Latest news with #GrahamClark
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
How competition law helps preserve a level playing field
Many rules to restrict entry ornote-0protect formats are not illegal, writes Viktoria Tsvetanova Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... You may not have heard of competition law, but you have definitely heard of the European Super League. Or LIV Golf splitting up the professional game. Or tennis stars suing the sport's governing bodies. What ties all these together? They are not just headline-grabbing dramas – they are all about two things: who gets to compete and on what terms. Enter competition law. At its core, competition law is about keeping powerful players in check. In most industries, that means making sure big companies do not gang up to fix prices, shut out rivals or strangle innovation. It exists to protect choice – for consumers, businesses or new challengers trying to break through. It governs the agreements companies make with each other, stops dominant players from abusing their position and blocks acquisitions if they risk killing competition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sport might seem like a world apart – built on passion, tradition and rivalries, not market share. However, when a single body controls who can play, where they can play and under what rules, competition law starts to matter. In recent years, we have seen legal battles erupt over breakaway leagues, media rights, youth player transfers and even agent regulations – all testing whether the rules of sport are fair, or designed to keep control in the hands of the few. Viktoria Tsvetanova is a Senior Associate, Dentons (Picture: Graham Clark) Regulators have made it clear: sport governing bodies cannot just protect their turf, they must justify their rules. In the European Super League and the International Skating Union cases, the European Court of Justice confirmed any restrictions on new competitions must be fair, transparent and proportionate – not simply a way to block rivals. In golf, LIV's challenge to the PGA Tour raised the question of whether banning players from one tour for joining another was anti-competitive. The case remains unresolved, but the two tours have proposed a merger, which will be scrutinised closely by competition regulators. In tennis, the newly formed Professional Tennis Players Association has launched actions against the sport's governing bodies, alleging the current structure unfairly limits players' earnings and freedom. In skiing, attempts to centralise global media rights triggered lawsuits from national federations who argued they were being shut out of their own markets. In Scotland, a complaint to the UK Competition and Markets Authority alleges youth transfer rules in football unfairly restrict player movement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, sport is not just a commercial sector and the law needs to recognise that. Its appeal lies in a shared structure, a pyramid where everyone, from grassroots to elite, plays by the same rules. Arguably, sport's entertainment value depends on its top athletes competing in the same tournaments, creating compelling rivalries, drama and continuity that fans and broadcasters crave. Break that up with splintered competitions, parallel rankings or clashing calendars and the magic fades. Look at boxing; with multiple governing bodies and rival titles, some of the biggest fights fans want to see never happen. That's why many rules to restrict entry or protect formats are not illegal. Sporting rules just need to be proportionate, explainable and genuinely aimed at preserving the integrity of the sport. Dentons new logo So yes, competition law now matters in sport – not to dictate who wins, but to ensure the game itself stays fair. It is a tool, not a solution. When used well, it protects innovation and progress. However, used bluntly, it risks breaking the very structure that gives sport its meaning. The challenge now is ensuring competition regulators strike the right balance.
The Province
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Graham Clark is Vancouver's 24-hour joke-telling marathon man
Clark will be back on stage doing stand-up for 24 hours straight to raise money for charity. How does he do it? Vancouver comedian Graham Clark, seen here reading jokes at a previous 24-hour comedy show. Clark is doing it again this year, May 23-4 at Little Mountain Gallery. Photo by Alison Boulier Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors When: May 23 at 8 p.m. Where: Little Mountain Gallery, 110 Water St., Vancouver Tickets: $13-64 at For the fourth time in six years, Graham Clark is going where few comedians would dare — on a stage for 24 hours, doing stand-up. To aid the three-time Canadian Comedy Award winner, teams of local funny people will provide him a steady stream of jokes. Last year's event raised $3,000 for WISH Drop-In Centre Society, and partial proceeds from the upcoming edition will go to Filipino B.C. (Additional donations can be made through GoFundMe at Tickets are sold in blocks of 75 minutes. The show will also be livestreamed. Q: Why do you keep doing this to yourself? A: I don't know. I hate myself, I guess? Some sort of deep-rooted trauma that I haven't unearthed. But also, I just love that venue so much that it feels like one small thing I could do to help it thrive. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A: Yeah. Alannah Brittany, a comedian who's also a speech therapist, taught me techniques to warm up my vocal cords so I won't be so raspy and kind of sore throat-y. She also recommended a specific type of lozenge. Q: How would you describe the arc of the show? Is it more like a hero's journey or a slumber party? A: I guess it would be kind of a hero's journey. It starts out quite well, and it's a lot of fun for the first few hours, and then it becomes a little bit more strenuous, and then you kind of get lost in it, and time just doesn't have any meaning anymore. Just being in a dark room for hours and hours, you just kind of lose sight of what the hell time it is. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A: Absolutely. Then you're ramping up and getting closer and closer to the end of it. So, yeah, it does swing up at the end, for sure. The only time that it's very weird is very early in the morning, like 7 and 8 a.m. Not a ton of people show up at that time. I thought there might be more people that were early risers, but not so much. That's a weird time, because it feels like you're starting a day of work but you've already been doing this for 12 hours. Q: Do you put a lot of thought into what you're going to eat nutrition-wise, or do you just have a bunch of energy drinks? A: It's all grazing throughout the day and night, a lot of self-contained things, like your granola bars and your bananas. Nothing that needs a utensil. Just so you can keep going. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A: It's wall-to-wall hilarious people, too many to mention. Because they come in shifts of 10 or whatever, there are a lot of writers during that 24 hours. There are some really new people, there are people who have been to every single one, there are people who've been in the scene for 20 years who are coming down to write for it. Q: Is any of the show your actual stand-up act? Or do you freewheel it the whole time? A: I'm freewheeling it the whole time. I'll do like a couple of minutes off the top, just to introduce the audience to the rhythm of the jokes. And then it's all comedians writing jokes from there on in. So it's all really off the top. No prepared work. 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Vancouver Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Graham Clark is Vancouver's 24-hour joke-telling marathon man
When: May 23 at 8 p.m. Where: Little Mountain Gallery, 110 Water St., Vancouver Tickets: $13-64 at For the fourth time in six years, Graham Clark is going where few comedians would dare — on a stage for 24 hours, doing stand-up. To aid the three-time Canadian Comedy Award winner, teams of local funny people will provide him a steady stream of jokes. Last year's event raised $3,000 for WISH Drop-In Centre Society, and partial proceeds from the upcoming edition will go to Filipino B.C. (Additional donations can be made through GoFundMe at Tickets are sold in blocks of 75 minutes. The show will also be livestreamed. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. A: I don't know. I hate myself, I guess? Some sort of deep-rooted trauma that I haven't unearthed. But also, I just love that venue so much that it feels like one small thing I could do to help it thrive. A: Yeah. Alannah Brittany, a comedian who's also a speech therapist, taught me techniques to warm up my vocal cords so I won't be so raspy and kind of sore throat-y. She also recommended a specific type of lozenge. A: I guess it would be kind of a hero's journey. It starts out quite well, and it's a lot of fun for the first few hours, and then it becomes a little bit more strenuous, and then you kind of get lost in it, and time just doesn't have any meaning anymore. Just being in a dark room for hours and hours, you just kind of lose sight of what the hell time it is. A: Absolutely. Then you're ramping up and getting closer and closer to the end of it. So, yeah, it does swing up at the end, for sure. The only time that it's very weird is very early in the morning, like 7 and 8 a.m. Not a ton of people show up at that time. I thought there might be more people that were early risers, but not so much. That's a weird time, because it feels like you're starting a day of work but you've already been doing this for 12 hours. A: It's all grazing throughout the day and night, a lot of self-contained things, like your granola bars and your bananas. Nothing that needs a utensil. Just so you can keep going. A: It's wall-to-wall hilarious people, too many to mention. Because they come in shifts of 10 or whatever, there are a lot of writers during that 24 hours. There are some really new people, there are people who have been to every single one, there are people who've been in the scene for 20 years who are coming down to write for it. A: I'm freewheeling it the whole time. I'll do like a couple of minutes off the top, just to introduce the audience to the rhythm of the jokes. And then it's all comedians writing jokes from there on in. So it's all really off the top. No prepared work.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Durham post record 664 against Notts
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Banks Homes Riverside (day three)Nottinghamshire 407: Hameed 206* & 67-1: Slater 37*Durham 664: Robinson 141, Clark 121, Gay 104; Patterson-White 5-179Nottinghamshire (5 pts) trail Durham (6 pts) by 190 runsMatch scorecard Centuries from Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark put Durham in a strong position on a record-breaking day in their County Championship match with and Robinson dominated the morning session as they pushed Durham beyond Nottinghamshire's total, with Gay notching up a second consecutive home century. Robinson was then joined by Clark in the afternoon and the pair took the game to the Nottinghamshire bowling attack, with Clark picking up a second consecutive century and Robinson looked back to his best as he got his first hundred of the hosts kept on going into the evening and broke the county's record for the highest first-class total, but there was a bright spot for Nottinghamshire as Liam Patterson-White picked up his fifth first-class five-wicket haul and they eventually bowled Durham out for 664. Nottinghamshire reached close on 67-1, 190 runs behind the has been a consistent performer for Durham this season, impressing with the bat on several occasions already. On the other hand, Gay and Robinson both had tricky starts, but their class showed to give their side a chance of a vital win on day Nottinghamshire will be thinking about what could have been as Joe Clarke dropped both Gay and Robinson in the slip cordon in the early stages of their on 320-4, Gay and Robinson were the unbeaten pair in place and they were looking to get Durham into a lead as soon as possible. Robinson picked up where he left off as he played a lovely punch for four early on, but he was dropped by Clarke on 35 as the Durham man edged a Mohammad Abbas delivery but the slip fielder dropped one for the second time in the played a beautiful shot through midwicket for four, while Robinson reached his half-century from 75 brought up his second century of the season in style as he cut a Rob Lord delivery to the boundary, while Robinson smashed a Patterson-White delivery down the ground for excellent innings came to an end as Patterson-White bowled him for 104 while attempting a reverse sweep, but that brought the in-form Clark to the crease and he smashed Lyndon James for two boundaries in an over to take his side into the lead. Clark passed fifty in quick time, with it coming from 56 deliveries, and another milestone came soon after as Robinson got his century from 141 balls with a lovely boundary through then made the most of a short ball from Patterson-White as he heaved one over the leg-side boundary for six, but the Durham keeper's fabulous innings came to an end at 141 when a leading edge from a James delivery was caught by Freddie McCann at backward came like buses for the visitors as England's Brydon Carse was bowled by the resilient Patterson-White without troubling the was agonisingly left on 99 not out at tea, but he reached his second century of the season in the first over after tea and he took his side over the 600 mark. The runs continued to flow for Clark and George Drissell, but Clark handed Patterson-White a fourth wicket of the day as he chopped on for they kept on going, with Ben Raine getting the single that gave Durham their record first-class total, but he became Patterson-White's fifth victim when he departed for 10. Drissell smashed one down the ground for six as the lead stretched past 250, but the Durham innings came to an end when Codi Yusuf was run out, with the lead at innings double centurion Haseeb Hameed picked up an early boundary as the league leaders kicked off their second innings, while Ben Slater got off the mark with a nice shot through the covers. Just before close, Carse got the vital wicket of Hameed for 13 with a beauty which dismantled the Nottinghamshire captain's off stump, but Slater, who has looked in good touch, and nightwatcher Rob Lord saw Nottinghamshire to close without further Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Exhibition celebrates history of Bradford's textile industry
An exhibition celebrating the past and present of Bradford's textile industry is set to open on display, named Woven Through Time: Bradford's Textile Industry - Past and Present, will be on show at the city's Industrial Museum until 16 November. It will feature photos taken by Ian Beesley from inside the working mills in the 1970s and 1980s as well as recently. Graham Clark, director of marketing at British Wool, said the exhibition "highlights the vital role wool has played - and continues to play - in Bradford's history". The UK's 2025 City of Culture is famous for its textiles, stemming from its role as the "wool capital of the world" during the industrial revolution. Items from the museum's Built of Wool: Worsted Collection, will also be included in the exhibition, which coincides with British Wool's 75th items on display include a wedding dress from the 1830s, made from fabric in the area, and a velvet day dress made at Lister's Mill around made by Saville Row tailor Tommy Nutter, who designed the suits worn by The Beatles on the cover of their Abbey Road album, will also be on show. Councillor Sarah Ferriby said "I'm sure practically every family in the Bradford district has some connection to the textile history of the district, which is still going over 800 years since it first began. "Come and appreciate the skill and creativity that makes Bradford a world leader in textile production and design." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
