Sky’s £1billion contract to televise Formula One until 2024 will not be affected by Liberty Media’s takeover of the sport, despite their ownership of Sky rivals Virgin Media, Discovery and Eurosport.

There has been widespread speculation that Liberty’s imminent takeover would impact on Sky’s live coverage of every grand prix for the next eight years. But it has emerged that Sky’s huge investment in Formula One was one of the reasons for US media giants Liberty buying a controlling interest for £3.3bn.

The new owners will be developing F1 across the Atlantic and increasing social media coverage, which current ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone claims he doesn’t understand.

Liberty Media's takeover of Formula One will not threaten Sky’s £1billion television contract

Bernie Ecclestone is not known for his knowledge of the inner workings of social media

Former Premier League powerbroker Stuart Webb has waited 13 years after leaving the Derby board to write his book Clough, Maxwell & Me (North Bridge Publishing). But the anecdotes about working with those two larger-than-life characters are still well worth reading.

Like the time Brian Clough, being hassled to return his company car after quitting Derby, informed Webb he had left it for the club to collect outside Derby’s Midland Hotel — but not before throwing the only set of keys down the nearest drain.

Stuart Webb has plenty to say about Brian Clough in his new book 'Clough, Maxwell & Me'

Wayne Rooney can blame his former Manchester United strike partner Carlos Tevez for any difficulty he might encounter were he to seek membership of the exclusive Prestbury Golf Club, whose course runs across the road from his home in Cheshire.

Keen golfer Rooney, who is encouraging his son Kai’s interest, has never applied for Prestbury membership despite its convenient location. Prestbury was known not to be keen on footballers.

General manager David Holmes said: ‘There may have been a feeling in the past that we didn’t want footballers as they wouldn’t get involved in club activities. And on occasions their behaviour hasn’t been brilliant. Carlos Tevez and his chums did not always dress appropriately and were loud around the course.’

A spokesman said Rooney played golf at Mottram Hall and was not changing clubs.

Wayne Rooney's ex-team-mate, Carlos Tevez, was not always popular at Prestbury Golf Club

Ryder Cup organisers have scrapped the gala concert that was a focal point of the build-up to the tournament on the Wednesday before the early Friday start.

The event proved unpopular with the players, who didn’t like spending too much time on stage being introduced to the public. The European team complained about the length of their stay at the concert four years ago in the US, when ancient rockers Chicago went through most of their back catalogue.

Two years ago, spectators at the Hydro Arena gala in Glasgow felt short-changed when only 20 minutes was allocated to presenting the teams.

Katherine Jenkins performed at a gala ahead of the 2010 Ryder Cup - but the event is no more

The RFU have managed to increase hospitality sales and crack down on ticket touts at the same time by increasing their ticket categories to six different price levels. Clubs still receive 50 per cent of the tickets but fewer top-price ones, which Twickenham have diverted to hospitality partners to maximise revenue.

This has upset clubs who have unofficial deals with the pirate secondary market, where operators want to get their hands on category one tickets. These are now in very short supply at club level.

An RFU spokeswoman said: ‘We have ensured that a range of ticket prices are available for rugby club members starting at £25.’

Japanese restaurant The Sexy Fish are happy to cook David Sullivan his usual steak and chips

The Sexy Fish in London’s Berkeley Square, an upmarket Japanese restaurant, is the venue for a regular team bonding night for West Ham’s board of directors. Chairman David Sullivan isn’t partial to sushi but the restaurant are happy to cook him his staple meal of steak and chips.