“We do what people don’t want you to do or don’t expect you to do”: Sports Team on their commitment to being subversive in the music industry

Whether it’s due to their boundless energy, chaotic stage presence, or irresistible uniqueness, Sports Team are the band to watch for all those insufferable middle-class indie kids.

With a nationwide UK tour this autumn and their third album, Boys These Days, releasing early next year, Sports Team are at an electrifying stage in their music career. Many dates have sold out, promising a series of knock-out nights of great music. I spoke to lead singer Alex Rice and guitarist, lyricist, and vocalist Rob Knaggs about the tour, the new album, and their visions for the future. Despite their exuberant musical performances, both Rice and Knaggs displayed deep thoughtfulness and introspection when discussing their new album, demonstrating the depth of emotion injected into the craziness of the music.

Sports Team have taken a small break from live performances and releasing new music over recent years, which has now been punctuated with a popular US tour and the recording of their latest album. This hiatus has raised expectations and anticipation, both critically and from fans. The band speak of the vast amount of trust they have put into the fans over this break, which indicates the close relationship they share.

This complete investment into the album radiates from the two singles released so far, ‘Condensation’ and ‘I’m in Love (Subaru)’

Boys These Days, scheduled to be released on 23 May 2025, carries high expectations for both the band and their fans, especially following the successes of their two previous albums, Deep Down Happy and Gulp!, released in 2020 and 2022 respectively. Knaggs exudes pride when discussing the new album, calling it “a sort of newborn baby, with unconditional love in your heart and an absolute belief it’s going to grow up to be king of the world.” This complete investment into the album radiates from the two singles released so far, ‘Condensation’ and ‘I’m in Love (Subaru)’. They demonstrate the alternative direction the band promises with the album. Despite retaining their energy, witty lyricism, and iconic indie-pop-rock sound, Boys These Days promises a more mature direction, with a carefully curated sound and touching on more complex themes – so far of red cars and sweat.

A key aspect which influenced this new sound was the decision to record the album in Norway, with renowned music producer Matias Téllez in Bergen, Norway. Knaggs explained that the “incredibly relaxed vibe in the studio” contributed to the changed musical direction, as it heavily contrasted with their previous experiences recording in London. For Rice, “as soon as you get into a place where it feels like a chore and it’s stressful, it becomes awful,” and so the endless relaxation and comfort granted from Téllez, the Norwegian surroundings, only helped by the studio’s resident poodle, allowed the band to focus exclusively on the album.

The band recognise that they are somewhat of an acquired taste, calling themselves a “Marmite band,” but they hope that Boys These Days is able to reach a wider audience without losing any of their originality or personality. Although good chart performance is naturally desirable for any artist, it is not the priority for Sports Team, and instead, Rice says how he hopes fans could play it in front of their friends without them asking, “What the hell is this like? Why are you playing this? Turn it off!” This comedic self-awareness is certainly admirable and refreshing amongst a sea of commercially motivated music. It also speaks volumes about the band’s attitude towards music: they are honest, unafraid to be silly and ridiculous, and are consistently transparent about their own humanity.

[ We ] want to completely lift the lid on being in a band and stop taking it so seriously

Alex Rice, Sports Team

This manifests in Sports Team’s unique relationship with their fans and their fame as they, according to Rice, ‘‘want to completely lift the lid on being in a band and stop taking it so seriously.” This certainly translates into their interactions with fans, as they describe listeners’ unorthodox reactions to the band’s two new singles. Alongside the expected congratulations and appreciation, Knaggs explains that they’ve received “a brilliant crop of unbelievably cutting comments from the fans,” usually at Rice’s expense. For the band though, this is exactly the reception they desire: it fulfils their want to be recognised as people rather than untouchable celebrities.

The band characterise their audience as similar to themselves, residing in the “very middle class, boring suburban towns” that are, in their words, “the least cool life you could possibly have lived.” Heavily inspired and influenced by Bryan Ferry, they want to spin this common perception and make this “boring life” seem cool. For Sports Team, this is essential to their aim of giving a voice to these people in music, as they, as experienced first-hand by Rice and Knaggs, very much exist but are vastly under and misrepresented in music. Sports Team find the comedy in this and are unafraid to poke fun at their own middle-class upbringing, whether it’s in their witty lyrics or Instagram memes about their love of Waitrose.

Ahead of their upcoming tour which includes many sell-out dates, Knagg promises a unique experience at Sports Team gigs, as the energy that exudes from the band is reciprocated by the fans. Knagg describes how “the live shows feel exciting and hectic,” thanks to the insane commitment of the audience. He credits a lot of this to his musical upbringing, saying that his favourite experiences of live music were from bands who didn’t take their performances too seriously.

[ We ] do what people don’t want you to do or don’t expect you to do

Rice

Sports Team champion their challenge to musical orthodoxies. Knaggs describes how they “always slightly want to fuck with expectations” while following the creative precedent set by musicians such as Bryan Ferry and, more recently, The Last Dinner Party. In response to a question about the current music scene in Britain, Rice spoke fondly of the more accepting and experimental culture into which they are releasing their music. The lead singer spoke of the Last Dinner Party and Wet Leg, who have both achieved meteoric success in recent years, partly owing to their creative and innovative musical arrangements. Sports Team began with a commitment to be subversive, with Rice saying that they “do what people don’t want you to do or don’t expect you to do,” which has led to their unique style and character. However, the diversification of the musical scene has meant that many bands, many of whom are criminally under appreciated, are experimenting with sound in a similar attitude to Sports Team.

Boys These Days promises an exhilarating exploration into the band’s psyche and lives, while consistently challenging the boundaries of popular music and being musicians. Thanks to the fans and the band, Sports Team will undoubtedly set the country’s music venues alight with a riot of dynamism and passion this Autumn.

Tickets are available for their upcoming tour now, which includes a sold-out gig in Birmingham’s The Castle & Falcon on Friday 15 November.

Listen to Sports Team’s latest release here: