Powerleague, Flashscore, Barbie, and More: A Roundup of Recent Sports Industry News
The sports industry continues to evolve, with partnerships, novel content offerings, and brand extensions making headlines. This article provides an overview of recent developments involving Powerleague, Flashscore, Mattel’s Barbie, Matchroom Boxing, Leeds United, ROXFIT, and the ZYN British Superbike Championship.
Powerleague Appoints MatchFit as Retained PR Agency
Powerleague, which operates 44 sports clubs across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, has appointed MatchFit as its retained public relations agency.1 MatchFit will focus on supporting the launch of Powerleague’s new padel locations and providing campaign support around the upcoming FIFA World Cup.1
Louis Hakner, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Powerleague, emphasized MatchFit’s understanding of the brand and its role within the community.1 Donald Parish, Co-Founder of MatchFit, highlighted the agency’s long-standing connection to Powerleague and the opportunities presented by the growing grassroots sports participation.1
Flashscore Launches ‘Big Pete’ YouTube Series with Petr Čech
Global live-score provider Flashscore has launched a new YouTube series, “Big Pete,” created and hosted by former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Čech.2 The 12-episode series is co-produced with CANAL+ and offers an unfiltered look into professional football.2
The first episode features former Chelsea captain John Terry, with upcoming guests including Robert Pires, Emile Heskey, and Ashley Cole.2 Episodes will be released weekly on Flashscore’s global YouTube channel and broadcast on CANAL+ Sport channels and streaming platforms.2 The content will cover topics such as dealing with injuries and the evolution of the women’s game.2
Petr Čech expressed his excitement about the collaboration and the positive feedback received on the first episode.2
Chloe Kelly Honored with One-of-a-Kind Barbie Doll
England and Manchester City forward Chloe Kelly has been honored with a unique Barbie doll as part of Mattel’s ‘Barbie Dream Team’ for International Women’s Day.3 The series celebrates women who have led the way in their respective industries.3 Kelly joins other sporting figures like Serena Williams and Smriti Mandhana.3
Kelly was instrumental in England’s victory at the 2022 European Championship, scoring the winning goal against Germany in the final.3 She expressed her pride in being a Barbie role model and the significance of the recognition.3
Matchroom Boxing Renews Partnership with FuelHub
Matchroom Boxing has extended its partnership with meal prep company FuelHub for another 12 months.4 FuelHub will continue as the organization’s official nutrition partner, providing meals to the Matchroom team across its UK offices, including Chairman Eddie Hearn, President Barry Hearn OBE, and CEO Frank Smith.4
The partnership includes continued sponsorship of Matchroom’s Fight Day 5k and featured FuelHub in the 2025 Netflix documentary series, Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen.4 Michelle Laithwaite, Co-founder and CEO of FuelHub, and Eddie Hearn both emphasized the alignment of values and the importance of nutrition for high performance.4
Leeds United Partners with Employment Hero
Leeds United has agreed to a new partnership with HR, hiring, and payroll software company Employment Hero for the remainder of the 2025/26 Premier League season.5 The collaboration aims to support regional businesses, particularly in Yorkshire & the Humber, with tailored experiences at Elland Road and seminars on employment law.5
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero, stated the partnership is about providing practical support for local employers.5
ROXFIT Secures £1.9m Seed Funding
ROXFIT, a digital training platform for hybrid athletes, has raised £1.9 million in a seed funding round led by DSW Ventures.6 Founded by Ben Wilson and Joey Allott, ROXFIT has seen its user base grow from 80,000 in May 2025 to over 260,000 across 185 countries, driven by the popularity of the HYROX community.6
The funding will be used to accelerate product development, strengthen the engineering and AI team, and expand ROXFIT’s global ambassador network.6 The app provides AI-powered training tools, pacing guidance, and post-race performance analytics.6
ZYN British Superbike Championship Extends CERATIZIT Partnership
The ZYN British Superbike Championship has extended its partnership with cutting tools and hard materials specialist CERATIZIT into a tenth season.7 The new agreement for 2026 includes trackside branding, customer experiences, and the continuation of the CERATIZIT Team Trophy.7
Stuart Higgs, Series Director of the ZYN British Superbike Championship, highlighted the strength of the partnership and the synergy between cutting-edge manufacturing and motorcycle racing.7
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