Shorts: Pro Am Padel Tour, GB Hockey, Wimbledon
The Pro Am Padel Tour has confirmed the Lawn Tennis Association as Strategic Partner and Skechers as Official Footwear Partner for its 2025 season.
The partnerships have supported the Tour’s ongoing efforts to expand padel participation across the UK, with a focus on community engagement and access.
The season began on 4 June at Rocket Padel Beckton in East London, where the Tour trialled a two-day format for the first time. Day one was delivered in partnership with the LTA and welcomed schoolchildren and local grassroots groups from across Newham to take part in padel for the first time.
As part of the LTA Youth programme, the day included adapted sessions for SEND athletes and teacher training initiatives. Of those attending, 86% had never played padel before, 93% expressed an intention to play again, and 62% reported that the session had changed their perception of the sport. Half of all participants were female, and 67% came from global majority backgrounds.
Skechers activated its partnership with a product showcase from its performance court collections. The brand joined returning partners CUPRA (Official Automotive Partner), Certina (Official Watch Partner), and Nox (Official Racket Partner) for the 2025 season.
Oliver Morgan, Founder of the Pro Am Padel Tour, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome the LTA and Skechers into the fold for 2025 and equally proud to retain the support of CUPRA Nox and Certina.
“These partnerships bring real energy and purpose to the Tour, helping us use the platform not just to raise awareness through celebrity engagement but to grow padel at a grassroots level, open up access, and build long-term interest in the sport across the UK.”
Great Britain Hockey has appointed Rich Beer as its Chief Operating Officer, effective from 1st September.
Beer has also been named Chief Executive Officer of England Hockey, stepping up from his current position as Sport and Development Director.
He has worked within England Hockey for 12 years, during which time he has overseen major projects including the introduction of Big Stadium Hockey, a successful bid to host the 2027 EuroHockey Championships, a national facilities loan scheme, and recent reforms to the organisation’s membership model.
Jo Coates will continue to serve as interim CEO until Beer begins in September and will remain with England Hockey for the duration of the month to support the transition.
Beer’s appointment comes ahead of a busy period for hockey in the UK, with preparations underway for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and long-term planning focused on hosting the European Championships in London in 2027.
Kath Russ, Chair of England Hockey, said “I am delighted to welcome Rich as our new CEO. Under his leadership, I am confident that England Hockey will continue to evolve – building on our successes while adapting to the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Rich brings a unique combination of deep knowledge of the hockey community and a flair for innovation, with a clear commitment to change where it is needed.”
The Wimbledon Foundation has appointed British tennis players Katie Boulter and Jack Draper as its first official Champions, supporting its work across Merton and Wandsworth.
The Wimbledon Foundation, the official charity of The All England Lawn Tennis Club and The Championships, has formalised the roles to help raise awareness of its year-round programmes and funding initiatives in the local community.
Each year, the Foundation supports around 100 charities across Merton and Wandsworth, including organisations tackling homelessness and social isolation.
As part of their first official engagement, Boulter and Draper met with four young people from charities supported by the Foundation. Each will take part in the coin toss ceremonies during The Championships finals weekend.
Draper has previously supported the Alzheimer’s Society and spoken publicly about its personal impact on his family. Boulter has worked with Age UK and visited one of its walking tennis sessions in Sutton in late 2024.
Their appointments come during a season in which Draper and Boulter have both entered Wimbledon 2025 as the top-ranked British players in the ATP and WTA singles draws respectively.
Katie said, “Wimbledon has always been a very special place to me. I’m excited to deepen my relationship with the All England Club by becoming a Champion for the Wimbledon Foundation, which does such important work helping people facing a wide range of issues in their lives, both in the local community and beyond.”
Jack said, “Growing up very close to the All England Club, it’s important to me to give back to my local community. Inspired by my grandmother, I feel strongly about supporting older people, and with the Foundation, I’m able to do this as well as helping to inspire young people to achieve their goals too.”
Worcester Warriors have confirmed the renewal of their partnership with Exol Lubricants for the 2025/26 campaign.
The company’s logo will remain on the lower back of the men’s playing shirts.
The Wednesbury-based firm, which is the UK’s largest independent lubricants blender, has maintained a long-standing relationship with Worcester Warriors across both elite rugby and community engagement. Exol has supported the Warriors Community Foundation, which runs outreach programmes for vulnerable people across the region.
Exol, which recently received a King’s Award for International Trade, supplies lubricants across the automotive, agricultural, marine and industrial sectors, and continues to operate globally while maintaining strong regional ties.
The agreement comes as Worcester Warriors continue to rebuild following their return to league competition after the club’s 2022 administration.
Gill Wood, Head of Commercial, Worcester Warriors, said, “We’re proud to work with Exol again this season. This is a brand that shares our belief in hard work, loyalty, and the importance of giving back to the local community. It’s a perfect fit both on and off the pitch.”
London Lions have appointed Trivandi and The Sports Consultancy Group to conduct a feasibility study for the club’s proposed new arena.
The two agencies have been confirmed as lead advisors for the first phase of the study, marking a step in the Lions’ long-term ambition to develop a purpose-built indoor arena.
The proposed arena, which intends to have a minimum capacity of 10,000 seats, will become the permanent home for professional basketball in the capital. The venue would also serve as a hub for youth programmes, community engagement initiatives and talent development, ensuring basketball continues to grow at all levels in the capital.
Working in close collaboration with the Mayor of London’s office, London & Partners and Opportunity London, the agencies will lead an in-depth strategic and commercial assessment for the new venue.
In addition to the arena feasibility, the Lions are actively exploring opportunities to develop dedicated community basketball centres across the capital.
Lenz Balan, President and CEO of the London Lions, said, “We are proud to partner with two of the world’s leading firms in sports infrastructure and venue strategy. This arena is about more than just basketball; it’s about building something that reflects the ambition and diversity of London.
The World Downhill Skateboarding Championship has secured its first UK broadcast agreement with Channel 4 from the 2nd July.
The agreement has marked a milestone for the series in the UK, bringing the sport to a mainstream British audience for the first time.
Each episode has featured 30-minute highlight coverage of races, which include male and female competitors from 21 countries.
This season, the WDSC has held events in Austria and Turkey, with the third round taking place on the Isle of Man from 4th-6th July, the first time the island has hosted a WDSC event.
The WDSC has been positioned as the leading global series for downhill skateboarding and street luge racing. Its livestream coverage has already been distributed across digital platforms including DAZN, Extreme, Triller, and Riding Zone TV. .
Selim Kemahli, Managing Director, Race Marketing & Management, said “This new partnership with Channel 4 is a game changer for the sport in the UK market, providing a powerful platform to showcase our athletes and the unique spectacle of downhill skateboarding to a broader audience.
“We hope this is just the beginning of growing the visibility of the sport and attracting more partners that share our vision.”
Team Scotland has announced a new partnership with Specialist Sports, which will see adidas become its official leisurewear provider for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The collaboration aims to equip Team Scotland athletes with adidas leisurewear as they prepare for and compete in the upcoming Games.
Specialist Sports, a sports distributor, has facilitated this agreement, ensuring that the Scottish contingent will be outfitted by the globally recognised sportswear brand.
The announcement was accompanied by imagery featuring Team Scotland athletes, including Finlay Allan (Judo), Cerys Finn (Netball), Cerys Cairns (Netball), and Cameron Lynn (Artistic Gymnastics), showcasing the new leisurewear.
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