In defence of Bristol Bears CEO Tom Tainton’s rugby marketing comments May 8, 2026 “At Bristol Bears, we don’t call ourselves a rugby club. We are a marketing agency that plays rugby. Yes, our players have to be competent and able to deliver on the field, but if they are not bringing any value off the field, that genuinely factors into our recruitment conversations.” Those were the words of [...]
London City 7s returns with capital crying out for live rugby May 5, 2026 Dan James, founder of the London City 7s, pens his first of a new monthly column on short-form rugby in the capital. Rugby sevens has long been the better looking but somewhat inconsequential younger cousin of the traditional 15s game. If you were lucky enough to be one of the 113,000-plus fans in the record-breaking [...]
Why we can’t just dismiss Infantino’s sports diplomacy with Trump May 3, 2026 Former FCDO special adviser, Flint Global’s Alan Sendorek, discusses the sport diplomacy playing out with Fifa’s Infantino and Trump at its centre. Gianni Infantino’s efforts to cultivate a visibly warm relationship with Donald Trump have been mocked in many quarters. From the award of the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize to hailing the President as ‘my [...]
Why Sunderland’s away kit legal row is a warning to all sports May 2, 2026 An artist is taking legal action against Sunderland over the design of the club’s away kit. Lawyer and IP expert Geoff Cunningham explains the dispute. Clubs, brands and sponsors are busy finalising kit launches, merchandise and commercial campaigns for next season and a summer of international football. But this week a dispute involving Sunderland AFC [...]
Death of Football Focus is a signal for every brand at the World Cup May 1, 2026 Brands will spend fortunes on this summer’s World Cup but they should heed the BBC’s warning when scrapping Football Focus, writes Amar Singh. I grew up with Football Focus. Saturday lunchtime, Bob Wilson in a grey suit, grainy footage of some Division Two ground in the rain. It was the traditional seat-warmer for a weekend [...]
Winning Champions Cup players should get mega cash bonuses May 1, 2026 Sometimes I think Investec Champions Cup matches with something on the line could do with even more jeopardy. Bordeaux Begles, Bath Rugby, Leinster and RC Toulon will battle it out this weekend across the Atlantic and Aviva Stadiums. But what if there was a briefcase full of cash pitchside for the winners of each of [...]
Sabastian Sawe and the need for clean sporting heroes we can believe in April 30, 2026 Trust in performances like Sabastian Sawe’s at the London Marathon is the cornerstone of sport’s success, writes Ed Warner. The modern sports economy is anchored in belief: belief that the successes we celebrate are genuine, hard-earned, and comparable across eras. Without this belief records lose meaning, fans become disillusioned, sponsors turn tail and there is [...]
Italy and UK risk driving Formula 1 away with misguided tax raids April 26, 2026 Italy’s latest attempt to claw back tax from Formula 1 drivers and teams is being framed as a crackdown on evasion. In reality, it looks far more like a system struggling to keep up with the modern sport it is trying to regulate. Authorities are reportedly looking to audit teams and drivers retrospectively between 2020 [...]
Brands, think you’ve missed out on the London Marathon? Think again April 25, 2026 It’s that time of the year again. Everyone is posting on their social media about long runs and training plans as the London Marathon rolls into town. It’s a once-a-year (or potentially twice) opportunity for brands to get involved in a day that many will remember for a lifetime. Brands often assume that if they’re [...]
NFL Draft: Premier League and Europe should adopt US system April 23, 2026 Veteran US sport agent Leigh Steinberg says European sport can learn a thing or two from the NFL Draft Manchester City’s winning four Premier League titles in the last five years is actually deeply problematic because when outcomes become predictable, fan engagement suffers. When the same clubs dominate year after year, the entire league’s commercial [...]