Moneyball - The Business of Sport

Sport isn’t just about what happens on the field — it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry driven by the deals, decisions and dynamics behind the scenes. Moneyball is the podcast that pulls back the curtain on the business of sport — how it works, who makes it happen, and where the real game is being played. Hosted by sports business commentator and brand strategist Scott Keenan , the show dives into the intersection of sport, money and culture , with open, commercially focused conversations that go behind the big decisions shaping modern sport in Australia and around the world. From player contracts and sponsorship deals to broadcast rights, expansion teams, athlete brands and women’s sport , Moneyball is fun, curious and unfiltered — made for sports insiders and for fans who want to understand how the game really works. Subscr

Moneyball - The Business of Sport is a sports podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 35 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Moneyball - The Business of Sport, a sports show with 35 episodes published.

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  Episode #37

  Why Newcastle Needs the Knights

  Oct 1, 202630 min

  The Newcastle Knights are back in the NRL Grand Final for the first time in 25 years — but this isn’t a Grand Final preview. It’s a conversation about belonging and why the relationship between Newcastle and its rugby league team feels different. Moneyball host Scott Keenan is joined by 1997 premiership winner Steve Crowe , Triple M Newcastle Breakfast co-host Tanya Wilks , and The Knighted creator Lincoln Ison . Crowey takes us inside Newcastle’s famous 1997 Grand Final week, including the emotional team meeting the night before the win over Manly and the extraordinary scenes as thousands of supporters sent the team to Sydney. Tanya explains what she is hearing from Newcastle as the city turns red and blue again, while Lincoln talks about experiencing this run as a modern fan and content creator, including the livestream moment that left him in tears. They also discuss Kalyn Ponga, Justin Holbrook, the fans who kept turning up through the wooden-spoon years, merchandise and membership, and a bigger sports-business question: Can a professional sporting club manufacture genuine belonging — or does Newcastle have something that simply can’t be copied? Guests Steve Crowe — Newcastle Knights 1997 premiership player, former club administrator and Newcastle business leader. Tanya Wilks — co-host of Triple M Newcastle Breakfast and a fixture of Newcastle radio for more than 25 years. Radio Today Lincoln Ison — rugby league content creator and host of The Knighted , covering the Newcastle Knights through previews, reviews and fan-led content. Apple Podcasts Moneyball – The Business of Sport pulls back the curtain on the deals, decisions, people and commercial forces shaping sport. Hosted by Scott Keenan , sports-business commentator and communications strategist. YouTube: @moneyball_show Instagram: @moneyball_show Contact: askmoneyball.show@gmail.com

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  Episode #36

  NRL's Grand Final Entertainment Stuff Up

  Sep 24, 202631 min

  Has the NRL got its Grand Final entertainment strategy completely wrong? The NRL is heading into its biggest game of the year without a headline entertainment act after talks with Tones and I fell apart. Peter V’landys has questioned whether spending around $1 million on 11 minutes of entertainment represents value — but is that looking at the whole thing the wrong way? Moneyball host Scott Keenan is joined by comedian and sports broadcaster Andrew “Barney” Barnett to unpack the business of Grand Final entertainment: why it matters to broadcasters, how it can attract casual audiences, the sponsorship opportunity the NRL could be missing, and what the AFL does differently with its biggest event. They also revisit some memorable Grand Final entertainment — from Tina Turner and The Kid LAROI to Billy Idol and Meat Loaf — and ask whether a sport that wants to be Australia’s biggest should be trying to make its biggest event even bigger. Andrew is the co-host of Not Another Rugby League Podcast with Steve Philp and is appearing at the Sydney Fringe Festival with Barney’s Sports vs Entertainment Comedy Showdown , at The Factory Theatre in Marrickville on October 1, 2 and 3 . Tickets are available at fringecomedy.com.au .) Moneyball – The Business of Sport goes behind the deals, decisions and commercial forces shaping sport in Australia and around the world. Watch on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

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  Episode #35

  Should Aussie Sports Be Worried About the NFL?

  Sep 19, 202627 min

  NFL Melbourne worked. More than 100,000 people packed the MCG for the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia — but the bigger question is what happens next. Can the NFL turn one enormous event into a genuine Australian market? And if it does, could its sheer commercial scale eventually become a threat to the AFL, NRL and other Australian sports? Scott Keenan is joined by AJ Maestas, founder of sports strategy and analytics firm Navigate and host of the Navigating Sports Business podcast , to unpack the business behind the NFL's push into Australia. They discuss why the NFL chose Melbourne and the MCG, where Australia fits into the league's international expansion strategy, the enormous potential value of global media rights, how casual fans become long-term customers, flag football, and the very different approaches taken by the Rams and 49ers in Melbourne. They also turn the question around: if one NFL team can operate at a scale comparable with an entire Australian sporting league, what happens if the NFL starts competing more aggressively for Australian fans, sponsors, media dollars and sporting spend? AJ Maestas is the founder of Navigate, a data-driven sports and entertainment consulting firm working with leading brands, leagues, teams, universities and entertainment organisations. He is also the host of Navigating Sports Business , featuring conversations with leading decision-makers from across the sports industry. Moneyball – The Business of Sport pulls back the curtain on the deals, decisions and strategies shaping sport. Hosted by Scott Keenan , an Australian sports business commentator, Moneyball covers media rights, expansion, investment, ownership, sponsorship, broadcasting, marketing and fan growth. Contact: askmoneyball.show@gmail.com Instagram: @askmoneyball_show If you want to know what's really going on in sport, you've gotta follow the money.

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  Episode #33

  Is Australia Getting the Better Deal From the NFL?

  Sep 10, 202619 min

  The NFL has finally arrived in Australia — but could Australia actually be getting the better deal? Scott Keenan looks at how the NFL’s enormous content ecosystem is showcasing Melbourne and Australia to an American audience, why the San Francisco 49ers have spent the week behaving like a local club, and whether the Los Angeles Rams’ late-arrival strategy makes sense commercially as well as competitively. The episode also compares NFL Melbourne with the NRL’s Las Vegas experiment and looks at the other side of the deal: why the NFL is investing in Australia, how international expansion fits into its long-term growth strategy, and why turning casual fans into lifelong customers matters far more than the ticket revenue from one game at the MCG. Questions this episode explores: What does Australia get from the NFL coming to Melbourne? How does NFL Melbourne compare with NRL Las Vegas? Are the 49ers winning the marketing battle in Australia? Why is the NFL targeting Australia for growth? How does international expansion create long-term value for the league? Can flag football help turn Australians into NFL fans? Will we see more NFL games in Australia? Moneyball – The Business of Sport is hosted by Scott Keenan and looks at the deals, decisions and strategies behind sport. Get in touch by email askmoneyball.show@gmail.com

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  Episode #32

  Why Private Equity Wants the NRL

  Aug 28, 202635 min

  Sports teams are becoming one of the hottest assets in global investment. The LA Lakers have been valued at an extraordinary US$12.5 billion. Private equity giant EQT has agreed to become the majority shareholder in Melbourne Storm. And all 17 existing NRL clubs have reportedly proposed helping to build and own the competition’s 20th team before potentially selling it. So why does everyone suddenly want to own a sports team? Murray Barnett returns to Moneyball to explain why investors increasingly see sports franchises as an asset class of their own — and why the NRL could be particularly attractive. Scott and Murray unpack the economics behind Melbourne Storm’s reported valuation, the importance of long-term media rights, and why membership of a closed competition like the NRL, NBA or NFL can be more valuable than the club itself. They also examine whether soaring sports valuations are creating a bubble, why the scarcity of franchises could keep pushing prices higher, and what happens when the commercial interests of investors collide with what supporters want their clubs to be. And with the NRL’s existing clubs considering whether to help create Team 20 themselves, could expansion now be about creating valuable new sporting assets as much as growing the game? About the guest Murray Barnett is the founder of 26West Sport, advising sports organisations, investors, broadcasters and brands across media rights, sponsorship and commercial strategy. He has held senior roles at ESPN, Formula One, World Rugby and DAZN and has worked across some of the biggest commercial properties in global sport. About Moneyball Moneyball – The Business of Sport explores the intersection of sport, money, media and culture. Hosted by Scott Keenan, the show goes behind the headlines to explain the commercial decisions shaping modern sport. Questions, guest suggestions or commercial enquiries: askmoneyball.show@gmail.com Instagram: @moneyball_show ▶️ YouTube: @moneyball_show

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