Budget: Growing concern gambling tax could impact hospitality August 19, 2025 There is growing concern that the potential gambling tax levied by Rachel Reeves and the Treasury could have a knock on effect into the hospitality industry. A levy that would see bookies forced to pay a hiked tax sum, to bring them in line with online casinos and gaming sites, could be catastrophic for sports [...]
Exclusive: UK football clubs owe £1m in tax to HMRC August 18, 2025 Twenty lower league football clubs in the UK have fallen into arrears to the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), according to date from chartered accountants and business advisers Lubbock Fine shared with City AM. The value of Pay as You Earn (PAYE) payroll tax owed by football clubs was £1.04m as of 22 May 2025, [...]
Newcastle Red Bulls can be model for Prem Rugby franchising August 15, 2025 This week Steve Diamond joked that Newcastle Red Bulls – formerly Newcastle Falcons – would not have a motorbike jumping off the roof of one of their stands… yet. But in a week where a major sports player has chosen to invest in Prem Rugby, clubs should be champing at the bit to get their [...]
Exclusive: Seven in 10 think fans are being priced out of football August 14, 2025 Seven out of 10 football supporters in the UK believe traditional fans are being priced out of watching games, exclusive data for City AM can reveal on the eve of the Premier League’s return. Over 70 per cent of traditional football fans who have attended a match in the last 12 months have told City [...]
Chanel chief Leena Nair joins Tech Titans investor group at London Spirit August 13, 2025 Chanel chief executive Leena Nair has joined the Tech Titans group of investors who now own 49 per cent of London Spirit. The British-Indian executive was at Lord’s last week for the first game of this year’s Hundred competition between Spirit and Oval Invincibles after reaching out to Nikesh Arora, the chief executive of Palo [...]
Warrington Wolves CEO: We will not be feeder club for NRL August 12, 2025 A few months ago the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington was renamed the Luke Littler Stadium after the eponymous darts sensation – and fan of rugby league’s Wolves – had won the world title. A gimmick? Sure. But it demonstrates how a club like Warrington Wolves in a sport like rugby league can make a [...]
Australia put on British and Irish Lions tour of a lifetime August 8, 2025 Before leaving a rainy Sydney to return to (a sunny!) Blighty, I sat down with fellow rugby fans in a Darling Harbour bistro to dissect a British and Irish Lions tour which, by all accounts, blew everyone away. It is fair to say that I was within the group of those who had questions as [...]
If BBC battle change, is it time to abolish sport’s Crown Jewels? August 7, 2025 With change needed to ensure lesser followed sports get their time in the spotlight, is it time to abolish the Crown Jewels and ditch the BBC for some coverage? What I know about aquatics could be scribbled with a waterproof Sharpie on a pair of skimpy Speedos. I do know, though, that swimming is one [...]
Tennis shines a light on new competition law battleground in sport July 20, 2025 Does the tennis court situation prove that communication is always the answer, asks Thorndon Partners co-founder Charles McKeon. The problem with trying to shut down a conversation is that it often has the opposite effect. That’s a lesson the governing bodies of tennis may be learning the hard way. Public and private communications between players [...]
Can British and Irish Lions tour save rugby in Australia? July 18, 2025 It is a crying shame to see rugby union drop so far behind Aussie Rules, the NRL and football Down Under, even as the British and Irish Lions get set to take on the Wallabies in the first of three Tests this weekend. But I am not surprised, given the state of Australian rugby at [...]