Hull City’s transfers over the last two years are to become the subject of an internal investigation at the KC Stadium

From Daily Mail:

Adam Pearson returns as chairman of the troubled club on Monday and his first objective will be to analyse all the deals that were authorised by Paul Duffen , whose term as chairman and chief executive ended on Wednesday amid serious concerns
over Hull’s financial crisis.

Pearson stepped down as chairman at Derby County on Wednesday night to go back to a club he rescued from administration in 2001 before then selling it for £12million in June 2007 to a consortium led by Duffen and financed by property tycoon Russell Bartlett.

When Pearson left Hull, who by then were in the Championship, there was around £1m in the bank and a relatively modest wage bill of £3.5m. Little more than two years later and Hull are saddled with debts of £27m and an astonishing wage bill of £40m — ranking them among the highest payers in the Barclays Premier League and leaving them facing financial meltdown if the season ends in relegation. (more…)

Hull City Manager Phil Brown shouts instructions during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Portsmouth at KC Stadium on October 24, 2009 in Hull, England.

Hull City’s accountants have warned that the club will need to raise £23 million in order to balance the books should they suffer relegation from the top flight this season. A report from accounts Deloitte, which was filed five months late, largely addresses the club’s finances from their promotion campaign in 2007-08 but also advises the Tigers as to how to manage their financial situation in the months ahead. (more…)

Reformed ex-con Nick is given 24 hours to come up with $100,000 by notorious New York gangster and loan shark Mr Thigo. As a guarantee, Thigo’s men hold Nick’s wheelchair-bound mother hostage, leaving him no choice but to comply. Enlisting the help of his best mate, Bing, the boys embark on a frantic race against the clock. Their mission takes them from the dog tracks of East London to the underground drug scene of rural Manchester as they try every trick and scam in the book to get the cash before it’s too late.

Cole - married to X Factor judge Cheryl- said he never thought he would see his name on a film’s credits.

Ferdinand backed the film on the basis that work for disadvantaged children was generated through the project.

Trailer and move info after the jump …

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from AP

Hulu, the free online video site where television shows and movies can be watched in their entirety, will start charging fees at some point, one of its owners said.

Hulu has struggled to make money despite its popularity as an ad-supported site. News Corp., which co-owns the site with NBC Universal, Walt Disney Co. and Providence Equity Partners, said it hasn’t decided what form the subscription model would take. (more…)

American billionaire Stan Kroenke and chairman Peter Hill-Wood

Stan Kroenke maintained his silence at Arsenal’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday afternoon, when questions were directly raised as to the intentions of the American billionaire investor. The Denver-based sports magnate is now the largest individual shareholder in the Gunners’ holding company, with a stake of some 28.86% which includes a recent £765,000 purchase. (more…)

Honda has created a series of short documentary films that celebrate the companies beliefs and values. I think they are pretty clever. This one is awesome, its called Failure: The Secret to Success.

“Failure: The Secret to Success” depicts Honda’s belief in the importance of never being afraid to try something new. Through personal experiences of Honda associates and those affiliated with Honda, such as IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, the film explores failures and risks taken that helped lead to new innovations.

I dig it mostly because even though its put out by a particular company, it really gives you something that you can apply to anything. A lot of these words we have heard many times, but it doesn’t hurt to hear ‘em again. See “Kick Out the Ladder” after the jump, another pretty good one. (more…)

The state would be the first in the nation to adopt energy-efficiency standards, but some in the electronics industry say the rules would result in higher prices and job cuts.

Concerned that the growing popularity of big-screen televisions could make it harder for California to keep pace with electricity demand, state energy regulators are poised to crack down on energy-guzzling sets despite opposition from a powerful electronics trade group.
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Casey Wasserman is on ESPNs Bill Simmons Podcast today. You may not know who he is, but he is BIG in sports and entertainment. How big you say.. .. big like his company WMG, The Wasserman Media Group, by his estimation represents about 45% of MLS players! He has an interesting take on sports and the economy and its a good listen. The second half of the conversation is mostly about getting an NFL team to LA, but before that he dabbles in what the MLS needs to do to become huge in the US, his thoughts on owning an MLS team, what the effect of increased international league (La Liga, EPL, etc.) viewership in America could mean and how some interesting partnerships could be on the horizon. Check it out here

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