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☆ Jankto to stop playing for Sparta Prague this season over health concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 20 (Reuters) - Czech Republic international Jakub Jankto, who received widespread support earlier this year after coming out as gay, has announced he will not play for Sparta Prague anymore this season due to concerns over his health. His announcement was met with support from Brazil's Neymar, the English Premier League, LaLiga and European soccer's governing body UEFA. The midfielder has played 16 games in all competitions for Sparta this term, having joined on loan from Spanish side Getafe. Sparta lead the Czech top flight with 61 points after 27 games, two points above second-placed Slavia Prague. The two Prague teams are due to meet in the Czech Cup final in May.

☆ Premier League player won’t face charges following arrest on suspicion of child sex offenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An English Premier League footballer who was arrested on suspicion of child sex offenses in July 2021 will not face further action or prosecution, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed Friday. CNN is unable to name the player or his former club as UK law stipulates that his identity cannot be disclosed. A CPS spokesperson said: “After careful consideration, we have concluded that this case does not pass our legal test. “However, where our legal test is not met we cannot bring a prosecution, no matter how serious the allegations are. The CPS’ decision to not prosecute implies there was not a realistic prospect of conviction.

☆ Andy Robertson: Assistant referee stood down while Football Association investigates apparent elbow incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The assistant referee who appeared to elbow Liverpool’s Andy Robertson during an English Premier League game on Sunday will not be involved in any matches while English football’s governing body investigates the incident, the body responsible for Premier League referees said in a statement. The Football Association (FA) is investigating the incident which happened at the end of the first half match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. Video replays appeared to show Robertson brushing past Hatzidakis who responded by lifting his elbow, which hit the player. Robertson was visibly furious and had to be pulled away by his teammates after receiving a yellow card for his subsequent reaction. The incident during the break was one of many flashpoints in a chaotic game at Anfield which eventually finished in a 2-2 draw.

☆ Top 10 things to watch in the stock market Thursday: Stocks bounce, Ford EVs, Apple
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Marathon Oil (MRO) and Club holding Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) catch upgrades at Citi. Club holding Ford (F) unveiled its new financial reporting structure ahead of Thursday's teach-in event. Club holding Apple (AAPL) increasing its commitment to sports and content? Coty (COTY) added to Piper Sandler's top ideas in beauty after analysts performed a round of checks in stores in Chicago plus recent company updates. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ U.K. Economy Swings Back to Growth, Boosted by Premier League’s Return
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Paul Hannon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Premier League returned to a full schedule of games after a halt for the World Cup. The U.K. economy returned to growth in January, boosted by a busy schedule of English Premier League soccer games after a pause for the World Cup. The U.K.’s statistics agency said that economic output was 0.3% higher in January than in December, having fallen by 0.5% then. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal last week had expected a rise of 0.1%.

☆ S.Africa's MultiChoice and Comcast to create Africa-wide streaming service
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, March 2 (Reuters) - Africa's biggest pay TV company, MultiChoice Group (MCGJ.J), said on Thursday it had entered into an agreement with U.S.-based media conglomerate Comcast (CMCSA.O) to create a pan-Africa video streaming platform. The new streaming service, which will be built on MultiChoice's streaming platform Showmax, will be 70% owned by the company, it said. While MultiChoice has the biggest market share in pay TV in Africa, it has been struggling to penetrate deeper with Showmax due to competition from Netflix (NFLX.O), Amazon's (AMZN.O) streaming service and Disney (DIS.N). With the streaming companies now training their guns on sports rights in Africa, MultiChoice is being threatened in a market in which it has been a leader. The new streaming service will combine MultiChoice's accelerating investment in local content with an extensive pipeline of international content licensed from NBCUniversal and Sky, the company said.

LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Buyout financier Ares Management Corp (ARES.N) has been offering funds to support a takeover of Manchester United (MANU.N), three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. It is the latest U.S. asset manager to seek a financing role in the battle for the English soccer club. It was unclear whether Ares has been looking to finance bids for Manchester United through that fund, which has already invested in Spain's Atletico de Madrid soccer club and Inter Miami CF, or another vehicle. Last Friday, Manchester United received indicative offers from bidders including chemicals firm INEOS, led by long-time fan Jim Ratcliffe, and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani. INEOS wants to fund an offer without external financing, but could consider bringing in a minority equity partner, one source said.

☆ Body of Ghana soccer player Atsu arrives home in Accra
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The body of late Ghanaian soccer player, Christian Atsu Twasam, 31, who died in the earthquake in Turkey, arrives at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. REUTERS/Francis KokorokoACCRA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The body of Ghana winger Christian Atsu was flown home to Accra on Sunday evening, the day after he was found dead under a collapsed building in southern Turkey. Atsu had been missing since the Feb. 6 earthquake following the collapse of an apartment building in Hatay. "We hoped against hope, every day that passed, we prayed and prayed. "We would like to express our deepest condolences to his wife and children, the family, loved ones and the football community," the Ghana Football Association said on Saturday.

☆ Saudi Arabia enters race for Manchester United - Telegraph
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v West Ham United - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 22, 2022 General view of the corner flag inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Phil NobleFeb 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has submitted a bid for British soccer club Manchester United PLC (MANU.N) ahead of Friday's deadline, the Telegraph reported on Thursday. A deal for the record 13-times English Premier League winners will likely exceed the biggest sports deal so far, the $5.2 billion - including debt and investments - paid for Chelsea, the sources added. Manchester United is the fourth richest soccer club in the world, according to analysis by Deloitte. A small portion of Manchester United shares is listed in the United States with a market capitalization of more than $4 billion, as of Wednesday's close. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Manchester United, INEOS, Tesla and Musk did not reply to requests for comment. "For potential buyers, football clubs like Manchester United are considered trophy assets driven by the perception of exclusivity. The size of that bid has fuelled speculation Manchester United will attract significantly more. Manchester United is the fourth richest soccer club in the world, according to analysis by Deloitte. A small portion of Manchester United shares is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

☆ The 'Chosen One' fulfils destiny as James claims scoring record
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] Feb 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates after breaking the all-time scoring record in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. For almost four decades fellow Lakers great Abdul-Jabbar had owned the mark and watched as James climbed the scoring table. The Chosen One, now widely referred to as "King James," finished the night with 38 points, bringing his career total to 38,390. The scoring record adds new fuel to the debate over who is the greatest basketball player ever, James or Jordan. "Me personally, I'm going to take myself against anybody that has ever played this game," said James after setting the record.

☆ Manchester City Settles In for Legal Fight Over Alleged Financial Breaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Officially, Manchester City said it was “surprised” on Monday when the English Premier League alleged that the club had breached its financial rules on over 100 occasions since 2009. But internally, the club had been bracing for this moment for five years. As City racked up trophies and spent money on talent like no English team before it under the ownership of a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, the club was aware that Premier League investigators were poring over its finances.

☆ Manchester City Accused of Financial Breaches by English Premier League
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Gareth Vipers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON—The English Premier League accused Manchester City Football Club, the league’s current champion and one of its most-storied teams, of breaching the league’s financial regulations over almost a decade, in a sweeping critique of the club’s financial management. Representatives for Manchester City, the league’s current champions, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The Premier League has a number of financial rules in place, including requirements for clubs to submit annual accounts and disclose payments made to agents. Clubs found to have breached the league’s governing rules can face expulsion from the competition, fines and points deductions. The league said Monday that it would appoint an independent commission to consider the charges against Manchester City.

☆ Soccer’s Premier League accuses Manchester City of breaching financial rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, on September 14, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. The Premier League has referred the club to an enquiry over an alleged breach of financial rules. LONDON — The English Premier League on Monday announced it has referred soccer club Manchester City to an independent commission over alleged breaches of its financial rules. A commission will be held in private, with members appointed by the chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel. A spokesperson for Manchester City was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

☆ NBCUniversal expects Peacock losses to peak this year as streamer slowly adds subscribers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The NBCUniversal Inc. Peacock streaming service is displayed on a laptop computer in an arranged photograph taken in the Brooklyn Borough of New York, U.S., on Monday, April 20, 2020. Streaming service Peacock has slowly been taking flight with consumers. Like its peers, Comcast has been investing in its streaming platform by putting more of its content on Peacock. Company executives said Thursday Peacock losses will peak in 2023 at around $3 billion, but expect it to steadily improve after that. And besides that, propping up Peacock with NBCUniversal content from its linear networks also only helps to accelerate its bleeding of Comcast's cable-TV customers.

United and Liverpool are the two most successful teams in English football but have won only one league title each in the past decade. "You get a lot of money from the Premier League, from broadcasting and sponsorship, but you also have to put a lot of money in to keep your team." "The failure of the proposal and the failure of Premier League clubs to gain greater power in the running of the league are likely influencing factors," said Spencer Harris, Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Colorado. "The current owners (of Liverpool and United) don't have the finances to compete and invest on the level of these other clubs." "(There is a) general realisation that English Premier League teams, the two biggest ones per se, are relatively uncapitalized versus NFL franchises, which have been a barometer for a longer period of time."

☆ Agnelli warns of Premier League dominance as he quits Juventus
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Giulio Piovaccari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummarySummary Companies Agnelli warns Premier League will marginalise rivalsStepping down from Juventus and two other board rolesNew Juventus board faces legal battle over accountsTURIN, Italy, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Outgoing Juventus <JUVE.MI> Chairman Andrea Agnelli, who could face trial over the club's accounting, signed off on Wednesday with a plea for reform of European soccer to counteract the power of the English Premier League. As well as leaving Juventus, Agnelli also said he would step down from his board roles at carmaker Stellantis (STLA.MI) and Exor (EXOR.AS), the Agnelli family holding company which controls the football club. Prosecutors in Turin have requested that Agnelli, 11 other people and the club stand trial over allegations of false accounting. "I believed and still believe that European soccer needs structural reforms to tackle the future," he said. Andrea Agnelli retains his role as board member at Giovanni Agnelli B.V., Exor's controlling shareholder, which groups all descendants of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli.

☆ The Davos party returns, with the shakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - There’s a hangover happening in Davos even though the party hasn’t yet started. The World Economic Forum’s annual winter shindig in the Swiss mountain resort, which kicks off on Monday, marks a return for glitzy parties and high-minded debates following a three-year hiatus. A record number of business leaders are set to make the trip, and the passage of commercial, private and government aircraft through Zurich’s airport suggests overall attendees are at pre-Covid-19 levels. The global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have added more friction to the already creaking globalised world that Davos epitomised. Follow @thereallsl on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSThe World Economic Forum will take place in Davos, Switzerland from Jan. 16 through Jan. 20.

☆ Soccer star Son Heung-min gives his top 3 tips for making it as a pro athlete
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

As captain of the South Korean soccer team and a forward for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, Son Heung-min knows a thing or two about becoming a pro athlete. In an interview with CNBC, Son shared his top tips on going pro and handling the pressures that come with it. Son left South Korea at age 16 to join the German soccer club Hamburger SV, with whom he made his first appearance in a top European soccer league in 2010. Son also addressed some of the biggest lessons he has learned from his career so far. "I think the lessons are, just don't try to chase your happiness," he told CNBC.

☆ Morning Bid: Paging Mr. Powell
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Asian stocks edged lower on Tuesday after recent gains even as Asian tourism-focused businesses geared up for a return of Chinese tourists after the country's borders reopened on Monday. Later on Tuesday, Fed boss Powell is set to make a speech that could give further clarity on the pace of rate hikes while U.S. inflation data out on Thursday will further cement expectations. In Japan, consumer inflation exceeded the central bank's 2% target for a seventh straight month in a sign of broadening inflationary pressure. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsMeanwhile, the French need to prepare to work longer than they do now. Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Man United, Tottenham, Liverpool takeover targets for Qatar fund - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] General view of the United Trinity statue outside Old Trafford REUTERS/Phil NobleJan 9 (Reuters) - English Premier League clubs Manchester United Plc (MANU.N), Tottenham Hotspur, or Liverpool FC are being targeted by Qatar Sports Investments over a potential acquisition, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. Qatar Sports Investments is considering either a total takeover or a stake in Manchester United or Liverpool, according to the report. Liverpool Chairman Tom Werner also said in November that the Premier League side's owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), was exploring a sale of the club. Qatar Sports Investments is currently the owner of French soccer club Paris St Germain, and has a stake in Portuguese soccer club SC Braga. Manchester United and Qatar Sports Investments did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment, while Liverpool could not be immediately reached for comment.

☆ Saudi Arabia's new love for soccer could cause ripple effects across the sports world
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo poses for a photo with the jersey after signing with Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr Football Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 30, 2022. Al Nassr Football Club / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesSoccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi club Al-Nassr, and the kingdom's growing investments in the sport, could have ripple effects across Europe and the U.S., experts have told CNBC. The former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus star earlier this week contended that the "unique contract" was befitting of his status as a "unique player." The Financial Times reported in October that the Saudi PIF had committed more than $2 billion to sponsorship deals over the first eight months of 2022, most of which was directed toward domestic soccer competitions. The Saudi PIF's takeover of Newcastle United was met with criticism across the soccer world — deemed an effort to launder the country's reputation against the backdrop of a poor human rights record.

☆ Soccer giants’ new owners may get tiny returns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Streisand Neto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Financial Times reported that PSG’s Qatari owners wanted to offload 15% of the French champions. Recent deals valued the National Football League’s Denver Broncos and basketball’s Utah Jazz at over 9 times revenue, according to Forbes. Possible Man United, Liverpool and PSG owners might hope that the teams will eventually reach such valuation heights. Fenway Sports Group would consider new shareholders for Liverpool, having frequently received expressions of interest from third parties, the English Premier League club’s owners said on Nov. 7. The Financial Times reported on Nov. 28 that Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari owners were considering selling 15% of the club.

☆ Why Liverpool and Manchester United, two giants of soccer, are up for sale at the same time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In November, the owners of first Liverpool and then Manchester United confirmed they were open to new investment offers, with the potential for full sales of the top flight English clubs. Meanwhile New York-listed shares in Manchester United popped 18% on the news on Nov. 23 that its owners were similarly opening themselves up to investment opportunities. Big money competition One recurring complaint Manchester United fans have had of the Glazers is a lack of investment in the club, across both facilities and players. Old Trafford Stadium, the home of Manchester United Football Club. "In the cases of Liverpool and Manchester United, both owners have held the clubs for a long time, and both assets have appreciated a lot as their leagues and brands and global fan bases have developed.

☆ The World Cup Final Just Ended. The Premier League Is Already Back.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The biggest inconvenience an English Premier League season has ever known—greater than frozen pitches, television blackouts or clubs going bankrupt—is finally over. It was known as the World Cup. And English soccer isn’t wasting any time in pretending it never happened. While La Liga in Spain is waiting till the end of next week to resume, and the German and Italian leagues are simply waiting until next year, the Premier League will storm back to life on Monday. Even in the unprecedented year of a World Cup held in November and December, English soccer was unwilling to compromise on Boxing Day, Dec. 26, the one day on the calendar when it knows it owns every fan’s attention.

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