Shorts: MATTA, BUCS, Northamptonshire Cricket

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and MATTA have launched a campaign to mark the return of women’s professional tennis to Queen’s Club after over 50 years.

The HSBC Championships, a new WTA 500 event, will take place from 7th-15th June 2025.

The campaign, created by MATTA, features British tennis stars Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter, alongside Naomi Osaka. It uses illustration and digital world-building to depict the players rallying across a reimagined London skyline, before landing the ball at Queen’s Club.

The campaign aims to attract core tennis fans as well as the growing audience for women’s sport and London’s summer event goers. It will be rolled out across TV, Out of Home, social, and digital channels from 18th February.

Jen Tomkins, Brand Director, MATTA, said, “We are excited to be partnering with the LTA on this landmark campaign to bring women’s tennis back to Queen’s Club. We believe this event will be a fantastic addition to the UK sporting calendar and are looking forward to a successful tournament.”

British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) has entered into a multi-year partnership with add-victor to provide career development opportunities for student athletes across the UK.

The collaboration aims to support athletes as they transition from university sport into corporate careers by connecting them with employers and professional development resources.

add-victor will provide access to a dedicated digital platform offering career pathways, networking opportunities, and employability workshops.

The partnership includes a five-part workshop series starting on the 27th March, designed to enhance leadership, networking, and time management skills.

Student athletes will also receive tailored career guidance, including CV support, interview preparation, and mentorship from industry professionals.

Will Roberts, BUCS CEO, said, “We’re delighted to begin our collaboration with add-victor. We have a unique array of talented individuals competing in our competitions who through sport have developed the skills needed to support them in their career.”

Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has extended its partnership with Tollers Solicitors.

Tollers Solicitors has provided legal services across Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Rutland, and the wider East and South Midlands since 1877.

As part of the renewed agreement, Tollers branding will feature on the men’s squad training kit, fixture cards, and season tickets.

The firm has also continued its association with the club’s hospitality events and has served as the headline sponsor of the End of Season Dinner.

Daniel Vernon Northamptonshire’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “It’s fantastic that longstanding partners Tollers have extended their partnership with the club and I am pleased with growth we’ve seen in this partnership over recent years.

Wolves have renewed their partnership with the University of Wolverhampton.

This extension builds upon a decade-long relationship between the Premier League football club and university, which will now run through to the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

As part of the partnership, the university will continue their support of Wolves Women, including prominent branding across the team’s training kit and home ground, the SEAH Stadium – formerly New Bucks Head. Old Gold supporters attending Molineux will also continue to see University branding throughout the stadium on both matchday’s and non-matchdays.

Oxford United have announced a new strategic partnership with Baton of Hope, becoming the first professional football club to sign up for the suicide prevention charity’s workplace pledge.

This partnership forms part of the club’s suicide prevention and mental health initiative, Can We Talk?, which launched on World Mental Health Day in October 2024.

Mike McCarthy, Baton of Hope co-founder, said, “We are enormously proud to work alongside Oxford United. The club have demonstrated a serious and sincere commitment to the mental wellbeing of its community.

“They, like us, believe that in the majority of cases suicide is preventable. We share a view that the stigma surrounding this subject must be overcome. The club is proving itself a front runner in confronting a societal catastrophe that is robbing our nation of talent and potential.”

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