Socios: The blockchain-enabled fan token platform promising to unlock revenue from the global fanbases of sport’s most famous teams July 31, 2021 Football’s transfer market may have lacked headline-grabbing deals so far this summer but the same can’t be said for Socios. The platform, which sells “fan tokens” offering supporters the chance to influence decisions at their team, has instantly increased visibility with a clutch of major partnerships. Last week Socios announced the launch of an Arsenal [...]
European football market contracted by £3.4bn in first few months of Covid-19 pandemic, Deloitte report finds July 29, 2021 The European football market shrunk by 13 per cent in the first few months of the pandemic, according to analysis by Deloitte. Total revenue fell by €3.7bn (£3.4bn) to €25.2bn (£22.1bn) in 2019-20, the first decrease since the global financial crisis struck more than a decade earlier. Clubs suffered as leagues were postponed and resumed [...]
Abramovich bought Chelsea on Putin’s orders, former FT correspondent in Moscow claims July 28, 2021 Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was accused of buying Chelsea FC as “part of a scheme to corrupt the West” on Vladimir Putin’s orders in a “seriously defamatory” book about the Russian president’s regime, his lawyers told the High Court today. The 54-year-old billionaire is suing journalist Catherine Belton over her best-selling book Putin’s People: How [...]
Boris Johnson says being double-jabbed will ‘help you’ go to mass events July 28, 2021 Boris Johnson has said today that getting two vaccines will “help, not hinder” people wanting to travel or go to mass events in a clear suggestion the government wants to roll out vaccine passports. The Prime Minister said “it’s a very positive thing” to get a Covid jab and that take up among young people [...]
Refusing to take Covid vaccine is selfish, says Michael Gove July 27, 2021 People who refuse to take the Covid vaccine are selfish and putting peoples’ lives at risks, according to Michael Gove. The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also said “some form of certification” was “the right way to go” for things like nightclubs and mass events. More than 70 per cent of adults have received both [...]
Fulham sign up blockchain telecoms network World Mobile as principal commercial partner on three-year-deal July 27, 2021 Fulham have signed World Mobile, a telecoms network that uses blockchain technology, as their new principal commercial partner. The three-year deal sees World Mobile replace bookmaker BetVictor as the club’s main sponsor. The agreement will see World Mobile appear on the shirts of the Fulham men’s, women’s and youth teams. Fulham’s men will be hoping [...]
Crystal Palace report £58m loss for pandemic-hit 2019-20 season July 26, 2021 Crystal Palace have announced a £58m loss for the 2019-20 season as a result of Covid-19’s impact on football. The Premier League club saw revenue fall £13m to £142m, while operating expenses increased by £15m to £154m. The drop in income was largely due to the effect of matches in the second half of the [...]
Vaccinations to be needed to attend football matches from October July 25, 2021 Football fans who have not had two vaccinations may be banned from attending Premier League football matches from later this year. Boris Johnson announced earlier this week that people will need to show Covid passports to enter nightclubs and some large events from the end of September. The Sunday Telegraph reports that this will include [...]
Arsenal and Man City scrap overseas trips as Covid-19 hits Premier League pre-season preparations July 22, 2021 Premier League clubs Arsenal and Manchester City have had their preparations for the new season disrupted by issues relating to Covid-19. Arsenal were forced to cancel a pre-season trip to the US to compete in the Florida Cup alongside Everton, Inter Milan and Colombian side Millonarios. The North London outfit returned a number of positive [...]
Football review chair: Game could face “existential crisis” without reform and regulation July 22, 2021 Tracey Crouch, the former sports Minister tasked with a review of football governance in the UK, has written to the Culture Secretary to say “football authorities have lost the trust and confidence of fans.” In her interim findings, Crouch calls for an independent regulator of football clubs to monitor in particular financial regulation, corporate governance [...]