As 2024 draws to a close, the Insider Sport team gathered for a special end-of-year episode of the iGaming Daily podcast.

Ted Orme-Claye, Editor of Insider Sport, was joined by Senior Journalist Callum Williams and Business Journalist Kieran O’Connor to look back on a year filled with unforgettable moments and game-changing developments in sports business.

Biggest stories

Football in 2024 was packed with more drama than a Christmas soap special. From fierce club rivalries to disputes with the very leagues that govern them, it seemed there was more action happening in courtrooms than on the terraces.

One of the biggest stories of the year was the Football Association’s (FA) decision to scrap FA Cup replays. The FA admitted this move was necessary to ease the fixture congestion faced by the top Premier League clubs.

Unsurprisingly, the decision sparked backlash from lower-league clubs, who felt the brunt of the change. 

Kieran, who followed the story throughout the year, pointed out that while a solution was needed to address the overcrowded calendar – largely caused by the expansion of European competitions that mainly benefit bigger clubs – “lower league clubs have come off worse, as they are the ones who’ve been punished.”

French football has also been embroiled in its share of controversies this year. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the governing body of French football, stirred up major issues when it pursued a new broadcasting rights deal worth between €900 million and €1 billion.

This was an effort to compete with the commercial dominance of leagues like the Bundesliga and Premier League, especially after losing stars like Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi in recent years.

On why Ligue 1 will be trying to maximise this deal, Callum said: “Broadcast rights have significantly over the past several years and this a real key revenue driver for a lot of teams and leagues across the world.”

However, despite these ambitions, Callum pointed out that the LFP eventually settled on a deal with DAZN and beIN Sports – but it fell short of the high valuation it had hoped for.

Interesting interviews

Ted highlighted that the Insider Sport team had some fantastic opportunities to interview and connect with key figures from the world of sports business throughout 2024.

Callum started the year off strong with an interview with Tania Moreno, Chief Marketing Officer of AC Milan. During their discussion, Callum was able to dive into the marketing strategy of the Italian football powerhouse, especially as the club celebrated its 125th anniversary.

“[In the interview] there was a lot of talk about their [AC Milan’s] US focus, particularly collaborations with the New York Yankees,” Callum noted. 

“They have really been able to hone in on being able to branch out to the US, garnering more of that US audience.”

This interview in January set the tone for a recurring theme throughout the year, with US influence steadily growing among European football clubs. More teams began looking to the US for partnerships and strategic direction.

Ted took a moment to reflect on his interview with Ben Shalom, CEO and Founder of BOXXER. During the conversation, Ben shared insights into the company’s partnerships with both US broadcasters and UK outlets like Sky Sports.

Ted highlighted one particular point, saying: “What was quite interesting was at the time we talked about the role that Saudi Arabia is increasingly playing in boxing. And now lately, quite a few months down the line after the interview, Boxxer has partnered with the Riyadh Season and got in on that alongside Matchroom and Queensberry.”

Future predictions

To conclude the episode, the team reflected on some of the biggest trends they predict for 2025.

Ted, Callum, and Kieran all agreed that Saudi Arabia’s influence on the global sports landscape is set to grow even further. With the country preparing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, alongside the Esports World Cup and several high-profile boxing events.

Earlier in the episode, Callum discussed the growing importance of broadcasting in sports, pointing out that this focus is likely to lead to significant changes in the coming year.

As he explained: “There is a lot of focus right now from leagues, especially on where the consumer lies. I know with the NBA their demographic is really young and what they’ve started to do now is tailor most of their content to social media.”

Callum also noted that the NBA is far ahead of other leagues when it comes to social media engagement, adding: “There is a lot of focus now from streaming companies to engage with different types of social media content strategies, in terms of blending that into their broadcasts.”

To listen to this episode click here or search for ‘iGaming Daily’ wherever you listen to your podcasts.