Ryder Cup should be reserved for free-to-air TV, say nine in 10 golf fans September 18, 2025 Nine in 10 golf fans believe the Ryder Cup should be added to the UK’s so-called crown jewels of sports broadcasting and made available on free-to-air TV. Sky Sports has held the exclusive live rights to the biennial golf contest between Europe and the US for the last 30 years, during which the event has [...]
Mercury13 acquires Bristol City as fund expands into English football September 18, 2025 Women’s football investment fund Mercury13 has entered the English market, acquiring a majority stake in second tier Bristol City Women. The Juan Mata and Giorgio Chiellini-backed investment vehicle is adding to its portfolio, which counts FC Como Women as its crown jewel, by forging a presence in the West Country. The deal, subject to league [...]
Ben Proud’s Enhanced Games switch puts pressure IOC to use its $5bn September 18, 2025 Rather than wondering why Ben Proud would sign up for the Enhanced Games, it is better to ask why he wouldn’t. The British swimmer’s commitment to the competition with an “anything goes” attitude to performance-enhancing drugs is a wake-up call for the Olympic movement. Money, as ever, lies at the heart of the matter. Proud [...]
Trump tariffs forcing sports firms to be more flexible with supply chain September 17, 2025 Sports merchandise and apparel firms are being forced to be more flexible due to President Donald Trump’s ever-changing tariff policies, according to a leading investment bank. Moves by Trump have impacted the share price of major firms in the sporting space, while US import costs for merchandise made in high tariff countries is hitting the [...]
Grand Slam Track denies Michael Johnson banked $2m from series September 17, 2025 Grand Slam Track has called “categorically false” suggestions that founder Michael Johnson earned $2m while competitors in the challenger athletics series went unpaid. The organisation, which is facing possible legal claims from athletes totalling $19m (£14m), said that Johnson had in fact invested $2m of his own money into the cash-strapped venture. Grand Slam Track [...]
Como 1907 partners with Stokes-backed Players Fund September 17, 2025 Serie A club Como 1907 has launched a startup and investment platform powered by the Ben Stokes-backed Players Fund. Como Ventures will use the athlete-led venture capital firm – which enjoys the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill, Stuart Broad and Allyson Felix as investors – to help create a “founder-first launchpad”, which will see start-ups “gain [...]
Manchester United record sixth consecutive loss despite cuts September 17, 2025 Manchester United have reported a loss for the sixth consecutive year although their financial performance did improve in 2024-25 thanks to record revenue of £666.5m. United made a net loss of £33m, taking the club’s total losses to £391m since 2019-20, although that was markedly down on the previous year’s £131m deficit. Revenue grew by [...]
Raine Group: Inside bank behind Chelsea, Man United and Hundred deals September 17, 2025 When a team or sporting entity changes hands, those doing the buying and selling usually command the headlines and screentime; think the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, or Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly. But these well-known individuals could not complete their often multi-billion-pound transactions on their own. Enter, then, the Raine Group, the advisory [...]
Manchester City’s new Etihad Airways deal yet to take off despite Premier League deal September 17, 2025 Manchester City’s controversial sponsorship and naming rights deal with Etihad Airways has not yet been waved through as part of the club’s Associated Party Transaction settlement with the Premier League. The new long-term deal, which was blocked by the Premier League’s independent assessors two years ago, must still go through the top-flight’s Fair Market Value [...]
Super League Basketball insists season will go ahead despite ref appeal September 16, 2025 Super League Basketball chiefs insist the new season will tip off as planned this weekend despite making a late appeal for qualified referees to come forward. In an email seen by City AM and believed to have been sent on Tuesday morning, SLB’s operations coordinator Nick Hill contacted refs who officiated in pre-season games, some [...]