Extreme E Joins Forces With Socialie To Enhance Social Media Content

Pioneering electric SUV race series, Extreme E, has announced that it has joined forces with leading content distribution platform, Socialie. 

This collaboration will enable Extreme E to enhance the management, distribution and ROI of its social media content – including its race coverage, its environmental objectives and the fascinating stories of the people and places behind the championship for easy sharing with drivers, teams, partners, stakeholders and media.

Launched in 2016, Socialie has fast become a leader in social media content distribution within the world of sport, boasting an enviable array of clients including ATP Tour, WTA, UFC, FIBA Media, European Tour and many others. Built by industry experts from the ground up, the company is famed for being the most effective platform for maximising the social ecosystems of the brands that it works with, allowing for fast, impactful delivery of content and advanced sharing mechanisms.

The partnership will enable Extreme E to seamlessly deliver content from remote locations around the world, direct to their Socialie account for automated onward distribution whilst at the same time, retaining full visibility of real time social analytics across their drivers, teams and other stakeholders’ social accounts.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E said: “Extreme E’s collaboration with Socialie means we can fully realise the potential of our outstanding visual content as well as amplify the environmental, electrification and equality messaging behind our unique sport for purpose series.

“The modern social media landscape presents enormous opportunities for Extreme E, not only as an emerging and innovative sport but one with a vital narrative to deliver, and we’re excited to take that further than ever before.”

Kristin Adams, Socialie CEO and Founder said: “We are excited to be working with Extreme E during its inaugural season. The championship is highlighting the impact of climate change through sport but also through the media.

“By using Socialie, Extreme E is empowering its drivers, teams and other influential stakeholders to easily share and amplify this very important message across social media to showcase the unique events and raise awareness for the need to protect the environment. We are proud that Socialie has been chosen as its platform to achieve this.”

The series has now completed its first two events, the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia (3-4 April) and most recently the Ocean X Prix in Lac Rose, Senegal (29-30 May). The series now heads to Greenland (28-29 August) followed by Brazil (23-24 October) and Patagonia (11-12 December). By holding races in areas that are suffering at the hands of the environmental crisis, such as tropical rainforests and the Arctic, the aim is to raise viewers’ awareness and interest in environmental issues.

AFC And CBS Sports Agree Broadcast Deal In USA

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CBS Sports have agreed on a multi-platform agreement for exclusive rights to the AFC competitions in the United States of America.

Paramount+ will stream exclusive coverage of the AFC’s world-class competitions including the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Final Round, AFC Champions League, AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

Paramount+ will deliver club and national team matches live between 2021 and 2024, including coverage of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Final Round, where Asia’s top 12 nations will compete to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Paramount+ coverage also includes the remainder of the 2021 AFC Champions League from the Knockout Stage matches through to the Final in November. The service will be the home of the AFC Champions League each season through to 2024.

CBS Sports Digital will deliver additional coverage and original programming and feature highlights across social channels and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news network.

Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary said: “The AFC is delighted to enter into this partnership with CBS Sports, which represents another progressive step towards increasing the visibility and consumption of the AFC’s competitions beyond our Continent.

“We look forward to working with CBS Sports in growing the fanbase of the AFC’s world-class competitions in the vibrant North American market as well as in the AFC’s territories in Guam and Northern Mariana Islands and we thank them for believing in the future of Asian football.”

“The addition of Asian Football further elevates our extensive lineup of live soccer coverage on Paramount+, highlighted by elite club competition and some of the top national teams across both the men’s and women’s international game,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Sports Digital.

“Offering matches from this expansive region provides even more value by delivering year-round soccer coverage at a time of day where the sport traditionally isn’t offered to American fans.”

“We are thrilled to welcome CBS Sports to the family of AFC media partners. This partnership marks another important step on our mission to bring Asian football to ever bigger global audiences; hence we are proud to see the AFC’s national team and club competitions soon being available across the U.S. and Canada,” said Patrick Murphy, Board Member and CEO at Football Marketing Asia (FMA).

“We are looking forward to working with CBS Sports to provide an exciting experience for its viewers, and to continue to grow the audience of Asian football fans in North America.”

FIFA Awards Australian Media Rights For World Cup 2023 To Optus Sport

FIFA has awarded the exclusive rights in Australia for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ to Optus Sport.

As part of the agreement, Optus will show all 64 matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, the biggest event in the international women’s game, on its Optus Sport platform in Australia. One match per day, including the key matches of the tournament and all Matildas’ matches, will be made available nationwide with free access. The Optus coverage of the tournament will reach fans across all platforms with highlights, support programming and other digital content.

Optus Sport was a Media Rights Licensee (MRL) in Australia for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™ and will extend its coverage for the 2023 edition of the tournament. Women’s football is a core element of Optus Sport’s elite football offering and Optus aims to bring the sport to the widest possible audience in Australia. Optus is one of the leading consumer brands in Australia through its telecommunications business with 11 million customers, which will provide a unique opportunity to engage with fans across Australia and promote the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.

Sarai Bareman, Chief Women’s Football Officer, FIFA said:

“FIFA is excited to welcome Optus Sport as our official broadcaster of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ for Australia. Optus has shown a strong commitment to broadcasting women’s football and this deal will provide unprecedented coverage in Australia for the tournament, as well as bringing women’s football to more fans and new audiences. We look forward to working with Optus to promote the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to accelerate the growth of the women’s game in Australia in the lead up to 2023.”

Commenting on the tournament, Optus Chief Executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said:

“We are delighted to not only support the most exciting women’s sporting event in the world, hosted right here on our home soil, but also to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to growing women’s sport in this country .”

The FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will take place from 20 July to 20 August 2023. Earlier this year, FIFA announced the 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand where matches will be played during the tournament. Eden Park in Auckland will host the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, with Stadium Australia in Sydney selected to host the Final.

DAZN Agrees Five-Year Global Deal With Matchroom

DAZN, the leading global sports streaming platform, and Matchroom, the leading international boxing promoter, have struck a game-changing five-year global deal.

DAZN will be the global home of Matchroom and its world-class, worldwide stable of fighters – including a groundbreaking move that will see at least 16 Matchroom UK fights annually available exclusively to DAZN subscribers in the UK and Ireland for the first time, from July 2021 onwards. This historic agreement builds on the growing momentum and success of the partnership across all corners of the world and not only cements DAZN as the new home of boxing in the UK and Ireland but the global home of boxing.  

The landmark Matchroom UK deal will see DAZN deliver its nonstop schedule of Matchroom UK boxing to fans all around the world and kicks off on July 31 with three back-to-back weekends of the return of the exhilarating Matchroom Fight Camp series.

In due course, details of the exciting slate of summer and autumn fight programming will be announced, including highly-anticipated domestic, European and World title match-ups. In addition, a new on-air talent roster loaded with some of the best broadcasting talent in the sport alongside an exciting array of fresh faces will soon be unveiled. 

Fans in the UK and Ireland will now have unprecedented flexibility and accessibility to watch the best in boxing anytime, anywhere, and on any device, for the initial monthly price of just £1.99 in the UK and €1.99 in Ireland – a special limited-time offer introduced when the sports streamer entered both markets late last year that will remain in place for new DAZN subscribers throughout the three-week Matchroom Fight Camp series. 

Additionally, as part of a joint, long-term commitment to grow boxing all around the world and take the sport to new global heights, this pioneering deal expands upon the existing DAZN and Matchroom partnerships across the U.S., Italy and Spain, with more events planned in these countries featuring the greatest local talent.

It also includes an extension that ensures all Matchroom UK events will remain available to fight fans on DAZN in the U.S. Further, DAZN and Matchroom will significantly invest in other key markets around the world where there is supercharged fervor for the sport with regionally relevant events, partnerships, and content to bring even more boxing to fans whilst uncovering the next big local superstars. 

Moreover, DAZN and Matchroom are significantly investing in original content to keep fans, no matter where they are, on the constant pulse of everything in the world of boxing. To begin, the partnership will build on existing DAZN content franchises such as “The DAZN Boxing Show,” “40 Days,” and “Making Of” alongside nonstop highlights, clips, interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and classics. Along the way, DAZN and Matchroom will together develop compelling new documentaries, features, and shows to bring fans closer to the sport and fighters from all around the world – both in and out of the ring.  

DAZN Co-CEO James Rushton said: “Game. Changed. This historic deal builds on the success and momentum of our long-term partnership with Matchroom around the world and solidifies DAZN at the forefront of the global sports streaming era. Together, we are committed to building the new home of boxing in the UK and Ireland while continuing to grow the global home of boxing in a way that matches today’s evolving viewing habits and brings fans all over the world more of the most premium live action, more round-the-clock global storytelling, and more broadcast and content innovations – only on DAZN.”  

Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn said: “We have made the monumental decision to sign a historic 5-year deal with sports streaming giant DAZN. This means that our UK events will now be broadcast live on DAZN along with all Matchroom shows across the world. Pushing the boundaries is something we will always continue to do and we needed a partner that shared our vision for boxing, and who was also willing to make the investment to make those dreams a reality.

“This is also an amazing opportunity for our newly formed production and content business, Matchroom Media, who will now be responsible for live production across our events, working in close collaboration with DAZN and enabling us to form a cradle to grave mindset across inception to completion of our shows so we can deliver the live event experience to the viewer in the narrative and style in which we have built it. As we continue Matchroom’s expansion worldwide, this new deal will enable us to further cement DAZN as THE unrivalled global home of boxing. Our aim, alongside DAZN, is to create the biggest and best live fight nights and deliver a viewing experience that is truly game-changing.” 

International Netball Federation Rebrands As World Netball

Under a new name and logo, the International Netball Federation (INF) has announced an official rebrand to World Netball alongside the launch of a strategic plan which will shape the future of the sport and drive positive impact around the world.

The governing body’s renaming reflects the significant growth in awareness and development of netball over recent years. The time is right to shine a light on the sport’s reputation for providing opportunities, creating communities, and inspiring netballers.

The rebrand signals the INF’s future-forward approach and is the springboard for unveiling World Netball’s strategic plan and vision for the sport. Under the name World Netball, the body will work with Member nations to deliver its vision to create a better world through netball. Designed around three core strategies and seven essential values, the strategic plan builds on Netball 2020, INF’s strategic plan launched in 2016, and reflects consultation with World Netball’s Members and Regions.

The strategy is ambitious, progressive, and agile and is focused on a mission to expand netball’s worldwide reach and impact, building on the sport’s unique female-focused foundations. World Netball will grow, play, and inspire at every level as well as engage and excite through collaboration and sharing.

The World Netball logo and its bold new design represent the colours of the five World Netball Regions – Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania – and symbolises the athletic forms that are visually unique to netball. The logo is part of a new family of logos representing World Netball’s territories and events, creating a core foundation for the brand, and signifying a repositioning of the sport.

World Netball President, Liz Nicholl, CBE, said: “We are delighted to be moving into this exciting next chapter as World Netball. Netball is a sport that creates choices, opportunities, connections, and communities for millions around the world. Now is the time to look forward. Delivering our strategy to grow, to play, and to inspire, we will achieve our ambition to create a better world through netball.

“Our rebrand signals our intent to create real impact in the world of netball, with a vision to create a sport open to all, allowing netballers to embrace the opportunities the sport brings as well as achieving their full potential.”

World Netball CEO, Clare Briegal, commented: “Our rebrand and new strategy marks an important time in the world of netball. As we look ahead, we aim to increase global participation, revenue, and capacity for our sport, building on our strong and established position, to reach wider audiences, raise netball’s profile and expand its impact.

“We will drive game development beyond our existing portfolio of thrilling world-class events – we hope to welcome even more participants and fans to our diverse netball family under the inclusive banner of World Netball.”

Wolves Strike Sleeve Sponsorship With Bitci.com

Wolves have struck up a new partnership with Bitci.com, who will become the club’s official sleeve sponsors for the 2021/22 Premier League season.

The fresh partnership will see Bitci.com feature on all three Castore Wolves kits next season and the company will also become official cryptocurrency trading and fan token partner.   

Along with shirt coverage, Bitci.com branding will be on display around Molineux, including on the LED advertising boards and on Wolves’ online platforms.

Founded by Bitci Technology in 2018, Bitci.com are a Cryptocurrency trading platform who operate on Bitcichain, designed for fast and easy transactions.

They aim to meet the requests of companies in multiple sectors for supply chain monitoring, smart contracts, brand tokens, fan tokens and loyalty tokens and payment tokens over the blockchain.

Bitci.com also operate their own coin Bitcicoin, which is traded at several exchanges, and they’ll launch a fan token for Wolves, which will operate on Bitci Chain.

Russell Jones, Wolves’ general manager for marketing & commercial growth, said: “We are delighted to welcome Bitci to the Wolves family, as our official 21/22 Sleeve partner. It was evident from our early conversations with Bitci that they share our ambitious growth mindset and our disruptive challenger ethos.

“We become their first Premier League client, having already launched successful sports partnerships with McLaren and Rangers. As part of our relationship with Bitci, we are looking forward to investigating options for fan tokens, which we believe will create another way to engage our fans In the UK and overseas. 

Onur Altan Tan, chief executive officer of Bitci.com, added: “The Premier League is by far the most followed football league in the world today. We take great pride in introducing Turkish technology to the Premier League, which has nearly one billion households in 188 different countries and has over three billion followers.

“It is also a pleasure for us to take this journey with Wolves, one of the oldest teams in British football. Wolves’ technology and innovative approach, as well as strong bond with its supporters, makes this collaboration much more meaningful.”

PUMA Named As Official Match Ball For EFL

The English Football League has named PUMA as the official match ball supplier.

The long-term agreement with the EFL will commence from the start of the 2021/22 season and will see PUMA produce the official match ball for all EFL competitions, including the Sky Bet Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup and Papa John’s Trophy.

EFL joins PUMA’s growing portfolio, with the sports brand already the official match ball supplier for Spanish Football League, La Liga, being used week-in week-out by players including Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann.

The ball, which incorporates the latest technology developed by PUMA, is designed to complement the variety of styles on show across the EFL, with the traditional white football featuring the colours of the EFL logo alongside custom acceleration graphics to showcase the explosive speed of the ball when moving. For poor visibility conditions, a high-vis fluorescent yellow version has been produced. There are also specially designed balls in competition colours for the Carabao Cup and Papa John’s Trophy.

Ben Hughes, General Manager of PUMA UKI said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the English Football League. Brands always talk about telling stories but there’s no greater story-telling than the drama that unfolds at EFL grounds across England and Wales.

Whether it’s one of the League’s showpiece cup finals or a midweek match in November, the EFL inspires fans to dream and communities to unite. With 1,891 games next season, we can’t wait to play our part with product expertise and innovation that makes PUMA one of the world’s most trusted sports brands!”

EFL Chief Commercial Officer, Ben Wright, added: “We’re extremely pleased to be partnering with PUMA as our new match ball supplier. As a well-established global brand, we’re excited to see this new product used across all EFL competitions during 2021/22 and in future seasons. PUMA not only partners with Leagues, clubs and players, but further drives the game forward with its impressive grassroots and community work.

After nearly 18 months of football being played behind closed doors, we’re hopeful that spectator numbers in stands will return to pre-pandemic levels for the start of next season and that fans will be able to see the new ball being used in person.”

LaLiga North America And Relevant Sports Group Expand Operations To Mexico

LaLiga North America, a joint venture split 50/50 between LaLiga and Relevent Sports Group, will expand its operations to include Mexico as part of the territories that it manages with the aim of driving growth and increasing LaLiga and its clubs’ brand presence in North America.

LaLiga North America’s expansion to Mexico will focus on managing the media rights in the region, strengthening its commercial operations, developing and producing content in order to grow and better serve LaLiga fans in Mexico, as well as offering support to LaLiga’s broadcast partner in Mexico, SKY Sports.

Since the creation of LaLiga North America in 2018, the company has centred its efforts on promoting soccer culture in the United States and Canada through the undeniable prowess of LaLiga, the most important league in the world, boasting the best clubs and most renowned international players. With the expansion of LaLiga North America’s sphere of operation, there will be an increase in promotional activities in Mexico, as well as business development for both the competition and the clubs that comprise LaLiga.

In addition, this expansion falls within the timeframe of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada, a strategic period for soccer in the region.

“For LaLiga, this is the ideal moment to seize the opportunity and accelerate our growth throughout North America,” commented Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga. “Stephen Ross and the Relevent Sports team have been great partners, and expanding our collaboration with them will no doubt help further boost the LaLiga brand and LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank clubs throughout the region.”

“LaLiga is among the world’s best entertainment brands,” noted Stephen Ross, Chairman and Owner of Relevent Sports Group. “We are very proud of the work we have done so far in the United States and Canada through LaLiga North America. We are delighted to have the opportunity to make good use of our experience in Mexico through the expansion of this agreement. Furthermore, we hope to continue expanding our collaboration to even more ambitious projects with LaLiga in the upcoming years.”

The cornerstones of LaLiga North America’s work in Mexico will include managing LaLiga’s media rights and supporting SKY Sports – LaLiga’s broadcast partner in the market – to continue promoting the competition; bolstering commercial activation in the market; the management and creation of content to generate a greater sense of closeness with fans; as well as the creation of events to continue promoting the competition in Mexico.

“Partnering up with Relevent to create LaLiga North America has been a great milestone in our international development strategy,” added Executive Director of LaLiga Oscar Mayo. “With the expansion of this agreement to Mexico, we know that we will be able to replicate the resounding success we have achieved in the United States and Canada since the creation of this joint venture.”

“LaLiga and Relevent Sports Group have delivered on the promise of their first-of-its-kind joint venture, by expanding the influence and reach of LaLiga throughout North America. The expansion of LaLiga North America into Mexico validates our work and demonstrates that the model we recreated is scalable and replicable.” commented Daniel Sillman, CEO of Relevent Sports Group.

“For the past three years we have built a close relationship between LaLiga and soccer fans in the North America, understanding their habits and preferences, and connecting with them in a unique way. We will take advantage of the already successful operation of LaLiga North America using the knowledgeable team of experts we have in the region, which allows us to be in an excellent position to scale the operation by expanding our reach into Mexico and maximizing the opportunity that this market has”. remarked Boris Gartner, CEO of LaLiga North America.

RLWC2021 Signs Pepsi MAX As Official Soft Drink Partner

Pepsi MAX will become the Official Soft Drink of RLWC2021, a 61-match tournament that kicks off at St James’ Park, Newcastle, on 23 October 2021 when hosts England take on Samoa in the opening Men’s game.

Gatorade will further add to the world-renowned brands supporting what will be the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup in history – staged at 21 iconic sporting venues across England – as the Official Sports Drink.

Britvic has been responsible for the production, distribution, marketing and sales of PepsiCo’s carbonated soft drink brands in Great Britain since 1987. Britvic has been working with PepsiCo to deliver exciting new flavour innovations and marketing campaigns, to protect our planet and to offer a variety of choices for consumers today and tomorrow.    

Pepsi MAX launched in 1993 and is focused on helping consumers make healthier choices without compromising on taste and is the number one cola variant, in volume sales, in the UK.

The brands will receive sales and marketing rights for the tournament, including tickets, experiential and social activation, as well as providing hydration for all players, officials, volunteers and staff at RLWC2021.

The tournament will create history via the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair competitions being held simultaneously for the first time at a major sporting event, with some of sport’s most historic venues including St James’ Park, Emirates Stadium, Elland Road, The Copper Box and Old Trafford hosting matches.

Jonathan Neill, Commercial Director at RLWC2021, said: “Our objective as a tournament is to transcend the sport and deliver the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup ever.

“By welcoming Pepsi MAX and Gatorade as sponsors, we have two of the world’s most recognisable brands. RLWC2021 and Britvic Soft Drinks are both purpose-led organisations and are aligned around our commitments to sustainability, equality, inclusivity and doing business in the right way.

“Everyday millions of people across the world enjoy their products, and we’ll work together to create more joyful moments for their consumers.”

Adam Russell, Director of Foodservice and Licensed at Britvic, said: “We are excited to become the Official Soft Drink and Official Sports Drink sponsor of RLWC2021. At Britvic, we pride ourselves on providing consumers with a wide choice of quality soft drinks to suit their tastes and different occasions and with this sponsorship, we’re delighted to be offering rugby league fans a selection of our iconic and much-loved brands during a great tournament. It’s important to keep players and fans refreshed, with great tasting drinks, during training and on match days, and it’s great that we will be able to help do this.”

UCI Commits To Better Representation Of Women On Its Management Committee

The UCI’s sustainability targets pool the concrete goals that the UCI commits to achieving in its own activities. A calendar to achieve the targets – starting in June 2021 and finishing in 2030 – is integrated into this agenda. It includes the following objectives:

  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions from UCI and UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) operations to achieve carbon neutrality with a 45% reduction of absolute emissions by 2030;
  • integrate environmental, social and economic responsibility into the UCI’s policies, operations and decision-making processes;
  • establish a taskforce to guide the development of a strategy of equality, diversity and inclusion in cycling;
  • develop a sustainable sourcing strategy for the UCI and UCI events;
  • share best practice and become a global centre for collaboration on cycling sustainability solutions, including providing National Federations with sustainability resources and education through the UCI WCC;
  • develop a carbon calculator tool for use by cycling stakeholders;
  • measure the UCI’s environmental and social impacts to report progress against sustainability objectives and UN Sustainable Development Goals;
  • work with organisations from the world over to protect and enhance the planet’s biodiversity;
  • advocate for safe cycling everywhere and promote strong local economies through cycling and sustainable development.

With these new developments, the UCI means to strengthen the promotion of cycling as a means of helping address major challenges facing humanity, such as climate change, air pollution and health problems linked to inactivity.

“The adoption of a concrete Sustainability Strategy by the UCI is an important development for reinforcing cycling’s contribution to resolving numerous major problems faced by our society today (not least climate change, pollution and inactivity), while at the same time pinpointing the responsibilities of all those implicated in our sport as they go about their activities.



“Moreover, it has been particularly important not only to support members of the cycling family with guidelines, but to set our own objectives which we commit to respecting in clearly defined timelines.  It is the goal of our sustainability targets.



“The promotion of diversity, inclusion and equality occupies a fundamental place among our sustainability targets. It is with this in mind that we have undertaken measures to enhance, respect and promote diversity in cycling, whether that is within our Federations and its bodies or on a wider world scale, via the UCI World Cycling Centre and the UCI’s solidarity programmes.


“In the current world situation, the bike is undergoing an exceptional development phase. The UCI welcomes this development and continues to work to the extent of its possibilities to contribute to it.”