Trafalgar Square lined up to host 12,500 football supporters this summer at Euro 2020 fan park April 13, 2021 Trafalgar Square is being lined up to host a Euro 2020 fan park for up to 12,500 football supporters this summer. Big screens at the central London site will show all of the matches being played at Wembley Stadium, including England’s three group games, both semi-finals and the final. The plans have been submitted by [...]
Mason Mount continues emergence as key man in Gareth Southgate’s England Euro 2020 project March 29, 2021 When Mason Mount collected Harry Kane’s pass and clipped the ball over Albania goalkeeper Etrit Berisha on Sunday it was job done. Another three points for England to continue their flawless start to the qualifying campaign for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. And another exhibit in the burgeoning cache of evidence that Mount deserves a [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Is crypto the next big player in sports sponsorship? Plus Extreme E’s Suez near miss and Amazon’s Six Nations interest March 25, 2021 Where US sports lead, others tend to follow, so it was with interest that industry insiders noted developments in Florida this week. Miami Heat’s home is set to be rebranded the FTX Arena after the NBA side struck a naming rights agreement with the cryptocurrency exchange. FTX will pay $135m for the 19-year deal, the [...]
Euro 2020 will happen this year and fans could follow their teams overseas, says European football’s Covid-19 chief February 24, 2021 Uefa’s Covid-19 tsar says there is no question of Euro 2020 being cancelled and that fans could yet be allowed to travel internationally to the games. The tournament was postponed last year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for 11 June to 11 July this year. “There is no way the Euros will [...]
Up to 10,000 sports fans to be allowed back to stadiums from 17 May, says Prime Minister February 22, 2021 Sports fans will be allowed to return to stadiums from 17 May, with up to 10,000 spectators permitted in the largest venues. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the relaxation of rules today as he laid out his plans for emerging from lockdown. The announcement means that crowds should be in attendance for Euro 2020 matches [...]
Uefa snubs Israeli offer to stage Euro 2020 matches and reaffirms commitment to 12 host nations February 16, 2021 Uefa says it is not pursuing an offer from Israel to help with hosting Euro 2020 and European club competitions. Israel’s world-leading Covid-19 vaccination programme means it would be well placed to welcome fans to matches. The Israel Football Association confirmed it had offered Uefa the use of three stadiums for staging matches at this [...]
What Euro 2020 in a Covid-19 world will look like for football fans, sponsors and broadcasters February 9, 2021 Euro 2020 is scheduled to take place across 12 European cities in June and Covid-19 will mean changes to the way major sporting events operate. Hygiene protocols, new technology solutions and fan behaviours will emerge that present both challenges and opportunities for brands and rights holders. Safety is paramount Any British fans who do physically [...]
The Week in Sportbiz: Cricket meets hip-hop; Germany exports VAR; and the ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ goes global November 19, 2020 Cricket and hip-hop aren’t obvious bedfellows but they cosied up this week when South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi joined Jay-Z’s talent stable Roc Nation. Ngidi, South Africa’s player of the year in one-day and T20 internationals, is the first cricketer to sign with Roc Nation Sports. Roc Nation has snapped up mostly American athletes, [...]
Give Gareth Southgate a break. Belgium defeat is a consequence of England’s necessary experimentation November 16, 2020 Professional misanthrope Roy Keane was at it again after England’s 2-0 defeat to Belgium in the Nations League on Sunday. “I know they’ve got players to come back in,” he said on ITV, “but on tonight’s evidence I still think they’re short.” Keane wasn’t the only critic. Social media was awash with questioning of manager [...]
It may not feel like it but the greatest year of sport is almost upon us October 26, 2020 As we fast approach the end of the year we should all allow ourselves to look forward to crawling out of the dark cloud of Covid-19 and into 2021, the greatest year of sport ever. Euro 2020, the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Twenty20 cricket World Cups, the Women’s Euros, a Ryder Cup, a Rugby League World [...]