Richard Graves - RDG Media

12/12/2025

2025 maybe winding down but that means it's already time to plan for 2026!

What is it they say? If you're standing still, you're likely going backwards...

Well, the past 12 months have thankfully been productive and successful. Establishing new relationships, working alongside new clients, exploring new areas to grow and operate in. Building on the foundation laid, working with existing clients. Now, I'm looking to build on that momentum as we move into the New Year.

Please take a look at the new website (courtesy of Cree Digital) - www.rdgmedia.uk

Here you'll find examples of the organisations I work with, the areas I operate in, the experience - and most importantly - the professionalism I bring to every assignment and event.

The Premier League, NFL, Yorkshire County Cricket Club (Official) and Catapult are just some of those clients.

It's also a privilege to be invited to host a number of events - whether they are conferences with experts from the world of Sports Science, business events, evenings with well known personalities or the heart warming Awards Nights that mean so much to those involved.

My diary is very much open for business. With the winter Olympics kicking it off, I'm delighted to once again be working on the Games for Olympic Broadcasting Services - looking forward to world class competition in Milano Cortina 2026.

Whatever the project - big or small - media, broadcasting or event hosting, please do get in touch. I'm happy to discuss options and opportunities. You can reach me via the website by clicking on the link below.

Enjoy the holiday period and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Richard Graves is a talented sports presenter and broadcaster, with a successful track record across television, radio and live events.

01/12/2025

This time of year is special - but in a "work sense" being able to acknowledge, listen and learn about the unsung heroes that make sport at a grassroots level possible.....honestly, it's uplifting. It's inspirational - and it's emotional!

From 87 year old Anne Burdette and 79 year old Mary Lowe, who've been being providing cricket teas in Sheffield for 60 years! To Mick Hornsby, who's been playing for, umpiring, supporting and maintaining the ground at Eastrington CC for nearly 80 years! The disability cricket teams in Yorkshire, who continue to break new ground, attaining success - both on and off the field, supported unwaveringly by Owen Jervis. The joy, the support, the appreciation....not just for our award winners on the night, but for everyone involved. THIS is what sport is all about!

I've been fortunate to host the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation Cricket Collective Awards and the YCF Disabled Cricket Awards for the past 4 years. This year, they are the final two events in my 2025 hosting calendar. They provide a platform to highlight outstanding contributions from individuals who crave no attention or demand any award. They give us an opportunity to shine a light on the emerging talent in the region and acknowledge success, at all levels of the game.

Across the two evenings at Headingley Stadium, it was fantastic to see the support shown by Yorkshire County Cricket Club (Official). We were joined by President Dr Jane Powell and players - James Wharton, George Hill, Grace Hall and Bethany Langston, who presented the winners with their trophies and shared their own experiences of playing at their local clubs and talked about the foundation that was laid for their careers.

Special thanks to Donna Staniland and Keeley Baptista for their hard work and organisation, ensuring both nights ran seamlessly. These occasions are a pure pleasure to host!

For future availability or event hosting enquiries please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

📸: Caught Light Photography Limited

Cricket Yorkshire Yorkshire Live Yorkshire Evening Post

24/11/2025

The 1st Ashes Test might not have lived up to expectations from an English perspective but last Thursday's event with Sir Andrew Strauss and Dr Mark Bawden in Leeds certainly did.

On the Eve of cricket's greatest rivalry Digital Sport North hosted an afternoon where we discussed mentality, psychology and how you create the right environment for success - both in sport and in business.

Sir Andrew Strauss shared his experience of playing cricket at the highest level over a 9 year career and the methods he employed, which contributed to him leading England in Ashes Series wins, both in England and in Australia - he remains one of only three captains to achieve that feat.

Dr. Mark Bawden - who was the England cricket team's psychologist in that period and also worked with Team GB at London 2012 - explained how those methods used in the sporting arena are now being transferred to business environments and being successfully applied to enhance team performance and productivity through their own business, .

The pair invited questions from the floor, fielding everything from queries on psychometric testing and the benefits of Spotlight to how you handle pressurised situations and of course, the keys to success in Australia. Everyone present had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. One where they were entertained and took away ideas which could be useful in achieving greater success in their own teams and working environment. It was my privilege to host it.

Particular thanks to Andy Roberts and Rob Powell for expertly organising the afternoon. It was a pleasure to work with them.

For future availability or event hosting enquiries please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

📸 Kane Fulton

18/11/2025

"From Insight To Impact"

This isn't just a strap line, it is the foundation stone for those operating in elite level sport. Sports Science continues to develop at speed. Our understanding of how we realise potential is constantly evolving. During football's international break some of those operating at the highest level shared their methods, insights and real world experiences.

In an event staged by Catapult at Stamford Bridge - the home of Chelsea Football Club - some of the most forward thinking minds in the world of Sports Science came together. We heard from those operating in the the Premier League, European football, Women's football and in the USA at the University of Michigan. How they combine technology with practical application. How they use data and more importantly, analyse and interpret it to enable athletes to reach peak performance.

What we heard was how the impact of data analytics varies in different sporting spheres. Highlighted clearly by Ruth Buscombe where, in the world of F1, milliseconds in time and millimetres on the track can be the difference between first and last.

This was a superb, educational event, attended by guests operating in various areas of professional sport. It gave those present, an opportunity to exchange ideas, network and establish new contacts and it was my privilege to host it. Thanks to Nika Ouellette for her organisation behind the scenes - it was a pleasure to to work with you.

For enquiries or availability to host future events please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

17/11/2025

The Ashes begins this Thursday night/Friday morning. Australia v England, 1st Test in Perth - and it'll be the culmination of months of preparation!

But what exactly goes into ensuring the players and coaching team are in the best possible position to perform at their best, when it matters most?

This week the England and Wales Cricket Board Lead Nutritionist Charlie Binns joins me on Science for Sport to discuss the build up to cricket's heavyweight contest.

We discuss:

🏏 Matchday Fuelling: Liquids v Solids - the dietary requirements at lunch, tea and "all-day snack stations"

🏏 Preparing bowlers for the excursions of covering perhaps 50km in a Test Match & repeatedly absorbing upto 8 x their bodyweight through the front leg

🏏 Day/Night Test Cricket Adjustments: The tweaks Charlie makes to keep players alert without compromising recovery

🏏 Refuelling & Recovery: Stacking recovery windows, shakes, evening meals and high carb changing room options to reduce soreness and restore levels for the next day's play.

No aspect is overlooked. When England's players take to the field every detail will have been put in place to enable them to reach peak performance. This is where sports science comes into its own.

🎧 Download & listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ws8DRHmDd9HlKJUTicKKz?si=17db74cecfca4040

🎥 Watch via YouTube: https://youtu.be/RGPS-50YIHw?si=3FryB4rjMCnSVyox

10/11/2025

Belief. Friendship. Desire. Character. Resilience...... World Champion!

This week Johnny Nelson joins me on the Science for Sport podcast. In an inspiring conversation we discuss a boxing journey that was born in humble beginnings. Navigated its way to training for a sport he didn't enjoy but found a friendship and mentor that led to him being crowned Cruiserweight Champion of the World!

In this episode we discuss:

🥊 The structure training and boxing gave him growing up into a young man

🥊 The influence of trainer Brendan Ingle and the foundation for success

🥊 Mentality: Why 99% physical fitness won't be enough without the correct mindset

🥊 Motivation: The driving force behind capturing the WBO Cruiserweight Championship and ensuring he was never defeated in 13 Title defences (still the most in history)

🥊 Retirement: Adjusting to life outside of the ring and elite competition

🥊 What drives him now

🎧 Download & Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/eGsRRa28

🎥 Watch via YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e5PBVjPJ

05/11/2025

The NFL breaks new ground this weekend as it stages a first regular season game in Berlin before playing a game for the first time in Spain, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium - home of Real Madrid C.F.

While fans in those markets will rightly be excited. The preparation that goes into playing at new locations is immense. The games will be scrutinised, as will the surfaces they are played on.

This week joining me on the Science for Sport podcast is the man charged with overseeing the quality of those surfaces, NFL Field Director, Nick Pappas

In this episode we discuss:

🏈 Natural, artificial & hybrid surfaces

🏈 The Technology Involved: What is BEAST and how does STRIKE help inform field preparations?

🏈 Logistical Challenges: What factors are considered when playing International Games at new venues, such as Berlin and Madrid

🏈 Surface Evolution and storage: Tottenham Hotspur stadium and the renovated home of Real Madrid

🏈 Future Innovations: Field management & technology

🏈 Emphasising player safety and the importance of feedback

This is a conversation which explores all aspects of playing surface preparation. Factoring in locations, climate and durability, operational needs and compliance. If you are involved in ground preparation or interested in what goes into staging a major sporting event at a new venue, this is a discussion you'll want to hear!

🎧 Download & listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4z0M41bLwVAZVb1WSDz6vZ?si=baa564224a8543db

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kkRCMlzT3So?si=_qFAM1-kEg-doQi6

03/11/2025

Tiger Woods. Seve Ballesteros. Darren Clarke. Matt Fitzpatrick.

All Major winners. 2 of those names arguably the greatest to ever play golf. This weekend I hosted an evening with the man who's been on the bag for all of them - legendary Caddie, Billy Foster . What followed was an evening of laughter, astonishment, insight and enjoyment.

Great stories. Incredible shot making under the most intense pressure. A philosophy on how to work alongside incredible talent but most of all, a dedication to profession and a career that now spans 5 decades.

From the team ethic and cauldron of the Ryder Cup to the isolation in the final round of a Major Championship. The agony of seeing tournaments slip away, to the ecstasy of success in the US Open.

This was a truly fantastic evening, working alongside a man who captivated a packed room at Rudding Park, sharing a wealth of experience and thoughts on the game today.

A pleasure to host.

For future availability and event hosting enquiries please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

31/10/2025

A thoroughly entertaining night, enjoyed by every one of the 150+ guests present!

In 2003 Huddersfield Town was in administration, freshly relegated to the 4th tier of English football and pre-season began with just 8 registered players! It was a campaign which would confound expectations and defy convention as they created history, going on to win promotion via the 3rd Division Play-off Final in Cardiff on penalties.

On Thursday evening David Mirfin, Jonathan Worthington, Nathan Clarke, Andy Booth and Michael Collins - all players from that period - joined members of the Blue & White Foundation to relive a remarkable year in their careers.

They drew back the curtain and gave us an insight into the training methods, the comradery, philosophy and group mentality. Some of the tales they told had the room roaring with laughter and there was pride at the adversity, together they overcame. The Blue & White Foundation itself was set up in 2003 with all funds it raised donated to support the club's Academy.

It was my pleasure to host this event and a thrill to be part of the annual 10K draw which saw one lucky winner finish the evening £10,000 better off, with 10 more winners receiving £500.

My thanks to karen haigh and the team for their expert organisation and thank you to everyone who contributed to making this such an enjoyable evening.

For future event hosting availability and enquiries please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

27/10/2025

Business. Sport. Community. Networking. Success...

It's a great testament to the work behind the scenes and the success of the Bradford City Business Club that for this, the final meeting of 2025, we were able to attract a panel which included...

David Scott - Morrisons Corporate Affairs Director

Kelly McAllister - Luminate Education Group, Group Director of Apprenticeships

Michael Harland - Collett & Sons Ltd Sales Director

Jamie Barraclough - Director of JH restaurants Ltd t/a McDonald's

Ryan Sparks - CEO Bradford City AFC

Last week I hosted a panel of leaders from all levels of industry at an event that gave members of the Bradford City Business Club an opportunity to hear from, and ask questions of respected individuals from different backgrounds and experience. People who face the same challenges, working in a competitive and tough economic landscape as our members. We heard how they approach those challenges, what structures are put in place to ensure a productive working environment. How apprenticeships can benefit the individual and employers, the importance placed on being flexible and agile and what concerns they have moving forward. Above all else though, we heard each panel member discuss the significance of being involved with the local community. Why that's important to the success of their respective businesses and how that in turn generates growth and productivity for everyone involved.

Following the discussion, the panel generously gave their time to speak with individuals in a networking area. A number of members hosted stalls, providing an opportunity for different businesses to build contacts and establish new relationships, which hopefully will prove beneficial and productive in the months to come.

Many thanks to Cedar Court Court Hotel Bradford for hosting another hugely enjoyable event. Thanks also to Anthony Baker, Mick Russell and the team for making it possible.

For future availability and event hosting enquiries please contact me via the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

📸 Thomas Gadd Photography

20/10/2025

Wrapping up 2 weeks broadcasting on the NFL in London with the professional, dedicated and frankly superb team at NFL Network as the Jacksonville Jaguars faced the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium

Outside broadcasts are always a big team effort. So, for those with me in London - producer Shawn Kopelakis, cameraman Gary Shore and sound engineer João Valle - a big thank you for making the product that goes to air look and sound so slick. For those back at base in America - Luke LeSourd, Andy Gregg, Dan Omahen and the team - the information and direction you supply makes my role pretty easy!

2 games from 2 venues, covering 4 teams - for broadcasts aired live on both sides of the pond. From covering game week preparations at the team facilities to on field game day updates from the sideline…it’s been an absolute blast! I look forward to having the opportunity to work with you again in the future.

For future availability and enquiries please contact me via
the website: www.rdgmedia.uk

19/10/2025

Setting the scene in London as we close in on kick off - LA Rams vs Jacksonville Jaguars on NFL Network