DCMS fear rugby future as £30m in taxpayer loans expected to be written off December 18, 2024 The government could be forced to write off nearly £30m of taxpayers’ money loaned to sports bodies, clubs and the arts during the Covid-19 pandemic. The figures, revealed today by the National Audit Office, provide a stark update on the £474m aid package provided by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Rugby union was [...]
European Super League plans revived – and it’s got a new name December 17, 2024 The organisers of the European Super League have announced its rebranding as the “Unify League” as they step up efforts to revive the breakaway competition. A year after the European Court of Justice breathed new life into the controversial plan, A22 Sports Management has begun a fresh push following talks with clubs and leagues. Having [...]
How the ‘Littler Effect’ helped Target Darts hit a commercial bullseye December 17, 2024 The Littler Effect helped Target to double its business and earned the teenager over £1m.
Why Worcester Warriors face a fight for Championship admission December 16, 2024 Worcester Warriors face a fight for admission to next year’s revamped Championship, with multiple National League 1 rugby clubs vying to beat the relaunched team to the last spot. The Rugby Football Union is set to expand the Championship from 12 to 14 teams but only those who meet a set of strict criteria will [...]
Stormzy ‘hooked’ on padel and opening new club at O2 December 16, 2024 Stormzy has become the latest celebrity to back the world’s fastest growing sport after agreeing a deal to be an ambassador for and investor in Padel Social Club. The award-winning music artist’s involvement comes as the London-based chain opens a third site, at the O2 in Greenwich, with a fourth club in the pipeline. Stormzy’s [...]
Supersub: Women’s League Cup nets new title sponsor December 16, 2024 Subway has been named the new title sponsor of the Women’s League Cup after agreeing a deal to succeed long-term partner Continental Tyres. The multi-year deal comes as the competition enters the quarter-final stage, having remained unbranded so far this season. Previous sponsor Continental backed the competition for 13 years, from its first edition in [...]
Tory peer’s plan for English football ‘opens door to Kim Jong Un and Assad’ December 15, 2024 Dictators such as Kim Jong Un or Bashar al-Assad could be encouraged to buy English football clubs if “preposterous” proposals from Tory peers are passed, campaigners have warned. Lord Moynihan, a former sports minister under Margaret Thatcher’s premiership, has argued that anyone with diplomatic immunity should be exempt from the owners’ and directors’ test that [...]
‘Incredibly sad’: Dame Sarah Storey opens up on Team GB star’s bankruptcy December 15, 2024 Sir Bradley Wiggins’ fall from trailblazing cycling hero to bankruptcy is a sad reminder of the financial struggles that many athletes face, says Dame Sarah Storey. Wiggins was declared bankrupt this year, little more than a decade after he became a household name by winning the Tour de France and a gold medal at the [...]
Papua New Guinea to join NRL in £301m ‘diplomacy deal’ against China funded by taxpayer December 12, 2024 A team from Papua New Guinea will join Australian rugby league competition the NRL in a “diplomacy deal” that will cost the taxpayer £301m. It is understood the deal is part of an Australian push to counteract increasing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific and follows Australian support for Pacific island rugby union teams participating in [...]
More tickets sold for women’s football than rugby league in 2024 December 12, 2024 Booming interest in women’s football has seen it overtake rugby league for tickets sold in the UK this year, according to new data from agency Two Circles. More than 2.1m fans attended women’s football matches, a 38 per cent increase year-on-year, the 2024 Attendance Review from the sports and entertainment marketing business reveals. That number [...]