The Royal Kennel Club has agreed a new four-year deal with Sunset+Vine to produce broadcast coverage for Crufts.
Sunset+Vine has partnered with the organisation since 2009 and produced Channel 4’s coverage since 2010. Under the new agreement starting in 2026, the agency will produce 17 hours of programming for Channel 4 and More4, plus 11 hours of daily live streaming on YouTube.
The 2026 event will see a 150-strong production team utilise 22 cameras. For the first time, the world feed will be distributed to ELTA in Taiwan. On-screen, Claudia Winkleman has joined the team as reporter-at-large, joining returning presenters Clare Balding, Ellie Simmonds, and Radzi Chinyanganya. Digital plans include the use of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses for on-site perspectives.
Stephen Booth, Executive Producer, Sunset+Vine, said, “We’re enormously excited that Crufts is here again. It is always a privilege to broadcast the world’s greatest dog show. Our team of experts is ready to cover every facet of the event, from serious discussion to lighter moments, culminating in the all-important group judging and Sunday’s Best in Show.”
Will Godsiff, Senior Digital Strategist, Sunset+Vine, said, “Our digital strategy is designed to extend storytelling beyond the broadcast itself. By aligning social, streaming and short-form content with key moments from Crufts, we’ve built sustained audience engagement and created meaningful touchpoints across platforms. It’s about meeting viewers where they are and turning attention into long-term connection.”
Manchester City have announced a new partnership with UK sleep brand Silentnight.
The agreement sees the company become the club’s official sleep partner. Silentnight has agreed to supply The Medlock, a Radisson Blu Hotel currently under development, with products including mattresses and toppers.
The two organisations will work together on marketing and product initiatives aimed at improving sleep for fans and guests, while Silentnight will also feature on branding across the club’s digital and social channels.
Kaitlyn Beale, Vice-President of Global Partnership Sales, City Football Group, said, “Silentnight are a trusted and well-recognised brand in the UK, who share Manchester City’s commitment to innovation to deliver the highest standards of performance.”
Ian Lambert, Chief Marketing Officer, Silentnight Group, said, “We’re proud to be working with Manchester City at an exciting time for the Club’s development and as the importance of a good night’s sleep for mental wellbeing and physical performance becomes better understood.“
Former England international Jill Scott has partnered with M&S Food to launch a new initiative aiming to improve nutritional advice within grassroots football.
The Euro 2022 winner has visited Reddish North End FC in Stockport to surprise players and volunteers, where she cooked alongside club staff and refereed a match to highlight the importance of balanced diets for performance. The campaign follows research conducted by the retailer which found that 31% of grassroots coaches would welcome training to offer nutritional advice, yet only 15% feel comfortable offering guidance to parents or players.
M&S Food has developed practical, affordable recipe ideas for clubs to help coaches and volunteers introduce healthier approaches. The ‘Eat Well Play Well Grassroots Edition’ campaign is set to roll out across the UK, complementing the FA’s ‘The Greater Game’ programme which focuses on wellbeing outcomes in young people.
Jill Scott said, “Grassroots football was a massive part of my life. If we can help children at grassroots level, we can help them to become better players.
The nutritional advice that came into the game later, especially when I think about Sarina (Wiegman) and all the advice we got, what we should and shouldn’t be eating, it’s what kept me playing for England for the last few years of my career.”
Loughborough University has agreed a three-year partnership extension with performance nutrition brand Science in Sport (SiS).
The renewal builds on an existing three-year relationship grounded in evidence-based practice, focused on elite sport and performance nutrition. Under the new agreement, SiS will continue to serve as the official nutrition partner, working with athletes and practitioners across the university’s sporting ecosystem.
The partnership designates SiS as the official nutrition partner for Loughborough Sport’s men’s rugby programme, Loughborough men’s football first team, and Loughborough Lightning women’s football team. Additionally, the brand will support the annual Loughborough International Athletics (LIA) event as the official headline sponsor. As part of the activation, selected products will also be available for purchase across campus sports facilities.
Beyond branding, the collaboration includes provisions for student placements and internships. It also facilitates future research and development, utilising the university’s expertise to support innovation in performance nutrition. Athlete involvement in product testing sessions will also continue to aid SiS’ development programmes.
Rich Ellis, Deputy Director of Sport (Head of Sport Commercial Partnerships and Facilities), Loughborough University, said, “We’re absolutely delighted to confirm a three-year extension to our current partnership with Science in Sport, SiS. This agreement was a natural progression as the team’s values and business vision reflect the strength of our relationship and the shared commitment to long-term success. We look forward to continuing to grow together over the coming years.“
Rugby Canada has partnered with sports technology company PlayHQ to modernise grassroots rugby operations and support participation growth.
The partnership will see player registration, competition management, payments, and live scoring consolidated into a single platform. This integration is designed to reduce administrative time for clubs throughout Canada.
PlayHQ will provide real-time analytics enabling the governing body to understand player retention patterns, track talent pathways, and support provincial funding requirements. Administrators will utilise dashboards that remove the need for manual data exports, while automated compliance tracking will manage blue cards, incident reporting, sanctioning, and concussion protocols.
The platform is set to be implemented ahead of the 2026 season.
Tim MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer, PlayHQ, said, “Managing provinces within a federated structure requires technology that balances local control with national coordination. Our platform unites provincial administrators, clubs, and national governance in one ecosystem, eliminating duplicate systems and turning disconnected data into actionable insights. We’re excited to work with our first rugby partner and deliver a modern platform with time-saving workflows tailored specifically to rugby.“
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