Épisodes

  • Spain Rugby, Strategic Partnerships and the Retainer Revolution

    Spain Rugby, Strategic Partnerships and the Retainer Revolution
    Apr 13 2026
    In this episode of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by Ian Dutton, Harry Lynch and SGI’s Country Manager for Spain, Diego Pesqué, to explore the growing opportunity around Spanish rugby, new brand partnerships and the rise of SGI’s retainer model. They discuss why rugby in Spain is becoming an increasingly attractive proposition for brands, how the best deals solve real business problems rather than simply selling shirt space, and why both rights-holders and sponsors need the right people in place to activate partnerships properly. Key TakeawaysDiego explains that rugby in Spain has grown rapidly in recent years, backed by investment in coaching, international events and overall development by the Royal Spanish Rugby Federation. Spain’s men’s 15s have established themselves at a strong European level, the sevens programmes are performing well, and qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia has created fresh momentum. For brands looking to enter Spain without fighting through the crowded football market, rugby is becoming a compelling alternative. A major theme of the conversation is that football remains hugely important, but it is not the answer for every sponsor. Ian notes that many brands do not want to sit alongside direct competitors in an overcrowded category, while the cost of entry can price out businesses that still want meaningful exposure. Rugby, by contrast, can offer a cleaner space, different values and a more distinctive positioning. Diego makes the point that modern sponsorship is no longer about simply selling a logo on a shirt or minutes on an LED board. The real work is in understanding what the brand actually needs. That might be market entry, product integration, operational support or commercial growth. SGI’s role is to identify those needs and then shape a partnership that delivers against them. One featured partnership is with Spanish beer brand Ambar, which wanted to make a stronger push into Madrid and saw rugby as the right vehicle. The fit made sense culturally as well as commercially: beer and rugby already have a natural connection, and Ambar wanted its product physically present where it mattered, in and around matchdays. For the federation, it meant aligning with an ambitious brand that matched its own growth trajectory. The Ebury deal is highlighted as a strong example of SGI’s approach. Rather than just buying an asset, Ebury was interested in taking over the federation’s foreign exchange business. That meant the partnership delivered both visibility and a real operational solution. Ian describes this as a more strategic form of partnership, where the sponsor can say not only that it supports the property, but that it actively helps run part of it. From the Sporting Jobs perspective, Harry explains that brands often spend significant money securing sponsorship rights but then still need experienced people to activate those rights properly. The panel note that activation can cost somewhere between 50 and 100 per cent of the original partnership fee. Without the right expertise and resource, even a good deal risks underperforming. Because Sporting Jobs sits alongside a sponsorship agency, the team have a close-up view of what brands actually need once they sign a deal. Harry says this is becoming a major focus area: helping brands recruit people with sports partnership experience who can manage, monitor and bring those deals to life. That could include roles in activation, partnerships and wider commercial delivery. Ian describes SGI’s retainer model as a flexible extension of a rights-holder’s internal sales team. It is particularly useful for smaller clubs and emerging properties that do not yet have the budget, timing or need to hire a full commercial team. Instead, SGI can plug in, help shape a strategy, find the right partners and build momentum until the property is ready to scale internally. Diego sums up one of the episode’s core messages neatly: too many clubs still think in terms of inventory only, selling shirt logos, hospitality boxes or LED boards, rather than understanding the commercial objectives of the brand in front of them. SGI’s value lies in bridging that gap and helping rights-holders think more like strategic partners than inventory sellers. Key Moments“Football will always be a huge part of our business… but it is crowded, and a lot of brands don’t want to align themselves with some of their competitors.” “We needed to find what was in there for the brands, not just brand awareness… and we found it.” “Long gone are the days where brands were happy with just sticking the logo on a shirt or shorts.” “The activation side of a partnership is somewhere between 50 and 100% of what the actual partnership costs.” About Sporting Group InternationalSporting Group International (SGI) is a global sports marketing and sponsorship agency with ...
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    28 min
  • Sport, Sustainability and the New Revenue Opportunity

    Sport, Sustainability and the New Revenue Opportunity
    Mar 30 2026
    In this episode of The Deal Room from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by Adrian Wright, Ian Dutton and Harry Lynch to unveil the Sports Sustainability Consortium. What began eight years ago as an unexpected conversation about EV chargers has evolved into a wider offer spanning solar, charging infrastructure, finance, installation and ongoing servicing. The panel explore why the timing is finally right, how clubs can cut costs while improving their ESG credentials, and why sustainability is rapidly becoming a serious commercial and recruitment issue across sport.Key TakeawaysThe Sports Sustainability Consortium has been years in the making.Adrian explains that the idea started when a global EV business asked whether SGI could help place charging points at sports clubs. The market was too early then, so the team spent years learning the sector elsewhere – in car dealerships, hotels, golf clubs and retail – before bringing that knowledge back into sport at the right moment.This is more than just chargers and solar panels.The consortium brings together manufacturers, installers and finance specialists, allowing clubs to access the right expertise without needing to become experts themselves. Instead of relying on a single installer’s preferred products, clubs can be connected directly to the real decision-makers behind the equipment and funding.The financial case is now very compelling.A major theme throughout the episode is that sustainability is not just about doing the right thing environmentally; it can create immediate savings and long-term revenue. Adrian describes projects where monthly energy savings exceed finance repayments, leaving clubs in a positive cash-flow position while gradually paying off an asset they will eventually own outright.Clubs have more options than they think.Not every club has to dive in with a full-scale stadium-wide scheme. Some may start with a handful of chargers at a training ground, while others can explore roof-mounted solar, ground-mounted systems, rented bays in stadium car parks or self-operated charging points that generate income. The flexibility is part of the appeal.Sustainability is becoming a real operational role in sport.Harry notes that, depending on the size of the club, sustainability can now sit with a dedicated lead rather than being bolted onto someone else’s job. In other cases it still falls under stadium, operations or facilities teams, but the direction of travel is clear: clubs are taking the subject more seriously and need informed people to drive it internally.Brands increasingly care about ESG alignment.Ian makes the point that sponsorship is no longer just about visibility. Brands want to work with rights-holders whose community impact and environmental ambitions match their own. That means a credible sustainability strategy can help clubs win commercial deals, not just save on their energy bill.There are already proven examples in the market.The panel reference clubs and rights-holders already moving in this direction, including Plymouth Argyle, where sustainability measures such as solar, LED lighting and water-saving systems are delivering measurable impact. They also mention Hednesford Town as another example of a club visibly leaning into solar adoption.The biggest obstacle is often confusion, not resistance.Clubs have lots of questions: who pays, who owns the bays, who maintains the systems, how financing works and whether they are tied in for years. SGI’s argument is that clubs do not need to solve all of that alone; their job is to simplify a complicated market and present clear, evidence-backed options in language decision-makers can understand.Sport is particularly well suited to this space.From stadium roofs and training grounds to cricket venues, golf sites and racecourses, sports properties often have the kind of space and energy demand that make solar and charging especially viable. The panel believe this is only the beginning, with future stadium developments likely to bake these systems in from day one rather than add them later.SGI want to lead this globally – but authentically.Ian says Adrian’s ambition is for SGI to become the leading sports agency globally in sustainability. Part of that means practising what they preach: energy-efficient offices, public transport, carbon literacy training and emissions offsetting all form part of their own effort to be credible in the space.Key Moments“The fact that we can assist clubs with facilitating that divide between how do you install them, how do you refinance them, where do you get the equipment from… this is the new era.”“Clubs are realising, actually, we really need to have a clear focus on our whole ESG strategy… there’s a huge potential revenue stream and cost saving to the clubs as a result of it.”“If a club is going to save £15,000 a month and they’ve got a finance bill of seven, they’re £7,000 better...
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    30 min
  • Cricket, Betting & the World Player Super League: Niche Deals and New Frontiers

    Cricket, Betting & the World Player Super League: Niche Deals and New Frontiers
    Feb 27 2026
    In this episode of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by Adrian Wright and Ian Dutton to unpack a hectic start to the year. They lift the lid on a new front-of-shirt deal for Pretoria Capitals, share war stories from the ICE gaming conference in Barcelona, explore how betting brands are shifting towards training wear and endorsement deals, and reveal SGI’s exclusive role in commercialising the new World Player Super League, a global amateur golf movement spanning 4 million participants.Key TakeawaysDuelbits, Pretoria Capitals and a 600-brand push into South African cricketSGI’s India team, Danesh and Pranay, drove a huge outreach effort, contacting around 600 South African and international brands, to crack a T20 opportunity. That led to a front-of-shirt partnership for betting brand Duelbits with Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. Existing work on a surrogate sports news site for India meant SGI already understood Duelbits’ priorities and could show the value of a property owned by JSW with strong viewership in India, South Africa and the UK. Seeing the logo on live TV, including a record-chasing innings with almost six sixes in an over, reinforced why even “distant” deals feel personal when you’ve brokered them.ICE in Barcelona: a £5m stand, mega meetings and old-school sales graftICE, historically a casino show and now the key gathering for global igaming, brings together betting operators, sportsbooks, casinos and the tech platforms that power them. Ian used the event to “shake hands and look people in the whites of the eyes”, meeting clubs like Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace alongside properties such as MotoGP and SailGP. One exhibitor, Evolution, reportedly spent around £5m on its stand for the three-day show, underlining the scale of the sector. Adrian, after a convoluted budget route via Girona, reverted to “schoolboy sales”, cold-approaching a stand, getting politely knocked back, then using a MotoGP meeting to spark intrigue and ultimately progress a live opportunity.Betting brands: from Premier League front-of-shirt to training wear and digitalWith the front of Premier League shirts becoming more restricted for betting brands, SGI are seeing a clear shift in strategy. Historically, brands bought front-of-shirt for credibility and mass visibility in Far East markets. If a bookmaker could afford that asset, fans in countries like China, the Philippines and Indonesia assumed it was trustworthy. Now, many operators are targeting training wear instead, where day-to-day digital content from training grounds, behind-the-scenes clips and player social posts deliver constant exposure. SGI’s job is to get “under the bonnet” of each brand’s target territories and demographics, then identify the mix of assets – divisions, regions, digital rights – that best match their objectives.Players as assets: the fine line in club presentationsAdrian notes that some clubs now include individual player social followings in sponsorship decks, implying access to those audiences even when they don’t have contractual rights to use players’ personal accounts. While that’s “a little bit naughty”, there is indirect value: brands on kits or training wear benefit organically when stars post in club gear. SGI’s experience in Japan – where clubs only unlocked commercial value there after signing Japanese players – and examples like Spanish fans following a compatriot to Birmingham City show how individual players drive international travel, shirt sales and engagement, not just domestic club loyalty.World Player Super League: a blank canvas in global amateur golfPerhaps the most exciting new project is the World Player Super League – a collaboration of established tour companies, tournament providers and golf organisations into a single global structure. It brings together 4 million amateur participants, 3,800 events and 82 countries under one umbrella, with finals and pairs events set up for broadcast. For SGI, it’s a rare “blank sheet of paper”: they have exclusivity to build a partner programme from scratch, targeting high-net-worth individuals, CEOs and senior managers who play in these events. With every participant carrying a mobile phone and posting from tees, clubhouses and hole-in-ones, the user-generated content and reach are enormous. Add in ex-Premier League footballers, former Ryder Cup captains and celebrities sprinkled across events, and SGI see a once-in-a-lifetime chance to commercialise a proven golfing ecosystem that has never previously been packaged for sponsors.Key Moments“They contacted 600 South African and international brands trying to get a breakthrough… and it was just complete opportunism that someone turned around and said, ‘Any chance you can speak to Duelbits?’”“It’s always a proud moment… when you bring a brand ...
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    35 min
  • 10 Years of SGI: Deals, Data and the Future of Sport

    10 Years of SGI: Deals, Data and the Future of Sport
    Feb 13 2026

    In this special 10th-anniversary episode of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by founder and CEO Adrian Wright, UK Managing Director Ian Dutton and Sporting Jobs’ Harry Lynch to look back on a decade in business. They revisit why Adrian walked away from a senior role at West Bromwich Albion to launch an agency, the early recruitment and sponsorship deals that proved the model, how they navigated Covid better than most, and why the next 10 years in sport will be driven by data, technology and a stronger pyramid.

    Key Takeaways

    Adrian explains how his role at West Brom featured constant takeover rumours, long hours, and endless trips to London to meet potential new owners pushed him to consider a different path. Backed by venture capital, he launched SGI and Sporting Jobs on the same day, leveraging his “half-decent black book” to combine sponsorship sales with a specialist sports recruitment desk. The very first placement was essentially his replacement at West Brom; Simon King, now a senior leader at Stoke City, quickly followed by an early sponsorship win with kit supplier Luke at Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

    One of SGI’s most ambitious early plays was a proposed 10-club sleeve sponsorship across the Premier League. Adrian secured written interest from clubs and an offer from a major software brand, only for the deal to fall foul of an existing league-wide agreement in the same category. Later, a shirt deal with Olympique de Marseille saw nearly £1m in revenue land in the company account in a single day, a memorable milestone, but Adrian stresses the real challenge is repeating success and building something sustainable, not just landing one blockbuster agreement.


    Unlike many in sport, SGI thrived through Covid. They helped negotiate what Adrian believes was one of the first Covid-specific clauses in a football sponsorship contract, scaling fees up or down based on live attendances (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%) to reflect lost hospitality and in-stadium exposure. At the same time, the team decamped to Adrian’s house, turning the kids’ playroom into a four-person office so they could collaborate in person while staying within restrictions. They even benefitted from “entrepreneurial instinct” when they chose not to renew an office lease just days before lockdown, avoiding a costly empty space.


    The panel note that while top-flight clubs have grown sophisticated commercial and activation teams, further down the pyramid many sides in League One, League Two and even the National League have little or no dedicated commercial department. Instead of spending £70–100k on a single head of commercial, some clubs now retain SGI as an outsourced sales arm for 3–6 months, gaining instant access to a whole team, warm brand relationships and up-to-the-minute market intelligence. SGI can “switch on” activity from day one and bring a Premier League-style blueprint to properties like county cricket or smaller football clubs that would otherwise rely on inbound calls and opportunistic deals.

    Key Moments

    “We had in one day just under a million pounds’ worth of revenue drop [into the account].”

    “We would probably have negotiated one of the first Covid sport-related contract clauses… if there’s no fans in the stadium for X amount of games, the fee would come down by Y.”

    “We can literally bring a county championship cricket team a Premier League blueprint – they’re not going to get that by hiring a head of commercial under the cricket club.”

    “Whenever we’re looking at doing a deal… the brand’s due diligence involves analysing how many social media followers they’ve got, what their database size is, what the broadcast lens looks like.”

    About Sporting Group International

    Sporting Group International (SGI) is a global sports marketing and sponsorship agency with representatives across Europe and Asia. They connect brands, clubs, governing bodies and athletes through high-value partnerships, including stadium naming rights, shirt and sleeve sponsorships, official partnerships and endorsement deals. SGI also support rights holders and investors with strategic commercial advice, international market development, recruitment and talent management, helping to drive revenue growth and brand visibility across the world of elite sport.

    https://www.sportinggi.com/
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    37 min
  • Episode 8 – Building Careers in Sport & Birmingham’s Sporting Boom

    Episode 8 – Building Careers in Sport & Birmingham’s Sporting Boom
    Jan 23 2026

    In this Sporting Jobs special of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by regular guest Harry Lynch and new team members Max and Alex.

    Together, they talk about breaking into the sports industry, the reality of graduate competition, and why voluntary experience is so valuable. They also reflect on Birmingham’s fast-evolving sporting landscape, from the Invictus Games and Deloitte’s Union of Sport Midlands event to Birmingham City’s new “Powerhouse” stadium, and lift the lid on current Sporting Jobs projects and where future roles in sport might emerge.

    Key Takeaways

    At the UCFB careers fair at Wembley, the question every student asked was, “How do I stand out?”. The team’s answer: get experience where others don’t. Voluntary matchday roles, media assistant positions at non-league clubs, writing blogs, starting podcasts or helping a local commercial director sell perimeter boards all build a portfolio that lifts you above a pile of identical degrees. Initiative, not just education, is what catches a recruiter’s eye.

    Harry stresses that senior figures in sport are generally very willing to help if approached respectfully. Reaching out on LinkedIn after events, asking for a 10–15 minute call and being open-minded about roles (ticketing, retail, operations as well as commercial) can open doors you didn’t know existed. The message: don’t be blinkered about your “perfect” job, use conversations to discover new pathways in sport.

    Deloitte’s Union of Sport Midlands event highlighted the Invictus Games coming to Birmingham in 2027. Hearing chair Vicky Gosling’s story brought home how pivotal sport can be in rehabilitation for injured service personnel. Max has a personal connection: his uncle helped organise the first Invictus Games in 2014 and even shared an office with Prince Harry, while both his parents served in the military. For Sporting Jobs, the Games represent both a powerful human story and a major opportunity to support new roles created in the city.

    The new “Powerhouse” stadium proposal for Birmingham City is seen as transformative – not just for the club but for the Midlands. With talk of NFL games, concerts and thousands of jobs post-completion, the team believe it will force other local clubs and businesses to innovate, help cement Birmingham’s status as the UK’s second city, and complement existing developments from the Commonwealth Games legacy to the Bullring’s “glow-up”.

    Harry and the team discuss their retained search for the Chair of the Board at Warwickshire County Cricket Club / Edgbaston – one of the most prestigious non-executive roles in sport, and how their Birmingham base helps them meet candidates and stakeholders face-to-face.
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    31 min
  • Episode 7 – Internationalisation: Taking Clubs and Brands Around the World

    Episode 7 – Internationalisation: Taking Clubs and Brands Around the World
    Jan 2 2026

    In this Christmas special (better late than never) of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by CEO Adrian Wright, UK Managing Director Ian Dutton and SGI’s Country Manager for Spain, Diego Pesqué.

    Together they chart SGI’s journey from early international work in India through to a growing presence in Europe, Japan and the Far East, and unpack what “internationalisation” really means for clubs, Leagues and brands looking to reach new fans and unlock fresh revenue streams.

    Key Takeaways

    Diego frames internationalisation as the deliberate actions a club or rights-holder takes to grow its brand beyond its home market. With domestic markets in Spain, the UK and elsewhere increasingly saturated, he argues clubs must expand abroad to find new revenue and fans. In a data-driven sponsorship world, brands demand clear metrics and reach; clubs that remain purely domestic will struggle to attract international money or blue-chip partners.

    Where once a club’s only real international income came from shirt sales and limited broadcast, Diego highlights how digital fans around the world now subscribe to memberships, buy merchandise online and pay for pay-per-view or streaming. Ian explains how SGI’s structure with people on the ground in the UK, Spain, India and soon the Far East – allows them to identify assets in one market and match them with brands in another. Europe is already “tick” for SGI, with Diego leading in Spain and plans to hire further in the region. Adrian reveals a new strategic partner for 2026 that will give SGI a footprint in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan, operating in collaboration rather than as a simple badge-swap.

    The US is the next major target: SGI are already talking to MLS clubs and other properties, and see 2026 as the year they must have a formal presence there. Ian observes that many modern fans, especially internationally, follow players more than clubs. When a star like Lionel Messi moves, a large portion of his global following moves with him. Diego’s own journey, admiring Barça, then Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham, and now leaning towards Manchester City while also backing Deportivo La Coruña and Barça at home, illustrates how fluid overseas fandom can be and why clubs must think globally rather than assume lifelong local allegiance.
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    27 min
  • Episode 6 – Sponsorship in the Middle Market: Why the “In-Between” Clubs Matter

    Episode 6 – Sponsorship in the Middle Market: Why the “In-Between” Clubs Matter
    Dec 10 2025

    In this episode of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by Adrian Wright, Ian Dutton and Harry Lynch to unpack what they call the “middle market” of sport, the space between elite, big-money rights and the grassroots. They share current deal activity across football, rugby, cricket, MMA and MLS, introduce Head of Sponsorship Taylor Ryan, and explore why mid-tier clubs and Leagues can offer better value, deeper relationships and more tangible ROI for brands than some top-tier properties.

    Key Takeaways

    The “middle market” is where SGI sees real growth. Adrian defines the middle market as clubs and properties outside the very top tier – the ones struggling to sell or even properly define assets like naming rights, training wear or portfolio rights. SGI step in as an extension of the club’s sales team, bringing realistic valuations, properly prepared collateral and genuine board-level buy-in so deals don’t collapse at the last minute.

    Commercial income is survival money further down the pyramid. Ian stresses that for EFL and National League clubs, sponsorship is not “nice to have” – it can literally pay wages, fund infrastructure and build out commercial teams in the absence of huge broadcast revenues. That makes regional and mid-tier deals more meaningful for both club and brand, with sponsors seeing exactly where their money is going on and off the pitch.

    Career-building opportunities flourish in smaller clubs. From a recruitment perspective, Harry highlights how Championship, League One/Two and non-league environments give candidates far broader experience than some elite set-ups. CEOs and execs wear multiple hats – from ticketing and hospitality to commercial and operations – creating leaders who genuinely understand every part of a club.

    Good examples:

    Reece Ellingham at Southend and James Corrigan at Northampton show how people can rise from entry-level roles to senior leadership by growing with a club.

    SGI runs a disciplined, retained model in this space. SGI now operate a six-month minimum retained programme where they only take on rights they believe in. They benchmark valuations, shape presentations, test internal commitment and carry out due diligence on both clubs and brands – from board appetite to financial stability over a five-year term. Adrian notes they’ve brought offers to the table on every retained brief in the company’s history, even if clubs sometimes move the goalposts on value mid-deal.

    League and portfolio deals are an underused play. Beyond individual shirt deals, Adrian sees big potential in league-wide or portfolio partnerships in areas like second-tier rugby – affluent audiences, national spread and strong alignment with sectors like financial services. With structures similar to EFL league sponsorships, brands can secure instant nationwide presence across multiple clubs through one, well-structured agreement.

    Spotlight on Taylor Ryan: from selling vans to selling sponsorship. The episode “lifts the curtain” on SGI’s Head of Sponsorship, Taylor Ryan, whose route into sport started in car sales. After selling Adrian a van, he was invited to interview and has spent the last two and a half years brokering deals from the Premier League down to the National League North – including a training-wear deal worth £30–40k that effectively covered a club’s player wages, highlighting how impactful mid-tier sponsorship can be.

    Top talent is actively choosing “projects” over prestige. Harry is seeing senior leaders deliberately leaving big clubs and NGBs for ambitious, medium-sized projects – such as Neil Hart joining MK Dons or Dave Boddy taking the CEO role at Solihull Moors. With clear 4–5 year plans, supportive ownership and room to make visible change, these roles can be more rewarding than moving sideways within another elite organisation.

    Key Moments

    “The middle market is literally us identifying sponsorship opportunities that clubs are either struggling to sell or don’t know how to sell.”

    “I did a deal with a National League North team for their training wear… only £30–40k, but the Commercial Director said, ‘Taylor, this will potentially pay the players’ wages. “The further down the pyramid you go, that [networking and introductions] is more of a sell than the broadcast because the broadcast numbers aren’t there.”

    “Every retained opportunity we’ve worked on, we have brought an offer to the table. If there’s a buyer at the other end, that’s the club’s decision – but we’ve hit the brief.”
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    33 min
  • Episode 5 – Women’s Sport and Sponsorship: Where the Real Growth Is

    Episode 5 – Women’s Sport and Sponsorship: Where the Real Growth Is
    Nov 26 2025

    In this episode of The Deal Room Sport from Sporting Group International and Sporting Jobs, host Ed Nell is joined by Adrian Wright, Ian Dutton and Harry Lynch to explore the rapid rise of women’s sport and the sponsorship opportunities it’s creating. They share live insights from SGI’s current deal activity, introduce new team member and football business graduate Lucy Overton, and dig into how women’s sport has evolved from being sidelined tobecoming a serious commercial asset.

    Key

    Takeaways

    Women’s football is described as “exponential” in its growth, not just ticking along.

    Matchdays are seen as more family-friendly, with longer dwell time and a different atmosphere to the men’s game. Attendance figures at major tournaments and events across women’s sport are rising year on year, making the product increasingly attractive for brands and broadcasters.

    Separate Value, Separate Inventory: Ian shares experience from Birmingham City, one of the founding clubs of the WSL, where the women’s team secured a separate shirt sponsorship rather than being bundled with the men. The different demographic and experience means women’s teams can attract brands (such as TGI Fridays) that would never touch the men’s game but see strong alignment with the women’s audience.

    Growth brings requirements: minimum stadium standards, broadcast facilities and investment in training grounds and support staff. Some tier-three women’s clubs hesitate to be promoted due to the cost of stepping up, while others (like Plymouth Argyle) are investing long-term in women’s-specific facilities and pathways.

    From SGI’s recruitment perspective, there is a clear rise in women-specific roles: CEOs and MDs of women’s teams, performance staff, marketing and pathway roles. Examples like Sarah Batters at London City Lionesses and leaders such as Emily Frazer at Matchroom showcase new career paths for women in the business of sport, not just on the pitch.
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    41 min