Cannes Lions: Athletes, algorithms and the ascent of women’s sport June 27, 2025 At this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, sport didn’t just show up – it dominated. From athletes turned media moguls to billion-pound plays on women’s leagues, the message was clear: sport is now a strategic asset for marketers hungry for cultural relevance, real life interactions and experiences, and commercial return. The Sport Beach [...]
Women’s football: Why brand is key to building on Lionesses’ success June 27, 2025 With the Women’s Euros approaching the spotlight is bright on the Lionesses, and domestic clubs will be looking to capitalise on the momentum of the tournament by converting national fans into home team supporters. This is where brand comes in. Crucial for building greater connections, a sense of belonging and loyalty, and for attracting the [...]
Under-21 Euros: England youngsters chalk up wins for Channel 4 June 26, 2025 Channel 4’s punt on England at the men’s Under-21 Euros has already paid off before Saturday’s final, with strong viewing figures for the Young Lions’ knockout games. England’s semi-final win over the Netherlands on Wednesday evening was the most popular programming on UK TV at the time. The 2-1 victory over the Dutch, secured by [...]
Southampton owner Solak steps up £170m fight with London fund June 26, 2025 Billionaire Southampton FC owner Dragan Solak has escalated a legal battle with London-based private equity fund BC Partners, which he says owes him and his business partners £170m. Solak has asked Dutch authorities to investigate what he calls a “serious governance crisis” at United Group, the telecoms and media business he founded but which is [...]
Rangers takeover: 49ers promise to attract better sponsors and signings June 24, 2025 The San Francisco 49ers will lend a “global gravitas and awareness” to Rangers that helps them attract more lucrative commercial deals and better signings, says the Scottish club’s new vice-chairman Paraag Marathe. A US consortium spearheaded by private healthcare businessman Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL franchise which also owns [...]
US Open prize money 2025: Golf’s most lucrative major freezes payouts June 13, 2025 Organisers of this week’s US Open, the third men’s golf major of the year, have taken the unusual step of not increasing prize money for 2025. But before you reach for a tiny violin, it’s worth remembering that the US Open remains the most lucrative of the four majors with total prize money of $21.5 [...]
Does the Women’s Super League need a salary cap or other cost controls? June 13, 2025 Does the Women’s Super League need a salary cap? That was the question posed this week by no less an authority than Deloitte’s Sports Business Group upon the release of its 34th Annual Review of Football Finance. The report contained plenty of positive updates on the finances of WSL teams: aggregate revenue grew 36 per [...]
Premiership Rugby taps Raine and Deloitte as investors circle June 11, 2025 Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) has engaged the Raine Group and Deloitte to manage potential investment in the competition or some of its clubs. Premiership Rugby is attracting inquiries from American investors looking to buy into English sport following the recent influx of purchasers of Premier League and EFL clubs, with interest expected to grow ahead [...]
Leclerc launches ice cream brand LEC into £1.4bn UK market June 10, 2025 Ferrari Formula 1 driver is aiming to overtake new competitors as he enters the UK ice cream market. The 27-year-old founded LEC, a light ice bream brand, in 2024 and is now aiming to break into an industry worth £1.4bn on these shores. The driver is launching with an initial five flavours – Swirly Pistachi-oh, [...]
Club World Cup tickets: Chelsea fans say Fifa shot themselves in foot June 10, 2025 Will the first expanded Club World Cup be a success or did Fifa bungle the ticket sales irreparably? Morning Wire asked two Chelsea fans who are spending thousands to attend. For lifelong Chelsea fan John Hand, 62, a trip to the Club World Cup has been several years in the making. “When we won the [...]