Shorts: Baller League, RFU, IPL

Baller League UK has named O2 as its headline sponsor for its debut season.

The partnership will see the league renamed Baller League UK, powered by O2. Following success in Germany, Baller League is set to launch in the UK at London’s Copper Box Arena later this month.

Stars including Luis Figo, John Terry, Micah Richards, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Sidemen members Miniminter and Tobi, content creator AngryGinge, designer Clint 419, and BRIT award-winning artist Dave are all involved in the league.

The Baller League UK Draft Night will take place on Monday 10th March and will be broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch. KSI has recently been announced as the Baller League UK President, and fellow Youtuber Chunkz will be hosting.

As part of the deal, Virgin Media and O2 customers will receive exclusive access and rewards via Priority, including tickets and VIP experiences.

Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, said, “Sport is in O2’s DNA, and not only does Baller League UK, powered by O2 highlight our commitment and ambition to support British sport, it’s an exciting opportunity to be part of the next frontier in football.”

Stuart Ramsey has left his position as Commercial Director at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to take up a senior role with the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO).

Ramsey, who had been with the RFU since September 2023, is expected to be confirmed as Chief Commercial Officer of the PTO Tour next week and will commence his new role in April.

Prior to joining the RFU, Ramsey spent 18 months at Socios and almost five years at the British Olympic Association. The RFU acknowledged Ramsey’s departure, stating he was leaving to pursue personal projects, including growing triathlon.

During his tenure at the RFU, Ramsey played a significant role in securing a £100m naming rights deal for Twickenham Stadium with Allianz.

At PTO, Ramsey will be responsible for the commercial operations of the T100 Triathlon World Tour, which is set to begin its second season next month.

The RFU stated, ‘Commercial Director Stuart Ramsey will be leaving the organization next month to follow his personal passion projects, one of which is to help grow Triathlon.

“He will be joining PTO (Professional Triathletes Organisation) a new sports body in triathlon that is co-owned by its professional athletes, and which is seeking to elevate the sport and take it mainstream. We of course wish him all the very best.’

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has partnered with Cricket District, a multi-platform media network based in the UK.

As per the agreement, Cricket District will ‘produce engaging, behind-the-scenes content during IPL 2025, offering their global community exclusive insights into the Royals’ training camp and campaign.’

Rohan Talpade, Head – Social Media at Rajasthan Royals, said, “We first met Cricket District in 2022 in Saint Lucia for a content collaboration, and we were extremely impressed. We always look for engaging ways to bring fans closer to the team, and Cricket District shares a similar approach to storytelling.

“This partnership is a wonderful opportunity to create entertaining and insightful content, with a special focus on long-form storytelling that gives fans an unparalleled experience following the team.”

Toby Marriott, Founder of Cricket District, added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Rajasthan Royals. The IPL is the biggest cricket tournament in the world and working alongside such an exciting and innovative franchise like the Royals to bring fans closer to the action is an incredible opportunity. We can’t wait to get started.”

Cure Leukaemia, the official UK charity partner of the TDFFaZ, has announced the return of ‘The Route’ for its second edition in July 2025.

The women-only cycling challenge gives amateur riders the rare opportunity to tackle every stage of the TDFFaZ one day ahead of the professional race, all in support of blood cancer research.

From 25th July to 2nd August, participants will cover the full 1,165-kilometre TDFFaZ route over nine gruelling stages, mirroring the professional women’s peloton.

With places still available the event offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the same closed roads, iconic climbs and race-day atmosphere as the world’s best female cyclists.

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