Burnley lose another fixture as covid hits squad
January 18 – Burnley vs Leicester has become the latest Premier League game to be postponed because of Covid-19 and injuries among home players.
Premier League
Brand Britain: Premier League generated £7.6bn for UK economy in covid-hit 2019-20
January 18 – An economic and social impact report highlights the contribution of the Premier League to brand Britain, as well as the important social role it plays within the UK and in England in particular.
Sale of Watkins and Benrahma offsets operating losses at Premier League new boys Brentford
By David Owen
January 18 – Brentford, the West London club whose finances have been transformed by promotion to the top tier for the first time since 1946-47, have produced figures for the year to end-June 2021, their promotion season.
Premier League wins $213m in High Court court over collapsed Chinese TV deal
January 12 – A Chinese broadcaster has been ordered to pay the English Premier League $213 million by the High Court in London over the collapse of one of the league’s most lucrative international rights agreements.
Covid positives and AFCON call-ups force Everton vs Leicester off for second time
January 11 – The Covid curse afflicting English top-flight football has struck again with Leicester’s game at Everton tonight postponed with the visitors only able to call on eight outfield players.
Liverpool close training ground as high covid count forces Carabao Cup semi off
January 6 – Liverpool’s League Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal on Thursday has been postponed because of a “severe outbreak of Covid” at the Anfield club.
Saints valued at £250m+ as Sports Republic takes first big step to building global empire
By Paul Nicholson
January 5 – Premier League Southampton have a new majority owner with Sport Republic acquiring the 80% shareholding held by Chinese investor Jisheng Gao.
Chelsea debut safe-standing trial in Premier League against Liverpool
January 4 – In a landmark move, Chelsea became the first Premier League side to host a safe-standing pilot scheme in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool, marking the end of a blanket ban on standing in the top two tiers of English football which has been in place for more than 25 years.
European champions Chelsea slump to £156m loss despite surging broadcast revenue
By David Owen
December 31 – European champions Chelsea have reported a massive loss for the covid-impacted 2020-21 season. The West London side posted pre-tax losses of £155.9 million, compared with a £35.7 million profit the previous year, when figures were buoyed by the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
The Covid grinch: Omicron surge kills off two more Premier League fixtures
December 23 – English football’s Covid-hit top flight has been shorn of two Boxing Day matches amid fears others will follow over the busy Christmas and New year programme.
Premier League and EFL refuse to take Covid-break and keep to Xmas schedules
December 21 -Premier League fixtures over Christmas and New Year are to controversially go ahead despite calls for a two-week break because of the surge in Covid-19 infections that has already caused nine matches to be postponed.
Clubs convened for Covid calendar crisis confab
December 20 – Premier League clubs were convening today to discuss the Covid-19 crisis engulfing the competition that saw six out of 10 games called off over the weekend.
Premier League calls in clubs for covid crisis talks as weekend fixtures halved
December 17 – Premier League clubs will meet for urgent talks on Monday to discuss the escalating crisis caused by the new coronavirus variant that has decimated this weekend’s league programme.
Leicester vs Spurs off as covid eats into Premier League schedules
December 15 – The surge in the number of positive cases of the coronavirus across England has struck the Premier League for the second time in two days with Leicester City’s home game against Tottenham tonight (Thursday) being postponed.
Newcastle greenlighted to sign Saudi sponsors, but only at ‘fair’ market rate
December 15 – Newcastle United will be allowed sponsorship deals with Saudi Arabian companies as long as the Premier League considers them “fair market value”.