Sport for Business

Let us know what’s on your mindA local club’s call to pull county teams from Allianz-backed competitions kept the embers glowing on a hard question we can’t dodge: how do we weigh moral conviction against the real costs of running community sport? We put the Allianz–GAA sponsorship under a bright light, examining the Ethics Committee’s decision to continue, the activism demanding a break, and the lived reality for clubs that rely on stable funding, insurance, and youth investment.We map the terrain clearly. First, the claims centre on indirect association highlighted in a UN report, not direct wrongdoing by the local entity. Second, if we universalise that standard, almost every major supplier—from telecoms and banks to aviation and tech—becomes contested, and sport risks a purity test it cannot pass consistently. Third, cutting ties has consequences that land on coaches, parents, and players, with real impacts on welfare, league operations, and development pathways. None of that excuses complacency; it demands smarter governance. Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.comWe publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.Our upcoming live events on the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.

Let us know what’s on your mindIreland’s brightest footballers are weighing county glory against professional certainty, and the numbers tell a powerful story. We dig into why AFL and AFLW clubs are no longer dabbling with Irish recruits but building pipelines, and how that shift is reshaping careers for women and men. With Mark O’Connor allowed to delay preseason for a club final, we explore the human side of the decision: loyalty, timing, and the practical realities of pursuing the top level abroad.We break down the tiers that define the AFLW journey, from entry contracts to All Australian leverage, and explain how day-to-day routines change when sport becomes the job. Then we trace the tougher men’s pathway, where rookie slots open doors but competition is fierce, and only a handful make the leap into a club’s best 22. Along the way, we compare professional support structures in Australia with the Irish amateur model—nutrition, psychology, recovery, and post-career planning that give athletes a clear arc and reduce the guesswork that often surrounds elite performance at home.Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Gaelic games, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.comWe publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.Our upcoming live events on the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.

Let us know what’s on your mindLeadership isn’t built on a straight line, yet two of the biggest clubs in world football keep pretending it is. We dive into why Manchester United’s decision to move on from Rúben Amorim and Celtic’s thirty-three-day tenure for Wilfrid Nancy signal a deeper problem with how elite sport treats patience, culture, and accountability. Drawing on the lived reality inside high-pressure clubs, we examine how constant resets stall player development, erode identity, and turn “culture” into a slogan rather than a system you can train against every day.We walk through the familiar United cycle: big promises of structure and renewal, followed by turbulence in a squad assembled across regimes, then a fast verdict before coherence forms. At Celtic, the burden of history shapes expectations so tightly that anything short of immediate dominance reads as failure. Across both, the message is loud: leadership is conditional on the moment; patience is negotiable only when you are winning. That mindset doesn’t just unsettle dressing rooms; it teaches players to wait out ideas, dampens youth pathways, and nudges recruitment toward short-term patches over long-term fit.From a Sport for Business lens, the contrast with corporate transformation is stark. In business, strategy horizons run in years, leaders are judged on trajectory and decision quality, and milestones are communicated and protected. Football talks like that but often acts in panic. We argue for accountability with context: clear milestones, aligned recruitment, and enough runway for ideas to embed. If sport wants to model resilience, teamwork, and perseverance, it must live those values when the noise is loudest, not just quote them on media days.Catch the full analysis, then tell us: do you back patience with standards, or believe rapid change is the only way to compete? If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who cares about football culture, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.comWe publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.Our upcoming live events on the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.

Let us know what’s on your mindA creative heavyweight returns to Paddy Power as we examine how a provocative brand voice can evolve under tighter rules and higher expectations. We reflect on past culture-led stunts, agency lessons, and the path to responsible, high-impact sponsorships in 2026.• Paul Mallon’s return and why it matters• Signature campaigns that built brand distinctiveness• From provocation to participation through responsibility• Agency-side lessons applied to a tougher market• Aligning with rights holders on values and voice• League of Ireland fixtures and Dalymount milestones• Event details to kickstart 2026 with research and speakersTickets for our Keynote Sporting Year Ahead event in partnership with Teneo are on sale now at sportforbusiness.com Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.comWe publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.Our upcoming live events on the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.

Let us know what’s on your mindWe share the energy from the Sport for Business Women in Sport conference and turn the mic to two athletes who show why listening changes outcomes. Linda talks rugby, nursing, and a Master's that opens new doors; Laura charts a late start in racing and a clear route to Le Mans with honest talk on funding and grit.• Athlete voice as the driver of real change• Linda’s rugby journey, nursing background, and sports management masters• Stepping away from a central contract to grow leadership and longevity• Laura’s Radical racing path and Le Mans ambition• Sponsorship realities and the bring-your-partners model• Balancing full-time STEM work with training and sim racing• Mental skills, safety, and performance under pressure• Trinity Access, role models, and opening doors for young people• Calls for support that meet actual athlete needsIf there’s anybody out there who wants to get somebody to inspire your workforce or your teams by telling their story, then Linda Djougang will do it brilliantly. And if you feel as though you’re ready to dive in and give a helping hand, you never know that Laura O’Connell with that sense of enthusiasm and drive that you want to support, and you can reach out to her through Sport for Business as well Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.comWe publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.Our upcoming live events on the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.