Berlusconi completes €740m AC Milan sale to Chinese and US investors
By Paul Nicholson
April 13 – Silvio Berlusconi has completed his long running sale of Serie A giants AC Milan to Chinese-owned Rossoneri Sport Luxembourg for €740 million.
Finance
Money points to a Barca, Bayern or Real CL win, but can Juve upset the cash balance
By Paul Nicholson
April 13 – The last eight teams in the Champions League quarter finals show a disparity of income that would indicate the 2017 winners will almost inevitable be one of Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich. But with Juventus taking a three goal lead into their second leg at Barcelona and Real Madrid or Bayern destined to knock one or the other out, the comparative have-nots might still have their day.
At over £110K a week Man Utd player earns 281 times more than a fan
By Paul Nicholson
April 13 – Manchester United pay their players on average 281 times more than their fans earn, the third highest differential in Europe, only beaten by Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid who pay their players 350 times what the average fan earns.
News Analysis: FIFA pins hopes on Russia 2018 to rescue it from torrent of red ink
By David Owen
April 10 – FIFA, the world governing body currently exposed to investigations by the United States Department of Justice and Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General, is budgeting for a deficit of close to half a billion dollars this year before a sharp rebound in the World Cup year of 2018.
UEFA finances boom as Euro2016 delivers a €847m profit
By Paul Nicholson
April 7 – While the €1 million solidarity payment to each national federation made headlines at the UEFA Congress this week, the real financial story is the €847 million profit the confederation made on its expanded 2016 European Championships, a €500 million increase on the 2012 edition in Poland and Ukraine. The tournament generated a massive €1.92 billion in total revenue.
Swansea’s US owners front up to fans and admit mistakes have been made
April 5 – American owners of Premier League clubs don’t always have a happy time and are often conspicuous by their absence, especially when the going gets tough. But Swansea City’s majority owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien fronted up to a supporters forum yesterday taking their share of the blame and a heap of criticism.
CFG adds Uruguay’s Torque as feeder for Man City, NYCFC, Melbourne and Yokohama
April 5 – Manchester City owner City Football Group (CFG) has taken control of a fifth club, Uruguay’s second division Club Atletico Torque. CFG also owns New York City FC in the US, Melbourne City in Australia, and a controlling position in Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos.
Chelsea open talks over West Ham groundshare as Wembley option fades
April 4 – Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are competing for more than just the Premier League title. They both want to use Wembley Stadium while their own grounds are being redeveloped.
Hertha Berlin push for new 55,000-seat arena next to Olympiastadion
April 3 – Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin are planning a move away from the Olympiastadion where they have played since 1963, to a new 55,000 seat arena that would ideally be situated right next door to its current stadium.
Cash floods in at Tottenham, as club prepares for White Hart Lane departure
By David Owen
March 30 – Tottenham Hotspur, the North London club leading the pursuit of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League, have given details of another highly satisfactory financial performance.
Everton get rising tide of support for new stadium, but could it be a wash-out?
March 29 – Everton fans would be forgiven for getting that sinking feeling over their long-awaited move away from Goodison Park.
Mioduski steps up to take full control at Legia Warsaw
March 28 – The majority owner of Poland’s leading club Legia Warsaw, Legia Warsaw, Dariusz Mioduski (pictured) has acquired the minority shares in the club and vowed to take a hands-on role in the management.
Yonghong Li drops Sino-Europe Sports to go it alone with AC Milan buy
March 27 – There has been another wrinkle in the sale of AC Milan with the date for completion now being set for April 14. The buyer will no longer be Sino-Europe Sports and the money will not be coming from China, but the owner will be Chinese.
Villa whacked up its pay load as it sank into the Championship
By David Owen
March 27 – Directors’ remuneration at Aston Villa, the proud old Midlands club now stuck in mid-table in the English second tier, almost tripled in 2015-16, its relegation season.
Barca invest in their future with launch of Innovation Hub
March 23 – FC Barcelona have officially unveiled their Barça Innovation Hub (BIH) with the aim of positioning the club as the leader in sports knowledge, innovation and technology.