Pollock joins Haaland on YouTube after bumper new Saints deal Sport Business Henry Pollock is following the Erling Haaland blueprint for stardom by joining YouTube having signed a bumper new contract at Northampton Saints. The 21-year-old flanker joined Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency earlier this year and has been at the centre of a contract war with his club after the boxing promoter said his recent recruit [...]
Jamie Vardy bags Bundesliga rights as he steps up streaming war with Neville and Lineker Sport Business Former England striker Jamie Vardy is stepping up his efforts to build a media empire to rival Gary Neville and Gary Lineker by acquiring the rights to show live Bundesliga games on his YouTube channel. Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party will stream seven Friday night games from the German top division, beginning tonight when Harry [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo on Mars: Where will sport take us in the next five years? Sport Business Tech disruption, athlete power and new formats: sport has changed dramatically since Ed Warner started writing weekly about the industry in 2021. This column – based on my weekly newsletter, Sport Inc. – has just reached its fifth anniversary. The book of the same name is three years older. In this short span of time, [...]
‘Scale is survival’: UK broadcasters race to merge as streaming giants squeeze revenues July 29, 2026 British broadcasters are turning to mergers as television revenues come under pressure from streaming services, YouTube and online ads, according to Ofcom. The media regulator’s annual Media Nations report found commercial broadcaster revenues fell from £4.98bn to £4.83bn in 2025, despite the wider TV and online video market growing seven per cent to £18.4bn. Growth [...]
Ferdinand, Crouch, Foster: How footballers have built media empires for the future July 3, 2026 Footballers need to retire eventually. Calum Hopkins takes a look at how they can do it in a changing media landscape. With the World Cup knockouts well underway, it is time to consider whether the people sitting in the studio continue to have the power. We are seeing a massive shift in football; the audience [...]
Google ‘disappointed’ as Youtube swept into UK social media ban June 29, 2026 Google has said it is “disappointing” that Youtube has been included in the government’s planned ban on social media for under-16s, warning the measures risk cutting children off from one of the internet’s biggest educational resources. The rebuke forms the firm’s strongest response yet to Keir Starmer’s plans to prohibit children under 16 from using [...]
Government to take on big tech in bid to boost British news June 20, 2026 The government is preparing to force social media platforms to boost the presence of British news providers to counter misinformation, in a move likely to ruffle the feathers of big tech firms. Ministers are preparing to consult on rules which would require platforms like YouTube and Meta to make UK news sites like the BBC, [...]
Children as young as 14 are being targeted by unregulated gambling firms on social media June 16, 2026 Children as young as 14 are being targeted by unregulated gambling firms, with AI-generated tipsters, influencers and the manosphere blamed for exploiting teenagers on social media. Over 30 unregulated gambling sites – such as Stake and Rainbet – are accused of targeting UK users primarily aged 14-25, according to new data collected last month by [...]
Tiktok falls under ban just as brands ramp up ad spend June 16, 2026 Tiktok’s UK ad business has been growing 40 per cent year on year, with brands increasing spending ahead of what the firm expected to be its biggest trading period on record. But that momentum now faces a test after Keir Starmer confirmed plans to plan under-16s from accessing the platform. The social media giant, which [...]
Social media ban may push children to ‘darker corners of the internet,’ lawyers warn June 15, 2026 Sir Kier Starmer’s announcement to ban social media for under-16s on Monday morning may create privacy issues for children and encourage them to use less regulated platforms, legal experts have warned. Speaking at Downing Street on Monday, the Prime Minister said social media platforms are harming children’s wellbeing and making it easier for their mental [...]