Sports
Africa Business of Sport Podcast
To celebrate the 100th episode of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast, we sat down with co-founder Edem Spio to learn more about the podcast and what listeners can expect.
5 Mins Read
To celebrate the 100th episode of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast, we sat down with co-founder Edem Spio to learn more about the podcast and what listeners can expect.
5 Mins Read
Can you tell us more about yourself and when you knew you wanted to work in sports?
I’m the co-founder, senior producer & co-host of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast – Africa’s #1 Sports Business Podcast. I’m relentlessly tenacious in pursuing the things I’m passionate about. My favourite sports are football, tennis, basketball and Formula 1, and my favourite sports teams and events are Liverpool, Aston Martin F1 Team, Wimbledon and the UEFA Champions League. I’ve come to understand that sports is my calling in life, and although I couldn’t go pro, my obsession with sports led me to pursue a Master’s in International Sports Management.
You are the co-founder, senior producer, and co-host of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast; what is the podcast about?
The Africa Business of Sport Podcast provides dynamic African perspectives on the biggest topics, stories, developments and talking points in the global sports business industry. The podcast is co-hosted by Jabu Mtwa, IOC Young Leader 2023-2026, Shon Osimbo, a notable African sports broadcaster with over a decade of experience, and myself. Several high-profile sports business leaders and experts have appeared in previous episodes, including
We’ve discussed various topics with these notable business executives, including sports partnerships, fan engagement, sponsorships, women’s sports, youth sports, and more.
What was your reason behind setting up the podcast?
Jabu and I realised that there were not many opportunities for the African youth in the global sports industry, as many did not know or understand the role of the sports business. For the African youth, the majority of focus on sports is on on-pitch/field activities linked to betting as well as performance. It became clear to us that to change the narrative of the opportunities available to the African youth in sports; there needs to be greater dissemination of information and knowledge that can equip them with the necessary know-how to work in the industry.
We recognised that we were privileged to obtain a level of sports business education that set us apart. Thus, we wanted to lead the African youth who are either passionate about working in sports but have no idea how to get started or those actively looking to switch to sports, and the best way to lead is through education. Given our love for podcasts and our fight to grow the contemporary media and content creation space in African sports, we decided to launch the podcast.
What effect do you hope your podcast has on young people who aspire to work in the sports industry?
We hope to inspire, educate and motivate the African youth to prepare them for a career in sports.
The African youth must be ambitious, tenacious, relentless and determined to pursue excellence in the sports industry because we are at the bottom of the pile. We will need to put in 10x the effort should we gain our place in the industry, so whether you’re an aspiring athlete or interested in working in the sports business, you will need to invest in educating yourself about the industry’s inner workings. In reality, not everyone can pursue an undergrad or master’s degree in sports, nor have the opportunity to go pro at a young age. Nonetheless, there are multiple resources that one can take advantage of, and the podcast is the first of contemporary content creation platforms dedicated to the sports business.
You recently reached the 100th episode on the podcast; what does this accomplishment mean to you?
It feels like the climb to success has literally just begun. We celebrate, yes, but the motivation to reach 1000 is definitely on.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a young person who has a similar background to you and feels the industry is not for them?
Giving up and turning away is not an option. Benzema didn’t win the Ballon d’Or until he was in his 30s, and it took Guardiola 12 years to win his 3rd UEFA Champions League. Keep pushing because your breakthrough is around the corner.
If you were to choose one person to shine a light on in the industry, who would it be and why?
If I was to choose one person, it has to be Jabu Mtwa. At a young age, he’s doing amazing stuff for the long-term growth of sports in Africa so one must follow his journey.
Where to find the podcast: