Gabby Logan is set to become the BBC’s first female anchor of a World Cup Final, Inside Sport understands.
Logan is sharing presenting duties with Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman, along with Alex Scott, but will host the broadcaster’s first match and England’s clash with Ghana on June 23.
Clearly, the 53-year-old is in the driving seat for the New York/New Jersey showpiece but sources have now disclosed that Chapman is now set to cover The Open, which will come to a conclusion on July 19 – the same day as the final.
It is thought that those who miss out will get the equivalent in future broadcasts and that all are relaxed about the situation.
Gabby Logan is going to be the BBC’s host for their coverage of the World Cup final
Hearts and minds won by Hearts
Their season may have ended with an agonising loss, but Hearts’s shock title bid has delivered a win for Sky Sports and for Scottish football.
The broadcaster is due to release its viewing figures for the season this week, but Inside Sport understands that there has been a significant increase in those taking in what has often been compelling action from north of the border.
The Jambos contributed to a thrilling battle that, for the first time in decades, featured a club from outside Glasgow and delivered a dramatic, final-day climax at Parkhead with Martin O’Neill’s resurgent Hoops snatching silverware at the death.
Viewing figures are likely to be up across the board for Sky in the first year of their new agreement, with a 23 per cent rise making the English Premier League season the most-watched ever.
However, an improvement of more than 20 per cent will no doubt be music to the ears of SPFL officials.
King Kenny’s green light
His beloved Liverpool may have had an underwhelming campaign, but Sir Kenny Dalglish has, at least, had some reason to celebrate ahead of the forthcoming summer.
The legendary former Anfield player and manager played at Hillside Golf Club, along with team-mate Alan Hansen for some years. Both applied to become members at Royal Birkdale, next door, but much to Dalglish’s chagrin, the defender was said to be the first to be green-lighted.
However, King Kenny has now been accepted, meaning that the two Scots can now resume their rivalry. Not only that, but Birkdale will host The Open this summer – and Dalglish can now enjoy all the privileges that being a member brings.
Sir Kenny Dalglish has reason to celebrate after being accepted at Royal Birkdale
England’s win with The Beatles
The FA won plenty of praise for its Beatles-inspired video, which helped to announce England’s World Cup squad on Friday. The band’s X account gave a fist pump, along with approval from Sir Paul McCartney’s Instagram.
Footage of John Lennon was followed by the 1969 classic Come Together, in which the names of all of those selected featured against a cartoon-style backdrop.
Given some curveballs from Thomas Tuchel, staff worked through the night to ensure some of the more unlikely choices got their name in lights.
Eliasch issue for the IOC
There is growing concern within the IOC that the Swedish/British billionaire, Johan Eliasch, will be re-elected as president of the World Skiing Federation in a few weeks. Eliasch, an IOC member, is currently embroiled in legal action against the committee.
Having failed to be nominated – as required – by his native national federations, he was put forward (and presumably granted a passport) by Georgia, demonstrating his strong links to the many smaller voting federations.
Despite an array of candidates opposing him, IOC insiders believe the best chance of defeating Eliasch would be for most to withdraw and unite behind one strong candidate.
Nothing ‘enhanced’ about Vegas
This week’s much-hyped Enhanced Games, complete with legalised doping, will no-doubt add to the ‘Sin City’ moniker that Las Vegas enjoys. However, experts believe it will do nothing to help attract major international sporting events to the host city.
That may well cause a problem further down the line, with a reportedly significant increase in budget over the next decade aimed at making Vegas one of the centres of the sporting world.
Ben Proud and James Magnussen are among the stars competing in Las Vegas
Were Saints really sinners?
There has been widespread shock from many of those inside football at the decision to boot Southampton out of the play-offs.
Daily Mail Sport’s stunning exclusive, which revealed the Championship side had sent an intern to spy on Middlesbrough ahead of their semi-final, led to an EFL investigation and the Saints’ expulsion.
‘If it was as simple as sticking a bloke behind a tree then we’d all be doing it,’ said one exec at a fellow second-tier side. ‘A lot of us feel the independent panel went a bit extreme.’
