F175: Formula 1 tour de force launch a lesson to other sports in innovation February 19, 2025 Everything about Formula 1’s 75th anniversary extravaganza at London’s O2 Arena shouldn’t have worked: mass commercialisation of a sport with £9 pints and 10 teams showing off this year’s designs on last year’s cars one after another. What unfolded, however, was a lesson in how sport can continue to innovate, and how it can take [...]
Man Utd slump to another loss despite Ratcliffe cost-cutting February 19, 2025 Manchester United have suffered another financial loss after a fall in revenues that reflects the men’s team’s worsening on-field struggles. The club made a loss of £27.7m for the second quarter of their financial year, to 31 December – a 236 per cent swing into the red from the same period in 2023. For the [...]
Arsenal cash in on Champions League return with record revenue February 19, 2025 Arsenal’s return to the Champions League and lucrative new sponsorship deals boosted the club’s revenue by 32 per cent to a record £616.6m last year. The £150m increase came from improved matchday, broadcast and commercial revenues and puts Arsenal behind only Manchester City and Manchester United for income in the Premier League. But £256m of [...]
Mercedes team reject fears of Ineos Formula 1 exit February 18, 2025 Formula 1 powerhouse Mercedes have been forced to deny that the team’s ownership could shift amid a wave of sporting cuts by co-owners Ineos. The chemicals giant, part-owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, holds 33 per cent of shares in the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, with team principal Toto Wolff and the German [...]
Sinner case ‘million miles from doping’, says Wada official February 18, 2025 The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has defended agreeing to a three-month ban for tennis world No1 Jannik Sinner, saying the case was “a million miles from doping”. The Italian tennis star, who defended his Australian Open title last month, has begun a suspension after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol last year. But the [...]
Sinner’s three-month ban looks like ‘favouritism’, says Brit Broady February 17, 2025 World No1 Jannik Sinner’s three-month ban from tennis for anti-doping violations smacks of “favouritism towards the better players”, says British Davis Cup star Liam Broady. Sinner reached a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) at the weekend over his two positive tests last year, resulting in a ban that will expire in May shortly [...]
Fan pressure tells as Liverpool freeze ticket prices for next season February 17, 2025 Premier League leaders Liverpool have bowed to supporter pressure and frozen ticket prices for next season. The decision to increase prices by two per cent this term sparked fan protests and accusations of greed being aimed at the club’s US owners, Fenway Sports Group. But there will be no repeat for the 2025-26 campaign after [...]
Manchester Originals investors ‘happy’ despite missing out on London Spirit February 14, 2025 The owner of Indian Premier League side Lucknow Super Giants, RPSG Group, says it is “extremely happy” to have bought a stake in the Hundred franchise Manchester Originals despite initially bidding for Lord’s-based London Spirit. RPSG was gazumped in the auction of a 49 per cent stake in London Spirit by a consortium of Silicon [...]
Arsenal injury crisis is down to overworked players, says Arteta February 14, 2025 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has sounded the alarm over player workload, saying his team’s injury crisis is “a consequence” of increasing demands on footballers. Arteta said he was training his squad “less than ever” in a bid to balance a schedule that can require European football’s top stars to play 60-70 games a season. His [...]
Why the NBA has reinvented All-Star Weekend in a bid to revive it February 14, 2025 The NBA has made drastic changes to its All-Star Weekend in an attempt to breathe new life into a spectacle that has lost half of its audience. Todd Boehly and his consortium of US investors didn’t waste any time in ripping up the rulebook after they took over at Chelsea in the summer of 2022. [...]