Shorts: Ferdinand, Rangers, Pfa
Commercial horse racing organisation The Jockey Club has announced a new partnership with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation. The collaboration aims to help young people from some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities learn more about the sport as a pastime and an industry they can work in.
It will initially launch across the three Jockey Club racecourses closest to London – Sandown Park, Epsom Downs and Kempton Park – with the Foundation working with hundreds of young people in the capital every year.
The programme will initially educate groups of 16 to 24-year-olds about the sport through visits, open days and a number of sessions with its employees. The Jockey Club will also showcase the wide variety of employment which horseracing offers, from sales and IT through to turf management and operational roles.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said, “I’m really excited that we’re going to be working with The Jockey Club to demonstrate to so many young people everything horseracing has to offer, both as a career path and a sport. Ten years ago we set up the Rio Ferdinand Foundation with the aim of supporting and empowering 16 to 24 year olds from some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities, whilst also tackling racism and inequality head on.”
SPFL club Rangers FC has announced a new commercial partnership with food and beverage company Levy UK to provide matchday food and drink experiences at the club’s Ibrox Stadium. The partnership will be based on a joint profit share arrangement, with the majority of profits being retained by Rangers.
In addition to the culinary expertise, Levy will introduce upgraded, innovative technology including digital screens and other frictionless technologies to maximise the fan experience, engagement, and evolve the matchday experience. In close partnership with Rangers, Levy will also be managing non-match day meetings, conferences and events, including private celebrations and Christmas parties.
Women’s cycling race RideLondon Classique has been stripped of its WorldTour status. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has temporarily reclassified the RideLondon Classique as a ProSeries race after event organisers did not provide the required live TV coverage of each stage, but only of the last stage.
UCI regulations stipulate that a minimum of 45 minutes of live coverage per day must be available for an event to be considered part of the WorldTour. The organisers’ failure to provide this constituted “an unacceptable lack of respect for the teams and riders involved in the competition,” a statement from the UCI said.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has appointed Ben Wright as its new Director of External Affairs.
Wright joins from the consultancy Portland, where he specialised in communications and engagement work with a range of international sports organisations. He was previously Head of Communications at professional cycling team, Team Sky (now known as Ineos Grenadiers).
In his new role Wright will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of the PFA’s strategic communications and stakeholder engagement, covering both the union’s campaigning work and its range of activities across education, training and wellbeing.
