BodyArmor expands MLS deal with 19 club partnerships
January 16 – Sports drink BodyArmor has expanded its partnership within Major League Soccer, announcing it now has ties with 19 of the MLS’s clubs.
News
Irish FA’s €60m bail-out talks ‘positive’ as negotiation enters crucial end-phase
January 15 – A rescue package to save the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) from complete collapse has moved a step closer following survival talks between Irish officials and UEFA.
Security fears force Man Utd to scrap plans for Middle East winter break
January 15 – Manchester United have scrapped plans for a training camp in the Gulf during next month’s English winter break because of heightening tensions in the region.
Anderlecht reshuffle board as Kompany-led team fails to catch fire
January 15 – Belgium’s RSC Anderlecht have reshuffled their boardroom in a bid to halt the club’s dramatic, recent slide. Earlier this season, the appointment of Vincent Kompany as player-coach backfired.
New launch LaLigaTV adds Virgin to Sky distribution and 11m+ market potential
January 15 – The new LaLigaTV channel that launched this week on the Sky TV platform in the UK as a standalone service has now added the Virgin Media cable platform to its distribution. The channel now has access to a potential 11.7 million subscription market in the UK.
Fanatiz raises $10m from 777 Partners to roll out streaming service beyond Americas
January 15 – The investor rush to secure positions in technology companies and applications that are changing the football business, and the broadcast business in particular, has seen another investment in a streaming service.
Exclusive: Lekjaa says CAF has cash and that no decision has been made on Samoura staying
By Osasu Obayiuwana
January 14 – Fouzi Lekjaa, second Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has told Insideworldfootball that the organisation has a minimum bank balance of $100 million and is far from broke, as has been alleged in recently months.
Argentina is major source of players for South American leagues, as Brazilians go global
January 14 – An analysis of the four leading leagues in South America – Brazil’s Serie A, Argentina’s Superliga, the Chilean Primera División and the Mexican Liga MX – has thrown up a number of differences, most interestingly in the movement and development of playing talent.
Bundesliga teams with Amazon to game-change fan experiences, starting this weekend
January 14 – Amazon is developing in the football space as more than just a rights buyer for big league football. Germany’s Bundesliga has announced Amazon Web Services (AWS), as its official technology provider.
Clermont Foot 63 take a knee as French ramp up anti-racism messaging
January 13 – On a weekend when France’s top two divisions staged a collective protest to mobilise the fight against racism in football stadiums, a second division club went one step further.
Club Brugge to build new €100m, 40,000-seat new stadium
January 13 – Club Brugge have said they will build a new 40,000-seater stadium on the site of their current ground, the Jan Breydelstadion, at a cost of €100 million. Stadium construction is to be completed by the 2022-23 season.
Saudi’s Spanish Super Cup ends with Madrid penalty shoot-out and €120m for RFEF
January 13 – Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 on penalties to win the Spanish Super Cup after the money-driven revamped tournament, exported to Saudi Arabia, ended in a less than thrilling goalless draw.
Greeks condemn Larissa fans who racially abused French youth star Abou Ba
February 13 – The Greek football union have joined a chorus of condemnation over the racist abuse of Aris Thessaloniki’s young French midfielder Abou Ba during a top-flight fixture at Larissa on Saturday.
Spanish fans set record attendance levels acoss LaLiga’s top two divisions
January 13 – LaLiga is reporting more than 7.6 million fans attended matches in the first half of the 2019/20 season in Spain’s top two divisions, up by 85,727 on last season (a rise of 1.53%).
‘Very happy’ Infantino kicks off new decade by joining IOC
By David Owen
January 10 – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has officially joined world sport’s most prestigious club. The 49-year-old was one of three new International Olympic Committee (IOC) members inducted at the 135th IOC Session in Lausanne on Friday.