FOOTBALL BUSINESS Podcast by FBIN

In this episode, Robin Austermann, Head of Europe & LATAM - Sales & Audiovisual Rights, shares insights into the Bundesliga's media rights strategy. From tackling piracy to engaging a new generation of viewers, the league is redefining media rights through innovation to stay ahead in football broadcasting. We dived into several exciting questions: 1) The Current State of Media Rights in European Football and the German Bundesliga 2) How does Bundesliga tackle piracy and illegal streaming, especially in emerging markets?  3) How does the Bundesliga adapt to the changing viewing habits of younger fans? 4) What makes the Bundesliga's media rights strategy different from other top leagues? 5) How will the media rights landscape change in the next five years?

In this episode, Markus Klausmann, Director of Sales and Partnerships (DACH & CEE) at Stats Perform, shares his journey of blending a lifelong passion for football with cutting-edge innovation. Born into a family with a rich football tradition, Markus reflects on fulfilling his childhood dream through a partnership with kicker, gaining inspiration from his digital-native son about Gen Z's evolving engagement with the sport, and why data-driven storytelling is essential for leagues and clubs.

In this episode, we sat down with Vladimir Liulka, CEO and Founder of Blocksport.io, a Web3-ready sports tech company specializing in digital fan engagement and innovative solutions for clubs, leagues, and federations. We explore how Web3 technology is redefining fan engagement and transforming the football industry. Vladimir shared his journey from tech innovator to sports tech pioneer, delving into how blockchain, AI, and digital tools are creating a new layer of connection between clubs and their biggest asset—the fans.

We sat down with Staffan Holmberg, a behavioral researcher and leader at Djurgården Skolidrott, the Djurgården School Sports Association of Djurgårdens IF Fotboll. Staffan shares the eye-opening journey of how Djurgården, one of Stockholm's most iconic football clubs, went beyond just playing the game to launch a school sports program with a transformative 30-year vision. Djurgården Skolidrott is about fostering physical activity in children and building a legacy deeply rooted in the community. This episode is full of inspiring insights that extend far beyond football, covering topics like community engagement, sustainability, and the long-term impact of sports on society.

"If one day I write my book on professional sports ownership, it'll be the shortest book ever. It's location, location, location." This quote is just one of the key hooks in this inspiring episode with Brett Johnson, a seasoned football owner and investor. Brett is the Chairman and Co-Founder of United Soccer League side Rhode Island FC, a shareholder in Premier League club Ipswich Town, and part of the ownership group behind Phoenix Rising in Arizona. In this episode, we dive into several thrilling topics, including: - Brett's journey into the world of football business and club ownership - His thoughts on the differences between the U.S. and English football markets - Insights on the American soccer system and the absence of relegation - What sets the United Soccer League (USL) apart and its massive potential - The X-Factor in football: the critical role of real estate and location Tune in to hear Brett's invaluable insights on building a football empire!

FROM DIPLOMAT AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO VALENCIA AND BURNLEY FC Diplomacy and football might seem like two different worlds—one is political and academic, serious, while the other is fueled by passion, emotion, and entertainment. How can someone transition from being a diplomat to leading top European football clubs? That's the story we uncover in this episode with Sean Bai. From working as a diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore to leading the Valencia CF, and now serving as Chief of Staff at Burnley FC, Sean's story is sure to inspire anyone who dreams of working for top European football clubs despite you're coming from a different industry or from a smaller football region. The Dream is Possible. ---------------------- If you're aspiring to find a job in the football business industry or you're a recruiting manager for your organization, don't miss our newly launched football career platform: https://www.footballbusinessinside.com/careers Passionate about E-Sports, sustainability, and digital innovation? 1. FC Magdeburg is hiring "Head of eSports, Sustainability and Digital" ! Lead their E-Sports team, drive sustainability, and enhance digital infrastructure. Check out more details here: https://www.footballbusinessinside.com/job?slug=leiter/in-esport,-nachhaltigkeit-und-digital-(m/w/d)-71

In this episode, we caught up with Michal Mertinyak, the Executive Director of the Slovak League (Niké Liga). Michal shared the inside story of how the league has thrived in recent years, including the incredible feat of doubling its broadcasting revenue in a three-year cycle. Join us as we dive into the success factors and challenges that have driven this remarkable growth.

Why embark on a new journey at FC Magdeburg when FC St. Pauli finally got promoted to the Bundesliga in 2024? This was one of the key questions we explored in our candid conversation with Martin Geisthardt, the former Head of Sales and Marketing at St. Pauli and now the Managing Director at FC Magdeburg. 

Did you know the only Swedish club to ever win the European Cups, not once but twice, was IFK Göteborg? In this episode, we chatted with Marcus Modéer, Head of Communication at IFK Göteborg. Marcus shared what makes this sleeping giant of Scandinavian football special, why they were called “The Last Proletarians of Football,”  how they monetized premium content to open up a €300k revenue stream, and much more.Also, If you're looking for a job in the football business or you're a recruiting manager for your club, check out our newly launched FBIN Career, where we connect talent with opportunities here: https://www.footballbusinessinside.com/careers  

We sat down with Giorgos Lagaris, the Chief Commercial Officer of PAOK. We've discovered that the real magic of our podcast unfolds when our guests share their deeply personal journeys—and Giorgos truly delivered. He recounted the pivotal moment he chose to leave a secure management role for an uncertain internship at Sportfive, how that decision ultimately led him to PAOK, and his rich experiences in both Greece and Germany. Throughout our conversation, Giorgos offered a treasure trove of advice for aspiring professionals, all woven through personal stories that were so powerful, they gave us goosebumps.

Welcome to the first episode of our new series, Football Business Insider! Our goal is to provide real-life stories from professionals working in the football industry. In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Gary Udhwani, Regional Manager for Europe at LaLiga. Gary's story is unique—born in the Canary Islands of Spain, with Indian roots, he transcended a pool of 12,000 candidates to secure his first position. Over the past six years, he has advanced his career in football and now manages nine LaLiga delegates across 32 countries in Europe. Have a listen to Gary's story!Key questions: 1. How did you first enter the football industry and land your current job at LaLiga? 2. What was that exact moment where you got the first job at LaLiga? 3. Can you walk us through a typical day as a Business Development Manager for your Europe? Like your daily routine and main responsibilities 4. What are your biggest challenges regarding your role? 5. What do you enjoy most about your role?  6. What tips would you give to young professionals who want to pursue a role similar to yours, specifically in business development in football?

In this epsiode, we cover the key questions below:Why was EintrachtTech established, and what are its main missions and objectives?It's pretty common for clubs nowadays to have their own digital or technology department. But why does the club want to have a separate company for this?What are the key business pillars of  EintrachtTech? What are the main challenges of digitalization you are facing in the football industry?Which digitization or technological trends do you believe will most impact the football industry?What best practices from other industries could football learn from, especially given your experience with BMW and BCG Consulting?

We spoke to Rodrigo Yavarone, Football Operations & Business Intelligence Manager at Cruz Azul. With extensive experience in European and South American football, Rodrigo now brings his expertise and passion to Mexico. In this episode, Rodrigo takes us through the dynamic world of Mexican football, the huge potential of Liga MX and stories of one of the biggest clubs in Mexico.

In this exciting episode, we dive into the distinct worlds of managing football clubs in Europe and the U.S. with Siegmund Gruber, CEO of LASK, and Drew Bentley, VP of Business Operations & Strategy at DC United. We discussed the challenges of adopting the American sports model in Europe, the success of U.S. matchday experiences, and how U.S. football can learn from European clubs' deep-rooted traditions and passion. Join us for a focused look at the contrasts and potential learnings between these two football cultures.

The key questions:The key pillars for growth strategies at FK Austria Wien in the coming years.Unique characteristics of Austrian football.Johannes's perspectives on Red Bull Salzburg's dominance and its impact on the Austrian leagues.

We are kicking off the year 2024 with a special episode - host Quang T. Pham invited FBIN's Managing Director Thomas Maurer to the show to reflect on the past, talk about the present and take a look at the future of FBIN. They discussed challenges and highlights of 2023, goals for the future and the plans for 2024.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we're focusing on sustainable fan mobility in football, a topic of growing importance for both the sport and our planet. We're joined by Georg Pangl, CEO of the Pangl Football Group, and Egon Prünster, CTO of ummadum, who are at the forefront of this movement.

This is a live interview with Zoe Brough (HR Director, Wolves) at the FBIN Conference powered by 2Mobile on 19 October 2023. Zoe was interviewed by Clemens Hinterdorfer.

Due to its remote location, Oceania is one of the most unique football regions in the world. We chatted with Steven Dillon, Clubs & Leagues Manager of the Oceania Football Confederation on distinctive characteristics of Oceania football, the challenges facing the region, and the potential legacy of FIFA's Women's World Cup 2023 hosted in Australia and New Zealand, and many more.

As the world is buzzing about ChatGPT and the limitless possibilities of AI technology, we had a chance to do an episode about AI applications in the football business industry. We are thrilled to be joined by two industry experts, Luis Viveiros, COO at Horizm, and Xavier Green, CTO at ScorePlay. Throughout this episode, we will explore various aspects of AI's impact on the football industry, including: ● The most significant AI applications in football business ● Key challenges and opportunities in adopting and implementing AI technology ● The necessary skill set and mentality for leaders and teams ● A glimpse into the future

In this episode, we have the pleasure of discussing the future of European football with Ilja Kaenzig, an experienced football executive and the current Managing Director of VfL Bochum. We dived into some of the most hotly-debated topics in the world of football, including: ● The ever-widening gap between the richest and the rest ● The Netflixation of Football ● UEFA's permanent conflict of interests ● Is the Super League a super problem or a super solution? ● Why the American-sports model cannot be implemented in European football ● What will remain the same in football?

In this episode, we discussed “Fan Engagement” with Marco Hjorth, Head of Customer Success at Crowdmanager, and Pedro Varejão Lopes, Digital Marketing Manager at Liga Portugal. We covered everything from defining different levels of fan engagement to emphasizing the importance of data. We also delved into the key factors that contribute to a successful digital activation campaign, using the Liga Portugal and Bwin case study as a prime example.

In this special episode of the Football Business Podcast, we had the pleasure of conducting a video podcast with Julia Farr, Lead Asia Pacific of Borussia Dortmund (BVB). We unveiled BVB's internationalization strategy in Southeast Asia, which is also the home region of our host, Quang T. Pham.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we spoke to Roman Krajniak, Co-Founder of Memberyo, and Pavol Bielik, Marketing Manager at Spartak Trnava. We explored why many football clubs can monetize only 7% of their fanbase, the importance of fan membership in a club's business model, and how Memberyo helped Spartak Trnava overcome the typical challenges when setting up its membership platform.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we chatted with Claudio Demmer (Innovation Manager) and Jan Twete (Global Partnerships Director, North America) of VfL Wolfsburg. We deep dived into the club's internationalization strategy in the US and how innovation is defined and implemented at the German Bundesliga's side.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we spoke with Josh Simpson, Co-Owner and President of Pacific FC, about how he and two other partners founded the club and their mission to put Canadian football on the world map. Disclaimer: The episode was recorded before the World Cup 2022.

For this episode host Quang T. Pham invited Dr. Adam Metelski and Dr. Slaven Marasovic, both working for LTT Sports, to talk about their extensive research on the essential guide to building a successful football youth academy.

In the first episode of the fourth season of the Football Business Podcast, host Quang T. Pham discusses the idea of a multinational league including the concrete case of the Baltic League with Maksims Krivunecs, Executive Chairman of the Latvian Football Virslīga and member of the Board of Directors of the European Leagues.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we talked to Luis Viveiros, Chief Operating Officer at Horizm, and Diogo Canas, Head of Social Media of S.L. Benfica about football clubs can use their digital channels to grow their fanbase and then also monetize that reach.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we talked about financial sustainability. What does it mean, why is it important and how can it be achieved? As guests we invited Pál Orosz, CEO of the Hungarian football club and FBIN Network member Ferencváros and Dr. Florian Hohmann, Senior Lecturer in Financial Management at the University of St. Gallen.

In this episode of the Football Business Podcast, we discussed how football clubs can increase attendance post-covid with Mark Bradley, Director of the Fan Experience Company, and Shaun Lockwood, Chief Operating Officer of Doncaster Rovers.

In this episode, we are discussing the very successful shirt-campaigns of VfL Bochum. We invited Christoph Wortmann, Director Marketing & Sales of VfL Bochum and David Görges, Managing Director of Beyer Görges, the agency that was responsible for the marketing campaigns of Bochums latest kits.

This podcast episode is the recording of our panel discussion at the Digital Deep Dive: Discovering the potential of live-data in sports. Ralf Leister moderates the discussion with Maximilian Schmidt (Co-Founder & Managing Director, KINEXON Sports & Media), Nicolas Evans (Head of Football and Research, FIFA) and Frank Bohmann (Managing Director, LIQUI MOLY HBL). The videos of the discussion and the individual presentations of Maximilian Schmidt, Nicolas Evans and Frank Bohmann are available for members of the FBIN Network on our website.

For this episode, we invited Mark Simmons and Brandon Barca from Nashville SC to talk about how the club is using business intelligence to evolve. Mark Simmons is Senior Director, Business Intelligence and Brandon Barca Senior Director, Digital Strategy at the club from the state of Tennessee. We are looking at the whole data journey, from gathering it to processing, predicting and using it.

We are back with the third season of the FOOTBALL BUSINESS Podcast, hosted by Quang T. Pham. For episode one, we invited Benedicte Halvorsen, Marketing and Communications Coordinator and Ørjan Berg, Head of the Youth Department of FK Bodö/Glimt. They talk about sustainability in football and how Bodö/Glimt is living an breathing sustainability and also increased their revenues and made the club more relevant by embracing it.

For the final episode of this season we invited Alexander Mamalyha, Marketing Director of Shakhtar Donetsk and Fan Relations expert Bas Schnater. Hosted by Fabio Schaupp, they discuss how to use data to understand a club's fanbase.

For this episode we invited Mats Enquist, CEO of the Swedish Football League and Niclas Carlnén, CEO of Malmö FF to talk about how a league can support its clubs in their development and growth. Time for some great insights with host Fabio Schaupp, Mats Enquist and Niclas Carlnén.

For this episode we have brought extensive international know-how on board. Host Fabio Schaupp is discussing how clubs can become media houses with Juan Iraola, Chief Innovation Officer at Real Sociedad, James Bisgrove, Commercial & Marketing Director at Rangers FC and Matthew Lentowczyk, CEO of TISA Group.

This time Fabio Schaupp invited two experts to talk about how to win Asia when you are not Manchester City, Juventus or Real Madrid but a small club. These are Nuno Santos, Marketing Director of Rio Ave FC from Portugal and Cesare Polenghi, CEO of the Asia-based digital media agency Ganassa, who are also a Knowledge Partner of FOOTBALL BUSINESS INSIDE.

In this episode Fabio Schaupp discusses how football clubs can develop themselves into modern digital organizations. For this, he invited Timm Jäger, CEO at EintrachtTech GmbH, a subsidiary of Eintracht Frankfurt and responsible for all strategic digital projects of the club, and Thomas Funke, Managing director of TechQuartier, a partner of Eintracht Frankfurt.

For this episode host Fabio Schaupp invited two brand experts. Bernd Schusky is the former Head of Brand Communication of the German football league (DFL) and is now working as consultant. German Schulz is Head of Brand Management at VfL Wolfsburg.

Host Fabio Schaupp invited Gijs van Puijenbroek, Strategy Director at SportsCloud, and Joeri Verbossen, Head of Marketing Intelligence at PSV Eindhoven, to talk about how to use a club's fan data in the best possible way.

VfL Bochums Managing Director Ilja Kaenzig is leading us through the efforts of the club to achieve their goals, is sharing insights on the 2. Bundesliga and his view on European football business.

How an American investor is turning the tide for a Danish with a hands on approach. Jordan Gardner, chairman of the Board & Co-Owner of FC Helsingør talks about his approach to develop a club and international talent. Disclaimer: The podcast was recorded in June. After recording the episode FC Helsingør clinched the promotion to the Danish second division.

Peter Hambüchen, Head of Global Operations, about Borussia Mönchengladbachs internationalization strategy.

Podcast host Dimitrios Markakis is talking to Thomas Maurer, the founder of FOOTBALL BUSINESS INSIDE about the founding of the platform and the its future.