Saracens, of English men's rugby union's top-tier Prem (formerly known as the Premiership), have appointed a new chief executive (CEO), while rivals Leicester Tigers have brought in Castore as their new kit supplier.
Saracens, who finished sixth in the recently concluded 2024-25 season, have hired Charlie Beall, formerly of heavyweight sports marketing agency IMG, as their new CEO.
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Beall was most recently a vice president of digital at IMG, having taken the role in June 2021, and before that was a consulting partner at Seven League, the digital agency that now forms part of IMG.
He also spent two years as a sports strategy advisor at video-streaming platform Twitch.
The new CEO has said: "It’s a tremendous honor to be joining Saracens. This is a world-renowned club with a proud history of success and a deep sense of purpose. I’ve followed Saracens since I first moved to the UK from South Africa in 1996, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to now lead this incredible organization."
Dominic Silvester, a director for the consortium that now runs Saracens, added: "He [Beall] brings with him extensive commercial experience across sport, media, and entertainment, along with a strong leadership track record and team-building expertise."
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By GlobalDataThe Leicester-Castore tie-up, meanwhile, was unveiled yesterday and is a long-term agreement.
It adds to the other four deals Castore has in place with Prem clubs – Bath (the champions), Saracens, Harlequins, and Exeter Chiefs. As well as this, Castore has a deal in place with England Rugby, a multi-year tie-up unveiled earlier this year and valued by GlobalData Sport at $5 million annually.
Through this latest tie-up, the Liverpool-based brand becomes the official kit supplier for all Leicester Tigers teams', providing playing and training kit, as well as "athleisure."
The first range of these products will be launched in August, ahead of the start of the 2025-26 Prem season.
In addition to the kit supply element of the overall tie-up, Castore will take charge of the club's physical and online retail operations, "enhancing fan access to Leicester Tigers merchandise."
The Castore store in Leicester will also now stock team products.
Leicester made it to the 2024-25 Prem final, losing 23-21 to Bath.
The club's CEO, Andrea Pinchen, has commented: "Castore’s expertise in curating retail experiences was a major reason for choosing them as our technical partner and to have them managing our retail arm for the club moving forward. Additionally, with a flagship store in the Highcross center, we are delighted that Leicester Tigers merchandise will once again be available in the center of our great city."
In terms of the other main club sponsors, the men's team's front-of-shirt partner is Topps Tiles.
Finally, as the build-up to their tour of Australia continues, the British and Irish Lions men's touring rugby union organization has once again partnered with sports-focused technology and data analytics firm Kitman Labs.
Through the deal, the Lions (combining players from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales) will be using that firm's Intelligence Platform for the first successive tour in a row.
Throughout the tour of Australia, the Lions will "utilize the Performance Medicine and Performance Optimisation solutions," with the overall Intelligence Platform aiming to combine both medical and performance data in one centralized location.
This same platform is used separately by both the English and Irish Rugby Football Unions, as well as both the sport's national governing bodies in South Africa and Argentina.
The Lions play against Argentina in Ireland tonight, before their nine-match tour of Australia – featuring three fixtures against that country's national team – begins on June 28.
In terms of recent Lions commercial activity, earlier this month, a partnership with whisky brand Patron Saint was announced.
