Shorts: Millwall Fc, Lta, Man City

English Football League football club Millwall FC has announced a long-term multichannel retail partnership with Fanatics.

The deal sees the digital sports platform and licensed sports merchandise specialist become the exclusive operator for both Millwall’s online store, and the official Millwall FC store on-site at The Den.

The deal also sees Fanatics acquire the rights to sell officially licensed Millwall FC merchandise across its own network of sites, including fanatics.co.uk and kitbag.co.uk, as well as selected retail partners. 

Steve Kavanagh, Chief Executive at Millwall, said, “We are delighted to confirm our partnership with Fanatics as we continue working tirelessly to enhance what we offer to our passionate and dedicated fans. Given Fanatics’ extensive football credentials and experience in creating world-class retail experiences, both online and in-person, they are the perfect partner to help take our retail and merchandising offering to the next level.” 

The LTA Tennis Foundation has announced a £1.5m cash boost for a range of tennis projects.

This includes initiatives supporting disabled people, lower socio-economic groups, mental health, the rehabilitation of ex-offenders and families living in temporary accommodation.

Following an assessment process a total of £1.5m in grants was approved across three years.

The LTA Tennis Foundation is the new grant and loan making tennis charity that opened its first application window at the end of last year.

LTA Tennis Foundation Chair, Tim Lawler MBE, said, “By collaborating with other charities and third sector organisations the foundation is challenging the status quo, looking for opportunities to invest in new and innovative projects that will make a real difference through tennis. It’s fantastic to see such brilliant projects and organisations in line to receive vital funding which will enable many more people to share in the enjoyment and benefits of taking part in tennis. We want to use our sport to make a real difference to people across Great Britain.”

There will be a second window for grant applications later this year, which will close in September.

Manchester City has announced that its men’s first team travel to South Korea as part of preseason preparations for the 2023/24 season.

City will take on La Liga’s Atletico Madrid in July as part of the ‘Coupang Play Series’ hosted by Korea’s streaming service Coupang Play, in conjunction with London based sports marketing agency, Pitch International, at the World Cup Stadium, Seoul on Sunday 30th July 2023.

The club recently visited Seoul in November 2022 as part of its Global Trophy Tour, taking the Premier League trophy to fans in the country alongside club ambassador Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Esteve Calzada, Chief Commercial Officer at City Football Group, said, “We are excited to announce this preseason fixture in Seoul, South Korea as part of our Asia tour this summer, as we return to the region for the first time since 2019. Manchester City has a strong relationship with South Korea, with a number of strategic and long-term partners from the country and a passionate, ever growing fanbase. It has been almost 50 years since we first played in Seoul as a club and we can’t wait to bring today’s generation of players to fans in the country.”

The first ever Skateboarding National Championships created as an online game has officially launched.

The competition will see players take part in an identical replica of the course used for the Skateboard GB National Championships taking place later this month. This will be the first ever skateboarding National Championships which allows anyone to compete in an online version.

True Skate and Skateboard GB have joined forces to create the esports Event where players compete on a brand new street course which is a copy of the BaySixty6 skatepark in London used in the finals of real competition. Each player can enter via the True Skate app and compete against thousands of others around the country.

James Hope-Gill, CEO at Skateboard GB, commented, “The National Championships are the biggest and most prestigious skateboarding events in the UK, so to create a simulated version of the event where everyone can compete on their phones is really exciting to see.

“We hope that Esports can open up opportunities for more people to become involved with skateboarding”.