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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Increasingly motorists are comparing car insurance to highway robbery. The average price of a new quote rose by nearly four times as much as inflation in the three years to June 2024. The government has pledged to tackle the problem. But are insurers really taking customers for a ride?

Some pricey policy add-ons fuel that perception. This week the UK financial watchdog launched an investigation into whether people are being overcharged to pay for car and home insurance in instalments. If the Financial Conduct Authority ends up imposing a 15 per cent annual percentage rate ceiling on premium finance, it could deliver an 8 per cent hit to the earnings of Admiral and Direct Line unless prices increase to replace the lost income, according to Abid Hussain of Panmure Liberum.

The FCA will also probe the puzzle of why motor insurance has risen by so much in the UK. Yes, costs have been driven up by supply chain disruption, energy costs and labour shortages. As cars use more sophisticated technology, they are more expensive to repair. Fraud — including “crash for cash” scams — and inefficient claims handling arrangements are piling on expenses. But why have rates risen by four times as much in the UK as the EU? They are up by 82 per cent compared with 19 per cent in the three years to June.

One explanation is that these statistics overstate the problem. They measure quotes to new customers which appear to have risen particularly steeply following a 2022 ban on “price walking” — the practice of offering better rates to new customers than existing ones. Using a broader measure that includes renewals, premiums are at present £12 lower than inflation-adjusted peak prices in late 2017, according to the ABI. Moreover, UK prices fell more than EU ones in the pandemic, accentuating the subsequent rise.

Another possibility is that motor insurers are making excessive profits from underwriting. But that does not stand up to scrutiny. The sector reported an underwriting loss in both 2022 and 2023.

Some of the pressure is easing. Premiums edged downwards between the first and second quarter of this year. But they have already risen enough to return insurers to profit. EY forecasts a net combined ratio — claims and costs as a percentage of premiums — of 96 per cent this year.

Even so, a concerted push to improve efficiency and drive down costs is vital. This is a multi-faceted problem that is not for the industry alone. Some of the remedies — from policing thefts to repairing potholes — are in the hands of the government. Just leaning on insurers will not move the dial.

vanessa.houlder@ft.com

SHOPPERS are “absolutely gutted” as a fashion chain with 345 branches shuts a beloved store for good today.

Fans of the budget retailer cried “nothing will be left” as their County Durham high street waved goodbye to another shop.

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The Peacocks store, located in Consett, sadly announced their closure date last month.

A message plastered to the window read: “As of September 22 there will be no further refunds done at this store.

“This is due to store closure on October 19, 2024.”

They went out with bang and offered a 30% discount on all goods before the shutters were permanently pulled down.

For those who still want to shop at Peacocks after the closure, their nearest outlet can be found in Bishop Auckland.

It appears a Farplace charity shop will be moving in to take the place of Peacocks.

News of the closure prompted huge reaction on social media, with many expressing their disappointment.

One member of the Facebook group ‘The Consett Chatterbox’ stated: “Absolutely gutted loved Peacock’s especially with Christmas coming up.

“They always had lovely stock in, ridiculous that Consett’s losing yet another good shop.”

Another local questioned the decision saying: “Absolutely crazy it’s been there forever, love Peacocks, why can’t they just move somewhere else in Consett?

“There’s plenty of empty shops?”

Someone else added: “Nothing going to be left. Our high street now is so very run down.”

“Unfortunately another retailer going. Use it or Lose it’ springs to mind,” another member replied.

“What an absolute shame,” agreed a fourth.

“Another to bite the dust,” penned another.

One member added: “They went into administration a few years ago and were saved. Nothing going to be left in our high street not just Consett everywhere is suffering.”

In July earlier this year Peacocks announced they would be strategically closing stores as they launched a new website.

The fashion retailer revealed an annual turnover of £238million for the year to February 2023, with £14.65million in profits for the same period. 

The company said the hike in profits was due to an investment in its store estate, which saw the opening of new stores in “key retail locations” and the strategic closure of stores on high streets where ”the impact of the pandemic has been irreversible”.

Group CEO Steve Simpson said: “In the last two years, we have been focused on a strategy of offering our customers exceptional quality and value for the whole family.

“With the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis, we have been committed to offering our customers even better products than we have done before, still at low prices.

Retailers closing stores in 2024

RETAILERS have been hit by soaring inflation and a downturn in spending due to the cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking their toll.

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Some high street shops have closed due to businesses opening up in different locations such as larger retail parks.

Shops may also close due to a number of other reasons, such as rising rents.

We explain which retailers are closing in 2024:

• Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
• B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, with two stores closing this year due to leases not being renewed. It has plans to open more in 2024 too.
• Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
• Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
• Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
• Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
• Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
• M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops.
• Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
• WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shut eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.

“We have welcomed into the Peacocks family our stylish celebrity ambassadors of Louise Redknapp and Michael Owen.

“Their style credentials have resonated strongly with our customers and helped improve our style perception, delivering strong growth in their ranges across ladieswear, menswear and lingerie.

“As we celebrate our 140th year we remain focused on expanding our product offering to our valued customers.”

Peacocks was originally bought out of administration in 2021, saving 2,000 jobs.

The brand was saved by investors led by Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s chief operating officer Steve Simpson.

It comes as closures have rocked high streets across the UK in recent years.

Devastated shoppers cried “what a tragedy” as a beloved shop of 33 years is set to pull down the shutters for good.

Czerwik Fine Wines & Cheeses, in the Brighouse town centre, West Yorkshire, has been a hailed part of the high street for decades.

Fans were saddened to learn the store would be waving goodbye forever on December 31.

Elsewhere, a much-loved tea room is being forced to close having been in business for 34 “happy and successful” years.

The family-run Two Hoots Tea Room is situated in one of Wales’ most-visited tourist spots and they say they are devastated after they were ordered to pull down the shutters for good.

Meanwhile, customers were left devastated after a family-run clothing shop was forced to close after 144 years.

And, closures are affecting various industries across different sectors as a historic city brewery, with a legacy spanning 150 years, is also set to close.

The Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has confirmed plans to close Wolverhampton’s Banks’s Brewery.

Why the high street still rules!

Fabulous’ Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.

I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.

Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.

My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.

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I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high street fave River Island.

I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.

Frilly Ra-Ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.

Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.

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At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.

Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.

I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.

One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!

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That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.

It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When ‘Cool Britannia’ hit in the Nineties, they all turned up in one big store.

‘Designers at Debenhams’ was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson to name a few.

This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.

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Years later I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.

In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.

Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!

Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.

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I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.

I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.

At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?

High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.

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Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!

A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.

Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.

I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.

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Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.

Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.

The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.

The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

At his first public appearance in charge of a struggling Chelsea team in early 2021, Thomas Tuchel set himself an ambitious target. The Premier League title was already beyond reach, he said, so success would mean winning the Champions League, European club football’s highest honour.

Four months later his transformed side beat Manchester City in the final. Afterwards, Tuchel insisted the triumph would have little impact on him personally. “It was a relentless performance,” he said of the 1-0 win. “I don’t want to rest . . . I want the next success.” 

This week Tuchel was named as the next head coach of England’s men’s team, and set out a new goal: to lift the World Cup in 2026. Speaking to the UK press in a crisp white shirt and dark grey suit rather than his trademark tracksuit and baseball cap, he said: “We will try to install values and principles and rules as quickly as possible to make the dream come true.”

In Tuchel, England have secured one of the most respected coaches of his generation, a master tactician who strives for perfection but has the pragmatism required to win. Yet for the FA, the choice of the combustible German is a gamble, and marks a sharp change of tack after the largely peaceful eight-year reign of Gareth Southgate. While Southgate delivered a cultural rebirth, Tuchel demands results. 

“England are not getting a flawless person,” says Derek Rae, who commentates on German football for ESPN. “But if you let him do what he does best — which is coach a football team — then the chances of success are very high.”

Things will be different on the pitch, too. Author Michael Cox describes Tuchel as a “tactical chameleon” who reshapes his teams for every opponent, and embraces fluidity and unpredictability. England players must brace for Tuchel’s innovative, sometimes punishing training methods. He never practises on a full-size pitch, instead cutting off the corners or shrinking the playing area so that his team learns to operate in tight spaces. In training games he uses small goals, and makes players hold tennis balls to reduce grappling. He even fires maths questions at them during drills to overload them psychologically. His mentally exhausting approach makes a real match feel easy, and earned him the nickname “Der Regelbrecher”, the rulebreaker. Some former players prefer the term “dictator”.

The 51-year-old will cast a very different shadow off the pitch, too. Southgate had a delicate touch, never ducked the politics of the job and became a champion of “progressive patriotism”. But although he’s a self-professed Anglophile, Tuchel wants none of that. He has vowed to “build” on Southgate’s work with the team, but said he became convinced about taking the job only once the parameters were clearly set. “It’s about football,” he has been assured. 

Born and raised in the small Bavarian town of Krumbach, Tuchel’s coaching journey began when injury ended his playing career at the age of 25. He took a bar job and started studying, but was lured back to football by Ralf Rangnick, then a coach at Stuttgart but now regarded as one of the pioneers of the modern game.

Tuchel trained youth players and moved to Mainz. In 2009 he was abruptly elevated to first-team manager, despite having no experience of coaching adults. A successful stint led him to Borussia Dortmund, one of European football’s biggest clubs, where he would win the German Cup. At both Mainz and Dortmund, Tuchel followed in the footsteps of another young coach making waves in German football: Jürgen Klopp. Comparisons (and rivalries) with Klopp and Pep Guardiola, Tuchel’s idol, have followed him ever since. 

After two years at Dortmund, relations with senior management broke down, a pattern that has since been repeated. He moved to Paris Saint-Germain to manage a constellation of superstars. Domestic league and cup titles followed, as did the club’s first Champions League final. But he was sacked midway through his third season after another high-profile falling out.

Then came Chelsea, where he lifted a team on the slide, took them on a 14-game unbeaten streak and on to European glory. In London he fell in love with English football and English culture, and struck up a good rapport with the British press. Just over a year later, however, he was gone, shortly after being fined by the FA for a pitchside dust-up with a rival manager.

He was spotted a few days later in southern India, where he had gone to experience Ayurvedic therapy, a new addition to his clean living ways. He avoids meat and sugar, while his consumption of alcohol is “very, very close to zero”. 

He returned to Germany where he steered Bayern Munich to the league title but was sacked midway through the following season after making enemies of both players and executives. Yet fans wanted him to stay — 28,000 signed an online petition calling for his reinstatement. 

Asked this week why he had only agreed an 18-month contract with England, Tuchel slyly acknowledged that in previous jobs the “good experience” had typically only lasted about that long, but added: “I am working on my long-term game.”

No nation has won the World Cup with a foreign coach. This will be England’s third attempt to do so. When Tuchel gets to work on January 1, the clock starts ticking.

josh.noble@ft.com

CONDENSATION and mould can cause serious health issues but there are ways of keeping them both at bay.

The pesky vapour occurs when warm air hits a cooler surface and creates moisture.

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Left alone, it can create mould and mildew which is both a pain to get rid of and can cause havoc with your health including worsening asthma, eczema and allergies.

Luckily, there are several ways you can tackle condensation to save yourself issues further down the line, and you don’t need to invest in a dehumidifier.

While they’re handy at removing moisture from the air and preventing mould, but they can cost up to £150.

Luckily, there are cheaper ways of keeping your home mould-free, and they can cost as little as 2p.

Cat litter -2p

It may sound not sound like something you want around your house, but cat litter can be used to to remove moisture from the air.

Cat litter is created to absorb liquid, so it makes sense that it’s good DIY dehumidifier, says Stephen Day, heating engineer at iHeat.

“Non-clumping, unscented cat litter is a far more effective desiccant than salt for absorbing moisture as it will not leech moisture or become ‘soggy’ and can help deal with damp odours,” he said.

“The best type of cat litter to use is silica crystal cat litter which can be used for weeks at a time before needing to be replaced.”

You can fill an old sock with cat litter and place it near the affected area.

Many cat litters are fragranced so you won’t have an unpleasant smell around your home.

You can pick up a 10kg bag of Just Essentials cat litter from Asda for £2.19.

This works out at just 2p per 100g.

However, it’s a good idea to keep cat litter out of reach of children so they don’t eat it.

Salt – £1.25

Salt has the power to draw in moisture – and there’s plenty of internet folklore that suggests bowls of it around the house can dry out the air.

Ordinary table salt works, but rock salt can be more effective in large spaces at clearing condensation.

“Salt is a desiccant, meaning it absorbs moisture in the air,” Mr Day explained.

A container of rock salt from Sainsbury’s is currently going for £1.25 online, though prices may vary in store.

However, Mr Day cautioned that salt can only absorb a limited amount of moisture before becoming “saturated and ineffective”, so you will need to use much larger amounts.

“The moisture can leach out from the bowl and leave salt deposits on your surfaces which can cause irreparable damage and be hard to clean,” he said.

Make sure to keep a regular check up on any salt bowls and empty them if they begin soaking up moisture.

Keep your home well-ventilated – free

As the weather gets colder, you might warm up by having hotter showers.

To avoid steam clinging to your bathroom walls, make sure you open any windows and turn on any extractor fans, Nicholas said.

Keep the bathroom door closed after you’ve showered as well, to stop any excess steam escaping into the rest of the house.

Use the trickle vents on windows or keep a quarter light open for background ventilation.

Trickle vents are small vents that can be added to the tops of windows and allow a constant stream of air in and out.

Dry clothes outside – free

Hanging your pants and socks up inside can create condensation as the moisture from them escapes into the air.

Instead, hang your clothes up outside, even if there’s a slight chance of rain.

Alternatively, dry clothes using a tumble dryer or in a closed room with the window open.

Silica Gel packets from Amazon – £3.75

These are probably a lesser known damp remover.

The little sachets that come in shoes and clothes – could end up protecting your walls and window sills.

That’s because they’re designed to prevent moisture from damaging a product – so they’re ideal for keeping dampness at bay around your home.

You can currently get them on Amazon for £4.95 although they do come for free within packaging of certain products – so keep an eye out.

In the review section, one shopper said: “These are perfect for what I wanted them for.

“My cupboard, where I store all our shoes, is very cold and was starting to feel damp in places. I bought these to pop in the shoes.”

Chalk and clove oil – £5

Another low-cost method involves using mega chalk and clove oil.

If you have children, you may be familiar with them using chalk for arts and crafts activities.

What you might not realise is that it’s also a very absorbent material.

Clove oil, meanwhile, has anti-fungal properties which can kill spores, and effectively prevent the growth of mould.

The chalk will remove condensation and the clove oil prevents it from returning. Both items are relatively inexpensive

You can, for example, pick up a 12-pack of chalk from Hobbycraft for £2 and a 10-ml bottle of clove oil from Boots for £2.99.

All you need to do is dab a few drops of the oil onto your chalk.

Once this is done this, simply place the chalk in any affected areas to help keep it dry.

You might, for example, want to put the chalk in the corner of your bedroom, or in your drawers or wardrobe.

The key is to place a stick or two around the house wherever you need moisture to be absorbed such as windowsills.

You can then return to those pieces of chalk every month or so, and add a few more drops of clove oil.

If you spot small areas of mould, clove oil is a great product you can use to clean these up before the fungus spreads too far.

Common Bathroom Habits That Increase Mould

Plumbworld, a leading expert in bathroom and kitchen products, has shared the daily habits that increase the chance of mould growing in homes.

Leaving wet towels and bathmats on floor 

Wet towels and bathmats on the floors after a shower or bath can increase humidity levels which provides a perfect breeding ground for mould spores.

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To prevent this, hang towels and bathmats in an area where they can dry quickly and to wash them regularly.

Not turning on the fan 

An exhaust fan is critical in reducing moisture levels in the bathroom. 

When taking a hot shower or bath, steam increases the room’s humidity level, creating an ideal setting for mould to flourish on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces.

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An exhaust fan helps by moving the moist air outside, significantly reducing the risk of mould growth. 

Experts suggest running the fan during the shower and for at least 20-30 minutes afterwards to lower humidity levels.

Ignoring small leaks

Even minor leaks from the sink, toilet, or shower can contribute to increased moisture levels in a bathroom, fostering an environment where mould can thrive. 

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Over time, these leaks can cause significant water damage, promoting mould growth in less visible areas such as inside walls or under flooring. 

Fix leaks promptly to prevent mould and potential structural damage.

Keeping shower curtains or doors closed 

Keeping the shower area closed after use traps moisture inside, delaying the drying process and creating a humid environment conducive to mould growth. 

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Mould can easily develop on shower curtains, doors, and in tile grout if they remain wet for too long. 

To avoid this, leave the shower door or curtain open after use to improve air circulation and allow the area to dry more quickly.

Storing too many products 

Shower caddies and corners filled with bottles and accessories may seem harmless, but they can obstruct airflow and trap moisture and creates hidden, moist niches where mould can grow unnoticed. 

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Keep shampoo and shower gel bottles to a minimum, and regularly clean and dry the areas underneath them to prevent mould growing. 

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

BEING the most popular holiday destination for Brits, choosing where to go in Spain can be tricky.

But Valencia was named the best city in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler – and I was lucky enough to have visited.

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Spain isn’t short of beautiful cities – Barcelona and Madrid being the most popular – as well as stunning islands such as Tenerife and Majorca.

I’ve managed to visit nearly 10 different spots across Spain.

But Valencia is my favourite with so much going for it, from futuristic attractions to affordable food and drink.

I was unlucky enough to have visited during the 2022 ‘heat dome‘ which saw temperatures soar to 45C.

It certainly made it a challenge to explore – after all, being 30C at both 8am and 8pm meant there was no escape.

Thankfully, I enjoyed the heat, so made the most of the quieter-than-usual streets because of the (sensible) people taking shelter.

But my favourite attraction that I think is unmissible is the City of Arts and Science.

The huge complex – costing £760million and taking a decade – is home to a number of different structures to explore.

Film fans will recgonise it, featuring in both Westworld and Doctor Who.

There’s the Science Museum, with enough interactive experiences for kids to enjoy.

But for adults there is the Opera House with live musical perfomances and shows.

Outside of the complex, the city is beautiful enough by itself.

Many of the huge Art Deco buildings make the streets feel like a film set,complete with vintage street lights.

There is El Cabanyal, a trendy district named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Europe by The Guardian.

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It’s here I fell into a warehouse-cum-greenhouse that had both a bar and jazz being played live on stage.

But the cheapest eat I found was La Finestra back in the city, where not only are the beers cheap, but you can get mini pizzas for just £2.

There’s a number of new hotels opening in the city, such as a new Novotel in downtown this December.

I stayed at the Valencia Oceanic by Melia. It was simple, but had its own pool and was a short walk to everything you need.

This includes the huge stretch of beach to the east, with the Las Arenas strip having bars and cafes.

Flights to Valencia are as little as £16.99 with Ryanair from Birmingham or £20.99 with easyJet from London Gatwick.

Many of the movers and shakers in sport gathered this week inside Twickenham — sorry, the Allianz Stadium — for the annual Leaders Week conference to wag chins about the state of the market.

But while executives gathered in London’s rugby capital, TV cameras were heading to Wembley, where England’s new football manager — master tactician Thomas Tuchel — was giving his first press conference. Choosing the 51-year-old German to lead England’s next World Cup campaign has revived the debate about whether the national coach should be an Englishman, one that has been going on for more than 20 years since Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson first broke the taboo. No team managed by a foreigner has ever won the men’s World Cup — can the volatile Bavarian “rulebreaker” change that? Read this week’s Person in the News to find out more.

This week we’re bringing some top tips from one of the smartest brains in sport and entertainment, plus we speak to the NFL about its global ambitions. Do read on — Josh Noble, sports editor

What sport can learn from scripted wrestling

One of the headline acts at Leaders Week in London was Mark Shapiro, president of both Endeavor and TKO, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship and WWE.

TKO’s New York-listed shares are up around 60 per cent this year, giving the company a market capitalisation of around $22bn — a valuation that most sports businesses can only dream of. So what, if anything, can other sports learn from a business that combines combat sport with scripted entertainment?

“When you think back to Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Andre the Giant and the Undertaker. These were stars, but they were personalities — written or not — they were personalities”, said Shapiro. “I think sports has really learned they need to do the same thing, that even if you’re a reluctant star, you have to be out there . . . you got to take some chances.”

As several sports grapple with the recent or pending retirement of their biggest names — from Rafael Nadal to Cristiano Ronaldo and Tyson Fury — the battle for attention is getting tougher. But all it takes is one personality to break through and the rest of the sport can ride the wave.

“When you look at women’s sports, that might be the best example we’ve seen in decades. Look what Caitlin Clark has done for the WNBA”, he said.

Shapiro said that when he ran ESPN he went to “war” to get players to put microphones on and let down their guard — many worried they would say the wrong thing and wind up in trouble. Now, however, the dynamic has changed dramatically.

“Everybody wants to be mic’d. Everybody wants to have their own show. Everybody wants to have their own series. And every athlete, at the very least, wants to have their own social universe that they can monetise because they realise it helps their own brand, but it also helps their own balance sheet,” he said.

WWE’s unique brand of drama, personality and athleticism has already attracted one key fan: Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria. She reached a $5bn deal to carry live WWE events on the streaming platform for the next decade, its biggest step yet into live programming.

As rights holders sweat about the outlook for TV, Shapiro’s recent successes suggests he’s someone worth listening to.

Q&A: why the NFL wants to go global

The National Football League is a financial juggernaut. Its media rights deals are worth more than $10bn a year, thanks in large part to its huge drawing power in North America. But the sport has a strategy focused on international growth. NFL franchises play high-stakes regular season matches in front of capacity crowds at the home ground of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Scoreboard caught up with NFL executive Peter O’Reilly to talk about the sport’s global play. This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.

The NFL is a massive success in the US, but why is it so important to expand internationally?

Fundamentally, we’ve got fans all around the world who love the game, who have been exposed to it through media, who are hungry for more of it. So finding the right ways to provide more access to our sport and allow more people to connect and fall in love with it . . . we’re proud of the fan base and the business in the US, but there’s a fan base around the world, many of whom love our game.

What has the NFL learned from other sports?

We were in Paris this summer. You go to that beach volleyball venue near the Eiffel Tower and that inspires you to think, “What could a flag football venue look like in LA? How do you create that energy?”

If you look at it through like a Formula One model, you would have a place where you’ve kind of got each week almost, “Where is that international game?” You’re creating mini Super Bowls, if you will, each week across the calendar.

What about media rights?

Our focus continues to be playing the long game, really making sure we are driving reach and the opportunity to engage fully and find partners who are really innovating and leaning in with us . . . The landscape of potential partners has widened. As you saw, we did a global Netflix deal for our Christmas Day games, the first time we’ve done really a true global deal across those games. You see what we’ve done with Amazon and Prime Video with our Thursday night package.

What role do NFL teams play in this global growth?

People love the NFL, but deep cut passion comes when you have a favourite team. The [Minnesota] Vikings are here activating year round, putting on flag football events, engaging not just in London but across the country and that complements the work we’re doing here on a year round basis. Fans are feeling the level of commitment we’re making, we’re committed to games here in the UK through 2029.

What’s the next big step for NFL growth outside the US?

We’ve just got approval from the ownership to increase the number of regular season games we’re bringing around the world up to eight. That doesn’t include the Jaguars game, which would bring that to nine. If we were to go to a new format for the season that went to 18 regular season games and two pre-season games, there’s a world where we could be playing 16 international games each year. The regular season games are not an end in themselves, they’re a catalyst.

Highlights

• Sixes Social Cricket, a bar that tests your ability to bat against a virtual bowler, is part of a growing trend of “competitive socialising”, where activities like darts, mini-golf, and cricket are paired with food and drinks. The number of venues in the UK has jumped by 40 per cent since 2018. The Savills estate agency expects this to climb further by the end of the decade, as consumers look for new social experiences instead of traditional nightlife.

• Initial bids for stakes in the eight cricket teams that comprise The Hundred, a short-format competition, were due on Friday. Investor appetite is a major test for the England and Wales Cricket Board, the domestic governing body that is seeking to raise up to £500mn from the auction.

• Fans will be permitted to drink alcohol at two clubs in the second-tier Women’s Championship, in a trial that could lead to a wider rollout. Booze has been banned in view of the pitch in the men’s game since 1985.

• NFL owners approved Tom Brady’s deal to buy a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, despite concerns that his buy-in valuation was too low.

• Fifa signed up Chinese computer maker Lenovo as its global technology partner, in a deal spanning the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the women’s edition the following year. Gianni Infantino, president of world football’s governing body, said artificial intelligence can make a positive difference in football.

Transfer Market

Gerard Piqué’s Kings League hired the former head of the National Basketball Association’s Europe and Middle East business as its new chief executive. Djamel Agaoua will lead the seven-a-side football competition, which has attracted sponsors including Spotify and Adidas and promotes itself with social media influencers.

Final Whistle

Football fans love to leave their mark when visiting their rivals. But how’s this for commitment? Travelling fans from fourth tier German side Erfurt brought tins of paint and rollers to their game at Carl Zeiss Jena’s home ground so they could paint their team’s initial in gigantic letters on the back of the stand.