Business of Sport

Carlos Brathwaite is a West Indies Cricket legend, and I don’t say that lightly. His match winning innings in the 2016 T20 World Cup wrote his name in the record books, at the expense of England and added him to a long list of extraordinary West Indian cricketers doing incredible things on the world stage of cricket. But the team, organisation, it's players are facing an uncertain future. The finances of cricket have been well documented on this show, and seeing West Indies having to take loans from the ICC and an inability to make money from test cricket in particular unless England or India come to town is a sad state of affairs, but also worrying for the viability of long form cricket. You lose teams like the West Indies from the set up and you lose the heart of the sport, and I don’t say that lightly. This is now a very realistic potential outcome. So what needs to happen to protect this heritage brand as Carlos describes it? He was a top performer on the biggest stages and that seems to have transitioned to the next phase of his career based on this chat. And a fan of the show, what more could we ask for. I’m delighted to welcome Carlos to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
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Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
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In what is virtually a Man City free show this week, we were reminded of how much is still going on in the world of sport. It’s a week where a number of topics we’ve covered over the last few months seem to have had major developments, from the WTA to LIV 2.0’s most recent deadline to what looks like the recovery of Gianni Infantino. Add to this a proper look at what is happening in French football as the business struggles continue to blight the league, and a look at whether trouble could be hitting Italy next, and we have ourselves a breakdown.

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠charlie@20vc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Fanbase
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transferroom
⁠www.transferroom.com/businessofsport⁠

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If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com⁠⁠

Stuart Cain is the CEO of Warwickshire, one of England’s most historic sporting institutions and the newly crowned champions of the 4-day game. This is a case for county cricket from Championship winners themselves. It’s a format that comes under a lot of heat: poor attendances and a challenging business model make it an easy target. Stuart puts forward one of the most compelling cases for not just the County Championship, but also the Blast, which has taken a back seat in the shadow of the Hundred. Bringing it all together, the underlying argument is that you can’t look at cricket formats in isolation. County Cricket may not make money, but the England Test team does. Where do those players come from? I won’t give away the whole show. Let’s get to it. I’m delighted to welcome Stuart to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geminisports.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
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The Football Regulator has released the first draft of its State of the Game report. Lock in. This is like Christmas for Charlie Snr. After months of talking about what could come from it, Charlie delivers an explanation for the ages, even by his standards. Add to this a look at the damage the City case is doing to the Premier League after a crushing result at Anfield, a check in with F1 which is balancing excellent business reportings with murmurings of discontent, and a long overdue look at the AJ vs Fury fight which for now seems like it’s finally going to happen. A big emphasis on for now. All of that plus a deeper look at Everton’s impending sale on Substack, and we have ourselves a Breakdown.

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠charlie@20vc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Fanbase
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.fanbaseclub.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transferroom
www.transferroom.com/businessofsport

Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com⁠⁠

What happens when a football club goes into administration? It’s a fans worst nightmare. An owner who decides they can no longer fund the club and as a result the community asset that has been the bedrock of many people’s lives for over a century faces closure. That is exactly what happened with Torquay United. 125 years old with a long history of Football League participation could not protect them from financial disaster. Then came Michael Westcott, Mark Bowes-Cavanagh, and their consortium of Torquay fans, all business people who couldn’t let their club disappear.
Having two people in the chair opposite was a welcome change, both with different skills and experiences but one ambition: to restore this football club to the EFL and bring the community pride back to the team. The business reality of getting that done is another thing entirely though. I love these stories; proper football conversations from the part of the pyramid that can often be overlooked. I’m delighted to welcome Michael & Mark to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geminisports.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com⁠⁠