Shorts: London Lions, Brentford, Formula E
The London Lions basketball team has announced StockX as a new principal partner.
The London Lions describes its new partnership with the global current culture product trading platform as a commitment to ‘growing the game, enhancing fan experiences and driving cultural change within the community.’
StockX and London Lions will collaborate on a series of initiatives designed to provide opportunities to fans, including exclusive giveaways, youth workshops and fan experiences both in-venue and across social media.
Oliver Emery, Chief Content Officer at London Lions, said,“Fashion, Music, Art and Community are at the heart of everything we do here at the London Lions, and we’ve been holding out for an authentic principal partner who shared the same values. StockX could not be a better partner in that respect, and we are excited to get to work with their team on our shared mission immediately.
“There is a renewed sense of excitement around British Basketball and the London Lions are at the epicentre of that shift, through our culture-driven ethos and community outreach. It is this culture and identity, coupled with exceptional growth of our sports entertainment product this season, that presents a unique opportunity for London Lions and StockX to work together. We look forward to connecting with our fans in new and exciting ways through this partnership, while also growing the sport of basketball in the UK. This is just the beginning.”
Premier League football club Brentford FC has announced its annual financial results for the year-ending 30th June 2022.
The accounts show club record turnover of £140.9m, driven primarily by the huge increase in central distributions from the Premier League, as well as strong growth in commercial and matchday revenue streams following the welcome return of fans post-pandemic into the new Gtech Community Stadium.
Having suffered a £53.2m loss in 2021, the financial statements for the year under review show a group operating profit before player trading of £25.1m. The significant turnover increase somewhat offset by increased administrative expenses of £45.4m, driven by player wage and player amortisation growth.
Brentford has recorded a record profit before taxation of £29.9m.
Cliff Crown, Chair of Brentford FC, commented,”The impact created by the promotion to the Premier League has been game-changing for the club. Promotion was a culmination of years of planning, investment and hard work throughout the club. As you will read, our financial results, fuelled by central broadcasting distributions and increased commercial revenues, are positive. It is not uncommon for newly promoted clubs to make a healthy profit in their first season in the Premier League, which we managed to do.”
Formula E has named US wire and cable producers Southwire as the title sponsor of the 2023 Southwire Portland E-Prix in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Taking place on Saturday 24th June, the race mark the United States debut of the GEN3 – ‘the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built’ – and the last of four new race locations in Season 9’s 16-race calendar following debuts in Hyderabad, Cape Town and São Paulo.
Southwire was recently named as the official wire and cable provider for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the first sport in the world to be certified net zero carbon since its inception.
Matt Scammell, Chief Commercial Officer, Formula E, said, “We are excited that Southwire is strengthening its relationship with the series to become title sponsor of a new race in the key US market. Our partnership is based on positive shared beliefs and values and we are looking forward to exploring new ways to collaborate in an exciting future.”
Loughborough University has officially opened its new multi-million-pound Powerbase gym extension following significant financial investment.
Officially opened on Tuesday 28 March 2023 by UK Sport CEO, Sally Munday, the new facility spans a combined 3,200 m2, doubling the size of the University’s strength and conditioning environment home to Loughborough’s multiple Olympic, Paralympic and World Champions.
The gym space has been equipped with the highest level of training equipment and is fully integrated with the latest technology and training equipment.
The new venue has been developed in collaboration with partners from PLAE, BLKBOX, Life Fitness, Eleiko, Output Sports, VALD and Technogym.
The Women’s Tour, the award-winning British cycle race, will take a one-year hiatus in 2023.
The cancellation is put down to ‘a combination of increased running costs (approximately 20% higher in comparison to the 2022 race) and a reduced level of commercial support’. The Tour has described the race as ‘impossible to deliver’.
The decision has been taken now following a three-week renewed appeal for funding, which included an crowdfunding scheme that was supported by over 500 race fans.
The Tour claims it is ‘already working on plans for next year’s edition, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the first Women’s Tour.’
