This would normally be the most exciting part of the season for football leagues across Europe, some of the world’s most prestigious. But fear not, there are plans for the games to begin again as governments loosen their coronavirus lockdowns. What formats are being discussed, and what are Europe’s biggest leagues planning as a comeback strategy? Matt Leighton breaks down the possibilities.
Live sports programming, once thriving, confronts unsure future
Live sports broadcasting is, like the rest of the sports world, at a standstill, and with that come huge challenges such as cash-flow issues and layoffs. Will there be rebates or renegotiations of contracts? Will all entities survive? Glen Killane, the deputy director Eurovision Sports, tells Matt Leighton about the options available—telling stories on digital platforms, for instance—and how the various partners are working together in these unprecedented times.
Federer finds support for united tennis tours
Roger Federer started a tempest in the tennis world this week with a series of tweets calling for the merger of men’s and women’s tours into one organization. The 20-time Gram Slam champion’s comments have drawn support from tennis greats including Rafael Nadal and Billie Jean King. Federer’s fellow countryman Marc Rosset, a former pro player and Olympic gold medalist, shares his thoughts on the topic with CNNMoney’s Matt Leighton.
Time for the sports industry to take a reality check
The sports industry should take advantage of the coronavirus-imposed recess to consider how to ensure a bright future for the business, says sustainability expert Anne Cécile Turner. “There is a window of hope offering a great opportunity for sports events organizers and the sports industry to look up and refocus in a better manner, rethink the way they operate.”
Europe’s football leagues plan to complete their season
This would normally be the most exciting part of the season for football leagues across Europe, some of the world’s most prestigious. But fear not, there are plans for the games to begin again as governments loosen their coronavirus lockdowns. What formats are being discussed, and what are Europe’s biggest leagues planning as a comeback strategy? Matt Leighton breaks down the possibilities.
Tour de Suisse athletes cycling from their homes
The real Tour de Suisse is cancelled this year, but organizers would still like fans to enjoy professional cycle racing on the actual route. Born in record time, the Swiss Digital 5 series will feature the world’s top cyclists racing over five days from their homes via a virtual reality cycling platform. Olivier Senn, Co-CEO of Tour de Suisse, explains how the virtual race came about and discusses the future of digital racing.
The complexity of insuring sporting events
Wimbledon is one of the very few sporting events that had pandemic insurance, but with an annual fee of 1.5-million-pounds—with an estimated payout of 114 million pounds—it’s a costly undertaking. Sure, it will help the iconic tennis tournament to buffer the costs of this year’s cancellation, but if you’re thinking that your event could benefit from it in the future, think again. Matt Leighton speaks to Patrick Vajda, a sports-risk consultant at Siaci Saint Honore, who says that the issue is very complex.
Can Formula E outpace the corona crisis?
Formula E, like all sports, is facing a difficult time as the world battles COVID-19. Swiss driver Edoardo Mortara sits down with Matt Leighton to discuss the impact of the crisis on drivers and sponsors—and what it all means for the future of the sport.