Financial Times launches sports business vertical Scoreboard

The Financial Times is launching Scoreboard, a weekly briefing on the business of sport.

Available to FT subscribers from this Saturday, the briefing will cover financial issues affecting the largest global sports clubs, franchises, competitions, owners, investors and media groups across the global sports industry.

Led by sports editor Murad Ahmed, and Due Diligence co-creators Arash Massoudi and James Fontanella-Khan, the FT has hired two new journalists to join the team: Sara Germano joins from the Wall Street Journal as U.S. sports business correspondent; and Samuel Agini joins from Financial News as sports business reporter.

“Sports news tends to follow the ball, not the money,” said Ahmed in a statement. “There is a gap in the market for quality information about global deal-making in sports and the evolution of clubs’ business models. As a new FT team of experienced sports writers we are excited to bring our readers expert insight, scoops and analysis on the key issues affecting this growing global asset class.”

Scoreboard will analyze the financial pressures hitting global sports businesses, while having the inside track on those plotting a recovery. Its audience will include star athletes wanting to become venture capitalists, billionaires seeking new assets, and broadcasters, digital companies and financiers seeking to profit once the action returns.