Editor's letter

Welcome to the latest, digital-only version of Sportcal Insight magazine.

We were told that the 2019 Fifa Women's World Cup would mark the dawn of a new commercial era for women's sport.

Big media and sponsorship interest, coupled with record-setting audiences, was the recipe for long-term success.

Promises of investment were made, but then haven't we heard that before? Was coverage of women's elite sport again going to revert to little more than a box-ticking exercise? 

We spoke to key executives in the industry and, thankfully, it appears this time change is permanent.

The journey has only really just started, and in the current economic plight there will be some troughs, but the peaks look set to reach higher than ever.

Coverage of all sport has been dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. But pumped-in crowd noise, socially-distanced player interviews and video-conference panel shows have quickly become the norm. With adversity, comes opportunity, as we turn the spotlight on a post-Covid world of broadcasting and production.

With live sport almost non-existent globally in the second quarter of 2020, the concept of story-telling  had to evolve. With rights-holders keen to keep sponsors onside and brands desperate for continued access to clubs and players, branded content has accelerated in popularity. We analyse some of the most successful partnerships.

Few firms can count as strong a brand client list as Octagon. Chairman and chief executive Rick Dudley tells us why one of the industry's leading agencies remains well-positioned for growth despite the obvious challenging environment.

Elsewhere, Nashville is our chosen global sports city. The state capital of Tennessee is now home to three major league franchises, has designs on a fourth, and is pushing for prominent international events. Music City is not to be underestimated.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Stay safe and I look forward to seeing you (in person) at an industry event soon.

Jonathan Rest, editor