The season finale economy: Why we undervalue the Premier League May 24, 2026 With one round of Premier League fixtures remaining, the season finale is not approaching, it is here. Title races (usually) tighten, relegation battles become existential, and the casual viewer becomes a committed one. For fans, it is the most emotionally charged period of the year. For brands, it should be one of the most valuable [...]
Championship play-off final: Hull or Middlesbrough stand to gain £200m May 21, 2026 Hull City and Middlesbrough will be fighting for a £200m revenue windfall this weekend in the Championship play-off final, according to Deloitte. The Tigers and Boro head to Wembley Stadium on Saturday after a week marred by Southampton’s “Skygate” looking for a spot in next season’s Premier League. And Big Four firm Deloitte’s Sports Business [...]
MP calls on government to mandate for free-to-air Champions League final May 19, 2026 MPs have called on the government to ensure the Champions League is on free-to-air television in the future after the three European football finals went behind a HBO paywall. The Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League will feature three Premier League clubs – Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively – but will [...]
Premier League clubs’ success could earn HMRC £40m windfall May 19, 2026 Premier League clubs’ unprecedented success in Europe this season could earn HMRC a £40m windfall, according to tax experts. Bonuses paid out to players for winning domestic and continental trophies could hit £70m, generating a lucrative pot for the taxman, if Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace clean up in the next two weeks. The [...]
Hearts: Fan ownership, Tony Bloom and upsetting the Old Firm status quo May 15, 2026 A decade ago Leicester City beat odds of 5000/1 to win the Premier League. Hearts could replicate that level of upset on Saturday in the Scottish Premiership. Because for the first time since 1985 one of Rangers or Celtic may not lift the title. Forty years ago it was Aberdeen under Sir Alex Ferguson, this [...]
Championship play-off final may be postponed over spygate, EFL admits May 14, 2026 The EFL have not ruled out postponing the Championship play-off final between Hull and Southampton over recent spygate accusations. Southampton’s semi-final opponents Middlesbrough lodged a complaint with the Championship’s governing body after a man was spotted outside of Boro’s training ground with a camera. Southampton were charged with breaching EFL regulations after Middlesbrough’s complaint but [...]
Arsenal sign Deel deal with CEO who is fan of Champions League finalists PSG May 14, 2026 HR firm Deel, whose chief executive supports rival Champions League final side Paris Saint-Germain, will replace Visit Rwanda on the sleeve of Arsenal’s kit. The Gunners, currently top of the Premier League and on the verge of a first title in over 20 years, had initially looked to renew a long-standing deal with the tourism [...]
ExpressVPN talk Spurs sponsor deal, Brooklyn Nets and esports May 12, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur are facing the loss of a key sponsor next season, with ExpressVPN possibly “taking a break from the Premier League” as their two-year deal with the relegation-threatened club comes to an end. The deal, signed in 2024, concludes this month with Spurs hovering just above the relegation zone. The north London club or [...]
Sir Dave Brailsford has left his role as director with Manchester United May 7, 2026 Sir Dave Brailsford has left his role as director with Manchester United just over two years after his Ineos pal Sir Jim Ratcliffe invested into the Premier League club. Brailsford has had a long-standing relationship with petrochemicals firm Ineos, having become team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers grand tour cycling team after its switch from [...]
Fifa World Cup sponsors outperform FTSE 100 and S&P 500 May 5, 2026 Major Fifa World Cup sponsors outperform FTSE 100 returns by a factor of five and the S&P 500 by three as brands look to dominate the conversation during the tournament. IG research looking at the performance of major World Cup sponsors saw an average return of 7.1 per cent during tournament cycles – from 30 [...]