91Èȱ¬

No-one can have missed the unfolding crisis in UK football over the last few months. This recession and the financial meltdown have hit UK clubs at all levels particularly hard.

There's no doubt that money and sport have become intricately entwined, with what happens off the field and in the boardroom having a direct and palpable impact on the field of play.

To track these convulsions across the world of sport the 91Èȱ¬Â Business and Economics Unit has launched a permanent Business of Sport website – bbc.co.uk/businessofsport – which will gather together all the best of the output.

The 91Èȱ¬ Business and Economics Unit has commissioned a full week of multi-platform and multi-lingual coverage of all the issues, for the first of week of March, marking 100 days until the FIFA football World Cup.

The highlight of the week will be The Business Of Sport – Football In The Red debate about the future of football finance which will be broadcast live on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live, the 91Èȱ¬ News Channel and re-broadcast on the 91Èȱ¬ World Service and 91Èȱ¬ World News.

The debate from Manchester on Tuesday 2 March will be hosted by Mark Pougatch.

The panel will feature the 91Èȱ¬'s Chief Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym, Daily Telegraph Sports Editor and soon-to-be 91Èȱ¬ Sports Editor David Bond, the new West Ham United joint-chairman David Gold, and Gordon Taylor from the Professional Footballers' Association.

Others from the world of football, and a live studio audience, will also join in the discussion.

Jeremy Hillman, Editor of the Economics and Business Centre in 91Èȱ¬ News, says: "There couldn't be a better time to be looking at how the global recession and high finance is impacting sport around the world at all levels.

"Above everything this is a great opportunity to combine the incredible knowledge and contacts across specialisms like business, sports, sport news and 5 Live to create journalism which is greater than the sum of its parts.

"Football, particularly, is a fascinating story at the moment. We're looking forward to a lively debate on Tuesday.

"But this whole week is an opportunity to tell stories about sports great and small, in the UK and around the world. I'm especially glad that the language services have embraced this idea."

Live simulcast debate – Tuesday 2 March 2010
91Èȱ¬ News Channel: 8.00-9.00pm
91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live: 8.00-9.30pm
Radio 5 Live website: 8.00-9.30 pm

PH