Sustaining Sport

Ugandan sports currently grapples with a complex network of interconnected challenges, including severe financial constraints, persistent mismanagement issues, a significant talent drain, and the undeniable impacts of climate change. The question is:  how can their sports improve and develop talent without further contributing to the climate crisis?

Diving into this question with us is Sharon Muzaki, a budding environmental journalist and sports fan, in Kampala. Of course, such a discussion begs the subsequent question: is it even fair to expect a nation, that has contributed so little to the climate crisis, to include such considerations into the sporting growth model?

There is no simple solution, but, speaking from both lived experiences and observations, Sharon gives us her preservative which informs a much better understanding of the problem - a problem is crying out for further consideration from the relevant stakeholders. 

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Advertising is supposed to be a way for businesses and entrepreneurs to show you how good their products are. But what if many of the products in adverts are actually bad? They could be bad for you or potentially bad for this planet and its delicately balanced biosphere.

Today’s topic is bad advertising. We are talking to researcher Freddie Daley who works as a coordinator for a tremendous organisation called Badvertising. As sport holds a powerful place in the hearts and minds of fans and athletes around the world, it is a potent tool for advertisers. According to Statista, in 2022 the global sports sponsorship market was worth an estimated 66 billion U.S. dollars and is expected to grow to 107 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. It is one of sport’s biggest revenue streams, dwarfing that of merchandise and tickets.

Freddie and his colleagues know this and therefore must dedicate a lot of time calling out and campaigning against adverts that contain false information or normalise businesses whose operations are harmful to people and the environment.

Freddie joins us today to discuss this sport, sustainability, and advertising intersection. It’s a complex and arduous topic at times but his pragmatism and belief in the possibility of a better system makes it very much worth a listen!

You can also find more research and work on this at the Rapid Transition Alliance.

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The convergence of sport, decoloniality, and the environment presents a labyrinth of intricate ideas, and as we delve into their interconnectedness, the complexity deepens.

Joining us on this informative journey is Samuel Clevenger, an Assistant Professor at Towson University in the USA, who has been trying to unpack some of this intersection. We start with the radical concept of decoloniality—an evolution beyond mere decolonisation. Through philosophical references and anecdotes, we raise instances where sport has been wielded to perpetuate a Western-centric worldview, shaping notions of identity, imagery, and competition. Then, in contrast, we examine examples where Western sports were recast more in the image of the indigenous people who were pressured to play them.

As we pivot to the environmental repercussions, a canvas of broader societal critiques unfurls. The discourse expands to encompass profound themes like climate justice, athlete and fan burnout, and the nuances of degrowth or post-growth.

Whether you're a sports enthusiast, an environmental advocate, or simply curious about the multifaceted connections between these realms, there are undoubtedly ideas in this episode of interest to you.

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The relationship between money and sport is complex…

This show has often discussed the issues that arise when the biggest carbon emitters buy or sponsor a sports club, often with the objective of improving their legitimacy or reputation. But this episode goes one step deeper, by looking at the more nuanced capital in-flows that have a few a degrees of separation.

For example, the organisations that invest in or fund others to extract fossil fuels, rather than doing it themselves. Additionally, there are businesses that continuously try to tempt the consumer into making key purchases that will cause significant harm either to the consumer or somewhere else along the supply chain. And because of that separation, it’s tricky for sports fans to know that the companies whose names adorn the fronts of their teams' jerseys are profiting from something they might not agree with.

But help is on the way. Michael Hardy has long sought to get his local team, Liverpool FC, to drop Standard Chartered as a sponsor. Standard chartered fund in a range of projects across the world that do not uphold the human rights of their workers and are responsible for a massive about of emissions. To try to make a difference, Michael and Platform, the organisation he works for, are launching the Game Changer Sponsorship Pledge: an exciting new initiative that tries to bring everyone who cares about sport but does not want to benefit from harm-causing activities. They want to put pressure on sports commercial directors to make better choices that better reflect the values of the fans, even if that means less lucrative deals.

You can learn more about the Game Changer Sponsorship Pledge at: badverts.org/gamechanger

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“Sport is not industry: bringing sport back to sport management.”

That is the title of a wonderful paper by Hallgeir Gammelsæter, of Molde University College in Norway. The paper argues that sport management, as a discipline, has become overly focused on the management or business aspect, pushing the sports industry into competing as any other form of entertainment.

This raises questions about who sport is supposed to serve, as both athletes and fans have arguably become commodities for shareholder gain and authentic intangible community bonds are lost in the name of international growth. Crucially this trend seems to be self-reinforcing, as more investors, middlemen, and marketeers come in trying to carve out some revenue for themselves.

Hallgeir joins us to discuss all of this and builds on it with insights from his other lines of work, including the incompatibility between elite sport and environmental sustainability - and how the professionalisation of sport is trickling down all the way to children's sport, meaning things at youth level are no longer just fun and games, when perhaps they still should be.

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Football fan culture is a highly coveted commodity to many businesses who look to use the spectacle of the game and the love for teams to promote the consumption of their products. But what if this culture was leveraged for more positive outcomes?

Jenny Amann, a PhD student at the University of Brighton, recently co-authored a paper with an international expert on fan culture, Mark Doidge. In it, they present their research on how we might mobilise the collective behaviour of sports fans to help tackle climate change.

Jenny joins us today to summarise this absorbing research and establishes its goal, which is to instigate structural change and not merely small changes in behaviour. Building on this, she highlights the need for more authentic forms of climate communication, custom designed for groups that are not already engaged on the issues. We end with a discussion on the many contradictions embedded within the more ‘corporate’ understanding of sustainability.

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How does winning an Olympic gold medal in canoeing inform a career in environmental activism?

Etienne Stott, and his partner Tim Baillie, won the Men's slalom canoeing C-2 Event at the London 2012 Olympics, making history for Great Britain. Since retiring from competitive sport, Etienne has become increasingly involved with environmental activism, working with organizations such as Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness and push for action.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Etienne's journey from athlete to activist. We start with his sporting career and the pivotal moment that led to his Olympic success. Then, we shift our focus to the climate crisis and how Etienne understands the complex and systemic issues at play.

As a canoeist, Etienne has a unique perspective on the power of nature and its connection to sport. We delve into how this inherent connection impacts his worldview and informs his approach to the environment. Finally, we explore how athletes can use their platform within society to call for action and make a positive impact.

You can also see the recording of our interview at https://youtu.be/kV54aI716jk

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The Republic of Haiti is arguably the unluckiest country in recent history. It sits on a fault line and is regularly barraged by hurricanes. Additionally, it still struggles for social and economic stability after countless colonial injustices and outside interventions followed by dictators, gang violence and corruption. Sport, mainly football/soccer, plays a huge role in the nation’s culture which means it may be a source of relief. But how to leverage this potential in a country seemingly without hope? 

James Louis-Charles has a plan! As a history teacher, he is well aware of the complex history of his home. And after many years working in Sport for Development, James believes that with the right steps, Haiti can become a great football-playing nation. This would mean two things: (1) young Haitians would have more pathways out of poverty, and (2) it could give the country some hope and unity in a way few things have before.

Achieving this is exceptionally complex and requires a collaboration of local insights, good faith actors and external benefactors. But it’s worth fighting for! We begin this episode with James’ views on the history of Haiti followed by his passion for football and close with his compelling call for action!

You can contact James on Twitter: @James_LouCha

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To try to answer this complicated question we have Tristan Niesslein of Niesslein Sustainability Partners on the show. We discuss (1) the contradictions facing motorsport’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact, (2) how it’s time for ‘stick over carrot’ on sustainability regulations, (3) questions about the source of sponsorship funds, and (4) the big issues regarding diversity and inclusivity. 

We perhaps raise more questions than provide conclusive answers, but it’s essential to know where we are so we know where we need to go, and there is definitely some hope for this industry to improve.

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The relationship between the leaders of nation-states and the gatekeepers of sporting mega-events is both powerful and complex. Organisations, such as FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have revenues in the billions of dollars and are supranational. They have a disproportionate and troubling degree of political power.   

Much has been written about the environmental and human rights disaster of the men’s football World Cup in Qatar as finally being a step too far in terms of host selection. However, evidence suggests that this was an almost inevitable outcome of systemic problems within FIFA.   

To talk us through this, it’s a pleasure to be joined by Jules Boykoff, Professor of political science at Pacific University in Oregon, USA. He is the author of five books on the politics of sports mega-events, most recently, ‘The 1936 Berlin Olympics: Race, Power, and Sportswashing’. He is also a former professional footballer, having represented the US Under-23 Men’s National Team so he has seen how these events work from all angles.

You can also see the recording of our interview at https://youtu.be/yjskkjE8JjA with some additional visual information.

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Sport is one of the great joys of the human condition for athletes and spectators alike. It can bring happiness, livelihood, physical health, and mental well-being, and provides an education in teamwork, discipline, maturity, and humility. But for this to continue, sports around the world must acknowledge challenges both current and future and both internal and external. Then, steps must be taken to overcome what faces them or risk losing what so many people hold so dear. But what are the challenges and what steps can be taken?

Here we seek to address exactly that! Regular themes include sexism, climate change, racism, sponsorship ethics, mental health, social justice, the list goes on and on! We will also discuss potential remedies and look at how we as individuals can make a difference. It begins with a conversation. It may lead to raising awareness and mobilising people to question norms and behaviours. And hopefully, it will end with meaningful change.

Please remember the views expressed in this podcast may no longer be current when you hear them. My views are my own. As are my guests, who, while valued here for their insights, do not necessarily always reflect the values of this Sustaining Sport and do not speak on behalf of the show.

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Are regulators doing enough to safeguard people against betting companies and their aggressive customer acquisition strategies?

Problem gamblers account for 46% of betting company revenue while making up only 5% of players. Up to 1 in 20 British men will, at least for a time, be a problem gambler, something that can take decades to recover from. So what are regulators doing to help?

Here to answer this is Matt Zarb-Cousin, a former teenage problem gambler who went on to co-found Gamban, the award-winning software that blocks devices from accessing gambling sites and apps. He is also a long-time industry campaigner advocating for gambling regulation reform in the UK.

In this episode, we discuss: (1) how current regulation is insufficient to address modern betting technology; (2) what regulators could do to reduce harm; and (3) how sports betting is being spread into new markets, in part, to ‘bait’ people onto more dangerous games such as slot machines.

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While there is undoubtedly some potential for the sports industry to embrace blockchain technology, thus far it’s been marred by controversy and even criminality.

To find out how things can improve, I have been in conversation with industry commentator Pet Berisha of the Sporting Crypto newsletter. He is an optimist of the space but knows a poor product when he sees one. He highlights some areas where crypto brands might be able to provide more significant value to sport.

In addition, I have put together an article that serves as both a guide to help sports fans not get ripped off and calls for regulators and sports institutions to do more to protect sports lovers.

If this is of interest to you, you can read it on Medium: sustainingsport.medium.com
Or find it directly on our website: sustainingsport.com/articles

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Up to 20% of all athletes experience a crisis transitioning after retiring from competitive sport, meaning they face severe mental, physical, social, or financial difficulties and are often unable to cope. If you consider how many sports and athletes there are competing globally, this is a significant number, and it is vital more is done to help.

Fortunately, researchers like Associate Professor Suzie Cosh, of the University of New England (AU), have been trying to get to the bottom of why this problem is so prolific. Suzie joins us in this episode to share her insights after years of study.

We discuss the extent of the problem and potential consequences including depression, substance abuse disorders and bankruptcy. We also look at key drivers such as identity loss and a lack of transferable skills. Finally, we talk about solutions, looking for more proactive rather than reactive steps to help athletes lead fulfilling lives after the end of their competitive careers.

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Is your local club ground half empty because everyone is watching the Premier League on TV? Or perhaps you are a local Liverpool FC fan, but cannot ever get a ticket? Dr David Webber has been examining these struggles, dedicating much of his academic career to working out why it is happening and what we can do about it.

David postulates that football has become so commercialised that most of us are unable to imagine an alternative that would curb profit-seeking behaviour and restore some social value back into the game. Such an idea would mean the sports industry is not immune from the cautions of Mark Fisher and the concept of ‘Capitalist Realism’, work that David draws upon.

In this episode, we discuss the forces that currently see sports teams leveraged to the nth degree for their commercial brand value. We also talk about how this process erodes the social connections and authenticity of the communities.

Fortunately, David does not believe that all is lost. We discuss some more fundamental and drastic solutions that would bring back some community value and make football more democratic and even more competitive.

You can find David via Solent University profile or via his Twitter: @DrDaveWebber

The researcher of 'competitive balance' who I referenced in the episode is Vasileios Manasis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Athens University of Economics and Business. And thank you to The Sports Footprint for showcasing Dr Manasis' work.

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When it comes to books about sport, Radical Football is perhaps in a category all of its own. One-part biography, one-part documentary and one-part call to action.

It is a pleasure to have the author Steve Fleming on the podcast to discuss the life of Jürgen Griesbeck and the story of Football for Good. We delve into the complicities of managing a relationship with both resource- and controversy-rich FIFA, what led Steve to set up the inspiring Kick4Life in Lesotho, and where Sport for Development can go from here.

The book finishes with a hopeful vision for football's future, one that puts purpose firmly ahead of profit as the main value to be leveraged. It’s a vision that, if successfully materialised, would redistribute more of the value of the beautiful game back to those who play it and provide a powerful vehicle for social development. It’s a vision worth working towards!

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Many pundits have become such long-standing features on certain networks’ sports coverage, that they are in effect the face of the program and are widely marketed to garner interest. But although their famous faces may attract fans that know them to the broadcast, do they give the best possible analysis?

My guest today ruffled a few feathers in late March this year when he penned an article criticising the analytical performance of the pundits on BBC and ITV’s coverage of the Six Nations. In doing so, he raised some important questions about what we might be missing by not giving those key minutes of airtime to people who may not be famous or even former players, but whose profession and core skill set is game analysis.

In this episode, Ben Nurse and I discuss how some seemingly impervious pundits have become complacent, relying on anecdotes of past glory, and failing to stay up to date with the trends and strategies of the modern game. Ben also argues in favour of incorporating more data-savvy analysts, describes how punditry would benefit from being more inclusive, and showcases the miraculous rise of my go-to source of rugby evaluation, Squidge Rugby’s Robbie Owen.

Here is more of Ben's work: thematchreport.co.uk

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In today’s episode, journalist Haley Shapley guides us through the often-misrepresented history of female strength and athleticism. Haley is the author of the book Strong Like Her. Her book presents revelations from cultural history and biographical tales of women who have had to overcome social barriers before having the chance to begin pushing their physical boundaries. These stories have been and continue to be an inspiration to generations of athletes. Haley challenges us to rethink how we can better encourage and celebrate the physical power of women.

We start our conversation with Haley’s own journey to success in strength training, and she then provides astute insight and evidence-based answers to my endless list of questions on this fascinating and vital topic. I hope you enjoy today’s episodes and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any follow-up questions for Haley or myself.

You can find Haley at haleyshapley.com

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Nathan McGovern (22) along with other members of the group Just Stop Oil, took to the field of four Premier League games in late March 2022 and attempted to tie themselves to the goalposts. Many fans assumed these young people were merely streakers so jeered as they were effectively removed by security. However, there is more to these actions than mere silliness.

Just Stop Oil have been engaging in civil disobedience, a form of resistance whereby protestors refuse to obey the commands of an incumbent power but do not resort to any form of violence.

In today’s episode, Nathan tells us why they are so motivated to protest the current unsustainable status quo. He explains why they chose football fields to raise extra awareness about the lack of action from the British government in transitioning the UK away from fossil fuels.

One can absolutely question the effectiveness of such drastic tactics and Just Stop Oil are accepting the legal consequences of their actions. But what is unquestionable is the bravery shown by these people; putting their bodies on the line to make the world a better place in the long term.

In podcast news, we FINALLY have a Patreon! We shall, of course, continue to make these episodes (even if at personal expense) and they will always be free to listen to. But if you do like the content and the kind of guests we have on the show, please consider contributing even the smallest of amounts, either as a one-off or regular payment. It would be hugely appreciated. www.patreon.com/sustainingsport

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Katie Cross believes we as sports fans have a huge role to play and that is why she founded Pledgeball. Pledgeball is a way to activate fans to reduce their emissions. In this episode, we discuss how football is so powerful in changing mindsets and making sustainability fun! We also highlight the importance of community engagement and how doing the small things can help to not get overwhelmed in the daunting face of climate change.

Action to tackle climate change is desperately needed right now and we as individuals have more power than we realise. So why not start the conversation down at your local sports club?

You can get in touch with Katie and Pledgeball at www.pledgeball.org

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