How Rio Ferdinand Built A Multi-Million Pound Empire After Football | Off The Pitch Ep. 1

Rio Ferdinand opens up like never before. In the very first episode of Off The Pitch, I sit down with Rio Ferdinand to break down the business empire he’s built after football. From Manchester United and England to building a media empire, startup investing, football agencies and more, this is a deep dive into how elite athletes think about money, ownership, leverage and life after sport. Rio discusses: Why he moved his family to Dubai Building Rio Ferdinand Presents into a media business The economics of sports podcasts and YouTube How football agencies really work behind the scenes The four young UK footballers he believes are future stars His investment philosophy and the startups he’s backing Losing money in property deals Why athletes go broke Mistakes agents and advisors make with players Whether he regrets staying at Manchester United for so long The future of athlete media and creator-led sport coverage If you enjoy conversations about the business of sport, subscribe to The Long Play for more episodes. Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Off the Pitch 02:41 - Chapter 1 - Rio's Current Empire (Media, Football Player Agency, Startup Investing, Foundation) 51:08 - Chapter 2 - A Key Moment in Rio's Journey 56:21 - Chapter 3 - The First Pound 01:04:43 - Chapter 4 - FC Barcelona, a Key Deal that Got Away 01:10:06 - 5 Great Questions from the TLP Community 01:19:01 - Chapter 5 - The Next 10 Years for Rio's Business Ambitions