Sky Sports Partners With Sir Gareth Southgate’s 1071 Media

Sky Sports has joined forces with 1071 Media, the production company founded by Sir Gareth Southgate and Jimmy Worrall, to develop and distribute a slate of social, long-form football content, delivering fresh insight, analysis and topical conversation for fans across digital platforms.

The collaboration will see Sky Sports feed its expertise and resources into three social-first shows — two of them brand new — with Sky Media representing all commercial activity. The formats will examine different sides of the modern game: from the business and decision-making behind football's biggest stories, to technical and tactical breakdowns, and the rising influence of data and technology.

The partnership combines two new series with 1071 Media's existing football property, The Football Boardroom, which has enjoyed significant growth and engagement since its launch earlier this year. Under the agreement with Sky, it will be renamed The Football Boardcast (TFB) and will continue on its existing YouTube and audio channels.

The three shows are:
- The Football Dugout – a new weekly podcast and YouTube show co-hosted by Sky Sports football presenter Mark Chapman and former England defender Conor Coady, who is currently coaching with England U21s. Featuring conversations with managers, players, coaches and sporting directors, it will explore the game's technical and tactical side. Recorded in The Pod, a mobile podcasting studio designed to travel to wherever the conversation is happening, the show will launch on a new YouTube channel and be available on all major audio platforms.
- The Football Boardcast – hosted by highly respected former top executive at Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa, Christian Purslow, and award-winning football journalist, Henry Winter, the show takes fans inside the money, power and politics that shape the modern game. Weekly episodes will continue on The Football Boardcast's existing YouTube and audio channels, now represented by Sky Media.
- The Football Data Room – a new video analysis and data-led show launching on the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel, focused on the numbers and trends driving modern football. Hosted by Sky Sports Saturday Social presenter, Joe Thomlinson, alongside football analysts, "Statman Dave" and Jamie Osman, formerly of West Ham United and Ipswich Town, the show combines data with expert insight. Up to three 20-minute episodes will be released each week, spanning match reviews, previews, and opinion-led discussion.

These additions will complement Sky Sports' existing social content and further expand its digital offer. Earlier this year, Sky Sports surpassed one billion engagements across its social platforms and now has more than 130 million aggregated subscribers across its social channels.

CEO, Sky Sports UK & Ireland, Jonathan Licht, said: "As the home of sport for fans across the UK & Ireland, this partnership reflects our ambition to provide more choice and entertainment beyond the live action and bring different voices, fresh perspectives and expanded insight into the game.

"We have years of expertise, an unmatched passion for sport and huge reach. Combining that with 1071 Media's creativity and insight, we can create compelling new football content and take it to fans wherever and however they choose to engage with the game."

Sir Gareth Southgate, 1071 Media co-founder, said: "It has always been 1071 Media's intention to combine exciting new concepts with the leading thinkers in sport to educate, inform and entertain fans. With the launch of three football shows covering the boardroom, the boot room and the data room, we hope fans gain greater insight into the business, the tactics, and the analysis to explain how the game really works. We couldn't ask for a better partner than Sky Sports, who have set the standard in broadcasting for decades. Together, we can bring supporters everywhere closer to the conversations that shape football, with expert voices and a fresh perspective on the sport they love."

Sky Sports remains the home of domestic football, with more than 1,500 live games this season across the Premier League, EFL, SPFL and WSL. From the 2027/28 season, Sky Sports will also show every match from the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, frequently giving customers access to live football seven days a week.

1071media.com