West Ham’s Paqueta yet to give evidence in spot-fixing trial April 9, 2025 This week’s Ahead of the Game focuses on Lucas Paqueta, the English Football League in New York, rugby league controversy, basketball fines and the Grand National. Lucas Paqueta has yet to give evidence in his spot-fixing trial, a revelation which indicates that the case could have some way to run as the West Ham midfielder [...]
ECB facing pressure to drop prices in Hundred franchise sale April 2, 2025 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could be asked to accept less than the £520m offered by new investors for 49 per cent of the eight Hundred franchises if they refuse to hand over control of the competition’s next television contract, which will begin in 2028. The ECB wants to continue its successful policy [...]
EFL board set to discuss National League promotion demand February 5, 2025 The EFL board will meet on Thursday amid renewed pressure from the entire National League to increase the number of promotion places from two to three. All 72 National League clubs, which represent the fifth and sixth tiers of English football, wrote to the EFL this week demanding the increase with immediate effect. The issue [...]
Football regulator: Tory peers right to question changes, says Collins January 20, 2025 Former Culture, Media and Sport select committee chair Damian Collins has defended Conservative peers’ thorough questioning of the Labour government’s beefed-up plans for an independent football regulator. Sport Minister Stephanie Peacock last week accused some Tory peers of submitting amendments “cynically designed to dither, delay and block” the progress of the Football Governance Bill through [...]
Championship and Sky to SCRAP 3pm football blackout in August May 8, 2024 The 3pm football blackout has been scrapped by the EFL and Sky Sports for the opening weekend of the season with every game set to be broadcast. It is part of a new deal that will see the broadcaster increase its live coverage by 50 per cent from next season. The £935m deal will involve [...]