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Over the course of two days, Sport Summit heard from a Champions League winner, a Tour de France winner and some of the people running our favourite sports off the field.
We heard how elite athletes stay in shape; we heard how elite athletes should be managed; we heard what we all want from sport.
We nearly heard it all…
Opening up with Louis Saha
On Sport Summit Day One, Louis Saha told us that sports stars stand to achieve better commercial deals from being open and transparent. He’s a former Manchester United striker who has now turned to player welfare, founding Axis Stars.
The man who brought us Mayweather v Pacquiao
“We want sport to celebrate the infinite; the unknown; the stories of our individualism,” said Peter Nelson, VP of Programming for HBO Sports. He’s the man behind the television rights for the absolute monster that was Mayweather v Pacquiao.
A pop at Roy Keane
“I’m older than Roy Keane and he’s retired 8 years,” said Padraig Harrington, one of Ireland’s greatest ever sportspeople on Sport Stage. He chatted on about the use of analytics in golf.
Fantasy sports – a game of skill
“We are a game of skill. Skilled players beat unskilled 9 times out of 10,” said Nigel Eccles CEO of FanDuel – a fantasy sports game that’s making serious noise in the US. On Day One of Sport Summit he told us that the FanDuel platform is no game of chance.
You gotta know when to hold ’em
Liv Boeree is a pro poker player who hit Sport Stage on Day Two. She told us about the lessons we can all learn from the poker table.
For the love of the game
Mayo Gaelic football ‘keeper Robbie Hennelly (far right) quizzed Irish journalists on how they cover his sport. It’s an amateur game whose players frequently attract the same level of scrutiny and criticism as their professional counterparts.
Off-field and on-field bosses
Tiki Barber (left) joined Jamie Heaslip on Day One for a chat on how they’ve managed to move from the sporting field to the business arena. Tiki is a former NFL great; Jamie is still bossing things in the back row for the Irish rugby team. Both are successful businessmen.
Edwin gets behind LVG
“I’m sure with the results he had with Bayern Munich and Barcelona that he’s the guy who can bring United back to the success we had while I was at the club.” Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar gave current United boss Louis van Gaal his backing.
Look who he ran into backstage
@vdsar1970 thanks for the pic! #websummit2015 pic.twitter.com/55IkITpZCd
— Paddy Barnes (@paddyb_ireland) November 3, 2015
This is what happened after Edwin’s talk backstage. He met two-time Olympic medalist, Irish boxer Paddy Barnes and was pulled in for a snap.
What brought Paddy to Sport Summit?
Paddy was knocking around Sport Summit to see his mate, fellow boxer and Olympic medalist Michael Conlon. He spoke on Day One about how elite athletes know when to peak.
Who calls the shots at Liverpool FC?
‘There’s only one person who has the final say on transfers at Liverpool and that’s Jurgen Klopp.” Liverpool FC CEO Ian Ayre joined us at interesting time, shortly after his club had appointed Jurgen Klopp as manager. In a chat with Ken Early (pictured), he left us in doubt as to who calls the shots when it comes to Liverpool’s transfer policy.
Real-time data in rugby
Pat Lam is a former Kiwi rugby player who was capped by the All Blacks. He’s now managing Irish side Connacht and he told us how real-time data can be used to teams’ benefit during matches.
The franchise boys
Doug Howlett (left) and Joe Canning (middle) gave their perspectives on being a team’s ‘franchise player’ – the man a team is built around. Doug is an All Black rugby legend and Joe is the biggest name in hurling right now.
On the margins
Having already paid tribute to his Team Sky teammates over on Centre Stage, current Tour de France champion Chris Froome told us about how the tiniest gains can tip the scales in sportspeople’s favour.
Join us at the first Web Summit in Lisbon. Register for two half-price tickets.