Routledge, a prominent British multinational publishing house, has just released a new book by Dr Alex Connock, a Professor of Media & AI at the University of Exeter. Entitled 'Media Management and Live Experience: Sports, Culture, Entertainment, and Events', the book explores the evolving landscape of live experience media, emphasising the importance of real-time engagement and human connection in today's era of synthetic content, artificial intelligence, and the Metaverse. It encompasses a wide array of topics, including sports and sports betting, festivals, comedy shows, concerts, tours, theme parks, theatre, trade events, conventions, museums, galleries, and immersive media, offering a comprehensive view of the sector.

The book, which will be widely used for teaching media management in the top universities across the globe, has covered a case study on Bangladesh's sporting passion for Argentine football, highlighting the role of the World Cup event that connects the two nations geographically and culturally miles away from each other. The case study focuses on the historical sequence of how football binds these two nations together over a period of time. It covers the historical and cultural ties strengthened by the World Cup, beginning with Maradona's iconic 1986 victory and the coincidental spread of colour TVs in Bangladesh, enhancing viewers' experience. The study further examines the role of social media in amplifying this connection, the emergence of fan groups, and significant events like live screenings and the expression of fandom through murals and merchandise. It also touches on the commercial and diplomatic outcomes, such as partnerships between Bangladeshi companies and Argentine football entities and opening an Argentine embassy in Dhaka, symbolising the deep-seated bond between the two countries through football.

Dr Connock has degrees from Oxford University, Columbia University, Salford University and INSEAD. Alex has also worked extensively in the media industry in the UK and US – in TV production, digital/social content marketing, magazine writing, and music and advertising production. In the charity sector, he is a voting member of BAFTA, Vice Chair of UNICEF UK, and a board director of the Halle Orchestra. He has been shortlisted six times in Entrepreneur of the Year awards in the UK. His prior book, Media Management and Artificial Intelligence: Understanding Media Business Models in the Digital Age, was also published by Routledge, in late 2022.