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Posted on 23/02/202329/07/2024 by admin

What is the NFL London games experience like?

The NFL London games have been a huge success. Last year saw the record attendance for an NFL game in London, as 86,215 fans packed into Wembley Stadium to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars play host to the Denver Broncos. I say ‘play host’ because the Jacksonville Jaguars have become the unofficial London team – which we will look into further later.

It’s been a meteoric rise for the NFL in this country. 20 years or so ago the prospect of the NFL London games would have been unheard of – there simply wasn’t the demand for it. So how have these matches become so popular that they sell out within minutes of going on sale, with online queues of around 200,000 people?

In this article, we are going to be taking a quick look at the history of the NFL London games, before explaining what you could expect to experience at a game, as well as the various tickets and hospitality packages that are available.

A Brief History of the NFL London Games

The year is 2005, and the NFL has a problem. The sport has pretty much saturated its popularity in the USA, and due to the nature of the sport and the recovery needed after a game, extending the season wasn’t an option. In order to generate more money for the game, they needed more fans. They needed to take American Football out of America.

There had been tentative attempts to stoke up international interest in the NFL in the past. Matches called American Bowls, which were basically preseason friendly matches between 1986-2005, had been played abroad but they had limited success. So the NFL tried something new, with a regular season match – the first international game played was at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers. Over 100,000 fans turned up – the outside world had its first proper taste of NFL action, and it liked it.

Thus, the NFL International Series was born. In 2007, the first international game was played at Wembley Stadium, where the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins – with the first 40,000 tickets selling within 90 minutes of going on sale. One game a year was played at Wembley Stadium until 2012, when an extra game was added – the first time Jacksonville Jaguars played in the UK. They are owned by Shahid Khan, the same man who owns Fulham FC, and so have a close connection to London. The Jags have played over here every year since (except the pandemic-hit 2020 season), and will continue to until at least 2024.

In 2016, Twickenham Stadium hosted a match, and in 2019, the brand new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium joined the roster of UK venues. Three games a year were now scheduled for the UK. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium had agreed a deal to host at least two games a year for 10 years – this was no flash in the pan.

Meanwhile, Mexico has hosted five games since 2016, all in the Estadio Azteca, and all attracting over 75,000 NFL fans.

In 2022, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Seattle Seahawks at the Allianz Arena in Munich, with two more fixtures scheduled to take place there in 2023. The Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots will host one each there.

The NFL International Series has been a huge hit for the game. In a further effort to expand the sport’s popularity, each team has been designated a country in which they market themselves. The NFL will continue to grow all over the world and who knows how big they can get.

Who will be playing in the NFL London games in 2023?

While the fixtures for the NFL in London for the 2023 season haven’t been announced yet, we do know which teams will be hosting the London games. Obviously, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be at Wembley Stadium, while the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans will head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Meanwhile the Chiefs and the Patriots will play a game each in Germany, with their opponents to be decided. There will be no game in Mexico this year due to the ongoing renovation work at the Estadio Azteca.

There are three games in London this season, the first at Wembley and the following two at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. There are then two games in Frankfurt – the first time they have hosted NFL games – with the Miami Dolphins v Kansas City Chiefs a truly mouthwatering prospect. The fixtures are:

1st Oct – Atlanta Falcons v Jacksonville Jaguars – Wembley

8th Oct – Jacksonville Jaguars v Buffalo Bills – Tottenham

15th Oct – Baltimore Ravens v Tennessee Titans – Tottenham

5th Nov – Miami Dolphins v Kansas City Chiefs – Frankfurt

12th Nov – Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots

What’s it like at the NFL London Games?

The fun for the NFL London games always starts in the week leading up to the match. A whole host of events take place around London in the build up.

Last year there was the Super Bowl exhibition space on London’s South Bank. This featured cheerleader performances from the visiting NFL teams, the chance to meet former players and the opportunity to take part in NFL training activities. The Vince Lombardi trophy was on display, as well as Super Bowl rings and plenty more. These are great events for the whole family.

On game day, though, things step up a notch. American Football is about much more than the match itself – it is a spectacle for the whole day. Let’s start with the tailgate party.

In America, this is where the fans turn up into the car parks of the stadiums, open up their boots and eat and drink with other fans. There are BBQs, kegs, picnics – it’s just one big party. Of course, their stadiums tend to be out of town, with plenty of space. In this country, you rarely get a stadium with ample parking. But that doesn’t mean we can’t tailgate…

The NFL London version of tailgating is basically to have a load of food and drinks stalls set up outside the ground, loads of activities, some live music, some special guests and a fantastic carnival atmosphere. Wembley has the Boxpark to add extra space, but the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium gets around their lack of room by closing down the roads nearby.

When you finally make your way into the stadium and to your seats, the same buzz and excitement that you felt outside follows you in. While you don’t need to be an NFL expert to enjoy the game, you’ll find yourself getting caught up in the game as the teams go head to head, even if it is your first ever trip to watch the NFL. The hits are hard, the sprints are quick and the catches often defy belief.

You’ll find fans of all NFL teams in the stadium – it isn’t segregated and people just like to come and watch an NFL match, whoever is playing. You’ll get New Orleans Saints fans sat next to New York Giants fans sat next to Minnesota Vikings fans – all there to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Green Bay Packers. And that doesn’t take anything away from the enjoyment at all – it just adds to the party atmosphere.

There’s plenty of music, food and drink to enjoy during the match, and the four quarters will fly by. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Hospitality Packages for NFL London

As we mentioned, getting tickets for an NFL London fixture can be difficult. The games will all sell out, so you have to hope that you’re lucky on the day they are released.

If you aren’t however, there are other options. Hospitality packages and VIP tickets can be purchased at any time once the fixtures are announced, for whichever stadium you want to attend. It’s a great way to ensure your seat at the match, as well as enjoying a more luxurious experience. Here are just a few of the options for you to consider:

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Spurs stadium was built with hospitality in mind – it is a stunning venue with world-leading facilities.

Premium Restaurant

Eat an exceptional three-course meal in this bustling restaurant, before taking your mid-tier seats near the 50-yard line. Half time and full time snacks, as well as inclusive beer, wine and soft drinks, with prosecco on arrival.

The H Club

These exclusive VIP tickets will grant you prime seats on the 50 yard line, snacks at half time and full time, inclusive beer, wine and soft drinks and Champagne on arrival. The main event, though, is a stunning three-course meal in The H Club.

Wembley Stadium

Where better to watch an event than our national stadium? Wembley is a modern venue, with plenty of hospitality options, including some tailored to the NFL games:

Touchdown

Take in some exclusive NFL entertainment, with live music, before sitting down to a private table to enjoy some street food as well as the fully inclusive drinks before kick off. You’ll get premium seats on the 50-yard line, as well as post-game savouries and a souvenir programme.

Final Word

NFL London is becoming one of the major sporting events in the UK. American football has never been so popular, and we are lucky to be able to see the best teams in the world play over here.

Don’t miss out this year. If you are interested in purchasing premium tickets for one of the NFL London games, get in touch with us today and we can help find the right packages for you and your guests.

Posted on 23/02/202329/07/2024 by admin

Football Corporate Hospitality Packages – Good for Business?

Client entertainment is one of the oldest techniques when it comes to getting business done. Having that one-to-one time with someone, away from formal offices, has always helped people develop relationships with prospective customers and generate more business. There are many benefits of entertaining business associates with football hospitality tickets, and even if your client’s or colleagues aren’t football fans we take a look at some of the best hospitality packages available in the UK.

Times have changed, though. It’s no longer a case of men in stuffy suits with briefcases, packed into dingy bars, drinking brandy and handing out cigars. These days, there are so many different ways that you can host client events, that you really can tailor the experience to suit the individual that you would like to impress.

Sport corporate hospitality, and in particular football hospitality tickets, have become increasingly popular, and increasingly varied. With the money that has been poured into the Premier League over the last 20 years, clubs have turned their attention to providing official hospitality packages – often including fine dining, a complimentary bar and entertainment before kick off. It’s a way to increase a club’s revenue in limited stadiums, and it means that we can experience Premier League football in new and exciting environments.

Why Football Hospitality Packages can be great for business

VIP tickets for a Premier League game are one of the most popular football hospitality experiences going. It’s the most watched league in the world, with millions of people tuning in to watch the matches live. With general admission tickets usually selling out a long time before most people get a chance to buy one, being there for a Premier League match day (particularly at the bigger clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea etc) can seem difficult for a lot of people.

So you can make quite an impression on people by offering them tickets to the biggest games of the season. Or even an UEFA Europa League Game… People just want to be there, to feel the electric atmosphere, to witness the incredible moments in person. And with the football hospitality packages available, you can make it a day out to remember for a very long time.

Of course, you need to make sure that it will be worth your while. Return on investment can be difficult to calculate when you are entertaining clients – it’s not just about what they spend immediately, but about building a relationship with them for years to come. But you can have a rough idea – if you are spending, say, £500 a head on a private box, can you envision you will get more than that money back from an extra sale or two in the coming months?

There’s more to it than that, obviously. That client will go on to tell other people in the industry about their day at, say, Old Trafford experiencing Manchester United hospitality, and suddenly your name is getting mentioned by more people. You become a company that people want to be involved with.

The Best Official Football Hospitality Packages

Liverpool Corporate Hospitality Packages – Anfield

They may not be having the best of times at the moment, but the matchday experience at Liverpool is unrivalled. Seeing The Kop belting out You’ll Never Walk Alone never fails to give you goosebumps. Tickets are difficult to come by, so if you have a Liverpool fan as a client, they would absolutely love a trip to this famous old ground. UEFA Champions League games, under the lights, are spine-tingling.

One of our favourite packages: Premier Club

Gain access to the exclusive suites (Paisley and Shankley) as well as a two course buffet meal, half-time tea and coffee, pre-match entertainment and, best of all, executive padded seats in the upper Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand – some of the best tickets in the house!

Tottenham Hotspur Corporate Hospitality Packages – The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Quite simply, the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is one of the best in the country, if not the world. Even non-Spurs fans can’t help but be impressed by the stunning facilities that they have here – this is the pinnacle of football hospitality. VIP packages are incredibly popular here – it’s a great place to take clients.

One of our favourite packages: Premium Experience

Enjoy live entertainment and appearances from Spurs legends before the match, along with unlimited light bowl food, before you take your seat in the Premium Tier for the match. Plus, you’ll get a complimentary drink and sweet snacks at half time.

Chelsea Corporate Hospitality Experiences: Stamford Bridge

It would be misleading to suggest that all of Chelsea’s recent spending spree was funded by their wonderful hospitality tickets, but they must have helped a bit – right? One thing we love about Stamford Bridge is the location – you’re in the West End of London, so there are plenty of options before and after a game.

One of our favourite packages: Under The Bridge

Access the exclusive ‘Under The Bridge’ Lounge before the match, with hot and cold food available, alongside the complementary bar. For the match, you’ll be sat in the West Stand Upper (a great view) and then you’ll be back in the lounge after the match for more food and drink. A fantastic matchday experience.

Wembley Stadium Corporate Hospitality

Okay, so not the Premier League, but who wouldn’t be impressed with a trip to one of the most famous stadiums in the world. The home of football. The Emirates FA Cup Final, the League Cup final, England games and even a Champions League final every now and then (the next one is the 2023/24 season). A game at Wembley is one of the best football hospitality experiences going.

One of our favourite packages: Bobby Moore Club

A Champagne reception, fully inclusive bar, exquisite three course meal, the chance to meet legends of the game and premium seats for the match on Level 1, by the halfway line near the dugouts. The best way to secure an official ticket at Wembley, and to really impress your clients.

Posted on 10/02/202329/07/2024 by admin

A Guide to Each Day of Racing at Cheltenham Festival 2023

The Cheltenham Festival is undoubtedly the pinnacle week of the UK jump racing calendar. Every year, for four days in March, racing fans from all over the world congregate in the racecourse in Gloucestershire to take in some incredible racing and witness sporting history in the making. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.

But with seven races on each of those four days it is easy to feel slightly overwhelmed – as soon as one race is finished the next one is upon you. So we thought it would be a good idea to compile a complete complete guide to each day of the Cheltenham Festival for 2023, and highlight the feature races and how to get Cheltenham Festival tickets. From the first race to the last, you’ll be prepared and ready to dazzle your guests when they come to you with questions like “what’s the feature race today?” and “what’s the final race?”. And we’ve added some winning trends as well to help you select a few winners.

Tuesday 14th March 2023- Champion Day

The first day of the Cheltenham Festival, Tuesday, is also known as Champion Day as the main event is the Champion Hurdle. The first taste of the famous Cheltenham Roar as the first race gets underway – it’s a special experience. The Tuesday is always a great option to go to the Cheltenham Festival – the atmosphere is great and the crowd is packed with true racing fans.

Race 1: Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

This Grade 1 Novice Hurdle (a novice hurdle is a race for horses that have not won a race over hurdles that season) is just over two miles long, with eight hurdles on the Old Course at Cheltenham. Some incredibly talented horses have won this race over the years, including Altior and Douvan.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Winning Trend: Most winners are aged five or six, and have usually won a race within a month or two of the race

Race 2: Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase

The Arkle is another Grade 1 race, again just over two miles, but this time over 13 fences. It is aimed at some of the speedier novice chasers, and many winners of this race go on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase. You need to be an excellent jumper to win the Arkle – one mistake and it could ruin your chances.

Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase Winning Trend: Favourites in the betting do very well in this race – look for a horse aged six or seven.

Race 3: Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase

The first handicap chase (in which the horses carry different weights depending on their form) of the meeting is the Ultima – raced over three miles and one furlong with 20 fences. It’s often seen as a precursor to the Grand National, as many horses that win the Ultima go on to take part, and some have won.

Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase Winning Trend: Handicap races tend to throw up some bigger priced winners, but course form is important. Look for a horse that has run at Cheltenham Racecourse before

Race 4: Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

The main event for the first day of the festival. It is the most prestigious two-mile hurdle race in the world. Open to horses aged four or over, there are 8 hurdles to jump and it requires both speed and accurate jumping. There have been many classic Champion Hurdle races over the years – this is not a race to be missed.

Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy Winning Trends: Favourites tend to do well here, particularly those aged six to eight.

Race 5: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

Another Grade 1 hurdle race, this time 2 miles and 4 furlongs long, with 10 hurdles. It’s a race that was dominated by one horse, Quevega, who won it six times in a row from 2009-2014. Cheering Quevega up the home straight became a Cheltenham Festival tradition!

Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Winning Trend: Is there a favourite curse? Since Quevega, two favourites have fallen at the final hurdle… Look for an official rating above 147.

Race 6: Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race

The first handicap hurdle race of the festival, this Grade 3 race is two miles and four furlongs with 8 hurdles. Sometimes referred to as the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle, it’s often seen as a race for horses that failed to qualify for the Triumph Hurdle. There are normally plenty of entrants here, which makes for a fascinating race.

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Winning Trends: Look at the Rated Novice Hurdle at Naas – many winners of that race do well here.

Race 7: National Hunt Challenge Cup

The final race of the first day is the National Hunt Challenge Cup – over three miles and six furlongs with 23 fences. It’s a race that is seen to be a trial for the Grand National, with many winners going on to place at the National, and Tiger Roll famously winning it twice.

National Hunt Chase Winning Trends: Look for stamina, and a rating of 142 or higher.

Wednesday 15th March 2023- Ladies Day

The highlight of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival is undoubtedly the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but there is plenty more on offer. It’s always a popular day with punters, with a buzzing atmosphere.

Race 1: Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

Kicking things off is this Grade 1 two miles and five furlongs race with 10 hurdles, over the Old Course. It’s a race that often discovers horses that go on to win the Champion Hurdle.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Winning Trends: Favourites tend to do well in this race, particularly those from outside the UK

Race 2: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

This Grade 1 chase is over three miles with 20 obstacles. The winner of this is usually expected to enter the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year, so it is a race for talented horses and usually very competitive.

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Winning Trends: Look at the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton for a guide to form – if they did well there, they could go well here.

Race 3: Coral Cup

A Grade 3 race over two miles and 5 furlongs, with 10 hurdles, the Coral Cup is usually a very open race, and no horse has ever managed to win it twice. There will be a big field and anything can happen!

Coral Cup Winning Trends: Look for a bigger price, but course form could be crucial.

Race 4: Queen Mother Champion Chase

The second day’s feature race – the Queen Mother Champion Chase is a true test of speed and mistake-free jumping. It’s a race that often comes down to a sprint finish with plenty of possible winners coming over the final (of 13) fence. As a two-mile race, it attracts the quickest chasers in the world.

Queen Mother Champion Chase Winning Trends: The winner will probably be a short price, usually 8 or 9 years old

Race 5: Cross Country Chase

Something a bit different – the Cross Country Chase is raced over the cross country course – a truly unique race at the Cheltenham Festival. There are 32 obstacles to negotiate, and you usually find that the horses become strung out across the course during the three and three-quarter mile race.

Cross Country Chase Winning Trends: Look for a horse with a rating above 140 that has won at least twice over fences

Race 6: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

A grade 3 race run over the New Course, the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual is just over 2 miles long with 14 fences for horses over 5 years old. It’s the oldest race at the Cheltenham Festival, dating back to 1864. It’s named after Johnny Henderson who arranged the purchase of Cheltenham Racecourse when property developers were looking at it in the 1970s.

Grand Annual Winning Trends: The average starting price for the winner of this race is around 20/1, so look at the bigger prices

Race 7: Champion Bumper

A bumper race is a flat race (no hurdles or fences) for National Hunt bred horses – so horses that will go over jumps later in their career. It’s not open to any horse that has raced on the flat before. It’s a race that has been dominated by trainer Willie Mullins in recent times.

Champion Bumper Winning Trends: Not many favourites win this, but most winners have already won a bumper race – although most horses in the race have won at least one bumper!

Thursday 16th March 2023- St Patrick’s Day

The third day of the Cheltenham Festival is St Patrick’s Day – it’s a day with not one feature race, but two – the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle. It’s also a day where the Guinness flows particularly well… The atmosphere is always fantastic – a true festival experience.

Race 1: Marsh Novices’ Chase

A Grade 1 novice chase to kick things off, with 17 fences over 2 miles and four furlongs. Sometimes known as the Turners or Golden Millers Novices’ Chase, it’s a relatively new race having been established in 2011, but has already produced some great winners and fantastic drama.

March Novices’ Chase Winning Trends: The first two in the betting usually produce the winner

Race 2: Pertemps Network Final

The Pertemps is a Grade 3 race run over three miles with 12 hurdles. It’s the final for the 21 qualifying races that take place throughout the jumps season and tends to be won by younger horses that go on to have great careers. To qualify you must finish in the top 6 of one of these qualifying races.

Pertemps Network Final Winning Trends: You can find a big priced winner here as favourites tend to struggle. Look for a horse that has raced at least six times over hurdles.

Race 3: Ryanair Chase

The first feature race of the day, this Grade 1 steeple chase is for horses rated above 130 and is raced over two miles, four and a half furlongs. It’s a race that falls between the distance of the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup, and some great horses have won this race, such as Imperial Commander (who later won the Gold Cup) and Cue Card (who later won the King George VI Chase).

Ryanair Chase Winning Trends: Look for a horse rated 162 or higher, and check how they got on in the Ascot Chase

Race 4: Stayers’ Hurdle

The second feature race of Thursday is the Stayers’ Hurdle – as the name suggests a true test of stamina. The ultimate long-distance hurdling race, over three miles with 12 hurdles to jump. Not many horses have the stamina to compete in this race – it’s a real slog up the hill to the finish line.

Stayers’ Hurdle Winning Trends: Many winners here have run at the Cleeve Hurdle, with a couple winning there. Focus on horses that have proven stamina.

Race 5: Festival Plate

A Grade 3 handicap chase raced over two and a half miles, the Festival (or Paddy Power) Plate is usually an open race, with plenty of horses in with a chance around the final bend. It makes for an exciting watch, but it can be difficult to pick the winner!

Festival Plate Winning Trends: Look for course form. And be lucky!

Race 6: Mares Novices’ Hurdle

One of the most recent additions to the festival, this Grade 2 hurdle over the New Course is two miles one furlong with 8 hurdles. It’s a natural precursor to the Mares’ Hurdle, but so far no winner of the Mares Novices’ Hurdle has ever gone on to win the Mares Hurdle.

Mares Novices’ Hurdle Winning Trends: Willie Mullins has an excellent record in this race, winning each of the first five.

Race 7: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

This race is exclusively for amateur jockeys, and is run over three miles and two furlongs. There are 21 fences to jump, and it has produced a few National winners over the years.

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase Winning Trends: It’s usually an open race, but major shocks are few and far between – look at the shorter prices

Friday 17th March 2023 – Cheltenham Gold Cup Day

The final day of the festival is Cheltenham Gold Cup Day – one of the most eagerly anticipated days in UK racing. Obviously the feature race is the Gold Cup, but there are six other great races to enjoy. It’s a great day to be at the course – the feeling of anticipation before the Gold Cup starts is palpable, something any UK sports fan should experience.

Race 1: Triumph Hurdle

Attracting some of the best young novices around, the Triumph Hurdle is a great way to kick off Gold Cup Day. Generally regarded as a stepping stone to the Champion Hurdle, this two mile on furlong race is for horses four years old and up. The size of the field has decreased over the years, but the quality has gone up.

Triumph Hurdle Winning Trends: Look for a rating of 140 or higher

Race 2: County Handicap Hurdle Race

The County Hurdle is a Grade 3 handicap hurdle race run over two miles and one furlong. It’s a very competitive contest, and very exciting to watch as there are plenty of horses with a good chance of winning. It does make picking a winner quite difficult though…

County Hurdle Winning Trends: This is a bit of a lottery – look for course form as a guide but it can be finger in the air stuff

Race 3: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

The Potato Race, as it’s sometimes called, is a classic test for long-distance hurdlers aged over four. Quite a few horses that have won this have gone on to win the Stayers’ Hurdle or the Gold Cup. It’s another gruelling stamina test – who has enough in the tank to get up that famous Cheltenham hill?

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winning Trends: Look at the Classic Novice Hurdle on Cheltenham Trials Day – previous course form is important.

Race 4: The Cheltenham Gold Cup

The biggest race at the Cheltenham Festival, and one of the biggest horse races in the world. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the ultimate steeplechase prize. It has been won by some legendary horses over the years like Kauto Star, Best Mate and Arkle. Some punters prefer not to bet on this race and just enjoy the spectacle.

Cheltenham Gold Cup Winning Trends: Previous Gold Cups set the standard, but look at the King George VI Chase as well. Major shocks are rare in the Gold Cup.

Race 5: Foxhunter Steeple Chase

The Foxhunter Steeple Chase, or Hunters’ Chase as it’s sometimes known, is another race for amateur riders. It’s the same course and distance as the Gold Cup, and is sometimes called the Amateur Gold Cup.

Foxhunter Steeple Chase Winning Trends: It’s usually a very open race that has been dominated by horses aged 10 or 11 in recent years.

Race 6: Mares’ Chase

This Grade 2 chase is two and a half miles long with 22 fences. It’s a new race, open to mares, and was added to the festival programme in 2021.

Mares’ Chase Winning Trends: As it is such a new race, there aren’t many trends here – but as there aren’t many races like this, last year may be a good guide.

Race 7: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race

The final race of the Cheltenham Festival – the Get Out Of Jail Stakes – is two miles and four furlongs on the New Course, with 9 hurdles. It’s been won by some great horses over the years, many going on to run in the Gold Cup.

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race Winning Trends: Not many favourites win this race, look for a rating of 134 or higher and hope you’ve picked right to end the Festival on a high!

How to get Cheltenham Festival Tickets

If you would like to experience the Cheltenham Festival in person, there are many different ticket options. These range from the Best Mate Enclosure, where you will find the Guinness tent and live music, to a whole host of hospitality options, such as the Platinum Suite, with a four-course meal and complimentary bar, or the Gold Cup Restaurant, with a Champagne reception, exquisite food and access to the Parade Ring.

Get in touch with us today if you would like to find out more about Cheltenham Festival hospitality tickets.

Posted on 04/01/202329/07/2024 by admin

February Premier League fixtures and games to look forward to…

The World Cup might be over, but there’s still plenty of football action with the February ‘23 Premier League fixtures to keep us entertained. If you’re anything like us, you’re going to miss those 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm kick offs.It was a special time – particularly for those of us that work from home! Still, it will be good to get reacquainted with my family, I guess.

The football won’t stop though, and if there’s one thing we have learnt it’s that hunger for more and more games, whether it’s at international or club level. We want more football, and the Premier League season is going to provide us with plenty over February and in the next few months.

To whet our appetite, we have decided to look forward to February’s Premier League matches and some of the fantastic fixtures that await us. It’s a month that will provide us with a lot of answers:

Are Arsenal going to mount a proper challenge to Man City?
Will Newcastle manage to keep up their momentum and challenge for a Champions League Spot?
Has Graham Potter bitten off more than he can chew at Chelsea?
Will Emi Martinez have any reason to start celebrating at Aston Villa? Premier League refs are queuing up to start booking him!
Are Spurs actually any good?

We’ll find out all of that and much more as the excitement really ramps up. Let’s take a look at some standout fixtures.

February’s Top Premier League Fixtures

Chelsea v Fulham – Friday 3rd February

We’re coming round to the idea of matches on a Friday night. Stamford Bridge under the lights, a West London derby with the clubs much closer in the table than most would have predicted, this is an eagerly awaited fixture.

The players from both sides will be well aware of what it means to their fans, and Fulham will fancy their chances of causing an upset here. It’s fair to say Fulham haven’t got the best of records at Chelsea – they have only recorded one top flight win there, and that came way back in 1964. Their team included a young Sir Bobby Robson, just to hammer home how long ago that actually was.

A lot will depend on how well the teams have prepared over the break. Chelsea lost to Aston Villa in a friendly, which suggests Graham Potter still has plenty of work to do. He’s expected to be well backed in the January transfer window, though, so there could be a few new signings making an appearance when this fixture comes around.

Chelsea hospitality packages

If you are interested in attending this, or any other Chelsea home match, we have a range of hospitality packages to give you the ultimate matchday experience. Check out the Under The Bridge package for the best seats in the house, and a complimentary bar in an exclusive lounge.

Spurs v Man City – Sunday 5th February

It’s always a huge game in the Premier League, but this will be a huge test for Pep Guardiola and Man City. This is the type of match that can decide whether or not a team wins the Premier League.

It won’t be lost on Spurs fans, of course, that if they were to win this match, it would give their hated rivals, Arsenal, a massive boost in their title charge. But I doubt Conte and co will be too worried about that on the day, as they need to get closer to the leaders (or indeed the top 4) themselves. With Man United and Liverpool hot on their heels, they need all the points they can get to stay ahead and push for a Champions League spot next season.

Spurs have a decent record against Man City, particularly at home, so the outcome of this match is far from a foregone conclusion. I would expect a certain England striker will be quite keen to come out firing after the World Cup, which could mean we’re in for an exciting, close match.

Spurs hospitality packages

The Tottenham Stadium is blessed with some of the best facilities in Europe, so to take full advantage consider the Premium Experience packages, where you’ll get a luxury padded seat for the match, lounge access and unlimited light bowl food.

Liverpool v Everton – Monday 13th February

One of the biggest derbies in English football. A must watch for football fans all over the country.

Liverpool have had bragging rights on Merseyside for a while now, with a solitary win for Everton in 2021 being the only victory they have recorded over Liverpool in over a decade, including FA Cup matches. It’s an embarrassing derby record, and one they will be desperate to put right.

Liverpool haven’t been the team we expected in the first half of the season and after the break they’ve stuttered somewhat as well. We’re just looking forward to hearing him complain about VAR or fixture congestion again – Christmas just isn’t the same without it!

Whatever form the two teams are in, the Merseyside derby is always fiercely competitive and a great watch.

Liverpool hospitality packages

For one of the more relaxed hospitality packages, try the Anfield Beat Lounge. Lounge hospitality at Anfield with direct access to your seat, a complimentary half time drink and the chance to meet former Liverpool players.

Arsenal v Man City – Wednesday 15th February

Is this the match that will decide the Premier League title? Maybe it’s too soon for that kind of talk, but this is unquestionably a huge game for both teams.

Arsenal surprised everyone, even the most optimistic of Arsenal fans, with their incredible start to the season, but this game at the Emirates Stadium is a great opportunity for Man City to close the gap. Just 10 days after their trip to Spurs, will they have enough in the tank to win two huge games? Or will Arsenal widen the gap and become genuine title contenders for the first time since Emile Smith-Rowe was in nappies?

This could be the pivotal game in the Premier League season, the whole nation will be watching.

Arsenal hospitality packages

If you want to be at the Emirates Stadium for this battle between Premier League leaders and the champions, a hospitality package is the only way to guarantee your ticket. Try Club Level tickets – one of the original premium tiers and still a great experience, especially for a match as big as this.

Spurs v West Ham – Sunday 19th February

Nobody can predict what will happen with West Ham. A few years ago they seemed doomed to relegation, then they hired David Moyes who, at the time, was a bit of a laughing stock. Then they went on an incredible run, qualifying for Europe in back-to-back seasons. So just when we start to think they’re one of the better teams in the Premier League, they slip back down the table, despite having a decent squad.

If you would like to predict which version of West Ham appears after the World Cup break – good luck to you!

We know that Declan Rice will be the subject of a lot of transfer speculation in January, and we know that their fans will sing a lot about bubbles for some reason. Everything else is wildly unpredictable. Add Spurs into the mix, and this game could be absolutely anything. This is exactly the sort of fixture that makes the Premier League so great.

Spurs v Chelsea – Sunday 26th February

Now, Spurs vs Chelsea should be one of the more competitive fixtures in the Premier League, right? Both great teams, always fighting for the spots at the top of the league with some incredible talent in their squads – it could go either way, surely?

Well, that’s not how things have panned out recently. Spurs have a terrible record against Chelsea, they haven’t beaten them in a Premier League fixture since 2018, and Chelsea had won five on the bounce against Spurs before the match between the two sides earlier this season, in which Spurs scored a last minute equaliser.

That match was more notable for the fantastically pathetic contretemps between the two managers, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel – the sort of thing that nobody (absolutely everybody) likes to see on a football pitch. It got a bit fiesty, and even though Tuchel didn’t survive in the job long enough for the rematch, we are confident that this will be another passionate affair.

Bonus game – Carabao Cup Final – Sunday 26th February

While it’s not quite the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup has re-established itself as a major competition in recent years. For the last decade, the winners have all been part of the Premier League’s top six, which shows you how seriously teams are taking it. For players and fans, there really is nothing like winning a trophy at Wembley.

(From experience I also know that there is also nothing quite as bad as losing a final at Wembley. Sighs)

Anyway, the competition is hotting up again, and the final in February could see a new team get amongst the silverware. With Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs all out, could a team like Leicester, Nottingham Forest. Southampton, Wolves or Newcastle get a chance to win a trophy? Or will it remain in the hands of the ‘Big 6’?

Wembley hospitality packages

A great way to avoid the mad scramble for tickets to a cup final is to opt for a hospitality package. Not only does this guarantee your seat at the match, but you also get an incredible matchday experience. Try the Bobby Moore Club for a fully inclusive bar (including beer, Champagne, wine and soft drinks), a three-course fine dining meal, access to the Bobby Moore Suite as well as premium seats for the match. Plus other benefits.

Final Word

The World Cup may be over but there is no reason to despair – the Premier League is back and as the players settle back into playing at club level, February’s fixtures promise to reignite our love for the English game. Nothing beats a Premier League matchday.

Take a look at our full list of Premier League tickets that we have on sale, and if you are interested in purchasing any of our hospitality packages, get in touch with our premium sales team today.

Posted on 11/12/202229/07/2024 by admin

A history of Blur and Britpop

The news of a new Blur tour in 2023 got us reminiscing about Britpop – what seemed to us the golden age of pop music, the likes of which we may never see again. The UK was right at the heart of a musical revolution in the mid-90s and it was wonderful.

We thought we would indulge ourselves with an article dedicated to the history of Britpop and Blur – the chart battle with Oasis, the spats at the Brit awards, the gigs, the much-loved songs, the videos. Choose a side for the battle of Britpop and let’s revel in it.

We will also be looking ahead to the Blur tour, particularly the much anticipated dates for Blur at Wembley Stadium – and how you could get exclusive access for an unmissable night of classic Britpop!

A quick history of Britpop

Britpop wasn’t just about the music, it was a cultural movement, similar to the 1960s – where guitar pop ruled the airwaves, with bright catchy melodies and insightful lyrics. A combination of punk, rock & roll, glam rock and indie – a reaction to the darker grunge scene that was coming out of America at the time.

When Blur released their single, Popscene, in the spring of 1992, around the same time as Suede released their debut single The Drowners, is thought to be the birth of Britpop. In fact, Suede are often overlooked by the musical press when discussing Britpop, but their self-titled debut album was the fastest-selling debut album of all time.

At the time, Damon Albarn and the rest of Blur (Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree) were spending a lot of time hanging out in London’s vibrant social scene, centred around a club called Syndrome in Oxford Street. Bands would meet there, play their music on stage and hang out.

The movement was growing, but it was in 1993 when things began to escalate. Blur had toured America in ’92, during which Damon Albarn had grown resentful of American culture, particularly how it was beginning to infiltrate the UK. Blur’s second album, Modern Life is Rubbish, released in 1993, was a reflection of that. It was a bigger hit with fans, but Britpop was still just simmering, waiting for the moment to explode.

In 1994 Blur released their third album, Parklife, and it was a massive hit. Blur were then one of the biggest bands in the UK and British rock music became the dominant genre in the charts – inadvertently helped by the suicide of Kurt Cobain. Oasis released their debut album, Definitely Maybe, which took Suede’s record of best selling debut albums. The term ‘Britpop’ was by now in common parlance. It had officially arrived.

At the 1995 Brit Awards, Blur won Best Album for Parklife, beating Oasis and Definitely Maybe. The rivalry had begun…

Blur vs Oasis – The Battle of Britpop

Contrary to what came after it, Blur and Oasis were actually complimentary towards each other in the beginning. But a rivalry was stirred up in the media. It was North vs South. Upper Middle Class vs Working Class. Liam and Noel Gallagher were built for this kind of rivalry, calling Blur “Chas & Dave chimney sweep music”, while Blur retorted, referring to Oasis as “Oasis Quo”.

To be cynical about it, the rivalry benefitted both bands. There was a much publicised battle to get to number one, as Blurs Country House was released on the same day as Oasis’ Roll With It. Country House made it to number one, but both singles sold over 200,000 copies thanks to the publicity behind the rivalry.

During their ‘Number One’ performance of Country House on Top of the Pops Alex James wore an Oasis t-shirt.

Since the dust has settled on The Battle of Britpop, Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher have become good friends, and collaborated together on each other’s music. They don’t talk about the events of the mid-nineties, but they have a great respect for each other. Albarn commented “I value my friendship with Noel because he is one of the only people who went through what I did in the Nineties.”

The Peak of Britpop

By 1996, Britpop was everywhere. Pulp had released the album Different Class in 1995 and had made up the Big Four of Britpop with Blur, Oasis and Suede. They were far from the only ones though – Supergrass, Sleeper, Elastica, Shed Seven, Cast, The Lightning Seeds, Ocean Colour Scene and the Boo Radleys were all at the heart of this wave.

Britpop was reflected in the wider culture. TFI Friday, Three Lions (the anthem of Euro ’96), the NME, lad’s mags, bucket hats – even the politics when in 1997 the stuffy John Major was replaced as Prime Minister by a youthful Tony Blair. It all reflected the attitude and optimism of Britpop.

Britpop’s Decline

In 1997, Oasis released Be Here Now – one of the most highly anticipated albums of all time, on the back of 1996’s (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? It was a success, but not to the extent that everyone had predicted and hoped. Musical press at the time criticised it for being over-produced, taking away the raw grit of previous records. At the same time, Damon Albarn had got over his dislike of everything American, with their self-titled fifth album having major influences from the States.

This came at a time when Britpop was being challenged in the charts – the Spice Girls brought with them a fresh wave of Pop, while bands like Radiohead and The Verve were releasing music with more depth, which appealed to the public. These were followed by Stereophonics, Travis and Coldplay to signal a new era of British rock music.

Blur Post-Britpop

The end of Britpop did not mean the end of Blur. They changed with the times, and Graham Coxon took on a more prominent role within the band’s makeup. He was the driving force behind the album Blur, bringing lo-fi and underground influences. This alienated many Blur fans, but critics, who gave it positive reviews, widely applauded the courage to reinvent themselves. Song 2, from the album, became their most recognisable songs in America, giving them a whole new audience.

In 1999 they released the album 13, featuring the hits Tender and Coffee & TV. It was a further step away from the Britpop sound, but again it received praise from music critics.

They spent the next two years touring, before hitting the studio again in late 2001. Before they had finished recording, however, Graham Coxon left the band – recognising that they “needed some time apart”. He went on to pursue a solo career, and while Blur kept releasing music after he left, the band members also pursued their own endeavours. Damon Albarn worked on the animated band Gorillaz, while Alex James worked with Sophie Ellis-Bextor and made some cheese.

The Blur Reunion

In December 2008, Blur announced that the original lineup would reform for a concert at Hyde Park – the preview shows at the Manchester Evening News Arena were the first times they had been on stage together for 9 years. They also headlined Glastonbury Festival that summer, and released their second greatest hits album.

It wasn’t until 2015 that Blur released their next studio album – their first one in twelve years. Shortly after they toured the album, however, they announced another hiatus, which has remained in place other than a brief reunion for a charity event in 2019.

Blur Tour 2023

In November 2022, they announced that they would be performing at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th July 2023 – the only UK appearance for the foreseeable future. They added the second date due to the phenomenal demand of the first show.

It will be their first ever gig at Wembley Stadium, and promises to be an incredible experience with support from Slowthai and Self Esteem.

How to get tickets for Blur at Wembley Stadium

As we mentioned above, demand for the Wembley shows has been huge. Getting tickets is difficult. However, one option for you to consider is hospitality tickets. We offer a range of options from Club Wembley tickets, which will grant you exclusive access to a range of bars and lounges throughout the stadium, to the Golden hospitality package, which gets you access to an exclusive hospitality lounge, complimentary drinks (beers, wine and soft drinks) and access to the Club Wembley after-party.

Then there is also the option of a Private Box, with a full menu served before the concert, and nibbles, drinks and a 5-star service available throughout. The perfect setup for an unmissable night of great music and classic songs.

If you are interested in any of these packages, get in touch with us today.

Posted on 11/12/202229/07/2024 by admin

Top 10 Facts you didn’t know about Harry Styles

Okay, we’re going, to be honest with you right from the off. Here at Events Hospitality, we are probably not the target audience for bottomless facts about Harry Styles. Our Harry Styles trivia was close to zero. We can’t claim to have followed his musical career from the early days of One Direction, nor could we tell you whether he has a famous girlfriend, when he was born, which magazines he has been on the cover of or what movie he has starred in.

Well, we couldn’t until we started work on this article – now we are his biggest fans!

We have prepared some Harry Styles facts for you, so that you can get to know him like we know him – as the music turned movie star, that is recognised by millions all around the world and whose favourite colour is orange. And blue. He has two favourite colours. Because why should Harry Styles be limited to just one favourite colour? He’s Harry Styles.

Anyway, I’m getting carried away. Let’s crack on with some fun Harry facts so that next time you get bamboozled with Harry Styles quiz questions by a teenage girl, you’ll have all the answers.

Harry Styles Facts

One Direction was not Harry Styles’ first band
Harry Styles was always destined to have a musical career, and long before he hit the big time with One Direction, he was in a pop-punk band called White Eskimo. Styles was the lead singer, unsurprisingly, and they played music influenced by Foo Fighters and Blink 182. What could have been…
White Eskimo carried on without Harry Styles – releasing a cover of Joe Jackson’s Is She Really Going Out With Him? in 2018.
Harry Styles is a glory hunter
Despite having been born in Redditch, Worcestershire, Harry Styles is a Manchester United fan, which suggests that there are fundamental flaws in his personality.
(Okay, we’re being unnecessarily harsh here – he moved to Holmes Chapel, Cheshire when he was young, so we’ll let him off. Even though Stoke City is closer and he’d have been at just the right age to appreciate Tony Pulis managing in his prime)
Harry Styles can bake
Well, actually we don’t know that for sure. What we do know is that he worked at Mandeville Bakery for £6 an hour before his audition for X-Factor. By way of demonstrating quite how big a deal Harry Styles is, when a toilet block situated opposite Mandeville Bakery went on sale, it made the news. I mean, imagine being so desperate for content that you just write any old rubbish about Harry Styles!
Harry Styles conquered America aged 17
One Direction’s debut album Up All Night was the first debut album by a British band to reach number one in the US charts. Harry co-wrote three of the songs. To date, the One Direction world tour Where We Are in 2013 is the highest-grossing tour of all time by a vocal group.
Harry Styles can play the guitar
(Really wishing we hadn’t committed to 10 facts at this point, to be honest)
Yes, Harry Styles plays the guitar to help in the songwriting process. He even gets it out (the guitar) on stage every now and then, playing a unique* blend of rhythm and lead.
*That may be code for ‘not very good’, not sure.
Harry Styles wore a Gucci dress
In a 2020 shoot for Vogue, Harry caused controversy by wearing a dress. For some people this was outrageous and worth getting upset about – other events of that year seemingly offering them absolutely no sense of perspective.
Harry’s sick went on eBay
Harry Styles fans adore him. And are nuts. Like, proper nuts. Once, when he was car sick he noticed someone collecting what he had deposited and putting it into a bag. A few days later, his mum sent him a link to an Ebay listing where someone was selling his vomit.
Harry Styles has a university course about him
In 2023, Texas State University is going to be offering a course entitled “Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity: Identity, the Internet and European Pop Culture”. Presumably this list of Harry Styles trivia will form an integral part of the syllabus?
Harry Styles’ debut solo album was called Harry Styles
No, you’re getting desperate for Harry Styles trivia.
In 2017, Harry’s first album was released, and he decided to call it Harry Styles, just to leave everyone absolutely clear on the fact that this was in fact a solo album, and not a One Direction album. Years later, it would go on to help content writers who need to use the words ‘Harry Styles’ a certain number of times in an article.
Harry Styles is touring the world in 2022-23
Harry is touring the world at the moment, Love on Tour, which will take a break in November 2022 and pick up again in Australia in February 2023. The tour includes four nights at Wembley – June 13th, June 14th, June 16th and June 17th.

Bonus Harry Styles Quiz Questions

Okay, so now you have fended off all of their questions, it’s time to go on the offensive with a load of quick-fire quiz questions of your own:

When is Harry Styles’ birthday? 1st February (1994)
What is Harry’s middle name? Edward
What year did Harry audition for X-Factor? 2010
Where did One Direction finish on X-Factor? Third
Who won X-Factor to beat One Direction? Matt Cardle (who?)
What was the last song One Direction released? History
What is Harry’s biggest-selling solo single? Watermelon Sugar
What was Harry’s third (and latest, at the time of writing) solo album called? Harry’s House
What is Harry Styles’ estimated net worth? £100 million

What was Harry’s first film that he appeared in? Dunkirk

Posted on 11/12/202229/07/2024 by admin

The history of the Carabao Cup

The Carabao Cup is still one of the major honours in English football, with qualification to the Europa League for the winners, regardless of league position. It had become a bit of a laughingstock – but that seems to be changing again. For many clubs, the Carabao Cup is one of the most realistic opportunities to qualify for European football, and have a trip to Wembley. You only have to look at the last 10 finals to see how seriously big teams now take the Carabao Cup.

We thought we would dedicate this article to this previously-maligned cup competition, and better explain what is the Carabao Cup, looking at the history of the Football League Cup, the format of the competition, how it has changed over the years and how you might be able to purchase Carabao Cup tickets for the later stages of the competition.

Carabao Cup History

Humble beginnings

Originally, the idea for a second cup competition in English football was for it to be a consolation cup for teams that had been knocked out of the FA Cup, and then later to allow clubs to generate extra revenue which might offset proposed changes to the football league structure.

In the early 60s, English football was losing prestige on the international stage. Attendances were dwindling, English clubs were struggling against European competition, and tensions between the Football League and the FA were high, mainly due to disagreements about how to divvy up revenues.

However, the majority of the bigger clubs had installed floodlights, which made playing matches during the evenings a possibility – opening the gateway for more matches (and more revenue). So they introduced the Football League Cup in the 1960-61 season. It is fair to say that the response to the announcement was tepid at best. The Times’ correspondent wrote:

“Where men like Count Bernabeu with his wider horizons, think in terms of a European League for the future in which a lead could surely now be given jointly by our leaders, the Football League propose next season to implement their useless Football League Cup to be played in midweek. It gets the players, the clubs and the public nowhere.”

Nevertheless, the inaugural EFL Cup took place and was won by one of the big clubs, Aston Villa, who at the time were the most decorated club in English football. The cup final was played over two legs – the second leg was not played until after the start of the following season, due to fixture congestion! Rotherham won the first leg 2-0, but Villa took the trophy with a 3-0 win at Villa Park, after extra time. The attendance for the two legs combined was under 45,000.

The competition struggled to capture the imagination of the public for the following few years, as the next three finals were all won by teams that had never won a major trophy before – Norwich City, Birmingham City and Leicester City.

Taking action

The big benefit of the League Cup, even though it hadn’t really taken off, was that it gave the Football League negotiating power with the FA and UEFA. The Football League Secretary, Alan Hardaker, threatened to boycott the UEFA Cup if UEFA didn’t grant the winners of the League Cup European qualification. UEFA agreed, as long as the team was in the First Division (now called the Premier League).

Tottenham Hotspur were the first team to qualify for the UEFA Cup, when they won the League Cup final in 1971. In the years prior to that season, it had not been compulsory to enter the League Cup, and Everton had opted out so that they could concentrate on the European Cup. Entry in the competition was compulsory for all 92 teams in the Football League from the 1971-72 season.

Previous names of the EFL Carabao Cup

Some would argue its added charm, some would argue that it’s undermined the competition, but the League Cup has been sponsored by many different organisations over the years, which has led it to have many names:

1981-86: The Milk Cup

1986-1990: The Littlewoods Challenge Cup

1990-92: The Rumbelows Cup

1992-98: The Coca-cola cup

1998-2003: The Worthington Cup

2002-12: The Carling Cup

2012-16: The Capital One Cup

2016-17: The EFL Cup (No Sponsor)

2017-2024: The Carabao Cup

The EFL Cup in the modern game

The EFL Cup will never be able to compete with league competitions, the FA Cup or a European competition, but it does still have a role to play in modern football.

It has had to adapt – there is now no extra time in any round other than the final as teams were worried about playing too many matches, with draws going straight to penalties. Until 1997, finals that finished level after extra time would go to a replay at a neutral venue. Premier League teams don’t join until the second round, and teams in European competitions get a bye for the first two rounds. The away goals rule does now not apply in the semi final. The competition has had to fit around the wishes of the clubs.

These days, the ‘bigger’ Premier League teams involved in the early rounds of the competition tend to rotate their squad to give the fringe and youth players a chance to get fitness and experience. While this has undermined the competition a bit, it has also helped these clubs to see it as a more worthwhile cup to play in. A great way to give players much-needed minutes on the pitch. The fact that Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea have dominated finals in recent years suggests that clubs are taking it seriously again. For the smaller clubs, it represents a great chance to play at Wembley Stadium.

League Cup Facts

Some quick facts about the Carabao Cup:

Most League Cups: Liverpool – 9 (Manchester City – 8)

Most League Cup Final appearances: Liverpool – 13 (Manchester City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – 9)

Player with most League Cup winner medals: Sergio Agüero and Fernandinho for Manchester City – 6

Most goals (career): Ian Rush – 49

Player with most EFL Cup final appearances: Ian Rush for Liverpool (1981–1984, 1987, 1995), Emile Heskey for Leicester City (1997, 1999, 2000), Liverpool (2001, 2003) and Aston Villa (2010), Fernandinho for Manchester City (2014, 2016, 2018–2021) – 6

Biggest win in a final: Swansea – 5-0 vs Bradford City in 2013

How to get Carabao Cup tickets

The EFL Cup is one of the easier competitions to get match tickets for. Many clubs struggle to sell out for these matches, and away fans are usually given much larger allocations compared to the Premier League.

As such, the prices are usually a little lower, even for the hospitality packages. It could be a great way to experience matches from a slightly different perspective, surrounded by great food and drink. We offer hospitality packages at many different Premier League clubs, so get in touch with us today if you are interested in these packages.

How to get Carabao Cup tickets for the Final

The final of the Carabao Cup is a different matter – tickets can be very difficult to come by as they are for all major finals. However, hospitality packages for the Carabao Cup may come to your rescue…

On top of the hospitality packages that we offer at Premier League grounds, we also have many options for tickets at Wembley Stadium, ranging from Club Wembley packages, which include full access to a range of bars and restaurants within the stadium, to Private Box packages, with a 3-course fine dining meal and a free bar.

If you are interested in Carabao Cup tickets, get in touch with us today and we can help you find the right package for you and your guests.

Posted on 11/12/202229/07/2024 by admin

Experience the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Arguably the most impressive stadium in English football, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was officially opened in 2019 as the new home of Tottenham Hotspur FC.

We thought it would be a good idea to dedicate this article to the Tottenham experience; its rich history, the facilities it possesses, the stadium tours you can go on, the tickets you can buy and crucially, how a club with Tottenham’s history have managed to bag themselves such a top quality stadium. Did they bother installing a trophy cabinet? (Okay, they have won eight FA Cups, but you have to be of a certain vintage if you can remember any of those wins)

The History of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

White Hart Lane

When Tottenham Hotspur FC was formed in 1882 they used to play their matches on public land at Tottenham marshes. As they began to attract large crowds, they needed to move to somewhere a bit bigger. Spurs first rented a pitch at Northumberland Park, but in 1899 settled in a piece of land owned by Charringtons Brewery, behind the White Hart pub – White Hart Lane was born.

That old ground saw some truly great players – Bill Nicholson, Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Greaves in the 60s, Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles in the 80s, Gary Lineker, Jürgen Klinsmann and David Ginola in the 90s, Dimitar Berbatov and Gareth Bale in the noughties. And we haven’t even mentioned Helder Postiga.

The problem was, though, that White Hart Lane was just too small for where Tottenham wanted to be, with a capacity of just 36,000 – not big enough for a team that wanted to be competing for the Premier League title and a European trophy. They decided to explore other options.

Planning the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

In 2007, Tottenham announced that they were looking at the redevelopment of the White Hart Lane site as one option in their pursuit of a larger home ground. Named the Northumberland Development Project, the plans were controversial – they required 8 locally listed buildings to be demolished, as well as two nationally listed. After a long wait involving appeals, High Court rulings and Eric Pickles, eventually the plans were approved, with Compulsory Purchase Orders for nearby property, in 2014.

Building work for the project had actually begun in 2012, but they did not start construction on the stadium itself until after the various disputes were settled and the land acquired in 2015. Demolition of the old White Hart Lane stadium began after Spurs’ final home match of the 2016-17 season (which saw Spurs win against Man United 2-1).

Building the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Club have worked hard to ensure they have reflected the history of Tottenham Hotspur in the stadium’s construction. They have mixed the concrete foundations of White Hart Lane with concrete to form the foundations of the new stadium, bricks from the old East Stand have been used to make the Shelf Bar, and have placed heritage plaques around the stadium to mark out the points of the old stadium.

In the construction process Spurs have decorated the exterior of the stadium with 35,000 decorative tiles, over 4,800 metal panels and over 2,500 glass panels.

While construction was taking place, Tottenham Hotspur became the first club to play their Premier League home games at Wembley Stadium (although Arsenal did play Champions League games there previously). They extended their stay there well into the 2018-19 season following further delays – the delay down to a wait for the issuing of a safety certificate.

Eventually, the first team managed to play their first match in the stadium in April 2019 – a game against Crystal Palace that they ended up winning 2-0. Son Heung-min scored the first official goal in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium facilities

The stadium has been designed to be one of the best in the world. Here are some quick facts:

Stadium capacity: 62,850

Stadium Height: 48 metres

Number of internal floors: 9

Gross internal area: 119,945 Metres squared

Number of LED screens: 4

Number of LED Floodlights: 324

Number of Season ticket holders: 42,000

Number of Wheelchair Bays: 265

These facts merely scratch the surface. There is a large open area, as big as Trafalgar Square, to act as the main access point for home fans, which can be used for community activities. While they designed it as a bowl, there are still four distinct stands – the South Stand has been designated as ‘the home end’, and is the largest single-tier stand in the country. This is where Spurs fans create the atmosphere.

The pitch is much bigger than the one that was at White Hart Lane, and there are two of them. In order to be able to have NFL games played in the stadium, there is a retractable pitch which makes way for a synthetic turfed pitch. Spurs were the first British team to host an NFL game at their stadium (Wembley being the only other Stadium in the UK to have done it).

For the players, they have fitted the changing rooms with hydrotherapy pools, warm-up areas, lounges, restaurants and creches. For fans, you can visit one of the many bars (including the longest bar in Europe – the Goal Line Bar at 65m long), plus there is an in-house bakery, countless food outlets and micro-brewery – which can produce 1 million pints a year and deliver 10,000 pints a minute.

For the fan that likes to stay connected, there are WiFi access points with Bluetooth beacons to give it greater bandwidth than any other stadium, and plenty of premium lounges for fans that want that little bit extra.

The Tottenham Experience

The Tottenham Experience is the main arrival hub for visitors. It includes the club shop, club archive and the museum. The shop is the largest club shop in Europe, whereas the museum makes use of a Grade II listed building on the site. You’ll be able to see the FA Cup, the Football League trophy, the Uefa Cup and probably a picture of Teddy Sheringham.

This is also where you would begin stadium tours.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tours

What we really like about the Tottenham stadium tours is that you can select a self-guided tour. You don’t have to trudge around in a group of strangers, you are free to roam about and explore for yourselves. Highlights include seeing how the players prepare for a match and walking down the tunnel to the pitch. It’s fascinating to see behind the scenes at such an impressive stadium, even if you’re not Spurs fans. You can also take the Spurs stadium virtual tour here.

Why is it called the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

It’s not the most inspiring name, is it? Well, it all comes down to money. Spurs want to sell the naming rights to the stadium, but they also want to make sure they get the right price for it. The stadium is thought to have cost around £1.2 billion in total, and they want to make some of that back through naming rights – around £20 million a year. So far, nobody seems to meet that valuation, but it only seems a matter of time before we have to get used to calling it something different.

How to get to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is accessible from a number of London Overground, London Underground and National Rail stations. White Hart Lane is the closest, just 200m away, but Tottenham Hale, Northumberland Park and Seven Sisters are all within walking distance (although some are 20-25 minutes away). There is a walkway from White Hart Lane station to the ground, similar to the one at Wembley.

In terms of buses, there are supposedly 144 buses an hour that pass by the stadium. Look for the routes 149, 259, 279, 349, and W3.

What hospitality options are available at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

As you would expect from a modern stadium in the Premier League, Spurs have some fantastic hospitality packages. With Tottenham tickets quite hard to come by Our favourite is the Premium Experience: You get exclusive access to the premium tier cash bars pre and post match, a luxury padded seat, fast track entrance to the stadium, unlimited light bowl food and a complimentary drink at half time. A wonderful way to experience a Premier League match.

Final Word

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the finest stadiums in the country, and going there is a truly unique experience. If you are interested in going, our advice is to make a full day of it. Maybe even a weekend.

Head down to London early – book yourself in for a stadium tour and get the Tottenham Experience. Spend some time having a drink and some food with season ticket holders around the ground before going for the Premium Experience.

Try to get tickets for the best games in English football – the North London derby. Some of the Spurs vs Arsenal matches have been the best the Premier League has ever seen, and with Arsenal having a chance of winning the title at the time of writing, there will be added spice to the match.

Posted on 25/11/202217/09/2024 by admin

Everything you need to know about Peter Kay and his new tour

Peter Kay is finally returning to the stage! Following the cancelled tour in 2018-19, the legendary comic will be performing some of the best stand up comedy in the UK for the first time in twelve years, in a mammoth tour from December 2022 until July 2025 – he has added new dates due to the overwhelming demand.

Peter’s 2010 tour still officially ranks as the biggest selling comedy tour, smashing world records, so it was no surprise when tickets sold out very quickly after going on general sale – at the same price as his last tour. Fortunately for fans that missed out on the initial release, they may get a chance to see Peter Kay at The O2 – this is the first stand up show to be given a monthly residency which will run from December 2022-February 2025.

In this article, we are going to be taking a look at one of the nation’s favourite comics in an effort to understand just how he became the hottest ticket on the UK comedy circuit, before then looking at how you can purchase tickets for a show on his tour.

Peter Kay’s Life so Far…

Born and raised in Bolton, Peter Kay has always wanted to make people laugh. In his autobiography, “The Sound of Laughter”, he describes how he used to do impressions for friends and family, as well as an improvised performance during a school rendition of The Wizard of Oz – a born entertainer.

After school, he worked several part-time jobs where he got inspiration for much of his comedy – the people he met and worked with would provide anecdotes and character traits for That Peter Kay Thing, which was his first major TV show. He kept up these part time jobs as he took his first steps into the world of stand up comedy.

In 1996 he was voted the best act at the North West Comedian of the Year a competition hosted by Dave Spikey, who would later co-write and co-star in Phoenix Nights, while one of the competitors he beat was Johnny Vegas. The following year, he won Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny? and he was nominated for a Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998.

His acclaim on stage was mirrored by success on television. That Peter Kay Thing led to Phoenix Nights, which led to Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere. These were a huge hit, and thrust him into the mainstream. He was everywhere, on chat shows, popular music, making cameo appearances and even appearing in the Wallace and Gromit feature length film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Everyone knows a Peter Kay joke. Everyone has a favourite moment from one of his TV shows. He is a national treasure.

Previous tour

His first stand up comedy DVD, Live At The Top of the Tower, was massive – it felt like everyone got it for Christmas in 2000! “Garlic Bread!”, “Put big light on”, “Where you going on your holidays? T’Egypt” – the entire nation was quoting their favourite lines from this show. It really forced him into the national consciousness.

He entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 as tickets for his stand up show smashed box office records for ticket sales. Having cancelled the tour in 2018 for family reasons, his latest tour is twelve years in the waiting – pre-sale tickets sold out in a matter of minutes, with demand at an all-time high. Everyone wants to see Peter Kay live.

Peter Kay New Tour and Dates

The latest tour, Better Late Than Never, will take Kay all over the country. Due to the overwhelming demand, more dates have been added. He has announced that he will attempt to keep ticket prices as low as possible – keeping the same price of his previous tour in 2012 where possible. A small amount of tickets are starting at £35 – but with demand at an all time high, they are difficult to come by. The top price seated ticket will vary from venue to venue and there are also hospitality packages available.

The Peter Kay tour programme includes visits to Manchester (AO Arena), Birmingham (Utilita Arena), Liverpool (M&S Bank Arena), Leeds (First Direct Arena), Sheffield (Utilita Arena), Belfast (SSE Arena), Newcastle (Utilita Arena), Dublin (3Arena), Glasgow (OVO Hydro), Cardiff (International Arena), Nottingham (Motorpoint Arena) and London (O2 Arena).

When to see Peter Kay Live at the O2, London

As we mentioned above, Kay is the first artist to have been given a monthly residency at the O2 in London he will be performing on the following dates:

2022 Tickets

Friday 16 December

2023 Tickets

Saturday 21st January, Saturday 18th February, Wednesday 22 March, Saturday 22nd April, Saturday 30th May, Saturday 3rd June. Saturday 29th July, Wednesday 30th August, Saturday 9th September, Saturday 7th October, Saturday 18th November, Saturday 16th December

2024 Tickets

Saturday 6th January, Saturday 24th February, Saturday 23rd March, Saturday 20th April, Saturday 4th May, Saturday 2nd June, Saturday 13th July, Saturday 10th August, Saturday 7th September, Tuesday 8th October, Saturday 16th November, Thursday 5th December

2025

Saturday 25th January, Saturday 22nd February

When to see Peter Kay Live at the AO Arena, Manchester

Similarly, you could get tickets to see him at the AO Arena in Manchester, where he will be performing regularly between December 2022 and July 2025. Here are the dates:

2022 Tickets

Friday 2nd December, Saturday 3rd December

2023 Tickets

Friday 22nd September, Saturday 23rd September, Thursday 19th October, Friday 20th October, Sunday 5th November, Monday 6th November, Friday 1st December

2024 Tickets

Friday 26th January, Saturday 27th January, Friday 9th February, Saturday 10th February, Friday 8th March, Saturday 9th March, Friday 5th April. Saturday 6th April, Friday 17th May, Saturday 18th May, Friday 14th June, Saturday 15th June, Saturday 27th July, Friday 23rd August, Saturday 24th August, Friday 20th September, Saturday 21st September, Friday 18th October, Saturday 19th October, Friday 1st November, Saturday 2nd November, Friday 29th November, Saturday 30th November, Friday 20th December, Saturday 21st December

2025 Tickets

Friday 10th January, Saturday 11th January, Saturday 8th February, Saturday 5th April, Saturday 17th May, Saturday 21st June, Friday 25th July

Why should you see Peter Kay?

Peter Kay is a national treasure and a comedy powerhouse. It has been 12 years since he last toured, and we don’t know how long it will be until he does again.

Our advice – find an entertainment venue that he is going to on his tour, get together some friends and family, book a hotel and have yourselves a nice weekend away treat.

Premium and VIP Peter Kay tickets

As we have mentioned a few times, demand for Peter Kay tickets is huge. If you are lucky enough to book tickets for one of his shows – well done, and prepare to see some of the best stand up comedy in the UK!

If you missed out on the initial sale, though, don’t worry. More dates have already been added, plus there is another option – Peter Kay hospitality packages.

A premium seat ticket package is a great way to secure tickets to high-demand events, and we have some great VIP packages for Peter Kay’s tour – whether you just want premium seats and fast track entry, or whether you want the full package with an executive suite to fill full of friends and family, we will have an option to suit you.

We have packages available for the AO Arena in Manchester and the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham – get in touch today and we can help you select the perfect package for you and your guests. Accessible tickets, tickets for wheelchair users and essential companion tickets can be included in the VIP packages – speak to us for more details

Posted on 20/11/202229/07/2024 by admin

Arsenal Matchday Experience

Arsenal matchday experience and what hospitality is on offer?

The atmosphere at Arsenal home matches has long been a bit of a joke amongst football supporters, hasn’t it? They don’t seem to have been able to shake off ‘Library’ as a nickname for their old ground, Highbury. But things are starting to change again at the club – Arsenal FC are no longer the laughingstock of the ‘Big 6’, on and off the pitch.

At the time of writing, Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League, with the most exciting young manager (Mikel Arteta) in charge of a team of exciting young players. While this might not last (who knows when you might be reading this!) you can start to feel the buzz on matchdays at Emirates Stadium – the excitement, belief and anticipation is back amongst Arsenal fans, and the atmosphere is getting better and better every week.

We thought we would hop on the Arsenal bandwagon and dedicate this piece to what different matchday experiences are on offer, with a particular focus on Arsenal hospitality packages and ticket options for premium match seats located around the ground at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal Hospitality Tickets

There are so many options when it comes to Arsenal hospitality tickets, and most will be available for all matches from League Cup fixtures to Premier League and Europa league matches. Let’s take a look:

Academy Hospitality Package

This is the most casual of the Arsenal hospitality packages at the Emirates Stadium. You can buy tickets individually, so no need for a huge group to join you, and you’ll mix with a lot of fellow fans as you dine before kick off. They give you food vouchers which you can cash in at the many ‘Club Level’ concession stands, as well as three complimentary drinks pre-match, and another at half time. The beer is great too, with Camden Town Brewery supplying the bars.

Club Arsenal Hospitality

The Club Arsenal package is one of our favourite hospitality packages in English football. It is a true VIP experience. You’ll get premium seats in a shared executive box to watch the game, having been greeted with Champagne on arrival and seated at a private table for a three-course meal. Refreshments will be available both at half time and after the match, with complimentary beers, wine and soft drinks available. It is perfect for groups of four or above, but you can buy individual tickets.

The Avenell

The next step up – you’ll get some of the best seats in the stadium directly outside The Avenell Club on Box Level, with a spectacular view of the pitch. But the key to this hospitality package is the food and drinks that are available for your entire day. A complimentary bar, which includes Champagne, and a grazing menu with locally sourced, seasonal food – not to mention a possible appearance from an Arsenal legend! This will be a day to remember.

Club Level VIP

We’re into serious VIP packages now… Club Level VIP tickets entitle you to a Champagne reception in the Directors’ Box with an Arsenal legend, a private booth in The Foundry restaurant for a three-course meal before the match and complimentary drinks throughout – plus a gift signed by an Arsenal legend. These packages are available in groups of four or eight.

The Heritage Hospitality package

Another one of our favourites. This isn’t just a football game with some food, this is one of the best hospitality experiences money can buy. The exclusive Club Level restaurant is the venue for your five-course meal (signature cocktail on arrival), and you are welcome to complimentary drinks (including Champagne) throughout the entire matchday. You and your guests will enjoy some fantastic food and drink, with premium Club Level seats for the match. An unforgettable experience.

Executive Box Hospitality packages

Available to fit 10, 12 or 15 people, these executive boxes are among the best in the Premier League. You get your own private balcony, from which you can watch the game, a luxury three-course meal before the match, a complimentary bar, and exclusive Arsenal gift for each of your guests, a dedicated host and an appearance from an Arsenal legend. If you are entertaining important clients or customers, this is a package that will WOW them.

Ticket-Only Package

These Arsenal hospitality packages are wonderful, but we appreciate that sometimes you just want to guarantee yourself match seats for a particular game, so there is another ticket-only package for you to consider.

Club Level

Not to be confused with Club Arsenal hospitality tickets, the Club Level package grants you access to the Emirates Stadium, with excellent seats behind the goal, as well as full access to the exclusive Club Level bars, restaurants and lounges. Plus a free drink at half time! This is perfect for that authentic fan experience, but with a little bit extra.

What price categories are the matches split into?

As with most clubs, Arsenal hospitality tickets are split into different categories depending on who they are playing. The different matches are split like this:

How to enhance your Arsenal matchday experience

One of the great things about going to the Emirates Stadium is the location. With so many tube stations a short walk from the ground (Arsenal, Finsbury Park, Highbury and Islington), it’s a trip that you can really make a day out of.

Our advice is to get to the area nice and early, and soak up some atmosphere in the pubs in Islington or Finsbury Park – you’ll get a nice mix of football fans and ‘normal’ people, which makes for a warm atmosphere, full of excitement and anticipation. There are some really nice bars and restaurants around there (try a pie and mash shop – you won’t regret it), so you can work your way to the ground sampling some great food and drink.

Don’t leave it too late to get there, though. Arsenal fans in particular will want to take a walk around the stadium to see the statues of Arsenal greats (Herbert Chapman, Tony ‘Twinkletoes’ Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Ken Friar), and just generally mill about with thousands of other fans. When you head into the stadium, get to your seat early and take in the views of one of the great modern stadiums in world football.

From there it’s down to the players – watching players like Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Emile Smith Rowe hoping to bring the good times back to Arsenal Football Club.

Try and get tickets to the North London Derby – the matches against Tottenham Hotspur have produced some of the best the Premier League has ever seen, and the atmosphere is always electric.

Get in Touch…Emirates Stadium

Arsenal are quickly reestablishing themselves as one of the elite clubs in the Premier League with one of the most exciting young teams to watch this season.

The best way to secure yourself tickets at the Emirates Stadium is through one of the many hospitality packages available. If you would like any more information, we would be more than happy to help you select the best package for you and your guests – get in touch with us today.