Shorts: The ECB, West Ham United, Manchester City 29 Apr 2026 | Anna-Rose Gabbitass Share on The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has signed a multi-year agreement with soft drinks brand Cawston Press. The deal makes Cawston Press the official soft drinks partner and official drinks break partner of England Cricket. The brand will provide the drinks bottles and carriers for all drinks breaks in England Men’s and Women’s internationals. Activations will include in-stadia branded perimeter LEDs, programme advertising and big screen content. Co-branded packaging featuring the ‘We are England Cricket’ logo will also be rolled out across the full Cawston Press portfolio. 20260428 Copyright James Robinson Free for editorial use image, please credit: James Robinson Cawston Press x England Cricket Partnership Launch with Steve Finn at The Oval, London If you require a higher resolution image, have any other photographic enquiries or are in any way unsure of your right to publish this image please contact James Robinson on [email protected] To support the partnership, Cawston Press will run an on-pack promotion on its Sparkling Multipacks between June and October, with a top prize of £10,000 alongside a range of England Cricket merchandise. The agreement follows the brand’s earlier sponsorship of the National Village Cup. Ben Bradley, Head of Commercial Partnerships, ECB, said, “We are delighted to team up with Cawston Press as our Official Soft Drinks Partner, ahead of an exciting summer of cricket for both England Men and Women. Cawston Press is one of the UK’s most exciting growth brands in the sector with a clear focus on quality, natural ingredients and great taste. We look forward to bringing them to cricket fans across the country and being a part of their journey.” Laura Graham, Head of Marketing of Cawston Press, said, “Cawston Press drinks are inspired by quintessentially English flavours like Rhubarb, Elderflower and Beetroot so partnering with the ECB is a natural and hugely exciting step for the brand. Cricket isn’t a game to be rushed, just like how we approach making our drinks, with time, care and only a few simple ingredients. We can’t wait to see the partnership come to life, with activity rolling out from May.” West Ham United have appointed Karim Virani as interim CEO, following the departure of Baroness Karren Brady. Virani returns to the Premier League club for a second stint, where he previously led the digital, marketing and commercial operation between 2015 and 2020. He has held leadership positions across the sports, technology, and financial services sectors. Since leaving the London Stadium in 2020, he founded his own sports marketing agency and held the position of Chief Commercial Officer at Scottish Premiership club Rangers FC between 2023 and 2025. He has also been a non-executive director on the board of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England and was a board member at Hashtag United. Karim Virani, Interim Chief Executive Officer, West Ham United, said, “I am proud and honoured to be returning to West Ham United, a Club I have a deep affinity and admiration for. This is a massive football club, with incredibly loyal and passionate supporters, a hugely talented and dedicated group of players, coaches and staff, a proud and unique heritage, and an ambition to be as successful as possible, both on and off the pitch. I am determined to do everything I can to help the Club achieve our objectives, with the absolute priority and focus of everyone here right now on supporting Nuno Espírito Santo and his players as they look to finish the season positively. In recent weeks and months, Nuno, his coaches, the players, staff and our supporters have shown great commitment and collective spirit to help improve our position in the Premier League.” Manchester City have named AMPYR Distributed Energy as an official supplier and onsite power purchase agreement funder. The partnership has seen AMPYR Distributed Energy (ADE) deliver the first phase of a solar installation across the club’s City Football Academy and the Joie Stadium. The installation includes over 5,000 solar panels across multiple rooftops, which will generate clean electricity for the Premier League club. The project supports Manchester City’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and increasing its use of renewable energy resources. ADE will be responsible for the funding, operation, and maintenance of the onsite renewable energy solutions. John Behan, CEO of ADE, said, “Manchester City is setting the standard for how leading organisations approach sustainability in practice. Our role as an Official Supplier reflects the work delivered to date and the responsibility we take on in operating this infrastructure for the long term. This is about turning ambition into real, operational infrastructure – delivering clean energy solutions that perform day in, day out. We’re proud to be supporting Manchester City as they continue to progress towards their long-term sustainability goals.” British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) has entered a partnership with Housr to support student athletes across the UK by improving access to accommodation services and student living tools. The agreement focuses on reducing administrative and financial pressures linked to housing, which can affect participation and performance in university sport. BUCS represents university sport in the UK, working with higher education institutions to deliver competitive opportunities for student athletes across multiple disciplines. Housr provides a digital platform that combines accommodation search, bill management and student-focused services. Its features include a roommate matching tool, access to discounts, and a system for booking student events. The platform is available to students before and during the academic year. The partnership gives BUCS-affiliated students access to Housr’s services, with the aim of simplifying housing arrangements and day-to-day living. This is intended to allow student athletes to focus more on training, competition and academic commitments. The agreement comes amid ongoing pressure in the UK student housing sector, including rising rental costs and limited availability in university cities. These factors have been identified in recent sector reports as contributing to financial strain and wellbeing concerns among students. University sport in the UK has continued to expand, with BUCS competitions involving tens of thousands of participants annually. The partnership reflects a broader trend of organisations working with service providers to address off-field challenges that affect student participation in sport. Rhys Hayward, Director of Marketing and Commercial, BUCS, “At BUCS, we are passionate about creating the conditions for student-athletes to perform at their very best. We know the pressures students face extend far beyond the training ground, and that removing everyday stresses is key to unlocking performance. Housr shares that understanding and that ambition – and with a platform that helps students find great housemates, save money, and make the most of their social lives, this partnership offers real, tangible value to the BUCS community. It’s a natural fit, and a genuine win for every student we serve.”
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: sportindustry.co.uk