Dale Vince interview: Forest Green Rovers chairman and green energy tycoon on climbing the football leagues while saving the planet March 19, 2021 With a large green Union Jack behind him and a casually dishevelled appearance, Dale Vince brings to mind the leader of some rebel republic when he appears on the Zoom call. Being cast as a revolutionary is nothing new to Vince. In business, the former New Age Traveller has turned once-leftfield ideas about green energy [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Tokyo 2020 Olympics hit by another sexism scandal; World Rugby boosts women’s game; LaLiga brings tiki-taka teachers to East Sussex March 18, 2021 “I would like to show a new direction,” said Seiko Hashimoto upon taking over as president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the wake of a sexism storm last month. Four weeks later, Hashimoto’s hopes have been torpedoed by revelations that another senior male official for this summer’s Games made derogatory comments about women. Tokyo [...]
Why the Premier League TV rights bubble really might be about to burst this time March 18, 2021 The Premier League TV rights for 2022 to 2025 will go under the hammer in the next few months. The outcome of that process could put the competition’s very existence at risk. In 2018, the UK segment of the Premier League TV rights sold for £4.5bn, down from a £5.1bn high in 2015. The rights [...]
Thousands of Dutch football fans to return next week for Holland v Latvia World Cup qualifier March 17, 2021 Holland has revealed plans to allow thousands of football fans, some without face masks, back into stadiums next week. Dutch football chiefs and the government will open doors at the Johan Cruyff Arena for the World Cup qualifying match between Holland and Latvia on Saturday 27 March. Up to 5,000 spectators will be allowed into [...]
Premiership Rugby Cup 2020-21 cancelled over player welfare and competition integrity concerns March 17, 2021 The Premiership Rugby Cup has been cancelled for this season due to complications caused by Covid-19. Premiership Rugby, which represents England’s leading clubs, cited concerns over player welfare and the tournament’s integrity if it went ahead. It means there will be domestic cup competition in English club rugby for only the second time in half [...]
England in line for more Euro 2020 games as Uefa vows to ditch host cities that cannot guarantee crowds March 16, 2021 Euro 2020 organisers will axe host cities if they cannot guarantee that fans will be allowed to attend matches at this summer’s tournament. Dublin, Glasgow and Bilbao are the three hosts considered most likely to be cut from the pan-European, 12-city format. “The ideal scenario is to play the tournament in the original 12 venues, [...]
Castore founder Tom Beahon on swapping life in the City and as a footballer to start fast-growing British premium sportswear brand March 12, 2021 Steven Gerrard wasn’t the only Liverpudlian celebrating when his Rangers team returned to the summit of Scottish football last weekend. Watching at home on Merseyside were Tom Beahon, 31, and brother Phil, 28, the founders of British sportswear brand Castore. Last year, Castore signed Rangers as their first football client. On Sunday, they toasted the [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Olympic chiefs offer vaccines to athletes; Israel wins French Super Cup; and Winklevoss twins return to Boat Race March 11, 2021 Olympic chiefs have eased concerns around this summer’s Games by offering Covid-19 vaccines to any athlete set to compete at Tokyo 2020. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the offer applied to athletes and teams involved in either Tokyo or the Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022. The IOC will buy the vaccines from [...]
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says Champions League expansion plans will have ‘devastating effect’ on English football March 10, 2021 Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has called plans to expand the Champions League and change the qualifying criteria “very concerning”. Europe’s top football clubs and governing body Uefa have proposed an overhaul that would create 100 more fixtures and allocate extra places on the basis of historical success from 2024. “With the assault on the [...]
Goals galore: Why the return of the Champions League and Europa League is good news for fans (and bad news for goalkeepers) March 9, 2021 The Champions League and Europa League resume this week and – *checks calculator* – that is good news for the armchair football fan. After a lively, goal-strewn start, excitement in the Premier League has plateaued as the season has rumbled on, leading to fears that fatigue had taken hold owing to a short pre-season and [...]