Good call: How Wimbledon’s comms help it to avoid break points June 28, 2026 Wimbledon’s success lies in heritage, prestige and scale but its disciplined communications also give it a competitive advantage, writes Jess Chan. Wimbledon is one of the most commercially successful institutions in global sport. I won’t dispute that its heritage is to be credited for its prestigious reputation. But its biggest competitive advantage is how it [...]
World Cup: How brands will activate as the knockouts begin June 27, 2026 Most eyes will be firmly fixed on the pitch as the World Cup enters the knockout phase next week. But for the discerning observer, there is another contest playing out in the background: what are the sponsors up to? With marketing and sponsorship deals related to the World Cup reported to generate between $2.5bn and [...]
Why sport fans got bored of influencers and forced brands into a mind shift June 27, 2026 Are we a sport generation that loves influencers or hates them? Jack Moriarty looks at how brands have changed their approach Sport has never just been about who wins and who loses. For fans, it’s a vehicle that allows them to escape from their everyday lives and connect with something deeper. That Saturday afternoon on [...]
How onerous UK tax system can sting players at Wimbledon June 26, 2026 With the Wimbledon Championships set to begin on Monday, Pete Fairchild takes us through the (very) complex tax issues players face. At Wimbledon, while spectators sip on Pimm’s and eat strawberries, the world’s top tennis players are earning income on British soil. For stars such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, competing in London means [...]
Could Burnham be the answer to free-to-air sport for all? June 25, 2026 With Andy Burnham set to be the next Prime Minister, Alan Sendorek assesses how his approach to broadcasting sport may differ from Sir Keir Starmer’s. Sir Keir Starmer – the country’s most powerful Arsenal fan – last month joined the Football Supporters Association in calling on TNT Sports to make the Champions League final available [...]
Messi, Ronaldo, Serena, Novak: What sport stars dodging retirement tells us June 25, 2026 Sport heroes used to retire at the top but now the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Serena and Djokovic have other ideas, writes Matt Readman. Sport is nothing if not storytelling. And every athlete wants the perfect ending to their own story. The crowning moment. The final wave to the crowd. Departing with dignity on your [...]
Is football eating itself? Not before it eats other sports first June 25, 2026 The World Cup has become so big that it now puts all other sports in the shade, laments Ed Warner. I remember the summer of 1976 as a swathe of bleached playing fields, jumpers for goalposts and pick-up games of cricket. There happened to be an international football tournament that June, but I defy anyone [...]
Why 2026 World Cup is when AI becomes the interface between fans and football June 21, 2026 The 2026 World Cup is the first AI-shaped major sports event and will change football fandom forever. Jon Williams outlines what sponsors, broadcasters and brands need to do about it. Football, like the creative advertising business I work in, thinks the biggest gains from AI are operational – speed, efficiency, and more. They’re not. AI’s [...]
Platitudes in women’s sport are empty, patronising and offensive June 20, 2026 Georgia Bridgwood argues that women’s sport should rid itself of platitudes; they’re empty, patronising and offensive. “You got this,” proclaimed Adidas. “Thirsty for more,” said Pepsi. “You don’t get it,” I thought to myself. In our exploration of ‘now what?’ for women’s sport at SXSW London this month, the panel dug into why we’re in [...]
An England World Cup isn’t just football – it is money, politics and a nation’s bad habits June 18, 2026 England are being asked to win the World Cup, yes, but the absurdity is that they are required to do so much more in the process, both commercially and politically, writes Ed Warner. And so they’ve begun. Our boys, Tom’s 26. Their world is in motion, three lions on their shirts, out to erase 60 [...]