Inside World Football - Page 1628 of 2238 - For the Business of Football

Matt Scott: Bundesliga battle to haul back English TV gap looks a lost cause

“If you look at the German TV market, it will not be possible any time soon for the Bundesliga to sell its rights for that much money.” Christian Seifert, Bundesliga chief executive

Investors looking for safe havens for their money in these troubled times have stampeded into German sovereign debt. The rationale is that the strongest economy in Europe will never default on its borrowings and so there is no risk to the investor’s capital.

Martin Volkmar

Martin Volkmar: Leverkusen save face for Germany Ausgerechnet Leverkusen rettet die deutsche Ehre

Leverkusen’s much criticised coach Roger Schmidt, after coming away with the only German victory in this week’s Champions League matches, has shifted pressure off himself, and in so doing focused attention on Stuttgart which might be the next club to make a coaching change. But even more unstable than the Bundesliga in Germany’s coaching sack race is Germany’s second tier.

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Sheikh Ahmad declares his Olympian assault on FIFA’s higher summits

By Andrew Warshaw
February 27 – Kuwait’s Olympic supremo Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, one of the most influential powerbrokers in world sport, has formally put his name forward to take up one of Asia’s slots on the FIFA executive committee. Ahead of Saturday’s deadline, Skeikh Ahmad has been officially nominated by his home football federation, prompting immediate speculation that he may ultimately be setting his sights on the FIFA presidency in 2019.

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Serie A giants delay kick offs in solidarity with Parma brothers

February 27 – This weekend’s Serie A games will kick off 15 minutes late as the players show solidarity with financially-stricken Parma. Twice former winners of the old UEFA Cup but currently bottom of the league, Parma took the dramatic step of calling off last Sunday’s league game against Udinese. Players and staff have not been paid all season and stewarding costs were unable to be met to stage the fixture.

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Bomb blast targets Cypriot referee outside home

February 27 – A pipe bomb exploded outside the home of a Cypriot referee early today, the latest in a string of threats and attacks against officials and their families.

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Chelsea tread new path with £200m Yokohama deal

By Paul Nicholson
February 27 – English Premier League leaders Chelsea have signed a 5-year £200 million shirt sponsorship deal with Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohama. The deal is the second largest in the Premier League, behind Manchester United’s seven year £370 million Chevrolet sponsorship.

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Turkish Airlines break sponsorship records with Bosnia’s FK Sarajevo

By Mark Baber
February 26 – Vincent Tan’s FK Sarajevo has joined Barcelona, Manchester United, Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund as a recipient of sponsorship from the fast-growing Turkish Airlines in a three and a half year deal reported to be the most lucrative ever in Bosnian sport.

Andrew Warshaw

Andrew Warshaw: Questions of winter timings

The cries of foul may have receded slightly since football’s most open secret – a winter World Cup for Qatar in 2022 – was all but confirmed, pending being rubber-stamped by FIFA’s executive committee. But the resentment in some quarters will linger for weeks and months to come.

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Surf’s up: Man City expand into US with youth partnership

February 26 – English Premier League champions Manchester City have signed a five-year development partnership with the Surf Soccer youth club in San Diego, California.

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Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad poised to make FIFA powerplay

By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – Kuwait’s Olympic supremo Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, arguably the most powerful figure in Asian sport, looks set to throw his hat into the ring to take up one of Asia’s slots on the FIFA Executive Committee.

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Greek Super League suspended after violence runs out of control

By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – Just as its new government struggles to come to terms with its enormous debt crisis, Greece now has a major sporting issue on its hands with domestic football plunged back into chaos after the authorities ordered the suspension of the top three league divisions.

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New long-term marketing deal for Munich’s sleeping giants

By David Owen
February 26 – Munich’s other club has signed an exclusive marketing deal with Infront Sports & Media, the sports marketing company that China’s Dalian Wanda Group recently agreed to buy for more than €1 billion. The agreement covers all 1860 Munich’s sponsorship, advertising and hospitality between now and 2027-28.

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Top Eleven 2015 game release adds 2m downloads in first week

By Paul Nicholson
February 26 – Nordeus, makers of the Top Eleven football management game, is reporting a successful relaunch with more than 2 million new downloads in the first week following the game’s release in the app stores.

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Exclusive: 2022 World Cup in the bag! England have never lost an international in December

By David Owen
February 26 – Phil Neville, the former Manchester United, Everton and England footballer turned BBC pundit, swam against the tide this week. While many in the country that invented football were bemoaning the FIFA task force recommendation to stage the 2022 World Cup in November and December, Neville said it might be “the best thing that’s ever happened” to England.