A special live episode of our sister publication, Expected Goals, hosted by Maggie Murphy and Matt Cutler.
Sponsored by Evelyn Partners.
Event Summary & Analysis
This live podcast episode from Expected Goals captured a pivotal moment in women's football investment, featuring industry experts discussing the money flowing into the sector and entrepreneurs pitching their businesses.
Chapter 1: The Investment Panel - Who's Writing the Cheques?
Participants: Nikki Boyd (Sphera Partners), Richard Thomas (Octo Sport), Olivia Hall (Firebird Collective), Anne Rodriguez (Pitch Wise Holdings)
The panel revealed the sophisticated criteria investors now apply to women's football opportunities. Geographic positioning emerged as crucial - not just population size, but competitive landscape and heritage matter. The emphasis on academy programs signals investors are thinking beyond immediate returns to long-term player trading revenue, even though million-pound transfers remain elusive.
Chapter 2: Global Hotspots - Where the Smart Money is Going
The US market drew mixed reactions - acknowledged as having momentum but potentially overvalued. Europe, particularly the UK, emerged as the consensus sweet spot, with Australia flagged as "massively undercooked" commercially.
The debate over closed versus open leagues revealed philosophical differences, with some investors preferring the security of closed systems while others saw promotion/relegation as adding necessary competitive tension.
Chapter 3: Beyond Clubs - The Ecosystem Play
Investors are increasingly looking beyond traditional club ownership to leagues, media companies, and ancillary businesses. The recent investment in the Upshot League (US women's basketball) exemplifies this approach - backing established operators entering structured ecosystems rather than entirely new concepts.
Chapter 4: Advice from the Money - What Entrepreneurs Need to Know
The panel's counsel was brutally practical: come with more than PowerPoint presentations. They want to see contracts, data, and proof of concept before writing cheques. The emphasis on resilience reflects the reality that this remains a marathon investment thesis.
Chapter 5: The Broader Sports Landscape - Opportunities and Threats
Discussion expanded beyond football to sports like netball, volleyball, and emerging Olympic sports. The fragmentation risk in US volleyball - with four leagues competing for the same market - serves as a cautionary tale about premature market splitting.
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