E45: The Champions League Question

At any sports business conference, there will be a moment when a strategy geek or rights owner will say they are pivoting to ‘more of a Champions League model’. So we asked one of the architects of the UEFA Champions League to explain why it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. Craig Thompson was a founding member of TEAM Marketing in the early 1990s, creating one of global sport’s most resilient and valuable brands. We talk about scarcity and choice, the failings of Michel Platini, how ’the Champions League model’ really works and why most rights owners can’t do it.A big thank you to our mates at Twelfth Man for helping set this interview up and for hosting us at their offices in Brick Lane, east London. And for letting us in their local afterwards. And then in their office bar after that.Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 500 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series and live events, you can reach us via the website.