Berkida Podcast

About Berkida Podcast

Navigate the high-stakes intersection of sports, media, and entertainment on the Berkida Podcast, hosted by Massimo Marinelli. Drawing on his experience as a former Managing Director at UBS and Board Member of Leeds United, Massimo provides an elite institutional perspective on driving value in the world’s most dynamic industries. Each episode delivers high-level strategic insights for investors and executives, breaking down the financial shifts and global trends shaping the future of the sector. From boardroom decision-making to the evolving media landscape, the Berkida Podcast is your inside track to understanding the machinery behind the game.

Publisher

Massimo Marinelli

Category

business · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2026

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Rethinking Football Club Ownership Through Data, Technology, and Scale with David Dwinger

   In this episode of Berkida Ventures Podcast, host (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/)Massimo Marinelli (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) speaks with David Dwinger (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-dwinger/), Co-Founder & CEO at ve2.ventures (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ve2ventures/), Board Member at Athvance Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/athvance-capital/) & Co-Founder & President at Estrella Football Group (https://www.linkedin.com/company/estrella-football-group/), about building a new model for football club ownership. David explains Estrella’s horizontal multi-club ownership model, which focuses on building a portfolio of clubs that retain their individual identities while benefiting from shared technology, data, commercial opportunities, and expertise. Rather than simply chasing promotion, the group focuses on creating sustainable value and building a scalable football ecosystem. The conversation explores the investment case for lower-division football, how data and AI are transforming club acquisition and decision-making, the role of Club OS, player development and trading, and how partnerships can create new commercial opportunities across multiple clubs. David also shares his vision for scaling Estrella Football Group and proving that football club ownership can be approached as a technology-enabled business. Key Takeaways: How David moved from digital product building into football club ownership. What makes Estrella Football Group's horizontal multi-club ownership model different? Why individual clubs retain their identity while benefiting from the wider ecosystem. How lower-division football can create opportunities for active investors. Why promotion should be viewed as a potential outcome rather than the only measure of success. How data, technology, and shared resources can create value across multiple clubs. Why Club OS was built to connect football club operations through one technology platform. How player development and trading can become part of the wider group strategy. How Estrella Football Group uses data and technology to identify potential club acquisitions. Why location, history, fan engagement, and context matter alongside financial metrics. How partnerships can create commercial opportunities across a portfolio of clubs. Why David believes football club ownership can become more scalable. Noteworthy Quotes: “We’re trying to scale the unscalable.” – David Dwinger “Every club has the same value. It maintains its own identity.” – David Dwinger “We define winning not by simply holding the cup.” – David Dwinger “Buying football clubs is not a hobby for us. It’s a business.” – David Dwinger “With every club we add, we add something additional to the flywheel.” – David Dwinger “We’re not investors. We’re partners.” – David Dwinger “It’s our job to make sure that goes back to zero as soon as possible.” – David Dwinger Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to David Dwinger and Estrella Football Group 01:25 - David’s background and the Estrella ecosystem 03:37 - Understanding the horizontal multi-club ownership model 05:43 - How Estrella Football Group works with individual clubs 07:24 - Scaling the portfolio and managing multiple clubs 09:46 - The investment case for lower-division football 13:51 - Redefining winning beyond promotion 15:54 - Building value through scale and the portfolio flywheel 18:21 - Club OS and the technology behind the model 21:42 - Partnerships, ticketing, and creating new fan experiences 24:12 - Player development, academies, and player trading 26:20 - Why smaller clubs can offer greater opportunities for active investors 28:42 - Using data to identify football club investment opportunities 32:19 - The metrics that matter when evaluating clubs 33:32 - The biggest misconception about investing in football clubs 34:30 - David’s five-year vision for Estrella Football Group Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Connect with the Guest, David Dwinger: David Dwinger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-dwinger/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-dwinger/) Estrella Football Group: https://www.linkedin.com/company/estrella-football-group/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/estrella-football-group/) ve2.ventures: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ve2ventures/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ve2ventures/) Connect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) Follow Halford Media Advisory: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/) Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/ (https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/) More from Berkida Ventures: Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/ (https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/) Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/ (https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/) Email: info@berkida-ventures.com (mailto:info@berkida-ventures.com) Follow the Podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448)

2. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Can Olympic Teams Really Win Without Funding? with Aaron McGuire

   In this episode of Berkida Ventures Podcast, host Massimo Marinelli (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) speaks with Aron McGuire (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aron-mcguire), Chief Executive Officer at USA Bobsled & Skeleton (https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-bobsled-and-skeleton-federation/), about his journey from Olympic athlete to leading one of the United States’ national governing bodies. Aron shares how his background as a decathlete and bobsled athlete shaped his approach to leadership, athlete development, and building high-performance organisations. The conversation explores how Olympic sports identify and develop talent, create sustainable sponsorship strategies, and operate with limited resources while competing at the highest level. Aron also discusses the future of USA Bobsled & Skeleton, the role of AI in athlete recruitment and performance optimisation, opportunities for investment in Olympic sports, and how national governing bodies can continue growing beyond the Olympic cycle. Key Takeaways: How Aron transitioned from competing as an athlete to leading USA Bobsled & Skeleton. Why talent transfer allows athletes from other sports to succeed in Olympic disciplines. How national governing bodies operate and balance performance, revenue generation, and athlete development. Why strategic planning is essential when resources are limited. How USA Bobsled & Skeleton builds a high-performance culture through prioritisation. The importance of creating long-term sponsorship partnerships beyond financial support. How technology and AI can improve athlete scouting, performance analysis, and commercial strategy. Why Olympic sports present new opportunities for investors and sports ecosystem businesses. How national governing bodies can think like growth organisations while supporting athletes. The opportunity created by the upcoming Olympic Games in the United States. Noteworthy Quotes: “Very few people grow up saying, " I want to be the CEO of a national governing body.” – Aron McGuire “There is an element of luck and an element of art and hustle, but there is also a big element of science and process.” – Aron McGuire “Strategy is not so much what to do, as much as what not to do.” – Aron McGuire “The more revenue we generate, the more we can put back into supporting the athletes and the team.” – Aron McGuire “We want sponsors to not just be financial sponsors, but have a valuable impact on the team.” – Aron McGuire “AI can become a competitive advantage by helping us identify athletes and optimise performance.” – Aron McGuire Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Aron McGuire and USA Bobsled and Skeleton 01:33 - Aron’s journey from athlete to Olympic sports leader 05:33 - Winning Olympic medals and the impact of elite preparation 07:09 - Understanding the role of a national governing body CEO 09:54 - Building a high-performance culture with limited resources 11:17 - Creating efficiency and deciding what not to prioritise 12:09 - Training year-round for bobsled and skeleton 14:01 - Managing Olympic cycles and sponsorship opportunities 16:09 - Creating long-term value for sponsors and partners 17:46 - Identifying and recruiting future Olympic athletes 21:19 - Using AI and technology in athlete development 23:28 - Applying AI to sponsorship and commercial strategy 24:37 - Leadership lessons from building a sports organisation 26:41 - Investment opportunities in Olympic sports 28:21 - Olympic organisations as growth-focused businesses 29:22 - Lessons professional sports can learn from Olympic sports 30:32 - The future of USA Bobsled and Skeleton and Olympic growth opportunities Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Connect with the Guest, Aron McGuire: Aron McGuire LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aron-mcguire/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aron-mcguire/) USA Bobsled & Skeleton Website: (https://www.usabs.com/)https://www.usabs.com/ (https://www.usabs.com/) USA Bobsled & Skeleton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-bobsled-and-skeleton-federation/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-bobsled-and-skeleton-federation/) Connect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) Follow Halford Media Advisory: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/) Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/ (https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/) More from Berkida Ventures: Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/ (https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/) Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/ (https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/) Email: info@berkida-ventures.com (mailto:info@berkida-ventures.com) Follow the Podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448)

3. 

   23 Sept 2026

   How Choosing the Right Influencers for Brands to Maximise Marketing ROI with Ishveen Jolly

   In this episode of Berkida Ventures Podcast, host Massimo Marinelli (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) speaks with Ishveen Jolly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishveenjolly/), Founder & CEO at OpenSponsorship (https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-sponsorship/), Non-Executive Director at British Wrestling (https://www.linkedin.com/company/british-wrestling-association/) and Board Member at Influence Mobile (https://www.linkedin.com/company/influencemobile/), a technology-enabled sponsorship platform transforming how brands connect with athletes, creators, and influencers. Ishveen shares how OpenSponsorship was created to modernise the sponsorship industry by replacing traditional relationship-based dealmaking with data, transparency, and strategic decision-making. The conversation explores the evolution from athlete sponsorship into the broader creator economy, why brands need to think beyond follower counts, and how successful campaigns combine authenticity, creativity, and measurable outcomes. Ishveen also discusses the role of AI in sponsorship, the rise of women’s sports, investment opportunities in sports infrastructure, and why athletes and creators will continue to become more valuable assets for brands. Key Takeaways: How Ishveen identified inefficiencies in the traditional sponsorship industry and built OpenSponsorship. Why sponsorship needed more transparency, data, and strategic decision-making. How the creator economy expanded OpenSponsorship beyond traditional athletes. Why brands should focus on authenticity, audience fit, and engagement rather than follower counts alone. How successful sponsorship campaigns integrate creators across marketing channels. Why creative execution and ROI measurement are critical in modern sponsorship. How AI can improve sponsorship discovery while highlighting the importance of human expertise. Why women’s sports and female athletes represent a growing opportunity for brands. What investors should understand about sports infrastructure and sponsorship businesses. Why athlete influence will become increasingly important in the future of sports marketing. Noteworthy Quotes: “Sponsorship was very archaic, kind of like who do you know and trying to get in front of them. There wasn't much strategy or data.” – Ishveen Jolly “The world is open. It’s like LinkedIn. I’m going to hire whoever’s available in the market, not just who’s in my network.” – Ishveen Jolly “Even if your deal is 5K, you should think about the creative, the post, the story, and the caption. All of it needs rigour.” – Ishveen Jolly “The perfect campaigns are a mix of personalities.” – Ishveen Jolly “AI can solve little bits, but it can also create more headaches in the whole process.” – Ishveen Jolly “The athlete and creator will become even more important.” – Ishveen Jolly Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Ishveen Jolly and OpenSponsorship 01:40 - Building OpenSponsorship and modernising the sponsorship industry 03:41 - Recognising the rise of influencer marketing and creator economy 05:48 - Lessons learned from joining the 500 Startups accelerator 08:47 - The problems OpenSponsorship solves in sponsorship markets 09:31 - Creating transparency in sponsorship selection and pricing 11:33 - Improving creative strategy and measuring sponsorship ROI 12:30 - How OpenSponsorship supports athletes and creators 13:56 - Expanding from athlete sponsorship into the creator economy 16:49 - Selecting creators based on authenticity, engagement, and audience fit 19:02 - How successful brands integrate creators into marketing strategies 21:56 - Measuring ROI through content performance, sales, and engagement 25:07 - Using AI to improve sponsorship discovery and execution 27:08 - The rise of women’s sports and female athlete opportunities 29:20 - Investment opportunities in sports sponsorship and infrastructure 31:07 - The future of sports ecosystem investments 34:17 - Predictions for the future of sponsorship, creators, and athletes 36:05 - Closing thoughts on OpenSponsorship’s journey and the creator economy Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Connect with the Guest, Ishveen Jolly: Ishveen Jolly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishveenjolly/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishveenjolly/) OpenSponsorship Website: (https://opensponsorship.com/)https://opensponsorship.com/ (https://opensponsorship.com/) OpenSponsorship LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-sponsorship/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-sponsorship/) British Wrestling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/british-wrestling-association/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/british-wrestling-association/) Influence Mobile LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/influencemobile/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/influencemobile/) Connect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/) Follow Halford Media Advisory: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/) Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/ (https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/) More from Berkida Ventures: Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/ (https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/) Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/ (https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/) Email: info@berkida-ventures.com (mailto:info@berkida-ventures.com) Follow the Podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448)

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