Shorts: Leeds United, ECB, Blast
Leeds United have renewed their multi-year partnership with Heineken UK.
The agreement sees the brewer continue as the club’s official beer and cider partner as they begin a new season in the Premier League.
The collaboration ensures that brands such as Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo, Heineken, Heineken 0.0%, Inch’s Cider and Beavertown Neck Oil will be exclusively available at the Elland Road stadium on matchdays.
Morrie Eisenberg, Chief Business Officer at Leeds United, said, “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Heineken UK, continuing our relationship with them as we start our journey in the Premier League.
“We can now look forward to building on some great work with the Heineken UK team, providing lots of exciting offers and engagement initiatives for our supporters.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed The Space Between as the lead PR agency for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The agency’s brief is to drive awareness of the tournament and support the vision to shift women’s cricket to mainstream status. The Space Between won Young Sports Agency of the Year at the 2022 Sport Industry Awards.
The appointment builds on significant recent growth in the women’s game, driven by The Hundred and the record-breaking 2023 Women’s Ashes Series. The Space Between was the agency behind the award-winning Ashes to Ashescommunications campaign for England Women in 2023.
Katie Thompson, Head of Communications for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, said, “The Space Between showed us a deep understanding of the relationship existing fans, and new audiences, have with women’s cricket, and displayed a strong track record of delivering campaigns that drive ticket sales. We have big ambitions for this tournament which among other things, requires strong agency partnerships to achieve them.”
Competitive entertainment company BLAST has named esports brand ZOWIE as an official partner for the 2025 Fortnite Global Championship.
The partnership will see the ZOWIE XL2566X+ monitor used throughout the tournament. As part of the agreement, ZOWIE will also host a booth at the event to provide on-site service and technical support. The championship features a $2m prize pool for the world’s top Fortnite players.
Ajen Liao, Head of Business Unit, ZOWIE Brand, said, “We are proud to support a world-class tournament and collaborate with BLAST to deliver our best-in-class products for pro players.
“This partnership reinforces our commitment to empowering player potential and advancing the esports industry through technology built for high-level competition.”
The University Campus of Football Business has launched the UCFB Sports Entrepreneur Competition, offering £50,000 to support a new sports business concept.
The University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) has launched the UCFB Sports Entrepreneur Competition to mark its 10th year in Manchester.
The initiative is open to aspiring sports entrepreneurs in the UK aged 18–30, with the winner set to receive £50,000, mentoring, and business development support to develop their idea.
Entrants will be invited to submit sports business concepts with potential industry impact, ranging from fan engagement platforms to grassroots development projects. Shortlisted finalists will present their proposals in October at Old Trafford, where a judging panel of Manchester-based entrepreneurs, business leaders, and sporting figures will select the winner.
As part of the competition, UCFB will host roadshows at colleges, sixth forms, and youth organisations across the UK to engage young people from a range of backgrounds. UCFB delivers degrees in football and sports business across campuses in Manchester, London, and Wembley Stadium, and works with sports organisations and industry leaders to provide career pathways for graduates.
Applications for the competition will open at the beginning of September 2025.
The Pools has launched its ‘True Originals’ advertising campaign across TV and digital platforms in the UK.
The Pools, formerly known as The Football Pools, has launched its ‘True Originals’ advertising campaign across television, video on demand, YouTube, and social media platforms in the UK.
The 30-second advert depicts a modern football fan discovering his father’s memorabilia, including a historic Football Pools slip, before transitioning to the current smartphone app version of The Pools.
The campaign follows the brand’s out-of-home and radio initiative, ‘The Parents,’ which ran in February 2025. The move to online advertising reflects The Pools’ recent digital upgrades, delivered in partnership with Gaming Innovation Group (GiG Software Plc).
Founded in 1923, The Football Pools has been part of the UK betting industry for over a century and continues to operate nationwide.
James Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of The Pools, said, “The Pools has been a constant throughout the past 100 years of football history and British culture, but with ‘True Originals’ we’ve repositioned the brand as a modern entertainment platform, re-imagined for a younger generation.
“True Originals’ follows our successful out-of-home marketing and radio advertising campaign ‘The Parents’, which had a localised approach across our Liverpool and Manchester heartlands. We are now bringing The Pools to a national audience with ‘True Originals’, celebrating the same nostalgic themes of ‘The Parents’, to connect with the next generation of players.”
Publicis Sport & Entertainment has appointed Joe Koprowski as its UK Creative Partner.
In his new role, Koprowski will lead the creative department, leveraging the agency’s data capabilities to engage audiences. He joins from agencies including Wieden + Kennedy, BMB, Dentsu and AKQA, bringing experience with brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Xbox and DAZN, as well as rights holders including the Premier League, ATP Tour, Matchroom and UEFA.
The appointment follows the agency’s recent rebrand. Koprowski will report into Ben Cronin, Global Head of Publicis Sport & Entertainment.
Joe Koprowski, Creative Partner, Publicis Sport & Entertainment, said, “Whether it’s the Olympics, the late stages of the UEFA Champions League, or the latest Hollywood blockbuster, these are moments when fans are at their most engaged. Publicis Sport & Entertainment understands not just where these audiences are, but what truly moves them.”
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