Shorts: Leeds Rhinos, England Netball, Destination Sport

Leeds Rhinos has agreed a record- breaking 15-year commercial deal to rename its home stadium.

The largest ever commercial deal for the rugby league club will see the Rhinos’ 19,700-capacity home stadium renamed AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium from 1st December 2023.

According to Yorkshire Evening Post, the deal with the Leeds-based vehicle solutions business is worth an eight-figure sum.

Rob Oates, Commercial Director of Leeds Rhinos said, “AMT’s logo will be on the collar of the Rhinos’ first team playing and replica shirts and shorts for next season with their distinctive branding around the stadium. We are always proud to celebrate local success stories who have become a national presence and this partnership is a great result for both the Rhinos and AMT Auto”  

Neil McGawley, Manging Director of AMT Auto added, “As a passionate Rhinos and Leeds sport fan, I am proud and excited that AMT can embark on this long-term commitment and partnership with Headingley and the Rhinos. I would like to thank Paul Caddick and the board of directors for welcoming AMT Auto to the Rhinos family and we are all looking forward to good times ahead over the next 15 years.” 

England Netball has announced a long-term agreement with video streaming services provider Joymo.

Under the terms of the deal, Joymo will stream 90 Premier League 1 matches – the highest level of club netball underneath the Netball Super League – plus further PL2 and PL3 games each season.

In addition, 200 games from the Netball Performance League will be streamed via the Joymo platform, resulting in over 330 live matches per season.

Fran Connolly, CEO of England Netball, commented, “We’re really excited to be working with Joymo as our grassroots streaming partner. There is a lot of talent within the Premier League and the NPL and we’re pleased to be able to provide fans with a range of viewing options to enjoy more live netball.” 

Hannah Griffiths, VP Content Acquisition & Partnerships at Joymo, said, “We are delighted to deepen our relationship with England Netball by aquiring the rights to these prestigious domestic competitions. Following the successful launch of englandnetball.tv last year, we want to ensure that more of the very best netball action is available to fans in the UK and beyond.”

Inspiresport Group, the youth sport tour division of Destination Sport Group, has acquired New Zealand based Tour Time Group.

Operating across New Zealand and Australia, Tour Time Group specialises in school sports tours, alongside music, education, and special interest groups.

Inspiresport, a UK tour operator for schools and grassroots clubs, has enhanced international expansion following the creation of Inspiresport LLC as its North American entity in November 2021.

Managing Director of Inspiresport Group, Steve Butchart said, “Inspiresport has been reviewing opportunities for international expansion over a number of months and we’re delighted to confirm the news that the acquisition of the Tour Time Group is now complete. Our primary focus will be on the creation of outbound tours from New Zealand and Australia into the UK and Europe and generating increased demand for our pro club training experiences across football, rugby, and hockey.

“We are delighted to be able to confirm that Brent Imrie will remain as Managing Director for Tour Time Group, but a special mention should be made to Ron and Beryl Imrie who founded and operated the company for more than 30 years. 

“Their combined dedication, experience, market knowledge and contact network are what made the Tour Time Group the perfect business to accelerate our growth in New Zealand, whilst also establishing us as a major player in the Australian market. Whilst our focus will be on growing the youth sports development business, Tour Time Group will also continue to offer their full range of group tour options.”

The deal follows Destination Sport Group’s recent acquisitions of The Mike Burton Group and Sportsworld.

Crystal Palace partnered with ecommerce platform ComAve and point-of-sale software programme Tamias to launch a new app for supporters.

The app, which launches in December, will offer benefits and services to fans of the Premier League football club, including exclusive offers and discounts for local restaurants and national brands.

Barry Webber, Chief Commercial Officer of Crystal Palace FC, said, “We are excited to announce this new partnership with ComAve and Tamias. Palace fans across the UK will be able to claim loyalty points and other benefits when they use the service, saving money on food and drink, whether on matchdays or throughout the year.”

Ivan Blum, CEO of ComAve, commented, “At ComAve, we are dedicated to creating seamless and personalised shopping experiences. We look forward to bringing our marketplace to Crystal Palace fans, working together to offer them exclusive deals and an unparalleled shopping experience.”

Adam Haines, CEO of Tamias, added, “Tamias is excited to be a part of this innovative collaboration with Crystal Palace. We are looking forward to working with the local community and its businesses, to implement our point-of-sale solution and attract fans to their restaurants and stores.”