logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2022
23m 45s

A new era for football’s billionaires?

Al Jazeera
About this episode

It’s about to be the biggest sale the football world has ever seen. Sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is selling his club, Chelsea FC. He was the first billionaire to get into England’s Premier League back in 2003 and his unlimited spending unleashed the transformation of the world’s most popular game into a big-money sport. What could Chelsea’s sale tell us about where football is going next?

In this episode: 

  • James Montague, author of "The Billionaires Club: The Unstoppable Rise of Football’s Super-rich Owners" (@JamesPiotr)

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)

 

Up next
Today
Is direct action for Palestine 'terrorism'? The UK says it is
The UK has outlawed Palestine Action, grouping it with ISIL and al-Qaeda. Supporters of the group now risk up to 14 years in prison, and arrests of protesters opposed to the listing have already begun. What does the decision reveal about the UK’s approach to protest and civil dis ... Show More
20m 40s
Yesterday
What would happen if coral reefs disappeared?
Coral reefs are dying at a record speed, putting a backbone of global food chains at critical risk. More than 80 percent of coral reefs are now hit by mass bleaching. Reefs feed millions, protect coasts and shape economies. What happens when they vanish – and is the world doing e ... Show More
21m 14s
Jul 8
Netanyahu meets Trump: could a Gaza ceasefire deal emerge?
Could Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third trip to the United States during President Donald Trump's administration mean a ceasefire in Gaza is close at hand? As Netanyahu lands in Washington, DC, for a week of discussions on topics such as Gaza and Iran, what pressu ... Show More
21m 28s
Recommended Episodes
May 2021
The battle for football
Why plans for a European Super League won't go away. Ed Butler speaks to James Montague, author of the book The Billionaires Club: The Unstoppable Rise of Football’s Super-rich Owners, about why creating a Europe-wide league of the richest clubs made so much sense to football clu ... Show More
18m 29s
Apr 2021
The Super League That Wasn’t
This episode contains strong language. On Sunday, 12 elite soccer teams in Europe announced the formation of a super league. The plan was backed by vast amounts of money, but it flew in the face of an idea central to soccer’s identity: You have to earn your place.Fans reacted wit ... Show More
28m 41s
May 2019
Golden Booty: Chelsea are on top in Europe, Aston Villa are back in the Premier League and the Champions League is on the horizon
What a magical night in Baku! Goals! Empty seats! An atmosphere! Of sorts! Chelsea give Arsenal a gubbing to win the Europa League and make Maurizio Sarri’s season look pretty good indeed, as Eden Hazard and his turbo-booty give Arsenal another miserable night to forget.  After p ... Show More
47m 57s
Apr 2021
Celtic, Roma, Valencia interest in Mourinho | Woodward's role in Super League | Wolves line up Lage
Duncan Castles joins Ian McGarry to 'bring you the news before it becomes news' from the biggest clubs in world football. Today: - Celtic, Roma, Valencia interest in Mourinho - Woodward's role in Super League - Who succeeds The Equaliser at Man Utd? - Super League fallout - Point ... Show More
48m 53s
Apr 2021
Football Is For The Fans
Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and James Restall. Did the owners of proposed Super League clubs actually think their plan would work? Has the power shifted as a result of this failed breakaway league? Does Boris Johnson actually care or did he get invo ... Show More
59m 56s
Apr 2021
The Super League And The Special One
Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. As football makes all the headlines with the proposed Super League causing massive controversy, the man who broke the story - The Times’ Chief Sports Writer Martyn Ziegler - joins us to discuss how it ... Show More
53m 42s
Aug 2023
Future of Football: How will competitions change? And will the European Super League return?
In the latest edition of Sky Sports’ Future of Football podcast series, we hear from senior reporter Rob Dorsett, who provides all the details of UEFA’s plans for Champions League expansion and FIFA’s revamp of the Club World Cup. Football journalist Joe Shread discusses where we ... Show More
31m 11s
Jun 2020
The Ramble: The FA Cup final could have fans present, David Moyes trains smart and a vintage Steve Bruce calamity emerges
As many as 20,000 fans may be able to attend the FA Cup final at Wembley, brilliant news if you have access to corporate tickets! English football moves closer to restarting with dates set for the resumption of the FA Cup and The Championship, while Davey Moyes is preparing his W ... Show More
44m 31s
May 2021
Football ownership in focus: the greed, the bad, the ugly
Football may have undergone its most seismic shift ever over the last few weeks. The threat of European Super League finally materialised and had evaporated just two days later, blown up in a blaze of fury from an unrivalled unity of football stakeholders. In its wake, the debate ... Show More
46m 37s
Mar 2023
The battle for football’s future
The biggest leagues in Europe may have taken a break this week – but it’s been a busy time for the powerbrokers shaping the future of the world’s most popular sport. Are the Premier League really willing to give more money to the football pyramid? And will they apply more scrutin ... Show More
1 h