Ambani family on course for £100m London Spirit in Hundred auction January 22, 2025 The likely destinations of English cricket’s crown jewels in the Hundred auction are taking shape, with the Ambani family’s determination to buy 49 per cent of the London Spirit in a deal expected to exceed £100m forcing other bidders to look elsewhere. A consortium of Californian investors led by Nikesh Arora, chief executive of Palo [...]
Top Kiwi ref to take charge of Gloucester vs Leicester in Premiership January 21, 2025 New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe will take to the whistle in the Premiership this weekend in preparation for reffing England at the Six Nations, City AM can reveal. The Super Rugby official, who has officiated on a British and Irish Lions Tour, will take charge of Gloucester’s Premiership fixture against Leicester Tigers on Saturday at [...]
Sale Sharks owner sells £1bn empire to Asda backer TDR Capital January 20, 2025 Simon Orange, the self-made millionaire who co-owns Premiership rugby club Sale Sharks, has sold his business empire to Asda backer TDR Capital in a deal worth more than £1bn. CorpAcq, which is based in Cheshire, counts more than 40 businesses as part of its portfolio including the likes of Cotton Traders. CorpAcq does not included [...]
RFU hits back at MPs, saying it got no COVID-19 loans from Government January 15, 2025 The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has hit back at MPs after a swathe of parliamentarians demanded government intervention over the “dying” game. English rugby’s governing body has faced widespread criticism over bumper bonuses for chief executive Bill Sweeney while the wider game struggles to find a financial footing. Shadow sports minister Louie French said that [...]
Can Italy’s challenger European rugby project win them a World Cup? January 14, 2025 Rugby authorities in Italy have reportedly submitted plans for a new European rugby competition. But can it be viable, and is the World Cup the end goal? The new president of Italy’s rugby federation, Andrea Duodo, caused a little bit of a stir recently when he confirmed that new proposals for a European club rugby [...]
Six Nations tickets: How much will the tournament cost you? January 12, 2025 We’re just days from the Six Nations getting underway in Paris when France host Wales with tickets for this year’s competition all but sold out. The Stade de France in Paris, Allianz Stadium in London, Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and Stadio Olimpico in Rome will [...]
Springboks face new bid for stake by Leeds United private equity investors Ackerley Sports Group January 6, 2025 The world champion Springboks could sell off a stake of their commercial rights company to investors in Leeds United as South African rugby looks for a stronger financial footing. Seattle-based firm Ackerley Sports Group LLC is reportedly set to revive plans to invest in the 2023 Rugby World Cup winners after an initial bid foundered [...]
Sport sponsorship: Best deals, who’s investing and 2025 growth January 5, 2025 As 2025 kicks off, the sports sponsorship landscape is brimming with opportunity. New trends are emerging and the environment is ripe for seasoned sponsors to make bold investments promoting new brand offerings. With Premier League clubs preparing for life after gambling sponsors and athlete-driven media platforms gaining traction, the industry is undergoing a transformation that [...]
Hamilton world title or Fury vs Joshua? The betting trends set to dominate 2025 January 4, 2025 Millions of Brits love a little betting flutter now and again, and sport is where the majority of our punts go. Government reports state that “the provisional 2024 to 2025 year-to-date [April to September] total for betting and gaming receipts is £1,78bn, which is £102m (6 per cent) higher than the same period during the [...]
Lions will smash Aussies and England will win World Cup in 2025 January 3, 2025 Happy New Year one and all! The upcoming 12 months are going to be filled with brilliant rugby moments but the Lions and England Women top the billing for me. Because 2025 has a lot going on, but the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in July and the Women’s Rugby World Cup headline [...]