SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
From sponsorship to the ever-expanding world of football media coverage, when it comes to the business of football, SBC has you covered. This edition looks at the sale of AC Milan, a new MLS team and a bizarre transfer deal from Turkey.
____________________
Becks launches plans for Miami expansion
Former England captain, David Beckham has launched his plan to form a Major League Soccer side in Miami.
The team, which will be formed after Beckham utilised an option in his 2014 contract with LA Galaxy allowing him buy an MLS expansion franchise will play its home games in front of a 25,000 seater stadium.
The former Manchester United player optimistically stated: “I’m excited to bring this great team to this great city – it has been a hell of a journey, I promise you the team we will bring into the league will be the best team.”
The MLS is continually expanding with Los Angeles FC’s presence bringing the total number of teams to 23. Additionally, Nashville will also gain an extra franchise later in the year.
Beckham’s plans won’t come without challenges, the 42 year old’s franchise will be the first Miami based football side since the unsuccessful Miami Fusion went under in 2001.
21st Club to oversee Evolution of Aussie top flight
The Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced a partnership with 21st Club, a leading international football management software developer and consultancy business. 21st Club will support all 10 Hyundai A-League clubs in the management of their salary cap requirements and provide support in strategic squad planning. The partnership will see 21st Club adapt Evolution – their platform that helps clubs manage their player costs, strategically plan the player pipeline and analyse the impact of future scenarios, in addition to rationalising processes across the clubs – to better support the league to monitor compliance with regulations.
Questions to answer over Milan sale?
A daily Italian newspaper has reported that former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi is facing questions over his sale of AC Milan to Chinese entrepreneur, Li Yonghong, for €740 million last April.
The questions, which related to possible money laundering in the lucrative sale last year prompted senior Milan public prosecutor, Francesco Greco to hastily issue a statement outlining that there was no enquiry of this nature “at the moment.”
The accusations come amid a backdrop of a Serie A revival for Milan, under the tenure of iconic manager Gennaro Gattuso, as well as an impending Italian election, in which Berlusconi is unable to run after a 2013 conviction for tax fraud.
Uncertainty at the top of Italian football
Turmoil at the top of Italian football continues as the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), further postponed the election of a new Italian Football Federation President (FIGC) by three months.
In a statement to the Italian media, CONI president Giovanni Malago stated: “I hope that there is an awareness on the part of the three candidates so that the election does not take place, I wish it as do 90 percent of Italians.
“For now the assembly is convened. But the candidates have acknowledged the difficulties and are considering with their supporters the path to take.”
He added: “none of the candidates can count on the vast majority that everyone considers indispensable for the revival of Italian football and there is the risk that the new president does not even have a simple majority in the Federal Council.”
Cryptospor: Turkish youngster is new kid on the Blockchain
A Turkish club has completed the country’s first ever transfer using Bitcoin, broadcaster CNN Turk reported on Tuesday.
Harunustaspor, a local amateur league club, reportedly signed 22-year old Omer Faruk Kiroglu for 2000 liras (£377.6) worth of Bitcoin and 2500 liras in cash, for a sum total of 4500 liras.
Club chairman Haldun Sehit declared that the move was the first of its kind by a sports club in Turkey and worldwide. “We did it to make a name for ourselves in the country and the world. We are proud of this,” he was quoted as saying.
_________________
The Betting industry’s relationship with Football and its wider stakeholders will be discussed at the ‘Betting on Football 2018’ (#bofcon2018) conference. Click on the below banner for more information…
