How to stage a limited capacity match in the Covid era, from socially distanced seating to ordering drinks November 25, 2020 Sports clubs across England are preparing to host limited-capacity events when lockdown ends next week, but Harlequins are one step ahead. The Premiership rugby club had 2,800 at their home, The Stoop, for a match against Bath in early September, as part of a nationwide pilot scheme. Here, Adrian Wells, chief marketing officer at Harlequins, [...]
Surrey and Harlequins welcome return of fans but warn that capacity limits will lose clubs more money November 24, 2020 Two of English sport’s biggest clubs have welcomed the imminent return of fans but warned that staging matches with restricted capacity is not financially sustainable. Spectators will be able to attend live sport in limited numbers when the country’s second lockdown is lifted on 2 December, it was announced on Monday. The move is a [...]
Investor sentiment in City upbeat as Trump hints at orderly transfer of power November 24, 2020 Despite the lacklustre start to this week’s trading, investor sentiment in the City and beyond is certainly becoming much less pessimistic. This renewed push appears to have come about as a result of overnight events in the US, where Joe Biden is starting the transition process to a new US administration next year. “President Trump [...]
The Big Rebuild: Why sport must recognise importance of PR before it’s too late November 20, 2020 Covid-19 has ripped the sports industry to shreds, leaving a trail of bare-bones teams who are overworked and stretched. During a second lockdown it might seem hasty to think about rebuilding and planning for the coming months. But we know that one day sport’s fan ban will be lifted. Once it does, it will happen [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group increases stake in luxury brand Mulberry November 19, 2020 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has increased its stake in Mulberry, sending the luxury handbag firm’s share price up more than eight per cent this morning. Frasers Group, which was formerly known as Sports Direct, has upped its stake in the designer brand to 36.82 per cent. The group, which also owns House of Fraser, Jack [...]
Frank Stephenson on the rights and wrongs of car design November 17, 2020 Frank Stephenson’s car design CV stretches from the modern Mini to the McLaren P1. We ask about his career and what BMW has been drinking.
Buying the hype – Are baskets a solution to bubbles? November 17, 2020 The events and turbulence of this year need no explanation. The global pandemic, US election and everything in between have sent dramatic waves across the markets. With so much volatility and uncertainty rocking the markets, stocks have continued to break records and climb to new highs and equal lows throughout the year. In response, increasing [...]
JD Sports’ merger with Footasylum edges nearer after appeal November 13, 2020 The competition watchdog’s decision to block a merger between JD Sports and Footasylum has been overturned following an appeal. The Competition Appeals Tribunal said today that the Competition and Markets Authority had acted “irrationally” when it ruled in May that the tie-up would lead to a “substantially” lessening of competition nationally. The tribunal ruled that [...]
Esports brand Fnatic launches crowdfunding campaign after raising $10m November 11, 2020 Shoreditch-based Fnatic is launching a crowdfunding campaign on the back of an increased interest in esports and a recent internal funding round. Venture capital firm Beringea led the $10m round with participation from existing investors Unbound, LVL1 Global and JHD, bringing total investment in Fnatic to nearly $35m. Fnatic, which is the second most watched [...]
The public are not to blame for the second lockdown November 11, 2020 Justice secretary Robert Buckland last week blamed the public for England’s new lockdown. In particular, the fault was with people failing to self-isolate properly. Of course, in a purely technical sense Buckland is right. The virus spreads by contact with an infected person. If people do not self-isolate, Covid-19 will continue to percolate across the [...]