ByDan RoanSports editorGary Lineker played his last game in English football in May 1992. This was a few months after Gary Neville’s debut for Manchester United. But they are now rivals in the business world. They each have their own digital empires via their Goalhanger or Overlap platforms. Is this the future of sports journalism? Which one is winning? How both Garys built media empiresImage source: Getty ImagesThe recent purchase by Neville’s “The Overlap” network of United influencer Mark Goldbridge YouTube channels was a stark reminder of the power the former Manchester United player-turned Sky pundit wields now in the football media industry. The Overlap was launched by Neville in 2021 after he co-founded Buzz16, a sports entertainment production company, ten years ago. The Overlap, which features the long-form football discussion show “Stick to Football”, alongside interviews and fan discussions, was sponsored by Skybet and went on to become a popular football content channel in the UK, claiming over 2.2 billion views in 2025 across all platforms. It also has ambitions to be the “biggest platform for non-live football in the world”. Buzz16, who produce content for broadcasters such as the BBC’s WSL and TNT rugby union programming, has also branched out Brent di Cesare, a former cop who created the content for the Overlap, was signed a few weeks after. His two YouTube channels, which have 3.7 million subscribers, are renowned for his viral clips of expletive-laden rants while streaming ‘watchalongs of United matches’. Buzz16 generated PS11.6m revenue last year. Goalhanger, the production powerhouse founded by former BBC Match of the Day host Lineker in 2014, was reported to have made PS14m from a Netflix deal. The streaming giant will broadcast Lineker’s The Rest Is Football podcast every day from a New York studio during this summer’s World Cup. It partnered with DAZN last year to be able show action from the Club World Cup. It also has a 3-year deal with Spain’s La Liga with rights to weekly clip. It has also secured a minority investment from a company that specializes in private equity, to help it expand into the US and create new formats. Who has the advantage?Like Neville’s network, Goalhanger has spun-offs. But the brand goes beyond sports. Its various podcasts are currently dominating the top 40 Spotify podcast charts. They include shows on football (13th), science (38th), and history (6th). The Overlap’s Stick to Football ranks 17th. Goalhanger dominated Apple’s charts with the top four podcasts. The Overlap is the leader on YouTube with 1.66m subscribers – three times more than The Rest is Football. The Overlap will record shows from the US for the World Cup. Scott Melvin co-founded The Overlap with Neville and says, “I don’t believe we’re competitors necessarily, but I have no problem if the people think that.” When asked about Goalhanger, he said: “They’ve done unbelievably.” “They’re the market leaders in podcasting, whereas we are a ‘video first’ business. They used to be ‘eyes-optional’ and are now moving into video. We’ve always been ‘ears-optional’. Tony Pastor, Lineker’s Goalhanger’s co-founder, agrees that both companies “have some similarity but in many different ways we are very different”. He explained that “we’ve taken a wider approach in terms genres”. “Our biggest show is The Rest Is Politics in the UK, and our largest show worldwide is The Rest Is History. We are not really in competition with Buzz16. Our business models are different. I’m a huge fan of what they do. What kind of challenge is Lineker and Neville’s success to mainstream broadcasters? Image source, Getty images “They’re still niche, small business, admittedly, with huge influence over fans, but their turnovers are very modest, so they can’t compete with the big legacy brands when it comes down to hard business figures”, says Jimmy Worrall. Worrall recently launched The Football Boardroom Podcast after setting up a business with former England manager Gareth Southgate. “They are capturing eyeballs and tapping into the changing patterns of fans and the way they consume news. Don’t forget that they don’t own the real gold, which is premium live content. “They’re all trying to diversify, and because they’re nimble, entrepreneurial, and have now access to capital, now they can buy growth and take risk on new programs, both have the speed to market, and they could possibly grow into some significant media businesses, if they invested heavily and quickly. “They will have to evolve constantly, that’s for sure.” Worrall says that The Rest is Football is expected to play a vital role for Netflix during World Cup when the appetite for Netflix’s content may drop. Roger Mosey, former BBC executive and commentator on the rise of athlete-driven programming, says: “It makes life difficult for the established broadcaster.” “The mainstream broadcasters must be impartial in general – they cannot be ‘Manchester United TV,’ ‘the anti VAR channel,’ or anything else. “They are still bound by regulations and their traditions which means they can’t speak as passionately or with as much vigor as a podcast. “During the 2024 Euros Lineker was criticized for being more outspoken on his podcast about England’s performance than he had been when presenting BBC coverage of the same tournament. In the aftermath of a social media post he made about Zionism, his 30-year relationship with BBC ended last year. Neville, on the other hand continues to work as Sky’s leading pundit. Goldbridge has said he will continue saying what he wants after being acquired by The Overlap. Is there a chance that a rant about United might conflict with Neville’s role at Sky or his relationship with United, or their fans? “If I were Sky, I’d be watching Stick to Football each week knowing that there is no commercial upside and potential brand downside if editorial tone is off-brand because the talent is inextricably connected to Sky,” says Worrall. “If I were Neville, I would watch Mark Goldbridge with the same thought process. However, Goldbridge has the added benefit of commercial potential. “It is one thing for a fan to rant about the performance of a club, but it is another when one of their most decorated players funds and facilitates that rant. This will not be an easy issue to resolve. Melvin insists, “We see it as separate”. “There’s not much point in investing in Mark to make him a traditional host. We want to grow his channels along with him. “Another important factor was having a more daily offering on Goldbridge’s channels. Melvin recalls that when [former United manager] Ruben Amorim was fired, we didn’t have Stick To Football scheduled for 10 days. We didn’t discuss it until then. “We can’t. We need to be able be agile. Rio Ferdinand, who left TNT Sport in order to start his own content-production business, said that global digital platforms allowed pundits to circumvent traditional broadcasting limitations in terms of program durations and rights-holder-based territories. “I’m sure others will follow, although it’s not easy to build a media business around a sports stars’ ‘brand’, which is low risk and high reward, while they’re playing. It takes money, a lot of effort, managing people, and a significant amount of risk.” says Worrall. “Building a successful business requires a lot of work and is not for everyone. There is no reason that players or former players cannot do it, if they are motivated and have the passion to do so. “I don’t believe the industry is at its peak, but I do believe that even the most popular podcasts will reach their peak and then fall – they have a lifecycle. “It’s much more complicated than people think to make a podcast successful: it takes a lot of talent, synchronized business models, high production values and constant innovation. It also requires research, social engagement, audience engagement, infrastructure, subject matter, and an entertainment format with longevity. Talent-led shows are eventually outdated. “And what about the smaller content producers and production companies that are now competing with Goalhanger? Mike Carr, the CEO of Crowd Network which develops digital media brands for former stars like England cricketer Stuart Broad or rugby player Ben Youngs, says that it’s not a “winner-takes-all” market. “It is still very early in terms audience growth, particularly on YouTube. There’s still a lot of room to grow – Lineker and Neville are helping to educate brands and audiences about the power of this space. “What we do differs slightly. Instead of seeing them as competitors, they have helped accelerate the market. “I hope Goalhanger shows that if your content is done right, you can reach the scale necessary to support a successful media business,” says pastor. “We’ve created a lot of jobs, which is great. But we’ve also proved that millions of people want to watch and listen to long-form, intelligent content. This is good news for all. “Related TopicsInsight: Insight stories from the worlds of sportFootballMore about this storyFollow Your Club with BBC Sport12MarchListen to the latest Football Daily PodcastGet football news delivered straight to your mobile16 August 2025
