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The future of the LIV Golf series hangs in the balance after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) signaled a possible withdrawal of its multi‑billion‑dollar support. Executives were summoned to a high‑stakes meeting in New York this week, a development that follows growing speculation that the rebel tour could be shut down. While the fifth season’s sixth event in Mexico City is set to proceed on Thursday, the tournament is being eclipsed by reports that PIF intends to cut the tour’s funding. The tour has already faced challenges securing a merger with the PGA Tour despite a three‑year “framework agreement,” and the funding pull would exacerbate its financial strain. According to the PIF’s newly released five‑year economic strategy, the fund is prioritising sustainable domestic investments and has omitted sport from its seven key focus areas. This shift signals a move away from the “free‑spending, disruptive internationalism” that characterised the launch of LIV Golf in 2021. Since its inception, PIF has poured over $5 bn into the tour, but this year prize money and bonus payouts have already been slashed. High‑profile players such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Sergio García and Bryson DeChambeau initially defected from the PGA and DP World Tours, yet recent defections back to the PGA—including Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed—highlight the tour’s precarious position. DeChambeau has yet to sign a new contract. A source familiar with the Saudi Ministry of Sports confirmed that the fund is redirecting its sports budget toward football and esports, with golf no longer a priority. The same source noted that PIF is ending its partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association, and the three‑year WTA Finals deal in Riyadh will not be renewed after its November expiry. The rumours ignited on Tuesday after journalist Ryan French posted on X that multiple sources warned of a “bombshell announcement” on LIV’s future, later suggesting the tour might be shutting down. LIV officials and players have not received any formal update. In Mexico, Sergio García told reporters they have only heard the same message from PIF chief Yasir al‑Rumayyan at the start of the year: that the project is a long‑term commitment, and that rumours are inevitable. Technical glitches, including an alleged power failure at the venue, forced the cancellation of pre‑tournament press conferences on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the pro‑am competition resumed on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. local time, indicating that day‑to‑day operations continue despite the uncertainty. The outcome of the New York meeting could determine whether LIV Golf survives as a viable alternative to traditional tours or becomes another casualty of shifting Saudi investment priorities.

Just a decade ago, cord‑cutters imagined a utopia where any game could be streamed on any device for a single, affordable price. Today, that vision has morphed into a bewildering web of platforms, blackouts and fees that strain even the most devoted fans. Major League Baseball illustrates the chaos. The Yankees’ local market now requires fans to juggle seven different providers, from traditional broadcasters to Apple TV and niche apps. A season‑long Gotham Sports App pass costs $119.99, while Amazon’s Prime Video charges $14.99 per month (or $139 annually) for exclusive rights to 21 Wednesday games. Netflix, at $19.99 per month, aired the opening‑night matchup between the Yankees and Giants. Adding these together, a die‑hard fan could face a bill of roughly $800 to watch every Yankees game this year, according to a calculation by The Athletic. Even Apple’s own streaming chief, Eddy Cue, admitted the market has regressed: “You used to buy one subscription, your cable subscription, and you got pretty much everything they had. Now, there’s so many different subscriptions, so I think that needs to be fixed.” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred proposes centralising local rights by 2028, hoping to curb the splintered landscape. Yet legacy broadcasters and tech giants continue to chase lucrative deals. The NBA’s recent 11‑year, $76 billion media contract with Disney/ESPN, Amazon and NBC underscores how high the stakes have become. Rights fees are increasingly volatile. ESPN reportedly paid $550 million annually for Sunday Night Baseball, only to see MLB strike a $10 million per‑year deal with Roku for the same slot. Netflix is said to spend $50 million per season for three years to air marquee events such as Opening Night and the Home Run Derby. The NFL, the most valuable league, embraces fragmentation as a revenue strategy, distributing games across CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC, Prime Video, the NFL Network, YouTube and Netflix. By packaging boutique game bundles for streamers, the league extracts “significantly more money” beyond its core media rights. Beyond cost, the viewer experience is eroding. In‑game advertising now blankets pitches and ice rinks, while “hydration breaks” at the World Cup will feature mandatory ad slots. Streamers counter with ad‑free premium tiers, but those come at a premium comparable to airline baggage fees. Financial pressures are evident. Peacock added 44 million paying subscribers in Q4 2025, yet reported a staggering $552 million loss, largely due to expensive NBA and NFL rights. Dazn, another global sports streamer, has accumulated billions in operating losses since launch. Industry analysts warn that over‑commercialisation could alienate casual viewers, especially younger audiences with shrinking attention spans who prefer short‑form clips on platforms like TikTok. As Anthony Palomba of the University of Virginia notes, “The prospect of watching a three‑hour game versus getting bite‑sized highlights on TikTok is difficult.” Data‑driven, AI‑powered programmatic ads promise higher monetisation, turning moments—like Steph Curry’s game‑winning three‑pointer—into instant shopping opportunities. Amazon, for example, leverages its ecosystem to track the full consumer journey from view to purchase. One potential remedy is a consolidated “one‑stop‑shop” that bundles multiple sports feeds, aiming to reverse the so‑called “enshittification” of streaming services—a term coined by Cory Doctorow to describe platforms that sacrifice quality for profit. While nostalgia for the era of a single cable package persists, experts caution against romanticising the past. As former NBA commentator Jon Lewis observes, “The old days were complicated in their own ways; today’s challenge is to balance revenue with a sustainable, fan‑friendly experience.”

Formula One’s commercial chief, Stefano Domenicali, warned that the concerns voiced by four‑time champion Max Verstappen over the sport’s latest technical package cannot be ignored. The Dutch driver has repeatedly expressed frustration that the new formula, especially the heightened role of energy‑management, prevents him from racing at full throttle.Verstappen’s unease is echoed by several of his peers, who have also questioned the deployment and recharging limits of the hybrid systems. The driver has even hinted that his future in the championship could be at stake, prompting Domenicali to confirm ongoing conversations with the Dutchman and other competitors.In response, the FIA, team principals, power‑unit manufacturers and the sport’s commercial rights holder, FOM, have scheduled a series of technical meetings this month. A further senior‑representatives session is set for 20 April, where decisions will be taken and later ratified by the World Motorsport Council, with the aim of implementing any changes before the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May.While engine specifications will remain untouched, officials are expected to focus on tweaking the parameters governing energy recovery and deployment. Adjustments in these areas could alleviate the current constraints on drivers while preserving safety – a priority sharpened by Oliver Bearman’s crash at Suzuka, which highlighted the risks of differing closing speeds when cars operate in varied electrical modes.Domenicali emphasized that while driver feedback is being taken seriously, persistent criticism could be detrimental to the sport’s image. “He knows his voice carries weight and must respect that weight,” the CEO said, adding that the organization aims to avoid any perception of antagonism between management and the drivers.

UK officials have entered exclusive talks with a Norwegian startup, Blastr, to buy the former Liberty Steel works in South Yorkshire, in a significant step towards its rescue. Blastr, owned by Vanir Green Industries, a Norwegian investor in renewable industries, is understood to be the bidder preferred by the government’s official receiver to take on ownership of the UK’s largest existing electric arc furnace in Rotherham and other works in Stocksbridge, both in South Yorkshire.The business, formally named Speciality Steel UK (SSUK), has been under the official receiver’s control since August, after the previous owner Sanjeev Gupta lost ownership in London’s high court. Finding a new buyer would remove a headache for the government, which also a year ago took control of the Chinese-owned British Steel blast furnaces in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.Blastr is run by Mark Bula, who has worked for and run large steel businesses in India and the US. The company does not yet operate any steel plants, although it is developing a site in Finland to use green hydrogen to produce iron and steel. It is likely to have to secure financing to take on the SSUK sites in South Yorkshire, but it would allow them to progress rapidly.Union officials welcomed the news after employees were informed. Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, a former steelworker and a national secretary of the GMB union, said Liberty Steel workers “have been at the sharp end of years of uncertainty at this point – this needs to be a deal that secures the long-term future of steelmaking in South Yorkshire”. She added: “Any sale of SSUK must include due diligence which guarantees ongoing operations and stability of the sites.”

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed strong disapproval of LaMelo Ball's actions during Tuesday night's play-in tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets. Spoelstra stated that Ball should have been ejected for tripping Bam Adebayo, which resulted in Adebayo's injury and subsequent absence from the game.The incident occurred early in the second quarter when Ball appeared to reach out and grab Adebayo's left leg as he fell to the floor after missing a shot. This led to Adebayo falling on his back and eventually walking to the locker room under his own power, though he did not return to the game.Spoelstra emphasized that there is no place in the game for such actions, describing the play as 'stupid' and 'dangerous'. He also mentioned that it was not an excuse for the Heat's loss but highlighted the significance of Adebayo's absence.LaMelo Ball, who scored 30 points and made the go-ahead layup in overtime, apologized for his role in Adebayo's injury. He claimed he was disoriented after being hit in the head during the drive and did not intentionally grab Adebayo's leg.The play was not reviewed or penalized in real-time, with official Zach Zarba explaining that the window to review the play was closed due to the fast-paced nature of the game and the lack of an immediate whistle.The incident has implications beyond the game, with Zarba indicating that the league operations will determine if Ball should be assessed a flagrant foul in the coming days.

A former Alabama defensive lineman, Luther Davis, who helped the Crimson Tide win the 2010 national championship, is preparing to plead guilty to a multi‑million‑dollar loan fraud that hinged on impersonating NFL athletes. According to a criminal information filing by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Davis and his associate CJ Evins obtained at least thirteen fraudulent loans totaling $19,845,000. The defendants chose to waive a grand‑jury indictment and will enter guilty pleas at a hearing scheduled for 27 April. The scheme targeted lenders that specialize in financing athletes, notably Aliya Sports and All Pro Capital Funding, with loan brokerage services provided by Sure Sports. Three of the loans are detailed in the filing: $4.025 million was secured for a fictitious company linked to Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku. $4.35 million was obtained for a sham entity tied to Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney. $3.3 million was borrowed for a fabricated venture associated with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Investigators say the duo created shell companies with names resembling the players’ initials, opened bank accounts, and fabricated email addresses and driver’s licenses. Davis then attended virtual loan closings in disguise—often wearing wigs, makeup, or a durag—to pose as the athletes and convince notaries to certify the fraudulent documents. One closing on 22 January 2024 for the Njoku loan involved Davis presenting a counterfeit Georgia driver’s license that displayed the player’s photo alongside a number belonging to an unrelated Savannah resident. Similar deceptions occurred for the McKinney and Penix loans, with forged Florida and Georgia licenses respectively. The fraud mirrors a separate case in which First Farmers Bank & Trust sued an insurer after a $5.265 million loan, also brokered by Sure Sports, was discovered to have been signed with a fake Njoku identity. While it is unclear whether that loan is part of the thirteen identified in Georgia, the modus operandi aligns closely. Both Davis and Evins face charges of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, offenses that carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison. Their attorneys declined to comment on the pending pleas. Beyond the courtroom, the case underscores vulnerabilities in niche financing markets that cater to professional athletes, highlighting how forged identities and shell corporations can be leveraged to extract substantial capital from lenders.

Bournemouth have entered advanced talks with German manager Marco Rose to succeed Andoni Iraola as head coach, with a deal expected to be finalised before the week ends.The club also evaluated Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town, but his contract contains a buyout clause that prevents any approach until the Championship season concludes.McKenna, who is focused on guiding Ipswich back to the Premier League, is likely to be retained by the club, which is expected to resist any premature poaching.Rose’s immediate availability makes him a simpler option. Tiago Pinto, Bournemouth’s head of football operations, is pushing for a swift appointment as the club prepares to move on from the Iraola era, following the Spaniard’s decision not to extend his contract beyond the current campaign.Since being dismissed by RB Leipzig in March 2025, Rose has been out of work. He previously led Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, overseeing talents such as Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. Known for a high‑intensity pressing style, Rose’s philosophy aligns with Bournemouth’s desired playing identity. His résumé also includes successful spells at Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Salzburg.

The Fallen by Louise Brangan offers a meticulously researched portrait of the Magdalene laundries, the most notorious component of Ireland’s 20th‑century network of correctional institutions. The review notes that, at their peak in 1951, the country held 70 women per 100,000 in these laundries compared with 27 men per 100,000 in prisons, underscoring the laundries as the primary carceral system for females. Although established under state authority, the facilities were operated by Catholic nuns. Girls as young as nine and women into their eighties were compelled to work six days a week, without wages, on arduous, often hand‑operated machinery. Discipline was severe, and any minor infraction could trigger harsh punishment. The book illustrates how women were funneled into the system with little justification. Brangan recounts the case of a 15‑year‑old named Eileen, who vanished in February 1954 after being approached by members of the Legion of Mary—a lay group tasked with policing Ireland’s moral standards. She was taken to a gated house marked “Saint Mary Magdalen’s Asylum,” stripped of her identity, and assigned the number “60.” The narrative emphasizes that many detainees were simply “wayward or unwanted”—homeless, abused, or otherwise marginalized—rather than having committed any serious crime. Brangan draws a stark parallel between the Catholic Church’s grip on Irish society and the Communist Party’s control in Eastern Europe before 1989, suggesting both operated as pervasive, authoritarian forces. The laundries, though conspicuously situated among ordinary businesses, were largely ignored by a public that chose not to confront the “tall, locked iron gates” and the suffering behind them. The review situates the laundries within a broader context of institutional abuse, referencing the mother‑and‑baby homes that saw an estimated 56,000 women and girls pass through, with roughly 57,000 babies born, most notably at the Bon Secours home in Tuam. Investigations by Catherine Corless uncovered a mass grave of nearly 800 infants, highlighting the systemic nature of the tragedy. Financial redress has been slow. To date, the Irish government has disbursed more than €33 million to survivors of the laundries, while most religious orders have refused to contribute. A survivor’s testimony, quoted by Brangan, captures the lingering impact: “There’s always something in my life that will remind me of my past… I’ll never heal.” The review concludes by noting that the book, published by Bodley Head at £22, serves both as a harrowing testament and a call to remember a dark chapter of Irish history that continues to shape the lives of those who endured it.

A Parisian software engineer, Ari Hodara, has won a €1m Picasso painting in a charity raffle. The painting, 'Head of a Woman', was created by Pablo Picasso in 1941 and is part of the artist's collection.Hodara purchased a €100 ticket for the '1 Picasso for €100' lottery, which aimed to raise funds for Alzheimer's research. He was informed of his win via a video call from Christie's auction house in Paris and initially questioned whether it was a hoax.The raffle, organized by French television producer Péri Cochin, sold 120,000 tickets, generating €12m in revenue. Of this amount, €1m will be donated to the Opera Gallery, which owned the painting.The painting, 'Head of a Woman', is a portrait of Picasso's longtime muse and partner, Dora Maar. It was painted in the same studio where Picasso created his 1937 masterpiece, Guernica.This is the third iteration of the Picasso raffle, which has raised over €10m for cultural and humanitarian causes in previous years.