World Cup 2018 vote: FA writes to Fifa to demand answers over Sepp Blatter comments regarding World Cup in Russia November 7, 2015 The FA has demanded Fifa explain Sepp Blatter's suggestion that the decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia was made before voting took place. The FA spent £21m on a bid to host the same tournament but in the initial round of voting only received two votes to Russia's nine. English football's governing [...]
StubHub and Viagogo see increase in last-minute ticket purchases for sports events November 7, 2015 Sports fans are leaving it later and later before deciding to snap up last minute tickets from secondary ticketing site StubHub. The site has seen orders made within the last 72 hours before an event increase by nearly a third in just two years – from 12.6 per cent in 2013 to 16.9 per cent so [...]
Athletics doping report to reveal “different scale of corruption” compared to Fifa November 7, 2015 If you thought Fifa looked bad, just wait until you see a report into corruption at the International Association of Athletics (IAAF), so says its co-authour Richard McLaren. On Monday details of an independent report into claims of doping cover-ups, extortion and money-laundering in athletics will be released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). McLaren said [...]
New Zealand Rugby World Cup triumph boosts All Blacks brand value by £25m November 6, 2015 New Zealand's show of sporting supremacy at the Rugby World Cup boosted the All Blacks brand value by $37m (£24.6m), according to brand valuation and consultancy firm Brand Finance. The All Blacks brand, the most valuable in rugby, is now estimated to be worth $169m following a successful campaign in which the iconic rugby team [...]
Theatre review: As You Like It, National Theatre November 6, 2015 Cert: 15 | ★★★☆☆ With its rambunctious female lead and sketch-show skits, As You Like It must be one of the easiest Shakespeare plays to modernise. Which makes it all the more surprising that this is the first time in 36 years the National Theatre has staged the lovestruck comedy. And what a surprise it [...]
How much did Sam Burgess cost rugby union? Highest-paid player in Premiership leaves Bath for South Sydney Rabbitohs November 6, 2015 Sam Burgess has returned to rugby league and the South Sydney Rabbitohs after an ill-fated but lucrative year in rugby union. The England international will move to Australia to reunite with his family and a club where he is worshipped as a hero, yet questions will still be asked why the union establishment failed to make [...]
Sky Sports to offer extended Premier League highlights on demand next season November 6, 2015 Sky will offer football fans the chance to catch up with extended highlights of Premier League games throughout the week with a new on demand package. The broadcaster has secured the rights to "near-live extended highlights" from the Premier League to 2019, having already snapped up the live and online categories. Extended highlights of all 212 [...]
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino revels in his side’s imperious fitness ahead of Sunday’s north London derby after moving within touching distance of Europa League knockout stages November 6, 2015 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino revelled in his side’s imperious fitness ahead of Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal after Spurs moved within touching distance of the Europa League knockout stages with victory over Anderlecht last night. Substitute Mousa Dembele was Tottenham’s match-winner with a spectacular half-volley with only three minutes remaining after fellow replacement Imoh [...]
Kill Your Friends is a shallow imitation of American Psycho November 5, 2015 “To make money sometimes we have to make art,” muses Nicholas Hoult’s oily A&R man Steven Stelfox. There’s an irony to be found here, given that Kill Your Friends, which rides shamelessly on the coat-tails of The Wolf of Wall Street and American Psycho, appears to have been made by people who share that exact [...]
Hairy Ape is a visually stunning revival of Eugene O’Neill classic November 5, 2015 How annoyed would you be if someone called you a hairy ape? Slightly peeved? Seriously irked? How about so apoplectic that you’d plot murder and then free a gorilla from the zoo? If – like me – you fall into the latter category, you’ll love the Old Vic’s production of Eugene O’Neill’s macho 1922 play, [...]