Saudi Arabia’s PIF creates new sports investment company, SRJ Sports Investments August 6, 2023 The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) yesterday announced the formation of a new company which will be at the heart of the Kingdom’s sporting ambitions going forward. SRJ Sports Investments will “invest in acquiring and creating new sports events IP, commercial rights of popular and prominent sports competitions and hosting major global events in [...]
Can the Saudi Pro League buy a reputation for good, watchable football? August 4, 2023 It is difficult not to look to the Saudi Pro League with a sense of admiration. Many will disagree with the methods of the Saudi Arabian clubs – throwing money at players until they nod and accept a transfer to the Middle East – but others will argue that other leagues, especially in Europe, had [...]
Championship clubs need to make money, but Sheffield Wednesday are taking the mick August 3, 2023 The Championship kicks of on Friday evening as nearly 3,000 Southampton fans make the eight-hour round trip to Sheffield Wednesday. Football’s second tier is crazy; 46 matches with 24 clubs stretching from Plymouth to Sunderland, Swansea to Norwich. In 2019 the average away ticket would set you back £27.04, but data from TheAwayFans states that [...]
What is the Wrexham effect and how is it impacting sports betting? August 3, 2023 Wrexham AFC’s meteoric rise to fame, thanks to the docuseries ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ has caused sports betting to skyrocket in a phenomenon that has been dubbed the ‘Wrexham Effect’. Gambling giant Entain’s UK sportsbook reported a nearly 60 per cent surge in bets during the National League’s 2021-22 season compared to 2017-18 – the 2019-20 [...]
Scrapping Premier League relegation on table after flood of new private equity August 3, 2023 Private equity buyers flooding into Premier League and European football are likely to want more of a say over the rules of the game, top lawyers have told City A.M., including the potential introduction of ‘closed leagues’ without promotion or relegation. The value of deals in Europe’s top five leagues – England, France, Germany, Italy [...]
Klopp laughs off idea of signing Mbappe on loan August 1, 2023 Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has laughed off any suggestion of the Premier League side securing a loan deal for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. The German insisted that his side think the France captain is a good player but financial conditions that come with any deal aren’t suitable. Mbappe has been linked with a move [...]
The Hundred has a future if it finds place alongside resurrected Test game August 1, 2023 You thought it was all over… well it isn’t. Sure the Ashes concluded yesterday in sublime fashion in south London but already eyes have turned to the reason the iconic series was shifted forward and away from the peak of British summer: The Hundred. Back again, some had hoped the cricket format – which consists [...]
£880,000 fine for Leicester City confirmed by watchdog July 31, 2023 The Competition and Markets Authority has confirmed the sanctions it has imposed on Championship club Leicester City and JD Sports as part of a case relating to shirt restrictions. A fine of £880,000 has been imposed on the 2015-16 Premier League champions while JD’s decision to report the conduct to the CMA sees them benefit [...]
Manchester United agree 10-year deal with Adidas worth £900m July 31, 2023 Manchester United have agreed a record extension with kit maker Adidas worth £900m. The brand will pay nearly £1bn to the club across a 10-year period, beating Chelsea’s 15-year deal worth £900m signed with Nike in 2017. Manchester United’s last deal with the German brand was worth £750m over a decade. “The relationship between Manchester [...]
Premier League ticket fraud on rise and social media should do more, says Lloyds July 28, 2023 Lloyds Bank have called on social media companies to do more to tackle ticket fraud ahead of the Premier League season. Football’s biggest domestic league returns in two weeks but scams are on the rise, with the banking giant stating that victims are losing, on average, £154 to criminals. Fraud is the most common crime [...]