Lineker launches new business after BBC exit as deals already agreed | Football | Sport
Gary Lineker’s podcast group, Goalhanger, are launching a venture capital division to reinvest the proceeds of their success by acquiring stakes in other media startups, City AM reports. The former BBC presenter co-founded the Kennington-based company, which is the UK’s biggest independent podcast group, and continues to hold a 33 per cent stake in the business, according to company filings
Lineker co-presents The Rest is Football and secured a deal with Netflix in December, which will see the US streaming giant host the show on their platform during the World Cup. Goalhanger also produce The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment, and The Rest is Money, and are now establishing Goalhanger Ventures — a unit designed to invest in “creator-led media businesses.”
The new arm has already completed their first two deals — an equity investment into Invisible Media, the economics and business-focused video platform behind The Invisible Hand YouTube channel, and a commercial partnership with Backyard Cricket, the video-based cricket content brand founded in Yorkshire. This follows the firm’s launch of their own startup incubator programme, The Accelerator, in January, which offers mentorship to early-stage digital talent.
Jack Davenport, co-founder of Goalhanger, said: “Goalhanger Ventures is about giving exceptional creator-led businesses the infrastructure to grow without losing what made them special in the first place.
“Invisible Media and Backyard Cricket are very different propositions, but they both have that rare combination of editorial clarity, audience trust and genuine momentum. Our role is to help them scale thoughtfully, commercially and creatively, while protecting the independence, personality and quality that their communities already respond to.”
Among the directors of Goalhanger’s venture unit is Greg Bettinelli, a partner at investment firm The Chernin Group. They backed the podcast business in January, suggesting the venture unit may also seek external funding.
The development represents the latest chapter in Goalhanger’s expansion. They have surged in popularity since capitalising on changing media consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic with the launch of what is now its flagship podcast, The Rest is History.
The group has also pivoted away from an advertising-driven model towards paid-for subscriptions and events. In January, Goalhanger exceeded 250,000 paid subscribers for the first time, with subscriptions believed to generate upwards of £15m for the company each year. In 2025 alone, the firm’s programmes were streamed over 750million times.
