Barney Francis offers an insider's view of the sports media economy, drawing on his huge experience as MD of Sky Sports in the UK and EVP, Studios at IMG, the company's production business. The conversation spans new sports formats, piracy, streaming disruption, rights economics, the creation of The Hundred, the Premier League's move to in-house production, and the structural challenges facing rugby in the UK.

New Formats: Additive vs Disruptive
Resilience of Incumbent Rights Holders
Piracy: From Nudge and Wink to Cultural Norm
The Netflix Value Equation
Rights Fragmentation vs. Consolidation
The "Home of" Strategy
Sky's Consumer-First Philosophy
Rugby's Structural Failures
The Creation of The Hundred
Premier League Production In-House
Remote Production and Efficiency

Unofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry.
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UP534 Barney Francis on Media Rights and Wrongs