Tennis sceptics have got it wrong – we need more mixed-sex sport events February 20, 2025 Some players aren’t happy with the US Open’s drastic rethink of mixed doubles, but tennis should be applauded for a move that is good for women’s sport, says Ed Warner. Even the most ardent tennis fan probably couldn’t tell you who won the mixed doubles at last year’s US Open, or any of the other [...]
Baroness Brady: Football regulator a solution in search of a problem February 19, 2025 West Ham United vice-chair Baroness Brady has said the incoming football regulator is a “solution in search of a problem”, adding that doing anything that changes the value of the Premier League broadcast deal would be “reckless and wrong”. The Football Governance Bill has been reintroduced into the House of Lords by the government having [...]
F175: Formula 1 tour de force launch a lesson to other sports in innovation February 19, 2025 Everything about Formula 1’s 75th anniversary extravaganza at London’s O2 Arena shouldn’t have worked: mass commercialisation of a sport with £9 pints and 10 teams showing off this year’s designs on last year’s cars one after another. What unfolded, however, was a lesson in how sport can continue to innovate, and how it can take [...]
Vinicius joins football’s ownership set by buying Portuguese club February 19, 2025 Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Jr has followed teammate Kylian Mbappe into football club ownership by buying Portuguese second-tier side Alverca. Vinicius is part of a consortium of Spanish and Brazilian investors who have acquired the team from previous owner Ricardo Vicintin in a deal reported to be worth €10m (£8.3m) – approximately equal [...]
Man Utd slump to another loss despite Ratcliffe cost-cutting February 19, 2025 Manchester United have suffered another financial loss after a fall in revenues that reflects the men’s team’s worsening on-field struggles. The club made a loss of £27.7m for the second quarter of their financial year, to 31 December – a 236 per cent swing into the red from the same period in 2023. For the [...]
Arsenal cash in on Champions League return with record revenue February 19, 2025 Arsenal’s return to the Champions League and lucrative new sponsorship deals boosted the club’s revenue by 32 per cent to a record £616.6m last year. The £150m increase came from improved matchday, broadcast and commercial revenues and puts Arsenal behind only Manchester City and Manchester United for income in the Premier League. But £256m of [...]
Ahead of the Game: Tottenham in crosshairs as Ratcliffe eyes more cuts February 19, 2025 Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are set to continue cutting their investment in sport beyond Manchester United with the company’s commercial deal with Tottenham Hotspur unlikely to be renewed. Spurs signed a five-year contract with Ineos Grenadier as their official 4×4 vehicle partner in 2022, having previously partnered with Ineos Hygienics as official hand sanitiser [...]
Power and Dino set to write their Own Story February 18, 2025 ATTENTION turns to Kempton and Newcastle this Saturday with both tracks hosting competitive cards featuring two historic staying chases. Kempton’s Ladbrokes Trophy (3.35pm) is often used as a stepping stone to the Ultima at Cheltenham or the Grand National further down the line, and while Hyland, Iroko and Kandoo Kid have those kinds of races [...]
General can seize Fownes more Valley Fortunes February 18, 2025 RACING in Hong Kong returns to Happy Valley today with an all-action nine-race programme full of highly competitive and exciting handicaps. With the season just past the halfway mark, who will take the title of champion trainer for 2024/25 is anyone’s guess, with nine stables separated by only half-a-dozen winners. Heading the table is David [...]
Expectant Hayes chasing Stars with fast improving Mac February 18, 2025 THIS is a big week for the David Hayes stable with the return of champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising, who is chasing his third straight Group One victory in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. The legendary trainer, who presently leads the trainers’ title race by the narrowest of margins, will [...]