Super Bowl ad review: T-Mobile, Squarespace, Popcorner, Workday, Paramount Plus – read who we think did it best and then watch them for yourself February 12, 2023 Once upon a time, the Super Bowl ads were just that: adverts that aired during the intervals of the most-watched sports event in North America. They ran once, with audiences across the country waiting in anticipation for the best work the advertising industry could muster. Today, Super Bowl ads are trailed by their own teaser [...]
Crystal Palace v Brighton: Owner row causing storm clouds over Selhurst Park February 11, 2023 Amid the antipathy there may be the odd trace of envy among Crystal Palace fans when Brighton and Hove Albion visit in the Premier League on Saturday. Palace traditionally have the upper hand in one of English football’s least conventional rivalries but this season there is no denying that Brighton are firmly on top. Riding [...]
DCMS and RFU in talks to block the sale of Worcester Warriors to Atlas February 9, 2023 The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in talks with the Rugby Football Union to block the sale of Worcester Warriors to the Atlas consortium. City A.M. understands that the two bodies are meeting today with the governmental department expected to lobby against Worcester’s administrators Begbies Traynor selling the club to a bid that [...]
European Super League 2.0: Organisers reveal plans for vastly expanded breakaway competition February 9, 2023 European Super League organisers say they are ready to resurrect plans for the breakaway competition in an expanded format featuring as many as 80 teams. The new version of the European Super League would have multiple divisions and, unlike in its initial incarnation, no permanent members. All clubs taking part would have to qualify via [...]
Qatar interested in buying Manchester United – but bidders won’t be PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments February 9, 2023 The Qatar Investment Authority is interested in buying a stake in Manchester United and has not ruled out a full takeover. QIA, which owns Harrods as well as significant shareholdings in Heathrow Airport and Sainsbury’s, has not made an offer for United yet. But it is one of the Qatari parties mulling an offer to [...]
Ed Warner: Rugby union could learn from the NFL model on Super Bowl LVII weekend February 9, 2023 For all the relentless commercial growth of the Premier League, IPL and F1, the NFL remains the sporting brand to beat. Super Bowl LVII will be watched by more than 200m people worldwide on Sunday. The matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles has its stories, but in truth the identity of [...]
Pressure grows over potential £42m deal between South Africa and Tottenham February 8, 2023 The South African government is under increasing pressure to scrap a proposed sponsorship deal worth over £40m with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The proposed three-year deal is worth 900m South African rand (£42.5m) and has been criticised by the parliament’s tourism committee. Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told the committee that she had no knowledge [...]
Mohammed Ben Sulayem to take step back from Formula 1 February 8, 2023 Under-fire motorsport boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said he will step back from day-to-day involvement with Formula 1. The Emirati, who has been president of governing body the FIA since the end of 2021, said in a letter to team bosses reported by Sky Sports: “My stated objective was to be a non-executive president via recruitment [...]
FC Barcelona: Regulators tighten loophole and cut Spanish giants’ spending power February 8, 2023 FC Barcelona are facing a setback to their on-field resurgence in the form of a crackdown on their exploitation of so-called “economic levers”, City A.M. can reveal. The Spanish club, on course to end their four-year wait for another LaLiga title, have attracted the attention of domestic and European regulators with their innovative capital-raising. Last [...]
Manchester City hire £10,000-an-hour Boris Johnson Partygate barrister to fight Premier League charges February 8, 2023 Manchester City have hired the barrister who advised Boris Johnson over Partygate, Lord Pannick KC, to defend them against more than 100 charges brought by the Premier League. Pannick is one of the country’s leading barristers and can command fees of £10,000 an hour – equivalent to City top earner Kevin de Bruyne’s £400,000 salary, [...]