Shorts: Paralympics GB, Two Circles, Super League Rugby
ParalympicsGB has appointed Penny Briscoe CBE as its Chef de Mission for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
The appointment follows Briscoe leading the team to a second-place finish on the medal table at the Paris Games last year, the third consecutive Summer Games achieving this rank.
In Paris, ParalympicsGB won medals across 18 of the 19 sports entered.
LA 2028 will mark Briscoe’s twelfth Paralympic Games involvement and her sixth as Chef de Mission, a role she first held at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. She originally joined ParalympicsGB in 2001, having previously attended the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Games as an athlete and then coach in canoeing.
Briscoe received a CBE for services to Paralympic sport last year and was recently recognised with a leadership award by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) during its International Women’s Day Awards.
Penny Briscoe CBE, said, “I’m absolutely delighted and so proud to be given the opportunity to lead the ParalympicsGB team to the Games once again and I look forward to supporting and working closely with all the sports’ National Governing Bodies over the next three years as we prepare for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
“I am as committed as ever to ensuring that ParalympicsGB is as best prepared for the Games as we can be, with a positive team experience at the forefront of all our planning.”
Two Circles has strengthened its commercial leadership with the appointment of Melissa Brown as Business Development Director.
Brown brings more than two decades of experience to her new role, delivering brand partnerships and driving commercial growth across sports and entertainment.
Brown has held senior roles at IMG, NFL UK and Syco Entertainment, working on partnerships with some of the world’s most recognisable brands including Visa, Budweiser, Microsoft, PepsiCo, and Marks & Spencer.
Gareth Balch, CEO and Co-Founder of Two Circles, said, “Melissa is going to have a huge impact here at Two Circles, as we look to grow our proposition for brands looking to maximise their investments in sports and entertainment. Melissa brings a strong blend of commercial experience, creativity, and brand know-how, with an innate ability in helping brands build powerful connections with fans. Melissa will play a key role in driving long-term value and fresh thinking for our clients.”
Brown, added, “Two Circles has long been to go-to business to help rights holders grow their audiences and revenues, and now it is using all of that experience, data and insights to help brands grow audiences and revenues. I’m excited to be joining such a forward-thinking team to bring creative approaches to our clients that draw on the company’s incredible success in deploying innovative data-driven marketing strategies that connect with fans in a smarter, more impactful way.”
Super League has announced an official partnership with weatherproofing brand Thompson’s for the 2025 season.
The partnership will launch during the Magic Weekend event held at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
Thompson’s, part of the Sherwin-Williams family, offers a range of weatherproofing and cleaning products and will activate the partnership through its ‘Tackle it with Thompson’s’ campaign, which also involves a tie-up with The Home Improvements Channel.
During the Magic Weekend, where all 12 Super League clubs play fixtures over two days, Thompson’s will host a branded tackle-o-meter challenge in the fan zone. Participants will have the chance to win prizes, including tickets to the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in October.
Bobby Bahadori, Commercial Director, Rugby League Commercial, said, “We are delighted to welcome Thompson’s to Rugby League in 2025 for the Magic Weekend and the Grand Final – and I think our fans are going to love the tackle-o-meter. It’s exactly the sort of activation which helps to make Magic Weekend such a unique event in sport, with fans of all clubs coming together in Newcastle and enjoying the whole experience, as well as supporting their team.”
Grassroots sports charity Sported has appointed rugby broadcaster Jill Douglas as one of three new Trustees joining its board.
Douglas, previously Founding CEO of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, is joined by Mickela Hall–Ramsay, Founder of HR Sports Academy, and Jeffrey Eneberi, General Counsel, Company Secretary and Head of ESG at Red Gate Software Ltd.
Sported was founded by Sir Keith Mills in 2008 as a London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy charity and supports over 5,000 clubs across the UK. The organisation recently announced an expansion of its collaboration with Barclays on a £1.4 million-a-year Community Sport Fund.
Douglas ran the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation for six years, helping raise over £20 million for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research. Hall–Ramsay founded HR Sports Academy in 2010 and was Chair and later Trustee of the London Youth Games in 2021. Eneberi has compliance and governance experience at board level and a background in data, technology and entrepreneurial projects.
Jill Douglas, Trustee, Sported, said, “I’ve been fortunate to see both how grassroots sport can provide a pathway to the very top but also, as importantly, how it can make such a difference in shaping lives and serving as the heart of communities. Sported’s mission is to underpin those ambitions and reach even more groups and clubs across the UK. And in joining the board of Trustees, I hope to grow awareness of their work and help the charity reach even more people.”
Super League title sponsor Betfred has announced a fund-raising initiative for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association tied to the Magic Weekend.
To mark the 18th Magic Weekend, Betfred will donate £180 for every try celebration across the six fixtures.
In addition to the £180 per celebration donation, Betfred has offered an extra £1,000 for the celebration judged to be the best over the weekend.
The funds raised will be added to other fund-raising efforts for the MND Association, including the Leeds Rhinos and Oxen MND awareness fixture against Wakefield Trinity, which marks the anniversary of Rob Burrow CBE’s death.
The initiative encourages players to celebrate tries while supporting a cause closely linked to the rugby league community.
Magic Weekend also falls between other significant fund-raising events for the MND Association, such as Lindsey Burrow running the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon after recently completing the London Marathon.
Rhodri Jones, Rugby League Commercial’s Managing Director, said, “We wanted to find a way to celebrate the 18th Magic Weekend, and Rugby League is always looking to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association – and thanks to Betfred’s support, we’re going to ask the players to lead the way in both.
“We’re intrigued to see what the current Super League players might come up with, in the knowledge that they’ll also be raising money for the MND Association. We thank Betfred in advance for their generosity, as we wait to see how many 180s the players deliver.”
Sports membership platform JustGo has partnered with healthtech company HealthKey to provide healthcare services to its members.
The collaboration aims to offer affordable and accessible health and wellbeing support to over 3.5 million JustGo sports members globally.
Through the partnership, members gain access to more than 200 services, including 24/7 general practitioner appointments, mental health support, physiotherapy, and cancer screenings.
JustGo and HealthKey state the initiative seeks to make healthcare provision within sports communities simpler, more cost-effective, more proactive, and focused on preventative care.
Ticketmaster Sport has extended its partnership with Lincoln City FC to continue as the club’s official ticketing partner.
Rob Noble, Head of Club Services at Lincoln City, said, “The introduction of e-tickets for away fans has transformed the experience for both the club and our supporters, reducing admin and improving accessibility. Positive supporter feedback highlights the ease of purchasing tickets and memberships through the platform and we’re excited to continue working with Ticketmaster Sport to enhance the fan journey and maintain Lincoln City’s reputation for innovation.”
Chris Gratton, Managing Director at Ticketmaster Sport, added, “This partnership with Lincoln City is a great example of how close collaboration over time creates the best experience for fans. We want to keep building on that, bringing fresh, innovative ticketing solutions to the club and its supporters. At Ticketmaster Sport, we’re always pushing forward, and extending relationships like this highlights the strength of our technology and our commitment to UK sport.”
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