4se Material

Going behind-the-scenes at the new event experience where sport meets entertainment, lifestyle and culture.4se Material is a podcast series in which we explore some of the many stories at the intersection of four key pillars: sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture. Through a series of audio-documentaries, we discuss formative moments in the development of these independent industries – specifically where they cross over for business (or societal) impact. But for this month, we a have different type of 4se Material episode.The team have been in NYC for the big launch of 4SE New York following a pilot event experience last year. In the episode, Leaders Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan elaborate on the intentions and objectives of 4se, and identify and discuss key themes and takeaways from the sessions – all followed by an insightful conversation with Elke Jones, Chief Strategy Officer at GMR Marketing. The analysis also features snippets from the on-stage content, featuring speakers such as Eli Manning, Fat Joe, the CMO of New Balance and the VP Creative of New Era.Editor's Note: This was recorded on site, so there may be some slight distortion in the audio, but this should not take away from your listening experience.

Examining how sport franchises have tailored their apparel to appeal to the masses. 4se Material explores some of the many stories at the intersection of sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture. It seems sports fans and non-fans alike are sporting licensed sportswear. From jerseys to caps, a passerby on any city street can spy some of sports’ most famous logos worn on the bodies of many a trendsetter. But how did this happen? How did pieces of memorabilia, originally designed for die-hard fans, develop this mass appeal? Why would sports organisations seek to make their merchandise more wearable, and why would non-fans buy into it? And how much power really is there in recognisable company iconography?   To help us stitch this sportswear story together, we spoke to Matthew Primack, SVP of International Business Affairs and Development at Fanatics, and to Samantha Gibb, Head of PR and Digital Communications EMEA at New Era - two world-class organisations retailing and manufacturing licensed sports merchandise; we also consulted Dr Lauren Burch, Senior Lecturer in Sports Business at Loughborough University London, to help us understand how organisations benefit from investing in merchandise; and last but certainly not least, we spoke to Mirko Borsche & Kolja Buscher from global design studio Bureau Borsche, whose portfolio includes heading the design of the rebranding for Venezia F.C, whom the media have labelled “the world’s most fashionable football club”.

Travel back 2000 years to unearth the foundations of the modern stadium.4se Material is the podcast series that explores some of the many stories at the intersection of sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture. In this episode, we revisit what is perhaps the original sports entertainment story - that of the Colosseum, one of the seven wonders of the world and a symbol of one of history’s grandest and most famed empires. We’ll reveal the surprising ways in which the largest-ever ancient Amphitheatre has inspired the modern-day sports venue, both from an architectural and game-day experience perspective.The story unfolds with the help of two expert contributors: for a brief history of the Colosseum and to paint a picture of a day in the life of a Roman at the Games, we consulted Dr Peta Greenfield - historian, classicist and co-host of The Partial Historians Podcast; and for insight on the process of designing a stadium and the importance of audience-conscious sports architecture we spoke to Christopher Lee, who is Managing Director, EMEA at Populous, the world’s leading sports and entertainment venue architectural firm.

In a quick hit episode for Super Bowl week, we offer a look at the entertainment-focused Super Bowl content and a peek behind-the-scenes of the halftime show. In this episode, we recruit Seth Dudowsky, Head of Music at the NFL, and Leah Linke, SVP of Event Production at On Location, to offer you a look into the entertainment-focused Super Bowl content coming this weekend, including the pop-culture staple that is the Super Bowl halftime show. We’ll find out how the NFL works with partners and artists to bring the show to life, and how they measure the success of a segment that is guaranteed to be viewed by tens (if not hundreds) of millions.This year’s halftime show promises to be yet another game changer, marking Rihanna’s highly anticipated comeback to music. It also marks the first show since Apple took over from Pepsi as the main sponsor of the event after striking a $50 million a year deal with the NFL last year. This podcast is brought to you by 4se (pronounced 'force'), a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR Marketing. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com (https://www.4-se.com)

Looking back at the first hip-hop ambassadorship story and how that has contributed to the rise of the hip-hop genre and the popularity of streetwear.In this episode, originally uploaded in November 2022 as part of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast feed, we explore the world of hip-hop, sportswear, streetwear, and where they overlap. How does sportswear and hip hop tie into the rise of the streetwear aesthetic? What role did ambassadorship deals play? And there any pitfalls of these deals for either party?Throughout the episode, we seek to answer these questions with the help of three experts: To help us understand hip-hop culture and its history we spoke to Dr Todd Boyd aka Notorious PhD, the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race & Popular Culture and Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts; to explore the impact of well-selected ambassadorships we have Broderick Hicks, Senior VP and Head of EMEA at Wasserman; and to offer an informed perspective on fashion, streetwear, and how fashion executitives think, we spoke to we approached Minal Malik, Fashion Entrepreneur and Fashion Marketing Lecturer at London of College.This podcast is brought to you by 4se (pronounced 'force'), a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com

We investigate the significance of those who fill the coveted front row seats and the impact this has on fan experience and broadening reach. In this episode, originally released in September 2022 as part of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast feed, we investigate where celebrity culture and sports events collide, with particular focus on the NBA and the fixation on who is sitting courtside. What kind of celebrity might you see at a game? Why do they attend them? How does this enhance (or take away) from the experience? And how effective a pull is celebrity attendance for bringing in new fans? Throughout the episode, we seek to answer these questions with the help of three experts: To help us understand what moments are deemed worthy of capturing, we spoke Michael Lawrie, Senior Manager of Sports Operations at Getty Images; to guide us through the VIP experience we have Michelle Kajiwara, Senior Vice President of Premium Business and Events at Crypto.com Arena at AEG, and to offer an academic perspective on why it is we are so fascinated by celebrities, we spoke to Dr. Donna Rockwell, clinical psychologist, celebrity expert and CEO of Already Famous, (http://www.donnarockwell.com/) a program for women and girls to cultivate self-worth.This podcast is brought to you by 4se (pronounced 'force'), a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com

Exploring the boom in popularity of the game and pinpointing when it became a phenomenon. In this first episode, originally released in August 2022 as part of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast feed, we cast our eyes towards the chess world to tell the story of the historical and ongoing popularity of the game. When exactly did the reputation of the game go from purely academic, and somewhat stuffy, to cool and accessible?Throughout the episode, we seek to answer these questions by exploring the game’s universal appeal, the role that technology has played in its growth, and the momentous increase in participation throughout the pandemic, particularly following the release of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’. And we did so with the help of Malcolm Pein, International Master and former professional chess player, now International Director of the English Chess Federation (ECF); Emil Sutovsky, Grandmaster and Director-General of chess world governing body, Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE); and Henrik Carlsen, Board Member of the Play Magnus Group and father five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen.This podcast is brought to you by 4se (pronounced 'force'), a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com

In this introductory episode we run through what you can expect from 4se and why you should make New York your go-to destination for May, before giving you a snapshot of our thinking as we develop our 2023 trends report. 4se Material is a podcast series in which we explore some of the many stories at the intersection of four key pillars: sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture. Through a series of audio-documentaries, we discuss formative moments in the development of these independent industries - specifically where they cross over for business (or societal) impact. However, in this first episode, we take a step back to explain what 4se is and why it matters. We’ll explain everything from our name (it’s pronounced ‘force’) to our purpose, and then identify and discuss some key areas (think storytelling, technology and fan engagement) where sport, entertainment, lifestyle & culture are colliding. We finish by offering a sneak peek at our upcoming trends report, with talk of the festivalisation of events, the challenges around ‘purpose’ and the changing face of mainstream media.  This podcast is brought to you by 4se, a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com