<p>In this special episode recorded at SportsInnovation 2026, SportsPro's <strong>George Breare </strong>returns to the hosting seat for a conversation with <strong>Steffen Merkel</strong>, chief executive of German soccer's DFL.</p><p> </p><p>Shortly after signing a contract extension until 2029, Merkel discusses what's driving the Bundesliga's record €6.33bn revenues and outlines the league's media rights strategy both at home and abroad. </p><p> </p><p>There’s also a deep dive into how the DFL is approaching AI and emerging technologies, the impact of Harry Kane and other international stars, and why maintaining authenticity remains a key priority for the Bundesliga as the game evolves.</p><p><br /></p><p>We'd love to hear what you think. 📩 Got questions for future episodes?Email us at: [email protected]🎧 Don’t forget to check out SportsPro’s other podcasts: StreamTime Sports, Mics Out, and New Era.OUR SOCIALS:Newsletter: https://www.sportspro.com/account/registration/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vDHloCVsAdKJusUtVRnCd?si=TX8jJO6dR7qyzALZfQv2bQInstagram: https://instagram.com/sportspro.mediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportspro-media/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportspromediaStreamTime Sports: <a href="https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCogPoEHY1Ju9hB53XCzJYOQ" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @SportsProNick </a> #SportsPro #Podcast #Bundesliga #DFL</p>