Opinion

SportBusiness' US Editor looks at the National Football League's recent domestic rights renewals, and how despite a sharply enlarged focus on streaming platforms, the agreements show the league and its linear broadcast partners still need one another

SportBusiness Asia editor Kevin McCullagh says risks abound for international sports properties in China in 2021, but the UFC’s trend-bucking media-rights deal with Migu has underlined some best practice.

Michael Uva, vice-president at 160over90, explains how the NBA’s culture of evolution and embracing change has enabled it to deepen ties with fans and brands during the pandemic

Irish athlete Caradh O'Donovan says many athletes have not had appropriate training and qualification opportunities for this year's Olympics, and should have had a bigger say in the organisation of the postponed event

Giles Stanford, director, global events, for CSM Live, outlines 12 ways sports right-holders can procure, design and produce more events that take less of a toll on the environment

Jamie Cunningham, advisor to the board of virtual advertising solutions firm UniqFEED, says broadcasters should be incentivised to include virtual advertising in their sports coverage by receiving a share of the revenues generated. He argues such a model could help to maintain rights fees in the face of Covid-19 and a changing media landscape

Sebastian Page, account director at CSM Hong Kong, says Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung Min's on-and-off-pitch success underlines the special value of Asian stars in European football

Clubhouse, the audio-only, real-time, invite-only social app that lets users engage in virtual ‘rooms’, has exploded onto the social media stage recently. David Brake, consultant with specialist digital agency Seven League, outlines the benefits and risks to using the platform for sports rights-holders.

M. Quentin Williams, founder and chief executive of non-profit organization Dedication To Community, explores the business upside if the NHL and MLB were to retire the numbers of former legends Willie O'Ree and Roberto Clemente across their respective leagues

Pete Fitzboydon, managing director of the thinkBeyond consultancy, describes how sport can be at the centre of the social and economic recovery from Covid-19

USA Weightlifting chief executive Phil Andrews talks about the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic for minority Olympic sports and identifies ways they can survive the shortfall in revenues caused by the postponement of Tokyo 2020

Terrence Burns, Olympic and global sports marketing veteran, argues that the sooner US brands seize on the opportunities presented by two major events in their own backyard, the greater their chances for success

Mark McKenzie, a 21-year defender for Belgian football club KRC Genk and co-host of the new "Orange Slices" podcast, discusses the importance of athletes finding a greater voice in a time of significant social change

National Lacrosse League commissioner Nick Sakiewicz explains why the league is continuing to halt its play amid the Covid-19 pandemic and is instead preparing to return in the fall.

Martyn Turze, consumer research account director, Publicis Sport & Entertainment, has monitored the attitudes of the agency’s personnel to the live sports lockdown in the UK and uncovered 10 key areas of changed experience

Last weekend’s NFL Super Bowl highlighted the tension point between the return of fans to live sporting events and the dangers inherent in that return. Sampson Yimer, vice-president, sponsorship consulting at Momentum Worldwide, looks at the pros and cons, backed by the agency’s proprietary study on fan sentiment.