Leaders Sport Business Podcast: Behind the scenes at Leaders Shanghai

In conversation with Wolverhampton Wanderers, China ClubFootball, HBSE, and FIBA.

The Premier League in China | Tencent and PP Sports spend big on NBA and Premier League rights | Sky Sun on Fosun’s ambition for Wolves | Rowan Simons on the model for growth in Chinese football | Scott O’Neil on making the most of an NBA trip to China | David Nivelle on the challenge and achievement of a FIBA World Cup in China.

By James Emmett

The Leaders Sport Business Summit rolled into China for a third annual edition this July, hosted, for the first time, in Shanghai, and coinciding with the Premier League’s Asia Trophy visit.

Leaders Head of Content David Cushnan was on hand to capture some of the sights and sounds, lining up a quartet of conversations behind the scenes of the two-day event.

On the agenda:

– Sky Sun (15:44) – The Wolverhampton Wanderers Director on ownership group Fosun International’s ambitious five-year plan for the club; the launch of a new club megastore in Shanghai and 400 branded products to go with it; and the lifestyle brand vision that would put the Wolves brand alongside the likes of the New York Yankees.

– Rowan Simons (21:28) – The China ClubFootball Founder on football culture in China and the dangers of putting international brands before the growth of the game.

– Scott O’Neil (29:36) – The Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO on making the most of an executive trip to China, how to take learnings and leads back to the US; and what the remarkable offseason of NBA player movement means for the Sixers.

– David Nivelle (42:03) – The Head of FIBA Marketing on gearing up for the FIBA World Cup, the first global, multi-city event to be hosted by China.

Listen to the podcast below, and subscribe today on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, Spotify or your chosen podcast platform.