‘Zombie clubs’ on rise as Covid doubles football teams in distress December 22, 2021 Football finance experts have warned of a rise in “zombie clubs” as a result of Covid-19 restrictions slashing teams’ income. The number of English clubs in financial distress doubled from 17 to 34 in the six months after stadiums closed in March 2020, a new report by insolvency firm Begbies Traynor found. Derby County and [...]
The Cathedral: Striking new home of AC Milan and Inter Milan revealed December 22, 2021 Italian football giants AC Milan and Inter Milan have revealed plans for their striking new stadium, called The Cathedral, which will replace their iconic current home, the San Siro. The winning design was drawn up by architects Populous, who also created the new Wembley Stadium, the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and the [...]
Tennis star Emma Raducanu signs high-flying deal with British Airways December 22, 2021 Emma Raducanu announced yesterday that she has signed a lucrative deal to promote British Airways.
Danny Care interview: Harlequins star on playing abroad and the importance of fans December 22, 2021 At the age of 34, you’re usually classed as tethering on the edge of retirement in rugby. But Harlequins star Danny Care’s new lease of life, post-England career, has seen him return to being one of the in-form scrum-halves in Europe. Playing in a side littered with quality, Care is a senior member of a [...]
Scotland follows Wales in banning fans from sport due to Covid-19 December 21, 2021 Scotland has followed Wales in banning spectators from sport in response to increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases. First minister Nicola Sturgeon said most sport due to take place in Scotland over the Christmas period would be “effectively spectator-free”. From Boxing Day for a period of up to three weeks, outdoor events will be limited to [...]
Fifa biennial World Cup claims questioned by sport industry experts December 21, 2021 Leading figures in sports marketing have questioned Fifa’s claim that switching to biennial men’s World Cups would drive a huge revenue increase. Football’s world governing body revived the argument to stage its showpiece more regularly on Monday by presenting research that estimated the change would boost income by 60 per cent over the first four [...]
Premier League rejects calls to pause fixtures amid rising Covid-19 rates December 20, 2021 Premier League clubs have rejected calls to postpone a round of fixtures despite an increasing number of teams being hit by Covid-19 outbreaks. English top-flight teams met today to discuss the potential move after six of 10 games in the division were called off over the weekend. It means the matches scheduled for 28, 29 [...]
British Basketball League to begin £7m overhaul after US fund invests December 20, 2021 The British Basketball League (BBL) has announced a major investment by US fund 777 Partners in a move that it hopes will realise the sport’s potential in the UK. Miami-based 777 Partners, which already owns BBL team London Lions, is paying £7m for a 45 per cent stake in the league. The fund also owns [...]
Peng Shuai: Women’s Tennis Association concerned despite new interview December 20, 2021 The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) says it remains concerned about Peng Shuai after the Chinese tennis player appeared to retract claims she was sexually assaulted by a high-ranking government official. Singapore-based newspaper Lianhe Ziabao quoted Peng as saying: “I have never said or written that anyone sexually assaulted me. This point must be emphasised very [...]
Gallagher CMO: ‘Let’s get a Premiership Rugby game in Singapore’ December 16, 2021 Premiership Rugby’s main sponsor, the US-headquartered insurer Gallagher, has called for the league to stage matches overseas in locations such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. English club rugby’s top competition has played two regular season games in the US, in 2016 and 2017, but the experiment has not been repeated. “Let’s get a game in [...]