Shorts: Women’s RWC, LTA, ATP

Kettle Chips has been confirmed as the official crisp supplier for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.

The partnership forms ahead of the Rugby World Cup tournament, which is set to take place across six weekends from the 22nd August to 27th September.

England will host 16 national teams in the largest Women’s Rugby World Cup to date. The competition has already surpassed 275,000 ticket sales, indicating record interest and continued momentum behind women’s rugby in the UK.

As part of the agreement, Kettle Chips has committed to supporting the tournament through in-store promotions, match day experiences, and initiatives aimed at engaging new fans and promoting grassroots rugby across the UK.

The partnership also aligns with the tournament’s strategic focus on increasing the visibility of women’s rugby and supporting long-term development of the sport at community level.

Sarah Massey, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, said, “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is set to be a landmark moment for the sport, and we are thrilled to have Kettle Chips on board as an official partner.

“Together with Kettle, we look forward to celebrating the power of rugby to unite, empower, and drive progress for women and girls around the world.”

The LTA has announced a three-year partnership with global insurance intermediary group Howden, running until 2027.

The partnership builds on a near twenty-year relationship where Howden has served as the LTA’s official insurance broker, a role it will continue alongside the new sponsorship deal.

The collaboration will involve leveraging Howden’s network of over 200 UK high street branches to support more than 3,500 LTA registered venues. Connecting local clubs and local branches, along with tennis hubs such as Eastbourne and Birmingham, with the LTA grass court season is a key element of the partnership.

Howden also partners with The British and Irish Lions, Ascot Racecourse, and Emirates GBR in SailGP.

Chris Pollard, LTA Managing Director of Commercial and Operations, said, “We at the LTA are thrilled to continue our partnership with Howden and have them on board as our Official Insurance Broker.

“Our collaboration to support British coaches and venues will help our vision of Opening Tennis and Padel Up and deliver positive change through these sports across the country.”

The ATP Tour has announced a multi-year global partnership with European crypto broker Bitpanda.

The agreement sees Bitpanda become an official partner and the official crypto partner of the men’s professional tennis tour.

Bitpanda branding will feature prominently at several high-profile ATP Tour events, including the Mutua Madrid Open and the Nitto ATP Finals.

The collaboration will also involve the development of joint digital content and initiatives aimed at integrating the world of cryptocurrency with tennis.

Daniele Sano, ATP Chief Commercial Officer, said, “We are delighted to welcome Bitpanda as our newest partner… Crypto is an exciting, fast-moving space, and we look forward to collaborating with Bitpanda to deliver real value for our fans.”

Luka Modric has taken a minority ownership stake in Swansea City, becoming an investor and co-owner of the Championship club.

The development has formed part of a wider shift in Swansea’s ownership structure, following the group’s acquisition of shares from former majority stakeholders Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan in November 2023.

Modric, who remains a player at Real Madrid with his current contract running until the end of the 2024–25 season, has entered club ownership for the first time.

His investment reflects a continued trend of high-profile players taking off-pitch roles within football, particularly in the EFL, where clubs have increasingly attracted global investors.

Swansea City are currently competing in the EFL Championship and last played in the Premier League during the 2017–18 season.

“This is an exciting opportunity. Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase, and the ambition to compete at the highest level,” said Modric.

New holding company GSE Group has launched media and events firm The Insights Group and commercial agency Playmakers (formerly TWG).

Founded by Sam Cooke and Alfie Wright, the ventures focus on digital entertainment, including esports, gaming, the creator economy, and sports.

The Insights Group has launched The Esports Radar media platform and is reviving the Esports Leaders event, with the first edition taking place in Austin, Texas from 18th-22nd June.

Playmakers will manage commercial partnerships for rights holders and influencers.

Sam Cooke, CEO, The Insights Group, and a Director at GSE, said, “Launching GSE Group and The Insights Group is not just another step in my career, it’s a culmination of over a decade in the industry and desire to launch a bold new venture across not just esports but digital entertainment more broadly.”

UK Sport has revealed that its Sustainability Accelerator Programme has had a significant effect on how Olympic and Paralympic sports in the UK have addressed environmental sustainability since its launch in 2023.

The programme, part of UK Sport’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, has been described by the International Olympic Committee as the largest multi-sport sustainability initiative ever conducted by a national sports body.

Since the programme began, all participating National Governing Bodies have reported feeling more equipped to take meaningful action on sustainability. 80% have come to regard sustainability as a pillar of long-term success, while the same proportion have identified it as a commercial driver rather than a financial burden. In addition, 40% have implemented new sustainability policies covering areas such as travel, procurement and event management.

This initiative has taken place in the context of growing international pressure for sport to contribute to climate goals. The IOC and UN have both emphasised the importance of the sports sector aligning with the Paris Agreement, and British Olympic and Paralympic organisations have increasingly prioritised environmental commitments as part of broader strategic planning.

UK Sport, the organisation responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport in the UK, has aimed to embed sustainability as a core principle across the high-performance system through this programme.

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