NFL buys stake in Disney subsidiary ESPN in media asset swap August 6, 2025 The NFL is set to buy a minority stake in ESPN as the media giant takes control of American football’s NFL Network assets. The non-binding agreement, confirmed in the early hours of Wednesday morning, will see the NFL purchase a 10 per cent stake in the Walt Disney subsidiary and allow Disney to broadcast more [...]
Man Utd fans compare Ratcliffe to Savile amid £74m Sesko pursuit August 5, 2025 Manchester United fans are planning a protest against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s co-ownership that invokes Jimmy Savile, despite the club launching a £74m bid for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. Supporters’ group The 1958 intends to march to Old Trafford with banners declaring ‘Jim Can’t Fix This’, a reference to the disgraced TV presenter, ahead of [...]
Thomas Partey: Former Arsenal star bailed until September August 5, 2025 Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been granted conditional bail after appearing in court on rape and sexual assault charges. The Ghana midfielder, 32, has been charged with five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. He stood with his arms behind his back [...]
Manchester City launch own content hub on Dazn for new season August 4, 2025 Dazn and Manchester City have announced a new collaboration which will see the creation of a dedicated content hub for the Premier League side on the platform. Manchester City fans will have free access to a catalogue of non-live content, including interviews, press conferences, podcasts and behind-the-scenes footage, among others. Fans will also be able [...]
Daniel Levy: Man City verdict taken far too long and multi-club needs controls August 4, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has called for a swift conclusion to Manchester City’s legal battle with the Premier League, saying the process “has gone on for far too long”. Less than two weeks before the start of a new top-flight season, more than 100 charges that City breached financial rules remain unresolved, despite an [...]
Snoop Dogg, Reynolds and Modric: What’s luring stars to Welsh football? August 3, 2025 From Wrexham to Swansea and, perhaps soon, Cardiff: is the need for narratives leading the rich and famous to Welsh football? Two years ago, an American couple at Crewe train station asked me if they were on the right platform. They’d travelled from the other side of the world to go on a football pilgrimage. [...]
Inside SLB v BBF: Top lawyers, bitter barbs and the European Super League August 2, 2025 Next week lawyers representing Super League Basketball clubs will lodge their response to a counter-claim from the British Basketball Federation, the latest move in a High Court legal battle that is giving the sport much-needed attention but for all the wrong reasons. In a nutshell, the BBF has stripped SLB of its licence to run [...]
Exclusive: Premier League data partner Genius expands portfolio August 1, 2025 The Premier League’s data and technology partner, Genius Sports, has secured a deal to provide the official betting data rights for 18 other top football leagues across Europe. As part of a long-term agreement with the European Leagues Association, Genius Sports will use AI technology to capture and distribute official betting data for a wide [...]
‘The correct decision’: Reaction as West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta cleared July 31, 2025 West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing after an independent panel found charges of deliberately incurring yellow cards to be not proven, the Football Association has confirmed. It comes two years after the FA announced an investigation into the Brazil international midfielder, a development blamed for derailing Paqueta’s likely £85m transfer [...]
Is director training the answer to football’s governance woes? July 31, 2025 A new study suggests reforming football governance by testing and training directors. But is the regulator capable, asks Ed Warner? Countless millions follow professional football in England, claiming allegiance to a favourite club whose fortunes are entwined daily with each individual’s emotions, their highs and lows in seemingly unavoidable synchronicity. Turns out these essential forces [...]