Ineos and Ratcliffe need a sporting win and fast April 11, 2025 “Ineos Britannia announces that it has withdrawn its intention to challenge for the next America’s Cup.” Those were the words issued this week in the latest sporting scaleback by British chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The stream of negative news out of Manchester United – including hundreds of job losses, brutal cost-cutting and criticism over [...]
Man United to play in Malaysia three days after Aston Villa tie April 8, 2025 Manchester United will play a match in Malaysia just three days after the conclusion of the Premier League season. The 20-time English champions face Aston Villa on 25 May on the last day of the season before taking on the ASEAN All Stars at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on 28 May. Two days later [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Reeves misses trick ignoring sport and Old Trafford March 27, 2025 Standing at the dispatch box on Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her much anticipated Spring Statement. Just months after her autumn fiscal plan, where she hiked taxes by £40bn and confirmed funding for a football regulator which continues to divide the game, the member of parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey – and one of [...]
After losing IOC election, how about Seb Coe for chair of football regulator? March 27, 2025 It was, with hindsight, not a “keep Seb Coe out” but a “get Kirsty Coventry in” campaign that determined the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential election outcome. I was as guilty as most British observers in believing that Seb Coe would take it to the wire. Unconscious bias and all that. In the event, eight [...]
UK government backs Manchester United 100,000-seat stadium March 19, 2025 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy has said the government is keen to “crack on” in supporting Manchester United’s plan to build a 100,000-seater stadium. Manchester United and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled plans for a “New Trafford” development adjacent to the Theatre of Dreams that would include a number of [...]
Brentford owner Benham weighs up minority investment in Bees March 19, 2025 Brentford have received multiple offers of minority investment from American groups who value the club at around £400m. Owner Matthew Benham has been seeking additional investment for over a year. Rothschild was appointed to oversee the sales process but City AM understands that the merchant bank is no longer working on the Brentford deal. The [...]
Eyebrows raised as Manchester United skip tender to hire Foster for stadium March 12, 2025 Manchester United are set to confirm Sir Norman Foster’s firm as architects of their planned £2bn, 100,000-seat stadium without running a formal tender process. The absence of an open tender has caused surprise in the industry, given United are a listed company on the New York Stock Exchange, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also taken [...]
Manchester United Old Trafford plans set to be revealed March 10, 2025 Manchester United are today expected to announce plans for a new stadium to replace Old Trafford after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe defended the club’s penny pinching. A “Wembley of the North” on the site of Old Trafford has been Ratcliffe’s goal since the billionaire purchased just under 30 per cent of Manchester United last year. [...]
Mark Kleinman: A reset BP might not have drilled deep enough for activists February 27, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column. Today, he tackles activist investors drilling into BP, Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting and a big ticket auction A reset BP might not have drilled deep enough for activists Bernard’s Parable or Belated Pivot? These might be the most concise [...]
Ratcliffe calls on Europe to ditch carbon tax to save chemicals industry February 26, 2025 Sir Jim Ratcliffe has warned that Europe’s chemicals industry “faces extinction” and called on European Union leaders to ditch their carbon tax and increase tariffs to preserve it. In an open letter published on Wednesday, the founder and owner of chemicals giant Ineos launched an excoriating assessment of the EU’s approach to the chemicals sector, [...]