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Falta pouco para o Palmeiras poder contar com seu próprio avião. Isso porque a aeronave já está no Brasil desde a noite dessa quarta-feira (7). Agora restam detalhes burocráticos para que ela receba permissão para voar e servir ao elenco em viagens nacionais e internacionais. A expectativa é de que ainda neste mês de junho ela já possa estrear como transporte palmeirense.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Por volta das 22h de quarta-feira (7), o avião pousou no Aeroporto de Foz de Iguaçu, no Paraná, onde aguarda a regularização da ANAC (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil) e de processos relacionado à importação. A chegada ao Brasil acontece depois de um período de personalização em Portugal, onde ganhou as cores azul e branca. As cores do clube foram evitadas, uma vez que o avião poderá ser usado por outras agremiações.

Registrado sob a matrícula PS-LPM (LPM faz referência às iniciais do nome Leila Mejdalani Pereira), o avião de modelo E190 E-2 fabricado pela Embraer (antiga dona) pertence a uma das empresas de Leila, a Placar Linhas Aéreas S/A, na qual é sócia de seu marido José Roberto Lamacchia. O Verdão terá prioridade na utilização dos voos e bancará apenas os custos das viagens que fizer. No restante do tempo, outros clubes e empresas poderão pagar para usá-lo. O valor é estimado em 65 milhões de dólares (R$ 328 milhões).

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A expectativa é de que o Palmeiras já possa usar a aeronave neste mês de junho, caso todos os trâmites burocráticos sejam resolvidos dentro do prazo planejado pelo clube. Com a personalização realizada no avião, foram retirados alguns assentos para que os jogadores tenham maior conforto no trajeto. Originalmente, ele comportaria 114 passageiros, algo que diminuirá com as modificações internas.

+ Avião do Palmeiras quase foi chinês, virou norueguês e é conhecido por pintura de tubarão

Em contato com pessoas próximas à diretoria palmeirense, o LANCE! apurou que o clube prevê uma economia “drástica” nos custos das viagens fretadas que faz neste momento. Na visão dessas fontes ouvidas pela reportagem, a novidade terá um impacto imediato nas finanças alviverdes, especialmente nas viagens internacionais.

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Histórico da aeronave

Antes de ser o “avião do Palmeiras”, essa aeronave teve um histórico interessante desde a sua produção, há quatro anos. Como dito acima, ela foi produzida pela Embraer, em São José dos Campos-SP e tinha como destino uma empresa chinesa de aviação chamada Fuzhou Airlines, mas com a crise que passava na época, acabou desistindo de ficar com o modelo novo encomendado.

Na sequência, a Embraer arrendou a aeronave para a empresa norueguesa Widerøe entre junho e novembro de 2019. Na época, a linha aérea escandinava utilizava esse avião para ser um suporte aos que já tinha voando. Assim, logo acabou ficando sem uso por conta da demanda. Entre dezembro de 2019 e setembro de 2020, ela ficou armazenada em Alverca-POR, em uma subsidiária da Embraer. Depois, entre setembro de 2020 e dezembro de 2021, ficou estocada em Nashville-EUA.

O avião retornou para São José dos Campos, sede da Embraer, para ter uma nova função após essa sequência de arrendamentos e passou a ser uma aeronave de demonstração e testes. Por esse motivo, no início de 2022, ela recebeu uma nova pintura de Tubarão Tecnológico e passou a ter o seu número de registro 2-RLET. A Embraer levou o avião para um evento aeronáutico em Singapura para demonstrá-lo a possíveis clientes e chamar a atenção com sua peculiaridade. Foi essa a última caracterização da aeronave antes de receber uma nova roupagem em Portugal.

James Maddison has been an impressive option for Tottenham Hotspur over the last couple of years, after joining the side in a £40m deal from Leicester City in 2023.

However, injuries have massively halted his progress in North London, suffering four separate setbacks within his two-season stint at the Lilywhites to date.

His latest issue will undoubtedly be his biggest, suffering an ACL injury in the pre-season outing, with the Englishman expected to be out for the vast majority of the 2025/26 campaign.

Thomas Frank would’ve been excited to work with the 28-year-old during his first year at the helm, but any success the pair endure together will have to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

As a result of the injury setback, the hierarchy have had to dip back into the transfer market to help bolster the first-team squad in an attempt to strengthen their chances of building on their Europa League success.

2 The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this summer

Eberechi Eze has once again been linked with a summer move to Spurs this window, looking to pounce and take advantage of the £60m release clause in his contract.

The Lilywhites are facing a battle with North London rivals Arsenal to land the England international, who registered 16 goal contributions in the Premier League last season.

However, he’s not the only player in England’s top-flight currently on their radar, with Brighton star Facundo Buonanotte a player they’re tracking, according to the Daily Mail.

Their report claims that Frank’s side are following the Argentine’s progress ahead of a potential move between now and the end of the summer transfer window.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It also states he’s just one of a number of players that the club are monitoring, but it’s unclear whether the Seagulls will be willing to part ways with the 20-year-old before the deadline.

sS from earlier this summer suggested that Brighton could be willing to sell for around £30m

1 Why Spurs’ latest target would be the perfect Maddison replacement

Whilst Eze remains a player firmly on their shortlist, other options are currently being explored, as the side look to have a contingency plan should they miss out on his signature.

His consistency in England’s top-flight would make him an excellent addition, offering the player the next step in his career, allowing him to become a leading talent under Frank’s guidance.

However, the interest from their bitter rivals could make for an interesting battle, with one of the two sides having to suffer a blow in missing out on his signature.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Lilywhites, having options to fall back on, as seen by their recent hunt for a new attacking midfielder over the last few days.

Buonanotte is just one of many on such a list, potentially having the tools to be a huge hit with the supporters if he makes the move to join Frank’s men.

When comparing his stats to Maddison from last season, the youngster highlighted that he has all the tools to fill the void left after his long-term injury setback.

The Argentine, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by Clinton Morrison, completed more progressive carries and more carries into the final third – having the ability to thrive with the ball at his feet.

Games played

31

31

Goals & assists

7

16

Progressive carries

2.4

2.2

Take-ons completed

1.7

1.6

Carries into final third

2.1

1.9

Shots taken

2.2

1.9

Through balls completed

0.8

0.6

Recoveries made

4.7

3.7

He also completed more take-ons per 90, along with a higher tally of through balls completed – able to add an end product to his mazy runs, handing those ahead of him with the tools for success.

Out of possession, Buonanotte has also impressed, making more recoveries and tackles per 90, fitting perfectly into Frank’s system, which requires a huge amount of running – especially without the ball.

No fee has yet been touted for the Brighton star, but it’s clear that he has the ability to be an excellent option for the Lilywhites in their hunt for future success.

Eze will still remain a key option, but if they miss out on the Englishman, a deal for Buonanotte could be an excellent alternative, having the ability to develop further under the Dane’s guidance.

Alongside Savinho: £60m Gibbs-White upgrade now keen to join Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making huge moves in the transfer market ahead of the September 1st deadline.

2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 13, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

No próximo domingo (16), às 18h30 (de Brasília), o Grêmio enfrenta o Santos, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, em partida que marca o retorno do clube à elite do futebol nacional. Em decorrência da punição recebida por conta da briga no confronto diante do Cruzeiro, durante a Série B do ano passado, o Estádio Alfredo Jaconi será o palco da estreia do Tricolor.

Recentemente, a casa do Juventude passou por melhorias com o objetivo de manter um dos gramados mais bem avaliados do país.Um dia antes, no sábado (15), o habitual usuário do estádio também fará sua estreia, porém na Série B, recebendo o Botafogo-SP.

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>Demissões abrem espaço para jovens jornalistas na cobertura esportiva da Globo

Nas últimas semanas, o Juventude realizou uma série de melhorias no Jaconi em busca de manter o alto padrão de qualidade no gramado do estádio. Para a atual temporada, o Departamento de Patrimônio do Clube efetuou manutenções de rotina no sistema de drenagem e preparou o solo para o plantio do azevém (grama de inverno), algo que ocorrerá a partir da próxima segunda-feira (17).

A qualidade do gramado do estádio, que figura entre os mais bem avaliados do país, já foi ressaltada em diversas oportunidades pelo técnico do Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira, e foi fator decisivo para a escolha do Grêmio. A proximidade do torcedor e a logística favorável também foram levadas em consideração pela diretoria do tricolor.

Nos últimos anos, além da manutenção do gramado, o Juventude adotou outras melhorias como a instalação de novas cadeiras nas arquibancadas, modernização do sistema de som, banheiras de hidromassagem, reformas no vestiário, dentre outras.

– É uma grande satisfação ter a qualidade do nosso gramado reconhecida e valorizada. Esse é um norte que tomamos, a valorização da nossa casa, do nosso patrimônio. Investir na infraestrutura do clube é um dos pontos principais de nossa atual gestão e, somente desta forma, podemos alcançar resultados cada vez melhores – destaca Rafael Bellei, Vice-presidente de Patrimônio do Juventude.

Chelsea have just landed a seismic financial windfall after reaching the Club World Cup final, but the expectation remains that they’ll still need to sell a host of players.

Enzo Maresca’s side knocked Thiago Silva’s Fluminense out in the semi-finals on Tuesday evening, courtesy of a stunning brace from new signing Joao Pedro, who put on a sublime display in their 2-0 victory against his former side.

"World-class" player reaches gentleman's agreement to leave Chelsea

He can depart for an obtainable fee.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025

The win means that Chelsea are guaranteed to bank around £80 million from participating in the tournament, regardless of their next result, having reached the final with five wins from their total of six games played so far.

If Chelsea go on to win the whole thing, BlueCo will get a further £7.5 million – taking their total potential earnings closer to the £90 million mark.

“I am happy for the club,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s CWC prize money.

“But I don’t care, because when I prepare a game, I don’t prepare the game thinking if we win, we have more money. Because it is something for the club, it is not for us, unfortunately. We already have a clear idea about what we need to improve for next season. And hopefully we can have it.”

While Maresca pays no attention to matters like this off the field, it could still prove crucial to Chelsea’s balance sheet.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The club were recently slapped with a UEFA fine for breaking FFP rules, and their estimated £140 million expenditure over the summer transfer window so far means that player sales are an absolute necessity, even if their CWC earnings could provide more breathing room.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic are all tipped to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, with uncertainty also surrounding Nicolas Jackson after Chelsea’s signings of Pedro and Liam Delap.

There is also the matter of £195,000-per-week forward Christopher Nkunku, who isn’t a key starter for Maresca, and he’s attracting notable interest from abroad.

Christopher Nkunku keen to make Germany return and leave Chelsea

According to talkSPORT, Nkunku is keen on a return to Germany with Bayern Munich, who were heavily linked in the January transfer window, and Chelsea are waiting for the Bundesliga champions to make a formal approach.

They won’t have to wait at all for an approach from Saudi Arabia, though, as it is believed that Al-Qadsiah have already made an enquiry to the Frenchman’s representatives.

Nkunku is understood to prefer remaining in Europe, so Bayern appear to be the lead contenders as things stand, but it is suggested that Chelsea could demand around £60 million as they actively seek to sell the 27-year-old.

The squad player is currently one of their highest-earners, so getting him off the books for a reasonable fee could be one of Chelsea’s most imperative exit deals of the summer.

رحب جيانلويجي دوناروما بمنافسة جيمس ترافورد على حراسة مرمى مانشستر سيتي بعد انضمامه من صفوف باريس سان جيرمان مقابل 30 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وكان الحارس الإيطالي صاحب الـ26 عاماً قد وقع لصفوف مانشستر سيتي في اليوم الأخير من سوق الانتقالات، وقد كانت هذه الخطوة مفاجئة بعد انضمام ترافورد من بيرنلي في وقت سابق مقابل 27 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وكان ترافورد قد انضم لمانشستر سيتي بدلاً من إيدرسون الذي انتقل إلى فنربخشة مقابل 14 مليون جنيه إسترليني الأسبوع الماضي ليكون حارساً أساسياً قبل أن يتذبذب مستواه في بداية الموسم حيث كان مسؤولاً عن هدف جواو بالينيا في فوز توتنهام بهدفين نظيفين على ملعب الاتحاد.

وقال دوناروما في تصريحات عن المنافسة على قميص حارس المرمى في تصريحات نشرتها “الجارديان” البريطانية: “أنا سعيد لأن المنافسة مفيدة للجميع”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. بينهم عمر مرموش.. فيروس الفيفا يضرب الأندية في مقتل خلال التوقف الدولي

وأضاف :”أتطلع بشوق للقاء زملائي الجدد وعلينا أن نكون مجموعة قوية ومتحدة تضم أشخاصا يهتمون ببعضهم البعض وهذا مفتاح النجاح ومعاً يمكننا تحقيق نجاح باهر”.

وواصل: “أريد الاستمتاع بكل شئ، أريد التعرف على المدينة وأشخاص وزملاء جدد، أتطلع بشوق لاكتشاف أجواء الملعب والنزول لأرض الملعب والاستمتاع بأجواء الملعب التشجيعية”.

وأكمل: “اللعب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مع مانشستر سيتي تجربة رائعة بالنسبة لي، وأنا مستعد لهذا التحدي، لطالما حلمت باللعب في البريميرليج لأنه أفضل دوري في العالم”.

وختم: “أعتقد أن تحقيق النجاح في الدوري الإنجليزي أقصى ما يمكن تحقيقه في مسيرتي، لذلك أنا سعيد جداً بوجودي هنا ومستعد للعب في النادي الذي بذل جهودا كبيرة لضمي وآمل أن أكون عند حسن ظنه”.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta faces a huge task ahead of him in the 2025/26 campaign, potentially coming under serious pressure should he fail to win a trophy.

The Spaniard has now been in the role at the Emirates for five and a half years, with his only trophy coming in the FA Cup back in his first season at the helm.

In the Premier League, the Gunners have finished as runners-up in each of the last three seasons, being unable to make that final step and end the two-decade wait for a league triumph.

Investment is needed from the hierarchy during the off-season if they are to finish at the top of the table next time around, handing the manager the tools he needs for success.

With the transfer window now in full swing, countless names have been mentioned as options for Arteta, leading to moves being made on various deals.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new additions this summer

A striker has been firmly on their radar over recent weeks, leading to talks being held with the representatives of RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, but no agreement has yet been reached.

Moves have also been made to sign PSG wonderkid Warren Zaire-Emery, looking to take advantage of his situation in France which has seen him losing his starting place in Luis Enrique’s side.

However, they may look past a deal for the teenager, given the progress that has been made to sign Sevilla star Lucien Agoume, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Gunners are leading the race for his signature, with fellow English sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also firmly in the race for his signature.

It also states that the 23-year-old is available for a fee in the region of £20m this summer, potentially forming an excellent partnership with one other talent in North London.

Why Arsenal’s £20m target would be perfect alongside Zubimendi

Over recent months, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been the name on all supporters’ lips after he’s been consistently linked with a move to Arsenal.

It was confirmed back in January that a deal had been agreed to land the 26-year-old this summer, but such a move has been quiet over the last couple of weeks.

That was until Fabrizio Romano confirmed that a deal is imminent with the midfielder still set to make the move to the Emirates despite interest from Real Madrid.

It’s been reported that the hierarchy are set to pay just over his €60m release clause in his contract, securing the deep-lying option Arteta has been crying out for.

However, he could thrive alongside Agoume in North London next season, with the Frenchman having all the tools to star in the middle of the park and giving the Gunners a new dimension.

Agoume, who’s been labelled “one of the most talented defensive midfielders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has completed 83% of passes and achieved a dribble success rate of 76% – subsequently able to drive forward after Zubimendi regains possession for the side.

He’s also created 1.2 chances per 90, showcasing his ability his progress the play and aiding the attackers in front of him to thrive and bolster their title credentials.

Games played

35

Goals & assists

4

Passes completed

83%

Dribbles success

76%

Chances created

1.2

Tackles won

1.4

Interceptions made

1.7

The 23-year-old’s talents continue without the ball, winning 1.4 tackles per 90 and making 1.7 interceptions per 90, handing Arteta an added ball-winning option alongside Zubimendi and taking some of the pressure off his shoulders as a result.

£20m in today’s market would be a superb piece of business by the hierarchy, landing a young player who could improve massively in the years ahead given his tender age.

The prospect of a partnership between Agoume and the Spaniard at the heart of the side is certainly an exciting one, handing Arteta the strength and depth he needs to push for the title in 2025/26.

He's the next Timber: Arsenal submit offer to sign "insane" £43m star

After Jurriën Timber proved to be such a revelation this season, could Arsenal return to the Eredivisie to sign an “insane” defender worth £43m?

ByBen Gray Jun 21, 2025

Worryingly, every team that seals promotion up to the Premier League immediately knows they’ll be up against it trying to stay afloat in its choppy waters. That will be the main concern now for Burnley.

Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton are going to fall back down to the Championship after one fleeting campaign in the tough division, with the Clarets hopeful, yet definitely apprehensive that they can buck this dismal trend when they reenter the top league shortly.

Scott Parker’s attempts to solidify the Clarets as a top-flight worthy side once more will be made a lot harder if Josh Brownhill were to depart Turf Moor, with the experienced midfielder’s future still up in the air heading into the hectic summer transfer window.

Brownhill's future at Burnley

Already, the Clarets are having to stomach the prospect of CJ Egan-Riley leaving the club for pastures new with RC Strasbourg.

Unfortunately, Brownhill could be next for the exit door if rumours are to be believed, with Turkish sides Trabzonspor and Besiktas now eyeing up the soon-to-be out-of-contract attacking gem, away from earlier interest from the likes of Everton and West Ham United.

Losing Egan-Riley is already a damaging body blow for Parker’s newly promoted outfit, but adding Brownhill into the mix would be nothing short of disastrous, considering the 29-year-old would hammer 18 goals in league action last season to help seal automatic promotion.

Moreover, the Manchester-born star – who is also reportedly on the radar of Wolverhampton Wanderers – possesses experience of the Premier League to further boost the Clarets, but there’s a worry he could now up and leave before top-flight football officially returns to Turf Moor.

Losing him for nothing would also be very painful for the Lancashire side, considering his estimated worth currently stands at around the £9.5m range according to Football Transfers.

But, there is a midfield teammate of Brownhill’s who actually now boasts a heftier worth than the stand-out 29-year-old after an impressive debut season under Parker’s wing.

The Burnley star who is now worth more than Brownhill

In their bid to immediately return to the promised land of the Premier League, Burnley surprisingly didn’t splash obscene masses of cash.

Indeed, £15.4m was the most spent on a single player in the form of Mike Tresor. Whilst Tresor would unfortunately fade into the background, another of their summer purchases would shine as ex-Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri ended up relocating to the Clarets for a modest £5.4m fee.

He wouldn’t be an immediate success in his new location as he got up to speed, but Hannibal’s importance to the cause would be seen when crucial promotion games came thick and fast.

Indeed, his well-taken strike got the ball rolling for Parker’s nervy Clarets against Norwich City, while he also registered two assists when Burnley flawlessly won their last five league contests to finish inside the top two.

Lauded as an “absolute baller” during his time at Man United by scout Antonio Mango, he’s now finally living up to that immense potential.

Hannibal’s numbers for Burnley
Stat	Hannibal
Games played	39
Goals scored	1
Assists	5
Value when joining	£5.4m
Value now	£9.7m
Value increase	£4.3m
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Football Transfers

The Tunisian hasn’t blown anyone away with constant vibrant displays, but it’s clear the 22-year-old could only get better with time at Turf Moor, with this promise seen in his transfer value already increasing to a high £10m just a season into his Burnley move.

This is a small jump up from 18-goal hero Brownhill’s own valuation, with Parker praying that both Hannibal and the more seasoned head of the 29-year-old can link up with each other in the top-flight.

If that doesn’t happen, however, the ex-Fulham boss will know Hannibal will be raring to prove himself in the elite division, having already picked up the pieces with the Clarets after his Old Trafford departure.

Their best RB since Trippier: Burnley eyeing move for "immense" £10m star

Burnley could be about to land their best right-back since Kieran Trippier with this sensational swoop.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 22, 2025

Manchester United are now considering a shock move to sign an “exceptional” attacker from one of their bitter rivals this summer, according to a report.

Man Utd pursuing new attacking midfielder

In truth, very few Man United players can hold their heads up high this season, given that they are on course for their worst-ever Premier League finish, but Bruno Fernandes has once again proven himself to be a top player.

The 30-year-old has 17 goals and 18 assists to his name in all competitions, most recently scoring in the 5-4 victory against Lyon to help his side progress to the Europa League semi-final, which is the Red Devils’ last chance to make a success out of this season.

Fernandes has put in some top-drawer performances, but United’s league position underlines the fact they cannot rely solely on the Portugal international, and they have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder.

Top target: Man Utd pushing to sign "incredible" £313k-p/w Barcelona star

The Red Devils are willing to make a huge bid for a Barcelona player this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 23, 2025

RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons appears to be one of the main targets for the summer, with INEOS reportedly sanctioning a £115m+ offer for the Dutchman, despite the financial difficulties at Old Trafford.

However, there have also been suggestions that Man United could look at bringing in a cheaper alternative, with a report from The Telegraph revealing they are now monitoring developments around Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee.

McAtee’s future at the Etihad Stadium is up in the air, as he is set to enter the final year of his contract this summer, and he wants to receive regular game time next season, having only played a sporadic role for City this term.

There is widespread interest in the 22-year-old, with the likes of Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen also in the picture, so there could be stiff competition for his signature.

"Exceptional" McAtee needs regular game time

The 22-year-old is now at an age where he needs to receive regular game time, but Pep Guardiola has been unwilling to give the attacking midfielder a consistent run in the side, often limiting him to appearances from the substitutes’ bench.

However, the Englishman has impressed when given the opportunity, scoring seven goals in all competitions this season, while he also caught the eye of reporter Ryan Taylor during his time with Sheffield United.

Back in January, it was reported Man City would be willing to cash-in on the Salford-born midfielder for just £25m, which feels like a fair fee, given his talent.

However, it seems very unlikely that City would be willing to sell McAtee to their bitter rivals, especially considering there is widespread interest from other English and foreign clubs.

Bad weather has marred the build-up in Dallas while ticketing issues threaten to cast an even longer shadow

Cameron Ponsonby01-Jun-2024Well, at least the officer at immigration knew the T20 World Cup 2024 was on.The streets of Dallas are not awash with cricket fans giddy at the arrival of the big show. Uber drivers don’t know it’s happening, billboards are advertising FC Dallas vs LA Galaxy rather than Nepal vs Netherlands, and the opening match between USA and Canada is not a sellout. The stadium holds 7000 people.As these things go, it walks straight into the zone of “what are we doing here?” Why is the premier cricket event of 2024 going to kick off in Dallas – in front of an as-yet-unknown number of people – rather than, well, somewhere else?Related

• USA coach Stuart Law: 'We're a family, and we fight hard for each other, which is what great teams do'

• USA vice-captain Aaron Jones on rivalry with Canada: 'Has been going on for years and years'

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• Dallas dreams of cricket

• New York's beautiful monster: how a cricket venue was created from scratch

It’s a good question. And looking out at the soaking outfield at Grand Prairie Stadium as yet another thunderstorm passes through, it doesn’t immediately bring about a good answer.A concerning set of circumstances is building ahead of launch day – that things outside of the organisers’ control are not going to land their way, and neither are the things that were in their control. Flash-flood warnings and thunderstorms have been present throughout the week. A few days ago, the big screen fell down because the winds were so strong. Out the back where the media tents have been built, it’s almost entirely mud.You can’t control that. If Saturday arrives and so does a thunderstorm, that’s sad. But that’s life.The ticketing, however, has been a mess. As of two months ago, the opening fixture between USA and Canada did not have any public tickets available. One would assume that meant it had been sold out. Wrong.Hopes of sellouts have given way to announcements that availability is “limited”, before the reality was revealed in a USA Cricket press statement on Wednesday. In what was billed as an “exclusive ticketing offer”, members of USA Cricket could now purchase up to six tickets to the must-see event of the year at a 25% discount. Get your hot cakes here. They’ll give you 20 for free if you agree to go to USA vs Canada.

“Cricket cannot bemoan the concentration of finances within the ‘Big Three’ and worry about the health of the sport outside those countries while giggling at the notion of the USA giving the sport a go”

The ICC does not publish a running tally of tickets sold, but did say on Saturday it has “seen strong sales and expect a good crowd”. Officials also said that it had always been the plan to hold back tickets until four days out for US cricket members to purchase at a discount.There is reason to doubt this. The ODI World Cup in India last year ago faced similar problems of sparsely populated “sold out” stadiums early in the tournament. This is not new and how these events are marketed and tickets sold deserves scrutiny.Furthermore, the release of more tickets for this World Cup sits at odds with previous statements that came from the ICC, including from tournament director Fawwaz Baksh, who told in February that the matches in America had been “oversubscribed”.”It’s an unfortunate reality that not everyone who applied for tickets will get tickets,” Baksh said at the time. “I wish everyone could get a ticket but that’s just not possible.”The wriggle room the ICC gives itself here, and as Baksh himself said later in the same interview, is that more tickets could become available if sponsors return some of their tickets to the pool.This is what the ICC has claimed is the case following an announcement on Saturday, which released additional tickets for seven matches that had previously been given the “sold out” treatment. All the matches were in America and for fixtures where “general admission allocations were previously exhausted”. Oversubscribed, but now readily available all at once. If you wanted to attend the World Cup months ago, missed out on tickets, and now have plans next week so can’t go, well, that’s just tough luck.A crane removes a structure damaged by storms in Dallas•Getty ImagesIt is mind-numbingly frustrating. Because at the heart of all this is a fundamental truth. That trying to grow the game in America is a good thing. The game cannot, on the one hand, bemoan the concentration of finances within the “Big Three” and worry about the health of the sport outside those countries and, on the other, giggle at the notion of a nation like the USA giving the sport a go.If people turn on the TV and see empty seats, for many their reaction might well be “of course no one’s there, people don’t like cricket in America”. Which is not true. There is genuine passion and interest in the game here. And especially in Dallas.For cricket websites and broadcasters, the USA ranks high in terms of eyeballs because of the 4.5-million-strong South Asian diaspora that lives here. The difficulty US administrators face is turning that interest into bums on seats because of how diluted the fanbase is across the country: 4.5 million people is a lot, but not when you spread them over a nation the size of a continent.That is a reasonable excuse for why you shouldn’t expect the World Cup to have cut through to Joe Average of America, but it isn’t if they fail to fill Grand Prairie for the opening game of an ICC tournament.Every week, over 200 club matches are played in the Dallas area. That’s over 2000 people who enjoy playing the sport who are within driving distance of the stadium. And if there are over 2000 people in the area who want to play the sport, there must be 7000 people who want to watch it.And if they did, they’d come to a great stadium fit for the occasion of a tournament opener.”It’s an amazing facility,” Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar said. “We played our first warm-up game here and it was top class. For all of our players, it’s been our dream to represent Canada at the World Cup.”A spotless outfield, a proper pitch and a newly added outdoor training block out the back. The facility is unanimously popular with players. And if you’re a fan you get good viewing points the entire way round, food and beverages readily available, easy access by car and heaps of parking. It’s a great place to come and watch cricket.But as the saying doesn’t quite go, build it and they still might not come.

What happens if South Africa fail to qualify for the World Cup? And what are the implications for the ODI format?

Firdose Moonda13-Jul-202210:30

Newsroom: Are South Africa taking a calculated risk?

Cricket South Africa’s withdrawal of its men’s team from three ODIs in Australia has spotlighted the schism that’s stalked world cricket for the best part of the last decade. That schism may become more evident at the ICC’s AGM at the end of this month, where a new Future Tours Programme is expected to be unveiled.The argument most commonly associated with football and, more recently, rugby will now dominate cricket as more T20 leagues squeeze international fixtures into smaller and smaller windows. As more and more Full Members look to T20 leagues as their revenue-generators, bilateral international cricket risks being eclipsed. And history may remember South Africa’s decision to pull out of these ODIs to concentrate on launching their T20 league as the first domino. So why has CSA made this decision and what could be the broader ramifications?What has Cricket South Africa done, and why?
On the face of it, all CSA has done is opt out of a three-match ODI series, ostensibly a much smaller reneging of a bilateral agreement than Australia pulling out of three Tests last March. But these are not just any ODIs. They are ODIs that form part of the World Cup Super League, where South Africa lie in 11th place, outside the automatic qualification zone. By forfeiting their points, which will go to eighth-placed Australia, South Africa will be left with only eight matches to play to try and finish in the top eight. Those matches are against India (three, away), England (three, at home) and Netherlands (two, home). Even eight wins could leave South Africa short of the points total they need to go straight to the 2023 World Cup. Next year’s qualifying event is a real possibility for South Africa, which could give the ICC a potentially blockbluster pre-World Cup tournament, but that is another story.While there is no guarantee that playing the matches in Australia would have improved South Africa’s chances, it would have least given them greater opportunity, so you’d assume CSA has a very good reason for potentially making the team take the scenic route to the World Cup. Financially, it does.CSA is aiming to launch a new T20 franchise league in January, at the same time the ODIs were scheduled to be played, with the goal of making it the second-biggest in the world after the IPL. Tenders for the six teams close today and IPL owners and big business people are believed to be among those interested. Sundar Raman, the former IPL chief operating officer, and the South African broadcasters SuperSport own stakes in the league and CSA’s projections show it making the kind of money that will leave the board less reliant on India for bilateral-series profits and more self-sustaining. But for the league to work, it needs high-profile players, and that includes those who would have been in an ODI squad in Australia. So instead of being there, the big names will be at home to play in the league and give it the seed-capital it needs to succeed.While the word is that South Africa’s players would prefer to play the ODIs in Australia, they are aware of the inevitability of world cricket changing•ICC via GettyOk, how much money are we talking about?
In a working document from April, CSA planned for the league to break even after four years and make a profit from the fifth year onwards. Over ten years, it has estimated costs at USD 56 million and revenue at USD 119 million, which will leave the board with a profit of USD 63 million, which is a lot more money than it makes from bilateral cricket. And that’s only the benefit to CSA. From its first year, the league will pay players bumper salaries in US dollars, which dwarf the Rand amounts they earn from domestic franchises and even international cricket at home. And that’s despite the tournament competing with leagues such as the UAE T20 and the BBL, which are expected to run at the same time.In short, the league is the only way for CSA to keep cricket financially viable given the unsustainability of international cricket, where it only makes money when hosting India. Even in the 2019-20 summer, when England and Australia toured South Africa, CSA reported a loss.But what’s at stake if you miss a World Cup?
Financially, not much. CSA could earn around USD 2 million in participation fees and endorsements, but there are longer-term consequences around sponsorship, for example, that could cost more. You’d imagine there’ll be few kit manufacturers who are falling over themselves to put their names on the shirt of a team that did not qualify for a World Cup.Of course, the World Cup is about more than the money. For the players, it’s a chance to win a major trophy and reach what administrators including CSA’s board chair Lawson Naidoo, call the “pinnacle” of their careers.Many players plot their career trajectories with World Cups in mind and may eye the event as a swansong, or a reason to keep going. For South African players, there’s even more importance attached to a World Cup, because they have never won one, and even more now, because they are due to host the following edition of the tournament, in 2027. Asked what impression it would create if the hosts of the 2027 World Cup miss out on the 2023 one, CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki told ESPNcricinfo it would be a “disaster”, which only means the pressure is on South Africa’s players to qualify.What do the players think of all this?
Word from both CSA and insider sources is that while the players would have preferred to compete in the ODIs in Australia, they understand the situation their organisation is in and have accepted their fate, and the inevitability of world cricket changing. Their association, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), and its mother body, FICA (Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations), have long called on the ICC to take greater control of the situation and regulate windows for league cricket while also leaving space for bilateral cricket.Given a choice, would a big-name player like Faf du Plessis prefer playing in the BBL or in CSA’s league?•BCCIThe trouble, as Moseki pointed out, is that there are several members who want dedicated time slots for their respective T20 leagues, which not only leaves little space for international cricket, but also diminishes the quality of the leagues. South Africa’s, for example, will take place at the same time as the UAE T20 and the BBL, and will compete with both for players and eyeballs. CSA is hopeful the strong contingent of domestic players in South Africa, compared to the UAE, will ensure the quality of cricket in the South African league is attractive enough to draw eyeballs and money to them while the favourable time zone, compared to Australia’s, could do the same. But whether they will attract bigger global stars than those leagues remains to be seen. And there’s also the tricky question of which league their own free agents will choose. Will Faf du Plessis opt for the Big Bash or the CSA league? We’ll know in a few days, which could also provide some insight into how players view the South African league compared to others.So where does all this leave world cricket?
With a problem. A big one.A quick glance at a calendar will tell you that if the South African and UAE leagues and the BBL take place in January, followed by the PSL in February and March, the IPL from mid-March to May, The Hundred in June-July, and the CPL in August, it leaves only September to December for international cricket, and there won’t be room to fit it all. Something will have to give. ESPNcricinfo’s Osman Samiuddin has already argued it will be bilateral ODIs, and it’s difficult to disagree.The World Cup Super League gave the format relevance – though, as South Africa have shown, even that was not enough to ensure all teams honoured all their commitments – and scrapping it from the next cycle is a step that could end ODIs beyond World Cups, the Champions Trophy, and preparatory matches for those tournaments.Naturally, there will be concerns around the other formats too, and there’s a chance of fewer bilateral T20Is and more T20 leagues. Tests, which are the most expensive to host and the least lucrative, could be limited to the Big Three, and occasionally Pakistan and South Africa, even though all the members have emphasised a commitment to the format. Monetarily, many may simply not be able to afford to put on Test cricket.We could also see international cricket played at different times. South Africa are already talking about starting their international season in August (technically still winter) if need be, and ending it after the New Year’s Test in the first week of January to accommodate the league. Australia will do something similar from next year.At the end of this, world cricket could be fundamentally different. The signs have been there for a while, from central-contract disputes in places like the West Indies to countries fielding different teams in different formats at the same time, as England and India have done recently, but here we’ve seen a national board that is not the BCCI make the decision to put its own domestic interests above an international commitment, which has an impact on a major tournament. That’s sending a strong message. Things will not be the same.