Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly says players have too many games
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly believes that players' injuries are increasing because of the tight football calendar. PHOTO: AFP
DOHA – Todd Boehly, who is the co-owner of English Premier League club Chelsea, expressed concern about the footballing calendar by saying that players' injuries are increasing.
The situation is nothing new but the American is the latest to comment on the difficulties that clubs and players face.
'The challenge we really have is how many matches these guys are playing,' he said on May 20 in Doha at the Qatar Economic Forum. 'The calendar's really tight and they put in so much effort and energy, and the injuries are continuing to go up and up and up.'
He spoke on the eve of his team traveling to the US for the newly-expanded Club World Cup.
'We're going to have to revisit what the calendar looks like and how much football they can actually play,' he added.
The Club World Cup, organised by Fifa, has been criticised by players' representatives, who have also voiced concern about injuries. The tournament's prize money is set at US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion) and Chelsea will get a share of that for competing, but player welfare is a major worry.
In the past, organisations such as Uefa, the European organiser of competitions such as the Champions League, have broached the possibility of scrapping the League Cup in England, or at least exempting top teams to reduce their fixtures.
Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League with one game to go this season. They are aiming for a top-five position, which would give the club a financial boost because it would mean a place in the Champions League, Europe's main club competition, in 2025-26.
Boehly, who was part of a consortium that took Chelsea over from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2022, said overseeing the club was both fun and a headache.
'If people didn't care it would stink, so it's a testament to how much the sport matters,' he said. 'To be part of that is a privilege.'
He was asked whether he wanted to increase his role at Chelsea, following a couple of seasons in which he has stepped back from pole position, with one of his co-owners, Behdhad Egbhali, becoming more prominent.
'My role? I think chairman's a pretty good one,' Boehly said.
He added he felt that Chelsea, which is grappling with a redevelopment of its 40,000-capacity stadium in west London, needed a 65,000-seat stadium to compete with rivals.
Manchester United recently announced plans for a 100,000-seater stadium. BLOOMBERG
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Disney lays off hundreds in film, TV as industry woes linger
Disney has cut more than 8,000 jobs in recent years as it seeks to improve profitability. PHOTO: AFP Los Angeles - Walt Disney Co. is laying off several hundred employees across its film and TV businesses, cuts that underscore that the entertainment industry's contraction is far from over. The staff reductions began on June 2 and are falling on employees in marketing, publicity, casting and development, along with corporate financial operations, according to the company. Hollywood has been in a cost-cutting mode for several years, with production and employment in a downward spiral. Studios have reduced the number of films they release to boost profitability, particularly with cinema attendance still below pre-pandemic levels. Consumers, meanwhile, are cancelling cable-TV subscriptions in favour of streaming services, a shift that crimps advertising and distribution revenue for operators of traditional channels. The changes are prompting a massive reorganisation of the business. Comcast plans to spin off most of its cable-TV channels, including MSNBC, USA and CNBC, by the end of this year. Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has also completed an internal restructuring to separate its studio business and its cable-TV operations, which could facilitate a divestment of the latter division. More cuts are expected at Paramount Global as it pursues a merger with independent film and TV studio Skydance Media. Disney had earlier weighed divesting its own TV networks including ABC, but ultimately decided to keep the assets. The company announced a retrenchment in February 2023, eliminating 7,000 jobs in a bid to cut expenses by US$5.5 billion (S$7.1 billion). Disney later increased that target to US$7.5 billion. Competitors have also laid off thousands of workers. The latest reductions follow roughly 200 job cuts across Disney's ABC and entertainment TV networks in March. In all, the company has eliminated more than 8,000 positions in recent years as it seeks to improve profitability. The latest layoffs were first reported by the entertainment industry publication Deadline. Disney had about 233,000 employees at the end of its last fiscal year in September, including 76 per cent full time. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
The world's strongest currency is also super-competitive
The Swiss franc has been the top-performing currency over the past 50 years, 25 years, 10 years and five years. PHOTO: REUTERS Amid all the talk about whether the US is keen to devalue the mighty dollar as one way to revive American manufacturing, it is worth noting that the dollar is not the world's strongest currency and has not been for decades. That title goes to the Swiss franc, and the mighty franc has done nothing to undermine Switzerland's competitiveness. The world's richest major economy has both a strong currency and a strong manufacturing base. The Swiss franc has been the top-performing currency over the past 50 years, 25 years, 10 years and five years. It is near the top even over the past year when some of the more beleaguered currencies have staged a comeback against the US dollar. Nothing can compare for durable strength. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Microsoft cuts hundreds more jobs after firing 6,000 in May
Microsoft's move underscores the tech industry's efforts to trim costs even as it plows billions of dollars into AI. PHOTO: AFP Microsoft cuts hundreds more jobs after firing 6,000 in May NEW YORK – Microsoft cut hundreds more jobs just weeks after its largest layoff in years, underscoring the tech industry's efforts to trim costs even as it plows billions of dollars into artificial intelligence (AI). More than 300 employees were told their positions had been eliminated on June 2, according to a Washington state notice reviewed by Bloomberg. A Microsoft spokesperson said the latest headcount reduction is in addition to the 6,000 job cuts announced in May. 'We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,' the spokesperson said. The AI boom has roiled the tech labour market because companies are prioritising AI-focused jobs and harnessing the technology to save money. Microsoft and peers including Facebook parent Meta Platforms have touted the effectiveness of AI-assisted coding tools in speeding up the software development process. Last week, Salesforce said the internal use of AI has allowed it to hire fewer workers. Microsoft's previous layoffs fell hardest on software engineers. It couldn't be determined what kind of jobs were affected on June 2. As of June 2024, the company had about 228,000 full-time employees, 55 per cent of whom were employed in the United States. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
