30) Bruce Bundrant - CEO & Founder Riviera Sports Marketing, ex Liverpool FC & AS Monaco executive

Originally from Abilene, Texas, Bundrant is one of the most prominent football executives hailing from the US. After graduating from West Virginia University, VA, he initiated his career with DC United of the newly started MLS with an unpaid internship. That laid the foundation for an over 20 year career at the very top of global sports business. 

After stints at Sportfive, one of the most recognized sports rights agencies, GMR Marketing, a sports engagement and experiential agency with clients including VISA, FIFA, and the Miller Brewing company, to name a few, he was named the Head of Commercial Partnerships at Liverpool Football Club in 2008. After a successful five seasons in North West England, he ventured further south when being named the Commercial Director & Head of International Business Development at AS Monaco - a team then purchased by the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev who was looking to take the entity to the very top of European football, by acquiring players such as Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Anthony Martial, Eric Abidal, among others. The glory days lasted until Monaco was caught under the rules of Financial Fair Play, which brought Bundrant back to the US and Relevant Sports, a Stephen Ross company that owns, manages, and operates all aspects of the International Champions Cup. Currently, as the CEO & Founder of Riviera Sports Marketing, Bundrant focuses on building brand value, generating commercial revenue, and growing sponsorship opportunities for an international clientele of companies, ownerships groups, and individuals involved in sports business. 

Please join us as Bundrant delves into his journey, from humble beginnings in the West Texas farmlands to the top echelon of world football. We discuss what it takes to make successful team investments and acquisitions, negotiation tactics, Liverpool’s Champions League glory days, striking multimillion dollar sponsorship deals, rubbing shoulders with Russian billionaires, learning French at 40, accomplishing ambitious goals, and much more.