Barry Webber

Chelsea FC joins forces with Legends/ASM Global in multi-year deal Chelsea Football Club has entered a new multi-year partnership with Legends/ASM Global Europe, which will become the Club’s official catering service provider. The partnership brings Legends/ASM Global’s wealth of expertise to Chelsea – one of the world’s most iconic football teams – where the team will deliver a unique and fresh approach to the culinary experience for all guests, ensuring world-class match day and premium experiences for fans and guests. Starting this 2025/26 season, Chelsea FC has appointed Legends/ASM Global – the world’s preeminent premium live events company – to enhance the F&B operations across both Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow. This includes the reimagination of premium hospitality catering, ensuring the highest levels of innovation in the club’s suites and lounges. The partnership spans both matchday and non-matchdays, as well as conference and events (C&E) catering, and the training and development of the club’s F&B and hospitality teams. Bonnie Rolfe, Chelsea FC’s Venue Director,  said: “As a club, we are committed to excellence in everything we do. We want to ensure the matchday experience for our fans at Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow meets that ambition with a world-class food and beverage offering. We are looking forward to working with Legends/ASM Global to deliver on this and ensure Chelsea’s stadium catering is second to none.” Chris Bray, Legends/ASM Global President, Europe said: “We are delighted to partner with Chelsea FC and bring our expertise and passion to the club. In this new and exciting partnership, we are going to bring a fully open and transparent approach to the commercial relationship. The synergies that we can leverage from our newly combined Legends and ASM Global teams means that we are well aligned with the team at Chelsea FC whose vision and expectations for innovation and elevation in this space matches ours. This fresh, industry approach makes this partnership all the more meaningful, and we’re incredibly excited and ready to get to work with one of the most prestigious clubs in European football.” For the full story, go to: https://lnkd.in/g6APSuYW Legends/ASM Global will be out in force at the 2025 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – focused on elevating the live experience – being held at Villa Park on October 6-7th. An Opening Night Icebreaker at one of Birmingham’s iconic arenas will kick things off on October 5th and the SVB LIVE Awards at the home of Birmingham City FC will close the event on October 7th. Martin Jennings, Legends International’s Head of Global Planning, spoke at the recent SVB LIVE Networking Event at Fulham Pier. #HospitalityBusiness #LiveEvents #StadiumBusiness #StadiumCatering #FanExperience #PremiumExperience #SportsBiz #SportsVenueBusiness #SVBLIVE Sports Venue Business ASM Global

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ARE TOP SUPPLIER DEALS in FOOTBALL REALLY WORTH THE INVESTMENT? They are the private playground of only 3 big players: Nike, Adidas and Puma and it depends on the Perspective. For the Football Clubs: * Undeniably Worth It (Usually) Guaranteed Revenue: Massive, predictable cash flow for 5-10 years, crucial for FFP/PSR compliance and funding transfers/wages/infrastructure * Global Brand Association: Partnering with Adidas/Nike/Puma significantly boosts global brand prestige and reach * Merchandising Powerhouse: Access to the manufacturer's vast global retail, distribution, and e-commerce network dramatically increases sales potential beyond the club's own capabilities * Technical Support: Supply of high-performance kit and training wear for all teams (senior, academy, women's) * Marketing Amplification: Joint marketing campaigns leverage both brands' audiences * Potential Downsides/Risks: * Long-Term Lock-in: A long deal signed at a peak might become undervalued if the club's performance/global appeal surges further. Conversely, underperformance can make the deal look expensive for the brand * Dependency: Over-reliance on this single revenue stream * Creative Control: Limited input over kit design can sometimes lead to fan dissatisfaction * Royalty vs. Guarantee: Liverpool's model (lower base + high royalties) is high-risk/high-reward – great if sales boom, worse if they dip For the Sportswear Brands (Adidas, Nike, Puma) - Worth It (Strategically, but High Stakes): * Unparalleled Global Exposure: Kit sponsorship provides massive visibility in key markets (Europe, Asia, Americas) through broadcasts, stadium presence, fan merchandise, and player endorsements * Brand Prestige & Authenticity: Associating with elite clubs enhances brand image, credibility, and "authenticity" in football culture * Direct Sales Driver: Successful kits drive huge sales volumes globally. A popular player signing can further boost demand * Access to Stars: Deals often include preferential access to club players for individual endorsements * Content & Marketing: Clubs provide rich content and platforms for brand campaigns * Significant Risks/Costs - Astronomical Cost: The sheer size of the deals requires massive sales to recoup the investment. Profitability isn't guaranteed * Performance Risk: If the club underperforms or faces scandals, the brand association can become negative, and sales may suffer * Competition & Saturation: Multiple elite clubs wear the same brand, potentially diluting exclusivity (e.g., Adidas has Real Madrid, Man Utd, Bayern, Arsenal, Juventus) * Fickle Fan Bases: Kit designs or commercial decisions can lead to fan backlash and boycotts * ROI Measurement: Quantifying the exact return beyond direct kit sales (brand lift, market share gains) is complex #topfootballkitdeals #topfootballkitdealsworthit

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Breakaway rugby league R360, established by 2003 Rugby World Cup-winner Mike Tindall, has secured investment from Baller League shareholder 885 Capital, Sky's City editor Mark Kleinman has learned. Full story 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eD_P4qSK #rugby #r360 #ballerleague

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Hünnebeck are delighted to announce a new strategic partnership with Hull Kingston Rovers, one of the premier Rugby League teams in the United Kingdom. Hull KR compete in the elite European League, The Betfred Super League and are the 2025 Challenge Cup Winners, and 2025 League Title Winners. The move will see Hünnebeck become principal partner of the club and showcase its brand on the front of Hull KR’s playing jerseys as well as around the clubs stadium, Sewell Group Craven Park. Ashley Kates, Hünnebeck Managing Director UK said: “This is an exciting milestone for us on our growth mission, as we partner with a team and organisation operating at the very top of its industry. It has been obvious throughout this process and our several dealings with the club that we are fully aligned, not only in terms of ambition but culturally too. We both have strong growth ambitions and believe in teamwork, passion and partnership to build sustainable success. Hull KR is an example of the impact powerful organisations can have on community and we're excited to support this wherever we can. We look forward to meeting businesses and fans connected with the Robins, and to support the exciting development opportunities that exist across the region.” Hull KR Chief Executive, Paul Lakin spoke on Hünnebeck partnering with the club and said: “We are delighted Hünnebeck chose Hull KR to develop their links in the region specifically, whilst taking advantage of the national and international profile principal partnership brings. In terms of global footprint, it is undoubtably one of the biggest brands that will be attached to Super League next season. Which is an exciting milestone and achievement for the club on our journey. We’ve been working hard in the background over the last couple of years to reduce the number of brands that appear on our shirts to clean them up, so we are delighted Hünnebeck have taken that opportunity to shine front and centre. No doubt, once we reveal the shirts, supporters will agree it elevates both our partners and shirt designs. From the first conversation with Ashley (Kates) and his team, we have been impressed with their ambitious UK plans, but also the passion and excitement of their team across Europe to bring this new partnership to life and Rugby League to a new audience.“ About Hull KR • Hull Kingston Rovers was founded in 1882 and for over 140 years have been an anchor institution in the community of East Hull, playing home games at Sewell Group Craven Park. • Hull KR compete in the elite European League, The Betfred Super League and are the 2025 Challenge Cup Winners, and 2025 League Title Winners. • The previous club principal partner Connexin will continue to support the club. • The Robins have the fastest growing social media numbers in the sport and are expected to be the most followed Super League team by 2026. • The team will head to Las Vegas in Feb 2026 to play in front of an expected 50,000+ crowd.

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As had been rumoured McLaren Group Ltd has purchased the shares of McLaren Racing’s minority shareholders, which it lists as MSP Sports Capital, funds managed by O’Connor Capital Solutions, Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment funds, and Caspian Funds. Bahrain's Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company ("Mumtalakat"​) and Abu Dhabi's CYVN Holdings, have thus increased their shareholding and now assume full ownership, the latter holding a non-controlling stake. In December 2020 McLaren announced that MSP Sports Capital "will invest a total of £185m into McLaren Racing, acquiring an initial 15% stake that will increase to a maximum of a 33% shareholding by the end of 2022. The transaction values McLaren Racing at £560m, post-money." MSP's partners at the time were named as UBS O’Connor and The Najafi Companies. Although this time around no numbers have been given reports suggest that the company's valuation is now in the £3bn range, which means that MSP and the others who are selling have reaped a huge profit. McLaren Group's executive chairman Paul Walsh says: “Our suite of minority investors came on board in 2020 and we thank them for their tremendous support over the past few years as we set McLaren Racing on a path to commercial growth and financial stability. "We now have two fantastic shareholders in Mumtalakat, a long-standing and deeply valued partner, and CYVN, whose additional investment in Automotive and McLaren Racing, together with their strategic focus on advanced mobility, strengthens our ability to future-proof the business and capture new growth opportunities.” McLaren Racing encompasses not just the F1 team but also the IndyCar programme and the WEC project that will hit the track in 2027.

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🎙️Next up on the pod, in conversation with FOX Sports 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀. Back after our summer hiatus with a brand new season of the 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁. Starting with a series I recorded on-site (which I always enjoy doing) at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh last month. We've got quite the guest to kick off the series. A 20-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Eric was named CEO in 2010 at the age of 38, and is believed to be the youngest executive to lead a broadcast network sports division. As far as claims-to-fame go, that's a pretty cool one. We covered quite a bit in our 20-minute conversation, from recent blockbuster sports deals to why Eric knows quite a bit about the Indian sport of Kabaddi. (Check out 'Pro Kabaddi' on YouTube if you don't know it—you will not be disappointed!) ✅ 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ● An equity partnership like ESPN-NFL is not uncommon. Broadcasters have taken equity positions in sports properties before, and Fox has a number of such deals. But this is a first where a league takes an equity position in a broadcaster. Lots to unpack yet in this deal, so it's one to watch. ● Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a major player in the global sports media landscape, their role as a host country to major upcoming events is a huge opportunity to tell powerful stories. Fox did that in some depth with the World Cup in Qatar, so have some experience with this. ● The rise of new entrants in the sports broadcasting marketplace will likely benefit mid-tier sports properties in the short term, though sports properties in general will probably need to lower their dependency on broadcasting revenue. ● Local media will continue to be a big pillar of sports consumption, it should not be lost. ● In terms of future trends and tech adoption, every sport has to understand what their specific needs are in terms of maximising revenue and driving growth. There is no one-size-fits-all. We also covered creator-lead streaming, alt-casts and a pretty novel 'favourite sporting moment'. Episode links in the comments.

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SUNDERLAND Multi Sports Portfolio Grows - NOW includes Rugby 7s League *Sunderland AFC’s owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus & Juan Sartori have pivoted into rugby sevens, spearheading a privately funded franchise-based global league, scheduled for Aug 2026. *Operating through their investment vehicle Bia Sports Group (BSG) Holdings and newly formed Ultimate Rugby7s UK Ltd / SPV owning Project 7s IP & UK operations *Bia Sports have already closed an eight-figure seed round (Estimated £18m) and begun marketing seven men’s and women’s franchises. *35% of Year 1 gross revenues to a central prize and welfare fund. Proposed Format: *Seven Rugby7s Franchises (Male & Female), Names TBC, 7 rounds of fixtures to play in 7 European Cities, stadium size 20,000.  *Games to be played Mid-week (Thursday evenings) games will be one half with one timeout per team. *Non-exclusive contracts offered to current SVNS players *Season scheduled August-Sept to avoid SVNS calendar Long Term Funding  *Series A (2027) Expansion franchises and digital-product R&D, target strategic media investors, planned to raise £25-30m *Debt Layer (2028) Revolving credit facility secured against multi-year media-rights contracts once league attains EBITDA positive status. *Liquidity Event (2030+) Options include SPAC merger or minority sale to private equity, Sunderland AFC *64% Kyril Louis-Dreyfus *36% Juan Sartori Kyril Louis-Dreyfus (Swiss) *Kyril is one three siblings whose father is the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus. *Louis-Dreyfus Group turned over £50.6bn in 2024, Kyril net worth is around £2bn. *Louis Dreyfus Company owns a 5% stake in Olympique de Marseille *Kyril and his twin brother Maurice own swiss based esports Ovation *2023 Kyril & Juan invested in SX Global an organisation responsible for promotion, development and organising world-class Super-cross events that attract top athletes. *2022 Mubadala Capital invested n SX Global, Mubadala Capital is a subsidiary of Mubadala Investments which is the sovereign wealth fund of UAE Juan Sartori (Uruguay) * Juan is the founder of Union Group which has investments in agriculture, energy & real estate. Through Agriculture Kyril and Juan met. *Juan is a politician for the National Party and in 2019 came runner up in the party primary elections securing 23% of the votes. As a result became a member of the chamber of senators in Uruguay. *Juan Sartori father-in-law is Dmitry Rybolovlev who owns 67% of AS Monaco  *Juan owns 20% of Dmitry Rybolovlev stake in AS Monaco and has a place on the main board. *Dmitry Rybolovlev has a majority stake in Belgian pro league club Cercle Brugge Football League Club Owners & Other Sports is a growing trend *Todd Beheld & Trent Rockets *Marinakos & Netball Super League Side Nottingham Forest *Wagner Knighthead Capital owns stakes in both Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix & netball Super league team Birmingham Panthers #multiclubownership #footballbusiness #footballfinance #SunderlandAFC #R7s

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UK sport has traditionally been left in the hands of the private sector (sports governing bodies) rather than the Government. But with the Football Governance Act 2025 now in full force, is the relationship between the State and sports governance changing? In this Sports Shorts blog, #TeamSPB's Henry Goldschmidt examines: ❓ How and why the UK Government intervenes in sport ❓ Whether there is a limit to intervention ❓ What might the future hold, considering recent trends Click here to read the full blog ➡️ https://ow.ly/IcTB50WZita #️⃣ #SportsGovernance | #IndependentFootballRegulator

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Very proud to launch our first in depth FIFA World Cup 2026™ insights report on SportBusiness (link in the comments) The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is set to redefine sports sponsorship – and brands that understand the real rules of the game will own 2026. The North American sports and entertainment market has long been a trailblazer in commercial innovation, sponsorships and activations – and now, the world’s largest sporting event meets the world’s largest economy. EMW Global’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Insights report provide a comprehensive analysis: 🏟️ The official sponsorship structure – tiers, rights, and how to actually maximise them. 💰 Host city opportunities – where local activations will drive disproportionate ROI. 🛡️ IP protection & anti-ambush measures – why this regulatory landscape will shape every marketing move. 🎯 The North American market canvas – cultural nuances, fan psychographics, and how brands can speak the right language in each host nation. 💡 ROI-focused strategies – aligning your brand with the world stage while leveraging digital and media reach. 📖 The first in-depth insights released now – link in the first comment.   LINK to part 1 of full report in the comments:

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