Eisner skates in waving his magic wand and takes over at Portsmouth
August 4 – Former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner has completed his £5.67 million takeover of Portsmouth via his Eisner’s Tornante Company.
Author: Paul Nicholson
US club owners go to CAS demanding end to closed MLS league system
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – The closed shop system in the United States which prevents promotion and relegation has long been a source of controversy, but usually only outside the country where traditional fans are bemused by a practise that differs totally from the rest of the world.
Holland and Denmark progress to Women’s Euros final in Enschede
August 4 – Hosts the Netherlands sent England crashing out of Euro 2017 in the semi-finals with a 3-0 victory. In the final they face Denmark, who eliminated Austria after a penalty shoot out.
The ugly face of Polish football. Israeli team staff attacked in anti-semitic incident
August 4 – Masked hooligans attacked staff members travelling with an Israeli team following a friendly match in Poland on Wednesday in what the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw described as an “anti-Semitic incident.”
EA Sports goes deeper with EFL with new data and iFollow sponsorship
August 4 – EA Sports has signed on to become an Official Partner of the English Football League (EFL), in a six-year agreement to become the league’s on-screen data partner and the first sponsor of the new digital streaming service, iFollow, that launches with the season kick-off tonight (Friday).
USL expands season to 31 weeks as it makes room for Nashville, Fresno and Las Vegas
August 4 – The United Soccer League (USL), the second tier of US professional football, has announced an expanded 31-week season for 2018, with clubs playing 34 games.
Leicester City’s Asian growth ensures a second season with DirectAsia
August 4 – Leicester City have renewed motor and travel insurance provider DirectAsia for a second year as an Official Partner. No value was put on the deal that focus on south-east Asia.
Spurs beware. Buy big and buy early or suffer the fate of Man Utd
August 3 – With Europe’s transfer deadline now less than 30 days away and the start of the Premier League season just eight days off, how much more activity can be expected in what has already been a financially explosive window?
Slow burner? Del Nero, Marin, Teixeira and Hawilla targeted by Brazil’s Supreme court
By Samindra Kunti
August 3 – Brazil’s highest court the Federal Supreme Court, the STF, is to probe the corruption inquiry targeting CBF president Marco Polo Del Nero and his predecessors José Maria Marin and Ricardo Teixeira. José Hawilla, owner and founder of sports marketing agency Traffic, is also a defendant in the case.
Adidas breaks records with six-year, $700m MLS sponsorship renewal
August 3 – Adidas has signed a record breaking six year renewal with Major League Soccer reckoned to be worth more than $700 million, according to reports.
Klopp adds voice to growing scepticism over history changing Neymar mega-deal
August 3 – As the football world awaits the official unveiling of Neymar’s world record €222 million move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, reaction to the deal is coming in thick and fast led by Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp who has slammed the fee as flying in the face of UEFA’s attempt to cut down excessive spending.
Sierra Leone: Johansen clings on to power as stakeholders and FIFA line up against her
By Andrew Warshaw
August 3 – After years of bitter feuding and infighting, the war of words between Sierra Leone football chief Isha Johansen and her opponents has been stepped up – if that were possible – just as her highly controversial four-year term of office was due to expire today.
Beckham edges closer to Miami MLS franchise after Chicago powwow with Garber
August 3 – After almost four years in the making, David Beckham’s dream of heading a new MLS team in Miami has moved a vital step closer to reality.
World’s largest coaching body rebrands as United Soccer Coaches
By Paul Nicholson
August 3 – The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), the world’s largest coaches association with more than 30,000 members, is rebranding itself as United Soccer Coaches, and has announced a 15-year calendar across five US cities for its annual convention.
Sadomba wins CAS case over $450,000 Libyan cash that never was
August 3 – In a rare success for a player from Africa, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled Libyan football club Al Ahli failed to honour a contract termination agreement with a former international player.