Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell talks with tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
In the context of NFL football, being a “meathead” is a great compliment. That basic idea is doubly true upon remembering that the focus of the discussion involves a fullback.
In the 5th Round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings drafted Max Bredeson. Much of the reaction to the selection swirled around the FB being a teammate of J.J. McCarthy at Michigan. After all, McCarthy showed up on the Zoom call following the selection, verbally expressing enthusiasm about the draft pick. Since then, a decent bit has happened, including Vikings mandatory minicamp. OC Wes Phillips bestowed the descriptor while chatting with the media following one of the recent practices.
The Vikings’ New FB is a “Dirtbag” and a “Meathead”
For a little while, the Vikings have needed to get tougher. Kevin O’Connell’s team has always been a high-flying, high-skill crew. Seldom, though, have these Vikings been rugged enough.
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Part of the solution has been found in acquiring certain personnel. Think tight end Josh Oliver, somebody who stands out for his massive size even among NFL athletes. So, too, do running back Jordan Mason and right guard Will Fries offer much to like due to their ruggedness. All three of these guys are meant to allow Minnesota better play bully ball.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) hands the ball off to Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
More recently, there was the move for wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Jennings stands at 6’3″ and roughly 215 pounds. Even better, Jennings offers a grit and a nastiness that means being able to bulldoze defensive backs.
Kyler Murray had referred to Jennings as a “dirtbag,” a descriptor meant to highlight the physicality that Jennings plays with on Sunday. Phillips then stepped in front of the Minnesota media the next day, allowing me to ask about the comment. Phillips wanted some reassurance that being a “dirtbag” was a compliment. Since it was, Phillips was glad to adopt the term, even applying it to somebody else a few minutes later.
Indeed, a few minutes later, Phillips took on a question about Max Bredeson, allowing Phillips to reaffirm the value of boasting a “dirtbag” who is also a “meathead.”
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“Max is probably another dirtbag,” Phillips said before explaining that the term is “absolutely” a compliment. Not long afterwards, the Vikings’ OC referred to the FB as a “meathead” who “loves ball” and who is “very smart.” Since “he’s all about ball” and is “a physical guy,” Bredeson is impressing the coaching staff.
Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and tight end Max Bredeson (44) during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In all likelihood, the Minnesota Vikings will remain a pass-first team. Doing so will mean rolling with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings for a large portion of the snaps. Well and good.
But then there’s the young lad lining up at fullback. Max Bredeson isn’t guaranteed of anything since he’s a 5th-Round fullback. What’s clear, though, is that he has a ton of supporters inside TCO Performance Center. Watching him a minicamp means seeing somebody who moves well and who appears poised to take on a hearty workload.
Quite possibly, Bredeson will force the Vikings to adopt a more balanced attack than in recent seasons. Seeing Bredeson clear running lanes for Mason could mean more emphasis on 21 personnel.
Bredeson, the meathead, will look continue impressing once he’s allowed to toss the pads on in training camp and in the preseason.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran opened its politically charged World Cup by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday night, overcoming two deficits and getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebbi in the 64th minute.
Ramin Rezaeian scored an early goal and assisted on Mohebbi’s goal for the Iranians, whose World Cup cycle has been in upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran ultimately decided to compete even after FIFA rejected its request to move its three group-stage matches out of the U.S.
Iran moved its training base during the tournament from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, and the team is flying into the U.S. on the day before each game before returning quickly to Mexico. Captain Mehdi Taremi acknowledged that this World Cup has been a difficult experience, containing little of the joy that soccer represents to him and his teammates.
Team Melli began the tournament before a strong pro-Iranian crowd at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest population of Iranians outside Iran.
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While several hundred Iranian Americans protested the government outside, many fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs on the field during the national anthem — but almost all appeared to support the Iranian players once the match kicked off.
Elijah Just scored early in each half for New Zealand, but Iran responded twice to keep the All Whites winless in their World Cup history. New Zealand still matched its entire goal total from each of its two previous World Cup runs while posting an impressive result against a team ranked 65 places higher by FIFA.
After the raucous pre-game atmosphere, New Zealand stunned the crowd in the seventh minute when captain Chris Wood intercepted a goal kick and eventually forced the ball to Just, who volleyed home a beautiful goal in traffic.
Iran found its footing and equalized in the 32nd minute when Rezaeian chipped a goal with the outside of his boot.
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Just connected again in the 54th minute with more help from Wood, who held up play and found Just for a shot through traffic.
But Iran equalized again in the 64th minute when Rezaeian put a perfect long pass on the head of Mohebbi. Both teams had scoring chances afterward, but couldn’t connect.
Players from both teams embraced and shook hands after the final whistle, with at least one jersey swap occurring. While Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei sat by himself in the dugout, his players gathered together and walked around the field applauding their thousands of flag-waving, roaring fans.
Iran is ranked 20th in its seventh World Cup appearance, including four straight. Team Melli has never advanced from the group stage.
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New Zealand qualified for its first World Cup since 2010 despite being the lowest-rated team in the field, entering at 85th in the world. The All Whites seized the first automatic qualifying berth for the 13-member Oceania Football Confederation after the World Cup expanded to 48 teams.
On tonight’s episode of WWE RAW, Chad Gable faced off against Rusev in a highly anticipated singles match. After the bout, a Hall of Famer rushed down to the ring to save Gable from the post-match attack.
Rusev did not come to the ring alone, as he was accompanied by Ethan Page. The latter made his presence felt early and got involved in the bout multiple times to give the Bulgarian Brute an advantage.
Thanks for the submission!
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As the match began, Rusev used his massive size and strength advantage to completely overpower Gable. The 40-year-old star executed quick single-leg takedowns to keep Rusev grounded.
Despite Page’s distractions, Gable shifted the momentum by hitting a rolling neckbreaker. He stopped Rusev from stomping him and delivered an Angle Slam. Chad Gable then made Rusev tap out to his Ankle Lock and won the match.
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The bell rang, but the celebration was short-lived for the Olympian on WWE RAW. Right after the match ended, Ethan Page stormed the ring. He ambushed Chad Gable from behind and brutally beat down the exhausted superstar. Rusev quickly joined him, making it a severe two-on-one assault. The duo stomped Gable into the mat, and it looked like things were going to get much worse.
However, suddenly, the arena erupted, and WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio rushed to make the save. Ethan Page tried to go toe-to-toe with Mysterio in the middle of the ring, but the veteran was too quick. Mysterio hit a flurry of strikes and sent Page packing to the outside.
The chaos did not stop there as Dragon Lee rushed out to back up his mentor. Gable stood tall in the ring alongside Mysterio and Lee. Rusev and Page retreated up the ramp, realizing they were completely outnumbered.
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Last week on the red brand, Chad Gable rushed the ring to save the WWE Hall of Famer from Rusev and Ethan Page’s attack, and this week Mysterio returned the favor.
It remains to be seen if a tag team match between the two teams takes place in the future.
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Saudi Arabia continued their impressive record against South American teams at the World Cup after earning a 1-1 draw against Uruguay in their opening Group H match.
The Green Falcons shocked the football world at the 2022 World Cup when they defeated Argentina, who later went on to win the tournament. This time, Saudi Arabia were close to another famous victory before Uruguay fought back late in the game.
Saudi Arabia took the lead four minutes before half-time through Abdulelah Al Amri. The defender reacted quickest after Hassan Al Tambakti’s powerful header from a corner was pushed away by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
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The goal gave Saudi Arabia a deserved advantage and raised hopes of another memorable World Cup upset.
Uruguay struggled to create clear chances in the first half, and coach Marcelo Bielsa responded by making two substitutions at the break, including replacing former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.
The changes improved Uruguay’s performance as they increased the pressure on the Saudi defence. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais produced several important saves, including a fine stop to push Manuel Ugarte’s low effort onto the post.
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Uruguay finally found an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining. Maxi Araujo was in the right place to score after Al Owais had saved Federico Vinas’ header.
Al Owais continued to shine and finished the match with nine saves. One of his best moments came in stoppage time when he tipped a powerful strike from Federico Valverde around the post to secure a valuable point for his team.
Uruguay ended the game with 28 shots but could not find a winner thanks to Saudi Arabia’s determined defending and excellent goalkeeping.
Following Cape Verde’s surprise draw against Spain, Group H remains wide open. Saudi Arabia will now hope to build on this result as they chase a place in the knockout stage for the first time since the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Sep 27, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings fans tour the city. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings just finished off mandatory minicamp (read some coverage on VT in Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, and Exhibit D). Next up is training camp, something that gets rolling in 47 days, at least as it relates to fans being welcome.
The word arrives courtesy of the team itself. The critical date to know is Saturday, August 1st. Check out the blurb: “Training Camp kicks off Saturday, August 1 with Back Together Weekend: Saturday Edition In addition to practice, the day will feature MVC and SKOL Line performances, player autographs, and, new this year, the integration of Legends Weekend. The Omni Hospitality Tent will feature a Legends Q&A available as part of an upgraded experience.”
The Minnesota Vikings Set August 1st as Key Date for Fans
Lifting the information from the team website means relaying certain key dates.
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On August 1st, the Vikings will welcome fans for the beginning of training camp. Safe to say that all eyes will be on the QB battle even as there are a variety of broader stories that are worth fan interest. The team’s first padded practice takes place on August 3rd. The practice on August 4th will involve a girls flag football clinic.
Reasonably humdrum training camp practices will take place on August 5th and then from August 7th-9th, all of which are open to fans.
Circle Saturday, August 9th as a key date since it’s the night practice that will take place at TCO Stadium. There are then a cluster of three practices ranging from August 11th to 13th. A practice on August 17th is the next one that’s open to fans.
But then there are two that everyone is circling: August 19th and August 20th. The Baltimore Ravens are in town, meaning there will be 180 players battling on the same field(s). Pure chaos that’s a ton of fun to watch.
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Getting a ticket costs $10 for adults. The youngsters (17 and under, per the team) get in at just $5. All things considered, that’s a decent deal in this topsy-turvy world of ours.
Nov 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) and Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Keep in mind that the Minnesota Vikings have a trio of preseason games. The schedule:
Saturday, August 15th, 2026: at New York Giants (12 p.m.)
Saturday, August 22nd, 2026: Baltimore Ravens (12 p.m.)
Friday, August 28th, 2026: at Denver Broncos (8 p.m.)
Currently, the football news is pretty skimpy. Sitting in the middle of June means operating from within one of the unique parts of the calendar where the Vikings aren’t offering at least some form of real football news. What’s notable about today’s update, though, is that the countdown is officially on.
The players and coaches will get to work ahead of that August 1st date. Welcoming fans does have a firm timeline that means people can start making plans to visit Eagan.
Manchester United have been linked with a move for Mateus Fernandes throughout the summer and it appears they have some demands for his club West Ham United
The main sticking point, however, appears to be the fee West Ham are demanding for Fernandes. The Hammers have placed a valuation of around £80m on the midfielder and are keen to spark a bidding war, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid also circling, reports the Mirror.
West Ham believe Fernandes is the finest young talent in the Premier League, with the potential to command a fee in excess of £100m in the not-too-distant future.
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United, however, are unwilling to meet that asking price. Senior figures at the club have weighed up the benefits of bringing Fernandes into Michael Carrick’s squad.
The feeling at Old Trafford is that, while Fernandes possesses enormous potential, he has yet to fully prove himself at the highest level.
United are expected to table an opening bid later this week – but it will fall well short of £80m. Whether the two clubs can find common ground on the fee remains to be seen.
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However, with Fernandes having set his heart on a move to Old Trafford, United are refusing to be rushed and are willing to play the long game in the hope of securing a deal on their own terms.
A medical has already been set for £39m midfield signing Ederson from Atalanta. He is expected to be the first of three potential midfield arrivals this summer.
Meanwhile, United have played down reports claiming a £60m agreement has been struck with Newcastle to sign Lewis Hall. Although United continue to hold the England international in high regard, bringing in a left back is not at the top of their transfer agenda right now.
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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Sorsby made the decision just one week after a Texas judge shocked the sporting landscape by granting Sorsby a temporary injunction that blocked the NCAA from enforcing its career suspension of Sorsby, who had admitted to placing more than 40 bets on Indiana when he was a freshman quarterback with the Hoosiers in 2022.
That decision by a retired judge from Tarrant County, Texas, caused an eruption in college football.
Big 12 opponents seethed. Big Ten and SEC foes ordered their programs to strip Texas Tech from the schedule. In recent days the outrage snowballed. Big 12 presidents and athletic directors actively met with one clear consensus from the rest of the league: Sorsby shouldn’t be allowed to play. It went so far that state attorney generals from Oklahoma, Kansas and Utah voiced their support for the Big 12 in the face of Texas attorney general Ken Paxton threatening the conference with legal action if it attempted to interfere with the judge’s order.
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College football is basically religion in Texas, and the strife surrounding the Sorsby situation felt, in a way, biblical.
Sorsby, who entered a gambling rehabilitation program and stood to be suspended the first two games of Texas Tech’s season, was never a martyr, and the national blowback from his high-profile lawsuit against the NCAA cannot have been worth it. He was easily going to be the most unpopular figure in college football this season, and that harassment would have been a terrible, season-long drain on his mental health. We’ll see if a possible NFL suspension looms and what even happens in the supplemental draft, but there will be more peace afforded to Sorsby if only because this Texas Tech saga is over.
Now to talk about Texas Tech. Its most vociferous Sorsby defenders of the last week have Sorsby himself to thank for saving the Red Raiders from themselves.
The Red Raiders, in just a few short months, had gone from one of the great underdog success stories of the NIL era of college athletics into a villain. Their power triumvirate of booster, coach and AD had been unflinching about playing Sorsby this fall despite the fact their prized transfer QB had crossed one of the last few lines in sports: He had bet on games involving his team.
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Preventing that is foundational to the integrity of the sport. Any crack in the competitive, unpredictable nature of college football could endanger the enterprise’s existence. It’s the rare rule everyone in college football can agree on.
Yet Texas Tech dug its spurs into the West Texas dirt in protest.
Not only would it support Sorsby through his gambling addiction — the right thing to do — but Tech showed up to this fight fully loaded. It supported Sorsby’s lawsuit, appealed the NCAA’s career-long suspension and then doubled down when critics blasted the judge’s outlandish decision to reduce Sorsby’s punishment to just two games.
Texas Tech paid Sorsby more than $5 million this offseason to transfer from Cincinnati. He was the building block for a championship push. The Red Raiders, led by the bombastic booster Cody Campbell, had made their big investment and were totally willing to push through the vitriol to win as many games as possible this fall, perhaps even all of them (Texas Tech is loaded).
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Texas Tech’s administration explained publicly that they didn’t want to abandon Sorsby in a time of need. He needed support from the school and his team to work through his addiction. Fair and frankly noble of Texas Tech.
But the one thing the Red Raiders never managed to explain is why they couldn’t help Sorsby and also keep him on the bench.
He didn’t have to play. Texas Tech could have helped Sorsby through a difficult time and also justly punished him for the the type of violation that will forever keep baseball’s hit king out of the Hall of Fame.
Instead, whether it was via a 20-minute video, Campbell’s tweets or head coach Joey McGuire’s stump speeches at booster events, the Red Raiders kept fighting against the obvious correct answer.
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It’s possible Tech’s stance has softened in recent days. Many around the sport speculated it eventually would: Could they really have stood up against the waves for 75 more days? The Big 12 hoped to come down hard on Texas Tech, and public vitriol against Tech outside of Lubbock blazed. The Red Raiders were likely going to have to back down eventually, and perhaps they pushed Sorsby toward the NFL path with the supplemental draft deadline looming.
Either way, Sorsby leaving for the NFL is best for all parties. Sorsby gets to move on with his career. The NCAA and college football stave off a doomsday scenario.
Texas Tech, for its part, avoids losing a part of its soul.
Saudi Arabia hold firm against relentless pressure to earn a 1-1 draw against two-time world champions Uruguay in their Group H opener at the Miami Stadium.
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN
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Andrey Rublev vs Hubert Hurkacz preview
Hurkacz at the Libema Open (Image Source: Getty)
On Tuesday, June 16, Andrey Rublev and Hubert Hurkacz will butt heads at the 2026 Terra Wortmann Open. The duo are scheduled to be the second match on the Schauinsland-Reisen Court, with their battle taking place after the completion of Karen Khachanov and Ethan Quinn’s 11:30 AM encounter.For Rublev, his upcoming appearance at Halle will make his debut on grass for the 2026 season. Prior to this, the Russian was last seen on court at the French Open. While in Paris, he defeated the likes of Ignacio Buse, Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Nuno Borges. He eventually went down against Jakub Mensik in his fourth round encounter.
Meanwhile, Hurkacz kicked off his grass season earlier this month at the Libema Open, where he was shown the door in his opening round encounter by Marton Fucsovics. Overall, the Pole has had a lukewarm 2026 season, with a win-loss record of 9-12. His best performance of the year was a runners-up finish at the Sardegna Open, a Challenger event, but he has failed to make deep runs in other tournaments.
Andrey Rublev vs Hubert Hurkacz head-to-head record
Hurkacz and Rublev at the 2023 Shanghai Rolex Masters (Image Source: Getty)
Rublev and Hurkacz have played each other a total of six times over the years, and the Pole holds the edge in their head-to-head record. Their first meeting took place all the way back at the 2020 Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Hurkacz won that encounter in three sets before going on to beat the Russian in straight sets at the Miami Open a year later.
In 2022, Rublev managed to draw even against Hurkacz in their head-to-head record, clinching two back-to-back wins over the Pole. However, Hurkacz has since gone on to win their two most recent encounters, including their battle in Rotterdam in 2025
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Andrey Rublev vs Hubert Hurkacz odds
Player Name
Moneyline
Handicap Bets
Total Games
Andrey Rublev
Hubert Hurkacz
(To be updated)
Andrey Rublev vs Hubert Hurkacz prediction
Rublev at the 2026 French Open (Image Source: Getty)
Rublev and Hurkacz’s battle should make for some interesting viewing. On paper, the Pole is the favorite for the win, holding an edge over his opponent in their head-to-head record and excelling on grass courts. However, given Hurkacz’s recent dip in form, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rublev claim his first win over the former World No.4 in more than three years.
The £13 million Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion has opened in Kent
Charitable trust Freedom Leisure will operate it on behalf of Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust
The site features a state-of-the-art 3G pitch, a gym, courts, and a community hall
Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust have opened the £13 million Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion – a new community wellbeing and sports facility.
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Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion offers a gym and group exercise studio, netball and tennis courts and a 3G pitch, alongside a versatile community hall, that will enhance opportunities for grassroots sport, physical activity and wellbeing initiatives within the growing Ebbsfleet Garden City community.
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) worked alongside Redrow, Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust and Freedom Leisure to support delivery of the facility. Sara Waller, CEO of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation said: “Facilities like this matter because they turn new neighbourhoods into places where people can genuinely live well. That is what long-term placemaking is about, and it is what we are committed to delivering across Ebbsfleet.”
Ivan Horsfall Turner, CEO of charitable trust, Freedom Leisure, which will operate the Pavilion says: “At Freedom Leisure, we are passionate about creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be active, improve their wellbeing and connect with others. This fantastic new facility provides a welcoming space where residents, schools, clubs and community groups can come together and we look forward to supporting the health and wellbeing of the Ebbsfleet community for many years to come.”
FOOTNOTE
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Ebbsfleet is one of a number of healthy new towns being built in the UK. Find out more in HCM’s sister magazine, CLADmag – here on desktop and here on mobile. NB, the UK government has reduced the original list of 12 new towns to seven, however, the principles remain the same. The locations are: Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crews Hill and Chase Park in Enfield, Leeds South Bank in West Yorkshire, Victoria North in Greater Manchester, Thamesmead in Greenwich, Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc in South Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire
Sites originally proposed in Plymouth, Adlington in Cheshire, Heyford Park in Oxfordshire, Marlcombe in East Devon and Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon will not be developed into new towns, but may continue to get support through existing housing programmes.
Somerset Council has recently awarded an interim two-year contract to Freedom Leisure to operate leisure centres in the East of Somerset – the Mendip area – after the previous operator, Fusion Lifestyle, went into administration. The new contract will run from 1 July 2026 for the following facilities:
Frome Leisure Centre
Strode Swimming & Fitness (Street)
Shepton Mallet Lido
Tor Sports & Leisure Centre (Glastonbury)
Wells Leisure Centre
3. Freedom Leisure has also been investing in solar energy as part of a decarbonisation and energy efficiency programme. It has recently invested in 600 solar PV panels for the LC Leisure Centre in Swansea which will power everything from the showers, to the lighting and heat the swimming pool. SolarSense did the installation and the costs were covered with support from Sport Wales and Swansea Council.
Daylight and wood panelling feature in the indoor cycling studio / Freedom Leisure
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