Everton Secures Sponsorship Agency, Sheffield Wednesday Faces Rescue Bid, and Advancements in Women’s Football Dominate Sports News
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The sports landscape saw significant developments this week, from Everton’s strategic move too secure future sponsorship deals to a potential lifeline for Sheffield Wednesday and landmark progress in the professionalization of women’s football.
Everton Appoints Range Sports for Future Kit Sponsorships
Everton Football Club has engaged Range Sports to identify and secure new front-of-kit and training kit sponsorships, beginning with the 2026-27 season. This proactive step comes as the club prepares to comply with new Premier League regulations prohibiting gambling brands on the front of matchday shirts starting at the end of the 2025-26 season. Everton is one of eleven clubs impacted by this policy shift.
The agency was selected following a competitive bidding process, with Greg Luckman, co-President, and Flint Reilly, Head of Partnership Sales, representing Range Sports. Notably, Reilly previously held a commercial partnership role at Fenway sports Group, working with Liverpool.
Everton’s current sponsorship deal with online casino Stake is estimated to be worth approximately £10 million annually, aligning with the league average. However, the club anticipates increased revenue potential through new commercial avenues linked to its planned move to the Hill dickinson Stadium, a new riverfront venue, and recent investment from the U.S.-based Friedkin Group, which finalized its takeover in 2024. Range Sports, founded three years ago, has rapidly expanded through acquisitions and maintains offices across five U.S. locations, boasting a portfolio that includes partnerships with the New Orleans Pelicans, gotham FC, and Shaun White’s Snow League.Earlier in 2025, the agency br
Little Dot studios Achieves B Corp Certification
Digital media company Little Dot Studios has been certified as a B Corporation, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental duty.The assessment evaluated the company’s operations across governance,workforce,community impact,environmental practices,and customer relations,including its subsidiaries WING,a specialist sport and branded content agency,and History Hit,the podcast network and subscription video-on-demand service founded by Dan Snow.
“Digital media is often overlooked in sustainability conversations,” said Dan Jones, CEO of Little Dot Studios. “We are proving that large-scale production and distribution can be done responsibly, and we encourage the industry to follow.” Little Dot Studios joins a select group of UK media companies with B Corp status, including The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, and The Jamie Oliver group.
Barclays Women’s Super League 2 Players Gain PFA Membership
Players in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 (BWSL2) are now eligible for membership in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), marking a significant step forward for the professionalization of women’s football in England. This development follows an agreement between the PFA and Women’s Super League Football, which oversees both the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) and BWSL2.
The move establishes England as the sole nation globally with two fully professional women’s football leagues. It aligns with recommendations from the 2023 independent review into women’s football, led by Karen Carney OBE, which advocated for enhanced minimum standards, maternity rights, mental health support, and formal union portrayal. WSL Football has secured funding from the PFA to support these expanded services. A new Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative committee (PFNCC) has also been established for the women’s game, mirroring the structure in men’s football to facilitate dialog between players and the league.
“The women’s game is on a steep upwards trajectory,” stated Holly Murdoch, COO of WSL Football. “The steps we have put into place to fully professionalise the BWSL2 is another move forward and our commitment to a playercentred approach ensures every footballer in the BWSL and BWSL2 can benefit from the PFA’s complete support and expertise.”
