Shorts: Glasgow 2026, LIV Golf, EuroLeague,
The Glasgow 2026 Organising Company has revealed its executive team who will lead the delivery of the next Commonwealth Games.
Phil Batty has been appointed as the organisation’s CEO, while Jade Gallagher will serve as its Chief Operating Officer.
Batty, who has worked on a number of international sporting events, served as Director of Ceremonies, Culture & Queen’s Baton Relay at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The leadership team also includes Fade Shaw as Chief Financial and Corporate Services Officer, Louisa Mahon as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, and Martin Fitchie as Chief Information Officer.
Next year’s Commonwealth Games will take place from 23rd July to 2nd August, and will comprise a ten-sport programme across four venues throughout the Scottish city.
2026 will mark the second time Glasgow has welcomed the Commonwealth Games, after previously hosting the event in 2014.
“Glasgow 2026 will be fuelled by the legacy of 2014 – venues, talent and expertise – and of course the world-renowned Glasgow welcome,” Batty said.
“As we prepare for next year, we are determined to create an accessible and inclusive Games for both local communities and international visitors alike.”
LIV Golf has released its full 2025 schedule, featuring 14 tournaments across nine countries and four continents.
The 2025 season will see the introduction of six new venues, including locations for both the Individual Championship and Team Championship, while eight courses from previous seasons remain on the calendar.
The schedule includes events at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Washington, DC), Club de Golf Chapultepec (Mexico City), The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort (Michigan), and a return to the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral (Miami).
Tickets for the first four events are now available on the LIV Golf website.
Ross Hallett, LIV Golf Executive Vice President & Head of Events, said, “We have a strong blend of historic venues rich with tradition, and contemporary clubs establishing new traditions of their own, and this season will be another incredible showcase for the LIV Golf League, our teams, and our players.”
EuroLeague Basketball has signed a ten-year extension of its partnership with agency giant IMG.
The two parties, which have worked together as a joint venture since 2016, will continue their collaboration until the end of the 2035/36 season.
The Agency will aim to drive long-term growth for the elite European basketball competition through its media rights distribution, commercial partnerships, strategic consulting, digital services, and streaming.
IMG will also remain as the EuroLeague’s broadcast production partner for live events.
“We are proud of the transformational growth we have achieved in partnership with Euroleague Basketball,” said Adam Kelly, President of Media at IMG.
“Together, we have significantly increased revenues and reach and reimagined the fan experience through enhancements across commercial partnerships, state-of-the-art production, competition structure, digital, streaming, and data.
“European basketball has never been in a stronger position, and we are committed to building even greater value for the league, competitions, clubs, partners, and fans for years to come.”
World Snooker Tour (WST) has launched a new global streaming platform, which will offer live and on-demand content.
WST Play replaces Matchroom Live, and will offer live coverage in regions without broadcast agreements.
On-demand access to matches will also be available 30 days after airing in covered territories. More than 250 matches from the 2024/25 season are already accessible on the new platform.
WST Play also includes content such as rare archive footage, including Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Triple Crown final victories, with over 80 hours of coverage.
Members receive additional benefits, including priority ticket access for selected UK events, hospitality discounts, and free tickets to qualifying rounds.
The Rugby Players Association (RPA) has partnered with The Open University to provide elite rugby players with access to flexible learning opportunities.
The collaboration aims to address the challenges players face in balancing professional commitments with personal development and education.
This includes personalised support, assistance in transferring higher education credits from the UK or overseas, and access to courses designed to align with players’ unique circumstances.
Through the partnership, players will be able to engage with the OpenLearn platform, which offers free courses and introductory materials to help them explore educational opportunities before committing to a specific programme.
Richard Easton, RPA Player Development Manager, said, “Having this new relationship with The Open University allows us to better help players engage with and stay in education.
“Ultimately, our goal is to ensure players have as many career options as possible when life beyond the pitch begins.
“I’m excited about the potential to grow this partnership even further.”
Sportable has acquired Intaneous, a computer vision company specialising in sports data insights and visualisations.
The acquisition integrates Intaneous’ visualisation technology with Sportable’s existing smart ball and player tracking solutions.
This will enable the delivery of automated augmented reality graphics, real-time sponsorship placements, and automated highlights, providing an end-to-end solution for clients.
The collaboration will deepen Sportable’s engagement in its core markets, American football, football, and Aussie rules, while supporting growth into new sports such as volleyball and tennis.
Greg Basser, Co-Founder and CEO of Intaneous, said, “By combining our unique approach to content creation with industry leading data collection technology, we are able to deliver game-changing content that democratises sport for both fans and the casual viewer, telling the story of the game.“
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