Last Friday, he was awarded the Crystal for “Best Sports Production of the Year”.
In an interview with Sportbladet, Gusten Dahlin now talks about challenges, podcast money, and the attempted murder he had at a party.
– He pulled out a carpet knife, and only then said “I’ll go in now and kill him,” says the announcer.
When the Champions League moved from Viaplay before last year’s season after 29 years, many were skeptical. But when Crystal was handed the ‘Best Sports Production of the Year’ last Friday, it went to the Telia/Sea Moore broadcast of the Champions League.
Presenter Justin Dahlin accepted the award on stage with Kim Kallstrom and producer Olle Juhnell-Lindberg.
– I think that means more than you thought before. Maybe everyone was just as unfocused as I was on winning. But then we won and then there was nothing but joy. I think it means a lot for us to go into season two with some energy and a feeling that people still think what we’re doing is very good. It’s a big boost, says Dahlin.
how was the celebration?
Kim Kallstrom and I advocate that if you have something to celebrate, you should celebrate it. Life is too short to take advantage of these opportunities, so we hurry.
‘I’ve played with fire before’
In his acceptance speech, Dahlin said, “I’ve been out of the box before, it hasn’t paid off so I won’t do it again,” referring to the hymn he sang while drunk on live web TV during Euro 2015 that prompted him to leave Discovery.
It’s seldom worth joking, skipping, or swiping. There were a few penalty kicks in that position, I realized as I got on stage. Then I thought, “The question is whether it’s worth someone to crotch you or whether you should just ‘play it safe’.”
It was the safe path this time, although the penalty kicks could have been taken to the right and left.
– It is both broad and internal and probably many will understand that in this case you have two options. But I’ve played with fire before and got burned and it’s rarely worth it. You have to stand under that cold tap for a while.
Do you hold a grudge against Discovery?
I would be lying if I said you were completely indifferent and impartial. On the other hand, more than six years have passed. I have moved forward and am very happy with my life and whereabouts. It’s not that I hold a grudge, but it’s not entirely neutral.
Take out the carpet knife
Besides a job as a broadcaster on TV4 and C More, Dahlin runs Sweden’s largest football podcast with Thomas Wilbacher. The duo has been at it since 2016 and attracts millions of podcasts.
If we had earned a completely different and smaller amount, I think people tend to evaluate or ask themselves whether we should go on for long. The financial factor is huge, but that’s not why we think it’s fun either. I still think it’s fun to talk about football with Thomas, and I don’t think it’s so much fun because it is described as iron. We’ve always talked about a thousand episodes as guidelines. When we do, we might say we’ll do a thousand more, who knows?
Although international football is mostly discussed in podcasts, other things are discussed occasionally. The Willbacher Girls 09 (who is his daughter’s soccer team coach) is a recurring topic, as are Calle Halfvarsson’s exploits both on and off the rink. Dahlin also talked about a party night in 2010 that could have ended really badly.
– I had to refuse the presence of other friends because we could not receive more. Then another man appears and is about to enter. Then I thought “No, you shouldn’t”. It was a masquerade party, a Halloween party, and he was dressed as a policeman. I was pretty clear that he wanted out, but after he was asked to leave the first time, it got really heated and loud discussions escalated because he so vehemently refused. He ended up pulling out a carpet knife he had with him and just said “I’m going in now and killing him” and stormed into the kitchen where I was standing. I only see a hand swinging and I have time to back off. There’s a scar here, says Dallen, pointing to his neck.
– So it was a bloody stroke of luck. It would have been an incredibly unnecessary way to do this. But things went well and he was punished. I know it was a stupid thing instead of pointing it at me personally or that I did something wrong. It could also have been someone else and I think that made it very easy to move on from.
“I have no intention of being Wenström”
Dahlin is now in his second season as host of the UEFA Champions League broadcaster Sea More. From the start, I assumed that a lot of people would be inclined to change negatively, something I’ve also experienced.
– Of course you get it. It’s easy to compare me to anyone who’s done this before. Of course it’s hard, but I had no intention of being I. Winstrom Because I think you will lose then. No one can be Ola Wenström except for Ola Wenström. I have to be myself and am totally fine with the fact that not everyone will like it. As long as it stays at a reasonable level and there aren’t too many jumps and character attacks, people can think of exactly what they want. I’m very good at shrugging my shoulders and spoiling it.
What is the biggest challenge?
To set oneself up to “please” as many people as possible. The Champions League is a special right because it’s so big, bloated, and powerful that it reaches marginal football watchers, but it’s also the most intriguing to geeks. It’s a bit like the World Cup. My mum watches, but all my soccer friends are watching too and it’s hard to find the right tune. When Seville-Barcelona, mom or someone marginally interested in football isn’t watching, then you can go to sleep somewhere else. Then last spring we noticed it was a challenge when you played for Real Madrid for the eleventh time. It’s the same team, the same players, the same stories. It’s hard to make something look new.
Finally, who will win the Champions League this season?
– No matter how the play-off draw falls, I think Manchester City and Bayern Munich have very good chances if they don’t end up on the same side. How things are going there It seems pointless to speculate like this at the beginning of September.