Lou Sticca is more than just a FIFA Match Agent, Director at Tribal Sports Group Pty Ltd and Alpha Ostia Procurement Pty Ltd. He is also a passionate supporter of the world's round ball game!
He has brought countless top soccer/association football matches to Australia over the years and has been a cornerstone and champion of the round-ball code for even longer.
His company, Tribal Sports Group, "is a multifaceted sports management, marketing and entertainment agency which was established 20 years ago and has grown to be a major player in sport & entertainment - with an unrivaled network spanning the world."
Welcome back to Chat and Business, where we chat about the sports business.
Nathan Chapman, born in Bendigo, VIC, had a successful career playing in the AFL for the Brisbane Bears/Lions and Hawthorn.
He then made the leap to the NFL with time at the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Cincinnati Bengals but it was when he returned to Australia that things became clear.
He started Prokick Australia the following year in 2007 and by 2009, the first 3 students went to USA on scholarship.
Currently, having completed their 200th scholarship, Prokick now has 8 staff and punting academies in all states except Canberra and NT, to which I point out the latter are technically territories.
Chapman and ProKick Australia has now saved Australians $48 MILLION of college fees for his students so far of which many not only graduate with a bachelors degree but also a Masters or multiple higher education degrees.
Follow him and the program:
On Twitter: @ProKickAus on or
On Instagram: @ProKickAustralia, @ProKickAustralia_Sydney, @ProKickAustralia_Adelaide, @ProKickAustralia,Perth, @ProKickAustralia_Geelong and @ProKickAustralia_Brisbane or,
Online at www.prokickaustralia.com
Follow us on on Twitter @ChatandBusiness and Spencer Kassimir on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
As always, apologies for any audio imperfections.
Welcome back to Chat and Business, where we chat about the sports business.
Ninh Ly is best known for his YouTube Channel 'Ninh Explains' where he provides accessible, concise, and wildly popular videos on the rules of nearly any sport one can imagine. In fact, it is "the #1 resource with the most popular sports explainer videos in the world" along with other sports videos too.
However, he also has other interests, shows, aspirations, insights, and opinions on sport, the sports industry, and beyond.
Come hear Ninh's insights here and follow him at his YouTube accounts, "Ninh Explains" and "Ultimate Bucket List" as well as on online at www.ninh.co.uk, and on Twitter @NinhLyUK.
https://www.youtube.com/c/NinhLyUK
https://www.youtube.com/c/UltimateBucketList
Follow us on on Twitter @ChatandBusiness and Spencer Kassimir on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
As always, apologies for any audio imperfections.
Welcome to Chat and Business!
Our guest this week is Troy Grant, was born in Maitland but grew up near the Golden Guitar in Tamworth. He is currently chairman of International Rugby League.
His NSW Country referees kits are on display in the NSW Rugby League Centre of Excellence at Homebush for starters but its worth mentioning that it took four knee reconstructions to get him to stop playing!
In 2011 he was elected to Parliament in NSW where he continued his political career then being promoted to NSW Government Ministry as Minister for Hospitality, Gaming & Racing and Minister for the Arts
He was also elected to Deputy Premier NSW took on additional Ministries, Regional Infrastructure and services, Trade & Investment and Major Events & Tourism
He’s established his own businesses while also leading in the roles of
- Chairman of NSW Racing Integrity Assurance Committee
- International Rugby League (Deputy Chairman)
- Interim Inspector-General Water Compliance
- NRL Innovation Committee - Project Apollo designed Covid Protocol management structures
- International Rugby League (Chairman) and most recently
-appointed by Governor General as First statutory Inspector General of Water Compliance (Murray Darling Basin)
He can be followed on Twitter @TroyGrant and @IntRL as well as on Facebook at International Rugby League.
Follow us on Twitter @BallsOutPhD and @ChatandBusiness.
As always, apologies for audio imperfections.
Welcome to Chat and Business!
Our guest this week is Brian Canavan, who was born in Warwick Queensland and studied at the University of Queensland. He is currently the QRL South East Chairman.
Canavan played and coached in the Brisbane Rugby League competition with the Fortitude Valleys Club for a period of 12 years whilst being a secondary school teacher and administrator before joining the Brisbane Broncos in its inaugural year in the national competition as Strength and Conditioning Coach.
He then continued his involvement with rugby league, working with Queensland and National Rugby League clubs, Queensland’s State of Origin team as Strength and Conditioning Coach and rugby league’s governing bodies.
His involvement in the sport has covered the areas of management, coaching, strength and conditioning and junior participation development.
In recent times, held senior management positions including NRL governing body Head of Football and NRL Club chief operating officer, chief executive officer and director of football, spending 18 years at the NRL Club Sydney Roosters.
Canavan also has a consultancy role with the NRL in the coach education and welfare unit.
As always, apologies for audio imperfections.
This is part two of two episodes with Professor Tony Collins!
Professor Tony Collins is currently Emeritus Professor of History at De Montfort University in Leicester, England, and also Senior Fellow in the Institute of Sport Humanities at the University of Buckingham.
He’s consulted on heritage issues for the Rugby Football League, the World Rugby Museum at Twickenham, as well as the National Football Museum in England and has written about the history of all the football codes, most notably in ‘How Football Began: a global history of the birth of the world’s football codes’.
You already know him from the show because I quote this man so much but may already follow him on Twitter @CollinsTony or his show @rugbyreloaded.
Please welcome, the football codes guru, rugby league lover and Hull KR super fan, Professor Tony Collins!
As always, apologies for any audio deficiencies!
This will be a two part episode; the first of its kind here!
Professor Tony Collins is currently Emeritus Professor of History at De Montfort University in Leicester, England, and also Senior Fellow in the Institute of Sport Humanities at the University of Buckingham.
He’s consulted on heritage issues for the Rugby Football League, the World Rugby Museum at Twickenham, as well as the National Football Museum in England and has written about the history of all the football codes, most notably in ‘How Football Began: a global history of the birth of the world’s football codes’.
You already know him from the show because I quote this man so much but may already follow him on Twitter @CollinsTony or his show @rugbyreloaded.
Please welcome, the football codes guru, rugby league lover and Hull KR super fan, Professor Tony Collins!
As always, apologies for any audio deficiencies!
Pat Daly is currently the Director of Games Development and Research at the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
The organization that oversees the sports of Hurling, Gaelic football, Handball, Rounders, Camogie and Ladies Football across provinces, counties and clubs but also Irish culture, the Gaelic language, dance and the arts.
Unlike other sports organizations, the athletes of the GAA are all amateur yet still very different from the likes of the NCAA and yesterday's now professional codes.
With 41 years of experience, Pat Daly provides us insights into the development of the sports, the GAA, as well as the future.
Unfortunately, there are two segments that we had discussed but only later realized this was before we'd started recording.
The first was our shared fervor for future of the women's game and its great potential to bring athletes from across the globe.
The second was in regard to the innovation in guaranteeing the authenticity the hurling ball (sliotar) for purposes of ensuring both safety on the field but also as a way to provide purchasers that what they are buying is bona fide and not made in sweatshops. The innovation in implementing such a tactic is a case study in its own.
We look forward to having Pat back on the show to discuss these two amazing parts of the GAA and the world's future in sport.
They may be called Gaelic games but they are certainly designed to be accessible to all!
As always, apologies for audio imperfections!
Graham Annesley is not only a guest of the show but also a colleague I’ve known since just after coming to Australia.
Currently, he is the NRL Executive General Manager, Elite Football and has an extensive career in business, sport, and politics.
A successful corporate career combined with 15 years as an elite match official and sports administrator, led to election to Parliament and appointment as Minister for Sport and Recreation in the NSW Government.
After politics, he returned to Rugby League as Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Coast Titans in 2013 before returning to the NRL administration in October 2018 where he now oversees all operational aspects of the game’s elite competitions.
On the field he has refereed around 250 NRL games including State of Origin and International matches.
Follow Spencer Kassimir on LinkedIn or Twitter @BallsOutPhD and the show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness
As always, apologies for any audio issues!
Josh Spence is an Aussie with an interesting career.
29th of only 38 Australians to ever make the MLB when he played for the San Diego Padres, Spence is the head of Built Baseball where he passes on his knowledge and experience of the game.
Growing up in Australia, he
- Represented Australia several times in World Events, Traveling to Taiwan and Cuba.
- 3 National Championships playing for VIC (two u/14 and one u/16)
- Participated in the MLB Australian Academy for 4 years.
- Turned down a Free Agent contract with the Minnesota Twins to play College Baseball.
After his MLB career, he transitioned to coaching:
- Padres 2015-2017 and other positions with
- Current Pitching Coach, Adelaide Giants, Australian Baseball League (started 2019/20)
before starting his own business:
-Built Baseball
He can be followed at
Linkedin: josh-spence
Twitter: @JoshSpence or his company Built Baseball
Instagram: @BuiltBaseball
And website, as you guessed, builtbaseballc.com
Follow Spencer on Twitter and LinkedIn at: BallsOutPhD and the show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness.
As always, we record and put the show directly live so apologies for audio deficiencies!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview with Capacity Consulting Director Mark Evans who has also been:
-Director of Rugby at Saracens FC
-CEO of Harlequins FC (during the London Broncos/Harlequins RLFC effort)
-CEO of Melbourne Storm
-Chairman of Vitality Netball Super League and
- CEO of Global Rapid Rugby.
Mark also played first XVs for Saracens FC and was their forward coach.
He can be followed on Twitter @evans_marke.
Follow our show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
As always, apologies for audio imperfections!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview with Paul Sergeant OBE, Executive Vice President of Operations Asia & the Gulf Region for ASM Global.
With a 40 years career, Sergeant was the CEO of Llanelli Scarlets rugby union, Stadium and Commercial Director at Wembley Stadium & Arena, and various leadership roles at AEG Ogden/ASM Global as well as many more.
Follow our show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
As always, apologies for audio imperfections!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview with Mary Konstantopoulos, creator of @LadiesWhoLeague/Legspin/Lineout/Leap!
Mary Kaye is also a lawyer with and extensive career in litigation, corporate and financial services.
Follow her on Twitter @LadiesWhoLeague and our show @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
As always, apologies for audio imperfections and additionally for, despite knowing her for many years (and knowing myself even longer), I managed to botch both of our surnames!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview with Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport New Zealand & High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Previously, Castle was the CEO Rugby Australia, the NRL club Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and Netball New Zealand.
Follow our show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
Raelene can be followed on Twitter @RaeleneCastle
As always, apologies for audio imperfections!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview about the NRL, Rugby League and a whole lot more with Super Coach Roy Masters and Melbourne Storm GM Frank Ponissi.
Masters is the former coach of the Western Suburbs Magpies where he is named Coach of the Century and St George Dragons where he is their longest serving coach. Since 1988, he has also been a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald an ASC board member for a record 23 years.
Ponissi is on his 15th season with Melbourne Storm and spent five seasons previously overseas in rugby union out in Europe and South Africa. He also spent nine seasons with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in various coaching roles and was on the 1994 Kangaroos Tour as well as 1995 World Cup Tour on the Coaching Staff.
Follow our show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
Apologies for audio imperfections!
We're here to chat about the sports business in an in depth interview with David Stevenson, GM of Operations at the AFL (Australian Football League).
Previously, Stevenson was the CEO of Western Bulldogs and had a 17 year career across the world at Nike.
Starting at the AFL HQ roughly five years ago as the GM of China, India and AFLX, he then became GM of China and India, Head of Audiences as well as Products & Integration with his most recent position being GM of Operations.
Follow our show on Twitter @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
Apologies for audio imperfections!
We're here to chat about the sports business this time with an in depth interview with the first Australian to play in the Super Bowl, Ben Graham.
From Geelong, VIC (an hour from Melbourne), we discuss Graham's transitions, innovations and hurdles from his time playing for the AFL's Geelong Cats and then playing in the NFL for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and then Detroit Lions.
Follow Ben on Twitter @BenGraham7 and follow our show @ChatandBusiness. Spencer can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn @BallsOutPhD.
The show has landed! Welcome to the Chat and Business podcast where we will chat about the sports business with c-suite executives, athletes, and industry leaders.
Stay tuned for the soon to be released first episode with all announcements being made on Twitter @ChatandBusiness as well a @BallsOutPhD on both Twitter and LinkedIn.