A Tour-Based Model for the WSL and Cricketers Commentating Major League Baseball... | The Pitch

On today’s episode of The Pitch, Andy and Drew unpack the rise of alternate broadcasts and explore how the Women’s Super League (WSL) could pioneer a fresh, fan-first scheduling model.
They explore how personality-driven storytelling is reshaping sports coverage and debate whether niche creators can drive deeper engagement than major influencers like Mark Goldbridge. The conversation also questions how sports media can strike the right balance between personalised content and the shared “watercooler” moments that unite fans.
The duo also brainstorms bold ideas for the WSL, suggesting it moves to a tour-based competition model with festival-style activations, tapping into the momentum around international women’s football and the Lionesses while tackling challenges around attendance, infrastructure, and visibility of women’s club football.

Timestamps
01:00 – The rise of alternate broadcasts and why fans crave choice
10:00 – The fight between personalised feeds and collective moments
19:30 – A tour-based model for the WSL: what it could look like
30:00 – Building identities around players, not postcodes

The Pitch is the conversational show from the Sports Pundit Podcast Network, hosted by Andy Marston and Drew Rauso.
It’s a play on words, with each host bringing an idea, theme, or provocation that they pitch to the other. Together they react, debate, and explore what’s really happening across the sports industry, from shifting media models to the next wave of innovation.

Each episode mixes perspective with practicality, with occasional appearances from other Sports Pundit hosts from across the Network.

About The Hosts
⁠Drew Rauso⁠ is a versatile media operator with a proven track record of building and scaling sports media ventures at the intersection of content, commerce, and creator strategy. He currently leads Brand, Strategy, and Operations at Playmaker HQ, a leading sports podcast network owned by Better Collective, home to shows featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. Previously at The Players’ Tribune, Drew has been instrumental in shaping athlete-driven media, overseeing partnerships, production, and growth initiatives that connect fans and talent in meaningful ways.

⁠Andy Marston⁠ is the founder of Sports Pundit, a community and media platform for sports and technology executives. Through a weekly newsletter, podcast network, lively group chat, and regular social events, he shares industry analysis and connects leaders across the sector. Alongside Sports Pundit, Andy leads Corporate Venture at athlete-backed venture firm, The Players Fund, where he works with high-profile sports IP such as Como 1907 to design venture strategies and drive innovation initiatives. 

About Sports Pundit
Sports Pundit is a community-driven platform for executives working in sport, built around content, events, and conversation. Through its ⁠weekly newsletter⁠, social channels, WhatsApp groups, and podcast network, it connects industry leaders across the globe.

At the heart of the platform is the ⁠Sports Pundit Podcast Network⁠, a multi-show lineup created for sports executives, by sports executives. The network features six domain-specific podcasts spanning innovation, marketing, finance, performance, and media, alongside a conversational companion show, The Pitch. Together, they deliver insider perspectives that live up to Sports Pundit’s mission to be “The Voice of the Sports Industry.”

Produced by OH SIX
The Sports Pundit Podcast is proudly produced by ⁠OH SIX⁠, a content marketing agency specialising in producing digital and social-first content that connects. Trusted by Premier League clubs, F1 teams, and top brands, OH SIX deliver premium content end-to-end, from ideation, working with talent during production and platform specific content to reach audiences on screen.