English Premier League giants Manchester United have announced a loss of £38 million in revenue for the last financial year ending June 30 2015.

The loss can mainly be attributed to the club’s exclusion from the UEFA Champions League for the 2014/15 season.

The club recorded a total revenue of £395.2m, which is down 8.8 per cent from the previous year.

The Premier League side enjoyed more success on the commercial front however, with sponsorship revenue increasing by £19.1m (14.1%) to £154.9 million.

This was largely due to the start of the club’s seven year General Motors shirt sponsorship, which is worth around £47m per year.

Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman commented, “As we look to the new season, we are enthusiastic about our strong position, both on and off the pitch. In recent weeks we have further strengthened our squad, qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, and seen an impressive launch of our partnership with adidas,”

Woodward confirmed that the club is expecting a club record profit in 2016 with their return to the Champions League this season and the commencement of their major kit deal with adidas.

“Our record revenue and EBITDA guidance for 2016 reflects the underlying strength of our business and our confidence in its continued growth,” he added.

Full financial report HERE.

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The funding system used at UK Sport to support medal potential sports has been proved successful by the positive results at Sochi 2014, cialis according to their CEO.

Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport outlined a minimum expectation of three medals for Team GB in Sochi, but they returned home with four.

Lizzy Yarnold struck god in skeleton whilst the men’s curling team achieved silver, the women’s team got bronze and Jenny Jones walked away with bronze for snowboard slopestyle.

UK Sport invested £13.4m ($22.3m) from lottery and exchequer funding to achieve the goal and the team surpassed the three medal minimum target.

Despite coming under pressure from sports such as basketball to change their funding policy, Nicholl said results in Sochi proved the system worked and most sports agreed with her.

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect TV in the BIG Interview, Nicholl said: “Three was the target we would have been pleased with. Of course we came away from the Sochi Olympics with four medals which was a great result.

“It highlights that our system with investing in medal success and our approach to identifying what the true potential outcome is in terms of medals by way of that range, really does work.

“We were within range, we delivered on what we expected, what we invested in and it shows that it works by targeting sports and athletes with the very best medal potentials and getting the right amount of resource to the right athlete.”

Nicholl added: “What we are hearing from the sports is that the system works and that gives us confidence to move forward and on to Rio (2016 Olympic Games).”

Watch the BIG Interview with Liz Nicholl below

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FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has told the Premier League to co-operate with football’s governing body if the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is moved to the winter.

With temperatures soaring to around 50C in Qatar during the summer months, many leading figures, including FIFA president Sepp Blatter, have called for the tournament to be played in the winter.

The English Premier League has opposed the move because the domestic campaign will be interrupted.

However, Boyce has said there is plenty of time to prepare and the Premier League will have to co-operate with what FIFA decides.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek, Boyce said: “Most of the opposition appears to be coming from the Premier League. If Fifa do decide they are going to move it to the winter calendar I would hope it is done in the right spirit.

“I fully understand the Premier League and what is being said here. But it’s in nine years’ time, not next year or the following year, and [I] would hope people – for the good of football – can sit down and realise a sensible decision has to be made here.

“I read the Premier League are saying this impacts on three seasons. If people sit down and work out the calendar properly, I don’t see why it would affect three seasons.”

Boyce did however say that FIFA should have properly considered the rising temperatures at the time of voting for Qatar, back in 2010.

“I personally believe this should have been considered at the time. I accept that this should have been considered; that’s hindsight,” said the former Irish Football Association president

Summer World Cup ‘impossible’

The new chairman of the Football Association, Greg Dyke, also said it would be ‘impossible’ for the 2022 World Cup to be played in Qatar’s summer heat.

Dyke told reporters: “Even if all the stadia are air-conditioned, I think it will be impossible for the fans.

“Just go out there and wander around in that sort of heat. I just don’t think it’s possible.

“My position, and I suspect the FA’s position, will be: ‘You can’t play it in the summer’.”

Boyce agreed with Dyke’s statement and responded: “The situation in Qatar, and everyone knows this as Greg Dyke rightly says, is that the temperature exceeds 50 degrees at times.

“How can you take thousands of people to the greatest sporting event in the world and ask them to enjoy themselves in conditions I think are impossible?

“I honestly believe, medically, you would be asking for massive problems not just for the players but for the spectators.”

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Leyton Orient have renewed their challenge against West Ham’s proposed move to the Olympic Stadium by appealing to the High Court.

The League One club have continuously fought against the Hammers’ proposed move to the stadium and have previously attempted a ground share with the recently promoted Premier League club.

David Gold, co-owner of West Ham, earlier this week suggested that the team were close to moving to the Stratford site, but Orient chairman Barry Hearn has now confirmed they are fighting the process.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hearn said: “We believe that the bidding process is fundamentally flawed.

“The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) have not followed their own rules when they set out the bidding process. 

“All parties involved in the bidding process signed up to the principal of teaming and yet our bid has been turned down without consideration of teaming ie a ground-share with West Ham.

“Do we want to share with West Ham? Ideally, we wouldn’t like West Ham there to start with. But taking that as a gimme – and I think the Mayor’s office have made it clear from day one West Ham are their preferred bidder – we’d like to enter into the teaming process.”

Hearn has previously said that if West Ham moved to the stadium, the future of Leyton Orient would be in the balance.

Asked whether he would accept compensation from West Ham, Hearn commented: “I’m not interested in the money, I’m interested in us having a dream as well. I’m looking for a real legacy, not just a legacy in words where we fall over backwards to help a multi-million pound company like West Ham United.”

An LLDC statement responded: “We believe that our processes have been robust, fair and transparent and that the challenge is misconceived.”

By Steve Moorhouse

The CEO of Rugby Football Union (RFU) has praised the ‘professional’ nature of the England international squad, pharmacy during the England Elite Player Squad (EPS) negotiations.

The EPS agreement covers England senior, no rx Saxons and Under 20 squads and includes confirmation of squad and match fees and performance bonuses.

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect, medic Ian Ritchie, CEO of RFU praised the players and their agents for the smooth running of the negotiations.

Ritchie said: “Like any negotiation, of course we had some hard bargaining on both sides, but I think it was a very professional negotiation. I’ll give you one example; I thought it was particularly impressive from the players that they wanted egalitarian structures that gave the same payments to everybody in the squad, irrespective of the number of caps or who played where and when.

“The players were very professional, as were their representatives.”

Ritchie went on to add that whilst there is a “complete game” in the country, from the under eights, up to the senior international squad, it is the England team that takes priority.

“The ultimate shop window is the senior England team and the squad. I think it is very important that we recognise and deal very fairly with them,” Ritchie commented.

“I think it is very important to get a four-year deal which takes us beyond the Rugby World Cup and gives us some certainty. I have no doubt, talking to the players, that they are professional sportsmen and they do really want to play for England and they really do give it their all.

“Now with this deal, the money can be put in a drawer and we can just get on with the rest of it. I think it’s important to get it done for four years and then hopefully that will be the end of it until post the Rugby World Cup.”

Ritchie was speaking exclusively to iSportconnect about grassroots rugby, sponsorship deals, the Six Nations, preparing for the Rugby World Cup and more. Read the full article here >>

Location: Washington, here USA

Closing Date: 30th September

Overview:

The Washington Nationals are committed to enhancing the quality of life for citizens in the Washington, D.C. region. Our primary focus is on initiatives that honor military families, encourage youth participation in baseball and softball, and support K-12 education. The Senior Manager of Community Relations reports to the Vice President, Community Engagement and contributes to the organization’s community relations mission by focusing on programs related to K-12 education.

The Nationals are a military-friendly organization actively recruiting veterans and spouses.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directly responsible for creating, developing and managing all efforts related to the organization’s community relations mission, with a particular focus on the team’s education initiatives:
  • STEM education
  • Summer Reading
  • Hospitality and Tourism
• Actively support the Vice President Community Engagement in managing relations with community partners and organizations, including development of materials and activities to sustain deeper relationships with participants in education programs mentioned above;
• Work with Vice President Community Engagement to increase outreach to government and civic groups and develop plans for long-term partnerships;
• Collaborate with Corporate Partnerships to implement cause-related marketing efforts for corporate partners;
• Serve as department lead for activation at team’s annual off-season festival
• Assist with planning and implementation of Nationals All-Star Game community outreach;
• Support Washington Nationals Dream Foundation activities;
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Community Engagement and/or Senior Director of Community Relations.

Requirements:

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Minimum of five  years’ experience in community programs and/or corporate philanthropy;
• Minimum of a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Sports Management or other closely related field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities necessary to perform essential functions

• Previous experience working in educational settings and with education based community organizations with a focus on coalition building;
• Broad knowledge of community programs, organizations and methods involved in developing community relations programs.
• Proven ability to manage effective, measurable outreach programs.
• High character; ability to exercise discretion with confidential matters;
• Strong presentation skills (written and verbal);
• Strong organizational and management skills;
• Confidence in making sound business decisions and outlining next steps;
• Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office products.
• Working knowledge of sports business and Major League Baseball.

• Uphold Core Values: Excellence, Performance, and Accountability.  These core values set the tone in everything we do, help us succeed on and off the field, make a difference in the community and provide the best guest experience in sports.  It is important that the person in the position commits themselves to these core values so that we can constantly move forward in the same direction – Together.

• How to Apply

• Click HERE to apply

QBE announces British & Irish Lions sponsorship Specialist business insurer QBE today announced its sponsorship of the British & Irish Lions for the 2017 tour of New Zealand.

As a Principal Partner, prostate QBE will join an elite global group of sponsors in supporting the Lions as they prepare to do battle in a series of matches against New Zealand’s finest, culminating in three test matches against the All Blacks.

The alignment with the British & Irish Lions continues QBE’s partnership with rugby internationally which currently includes sponsorship of England Rugby, North Harbour Rugby and a collaboration with La Unión Argentina de Rugby.

John Neal, QBE Insurance Group Chief Executive Officer said: “We are delighted to be chosen as a Principal Partner of the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.”

“Our customers expect a one-team approach, working with us in close and enduring partnerships. By using our global footprint, along with our local knowledge, we can give them the confidence to achieve their ambitions.”

British & Irish Lions COO, Charlie McEwen said: “As one of the world’s leading international insurers, QBE’s ability to look at managing and mitigating risk from every possible angle means they understand how important it is for the Lions to build a strong backroom team to support the players on the field.”

UK sports radio broadcaster talkSPORT has become an official radio station of UEFA EURO 2016 and UEFA EURO 2020 for the UK.

The radio station will broadcast all 51 matches live from the opening game on June 10 through to the final on July 10.

Read more HERE.