Week in Sportbiz: Taxman cometh for football (again); BT Sport; Simone Biles; social media boycott; and NHS x NFL draft April 29, 2021 HMRC has cashed in by increasing scrutiny of the football industry, so perhaps it should be no surprise that the taxman has begun a new crackdown on players and clubs. Investigations into footballers almost tripled in 2019-20, while those concerning clubs more than doubled. The result was an increase from £35m to £73m in tax [...]
Spotify founder Daniel Ek says he is “very serious” about Arsenal takeover interest and has secured the funds to make Stan Kroenke an offer April 28, 2021 Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek says he has secured the financial backing to make an offer for Arsenal. The Swedish billionaire, who is chief executive and part-owner of the music streaming platform, added that he was “very serious” about buying the Premier League football club. Ek also urged current Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke to listen to [...]
IPL suffers spate of withdrawals, including Ravichandran Ashwin, as Covid-19 cases top 350,000 per day in India April 26, 2021 The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been hit by a series of player withdrawals amid growing concern about Covid-19 rates in the country. India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the most high-profile cricketer to walk away from the lucrative Twenty20 competition when he announced he was “taking a break” on Sunday. Australian trio Kane Richardson, Adam [...]
Europe’s lesser lights put Super League plotting in shade in across the continent April 26, 2021 The European Super League (ESL) has hogged the headlines to such an extent lately that it has obscured the real drama playing out across the continent. With just a handful of games left to play in this most unpredictable of seasons, league titles and Champions League places remain the subject of fierce tussles in Spain, [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Succession at Matchroom; PGA Tour’s $40m fame fund; taking knee banned at Tokyo 2020; India warms to The Hundred; NFL’s paint job April 23, 2021 It’s been a busy week for shifts in power at the top of sports organisations, splitting with old partners and signing megabucks new deals. Away from European football’s attempt to eat itself, Matchroom announced that founder Barry Hearn would be stepping down after 40 years at the helm. Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn is succeeding [...]
A significant skirmish in an intensifying war: How player power helped bring the European Super League to its knees April 23, 2021 James Milner seemed to speak for many Premier League players and managers when he said on Monday: “I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen.” The Liverpool midfielder was referring to the European Super League, the audacious and ultimately short-lived breakaway launched by 12 of Europe’s richest football clubs just hours earlier – including [...]
Jose Mourinho: Would sacked Tottenham boss be entitled to unfair dismissal? April 22, 2021 As Gary Lineker pointed out this week, it has been a good time to hide bad news in football, with the announcement of the European Super League and the fallout which followed. And so, Jose Mourinho’s departure as head coach of Tottenham Hotspur has largely fallen under the radar. Mourinho would fail to meet the [...]
European Super League criticised for ‘unilaterally deciding future of women’s football’ without consultation April 22, 2021 Campaign group Women in Football has criticised the lack of consultation with the women’s game over the short-lived European Super League breakaway. Plans for the European Super League, the biggest shake-up in club football in living memory, stated that a corresponding women’s competition would follow but did not go into further details. The project unravelled [...]
Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs to quit and become advisor to shareholder CVC Capital Partners April 21, 2021 Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs is to step down and become an advisor to CVC Capital Partners, which owns a minority stake in England’s top division. Childs, who only took up the role two years ago, will leave in the next few weeks, Premiership Rugby said. Predecessor Mark McCafferty also went on to advise [...]
Arsenal and Liverpool say sorry for plotting European Super League but clubs’ defence of motivations shows wildly unpopular project is far from dead April 21, 2021 The English clubs among the “dirty dozen” behind plans for a European Super League have begun attempts to repair the damage caused by the failed breakaway. But while Arsenal and Liverpool apologised to supporters, they and the other English clubs to pull out – Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – stopped short [...]