Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

Hosted by Leaders

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Episodes

300

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The biggest names in the global business of sport sit down with Leaders Editorial Director, James Emmett, and Content Director, David Cushnan.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 17, 202640 min

Crunch time looms as NBA Europe inches closer

Adam Silver met the press in New York on Tuesday, delivering a much-anticipated, but brief, status report on NBA Europe. James Emmett and David Cushnan, back in London, examine his comments, as the NBA's ambitious project - the talk of the industry on this side of the Atlantic at least - inches forward, and assess where it might leave Euroleague, which for the moment is moving forward with its own franchise expansion plan. Elsewhere, they reflect on a series of recent conversations and experiences in the sports hospitality space, and consider how sports organisations should be seeking to balance ultra-premium, high-end offerings with a renewed focus on general admission ticket packaging. And there's just time to remark on the other big topics of the week: Nairobi nabbing the World Athletics Championships in 2029 from London; Madrid's first F1 event at the Madring; and the innovations brought to life by World Athletics at the first Ultimate Championships in Budapest. ---- Leaders Week London is three weeks away. It’s where global sport does business, so you’ll be in great company. To secure your pass for Stamford Bridge, on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek

September 16, 202635 min

Pull up a Chair: Richard Thompson on delivering memorable moments for prospects and clients

Richard Thompson wears several hats - Chair of M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment and the England & Wales Cricket Board among them - but it’s his role chairing hospitality giant Levy UK & Ireland, parent of Lyvera, that’s the focus of this conversation with David Cushnan. Thompson casts his eye over the trends influencing the sector right now, and those he’s anticipating, as he reflects on what makes an impactful and memorable guest offering at various pricepoints. He also considers hospitality as a business tool and assesses how that’s changing for agencies, executives and talent; Lyvera’s positioning as a disruptor in the space as it looks to forge deeper business partnerships with rights holders like the Jockey Club; and the importance of smaller touches, such as invitations and cars. This episode follows our recent conversations with Lyvera CEO Charlie Buck and The iLUKA Collective CEO Felicity Shankhar - iLUKA joined Lyvera, the Levy-owned sports hospitality group in February. ----- Leaders Week London is three weeks away. It’s where global sport does business, so you’ll be in great company. To secure your pass for Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek.

September 11, 20261 hr 20 min

Why Charlie XCX's Brat Summer is the perfect sports marketing template

The annual Two Circles EMEA client summit took place in London this week; hundreds of the agency's partner organisations - drawn largely from across the world of sporting rights holders - convened to discuss aspects of the central theme of fandom. The concept of fandom in sports and entertainment - and different approaches to building it and monetizing it - is the thread that links a series of conversations James Emmett recorded across the course of the event. Those conversations feature: - Two Circles Executive Director Mel Chapman, who unpacks Brat Summer as a fan marketing case study; - Dallas Mavericks SVP Strategy Kyle Burkhardt, who details what long-term strategy looks like at an organisation that needs to sell hundreds of thousands of tickets every season; and what sport can learn from musical theatre business; - WSL CMO Ruth Hooper, who gave her thoughts on the start of a new season in women's football and her plans to kick-start growth again in attendance across the league after a plateau last year; - FA Chief Digital Officer Alex Willis, on her opening efforts after joining Team England from the Premier League - focusing particularly on the launch of a new app; - United Rugby Championship CMO Tom Lister, who delivers an eloquent pushback to the idea that rugby needs fundamental change - Two Circles EMEA MD Harry Hawkins, who opened up the event with a slick presentation outlining what Two Circles sees as a $1.94 trillion economy in sports and entertainment fandom; he shows his working and spells out the opportunity for sport from here. ----- Leaders Week London is less than a month away. To join 2,000 senior executives from 50+ countries, plus have access to three stages, private forums and unrivalled networking opportunities, at Stamford Bridge, visit leadersweeklondon.com

September 9, 202634 min

Power and influencers: Ranking the Grand Slams

Fresh off the back of a whirlwind fact-finder to New York, James Emmett returns to the studio alongside David Cushnan with his observations from the US Open. As the tournament grows - physically and as a New York social and cultural occasion - they consider the impact of the $800 transformation project at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which will conclude next year, on the fan experience and corporate offering. The other big questions are pondered: As influencers continue to make their mark - for better or worse - on major sports events, how should organisers respond? And just how did the Honey Deuce become such an effective marketing asset? Elsewhere, the new NFL season begins with a four-year contract extension for Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the first regular season game in Melbourne this Friday, with the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers taking opposite approaches to preparation. ---- Leaders Week London is less than a month away. To join 2,000 senior executives from 50+ countries, plus have access to three stages, private forums and unrivalled networking opportunities, at Stamford Bridge, visit leadersweeklondon.com

September 3, 202641 min

Madrid's big F1 moment looms; What should we call DAZN these days

Just over a week out from the first Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, David Cushnan and James Emmett are back in the studio to discuss why it could become one of the most important - and commercially powerful - events on the F1 calendar. They also consider how to define DAZN in the wake of its acquisition of commercial distribution platform Everpass, and the closing of its deal to buy streaming platform technology firm Viewlift. Does this indicate a change of tack from the company once dubbed the 'Netflix of sport'. There's also time to reflect on this week's conversation with Everton Chief Revenue Officer Aaron Duckmanton, and his role bringing major sports and music events to the club's new Hill Dickinson Stadium. ----- The Summit at Leaders Week London takes place on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October. Visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek for more information on speakers, who's attending and networking experiences to suit every taste.

September 2, 202641 min

Everton’s Aaron Duckmanton: Life as a Premier League club Chief Revenue Officer

Aaron Duckmanton, Chief Revenue Officer at Everton, sits down with David Cushnan as the Premier League club begins its second season at Hill Dickinson Stadium. In a wide-ranging conversation recorded just before the start of the new season, Duckmanton explains the vision for building out the sports and entertainment events roster at the new stadium, including major concerts, and what he’s learnt about booking acts and the world of live touring. He also outlines how the club has taken fans and partners on the journey to the new stadium, and the undeniable step change in commercial performance it has unlocked; how Everton thinks about internationalisation and global fans; why constantly taking the temperature of fans is vital; the commercial leadership model in place at the club; the league’s response to the ban on front-of-shirt gambling partners; the changing skillsets of CROs in the Premier League; and what the future holds for Everton’s women’s team which has made Goodison Park its new home. ----- The final countdown is on to Leaders Week London. Secure your place amongst 2,000 senior sports industry executives at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October. Visit: leadersweeklondon.com

August 27, 202638 min

British Cycling Ventures' Darren Henry: Proving a new model for how governing bodies can be structured

British Cycling Ventures is the new commercial offshoot of British Cycling, set up to give the national governing body more agility and ultimately increase revenues. Darren Henry, who has been with British Cycling since 2021, is heading up the entity as Managing Director, and he joins David Cushnan in the studio to explain the rationale and reality. Henry explains how British Cycling Ventures is looking to commercialise key IP, such as the Tour of Britain, and work with key partners like Lloyds. He also gives an update on the search for strategic investment into British Cycling Ventures. Looking ahead, he also considers what impact next year's Tour de France Grand Depart in the UK could have on cycling in the country; British Cycling's membership-building and nurturing; and the various challenges facing national governing bodies in 2026. ---- The Summit at Leaders Week London takes place on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October - to secure your place and see what's happening on-stage and off-stage, visit https://bit.ly/3QJra1u

August 20, 202648 min

Felicity Shankar: why every major event wants a hospitality house

What exactly is a hospitality house, and why has it become a fixture at the world's biggest sporting events? This week on Leaders Worth Knowing, James Emmett sits down with Felicity Shankar, CEO of The iLUKA Collective, one of the sports industry's leading experiential agencies. Fresh from delivering FIFA House in New York during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Felicity explores how hospitality houses have evolved from an Olympic concept into a powerful platform for brands, rights holders and event organisers. From the ingredients that make a hospitality house memorable to lessons learned from projects including Maison Deloitte at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the craft of creating experiences that leave a lasting impact. This episode follows our recent conversation with Lyvera CEO Charlie Buck. Earlier this year, iLUKA joined the Lyvera sports hospitality group following its acquisition by Levy. ----- You'll be able to continue the conversation at Leaders Week London on 7-8 October, where Felicity's colleagues from Lyvera will be joining industry leaders from across the global sports business. To see the agenda, visit https://bit.ly/3QJra1u

August 13, 202636 min

Applying US know-how; empty seats; and who’s up for a Fifa election campaign?

As the Leaders Week London agenda goes live, James Emmett and David Cushnan are in the studio to predict what might be the big talking points when global sport does business this October at Stamford Bridge. The prospect of a contested Fifa Presidential election makes the list, as Gianni Infantino battles on and three confederations - Uefa, CONCACAF and the AFC - seek a challenger. There’s time too to consider VPN sponsorships in football and the number of empty seats at some sports venues this summer - is it misjudged pricing and is the UK market starting to see the impact of less disposable income for households? And there’s chance to look back at how the business of MotoGP has evolved, building on this week’s interview with Carlos Ezpeleta, the motorcycling series’ Chief Sporting Officer and new team CEO and Co-owner Guenther Steiner, as US know-how meets Spanish roots under Liberty Media’s new ownership. ----- Gary Lineker, Alexis Ohanian and Lego CMO Julia Goldin lead the line-up for Leaders Week London, at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October. To see the agenda and book you pass, visit https://bit.ly/3QJra1u

August 10, 202630 min

Carlos Ezpeleta and Guenther Steiner: How MotoGP is handling its new American investors

MotoGP's Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta and Guenther Steiner, the new CEO and Co-Owner of the Tech3 MotoGP team, join David Cushnan to discuss how the world's leading motorcycling series in entering its new era, following F1 owner Liberty Media's acquisition last year. Ezpeleta explains how the changes made so far, some more visible than others, are designed to supercharge the championship's popularity and revenues, and how the new US influence on the series is beginning to manifest itself. Speaking in London before last Sunday's British round of the championship, the 12th of 22 scheduled races this year, he and Steiner also reflect on the painstaking governance work, which resulted in a fresh commercial framework binding the teams - including manufacturers Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia and KTM - to the series and world motorcycling governing body the FIM until 2031, and how to build up the profile of the sport's superstars in markets beyond the current heartlands of Spain and Italy. And Steiner, who led the Haas F1 team from 2016 to 2024 and became the breakout star of Drive to Survive, explains why investors including IKON Capital and David Blitzer's Bolt Ventures paid $50 million to invest in the independent Tech3 MotoGP team, and how his experience of F1 is helping Ezpeleta chart a path forward under new ownership. ----- The Leaders Week London agenda is here. Visit https://bit.ly/3QJra1u and join 2,000 senior sports executives from over 50 countries at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC, for the Summit, on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October.