On this episode of The Pitch, Andy and Drew welcome new co-host Dom, who arrives with a big opening pitch focused on an “honors system” for fans, built like a Hall of Fame for the people who actually create sports culture on the ground.
Dom points to examples like San Antonio Spurs fans in France staging 2-4 a.m. playoff watch parties complete with drums, and asks why the volunteers and organisers behind these communities rarely get any formal recognition at all.
That pitch opens into a wider conversation about visibility. Andy and Dom talk through what it would actually take to spotlight these grassroots communities and the tension that comes with it.
From there the discussion turns to loyalty and rewards, looking at how clubs and platforms already recognise their most devoted fans and the episode shifts to a practical question of “if not everyone can or wants to go to a stadium, what’s the next best thing?”
The trio debate the UK’s fan bar culture, then dig into “pub-plus” concepts like COSM and F1 Arcade as scalable alternatives to matchday attendance. They close by exploring whether cinemas could become a real venue for sport (both live broadcasts and archival footage) including formats built specifically for kids and for women’s sport.
Timestamps
1:00 - Fanzo’s Dom Collingwood Joins The Pitch
07:00 - Championing Volunteers And Giving Suitable Recognition
12:30 - Commercialising Fan Recognition and Finding Sponsorship Balance
14:30 – Creating Visible Communities for Fans
20:00 - Exploring Wider Opportunities around Loyalty And Data Rewards
26:19 - Why Don’t UK Fan Bars Exist for Top Teams?
32:00 - Appreciating the COSM And F1 Arcade Formats
38:00 - Should Sports Be more present in Cinemas?
About The Show
The Pitch is the conversational show from the Sports Pundit Podcast Network, hosted by Andy Marston, Drew Rauso and Dom Collingwood.
It’s a play on words, with each host bringing an idea, theme, or provocation that they pitch to the other. Together they react, debate, and explore what’s really happening across the sports industry, from shifting media models to the next wave of innovation.
Each episode mixes perspective with practicality, with occasional appearances from other Sports Pundit hosts from across the Network.
About The Hosts
Drew Rausois a versatile media operator with a proven track record of building and scaling sports media ventures at the intersection of content, commerce, and creator strategy. He currently leads Brand, Strategy, and Operations at Playmaker HQ, a leading sports podcast network owned by Better Collective, home to shows featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. Previously at The Players’ Tribune, Drew has been instrumental in shaping athlete-driven media, overseeing partnerships, production, and growth initiatives that connect fans and talent in meaningful ways.
Andy Marstonis the founder of Sports Pundit, a community and media platform for sports and technology executives. Through a weekly newsletter, podcast network, lively group chat, and regular social events, he shares industry analysis and connects leaders across the sector. Alongside Sports Pundit, Andy leads Corporate Venture at athlete-backed venture firm, The Players Fund, where he works with high-profile sports IP such as Como 1907 and Juventus to design venture strategies and drive innovation initiatives.
Dom Collingwood is the founder of Fanzo, the world's most used sports bar finder, helping fans find the best bars and venues showing live sport near you. Alongside his business partner Leo MacLehose, he launched the company to revolutionise match viewing experiences and currently oversees operations across multiple global markets, including Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Austria and the USA.
