Industry Shorts: Burnley, Statsbomb, NBA
Over the Christmas period, US management firm ALK Capital completed its takeover of Premier League side Burnley.
The deal, which has been approved and ratified by the Premier League, sees ALK Capital’s sports investment arm, Velocity Sports Partners, acquire an 84% shareholding in the club
Alan Pace, the firm’s Managing Partner will take over from Mike Garlick as club Chairman. Garlick – and former shareholder John Banaszkiewicz – meanwhile, will remain on ALK Capital’s new Board of Directors at the club.
Sports data company Statsbomb has appointed Simon Banoub as its Chief Marketing Officer.
Banoub – who specialises in B2B marketing for the sport data and technology sectors – was previously Director of Marketing at Opta, as well as Director of Marketing – Digital Sport at Sportradar.
In April 2020, Banoub was on the panel for Sport Industry Spotlight: Data and Business Impact, discussing trends in the sector as well as giving insight into how organisations can best optimise their data collection for their specific purposes.
Chinese streaming platform Tencent – which broadcasts the NBA in China – has stopped screening Philadelphia 76ers games in what is thought to be a protest at the team’s appointment of Daryl Morey as President.
Morey sparked a similar protest in China late in 2019 when he endorsed Hong Kong protesters on Twitter while he was President of the Houston Rockets.
Tencent has been offering only text updates for both Sixers and Rockets games, and did not broadcast Rockets games last season.
Meanwhile, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV – which holds the NBA’s exclusive linear TV rights in the country – has not aired any of the opening games in this season’s competition, which began on 22nd December.
Manchester City say they will open an internal investigate into reports that defender Benjamin Medy hosted a New Year’s Eve party at his home.
The club say that, although they believe some of the reports surrounding the incident have been ‘misreported’, they are ‘disappointed’ in the player.
Mendy is alleged to have hosted three people from outside of his houshold on New Year’s Eve.
Kieran Trippier has had his ban for breaches of betting regulations suspended pending appeal by FIFA.
The England and Atletico Madrid defender was given a 10-week ban by The FA after being found guilty of breaching a betting rule, but his immediate worldwide ban – and fine of £70,000 – has been suspended by FIFA due to a request lodged by his current club Atletico Madrid.
Trippier’s offences are alleged to have taken place in July 2019, the same month in which he completed a transfer to the La Liga club from Tottenham Hotspur.
