Why PWHL fever in Ottawa offers a blueprint for sporting success

Ice Cube is many things: a rapper, a film star, producer and more recently - with the Big3 - a sports mogul. The 'fireball' 3x3 basketball league that Cube co-founded with Jeff Kwatinetz has defied pessimistic projections to survive seven years and nine seasons, selling out arenas while airing on major US network TV. Speaking to Tom Bassam, Cube and Kwatinetz discuss selling Big3 franchises, the league's future and how the rapper's career has influenced his approach to being the CEO of a sports organisation. Talking points: - Franchising the Big3 (1:26) - Getting the right type of owners (8:27) - Taking risks (21:08) - What Cube's learned about owning a sports property (25:36)

A trailblazer in the tennis world, Katrina Adams has consistently championed gender equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout her career. Firstly as a player, then as a leader at the UTSA, US Open and the Fed Cup. Speaking to SportsPro’s Elena Kouyoufa as part of Women’s Sport Week, Adams discusses the initiatives she has spearheaded, her efforts to create equal opportunities in sports, and the journey that led her to receive the prestigious IOC’s 2023 Global Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion award.

A packed out TD Place full of young Ottawa fans have come to watch their team try to make the playoffs and SportsPro's Tom Bassam was lucky to have one of the best seats in the house. This is the PWHL, North America's incredibly popular, new elite women's ice hockey competition that is smashing attendance and viewership records in its first season. PWHL Ottawa's GM, Michael Hirshfeld, and Ottawa Tourism's Lesley Pincombe explain the impact of the new franchise in the Canadian capital, as well as what more the city has to offer as a sports destination.

Few sports properties in the world are embracing sustainability like the World Rally Championship. Co-hosting the Beyond Rally Forum, the most recent event in the FIA's Sustainable Innovation Series, was the latest initiative undertaken by the WRC to demonstrate its green credentials. We sent Cian Brittle to Porto get the inside track on the sustainability conversation in motorsport and speak to some of the key players in the space. Talking points: - Interview with Sara Mariani, the FIA's director of sustainability and diversity and inclusion (1:12) - Martin Popilka, CEO of P1 Fuels, on the potential impact of green fuel in WRC and for the automotive industry (26:09) - Santiago Peña Gomez, WRC Promoter's sustainability manager, explains how the series is putting its new Sustainability Roadbook into action (34:02) - Cian's final thoughts (1:00:06)

The year started with an Africa Cup of Nations that broke all manner of records and cut through globally unlike any tournament before. Now, with major players such as Fifa, the NFL and NBA all finally realising the continent's potential, 2024 could be a breakout year for African sport. Kicking off a new content series delving into the African sports landscape, SportsPro editorial director Michael Long and Pulse Sports MD James Torvaney speak to Sherif Hassan, head of digital and marketing products at the Confederation of African Football, about the sports business opportunity in Africa.

Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB, comes into the SportsPro Podcast studio to give his view from the top on the health of English cricket. Speaking exclusively to Tom Bassam, Gould discusses the role of the county game in 2024, dealing with the challenges of the IPL, investment in The Hundred, cricket on TV and the exciting future of the women's game.

Edmonton's history as a hotbed for women's basketball dates back more than a century with the all-conquering Edmonton Grads. Now with Fiba 3x3 events and the WNBA coming to the capital of Alberta, that tradition continues. SportsPro's Tom Bassam speaks to Janelle Janis, Executive Director of Business Development and Events with Explore Edmonton and the WNBA chief marketing officer, Phil Cook, to learn more about the city's credentials as an elite sports destination.

SportsPro's Katie Preston talks to Gemma Woor, a member of this year's NEW ERA class and a senior client director at the MKTG agency, about being a female in the sports industry and some of the initiatives she's involved in to improve it for women in the future.

The Women's Super League is under new management and top of the org chart is former Nike executive Nikki Doucet. Speaking to Sam Carp at SportsPro Live 2024 the CEO of NewCo, the commercial entity that is set to take over running the top two tiers of English women's soccer, discusses her vision for the WSL and how the league can forge a new path for women's sports. Talking points: The opportunity for the NewCo with the WSL (2:02) The broadcast rights picture and other revenue streams (10:18) Investing in equitable opportunities (14:14) Where and how the WSL reaches fans (22:58) Doucet's vision for the WSL (25:03) Reflections on the interview (27:03)

Last week Premier League ushered out the PSR era and in the dawn of 'squad cost' regulations - meaning the amount clubs can spend on players will be index rated against revenues. The Price of Football's Kieran Maguire joins Tom Bassam to unpack what it all means and provide a look across the financial landscape of English soccer's top flight.