Socios: The blockchain-enabled fan token platform promising to unlock revenue from the global fanbases of sport’s most famous teams July 31, 2021 Football’s transfer market may have lacked headline-grabbing deals so far this summer but the same can’t be said for Socios. The platform, which sells “fan tokens” offering supporters the chance to influence decisions at their team, has instantly increased visibility with a clutch of major partnerships. Last week Socios announced the launch of an Arsenal [...]
European football market contracted by £3.4bn in first few months of Covid-19 pandemic, Deloitte report finds July 29, 2021 The European football market shrunk by 13 per cent in the first few months of the pandemic, according to analysis by Deloitte. Total revenue fell by €3.7bn (£3.4bn) to €25.2bn (£22.1bn) in 2019-20, the first decrease since the global financial crisis struck more than a decade earlier. Clubs suffered as leagues were postponed and resumed [...]
Barack Obama joins NBA’s African arm as strategic partner and minority shareholder July 28, 2021 The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced that former US president Barack Obama has joined its new African arm as a strategic partner. The 44th President of the United States will also own a minority stake in NBA Africa, which officials say he intends to use for Obama Foundation projects across the continent. Obama will [...]
Ineos strikes deal with New Zealand Rugby to add All Blacks to sporting stable that includes Formula 1, cycling and football teams July 28, 2021 New Zealand Rugby has announced Ineos is to become its official performance partner in a six-year deal beginning in 2022. The deal sees New Zealand Rugby’s national teams, including the All Blacks and the Black Ferns, join the growing Ineos sporting stable, which is owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. They will join Mercedes-AMG [...]
Fulham sign up blockchain telecoms network World Mobile as principal commercial partner on three-year-deal July 27, 2021 Fulham have signed World Mobile, a telecoms network that uses blockchain technology, as their new principal commercial partner. The three-year deal sees World Mobile replace bookmaker BetVictor as the club’s main sponsor. The agreement will see World Mobile appear on the shirts of the Fulham men’s, women’s and youth teams. Fulham’s men will be hoping [...]
South Korean broadcaster MBC apologises after using Chernobyl to depict Ukraine during Tokyo 2020 Olympic opening ceremony July 26, 2021 A South Korean broadcaster has been forced to apologise after using offensive stereotypes to depict countries during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics opening ceremony. MBC used the offensive pictures and captions alongside the athletes as they walked out during Friday’s ceremony. Italy was identified via pizza, while the broadcaster used the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 [...]
Crystal Palace report £58m loss for pandemic-hit 2019-20 season July 26, 2021 Crystal Palace have announced a £58m loss for the 2019-20 season as a result of Covid-19’s impact on football. The Premier League club saw revenue fall £13m to £142m, while operating expenses increased by £15m to £154m. The drop in income was largely due to the effect of matches in the second half of the [...]
Opening match of The Hundred sets UK TV record for women’s cricket July 22, 2021 The opening match of The Hundred, English cricket’s new competition, attracted a record UK television audience for a women’s match. A peak audience of 1.95m watched as the Oval Invincibles beat the Manchester Originals in a closely-fought curtain-raiser to the tournament. The figures marked an encouraging start for a competition that has divided opinion since [...]
English rugby chiefs to offer mouthgard technology to all clubs and open brain clinic as part of concussion action plan July 22, 2021 English rugby chiefs have today announced a new action planned aimed at reducing concussion risk within men’s and women’s professional rugby. The move comes amid mounting pressure on the The Rugby Football Union (RFU), World Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union as concerns grow over the impact of contact sports on the brain. Nine former [...]
Tokyo 2020: What Covid-19, no fans and public opposition mean for sponsors and the International Olympic Committee July 22, 2021 The 60,000 seats of Japan’s national stadium, built for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, are coloured in muted shades of green, brown, beige and grey. Architect Kengo Kuma chose those tones to fit his vision of the stadium, which he wanted to look as natural and organic as possible. Timber is the most visible material and [...]