Latest news with #MikeDanson
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
Billy Boston will receive rugby league's first knighthood in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Cardiff-born Boston, 90, blazed a trail for black sports stars during the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 appearances for Wigan and finishing his career with a British record 571 tries to his name. He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.' The full King's Birthday Honours list is set to be announced later this week. It is understood Boston's award was brought forward due to concerns about his health.
Bloomberg
30-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK Analytics Firm GlobalData Said to Attract Takeover Interest
GlobalData Plc, the UK research and analytics company controlled by billionaire entrepreneur Mike Danson, is attracting takeover interest from several international private equity firms, people with knowledge of the matter said. The London-listed company has received approaches from suitors including KKR & Co., the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.
The Age
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Age
The two reasons why the NRL is looking into a takeover of the Super League
The recent success of ticket sales for the upcoming Ashes Tour in England – selling out both the new Everton Stadium and Headingley, and with strong sales for the opening game at Wembley – has only heightened the NRL's enthusiasm. There's a belief that the ticket sales for the tournament, which saw more than 60,000 tickets sold on the opening day, speak to a dormant rugby league fan base ready to be activated under the right governance structure and leadership. The second thing the NRL sees is the capacity to package up the sport and sell it to international broadcasters, increasing the revenue in the sport substantially. The last Super League broadcast deal suffered an almost 50 per cent reduction in value. The underbidder in negotiations with Sky Sports was DAZN, who recently purchased Foxtel off News Corp. DAZN are getting ready to enter the market in Australia, and the NRL sees them as a major player in negotiations. The NRL could have more to offer the international streaming giants if it has a product to sell off in Europe, where DAZN already has a significant audience. One option that has been discussed is the possibility of shifting the Super League back to a European winter - providing the NRL with a year-round product to provide broadcasters and a feeder system for player talent between the two competitions. The reason it was moved to a summer competition was to avoid lengthy periods of competition with the English Premier League. While the NRL can see merit in the change, they understand such a move will be met with resistance and are unlikely to pursue it. With the Super League competition and its clubs on their knees financially, NRL bosses agreed to a secret meeting with Wigan owner Mike Danson and Warrington owner Simon Moran in Las Vegas at the start of the season. The wealthy owners want the NRL to rescue the competition, and are speaking to all Super League clubs before submitting a formal proposal to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys. The NRL has made it clear that it will not approach the Super League to buy a stake in the competition, but would be open to striking a deal if the clubs are keen for the NRL to take over the running of the game. The conversation was a result of previous meetings between the NRL and South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly and Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson, who have been working behind the scenes to give the NRL a better picture of the landscape. The NRL sought the views of the influential duo given their time working in the Super League. While Richardson's blueprint involves a 10-team competition (eight teams from England and two teams from France), the NRL is open to exploring all options and is not wedded to the idea put forward by the Tigers boss, who is currently in the US on annual leave. Loading Solly, who previously worked as the general manager of the Super League, said there was a rare opportunity for the game to align itself for the greater good of the sport. 'It makes sense for the two competitions to be more aligned and working together,' Solly said. 'The management and ownership of the clubs at the moment has never been better or stronger resourced, and I think a strong NRL competition, a strong Super League competition and a strong international game is a really compelling commercial offering to broadcasters and sponsors. 'I think if the NRL does get management control of the competition, a lot of NRL clubs will look at ways in which they can work closely with Super League clubs. That might mean official partnerships, equity investments or even ownership. The first part of that conversation has to be the NRL taking control. Clearly, there's a huge opportunity for rugby league in the UK based on the success of the Ashes Tour ticket sales.' The NRL has no desire to invest capital in a project that is doomed to fail. It already has enough on its plate with expansion into Perth and Papua New Guinea to become a player in a civil war that presently seems more likely to wipe out all parties involved than end with a ceasefire. Part of the problem is that the lower-tier teams have the same rights as the more prominent clubs. Solly believes it's time that changed, and the NRL's appetite to rescue the sport is the catalyst to making that happen. 'There's always tension in the game over there between the Super League clubs and lower divisions,' Solly said. 'The best way the NRL can avoid that is by largely focusing its energies into the Super League. That will allow the Rugby Football League to focus its attention on where it's best, which is the grassroots, the pathways of the game and a strong England international program. 'The commercial engine for rugby league in the UK is Super League. The stronger that is, the more money there is to be invested into the pathways, participation and the England national team.'
Sydney Morning Herald
29-04-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The two reasons why the NRL is looking into a takeover of the Super League
The recent success of ticket sales for the upcoming Ashes Tour in England – selling out both the new Everton Stadium and Headingley, and with strong sales for the opening game at Wembley – has only heightened the NRL's enthusiasm. There's a belief that the ticket sales for the tournament, which saw more than 60,000 tickets sold on the opening day, speak to a dormant rugby league fan base ready to be activated under the right governance structure and leadership. The second thing the NRL sees is the capacity to package up the sport and sell it to international broadcasters, increasing the revenue in the sport substantially. The last Super League broadcast deal suffered an almost 50 per cent reduction in value. The underbidder in negotiations with Sky Sports was DAZN, who recently purchased Foxtel off News Corp. DAZN are getting ready to enter the market in Australia, and the NRL sees them as a major player in negotiations. The NRL could have more to offer the international streaming giants if it has a product to sell off in Europe, where DAZN already has a significant audience. One option that has been discussed is the possibility of shifting the Super League back to a European winter - providing the NRL with a year-round product to provide broadcasters and a feeder system for player talent between the two competitions. The reason it was moved to a summer competition was to avoid lengthy periods of competition with the English Premier League. While the NRL can see merit in the change, they understand such a move will be met with resistance and are unlikely to pursue it. With the Super League competition and its clubs on their knees financially, NRL bosses agreed to a secret meeting with Wigan owner Mike Danson and Warrington owner Simon Moran in Las Vegas at the start of the season. The wealthy owners want the NRL to rescue the competition, and are speaking to all Super League clubs before submitting a formal proposal to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys. The NRL has made it clear that it will not approach the Super League to buy a stake in the competition, but would be open to striking a deal if the clubs are keen for the NRL to take over the running of the game. The conversation was a result of previous meetings between the NRL and South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly and Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson, who have been working behind the scenes to give the NRL a better picture of the landscape. The NRL sought the views of the influential duo given their time working in the Super League. While Richardson's blueprint involves a 10-team competition (eight teams from England and two teams from France), the NRL is open to exploring all options and is not wedded to the idea put forward by the Tigers boss, who is currently in the US on annual leave. Loading Solly, who previously worked as the general manager of the Super League, said there was a rare opportunity for the game to align itself for the greater good of the sport. 'It makes sense for the two competitions to be more aligned and working together,' Solly said. 'The management and ownership of the clubs at the moment has never been better or stronger resourced, and I think a strong NRL competition, a strong Super League competition and a strong international game is a really compelling commercial offering to broadcasters and sponsors. 'I think if the NRL does get management control of the competition, a lot of NRL clubs will look at ways in which they can work closely with Super League clubs. That might mean official partnerships, equity investments or even ownership. The first part of that conversation has to be the NRL taking control. Clearly, there's a huge opportunity for rugby league in the UK based on the success of the Ashes Tour ticket sales.' The NRL has no desire to invest capital in a project that is doomed to fail. It already has enough on its plate with expansion into Perth and Papua New Guinea to become a player in a civil war that presently seems more likely to wipe out all parties involved than end with a ceasefire. Part of the problem is that the lower-tier teams have the same rights as the more prominent clubs. Solly believes it's time that changed, and the NRL's appetite to rescue the sport is the catalyst to making that happen. 'There's always tension in the game over there between the Super League clubs and lower divisions,' Solly said. 'The best way the NRL can avoid that is by largely focusing its energies into the Super League. That will allow the Rugby Football League to focus its attention on where it's best, which is the grassroots, the pathways of the game and a strong England international program. 'The commercial engine for rugby league in the UK is Super League. The stronger that is, the more money there is to be invested into the pathways, participation and the England national team.'
