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.
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.
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.”
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).
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
By Paul Nicholson
August 3 – The battle for Britain’s punters is well and truly on. Bookmaker William Hill has promised a social media onslaught to win customers after first half profits fell 7% to £93.5 million on turnover of £837 million. Meanwhile, rival Ladbrokes was setting up for this weekend’s start of the Championship season, becoming Sheffield United’s Official Stadium Betting partner.