The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Post

We observe the South Island NRL Bid being compared with others. Confident in being the next club granted approval to join, we strongly advocate for expanding the National Rugby League men's and women's competitions to 20 teams as soon as feasible. This expansion should ensure sustainability where clubs, players, and communities can prosper. We believe that the South Island of #NewZealand has all the inputs for early success, similar to what was seen with the Melbourne Storm. We believe Rugby league is the premier sport in Australasia, given its extensive reach across the entire Pacific. We acknowledge and respect the efforts of everyone involved in the bid application process, from #PNG to #WesternAustralia. As part of the #rugbyleague community, we aim to collectively strengthen and cement rugby league's position as the leading sport in the Southern Hemisphere. The below analysis was completed on Australian fans in 2021; we plan to share similar data on the New Zealand and Pacific markets in the coming weeks. #NRL

At a time when rugby union is struggling in North America, and despite not having the Eagles qualifying for the RWC23, Major League Rugby is attracting many former rugby icons, such as Matt Giteau, to name but one. Recently, Stade Toulousain, one of Europe's most prestigious clubs, joined forces with the Utah Warriors, striking a major blow on the American Rugby Union (XV) market. However, it is Rugby League (XIII) that is about to conquer the American market. This type of rugby, often described as more spectacular and rougher, is about to set foot in the United States. The economic strategy behind this move is questionable and highly risky... But "high-risk = high-reward". I can't wait to see if Rugby League (XIII) can make it on the American market before Rugby Union (XV) rugby does. Let's give it a try. ---------------------   French version available online   ---------------------   Selective by passion   #sponsorship #sports #marketing

#RBAtrivia #Football was first played at the 2nd modern #Olympics in 1900, although there was an unofficial game played between teams from #Greece and #Denmark in the 1st Olympics in 1896 (the Danish won, although the final result is unclear - either 9-0 or 15-0; the game was refereed by George, Prince of BOTH Greece and Denmark). Whilst modern teams are strictly national teams, the first football tournament was contested by 3 club teams from 3 countries: #France (hosts), #UK and #Belgium. #Switzerland and #Germany were also supposed to participate, but did not send teams in the end. Despite 3 participating teams, only 2 games were played, each involving France as the hosts. Club Français lost 0-4 to Upton Park FC (UK) and won 6-2 against Université de Bruxelles. Even though at the time no medals were distributed, the #IOC later assigned medals to the participating teams in an attempt to reconcile the older Olympics with the current rules. Thus the UK holds gold, France - silver, and Belgium - bronze. #soccer #footballanalysis #RBAanalysis --------------------- Follow us for more insights!

The spectre of multi club ownership in Rugby has been looming for a while, following in the footsteps of football in which Todd Boehly, Red Bull, the City Group etc have become household names. However the well reported difficulties encountered in the attempted takeovers of Gloucester and Saracens may also afflict this purported deal. World Rugby and the RFU both impose regulatory requirements for their consent to be given before such a deal would be possible, whilst also maintaining regulations which appear to preclude the possibility of it at all. World Rugby Regulation 14.5 for example holds that: “Regulation 14 shall be interpreted broadly to give effect to the underlying intention that no Entity or group of Entities, acting alone or in concert, shall control, or be in a position to control, either directly or indirectly, more than one Club.” There are some further regulatory tensions between World Rugby and the RFU: for example the definition of ownership is different, World Rugby contends for 50% whilst the RFU contends for 25%. Regulatory tensions aside, given the financial difficulties many Rugby Union clubs have faced post Covid foreign investment into a group of clubs may create a more certain financial landscape in the Gallagher English Premiership. #sportslaw https://lnkd.in/esX7HutY.

🔵 City Football Group (CFG) who owns multiple clubs, including Girona FC and Manchester City FC, will need to reduce its stake in one of the two clubs if they want both to participate in the Champions League next season. 🤝 UEFA has presented the investment group with 2 options that would enable both sides to participate in next season’s UCL: 🔹 CFG can either transfer all shares in either Man City or Girona to an independent trust managed by a panel appointed by UEFA. 🔹 CFG can also sell shares to a separate third party that reduces one ownership stake to below 30%. The investment group currently owns 100% of Man City and 47% of Girona. ⏳ CFG must comply by June 3 to avoid possible penalties, which include one club being put into the Europa League. #mancity #girona #cityfootballgroup #football #uefa

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 TSG Hoffenheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH have parted ways with their academy director, Jens Rasiejewski. 👔 Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest FC and Olympiacos FC, has stepped down as president of the Greek Super League following the latest wave of football-related violence and the recent government announcement that matches are to be played behind closed doors until 12 February. 💰 1. FC Köln have been fined €595,000 by the German Football Association (DFB) for setting off pyrotechnics at their October home game against Borussia Moenchengladbach. 🟥 UEFA has banned Legia Warszawa S.A. from selling tickets to away supporters for their next five UEFA competition matches for crowd disturbances, acts of damage, throwing of objects and lighting of fireworks during their match against Aston Villa FC. 🤝 FC Barcelona and Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters have extended their partnership agreement until the end of the 2027/28 season. 🤝 West Ham United FC have announced a multi-year partnership agreement with The Topps Company, making Topps an official licensing partner of the club. 🤝 Barnsley FC have made a three-year partnership extension with Burrows Motor Company. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

Given that it's the second-largest team game in Britain in terms of participation, I often describe #Basketball as the sport in the #UK with the most upside commercial potential. The lack of funding for GB Basketball since the 2012 #London #Olympics has been well documented. There has been a recent uplift to £1,350,000 for the #Paris Olympic Cycle from UK Sport. However, if you compare that to #Cycling, as the top-funded sport at £28,855,762 , or to a more niched (dare I say elitist?) sport such as #Sailing which receives £22,660,520, #Basketball is well down the priority list. Given participation levels and the sport's ability to attract such diverse and in many cases underserved demographics, this seems ludicrous. I appreciate the distribution of lottery-funded #UKSport money has many challenges and requires complex and difficult decision-making, but it's true to say at present, #Basketball just does not fit the #UK's current #Olympic medal-driven funding model and the sport does not get the central financing it truly warrants. I am a bit of a #PrivateEquity in sports skeptic, from experience in other sports such as #Rugby, but the cash injection and general support 777 Partners have brought to the British Basketball League, and its leading team the London Lions, although not without challenges, is having a positive effect on lifting the #performance, #profile, and #audience of the sport in the #UK. Already the dominant force in the domestic #BBL, the performance of the Lions in Europe, in particular their Women, who became the first English team to win a major European trophy by beating #Besiktas 81-70 last night in Stratford, to take the Women’s #EuroCup (149-145 on aggregate), sent out a statement to the rest of European basketball that the British are coming! #UKSport #GBBasketball #LondonLions #WomensSport #EuroLeague FIBA National Basketball Association (NBA) Euroleague Basketball Beşiktaş JK

#Multiclub #ownership should be banned. Period. When groups own clubs on different continents, they can engage in transfers that allow them to play around rules and that gives them an unfair advantage over other clubs m. When groups own clubs that compete in the same competition like in European #competitions, the conflict of interests is worse even with a 30% or a 10% stake and even with a trust. In the case of #Girona, there is common ownership, #Manchestercity 's manager Pep #Guardiola's brother is Girona's chairman, and several players were moved from City to Girona and played an important role in Girona's great performance this year. What would happen if Girona were to face City in next year's Champions League? #governance #sport #business #uefa #football #competition #fairness #competitionpolicy https://lnkd.in/eUY_H5dE

Dubai's looming entry into the EuroLeague is sparking a wave of anticipation across the basketball world. With €150 million on the table over six years, courtesy of the Emir, the world is taking notice. Initially aiming to host two Final Four tournaments, they shifted gears to propose a Super Cup during the season, a move that piqued interest across Europe. Dubai's eyeing a collaboration with the EuroLeague to establish a league in the Middle East, offering a direct path to EuroLeague qualification for the regional champion. They're eager to field their own team, boasting a state-of-the-art facility, the Coca Cola Arena. There are however, hurdles to clear. Budgets need careful consideration, and decisions must be made about which league to compete in. The ABA League has been floated as a potential option, adding another layer of complexity. The most pressing concern is the future of the EuroLeague itself. With the league's contract with IMG set to expire in 2025, there is tons of uncertainty. Teams like CSKA Moscow and Maccabi Tel Aviv, with their stake in the league's ownership, are understandably nervous about what comes next. For Dubai, this is a strategic move with far-reaching implications. This could reshape the landscape of European basketball. Decisions are expected as early as today, with several teams still on the fence. The hesitancy stems from geographical and political issues along with the overwhelming topic of money. If this deal goes through, expect big name NBA veterans to end up in Dubai, following the path of Christiano Ronaldo. The money would be lucrative and would give them an opportunity to play abroad and see the world...Hello James Harden.

NBL1 Australia Basketball League Australia’s NBL1 is one of the best mid-tier leagues in Overseas basketball. But with that comes an interesting dynamic: Teams competing without foreigners. In some leagues, foreigners are heavily depended on. But in Australia, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, some of these professional clubs will invest more in locals than imports. A great example is with the Canberra Gunners (NBL1 East). For years this club has: ▪️Remained competitive ▪️NBL1 East Champ (2022) ▪️Developed young talent ▪️Invested in few(er) foreigners As more of these Power Nations develop their local talent, foreigners could feel the pinch. Thus, if you’re an import you better bring something unique and needed to the club! #overseasbasketball #basketball #basketballplayer #fiba #hooper #nbl1