David Hellier

Of course, there were some games played in front of emptier stadiums. Those clubs, like Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday, should look at how to better generate interest in the cup in future years. Spurs, for example, slashed admission prices - and it worked.

If this was darts or padel, there would be a whole catalogue of media about how those events are the new zeitgeist, attracting a nee generation of event goers. Instead, we sometimes take football's popularity for granted.

And what about the 57,000 fans, including 9,000 from Birmingham, who braved the cold to watch Spurs v Villa in north London? Despite the game being screened live on BBC. Or the near capacity 50,000 plus crowds at Newcastle and Everton?

The magic of the cup remains. Where else would you see the holders go out to a non-league team like Macclesfield. No matter that Crystal Palace earnt more than £100m last year from broadcast income. They are still just 11 men on the field.

For all of the footballing authorities' attempts to emasculate the FA Cup for matchgoing fans - such as the scheduling at ever crazier times, and the abandonment of replays - the competition remains remarkably resilient, as this weekend is already demonstrating.

The departure of Rosenior from Strasbourg to Chelsea exposes multi club ownership for what it is: All of that once independent clubs are in service of the top one. They will lose talent at the click of a private equity investor’s finger. Governing bodies allowed this inevitability to happen.

Uefa is feeling pleased with itself after getting a 20% increase in broadcast revenue for the next four years from its top 5 markets, Bloomberg reports. Rise in rights fees for the Champions League etc, comes against a backdrop of flattish rates for sports rights in Europe.

Decent crowd of nearly 15,000 at Old Trafford for this game.

Fiery Deaths of 10 Boys Exposes Brutality of Brazil’s Soccer Mills (Published 2019)

For more details of what happened and how brutal Brazil’s commodification of youth football talent can be, here is a story from the time.

www.nytimes.com/2019/04/06/w...

The $500 Million Fraud Case Exposing Football’s Shaky Finances 777 Partners acquired stakes in seven clubs and got close to buying Everton. Its co-founder and finance director have now been charged with fraud.

The rise and fall of Josh Wander
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Villarreal-Barca in Miami off after organisers Relevent pull the plug

www.laliga.com/en-GB/news/o...

Barcelona in Miami: Oviedo and Espanyol players stage 15-second protest against La Liga Oviedo and Espanyol players refuse to move for the first 15 seconds of their match on Friday as the teams stage a protest at La Liga's decision to host Villarreal against Barcelona in Miami.

Would be something if Villarreal and Barca players stood still for 90 mins in Miami.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

777 Partners Co-Founder Wander Charged With $500 Million Fraud Josh Wander, the co-founder of Miami investment firm 777 Partners, was charged with conspiracy and fraud for allegedly cheating lenders and investors in the firm out of almost $500 million.

Josh Wander, the co-founder of Miami investment firm 777 Partners, was charged with conspiracy and fraud for allegedly cheating lenders and investors in the firm out of almost $500 million.

Notable absentee: UEFA’s president hasn't been seen at the Women’s Euro 2025 since the opening day Despite UEFA’s commitment to women’s soccer with a $1 billion strategy through 2030, its president Aleksander Ceferin hasn’t been seen at the Women’s European Championship during the thrilling knockou...

Graham Dunbar asking the right questions as usual. A story that has curiously flown under the radar elsewhere.

Have long said women’s football should have its own management and governing body. People who really care about its growth.

apnews.com/article/euro...

Crystal Palace’s European dream is at risk – it’s time for football to wake up Crystal Palace face the prospect of not being able to play in the Europa League thanks to multi-club ownership, with John Textor holding stakes in the Eagles and Lyon

The Crystal Palace Uefa story is one of those tragic inevitabilities of modern football

One of the great romantic stories of the game could be soured by the business of the game

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Chelsea F.C. Ends Inquiry Into Bullying Allegations Without Sharing Findings

Chelsea FC employees left waiting for answers as 2-year investigation into toxic work culture that may have led a well-liked employee to take his own life has ended without conclusions being made public.

“My sense is the owners are shirking that responsibility.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/w...

David Beckham, Gary Neville and co have signed up this guy’s company as a new major investor/partner in their Salford football project. Neville is also a partner in Declan Kelly’s advisory firm Consello.

I was six. I sat on my Dad’s shoulders in town centre to watch the victorious Newcastle team return with the FA cup. I recall disappointment that the team were wearing blazers rather than black and white shirts.

Whatever you think about Saudi/PIF/ sportswashing it’s still possible to feel happy for all those Newcastle fans who have waited all their lives for a day like this.

x.com/hellierd/sta...

On the way to Stamford Bridge to watch a resurgent Chelsea take on Brentford. Hoping the stadium is full to the rafters. Tickets on sale via the website earlier today from £180.

A must watch! 😍

Watch the highlights on our app now… 🎥

#CFC | #TOTCHE

Hospitality tickets remain for Chelsea's derby next week with Brentford. Tickets range from £180 to £2,500 (that's just for this one game!). General admission sold out weeks ago.

Saturday. Probably Goodison’s last ever Merseyside Derby. #EFC

Right on cue, France’s RMC Sport just reported that DAZN will be the Club World Cup’s global broadcaster.

rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/mon...

That means next to no one will watch it in the country that’s hosting the event.

@markets: Italian football team Hellas Verona is a potential takeover target for a group of US-based investors

HELLAS, Nel mirino degli americani: probabile offerta USA https://www.firenzeviola.it/news/hellas-nel-mirino-degli-americani-probabile-offerta-usa-437731
Arrivano notizie direttamente dagli Stati Uniti su un possibile passaggio di propriet dell'Hellas Verona. #FediFC #CollabFCBot

Calcio, Hellas Verona in vendita ad un fondo di private equity Usa. Ecco quanto viene valutata la squadra veneta | MilanoFinanza News La società veneta di calcio che milita in serie A, in mano oggi ad un imprenditore italiano, Maurizio Setti, starebbe per passare di mano a investitori finanziari statunitensi

Hellas Verona for sale to a US private equity fund.

www.milanofinanza.it/news/calcio-...

American investors reportedly raising funds for Verona bid via @Onefootball. Read it here:

onefootball.com/editorial/40...

Just finished rereading 'A Season with Verona's by Tim Parks, much more than a football book. An insight into Italian life #football #hellas #verona #books