Clubs snub digital deal

THE Premier League have temporarily seen off the challenge of their big six clubs wanting an increased share of overseas TV rights cash. But while talks continue over a formula that satisfies all 20 clubs, the next attack on the collective culture of the top flight will concern digital rights.

The leading clubs are unlikely to work together on this one — instead wanting to maximise their own revenue from digital opportunities, which were not part of the shareholders’ statues when the PL was formed in 1992.

Manchester United will be at the forefront of PL discussions around social media. They have followings of 73.7million on Facebook, 21m on Instagram and 20m on Twitter. And they recruited Phil Lynch from Yahoo to be chief executive of media to grow their digital business.

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17 elite referees who officiate in the Premier League have just had a crash course in the Video Assistant Referee system at its unglamorous Stockley Park headquarters near Heathrow. But the odds are that the 20 Premier League clubs will vote to defer bringing in VAR for another year when they discuss the issue on April 13. RIMLA AkHTAR, the first Muslim woman to sit on the FA Council, has been overlooked for a place on Uk sport board because it was feared she would shake things up too much.

Meanwhile, Uk sport chief operating officer simon Morton and British Paralympic Association CEO Tim Hollingsworth are the frontrunners to replace Liz Nicholl at the head of Uk sport. Nicholl is expected to retire around the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.