England and Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith has signed an ambassador deal with performance energy brand C4 Energy.
At 23, Smith has recently won a Premiership title with Northampton Saints and has been selected for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour. The deal adds the fly-half to C4 Energy’s roster of sponsored athletes.
Fin Smith said, “I’m proud to be joining Team C4. At the highest level, success comes down to the standards you set every day in training and the preparation you put in behind the scenes. That’s why this partnership feels like such a natural fit. C4 is built around performance and focus, values that mirror exactly how I approach my game. Having that kind of support in my corner makes a real difference, and I’m excited to work with the team and see what we can achieve together.”
Paul Coppin, VP Marketing EMEA at Nutrabolt, said, “We’re incredibly proud to welcome Fin to the C4 team. He represents everything we look for in an athlete – composure under pressure, relentless work ethic and an uncompromising commitment to performance. We’re excited to support him as he continues to raise the bar.”
Independent law firm Northridge Law LLP has announced it has secured a strategic minority investment from US investment management firm Cordillera Investment Partners.
According to a press release, the investment supports Northridge’s next phase of growth and expansion across key areas of sports law.
Founded in 2017 by five of the current partners, Jonathan Ellis, Ian Lynam, Jon Walters, James Eighteen and Paul Shapiro, Northridge has grown into the largest sports law practice in Europe with a Tier 1 ranking in both Legal 500 and Chambers legal directories.
“Our focus has always been on building the ideal firm to advise the sports industry when the stakes are highest,” said Ian Lynam, Partner at Northridge. “Northridge’s success stems from our focus – providing the best advice on the most complex matters in sport requires the kind of specialist expertise which can only be built by working in the industry every day.”
Jonathan Ellis, Partner at Northridge continued, “As the sports industry continues to grow and evolve, we see a significant opportunity to be even more ambitious. This investment will enable us to accelerate our strategic priorities, broadening and deepening our capabilities, expanding internationally, and continuing to invest in exceptional talent and innovative technology. Cordillera is an ideal strategic partner with aligned values and culture. We know they will support our vision of continuing to invest in our people and capabilities, while strengthening our ability to serve clients at the highest level.”
“Identifying opportunities in undercapitalised segments of the sports market has led us to explore a growing ecosystem of sports-related service providers around the world,” said Chris Heller, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Cordillera. “These businesses benefit from powerful tailwinds in sports but importantly are not exposed to on-field performance or league risk. We believe Northridge is a perfect example of a clear leader in this ecosystem. Not only are they a highly talented group of lawyers with deep domain expertise in sports, but they are talented entrepreneurs who have built Northridge from the ground up into one of the preeminent sports law firms globally. We are excited to partner with Northridge as it enters its next phase of growth and to support the firm in seeking to capitalise on the significant opportunity ahead.”
Global racing championship SailGP have extended their partnership with electric propulsion specialist ePropulsion.
The deal sees ePropulsion continue as the championship’s official electric outboard supplier for small craft for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, renewing a partnership that began in 2021.
As part of the agreement, ePropulsion will continue to supply electric outboard motors for SailGP’s fleet of support vessels. The partnership aims to help reduce emissions across event operations and aligns with the championship’s wider climate and sustainability goals.
Iona Neilson, Head of Impact, SailGP, said, “Sport has a powerful role to play in accelerating real-world impact. Our partnership with ePropulsion allows us to demonstrate how electric propulsion can perform reliably in demanding environments, all while reducing emissions across our operations. By integrating clean technologies into the day-to-day running of SailGP, we aim to help drive broader adoption across the marine sector.”
Danny Tao, Co-founder and CEO, ePropulsion, said, “SailGP continues to set the standard for high performance, purpose driven sport, and we’re proud to be continuing our partnership. Working together has already delivered meaningful progress, and we’re excited to build on that momentum, driving further innovation in clean marine technology and supporting SailGP’s ambition for a more sustainable future on the water.”
Blackrow Group has been announced as Grimsby Town’s new front of shirt sponsor in a three-year deal that starts with the 2026/27 football season.
The Grimsby-based engineering business first joined Grimsby Town as a sleeve sponsor ahead of the EFL League Two club’s 2024/25 campaign.
The agreement marks an exciting expansion of the partnership between the Mariners and the Grimsby-based engineering business, who first joined the Club as sleeve sponsor ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Commenting on the announcement, Nick Rands, Operations Director at Blackrow Group, said, “It gives us great pride and privilege to be announced as the new front of shirt sponsor. This moment signifies how far the business has come over the past 45 years, and the journey we have taken to reach this point.
“To be able to share this achievement with all our employees, as well as the wider community, is something we are incredibly proud of. It also reinforces our position as one of the town’s largest employers and our ongoing commitment to the local area.
“Our collective ambitions are centred around building a long-term partnership for years to come. We share the same values and ethos, and a strong belief in representing the town with pride, both on and off the field.”
Grimsby Town CEO Polly Bancroft, added, “We are incredibly proud to expand our partnership with Blackrow Group as they become our front of shirt sponsor for the next three years.
“Blackrow is a fantastic example of a successful local business that has grown significantly while remaining rooted in the community. As one of the area’s major employers, they share many of the same values as the Club and their continued support demonstrates the strength of the relationship between the Mariners and the local business community.
“We are grateful for their ongoing commitment to Grimsby Town and we look forward to working even more closely together over the coming seasons.”
