Deloitte predicts global revenues in women’s sport to reach $2.35 billion in 2025, but the financial challenges to women’s football linger
For all figures used, credit given to Deloitte
Deloitte have reported on the growth of Women’s sport, and the projections are startling!
Women’s basketball is perceived to generate more than.....
Right to withhold pay – the Benjamin Mendy Saga
The case of Benjamin Mendy was an infamous one .A footballer accused of rape, and subsequently suspended by Manchester City without pay, pending the outcome of his criminal court case. Mendy argued in front of the Employment Tribunal that by doing this, his employer had deducted money from his salary without legal or contractual permission. So what did the Tribunal decide? ...
Multi Club Ownership within football and the challenges that inevitably come with it.
(Credit to Jason Stephens, MCOi Consultancy for all statistics quoted)
The most basic of multi-club ownership models can be diluted to the following:
- An individual or group that owns the majority or minority stake in more than one football club.
- An individual / group that has a stake in one club but has formed an influential partnership with another club.
- A group that is influenced by a state backed investment fund and has multiple subsidiaries operating in the same
This has become the norm for European.....
The Luis Rubiales trial, a hunger strike and the case that rocked women’s football.
The Spanish Women’s football team reached the pinnacle in 2023, winning the World Cup for the first time and gaining many plaudits.
However, one incident alone mired the whole occasion, when Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, kissed Jenni Hermoso, one of the players, as she was collecting her medal. You would think that this would result in Rubiales being the one on the defensive, right? Hermoso was threatened with legal action by the Spanish FA. Eventually, Rubiales stepped down, the coach was fired and 81 Spanish players refused to play for Spain. And now… Rubiales stands trial for alleged sexual assault and subsequent coercion of Hermoso. He says that the kiss was consensual ........
Why do footballers need to know about their image rights, and what is there to know?
The negotiations that take place during a transfer can be convoluted. But almost all of them involve the term ‘image rights’. These are effectively the rights to use the image of a player for off pitch commercial activities, which increase revenue to the club, and as a result, is a further way that a player can be compensated in his new contract. Paulo Dybala’s transfer to Tottenham fell through due to an inability to successfully negotiate the use of his image.
The rights in relation to an image......
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Due Diligence when buying a football club
Manchester United recently sold a minority stake in the club to INEOS, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The Freidkin group recently acquired Everton FC. Every year we see new instances of clubs being bought or sold.
But what are the key considerations that investors need to take into account when purchasing a football club, whether that be a minority stake or the club in totality?
The due diligence process is effectively a deep-dive into the club’s books and stability; an investigation into the clubs affairs and activities to ensure that no misrepresentation has taken place and that there are no hidden liabilities.....
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Barcelona – the race to register Olmo and a history of financial problems
Barcelona undoubtedly has the best academy in the world. La Masia has produced countless super stars that have graced the world stage and have got them out of some serious financial and football trouble. I have previously covered how academy players count as ‘pure profit’ in the accounting books, which mean that whenever Barcelona is in financial disarray, they can use one of these assets to alleviate the struggles. Not only this, but when Barcelona is handicapped in the transfer market due to spending impower, they can look to one of their own to step up on the pitch, ensuring that they have the squad depth to be able to compete at the highest level.
So how did they get here?.......
The use of AI 🤖 in football… an emerging trend.
I strongly believe that 2025 will mark a huge increase in the number of teams using AI to spot trends, analyse their players and utilise the transfer market to the best of their ability. We are already seeing this in part being used as a training mechanism; Liverpool partnered with DeepMind AI and started using TacticAI. It was a system that offered new suggestions and ideas for tactics when corners were taken and had analysed more than 7,000 corners since 2020. It gives advice to players on their positioning and tries to accentuate corner opportunities. Zone7 is another example, where they use AI to help players maximise their performance levels while avoiding injury..
City falter and United… also falter? My current perspectives of the sworn enemies, and do we need Rashford anymore?
After a raucous late 2-1 win at the Etihad on Sunday, United fans such as myself were in absolute jubilation. It was a different kind of performance, one which we haven’t seen in the past from United against City. They tried to control the game. They tried to have possession against City, rather than hitting on the counterattack at every given opportunity. Now, against a strong City, this approach would inevitably be bulldozed, as was seen when Gvardiol scored the opener for City and the first half ended without much energy.
And then…. Amad Diallo, you little dancer. 🕺🏻
He won the penalty for Bruno’s equaliser, and then scored a fantastic winner....
The Shocking New Owners of Football Clubs
This summer, Mbappe became the majority shareholder of SM Caen, obtaining 80% of the club. Athletes like Beckham and Ronaldo are also following this trend, becoming owners of football clubs to rebuild and stabilize them financially....
Does football have a gambling addiction?
In what was considered to be deeply positive for the people of the UK, but quite damaging to betting companies, the Premier League announced in 2023 that they had voted to ban shirtfront sponsorship by gambling companies, and this will start during the 2026 season. In the 2023/2024 Premier League season, 8 teams were sponsored by betting companies...
The Football Governance Bill introduced to Parliament – what does it look like?
The Government introduced a strengthened version of the Football Governance Bill to the House of Lords...
ERIK TEN HAG LEAVES MAN UNITED
I thought I would make a brief comment on the sacking of Erik Ten Hag as I usually aim to comment on all things Manchester United...
ATLETICO MADRID VS BARCELONA TO BE HELD IN MIAMI – Is football moving to the USA?
Incredible scenes as it has been announced that the LA LIGA game between Barca and Atletico is going to be held in Miami in December...
LASSANA DIARRA VS FIFA – huge implications on the transfer market
The European Court of Justice have confirmed that some of FIFA’s rules on player transfers are illegal in accordance with their legislation...
United’s Struggles worsened – are they at their lowest ebb?
Sunday was a difficult day. Inevitably, fingers are going to be pointed at the manager...
Everton Takeover Confirmed!
The Friedkin Group have successful acquired Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake in Everton football club...
Leicester beat the Premier League! Again?!
Leicester have recently won their appeal against a possible points deduction...
Manchester United’s new way of dealing with transfers...
During the most recent transfer market, Manchester United sold players at a value of £103 million...
The rise of COMO FC
Como 1907 are an Italian team that has garnered much attention in the last couple of years...
Fabrizio Romano, ‘Here We Go’
Slogans identify a brand. It is a key marketing tool. It’s what innovators strive for...
Predictions for the new Premier League season
As many of you will know, I am a United fan. The business in the transfer market is looking promising...
Euros Rundown and Thoughts
England fans are still reeling from last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Spain...
Transfer Window 2024: Legal Issues
PSR and FFP have reduced the excitement of transfer windows of old...
Manchester City are suing the Premier League
Now, a new dispute has occurred, in relation to ‘associated party transactions’...
Euro 2024 – Ones to Watch and Predictions
With the tournament right around the corner, here are the predictions for Euro 2024...
We're the famous Man United and we're going to Wembley
Chip off the Old Loc’s 2023/24 Premier League team ratings...
Should Ten Hag stay or go?
As you may know by now, I am a United fan, and have been for a long time...
Paul Pogba – the legal arguments he needs to make to save himself
We were recently rocked by the news that Paul Pogba has been suspended...
Finding Gold dust in youth academies
The class of 92, the Ajax graduates of Cruyff, the Busby Babes...
Omar Berrada: United's Ruthlessness
Manchester United are ‘determined to put football and performance on the pitch back at the heart of everything we do”...
Will Ivan Toney repeat the same mistakes again?
The League will be happy to have him back, but his punishment serves as a reminder that the FA do not take betting offences lightly...
I thought that ‘no-one wanted to grow up to be a Gary Neville’?
Why do England have 3 undoubtedly world class full-backs, and 3 on the periphery...
Will they Ever aTone for their mistakes?
Chelsea & Man City will be quaking in their boots...
COTOL | is it a Bird, is it a plane?
On April 18th 2021, the ‘Dirty Dozen’ did the unthinkable. Europe’s football elite attempted to orchestrate a move away from the UEFA Champions League...