Shorts: The Red Roses, DAZN, Special Olympics
The Red Roses have become the first UK sports team to partner with Barbie ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.
The deal will initially see the launch of a range of merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and replica balls, but does not yet include any of the brand’s dolls.
As part of the agreement, toy maker Mattel, the company behind Barbie, will make a £20,000 donation to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to help increase girls’ access to clubs and coaching in England.
Barbie is also supporting the RFU’s Girls’ Activity Days scheme, which aims to introduce girls to the sport at over 400 clubs.
Alex Teasdale, RFU executive director of the women’s game, said, “We know how important the visibility of rugby is in attracting girls and boys to our sport and it’s been a core part of our strategy for the women’s and girls’ game for many years.
“We wanted to collaborate with Barbie to introduce the game to new audiences and champion female voices in the sport.“
Sports entertainment platform DAZN has secured the global rights to show free LALIGA highlights for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons.
The agreement will see DAZN build an official LALIGA Channel on its platform, making a range of LALIGA-produced content available to fans for free worldwide. This includes matchday highlights of every game from the Spanish top-flight, alongside other non-live content.
The deal strengthens DAZN’s existing partnership with LALIGA. The platform is already the home of live LALIGA matches in Spain, as well as in key markets including Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Japan.
This move is the latest step in DAZN’s strategy to expand its free football offering, complementing its portfolio of premium rights which includes UEFA competitions and major domestic leagues such as Serie A and the Bundesliga.
Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, said, “This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in our proposition globally and making top-tier football more accessible and delivering premium, official content to fans wherever they are.
“We’re proud to be working with LALIGA to bring its incredible moments to the largest possible audience and building on our commitment to become the global home of football.”
Special Olympics Great Britain has extended its official mobility partner agreement with Toyota for a further two years.
The partnership, which began in 2023, builds on Toyota’s longstanding global relationship with the Special Olympics movement, having been a global partner of Special Olympics International since 2017.
The collaboration has supported several initiatives, including the Toyota Coaching Fund, which was created to help Special Olympics GB athletes and volunteers gain coaching qualifications. The fund has received 74 applications and is on track to meet its target of supporting 100 coaches.
Toyota (GB) has also backed career development programmes for athletes and funded the return of the National Indoor Athletics Competition in London last year. In 2023, the brand led a national awareness campaign for the charity during the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
Laura Baxter MBE, Chief Executive of Special Olympics GB, said, “Toyota (GB) has been fantastic in enhancing development opportunities for Special Olympics GB athletes both on and off the field of play. This has been more than a partnership – it has been a shared commitment to building an inclusive future and we’re proud to extend this relationship for a further two years.”
Crystal Palace FC have signed a new three-year agreement with SunExpress.
The partnership will commence from the start of the 2025/26 season and will have a strong digital focus, launching with a dedicated player-led video campaign. The two will also collaborate on a series of initiatives designed to enhance the fan experience.
As part of the deal, the airline’s branding will feature prominently at Selhurst Park, with extensive LED and pitch-side branding at all Premier League and home cup matches, alongside digital activations across the club’s channels.
Palace supporters will be able to access exclusive benefits and competitions, including the chance to win flights to Türkiye, VIP match tickets, and other unique experiences.
Steve Parish, Chairman at Crystal Palace FC, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome SunExpress as our Official Airline Partner. Their ambition, reach and reputation for connecting people with the places they love make them an exciting addition to our partner family.
“Together we’ll deliver creative activations, memorable experiences and opportunities for supporters to get closer to both the Club and SunExpress – whether that’s at Selhurst Park, online, or even on board a Crystal Palace-branded aircraft.”
Aston Villa have signed a new agreement with The Coca-Cola Company.
The deal sees Coca-Cola become the official soft drinks partner, official global partner, and official partner of both the club’s men’s and women’s teams.
As part of the agreement, Coca-Cola has secured pouring rights at Villa Park and across global club events. The company’s full range of beverages, including Coke, Fanta, and Sprite, will be available to fans on matchdays. The partnership will also focus on delivering exclusive fan experiences, digital activations, giveaways, and community initiatives.
The new deal complements Coca-Cola’s existing league-wide agreement with the Premier League.
Adrian Filby, Chief Commercial Officer at Aston Villa, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Coca-Cola to the partner family at Aston Villa. Their global reach and dedication to fan engagement make them the perfect match for our club’s ambitions for further growth. Together with Coca-Cola, we look forward to enhancing the matchday experience and connecting with Villa fans around the world.”
Southampton FC have renewed their partnership with Mairon Freight, which will see the company continue as the club’s official logistics partner for the 2025/26 season.
The renewed agreement will place the Mairon Freight brand prominently across the stadium, including big screen exposure and LED perimeter boards.
As part of the deal, the freight forwarder has also secured exclusive naming rights to the racing simulator area within LEVEL1, the club’s new 12,000sq ft mixed entertainment zone.
Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer of Southampton Football Club, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Mairon Freight back as our Official Logistics Partner for the 2025/26 season.
“With their involvement in LEVEL1, we’re excited to deliver new and memorable experiences for fans, and proud to align with a partner that values community connection as much as we do.”
Scottish Women’s Premier League winners Hibernian FC Women have signed UK baby brand Nuby as their new principal front of shirt sponsor for the 2025-2026 season.
The deal comes as the team heads into the new season as league champions, which will also see them compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The club is also celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
As part of the partnership, Nuby will trial ‘RapidRoom’ newborn feeding zones at selected Hibernian FC men’s and women’s matches. The rooms will feature Nuby’s products to support parents with bottle-feeding and breastfeeding at games.
Joelle Murray, Junior Development Manager at Hibernian Football Club, said, “It’s absolutely fantastic to welcome Nuby as the new front of shirt partner to Hibernian Women. As well as their support for our title winning team, it’s clear to see they are committed to help ensure that attending games is as accessible as it can be for families which is one of the core objectives of our Hibs Kids’ programme.”
Newcastle United has entered a global partnership with Guinness to provide fans access to Guinness and Guinness 0.0 at St James’ Park.
Guinness had supported Newcastle United’s fan event in South Korea during the club’s pre-season tour to Asia, where over 250 supporters met players and legends and were served pints of Guinness.
The partnership has also incorporated a stadium recycling programme at St James’ Park to enhance sustainability efforts, and has drawn on Guinness’s global status as Official Beer and Official Responsible Drinking partner of the Premier League to promote responsible drinking.
Newcastle United competes in the Premier League and concluded the 2024–25 season in fifth place, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. That same season, the club secured its first domestic trophy in 70 years by winning the EFL (Carabao) Cup on 16 March 2025. St James’ Park currently seats 52,305 spectators. Newcastle United will begin the 2025–26 Premier League campaign away at Aston Villa on 16th August.
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