MILES WHITTINGHAM WRITES — In October 2021, the majority of the well-known English Premier League club Newcastle United was purchased by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The move has been met with widespread skepticism by fans and executives alike. This isn’t the first time that something like this…
Full Article ANOTHER SAUDI TAKEOVER IN ENGLISH SOCCER: IS THERE A REASON FOR CONCERN?
MELANIE MARGARYAN WRITES — Armenians have always rooted for their country and their people. Through several wars and devastating natural disasters, they have joined together with a passionate sense of national pride. This year, they have yet another reason to be proud. The Armenian national soccer team, currently in the…
Full Article SPORTS: ARMENIA HOPES TO MAKE HISTORY IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP
GREGORY BENNETT WRITES — Declining popularity, teams that fold and a lack of funds are common barriers to ice hockey in Asia. Today, the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) is the only national league in Asia with eight different teams. Five of these teams are located in Japan, two are…
Full Article ASIAN SPORTS: A WORK IN PROGRESS
CRISTINA PEDLER WRITES — The pandemic has forced South Koreans to look within the country for their golf fix. South Koreans are avid sports and outdoors enthusiasts. Their golfing population has continually been on the rise, despite declines in other golfing countries like the United States. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has strained the…
Full Article SOUTH KOREA: WHERE THE COVID BUST HAS CREATED A GOLF BOOM
DYLAN JOSEPH WRITES – American-style football has come to China. On October 1, more than 11,000 Chinese fans turned out to watch the Qingdao Clipper take on (and defeat) the Guangzhou Power. It was the first big match for the China Arena Football League (CAFL), and league owner Marty Judge…
Full Article CHINA: AMERICAN FOOTBALL SCORES BIG-TIME IN BIG DEBUT
DYLAN JOSEPH WRITES – 14 years ago, a 22-year-old Chinese basketball phenom called Yao Ming entered his name into the 2002 National Basketball Association Draft and changed the basketball world forever. On September 9, 2016, Yao was enshrined into the NBA’s Naismith Hall of Fame not just for his outstanding…
Full Article CHINA: YAO MING JUMPED THROUGH ALL THE HOOPS
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- Qatar has been fairly confident about keeping the 2022 World Cup. The country has passed some labor reforms and FIFA still backs them, but the country’s officials might have to be more cautious. Harvard professor John Ruggie wrote a FIFA-commissioned report on the organization’s human rights responsibilities…
Full Article QATAR: Will the World Cup Bubble Burst?RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – Could sports succeed where years of diplomacy have fallen flat? On the heels of Dennis Rodman’s visits to the Hermit Kingdom, an international group of wrestlers, including athletes from Japan and the US, journeyed to North Korea recently to compete in a match before thousands of…
Full Article NORTH KOREA: Professional Wrestlers Tackle Isolation