England Rugby’s Red Roses have seen their collective Instagram following surpass 1m, doubling in the last 12 months.
The milestone follows the team’s Women’s Rugby World Cup victory and highlights significant digital growth from October 2024, when the squad’s total following was under 500,000. The expansion has been driven by a partnership with Summus Sports, which has provided the squad with an athlete-first social support programme.
Individual player growth has been a key factor, with Sarah Bern’s following increasing by over 350% to 65,000, and Hannah Botterman’s channel growing by 190% in under five months. According to a report from the Women’s Sport Trust (WST), the Red Roses’ collective TikTok views between January and April 2025 were 72% higher than those of the England men’s rugby team.
Daniel Fullelove Smith, Co-Founder and Director at Summus Sports, said, “It’s been brilliant to see the Red Roses embrace the positive elements of social media and really capitalise on the opportunity to grow their sport through direct player storytelling. There are some incredible athletes and people in this team and our work with them has been focused on giving them a voice.
“Every player is different but a combination of confidence building, strategy and great content has been key to the success of our work with the Red Roses. The insights that fans have received from the social channels of the players during this Rugby World Cup have been a first of their kind and I think this team, and women’s rugby more broadly, is only just getting started.”
Sally Sheppard, Head of Consumer Engagement at Rugby Football Union, said, “Rugby needs superstars. Our players have the power to connect with fans through emotion and authenticity in ways we can’t. The Red Roses are full of standout personalities, but data showed many fans didn’t know them. That’s why we invested early in social media strategies, content support, and tools to help players share their stories.
“Summus have been with us since the beginning, and the results speak for themselves. The Red Roses aren’t just world-class athletes – they’re now recognised and celebrated as true superstars.”
Formula 1 team Atlassian Williams Racing have announced a grandstand takeover for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix.
The initiative is a three-way collaboration with the Miami Dolphins and the Miami GP, which will celebrate its fifth anniversary in 2026. A dedicated Williams Grandstand Takeover package will be available to fans, which includes a grandstand ticket, a special edition team cap and flag, and entry into a competition to meet drivers Alex Albon or Carlos Sainz.
The announcement was made at a Miami Dolphins Fan Zone, ahead of the NFL’s first regular season game in Spain between the Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. The fan zone features a Williams show car and a simulator challenge for fans.
Marcus Prosser, Marketing Director, Atlassian Williams Racing, said, “Everyone at Atlassian Willliams Racing is incredibly excited for the Grandstand Takeover in Miami and to see all our fans wearing Williams blue in The 305. This Grandstand Takeover is the latest opportunity to get unparalleled access to the team, building on our phenomenal Fan Zones in city centre race locations across the world in recent years and our unique online offering.
“There is so much to look forward to in 2026, and with Miami being the first American race on the calendar it is the perfect opportunity to do something special as we race around the home of the Miami Dolphins. Announcing this unique collaboration ahead of the Miami Dolphins’ game in Madrid, Carlos’ hometown, brings together three hugely-passionate fanbases that demonstrates the truly global nature of our sport and unites our fans from Madrid to Miami.
ITV has announced it will trial a new picture-in-picture advertising format during its coverage of the 2026 Six Nations.
The plan was revealed at the recent ITV Palooza event, outlining a UK media-first for the broadcaster’s rugby union coverage. For the 2026 tournament, ITV will exclusively broadcast 10 live matches, including every England fixture, both home and away.
The new format will present two advertising opportunities per game, with one in each half. These will be shown during a natural break in the action, specifically just before a scrum is formed.
This innovation highlights how live sport remains a key platform for broadcasters to drive advertising revenue, which in turn helps fund the rights fees that support tournaments such as the Six Nations.
Formula 1 team Oracle Red Bull Racing have expanded their partnership with PPDS, installing a series of new outdoor digital displays at its Red Bull Technology Campus headquarters.
The project sees the installation of several 3m high, all-weather Philips LED outdoor totems. The custom-designed displays will be used for digital communications throughout the 700,000 square foot campus, including welcoming and guiding visitors upon entry.
This latest installation marks an expansion of the existing partnership between the F1 team and PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays. It is the first time the partnership has resulted in Philips displays being used in an outdoor setting at the campus, following previous upgrades to offices and the MK-7 event venue.
Laurent Mekies, CEO and Team Principal at Oracle Red Bull Racing, said, “In the high-stakes world of Formula One™, following along isn’t an option. From precision displays trackside and bold branding in our hospitality areas, to the stunning LED arc and expansive screen network at the Red Bull Technology Campus, our Philips Professional Displays are uniquely configured to continue the magic of the race and showcase the best for Oracle Red Bull Racing.”
Jae O Choi Park, EMEA Commercial Head at PPDS, said, “Drawing upon our network of PPDS Partners allows us to augment our Philips Professional Displays with unique solutions for Oracle Red Bull Racing. Indoors, outdoors, and all around, we make it our mission to ensure the best experiences for the team, as well as its visitors and guests.”
Emily Falconer, Head of Events at Oracle Red Bull Racing, said, “The welcome we give to our visitors and guests at Oracle Red Bull Racing starts from the moment they arrive on Campus. Our Philips LED displays are positioned to ensure an easy and well branded journey, from the gatehouse to our facilities.”
Multi-sport broadcaster and event host Manish Bhasin has signed with global marketing and management agency Blueprintx.
Under the new agreement, Blueprintx will exclusively work alongside Bhasin on his broadcast career, event hosting, brand work and corporate engagements.
Bhasin has been a football presenter for the past two decades, with roles at the BBC where he hosted Football Focus and The Football League Show. He also spent six years as the lead presenter for Premier League Productions.
George Woffenden, Co-Founder at Blueprintx, commented, “Manish is a hugely talented and respected broadcaster and a very accomplished event host. We are delighted to be working alongside him and excited for what’s on the horizon. His addition is another fantastic name added to our already superb broadcast management division.”
The EFL has launched the 2025/26 season of the Utilita Kids & Girls Cup, a national competition giving over 21,000 schoolchildren the chance to play at Wembley Stadium.
At a launch event for the new season, EFL legend Glenn Murray was joined by content creators Harriet Pavlou and Ben Nuttall for skills sessions and a game of ‘Wembley Doubles’ with local school teams.
The competition sees children from more than 2,500 schools represent the 72 EFL clubs, with the winners of the Girls Cup playing at Wembley ahead of the Vertu Trophy Final, and the Kids Cup winners playing before the EFL Play-Off Finals. Previous participants who have gone on to professional careers include Jamal Musiala, Adam Wharton, Scott McTominay, and Ellie Roebuck.
Glenn Murray said, “It’s amazing to be back with the Utilita Kids & Girls Cup, this competition is really special. I remember playing games like Wembley Doubles when I was their age and dreaming about stepping out at Wembley one day. Being here today and seeing these kids full of energy and excitement brings that all back. Competitions like this give them a real taste of that dream, the kids get the chance to represent their local Clubs, and it’s incredible to think some of them could actually play at Wembley later this season.”
Bill Bullen, Chief Executive Officer, Utilita Energy, said, “It’s great to see the Utilita Kids & Girls Cup back in action, and we’re proud to be entering our seventh year as title sponsor. Seeing thousands of schoolchildren enjoying football, learning together, and dreaming big is what makes this competition so special. Football is a way to bring communities together. It keeps kids active, helps them build confidence and, of course, for some, it offers the unforgettable experience to play at Wembley.”
Cardiff City have renewed their long-standing partnership with Welsh double glazing company MPN Windows.
The family-run business has over 33 years of experience in the industry and will continue its support of the EFL Championship club. The renewal will see MPN Windows branding displayed on the big screens at the Cardiff City Stadium during added time in matches.
MPN Windows said, “MPN has had a long relationship with Cardiff City Football Club through the years. We’ve had some great times, but we’ve also always supported the Club through thick and thin. Our new partnership with the Club cements our position in the community which we have served well over the past 33 years and continue to grow, and we look forward to working with the Club to develop our brands and services together as a partnership.”
Adam Pierce, Senior Partnerships Manager, Cardiff City FC, added, “We’re delighted to be working with MPN Windows once again this season. MPN has shown great support to Cardiff City over many years, and this renewal is testament to the value of long-term partnerships. Keep an eye out for their branding on the big screens during added time!”
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