Sports Industry Shorts: Ben Mansford, DAZN & IWF

Charlton Athletic has appointed Ben Mansford as Chief Executive Officer, ending a vacancy that lasted since March 2025 following Charlie Methven’s departure, sportindustry.co.uk reported. Mansford takes up the role immediately after completing the EFL Owners’ and Directors’ Test and receiving approval from the Independent Football Regulator.

Fantasy & Market Impact

• Charlton Athletic enters the market under new executive leadership following a vacant CEO post since March 2025.
• The club targets Category One academy status to bolster long-term player development pipelines.
• Chairman Gavin Carter transitions to a singular focus on board governance as Mansford assumes day-to-day operations.

Executive Overhaul at Charlton Athletic

The appointment resolves a front-office search for the club. Back in June 2025, the organization announced plans to hire former Barnsley and Nottingham Forest Chief Executive Officer Dane Murphy, pending clearance from the EFL Owners’ and Directors’ Test. In July, however, the club and Murphy mutually agreed that he would not take up the position, leaving the seat open until Mansford cleared regulatory hurdles.

Mansford brings extensive EFL and international experience to the club. He spent three years as Chief Executive Officer at Barnsley, guiding the club to promotion in his final full season in 2015/16. He then moved to Leeds United, appointed by Massimo Cellino, helping facilitate the sale of the club to Andrea Radrizzani before departing in 2017. During two spells at Maccabi Tel Aviv, his leadership yielded the Israeli league title and the Toto Cup in both 2017 and 2018, alongside a run to the Europa League group stage. He also served as Chief Executive Officer at Blackpool and worked for Wasserman managing professional athletes.

Commercial Partnerships Expand Across Global Sports

Outside of English football, DAZN has secured a multi-year partnership with open water swimming circuit OCEANMAN, becoming the series’ official media partner, sportindustry.co.uk reported. Set to begin on 13th November in Miches, Dominican Republic, the alliance launches with live and complimentary broadcasts of the OCEANMAN Elite Race World Final Championship. The wider World Final Championship runs from 10th to 15th November, featuring elite competitors including Olympic medallists Rachele Bruni, Marc-Antoni Oliver, and Ginevra Taddeucci.

Partner / Organization	New Role or Agreement	Key Event / Launch Date
Charlton Athletic	Ben Mansford appointed Chief Executive Officer	Immediate (Post-Regulatory Approval)
DAZN / OCEANMAN	Multi-year media partnership for open water swimming	World Final: 13th November
International Weightlifting Federation / SBD	Official supplier of belts, sleeves, and wraps	2026 IWF World Championships (Ningbo)

At the same time, sportindustry.co.uk noted that Sheffield strength equipment manufacturer SBD was chosen by the International Weightlifting Federation to supply official knee bandages, wrist wraps, knee sleeves, and belts. The deal extends an existing relationship that named SBD an official partner and official supplier of the weightlifting costume through 2032. Signed at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, China—running from 27th October to 8th November—the expanded partnership covers technical lifting supports manufactured at SBD’s headquarters in Sheffield.

“In weightlifting the bar moves faster and positions change in a fraction of a second, so we have designed these products for the specific demands of the sport,” said Benjamin Banks, Founder and CEO of SBD, as noted by sportindustry.co.uk.

Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.