Business of Sport

• Graeme Le Saux, Fmr Chelsea & Blackburn Player: ‘Big Money Transfers Can Break Players’ (Ep.88)

  This week we’re delighted to welcome Graeme Le Saux to the show. A Chelsea, Blackburn and England icon, Graeme played over 500 club games, 327 of them in the Premier League, as well as 36 caps for England. There was more than enough in here to just enjoy some unparalleled sporting nostalgia, from Blackburn’s insane Premier League title to playing in the infamous David Beckham red card match at the 1998 World Cup. But you know that’s not our style; what Graeme brings to this conversation is both a reflection on his experiences handling the turbulent world of a footballer alongside the more macro issues facing the game. He did have a different background, different interests, and unique way of approaching the celebrity that comes with football. Having been a record transfer for a defender when he moved to Chelsea for £5.5m in 1997, he also gets what it is to play with expectation and pressure that can humanise players we fans often treat as emotionless machines.It touches on many of the key points we always look to build on, from asset inflation and club overspending to the responsibility of player education. A special player with a special outlook on both football and life as a top level athlete…and as you’ll no doubt lock onto he brought a big dose of humour to accompany it. Timestamps:00:00 Intro05:28 How the PL Has Changed Since Graeme Played09:25 The Reality of Changing Teams13:08 Is It the Club’s Fault When Talent Leaves for Free?14:36 Are Players Now More Valuable Than Clubs?16:33 How Signing-On Fees Change Transfers24:22 Are Football Clubs Passion Projects or Investments?26:47 How Big Was Abramovich’s Arrival in the Dressing Room?29:56 Thinking About Finances While Playing43:26 Why Many Players Struggle Financially After Football51:01 If I Could Change One Game54:43 The Added Pressure of Social Media on Players59:23 What It’s Like Covering the Premier League in America01:00:39 The Future of MLS01:05:15 Quick-Fire RoundIn Today's Episode We Discuss:1. Life at the Start of the Premier League:What it was like to play before and after the birth of the Premier League.How TV money and sponsorship transformed football into the global powerhouse it is today.The pressure of record transfer fees and why Graeme struggled at first to justify being Britain’s most expensive defender2. Transfers, Contracts & the Media:How moving clubs is about more than football, from dressing-room dynamics to family upheaval.The realities of modern contracts, signing-on fees, and bonuses.Why players today hold more power than ever, and what that means for clubs facing Bosman deals and free transfersHow social media has changed the scrutiny players face, both positively and negatively.3. Blackburn’s Title & Chelsea’s Rebirth:Inside the story of Blackburn’s Premier League win and why money alone wasn’t the reason for their success.What really happened in the final days before Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea and how one game against Liverpool effectively saved the club from administration.Why investment can change a club’s fortunes but only if combined with identity, culture, and the right management.4. Education, Identity & Life After Football:Why Graeme refused to conform in the dressing room and why he’s proud he stuck to his values even when it made life harder.The importance of education and broader interests for young players, and why football needs to do more to support life beyond the pitch.The shock of retirement, coping with irrelevance, and why building purpose and relationships off the field is essential.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show:Stryde Bringing sports investment opportunities to your door. Visit ⁠https://www.gostryde.com/ to become part of the movement!

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• James Vowles, Williams Team Principal: ‘The Plan to make Williams F1 World Champions…Again’ (Ep87)

  When we recorded this show the day before James flew out to Baku, we did not expect Williams to be up on the podium delivering in real life what James was theoretically describing to us on the show. Podiums are of course part of the development plan, but not yet. When James came to see us at Business of Sport HQ last week, we talked through both what he has done to position the team for future success, and what he still needs to do. In a sport that requires so many minds pulling together, utilising a vast array of talents, the prospect of building what is popularly termed as ‘winning culture’ could seem daunting; where do you even start? For James, it was recognising that even in a sport of technology and science, people and culture are what makes you win. This weekend’s result would place Williams ahead of where James has set expectations. But don’t get me wrong, this result in Baku will have been celebrated in the halls of Grove, because no matter how long term the strategy for success is, these wins you pick up on the way are integral to showing the team that what they’re doing is on the right path, and from James’ perspective (though he’d never look at it like this) that he’s the man to deliver for them. This is James Vowles on the business of Williams and F1…and a taste of what’s to come.Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:54 Rebuilding Williams Through Culture07:18 Balancing Past Success with a New Identity10:54 Williams’ Long-Term Plan for Success17:31 What Vowles Brings to Sainz & Albon22:35 Can Money Alone Deliver F1 Success?25:22 Does Losing Money Matter in F1 Ownership?28:23 Turning Heavy Investment Into Performance30:45 Williams’ New Revenue Streams34:25 How Teams Compete for the Same Sponsors37:37 Will Formula 1 Control Its Own Platform41:30 Overcoming Challenges as a New Team Principal46:10 The Mediafication of F1 Leadership47:30 Quick-Fire RoundIn Today's Episode We Discuss:1. Rebuilding Williams from the Ground Up:Why James left the comfort of Mercedes to take on the challenge of reviving one of Formula One’s most historic but struggling teams.How he discovered Williams was “a bankrupt organisation” on arrival and why he likens it to running a 50-year-old startup.The long-term plan to make Williams both competitive and profitable again by 2028, balancing heavy investment with financial disciplineHow James is instilling accountability, long-term thinking, and a “break everything” mindset to push the team beyond survival.2. The Culture of Performance:The importance of ego-free leadership from drivers like Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz in shaping a winning environmentThe real split between car and driver performance and why drivers remain the best “sensors” for development.What James learned from working with Schumacher, Rosberg, and Hamilton, and how those lessons are applied to Albon and Sainz today.Why humility, confidence, and resilience separate the very best drivers from the rest3. The Business of F1:The realities of cost caps, sponsorship, and commercial growth in modern F1.Why Williams’ sponsorship strategy is about authentic partnerships, not stickers on a car and how deals like Atlassian reflect the team’s values.James’ candid view on asset values, media rights, and how F1 must evolve its broadcasting model to engage younger fans4. The Future of the Sport:Why two-day race weekends could be the future, and how unpredictability makes F1 compelling.His view on an 11th team, the balance of tradition versus innovation, and how Netflix and Drive to Survive changed the sport’s global appeal.What excites him most about the years ahead: leaving a lasting legacy at Williams and returning the team to the front of the grid.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show:Stryde Bringing sports investment opportunities to your door. Visit www.gostryde.com to become part of the movement!

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• Patrick Mouratoglou: From Serena to Djokovic, What Makes the Best Players in the World? (Ep86)

  This week we’re delighted to welcome Patrick Mouratoglou to the show. Patrick is one of tennis' most successful coaches, working with Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov, Simona Halep to name a few. Perhaps most famous for his collaboration with Serena Williams where they won 10 Grand Slams together, it’s regarded as one of the most successful coach-player relationships in tennis history.Alongside this, Patrick is the founder of the world-renowned Mouratoglou Tennis Academy. The academy has nurtured hundreds of elite players including Coco Gauff, Holger Rune and Stefanos Tsitsipas through a personalized, high-performance training model. It combines cutting-edge facilities with academic programs, helping student-athletes from over 45 countries balance education and sport. The academy has become a global brand with satellite centers in China, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Dubai and the U.S.Patrick’s new book ‘Champion Mindset’ takes the position of transferring everything he has learned in tennis to apply to everyday life. Believe it or not, what makes Serena so successful won’t be too far away from what can work for you, in business, performance, or just general life. I have put the link in the bio (not an advert!) because it’s one of the best books I’ve read. This is an inspiring conversation that I know you will love, whether a big tennis fan or just interested in the philosophies of nurturing top talent.On today’s show we discuss: Coaching the Greats:Inside the 10-year partnership with Serena Williams that delivered 10 Grand Slams and is regarded as one of the greatest player–coach relationships in history.Why courage, honesty, and “never being afraid to get fired” are central to coaching elite athletes.Lessons from working with Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov and others and the unique challenges of guiding champions at different stages of their careers.The Philosophy of Confidence:Why success is built on stacking “little victories” and creating positive experiences every day.How champions like Murray, Djokovic, and Serena win even when they’re not playing well and how to transfer that mindset to business and everyday life.The art of knowing what to say, when to say it, and when to say nothing at all.The Mouratoglou Academy & Champion Mindset:How his academy became Europe’s biggest and now spans 14 global centers, producing players like Coco Gauff, Holger Rune, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.The importance of combining world-class training with education to make tennis accessible beyond the elite.Patrick’s new book Champion Mindset and why the same principles that drove Serena to greatness can apply to anyone in sport, business, or life.Champion Mindset by Patrick Mouratoglou (Yellow Kite: £20)A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show:StrydeBringing sports investment opportunities to your door. Visit www.gostryde.com to become part of the movement!

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• Mark Hammond, CEO Bromley: ‘ You Don't Need to Play in the Premier League to Have a Premier League Mindset’ (Ep85)

  This week we’re delighted to welcome Mark Hammond to the show. Mark is the CEO of Bromley, one of the EFL’s emerging success stories. Having only played one full season in the football league and finishing a hugely respectable 11th last year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the the early stages of this club’s acclimatisation to top level football would focus on consolidation and survival. You’d be wrong, as Mark clearly told me when about to assume the same thing; this is a club whose ambition is once again promotion.But it is not just the work the first team are doing on the pitch that makes Bromley such a standout case. An academy system that focuses not just on supplying players for the first team but also providing an education and opportunities beyond the pitch for hundreds of children is going a long way to fixing some of the big problems football has when players give up everything to chase the (almost) impossible dream. Mark’s career as a player, coach and now CEO is not the path you often see to top football executive, but that’s what endears. Different ideas and approaches to building exciting, sustainable entertainment products doing the best for their fans and communities requires a different approach. ‘We’re not teaching our kids to be professional footballers; we’re teaching them to be professionals in football’. On today’s show we discuss: The Rise of Bromley FC:How Bromley went from non-league football to mid-table in their first-ever EFL season.Balancing ambition with discipline: why promotion is the goal, but not at the expense of financial sustainability.Why the relationship between owner, chief executive and manager is at the core of Bromley’s success.Community and Education at the Heart:Why Bromley is built on being a true community club, with over 350 students and 58 grassroots teams pulling on the Bromley shirt every weekend.How the club’s education system provides career pathways beyond playing. Creating “professionals in football,” whether as coaches, analysts, physios, or teachers.The importance of honesty with young players about their chances of “making it,” while still giving them an elite environment to grow.Building a Sustainable Club Model:The challenge of competing with bigger budgets while staying disciplined and creative.The academy and B-team strategy that develops players at different stages and how Bromley is already producing players for the Premier League and England youth teams.Why the best coaches in the club must be with the U14s and U18s, preparing players for the toughest transitions in football.The Future of Bromley FC:Developing Hayes Lane into a 6,000+ seater stadium and building the infrastructure for long-term growth.The balance between selling talent and ensuring homegrown players get their chance in the first team.Why the club embraces being part of fans’ “second team,” and how schools and grassroots football are key to building the next generation of supporters.A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show:StrydeBringing sports investment opportunities to your door. Visit www.gostryde.com to become part of the movement!

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• Dominic Thiem: ‘The Making of a Grand Slam Champion’ (Ep84)

  This week we’re delighted to welcome Dominic Thiem to the show. We’ve waited nearly 100 shows but finally tennis has arrived, right in the middle of the US Open, which Dominic won in a 5 set epic in 2020. One of the few non-Federer, Nadal, Djokovic players to win a slam while those three were at their peak, Dominic’s career saw him win 17 ATP titles alongside the Slam before being forced into retirement at just 31 through injury. But in his own words, Dominic describes this as a ‘new beginning not a farewell’. From playing through the most incredible era tennis has seen, losing two French Open finals to Nadal and one Australian Open to Djokovic, receiving over $30m in prize money; this is a serious education that few could even think about experiencing. So how is Dominic applying this to his life away from the court, and what is it like for a tennis player when they move on from an individual sport that requires your 100% focus? As a big tennis fan, this was a special show to do with one of the most normal and humble athletes we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. A different conversation full of unique insight delivered through the sharing of stories that we all want to know about. On today’s show we discuss: The Power of Grand Slams: What makes the four Grand Slams such incredible events to participate in…and which one did Dominic enjoy the most? Playing Rafael Nadal in two French Open finals and the aura that surrounded one of the sport’s greatest ever players. Dominic’s triumphant 2020 US Open victory; coming from two sets down to achieve his lifetime ambition. The pain of loss and the 2020 Australian Open final defeat to Djokovic. The Finances of Tennis Players: Is the distribution of revenue from tournaments to players sufficient? Can you carve out a career for yourself if you are outside of the world top 100? The importance of capitalising on success to build your value as a brand off the court. A look at the ATP’s ‘Baseline Initiative’: does the effort to ensure players have a minimum fixed annual salary work? What was it like to receive his first paycheck of €4,000 just for playing in a tournament? How are the finances divided up amongst the players team when prize money is received? How it can cost nearly $1m for a young player to reach the top of the sport! The Tennis World Today: How important has the rise of Alcaraz and Sinner been to carry forward this next phase of tennis? The importance of academies and investment into tennis to make the pathway for young players easier to navigate. Is tennis about to see a LIV golf style disruption? What rules would Dominic change to make the sport more appealing to the audience of today? A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Stryde Bringing sports investment opportunities to your door. Visit www.gostryde.com to become part of the movement!

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