Battle of the Sexes tennis: Billie Jean King says it’s just entertainment December 27, 2025 Billie Jean King has distanced herself from this year’s Battle of the Sexes tennis showdown, insisting hers was about “social change”, while the 2025 edition is “entertainment”. World number one Aryna Sabalenka will take on Australian Nick Kyrgios in a Battle of the Sexes match in Dubai on 30 December. King famously beat self-proclaimed chauvinist [...]
Why mascots are the next branding opportunity for sports teams December 26, 2025 Mascots aren’t just tacky costumes anymore, they’re the next frontier in the world of sport branding, writes Mike Perry. Surveying today’s sports brand landscape, one striking fact stands out. Teams aren’t just competing on the pitch anymore, they’re competing for hearts, thumb-scrolls and wardrobe space. For younger fans the experience of fandom is increasingly about [...]
Which Gallagher Prem Rugby stadium is the best? December 26, 2025 There are 10 Gallagher Prem Rugby teams fighting to thrive, survive and just coast along this year – and their stadiums are key to achieving momentum. But which stadium is the best to watch England’s top flight competition in? In last year’s inaugural edition I had Newcastle Falcons’ (now Newcastle Red Bulls) Kingston Park bottom, [...]
Sport business quiz 2025: Test your knowledge with City AM’s topical teasers December 24, 2025 Quiz fans, have you been paying attention to the ever-changing sport business landscape in 2025? We at City AM have been breathlessly documenting it and have devised a test to see how much you remember. If you think you know your Hundred auctions from your Formula 1 minority sales and your record breaking NBA team [...]
Financial stability before glory: Why professional sport must grow up December 24, 2025 Professional sport has never looked richer or felt more fragile. Revenues are growing, valuations are rising, and private capital is circling like never before. Yet beneath the surface, financial fragility remains endemic. Too many clubs – across football, rugby, cricket and beyond – are one bad season, one failed owner, or one missed broadcast deal [...]
US investors buy stakes in Liga MX’s Club America and Azteca Stadium in $490m enterprise value deal December 24, 2025 US investors have purchased stakes in Mexican football team Club America and the iconic Azteca Stadium in a $490m enterprise value deal to go into Mexican football just months before the 2026 Fifa World Cup. In a joint statement to the Mexican stock exchange — Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) — a new entity known as [...]
Why sports districts like Birmingham City’s are the future of stadiums December 24, 2025 On-pitch glory will always be the ultimate prize, but ambitious sports investors are now looking beyond traditional matchday revenues and exploring ways to diversify income, enabling reinvestment into areas that support on-pitch performance and secure a more robust future. This strategic shift also recognises that sport, particularly its physical infrastructure, presents a powerful opportunity for [...]
Exclusive: NBA Europe to woo sponsors at swanky London summit next month December 23, 2025 The NBA will roll out the red carpet for a sales pitch to potential commercial partners of its proposed new European basketball league next month in London. Senior executives from the US sports behemoth will host the event at one of the capital’s swankiest hotels on 19 January, the day after the Memphis Grizzlies and [...]
Serie A overseas game cancellation is early Christmas present, say football fans December 23, 2025 Football fans’ groups across the world have celebrated the cancellation of plans to export a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como overseas just weeks before the fixture. Milan and Como had been due to fly halfway around the world to play in Perth, Australia, on 8 February, in what would have been a [...]
Champ clubs demand divorce payment from RFU over Prem franchise plan December 23, 2025 The Rugby Football Union is facing the threat of legal action from Champ clubs if the RFU Council approves a proposal from the Prem to become a franchise league with no promotion from the second tier. City AM has learned that the Champ Rugby board held an emergency meeting with clubs last week at which [...]