Shorts: Gareth Bale, Matta, We Are Social Sport

Mastercard has launched The Pledge Ball, a football made from recycled boots and engraved with pledges by the football community. 

The campaign features football legend Gareth Bale, and aims to encourage collective action in support of sustainability.

As part of his own efforts to promote sustainability, the former Spurs and Real Madrid star himself pledged to drink plant-based milk alternatives.

The campaign launches ahead of this year’s UEFA Champions League final, which will see Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid face each other at Wembley Stadium on 1st June.

“I’ve been lucky enough to achieve my goals in football, score a few too, and think it’s important that we all try to set personal goals for the things that are important to us,” Bale said.

“It’s why I’ve given my pledge to the Mastercard Pledge Ball, and I hope the 450 million fans set to watch the final next week are inspired to do the same. If football has a superpower, it’s teamwork, and I think that’s exactly what our planet needs a bit of right now.”

Matta has created a global brand and strategic positioning for ‘Sports For Nature’ movement, in order to protect the planet’s biodiversity. 

More than 40 global organisations, including E1 Series, and World Triathlon, have already signed up to join the movement, which supports global effort to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

The creative agency was tasked with delivering a global brand and strategic positioning for ‘Sports For Nature’ which would encourage organisations to sign up to the movement. 

Tom Allwood, Managing Director at Matta, said, “To be invited to create a brand for something so globally important is a real honour for the agency.

“We believe in the power of sport to change lives and that means being aware of the impact it can have on the physical environment.” 

Creative agency, We Are Social Sport has launched a new report, aiming to address racial and gender-based discrimination in sport.

Titled ‘Braving the Backlash,’ the report comes in the buildup to this summer’s UEFA Euro 2024 tournament and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Charlie Cottrell, Executive Editorial Director at We Are Social, said,“We know hate speech on social media is an issue, and a concern for brands who want to be present on social platforms.

“Ignoring it and hoping it’ll go away isn’t an option – brands need to be proactive and address issues like this head on. This approach will lead to stronger relationships with their communities and with their creator partners, as well as helping make social a better place to be for everyone.“

Sport streaming platform Joymo has inked a five-year partnership with the with the World Baseball Softball Confederation Europe (WSBC). 

Joymo, which was shortlisted for Best Streaming Platform at the FEVO Sport Industry Awards 2024, has become the exclusive provider of WSBC Europe’s owned and operated over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. 

As per the agreement, Joymo will launch and develop a new digital content platform, which will air more than 20 tournaments and 700 games in its first year.

Kruno Karin, Europe President at the WBSC said, “In order to grow our games, we know that we have to provide more access to quality live content and the partnership with Joymo enables us to do that on a global basis.

“Our investment elevates the production of our events dramatically and creates a true digital home for the sport which should excite baseball and softball fans everywhere.” 

Topps, the trading card subsidiary of Fanatics Collectibles, has appointed sports PR agency Matchfit in order to oversee the company’s storytelling across the UK.

The appointment follows the creative launch of the giant mosaic depicting Andy Robertson made from official UEFA Euro 2024 Trading cards. 

MatchFit was nominated for Specialist Agency of the Year at this year’s FEVO Sport Industry Awards.

Ian Foster, Senior Director of Marketing and Digital Content at Topps said, “The last two months have already seen hugely successful and creative launches for our big UEFA Euro 2024 product launch campaigns, with lots more to come as we gear up for a huge summer for the brand.“

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