SB Weekly - the sport business podcast

SB Weekly - the sport business podcast


Murray Barnett

September 20, 2016

Murray Barnett, Head of Broadcast, Commercial and Marketing at World Rugby, the global governing body for rugby union, is the feature interview on this week's SB Weekly.


Murray’s background is in TV. He first cut his teeth in the sports industry at the NBA, where he was International TV Coordinator, before going on to spend over a decade at sports broadcast giant ESPN, eventually heading Sports Channels and Syndication across EMEA.

Murray joined World Rugby in 2013, and in his current position is responsible for driving forward and delivering the organisation’s broadcast, marketing and digital media strategies.


You can hear Murray discuss:



  • The global growth strategy for rugby union
  • Why World Rugby is an unashamed money-making organisation
  • Managing the balance between cash and exposure in broadcast deals
  • Why the pace of change in sports broadcasting isn't as fast as many make out
  • The conscious decision not to take money from betting companies
  • Why All Black dominance has a downside when looking to grow the sport globally
  • Why Virtual Reality won't transform the live experience anytime soon.