Football
Features
Virtual cuppas and food bank donations: How football clubs are supporting communities during lockdown
Adam Nelson takes a look at how the community initiatives at Liverpool FC and Everton FC are providing fans with much-needed support during the Covid-19 lockdown.
‘Some clubs will really struggle’ | Tifosy CEO Fausto Zanetton on surviving the shutdown
Fausto Zanetton, chief executive of Tifosy Capital & Advisory, discusses why player salaries have become such a burning issue for clubs, the knock-on affects of France’s media rights cycle, and the potential long-term impacts of the shutdown.
Mixed fortunes for Australian rights-holders amid Covid-19 crisis
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit Australia’s major sports with varying degrees of severity.
Fox Sports agrees to pay final Eredivisie rights fee tranche
Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has agreed to pay the final fee instalment for the Dutch Eredivisie football league despite the continued suspension of fixtures due to the Covid-19 pandemic
Suning’s real estate division signs regional deal with Inter
Serie A club Inter Milan has signed a sponsorship deal with Suning Real Estate, a division of the club’s Chinese ownership group Suning.
Turkmenistan football league restarts, other Asian events join cancelled list
Turkmenistan on Sunday joined the small handful of countries around the world to continue hosting sports events amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as its domestic football season restarted
Liga MX suspends promotion-relegation for five years
Mexico's Liga MX has suspended promotion and relegation to and from the league for the next five years following a vote by the 18 club owners
Lower league football | Exeter City’s turbulent past equips it to cope with Covid-19 crisis
English lower league club Exeter City's personal commitment to commercial partners has put the club on solid ground during the Covid-19 crisis. Callum McCarthy speak to club chairman Julian Tagg about the club's journey thus far and the hard road ahead.
‘Stop broadcasting, start interacting’ | The importance of digital engagement during sport’s shutdown
Adam Nelson speaks with a range of experts from across the digital space about how rights-holders and clubs can utilise digital content to both engage fanbases and provide a platform for their sponsors during the Covid-19-mandated shutdown.
New York City FC feels ‘pain’ of stadium saga after being forced to play at Red Bull Arena
NYCFC CEO Brad Sims talks to Bob Williams about the MLS club's long-running search for a building of their own and why uncomfortable interim steps have happened
USL celebrates 10th season, aspiring to be a global top-10 league
Ahead of its 10th season, which kicks off this weekend, the United Soccer League has taken numerous steps to bolster its commercial structure to help prepare for another decade of growth. Bob Williams reports.
CFA regulations create casualties on Chinese football clubs’ hard road to sustainability
The Chinese Football Association’s tough line on football club finances has cooled spending at the top level and is pushing lower-tier teams toward oblivion. Chen Yaolin reports.
Fifa declares mission accomplished at Caf, but which mission?
Fifa's six-month takeover of the Confederation of African Football was promised to result in better governance and financial controls. Callum McCarthy investigates whether CAF can be trusted to deliver on those promises without supervision.
Nashville SC eager to make up for lost time in MLS after overcoming stadium setback
Bob Williams takes a look at the developments in Nashville since the city was awarded a Major League Soccer expansion team in December 2017, and the challenges faced during this period.
BT’s ‘Beyond Limits’ rebrand informs CSR-focused partnerships with Home Nations FAs
The telecommunication company’s 2019 rebrand saw it move toward a focus on community and social engagement, something it is intending to carry through into its lead partnerships of all four UK football associations.
CAS pro/rel ruling raises questions over Fifa’s reluctance to force initiative in US
For many years now, the issue of introducing promotion and relegation into the structure of US soccer has been one of contention. Bob Williams explores what is happening at the moment.
Will Fifa’s cap on commissions curb agent ‘excesses’?
Fifa’s proposals to cap agent commissions has set it on a collision course with some of the most powerful agents in world football. In this explainer, Ben Cronin outlines the reasoning behind the reforms and the legal arguments for and against them.
Exclusive | Jorge Mendes: Why agents are ‘an essential part of football’s market dynamics’
SportBusiness speaks to Jorge Mendes about his role as a football agent and how it has developed.
Atlético Madrid looks to CPL team to expand the club’s brand in North America
Spanish club Atlético Madrid recently acquired Canadian Premier League expansion team Atlético Ottawa. Bob Williams looks at how the LaLiga giants hope to use this move to expand its presence overseas.
Wolves turns to Ipsos’ retail monitoring to understand the customer journey
Why Premier League side Wolves has engaged Ipsos Retail Performance's footfall-counting technology in its club megastore.
Former Fifa and CFG executive Johnson bullish as he starts FFA tenure
With top sponsors jumping ship, Football Federation Australia’s new CEO James Johnson faces a tough start to his new role. But there is confidence he has the know-how to turn things around. John Duerden reports.
Minamino signing helps Liverpool on long road to catch United in Asia
Signing Japanese international Takumi Minamino will be a boon for Liverpool's commercial activity in Asia, but the club's strategy to become number one in the region goes beyond a single signing. John Duerden reports.
Malaysian FA pushes club privatisation but weak revenues mean state support is here to stay
Malaysia’s football clubs are to be formally privatised this year, but the journey from state support to self-sufficiency looks fraught, with questions over the future of broadcasting and sponsorship revenues. John Duerden takes a closer look.
Dan Haddad | Liverpool takes a chance on Nike in search of sales growth
Dan Haddad, head of commercial strategy at Octagon UK, looks at the potential upside for Liverpool in opting to switch kit supplier rights from New Balance to Nike.
Ajax’s Champions League run boosts visibility, but growth is underpinned by creative commercial team
Ajax's global popularity outstrips all of its domestic rivals, allowing the club to position itself as a brand platform for the Netherlands and beyond. Its chief commercial officer, Menno Geelen, tells Adam Nelson about the effects of Ajax's surprising run to the Champions League semi-finals, and how a creative commercial department has helped the club compete at the highest level.
Young, gifted and Parisian: why PSG means more than football to global youth
PSG wants the same kind of brand cachet as baseball’s New York Yankees or Italian motor racing team Ferrari. Frank Dunne reports.