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Published by Charlie and Harry Stebbings
The show that takes you behind the scenes with the industry’s leading owners, operators, and athletes; it’s the game behind the game. BOS takes two forms: a weekly interview with leading figures from the world of sport, and ‘The Breakdown’, the news show hosted by Charlie Stebbings & Charlie Methven, ensuring you don’t miss a minute of what’s happening in the world of sports business. For greater access and insight, come and join us on Substack to access bonus shows, articles, giveaways, and events. https://businessofsport.substack.com/
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How can we go into this week without addressing the huge topic that is Manchester United. The BBC described how talking about their cycle of doom has become an industry in itself. I’m delighted that we can contribute to this in our usual style, and to whet the appetite, there will be a proper deep dive coming soon. We save our now weekly LIV Golf conversation for Substack to save those of you not sharing in our passion for the madness, as we ask why on earth the LIV execs thought they deserved a $15m bonus payout while players and vendors have been left high and dry. But we do go into another club weighed down by a leveraged buyout as Burnley’s financial situation gets even more precarious, and the big question on the enduring appetite for the WSL as the league experiences yet more drops in attendances, 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
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 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
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 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
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 bos@20vc.com
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
What a week it was last week. Man City’s very well publicised indiscretions will once again be looked at as we question the grounds for appeal and take a look at the role of the Premier League in securing this verdict, while also taking a peak across the pond as the LA Clippers come to terms with a very strong set of sanctions for 113 less guilty charges charges, albeit one serious one. Add to this yet more chaos at Celtic as fans pelt their main shareholder with tennis balls on a golf course, the claims from LIV 2.0 that teams are going to be worth $100m, and the revelation that despite being in serious financial trouble, the WTA are increasing their prize money, 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 https://www.transferroom.com/ 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
If you can believe it, today we welcome our first golfer to the show. A notoriously hard group to get hold of, I have wanted to get stuck into life as a professional for years. Eddie Pepperell is the perfect person to do that with. Fully open with him thoughts, super analytical, a media voice himself as co-host of the hugely popular podcast ‘The Chipping Forecast’, and someone that has experienced both the highs and lows of a sport that tests your mental strength as much as any other. He has been an outspoken voice on LIV Golf, as well as being very open about the need to protect and develop the DP World Tour. I absolutely loved sitting down with him, got the opportunity to nerd out as you will see when talking about the Masters, and developed my understanding of what it’s really like to call the golf course your home. I’m delighted to welcome Eddie 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
It won’t surprise you to hear that today’s show will be focused completely on the guilty verdict handed down to Manchester City last Friday. Firstly, there have been many of you who have been relentlessly calling for us to do a show on this since it broke. We explain why we didn’t jump straight on at the start of today’s episode, and I am pleased that we did hold off and can come to you with a more complete set of thoughts and information. Secondly, it is the size of this story and the potential ramifications both in football and beyond that make it so important to cover properly. There is a lot of emotion flying around, as there always is in sport, and at the end of all this I think I can speak for many in saying that this is not something to gloat over, to celebrate, to enjoy. This country’s greatest export is Premier League football. What happens in the coming weeks will determine whether the product can both deliver a punishment that befits the crime and acts as deterrent while also protecting the interests of everyone involved in the game who calls it work or gives their everything as fan. So let’s get into it. This is our take on the Manchester City case on The 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 https://www.transferroom.com/ 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
A genuine world class athlete joins us on the show today. There are few sports people with more influence than India’s international cricketers, and Rishabh Pant has been at the top of the cricketing world for a decade. A multi format player who captured people’s attention with his aggressive batting and elite talent, there has always to be a story to tell here that looks beyond the performance, and today we’re delighted to bring it to you. Having survived a near fatal car crash in 2022, the Rishabh that sits with us today is a different one to the man who started a career with complete tunnel vision to reach the top. As he explains, an experience like this has pushed him to look at life more holistically, from time spent with family to building a business and investment strategy that will extend long beyond his playing days. It’s an incredible story, and as we rarely get to see inside the life of an Indian cricketer, a privileged opportunity to grasp what it is like playing for one of the most followed sports teams in the world. We’re delighted to welcome Rishabh 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
With an extra long international break upon us, it is time to take our first proper look at what the early parts of the season have delivered, and to Charlie Snr’s no great surprise, Spurs have continued to heap more pain on their fanbase. But why? This was also the week where Manchester United released their accounts, showing record revenues, but there is much more to the story than that. Clearlake have now really got the keys to Chelsea, albeit at a price which seems hard to justify based on, well, everything that the club has done in the last few years. Add to all this a look at whether Eddie Hearn really could transform rugby into the powerhouse he believes the sport should be, and why the WTA have been allowed to flutter away a major cash injection from CVC, 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. As Charlie mentions in todays show, here is our full breakdown of Manchester United from June: https://youtu.be/H7VFxzAnzuk?si=oilOwybsLUePMtDu A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: Fanbase https://app.fanbaseclub.com/ GIS https://gis.sport/BoS 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
Alexis Ohanian is back! Having joined us a couple of years ago to talk about Angel City and his broader sporting investment adventures, the time has come to dive back in with one of the most active (and successful) investors in women’s sport. In London for Athlos, the female only athletics competition he set up to both invest more and create ownership opportunities for the talent in the sport, Alexis not only took me through why he believes there is so much untapped opportunity in women’s sport, but how you can unlock it. Founder of Reddit, NWSL owner, IP creator, Chelsea Women co-owner, TGL golf franchise owner, sports tech investor, husband of Serena Williams; if you’re going to sit down and talk this through with someone, there are few better candidates. I’m delighted to welcome Alexis back 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
In a week that has seen a bucket load of big sporting events and an equal amount of controversy, you won't be surprised to find out there is some heat in this show. The Ultimate Athletics Championships and Solheim Cup both delivered some serious entertainment over the weekend, emphasising the strength of women’s golf and proof that existing federations can create new IP and make it work. It’s also about time we check in on regular pod appearance maker Mr Infantino and his quest for survival. There is then of course the Sydney Sweeney drama, but the big one we want to grapple with this week is what on earth has happened to Nike, as they come to terms with dropping out of the S&P100 and a valuation drop of over $200bn in just a few years. All of that 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 https://www.transferroom.com/ GIS https://gis.sport/BoS 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
Maarten Paes plays for Ajax and the Indonesian national team as a goalkeeper, at least that is what most of the bios will say. What they won’t tell you is that alongside his career as a professional footballer, he is also building a career in business and investment, and the approach he has taken to making himself more than his performance on the pitch is a story we had to cover on the show. There is a shifting attitude in dressing rooms that, in Maarten’s own words, is moving away from the macho discussions on who has the best car or most expensive watch to what they’re up to away from the game. We have discussed it at length on previous shows with the likes of Petr Cech, Pat Cummins, Matt Smith, Bryan Habana, but everyone’s approach is different. Maarten’s football career alongside this ambition is equally interesting; he spent four years in the MLS with Dallas and has qualified to play for the Indonesian National Team through his grandmother. Put it all together and we have another great example of a top sportsperson with a bucket load more to offer. We’re delighted to welcome Maarten to the Business of Sport. Maarten's Favourite Books: Ryan Holiday - Ego is the Enemy Ryan Holiday - Obstacle is the Way Chris Bosh - Letters to a Young Athlete Robin Sharma - the Wealth Money can't buy Atomic Habits - James Clear 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
We came into this week thinking not a lot had been happening. We got that wrong. LIV finally filed for bankruptcy, Kevin Pietersen made a miracle return to the England set up, the Champions League kicked off with an absolute treasure chest of cash to distribute to the participants, The NFL season begins which includes the first ever game in Australia…oh and Charlie fills us in on developments in the horse racing world. If that isn’t enough for you, we then move to substack to take a look at the sponsorship market in the Premier League as Liverpool announce a £60m a year deal with Turkish Airlines. All of that comes together to create another packed week of Breakdown content! 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 https://www.transferroom.com/ GIS https://gis.sport/BoS 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
Athlete stories and their journeys beyond sport are a big part of this show. James Haskell is one of the most famous rugby players of the last 20 years, and much of that fame comes from the character he presents and profile he has alongside rugby. As you would expect, there is no filter applied to this chat. This is the real James, who came in ready to talk about rugby and the broader state of the game, alongside his work in the media, music, public eye, and so on. The big question is, and it’s one that James brings up a few times, if you want to punch him in the face at the start of the chat, will you still want to do so at the end of it? I’ve seen a lot of his content and followed his career from the beginning; I think this is a genuine insight into who he is, how he operates, and how he has built a profile coming from a sport than can often discourage them. We’re delighted to welcome James 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
Charlie and Charlie take a deep dive into the rise and apparent collapse of LIV Golf, tracing the breakaway tour back to its ambitious launch in 2021 and the huge Saudi investment behind its attempt to challenge the PGA Tour. They examine the extraordinary financial packages offered to players, the appeal of guaranteed money and franchise equity, and why stars including Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm made the move while Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy stayed away. From LIV's failure to secure the distribution, audiences and fan loyalty needed to make the model commercially viable to the fundamental problems with team golf and its lack of history and heritage, they ask where the breakaway tour went wrong. With the 2026 season ending early, players and suppliers reportedly owed money and a proposed "LIV 2.0" involving fewer events and lower prize money, they explore whether LIV can actually survive in any meaningful form. Could Saudi Arabia have achieved its ambitions by investing in the existing European Tour instead? What happens to the LIV golfers now? And was the entire project doomed by the strategy from the very beginning? 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. 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
A blockbuster show to bring you this week as we look at the end of the craziest transfer window on record, Messi’s retirement from international football, the US Open tennis, and LIV’s reported preparation for bankruptcy. Add to that the story of how a golf trip to Scotland left Charlie Jr in the back of an ambulance after a run in with a colony of wasps, 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. We're delighted to also partner with the Global Institute Of Sport: https://gis.sport/BoS 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
Today we introduce the sport of Rugby 7’s, as a brand new tournament, ‘Ultimate 7’s’ kicks off in Cardiff on 12th September. Managing Director Barney Pascall is backing a sport that speaks to a broad audience with a strong heritage to succeed as a business as well as a sporting product. Centralised team ownership, cost controls, venue selection to bring the best out of the first iteration without placing crazy expectations on it to fill 80,000 seater stadia. But most importantly and what gives this conversation credibility, is his acknowledgement of the challenges to overcome. You don’t create tribal fans overnight, you won’t create 10 Ilona Maher’s straight away, you have to give brands a reason to care, you can’t rely on owner investment forever. New IP is tough; we talk about it a lot. All you can ask is that the people running it have their eyes open to the realities of making it a success and you don’t feel like you’re having the wool pulled over your eyes. You won’t feel that here. 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
It’s been a big week in the world of knockout interviews. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin sat down with Alastair Campbell from the Rest Is Politics to talk through the crazy few weeks at the top of football governance. What did he reveal and did we learn anything new? We’ll take a look at that alongside the football club market after Charlie suggested over half the football clubs in the EFL are looking for investment, plus the PGA Tour’s end of season FedEX Cup bonanza, 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. We're delighted to also partner with the Global Institute Of Sport: https://gis.sport/BoS TICKET GIVEAWAY: Join us on Substack for a chance to watch Walton and Hersham vs Ebbsfleet with the Charlie's on the 5th September! https://businessofsport.substack.com/p/ticket-giveaway-waltham-and-hersham If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at: bos@20vc.com
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed November 3, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
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