What Euro 2020 in a Covid-19 world will look like for football fans, sponsors and broadcasters February 9, 2021 Euro 2020 is scheduled to take place across 12 European cities in June and Covid-19 will mean changes to the way major sporting events operate. Hygiene protocols, new technology solutions and fan behaviours will emerge that present both challenges and opportunities for brands and rights holders. Safety is paramount Any British fans who do physically [...]
Sport on TV: How to watch India v England, the Six Nations, Liverpool v Man City and Super Bowl LV in the UK February 6, 2021 What better way to beat the lockdown blues than by gorging on a feast of sport on TV? Answer: none. And this weekend’s fare is the most abundant yet this year, with an England Test series on terrestrial TV, the first round of the Six Nations, a Premier League title showdown between Liverpool and Manchester [...]
Why Test cricket is back on Channel 4 and what it means for the future of sport on terrestrial TV February 2, 2021 For the first time since the heady 2005 Ashes series, Test cricket is returning to British terrestrial television. Channel 4 has bought the rights to show England’s tour of India, which begins on Friday in Chennai. But why is cricket back on a free-to-air broadcaster? Who stands to gain? And what does this mean for [...]
UK betting giant Entain takes punt on Tabcorp as it eyes up Australian market February 2, 2021 Ladbrokes owner Entain has today announced that it has made an offer for betting firm Tabcorp Holdings’ wagering and media business. The non-binding indicative offer signals a desire from Entain to expand its services in Australia by becoming the country’s biggest betting company owner. Entain already has a small presence in the Australian betting market [...]
Premier League set for its lowest January transfer window spend since 2012, barring unexpected deadline day splurge February 1, 2021 The Premier League is heading for its lowest January spend since 2012, barring an unexpected transfer deadline day flurry of activity. Heading into the final hours of the transfer window, English top-flight clubs had forked out around £78m. Unless they spend more than £40m before tonight’s 11pm deadline, it will represent their lowest outlay for [...]
Why football clubs face an increased threat from cyber criminals during the transfer window January 31, 2021 It isn’t just football’s wheeler-dealers springing into action this month for the January transfer window. Increasingly, it is open season too for cyber criminals who see the game as rich pickings for various forms of hacking. “Right now there are big amounts of money changing hands,” says Max Heinemeyer of cyber defence firm Darktrace. “So this [...]
Sports teams facing end of gambling shirt sponsorship January 31, 2021 Sports teams are facing the prospect of being banned from displaying gambling logos on their shirts, the Sunday Times reported. Officials have warned members of the sports industry that a crackdown on gambling sponsors is under consideration. Such a move would be a seismic shock for sports clubs, and mark the biggest shake-up in sports [...]
Former England cricket chief Colin Graves: ‘I know Indian investment in The Hundred is there if the doors are opened’ January 30, 2021 Colin Graves may have stepped down as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year but he is not done shaping the game he loves. This month, the 73-year-old joined the board of Oakwell Sports Advisory, which advised CVC Capital Partners on its investment in Premiership Rugby and the Pro14. The man [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Premier League still No1 in China; Leeds boss keeping busy; Matchroom’s media move; Wimbledon optimism; London 2012 gold for sale January 28, 2021 The Premier League’s ongoing dispute with a Chinese broadcaster doesn’t appear to have affected its popularity in the Far East. England’s top division has been named the most popular football league in China by a new report ranking digital performance. It had 80 per cent more engagement on leading social media platform Weibo than La [...]
Trevor Steven: Lampard’s Chelsea had become a runaway train but Tuchel is the perfect man to steer them back to the top January 27, 2021 Chelsea need a manager who can pick up the reins quickly and in Thomas Tuchel I think they’ve got the perfect man. Experience at a big club? Check. Knows how to handle superstars? Check. Able to get a team performing at close to their maximum? Again, check. And that’s all in his last job at [...]