In a bold and fascinating crossover between two of Australia’s great passions, sport and economics, renowned economist Tim Harcourt has launched a new show titled Footynomics, captivating audiences who want more than just scores and stats from their favourite games.
Footynomics isn’t your typical sports program. It’s a boundary-breaking exploration of how sport especially football codes like AFL, NRL, and soccer intersects with economics, trade, social change, and even diplomacy. As the name suggests, Footynomics is a fusion of “footy” and “economics,” but its scope goes much wider, drawing on Harcourt’s trademark wit and accessible insights to reveal how sport is both a mirror of society and a powerful economic engine.
The Man Behind the Mic: Tim Harcourt
Tim Harcourt, affectionately known as The Airport Economist, is well-known to Australians as a global economist who makes trade, labour markets, and economic development engaging and relatable. A professor at the University of Technology Sydney and a regular media commentator, Harcourt has spent decades demystifying economics for everyday Australians. With Footynomics, he turns his sharp eye toward the sports field, showing how games played on turf shape—and are shaped by global and local economies.
A Show That Connects the Dots
Each episode of Footynomics dives deep into a particular theme. Whether it’s the economic impact of hosting major sporting events, the role of multiculturalism in grassroots football, or the rise of women’s sport as a new frontier for growth, the show connects dots that many fans hadn’t thought to link before.
Expect interviews with athletes, coaches, economists, policymakers, and community leaders – people who live at the crossroads of sport and society. Harcourt’s skill is in making complex concepts digestible, and his guests often find themselves exploring ideas in new ways thanks to his probing but good-humoured questioning.
Why Now?
The launch of Footynomics couldn’t be timelier. Sport is not only a cultural pillar in Australia – it’s big business. From the Matildas’ stunning World Cup performance to the AFL’s expansion into new markets, sport is a lens through which we can examine immigration, gender equality, Indigenous recognition, and even climate change.
At a time when sport is increasingly understood as more than just entertainment, Footynomics offers a refreshing and intelligent way to deepen our understanding of how games shape our world and how the world shapes our games.
A New Kind of Sports Show
If you’re expecting match previews or post-game analysis, this isn’t the show for you. But if you’ve ever wondered how foreign investment affects your local footy club, or why migrant communities are revitalising suburban soccer leagues, Footynomics is a must-watch. It’s sport for the curious mind.
Where to Watch
Footynomics is available online with new episodes dropping weekly. It also features extended podcast versions for those who want to dive deeper.
Final Siren
With Footynomics, Tim Harcourt is bringing the back pages and the business pages together. In doing so, he reminds us that sport is not just a pastime – it’s a powerful social and economic force. And like the best economists and sports fans, he shows us that when we follow the money, the culture, and the passion, we uncover stories that go far beyond the final siren.
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