Latest Sport Industry News: BBC, SailGP and DAZN Updates

The BBC has acquired the live radio broadcast rights for the lightweight world title unification bout between Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper. The event is scheduled for Saturday, 27 July, at the Olympia in Kensington.

Radio coverage will commence at 19:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, before transitioning to BBC Radio 5 Live at 20:00. In addition to the radio broadcast, the BBC will provide live text commentary for every world title fight featured on the card.

Most Valuable Promotions Enters UK Market

The main event features the undefeated WBC belt-holder Dubois facing WBO champion Harper. This bout marks the first United Kingdom promotion for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and serves as the inaugural event for the promotion’s newly established women’s league.

Other world champions currently signed to MVP include Mikaela Mayer, Alycia Baumgardner, and Amanda Serrano.

The event card includes three additional world title contests:

• Chantelle Cameron will compete for a world title in a second weight division.
• Ellie Scotney will fight for the opportunity to become the undisputed super-bantamweight champion.
• Emma Dolan will contest her first world title bout for the IBF super-flyweight championship.

SailGP and Marlow Ropes Partnership

Global sailing championship SailGP has entered into a global partnership with British manufacturer Marlow Ropes. Running through the end of the 2027 season, the agreement designates Marlow Ropes as the championship’s official rope supplier.

The partnership includes the delivery of fan activations and hands-on workshops at Race Stadiums. Marlow Ropes will support the SailGP Inspire programmes, which are youth education initiatives intended to introduce young people to technical sailing skills.

Partnering with Marlow Ropes is a natural fit for SailGP. Their products are trusted across the sport of sailing, and together we’re excited to showcase the technology and craftsmanship used to power the most exciting – and technical – racing on water. Rope systems play a critical role in the precision and performance required to race F50s at high speed, and Marlow’s expertise will help highlight the innovation behind every moment on the water.

Joel Marginson, SailGP Technologies Director

Marlow Ropes and SailGP are a natural partnership, united by a shared commitment to high performance, technical innovation, and a deep responsibility to protect our oceans. As a global leader in sustainable rope manufacturing, we bring advanced materials science and eco driven engineering to the world’s most exciting racing league. Our pioneering use of bio based fibres, recycled materials, and low impact production processes aligns perfectly with SailGP’s ambitions.

Paul Honess, Leisure Marine Sales Director

DAZN Launches Playmakers Initiative

Sports streaming platform DAZN has introduced DAZN Playmakers, a global influencer initiative. The programme aims to establish a community of sports creators and storytellers to produce social and onsite content from sporting events.

DAZN will initially recruit creators who align with upcoming campaigns and priority rights, eventually implementing a structured incentive framework. Participants will receive event access, merchandise, affiliate links, and access to the DAZN platform.

With our new Playmakers programme, we’ve set out to make DAZN the natural home for sports creators. Our ambition is to build the world’s largest and most credible creator community across every sport, giving creators opportunity to reach new audiences and share their content with the world. By opening access to our platform, events, and opportunities, we’re putting our focus on creators and cementing DAZN’s position as the destination for creator‑driven sports content.

Adam Knappy, CMO, DAZN Group

Further Sports Business Updates

Hull City has expanded its principal partnership with Corendon Airlines for the 2025/26 season. Under the new terms, the airline will serve as the front-of-shirt sponsor for the club’s Under-21 and Under-18 academy teams.

The airline, which has been the first team’s front-of-shirt sponsor since it first partnered with the Championship club in 2022, will also see an increased presence at the Cottingham training facility, the MKM Stadium, and on digital platforms including Tigers Plus.

In athletics, headphone brand Shokz has been named the official headphone partner for six Abbott World Marathon Majors Races in 2026, which includes the London Marathon. The company is launching a runner recruitment programme called Chasing Stars to support runners through training and race day with exclusive kits and headphones. Shokz has also created co-branded headphones for each of the six partnered races.

Finally, the Wheelchair Football Association (WFA) has signed a three-year deal with mobility solutions provider AJM Choice to launch the WFA Academy. The academy focuses on the development of leaders and players in Powerchair Football through mentoring and professional pathways.

A central component of the academy is the Sporting Excellence Programme (SEP), a paid three-year apprenticeship. This programme allows participants to earn a Level 3 qualification while continuing to compete and train with their respective clubs.