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Manchester City, Premier League both claim victories after APT ruling delivered

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Manchester City, Premier League both claim victories after APT ruling delivered

Manchester City and the Premier League are both claiming victories after a ruling regarding the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) regulations was published.

The ruling states that the Premier League’s APT rules and amendments, which were introduced in December 2021 and February of this year respectively, are “unlawful” and in breach of UK competition law as they deliberately exclude shareholder loans — when a club borrows money from its ownership group, usually interest-free.

This case is separate from City’s defence of more than 100 charges against them for allegedly breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), which they deny.

In this case, City claimed that the league’s APT rules — which aim to regulate against its clubs using sponsorship deals with companies linked to their owners to inflate revenue streams and allow room for greater spending — are unlawful and against competition law. The league insisted that the rules were fully compatible with the law.

A statement from City on Monday outlined that the Premier League “was found to have abused its dominant position” by the tribunal. City also pointed out that the panel has ruled two of the league’s decisions on the club’s sponsorship deals — relating to the Etihad Air Group and First Abu Dhabi Bank — should be set aside.

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The Premier League, meanwhile, said that it “welcomes” the ruling. The league admitted that the ruling identified “a small number of discrete elements” of the APT which do not comply with competition law but claims it “(endorses) the overall objectives, framework and decision-making of the APT system”.

The Premier League added that the tribunal had deemed the APT rules “necessary” as a means of ensuring the efficacy of the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), “thereby supporting and delivering sporting integrity and sustainability in the Premier League”.

City have won the last four Premier League titles (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

City have won the last four Premier League titles (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

The Premier League says it will continue to operate the APT system, “taking into account the findings” of the tribunal. It added that the elements that do not comply with competition law “can quickly and effectively” be fixed.

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The ruling was delivered by a three-person arbitration panel and came after City challenged the league’s APT rules. The case was heard in June.

An amendment to the current APT rules was set to be discussed at a meeting of Premier League shareholders on Thursday but was removed from the agenda ahead of time.

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A key part of Monday’s ruling related to the issue of shareholder loans.

The tribunal decided that as well as sponsorship deals, shareholder loans should also be taken into account by the APT rules. Many of these loans are interest-free, which benefits the club because they will subsequently owe a smaller amount. Arsenal, for example, have borrowed more than £200million ($262m) in shareholder loans, as of the end of 2022-23.

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Historically, interest-free shareholder loans have been excluded from the APT rules, which City claimed was unfair. Their argument is that this distorts the profitability and sustainability (PSR) calculations because an interest-free loan cannot be a fair market value. The tribunal agreed with them.

In theory, this means that if interest-free shareholder loans are included within PSR, many clubs will have to rebalance their books in order to avoid a breach.

Arsenal owe more than £200m to their owner, Stan Kroenke (right) (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal owe more than £200m to their owner, Stan Kroenke (right) (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

In June, a 165-page legal submission seen by British newspaper The Times showed that City argued they have suffered “discrimination” as a result of the league’s APT rules, alleging they amounted to a “tyranny of the majority”. Premier League rules dictate that a majority of 14 clubs must agree to new regulations being implemented.

Premier League clubs voted through temporary measures relating to APT in October 2021. That came following the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking control of Newcastle United earlier that month. In December 2021, it was ruled that clubs must submit all sponsorship deals worth over £1million ($1.26m) to the Premier League to decide on the possibility of an APT — despite opposition from City and Newcastle.

Those rules were then were strengthened in February 2024 following another vote among the clubs, who voted in favour of a framework that sees all APTs subjected to a fair market value test, meaning that any deal would have to be financially justifiable for all parties.

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There had previously been concerns that ownerships could use multiple companies under their jurisdiction to strike sponsorship agreements that would artificially inflate their own revenue and circumvent PSR rules.

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The APT rules, though, ensured that Newcastle have had their sponsorship agreements with PIF-linked events company Sela and e-commerce company Noon subjected to the market value tests.

It is also applicable for any sponsorship agreements between City and other groups with links to the club’s City Football Group (CFG) ownership. City have always voted against or abstained against the introduction of APT rules at Premier League meetings.

In 2022-23, City posted Premier League record revenues of £712.8m (now ¢953m), of which almost half — £341.4m — was commercial income.

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Much of City’s revenue came from companies with links to CFG. Etihad, the state airline of the United Arab Emirates, is the lead sponsor for both City’s shirt and stadium.

Etihad Airways has been City's primary shirt sponsor since 2009 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Etihad Airways has been City’s primary shirt sponsor since 2009 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Leicester City are also implicated by the APT regulations. Their chief executive and chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha also controls the King Power company, which is the lead sponsor of the club’s jersey, stadium and training kit.

However, City and Newcastle’s close links to state investment offer them a more extensive network of related companies — which is why rival Premier League clubs mobilised to close the loophole.

UEFA also has its own fair-market value test. City’s legal case does not address those laws and the club will still have to comply with them in European competition.

The Athletic will bring you a full breakdown of the decision and its implications in the near future.

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(Top photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

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Auburn fans shower officials with debris after wild buzzer-beater gets overturned

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Auburn fans shower officials with debris after wild buzzer-beater gets overturned

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A chaotic scene unfolded at Auburn University on Tuesday night as a wild buzzer-beater was waved off well after the Tigers had celebrated on their own court.

With 0.6 seconds remaining and Auburn trailing 90-88, KeShawn Murphy, somehow left wide open, caught an inbounds pass and nailed a long 3-pointer for what was thought to be the game-winner.

However, officials went to the scorer’s table to review the play, which was awfully close.

 

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Auburn Tigers players watch the replay of a possible game-winning shot that was called back as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Ultimately, officials ruled that the shot had not gone off in time, ending the Tigers’ celebration and prompting one from Texas A&M.

The officials quickly made themselves public enemy number one and were showered with debris from fans on their way off the court. At least one referee needed his head to be covered.

One fan sitting courtside even turned his back and threw his drink over his shoulder aimed at an official.

“They didn’t say a word. They just said it was no good and ran off the floor. I probably wouldn’t want to talk to me in that moment, anyway,” Auburn head coach Steven Pearl, who took over for his dad, Bruce this season, said after the game. “So, I get why they’d run away from me. Just from the angles that I saw, it looked like it was off his fingers. But that was just, I don’t have all the same angles they have.”

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Texas A&M Aggies players celebrate victory as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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It is now six losses in their last 10 games for the Tigers after starting 5-1. They lost in the Final Four last year to Florida, who won the national championship over Houston.

Auburn (9-6, 0-2) led 47-37 at halftime and extended the margin to 61-45 with 12:29 remaining.

KeShawn Murphy of the Auburn Tigers reacts after officials ruled that his last-second shot did not beat the shot clock to win the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena on Jan. 6, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Stew Milne/Getty Images)

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Texas A&M answered with a steady run fueled by outside shooting, taking its first lead at 8:42 when Pop Isaacs buried a 3-pointer. The Aggies followed with back-to-back triples from Isaacs to open a five-point cushion that they would not relinquish, by the skin of their teeth.

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Former NFL player Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after accident on his ranch

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Former NFL player Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after accident on his ranch

Two-time All-American wide receiver and prominent Outdoors Channel host Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after an accident on his ranch in Texas, his family said in a statement.

Shipley, 40, was described as stable after remaining hospitalized Tuesday night in Austin. The statement said a machine that he was operating near his hometown of Burnet caught fire. The former Texas great suffered “severe burns on his body.”

Shipley abruptly retired in 2012 after three NFL seasons primarily because of persistent concussion issues and chronic knee problems. He quickly transitioned to television shows that showcased his passion for deer hunting, co-hosting “The Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation.”

“It was not hard at all,” Shipley said at the time of retiring at 27. “Only because I never saw myself as a football player first. Don’t get me wrong, I worked my tail off for football and I loved it but never saw that as my whole identity because I had such a big background in outdoors. Really, with this opportunity I had I was actually pretty excited about moving forward.”

Although he enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010 with 52 receptions for 600 yards and three touchdowns, he is best remembered as a record-setting player at Texas.

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Shipley starred as a receiver and a kick returner from 2006 to 2009, setting program single-season records in 2009 with 116 receptions and 1,489 yards. He also remains the career leader for receptions with 248 and ranks second in career receiving yards with 3,191, behind Roy Williams. Shipley also returned four punts or kickoffs for touchdowns.

After being drafted in the third round by the Bengals, he became one of the most popular players with Cincinnati fans, and his No. 11 jersey was worn by thousands. After a debilitating knee injury early in the 2011 season, he was never the same player, and he had short stints with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville before retiring.

According to his family, Jordan was operating a machine at his ranch when it caught fire. He managed to free himself from the machine, but “not before sustaining severe burns on his body in the process.” Jordan was airlifted to the hospital in Austin.

“He was able to get to one of his workers on the ranch, who drove him to a local hospital. He was then care-flighted to Austin, where he remains in critical but stable condition,” the statement said.

Shipley’s younger brother, former Texas wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, 33, asked for prayers in a statement on Instagram: “Please pray for full healing and no infections or other issues on his road to recovery. I don’t want to get into all the details, other than his life was spared today by the grace of God and the sheer will to live. I believe prayer is effective so I’m asking anyone and everyone to lift Jordan up in prayer.”

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Tom Izzo explodes on former Michigan State player in wild scene: ‘What the f— are you doing?’

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Tom Izzo explodes on former Michigan State player in wild scene: ‘What the f— are you doing?’

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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has been known to get visibly angry with his players over his years in East Lansing, but what happened Monday night against USC was different.

Izzo let loose his frustration on a former player.

During the Spartans’ blowout over the Trojans, 80-51, Izzo was spotted unloading on former Michigan State center Paul Davis, who played for the team from 2002-06, after he caused a disturbance in the stands.

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Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Referees pointed out Davis, who was a spectator, from his courtside seat after he was among many in the building who disagreed with a call in the second half. Davis stood up and shouted at referee Jeffrey Anderson.

Anderson responded with a loud whistle, stopping play and pointing at Davis. Then, Anderson went over to Izzo to explain what happened, and the 70-year-old coach went ballistic.

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First, he was motioning toward Davis, and it was clear he asked his former center, “What the f— are you doing?”

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Davis was met by someone asking him to leave his seat, and that’s when Izzo went nuts. He shouted “Get out of here!” at Davis, who appeared to gesture toward Izzo, perhaps in apology for disturbing the game.

Izzo was asked about Davis’ ejection after the game.

“What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world,” Izzo responded when asked what happened. “That ticked me off. So, just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.’”

Izzo quickly clarified that what Davis said “wasn’t something racial” and “it wasn’t something sexual.”

Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo protests a call that benefited the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center Dec. 2, 2025. (Dale Young/Imagn Images)

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“It was just the wrong thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Davis later met with reporters Tuesday, apologizing for his actions.

“I’m not up here to make any excuses. I’m up here to take accountability, to own it,” Davis said. It was a mistake that will never happen again. It was a mistake that’s not me, but, unfortunately, last night it was.”

Izzo said Davis was one of his “favorite guys” during his time playing for the Spartans. He had a breakout sophomore campaign with 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists per game in 30 starts for Izzo during the 2003-04 season.

Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb.  (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

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In his senior year, Davis averaged 17.5 points, a career-high, in 33 games.

He was taken in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis played just four seasons in the league, his final one with the Washington Wizards.

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