Record crowds show women’s football is ready for bigger stadia, says WSL chair September 28, 2022 Women’s football is ready to move to bigger stadia as it redoubles efforts to become profitable, says Women’s Super League chair Dawn Airey, after the sport saw a series of record-breaking crowds. Last week’s new WSL high of 47,000 spectators for Arsenal’s north London derby with Tottenham Hotspur followed the Women’s Euro 2021 final attracting [...]
Is running the new golf? Why TCS has become title sponsor of the London Marathon September 27, 2022 For four decades the London Marathon has had a consumer-facing brand as its title sponsor, from Gillette and Mars in the 1980s to the more recent Flora and Virgin Money. But that will change on Sunday, the first race of its rebranding as the TCS London Marathon as part of a six-year contract with the [...]
Staging Hockey World Cup at Tottenham Hotspur will ‘sustain the sport for years’ September 21, 2022 England Hockey is pinning its hopes of hosting the men’s World Cup in 2026 on staging matches in bigger venues than the sport usually visits, such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 62,000-capacity ground has been earmarked to host finals weekend if the joint bid from England and Wales is selected in early November. “This [...]
Qatar 2022: How can brands navigate the most political World Cup ever? September 20, 2022 While the location of this year’s Qatar 2022 World Cup makes it the most controversial yet, it is still a huge global moment that fans across the world will want to engage with, and brands be a part of. This is the first time a men’s football World Cup has been held in what is [...]
Per Mertesacker: Arsenal academy boss on his 11-year friendship with Mikel Arteta, producing the next Bukayo Saka and new docuseries Inside Hale End September 6, 2022 It was one of their worst ever defeats, but the recent histories of Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and the club’s Hale End academy would look very different had Arsene Wenger’s team not lost 8-2 at Manchester United in August 2011. That setback prompted a transfer deadline-day trolley dash for five new signings, the most [...]
Rematch: Meet the Secret Cinema for sport recreating the Rumble in the Jungle August 30, 2022 Founder Richard Ayers and investor Trevor Beattie tell Frank Dalleres about Rematch, the immersive sporting experience bringing the Rumble in the Jungle to London in early 2023. Imagine for a moment that you could attend any sporting event of the past. What would you choose? The 1966 World Cup final? Botham’s Ashes? Serena’s first Grand [...]
England’s outgoing Commonwealth chief still sees future for Games August 24, 2022 Team England’s outgoing chief executive insists there is a future for the Commonwealth Games despite debate surrounding where a multi-sport tournament rooted in Britain’s former Empire sits in the 21st century. Paul Blanchard is preparing to leave his position at the head of the team who hosted this year’s competition in Birmingham games after seven [...]
Ed Warner: Value of hosting sport found in hearts and minds as well as spreadsheets August 18, 2022 Just what does constitute a sport? Breaking – otherwise known as breakdancing – will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. So how about singing with a dose of choreographed body-poppery? The unlikely combination of Vladimir Putin and Sam Ryder is bringing Eurovision to the United Kingdom in 2023. Seven cities – cut from 20 – are [...]
Ryan Howsam: Why Staysure boss bought Legends Tour and how it can be profitable August 17, 2022 Sports sponsorship usually follows a playbook – Brand X pays to be associated with Team Y or Competition Z – but Ryan Howsam, founder of insurer Staysure, has ripped it up with golf’s Legends Tour. Howsam, a keen golfer in his youth who played off a scratch handicap, got involved with the circuit formerly known [...]
A green and gold decade: Australia prepares for spell as host of sport’s biggest events August 15, 2022 The sun-kissed nation of Australia is about to embark on a decade-long installation as the centre for world sport. Although it was beaten by Qatar to the rights to stage the men’s football World Cup later this year, the country is set to co-host the women’s equivalent as well as Rugby World Cups, a second [...]