Latest news with #FelixStarck
The Sun
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Baller League Finals format and rules explained
Ballers League reaches its climax as we approach the final at the O2 Arena in London on June 12, 2025. The top four teams from the season will face off to determine the winner — here's everything you need to know about the Baller League finals. 3 3 What is Baller League? Baller League is a dynamic, influencer-led six-a-side indoor football competition that originated in Germany in 2024. It has rapidly expanded to the UK — and will soon have a franchise in the US. The league was created by entrepreneur Felix Starck, along with the support of professional footballers Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski. The aim was to blend traditional football with entertainment and appeal to a younger, more digital-savvy audience. Twelve teams play in six-a-side matches, with the top four advancing to the final play-off in June to be crowned the champion. Starck said: " Baller League is a brand new way to consume football. "We're redefining how the game is played by bringing an exhilarating and authentic approach to football, and one that will appeal to current fans along with future generations. "Baller League is all about forward-thinking, aggressive, hyper-exciting football. "We're about creating a version of the game that's impossible to ignore — thrilling, bold and packed with excitement." How does the Final Four work? The four teams with the most points after 11 matches qualify for the Baller League Final Four. Ruben Dias and Maya Jama's romantic debut at Baller League match There will be two semi-finals to determine the final, with the team who placed first in the league stage playing fourth, while second plays third. In the event two teams are tied after 11 matches, the order will be first decided by goal difference, then goals scored, followed by the result between the two sides in question. If, after these three stipulations, the two sides are still level, a shootout will determine who progresses. In the event of a draw in the Final Four after the regular 30 minutes, a penalty shootout is held in which each team initially provides three takers. Baller League is all about forward-thinking, aggressive, hyper-exciting football Baller League CEO Felix Starck If the shootout ends level, it will become sudden death until a winner is established. Who is involved in Baller League? YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI is the president of the UK version. Among the football legends and celebrities managing teams this season, John Terry is in charge of 26ers, while Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards jointly manage Deportrio. Clint 419 is the manager of FC Rules the World, and Miniminter (Simon Minter from the Sidemen) leads M7 FC. MVPs United is managed by Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama, and the trio of Arsenal Invincibles — Jens Lehmann, Robert Pirès and Freddie Ljungberg — manage N5 FC. Brit Award-winning artist Dave (Santan Dave) is at the helm of Santan FC, with YouTuber Sharky managing SDS FC. Luís Figo leads Trebol FC, and Tobi Brown (TBJZL from the Sidemen) manages VZN FC. 3 Wembley Rangers is managed by Ian Wright and Chloe Kelly, while Yanited is under the guidance of YouTuber Angry Ginge Who has qualified for the Baller League Final Four? Just four teams remain from the 12 that started on Matchday 1 back in March. Deportrio topped the standings on goal difference after 11 rounds of action-packed fixtures. MVP United narrowly missed out on top spot by one goal, but they have secured their place in the final four. Yanited and SDS FC complete the sides competing for Baller League glory on the night of Thursday, June 12, 2025 — with fans set to be treated to even more thrilling action at the O2 Arena. Organisers have confirmed a Legends vs Creators match has been booked in with some blockbuster names taking part. Baller League Final Four fixtures As they finished top of the standings, Deportrio will face the lowest-ranked side in the Final Four, which is SDS FC. The team that is victorious will face the winner of MVPs United vs Yanited in the grand finale.
The Irish Sun
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Baller League Finals format and rules explained
Ballers League reaches its climax as we approach the final at the O2 Arena in London on June 12, 2025. The top four teams from the season will face off to determine the winner — here's everything you need to know about the Baller League finals. Advertisement 3 Deportrio, managed by Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, topped the standings during the regular season Credit: Getty 3 Maya Jama and Alisha Lehmann's MVP United will also feature in the final four Credit: Getty What is Baller League? Baller League is a dynamic, influencer-led six-a-side indoor football competition that originated in Germany in 2024. It has rapidly expanded to the UK — and will soon have a franchise in the US. The league was created by entrepreneur Felix Starck, along with the support of professional footballers The aim was to Advertisement read more on baller league Twelve teams play in six-a-side matches, with the top four advancing to the final play-off in June to be crowned the champion. Starck said: "Baller League is a brand new way to consume football. "We're redefining how the game is played by bringing an exhilarating and authentic approach to football, and one that will appeal to current fans along with future generations. "Baller League is all about forward-thinking, aggressive, hyper-exciting football. Advertisement Most read in Football "We're about creating a version of the game that's impossible to ignore — thrilling, bold and packed with excitement." How does the Final Four work? The four teams with the most points after 11 matches qualify for the Ruben Dias and Maya Jama's romantic debut at Baller League match There will be two semi-finals to determine the final, with the team who placed first in the league stage playing fourth, while second plays third. In the event two teams are tied after 11 matches, the order will be first decided by goal difference, then goals scored, followed by the result between the two sides in question. Advertisement If, after these three stipulations, the two sides are still level, a shootout will determine who progresses. In the event of a draw in the Final Four after the regular 30 minutes, a penalty shootout is held in which each team initially provides three takers. Baller League is all about forward-thinking, aggressive, hyper-exciting football Baller League CEO Felix Starck If the shootout ends level, it will become sudden death until a winner is established. Who is involved in Baller League? i s the president of the UK version . Advertisement Among the football legends and celebrities managing teams this season, MVPs United is managed by Brit Award-winning artist Dave (Santan Dave) is at the helm of Santan FC, with YouTuber Sharky managing SDS FC. Advertisement 3 Wembley Rangers is managed by Who has qualified for the Baller League Final Four? Just four teams remain from the 12 that started on Matchday 1 back in March. Advertisement Deportrio topped the standings on goal difference after 11 rounds of action-packed fixtures. MVP United narrowly missed out on top spot by one goal, but they have secured their place in the final four. Yanited and SDS FC complete the sides competing for Baller League glory on the night of Thursday, June 12, 2025 — with fans set to be treated to even more thrilling action at the O2 Arena. Organisers have confirmed a Legends vs Creators match has been booked in with some blockbuster names taking part. Advertisement Baller League Final Four fixtures As they finished top of the standings, Deportrio will face the lowest-ranked side in the Final Four, which is SDS FC. The team that is victorious will face the winner of MVPs United vs Yanited in the grand finale. Semi-final 1: Deportrio vs SDS FC Semi-final 2: MVPs United vs Yanited Final: SF1 winner vs SF2 winner
New Statesman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
Football for the KSI generation
KSI (left) and YouTube All Stars' Chunkz (right) in action. Photo by Kieran Cleeves/Alamy The LCD screens at Stratford's Copper Box Arena ignite: images of football legends – Luis Figo, John Terry and Gary Lineker – followed by the hyper-famous YouTuber iShowSpeed, and his Mancunian rival, Morgan 'Angryginge13' Burtwistle. 'Is this a new era of football?' beseeches the on-pitch announcer, at a crowd which mostly consists of pre-teen boys and dads in beige tracksuits. 'There's more goals, more twists…' he continues to a smattering of polite whistles. 'How do you get on the Wi-Fi here?' whispers an older woman behind me. This is Baller League, a new sports entertainment venture which plans to bring football in line with the short-form content-sphere, eschewing both traditional media models and the very rules of the game. The brainchild of German Bundesliga veterans Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski, in conjunction with an obscure 'film producer' named Felix Starck, Baller League is attempting to rewrite football for the attention-deficit era. The brand's implication is that the once-beautiful game has become boring; too streamlined, too data-fied, too many cautiously recycled attacks and not enough lollipop stepovers. So, Baller League rips up the constitution: there are six players in a team, the matches are 30 minutes long, with 15-minute halves and rolling substitutions. There are no corners, but if the ball goes behind the goal line three times, the attacking team is given a penalty. VAR survives the DOGE-esque rule-shred, but it is reimagined tennis-style, on the basis of appeal, rather than dictated by sports boffins and retired refs in Stockley Park. In an echo of the bizarre 1990s Major League Soccer innovations, special 'gamechanger' rules are introduced in the last three minutes of a half to up the ante. These include reducing the teams to 3 vs 3, doubling the points for long-distance goals, and even forbidding goalkeepers from using their hands. It's all very odd, very loud, and very Gen Z. Imagine Sunday League, revamped by WWE's Vince McMahon and your twelve-year-old nephew. Right now, Baller League appears to be in the ascendancy. Tonight's event is sold out (impressive seeing as it's a Monday evening during term time), and Sky have purchased the broadcast rights for a very pretty penny (£25m according to one off-record source). On his LinkedIn page, Felix Starck boasts of further eight-figure investment. Household name ex-pros like Figo and Terry, as well as Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, have signed up as 'managers', while Premier League jailbirds Troy Deeney and Nile Ranger have re-laced their boots to appear as 'wildcards'. An American version is also in the works – featuring Ballon D'Or Winner and former resident of the Paraguayan penal system, Ronaldinho. But looking at the queue for merch, and listening to chatter in the stands, it is not the wizened ex-pros people are here to see, but the influencers. Among them: Sharky from The Beta Squad, Simon 'Miniminter' Minter, multi-hyphenate content clown KSI (who doesn't coach a team, but is tangentially involved), and the bafflingly famous Angryginge – who has become the real star of the project with his Mourinho-esque touchline antics and camera-mugging. Tonight though, there is a spanner in the works. Angryginge is not here, and neither is the TV presenter Maya Jama, co-manager of MVPs United. Nor are Lineker, Wright, or Luis Figo (who hadn't shown up once at the time of my visit) There are whispers of a feud with Starck, and grumblings amongst the fans, but also, a much larger sense that nobody is particularly arsed about it. Still, there are contractual obligations to uphold, and ex-Manchester City full back and Match of The Day pundit Micah Richards leads his team out against Clint 419, founder of the cult streetwear brand Corteiz. Both Richards and Clint are big names among the gathered demographic, but the squads they preside over are a peculiar mix of the never-quite-made-its and the didn't-even-have-a-chancers; ragtag bands of non-league journeymen, ex-Arsenal academy talents, Futsal stars, viral 'cage ballers'. (There are some with pedigree, such Marvin Sordell, the former Watford and Team GB striker turned mental health advocate.) Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe The opening match kicks off, and the first thing that strikes me is that the players are good. Very, very good in fact; pinging diagonals, drilling balls into the top corner, executing flicks and dummies and tricks with abandon. The format is designed to highlight 'ballers': those with real footballing technique, but perhaps not the physicality, professionalism or luck that the boys in the big time possess. So far, so nice to watch, but across a 30-minute game, it becomes a bit of a melee. The size of the pitch and the unceasing nature of the game means that it's hard to pick up on the macro tactics, the individual performances, and the mano a mano battles that define a game of 'real football'. It's too much, too fast, at far too small a scale. Because there is no chance to breathe, a 3-0 lead feels like nothing at all, and is almost immediately reduced to one during a convoluted gamechanger phase. During a break, I start to consider what Baller League is pushing against. It is probably something like Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca's style of football; dogmatic systems of possession, pressure, release and restraint. Listening to the hype blasting off the tannoy, I'm reminded of the early days of the UFC, when Dana White promoted his sport as an antidote to Klitschko-era boxing, which he declared dull, with fighters not 'going forward anymore' and instead spending their time in grinding, technical clinches. There is a definite sense of 'Make Football Great Again' in play. As curious as their methods are, Baller League are not outliers in this school of thought. There is a widely held belief that this year's Premier League season – with a decidedly half-built Liverpool team coasting to a title – was a particularly tedious one, while the Champions League didn't get going until the semi-finals. The likes of Ruud Gullit and Marcelo Biesla have bemoaned what the game has become, and in recent years there has been a nostalgia cult around what the Premier League used to be, with endless references to the unpredictable 'Barclaysmen' of old: Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jay Jay Okocha, Hugo Rodallega. Baller League is trying to fill this void by creating their own stars, but at time of press, the closest thing they have to an icon is 'PK Humble', an all-shooting, all-dancing attacker (who was recently released by Enfield Town having scored one goal in 33 games). More than the game, though, it's the atmosphere it sorely lacks. Because, beyond the pantomime jeers at Angryginge, and Ian Wright forcing some post-game handbags a few weeks back, nobody actually supports a Baller League team, or cares what happens in the league. The overwhelming impression is a version of football without tribal allegiances, or 'skin in the game'. To my Premier League-addled, thirty-something mind, it conjures up the same plainness and futility of drinking a non-alcoholic beer, or sitting through an open mic night. There is a glaring lack of threat, or emotional investment at the heart of it. But clearly there are believers in this project, and a certain amount of thirst for something like this to exist. To understand what Baller League is attempting, you have to look at what KSI and the Paul brothers have done with their massively successful Misfits Boxing promotions. In lieu of real sporting quality, they have cleverly created a behemothic content machine, one which spits out personalities, disputes, narratives across a highly marketable multi-platform model, that is entirely native to their target audience. The problem is that Misfits boxing will always provide the opportunity to watch KSI get a right hook in the chin, whereas Baller League largely consists of ex-Morecambe Town midfielders taking wild potshots in a strangely low-stakes atmosphere. Then again, the audience seem to be enjoying themselves. It's not quite the Belgrade derby, but there is real anticipation in the rafters. The crowd is also young, dripped-out (a lot of tech fleece, 2009 Barcelona shirts) and diverse in a way that most professional football crowds are not. My guess is that a lot of this comes down to accessibility. My ticket cost £15, bought just a few days before. Compare that to my trip to suffer Chelsea vs Djurugarden the week before – which cost me £40, and a visit to see a 69-year-old man who has been going home and away since 1979 – and you can see both the problem with top level football crowds, and a tantalising opportunity for the disruptors. Walking back to the station, still light outside, through the half-realised vision of the Westfield shopping centre, with its ping pong bars, eSports hubs, bubble tea cafes, it occurs to me that Baller League is just part of a new leisure reality. One which is both plugged-in and physical at the same time, a new version of entertainment which fuses sport, tech, celebrity, gaming and spews it all into hard content. Baller League may collapse under the weight of its own hype soon enough, but it seems to at least understand its audience. For better or for worse, young people want their sport well-lit and TikTok-ready; they want to be grabbed by big personalities and yet remain emotionally unattached. If they can't get the Yamals and Mbappes of this world, they'll settle for YouTubers. The market has already found something to suit them, whether it carries on this current incarnation or not. [See also: Is Labour's football regulator already falling apart?] Related
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'A new era of football' - the stories behind the Baller League players
Love it or hate it, you can't avoid the debut season of the Baller League UK. Social media has been full of action and talk about the six-a-side tournament - set up in Germany by entrepreneur Felix Starck alongside footballers Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski - and which is now in its first season in the United Kingdom. The UK version of the competition is fronted by influencer KSI, the teams are managed by celebrities and the games are live streamed on Twitch. Rather than the players on the pitch, many of whom are free agents, semi-pros or former professionals, most of the attention is directed towards the multi-millionaire managers on the touchline. Angry Ginge, Maya Jama and Chunkz are the stars of Baller League. They attract the crowds. They sell the product. "Baller League - a new era of football" reads Starck's LinkedIn bio. Influencers are the draw for now, but his real goal is to futureproof football by making it more entertaining. The key is in the "hero storytelling", said Starck in an interview with Business of Sport. So what about the stories of the natural "heroes" playing on the Baller League pitch? A first look at Baller League - fast-paced & full of flair What is Baller League? Why are KSI, Lineker & Terry involved? Marvin Sordell is a name most football fans will recognise, He starred as a youngster for Watford, appeared for Bolton and Burnley in the Premier League, and featured in Stuart Pearce's Team GB squad at the London 2012 Olympics. But, after a 10-year career, Sordell retired from the professional game aged 28 back in 2019, citing the impact on his mental health. The pressure of the professional football industry was not worth the toll it was having on him. Instead of stepping away from football completely, Sordell runs a video production company focused on combining entertainment, art and sport, and a marketing agency which helps brands connect with the worlds of sport, music and entertainment. Already working in the intersection between sport and entertainment, the 34-year-old didn't hesitate to join Baller League when the opportunity arose - and now plays for Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards' Deportrio FC side. "Football has been something I've loved since I was a kid," says Sordell. "I was willing to hold on to that love that I have for the game and I knew that wasn't going to stay from being a professional. It just wasn't working, it just wasn't right. "I was potentially doing some work with them (Baller League) through my marketing agency. We had quite a few conversations before it was even announced and then in one of the meetings they asked if I'd be interested in playing." Without any trepidation, he jumped at the chance to have fun on a football pitch again. Sordell had already been playing at different levels and in different formats of the game since he retired from professional football in 2019. From five-a-side games with mates to semi-pro matches with Kettering Town, he was more than ready to roll back the years in Baller League. Despite the cameras broadcasting the action for Sky Sports, Sordell feels none of the pressure he did as a pro. The big talking points after matches usually surround the antics of the celebrities rather than the actual gameplay, allowing many of the players to enjoy their football under the radar. Timelines are filled with videos of ex-England defender Richards dancing, John Terry clashing with former referee Mark Clattenburg on the touchline or Troy Deeney receiving a red card for an unnecessary foul. "From my perspective, I get to go on Monday, play football and catch up with loads of people I know from the world of football," adds Sordell. "I don't feel like there's the same level of pressure or scrutiny as players in the professional level get because people are there to be entertained. " A lot of people have reached out to me who are interested in getting involved. I'm interested to see how the affiliation between people watching and clubs develop in terms of growing fanbases. It has the potential to be something quite big." Sordell on how he overcame his darkest days Remy Mitchell always dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. From the age of nine to 18, he progressed through the ranks as a goalkeeper at Arsenal's academy, but was released without the offer of a contract. He joined Swansea shortly after but, without a senior appearance, Mitchell was again released last summer and has since played non-league football while studying for a degree in business and football management. The 21-year-old is currently a free agent, but in goal for YouTuber and Sidemen member Tobi "TBJZL" Brown's team VZN FC. "I'm quite a big fan of a lot of the managers there," says Mitchell. "I've always watched them and it's quite a cool experience to see them all in person. I've watched [TBJZL] since I was 10 and it's quite cool to be coached by him every week." It's a familiar tale for many players who choose to chase the dream of going pro. It's a precarious path with no guarantees. Only 0.012% of boys playing organised youth football in the UK will ever play a minute of Premier League football. Lasse Lehmann, director of Operations and Sports UK for Baller League, reached out to Mitchell directly to offer him a chance to play ahead of former players, such as his idol Ian Wright. "It's the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of, 6,000 people," adds Londoner Mitchell. "And then there's hundreds of thousands of people watching on YouTube, Sky Sports and Twitch. "I think if you think about it (the media attention) too much, you'll get a bit inside your head and get pretty nervous. I just try to enjoy it as much as I can." Baller League is essentially fulfilling its promise - entertaining football that doesn't take itself too seriously. Mitchell, says: "It does put you in a good spotlight and I've had a lot of good things out of it, like I'm sponsored by a glove brand. "The football is a lot of fun so I'm happy to keep doing that. I don't know how it will work next season. There are a lot of unanswered questions but nothing bad has come out of it." Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'A new era of football' - the stories behind the Baller League players
Love it or hate it, you can't avoid the debut season of the Baller League media has been full of action and talk about the six-a-side tournament - set up in Germany by entrepreneur Felix Starck alongside footballers Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski - and which is now in its first season in the United UK version of the competition is fronted by influencer KSI, the teams are managed by celebrities and the games are live streamed on than the players on the pitch, many of whom are free agents, semi-pros or former professionals, most of the attention is directed towards the multi-millionaire managers on the touchline. Angry Ginge, Maya Jama and Chunkz are the stars of Baller League. They attract the crowds. They sell the product."Baller League - a new era of football" reads Starck's LinkedIn bio. Influencers are the draw for now, but his real goal is to futureproof football by making it more entertaining. The key is in the "hero storytelling", said Starck in an interview with Business of Sport. So what about the stories of the natural "heroes" playing on the Baller League pitch? 'People are there to be entertained': The ex-Premier League player Marvin Sordell is a name most football fans will recognise,He starred as a youngster for Watford, appeared for Bolton and Burnley in the Premier League, and featured in Stuart Pearce's Team GB squad at the London 2012 after a 10-year career, Sordell retired from the professional game aged 28 back in 2019, citing the impact on his mental health. The pressure of the professional football industry was not worth the toll it was having on of stepping away from football completely, Sordell runs a video production company focused on combining entertainment, art and sport, and a marketing agency which helps brands connect with the worlds of sport, music and working in the intersection between sport and entertainment, the 34-year-old didn't hesitate to join Baller League when the opportunity arose - and now plays for Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards' Deportrio FC side."Football has been something I've loved since I was a kid," says Sordell. "I was willing to hold on to that love that I have for the game and I knew that wasn't going to stay from being a professional. It just wasn't working, it just wasn't right."I was potentially doing some work with them (Baller League) through my marketing agency. We had quite a few conversations before it was even announced and then in one of the meetings they asked if I'd be interested in playing."Without any trepidation, he jumped at the chance to have fun on a football pitch again. Sordell had already been playing at different levels and in different formats of the game since he retired from professional football in 2019. From five-a-side games with mates to semi-pro matches with Kettering Town, he was more than ready to roll back the years in Baller the cameras broadcasting the action for Sky Sports, Sordell feels none of the pressure he did as a big talking points after matches usually surround the antics of the celebrities rather than the actual gameplay, allowing many of the players to enjoy their football under the are filled with videos of ex-England defender Richards dancing, John Terry clashing with former referee Mark Clattenburg on the touchline or Troy Deeney receiving a red card for an unnecessary foul. "From my perspective, I get to go on Monday, play football and catch up with loads of people I know from the world of football," adds Sordell. "I don't feel like there's the same level of pressure or scrutiny as players in the professional level get because people are there to be entertained." A lot of people have reached out to me who are interested in getting involved. I'm interested to see how the affiliation between people watching and clubs develop in terms of growing fanbases. It has the potential to be something quite big." 'The biggest crowd I've played in front of': The former academy graduate Remy Mitchell always dreamed of becoming a professional the age of nine to 18, he progressed through the ranks as a goalkeeper at Arsenal's academy, but was released without the offer of a joined Swansea shortly after but, without a senior appearance, Mitchell was again released last summer and has since played non-league football while studying for a degree in business and football 21-year-old is currently a free agent, but in goal for YouTuber and Sidemen member Tobi "TBJZL" Brown's team VZN FC."I'm quite a big fan of a lot of the managers there," says Mitchell. "I've always watched them and it's quite a cool experience to see them all in person. I've watched [TBJZL] since I was 10 and it's quite cool to be coached by him every week."It's a familiar tale for many players who choose to chase the dream of going a precarious path with no guarantees. Only 0.012% of boys playing organised youth football in the UK will ever play a minute of Premier League Lehmann, director of Operations and Sports UK for Baller League, reached out to Mitchell directly to offer him a chance to play ahead of former players, such as his idol Ian Wright."It's the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of, 6,000 people," adds Londoner Mitchell. "And then there's hundreds of thousands of people watching on YouTube, Sky Sports and Twitch."I think if you think about it (the media attention) too much, you'll get a bit inside your head and get pretty nervous. I just try to enjoy it as much as I can."Baller League is essentially fulfilling its promise - entertaining football that doesn't take itself too says: "It does put you in a good spotlight and I've had a lot of good things out of it, like I'm sponsored by a glove brand."The football is a lot of fun so I'm happy to keep doing that. I don't know how it will work next season. There are a lot of unanswered questions but nothing bad has come out of it."
