NFL Appoints Alexander Steinforth To Lead Growth In Germany

ALEXANDER STEINFORTH, who is currently Managing Director of Deutsche Sport Marketing, is to join the National Football League as General Manager, Germany, it was announced today.

Steinforth’s role will see him drive and execute the league’s business in Germany, including fan growth, commercial success, live regular-season games and development of community programs. His appointment builds on the tremendous momentum the NFL has experienced in Germany, where the league has 19 million fans and has seen weekly television ratings on ProSieben and DAZN grow by more than 20 percent annually since 2017. Steinforth will be based in Germany and will report to Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK.

An experienced sports management expert, Steinforth’s role as head of the commercial arm of the German Olympic Sports Federation has seen him drive record-breaking revenues and profits.

“We are very pleased to welcome Alexander to the NFL,” said Gosper. “He is a well-rounded candidate with strong leadership experience and a sharp commercial brain. He is the ideal person to be at the forefront of the expansion of our business in Germany.”

Before joining Deutsche Sport Marketing in 2020, Steinforth spent three years as commercial director at Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf and two years as strategy manager at Manchester United. His previous work experience includes Deutsche Fußball-Liga, ProSiebenSat1 as well as the management consultancy Boston Consulting Group.

“I am looking forward to this challenging and exciting new role,” said Steinforth. “The NFL has great momentum in Germany and I am confident I can use my experience to create further opportunities to develop the sport and expand NFL’s fan base. The NFL is committed to growth in Germany and I am honored to be playing a part in that process.”

Steinforth is expected to take up his NFL duties early in 2022.

David Lampitt Appointed CEO Of ATP’s Tennis Data Innovations

David Lampitt has today been announced as the first CEO of Tennis Data Innovations (TDI), a joint venture by ATP and ATP Media.

Formed in late 2020, the TDI group was created to manage the aggregated rights to ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour match data, coupled with certain media streaming rights, to enrich fans’ enjoyment of tennis and make tennis even more accessible to the digital audience.

An accomplished sports industry professional, Lampitt brings a wealth of experience in senior roles across sport, most recently as Managing Director of Sports Content & Partnerships at Sportradar, a global leader in sports data, content and technology. In nearly a decade at the company, Lampitt shaped the commercial and strategic development of the sports data market and delivered partnerships with many of the world’s leading sports organisations, as well as being part of the leadership team that successfully completed the company’s IPO in September this year.

Prior to Sportradar, Lampitt spent seven years at the English Football Association and two years as CEO of Portsmouth Football Club. He also worked as CEO of Supporters Direct, a not-for-profit organisation promoting good governance in sport. He holds a degree in Modern Languages from Bristol University and is an ACA Chartered Accountant.

The appointment marks the first senior executive hire since the formation of TDI. As CEO, Lampitt will be responsible for overseeing the central management, product innovation, and exploitation of tennis data in a variety of downstream markets, including betting and performance analytics. TDI has a number of strategic goals including commercial performance of the data and databases under its control, sales strategy, integrity and compliance as well as the potential future integration of data assets from other tennis stakeholders.

David Lampitt said: “As a lifelong tennis fan, I’m delighted to be joining TDI at such an exciting juncture, as tennis looks to transform the way its data and content is leveraged across the modern game. I’m looking forward to building out the team at TDI and supporting the ATP and ATP Media’s joint mission to deliver the best experiences to tennis fans around the world.”

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman and TDI Board member, said: “The biggest growth opportunity for tennis lies in media and data. With ATP Media already successfully dedicated to the media side of the ATP Tour, TDI was created for precisely this reason on the data side, to develop new products to enhance the fan experience and to aggregate those data products and scale revenues on behalf of our members.”

Mark Webster, ATP Media CEO and TDI Board member added: “This is an important new venture with huge potential upside, and we needed someone with deep understanding of the space to lead the team. We’re delighted to have attracted someone of David’s skill and experience to come on board as CEO.”

Lampitt begins in the role effective 1 January 2022 and will be based in London, UK.

Viaplay To Launch In The Netherlands At The Beginning Of March 2022

Viaplay and VodafoneZiggo, a leading provider of fixed, mobile and integrated communication and entertainment services in the Netherlands, have entered a multi-year distribution partnership to make Viaplay accessible to almost 4 million households across the country. Viaplay will launch in the Netherlands on 1 March 2022 and will offer Dutch viewers a unique combination of premium live sports, Viaplay Originals, Hollywood films and series, and kids content.

From 1 March, Ziggo customers can add a Viaplay subscription to their TV or broadband package.

Kim Poder, NENT Group Chief Commercial Officer: “We are delighted to announce this long-term deal with one of the leading operators in the Netherlands. Ziggo has significant reach and an established position in sports, and we will work together to help as many viewers as possible get to know Viaplay. This partnership will make it easy for Ziggo customers to enjoy our unique offering from day one.” 

Robin Kroes, Chief Strategy & Content Officer at VodafoneZiggo: “We want to give our customers easy access to all their favourite content, including sports. This partnership helps to fulfil that aim, so we are pleased to have come to a collaboration with Viaplay.”

Live sports available on Viaplay will include Formula 1 featuring Dutch superstar Max Verstappen, current joint leader of the World Drivers’ Championship; PDC darts with three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen; Bundesliga football and much more, with Premier League football to come from August 2022.

In the Netherlands, Viaplay will be available through third-party distribution partnerships and direct subscriptions. The service will be supported by a wide range of devices and platforms, including smart TVs; iOS and Android smartphones and tablets; Chromecast and Apple TV; and PC and Mac.

Endeavor Creates Diamond Baseball Holdings, Acquires Nine MLB Minor League Clubs

Endeavor today announced the creation of Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization dedicated to supporting, promoting and enhancing the sport of baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. Endeavor has also signed purchase agreements to acquire nine MLB Professional Development League (PDL) Clubs, which remain subject to customary closing conditions.

Diamond Baseball Holdings will operate select Clubs affiliated with the most iconic franchises in Major League Baseball, including the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants. The initial Clubs are:

  • Iowa Cubs (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs)
  • Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals)
  • Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders (Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees)
  • Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees)
  • San Jose Giants (Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants)

Subject to the PDL approval process, DBH will also operate all four affiliates of the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves:

  • Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
  • Mississippi Braves (Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
  • Rome Braves (High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
  • Augusta GreenJackets (Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)

Endeavor is also in late stage negotiations with a handful of other significant franchises and expects to announce those developments in due course.

“Opportunities to move into an ownership position of a sport so steeped in history are increasingly rare, and we are confident this will drive meaningful growth in the Owned Sports Properties segment of our company,” said Mark Shapiro, President of Endeavor. “Just as we’ve done for the UFC, PBR and Euroleague, we see tremendous potential to turbocharge these storied Clubs using the scale and capabilities of Endeavor. Our expertise across sponsorship sales, event operations, licensing, marketing and content creation will bring incredible value to these Clubs, supporting communities across the country who form the backbone of the Professional Development League system.”

Endeavor has appointed two industry leaders, Pat Battle and Peter B. Freund, to oversee Diamond Baseball Holdings. Battle is Executive Chairman of DBH, bringing extensive experience at the local and national level, as well as ownership interest in two PDL Clubs. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Learfield and serves as an advisor to Endeavor across multiple companies. Freund is CEO of DBH, also bringing to the plate experience as a longtime Minor League Baseball owner and operator. Freund most recently consulted with the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on the transition of Major League Baseball’s licensed affiliates while spearheading the formation of the MLB Draft League.

“We are excited to lead Diamond Baseball Holdings and create new opportunities for Clubs and communities that play an essential role in cultivating America’s favorite pastime,” said Battle and Freund. “We will be global in our ambitions and hyper-local in our approach, and creating incredible fan experiences will remain our number one priority. Additionally, we look forward to providing opportunities for growth to the employees of PDL Clubs whose passion and ingenuity have built the sport through the decades.”

“As a longtime Minor League owner and operator, I am thrilled that Hudson Valley will now be part of such a dynamic new group of Clubs,” said Marv Goldklang, Chairman of the industry-leading Goldklang Group and a limited partner of the New York Yankees for more than 30 years. “I have known Peter Freund for almost 15 years and have every confidence that with him at the helm, Diamond Baseball Holdings will continue to build on our legacy, which we are incredibly proud of.”

DBH will support its Clubs with ticket sales, partnerships, naming rights, food & beverage, merchandising, content strategy, collectibles/authentics/NFTs and media rights, tapping into the broader Endeavor network including Learfield and Endeavor Analytics for expertise across the various disciplines.

SailGP Unveils Expanded Season 3 Schedule

First eight cities unveiled in an expanded SailGP Season 3 – 10 teams to line-up for third season, starting May 2022 in BermudaLeague grows presence with new events in Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai and New Zealand, including a four year partnership that sees Christchurch and Auckland as alternate hosts

SailGP returns in its third season with additional new teams, more iconic cities and thrilling racing as it reaffirms its status as the most exciting and purpose-driven racing on-water. The future has never looked brighter for SailGP as it expands both its competitive roster and enviable list of global event locations, whilst returning to some fan-favourite destinations that attracted thousands of fans in Season 2.

Once again bringing the sport’s best roster of athletes together, the global championship welcomes two new franchise teams for its third season, with Canada and Switzerland set to expand SailGP’s reach to new audiences. They join teams from Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States.
SailGP Season 3 has been expanded to include ten events, with seven grands prix taking place in 2022 and the remainder in the first quarter of 2023, with the season expected to finish in April 2023. The championship kicks-off for the second straight year in Bermuda with the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess. From there, the ten-nation fleet will head to a new SailGP destination in North America and include a home race for Jimmy Spithill’s U.S. team at Chicago’s Navy Pier on Lake Michigan in June. Both Bermuda and Chicago are two year deals that will see the league return in Season 4.

The fleet will arrive in Europe for the summer with four European events planned. Following successful events in Season 2, SailGP will return to Plymouth – Britain’s Ocean City – in late July, the iconic French destination of Saint-Tropez in September and then later the same month Cádiz, in Andalucía, Spain. In addition, the fleet of hydrofoiling F50s will revisit Denmark, but this time, the capital city of Copenhagen will host the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix. Racing for 2022 will conclude with another new addition to the calendar as SailGP hosts its first Middle Eastern event in Dubai, UAE presented by P&O Marinas on November 11-12.

Season 3 will continue into 2023 and include an event in New Zealand as part of a major four-season partnership with New Zealand Major Events. Through the partnership – spanning Season 3 to Season 6 – Christchurch and Auckland will share hosting duties of SailGP, claiming a permanent fixture on the SailGP season calendar and the first home event for Peter Burling and Blair Tuke’s New Zealand SailGP Team.

All the Season 3 action will be available live in over 175 territories through SailGP’s broadcast partners, including Australia (Fox Sports), Denmark (TV2 Sport), France (Canal+ Sport), Japan (J Sports), New Zealand (Sky Sport), South East Asia (beIN SPORTS), Spain (RTVE and TV3), UK/Ireland (SKY Sports) and the U.S. (CBS Sports) as well as across SailGP digital platforms including the award winning SailGP App.

As the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, SailGP will continue to push boundaries in the global event industry and its Race for the Future. From its inception in 2019, SailGP has been measuring, reducing and contributing its entire carbon footprint and has set an ambitious target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint – based on science – by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025 on shore and on the water.

All of the host cities in Season 3 share SailGP’s commitment to climate action and a cleaner future. SailGP and host cities will collaborate deeper for Season 3 and every host city will sign the league’s Climate Action Charter – working alongside CDP – and commit to local impact projects focusing on clean energy impact and wider ocean conservation.

Running concurrent to the championship trophy for the on-water racing, SailGP’s pioneering Impact League will return even stronger in Season 3. The forward-thinking league – introduced in Season 2 – tracks the positive actions the teams make to reduce their overall carbon footprint and help accelerate inclusivity in sailing. The end result of the season is two podiums, one for sport and one for the planet and the prize fund going to the team’s purpose partners, which the cities will also contribute towards for the first time.

As part of SailGP’s better sport strategy, diversity and inclusion will also be a continued focus for Season 3. The league will continue to give opportunities to female athletes as part of its Women’s Pathway Program – racing onboard the high-speed F50s throughout the season – to accelerate inclusion within the sport and inspire change. SailGP will also use its community-engagement arm – SailGP Inspire – to introduce young people from diverse backgrounds to the sport and give career opportunities within the wider marine industry.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “When Larry Ellison and I came up with the concept for SailGP, we envisaged a league with the best athletes in the world, racing in equal high-tech boats that are extremely fast, creating exciting, close to shore action, and with a regular season for our fans to truly engage with the sport globally. We set ourselves a five year goal, but to sit here in Season 3 with ten teams on the start line – including two new franchised teams – an expanded season calendar, an impressive collection of commercial and broadcast partners, purpose and impact at our heart with a positive impact on the environment and an immersive fan experience through our broadcast and gaming offer – I simply couldn’t be happier with what has already been achieved.”

Season 2 of SailGP continues with the Australia Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG in Sydney on December 17 and 18. The season will conclude March 26 and 27 with the SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco.

SailGP Season 3 Schedule* // 2022-2023

May 14-15                   Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess

June 18-19                  United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier

July 30-31                   Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth

August 19-20              ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen

September 10-11        France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez

September 24-25        Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – CádizN

November 11-12         Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas

2023                            New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch

*Further events will be announced to complete Season 3, which will conclude April 2023 and is expected to comprise ten events.

MLS NEXT Pro Unveils 21 Clubs For Inaugural Season Starting March 2022

MLS NEXT Pro announced on Monday the 21 clubs that will compete in the new professional league’s inaugural 2022 season.

Established in June by Major League Soccer, the new professional league will complete an integrated player pathway from MLS NEXT through to MLS first teams. The new league will offer young players and experienced professionals the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while competing for an MLS NEXT Pro championship.

WESTERN CONF.EASTERN CONF.
ColoradoChicago
DallasCincinnati
HoustonColumbus
Kansas CityMiami
MinnesotaNew England
PortlandNew York City
Salt LakeOrlando
San JosePhiladelphia
SeattleRochester**
St. LouisToronto
Vancouver

** Independent pro club

Joining in 2023:

Eight additional MLS-affiliated teams will join MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, including: Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, D.C., LA, LAFC, Nashville and NY Red Bulls. In addition to Rochester NY FC, MLS NEXT Pro will introduce additional independent clubs to the league in 2023 and beyond.

Rochester NY FC

Rochester NY FC will serve as MLS NEXT Pro’s inaugural independent club. Rochester NY FC, founded in 1996 as the Rochester Rhinos and rebranded this September, is owned by David and Wendy Dworkin, and co-owned by Premier League striker, and former England National Team star, Jamie Vardy of Leicester City F.C.

“We look forward to showcasing Rochester as a premier professional club and are excited to kick off that process by helping to launch the inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro in 2022,” said Vardy. “Joining this league, full of opportunity for communities, fans, players and staff – on the pitch and off – is a tremendous point of pride for our club.”

“We are thrilled that Rochester NY FC will be the first independent club to join MLS Next Pro”, said David and Wendy Dworkin. “Rochester established itself as a winning club with the Rhinos, and we are pleased to add a new chapter in the city’s rich soccer history as Rochester NY FC. We are excited to develop the future international stars of soccer, right here in our local community. By joining this league, Rochester is on the cusp of the future and the evolving global game of soccer.”

mls-ecosystem_ENG_16x9

MLS NEXT Pro will bring professional soccer closer to fans and supporters, while providing more opportunities for players, coaches, referees and sports business professionals throughout North America.

  • 24 league games per club
  • 8 teams will make the playoffs culminating in a cup final
  • Adidas will serve as MLS NEXT Pro’s first corporate sponsor
  • Charles Altchek will serve as President of the league
  • Ali Curtis will serve as Senior Vice President of Competition and Operations of MLS NEXT Pro

“Charles and Ali have the experience, enthusiasm and values to lead the growth and development of MLS NEXT Pro,” said MLS Commissioner, Don Garber. “They will partner with MLS-affiliated and independent teams to bring professional soccer to more communities throughout North America.”

Adidas: As a founding partner of MLS NEXT Pro, adidas will continue to expand upon its deep relationship with MLS and MLS NEXT. The partnership affirms adidas’ commitment to the growth and advancement of the sport of soccer in local communities throughout the United States, Canada and globally.;Pro Player PathwayThe stars of tomorrow play in MLS NEXT Pro today

pro-player-pathways_ENG_16x9

“MLS NEXT Pro completes Major League Soccer’s pro player pathway, connecting our youth academies through to our first teams,” said Altchek. “As we continue to push the future of soccer forward in the United States and Canada, player development, community, innovation and diversity form the pillars of MLS NEXT Pro. The inaugural season in 2022 will be another historic moment for the sport.”

“MLS NEXT Pro will enhance the quality of all players, coaches, referees, and executives along the development pathway and it is an important step to the growth of the sport in North America leading up to the World Cup in 2026,” said Senior Vice President of Competition and Operations of MLS NEXT Pro Ali Curtis.

San Diego State University And Qualcomm Announce Major Naming Rights Deal For New Stadium

San Diego State University’s new stadium, part of the expansive SDSU Mission Valley development, has a new name —  Snapdragon Stadium. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has entered into a long-term agreement, securing exclusive naming rights to the new, one-of-a-kind venue. The agreement will now go to the California State University Board of Trustees for formal approval. 

Snapdragon is Qualcomm Technologies’ premier mobile platform brand. It represents a family of technology platforms that bring intelligence and connectivity to smartphones, wearables, always-connected PCs, XR headsets, gaming devices and cars. The Snapdragon® platforms are designed to deliver premium performance and immersive experiences to the user. 

Come opening day fall 2022, San Diego sports fans will welcome the world-class, Snapdragon Stadium, designed to meet the needs of the entire San Diego community. With the implementation of 5G within the stadium, Snapdragon Stadium is intended to be an embodiment of real, impactful examples of a world where everyone and everything is intelligently connected. 

The $45M deal, structured as a 15-year, $3 million per year agreement, marks a new, yet nostalgic era in the San Diego sports story, as two San Diego institutions, with a shared commitment to serving the greater San Diego community, come together. 

“We are thrilled to have secured the exclusive naming rights to San Diego State University’s new stadium, Snapdragon Stadium. Snapdragon stands for premium experiences and leading-edge performance, which is what fans can expect from this new state-of-the-art venue,” said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. “This is just the first phase of an expansive relationship between Qualcomm Technologies and San Diego State University as we look to support their broad digital transformation that will include the Stadium, the upcoming Innovation District, and smart campus enhancements across their campuses. This agreement is the reflection of our mutual dedication to our local San Diego community.”

“Qualcomm is well-recognized and respected not only here in San Diego, but globally,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. “Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies represents a shared vision for a fully smart stadium — the cornerstone to what will be a one-of-a-kind smart campus — which will enrich, educate, and empower those we serve here locally and around the world.”

Located in Mission Valley, the heart of San Diego, the new state-of-the-art venue will not only provide a year-round hub of entertainment and community engagement, but also serve as a welcomed home for SDSU athletics and a gathering place for the broader San Diego region. 

“Partnering with Qualcomm on Snapdragon Stadium continues our push for creating a world class stadium experience for the entire San Diego community,” said SDSU Athletic Director JD Wicker. “Our growing relationship will allow us to leverage the best-in-class technological advances of Qualcomm to create superior fan experiences no matter the event,” Wicker continued. “This is another example related to the SDSU Mission Valley development of community investing in community.”

SDSU first broke ground on the Mission Valley stadium site in August 2020. The momentous occasion celebrated taking ownership of the site and marked the first step in SDSU Mission Valley’s development.

Snapdragon Stadium is on schedule to be completed by Sept. 3, 2022 when the SDSU Aztec football team is scheduled to play the University of Arizona Wildcats in the season home opener.

SDSU Athletics was represented by JMI Sports and Legends, which sourced and helped negotiate the agreement.

World Rugby Launches Request For Information For Digital Collectibles

  • World Rugby plans to launch programme of digital collectibles to engage fans and transform its commercial models
  • World Rugby seeks suppliers to co-developer a non-fungible token (NFT) programme

Innovation lies at the heart of World Rugby’s ongoing commitment to attracting new audiences to rugby globally while deepening connections with existing fans. 

Supporting that mission, World Rugby is delighted to announce that it has launched a Request for Information (RFI) process for interested parties to join its Digital Collectables journey, enabling the sport to reach and attract new audiences globally.

Underpinned by a secure blockchain network, digital collectables and experiences are at the heart of the fan-engagement revolution in entertainment and sport. Interested parties will develop a plan for the co-development of a non-fungible token (NFT) programme that will enable the sport to reach and attract new audiences through a fun, unique and immersive offering across the spectrum of collectables, fan tokens, trading cards and unique ownership of incredible men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup moments.

World Rugby is perfectly and uniquely placed to harness the power of its extensive, multi-lingual platforms and global digital footprint to deliver a truly immersive, fun and unique opportunity to get closer to the sport, its events and stars.

Through the RFI, which can be downloaded here, World Rugby aims to identify partners who share its vision for global growth, unlocking new revenue to be reinvested in the sport at all levels, while facilitating a deeper connection with the rugby family, particularly the next generation of participants and fans.

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “In line with our new strategic plan, we are looking to develop a deeper connection with the rugby family that stretches beyond our social and digital channels.

“We are really excited to be exploring new ways to provide fans with fun, immersive and unique opportunities to get even closer to the sport, including in the growth area of digital collectables. We regularly reach out to our fanbase to get their views. We have engaged. We have listened and we are acting.

“Digital collectables are the immediate future of sports fan engagement and are hugely successful across major US sports and growing in popularity on a global basis.

“We are perfectly positioned to join and lead the revolution in sport. As part of this RFI process, we want to unlock the potential of our vast men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups archives to enable fans to own a part of our sport’s history through a range of limited digital collectables, among other areas. We look forward to the responses to this process.”

World Rugby Chief Revenue and Fan Engagement Officer Richard Heaselgrave added: “We’ve put more emphasis than ever before on the role of digital products and services, and a greater strategic imperative around commercial performance to support the game’s biggest stakeholders, while building an authentic global community.

“We see new digital products as a key means to support the growth of the game at a critical point in rugby’s history and connect World Rugby with a new generation of fans.”

Interested parties have until 24 December, 2021 to submit responses.

Super League Triathlon And DRYWORLD Announce New Global Apparel Partnership

Super League Triathlon today announces a three year deal with global athletic performance brand DRYWORLD who are to become the official apparel partner of SLT. 

DRYWORLD will design, develop and manufacture tri-suits and training gear for Super League’s world-class professional athletes as well as kitting out staff. It will also create a special and eagerly awaited lifestyle collection for athletes and fans. This will be available in the New Year at events and online through a dedicated SLT global e-commerce platform. 

The Canadian-born athletic brand, known for its high performance and sustainable apparel lines, is celebrated for its laser-sharp focus on developing the best purpose-driven products for athletes. Now turning their unique approach to R&D on the triathlon market.

Through this partnership, Super League athletes and staff will enjoy the brand’s signature innovations and differentiators. SLT Professionals have even been involved in the product development and testing of DRYWORLD’s new technical tri-suit, which will be available in 2022. 

Super League Triathlon Dryworld Kit

SLT is the world’s fastest swim-bike-run series. It pits the greatest triathletes against each other in quick and exciting race formats, across stunning destinations, worldwide. 

The athletes will first showcase their DRYWORLD kit at the Arena Games Triathlon in spring 2022. A dynamic new esports format in collaboration with World Triathlon. The Arena Games Triathlon blends together real life and virtual racing to deliver an immersive viewing experience via a unique partnership with Zwift

SLT will then host its renowned annual Championship Series later in the year. The series sees professional triathletes battling against each other for one of the largest prize purses in the sport. Their disruptive race formats and revolutionary approach to triathlon is redefining the discipline for a modern audience. 

HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS AT DRYWORLD, IAN HOLLISTER, SAID:

“DRYWORLD is most excited about partnering with a brand that is innovative in its approach to the sport. As well as its incredible global Championship Series, Super League is the first major sports brand to incorporate a virtual element to real world competition in their unique product, the Arena Games Triathlon in partnership with Zwift. In fact, SLT Arena Games just won the Cutting Edge Award at the Sports Industry Awards”. 

MARTIN CAWTE, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER AT SUPER LEAGUE TRIATHLON, SAID:

“Super League Triathlon is always looking to partner with brands who share our philosophy of innovation and progress and DRYWORLD is exactly that. This partnership will not only see DRYWORLD bring their science, expertise and unique technologies to prepare cutting edge race kits for the best triathletes on the planet, but also for age groupers around the world and fans of the sport, who will be able to enjoy a comprehensive SLT merchandise range.”

Williams Racing Renews Partnership With Crew Clothing As Official Supplier

Williams Racing today announced a multi-year renewal of its partnership with British lifestyle brand, Crew Clothing, as official supplier for the team’s travel kit.

The partnership, which started in 2020, will now enter its third season and is a testament of Crew’s longstanding support of British sport.

As part of the continuation of supplying travel kit to the race team, Crew’s Ocean Polo shirt has been added to the collection, made from sustainable cotton and using 88% less water, aligning both Williams’ and Crew Clothing’s sustainability work.

Following record breaking sales in 2021, sustainability will play an important part in the new Crew Clothing x Williams Racing licensed range launching in Spring 2022, with a collection of wardrobe essentials inspired by the track.

James Bower, Commercial Director at Williams Racing, said: “We’re excited to extend our partnership with Crew Clothing and have them on board as the team’s official travel kit provider on a multi-year agreement.  Their focus on quality, design and sustainability aligns perfectly with the spirit of Williams as we continue to transform both on and off track in this new era for the team.”

David Butler, Crew Clothing’s CEO added “We’re very proud to be partnered with Williams Racing. The extension of this partnership is a testament to the strength and success of the last year. Together, we will continue to inspire fans on the racetrack and beyond with memorable sporting moments spent wearing Crew Clothing.”