Inside Track
David Chadwick | More than what meets the eye in March Madness
RealResponse chief executive David Chadwick explores how a culture of fear still lurks beneath the surface in college basketball, despite a wave of major changes that has hit other parts of the sport.
Lizzie Isherwood | F1, the US and new tech, a match made in heaven
Lizzie Isherwood, senior account director, communications, at CSM Sport & Entertainment, explains Formula 1's increasing prominence in the US and the opportunity for tech-focused brands to enter the sport.
Kevin McCullagh | A tale of two cities
SportBusiness Asia editor Kevin McCullagh says an industry exodus from Hong Kong has left Singapore as the definitive sport business 'hub' for the Southeast Asia region.
Eric Fisher | Manfred finds new level of self-reflection in labor deal
SportBusiness' US editor details how Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred displayed a notably changed tone following the completion of a hard-fought collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association.
Justin Tan | Five observations from Beijing 2022
The managing director for China at Mailman selects the most significant sports marketing developments and trends witnessed at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Andy Dolich | The medium is the message
Former NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL senior executive Andy Dolich explores how interactive technology is fundamentally altering the notions of fan engagement and sports themselves.
Sampson Yimer | Lessons from the Super Bowl halftime show
Sampson Yimer, senior vice president, sponsorship consulting, Momentum Worldwide, asks whether February's Super Bowl halftime show was about connecting with a younger demographic or leveraging middle-aged nostalgia
Stephen Taylor Heath | Uefa still faces delicate decision over Gazprom deal
Stephen Taylor Heath, head of sports law, JMW Solicitors, asks whether the actions of the Russian state in Ukraine give Uefa grounds to completely terminate its sponsorship deal with Russian firm Gazprom and examines the wider implications of the conflict for sport.
Piers Dryden | Care needed with NFT deals to avoid IP infringements
As with any licensed digital content, NFTs are beholden to copyright and intellectual property law. Piers Dryden, head of technology at independent law firm Brabners, urges rights-holders to conduct due diligence before engaging with the sector.
Libby Payne | Let’s focus on the real issues and engage the enormous potential in women’s sport
Withersworldwide senior associate Libby Payne, a specialist in sport and employment matters, argues that historic debates about women’s sport – such as whether tennis grand slam prize money is fair – get in the way of the real issues holding back progress.
Chris Hurst | Women’s sport more visible than ever, but it still needs to build repeat viewership
With 2022 promising one of the most exciting women’s sports calendars in history, Chris Hurst, trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust, examines where the growth opportunities are for the industry.
James Fenn | TikTok to supercharge sport with community-first approach
James Fenn, associate director, sports, at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, argues that TikTok’s landmark new deal as title partner of the Women’s Six Nations has the potential to unlock what has always been the strongest asset of sport: the power of the community
Mark Dreyer | How a political endorsement aided the rise of China’s sportswear champion Anta
Journalist Mark Dreyer has worked in the Chinese sports industry since 2007, during a period of incredible transformation. This article is an extract from his recent book about his experiences, Sporting Superpower: An Insider's View on China's Quest to be the Best.
James Arnold: Image rights payments come under scrutiny in Jordon Ibe v Bournemouth
James Arnold, associate at law firm Cooke, Young and Keidan examines how the UK tax authority’s scrutiny of player image rights payments has complicated a legal dispute between footballer Jordon Ibe and EFL Championship side Bournemouth AFC
Ian Paynton | The Vietnam opportunity
Home to superfans and voracious consumers of sports content, Vietnam has great potential for the sports industry. But it’s got to be approached with tact, says Ian Paynton, co-founder of Hanoi-based content agency We Create Content.
David Hasenfratz | Personalised advertising is on the horizon for sport
David Hasenfratz, chief technology officer for virtual advertising firm UniqFEED, argues personalised pitchside advertising will soon be possible in sport and describes the technological steps that will be needed to deliver it.
Five lessons from Michael Payne’s Olympic opus
The former IOC marketing chief’s coffee table book on Olympic history covers the inner workings and external forces that helped shape the IOC’s commercial development. Matthew Glendinning, editor of SportBusiness Sponsorship, draws five personal conclusions from Payne’s opus.
International sports organisations face a transformed landscape in China
The cost of doing business in China is increasing for many international sports industry players, says SportBusiness Asia-Pacific editor Kevin McCullagh.