Sports
How Premier League clubs look to U.S. to raise transfers funds
Does your Premier League club need outside financial help? The chances are, they’re already getting it, and you didn’t even know.
From next season, the league will switch from Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) to Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) regulations, marking the latest shift in English soccer’s financial landscape. Driving off-field revenue to help impact on-field performance has therefore never been more important.
While PSR focused on a team’s profit or loss on all revenue over a rolling three-year period, with a maximum £105 million loss allowed, SCR demands that teams restrict their spending on squad costs — chiefly, transfer fees and wages — to 85% of their revenue. This is the same model that UEFA’s Financial Fair Play employs, although it caps spending for teams in European competitions like the Champions League at 70%.
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SCR is one part of a perfect storm.
From next season, the Premier League will ban front-of-shirt advertising from betting companies. That means 11 of the 20 clubs must find new leading sponsors for 2026-27 when the ban comes into effect. West Ham United vice chairman Karren Brady claimed in a House of Lords debate in November 2024 that the decision to ban front-of-shirt gambling advertising “will mean a reduction of around 20% of their total commercial revenues.”
So where can clubs turn? One answer is found in the use of external agencies to find fresh commercial growth opportunities. It is a commonplace practice in U.S. sports, but it’s been rare in England until recently.
‘The first question is where do I fill that gap in revenue?’
Exactly half of England’s top 44 clubs — the Premier League and the second-tier Championship — are majority owned by American investors. And that proliferation of U.S. ownership has led to teams looking Stateside for fresh ideas in finding creative sponsorship deals.
The U.S. market is still relatively untapped in terms of commercial growth for the Premier League. Industry data estimates that American brands now account for 61% of global sponsorship spend in sports, yet only one in six European soccer sponsorships involve U.S. brands.
Playfly Sports sits at the vanguard of this change. The sports marketing, media and tech company markets itself as the “leading revenue maximizer of the sports industry.” The Premier League itself has now engaged Playfly to grow and monetize its following in the U.S. Industry sources have told ESPN that around half the clubs in England’s top flight now work with retained commercial agencies in some capacity. In 2023, that number was around 10%.
Dan Lipman, Playfly’s co-managing director, Europe, told ESPN: “American owners involved in the Premier League are also owners of other clubs in other sports. Playfly works across every team in the NBA, MLB, NHL, and those American owners have seen the sophistication with which we have approached those commercial revenues: the approach to date, the abundance of brands and connectivity we provide.
“It is not an unrelated trend that as these owners invest in European football, they are turning to agencies. Many American sports executives come over to a U.K. sports game and comment on how few brands there are advertised and how limited the activation is. In the U.S., it is totally different. With SCR coming in and betting come off the shirts, the first question for people is where do I fill that gap in revenue?”
Until recently, commercial deals at most Premier League clubs were driven by personal relationships, like chief commercial officers using their network of contacts to deliver sponsorship agreements. Comparable to the modernization of player recruitment, which has shifted away from old-school scouting to the use of analytics, data can now play a key role in commercial strategy, and clubs are increasingly willing to turn to outside help with this work.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told ESPN: “Some Premier League clubs with large budgets have got into the habit of using external agencies to effectively outsource their desire to diversify income streams.
“For example, Tottenham Hotspur have more non-football events with a full capacity stadium than football events, so how can they tailor these to revenue maximization? Advice on pricing, catering and merchandise sold by third parties — the club wouldn’t necessarily have the experience there because it is still a relatively new addition to their arsenal of tools to maximize revenue.”
‘The biggest brand checks are going to come from the U.S.’
Last August, Crystal Palace announced SunExpress as an official airline partner, the club’s first since 1991. The deal was secured by Playfly, replicating a strategy used in the U.S. of bringing airline brands to professional and college teams. In college football, Southwest Airlines provides extra flights for game days as part of its partnership with the SEC, while Alaska Airlines is the official airline of the Big Ten‘s four West Coast teams.
The U.S. model is appealing because, simply, the numbers keep going up. Last October, the NFL reported a revenue increase of 14% for the last fiscal year. MLB revenues hit a record $12.1 billion in 2024, while NBA sponsorship was up 8% according to data firm SponsorUnited.
“A U.S. owner comes in, they hire a U.S. chief commercial officer who has done it for them in the U.S., who hires a U.S. agency to help them see up media sponsorship, TV-facing signage, and there’s trust,” Lipman said. “That’s how it is evolving.”
Tottenham became the latest club to fit this trend when they appointed Alex Scotcher — previously at U.S.-based sports agency firm Elevate — as their new commercial director last month. Chelsea‘s president of commercial, Todd Kline, was briefly in a similar role at Spurs, having also worked for the Miami Dolphins; Liverpool‘s Kate Theobald was previously employed by the New York Yankees.
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The new SCR rules are a major issue. Maguire said: “The rule change means clubs are allowed to spend 85% of revenues on player costs, and so they are under extra pressure to generate that extra revenue because 85% can go on player costs.”
Lipman said: “The commercial revenue for the Big Six clubs is bigger than their broadcast revenue. It is about 40-60% of their total revenue.
“There isn’t a team that isn’t looking at outside sponsorship support because this is the biggest influence they can have. The biggest brand checks are going to come from the U.S., and ultimately that is a relationship-based thing.
“SCR is certainly more linked to commercial revenue because it prioritizes recurring income; PSR is about individual years’ profit and loss. When you look at the revenues, what’s repeatable and predictable? That’s commercial revenue — multiyear and long-term partnership deals.
“When we’re working on a project with a team that could drive them tens of millions of gross top-line revenue annually, that is a significant impact on their budget for player wages, and it will ultimately impact their ability to recruit.”
‘More ads in more places’
The Premier League’s greater profile and global exposure puts its clubs ahead of rival European leagues in accessing the U.S. market. Within England itself, a commercial arms race is developing.
Arsenal are pursuing their own path, currently in the third year of what they describe as a new commercial strategy which includes an attempt to double revenue from second-tier sponsors. Last year’s financial results highlighted the renewal and extension of their Emirates partnership and also the renaming of their training base as the Sobha Realty Training Centre, but their American ownership under billionaire Stan Kroenke will no doubt consider further Stateside options as they arise.
Industry experts expect those U.S. and agency-leaning commercial appointments at Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool will put those clubs on alert in that space.
So how might fans see this manifest in the future? Playfly Sports executive chairman Mike Schreiber told ESPN: “More places for advertising — availability of inventory, whether it is within the broadcast or inside the stadiums. More ads in more places. That’s something that exists in the U.S. and is changing here. And premium experiences for fans.
“This has proliferated through the U.S. and starting to pick up in the U.K. You can reduce the number of seats in the stadium and make more money. It sounds counterintuitive but creating bigger and better seats, food directly to your seat, or a hospitality area, all those elements are areas of change where commercial agencies can proliferate.”
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When the NASCAR Cup Series went to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 in 2025, Ross Chastain got into Victory Lane after closing at +1800 to be the outright winner.
Chastain’s impressive win came after leading only eight laps on the day.
Which driver will take the checkered flag when the series goes back to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend for one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels?
Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 24.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
Denny Hamlin: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Tyler Reddick: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Kyle Larson: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Christopher Bell: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Chase Briscoe: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
William Byron: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Carson Hocevar: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Ryan Blaney: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Chase Elliott: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Brad Keselowski: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Ty Gibbs: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Ross Chastain: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Chris Buescher: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Bubba Wallace: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Alex Bowman: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Austin Dillon: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Joey Logano: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Connor Zilisch: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Hill: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Cindric: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Ryan Preece: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Michael McDowell: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Corey Heim: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Daniel Suarez: +17000 (bet $10 to win $1,710 total)
Josh Berry: +18000 (bet $10 to win $1,810 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Zane Smith: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Noah Gragson: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Todd Gilliland: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Riley Herbst: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Cole Custer: +80000 (bet $10 to win $8,010 total)
Katherine Legge: +90000 (bet $10 to win $9,010 total)
Timmy Hill: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:
The Favorite
Denny Hamlin is coming in hot off an All-Star Race win at Dover. And while it wasn’t a points race, coming into Charlotte after starting from the pole and leading 103 laps in last week’s exhibition could give him the momentum he needs to grab the checkered flag at the Coke 600. His first and only win at this race came in 2022. In 2025, he started 20th but finished 16th after posting the best lap of the day at 29.37 and leading 53 laps.
One to Watch
Tyler Reddick is having an incredible season. He’s gotten into Victory Lane five times, including the first three races of the year. Cup qualifying got rained out, so Reddick will start from the pole today at Charlotte in accordance with league rules. On the season, Reddick has led 201 laps and has eight finishes in the top five. In 2025, he finished the Coca-Cola 600 26th after leading only one lap.
Sports
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella opens up about what she wants fans to remember her for when she retires
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One of the best things to debate amongst friends is where professional athletes of a particular sport rank all time. Some make top 10 lists, others go by the Mount Rushmore rule.
Pro wrestling fans are no different. Championships, legacy and impact on the sport matter to those who take the time to watch wrestling 3-6 times per week for decades. How pro wrestlers are remembered by their fans is important to them.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Nikki Bella confronts Becky Lynch during Monday Night RAW at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Aug. 4, 2025. (Michael Marques/WWE)
For WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, she suggested in an interview with Fox News Digital that her championship accolades should be put aside. Using her voice to have an effect on someone watching her in an arena or at home is more important.
“I would love definitely to be remembered as fearless, as someone who wasn’t scared to use her voice, someone who wasn’t scared to pave the ways, someone who wasn’t scared to stand up to all the hate, who can still be her even when people try to tear you down,” Bella said, who became the Chief Margarita Officer for Madam Paleta Tequila earlier in the week. “What I’ve realized, and this is in any industry and this is throughout time, it’s never easy to be first or be the loudest about something. And there’s so many people who helped pave the way before us but when you’re at the forefront or when you’re at the face of that, you take on everything that comes with it – hate, love, support, everything.
WWE STAR LIV MORGAN OPENS UP ABOUT HER LEGACY, WHAT SHE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED FOR
Nikki Bella returns to Monday Night RAW at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., on June 9, 2025. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE)
“I think that’s where I truly live up to being ‘Fearless’ Nikki, I just don’t stop. Even when I’m not at my best or when I’m at my greatest. I hope at the end of the day, people can look back and respect that too – even the ones who can be so disrespectful. They see things in such a different way and they really just don’t know. I hope to be remembered as that over anything.”
Bella said she understood that fans will look at her titles and accolades overall when she eventually decides to step away from action for good.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
She was a two-time Divas champion, including holding the championship for a record 300 days, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame with her sister, Brie Bella, in 2020.
She stressed, however, that the impact she made was held in high regard above everything else.
“I get some people get hooked on champion numbers, like 13 time, 10 time, five time, you know, for me, it’s always been about impact,” she told Fox News Digital. “And if the people tuning in, I was able to change some people’s lives. Maybe they were being raised in a not great home and I gave them the ability to be fearless and to use their voice to know they could be someone great one day, to me, that’s being a champion and that’s what I’d love to be more than anything. I look at my Bella Army and they are my true accomplishment.
Nikki Bella addresses the crowd during SmackDown at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 13, 2026. (Bradlee Rutledge/WWE)
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“That is better than any championship I could ever win, ever.”
SYDNEY: As Twenty20 cricket competitions explode around the world, Australia’s Big Bash League is struggling to chart a vision for the future, after plans to privatise its franchises stalled.
Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg is adamant that outside investment is necessary to shore up the game’s financial future and keep pace with a boom in other well-funded leagues played in a similar time slot.
They include the UAE’s ILT20, South Africa’s SA20, and New Zealand’s privately-backed NZ20 scheduled to start in December 2027, all bidding for the best local and overseas players.
“If those salary caps (of other leagues) are significantly higher than ours over the coming years, and players can earn more in those areas, then players will follow those. That’s a real risk to us,” Greenberg told local media.
“I want to make sure that for Australian cricket, our ambition is to have a league that runs at the key part of the year for us, which is the December-January window, and it’s the best T20 league in the world at that moment in time.
“To do that, we have to have a significant amount of money in our salary caps to attract not only the best players from overseas, but to retain and attract our own best players.”
He added: “The concept of bringing private capital to cricket is inevitable at some point.”
While not a direct competitor as it runs in a different window, the benchmark Indian Premier League has seen massive success thanks to wealthy benefactors, with England’s The Hundred also on a roll after an influx of private capital.
But it is a thorny issue in Australia with an initial proposal to sell stakes in each of BBL’s eight teams stalling last month amid concerns about a loss of control for the game’s local custodians.
While the Victorian, Western Australian and Tasmanian cricket associations voiced support and South Australia said it was open to the idea, New South Wales and Queensland rejected the move.
Queensland Cricket, which controls the Brisbane Heat, said it was worried about player payments skyrocketing to unsustainable levels, and that private owners may not be as invested in the grassroots game.
Cricket NSW, which operates the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, was similarly concerned that it could be detrimental to how the sport is governed and how local players are produced.
‘Sugar hit’
There are also fears about an Indian takeover, with the most likely buyers seen as the rich IPL team owners who have invested in other short-form competitions around the globe.
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell is in the “No” camp, arguing that the BBL belongs to the states and communities that have built it into a successful and well-attended product.
While acknowledging the commercial realities, he said selling it off was not the answer.
“The moment you introduce private ownership at scale, you introduce a set of priorities that may not always align with the long-term health of the game,” he wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Private investors, however well-intentioned, answer to shareholders, not to Australian cricket.”
Andrew Jones, a former head of strategy at Cricket Australia who was instrumental in the launch of the BBL, is similarly unconvinced.
“A one-off sale is a sugar hit, not a solution,” he said in The Australian newspaper, arguing that revenues can be better grown through sponsorships, wagering, ticketing, and more focus on commercialising the women’s game.
Despite scepticism, Greenberg remains confident and is now eyeing a hybrid ownership model.
This would allow the BBL franchises keen to sell stakes to do so while allowing those against to maintain complete ownership.
“If we end up not going together at the same time, can we still extract the same level of revenue, and can we extract the same level of value?” he said.
“I think we can, but I’ve got to do the work to satisfy a recommendation that would ultimately go to the members and our board.”
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