this episode and the subject is the Irish Sports Monitor published in the last few days as well as research into the sporting and activity levels of children across the island of Ireland.
We take a dive into the numbers around the sports we play, the reasons we are active, the barriers we have to overcome and the lessons we can learn on how to do things better.
There are high points such as the fact that 96 percent of children are active every week, and 92 percent of children with a disability, but there are sticky numbers as well around socio economic gradients and how it is proving more difficult to manage improvement in certain areas.
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
In today's Podcast we are returning to the Business of Golf series talking with movers and shakers from across the sport.
Mark Nolan is the general manager at Dromoland Castle host venue for the revived KPMG Women’s Irish Open in 2022 and 2023.
Our chat covers how he got into the luxury game, what hosting the open has meant for the hotel, where he likes to go on holiday and plenty more.
The Business of Golf is brought to you with the support of our friends at KPMG, Golf Ireland and Forefront Sports.
The Business of Golf is brought to you with the support of our friends at KPMG, Golf Ireland and Forefront Sports. So far in our Podcast series we have spoken to Paul Here General Manager at the K Club and Paul Gillmon the tournament director of the Horizon Irish Open.
We will be exploring further the business of golf over the coming months in what is a great time to be involved in the sport.
If you’d like to find out more about our plans or even get involved you can email me at rob@sportforbusiness.com and sure we will see what is possible.
The KPMG Women’s Irish Open is on Thursday 31st August to Sunday September 3rd and it really is a very special event to be at.
You can get day tickets for €25 and kids under 16 all go free. Buy your tickets at kpmgwomensirishopen.ie
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
In today's Podcast we are returning to our series talking with alumni from our Sport for Business 30 Under 30, in partnership with our good friends at PwC
Lorna Danaher was nominated and appeared on our list in 2020, you remember those days when no-one could travel more than 2 kilometres from home and we were all locked down.
Well the 30 under 30 that year was a daily burst of positivity when we needed it most and Lorna has continued to provide that through the work she is doing with Energia.
Today’s Podcast is all about taking advantage of the breaks when they come your way, working hard when you are given an opportunity and finding the fun in swapping a muddy field for the country’s fines sporting venues.
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship-related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Sign up as well to our twice-daily email bulletins or check us out on Twitter or Linked In
In today's Podcast we are returning to our series looking at Leadership.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic takes place each August at the Aviva Stadium and this year we are welcoming Notre Dame and Navy to Dublin Town
Today’s Podcast is all about the leadership it takes to bring an event like this together.
We are joined by Padraic O’Kane who you will hear from first and by John Anthony calling in from halfway across the continent of North America.
Over the next 30 minutes or so we will hear about the logistics of getting a game like this to market, the understanding of what it means to eat your own cooking, the impact of Covid and how they got through it, and the story behind the free beer and pizza from 2022.
The tickets for Saturday’s game are like gold dust but the gang will be back in 2024 and you really won’t want to miss it.
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Sign up as well to our twice daily email bulletins or check us out on Twitter or Linked In Thanks for taking the time to listen in today.
In today's Podcast we are returning to our series looking at The Business of Rugby.
The Rugby World Cup is on the near horizon and with Ireland going in as the number one ranked team in the world, the pressure to do everything right is intense.
Our Business of Rugby Podcast series and daily content is enabled through the great support of our partners Bank of Ireland, Just like they say we should Never Stop Competing and we hope that some of the words and ideas we bring to you will give you an edge in the business of sport.
Today’s Podcast is all about the technology, enabled by Vodafone, that is making a difference to the Irish teams preparation.
Over 25 minutes or so we will hear from the IRFU Hard of Analysis and Innovation Vinny Hammond, from coaches Paul O’Connell and Simon Easterby, and from the team in the van .
In the second part of this episode next week we will hear from Chris Byrne who was a performance analyst with Loughswilly GAA Club in Donegal in his spare time but who has created this new solution in his day job.
First though we hear from Vodafone Network Director Sheila Kavanagh who sets the scene while buffeted by the wind and having to duck from the occasional stray ball…
Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
In today's Podcast we are returning to our series looking at The Business of Golf.
With big tournaments on the near horizon, golf tourism delivering real value for the economy and golf clubs bringing the sport to an ever bigger and ever younger audience, there is no better time to be diving deeper into the sport.
We are able to do so through the great support of our partners KPMG, Golf Ireland and Forefront Sports and you can find out more over the coming months on what we have planned for the Business of Golf as part of Sport for Business.
Today’s guest is Paul Gillmon, the Tournament Director of the 2023 Horizon Irish Open at the K Club.
We talk about Paul’s sporting heritage, and coming on board with the DP World Tour, the challenges of creating a huge sporting arena on a private golf club, and what his hopes are for this year’s tournament and that of future years.
We were down at the K Club and during the course of the interview you will hear the odd birdsong and the hum of a mower keeping the greens in trim. Sorry about that but we didn’t want to get in the way of sport, as I’m sure you’ll understand.
The Horizon Irish Open takes place at the K Club between the 7th and 10th of September. You can can get tickets at tickets.europeantour.com
Before that the KPMG Women’s Irish Open is on at Dromoland Castle and promises to be equally exciting. Again get tickets for that at https://kpmgwomensirishopen.ie/tickets
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Sign up as well to our twice daily email bulletins or check us out on twitter or Linked In Thanks for taking the time to listen in today.
In this week's Thursday Podcast we are looking at the business of Sponsorship, particularly in relation to a unique mix of two key partners of a sport.
TG4, the Irish Language national TV station has been a partner of the Ladies Gaelic football Association since 2001.
Today we meet with Head of Sport Rónán O Coisdealbha to talk about the opportunities that exist when your main commercial partner is also your broadcast partner.
We talk about the way in which the partnership has grown and how it works, the special anniversaries that are taking place in the current renewal, the changes in broadcast consumption that have spanned the last two decades and the priorities that both sides have to work better together.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Sign up as well to our twice daily email bulletins or check us out on twitter or Linked In Thanks for taking the time to listen in today.
In today's Podcast we are teeing up the first of a new series looking at The Business of Golf.
With long term deals in place for the Horizon Irish Open and the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, professional golf in this country is in a good place.
That’s backed up by the Open Championship’s return to Royal Portrush in 2025, the Walker cup coming to Lahinch in 2026 and then the big one, the Ryder Cup landing in Adare Manor in 2027.
With golf tourism delivering real value for the economy and golf clubs delivering the sport to an ever bigger and ever younger audience, there is no better time to be diving deeper into the sport.
We are able to do so through the great support of our partners KPMG, Golf Ireland and Forefront Sports and you can find out more over the coming months on what we have planned for the Business of Golf as part of Sport for Business.
Today’s guest is Paul Heery, the General Manager at the K Club and a man steeped in the very finest traditions of top level golf.
Having served his time with Adare Manor in Limerick and the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland he knows a thing or three about the sport and is a great person with whom to kick off this new series.
Today we are going into the numbers as part of our Insight series looking at important sporting research.
Today’s guest is Jon Long, the Managing Director of Onside Sponsorship and the conversation centres on the publication of the sixth wave of the Onside Sports Impact Monitor, conducted with organisations that are members of the Sport for Business network.
We cover the degree of confidence there is across our sector, and also look at hot topics such as the need to attract younger audiences, the diversity profile of sport in Ireland, and the attractiveness of different sports and how that has changed over the past 12 months.
If you want to explore the research in more detail you can make contact direct with Jon and the team at onside.ie
If you want to find out more about the commercial world of Irish sport in all its forms then join us at Sportforbusiness.com or drop me a line at rob@sportforbusiness.com to say hi.
You can subscribe to this podcast which drops every Tuesday and Thursday across a wide range of sports and sponsorship related areas on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Sign up as well to our twice-daily email bulletins or check us out on Twitter or Linked In
In this episode of the Sport for Business Podcast we are diving into a real passion of ours, the promotion of Women in Sport.
Our coverage in this area is in partnership with our good friends at Lidl who have been strong backers of Women’s sport in general and Ladies Gaelic football in particular for what is now approaching a decade.
Today’s guest is a pretty special woman.
Rhasidat Adeleke won the 100m and 200 metre double at the European U20 Championships in 2021. She is the holder of six Irish National records and this summer she won Gold not once but twice at the National Collegiate Championships in the United States.
She has chosen now to turn professional and is focused on this weekend’s Irish National Championships, then the Worlds in Budapest, and one year from now the Olympic Games in Paris.
She has signed a pro deal with Nike and is also a brand ambassador with Allianz, also great friends of Sport for Business and partners of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
We sat down with Rhasidat in Dublin on a rare enough visit back these days and we kicked off the conversation by asking how the first weeks of a professional life have been.
The conversation covers what it is that she hopes to achieve, on and off the track, and plenty more.
We think you'll enjoy just how positive a person she is.
On today's Sport for Business Podcast, we are talking football and the final preparations for the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team in advance of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
All of our football coverage on Sport for Business is in partnership with Sky who are also the primary partner of the Women’s team.
We spoke to Head Coach Vera Pauw about this being the worst day of her career, the challenges she and her staff have faced in getting to the final 23, about the force of nature that is Amber Barrett, about the importance of the Women’s National League, and more.
We also caught up with Maddie Morrison, Sky’s World Cup Producer embedded with the Irish team, and with Emma Duffy, one of the journalists who is also traveling out to Australia about what we might expect.
Find out more about what we do in the space where sport and business come together at SportforBusiness.com and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our latest Podcast across a range of issues from leadership and social good, to sponsorship, women in sport, technology and so much more.
You can subscribe to these wherever you get your podcasts with one single click and it would be great to have you join our leading community of sports business professionals.
Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
Today we are talking about inclusion and the importance of sport doing more to be welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community.
It’s Pride month and the march has taken place with its usual mix of colour and laughter, though still with an undercurrent that we are nowhere near being there in terms of a full welcome for those seen as being in some way different.
One of the companies that has been doing the best they can, and which this year introduced an Allyship Alley at the stadium which bears its name is Aviva.
We sat down with Brian O’Neill the company’s Head of Sponsorship and Sustainability here in Ireland to talk about the importance of doing the right thing for the right reasons.
We also chat about employment, the importance of speaking to the right people, about gender identity and plenty more, so let’s see where we got to…
Find out more about what we do in the space where sport and business come together at SportforBusiness.com and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our latest Podcast across a range of issues from leadership and social good, to sponsorship, women in sport, technology and so much more.
You can subscribe to these wherever you get your podcasts with one single click and it would be great to have you join our leading community of sports business professionals.
Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
Today we are talking about the business of football, with thanks to our football partner Sky.
The FAI has unveiled an €863 million plan to radically upgrade the facilities and infrastructure in which the game is played in Ireland.
We have covered the plan in detail on sport for business.com where you are welcome to go and have a look, and indeed to download the full plan to study at your leisure.
We had an opportunity to chat to the FAI Chair Roy Barrett about the plan
And a little about the challenges he has faced in the role since taking it on.
Find out more about what we do in the space where sport and business come together at SportforBusiness.com and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our latest Podcast across a range of issues from leadership and social good, to sponsorship, women in sport, technology and so much more.
You can subscribe to these wherever you get your podcasts with one single click and it would be great to have you join our leading community of sports business professionals.
Today we have a one off series of conversations recorded at the launch of the Pittsburgh Steelers into an island of Ireland marketing partnership.
We spoke to the Head of NFL Europe Brett Gosper, to GAA President Larry McCarthy and first of all to Dan Rooney, the Director of Business development and Strategy with the team and part of the fabled family that own the franchise. That was a good place to start the conversation.
Bringing a game here is a complex process, so is it realistic in the next couple of years, we asked that of Head of NFL Europe Brett Gosper.
The day was hosted at Croke Park and there is a clear link with the GAA as part of what might arise from this new venture, as we heard about from GAA President Larry McCarthy.
It is an exciting prospect and one we will be following closely over the next couple of years.
Find out more about what we do in the space where sport and business come together at SportforBusiness.com and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our latest Podcast across a range of issues from leadership and social good, to sponsorship, women in sport, technology and so much more.
You can subscribe to these wherever you get your podcasts with one single click and it would be great to have you join our leading community of sports business professionals.
The Sport for Business PwC 30 under 30 is an annual list of young people making a name for themselves in the business of sport.
PwC is all about identifying and nurturing talent so could not be a better partner in this area of what we do.
This has been our eighth year of the list and we have had the pleasure of highlighting some real stars.
Later in 2023, we will be interviewing those who made this year’s list but before that, we are going back into the archives and dropping in on some of those who went before them.
Jonny Madill was nominated for the list in 2019. Having graduated from Queens University in Belfast he packed his bags for London and is now a partner in the leading Sports and Entertainment law firm of Sheridans.
He leads a busy working life where the lines sometimes get blurred between his clear love of sport and how he works in the ecosystem
There is plenty of sound advice on building your career and absorbing knowledge from those who are willing to give advice.
Let’s see how Jonny's story might set you thinking about what is important in the way you work.
To find out more about the work we do where sport and business cross over, particularly in this area of nurturing talent, visit sportforbusiness.com.
You can subscribe to our Podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and it would be great to have you as a regular listener.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place in Paris across July, August and September 2024.
They will be the culmination of years of hard work and dedication on the part of athletes, coaches, administrators, marketers and many more.
The Road towards Paris 2024 is a Podcast series that we will be running right up to the games, talking to those who will be there, checking in on the activity that pulls such a massive event together and giving you our Sport for Business listeners a different perspective on the greatest sporting show on earth.
If you like what we are doing please like share or write a review wherever you get your podcasts or visit us at Sport for Business.com to learn more about what we do.
Today we are joined by Gavin Noble, the Chef de Mission for Team Ireland to look ahead to the most imminent step on the Road to Paris, via the European Games in Paris.
Gavin is an Olympian himself having competed in the London 2012 Games in Triathlon, now he will be the go-to guy for every aspect of Team Ireland’s preparation and performance, though he admits to not having all the answers.
Then in the second part, we are joined on Sport for Business for the first time by European and World Champion and Sport Ireland Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year in 2022 Amy Broadhurst. She's a great character and we talk about winning and losing, family, her ten-year-old self, and how her Ladies Football career with Louth came to a premature end.
To find out more about the work we do where sport and business cross over, particularly in this area of nurturing talent, visit sportforbusiness.com.
You can subscribe to our Podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and it would be great to have you as a regular listener.
The Sport for Business PwC 30 under 30 is an annual list of young people making a name for themselves in the business of sport.
PwC is all about identifying and nurturing talent so could not be a better partner in this area of what we do.
This has been our eighth year of the list and we have had the pleasure of highlighting some real stars.
Later in 2023 we will be interviewing those who made this year’s list but before that, we are going back into the archives and dropping in on some of those who went before them.
Pippa Doyle is a Global PR Manager with Whoop based out of their Dublin base and a winner last year at the European Sponsorship Awards.
She has an infectious love for what she does but everyone starts somewhere.
Over the course of 30 minutes, we talk about her career, the things that matter most, the importance of bringing your whole self to what you do and more.
Let’s see how Pippa Doyle’s story might set you thinking about what is important in the way you work.
To find out more about the work we do where sport and business cross over, particularly in this area of nurturing talent, visit sportforbusiness.com.
You can subscribe to our Podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and it would be great to have you as a regular listener.
In 2022 Clare Shine wrote an autobiography that lifted the lid on the struggles she had faced through mental health and addiction.
Being a professional footballer is not always the sunshine and glamour it can appear and in this episode of our Sport for Social Good series, in partnership with Allianz, we spoke to Clare about how she came through and why talk is so important.
She is an ambassador for the Pieta House Electric Ireland Darkness Into Light campaign which will see 100,000 people walk and talk into the sunrise on Saturday, May 6th.
To find out more about the work we do where sport and business cross over, particularly in this area of Social Good, visit sportforbusiness.com.
You can subscribe to our Podcast wherever you get your podcasts from and it would be great to have you as a regular listener.
To find out more or to donate to Pieta House go to darknessintolight.ie.
And if you like Clare's story you can pick up 'Scoring Goals in the Dark at all good bookshops.
Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast.
Today we bring you the latest in our Leadership Series where we talk to the CEOs of our leading sporting organisations about their plans, their hopes, their ambitions and their favourite things.
John Feehan was for many years the top man at the Six Nations and the British and Irish Lions.
After a short break, in November 2021, he took up the reins with a bigger and rounder ball as the CEO of Basketball Ireland.
We sat with him in Dublin to talk about the game and where it is going…
Find out more about what we do in the space where sport and business come together at SportforBusiness.com and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our latest Podcast across a range of issues from leadership and social good, to sponsorship, women in sport, technology and so much more.
You can subscribe to these wherever you get your podcasts with one single click and it would be great to have you join our leading community of sports business professionals.
Today we bring you the latest in the Sport for Social Good Series, in partnership with our friends at Allianz.
Darkness Into Light takes place on Saturday May 6th. Very early in the morning.
It’s a ten-year partnership between Pieta House and Electric Ireland and we popped into the new Electric Ireland Headquarters to have a chat about it with the company’s Executive Director, Pat Fenton.
It will bring 100,000 souls out of their beds, or maybe out before they’ve gone to bed, to walk at over 200 locations up and down the country.
It’s a very special morning where mental fitness and remembering those lost to suicide are to the fore.
Walking into the dawn, and talking out the feelings that thrive in the darkness, but this simple idea needs a lot of support to come to life, Let’s find out how that happens
darknessintolight.ie
sportforbusiness.com
To find out more about our Sport for Social Good coverage and all of our news and analysis from the commercial world of sport, visit us at SportforBusiness.com.
Subscribe to our podcast where you get yours. We generally drop a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday across a range of different subjects.
Technology is forever changing the way that sport is played, ruled, watched, consumed, prepared for, and engaged with.
In this Sport for Business Podcast series, we explore the areas where change is happening, from Ireland and around the world, talking to the people who are creating that change.
This morning we go to just outside Sheffield in England, to speak to Jonny Turner, Chief Operating Officer with Sport:80 a technology business helping sports administrators to do their jobs better.
Using data to increase engagement can also create additional revenue streams and improve the experience all along the line from your elite to grassroots.
We speak about the challenges of transition from 'the way things were always done, and the importance of continual improvement.
To find out more about our Sports Technology coverage and all of our news and analysis from the commercial world of sport, visit us at SportforBusiness.com
Our Tuesday Podcast this week is the first in a new series looking at sponsorship opportunities across the Irish sporting landscape.
We will talk to sporting rights holders, teams and individuals about what it is that might make their proposal stand out and deliver for a brand looking to engage the hearts and minds of an audience that they can reach.
This series has grown out of our annual Sponsorship Showcase event which takes place each year bringing brands and sporting properties together to see what might be of interest.
In today's episode, we met with Kevin Keane, the Head of Sponsorship, Marketing and Communications at Triathlon Ireland.
We talk about the opportunity, the demographic of Triathlon participants, why the sport can be a winner for a brand and the importance of being able to demonstrate a clear ability to deliver on activation.
Technology is forever changing the way that sport is played, ruled, watched, consumed, prepared for, and engaged with.
In this Sport for Business Podcast series, we explore the areas where change is happening, from Ireland and around the world, talking to the people who are creating that change.
This morning we go to Boston Massachusetts, to speak to Mike Colarossi, Vice President, innovation, product line management and sustainability, Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison.
Their Embelex brand is responsible for the labels and numbers you see every day on football shirts across the top European Leagues, in the NFL and the NBA.
They are more than just numbers though as we discovered over the course of the conversation,
To find out more about our Sports Technology coverage and all of our news and analysis from the commercial world of sport, visit us at SportforBusiness.com
The SSE Airtricity League is in the final countdown for a new season that promises to be the biggest, best and most important of recent years.
A new branding, the renaming of the Women's Premier Division, two new teams coming into the mix, and plenty more besides.
We went to the launch of the League for the first in our new Business of Football Podcast, in partnership with our friends at Sky Ireland, and we spoke to Mark Scanlon the League director at the FAI, and to Leanne Sheill, Senior Sponsorship manager at SSE Airtricity about their hopes and plans for the season ahead.
We will be bringing you more content from the League and the wider world of the Business of Football over the course of the year but first up, here are Leanne and first Mark on the Sport for Business Podcast.
In this second episode of our Women in Sport podcast we turn our attention to coaching.
Áine Kinsella is the assistant coach with the Wexford Senior Man's Football team competing in the Allianz League and the Leinster Championship. She is a rarity, for now, as a woman in what remains a man's world but there is evidence throughout our conversation on how that can be changed.
We speak of her route to where she is, the doubts that assailed her along the way, the importance of mentorship and the role models of female coaches that were involved in her playing career.
It is worth staying to the end as we move into talking about the Allianz #StandStrong campaign and the courage it takes at times just to be a woman.
The Sport for Business Women in Sport Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Lidl.
Back in November Warren Deutrom, the CEO of Cricket Ireland joined us on the podcast to talk about the advance of the sport here in Ireland and the ambition to compete at the highest level on the world stage.
He also spoke of the disappointment that the Government had not at that time been persuaded of the merits of infrastructure investment to build a national arena for Cricket.
On Friday word came through that planning could now commence on the construction of an arena at the Sport Ireland Campus.
We had to go back to find out more about the feeling of elation this produced, what happens next and what will be the timetable from shovel min the ground to hosting part of the 2030 T20 Cricket World Cup.
One in four women suffers domestic abuse behind the closed doors of their home. This is a shocking figure and Allianz wants us all to Stand Strong against abuse on Monday, February 6th.
Today's podcast is the first in our Sport for Business Sport for Social Good series, backing up the annual report and annual conference we will be hosting towards the end of March 2023.
We were joined by Valerie Hedin of Allianz and Paralympic Gold Medallist Ellen Keane to talk about the importance of standing up and lending the weight of sporting celebrity to this really important campaign.
Join us over the coming weeks as we dive deeper into this world of how sport can be a power for change and social good in a number of different ways.
It's the start of the Lidl National League in Ladies Gaelic Football and we were at the launch to chat with some of the players.
Dublin Captain Carla Rowe told us what it was like picking herself up after last year and featuring on the Man United Instagram account.
Two-time All-Ireland Champion Emma Duggan speaks about how things have changed in the backroom at Meath, and Nicola Ward tells us what it is like to have won an All-Ireland Club title with her local club.
We finish off chatting with Lidl Senior Partnership Manager Joe Mooney on how the sponsorship has developed over eight years and what we can look forward to in 2023.
The second in our Insight Podcast series is a conversation with Rob Pearson about the Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Sentiment Index, published in December 2022.
We chat about the nature of a broad-based survey and the different perspectives that can give.
We cover the importance of team and individual in capturing the imagination and the admiration of the public, and we dive into those that are consistently hitting the mark in that area.
There is a conversation about the best sporting moments of the year, how the public is experiencing them, and the importance of social media in amplifying stories.
We hope you enjoy the chat and you can find out more about the Survey and about what else we do at sportforbusiness.com.
In the fifth episode of our Sport for Business Leadership series we speak to Hamish Adams, CEO of Athletics Ireland.
How did a boy born on a farm in rural New Zealand end up at the helm of Irish Athletics and what are the 4 M's that summarise what he is implementing across the sport?
We talk about the expectations in a sport that every country in the world wants to win at, and the surge of young talent coming through.
Hamish's inspirational book choice involves a Ferrari and a Monk.
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with those that are making a difference across the sporting sector in Ireland and further afield.
In the fourth episode of our Sport for Business Leadership series we speak to Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland.
We talk about the highs and lows of performance; about bringing a sport from an employee base of one to 40 and turnover of €250,000 to more than €12 million; about the ambition to make cricket mainstream in Ireland, matching its position elsewhere around the world.
We discuss the frustration of not having a permanent national home for the sport and the potential reputational damage that will do as we progress.
We finish with an imaginary lunch in the Grand Hotel in Malahide and find out which heroes from in and outside sport would be sitting at the table.
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with those that are making a difference across the sporting sector in Ireland and further afield.
This is the first of a new Sport for Business Podcast Series where we look behind the why of sports policy and sports thinking.
We will talk to researchers and those who crunch the numbers behind performance, participation and different aspects of our sporting life.
First up is Benny Cullen, the Director of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland.
We talk about the importance of the Irish Sports Monitor, how research guides us toward good choices, and plenty more.
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with GAA President Larry McCarthy FAI CEO Jonathan Hill and plenty more...
In the third episode of our Sport for Business Leadership series we speak to Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O'Connor.
How did a player who won twelve inter-county All-Ireland titles transition into the world of sports administration and how easy did she find it at first to master the detail and the strategy of representing sport in all its forms to the Government and other interested parties?
We talk through the five key points of what sport needs from the Government even as budget concerns bite around the cost of living and energy crises.
We consider why sport did relatively well as opposed to other sectors in Government response over the last five years and the benefits that come from having a really professional approach to the benefits and the financial impact that your sector can have.
We finish by finding out which of the two Gaelic Games codes she preferred as a player, whether she would fancy playing AFLW down under and which three sporting heroes she would invite to a nice lunch
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with GAA President Larry McCarthy FAI CEO Jonathan Hill and plenty more...
Our latest Business of Rugby interview is with Martin Anayi, CEO of the United Rugby Championship.
It was recorded in the First Class Lounge of Hamad International Airport in Doha at the announcement of Qatar Airways as a sponsor of the Championship.
Over the course of 30 minutes, we talk about his career as a player and realisation that business was a better option, how rugby is working closer together to promote itself, why it is so important to reach out to younger fans and how that can be done.
We also discover his Irish- Iranian heritage and who he would have as ideal lunch companions.
The Business of Rugby Podcast from Sport for Business.
Our theme is to talk one-to-one with those who are making a difference off the field of play in the sport.
Today we are talking to Ben Calveley, CEO of the British and Irish Lions. We look at where the Lions sit in the rapidly changing landscape of the global game, what it is about the idea of the Lions that has endured and grown ever stronger down the years, how its commercial structure is being recast in order to provide value for sponsors and partners beyond the high of each tour and much, much more.
The Business of Rugby Podcast is supported by our friends at Bank of Ireland who are long-term partners of each of the four proud provinces of Ireland and are themselves creating a significant impact on the wellbeing of the sport.
We spoke to Ben while he was on a flying visit to Dublin and we hope you get something from the time we spent in his company and which we will now spend in yours….
If it whets your appetite early for a trip down under in 2025 then head over to Lionsrugby.com where you can find out everything there is to know about this special corner of the sport.
You can subscribe to our Sport for Business podcasts wherever you get yours from and we hope you will enjoy some great interviews we have coming up with the decision makers that are so important to how we all interact with the sports we love.
We have a Daily bulletin on all matters commercial within sport which you can sign up to at sportforbusiness.com and I look forward to your joining us again soon.
Thanks once more to Bank of Ireland, our Rugby Partners for making what we do possible, to Ben for taking the time to sit with us and chat so openly, to Peter Sweeney of Teneo for his help and especially to you for listening.
In the second episode of our Sport for Business Leadership series we speak to Dubai Duty Free CEO Colm McLoughlin.
He has been part of the Duty Free scene for more than 50 years but his entry to it took some interesting twists along the way.
He talks openly about the power of sporting sponsorship, about what works, how they became a major sponsor in tennis, golf and horseracing, and why they exited the Irish Open golf.
We find out about his love for a particular sporting tournament, a chance meeting with a famous GAA figure, and how we would need to book the entire restaurant for dinner with his sporting heroes...
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with GAA President Larry McCarthy, FAI CEO Jonathan Hill and President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Sarah Keane.
In the first episode of our Sport for Business Leadership series we speak to Sport Ireland CEO Dr Una May.
We talk about her hopes and plans for how Sport Ireland can be a positive enabler across the sports sector, about plans for creating one of the best Sports Campus facilities in the world, and about winning a lampshade in her first half marathon in Ballyferriter, County Kerry.
We find out about who she'd like to invite to dinner and plenty of important stuff.
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with GAA President Larry McCarthy, Dubai Duty Free CEO Colm McLoughlin and FAI CEO Jonathan Hill
The Sport for Business Podcast will bring you interviews with the key players in the commercial world of sport.
They will be open and frank looks behind the dressing room curtain giving you a different perspective on sport in all its many forms.
Find out more about what Sport for Business does in the commercial world of sport at www.sportforbusiness.com and join us soon for future interviews with leaders from across the sporting spectrum