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 [...]
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 [...]
Anderlecht 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Mauricio Pochettino accuses Spurs of lacking focus during Europa League defeat October 22, 2015 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino accused his side of lacking focus following their surrender of a one-goal advantage for the second consecutive Europa League match against Anderlecht last night. Former Fulham loanee Stefano Okaka was the hosts’ second-half matchwinner after midfielder Guillaume Gillet had cancelled out Christian Eriksen’s early opener. It was Anderlecht’s first victory over [...]
Seamer Mark Wood up for Misbah-uk-Haq battle after Pakistan skipper hits century on day one of second Test October 22, 2015 England seamer Mark Wood refused to be too dejected despite a hundred from skipper Misbah-ul-Haq swinging the pendulum in Pakistan’s favour after day one of the second Test in Dubai yesterday. Misbah reached his ninth Test ton with two sixes and a reverse sweep in the final over of the day as Pakistan closed on [...]
Seamer Mark Wood up for Misbah-ul-Haq battle after Pakistan skipper hits century on day one of second Test October 22, 2015 England seamer Mark Wood refused to be too dejected despite a hundred from skipper Misbah-ul-Haq swinging the pendulum in Pakistan’s favour after day one of the second Test in Dubai yesterday. Misbah reached his ninth Test ton with two sixes and a reverse sweep in the final over of the day as Pakistan closed on [...]
Rugby World Cup semi-finals 2015: Australian experience at the business end to prove crucial against Argentina October 22, 2015 Australia and Argentina round off the Southern Hemisphere showcase on Sunday. Much has been made of the Wallabies’ improved scrum courtesy of Argentine forward coach Mario Ledesma, but they creaked against the Scots and weren’t altogether invincible when they took on Wales, either. They’ll be put to the test in the set-piece by Argentina, [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 semi-finals: Is the southern hemisphere increasing its superiority over the northern hemisphere? October 22, 2015 London plays host to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals this weekend but for the first time in the competition’s history no teams from the northern hemisphere are represented in the final four. New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia all registered wins over Six Nations sides by at least 20 points – although Scotland did [...]
The Last Witch Hunter movie review: Vin Diesel plays a sword-swinging sorcery slayer in this fantasy adventure October 22, 2015 Cert 12A | ★★☆☆☆ There’s a fun bit in The Last Witch Hunter, when the last witch hunter, having just hunted another witch, is surprised to learn that there’s an entire prison full of witches out there somewhere, just waiting to be hunted, by him, the hunter of witches. But what is this place called? [...]