Shorts: The WRU, Two Circles, Emirates GBR 20 Jan 2026 | Anna-Rose Gabbitass Share on The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has entered a period of exclusivity with Y11 Sport & Media regarding the potential acquisition of Cardiff Rugby. The governing body has identified Y11, the current owners of Ospreys, as the preferred bidder following a board meeting on Monday. This proposal has moved ahead of a rival bid from a consortium involving former Cardiff director Martyn Ryan. Cardiff have been under the ownership of the WRU since entering administration in April 2025. The potential deal has raised questions regarding the future structure of Welsh rugby, as the union has proposed reducing its number of professional sides. If completed, the agreement would require scrutiny under World Rugby regulation 14, which prohibits entities from controlling more than one club in the same competition. A statement from the WRU read, “The WRU board met for its January meeting today and considered the recommendation from the executive leadership team on the sale of Cardiff Rugby. The board reviewed in detail the final two bids and unanimously approved the proposal to move forward with a preferred bidder into an exclusivity period. Following this decision, the WRU has obligations to liaise with a number of stakeholders over the next few days.” “We will then discuss the decision with the two bidders and the management of Cardiff Rugby and expect to be in a position to have completed this by next week. The WRU hopes to finalise the detailed negotiations with the preferred bidder and sign a binding agreement within a matter of weeks.” Squash Media & Marketing has appointed Two Circles on a five-year partnership to support global growth ahead of the LA28 Olympics. SMM, the commercial entity owned and operated by the Professional Squash Association (PSA), has entered the agreement to accelerate audience expansion and commercial development. Two Circles will manage media rights strategy and distribution services for the PSA Squash Tour. Additionally, the data-driven sports agency will provide marketing support to enhance the organisation’s digital platforms, specifically focusing on scaling the streaming service SQUASHTV. The collaboration aims to establish a deeper understanding of the sport’s audience and markets as squash prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Alex Gough, Chief Executive Officer, PSA, said, “With squash on the path to its Olympic debut at LA28, our focus is firmly on engaging and growing audiences across the globe. Two Circles’ expertise in media rights, data and digital growth will help us expand global distribution, accelerate SQUASHTV subscriber growth and build lasting momentum for the sport through 2028 and beyond.” Tom McJennett, Managing Director, EMEA, Two Circles, said, “Squash is a sport on the rise, and we are proud to have been selected by SMM to help unlock its full potential over the coming years. Growing audiences and revenues is what we do best, and that is exactly what we will deliver in the build-up to the sport’s Olympic debut at LA28 and beyond.” Emirates GBR has agreed to a two-year partnership with Maison Telmont, designating the French brand as the official champagne of the team for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The partnership officially commenced as the British team celebrated a victory. Both organisations share a focus on environmental responsibility. Maison Telmont aims to produce champagne targeting Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. This vision aligns with the sustainability commitments of the British team, who recently became the first outfit to win SailGP’s Impact League twice. Sir Ben Ainslie, CEO and Co-owner of Emirates GBR, said, “We are delighted to welcome Telmont on board. Pushing the limits of performance while acting responsibly towards the environment is a shared belief that naturally brought Champagne Telmont and Emirates GBR together, and we look forward to building a strong and meaningful partnership.” Sports content producer Crowd Network has appointed former England rugby player Shaunagh Brown as Brand Partnerships Consultant. Brown joins the podcast network having previously worked with the team as a presenter on its For The Love Of Rugby show, covering the Women’s Six Nations and the 2025 Women’s World Cup. During her playing career, the former prop earned 30 caps for the Red Roses and won four Six Nations titles. In her new role, Brown will help shape and deliver commercial brand partnerships across the network’s roster of shows. She will work closely with talent and producers to identify partners, with a specific focus on Long Story Short, hosted by former Lionesses Jill Scott and Karen Carney. Alongside supporting existing shows, Brown will contribute to the growth of Crowd Network’s work-for-hire production arm, which delivers audio, video and social-first content for brands and creators. To further strengthen the team supporting brand partnerships, the company has also welcomed Sam Ratcliffe as Account Manager. Crowd Network has recently partnered with brands including JAECOO, BrewDog, Thatchers, Chelsea FC Women and Red Bull. Mike Carr, CEO of Crowd, said, “Shaunagh brings a brilliant mix of elite sport experience and a deep understanding of how audiences engage with content. She shares our belief that collaboration with brands work best when they’re authentic and add real value to shows and their fans. We have ambitious plans for 2026, and Shaunagh will play a key role in helping us deliver meaningful, high-impact partnerships.” Shaunagh Brown, Brand Partnerships Consultant at Crowd, added, “Having already worked with the Crowd team as a presenter on the Women’s Six Nations last year, I’ve seen how the team creates innovative, creative and industry-leading content, and has evolved beyond podcasting into a full-scale production powerhouse. I’m excited to work with Crowd’s existing partners and build out their roster of brands that genuinely align with the shows and talent, and to help turn audience engagement into real commercial value – particularly in supporting the continued growth of women’s sport.” The FIA Extreme H World Cup has announced a multi-year extension of its broadcast partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India. The renewal ensures that the collaboration between the racing series and the broadcaster will continue through to the end of the 2028 season. Under the extended agreement, fans across India will continue to access live coverage, highlights, and digital content via SPNI’s television channels and its digital platform, Sony LIV. Building on a partnership first announced in 2024, the deal identifies India as a key growth market for both clean mobility and hydrogen technologies. Subscribe to the Sport Industry Daily for regular updates on the biggest stories and latest news in the sport industry .
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: sportindustry.co.uk