Menu
2014 In Review

Words To Live By: Quotes Of The Year, Part Two

I don't think that all leagues and clubs want this competition.
-- DFL CEO Christian Seifert, on the introduction of UEFA's new Nations League.

No ... you can’t go belly-up and expect to stay on board.
-- Newcastle Knights founding father Leigh Maughan, saying it is time for Nathan Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group to walk away from the club.

Contrary to popular belief, the life of a professional footballer has some dark sides.
-- FIFPro Chief Medical Officer Vincent Gouttebarge, reacting to a report that claims a quarter of professional football players are battling depression.

It’s fair to say that emotion plays less of a role in banking than it does in sport.
-- New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin, on the difference between running a bank and a sports league.

What on earth were the people who decided this thinking of? You couldn't make it up.
-- Former MSP Carolyn Leckie, on the Commonwealth Games plan to demolish a former housing complex as part of the Opening Ceremony.

Who'll win the league? It's a coin toss between three of them.
-- Sky Sports' Matt Le Tissier, predicting the Premier League outcome and making the "biggest gaffe of the season" among U.K. football pundits.

I am enchanted. I am in love. There's emotion, passion, dreams. I need to pinch myself to see if all this is for real.
-- Brasileiro side Corinthians President Mario Gobbi after taking control of the club's $450M stadium that will host World Cup matches.

Football without a crowd is like a concert without sound.
-- FIFA President Sepp Blatter on his opposition to closing stadiums as punishment for fans' racist behavior.

We could sell 500,000 tickets, that's not an exaggeration.
-- German Football Federation President Wolfgang Niersbach, on demand for tickets to the German Cup final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

It’s Red Bull. They don’t do anything normal. They put a man in space and say, ‘Let’s jump you out and we won’t call NASA.’
-- Florida Wings for Life World Run Race Dir Zoltan Polgar, on the Red Bull-sponsored race's unique global format.

I want to deliver cultural change.
-- AFL GM Dorothy Hisgrove, on her soon-be-be announced plan designed to get more women involved in the league.

If you could revolutionize the game with a two-month tournament then countries from the Middle East would have done it many years ago.
-- Indian football writer Jaydeep Basu, on predictions that the new Indian Super League will revitalize football in the country.

The English got used to hot temperatures during the colonial era.
-- Brazil Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo, responding to English complaints about playing World Cup matches in the "energy-sapping" Amazon heat.

I’m a candidate again.
-- FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who announced his intentions to run for a fifth term.

We are Brazilian, not Swiss or Swedish, and we do things on our time, but usually we do it very well.
-- Brazilian Ambassador to Spain Paulo César de Oliveira Campos, sending "a calming message" that Brazil would be ready for the 2016 Rio Games.

I think it's the right thing, and I hope that R&A members do what's right for golf.
-- R&A Secretary Peter Dawson, on the club voting to allow women members for the first time in its 260-year history.

There’s something really rotten in Easter Road.
-- Hibernian Supporters' Association Chair Mike Riley, calling for a house cleaning after the club fell out of the Scottish Premiership.

I'm thrilled. God bless them. Now they will fight with the bureaucracy.
-- Serie A side Cagliari President Massimo Cellino, after selling the club to an American corsortium.

We played by the rules. We ran a decent and honest campaign. It didn’t get us anywhere.
-- Football Federation Australia board member Jack Reilly, on the Aussies' bid for the 2022 World Cup.

The devil will be in the detail. Hopefully, the details won't be the devil.
-- Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich, on the Australian Football League's plan to level the financial playing field for clubs.

This is going to be a mobile World Cup.
-- Facebook Marketing Exec Carolyn Everson, on marketers' move to online for World Cup campaigns.

This is why Olympians used to perform naked.
-- Elle Deputy Editor Damien Woolnough, on Australia's green Commonwealth Games uniforms that feature "spinnaker-sized lapels, cement-coloured slacks and hokey, seemingly hand-knitted, jumpers."

The only language FIFA understands is money.
-- Conservative MP Damian Collins, calling on sponsors to pressure FIFA to address claims of wrongdoing in Qatar's winning bid to host the '22 World Cup.

It’s not as if choosing between UEFA and FIFA is like choosing between hospital and prison.
-- UEFA President Michel Platini, on weighing his options of running for the FIFA presidency or to continue overseeing UEFA.

I could have spent $100 million in advertising and I don’t think I would get as much bang for the buck as I would in Formula One.
-- F1 Team Owner Gene Haas, saying he expects the connection to the circuit will boost revenue by $1B for his machine tools business.

I think for me it's the right decision to play for Ireland in 2016.
-- Rory McIlroy, putting an end to speculation on whether he would commit to Ireland or Great Britain.

If you can get sponsors paying more for less, that’s ultimately the Holy Grail of sponsorship.
-- Generate Managing Partner Rupert Pratt, on Wimbledon's less-is-more sponsorship strategy.

I am only inflexible until I hear a better idea.
-- Channel Nine CEO David Gyngell, saying he would not favor changing the schedule for the very successful State of Origin until an alternative is proposed that would increase revenue.

I think everyone just kind of glows in white.
-- Tennis player Venus Williams on Wimbledon's dress code.

We are a prince on the field and a pauper off it.
-- New Zealand Rugby League CEO Phil Holden on his quest to compete financially with bigger players in int'l rugby league.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/12/23/2014-In-Review/Quotes-Part-II.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/12/23/2014-In-Review/Quotes-Part-II.aspx

CLOSE