Is football eating itself? Not before it eats other sports first Sport Business The World Cup has become so big that it now puts all other sports in the shade, laments Ed Warner. I remember the summer of 1976 as a swathe of bleached playing fields, jumpers for goalposts and pick-up games of cricket. There happened to be an international football tournament that June, but I defy anyone [...]
Manchester United head coach’s job is to be a fall guy and human shield Sport Business AI is the scourge of the modern employment market. Applicants generate automated covering letters that tick off every requirement in a job spec, and are then interviewed by robots which provide almost instantaneous rejections. Reluctant to be a Luddite in this mind-scrambling new world, here is my open letter to Sir Jim Ratcliffe applying to [...]
Ashes: Australian media mock ‘death of Bazball’ after defeating England Sport Business Australian media have revelled in proclaiming the death of England’s much-vaunted Bazball approach after the hosts wrapped up a fourth successive home Ashes series. Sunday’s 82-run win in the third Test in Adelaide saw the Pat Cummins-led Aussies take an unassailable 3-0 lead, making a mockery of pre-series English optimism. And Australian newspapers seized the [...]
Stokes, McCullum, ECB: Who’s to blame for England’s latest Ashes failings? November 27, 2025 Assessing true accountability for England’s Ashes collapse requires tracing failure back through the chain, argues Ed Warner. “Still seething!” The WhatsApp from a prominent cricket podcaster arrived a full 48 hours after England’s capitulation in the opening Ashes Test. Did I want to provide him with a sound-bite on what appeared more than just a [...]
England Ashes win will trigger major windfall for ECB, says Nielsen Sports November 20, 2025 England cricket chiefs can expect a major windfall if Bazball sweeps the men’s team to a first Ashes series victory in Australia for more than a decade. The England Wales Cricket Board is already riding high from reporting record turnover last year and has since boosted the coffers further by signing up Toyota as principal [...]
Stokes and Archer in $4.5m raise for Indian medical treatment firm October 7, 2025 England cricketers Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer have taken part of a $4.5m raise for a company that will offer UK patients medical treatments in India. The duo will join India’s KL Rahul through their 4Cast vehicle, as well as lead investor Nexus Venture Partners, in investing in The Medical Travel Company, which claims to [...]
Como 1907 partners with Stokes-backed Players Fund September 17, 2025 Serie A club Como 1907 has launched a startup and investment platform powered by the Ben Stokes-backed Players Fund. Como Ventures will use the athlete-led venture capital firm – which enjoys the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill, Stuart Broad and Allyson Felix as investors – to help create a “founder-first launchpad”, which will see start-ups “gain [...]
Premier League still facing legal threat to financial rules despite Man City deal September 10, 2025 The Premier League is still facing another legal challenge to its financial regulations despite settling a long-running dispute with Manchester City over associated party transactions this week. Legal action remains pending from the Professional Footballers’ Association over the Premier League’s plans to introduce new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules next season, which would limit clubs [...]
Cricketing star Ben Stokes takes stake in alcohol-free Cleanco May 18, 2025 Cricketing star Ben Stokes OBE has taken a stake in reality tv star Spencer Matthews’ alcohol-free spirits brand Cleanco. Stokes partnership with the firm comes as part of a $5m fundraising round for the brand as it hopes for its first year of cash-flow positivty. Cleanco is also gearing up for global expansion with ambitions [...]
England captain Harry Kane backs premium ticketing firm March 31, 2025 England captain Harry Kane has become a shareholder in Seat Unique, a UK-based premium ticketing platform that sells premium access to sports, music and entertainment events. The Bayer Munich striker has joined a growing list of high-profile athletes backing the firm, including Ben Stokes, Sir Clive Woodward, and John Terry. Seat Unique, founded in 2019, [...]