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Berkida Podcast

Berkida Podcast

By: Massimo Marinelli
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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.Copyright 2026 Massimo Marinelli Economics
Episodes
  • The European Sports Market for Investors Using Ecosystem Strategy to Unlock Growth with Danny Menken

    The European Sports Market for Investors Using Ecosystem Strategy to Unlock Growth with Danny Menken
    Jun 24 2026
    In this episode of Berkida Podcast, host Massimo Marinelli sits down with Danny Menken, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Athvance Capital, Co-Owner of Levels Fight League, Co-Founder of Exceed Boxing, Co-Founder of ve2.ventures, Co-Owner of Cascais SAD, Co-Founder of MediaMorph, and Co-Founder of Padelplay to explore how sports investment is evolving beyond traditional ownership models.Danny shares insights from more than two decades in sports media, entertainment, and investment, discussing Europe’s growing opportunity for value creation in sport. The conversation explores Athvance Capital’s ecosystem-driven approach to building interconnected sports businesses, alongside fan engagement, AI, sports technology, emerging sports, and the future of health and performance innovation.Today, he focuses on building sports ecosystems that combine intellectual property, technology, and services to unlock long-term value across multiple sports verticals.Key Takeaways:Why Europe represents one of the biggest opportunities for sports investment and value creationHow ecosystem investing combines sports IP, technology, and services to drive growthWhy traditional private equity models often fail to maximise value in sportHow Athvance Capital is building scalable ecosystems across football, padel, combat sports, and emerging sportsThe role of AI and data in improving athlete performance and fan engagementWhy fan monetisation in Europe still lags behind the US and what could changeHow media consumption and sports distribution are evolving in the digital eraThe investment potential of sleep, recovery, and performance technologyWhy ecosystem-based ownership models may define the future of sports investmentDanny's predictions for the next phase of growth in the global sports industryKey Timestamps:00:00 - Why Danny launched Athvance Capital and the opportunity in European sports05:08 - Building sports ecosystems through IP, technology, and services07:35 - Inside Athvance Capital and its sports IP strategy13:05 - The football ecosystem and multi-club ownership model18:07 - The rapid growth of padel and opportunities in the sport21:21 - How AI-powered technology is improving player performance and fan engagement22:46 - Why combat sports represent a major investment opportunity24:41 - Emerging sports and the success of King of the Court26:46 - Changes in media consumption and sports distribution29:18 - Sleep technology, recovery, and the future of athletic performance33:06 - Danny’s bold prediction for the future of sport33:39 - Why ecosystem-based investing will shape the next generation of sports businessesConnect with the Guest, Danny Menken:Danny Menken’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannymenken/Athvance Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/athvance-capital/Athvance Capital Website: https://www.athvance.capital/Levels Fight League LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/levels-fight-league/Levels Fight League Website: https://lflmma.com/ExceedBoxing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exceedboxing/Exceed Boxing Website: https://exceedboxing.com/Sportworx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportworx/Sportworx Website: https://sportworx.nl/en/ve2.ventures LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ve2ventures/Ve2.ventures Website: https://www.ve2.ventures/Cascais SAD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/csc-sad/Cascais SAD Website: https://wearecascais.com/MediaMorph LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mediamorph.ai/MediaMorph Website: https://www.mediamorph.ai/Padelplay LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/padelplay-ai/Padelplay Website: https://www.padelplay.ai/?_abr=1&pb=0Connect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/Follow Halford Media Advisory:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/More from Berkida Ventures:Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/Email: info@berkida-ventures.comFollow the Podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448
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    36 mins
  • The Content Saturation, Attention War, and AI Threat Changing Media with Patrick Dimon

    The Content Saturation, Attention War, and AI Threat Changing Media with Patrick Dimon
    Jun 10 2026
    In this episode of Berkida Ventures Podcast, host Massimo Marinelli speaks with Patrick Dimon, the President of Front Office Sports Studios, Owner of A Frame Productions & Former Senior Creative Producer at HBO Sports, and the growing intersection between sports, entertainment, and technology. Patrick shares insights from his extensive career across NBC Sports, HBO Sports, Netflix’s Full Swing, and now Front Office Sports, where he helps shape one of the leading sports business and culture media platforms today.The conversation explores the rise of athlete-driven storytelling, the growing influence of independent creators, and how platforms are competing for audience attention in an increasingly crowded media landscape. Patrick also discusses the explosion of sports documentaries, the impact of AI on content production, and how sports fans are consuming content differently across social, streaming, and long-form formats. The episode also touches on private equity’s growing role in sports, the evolution of fan engagement, and what the next five years could look like for sports media and entertainment.Key Takeaways:Why sports fans increasingly care about the business and culture behind sports, not just live games.The growing influence of creators and athlete-led content in shaping sports media.How platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and social media are changing sports storytelling.Why sports documentaries may be reaching a saturation point despite continued audience demand.The opportunities and risks AI presents for sports content production and creative industries.How fan engagement and direct interaction with athletes will continue evolving over the next decade.Noteworthy Quotes:“People don’t just want the box score anymore. They want to know everything happening around the game.” – Patrick Dimon“Our competition isn’t just other sports content. It’s every piece of entertainment fighting for attention.” – Patrick Dimon“Drive to Survive proved that you don’t need to understand the sport to connect with the characters.” – Patrick Dimon“I still believe great storytelling and great storytellers will always matter.” – Patrick Dimon“AI is incredible, but I worry about what happens to the creative workforce.” – Patrick Dimon “There’s no denying that creators today are competing for the same eyeballs as traditional broadcasters.” – Patrick DimonKey Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Patrick Dimon and Front Office Sports01:40 - Patrick’s journey through NBC Sports, HBO, Netflix, and sports media03:47 - The rise of sports business and culture storytelling06:05 - Why fans care more about the business behind sports08:50 - Competing for audience attention in the entertainment era11:00 - Platforms and creators reshaping sports media consumption13:13 - Independent creators vs traditional broadcasters15:26 - Sports documentaries and the impact of Drive to Survive18:23 - Is sports documentary content becoming oversaturated?20:24 - Front Office Sports Studios’ content strategy and platforms21:31 - AI’s growing role in sports content production24:18 - Why trusted media brands may become even more valuable25:45 - Private equity, capital, and cultural challenges in sports27:37 - The evolution of Front Office Sports as a media platform29:17 - Emerging opportunities across sports media and women’s sports33:26 - Predictions for the future of sports media and fan engagementConnect with the Guest, Patrick Dimon:Patrick Dimon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdimon/ HBO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hbo/ HBO Website: https://www.hbomax.com/pk/enFront Office Sports Studio Website: https://studios.frontofficesports.com/ Front Office Sports X: https://x.com/FOSConnect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/Follow Halford Media Advisory:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/More from Berkida Ventures:Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/Email: info@berkida-ventures.comFollow the Podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448
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    37 mins
  • How to Build a New Sport That Gets Millions of Views Without Advertising with Paul Rigault

    How to Build a New Sport That Gets Millions of Views Without Advertising with Paul Rigault
    May 27 2026
    In this episode of the podcast, host Massimo Marinelli speaks with Paul Rigault, the Chief Executive Officer at DØDS Diving League. Originating in Norway, the league blends traditional diving with freestyle tricks, creating a unique and high-energy sport. Paul shares how the sport grew from a grassroots movement into a global league with an athlete-first approach and a focus on engaging Gen Z audiences through social media.Paul also discusses the league's competition formats, including individual and team-based events. With partnerships like ESPN and millions of views through athlete-driven content, DØDS Diving is positioning itself for future growth. The conversation covers the league’s ambitions, including the goal of becoming an Olympic sport by 2032 and expanding through collegiate tours.Key Takeaways:DØDS Diving is redefining freestyle diving with a focus on athletes and social media, reaching millions of viewers.The league’s grassroots origins have grown into a global platform, expanding from Norway to the US and beyond.A shift from individual competitions to team-based formats has added excitement and drama.Social media and athlete-driven content are key to the league’s success, with over 20 million views per event.The league’s future goals include establishing collegiate tours and targeting Olympic inclusion by 2032.Noteworthy Quotes:"We’re doing the same to aquatic sports as snowboarding did to skiing in the '90s." – Paul Rigault "Athletes are at the heart of everything we do. This is athlete-first, athlete-driven." – Paul Rigault "The dream is to have DØDS Diving in the Olympics in 2032." – Paul Rigault "Our competition isn’t other sports; our competition is attention." – Paul Rigault Key Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Paul Rigault and DØDS® Diving League02:02 - What is DØDS Diving? The sport’s origins and evolution.07:13 - Athlete-first approach and the importance of social media in the sport’s growth.08:57 - Introduction of team-based competitions.10:55 - Media distribution strategies and athlete-driven content.17:51 - Plans for collegiate tours and Olympic aspirations.20:36 - DØDS® Diving League business model and revenue generation.27:39 - Final Thoughts Connect with the Guest, Paul Rigault:Paul Rigault LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-rigault-49a6b6302/DØDS Diving League LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dodsdivingleague/ DØDS Diving League Website: https://dodsdivingleague.com/ DØDS Diving League Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dodsdivingleague/ Connect with the Host, Massimo Marinelli:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-marinelli-803274/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mass.marinelli Follow Halford Media Advisory:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/halford-media-advisory/Website: https://www.halfordmediaadvisory.com/More from Berkida Ventures:Website: https://sites.google.com/view/berkida-ventures/Substack: https://theberkidabrief.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkida-ventures/Email: info@berkida-ventures.comFollow the Podcast:Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/berkida-podcast/id1877643221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PMcmovZzweazCDgXKzmpY?si=37f1773a8fd34e38&nd=1&dlsi=4f8c3665a8ba4448
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    29 mins
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