Shorts: Norwich City, Ultimate Sevens, TestTwenty

Norwich City have partnership with Macbrook Gas, which becomes one of the club’s primary partners.

Macbrook Gas is a UK-based heating and insulation company that delivers energy-efficient systems and retrofit programmes across the country. The company operates from offices in Norfolk and Liverpool.

Earlier this year, Macbrook Gas opened a training facility focused on education in the heating, plumbing and electrical sectors, beginning with 18 apprentices and plans for future expansion.

Ed Turnham, Norwich City Head of Commercial, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Macbrook Gas as our newest primary partner. As specialists in heating and energy solutions, Macbrook bring real expertise in helping homes and businesses stay warm efficiently and sustainably. Their focus on innovation, service and supporting local communities makes them a great partner for the club, and a brand that the club’s supporters can connect with.

“This partnership is about more than visibility, it’s about shared purpose and together we’ll work to raise awareness around energy efficiency, delivering initiatives that have a meaningful impact across our region. We’re excited to work closely with the Macbrook team and proud to see their brand take centre stage at Carrow Road this season.”

Norwich City competes in the EFL Championship and plays home matches at Carrow Road, which has a capacity of around 27,000.

The partnership strengthens the club’s links with local and national businesses as part of its commercial strategy for the 2025/26 season.

New global franchise rugby sevens league, Ultimate Sevens, has appointed Olympian and England’s most-capped sevens player, Tom Mitchell, as its Director of Sport & Innovation.

Backed by BIA Sports Group, investors in Sunderland AFC, the new competition is set to launch and will feature seven men’s and women’s franchises competing over seven weeks.

Mitchell’s appointment comes alongside that of Barney Pascall as Managing Director. Sports industry veteran Michael Fordham, who was involved in the creation of the Indian Premier League and The Hundred, has also joined the advisory board.

Barney Pascall, Managing Director of Ultimate Sevens, said, “With Ultimate Sevens, we have the chance to build a world-class sport and entertainment experience that compliments the current ecosystem and gives fans a new opportunity to connect with the sport. We want to create opportunities for players to tell their stories, showcase the energy of sevens to new audiences, and set a new standard for how rugby can be played and presented.”

Tom Mitchell, Director of Sport & Innovation, said, “Sevens is one of the most exciting and accessible forms of rugby – fast, expressive, and full of moments that capture the imagination. This league is a chance to reinvigorate the game for players and fans alike – to create something that feels modern, inclusive, and globally relevant.”

A new global cricket format, Test Twenty, has been launched by sports entrepreneur Gaurav Bahirvani alongside an advisory board of cricket legends.

The new 80-over format fuses the strategy of Test cricket with the pace of T20, with each team playing two 20-over innings. Scores are carried forward, and matches can result in a win, loss, tie, or draw. The format has been created to provide a global platform for emerging young talent aged 13 to 19.

Bahirvani, Executive Chairman of the One One Six Network, is joined by an advisory board that includes AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh. Former Rajasthan Royals CEO Michael Fordham has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer.

The first full season is set to launch with six global franchises based in Dubai, London, a US city, and three cities in India. Talent for the franchises will be sourced through the Junior Test Twenty Championship (JTTC), an annual youth tournament for players from over 50 nations that will use an AI-powered, analytics-based selection process.

York Knights and Toulouse Olympique will join an expanded 14-team Super League for the 2026 season following selection by an independent panel.

The decision follows Super League’s approval earlier this year to expand from 12 to 14 clubs, marking the first time since 2014 that the competition will operate with that number.

York will compete in Super League for the first time, becoming the first top-flight rugby league side from the city since the 1985–86 season. Toulouse return to the competition after last featuring in 2022.

York earned their place after finishing top of the 2025 Championship table, winning both the League Leaders’ Shield and the 1895 Cup at Wembley. Toulouse secured promotion by defeating York in the Championship Grand Final.

The selection process was overseen by a panel including Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton, RL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones, and independent chair Lord Jonathan Caine. Clubs were evaluated on financial performance, sustainability, and their ability to field competitive teams from 2026 onwards.

Super League currently represents the highest tier of professional rugby league in the UK, featuring clubs from England and France. Matches attract strong regional followings, with the competition remaining central to the domestic rugby league calendar.

Lord Caine said that Toulouse and York would be “worthy and deserving additions” to Super League

“They were 13th and 14th on the club gradings, with a significant lead on any of the other applicants from the Championship.”

WING has completed the formation of its senior leadership team following a year of significant commercial growth and industry recognition.

The London-based sports and branded content agency, part of Little Dot Studios since its acquisition in 2020, is led by Founder and Executive Creative Director Will Ingham and Chief Operating Officer Tessa Ingham. The leadership group now includes Molly Brooks as Head of Production, joining Damien Reeves as Creative Director and Owen Cox as Executive Producer.

WING’s new leadership structure follows a 12-month period that saw the agency receive multiple awards, including Agency of the Year and Production Company of the Year at the 2025 Campaign Brand Film Awards. The agency also won Best Director for its Find Your Better campaign for TeamViewer, with further recognition for editing.

The company has produced work for clients including Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Google, UNICEF, McLaren, Vodafone and TAG Heuer. Recent projects include Take A Breath for Formula E x UNICEF, Double Decked for TAG Heuer featuring Sky Brown, and Find Your Better for TeamViewer.

WING operates within the UK’s sports and creative production sector, which has continued to expand through digital innovation and branded storytelling. The agency’s leadership restructure aims to support further growth across commercial and creative output.

Will Ingham, Founder and ECD of WING, said, “We’ve always said we’re just getting started, and this new leadership team proves it.

“What’s so exciting is that this only scratches the surface. These are just the projects we’re allowed to talk about. Imagine the ones we can’t. With this exceptional team, we’re not just raising the bar, we’re setting it and we’re pushing ourselves to continually challenge the norm and redefine the power of short-form branded storytelling.”

Professional cycling team INEOS Grenadiers have extended their partnership with Italian bike manufacturer Pinarello for a further three years.

The two organisations have been united since the team’s inception in 2010, with Pinarello acting as the team’s bike supplier for over 15 years. The collaboration has seen the team achieve multiple Grand Tour successes, World Championships, and Hour Records.

Fausto Pinarello, President, Pinarello, said, “I’m delighted that our unique partnership is continuing. Together with the INEOS Grenadiers, we’ve achieved incredible things over the years – World Championships, Hour Records, success in mountain bike and cyclo-cross, and of course, Grand Tour and other major victories on the road.”