By: Sam Cunningham

Sam Cunningham is a freelance sports journalist who writes the weekly Between The Lines column for City AM. Sam has previously been published in The Times, Guardian, Observer, Daily Mail and i Paper.

All 27 Articles

West Ham’s London Stadium eyes capacity increase to take fight to Wembley

Sport Business

London Stadium bosses want to relax seating restrictions for boxing in a bid to rival Wembley for mega fights and offset losses caused by anchor tenant West Ham’s relegation to the Championship. The stadium costs the taxpayer £19m a year after rent was halved following West Ham’s relegation, while stewarding costs have risen because of [...]
Netflix defends Beat Luke Littler line-up after backlash at pros’ inclusion

Sport Business

Netflix insists that Fallon Sherrock and other faces from the PDC circuit were made to queue up and audition alongside thousands of hopefuls before being selected for its new live show, Beat Luke Littler. The programme has attracted a backlash from darts fans after it was initially billed as a chance for pub players to [...]
Newcastle United: MP denies rowing back on Saudi criticism after accepting £5k freebies

Sport Business

Newcastle MPs have been urged to stop accepting hospitality and gifts from Newcastle United amid concerns it has softened their criticism of the club’s Saudi owners. Dame Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central and West, was a vociferous critic of the Saudi regime before in recent years taking tickets and hospitality from the club. [...]

Tottenham Hotspur owed money after Big Zuu water brand Drip is liquidated with £9m debts

October 14, 2026

They say it never rains but it pours: struggling Tottenham Hotspur’s latest problem is Drip, the canned-water company owned by celebrity chef Big Zuu, whose liquidation has left the club high and dry. Spurs signed a deal in 2024 making Drip the official front-of-training-wear partner of the women’s team, with much fanfare around the shared [...]
Nottingham Forest facing backlash as City Ground expansion set to hit residents in pocket

October 7, 2026

Nottingham Forest are facing a backlash from local residents who could be left out of pocket by the club’s £790m expansion of the City Ground. As part of the planning permission granted to increase the capacity of their 31,000-seater stadium to 52,000, Forest have agreed to contribute £4.17m towards improving surrounding travel and transport infrastructure. [...]
Hull City’s ‘strange’ £55m loan beat Independent Football Regulator deadline

September 30, 2026

Hull City took a loan from an American billionaire whose previous hedge fund was fined $1.8bn for fraud and insider trading shortly before mandatory Independent Football Regulator scrutiny of such deals kicked in. Following their promotion to the Premier League, Hull City secured a £55m loan against the club’s stadium from Point72 Lending Ltd, a [...]
Erling Haaland: Manchester City star credited with carrot sales boom in native Norway

September 23, 2026

Erling Haaland’s brand power shifted into a new stratosphere at the World Cup – and the proof is in Norway’s carrot sales. Haaland has long appeared in internet clips and memes with carrots dangling from his mouth – while signing autographs for fans or driving his car – and this summer appeared in an advert [...]
Manchester United’s new stadium could be delayed until 2035 as timeline slips

September 16, 2026

Manchester United’s new stadium may not open until 2035, according to official planning documentation. The timeline for the £2bn-plus project has repeatedly slipped ever since minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced in March 2025 that United would build a new stadium rather than renovate Old Trafford. At the time, the billionaire said it could be [...]
Bournemouth in spotlight after female fan complains to Kick It Out about searches

September 9, 2026

Bournemouth are ready to review their stewarding arrangements after a female matchgoer made a complaint to anti-discrimination group Kick It Out about being searched by a male member of staff. The issue is thought to stem from the new perimeter fencing and entry gates installed around the Vitality Stadium as part of Bournemouth’s £90m expansion, [...]
Revealed: BBC bid just £900k for £5m Commonwealth Games TV rights

September 2, 2026

Commonwealth Games chiefs took flak for agreeing a broadcast deal with TNT Sports that put it behind a paywall for the first time in 72 years – but City AM can reveal the BBC offered less than £1m for the rights. The BBC’s bid of around £900,000 represented a 91 per cent decrease on the [...]

Anthropic’s growth slows ahead of IPO as AI spending bill nears $900bn

Commonwealth Games generated £223m for Scotland

London Watch Week – The City Edition mega preview, featuring Christopher Ward, Nomos and more

By: Sam Cunningham

All 27 Articles

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