Search Party (2023)

How England’s football league is breaking the sport Since 1992, the English Premier League has enjoyed some of the most remarkable growth in sports history. Today, its clubs collectively generate more than Є6.5 billion in revenue each year. But Europe’s other leagues make far less, and their disadvantage is starting to make the sport less competitive.

Why Putin is so hard to overthrow In June, Russian militia leader and Putin confidant, Yvegeny Prigozhin, led an armed mutiny against the Russian military. It was the most serious threat to Putin’s rule since he rose to power more than 20 years ago. In this video, we explore how it shattered the belief that Putin was in total control and exposed cracks in his regime that had been growing for years.

Why tiny New Zealand dominates rugby In September 2023, 20 countries will convene to play the Rugby World Cup. There are lots of great teams, but one has historically stood above the rest; the New Zealand All-Blacks. Over the more than a century of international rugby, New Zealand has dominated the sport; winning around 70% of their matches, including three World Cup Championships. It’s all the more remarkable because New Zealand is a tiny country of just 5 million people. This is the story of how one country fused its identity with a sport and created one of the best sports teams of all time.

The Taiwan Trap China and Taiwan are preparing for war. China’s leader, Xi Jin Ping, has overseen one of the most dramatic military build-ups in history and has ordered his military to be ready to invade by 2027. Meanwhile, many believe Taiwan is not ready, including the United States. After decades of selling Taiwan some of its best weapons, the US government is now urgently pressuring Taiwan to change its strategy. This video explains what’s wrong with Taiwan’s plan to fend off a Chinese invasion and how the United States wants to fix it.

Why Saudi Arabia wants all the sports The biggest sports story of 2023 has been the dramatic investment, disruption, and competition caused by Saudi Arabia. The wealthy Middle Eastern country launched a golf league that rivaled, then merged with, the powerful PGA tour. It poured billions into attracting some of the world's best soccer players from Europe. And it's reportedly campaigning to host the Olympics and World Cup in the near future. This video explains why Saudi Arabia has decided to put so much money behind sports, how far-reaching its investments are, and what it means for one of the world’s most popular industries.

How India is super-charging cricket Cricket was once the favored sport of Europe’s wealthy and sophisticated. A match took days to play and rewarded endurance and strategy over action and risk-taking. But when its popularity fell in the 20th century, a new country picked it up, loved it, and is now transforming it. India is a cricket-mad country that has given cricket a new shorter format, a new lucrative league, and a new life.

The Arab leaders are in a bind over Israel As the war in Gaza pulls the Middle East into chaos again, some significant changes have surfaced. Several Arab states who for decades fully supported the Palestinian cause, are instead today taking a more in-the-middle approach. They are growing closer to Israel and would like to continue doing so, but their populations are increasingly angry at Israel. It’s put these country’s governments into a bind that gets more difficult to navigate the longer the war drags on.

How the NFL used 'socialism' to get rich The NFL makes far more money than every other sports league in the world and it's not even close. It’s all the more remarkable when you consider that American football is only played in one country. Soccer, basketball, and baseball have more fans worldwide but none of those leagues or teams make as much as the NFL. This video explains how the NFL created the perfect sports league for making money.

The woman behind the North Korean throne For almost a century, North Korea has been ruled by three men from the Kim family, who have created a government unlike any in the world. It claims to be a one-party socialist regime but it actually functions like a hereditary monarchy. The throne has passed from father to son twice, but today, there is some speculation that it could pass next from father to daughter or even brother to sister. This video explains how the Kim dynasty passes on succession and why some experts believe two women could be in contention for succession.

How Red Bull is breaking Formula 1 Formula 1 is the fastest growing sport in the world. Fans from all around the world watch the fastest cars in the world fight each other neck and neck in a 22-race championship. Or, at least that’s what it’s supposed to be. In reality, the last two years have been dominated by one team; Red Bull who’s dominance is breaking almost every record in the sport. So how do they do it? And is it a problem for Formula 1’s business?

Europe's cocaine habit is devastating South America “Cocaine is the criminal steroid” Ecuador was known for decades as Latin America’s ‘island of peace’. It didn’t have the violent drug cartels that sow chaos in Mexico and Colombia or the high murder rates of Brazil and Venezuela. That is until a series of events completely overhauled the drug trade and Ecuador found itself with the world’s most valuable trafficking route. Just a few years later, Ecuador has the highest murder-rate in South America and criminal gangs are threatening to overrun the country. This video explains why Ecuador has become so violent, and reveals what Europe has to do with it.

How this new stealth plane keeps the US ahead of China. The United States just unveiled its newest stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider. It completed its first test flight in November 2023 after more than 10 years of research and development. Much remains classified, but it's safe to say this will be one of the most advanced pieces of technology ever made. Its most important characteristic is stealth. The US claims that it can evade even the most advanced air-defense systems on earth – hence why it’s currently costing about $700 million to build one of them. This video explains why the US believes the money is not only worth it … but a national security imperative.

The best football country you've never heard of As the European football championship football tournament starts in June, the usual countries are favorites; France, England, Germany and Spain. But Europe used to have another favorite; Yugoslavia. For more than 40 years, the communist country used football to keep its population united and elevate itself onto the national stage. By the late 80s, it was considered one of the strongest football sides in Europe when it suddenly and violently disappeared.

How Brazilian football hit rock bottom As the Copa America football tournament begins in June, one of the usual favorites is struggling; Brazil. It is the most accomplished national football team in the world and probably the one that is most significant to its country. Brazil’s football team became a symbol of Brazilian identity and progress in the 20th century but today … many fans are drifting away. This video explains what’s happened to the world’s most famous football team.

Why no one wants to host the Olympics The Olympics are in a crisis – no one wants to host the Games anymore. After decades of fierce competitions, only 2 cities ended up in contention for the 2024 Games; Paris and LA. Worried that no one would bid for 2028, the Olympics gave them both a Games. This video will use economic data, archive, and expert analysis to explain how the most prestigious sporting event in the world got too far over its skis and how it plans to get cities interested in hosting again.

How the Olympic surfing event made history All eyes are on Paris for the 2024 Olympics, except of course, if you’re watching the surfing. The sport is making its second Olympic appearance but this time, it's happening 10,000 miles away from the host city; in Tahiti. This video explains why Tahiti’s waves could make this the most dangerous sports event in Olympic history and the dark story of how France can put an event in Tahiti in the first place.

The US's enemies want to shatter the world order Probably the most surprising thing about the war in Ukraine is that Russia is getting a ton of help. North Korea and Iran are sending it millions of rounds of ammunition and lethal drones, while China is sending it everything from cash to jet-fighter parts. In fact, the war has brought these four countries together so much closer together that many in the West are calling them the “new axis of evil”. How are Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea helping each other? And how dangerous is their new partnership?

Sports betting is addicting to players, too. In April 2024, the NBA caught one of its own players gambling on himself - and few analysts were surprised. Sports gambling is booming and gambling companies are enjoying unprecedented cooperation with the sports leagues. But one of their most profitable types of bets has introduced an existential risk to sports; the player prop-bet. This video explains how these prop-bets make cheating so easy for players and how the Jontay Porter scandal could be the tip of the iceberg.

Why Europe isn't ready for Trump's second term In his first term, Donald Trump frequently threatened to leave the NATO alliance. Now as he runs again, many believe that he might really do it in a second term. This video explains how Europe still relies on the US military for its defense and how a sudden withdrawal by the US would leave them vulnerable.

Why Trump is calling Harris the 'border czar' Poll after poll shows that Americans are very concerned about immigration. And so far, that’s not been a good thing for Kamala Harris. After serving in the Biden administration during a border crisis, Harris is often described as “weak” on immigration. This video explains how immigration became her Achilles’ Heel and what she’s doing about it as election day draws near.

Israel and Iran's rivalry is on the verge of disaster Israel and Iran have been fighting a shadow war for decades. But in the year following Hamas’ attack, the two have inched closer and closer to all out war. They’re both caught in a spiral of retaliatory airstrikes that has redrawn the boundaries of their rivalry. And it may only be the beginning.

How this warlord is using MMA to build an army For 17 years, the tiny Russian republic of Chechnya has been ruled by the iron-fist of Ramzan Kadyrov. He’s a warlord-turned-dictator, one of Vladimir Putin’s favorite allies, and the most controversial figure in the world of mixed martial arts. Kadyrov has used MMA to reshape Chechen society, turn it into a hotbed of talent, and produce world-famous fighters.

Why you need to be rich to watch sports now When did watching live games get so expensive? Every sports fan has probably noticed that it has become more expensive to watch live sports. A recent analysis found that an NFL fan would need to spend more than $800 to have access to every game this season. This video explains how a colossal shift in the sports media landscape is driving up prices for fans – and helping transform who and how they root for their favorites.

How China is creating a new kind of internet How China built its own internet Over the last 40 years, the Chinese Communist Party has been constructing the world’s first and most sophisticated digital border, called the Great Firewall of China. It blocks materials that the Chinese government doesn’t want its population to see and is a major reason why the Party has survived in the internet age. Over the decades, China has increased the sophistication of its wall … and created more security inside it. This video explains why many believed the internet would unleash democracy in China. And how China proved them all wrong.

Why Manchester City’s scandal is really about power Why the Manchester City scandal has geopolitical consequences Manchester City is undoubtedly the decade's most successful football club. It’s won the Premier League seven out of the last ten seasons and pretty much every other tournament a club can. But right now, three judges are deciding whether it had been cheating the whole time. This video explains why Manchester City is accused of “financial doping”, how it began with hacked emails, and why there are huge geopolitical consequences to football's "trial of the century".

Why the South China Sea is a time bomb It’s where a US-China conflict could really begin The South China Sea is a geopolitical chessboard where world powers are making bold moves and smaller nations are navigating a complex web of rivalries. Each disputed island, shipping route, and military base tells a story of power, resource control, and influence. And confrontations are becoming more frequently. From China’s assertive push to expand its maritime boundaries, to the U.S. maintaining its naval presence, to smaller countries like Vietnam and the Philippines maneuvering to protect their own interests, we’ll break down the regional dynamics piece-by-piece together with ‪@johnnyharris‬.