The Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale threw out Palermo's appeal to be admitted to Serie A in place of Frosinone. The Sicilian side was "incensed" by the Serie B playoff final, which featured "controversial refereeing decisions and flagrant gamesmanship" by the host. Frosinone substitutes "were seen rolling balls onto the pitch to disrupt Palermo attacks, for which they received a two-game stadium ban." Palermo "wanted the match replayed or awarded to them" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 9/27).
Barcelona is changing its crest for the first time since '02. The new design has greater reproduction capacity for use in digital media (Barcelona).
Tottenham will be forced to move its next English Football League Cup tie to Milton Keynes if it is drawn at home in the fourth round "due to concerns over the state of the Wembley pitch." The FA told Tottenham the national stadium is "not available" on Nov. 1 as it is "already staging three games in nine days during that period and consequently the playing surface will need time to recover" (LONDON TIMES, 9/27).
Premier League side Crystal Palace agreed to "create a singing section at Selhurst Park next season" after resolving its "row with supporters group Holmesdale Fanatics." The two parties "had been involved in a long-standing dispute over proposals for a singing section," with the club "initially suggesting the plans were unworkable." But after the Holmesdale Fanatics responded by boycotting home games -- the group is "yet to attend this campaign" -- the club agreed to introduce a "larger and dedicated singing section" in time for the '19-20 season (London DAILY MAIL, 9/27).
Continuum Sports, the holding company behind BMC Racing Team, announced the squad will race as CCC Team starting in January. It was announced earlier in this that BMC would end its relationship with the WorldTour team at the end of the current year and, after a "frantic, last-minute deal," Continuum Sports secured its WorldTour future thanks to funds from Polish company CCC (CYCLING NEWS, 9/27).
A "large group" of All Blacks players and management "visited a maximum security prison in Buenos Aires and trained with the rugby-playing inmates." Mental aptitude coach Gilbert Enoka and scrum coach Mike Cron took 13 players to the facility on their day off to "mix with 60 prisoners who form the facility's Spartans rugby club" (STUFF, 9/27).
