Episode 4

full
Published on:

21st Apr 2025

al Games Developments: Olympics, World Cups, and Commonwealth Games with Rob Livingstone

in this episode, host Nii Wallace-Bruce discusses various developments in the international sports landscape with guest Rob Livingstone from GamesBids.com. The conversation covers the new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, her upcoming responsibilities (01:26), and potential changes in the bidding process for future Olympic Games, particularly for 2036 (02:27).

Later, they also explore the challenges and implications of shifting the Summer Olympics schedule due to climate change and broadcasting conflicts (04:23), as well as the legacy impacts of major sporting events like the Men's and Women's World Cup (10:11). The geopolitical factors influencing upcoming events, particularly in the US (07:43), and the bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games are also examined.

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Opening and closing music courtesy of Jeremiah Alves - "Evermore".

Transcript
PSP:

I am your host Knee Wallace Bruce.

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We are in the month of April.

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There are quite a few developments

in the sporting world relating to

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the Olympics, the World Cup and more.

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So we're gonna get into that

with friend of the show, Rob

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Livingston from games bids.com.

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Make sure you check out his work,

check him out on social media,

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at games bids, and also himself

at Livingston spelled backwards.

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Rob, how you doing?

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Rob: I am.

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Great, thanks.

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Thanks for having me on once again.

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PSP: It's a pleasure to have you back now.

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Rob, we have a new IOC President.

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It is Kirsty Coventry, the former

Olympic swimming champion, from Zimbabwe.

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She's going to be the first

female president in IOC history.

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Where does that leave the IOC?

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Moving forward now that Thomas

Buck has indeed retired.

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Rob: It's gonna be official for

her in June when Bach formally

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steps down and does the handover.

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But not really a far handover.

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It looks like she.

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It to be, or at least has been

positioned to carry on what Thomas Bock

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has been doing for the last 12 years.

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She has a lot of the same goals and

working with a lot of the same people.

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So I don't see a lot of

changes moving forward.

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Obviously, the looks a bit different

and it makes the organization

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look a little more progressive

now with a younger and a female.

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President, but I think the policies

and the direction of the IOC will

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remain pretty much on the same course.

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PSP: Okay.

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Interesting.

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Now, with that in mind , there's

a bit for her to, to get into when

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she takes over in June, what would

you say are the key priorities for

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her when she becomes president?

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Officially?

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Rob: There, there are a number

of things that and once again,

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continuing on with box Legacy.

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I focus closely on the bids and,

that's gonna be a big part of it.

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Lots of cities and countries

lining up for the:

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That's gonna be.

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On the table and something

to be dealt with fairly soon.

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There's all kinds of things like gender

equity and anti-doping the Russia issue

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ideas about paying athletes to compete.

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There's a lot of things going

on and it'll be interesting

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to see how she digs into them.

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I can't see a real standout but

it's gonna be a lot for her to do.

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PSP: Now you touched on 2036.

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For our listeners who may not

be aware, the:

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will be held in Los Angeles.

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We're gonna get to that a bit later on.

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2032 will be held in

sunny Brisbane, Australia.

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2036 though is up for grabs.

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The bids are coming in, there's

discourse amongst potential hosts.

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What are we seeing with the

potential summer 20, 36 bids?

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Rob?

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Rob: We don't have any kind of timeline.

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That's the way the IOC works.

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They just decide what they want to do

when having said that, the number is

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double digits of interested parties

looking to host a future Olympics.

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And obviously some of those are 2036.

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A number of those are gonna be 2036.

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They're already working

and having discussions.

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It's the most prominent

spoken about one is India.

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They've been working on

it for a couple years.

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They're the most vocal about it.

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And I think Kirsty Coventry being the

new IOC President bodes well for India

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because she's got a great relationship.

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With prominent people there and it looks

like it could go in that direction.

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But of course, we can't overlook Saudi

Arabia, Qatar both really interested

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in moving forward with a bid.

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And there's been a lot of discussion

within the IOC recently about.

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Relaxing the summertime

calendar for the summer game.

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So the prime months of July and August

they say due to climate change, that

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those months may not be good anymore.

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Maybe too hot for most places,

and they talk about pushing it

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into the fall, September, October.

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But I think that's more about

leaving the window open for Saudi

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Arabia and Qatar, which, they've

bid in the past do bid in:

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And they were left off the short

list because they proposed the

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games in October and the IOC said,

Nope, we want it in July and August.

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Now they're looking to relax that.

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Paints a whole new picture

for the bid process.

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We've got other cities involved

too, who are looking forward to it.

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Istanbul once again, they've been

unsuccessful five times, although

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they're having political issues there

now, which might discount that bid.

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There's Budapest is

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That.

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to it.

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There's Indonesia.

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South Korea and some other

bids there that are lining up.

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It should be interesting.

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PSP: Mm, absolutely.

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Now, another development

that happened recently was.

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The signing of a new

broadcast deal by NBC.

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Now, NBC is fairly influential when it

comes to the Olympics, winter and summer.

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But the point you raise about

the calendar shifting to the

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summer Olympics is interesting.

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'cause if we shifted to say October,

November, December, that is smack

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bang in the middle of the NFL

season, which is also a significant.

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Earner for NBC with their

Sunday night football coverage.

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How would NBC feel about the

Olympics potentially happening

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in the middle of the NFL season?

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Could that be an issue?

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Rob: That's a great point.

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Now keep in mind that's 2036.

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So we're looking at 11 years from now.

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What will they do?

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Will they even have a contract with the

NFL or the other sports at that point?

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Maybe not.

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Can they shift things

around That's possible.

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We have to remember that

the way people consume.

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Sports on television or whatever

kind of platform they use

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is changing rapidly, right?

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The whole concept of.

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TV schedules and watching things

in prime time and that kind

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of thing, it's out the window.

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So I think the broadcasters and the

streaming platforms and all of those have

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the ability to adjust, especially over

the next 11 years to make something work.

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Maybe they'll work with the leagues

if like for instance, the NFL, if they

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were to decide to have a contract, a

television contract with them that year.

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Obviously having several years

notice will help there and I think,

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we're gonna have a decision on 2036

in the next possibly year or two.

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So I think it's something that can

be worked out, but obviously it's

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going to be a concern off the top.

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PSP: And it is worth noting

the NBC will be broadcasting

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the NBA in the next season.

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So 11 years away, I'm sure there's

enough time for the partners to

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work together with IOC on that.

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But you raised an interesting point

about prime time because growing up I

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grew up with the Sydney Olympics and the

times of some of the sports there were

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adjusted and the same scene in Beijing

to a lesser extent to accommodate.

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The North American market

primarily through NBC.

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Do you think now that we have

streaming services like Peacock

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and others, that this will be

relaxed for:

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Rob: You're asking about the

scheduling, the events to accommodate

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the United States viewers.

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They continue to do that.

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I know that there was a concern for

LA 28 the Cricket tournament, which is

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primarily aimed at viewers in India.

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They were thinking about changing

the location of it the East coast

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of the United States to better

accommodate Indian viewers.

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I, I don't know if that

makes a difference.

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They can have Cricket matches anytime

and try to accommodate Indian viewers.

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And I think those viewers will

watch it anytime the day anyways.

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They'll be so excited

to see that tournament.

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they've accommodated viewers as recently

as in Tokyo and Beijing for the summer

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and winter games the last few years.

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Who knows how things are gonna change

over the next 10 years, whether people,

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cons, how they consume it, and whether

that's an issue, whether people care

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if they, watch a, some kind of metal

event at eight in the morning as

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opposed to 9:00 PM all those things.

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Things are changing so rapidly,

it's really hard to tell.

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PSP: Yeah, watch this space.

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Rob: Yeah.

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PSP: It'd be interesting

to see how it plays out..

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I'm looking forward to the return of

cricket to the Summer Olympics after.

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A hundred plus years of

absence, it's gonna be great.

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And I would, I would definitely

wake up to, to watch this, the 16th

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tournament when it rolls around.

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So definitely looking forward to that.

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Now, one thing that many cloud things

when thinking about the:

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2034 Winter Games, salt Lake City, the

rld Cup next year for the men:

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The Women's World Cup,

that'll be in the us.

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Down the line is the

geopolitical situation.

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Can you see that being a factor for these

upcoming games, particularly in the us?

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Rob: Talking about rapid change

there's nothing changing more rapidly

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than the political situation in the

United States and, among its allies

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and so it's really hard to tell.

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Obviously LA 28 is going to be at the

tail end of, trump's administration.

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So there will be an impact.

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And the main impact there, I

think will be the immigration.

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And whether these athletes can travel to

the country to, to compete as promised

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and as guaranteed the country is

guaranteed through the host agreement.

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So that's yet to be seen.

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That's gonna be very critical.

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And if something happens with LA that

might reflect poorly on salt Lake

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City for 2034 even though at that

point there likely would be a new

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administration I don't pretend to

be a political expert in that area.

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Things change by the day.

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Obviously there's gonna be some

concern because we don't know

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which way it's gonna change.

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But I think somehow things

will smooth over somehow.

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It'll work out, it usually does.

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But we'll just have to hope for the best.

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PSP: Now there has a precedent where,,

FIFA has stepped in to amend hosts.

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Based on uncertain conditions.

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Has the IOC ever done anything like that?

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Rob: obviously there were wartime changes.

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The I think it was.

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19, the 1940 Olympics

obviously were canceled.

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I think they were to take place

in Tokyo obviously due to the war.

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So there were wartime

changes in:

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But other than that and obviously

the recent delay of the Tokyo

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2020 games because of Covid.

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Other than that not any significant

change that I can recall.

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PSP: Okay, well hopefully that continues.

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Continuity.

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Yes.

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It's great to see the world come

together, and sport is definitely one

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of the ways that we can come together

and celebrate the goodness of humanity.

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Now, another thing that brings us

together is the football, the round

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ball game that's coming to a city

near you in North America when Mexico,

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the United States and our own Canada

host the Men's World Cup in:

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There's.

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The US could essentially host

the, the World Cup tomorrow.

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They, they don't need to do a

whole lot with their stadiums.

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I know in Canada there are

upgrades happening in Toronto.

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There, there are also some

renovations happening in Mexico.

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Using your experience with the Olympics

as well, how important is the, the

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legacy aspect when hosting such

games for a city and or a country?

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Rob: It's interesting in in North America

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PSP: America.

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Rob: World Cup football, soccer,

whatever you want to call it

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in this context is growing.

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Obviously not at the level it

is in the rest of the world.

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So this will be critical

as far as a legacy of.

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Of young people participating and having

an interest professional matches and

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attending and watching on TV and streaming

it and tho those sorts of things.

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That's going to be a critical

legacy for the:

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If you look at infrastructure

don't believe, I mean in

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Canada and Toronto, the.

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Additional seating to the

stadium is just temporary.

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So there's really no physical legacy.

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Obviously upgrades in Mexico will be

beneficial there, but Mexico already

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has a thriving soccer community there,

so that's not an issue for them.

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And, the most important legacy,

I think is just the growth of

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the sport in North America.

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And more just, letting a match under it

because it's already starting to move.

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It's already starting to grow,

and I think this will just help,

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push it even that much further.

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PSP: For sure.

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As someone who lives in the greater

Toronto area, would you like to see

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more done in terms of a legacy project?

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You mentioned the stadium.

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I believe it has been amended

from the original plan.

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We can talk about that another day

'cause I have many thoughts on that.

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But do you feel like, particularly

thinking about the way the:

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PanAm games led to some project for

sport, do you feel like there should

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be more done in terms of legacy

projects for the city of Toronto?

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Rob: I don't think, it would

be great someone that enjoys

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sport and likes to see grow and

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Road and I,

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in my own community I

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PSP: uh,

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But I don't think.

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Rob: a political will to do anything.

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There's a lot of emphasis especially

in Toronto and cutting costs and that

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kind of thing, and there's a concern.

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Of, how much is already being spent.

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A lot of people resent that the games or

the World Cup is actually coming here.

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Yeah, it'd be great to see more

legacy projects, but I really

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don't think we should be expecting

anything significant to come.

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PSP: I'll continue to dream.

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Let's talk about the Women's World Cup.

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the bids were locked in for 20 31, 20 35.

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We're gonna see the US hosting

and the US has been a leader in,

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in women's soccer for a while.

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The team's, I guess, going through a

little bit of a rebuild on the field,

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but off the field, they're good to go.

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In terms of hosting, what do you

see when it comes to:

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2035 for the Women's World Cup?

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Rob: It's gonna continue the growth.

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I think that the in United States

anyways, and potentially, I think if

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that tournament grows, they said it's

gonna grow to 48 teams for the women.

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They could also hold matches in Mexico

the Caribbean and even possibly Canada.

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, They didn't.

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Describe exactly how they

would expand that tournament.

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But those are possibilities.

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But once again I think it'll

just continue with the growth

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that the 2026 men's tournament

will, push and start to develop.

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Really it's just continue the.

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Growth.

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Obviously the women's for both Canada and

the United States are, top in the world.

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So there doesn't need to be a lot

more grassroots activity to get

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young people involved, but it's only

gonna help generate more interest.

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And maybe there'll be, more

interested in professional leagues

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here and that kind of thing.

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So just more of that.

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PSP: It'll be interesting to see how the,

the format of, that World Cup tournament

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goes, because as you mentioned, there

is potentially increase to 48 teams to,

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to match the men's tournament, which

will be the first World Cup at 48 teams.

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I think.

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I think it's good to, to

have more teams involved.

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2026 will be a litmus test

though in terms of meaningful

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games and competitive parity.

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Nevertheless, let's give it a try.

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Let's see what happens.

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I would love to see Canada involved

in:

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Canada has a professional women's

league the Northern Super League.

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It's perfect timing, but.

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I have to see if Canada's soccer can

come to the party, if there might be

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some state support for that as well.

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Questions to be asked in the meantime,

I guess, of the next few years.

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But Rob, there was also some interest

from Canada, for the Commonwealth Games.

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We have the Centenary

games coming up in:

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What are we seeing there?

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'cause I believe it's Canada,

Nigeria, and India involved.

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Is that right?

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Rob: Yeah it's a developing situation.

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Canada's always been hinting around.

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2030 Commonwealth Games.

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It's that, centenary edition where

it was first held in Hamilton as

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a British Empire Games Hamilton's

been sniffing around those games

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for quite some time, but ultimately

turned it down as being too costly.

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Even having an exclusive shot

at:

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But now since Glasgow took over the 2026.

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Games and we'll be delivering

kind of a light version.

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Suddenly other areas are getting

more interested because it's more

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economical, it's more feasible and

they can have a larger footprint.

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So that's what's happening in Canada here.

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Hamilton wants to be involved,

but they're not gonna do it

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themselves and Ontario and other

municipalities and places in Ontario.

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want to get involved as well,

but Ontario doesn't wanna do it.

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On its own either.

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They didn't bid for 2026

because the provincial

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government didn't wanna fund it.

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Especially during the World Cup year.

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events could be spread across Canada.

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Canada's a big country.

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I'm not sure exactly

how that's gonna work.

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Other provinces are interested.

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But that might be the only way

a bid from Canada successful.

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We have Nigeria Abuja bid, I believe

for:

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And they're.

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Trying again.

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That will be interesting.

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And India definitely they're in it.

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It's part of their overall project

to, prepare for an eventual Olympics.

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I think they're still looking

at the:

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Maybe instead the 2030

Commonwealth Games or maybe both.

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They might have the capacity to do that.

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The only concern there is when they

hosted in:

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were considered less than ideal.

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There was some corruption there,

there were delays in construction.

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A lot of headaches there.

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So whether they can get past

that or not, we'll have to see.

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And Commonwealth Sport said,

they'll decide by the end of

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the year where it's gonna go.

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PSP: Over the last hundred years

of Commonwealth Gains Action,

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we've seen many champions.

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One of those champions was

in fact, Kessie Coventry.

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She won gold in 2002 from

memory in Manchester.

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Does it help in any way, shape or

form that she's the IOC President?

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Does that help the Commonwealth

Gangs movement at all?

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Rob: I don't really see any benefit there.

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Obviously the Commonwealth

Games are part of the, larger

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umbrella that the IOC administers.

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But I don't see any direct

connection where she can help.

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Yeah, it'd be interesting to see if she

ever does do anything, but I don't think

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there's any, real connection there.

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PSP: Fair enough.

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I must submit, like you are

very interested in seeing, what

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she does when she takes on the.

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The post of present in June.

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I'm sure there's a lot to look forward

to in terms of her direction, her vision,

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but we'll have to watch this space.

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In the meantime, there'll be plenty

of sport to watch and there'll be

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plenty of updates on bids and the like.

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Rob, why don't you remind our audience

once again where they can find your work?

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Rob: They can come to games bids.com.

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Obviously that's a website

where I publish most of my work.

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And, the usual social media channels

you mentioned at Off the Top at Games

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bids on on x, on Instagram, on blue Sky.

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Now, else are we?

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YouTube?

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Not so much there, but

or my personal account.

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You also mentioned that off the top

you pronounced it very well, IL I think

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PSP: Nice.

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Rob: living stone backwards on X.

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And those are the main

places to find my work.

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PSP: There we go.

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Fantastic.

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And that's the final word from

rob Livingston of games bids.com.

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Definitely check out his work,

make sure you read and I.

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You'll definitely be smarter for finding

out more about the games, bids, movements,

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and more across sports and the beyond.

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This is another episode of PSP.

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I'm your host, Neil.

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Bruce, wishing you well

and be safe out there

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No Sport Left Behind
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Our hosts Nii Wallace-Bruce, and Justen Williams have all spent time in front of the camera as well. Having appeared in commercials, dramatic roles, music videos, public events, and Live performances. The Pro Sports Podcasters are more than the voices you have come to recognize hearing twice a week.

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