Shorts: WRWC, West Ham, DP World Tour
Asahi Super Dry, the official beer of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, has launched a nationwide ‘Pub Pledge’ to support and screen the tournament in more venues across the UK.
The initiative aims to make the tournament the most-viewed women’s rugby event in UK pub history, with almost 1000 pubs and bars having already signed up.
The move follows new research from Asahi, in collaboration with the Stonegate Group and Her Game Too, which revealed 60% of fans believe women’s rugby needs to be shown more in public venues.
To mark the pledge, world rugby player of the year Ellie Kildunne has launched The Asahi Open Arms, a flagship pub. The venue will host events including live screenings and Q&As to establish a hub for women’s rugby culture.
To help fans find participating venues, Asahi Super Dry has also partnered with Fanzo to launch a dedicated Bar Finder App.
Ellie Kildunne, Asahi Super Dry Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Ambassador, said, “I’m so proud to be involved in this campaign which is about lasting change – making women’s rugby not just visible, but part of pub culture for the future.
“Opening The Asahi Open Arms is a huge moment – as we focus on our final days of preparation, knowing there is a space where fans can come together, support teams, and be part of something bigger – is truly exciting. It’s how matchdays should feel.”
Rob Hobart, Marketing Director at Asahi UK, said, “Pubs are the beating heart of British sport. From major chains to local independents, publicans are uniting behind this pledge – showing just how strong the appetite is for women’s rugby. The Asahi Open Arms shows what’s possible. This isn’t just about screenings – it’s about setting a new standard for fan experience and building a more inclusive rugby culture.”
West Ham United have become the first Premier League club to launch a shirt trade-in scheme in partnership with circular tech solution Birl.
The initiative allows supporters to trade in any official club shirt from a previous season to receive an instant credit towards the purchase of the club’s 2025/26 Umbro replica kits. Fans will receive a discount of up to £15 when they trade in a shirt and spend £100, or a £10 discount on a £75 spend.
Fans can claim their discount via Birl’s online portal, before sending in their old shirt. Each traded-in item will then be resold, upcycled, or responsibly recycled to keep the shirts in circulation and out of landfill.
In addition to resale, many of the shirts collected will be passed on to Birl’s upcycling partners to be transformed into new products such as bucket hats, washbags, and other accessories.
The DP World Tour has signed a new three-year agreement with golf technology company Trackman.
The deal sees Trackman become the official launch monitor and official ball tracing technology of the tour.
The partnership is designed to enhance the viewer experience, with Trackman’s ball tracing technology and shot data being used across the DP World Tour’s broadcast and social media channels.
The agreement includes continued collaboration on the NEXT Golf Tour Powered by Trackman, a simulator-based golf tour. The winner of the NEXT Order of Merit receives an invite to compete in one DP World Tour event.
Guy Kinnings, Chief Executive Officer of the DP World Tour, added, “Trackman have been the sector leader in radar tracking technology for more than two decades. This technology has had a transformative impact on how professionals practise and how amateurs enjoy the game, with ball tracing graphics on TV and simulator-based experiences now core to golf’s entertainment.
“We already have a strong relationship with Klaus and his team through the NEXT Golf Tour collaboration and this agreement strengthens this into new areas. Technological innovation is a strength of the DP World Tour and with Trackman as a Partner, we can find new ways of integrating their technologies into our global product to further enhance the fan experience.”
Eredivisie CV has extended its partnership with sports marketing agency Two Circles through to the 2029 season.
The next phase of the partnership will focus on deepening direct relationships with fans and continuing to drive digital growth across the Dutch top-flight football league.
First partnering in 2021, Two Circles has helped build a data-led ecosystem for the league, enabling personalised communication with fans, including hyper-targeted weekly emails tailored to an individual’s favourite club. The league now connects with hundreds of thousands of fans weekly through this digital ecosystem.
The extension will also see the integration of the new ESPN Fantasy Game, which is dedicated to the Eredivisie, to create another touchpoint for fan engagement.
Ralf Looze, Consultant, Two Circles, said, “We’re proud to support Eredivisie CV in building a future-proof digital ecosystem that thrives on connected, actionable fan data and delivers measurable growth every year.
“As the league enters a new era with updated media rights and an evolved partnership model, our focus is on ensuring every interaction deepens fan relationships and drives long-term value for clubs, partners, and the league.”
Castleford Tigers have signed a two-year stadium naming rights partnership with local trenchless solutions provider, OneBore Tunnelling.
The deal sees the Super League club’s historic Wheldon Road ground renamed ‘The OneBore Stadium’ with immediate effect. The partnership has been announced as the club prepares to celebrate its centenary year in 2026.
OneBore Tunnelling, which serves the utilities and infrastructure sectors, recently relocated its head office to a site in Castleford, close to the stadium.
Craig Jeffels, Commercial Director, Castleford Tigers, said, “Welcoming OneBore Tunnelling to the Tigers as official naming rights partner for the next two years is a huge step forward for the club commercially and signals the start of a new era for our unique home.
“Their passion and excitement for the future of the Tigers shined through in every conversation, and I look forward to working with them to strengthen the partnership for the future.”
Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) have agreed a deal with builders’ merchant Huws Gray to become the official kit sponsor for the 2025/26 season.
The partnership, which was brokered by global sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE, will see the Huws Gray logo feature on the matchday and training kits of referees, assistant referees, and VAR officials.
The branding will be visible across all major English football competitions, including the Premier League, Barclays Women’s Super League, the Emirates FA Cup, the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, all EFL divisions, and the Community Shield.
Daksh Gupta, CEO, Huws Gray Group, said, “This partnership is built on shared values of fairness, integrity, expertise and professionalism – principles that matter both in football and in the building trade.”
Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer, PGMO, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Huws Gray as our new sleeve partner. It’s great to be working with a business that values the role of match officials and shares our focus on professionalism and excellence.”
Creative and social media agency 50 Sport has appointed Simon Poett as its new Executive Creative Director.
Poett joins from Monks, where he led creative for the MINI brand, and will now be responsible for shaping 50 Sport’s creative direction.
The agency, a previous Sport Industry Group Award winner, works with partners including FIFA, Ferrari and The FA.
Nick Jackman, Co-Founder, 50 Sport, said, “In a world where technology and data are streamlining teams and driving efficiency, creativity remains king when making work that stands out.
“Simon brings the expertise, experience and creative clout to level up our team and craft. We are building the creative and social agency of the future and Simon’s acquisition is a big step in this direction.”
The National Football League (NFL) has announced it will host a fan watch party.
The ‘NFL Experience’ will take place to coincide with the new season’s Kick Off game. The event will feature a screening of the fixture on large screens.
The event aims to engage the NFL’s UK fanbase, which is now estimated at over 16 million people. Attendees will be able to take part in combine-style challenges, tailgate games, and access football-themed photo opportunities. The experience will also feature gameday entertainment, alongside American-style food and drink.
The party is part of a global series of NFL Kickoff celebrations, with similar events set for other cities.
Registration is required to attend the free event and can be completed through the NFL OnePass app. Fans who register and check in via the app will have access to special giveaways and be able to purchase limited-edition NFL merchandise.
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