Premier League's broadcasting revenue of €3.5B beats that of Bundesliga and La Liga combined

For most football fans around the world, the English Premier League (EPL) is the pinnacle of the sport. And with good reason – the EPL is by far the most lucrative league globally. According to a Safebettingsites data presentation, the EPL generated a staggering €3.5B in broadcasting revenue in the 2021/22 season. 

Premier League’s Project Restart moves a step closer

English Premier League clubs are hoping to give their players the go-ahead to return to training in small groups this week.

But, there is a growing feeling that the intended June 12 date set for matches to start again will need to be pushed back.

A vote was due to take place on training and medical protocols when the 20 top-flight clubs where due to hold their next meeting.

If at least 14 of the 20 clubs passed through, players would be able to train in groups of five thereafter.

The Premier League would have been encouraged with the return of the Bundesliga, in Germany, this weekend.

They were the first major football league to in the world to resume after the easing of the lockdown.

As in Germany, Premier League will have to undergo safety measures including tents where temperature checks will be conducted, strict hygiene criteria, no canteens and no showers.

A maximum of five players will be allowed per pitch with tackling forbidden.

Players will be tested twice per week and are being asked to provide written approval that they have received and understood the club’s Covid-19 policy.

The prospect of clubs playing their remaining fixtures at neutral grounds has receded with more than half speaking out against such a proposal.

Prepare to ‘Find Your Greatness’ as search for UK’s Future Athletes gets underway

As the nation celebrates Team GB’s inspiring performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning over 60 medals for the fourth consecutive games, the search has officially begun to find the next generation of UK sporting talent.

President of Kazakhstan Tennis Federation re-elected to ITF Board

Elections to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Board of Directors were held in Cancun, Mexico. Under the auspices of a special election commission and independent auditors, voting took place through secret ballot among eligible ITF members.

Prime Minister visits transformed Alexander Stadium ahead of Birmingham 2022

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently visited the newly transformed Alexander Stadium to hear about legacy funding for national governing bodies for sport and to meet with volunteers, batonbearers and medal designers who are all part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Private Charter Flights: The Ultimate Game-Changer for UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying

The qualifying tournament for the UEFA Euro 2024 is currently underway, with football teams traversing across Europe to compete in matches. With a jam-packed schedule, limited opportunities for adequate rest, and crucial games ahead, several football teams opt for private charter flights as their preferred mode of transportation.

Pro riders, stunts and thrills arriving in in Wolverhampton soon – and you can have a go too

Wolverhampton’s Market Square will be transformed into an action-packed arena when the Extreme Wheels Weekender rolls into the city next month – and visitors will be able to have a go, too.

Pro riders, stunts and tricks hit the city this weekend

Wolverhampton’s Market Square will be transformed into an action-packed arena when the Extreme Wheels Weekender rolls into the city this weekend – and visitors will be able to have a go, too.

Professional Fighters League announces inaugural PFL Europe season schedule

The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced the cities, venues and dates for the inaugural PFL Europe season in 2023 to be shown live on DAZN, the ultimate sports entertainment destination and global home of combat sports.
 
“PFL Europe’s inaugural season schedule is set, and MMA fans in 2023 will experience Europe’s best MMA fighters competing in the PFL’s true sport format live on DAZN,” said Professional Fighters League CEO Peter Murray.

Professional horse rider and trainer secures £25,000 to acquire a horse and essential equipment

A sports horse training and sales company, MJF Equestrian, has secured £25,000 funding from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans, from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, to purchase a horse to train, as well as to purchase specialised equipment. 

Project Restart taking shape as Premier League clubs return to training

Following an announcement by the English Premier League, the twenty clubs in the top division have agreed to stage one of the return-to-training protocols, which allows teams to start training in small groups.

Clubs voted unanimously to the decision at the recent ‘Project Restart’ meeting.
Players must observe social distancing rules, and contact training is not permitted.

The first stage was agreed in consultation with players, managers, club doctors, independent experts and the government.

Some players, however, are not totally convinced with Watford captain, Troy Deeney, saying that concerned players are yet to receive ‘simple answers’ on health implications of ‘Project Restart’.

He voiced his concerns after being contacted by fellow-players who have shared his fears, but are reluctant to speak pout openly.

“I think that the concern is with Phase 2 (that is when players start to make contact in training)”, he said. “And Phase 3 is not yet clearly laid out. A lot of ‘simple questions’ have not been answered yet.

“One, for example, is the BAME situation, where government guidelines are saying that people of colour are four times more likely to get coronavirus and twice as likely to have lasting illnesses. But, there is no extra screening or additional checks carried out on players because it costs too much money. Simple things like that are where people are asking questions and they are not being answered when people can answer the questions, you start panicking and worrying”.

Adding to his worries, the Chelmsely Wood-born star continued: “I saw Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham saying that he lives with him dad who has asthma and he has concerns there.

“It just shows that from the Premier League to League Two, there are concerns right across the board”.

The Premier League had previously identified June 12 for matches to possibly restart but there is now an expectation that this will need to be pushed back.

A statement – by the Premier League – added; ‘Strict medical protocols of the highest standard will ensure that everyone will return to training in the safest environment possible. The health and well-being of all participants is our priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process. Full consultation will now continue with players, managers, the clubs, the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) and the LMA (League Managers’ Association) as protocols for full-contact training are developed.’

Meanwhile, in the Scotland’s SPL, Celtic was confirmed as champions for the ninth consecutive year after the SPL ended its season, with Hearts being relegated. The decision follows a board meeting after the 12 clubs agreed that completing the campaign was unfeasible.

Average points-per-game played was used to determine the final placing.

Project Rugby Festival a hit for local schools

40 students from schools around Coventry participated in a Project Rugby X7s festival, hosted by Pinley RFC to mark the end of the first half term. The festival aimed to celebrate the hard work and effort of the students who have been participating at in-school Project Rugby sessions provided by Wasps coaches.

Promoter Warren looking for ‘Dubois v Usyk’ champion bout

Following his stunning five-round world title demolition of fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, promoter Frank Warren wants IBF heavyweight champion, Daniel Dubois, to face WBO, WBA and WBC champion Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch next.

Proposal in Paris is “something amazing” for Italian Paralympian, Ossola

Italian sprinter Alessandro Ossola arrived at the Paris 2024 Paralympics looking for a gold medal, but he will leave with “something amazing” after proposing to his girlfriend in front of tens of thousands of fans in the Stade de France on Sunday.

PSG and Basaksehir players unite in walking off in fight against racism

 Paris St-Germain (PSG) and Istanbul Basaksehir players took a knee around the centre circle in an anti-racism message before the restart of their Champions League tie. The fixture was abandoned at 0-0 after the fourth official was accused of using a racist term towards Basaksehir assistant Pierre Webo. The incident happened just 14 minutes into the Group H tie, which was still goalless at PSG's Parc des Princes stadium.

Both sets of players walked off the pitch with the game delayed by a day. "It was something very new," said Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe) executive director Piara Powar. “Basaksehir and PSG players walking off the pitch will act as a ‘marker’ in football's fight against racism.

"This is the first time we've seen this happen in open play and I think it signifies a marker. Many Black players are now saying we may have put up with this in the past and seen things which racialised us unfairly in the past, but now we will take the power we have and use it and walk off, which is within their right."

The game restarted with a Basaksehir free-kick in the 14th minute. Webo - who had been sent off - was allowed to take his place on the away bench, with his red card suspended while Uefa investigates the whole incident and a new set of officials were in charge for the game’s restart, with Dutchman Danny Makkelie appointed referee.

Both sets of players and the officials - who also took a knee during the Champions League anthem - wore 'no to racism' T-shirts in the warm-up, with anti-racism banners in the stands. PSG needed a win to finish top of their group, and above RB Leipzig. The eventual final score was 5-0 to the French club.

PSG has the highest annual wage bill in football at $574m

French champions Paris Saint-Germain currently has the highest player wage bill in European football.

PSG humiliate a chastened Inter to win first-ever European Cup

Teen sensation, Desire Doue, scored twice to inspire Paris St Germain to their first European Cup triumph with a crushing 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, the biggest winning margin in the final of the continent's premier club competition.

PSG the latest addition to Qatar Airways’ expanding global football sponsorship portfolio

Qatar Airways have announce that it is the new Premium Partner and Official Airline Partner of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), France’s most successful football club, for the next three seasons.

The multi-Ligue 1 champion joins in the exclusive group of top global football clubs proudly supported by the world’s number one airline, including Italy’s AS Roma, Boca Juniors in Argentina and German club FC Bayern München.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ms. Salam Al Shawa, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the famous French club to our extensive sport sponsorship portfolio, and look forward to having them on board. In Paris Saint-Germain we have found a partner that shares our passion for innovation and we will work together to develop many exciting activities to engage with supporters and our global audience.”

PSG Chief Partnerships Officer, Marc Armstrong, added: “We are delighted to welcome Qatar Airways into the Paris Saint-Germain family as the Official Airline Partner of the club.

“This is another example of our strong desire to develop innovative partnerships with leading global brands and Qatar Airways is a natural choice for us as it shares our commitment to creating powerful connections with fans all over the world.”

The PSG partnership will also see Qatar Airways become Official Partner of the PSG handball and women’s football teams until 2022.

Qatar Airways have developed a wide range of global sports sponsorships, supporting top-level sporting events and some of the world’s biggest football clubs.

As official FIFA partner, Qatar Airways recently sponsored the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 and will sponsor the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 edition ahead of the FIFA World Cup

Qatar 2022.

Qatar Airways - the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, - is also partner of CONMEBOL, the governing body for football in South America.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite.

The world’s fastest-growing airline added several new destinations to its network last year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; Langkawi, Malaysia; and Gaborone, Botswana. The airline will add Santorini, Greece; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Osaka, Japan; Nur-Sultan and Almaty, Kazakhstan; Cebu, Philippines; Accra, Ghana; Trabzon, Turkey; Lyon, France; Luanda, Angola; and Siem Reap, Cambodia, to its extensive route network in 2020.

PTC puts YCOM on track with motorsport micro mobility breakthrough

PTC’s ability to push the boundaries of performance with its product lifecycle management solutions has helped create one of the world’s biggest breakthroughs in motorsport micro mobility.

Puig in class of his own on opening day of International Series Singapore

David Puig, consistently on point since joining the Asian Tour last year with six top-15 finishing in just nine starts, once again shot a low-number today to take the opening-round lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore.