Dear reader,

When you read this, I’d be sitting on a dentist's chair for a root canal procedure. It's not an ideal end to the week, I know 😔. But that's how it goes.

This edition is also a farewell note following my resignation from The Core. The last month, in particular, hasn’t been the greatest for me, following the demise of my pet, and while time typically tends to heal, that’s not been the case. It’s tough to reconcile, especially the fact that he’s not physically around anymore. That’s the bummer, more than anything else.

The last five months have been quite interesting (and somewhat fulfilling) for me and The Playbook, having gotten back to writing about the sports business after an eight-year hiatus where I focused more on technology and policy. 

It helped me reconnect with some old friends from the industry, and learn about newer sports (padel, ftw!), and sharpen and expand my knowledge about the growing sports business ecosystem in the country. But that, brief inning, has come to an end – possibly at a time when July 14 is going to be an unreal “finals” day in global sport – the European Championship 2024, the Copa America and Wimbledon, all coming to their respective conclusions.

For many (and I know this personally) readers, The Playbook has been an important window into everything in the sports business. When we launched the product in October 2022, we had a small first target: 10,000 subscribers, a number we felt could be tripled at some stage, with the growth of the Indian sports ecosystem. The Playbook breached that number a couple of months ago, and while I haven’t been regularly publishing–either because of health or personal issues, I am glad most of you have stuck around. 

My Friday mornings will be slightly different from now on as I move on from The Core. While I’ll miss the last-ditch scrambles to seek perspectives (a classic reporter’s quirk), it is a good time to take a break before I get back to an active opportunity.

As for The Playbook’s future, I will leave it to The Core’s leadership to take a call on the product.

And before I conclude, a big thank you to you the reader, for reading this newsletter religiously, even as it changed multiple hands over the last six to eight months. A big thank you for your constant support and feedback, and occasional brickbat, something that has only made the product better.

Even as I end this phase, I’d like to stay in touch and remain engaged in the Indian sports business ecosystem. Do feel free to drop me a line, connect on X or stay in touch via Linkedin.

Warm regards,
Venkat Ananth