Betting: Foxes set for another tricky away day at Stamford Bridge October 13, 2016 HEAVY is the head that wears the Premier League crown – or at least according to the last two champions it is. After a meltdown at the start of the season that saw them drop as low as 16th last December, 2015 title winners Chelsea ‘recovered’ to finish in 10th. Leicester – the most unlikely [...]
Betting: Injuries will handicap Man City against solid Everton October 13, 2016 It was all going so well for Pep Guardiola until he visited White Hart Lane. After six wins from his first six Premier League games (part of a run of ten straight victories in all competitions) his Manchester City side were bought down to earth by a clinical Spurs, who won 2-0 before the international [...]
Sky believes in better future after quarter in which rivals benefited from Euro 2016, Olympics and Paralympics October 13, 2016 Sky has said it is “on track financially” despite the company suffering at the expense of rivals broadcasting Euro 2016, the Olympics and the Paralympics. The figures In the UK and Ireland, turnover was up five per cent to to £2.1bn in the quarter to 30 September, boosted by a June TV price rise. However, Sky [...]
Former Crystal Palace boss Steve Bruce vows to stop the rot after being appointed Aston Villa manager October 12, 2016 Newly-appointed Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has vowed to arrest the club’s decline and rekindle past glories after being confirmed as manager of the seven-time top-flight champions. Bruce has replaced former Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo, whose 12-match reign at Villa Park was ended last week with the Midlands outfit 19th in the Championship having [...]
Time to take a hint: A weak currency means a weak country October 11, 2016 As the global elite (the “dirty” word du jour) descended on Washington on Friday, working the corridors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, there was one thing they couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t weak growth, it wasn’t negative rates. It wasn’t even Donald Trump. It was Brexit and the pound’s dramatic flash crash. In [...]
How gambling and betting companies have taken over the Premier League’s shirts October 8, 2016 Football fans might have noticed a recurring theme on this year's Premier League shirts — gambling. More Premier League teams are sponsored by gambling companies than ever before this season, with exactly half of the division's teams displaying logos for online casinos or bookmakers on their shirts. England's top tier was 10 years old before Fulham became the [...]
Premier League shirt sponsors quiz: Do you know what these Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Sunderland sponsors do? October 7, 2016 Shirt sponsorships generate Premier League clubs millions in commercial revenue every season. According to industry estimates, last season the Premier League's clubs made a massive £260m from splaying corporate brand names and logos across their sacred sporting tapestries. Read more: Why Chelsea parting ways with Adidas makes financial sense After enough hours in front of Sky [...]
Real Madrid fail to reclaim football’s richest crown from Barcelona despite posting club record breaking revenue October 7, 2016 Real Madrid posted the highest revenue figures in the club's history last season, with income breaking the €600m mark for the first time and reaching €620.1m (£560m). Yet the 7.4 per cent rise in income from €577.7m in the 2013/2014 campaign, the Spanish giants were unable to match the record €679m enjoyed by Barcelona last season. It [...]
Rugby lessons for succession planning October 7, 2016 Business, like rugby, is a team game that keeps evolving. When Clive Woodward won the Rugby World Cup in 2003, rugby was a kicking game. Now it is a power game and it has taken a new style of leader in Eddie Jones to make England competitive again. To win on the global stage demands [...]
Malta fact file: Everything you need to know about England’s opponents at Wembley on Saturday October 6, 2016 As far as easy starts go, England caretaker boss Gareth Southgate couldn't have hoped for a better opponent than Malta for his first game in charge. The Three Lions' opponents are 50/1 outsiders to cause an upset at Wembley this weekend. Read more: Southgate has chance to stake claim for England manager's job on permanent basis, insists [...]