The crossover between traditional sports and competitive gaming has moved far beyond a gimmick, with elite clubs actively building dedicated esports divisions. European giants like Paris Saint-Germain and Formula 1 teams now field professional gamers for tournaments in EA Sports FC, League of Legends, and Rocket League. For these clubs, entering esports is a direct strategy to engage younger, digital first audiences. However, bringing a gaming operation under an established s

In June 2026, an independent Cricket Regulator cleared Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson of violent conduct during a late-night incident in Chelsea. Findings showed Atkinson was victimised in unprovoked attacks and Stokes was not involved. Yet, the ECB dropped both players for a Test against New Zealand and issued written warnings. For HR in elite sport, this shows the clear gap between external clearance and internal contract enforcement. The difference comes down to the rules app

Tackling abuse, harassment, and discrimination in sport is often treated as a problem exclusive to top-flight football. Yet having worked in elite sport for nearly 30 years - spanning professional football from the Premier League right through to the National League, alongside professional Rugby Union and Rugby League - I know first hand that looking after your people is something every leadership team and board genuinely needs and more often than not wants to get right. From