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 [...]
The Punter Podcast Episode 48: Ayr Gold Cup and Mill Reef Day at Newbury September 16, 2025 Tom Marriott and Bill Esdaile look ahead to Saturday’s cards at Ayr and Newbury, with the Ayr Gold Cup headlining the action in Scotland. The Mill Reef Stakes is the feature at Newbury, where trainer Jim Boyle gives an update on the chances of antepost favourite Into The Sky. The Punter ‘The Punter’ has been [...]
Don’t take Lor’s Keefy lightly at the Valley September 16, 2025 WITH the weather set fair in Hong Kong, racegoers can look forward to an exciting eight-race card at Happy Valley on Wednesday, with the Class Two Shek O Handicap (3.50pm) over the extended mile the feature race on the programme. It was mostly all doom and gloom for the Zac Purton fan club at Sha [...]
King Lotus ready to keep Newnham in the winning groove September 16, 2025 TRAINER Mark Newnham must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Max Que finally got the stable off the mark for the 2025/26 season. It may be early days in the current campaign, but Newnham had failed to strike with his first fourteen runners, with seven of them starting at single figure odds. After [...]