Irg Torben Bührer’s Post

Jürgen Klopp loves #Football. Red Bull loves to be the best in everything they do—including football. Perfect Match, Right?! Jürgen Klopp’s move to Red Bull, are there any key takeaways for business leaders? How about the following? 1️⃣ Adaptability Is Key: Jürgen’s leadership style at Liverpool, where he built high-performing teams and connected deeply with players, is now being adapted to a strategic role at Red Bull. His move highlights the importance of knowing when to pivot and redefine your role for maximum impact. 2️⃣ Burnout Awareness: Burnout isn’t limited to football managers. Jürgen’s open admission of exhaustion serves as a reminder that leaders must recognize early signs of burnout. Creating sustainable roles that allow key players to stay engaged is crucial for long-term success. 3️⃣ Strategic Brand Alignment: Red Bull, known for its bold approach to sport and media, gains authenticity by associating with Jürgen’s strong, authentic leadership brand. This alignment boosts Red Bull’s credibility and demonstrates how the right figurehead can enhance brand perception in untapped markets. 4️⃣ Managing Reputation: The move may seem contradictory given Jürgen’s past criticism of “artificial” football projects. Business leaders can learn from this: navigating new partnerships requires balancing personal values with professional opportunities to safeguard one’s reputation. 5️⃣ Evolution Over Comfort: True leadership is not about staying in one lane. Jürgen’s shift reflects a broader trend: today’s leaders must evolve from operational managers to strategic visionaries, embracing roles that may feel unfamiliar but allow for greater long-term impact. The bottom line? Mike Gordon — the president of Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group — placed Jürgen on the same level as a corporate leader. He was, according to Mike, “someone you would choose to run your company”, as he told Raphael Honigstein in his book, Bring the Noise. So, we will see... For a deep dive check the article 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJt6sCun 🌟 #JurgenKlopp #Leadership #RedBull #ThinkingBeyondSports

The phrase ‘Monday Night Football’ may be no stranger to heavyweight clashes but an all-time NFL great taking on Deadpool has to be a first. This is Tom Brady tackling Ryan Reynolds, League One’s big spenders going head-to-head with Hollywood FC — or simply, Birmingham City versus Wrexham. On one side, we have Birmingham City, recently taken over by U.S. investment firm Knighthead, with NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority owner. Despite their shock relegation, Birmingham is looking to make an immediate impact with their £20 million summer spend. They're building not just a squad but a brand, with ambitious plans like constructing a new stadium. On the other, Wrexham has been riding high on the celebrity wave of co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary turned this once provincial club into a global phenomenon, driving unprecedented fan engagement and sponsorship deals. The stakes are more than just points on the board; it's a battle for hearts, minds, and wallets across the Atlantic. With 36 million U.S.-based soccer fans still undecided on their allegiance, both clubs have a golden opportunity. CBS Sports’ four-year deal with the EFL ensures this showdown will be broadcast live, exposing both teams to a massive American audience. To get ready, check Tom Brady's post on X via this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/eciwGuJu The outcome on the pitch is unpredictable, but one thing is certain: this "celebrity derby" is more than a match—it’s like a defining moment in the race to capture the U.S. fandom. 🌍⚽💼 Btw, there's another club in town for the 36 million U.S.-based soccer fans, Westchester SC. Mitchell Baruchowitz and Danny Dekker are working hard to push this forward. From 2025, we will be competing in the USL League One with Westchester. If you want to be a part of it from the start, please get in touch. The queue is long, but we still have a little space… #BirminghamCity #Wrexham #WestchesterSC #sportsbusiness

Gerry Cardinale (RedBird Capital Partners, owner of AC Milan): “This is about my crowd coming into sports. The problem with my crowd is they are asset managers. They just want to buy stuff, and that's not great for intellectual property based businesses.“ "The reason why there's this demand for sports exposure is because of these facile notions that sports always goes up. It's not correlated to the macro, it's outperformed the S&P for the last decade", Gerry said. "There's merit to those arguments, but they've just peddling that now and everybody wants exposure to it.“ 🎙said on stage at the IMG X RedBird Summit on Wednesday More on topics like this for athletes in the LinkedIn 'Athletes in Business Group' 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQx9uDHd #PrivateEquity #SportsValuations #SportsBusiness #FootballBusiness

My article about the relevance of Paul Graham's #FounderMode for athletes resulted in a kind of #AthleteFounderMode description: Athlete Founder Mode refers to a leadership mindset and operational style adopted by athletes who transition into entrepreneurial ventures or leadership roles, applying the discipline, resilience, and team dynamics honed in their athletic careers. It mirrors the concept of Paul’s Founder Mode in business but is tailored to leverage the unique mental conditioning, competitive drive, and leadership qualities that athletes develop throughout their sports careers. In Athlete Founder Mode, the (former) athlete remains deeply involved in the strategic and operational aspects of their company, much like founders in the tech world, who maintain direct oversight of their ventures even as they scale. This model emphasizes: ▶️ Resilience Under Pressure – Athletes are trained to perform under intense pressure and recover from setbacks, making them particularly adept at navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, such as market disruptions or business failures. ▶️ Unwavering Discipline – Just as athletes dedicate themselves to rigorous training regimens, they apply that same discipline to building and running a business, ensuring continuous progress toward long-term goals. ▶️ Hands-on, Visionary Leadership – In „Athlete Founder Mode“, the athlete-founder stays actively engaged in both the big-picture vision and the day-to-day operations, fostering a strong, cohesive team by leading through example and motivating those around them. ▶️ Team Dynamics and Leadership – With a deep understanding of team collaboration from their athletic experience, these founders excel at building and managing effective teams, driving performance, and cultivating a culture of excellence within the organization. This approach enables athlete-founders to use their unique skill set and personality traits to guide their companies with the same intensity, focus, and determination that characterized their sports careers. #AthletesInBusiness #Entrepreneurship

Record $5.6B Lost to Crypto Scams in 2023, FBI says – Yes, Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether have become more popular as prices have soared to new highs and as exchange-traded funds tracking their prices have hit the US market this year. But of course there is also the other side of the coin: The FBI has reported a staggering 45% increase in losses from crypto scams in 2023, totaling $5.6 billion. While crypto scams represent just 10% of overall financial fraud complaints, they account for nearly half of all losses. The report 👉 https://lnkd.in/eHxv5PTE highlights the dominance of investment fraud, with schemes promising high returns and minimal risk, luring victims into "confidence-enabled" scams like "pig butchering". Such scams involve building trust over time, only to trap victims in fraudulent platforms. In particular, losses from investment scams with a nexus to cryptocurrency accounted for 71% of all crypto-related losses last year, the report said. This surge in crypto crime emphasizes the need for increased awareness and stronger regulatory frameworks to protect investors. ☝️Of course, these crypto scams are also a reason why I have been offering athletes access to knowledge, expertise and my ecosystem for many years. And yes, not all athletes are open and willing to acquire new knowledge and sometimes it takes time - and unfortunately also bad experiences - to realize that the business world works differently than the sports world. This, however, is another reason why athletes can, for the time it takes, find out about business topics, for example via the Playmakers Brew 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_jFu-4s or as part of this new LinkedIn Athletes in Business Group 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQx9uDHd, and then become active as soon as they are ready. #CryptoScams #Crypto #Investing #ThinkingBeyondSports

Amon-Ra St. Brown: „I think for me, it’s just the same mentality that I have every year. It’s a new year, everything is reset. This is a what have you done for me lately type of league and right now, I’m at the bottom. I’ve got to restart, I’ve got to do it again and that’s what motivates me, really. That’s what gets me going. Last year was last year, it’s a whole new year. I’ve got to put it together again. It’s easy to put one or two years together, but to do it five, six, seven years, that’s what separates you. So for me, that’s really my motivation, doing it, trying to do it again. It’s easy to do it one or two years, but to do it each and every year for several seasons, that’s really what separates guys.“ ☝️This mentality embodies what sets top performers apart. It’s easy to have a good year—or even two—but to sustain excellence season after season requires a relentless drive to start from scratch. Amon-Ra highlights the brutal truth: professional sports are a “what have you done for me lately” business. No matter what you achieved last season, the slate is wiped clean, and the pressure is on to prove yourself once again. Amon-Ra’s words encapsulate a mindset that top performers in any field can relate to: success isn’t about resting on past achievements; it’s about proving yourself year after year. In high-pressure environments, whether in sports or business, yesterday’s success is quickly forgotten. The question is always, “What have you done for me lately?” ▶️ Success isn’t permanent. The real differentiator is the ability to sustain performance, adapt, and excel, regardless of past victories. Markets change, industries evolve, and the winners are those who can continuously reset, learn, and outperform—year after year. #Leadership #Consistency #Excellence #ThinkingBeyondSports

Marshall Plumlee: My NBA career started with the Knicks. I served concurrently in the New York Army National Guard while playing 21 games with the Knicks in my first year. The next year, I played eight games for the Milwaukee Bucks, but I realized that I wouldn't set the world on fire as a basketball player. The search for something bigger than myself eventually brought me to the Army. In October 2018, I took advantage of the active-duty initiative and became an Army infantry officer. I was surrounded by such a high baseline of talent and athleticism in the NBA, and it made me a better version of myself by forcing me to focus on things that only I can do well. That sense of being challenged by the people around me led me to the prestigious Airborne School and Ranger School in the Army. I wanted to be around people who would force me to grow again. I was constantly around people who were smarter, stronger, and faster than me, and I came out the other side a better version of myself. But I now recognize that a career is a marathon, not a sprint. ☝️Excerpt from Alex Nicoll's great article 'I pivoted from playing in the NBA to a career on Wall Street. Here's how I built the skills to land at Blackstone.' https://lnkd.in/ekpRXUwf Marshall's journey describes very well how important it is to understand everything on the career path as part of the marathon. Yes, of course life as a top athlete is very different from the life you lead when you have a job at a financial institution. However, the experiences and insights from earlier stages of your career are so valuable that they must be seen as part of the marathon that Marshall mentioned. This is also why we have created the LinkedIn 'Athletes in Business Group'. Here, athletes can find insight and topics related to business beyond sport in order to pursue successful career paths as entrepreneurs or investors. #AthletesInBusiness #WallStreet #Blackstone #ThinkingBeyondSports

'The Economics of Running Backs': An analysis of the past 10 NFL seasons shows a growing link between passing efficiency and game outcomes. As rushing yards lose significance, the NFL is evolving with a focus on passing plays. Why? Viewership—and revenue—follow the excitement of high-scoring games, and passing delivers more points faster. Interestingly, the correlation between annual passing yards and annual revenue is approximately 0.7. The correlation for rushing yards is negative 0.01. Coaches and teams are embracing this data, shifting to more passing-focused strategies. Changes in rules, such as softer pass interference calls and enhanced quarterback protections, only reinforce this trend. 🏈 The prevailing view in conversations of Roland Fryer (author of 'The Economics of Running Backs') with coaches has been that the game has become more horizontal than vertical. Passing more freely allows a team to better discern the defense’s schemes and score more effectively. More insights for athletes in LinkedIn’s 👉 'Athletes in Business Group'. #NFL #Football #DataAnalytics #SportsBusiness

What truly sets top performers and champions apart is their educability—their capacity to learn, adapt, and grow throughout their careers. Leslie Valiant, an eminent computer scientist who teaches at Harvard, argues that educability—the ability to learn continuously—is what truly sets us apart. In his new book, The Importance of Being Educable, Leslie highlights that humans learn over a lifetime, accumulating knowledge in a slow, unpredictable manner, often using it in ways we never anticipated. When we think about what makes our minds special, we tend to focus on intelligence. But if we want to grasp reality in all its complexity, Leslie writes, then “cleverness is not enough.” We need to build capacious and flexible theories about the world—theories that will serve us in new, unanticipated, and strange circumstances—and we do that by gathering diverse kinds of knowledge, often in a slow, additive, serendipitous way, and knitting them together. Through this process, we acquire systems of beliefs that are broader and richer than the ones we can create through direct personal experience. Get more insights on this in LinkedIn’s Mighty Like Athletes Group 👉 https://lnkd.in/dAx8tS8b #Educability #GrowthMindset #Complexity #ThinkingBeyondSports

On October 9, Netflix will premiere „Starting 5“, a 10-part docuseries that takes viewers behind the scenes of the 2023-2024 NBA season. Produced by LeBron James' Uninterrupted, in collaboration with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, „Starting 5“ aims to provide an unfiltered look at what it takes to compete at the highest level of professional basketball. From grueling training sessions to the pressures of balancing personal lives with the relentless pursuit of excellence, this series plans to captures the essence of what it means to be a modern NBA superstar. LeBron, in his 21st season, pushes the boundaries of physical endurance, while rising stars like Anthony Edwards electrify the court. Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics in their quest for a historic 18th championship, with each player’s journey revealing the dedication and resilience required to succeed at this elite level. According to Netflix, this docuseries focuses on five of the league's most electrifying players: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, and Domantas Sabonis. Furthermore, as promoted, it’s not just about the games; it’s about the human stories behind the stats. As Netflix continues to dominate the sports docuseries genre, „Starting 5“ is set to be a further addition, offering fans a raw and intimate look at their favorite athletes. Last but not least, we always talk about athletes' careers beyond sport in business. Of course, LeBron is not your average athlete, but the way he sees himself and his career shows that there is no one career for athletes. Success in sport is the foundation for building an empire alongside sport. Of course, the King James' empire is extraordinary, as is the way LeBron started to build it with those closest to him. But that too can be replicated by other athletes to a certain extent. However, it is always important to develop an environment of expertise and trust around you. That doesn't happen overnight, but it has to be put on the right track as early as possible in a career. As an athlete, get more relevant business insights via LinkedIn’s Athletes in Business Group 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQx9uDHd #Netflix #NBA #Starting5 #ThinkingBeyondSports