Arteta: Arsenal must strengthen to challenge Manchester City next year June 25, 2023 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said his side will need to strengthen if they’re to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League next season. Arsenal topped the table for much of the season but dropped points towards the business end, and combined with a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City in April. were pipped to the [...]
Euro 2024 mascot: London-based creator on how it was done June 24, 2023 City A.M. sat down with Darran Garnham, founder and chief executive of Toikido and creator of the Euro 2024 mascot. So, what makes a good mascot and what does Uefa tell you is off limits? Let’s find out. How did the Euro 2024 mascot come about? “There was an element of luck to it. The [...]
Chelsea owners caught in backlash over investment in French club Strasbourg June 22, 2023 Chelsea and co-owner Todd Boehly are facing a backlash from Strasbourg supporters as they close in on a deal to buy a large minority stake in the French football club. Confirmation is said to be imminent that the Blues have acquired a shareholding of around 40 per cent in the team from Alsace. Strasbourg would [...]
Saudi Arabia PIF to sell its shareholding in McLaren to Bahrain fund June 22, 2023 Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is to sell its shareholding in the McLaren Group to Bahrain’s Mumtalakat fund, according to Sky News. The deal will strengthen Mumtalakat’s position as the biggest shareholder in the supercar maker and Formula One team owner, Mark Kleinman reported. PIF, which has emerged as one of the biggest players in [...]
Andrew Strauss and Bryan Habana to return to sport at first ever Padel Classic in London June 22, 2023 Sporting greats Sir Andrew Strauss and Bryan Habana are set to come out of retirement next summer for an all-star padel pro-am tournament at the Hurlingham Club. The Padel Classic, which will also feature a corporate tournament, is scheduled to be played on the lawns of the exclusive south-west London venue on May 15-16 2024. [...]
Ed Warner: Rugby, boxing, netball, Para sport – what should Saudi Arabia buy next? June 22, 2023 Challenge accepted! A reader last week asked what the most investable sports worldwide are from the perspective of a sovereign wealth fund such as Saudi Arabia’s PIF. He had rugby union in mind, but wanted a long train journey to dredge up others. A return trip on Avanti West Coast to the first Ashes Test [...]
‘The WPL is out ahead but The Hundred can be next best thing in women’s cricket’ June 21, 2023 The Hundred may be approaching its third season this summer but it has been blown off course by the hurricane that is the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The WPL is the women’s equivalent to the Indian Premier League (IPL), cricket’s biggest global franchise product, and it has revolutionised the landscape of the women’s game. Players [...]
Ashes: Fifth day of first Test breaks broadcasting records for Sky Sports June 21, 2023 The final day of the pulsating first Ashes Test match between England and Australia broke broadcasting records for Sky Sports. A peak audience of 2.12m watched as Australia batted out the day and chased down 98 runs in the final session to take a 1-0 series lead. That’s the highest ever recorded peak audience figure [...]
Chelsea begin clear-out and raise almost £100m by selling Havertz and Kovacic June 21, 2023 Chelsea have begun a major squad clear-out and raised almost £100m by agreeing deals to sell Kai Havertz to Arsenal and Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City. Germany forward Havertz, who scored 32 goals in 139 goals during three seasons at Chelsea, is set to move across London to Arsenal for an initial fee of £60m, [...]
Q&A: Why Premier League gave Chelsea’s Paramount Plus sponsorship the red card June 20, 2023 Chelsea’s hunt for a new main shirt sponsor hit the news this week when it emerged that the Premier League had refused to sanction a potential deal with Paramount Plus. Here’s why the agreement was not allowed, why this situation isn’t unique to Chelsea or the top division of English football, and what it means [...]