Rugby World Cup 2015: All Blacks earn £15,000 bonus each following semi-final win over South Africa and are promised £66,000 prize if they win final next week October 24, 2015 Members of the New Zealand rugby squad will each receive a bonus worth £66,000 if they win this year's World Cup. All Blacks players are signed to contracts with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) which guarantee them $NZ150,000 (£66,000) should they become the first country to lift the Web Ellis Cup for a third time. If [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams offers New Zealand v South Africa tickets to Syrian refugees October 24, 2015 All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams has offered Syrian refugees the chance to go to the Rugby World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa this afternoon. The Kiwi centre has set aside two tickets to the Twickenham clash and asked his Twitter followers yesterday to be put in contact with agencies working with [...]
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo trumps Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in Forbes’ most valuable athlete brands 2015 October 23, 2015 The Cristiano Ronaldo brand has been valued as the most valuable in world football, estimated to be worth £10.4m by Forbes. The magazine claims Ronaldo has the eighth most valuable personal brand in sports and is the only footballer named in its top 10 athletes for 2015. Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's constant companion in the world's [...]
Barcelona president in Qatar to agree Camp Nou naming rights – but will fans accept new Qatar Airways sponsorship deal? October 23, 2015 Executives from Barcelona have travelled to Qatar this week to discuss a controversial sponsorship deal that could see their stadium renamed – but fans may not be entirely happy with seeing their home renamed the Qatar Airways stadium. Read more: Barcelona could change Camp Nou name in deal with Qatar Airways Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu [...]
Barcelona fail to reach record shirt sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways October 23, 2015 Barcelona and Qatar Airways could soon fly their separate ways, as the European champions struggle to negotiate a renewed deal with their shirt sponsors. The Catalan giants are chasing a record sponsorship deal but the Qatari-owned airline is unwilling to play ball, according to reports in Spain. Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and vice-president Manel Arroyo [...]
Aviva Premiership Rugby salary cap to rise to £7m but still trails France’s Top 14 October 23, 2015 Premiership Rugby clubs have had their salary cap shackles loosened in order to "drive the next phase of growth in English club and international rugby". Clubs' limit on wage spending will be lifted by £1m to £6.5m next season and £7m in 2017/18, bringing the Premiership closer to the spending power enjoyed by French clubs, which are currently capped at [...]
Forbes most valuable sport business brands 2015: Nike beats Adidas and Under Armour as Sky Sports tops UK companies October 23, 2015 Nike has been named the most valuable brand in sport, beating competition from Adidas, Under Armour and Sky Sports. According to Forbes magazine, the sportswear giant is worth almost £17bn – nearly £6bn more than any other sports business brand in the world. Walt Disney-owned ESPN follows with a value of £11bn, while Nike's rivals in [...]
Frankie to lay a solid Foundation for next season October 23, 2015 Frankie Dettori must have to pinch himself when he looks back on this season. The world’s most famous jockey has had plenty of lows in recent years, but they have been laid to rest after a quite remarkable 2015. Golden Horn has been his saviour. Wins in the Investec Derby, Coral Eclipse, Irish Champion [...]
West Ham can end wait for a win over inconsistent Chelsea October 23, 2015 Ben Cleminson previews this weekend’s big London and Manchester derbies AFTER a 3,000-mile round trip to Ukraine this week, Jose Mourinho will be happy his side only have to travel across the capital tomorrow. Not that it’s a match that he’ll be particularly looking forward to. It’s true that the Blues have regularly come out [...]
Rampant Kiwis will be too strong for South Africa October 23, 2015 Graham Reid tackles the tips ahead of the Rugby World Cup semi-finals THE RUGBY World Cup field has been whittled down to four and I’m convinced this quartet is the best the competition has to offer. Blowing away the Northern Hemisphere challenge is one thing, but now the Rugby Championship sides will all need to [...]