Football mourns the loss of Spanish history maker, Luis Aragones
February 3 – Tributes have poured in from around the world for Luis Aragones, the man who ended Spain’s 44-year wait for a major international trophy by winning Euro 2008.
Leeds turmoil as in-coming Cellino fires manager before deal completes
By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – First he was the manager, then he wasn’t, then he was again: all within 24 hours. The mayhem surrounding the prospective Italian takeover of iconic English club Leeds United took several farcical twists over the weekend when Brian McDermott was re-instated by the club’s directors after seemingly being sacked.
Genoa derby switched to evening kick-off after fans protest
February 3 – The Genoa derby, one of the most passionate in Italian football, will take place tonight after its original lunchtime kick-off on Sunday was called off when fans threatened to boycott the game in protest of a switch from the traditional afternoon start to accommodate television schedules.
No January sales rush, but 2013-14 sets transfer spending record
By David Owen
February 3 – Premier League clubs spent a moderate £130 million in the January transfer window, far less than the record £225 million disbursed in January 2011, in spite of the boost to income provided by the new cycle of TV deals.
BT scores with market as Sky Sports viewing hits highest level for six years
By David Owen
January 31 – The market continues to applaud BT’s high-profile push into sports broadcasting, in spite of the impact its strategy is having on costs both in its retail division and at rival Premier League broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting.
BETFUZE launches crowdsourcing app for sports bets
By Paul Nicholson
January 31 – A new app using crowdsourced insights into betting patterns has been launched for iPads. BETFUZE, a London-based technology driven business, has developed the app as a tool for sports betting.
Leeds sale falls through with other buyers rumoured to be in the wings
January 31 – The management-led buyout of English Chamoionship club Leeds United has fallen apart with the incoming consortium Sport Capital, headed by Leeds managing director David Haigh, failing to conclude a deal to buy 75% of the club from Bahrain-based investment bank GFH Capital.
FIFA sets date for Qatar to report on workers’ rights progress
By Andrew Warshaw
January 31 – The workers’ rights issue that has plagued 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar is back in the spotlight after FIFA set a February 12 deadline for the Gulf state to explain what measures were being undertaken to improve the situation.
David Owen: Why Financial Fair Play is unlikely to chill the transfer market
What impact should we expect UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations to have on business conducted during player transfer windows such as the one that closes today?
You might think the break-even requirement enshrined in the rules would have a chilling effect, dissuading clubs from splashing the cash on these costly assets.
Actually though I think this will be far from the case. Why? Because of the lop-sided way player valuations are dealt with in corporate accounts,
Exclusive: Rosell relieved of all roles at ECA and UEFA
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
January 31 – Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has been forced to relinquish all his roles within the European Club Association following his decision to quit the Catalan giants. Rosell, who played a key role in promoting the interests of more than 200 clubs, is no longer taking part in any decision making at the ECA and has left a huge gap in ongoing club-versus-country negotiations with FIFA and UEFA.
Brazil 2014 ticketing: demand outstrips supply by multiple of 10
January 31 – There is no let-up in the demand for tickets for Brazil 2014 as the five-time world champions battle against infrastructure delays to stage the tournament for the first time in over half a century.
Copa del Rey quarter final abandoned at kick off after players protest unpaid wages
By Andrew Warshaw
January 31 – In one of the starkest examples of the financial crisis enveloping Spanish football below elite level, the Copa del Rey quarterfinal between Racing Santander and Real Sociedad was abandoned when the Santander players went on strike because of unpaid wages.
Spurs target China with tailored language extension of web platform
January 31 – Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have launched a digital platform to cater for their expanding Chinese fanbase in the region. Accessible only through the club’s website, the platform can be viewed in English and Mandarin.
CFU clubs prepare for championship chase and Champions League berths
By Paul Nicholson
January 31 – The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) have appointed hosts and made the draw for the 2014 CFU Club Championship Cup. 13 teams will compete for the championship, with the top three teams qualifying for the 2014/2015 CONCACAF Champions League.
Everton’s move into profit counters derby losses
By David Owen
January 30 – Everton have gone some way to soothing the pain of this week’s Merseyside derby drubbing at the hands of local rivals Liverpool by publishing a strong set of financial figures for the year to end-May 2013.