Shorts: Old Trafford, Silverstone, SailGP

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has confirmed that no public funds will be allocated to Manchester United’s plans for revamping Old Trafford at this time.

Burnham has shared aspirations to develop the stadium area into a mixed-use neighbourhood that would include residential blocks, retail spaces, and enhanced public transport facilities.

Currently, the club’s owners are deliberating between a £2bn proposal for a new 100,000-seat stadium or upgrading the existing venue. Old Trafford, with a capacity of 74,310, has been home to Manchester United since 1910.

For any future expansion, the relocation of a freight rail terminal situated behind the stadium will be necessary. While Mayor Burnham stated that taxpayer money will not be directed towards the stadium itself, he suggested that some funds might support the infrastructure required to move the freight terminal to Merseyside.

During his remarks at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Burnham urged the government to fund a connection between the new Parkside freight terminal on the St Helens-Wigan border and the West Coast Main Line, which could require several hundred million pounds in investment.

Burnham noted that shifting freight away from Manchester city centre would reduce passenger disruption and create more opportunities for redevelopment around Old Trafford. He expressed hopes that the stadium could become a world-class venue that also benefits residents.

Gary Neville, an ex-Manchester United player and part of a task force overseeing the development, said, “The most important thing is Manchester United end up with a world-class stadium. I’m more interested in the overall masterplan in the surrounding area. We have seen what happens when you put football at the heart of that regeneration.”

Digital venue and live event specialists ADI have completed the installation of five new LED gantries at Silverstone, utilising their energy-efficient MT Series product.

These permanent installations are part of ADI’s ongoing partnership with Silverstone, where they have contributed to innovative LED display, sports presentation, and technical infrastructure projects over the last decade.

The custom LED signage has been manufactured and set up by ADI in preparation for the 2024 Formula 1® Qatar Airways British Grand Prix, with additional use during the recent MotoGP and Silverstone Festival.

Strategically positioned within the historic circuit, the gantries significantly enhance brand visibility for major sponsors and commercial partners. They also play a crucial role in the venue’s rebranding efforts for various live events and support the promotion of future occasions.

Located beside the iconic Silverstone Wing, the Hamilton Straight features upgraded dual-sided gantries that span the track and Formula 1 pit lane, now equipped with 6mm LED signage. Additionally, the Silverstone Main Entrance has been improved with 6mm LED displays installed on its rear face.

Rachel James, Head of Partnerships at Silverstone said, “ADI were the natural choice when it came to transforming some of the circuit’s key infrastructure. The installations are part of our wider futureproofing of the venue and the impact, versatility and creativity that digital technologies bring to our partners is huge,”

https://youtu.be/qG0sHIgm8Fg

SailGP have teamed up with Creatures United to spark conversation around climate change with fans.

SailGP and Creatures United have introduced six ‘creatures’ to help amplify awareness around the league’s Impact League, the sport’s Podium for the Planet, whilst encouraging 50 million fans to engage with stories of nature from the league.

Developed in collaboration with artist Yago Partal, the Sunshine Agency, On Purpose Group, and Project17, the six creatures were thoughtfully chosen for their species, habitat, inclusivity, and relevance. The lineup includes Hoku the sailfish, Nayna the cheetah, Karry the mandarin fish, Alasie the polar bear, Koa the yellow boxfish, and River the marine iguana. Each animal has a unique connection to the ocean and a personal story to share.

Fiona Morgan, SailGP’s Chief Purpose Officer pointed towards, “a huge consumer engagement gap with climate change, and sustainability actions. Our bespoke team of creatures has been born to fight that inertia.”

Adding “This is our first ever fan engagement campaign and we are incredibly excited to, in an unexpected creative way, engage our fans to drive real meaningful change.”

Throughout the upcoming 2024/25 season, the six creatures will visible around the Impact League milestones, helping to tell positive environmental impact stories by Sail GP athletes and the league.

SPFL football club Hibernian FC have expanded their partnership with Kitman Labs, the global enterprise SaaS platform.

Hibs will utilise the coaching and talent development solution in the Kitman Labs Intelligence Platform (iP) across its men’s development team and academy squads.

The tech will aim to ‘advance Hibs’ ability to optimise player pathways and identify talent earlier in the development cycle; enable more informed succession planning; accelerate their talent development pipeline and better prepare players for the rigours of the first team.’

Hibs coaches and practitioners will be able to create individualised development programmes, while establishing an objective, data-driven benchmarking system for player progression.  

Hibernian FC’s Academy Director, Gareth Evans,commented,“Utilising the Kitman Labs Intelligence Platform allows us to unify our data collection process, which is vital when monitoring the development of our young players.  The ‘Coaching and Talent Development Solution’ will provide our coaches with the infrastructure and data-led insights to build successful development models, which will ultimately aid the young players we have at HTC.”

Prostate Cancer UK’s iconic ‘Man of Men’ took centre stage during last Saturday’s domestic heavyweight boxing showdown as Daniel Dubois produced a sensational knock-out win over Anthony Joshua.

The fifth-round knock-out win to retain the IBF Heavyweight world title was achieved with Prostate Cancer UK’s logo featuring on his shorts.

Dubois also wore Prostate Cancer UK’s ‘Man of Men’ emblem on his training kit and in his pre-match media interviews during a week of build-up to one of the biggest boxing match-ups in recent years.

Dubois commented, “I’ve always wanted to use my position as a sportsman to impact society in a positive way.”

“So when my agent, Chris Nathaniel, mentioned the shocking impact prostate cancer has on men, I immediately decided to do whatever I could to highlight this serious cause.

“I didn’t know until recently about the dangers of prostate cancer. It affects one in eight men and its double the risk if you are Black. Those stats are unacceptable. But it’s also a disease which, if you can catch it early, is treatable.

“Prostate Cancer UK are in the corner of all men and their families, working tirelessly to educate men about the risks of this disease. Please look at the charity’s website for more information, or take their 30-second online risk checker. It may just save your life.”