Sport Marketing · Brand Strategy · Media & Partnerships

Shaping
storiesplatformsaudiences
in sport.

Ryan Deane has spent more than a decade at the intersection of brand, media and marketing in professional football, building audiences, campaigns and digital platforms across the EFL and Premier League.

Alongside his work in football, he co-founded Behind Sport, an independent media business built from scratch to champion and connect the people and businesses shaping the sports industry.

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Ryan Deane
Sport Brand & Media Strategy Audience & Platform Building Sport Industry Marketing Partnership Strategy & Activation Campaigns & Storytelling Athlete Brand & Marketing Sport Brand & Media Strategy Audience & Platform Building Sport Industry Marketing Partnership Strategy & Activation Campaigns & Storytelling Athlete Brand & Marketing
About
Ryan Deane

Sports marketing, media & brand specialist.

Ryan Deane is a sports marketing, media and brand specialist with experience across professional football, from non-league to the Premier League.

His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, audience growth, digital strategy and commercial value - helping clubs, brands and sports businesses communicate with clarity and purpose.

Ryan Deane co-founded Behind Sport - a media platform for the sport industry with a 60k+ audience across digital and social.

Running a commercial media business while working inside professional clubs gives a unique perspective on audiences, brand value and platform building that most people in either world don’t have.

10+
Years working in professional football and sports media
60k+
Grew Behind Sport's audience organically
8
Different leagues worked across during his career
5
Clubs across different levels of the game
Selected Work

The journey so far.

Brand Building

Behind Sport

Behind Sport is an independent sports industry media platform connecting brands, clubs and organisations with a highly engaged professional audience. Built from scratch with co-founder Jack Glennon, it has grown into a community of 60k+ across its channels, generating more than 4.5 million impressions in the last 12 months and reaching an average of 500k+ people every month.

Today, Behind Sport has 50k+ followers on LinkedIn, a weekly newsletter read by 3k+ industry professionals and a growing library of 800+ interviews, features and industry stories.

The platform is trusted by sports businesses including Rezzil, WeAreNinety, Ten Toes and Press Box PR to help tell their stories and reach the people who matter.

Work with Behind Sport →
Career So Far

Five clubs, eight leagues & a chapter in education

Salford City crest
Salford
City
Media & Marketing
Manager2014–2021NL → League Two
Everton crest
Everton
 
Digital Services
Manager2021–2022Premier League
University Academy 92 logo
University
Academy 92
Digital Marketing
Lead2022–2023Higher Education
Fleetwood Town crest
Fleetwood
Town
Group Head of
Media & Marketing2023–2024League One
Waterford crest
Waterford
 
Group Head of
Media & Marketing2023–2024League of Ireland
Stockport County crest
Stockport
County
Head of MarketingHead of Media2024–PresentEFL

From filming non-league football in the eighth tier to leading media at an EFL club - Ryan Deane has worked across clubs, education and the sport industry at almost every level of the game.

Career Foundations

Class of 92 & University of Salford Partnership

Ryan Deane’s career started at the University of Salford, where a partnership with Salford City FC gave students direct access to a professional football club.

That opportunity placed him inside the club just as the Class of 92 completed their takeover - and what began as filming non-league matches in the eighth tier became seven years, four promotions, and five leagues alongside one of English football’s most talked-about clubs.

What I Do

What Ryan Deane actually does.

More than a decade working inside professional football, combined with building an independent sports media business, has given Ryan experience across both sides of the industry - understanding how clubs, athletes, brands and businesses build their identity, grow audiences and create commercial value.

01

Sport Brand & Media Strategy

Clubs, sports organisations and businesses turn to Ryan for how they show up and communicate - covering brand positioning, audience strategy, content, campaigns and the day-to-day running of media operations.

Stockport County · Fleetwood Town · Waterford · Everton · Salford City

02

Audience & Platform Building

Websites, apps, streaming, social and newsletters - the platforms and channels that connect sports organisations with their audiences. Behind Sport is first-hand proof of it, grown from nothing into a community reaching 60k+ people.

Web, App & Streaming Implementation · 60k+ Audience on BehindSport.com

03

Sport Industry Marketing

Agencies, technology companies and suppliers operating within sport need awareness, authority and relationships with the people who matter - built through positioning, editorial and distribution that reaches decision-makers across the industry.

Behind Sport Directory · Annual Memberships for Sport Industry Visibility

04

Partnership Strategy & Activation

Partnerships only work when audiences actually care about them. That means shaping the right proposition and carrying it through campaign concepts, content and activation - with a focus on value that goes beyond logo placement.

Working with Brands Such as Rezzil, Ten Toes, WeAreNinety, PressBox PR & More

05

Campaigns & Storytelling

Kit launches, major sporting moments, community campaigns - each one an opportunity to turn an idea into a story people actually care about, and work that connects with the audience it's speaking to.

Club & Community Campaigns · Kit Launches · Major Sporting Moments

06

Athlete Brand & Marketing

An athlete's brand carries value well beyond what happens on the pitch. Positioning, content strategy and audience growth open up opportunities aligned with their ambitions - both during their career and in whatever comes next.

Personal Brand Development · Commercial & Business Opportunities · Life Beyond Sport

Education

Academic foundations.

University of Salford
BSc Professional Sound & Video Technology
2011–2014
Salford Business School
MSc Digital Marketing
2016–2018
Highlights

Selected Highlights.

2026-27 Home Kit: Inspired by Heritage, Made for Home
Stockport County

2026-27 Home Kit: Inspired by Heritage, Made for Home

The launch of Stockport County's 2026-27 home kit, developed under Ryan Deane's leadership as Head of Media.

Stockport County FC July 2026
Inter Welcome International Journalists and Content Creators to the Scudetto Party
Behind Sport

Inter Welcome International Journalists and Content Creators to the Scudetto Party

Behind Sport featured as part of Inter Milan's international media programme, with Ryan Deane attending the Scudetto celebrations at San Siro.

FC Internazionale Milano May 2026
County Unveil New Green Third Kit Tying Past to Future
Stockport County

County Unveil New Green Third Kit Tying Past to Future

Stockport County's third kit launch for 2025-26, part of a broader brand and storytelling strategy developed during Ryan Deane's tenure.

Stockport County FC August 2025
Playoff Dates Confirmed: Let's Paint It Blue for County
Stockport County

Playoff Dates Confirmed: Let's Paint It Blue for County

The Paint It Blue play-off campaign that drove record shirt sales and brought the town together around Stockport County's push for promotion.

Stockport County FC May 2025
Stockport County Team Up with Urban Zoo to Launch New Digital Platforms
Stockport County

Stockport County Team Up with Urban Zoo to Launch New Digital Platforms

Ryan Deane led the launch of Stockport County's new club website, app and streaming service - just one of many major digital infrastructure projects across his career.

Stockport County FC July 2025
PT SportSuite and Fleetwood Football Group Team Up for Transformative Digital Partnership
Fleetwood Town

PT SportSuite and Fleetwood Football Group Team Up for Transformative Digital Partnership

Coverage of a digital partnership Ryan Deane helped shape at Fleetwood Town, leading the process to appoint the right technology partner for a new website and app.

PT SportSuite May 2024
How Do I Get a Job in the Sport Industry?
Behind Sport

How Do I Get a Job in the Sport Industry?

One of Behind Sport's most-read pieces - a decade of experience distilled into practical advice for those looking to break into sport.

Behind Sport October 2024
University of Salford Graduate Shines a Light on How to Enter the World of Sport
Behind Sport

University of Salford Graduate Shines a Light on How to Enter the World of Sport

The University of Salford featured Ryan Deane and Behind Sport as a resource for the next generation entering the sport industry.

University of Salford April 2022
Building Everton's Digital Matchday Programme for the Merseyside Derby
Everton

Building Everton's Digital Matchday Programme for the Merseyside Derby

Delivered the club's Digital Matchday Programme - including the edition released free for the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool.

Everton FC December 2021
New Website Looks Behind the Scenes of the Sporting World
Behind Sport

New Website Looks Behind the Scenes of the Sporting World

An earlier University of Salford feature on the launch of Behind Sport and its mission to champion the people shaping sport.

University of Salford April 2021
Salford Students Land Jobs at Salford City FC
Career Foundations

Salford Students Land Jobs at Salford City FC

Coverage of the University of Salford and Class of 92 partnership that placed students inside Salford City FC - where Ryan Deane's career began.

University of Salford August 2017
Class of 92 Sign Deal with University of Salford
Career Foundations

Class of 92 Sign Deal with University of Salford

The MEN covered the landmark Class of 92 and University of Salford partnership that gave Ryan Deane his first professional football opportunity.

Manchester Evening News 2015
Contact

Working on something in sport?

Get in Touch

If you're building a brand, growing an audience, developing a campaign, activating a partnership or thinking about how you show up in sport, Ryan would love to hear from you.

For Behind Sport queries - partnerships, features, memberships or coverage - get in touch.

ryan@behindsport.com →
LinkedIn Instagram Behind Sport