Shorts: Baller League, Brentford, Bupa

Cupra UK has partnered with Baller League as official automotive partner.

The UK edition of the new football tournament kicked off this week, with the inaugural Baller League UK champions to be crowned in June.

A fleet of electric Cupra Tavascans will chauffeur the squads and their managers to the Copper Box Arena for each matchday.

Team managers include Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Luis Figo, as well as BRIT award-winning artist, Dave. Content creators Miniminter and Angry Ginge will also be leading teams, while KSI is the President of the UK League.

Cupra will also present a half-time challenge in the Arena, offering fans the chance to win the weekly prize pot.

Each matchday consists of six 30-minute matches of two halves, with each half ending with a unique twist to the rules for the final three minutes.

Every match from the indoor six-a-side competition will be broadcast on Sky Sports, YouTube and Twitch, with a crowd of over 4,500 in attendance at the Copper Box Arena.

Marcus Gossen, Managing Director of Cupra UK, said, “As a brand proud of its disruptive spirit and innovative mindset, the partnership with Baller League has a natural synergy to help drive a new era of football. We’re excited to be playing our part in the groundbreaking new format.”

Brentford have agreed a strategic club partnership with Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente, aimed at sharing knowledge and improving player development and performance.

Staff from Gil Vicente visited Gtech Community Stadium and Robert Rowan Performance Centre, meeting with Brentford colleagues to discuss football strategy, recruitment, coaching, communications, marketing, and fan engagement.

Lee Dykes, Brentford Technical Director, said, “Football is always evolving, and one way to improve is by sharing knowledge. Gil Vicente has a proud history and are well-respected for their youth development, their resilience and their community spirit. This visit is an opportunity to exchange ideas, challenge each other, and most importantly, to learn.”

New Zealand Rugby and Bupa have launched a campaign to address mental health and wellbeing.

The campaign aims to encourage open conversations about mental health and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help. It features players from the All Blacks and Black Ferns sharing their personal experiences and promoting resources available to support mental wellbeing.

The initiative includes a series of videos, workshops, and community events designed to raise awareness and provide practical tools for managing mental health.

Bupa and New Zealand Rugby are working with mental health experts to ensure the campaign is evidence-based and effective.

A key focus is on reaching young people and encouraging them to seek help early. The campaign will be promoted across social media and other digital channels, as well as through traditional media outlets.

Aquatics GB, Swim England, Scottish Swimming and Swim Wales have joined forces to launch the “Support School Swimming” campaign.

The campaign seeks to address the concerning statistics that reveal only 50% of children from the poorest families in England can swim 25m by the time they leave primary school.

In Wales, this figure drops to 35% for children in years 3-6, marking an all-time low. A sport Scotland review in 2024 also highlighted a 53% increase in the cost of community swimming lessons over the past five years.

The ongoing National Curriculum review in England is seen as an opportunity to prioritise school swimming and water safety within the PE syllabus.

Maisie Summers-Newton, multiple Paralympic champion, said, “Giving children the opportunity to swim throughout their time in school is so important. Not only is swimming one of the only sports that can save your life, it gives the children so many different skills, whether that be physically or socially, that will stay with them forever.”

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