Welcome to Original Football
Where the stories go deeper than what happens on the pitch.
From transfer deals to sponsorship moves, fanbase stories to billion-dollar takeovers, football is a business, a culture, and a global obsession. But most coverage only scratches the surface.
That’s why this newsletter exists.
My aim is to share with you:
⚽ The real forces shaping the modern game, from foreign investors to storied brands and organisations across Europe, the U.S., and beyond.
📊 Behind the curtain of the football Business: ownership, media rights, brand deals, and player contracts.
🎭 The culture of the game: how fans, fashion, and identity shape football’s global story
🧠 Why football matters beyond sport: its influence on music, style, cities, and community
🔓 Stay ahead of the curve with original insights you won’t find on mainstream platforms
Whether you work in sport, aspire to break into the industry, or a fan who simply wants to understand football on a deeper level, you’re in the right place.
Subscribe for free to get football insight sent to your inbox twice a week.
Upgrade to paid to unlock full access to the archive and special reports covering global football strategy, media trends, and power plays.
Who We Are
Original Football is written by David Skilling, a sports business writer and football industry insider from London, with over 30 million annual reads across multiple sports publications. You’ve stumbled across the biggest one of them all.
I’ve worked with pro athletes, teams, agents, and media brands, and run a sports talent agency representing athletes across sports. I’ve worked with Formula 1 World Champions, Boxing World Champions, Olympic Gold Medallists, and footballers who have featured at World Cups, the Premier League, and the MLS.
Football is my first love, I play bad golf, and I love the business and culture of our beautiful game.
Why Go Paid?
There are no ads, no sponsored fluff—just independent, in-depth reporting backed by someone who cares about this space. Your subscription directly powers the work: the time, the research, the access, and the quality of insight I aim to deliver with every piece.
Even better? Paid members get direct access to me and the wider community. It’s a smarter, more focused way to connect without the noise, algorithms, or posturing that comes with social media.
If you value honest, original coverage of where sport meets culture, business, and power, this is your place.
What You’ll Get
✅ Deep-dive football editorials twice per week
✅ Exclusive paid reports on deals, trends, and strategies shaping the game
✅ Case studies and business breakdowns of the biggest clubs, brands, and players in football
Join the readers who work at top clubs, agencies, and sports companies—and those who want to. I am fortunate to have subscribers from some of the most established football teams, media companies, agencies, and organisations. You’re in good company.
[click here] to see what you’ll unlock as a paid subscriber.
Subscribers get access to the free newsletter and free website. Never miss an update.
