Shorts: Six Nations, Aeltc, Leyton Orient
Six Nations Rugby has announced that Fanatics will act the tournament’s official online store provider.
The online store, which is already live, offers fans all over the world a wide range of officially-licensed products, including jerseys, training and lifestyle wear.
Fanatics will also exclusively manufacture Six Nations Rugby fan apparel and outerwear, as well as headwear for fans including branded caps and beanies.
The exclusive partnership, which will run until 2028, will include the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, Under-20s and Under-18s tournaments and the Autumn Nations Series.
Nikki Hughes, Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Six Nations Rugby, said, “The partnership with Fanatics, and the launch of our new online store, highlights the desire to enhance the experience for fans, at every touchpoint. Each year, more and more fans are engaging with our competitions, so to be able to now offer them the best official merchandise through a best-in-class ecommerce platform is something we are sure fans will welcome.”
The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) has elected Deborah Jevans CBE as its new Vice-Chair.
Jevans will succeed current Chair Ian Hewitt at the end of July after The Championships, Wimbledon, 2023.
Jevans, a former professional tennis player, has held several high-level leadership positions in sports business. Her previous roles have included Director of Women’s Tennis at the International Tennis Federation; Director of Sport for the Olympic Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games; CEO of England Rugby 2015 and Vice-Chair of Sport England.
She is also a trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation and EFL Trust and was awarded the CBE in 2013.
Ian Hewitt, Chair of The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, commented, “Debbie has a valuable combination of skills and experience gained over a long career in sport, both as a former professional tennis player and through a number of leadership roles within high-profile sports organisations as well as her many years of service on the Club Committee.
“This equips her well for the role and I look forward, as planned, to handing over as Chair after The Championships 2023 and wish Debbie all success as we continue with our ambitions.”
Mark Osikoya has been appointed the new CEO of Commonwealth Games England.
Mark will be replacing Paul Blanchard who has stepped down after two Commonweath Games on the Gold Coast in Australia and in Birmingham last summer.
Osikoya is set to join Commonwealth Games England after eight years at the National Basketball Association where he headed up the global partnership team in the EME region. Prior to working at the NBA, he headed up sponsorship at Barclays, Coca-Cola and The Football Association in addition to prior experience at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and adidas. He is currently a trustee at StreetGames UK.
Mark Osikoya said, “I’m delighted to have been appointed CEO of Commonwealth Games England. I’m looking forward to joining the strong team already in place and I hope to build on recent success in Birmingham. It’s exciting times as we move towards the Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago later this summer, and then onwards to Victoria 2026.”
English Football League (EFL) Two football club Leyton Orient Football Club has appointed Birmingham-based sports partnership and recruitment specialists Sporting Group International to assist with its search for a new stadium naming rights partner.
The East London club’s 10,000-capacity Brisbane Road stadium has been its home since 1937.
The club is seeking a new partner to replace the Breyer Group, which had enjoyed a four-year naming rights partnership with Orient that ceased at the end of the 21/22 season.
Charlie Bannister, Head of Sponsorship at Sporting Group International, said, “Leyton Orient’s stadium is known to football fans around the world. It’s hosted men’s and women’s international fixtures, it’s had significant redevelopment over the last 20 years and its location is easily accessible from Leyton tube station.
“The team is flying at the top of League Two at the moment and we’re very excited to support the ambitions of Chief Executive Mark Devlin by bringing a new naming rights stadium partner into the club.”
