Rugby World Cup could have joint hosts in 2027 and 2031, says governing body February 1, 2021 The men’s Rugby World Cup could be shared by joint hosts in 2027 and 2031, the game’s global governing body has said. France is due to stage the 2023 tournament and World Rugby has just officially opened the bidding process for the next two instalments. “We recognise that for some of our members hosting a [...]
Premier League set for its lowest January transfer window spend since 2012, barring unexpected deadline day splurge February 1, 2021 The Premier League is heading for its lowest January spend since 2012, barring an unexpected transfer deadline day flurry of activity. Heading into the final hours of the transfer window, English top-flight clubs had forked out around £78m. Unless they spend more than £40m before tonight’s 11pm deadline, it will represent their lowest outlay for [...]
Why football clubs face an increased threat from cyber criminals during the transfer window January 31, 2021 It isn’t just football’s wheeler-dealers springing into action this month for the January transfer window. Increasingly, it is open season too for cyber criminals who see the game as rich pickings for various forms of hacking. “Right now there are big amounts of money changing hands,” says Max Heinemeyer of cyber defence firm Darktrace. “So this [...]
Ollie Phillips: Private equity investment is the impetus rugby needs for short-term survival and long-term prosperity January 31, 2021 Private equity in rugby is back on the agenda, with the long-rumoured CVC Capital Partners and Six Nations deal now said to be imminent. Meanwhile, US buyout firm Silver Lake is keen to add a stake in the All Blacks to a portfolio that also includes Manchester City. All this will make some in sport [...]
Former England cricket chief Colin Graves: ‘I know Indian investment in The Hundred is there if the doors are opened’ January 30, 2021 Colin Graves may have stepped down as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year but he is not done shaping the game he loves. This month, the 73-year-old joined the board of Oakwell Sports Advisory, which advised CVC Capital Partners on its investment in Premiership Rugby and the Pro14. The man [...]
WandaVision Episode 4 review – Marvel fills in the gaps. January 29, 2021 Up to this point, WandaVision has revelled in the enigmatic nature of its plot. We’ve been given only threads of what is happening, and who’s behind it. Last week ‘Geraldine’ (Teyonah Parris) cracked Wanda’s reality by mentioning that Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) brother was killed by Ultron. Infuriated, Wanda threw Geraldine out of their sitcom world [...]
Visit London’s first ever absinthe distillery January 29, 2021 London’s first absinthe distillery has opened in east London in a suitably trippy location. The Devil’s Botany Distillery is the brainchild of two devoted “absintheurs” – owners of The Last Tuesday Society, the Hackney bar famous for its taxidermy collection and absinthe-based cocktails including “The Naughty Nun” and “Magik & Medicine”. “Devil’s Botany London Absinthe [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Premier League still No1 in China; Leeds boss keeping busy; Matchroom’s media move; Wimbledon optimism; London 2012 gold for sale January 28, 2021 The Premier League’s ongoing dispute with a Chinese broadcaster doesn’t appear to have affected its popularity in the Far East. England’s top division has been named the most popular football league in China by a new report ranking digital performance. It had 80 per cent more engagement on leading social media platform Weibo than La [...]
Synchronic review – A bleak but unique sci-fi January 28, 2021 One of the very few advantages of the current global situation is many people’s ability to catch up on the content they might have missed, or challenge themselves with something different. Of the many choices coming your way in the next twelve months, few can boast to be as different as Synchronic. Avenger Anthony Mackie [...]
The Dig – Mulligan and Fiennes shine in gentle period drama January 28, 2021 The true story of the Sutton Hoo excavation gets the Netflix treatment in a handsome period drama The Dig, an awards hopeful that quietly works its way into your affections. The story takes place in idyllic Suffolk in 1939. Wealthy widow Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hires softly spoken excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to investigate [...]