Shorts: Liverpool Fc, Lancashire Cricket, World Rugby

Liverpool FC has extended its partnership with Central Retail Corporation (CRC Sports), the club’s official retail and licensing partner in Thailand.

The long-standing partnership is now into its eighth season, with the new renewal period adding a further five years to the collaboration.

CRC Sports is a Thai multi-format, multi-category and omnichannel retailing platform that provides supporters access to the Reds’ official Nike and own-brand merchandise.

Since the partnership began, the standalone retail portfolio has increased to five stores with additional shop-in-shops, club events and pop-up activations to increase fan engagement.

Mike Cox, Senior Vice-President of Merchandising and Retail at Liverpool FC, said, “We are thrilled to continue working with CRC Sports, and extend our long-term retail and licensing partnership. 

“We have grown significantly in the region during our first two terms with CRC Sports and they are a great partner for us in supporting this remarkable growth. We are looking forward to what the next five years has in store.” 

Lancashire Cricket has announced an operating profit of just over £3m following the release of its 2022 financial reports.

The club’s post-pandemic recovery continued in 2022 as it benefited from a return to normality with a full year of unrestricted crowds, following on from two Covid-19 affected years.

Emirates Old Trafford’s on-site Hilton Garden Inn hotel reported a record revenue of £5.4m during 2022, whilst the club’s conference and events revenue continued to return to normal levels of £3.3m.

The venue also held four sold out concerts during 2022, one of which, The Killers, was rolled over from 2020. Emirates Old Trafford hosted two nights of Harry Styles and one night of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Angela Lowes, Chief Financial Officer at Lancashire Cricket, said, “Following the incredibly difficult challenges that we faced in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been fantastic to experience a normal and successful year for the Club.

“I would like to thank our primary lender, Metro Bank, for their support this year, which has been hugely appreciated, particularly regarding funding of the new development at Emirates Old Trafford.

“To welcome full crowds back for domestic and international cricket, as well as concerts, has played a key role in helping the Club to return to pre-pandemic levels, whilst the on-site Hilton Garden Inn and the conference and events business continues to go from strength to strength.”

World Rugby has appointed Sarah Massey as Managing Director of the Local Operating Company (LOC), a joint venture between World Rugby and the RFU.

Massey’s appointment follows the announcement of Gill Whitehead as Independent Chair of the Board of Directors ahead of England’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

Massey hold over 30 years of experience in the sport industry with in roles across Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby, cricket and hockey World Cups as well as international and national sport governing bodies.   

Massey commented, “Rugby has always been a big part of my life and a catalyst for my career in sport. It began working for the Rugby Football Union and led me into working on a transformative Rugby World Cup 1995. It is that same opportunity to change the game, with women and girls at the forefront of World Rugby and RFU’s growth strategies, that really attracted me to this role.

“Working as a unified LOC, in full partnership with World Rugby, the RFU, UK Sport and the host cities, we have the opportunity to achieve something very special, impactful and that will ultimately take the women’s game and rugby more broadly to the next level.”