{"id":1372,"date":"2019-04-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/podcasts\/publish-48\/"},"modified":"2022-03-23T18:22:07","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T18:22:07","slug":"leaders-sport-business-podcast-david-hopkinson","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/podcasts\/leaders-sport-business-podcast-david-hopkinson\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaders Sport Business Podcast: David Hopkinson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n Apr 02, 2019 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Podcasts<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Leaders Sport Business Podcast: David Hopkinson<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Brands & Sponsorship<\/a>, Leaders Podcast<\/a>, Strategy & Commercialisation<\/a>, Technology & Innovation<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/podcasts\/leaders-sport-business-podcast-david-hopkinson\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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From Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to Real Madrid | The challenges of change management | Staffing out, staffing up, and building agency capability | The scope of 6-star experiences and a rethink on ticket prices.<\/span><\/h4>\n
By James Emmett<\/h6>\n

Episode 55 of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast features a conversation with Real Madrid Global Head of Partnerships David Hopkinson. After a global search process to find an executive to lead the Real Madrid commercial team into a new era, the Canadian joined the Spanish footballing giants from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in the summer of 2018, having spent almost 25 years at his hometown sports organisation, latterly as Chief Commercial Officer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tim Leiweke, one of the CEOs under whom Hopkinson had worked at MLSE, had the following words to say upon Hopkinson’s move to Europe: “Seldom in your life do you run across someone as bright, vibrant, energetic and entrepreneurial as [Hopkinson]. He has a personality that doesn\u2019t just light up a room. He can set a room on fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReal Madrid is as big a brand as there is in our industry. Normally you\u2019d have a hard time finding someone who could make it better. They just did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On the conversational agenda:<\/span><\/p>\n

– From Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to Real Madrid – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unexpected;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– The challenges of change management at one of Europe’s traditional sporting giants;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– Selling partnerships with no Ronaldo and no silverware;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– Partner acquisition approaches: shotgun style vs rifle shot;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– Building agency capability into the Real Madrid commercial team;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– Partner access and working with player agents;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– The trend for 6-star in-stadium experiences and why the Bernabeu’s\u00a0\u20ac550 million renovation provides a huge opportunity.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Episode 39: DFL Digital Sports CEO Andreas Heyden<\/a><\/li>\n
  • Episode 38: Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Listen to the podcast below, and subscribe today on iTunes<\/a>, Stitcher<\/a>, Overcast<\/a>, Spotify<\/a> or your chosen podcast platform.<\/p>\n