Padel: The racket sport proving a smash but heading for the courts January 28, 2022 It’s loved by footballers, boasts celebrity investors and is among the fastest growing sports in the world, yet you may not even have heard of padel. The fast and furious hybrid of tennis and squash has long been hugely popular in Latin countries but recently participation has rocketed elsewhere, including the UK. Now it is [...]
Cinch and Cazoo zoom into top tier of sports sponsors January 27, 2022 Online car marketplaces Cinch and Cazoo, takeaway service Just Eat and social media platform Tik Tok were the biggest entrants to sports sponsorship in the UK last year, according to a new report. The four brands were the only new entrants in consultancy Onside’s Top 10 Most Appealing UK Sports Sponsors, which is published today. [...]
Ed Warner: Stand up for English cricket January 27, 2022 Wanted: someone to stand up for English cricket. National governing body the ECB is hunkered in its bunker, losing the PR battles over racism and the Ashes debacle. This simply won’t do. Challenging though the circumstances are, the sport needs visible leadership with a strong voice, prepared to defend what is good about it while [...]
Premier League tightens rules on Covid match postponements January 26, 2022 Premier League clubs must have at least four Covid-19 cases in their squad in order to request postponement of a fixture under stricter rules agreed today. It follows concerns that teams were able to game the previous system, which has seen more than 20 games being called off in the competition this season. The new [...]
Worcester have lost an exciting coach but Diamond can strike gold January 26, 2022 We may be in a frenzy of managerial sackings and player transfers in the world of football, but it’s rare to see seismic change at this point in a rugby season. The sporting world has, however, failed to inform Premiership club Worcester Warriors, after the club confirmed an overhaul of their current coaching staff. Former [...]
Deloitte forecasts late flurry of Premier League transfer activity January 24, 2022 Premier League clubs are being tipped to embark on a trolley dash in the final week of the January transfer window. Spending in the English top-flight has already passed £100m this month, eclipsing the total outlay in last year’s Covid-affected winter window. And Deloitte’s Sports Business Group is forecasting a busy final few days before [...]
Navratilova blasts Australian Open for ‘pathetic’ Peng Shuai stance January 24, 2022 Martina Navratilova has criticised Australian Open officials after they removed “Where is Peng Shuai?” T-shirts and banners at the tournament. The retired 18-time Grand Slam winner called the act “pathetic” amid continued concern for the welfare of Chinese tennis player Peng. “That’s just pathetic,” Navratilova wrote on social media. “The WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] stands [...]
Fifa rules to be introduced which will curb international loanees January 20, 2022 Fifa have announced new rules that will limit the number of international loans going in and out of clubs which come into effect from July. The new rules will see clubs limited to eight international loan signings in and eight loaned out in an attempt to stop teams from stockpiling talent. The international governing body [...]
How Derby County slipped to edge of disappearance January 20, 2022 They are former English champions and in top form under the management of Wayne Rooney, yet day by day Derby County are inching towards liquidation and disappearing from football forever. Their story is one of financial mismanagement in a desperate bid to achieve promotion to the Premier League; administrators scrambling to find a buyer – [...]
Premiership Rugby to return to terrestrial on ITV with live games and highlights January 20, 2022 Premiership Rugby has agreed a deal to show live matches and highlights on ITV in a move that ends the English top division’s exile from free-to-air television. BT Sport will remain the primary broadcast partner but ITV will simulcast a handful of live games each season, including the Premiership final, and air a weekly highlights [...]