Shorts: Aston Villa, SunGod, Charlton Athletic
Aston Villa have launched a commemorative kit to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary.
The black kit, which is inspired by the team’s first-ever recorded match, will debut during the FA Cup third-round match against West Ham United on 10th January. It is and the kits worn before transitioning to claret and blue.
The design also features a crest redrawn from the original Scottish lion rampant, which was introduced by William McGregor in 1878, when Aston Villa became the first UK team to place an emblem on their jersey.
Principal partners Betano and Trade Nation have donated their branding space to allow the kit to reflect its historic design.
The anniversary shirt will be available for purchase from 9th January from the Villa Park retail store, at the club’s online store, and via JD Sports.
British eyewear brand SunGod has partnered with women’s cycling team SD Worx-Protime to supply performance eyewear for the 2025 season.
The agreement will equip the entire team, including reigning world champion Lotte Kopecky, European champion Lorena Wiebes, and former Olympic and world champion Anna van der Breggen, with SunGod eyewear.
SunGod has also worked with elite athletes such as British ultra-runner Tom Evans and elite marathon runner Anya Culling.
Team SD Worx-Protime will use SunGod eyewear in training and competition throughout the season.
Zoe Watkiss, Co-Founder of SunGod, said, “Women’s cycling is growing fast, and we’re thrilled to be chosen by the world’s number one ranked women’s team.
“That fact that Team SD Worx-Protime has chosen SunGod in a multi-year partnership is a real vote of confidence in our lens technology and our brand; it speaks volumes.”
League One club Charlton Athletic have partnered with Cyberlabs to launch a new gaming and entertainment space within The Valley.
The revamped box will feature consoles, gaming desk set-ups, and immersive virtual reality (VR) features, providing a gaming experience during games.
The Cyberlabs Gaming Box will be available for fans, brands, esports teams, content creators, and media on non-matchdays.
Barry Higson, Head of Commercial at Charlton Athletic, said, “We are delighted to be working with Cyberlabs to bring this innovative Gaming Box to The Valley.
“It’s an exciting addition that offers tremendous benefits to our fans and community, aligning perfectly with Charlton’s commitment to enhancing the supporter experience both on and off matchdays.”
British wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker has partnered with sport and entertainment agency Catchweight.
This collaboration will provide the two-time Paralympic medallist and former World Doubles Champion with tailored PR support, brand alignment, and career management as she prepares for the Australian Open and the 2024 season.
Sky Sports has revealed the viewing figures for the final of the PDC World Darts Championship, which averaged 2.7m viewers.
The peak of 3.1m was lower than last year’s final which reached a peak of 3.7m.
Despite this, the final, which saw 17-year-old Luke Littler crowned the youngest PDC Darts World Champion, was still higher than any other non-football audience in the last 12 months on Sky.
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