Shorts: Hearts, Chelsea, London Lions

Hearts football club have had a £10m investment offer from Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom approved by their majority shareholder group.

Bloom is set to take up a 29% stake in the Scottish Premiership club following the vote by the Foundation of Hearts.

The Foundation of Hearts has said that from a total of 6,208 votes cast, which represented a 70% turnout, 6,112 voted in favour of the investment, with 96 voting against. Bloom had required approval of more than 50% for his offer to be accepted.

Bloom will be purchasing non-voting rights shares, which will not impact the 75.1% voting rights held by the Foundation of Hearts. He will be entitled to one place on the board and is expected to appoint a representative rather than take up the position himself.

The club has a formal relationship with Bloom’s company Jamestown Analytics for recruitment.

The Foundation of Hearts said in a statement, “Clearly it is a huge majority in favour and this demonstrates – once again – the passion the foundation members have for the club and their determination to see it move forward and reap the benefits of the financial investment.”

Chelsea FC Women have partnered with British jewellery brand D.LOUISE, becoming the club’s first official jewellery partner.

The collaboration has arrived fresh from the team’s domestic treble-winning and unbeaten campaign.

D.LOUISE, founded in 2021 by Olivia Jenkins, was created following personal loss and has aimed to offer enduring jewellery designed for resilience. The pieces are made from durable, waterproof materials intended to be worn through various activities.

From the 2025/26 season, fans will have been able to purchase unique co-branded jewellery and attend co-hosted watch parties supporting women’s sport this summer. Players will wear lines from D.LOUISE on arrival to matches next season at Stamford Bridge, and at the Player of the Year Awards.

Giulia Mazzia, Commercial Director for Chelsea FC Women, said, “We are thrilled to welcome D.LOUISE to the Chelsea FC Women family.

“Their story, mission, and the emotion behind their jewellery aligns so naturally with our team’s spirit; winning with pride, always showing up with heart, and – being female-founded – celebrating women. We are excited to create a product that fans can buy as a lasting memory of Chelsea Women.”

London Lions have announced Sportserve as their new official technical partner.

Sportserve has partnered with the London basketball team to provide services including sports flooring, electronic scoring systems, audiovisual solutions, and event branding for next season and beyond.

The partnership supports the club as they continue to push for domestic and European success.

The agreement follows the announcement that the club has been working with the Mayor of London to develop a purpose-built basketball arena in the capital.

This forms part of their wider vision to establish themselves as a key part of London’s sporting future.

Lenz C. Balan, CEO of the London Lions, said, “At the London Lions, excellence is our standard, on and off the court. Partnering with Sportserve, a company with over 25 years of expertise in delivering high-performance solutions for sport, is a perfect fit.

“Their technical precision and deep understanding of what organisations, players, and events require mirror our own pursuit of the highest level.”

Borussia Dortmund have agreed a deal with Vodafone for the telecommunications company to become their new main sponsor from the 2025/26 season.

The partnership has been signed for a minimum of five years.

As part of the agreement, Vodafone’s logo will feature in black on the iconic yellow BVB shirts for the 2025/26 season.

The collaboration is also set to extend beyond the kit sponsorship, with plans for Borussia Dortmund and Vodafone to launch innovation and technology initiatives aimed at creating new digital experiences for fans in the stadium, via the app, and in their daily lives.

Marcel de Groot, CEO of Vodafone Deutschland, said, “We are proud to become part of the BVB family. We are united by the will to be better every day than yesterday – on the pitch and in the network.

“This partnership is not just a sponsorship, it is a statement for growth and the coming together of two brands with international appeal.”

Star Sports has been confirmed as the title sponsor of the 2025 Brigadier Gerard Evening at Sandown Park

The independent bookmaker has sponsored all six races on the card, including the Group 3 Henry II Stakes and the feature Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

Brigadier Gerard Evening, often referred to as “London’s Night at the Races,” is a staple of the spring racing calendar.

The new sponsorship has followed Star Sports’ recent activation of the Star Sports Brighton Owners Series, which offers a £10,000 prize to the most successful owner or syndicate across the season at Brighton Racecourse.

Flynn Goward, Managing Director at Star Sports, said, “Brigadier Gerard Evening from Sandown is always one of the great evening meetings of the Flat season and we’re delighted to be sponsoring all six races on the card for the first time.

“Watching such marquee races from our racecourse pitch at Sandown and from our office in Hove will give us all at Star a great sense of pride.”

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