United Rugby Championship: Four South African teams join northern hemisphere sides in private equity shake-up of Pro14 June 15, 2021 Club rugby union is set for a private-equity-led shake-up later this year when the United Rugby Championship replaces the Pro14. Four South African teams will join the dozen Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian sides already part of the Pro14 to form a new 16-team tournament. The changes, which will incorporate lucrative new TV deals and [...]
Premier League clubs slip to record £1bn loss as Covid-19 hammers income from match days and broadcasters June 15, 2021 Premier League clubs suffered a record aggregate pre-tax loss of almost £1bn in 2019-20 as a result of Covid-19’s impact on football. The combined revenues of the 20 top-flight teams fell for the first time ever to £4.5bn, a drop of 13 per cent, according to Deloitte. A delay to the completion of the season, [...]
French Open prize money 2021: How much can tennis players win at Roland Garros? June 11, 2021 Tennis has been badly affected by the pandemic, and that is reflected in a further reduction in French Open prize money for 2021. The winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles at Roland Garros this weekend stand to earn €1.4m each. That is 12.5 per cent down on the payouts to Rafael Nadal and [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Ukraine told to change Russia-baiting Euro 2020 kit; Germany muscles in on London NFL patch; beIN and Channel 4 bag rights deals June 10, 2021 Euro 2020 may not have started yet but it has already kicked off between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine tweaked the nose of Russia earlier this week when it revealed a Moscow-baiting new football kit, to be worn at Euro 2020. The yellow shirt features a map of Ukraine that includes Crimea, which Russia annexed in [...]
Covid-19 at Euro 2020: What are the rules if players test positive for coronavirus during the tournament? June 10, 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic may not be over yet but Euro 2020 is about to take place, a year later than planned, all across Europe. Despite measures in place to minimise the risk of infection, it is likely that teams will suffer outbreaks during the tournament. So what happens if a player tests positive for Covid-19 [...]
Six Premier League clubs fined £22m over failed European Super League project June 9, 2021 The Premier League has fined six English clubs who tried to join a breakaway European Super League a combined £22m. The rebel teams – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – will pay £3.67m each. But they face fines of £25m per club and 30-point deductions should they attempt a similar [...]
Debbie Hewitt to become first female chair of the FA as she leaves Restaurant Group June 8, 2021 Debbie Hewitt is set to become the FA’s first female chair, with the Restaurant Group confirming she will be leaving the same position at the hospitality firm this morning. Hewitt will leave the Restaurant Group – which owns Wagamama and Frankie and Benny’s – at the end of December 2021. Read more: FA Cup to [...]
Private equity giant CVC in talks to invest in OneTennis, a proposed merger between of the men’s ATP Tour and women’s WTA Tour June 7, 2021 CVC Capital Partners is in talks to buy a stake in a proposed new entity that combines the men’s and women’s tennis tours, according to reports. OneTennis would unify the ATP Tour and WTA Tour under one organisation, with CVC taking a minority shareholding in the new commercial vehicle. Approval for the merger could come [...]
Nico Rosberg on running his own motor racing team in Extreme E, striking deals with sponsors and recruiting drivers on Instagram June 4, 2021 It is five years since Nico Rosberg performed the ultimate mic drop, walking away from Formula 1 just days after being crowned world champion. Rosberg hasn’t completely abandoned the spotlight since. He has enjoyed a high-profile second career as an investor, particularly in tech companies and those with a green agenda, while staying involved in [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Mexican stand-off over Club Necaxa NFT; press conferences overshadow French Open; English football in distress June 3, 2021 From NBA Top Shot to Christian Fuchs, the march of the NFT in sport has looked unstoppable. Until now, that is. Mexican football chiefs this week put the brakes on the plans of Club Necaxa to become the world’s first sports team to sell an ownership stake using blockchain technology. Club Necaxa, whose shareholders include [...]
