sport news Magpies director Amanda Staveley will help shape future Premier League media ... trends now
Sky Sports have a thing or two to learn when it comes to subterfuge. When the Manchester United starting XI for their match at Crystal Palace was displayed on screen, new signing Wout Weghorst was shown in United colours for the first time. Only, while the head was Weghorst's, the body clearly belonged to someone else — someone far shorter than the 6ft 5in striker and who was wearing Nike boots rather than the forward's preferred adidas.
The botch caused bemusement at United, whose officials had provided all the material Sky needed in advance. Sky responded that the imagery needs to be captured by themselves and there was not time to do so. They declined to reveal whose body they used. Some joked that, given the size difference, it could have been Juan Mata... and the mystery imposter was back before United's defeat at Arsenal yesterday.
Sky Sports used a poor body double for Wout Weghorst when they could not get their pictures
Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley is the big name on the Premier League's new internal broadcast and access working group.
The Rights, Access and Facilities Framework (RAFF) group has been assembled by the league to assess the clubs' digital rights, Premier League's promotional rights and what has been an eternal sticking point — broadcaster access to managers and players.
Staveley, keen to get involved, is one of six executives who will also go on to assess stadium criteria and media facilities.
Amanda Staveley is among those who will decide on future Premier League media access
The list also includes Arsenal commercial supremo Juliet Slot and new Manchester United comms chief Ellie Norman, with the remainder made up of representatives from Brighton, Leicester and Manchester City.
The RAFF will meet for the first time in the coming weeks before providing an update at the next shareholders' meeting in February.
City probe now a cold caseThe Premier League's investigation into Manchester City is in danger of dragging on for so long that the key agitators will no longer be involved in football when it reaches its conclusion.
It has long been known that Manchester United and Liverpool were among the voices calling for action against the champions and were thought to be key to a 2020 bid, revealed by Sportsmail, to get City banned from the Champions League.
However, both are up for sale and, with speculation about further investment from sovereign wealth funds rife, it remains to be seen whether new owners will have the same thirst for blue blood.
Those wanting action against Man City have all stepped away from football in recent years
The publication of West Ham's accounts showed vice-chairman Karren Brady had doubled her annual salary to a whopping £2.24million.
At the time, Hammers insiders said the payment included a £1m bonus in recognition of the Apprentice star's role in bringing billionaire investor Daniel Kretinsky to the table.
To say that claim led to raised eyebrows is an understatement. It is widely thought the key players in bringing in the Czech billionaire — who owns 27 per cent of the club and is expected to complete a takeover at a later date — were actually a well-known UK agent with close links to David Sullivan, and a Czech counterpart who has been very close to Kretinsky for years.
