England Netball has partnered with IMG to release a report revealing record growth for the sport.
The report, conducted by sports, events and representation company IMG, has highlighted record numbers and engagement for England Netball across its digital platforms during the Netball World Cup.
The report analysed the impact of the 2023 Netball World Cup on the organisation’s social media channels and ENgage website, exploring the role of the Vitality Roses’ on-court performance, players’ personal platforms, and earned news coverage during the tournament, in generating deeper fan engagement and commercial growth for the sport.
Fran Connolly, Chief Executive Officer of England Netball, said, “The Vitality Roses inspired the nation with their on-court heroics in the summer and it’s a testament to the team that netball enjoyed such an incredible moment and record levels of visibility. As a result, more people than ever engaged and took notice of our sport and we are working really hard to capitalise on this success to move the dial, to improve opportunities for people to get on court and to take our sport to new heights.”
Lewis Wiltshire, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Digital, added, “This has been a bumper summer of women’s sport. We’ve seen first-hand how the success of the England Roses and Lionesses on the world stage can be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport in more ways than one. This report shows how organisations like England Netball can translate that success on court to sustainable commercial growth, channelling the power of fan engagement through its digital channels.”
The Irish FA has announced a three-year partnership extension with STATSports.
The deal will see STATSports, the tracking and analysis provider, is launch a new talent ID programme in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland-based company is also set to continue as the official player performance analysis partner to the national teams, the association’s coach education department and the Irish FA JD Academy.
As per the agreement, STATSports will provide increased support to coach education and the Academy by delivering sports science insights to coaches and teams around the country.
It will also work with the association to help with Talent Identification by tracking the metrics of young players across the country via the STATSports Apex Athlete Series GPS Tracker product.
David Tweed, Head of Marketing at STATSports, said, “We’re really pleased to be extending our relationship with the Irish FA. We’re excited about how we can further support player development in Northern Ireland, particularly with helping the pathway into the JD Academy.”
Stephen Garrett, Senior Commercial Manager at the Irish FA, added, “We’re delighted to renew our partnership with STATSports, a truly world leading company indigenous to Northern Ireland.
“We’re excited to work together to help educate clubs, volunteers and players on GPS performance analysis across all areas of Northern Ireland football.”
EFL League One football club Carlisle United has confirmed that the ownership and control of the club has changed following EFL approval.
The new owners of the Cumbrians are Castle Sports Group, owned by the Piatak family from Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Tom Piatak, said, “We are delighted to have completed the takeover of Carlisle United Football Club. This marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the club, and we are committed to investing in its success and building a bright future together. We extend our sincere gratitude to the fans, staff, and everyone involved in making this transition a reality.”
As we embark on this journey, we look forward to continuing engaging with the Carlisle United community and working collaboratively to achieve our shared goals. Together, we aim to create a football club that not only competes at the highest level but also serves as a source of pride for the local community.”
Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (GBWR) has announced a three-year partnership with Allied Mobility.
Allied Mobility specialise in transport for people with limited mobility.
The partnership is set to begin just ahead of the Allied Mobility Wheelchair Rugby: Fours Premiership at Lilleshall from 25th to 26th November.
Jason Brisbane, Chief Executive Officer of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, said, “This partnership is founded on a common goal of promoting awareness of, and participation in, wheelchair rugby. We’re thrilled to announce this partnership with Allied Mobility, uniting our shared goals and purpose of increasing accessibility and inclusivity for the disability community.”
Peter Facenna, Managing Director of Allied Mobility, added, “We’re hugely excited to be working with GB Wheelchair Rugby. Sport provides a special opportunity for people to make friends, gain confidence, travel and find added purpose in their lives. It would be great if we can play a part in enabling even more wheelchair users to get involved in rugby, whether as players, coaches, volunteers or supporters.”
Kappa has become the official outfitter of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 events.
This partnership was brokered by Le Mans’ exclusive licensing agency IMG.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Quest (ACO) said, “On behalf of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, I would like to welcome Kappa — an emblematic brand with solid ties to the sporting arena. We are excited to be building new relationships at a time when endurance racing is undergoing a surge in popularity. Kappa will add impetus to our growth as a vector for the 24 Hours of Le Mans brand.”
Rémi Garnier, Country Manager at Kappa France, added, “We are proud to officialise our partnership with the 24 Hours of Le Mans — the world’s greatest endurance race. It gives us great pleasure to strengthen our ties with the motorsport world and to pursue our commitment to the sector with a long-standing, iconic brand. The partnership gives us the opportunity to create unique collections for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, drawing on our respective brands’ identity to offer fans around the world garments they love to wear. We shall be the official supplier for ACO staff and look forward to engaging with race fans through our brands.”
Norwich City has announced a partnership with food and snacks brand Dino’s Famous.
Dino’s Famous Brooklyn Big Dogs will be served at Carrow Road for matchdays, and other events held at the stadium.
Mat Potter, Managing Director at Dino’s Famous, said, “I believe fans deserve the best hot dog experience when supporting their football club and this partnership means that Norwich fans can try our award-winning Brooklyn Big Dog within Carrow Road.”
Ed Turnham, Head of Sales and Acquisitions at Norwich City FC, said, “Dino’s Famous already supply to a number of venues across the UK, however they are only partnered with a handful of sporting clubs. It’s therefore a privilege that the brand has chosen to partner with Norwich City.”
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