AFC’s commercial success doubles Champions League final prize purse
November 16 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has doubled the prize money for its flagship Champions League final winners from $1.5 million to $3 million.
Author: Paul Nicholson
France’s e-Ligue 1 signs first TV deal as FIFA 17 gamers ready for season kick-off
November 16 – The French Professional Football League (LFP) sports venture – e-Ligue 1 – has taken a commercial step forward with the signing of its first broadcast deal for its inaugural season with beIN Sports and Webedia.
Qatar 2022 signs deal to open up construction sites for inspection
November 16 – Widely criticised over the treatment of migrant workers employed on construction sites, organisers of the World 2022 in Qatar have given the green light for its stadiums to be inspected by officials of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), a global federation of some 300 trade unions in the building industry that has a combined membership of more than 12 million workers.
Messi and Argentines boycott press after ‘whacky baccy’ story causes paranoia
November 16 – Lionel Messi is leading a media boycott by the Argentine national team because of “grave and disrespectful” allegations made against a number of his teammates.
English FA scraps Football League expansion as calendar clash would hit new TV deal
November 16 – The biggest shake-up in the English professional football pyramid since the Premier League was set up in 1992 has been scrapped because of a calendar clash between the various parties running the national game.
UEFA delays ruling in mystery Eremenko case
November 16 – UEFA has delayed a ruling in a mysterious disciplinary case involving CSKA Moscow and Finland midfielder Roman Eremenko (pictured).
Asian leagues mount commercial challenges to European imperialists
By Paul Nicholson
November 15 – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) nations have made major efforts with their professional leagues to narrow the gap with their Western counterparts. A new analysis by Football Benchmark, the sports data and analysis arm of KPMG, finds that it s not a case of if but “when and which of its (Asia’s) leagues will be able to compete and eventually challenge the game’s traditional superpowers in the long term.”
Hahn wins Constantin power play but legal issues and fraud probes loom
By Paul Nicholson
November 15 – Dieter Hahn (pictured), the controversial and secretive boss of German media corporation Constantin Media and a key figure behind the scenes in the alleged cash for votes scandal around the Germany 2006 World Cup bid, has engineered a stunning boardroom coup that leaves him in control of Constantin which is to restructure as a sports only business.
Brazil’s crumbling World Cup legacy. Arena Corinthians in a (w)hole lot of trouble
By Samindra Kunti
November 15 – The Arena Corinthians, the World Cup showcase stadium in Sao Paulo that became the home of reigning Brazilian champions Corinthians, is facing severe structural damage due to a massive water leak beneath the facility. The condition may threaten the sustainable use of the venue and again questions the legacy of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
A right to play? Offensive German ‘bullying’ comments trigger San Marino fury
By Andrew Warshaw
November 15 – The debate over whether Europe’s minnows should have their own pre-qualifying competition for major tournaments is nothing new but Germany’s Thomas Muller has stoked an unsavoury spat with officials of San Marino following his team’s 8-0 demolition of the 201st-ranked FIFA nation.
Greeks apologise after Srebrenica massacre banner sparks outrage
November 15 – As if Greek football didn’t have enough serious problems, the national federation has now been forced to apologise to Bosnia-Herzegovina after offensive banners were displayed at a World Cup qualifier last Sunday referring to the infamous 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
Video ref trials continue tonight with Italy vs Germany friendly
November 15 – The use of video replays will be given another trial when Italy take on world champions Germany in tonight’s prestige friendly in Milan.
Revolving door policy: trading trumps stability in European player market
November 15 – German and English clubs are among the most stable workplaces for players in Europe, coming in the top three of a ranking of 31 top division European national leagues.
James Dostoyevsky: Trump’s good deed
On May 27, 2015, in Brooklyn, New York, Loretta Lynch, Attorney-General of the United States, made a media-savvy appearance. Accompanied by her subordinate (“I am honored to be joined today by Director James Comey of the FBI […])” she highlighted a series of charges that put a number of mainly non-US football officials into serious trouble: “[The individuals indicted today] were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest, and to protect the integrity of the game.
FIFA Ethics open formal case on Chirakal’s role in cash paid to football officials
November 15 – FIFA ethics judges have opened formal proceedings against Najeeb Chirakal, a former aide to disgraced ex-Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, based on the final report submitted by ethics investigators who recommended a life ban.