It’s D-Day for Champions League’s new format. So has it worked? January 28, 2025 When Uefa revealed its new format for the Champions League, it was with injecting more excitement and unpredictability in mind. Specifically, a stale group phase would be replaced with a ‘Swiss model’ league phase that promised more games between top teams and – crucially – a more competitive product. Notwithstanding the fact that Manchester City [...]
T100 Triathlon partners with Visit Qatar for season rebrand and new finale January 28, 2025 The T100 Triathlon World Tour has partnered with Visit Qatar in a deal that will see the expanded nine-race season rebranded the T100 Race to Qatar. Doha and Lusail will also stage the finale to the tour, where 20 of the best men’s and women’s triathletes will battle to be crowned T100 World Champions, for [...]
Top executives back sport clubs and tech as attractive investments January 28, 2025 Over two thirds of business executives see clubs and franchises as the most attractive investment opportunity over the next half-decade, new research has revealed. Over a quarter of executives asked instead said leagues and federations were preferred while nearly one fifth favoured participation events, according to Altman Solon’s Global Sports Survey. It is a tonic [...]
Can rugby union and the Six Nations survive behind TNT paywall? January 28, 2025 For the next two months, up and down the country, you’ll walk into the pub when the Premier League is supposed to be on and instead see Six Nations rugby. It is testament to the reach of a tournament that, despite football being the national sport, kicks off its rivals for the bumper Saturday and [...]
TNT confirms Six Nations rights interest but commits to free-to-air deal January 28, 2025 TNT Sports have confirmed they are interested in taking the Six Nations behind a paywall but insist that some free-to-air coverage will remain. The BBC has broadcast Six Nations matches since its expansion in 2000 and in 2015 teamed up with ITV to keep the tournament on terrestrial television. But TNT Sports, owned by Warner [...]
Owners of London Stadium forced to pay West Ham United £3.6m January 27, 2025 The owners of West Ham United’s London Stadium have been forced to cough up £3.6m after losing a court case against the Premier League club. E20 Stadium, set up by publicly-owned London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), must pay back the multi-million pound sum to the club after West Ham challenged a payment they made to [...]
Fans issue warning to Ratcliffe over Manchester United sponsors January 27, 2025 The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) has warned Sir Jim Ratcliffe that fans have the power to drive away sponsors if the club does not freeze ticket prices. Old Trafford regulars fear that co-owner Ratcliffe will hike prices for next season as he looks to reverse losses of more than £300m in the last three [...]
Jannik Sinner enters all-time prize money top 10 – aged just 23 January 27, 2025 Jannik Sinner’s second Australian Open win has lifted him into the top 10 earners of prize money in men’s tennis of all time – aged just 23. Italian Sinner banked $2.15m (£1.7m) for beating Alexander Zverev in the men’s singles final at Melbourne Park on Sunday. His third Grand Slam triumph, it boosted his career [...]
Barclays becomes main sponsor of Lord’s and MCC January 27, 2025 Barclays has expanded its sports sponsorship portfolio by becoming principal partner of Lord’s Cricket Ground and its owner, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The multi-year partnership, effective immediately, sees the Home of Cricket’s iconic Media Centre renamed the Barclays Media Centre. It will also mean the bank making “one of the largest ever donations” to the [...]
How immigration rules affect football clubs in the January transfer window January 26, 2025 Immigration lawyer Hateem Ali on how quotas on overseas players affect Premier League teams’ business during the January transfer window. Although we now have a new government, we are unlikely to see any dramatic changes to the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) rules which were originally implemented in 2021 following a lengthy consultation with the Football [...]