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Newcastle United approached 1193 companies. They had an initial meeting with 65 of them. They were whittled down to nine, and then four and eventually two. And when they find a new shirt sponsor, it is Sela, a Saudi Arabian sports events and hospitality company. Which can seem a little convenient to some. Newcastle’s income has been inflated this summer and a commercial deal has come from the homeland of their owners, while Allan Saint-Maximin has been sold to the Saudi Pro-League. As Newcastle’s various powerbrokers discuss the Sela contract, Amanda Staveley asks if they can defend it, if it is fair market value. The answer comes in the affirmative. Some outsiders might be sceptical. We Are Newcastle United, the new Prime Video documentary, may be the first of a new genre: the Financial Fair Play drama. It is more about the boardroom than the dressing room; less is revealed about the guarded Eddie Howe than in the deluxe settings of Alnwick Castle, where his employers discuss the bottom line more than the forward line. There is, admittedly, little suspense in discovering that Newcastle do, after all, find a shirt sponsor but its importance is underlined. The underlying issue is how to create enough revenue within the rules for the world’s richest club to be able to compete with the Premier League’s wealthiest. It is not as simple as just pumping money in. “We are not going to overspend otherwise we will be in big trouble on Fair Play,” says Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the Newcastle chairman. Staveley reflects on the Carabao Cup final defeat by referencing Manchester United’s vast commercial income. At another point, she frets: “If we can only spend a certain amount we have to assume we are not going to get Champions League next season.” It is no spoiler to say they do and no surprise their sights are set higher again. “We want to be a Real Madrid, a Barcelona. To get ourselves to that point we need to spend money,” says Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Staveley’s husband and another co-owner. Al-Rumayyan adds: “We want to compete not only for the third or fourth position, we want to be No 1.” There is no lack of ambition: Al-Rumayyan wants the worth of the Saudi Public Investment Fund to reach $2 trillion and Newcastle’s value to increase tenfold. If it suggests he is no mere benefactor, there is a sense Newcastle feel themselves the bogeymen for the rest of the division. Their version of events is broadcast, their adversaries – apart from a couple of press-conference clips of Jurgen Klopp – are usually off-screen. But there is pushback to their takeover. “I think there was a fear we would have an unfair advantage,” complains Staveley. “They said it was the Saudi state, which is absolute rubbish. It is not Saudi Arabia, it is the Public Investment Fund.” There is the sense from her that the goalposts were moved to hamstring Newcastle, with a short-lived ban on sponsorship deals from companies linked to their owners. “I was shocked we could buy a club, pay a full price and then rules just changed,” she says. “I think that’s what pissed me off.” The other villain of the piece is Mike Ashley, whose years of neglect left Newcastle a long way behind. Peter Silverstone, the Chief Commercial Officer, compares the size of their commercial team with his former club Arsenal’s. “We don’t have time to make mistakes,” he notes, while suggesting he was made an offer he could not refuse: “When you are offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask which seat, you just get on board.” Silverstone argues that the Sela deal will help Newcastle become “the most followed, most supported club in Saudi Arabia”. If Bruno Guimaraes is the likeable Sean Longstaff’s favourite player – and has no objection when a classroom of school children nominate his midfield sidekick, not him – he is also Silverstone’s. “From a commercial perspective, he ticks every box,” he says. “He will attract more fans to Newcastle.” A theme is that Newcastle have to look after pounds and pennies; not because of the Saudi PIF’s bank balance, but due to FFP. The January negotiations for Anthony Gordon are prolonged, Everton’s initial demands for £60 million excessive. “They are bluffing,” says the negotiator in Staveley after a bid is rejected. They eventually get Gordon with an instructive tribute. “Anthony is going to be one of the best players in the league and Eddie just adores him,” says Staveley. All such shows are an attempt to humanise. Staveley comes across as caring and involved, saying she fell in love with Newcastle, going into the dressing room after the Carabao Cup semi-final win to address the team: “You’re going to get the Champions bloody League this year, I am telling you.” She gives Gordon her and Ghodoussi’s phone numbers and tells the newcomer to call if he ever needs anything. She has a tendency to refer to everyone from Callum Wilson to an agent she phones as “my angel”; for Staveley, the Angel of the North is not a statue by the A1 as much as everyone she encounters. Al-Rumayyan invites the players to his house during their World Cup training camp in Saudi Arabia. Earlier, asked about the appointment of Howe, who was relegated with Burnley, he replies dryly: “That’s even better, he knows what not to do.” Howe, though, proves an inspired choice by decision-makers who have shown a sure touch so far. Staveley claims that, at one stage in 2021, there was a 96 percent chance United would have gone down. “That would be a disaster,” she says. Disaster was averted, success fast-tracked. Newcastle start this season in the Champions League, not the Championship. Money has played a part in the transformation and money is the constant concern. They have the flagship signing Sandro Tonali this summer, and this week’s acquisition, Tino Livramento, but the only other buy is Harvey Barnes, whose arrival from Leicester was in effect paid for by the sale of Saint-Maximin. They are Newcastle United; not as they were in 2021 or perhaps as they will be in 2025, but a club with Saudi money in an ongoing battle with the balance sheet. ::The original documentary series WE ARE NEWCASTLE UNITED, which will launch on Prime Video with the first episode on Friday 11th August, followed by new episodes every Friday through to September 1st. Read More Newcastle sign Southampton defender Tino Livramento on five-year deal Allan Saint-Maximin the latest Premier League star to leave for Saudi Arabia Saudi transfers reveal difference between Premier League and European rivals Valtteri Bottas goes for a ride with Lance Armstrong – Wednesday’s sporting social Allan Saint-Maximin the latest Premier League star to leave for Saudi Arabia Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest England news ahead of quarter-finals

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Silverstone is one of the most iconic circuits in Formula One, holding the first championship race back in 1950 and 73 years later in 2023, the event is more popular than ever. It was a record-breaking weekend this year, as the British Grand Prix drew in the biggest crowd it had ever seen with 480,000 spectators entering from Friday (July 7) to Sunday (July 9). Though this figure should come as no surprise with F1 benefitting from the rise in popularity in recent years thanks to the Netflix series Drive to Survive which has propelled the sport into popular culture and widened its demographic in the process. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For this race, I was able to watch the action unfold in the grandstands for the first time – here’s a breakdown of my experience. Arrival Clouds and rain loomed on Sunday morning when arriving at the track at 9 am, after navigating the race day traffic (and getting briefly lost on the way in classic road trip style). Upon arrival, the rain jackets were on as we took in the scale of the event and walked around the circuit that was abuzz with fans of all ages excited for the upcoming race. Hospitality An unmissable sight around the perimeter of the circuit was the variety of food trucks belonging to Freemans Event Partners who have partnered with Silverstone for over four decades. As a spectator, a deep thought isn’t typically given to the logistical efforts that go into pulling off such a huge event like this but for Freemans, they had expected to sell the following over the weekend: 40,000 burgers 35,000 glasses of wine and champagne 6,000 kg of chicken 65,000 portions of chips 1m+ drinks 90+ cuisines across 260 outlets, with meat-free options available at every outlet Stephen Freeman CEO, told indy100: “As one of the UK’s biggest spectator events – with over 480,000 UK and international visitors – the Formula 1 Aramco British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone provides a unique opportunity to showcase the very best of British food and drink. “We’ve been working in partnership with Silverstone for over 40 years and this year, as part of our delivery of 270 food outlets, offering over 90 varieties of cuisine, we created a ‘Best of British’ food zone for the first time. “Featuring a Pimm’s branded double-decker London bus, a range of photo opportunities and competitions for spectators to enjoy, the area was situated at the heart of the circuit. He added: “A selection of British treats were on offer such as traditional Cornish pasties, fish & chips, and cream teas, as well as Pimm’s & strawberries over the course of the four days of festivities." Initially, it was the perfect weather for a nice hot cuppa to warm us up as the Formula 3 and Formula 2 races took place where we were confronted by the riveting sound of the race cars zooming past on the track. But as the day went on, summer finally decided to make an appearance – just in time for the driver’s parade where the F1 drivers waved to the crowds as they made their way around the track in classic cars. Two hours before the race, it was time for lunch and from the array of cuisines to choose from, we opted for a chicken kebab – a popular choice as the queue snaked around the area, but definitely worth the 30-minute wait as we got to feast while being entertained by spectacular the Red Arrows display. Seating and the race itself After some exploring, we settled back into our Stirling A grandstand seats which provided a perfect reprieve from the sun as strong winds cooled us down and a great view where we could see the car speed towards Copse Corner with the 180mph bend being one of the fastest of the circuit. The first lap provided a thrilling start as McLaren'sLando Norris jumped Red Bull's Max Verstappen to lead the first couple of laps while loud roars from the stands cheered the Brit on as he and the other drivers went flat out as they sped past us down to Copse. Though Verstappen was able to get back in front with DRS by lap five, and went on to claim his first win at Silverstone with the reigning two-time world champion's continuing his dominance this season. There was a safety car deployed on lap 33 due to a fire in the Haas car of Kevin Magnussen, and this "free" pitstop was perfect timing for Verstappen, Norris and Hamilton - and we managed to see this unfold on the big screen conveniently situated near our grandstand. In the end, Norris impressively held second place by choosing a different type of strategy and defended the position on hard tires, while Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was able to get ahead of Piastri to secure third. As a result, Norris and Hamilton are the first pair of Brits on the podium at Silverstone since 1999 when David Coulthard won the race, followed by Eddie Irvine in second. In true British style, the weather couldn't make up its mind so our rain jackets and sunglasses were on stand-by with clouds threatening a downpour one minute followed by bright sunny skies minutes later - though in the end, the rain didn't come but this element of unpredictability did still entertain us. Post-race events After the race, we headed over to the Chrome Main Stage where we watched The Big Moon, DJ Patrick Nazemi, and Tom Greenan perform where fans were enjoying the post-race music festival vibes. Between these artists, some F1 drivers also made brief appearances to discuss their race performance with Williams' Alex Albon, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Some of the highlights included Russell bringing his niece and nephew on stage, and the McLaren boys toasting their result with a celebratory shoey. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was welcomed on stage with boos from the crowd but soon had the audience onside when his wife and Spice Girl Geri Horner made a surprise appearance. He also gained cheers when he asked the crowd "If we get [Daniel] Ricciardo back, will you be nicer to me?" as the Red Bull third driver was scheduled to carry out Pirelli tyre tests in the RB19. (Little did we know then, after doing the tests Ricciardo would be announced on July 11 as the new AlphaTauri driver, replacing Nyck De Vries). Following an action-packed day, we then chowed down on some food and made the most of the various cuisines available opting for a Greek Gyros, a Mac & Cheese pot and a Katsu Curry. With our bellies full and the day coming to an end, we headed home and as we discussed the day, the enjoyment of my first Silverstone Grand Prix already has me excited for 2024... Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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