How Hearts Changed Scottish Football & Why Belief Matters in Sport
For the first time in 40 years, Scottish football has had something different: hope. In this episode of Moneyball: The Business of Sport, Scott Keenan breaks down the incredible Scottish Premiership title race between Hearts of Midlothian, Celtic and Rangers — and why Hearts’ shock challenge may have changed Scottish football forever. From Ted Lasso’s iconic “Believe” message to the commercial realities of modern sports broadcasting, this episode explores why unpredictability, jeopardy and competitive balance are some of the most valuable assets in global sport. Scott is joined by BBC Scotland senior sports journalist Paul Barnes to unpack: Hearts’ remarkable 2025-26 Scottish Premiership campaign Celtic’s dramatic comeback to win the title Why the Scottish football title race suddenly captured global attention The business of sport and why broadcasters want uncertainty Tony Bloom, Moneyball analytics and Hearts’ recruitment strategy The parallels between Hearts, Brighton & Hove Albion and Union Saint-Gilloise The commercial future of the SPFL, Sky Sports and BBC Scotland Scottish football culture, rivalry and tribalism The controversial Celtic pitch invasion and its impact on the league’s image Why leagues become more valuable when fans believe more than two clubs can win This episode also explores: Ted Lasso, Believe, Scottish Premiership, Hearts FC, Celtic FC, Rangers FC, SPFL, BBC Scotland, Alex Ferguson, Aberdeen FC, Tony Bloom, football business, sports media rights, sports broadcasting, football finance, football analytics, Moneyball strategy, Australian football connections, Ange Postecoglou, Cameron Devlin, Scottish sport, European football, football culture, sports documentaries, football podcasts and the future of Scottish football. If you’re interested in: the business of football sports media rights sports documentaries football finance Moneyball analytics sports broadcasting Scottish football Celtic and Rangers Ted Lasso themes in sport how underdog teams change leagues …this episode is for you. Subscribe to Moneyball – The Business of Sport on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And ask any questions about the business of sport by email askmoneyball.show@gmail.com.