Sports Ticker #135 - Women's Rugby World Cup final sells out and UEFA says no to surge pricing - a speed read of commercial updates from the sports world

In a fortnight which saw the world’s first professional bogsnorkeller defend his title at the Wales-based World Bog Snorkelling Championships, the return of the Barclays Women’s Super League and renamed Barclays Women’s Super League 2, and NFL heavyweights the San Francisco 49ers express their interest in a London Super Bowl, we bring you news of professional pool player Harriet Haynes’ unsuccessful discrimination claim against the English Blackpool Pool Federation, a look at the suspension of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track league after the upstart tournament failed to make payments to its roster of athletes, and a peak at the record-breaking attendance anticipated for the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

UEFA shows dynamic ticket pricing the red card ahead of Euro 2028
Europe’s governing body of football has ruled out dynamic ticket pricing for Euro 2028, which is set to take place across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Unlike the dynamic and surge pricing structures adopted for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fans can rest assured that ticket prices shall remain stable and predictable for the Euros – even if the performances of the Home Nations’ teams do not. UEFA’s decision is a welcome change from what many have come to see as a pricing status quo in football and other major sporting events around the world in recent years. Though often hugely profitable for organisers (the average cost of a single ticket to this year’s dynamically priced NFL Super Bowl surpassed a staggering £5,000), the structure can often leave fans feeling scorned; tickets for the semi-final of this year’s FIFA Club World Cup between Chelsea and Fluminense dropped to around £10 the day before the game, despite having been on sale for almost £350 the previous week, severely penalising those who had bought tickets in good time to attend the match. UEFA’s approach, which has been widely supported by the Home Nations’ FAs, hopes to deliver a tournament that works not just for the nations themselves, but the scores of devoted fans who make the beautiful game what it is. 

Cue the controversy: Court rejects trans pool player’s discrimination claim

Professional pool player Harriet Haynes has lost a discrimination claim brought against the English Blackpool Pool Federation (EBPF) following its decision to exclude transgender women from its women’s competitions and teams in August 2023. Sitting in the Canterbury County Court, His Honour Judge Parker was asked to consider whether the EBPF’s decision constituted unlawful discrimination on the grounds of gender assignment pursuant to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). The complaint arose following the EBPF’s announcement (via Facebook) that it had decided to revise the eligibility criteria for its ladies’ events so as to only include “biological women”. As the trial concluded just days before the UK Supreme Court’s recent judgment in the widely reported For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers (FWS), both parties were exceptionally permitted to file post-trial submissions regarding the perceived effect of the Supreme Court’s judgment on their claim, not least given the decision defined “biological women” for the purposes of the Act. In view of the decision in FWS, HHJ Parker ultimately concluded that the EBPF’s decision did not constitute gender reassignment discrimination but was instead a matter of sex discrimination. On the basis that sex discrimination in this instance could be justified under two exceptions to the Act, namely to “secure fair competition” between players, the court ruled in favour of the EBPF and dismissed Ms Haynes’ case outright. You can read the full judgment here. 

Try and beat that: Women’s Rugby World Cup eyes record attendance

The Women’s Rugby World Cup final, which will take place at London’s Twickenham Stadium at the end of September, is set to be the most attended women’s rugby match of all time after selling all of its 82,000 tickets. It’s success across the board for the much-anticipated tournament, which has sold around 80% of seats across the rest of the tournament so far (with fans expected to snap up the remainder in the coming weeks). The figures, which dwarf the 13,000 sales attributed to the last final hosted by England during the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010, demonstrates the increasing public interest in, and following of, the women’s game. The sales also top the 66,000-strong crowd in attendance at the Paris Olympic rugby sevens matches only last year, which were themselves lauded for their successful figures. Tickets, which remain modestly priced (beginning at just £10 for adults and £5 for children) are continuing to sell quickly, so hopeful fans should take this as fair warning to act fast if you hope to see the Red Roses in action this month!

Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track postponed as event runs into trouble

Four-time Olympic Champion and founder of Grand Slam Track Michael Johnson has been forced to issue an apology after it was announced that the upstart track and field league has failed to pay its athletes following its inaugural season this year. The controversy, which has seen the former athlete suspended by the BBC ahead of its World Athletics Championships coverage, sees Johnson's Grand Slam Track owe millions of dollars in appearance fees and prize money to its roster of competitors. “It is incredibly difficult to live with the reality that you've built something bigger than yourself while simultaneously feeling like you've let down the very people you set out to help. However, I have to own that”, said Johnson, “and yes, the cruellest paradox in all of this is we promised that athletes would be fairly and quickly compensated. Yet, here we are struggling with our ability to compensate them”. Organisers say they are working on solutions and new safeguards, but questions remain. 

Game over: Beckham-backed Guild Esports runs out of lives

Guild Esports, the UK esports organisation once backed by footballing hero David Beckham, has confirmed it will cease operations this month in an announcement citing “financial challenges” amidst the “current economic climate”. Despite hopes that the entity could be revived following its insolvency listing in August, a failure to secure new ownership means the business, founded in 2020, will be shutting up shop for good. Guild once looked destined for the top, boasting partnerships with Sky and Subway and making history as the first esports organisation to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. Despite efforts to bolster its early successes with various rounds of funding, it was not a victory royale to be for the one-time victors of the Fortnite Champion Series: Grand Royale – Europe. “To everyone who became part of the Guild family, from our fans and players to staff and partners – thank you”, the organisation said in a farewell statement. 

Extra time...

…and finally, the world’s first professional ‘bogsnorkeller’ has secured a record sixth win at the Wales-based World Bogsnorkelling Championships 2025. With Hollywood executives surely lining up to buy the rights to the next Academy Award winning tale, Neil Rutter’s story is one of both struggle and success amongst the peat bogs of Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. Rutter, a two-time cancer survivor from Somerset, had previously retired from the offbeat tournament, which sees competitors race across 120 yards of peat bog to be crowned ultimate champion of the world. According to the titan of the sport, the “bog bug” brought him back, not only in aid of securing his record sixth title but also to become the sport’s first ever ‘professional’ competitor, a milestone achieved after the bog-GOAT was signed by car brand Dacia following his victory. Next year’s tournament is certainly not one to be missed – and neither is the ‘Bog Bread Pudding’ which can be snapped up by hungry spectators for a steal at just £2 a pop.