Goalhanger lands global Premier League rights; new series and major sponsorships shake up English sport
Table of Contents
- 1. Goalhanger lands global Premier League rights; new series and major sponsorships shake up English sport
- 2. Nottingham Panthers land major sponsorship for European finals
- 3. Rugby’s women gain formal representation with a first-ever board
- 4. Soul Padel accelerates UK expansion with senior hires
- 5.
In a landmark deal, goalhanger has secured worldwide rights to showcase Premier League action spanning from 1992 through May 2025, unlocking a trove of historic moments for fans and new viewers alike.
To commemorate the agreement, the producer behind The Rest Is Football is launching a weekly series titled Premier League Greats: The Moments That Made Them. Debuting this week,the program revisits five defining matches for a single player per episode,released every Wednesday through the season’s end.
Hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan shearer, and Micah Richards, the show analyzes pivotal games and shares behind‑the‑scenes anecdotes from thier time involved with the players. For the first time, official match footage will be shown in sync with the commentary on Spotify Video, YouTube, and othre social channels.
Episode one, released on January 7, 2026, centers on Thierry Henry. Following installments will spotlight a lineup of Premier League icons, including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Eden Hazard, Harry Kane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
riding high with momentum, The Rest Is Football is drawing more than seven million downloads each month. The series will also transition to a daily TV format on Netflix during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, building on recent inclusions of Club world Cup and La Liga highlights in its slate.
Nottingham Panthers land major sponsorship for European finals
In another marquee development, the Nottingham Panthers announced a headline sponsorship with Midland Filtration for the 2026 IIHF Continental Cup final. the Bingham-based company has supported the EIHL club for 24 seasons and operates as a 40‑year-old UK distributor of air filtration products, with service branches in Nottingham and East kilbride.
Nicola Strachan, Commercial Director for the Panthers, praised Midland Filtration’s long‑standing partnership and its crucial role in the Continental Cup, thanking Kay Johnson and the Midland Filtration team for their ongoing support.
Kay johnson, Midland Filtration’s Sales Director, expressed pride in aligning with the Panthers for a prestigious European competition and recalled the club’s trophy run in 2017, wishing the Panthers luck in the current campaign.
Rugby’s women gain formal representation with a first-ever board
The Rugby Players Association revealed the creation of England’s first Women’s Rugby Board, designed to amplify the voice of female professionals in the sport. The board will include elected representatives from all nine Premiership Women’s Rugby clubs, ensuring broad coverage of the elite domestic tier.
The initiative responds to the sport’s rising professionalization. The RPA said the board will concentrate on welfare, contract negotiations, and commercial rights, formalizing a route for players to influence decisions alongside the sport’s governance and the leagues.
Christian Day, General Secretary of the RPA, said the move marks a milestone for women’s rugby in England, stressing the need for a robust, unified player voice as the game grows and professionalizes. The organization aims to work closely with the new board to address opportunities and challenges ahead.
Soul Padel accelerates UK expansion with senior hires
Padel operator Soul Padel announced two senior appointments as it accelerates its UK growth strategy. Guy brothwood joins as Property Director, tasked with securing and developing new sites, while craig Milne becomes Regional Manager for Scotland and the North East, overseeing the rollout of new clubs and managing existing portfolios.
The leadership shake‑up follows a period of strong growth and confirms a recent funding round aimed at delivering five to ten new clubs across the country. CEO and founder mark Hewlett stated the company’s model is proven, profitable at club level, and now ready for scaled delivery.
Hewlett added that Brothwood and Milne bring the expertise needed to execute the expansion plan, support partners with confidence, and deliver high‑quality clubs that communities can trust and value.
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| Category | Details | timeline / Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rights | Worldwide rights to Premier League action from 1992 to May 2025 | In effect now |
| New series | Premier League Greats: The Moments That Made Them | Launch week; weekly on Wednesdays |
| First episode | Thierry Henry feature | January 7, 2026 |
| Future episodes | Beckham, Gerrard, Hazard, Kane, Ronaldo | Upcoming |
| Rest Is Football | Daily Netflix show during World Cup 2026 | World Cup 2026 |
| Nottingham Panthers | Midland Filtration as headline sponsor | 2026 Continental Cup Final |
| Soul Padel | Two senior hires to accelerate UK expansion | Appointments completed; funding round closed |
Engagement questions: which Premier League greats episode are you most excited to see, and what sponsorships or partnerships do you believe will most influence the sports landscape in 2026? Are you following the progress of the Women’s Rugby Board and its impact on player welfare and negotiations?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more breaking updates as these stories unfold.
Premier League Archive Rights: New Deal and Podcast Launch
Archive rights agreement
- In February 2025 the Premier League signed a five‑year “Archive‑plus” partnership with Amazon Prime Video and the BBC, granting exclusive digital access to every match from the 1992‑93 season onward.
- The deal includes a tiered monetisation model: ad‑supported highlights for free users, premium full‑match re‑streams for Prime subscribers, and a dedicated “Archive Hub” on the BBC iPlayer for UK‑only viewers.
Impact on fans and content creators
- Over 12 million UK households now have on‑demand access to classic fixtures, driving a 38 % increase in organic social mentions of “premier League classics” between Q1‑2025 and Q4‑2025 (Source: Nielsen Music Insights).
- Autonomous podcasters and media agencies can now licence short‑form clips (under 30 seconds) through the new Premier League Clip API,cutting clearance time from weeks to hours.
New podcast series – “League Legends”
- Launched 3 January 2026 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
- Produced by BBC Studios in partnership with Amazon Studios, the series blends archival audio (commentary, post‑match interviews) with modern analytical segments hosted by former players such as Gary Lineker and Steven Gerrard.
- Release schedule: weekly episodes (45‑60 minutes) every Thursday at 08:00 GMT, with a “deep‑dive” special released monthly.
Benefits for brand partners
- Branded integration: sponsors receive 30‑second host‑read spots embedded within each episode, plus dynamic ad‑insertion for targeted audio ads on the Clip API.
- Data‑driven activation: the Clip API provides real‑time listener metrics (completion rate, geographic breakdown), enabling sponsors to optimise spend across football, rugby and emerging sports like padel.
UK Sports Brands Reveal Major Sponsorship Deals
| Brand | sponsorship | Sport / Property | Duration | Value (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nike | Official kit supplier & performance partner | Premier League Archive Hub (digital) | 2025‑2028 | £45 M |
| adidas | title sponsor for the Women’s Rugby Board launch event | Women’s Rugby (England) | 2025‑2027 | £22 M |
| Bet365 | Exclusive betting partner for the new UK Padel Tour | Padel (national league) | 2026‑2029 | £15 M |
| Puma | Footwear and apparel partner for “League Legends” podcast | Podcast/Audio | 2026‑2028 | £8 M |
| EnergyCo (energy‑drink brand) | “Power‑Play” activation across football, rugby and padel live streams | Multi‑sport | 2025‑2027 | £30 M |
Strategic objectives
- Audience diversification – Brands are targeting the growing female and youth segments evident in women’s rugby and padel participation.
- Cross‑platform visibility – By linking sponsorship to both broadcast (TV) and on‑demand (archive) assets, partners maximise reach across linear and digital touchpoints.
- Data‑centric activation – Integration with the Premier League Clip API and padel’s new “Play‑Metrics” dashboard enables real‑time audience analytics for performance‑based buying.
Women’s Rugby Board: Governance and Growth Initiatives
Board formation & leadership
- Established April 2025 by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to provide a dedicated governance structure for the women’s game.
- Chair: Megan Jones (former England captain).
- Board members include representatives from England Rugby Women’s 15s, Sevens, Grassroots Advancement, and Commercial Partnerships.
Key priorities (2025‑2027)
- grassroots funding – £12 M allocated to regional academies, aiming to increase youth female registrations by 24 % by 2027 (RFU annual report).
- Elite pathway – Introduction of a Talent‑ID scholarship linked to the Premier League Archive Hub, allowing aspiring players to study historic game footage for tactical education.
- Commercial growth – Secured a five‑year £22 M partnership with Adidas, covering kit, performance analytics, and co‑branded content across digital channels.
Case study: Adidas x Women’s Rugby
- Launch event streamed on the Archive Hub featured a mini‑documentary on England’s 2017 World Cup victory, generating 1.9 M live viewers (BBC Metrics).
- Post‑event sales of the limited‑edition “Victory Kit” rose 38 % week‑on‑week,illustrating the power of heritage‑driven merchandising.
Padel Expansion Across the UK
Market snapshot (2025‑2026)
- Number of indoor courts grew from 1,200 (2023) to 2,050 (2025), a 71 % increase (UK Padel Association).
- Estimated 3.3 million active participants in 2025, projected to reach 4.5 million by 2028.
- TV viewership for the inaugural UK Padel Tour final (Nov 2025) peaked at 1.1 million households (BARB).
New venues and league launches
- London Central Padel Club (opened Jan 2026) – 12 courts, integrated digital ticketing linked to the Premier League Clip API for cross‑promo offers.
- Northern Circuit – 8‑city regional league introduced in March 2026, featuring a “Padel‑to‑football” fan‑exchange program where ticket holders receive discounted access to Premier League archive screenings.
Sponsorship and media partnership
- Bet365 signed a £15 M exclusive betting rights contract, also providing a real‑time odds overlay on the live stream platform Sky Sports Padel.
- EnergyCo launched the “Power‑Play” campaign, installing solar‑powered charging stations at 150 padel venues, promoting sustainability and brand visibility.
Practical tips for clubs looking to capitalize on growth
- Leverage archive content – Use the Clip API to create “classic match‑day” experiences after padel events, driving repeat footfall.
- Bundle sponsorship packages – Combine padel court naming rights with digital ad slots on the league Legends podcast to reach a broader demographic.
- Data‑driven membership offers – Analyze play‑Metrics data to segment members by frequency and offer targeted “frequent‑player” discounts tied to Premier League classic re‑watch bundles.
Cross‑channel Benefits & Practical Tips for Brands
Integrated activation framework
- Step 1: Identify heritage assets – Use the Premier League Archive Hub to select iconic moments that align with the brand’s values (e.g., resilience, teamwork).
- Step 2: map to sport‑specific audiences – Pair football classics with women’s rugby’s growth narrative and padel’s youthful fan base.
- Step 3: Deploy multi‑format content – Combine short‑form video clips,podcast sponsorship,and live‑event branding for omnichannel exposure.
Measuring ROI
- KPIs: view‑through rate (VTR) on archive clips,podcast download growth,padel ticket conversions,and sponsorship lift in sales.
- Tools: Premier League Clip API analytics, Spotify for Podcasters dashboard, Bet365’s in‑stream ad reporting, and Play‑Metrics for padel.
Best‑practice checklist for 2026 campaigns
- Secure exclusive clip licensing to avoid duplication with competitors.
- Align brand storytelling with the narrative of the featured sport (e.g.,“heritage of perseverance” for women’s rugby).
- Use dynamic ad insertion to personalise messages by region and device.
- Track cross‑sport engagement (e.g.,users who watch a classic football match and then subscribe to a padel streaming service).
- Review quarterly performance and adjust spend based on real‑time conversion data.
