Leicester City and JD Sports probed by watchdog over merchandise September 30, 2021 The Premier League’s Leicester City and retailer JD Sports are being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over suspected anti-competitive behaviour relating to merchandise. The watchdog said in its case that it has “reasonable grounds to suspect one or more breaches of competition law” and that the CMA “has not yet reached a [...]
QPR launch bond in bid to part-crowdfund new £20m training ground September 30, 2021 Queens Park Rangers have launched a bond in a bid to partially crowdfund their plans for a new £20m training ground. The five-year bond is aimed at supporters and retail investors and will pay five per cent interest plus a 25 per cent bonus should QPR be promoted to the Premier League by 2026. “Supporter [...]
Why athletics needs a silver bullet in the form of private investment September 30, 2021 The results are just in, and they don’t make for easy reading. World Athletics posted a small financial surplus in 2020, but only because Russia coughed up a fine for its doping misdemeanours. W hat’s worrying is the long steady decline in the reserves of track and field’s governing body. For the sake of the [...]
Defeated but not deflated: Anthony Joshua thanks London after stunning loss to Oleksandr Usyk September 26, 2021 Anthony Joshua took to social media hours after his reign as world heavyweight champion was ended and a ‘Battle of Britain’ against Tyson Fury is in tatters following Oleksandr Usyk’s stunning win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Joshua said his world “is crumbling in front you” but he urged fans to be positive and thanked them [...]
Emma Raducanu capitalises on US Open success with Tiffany & Co sponsorship deal September 23, 2021 Emma Raducanu has signed the first major sponsorship deal since her breakthrough success at the US Open, with jeweller Tiffany & Co. The 18-year-old British tennis sensation has been tipped to land a swathe of commercial deals after producing one of sport’s most remarkable storylines at the grand slam earlier this month. Raducanu wore Tiffany [...]
Lend your support to City A.M.’s London Marathon runner and help charity Give Them A Sporting Chance September 22, 2021 City A.M. hit the streets again this week and thousands of runners are preparing to do the same at the London Marathon next month. Among them will be City A.M.’s own representative George Reed, who is raising money for Give Them A Sporting Chance, a charity that helps carers and those with disabilities of all [...]
Legal Q&A: What uncertainty around the Ashes means for England, the players, contracts, sponsors and broadcasters September 21, 2021 Lawyer Jamie Horner examines the legal issues around this winter’s Ashes series between England and Australia, which remains in the balance due to Covid-19 restrictions Down Under. What are some of the key legal issues around this Ashes series? The key issue is the difference between Covid-19 restrictions in the UK and the more draconian [...]
Premier League NFTs: Sorare aiming to launch digital fantasy football trading cards collection following similar deal with Spain’s LaLiga September 21, 2021 French technology start-up Sorare is hoping to launch a range of NFTs comprising digital fantasy football trading cards with the Premier League. The company, which has raised £500m from investors including SoftBank, has emerged as a major player in sport’s growing blockchain economy and recently struck a deal with Spain’s LaLiga. “We have had conversations, [...]
Legal Q&A: How referees’ pay could be hit by a tax dispute with HMRC and why this could have wide-reaching effects on the gig economy September 21, 2021 Lawyer Kevin Barrow explores the implications of an ongoing case between referees and HMRC. What’s this case about? It’s about whether PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) needs to deduct income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from payments it makes to referees whom it has engaged on a self-employed “gig worker” basis to officiate at [...]
Why boosting physical activity is key to speeding up London’s pandemic recovery, by Prof Kevin Fenton of Public Health England September 20, 2021 In this guest column, Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director at Public Health England, calls on businesses to prioritise employee health ahead of London Sport’s Active London conference this week. As we emerge from Covid-19 and set out to repair its impact globally, the success of London’s post-pandemic recovery will ultimately depend on the physical [...]