Does predictability of Ashes dilute cricket’s crown jewel for fans and sponsors? January 8, 2026 And there it is. Another Ashes over, another series defeat for England down in Australia. Brendon McCullum’s side may have ended their winless run at the MCG in one of the two-day Tests but the overall picture remains the same. It’s almost predictable; England head Down Under full of optimism and come back with their [...]
Manchester United head coach’s job is to be a fall guy and human shield January 8, 2026 AI is the scourge of the modern employment market. Applicants generate automated covering letters that tick off every requirement in a job spec, and are then interviewed by robots which provide almost instantaneous rejections. Reluctant to be a Luddite in this mind-scrambling new world, here is my open letter to Sir Jim Ratcliffe applying to [...]
Manchester City asked to give up FA Cup revenue to opponents Exeter January 7, 2026 Cash-strapped Exeter City have asked Manchester City to ease their financial struggles by donating some of their share of the proceeds from this weekend’s FA Cup tie. Exeter and City are both due 45 per cent of the gate receipts from Saturday’s third-round match at the Etihad Stadium, which will bank the visitors between £250,000 [...]
Cadillac add tech sponsor as Formula 1 newcomers gear up for debut January 7, 2026 Cadillac Formula 1 Team have added software provider IFS to their portfolio of commercial partners as they continue preparations for joining the grid this year. Sweden-based IFS is the team’s first non-US partner and joins Tommy Hilfiger and Jim Beam in backing Cadillac ahead of their eagerly anticipated F1 debut. “IFS has been instrumental in [...]
Premier Sports to broadcast five Six Nations matches across UK January 7, 2026 Premier Sports will broadcast five Six Nations matches across the UK as the streaming platform looks to strengthen its rugby offering. The Irish broadcaster, which holds the UK rights to rugby competitions such as the French Top 14, Investec Champions Cup and multinational United Rugby Championship, will show one match per round, beginning with Scotland’s [...]
Exeter Chiefs post £10m loss as they seek fresh investment January 7, 2026 Prem Rugby club Exeter Chiefs have posted a loss of £10.3m in their most recent accounts, just weeks after chairman Tony Rowe reiterated plans to sell a stake in the club. The Devonian team, seen as one of English rugby’s great promotion stories, saw their ownership company Exeter Rugby Group PLC record losses of £10.3m [...]
SA20 future in doubt as Big Bash sale process squeezes cricket investment January 7, 2026 The SA20 franchise tournament is facing an uncertain financial future amid the threat of fresh competition for funding from Cricket Australia’s Big Bash, which is preparing to sell off stakes in its franchises to private investors later this year. All six SA20 franchises are owned by Indian Premier League teams, many of whom have expressed [...]
Fifa World Cup faces threats from cyber attacks and hacktivists January 6, 2026 The 2026 Fifa World Cup faces the “very real risk” of cyber attacks from anti-Western “hacktivists”, according to experts. This summer’s tournament – being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada – is set to be targeted by rogue states determined to disrupt the global spectacle. An attempt to harm Fifa World Cup infrastructure [...]
British Basketball Federation owed half a million pounds when it went bust January 6, 2026 The British Basketball Federation owed close to half a million pounds when it began the process of going into liquidation late last year. The BBF, which was in charge of the men’s and women’s GB teams, folded after a long-running legal battle with Super League Basketball, the top national domestic competition. Companies House filings show [...]
Global Group snaps up Gary Neville-founded The Overlap January 6, 2026 Gary Neville-founded media business The Overlap has been sold to Global in a deal that will see the radio juggernaut complete a majority acquisition. The Overlap, founded in 2021 and home to video series Stick to Football, will now be merged into the Global portfolio with the aim of growing a “network of video-led media [...]