International
Around the World....
Sydney has "secured the prize jewels of another Rugby World Cup on Australian soil," with Sydney set to host the final of the 2027 tournament (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/29).
Around the World....
Director and producer Joe Russo has joined the board of directors of Sheffield United and become a COH Sports investor, joining along with Rock Entertainment Group senior advisor Len Komoroski and The Townsend Group co-founder, principal and CEO Terry Ahern (Sheffield ...
Around the World...
The England Rugby Football Union has “agreed to hold a special general meeting after the Six Nations” tournament where chief executive Bill Sweeney is expected to “face calls for his removal.” The plans for a meeting came one day after the RFU rejected “a letter from a grassroots revolt calling for ...
Nottingham Forest reduces debt load by $87.5M
Premier League club Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has "reduced the club’s debt" by converting a further $87.5M of loans "into share capital." The move comes 11 days after Marinakis had written off another $100M of Forest loans. It is a practice that the Forest owner "has habitually fol...
Around the World....
Tennis Auckland revealed plans for a $15M renovation of ASB Tennis Centre that include putting a roof on a "redeveloped, larger stadium." The proposal is "not new," with discussions about building a covered structure existing "for most of this century," but this proposal is "well under way, with a p...
Ilona Maher helps U.K. rugby club set ticket record
Premiership Women's rugby club Bristol has "broken a record" for ticket sales ahead of U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher making her debut for the club this weekend. The match against Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday was switched from a smaller venue to 27,000-capacity Ashton Gate "to satisfy demand for seats...
Manchester United drawing criticism for cutting charitable expenses
TO SAVE A BUCK (OR POUND): In Manchester, Tyrone Marshall wrote ManU stopping a US$50,340 (£40,000) yearly payment to the Association of Former Manchester United Players (AFMUP) “amounts to just 0.006% of United's annual revenue,” but there is “no detail too small” for Ratcliffe to look at as he “tr...
Around the World....
UK Sport will invest a record US$418.8M (£330M) in Britain's Olympic and Paralympic sports for the 2028 L.A. Games, benefitting "more than 50 sports," though athletics has had its budget reduced "for the second cycle running (BBC, 12/16).
Around the World....
Southampton named Garmin the club’s first-ever back-of-shirt sponsor during the EFL Carabao Cup Competition. Building on its existing investments into the local area, Garmin’s season-long partnership with Southampton will include LED and big screen advertising at St Mary’s Stadium as well as exclusi...
Around the World....
Puma launched an AI kit design platform in collaboration with Manchester City, allowing fans to design the club's official Third kit for the 2026-27 season. The first-of-its-kind platform uses generative AI to allow fans to design their dream jerseys using text prompting, customization tools and int...
Around the World....
Several English cricket players are "discussing boycotting the Hundred" because of a "clampdown by the ECB on participation in overseas franchise tournaments." The ECB announced changes to its policy on no-objection certificates, with the new policy saying the governing body "will not permit any Eng...
Around the World....
A poll by the Manchester United Supports' Trust found that 65% of club fans are "unhappy with the ownership and management of the club" and 97& believe the change in ticket pricing will "alienate the next generation of fans" ( London TELEGRAPH, 12/5 ).
Around the World....
The Grand Sumo Tournament will take place at Royal Albert Hall in London next October, marking "only the second professional Sumo wrestling event ever staged outside of Japan," and the first time since 1991 ( THE GUARDIAN, 12/4 ).
Maher-Mania: Bristol Bears sees social media boost following Ilona Maher acquisition
U.S. women’s rugby star Ilona Maher this week signed with Premiership Women’s Rugby club Bristol Bears and the team has “already benefited from her high profile, with the club’s social followings increasing since Monday night’s announcement,” according to Coles & Mockford of the London TELEGRAPH...
Around the World....
The Saudi Pro League welcomed LaLiga to Riyadh with a dedicated workspace within its headquarters. The move is another step for the SPL to collaborate with the global football community. The new workspace commenced operation on Dec. 2 ( Saudi Pro League ).
IFAB approves trials for Football Video Support as potential VAR replacement
NOT A REPLACEMENT : THE ATHLETIC’s Luke Bosher reports FIFA “accepts that limitations on the number of cameras -- in comparison to a Premier League match, where upwards of 20 may be used -- may lead to inconclusive replays.” In these scenarios, the on-field decision “should remain.” FIFA also “insis...
ManU frustrates supporters with matchday ticket price hikes
Manchester United have told supporters that controversial ticket price hikes are part of wider measures aimed at putting the club on a stronger financial footing.
Around the World....
The groups making up the Espai d'Animacio, the collection of Barcleona supporters' groups that comprises the singing section of the Olympic Stadium, have "accused the board of selling the club out 'economically and socially'" after they were kicked out of the venue for the past two home games (ESPN,...
Saudi Arabia dealing with oil cost issues, human rights concerns ahead of World Cup vote
Saudi Arabia is a “shoo-in to win the rights to host” the 2034 FIFA World Cup when voting takes place on Dec. 11, but “turmoil in the oil market and human rights concerns hang over the kingdom’s bid,” according to Vivienne Walt of the N.Y. TIMES. There is “growing outrage from rights organizations a...
Sponsored content
Quote of the Day
But this is also not about us. So, we asked ‘What do people need?’ They need a little bit of fun, maybe a little bit of levity, a little bit of normalcy, those conversations about basketball.-- ESPN’s Malika Andrews, on the decision to structure yesterday’s “NBA Today” show as normal as possible despite the ongoing California wildfires.
PODCAST
SBJ TV
PROPERTIES
