Here are some of the top stories from last week from around the global soccer industry…
Fox Sports to Pay $15 Million for Messi, Neymar Tournament (Bloomberg)
Fox Sports has paid $15 million to broadcast the Copa America Centenario, the biggest soccer tournament to take place in the U.S. in more than 20 years, according to people with knowledge of the contract.
Fox’s contract is about one-quarter of what Univision is paying for the Spanish-language broadcast rights, said the people, who asked for anonymity because details of the agreement are confidential.
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Real Madrid poised for record kit sponsorship deal (Reuters)
Real Madrid are poised to sign a record 10-year kit sponsorship deal with Adidas worth 140 million euros (106.8 million pounds) a season, Spanish newspaper Marca reported on Friday.
The contract would be soccer’s most lucrative shirt sponsorship, dwarfing the 75 million pounds (€98 million) a year deal Manchester United agreed with Adidas in 2014.
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The FA Reforms Sees Dyke Step Down (FC Business)
Greg Dyke has announced he is to step down from his position as FA Chairman in the summer.
In a statement given to the FA Board meeting today at Wembley Stadium, Dyke said he will remain as FA Chairman until the Summer FA Council meeting in July but will not remain beyond that.
He told the Council: “As you know, in early January I announced I would stand as Chairman of The FA for a further year although I wasn’t certain this was the right decision for either The FA or me.
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Sutter Health puts name on San Jose shirts (Soccerex)
Major League Soccer’s (MLS) San Jose Earthquakes have signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Sutter Health.
The non-profit healthcare company’s logo will appear on the front of the Californian side’s matchday jerseys for a ‘multi-year’ period from the start of the 2016 MLS season. The partnership will also be promoted through a range of community activities and healthy living campaigns.
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Greek match delayed as players stage sit-down protest over migrant deaths (the guardian)
A Greek second-tier league match was delayed on Friday when players staged a sit-down protest against the death toll of migrants trying to reach the Aegean islands.
The gesture of solidarity took place before the game between AEL Larissa and Acharnaikos in the Thessalian city of Larissa.
As the match kicked off all 22 players plus coaches and substitutes sat in silence for two minutes in a show of respect to the hundreds of refugees who have lost their lives trying to escape conflict or persecution in countries such as Syria and Iraq.
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Official: Chelsea completes Miazga signing (Goal.com)
U.S. international Matt Miazga has completed his move to Chelsea from the New York Red Bulls.
Chelsea has announced the signing of American defender Matt Miazga from the New York Red Bulls on a four-and-a-half-year contract.
The 20-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge having made 38 appearances for the Red Bulls, with his debut coming at age 18.
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Swiss law enforcers claim FIFA whistleblower will blow the criminal cases open (Inside World Football)
Swiss prosecutors say they have been given crucial information by a whisteblower in the criminal investigation of suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter – and into FIFA itself.
The Swiss attorney general’s spokesman, André Marty, said the case was making progress and formal charges could be brought by the end of this year.
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Lawmaker Proposes Funding Soccer Stadium with Sales Tax (CBS St. Louis)
A local lawmaker wants to give voters a chance to impose a sales tax, to help fund a new soccer stadium in the St. Louis area.
North St. Louis County State Rep. Keith English has introduced House Bill 2378, which would put a tax of not more than one-tenth of one percent on the ballot in St. Louis City and County. “I just think we need to put a tool out there,” English says. “If the residents do not want this, they don’t want to pay for it, they’ll be able to vote for it rather than have something pushed down into their pockets.”
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FIFA temporarily suspends transfer bans on Real Madrid, Ateltico Madrid (ESPN FC)
FIFA has temporarily suspended the transfer bans imposed two weeks ago on Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid while world football’s governing body investigates the club appeals regarding the signing of youth players.
The FIFA appeals committee informed the clubs of the news on Friday.
Atletico Madrid communicated the news to supporters via Twitter, while Real Madrid later released a one-line statement on their website.
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Blatter expects to be at FIFA election even if still banned (Boston Herald)
Sepp Blatter expects to attend the FIFA election on Feb. 26 even though his appeal against an eight-year ban is unlikely to be resolved by then.
Blatter’s spokesman, Thomas Renggli, told The Associated Press on Friday that the suspended FIFA president “should be present at the congress.”
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This article originally appeared on Business of Soccer. To learn more about BOS you can follow them on Twitter or Facebook.
