Carabao Cup has enough fizz to make business sense despite what its critics say February 25, 2022 The Carabao Cup, which concludes on Sunday when Chelsea play Liverpool at Wembley, is perennially fending off calls for its demise and remains the butt of many a joke. Its future beyond 2024 remains uncertain, when an expanded Champions League is set to tighten the squeeze on English football’s secondary domestic cup competition. And it [...]
Exclusive: World’s biggest litigation funder Harbour strikes £2m deal with sports lawyers to fund ‘no win, no fee’ FIFA lawsuits February 24, 2022 Private litigation funder Harbour has struck a £2m deal with specialist law firm Morgan Sports Law, through which Harbour plans to cover footballers’ legal costs in employment disputes put forward on a “no win, no fee” basis. Harbour will cover any legal costs in disputes between professional footballers and their employers, and take a cut [...]
Uefa calls meeting to move Champions League final from Russia February 24, 2022 European football’s governing body Uefa has called an extraordinary meeting for tomorrow morning when it is expected to strip Russia of the Champions League final. St Petersburg had been due to stage the biggest game in club football on 28 May but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this week has seen pressure on Uefa to move [...]
Ed Warner: Russia has taken us all for fools, especially spineless Thomas Bach February 24, 2022 Second in the table of overall medals won isn’t half bad for a nation denied a place at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Russia has taken us all for fools. You if you watched any of it. Me for doing just that. All the sporting politicians who allow Russian athletes to compete. The greatest fool [...]
KPMG ditches golfer Mickelson over Saudi breakaway tour row February 23, 2022 KPMG has terminated its long-standing sponsorship of Phil Mickelson in the wake of the US golfer’s comments supporting a proposed Saudi-backed tour. Mickelson apologised on Tuesday for remarks in which he pushed the case for a new circuit despite acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s “horrible record on human rights”. KPMG on Mickelson’s cap has been one of [...]
Saudi-backed golf tour ‘dead in water’, says Rory McIlroy February 21, 2022 Former world No1 Rory McIlroy believes Saudi-backed plans for a breakaway golf tour are “dead in the water” after more leading players turned their back on the talks. McIlroy also issued a stinging rebuke of Phil Mickelson after the US PGA champion indicated he would overlook his humanitarian concerns about Saudi Arabia in the name [...]
Oracle Red Bull Racing sign record breaking sponsorship deal with Bybit February 16, 2022 Formula 1 team Oracle Red Bull Racing have agreed a world record sponsorship deal with cryptocurrency exchange Bybit. The three-year contract is believed to be worth $150m (£111m), making it the biggest crypto commercial partnership in sport in terms of yearly value. “I’m delighted to welcome Bybit to the Team,” said team principal and chief [...]
Manchester United sign blockchain platform Tezos as training kit sponsor February 10, 2022 Manchester United have confirmed a training kit sponsorship deal with blockchain platform Tezos. The multi-year agreement is believed to be worth more than £20m a season, representing an increase on their previous contract with insurer Aon. It will Tezos appear on the training kit worn by both United’s men’s and women’s team, starting immediately. “This [...]
Why Team GB athlete Lorraine Ugen started her own sportswear brand Unsigned February 9, 2022 British track and field star Lorraine Ugen is launching her own self-funded sportswear brand, Unsigned, for athletes without sponsorship contracts. World, European and Commonwealth Games medallist Ugen wants the label to highlight the growing number of athletes who don’t have endorsement deals. The long jump and sprint specialist, 30, also hopes the budding business can [...]
Sponsors and Peta round on West Ham over Zouma February 9, 2022 West Ham United sponsor Experience Kissimmee says it is “evaluating its relationship” with the club after it failed to suspend Kurt Zouma for apparently abusing an animal. The Hammers picked Zouma for last night’s Premier League match against Watford despite earlier condemning footage of him kicking and hitting a cat. Animal protection group Peta, meanwhile, [...]