Welcome to Sideline Moves, Insider Sport’s weekly roundup spotlighting the key moves shaping the business of sport.
Every Friday, we bring you the latest executive appointments, strategic hires, boardroom shifts, and behind-the-scenes deals from across the global sports industry – all in one place.
Emma Hayes takes on role at PFA Business School
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School has appointed Emma Hayes as Course Director of its new Women’s Football Management MSc.
According to a PFA release on 19 March, the degree is set to launch in September 2026 and will be the institution’s first master’s programme focused exclusively on the operations of a modern women’s football club. It will cover areas including ownership structures, financial management and commercial strategy.
Hayes, formerly at Chelsea and currently head coach of the US women’s national soccer team, will oversee the course alongside Rebecca Caplehorn, Chief Football Officer at the Premier League.
The PFA initiative aligns with recent efforts to improve representation in leadership roles, with FIFA introducing regulations requiring female coaches to be present on team benches at major women’s tournaments.
“I’ve worked with lots of players over the years whose talent on the pitch has been matched by their ambition and intelligence off it. But it’s not enough to tell players they are capable, we all know they are. We have to give them real opportunities to learn and develop those skills,” Hayes said.
“Many of these skills are transferable from sport, but some have to be developed more deliberately, with proper training from experts working in these roles every day. That’s the gap this course fills and why I’m really proud to be part of its excellent faculty.”
Bob Iger bids farewell to Disney
Bob Iger has officially stepped down as Chief Executive of The Walt Disney Company, drawing the curtain on a tenure spanning more than two decades.
Speaking at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, Iger reflected on his return to the company in 2022 after the short-lived period under Bob Chapek, during which he said employee confidence had declined.
“When I returned in 2022, people had lost confidence in the company they worked for,” Iger said. “Today, everywhere I turn, I sense confidence and excitement about what lies ahead.”
Iger exits with Josh D’Amaro now formally taking over the role, having previously led Disney Experiences, the company’s largest business segment. He also pointed to Dana Walden in his final message, stating Walden will play a key role in driving the company’s creative direction.
The leadership transition comes as Disney continues to expand its footprint in sport and live content, including major media rights deals and streaming investments.
“So as I step away, I do so with enormous gratitude and real optimism. I believe deeply in this company’s future, because I believe in Josh D’Amaro and the people who will help him shape it next,” he said.
Women’s Pro Baseball League names Justine Siegal as first commissioner
The Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) has appointed Justine Siegal as its first-ever Commissioner ahead of the competition’s launch.
Scheduled to start in August, the league is the first professional women’s baseball competition in the US since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League folded in 1954. It will feature four teams in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco and will host a regular season, playoffs and an All-Star Game.
Siegal, who made history in 2015 as the first woman to coach in Major League Baseball with the Oakland Athletics, has also been at the forefront in founding the league.
In a statement made, she said the WPBL represents a “long time dream” to create a professional platform for female baseball players, adding: “We’re creating a stage where elite women’s baseball players have a place to shine, and establishing a pipeline for every girl who dreams of competing at the highest level.
“The next chapter begins this August. We hope you’ll join us in making history.”
KSI makes first big move as Dagenham & Redbridge owner
YouTuber KSI has wasted no time making his mark at Dagenham & Redbridge, parting ways with first-team manager Lee Bradbury just weeks after joining the club as a shareholder.
The departure follows the team’s 3-2 away win at Farnborough, which Bradbury oversaw in his final game, and sees Andy Carroll stepping in as interim manager. The club thanked Bradbury for his professionalism and contributions to stabilising the team last summer.
KSI, who co-founded Misfits Boxing and the drink brand Prime Hydration, has made clear his ambition is to lead the non-league side to the Premier League. “I’m so excited to start this journey,” he said at the time of his takeover, adding that reaching the top flight is “100% doable.”
A club statement from the Happy Fan Group highlighted KSI’s “passion for disruption” and his role in expanding the team’s global reach. If this is anything to go by, further changes on and off the pitch are likely.
Snapshot Moves
Portland Fire has completed its coaching lineup with Danielle Boiago and Sefu Bernard joining as assistant coaches ahead of 2026 WNBA launch.
Teen driver Truly Adams has joined Berg Racing to compete in the 2026 Ligier Junior Formula Championship.
Fallon Sherrock has been named Winmau Player Ambassador, representing the brand at all PDC events and promoting women’s participation in darts.
Crocs has named Indian cricketer KL Rahul as a global brand ambassador, fronting its ‘Play Hard. Rest Easy.’ campaign.
Coolr has launched Coolr Sport, appointing Ben Goldhagen as Director to lead the agency’s division for sports marketing in the UK and US.
Tennis player Amanda Anisimova has announced she will represent Carroten as a brand ambassador.
We’re spotlighting the movers and shakers shaping the sports business every Friday.
Submit your people moves to Insider Sport’s Business Journalist, Kieran O’Connor, at [email protected] to be featured in the next edition of Sideline Moves.
Catch up on last week’s Sideline Moves to read about why Travis Kelce has swapped end zones for roller coasters.
