Richard Scudamore ’ s elevation to the role of Premier League executive chairman reinforces his commitment to the organisation , which he has led for the last 15 years . His promotion and the appointment of two non-executive independent directors in Claudia Arney and Kevin Beeston , as revealed by Sports Agenda , was finally rubberstamped at Thursday ’ s club summit . The three-strong board will meet monthly to ensure proper scrutiny of Scudamore ’ s increased powerbase , with the newcomers also attending the PL ’ s club summits six times a year . Richard Scudamore was elevated to the role of Premier League executive chairman on Thursday . Scudamore , who has recovered from serious heart surgery last summer , said : ‘ This is almost a re-commitment . This isn ’ t something you would do if you were about to leave . ‘ Look at me , I ’ m up for it and my health is absolutely fine . This is a very enjoyable job . My enthusiasm for it has never waned. ’ Arney , an Arsenal season ticket-holder , is a non-executive director of Halfords . She used to work at Goldman Sachs and the Treasury . Beeston is chairman of housebuilder Taylor Wimpey . He was a board member of Ipswich during their financial troubles and is a Chelsea season ticket-holder . Oddly , the Premier League say he enjoys watching rugby and tennis . Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves vows an inquiry if England do n't beat West Indies in their Test series . Colin Graves , the incoming chairman of the ECB , has already stated he expects England to beat a ‘ mediocre ’ West Indies side in the Caribbean next month . And Graves will be in Barbados for the last of the three Tests , when head coach Peter Moores and England managing director Paul Downton will surely have to be shown the door if a series defeat follows the World Cup debacle . Barclays will definitely not be renewing their title sponsorship of the Premier League when their £40million-a-year contract expires at the end of next season , clubs were told on Thursday . The PL will not be short of offers , even at a higher price , to endorse the world ’ s richest league , with Guinness said to be interested . Barclays first raised doubts about their deal at the start of 2014 , when a senior executive was alleged to have said the sponsorship had ‘ zero value ’ in the UK . On top of that , group chief executive Antony Jenkins doesn ’ t like football . Barclays have sponsored the Premier League since 2001 but the 2015-16 season is set to be their last . It will not help promoter Barry McGuigan ’ s negotiations with ITV over Carl Frampton ’ s next fight that foreign exchange traders CWMFX , who heavily sponsored his first super-bantamweight world title defence on the network , have had their London offices raided by police . Thirteen people were arrested on suspicion of fraud . ITV declined to comment . The Webb Ellis trophy will be contested for at the home World Cup , which begins in September . Around 350,000 World Cup tickets being returned by the International Rugby Board to ER2015 are not expected to include many for England matches at Twickenham . This is much to the annoyance of the official England Rugby Supporters Club . They are upset at the number of Twickenham tickets that have gone to official hospitality , especially after being told they had priority status for World Cup matches — apart from England at Twickenham . ER2015 say they will have a ‘ few thousand ’ extra England tickets to put on sale , while corporate hospitality were given 21,000 tickets for England group games at HQ . FA chairman Greg Dyke is adamant more homegrown players need to play in Football League sides . Premier League clubs and FA chairman Greg Dyke had a remarkably civil encounter on Thursday considering their conflicting positions on Dyke ’ s campaign for more homegrown players . It was agreed there would be consultation on the issue after a club asked Dyke whether he would force through changes . The FA and Milltown Partners , their PR advisers , had been very bullish about making it happen after Dyke announced his campaign last Monday , but the FA chairman rode back on Thursday , telling clubs he only wanted debate . England rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster has just been told by RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie that four runners-up finishes in the Six Nations is ‘ unacceptable ’ . So it ’ s not the best week for the Leaders in Sport website to be promoting a video about Lancaster ‘ creating a winning formula for one of the most physical sports in the world ’ . Not yet he hasn ’ t .
Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore has been made chairman . It coincides with the appointment of three independent directors . Barclays have sponsored the Premier League since 2001 . The bank will not renew their agreement when it expires next year .