Sport Industry News: SailGP, Birmingham 2026, MI London and Tour of Britain Updates

SailGP, the European Athletics Championships, and The Hundred have announced new commercial and marketing partnerships to drive audience growth ahead of their 2026 schedules. These moves include SailGP appointing Fuse for PR activity, Birmingham 2026 naming Sagres as its official beer, and MI London partnering with Ten Toes for digital content creation.

The strategic shifts reflect a broader trend in international sports to move beyond core fanbases and attract lifestyle and entertainment audiences. By integrating athlete-led content and community-focused events, these organizations are attempting to increase regional visibility and digital engagement across the UK and Europe.

SailGP Partners with Fuse for Great Britain Sail Grand Prix

SailGP has appointed sports, entertainment marketing, and communications agency Fuse to lead its PR and communications activity for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix. According to the organization, the collaboration focuses on an integrated communications strategy designed to increase national and regional coverage for the event.

The campaign seeks to broaden the appeal of the SailGP brand by targeting lifestyle and entertainment audiences, moving the needle beyond traditional sailing enthusiasts. To achieve this, Fuse is implementing a strategy centered on live content creation and media moments driven by athletes. The agency will also coordinate with SailGP teams and partners to manage on-site media relations and secure spokesperson opportunities during the race weekend.

Catherine Stewart, Head of Communications, EMEA, SailGP, stated that Fuse was selected because the agency understood the brand’s goals both on and off the water. Stewart noted that the agency has brought creativity and industry knowledge to the campaign.

Sagres Named Official Beer of Birmingham 2026

The European Athletics Championships Birmingham 2026 has signed a deal with Sagres to become the official beer and 0% beer of the event. Both the standard Sagres product and Sagres 0.0% will be available to spectators throughout the venue, with distribution in the UK handled by Kingfisher Drinks.

Cherry Alexander, Championship Director, Birmingham 2026, said the partnership brings a heritage of quality and togetherness to the event. Alexander noted that providing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options ensures fans have a choice in how they celebrate during the championships this summer.

John Price, Head of Marketing, Kingfisher Drinks, highlighted the brand’s history of supporting sporting excellence, citing its sponsorships of Benfica and the Portuguese National Team. Price stated the goal is for stadium attendees to celebrate the achievements of the athletes, regardless of whether a Portuguese Gold Medal or not.

MI London Appoints Ten Toes for 2026 Digital Strategy

The Hundred franchise MI London has selected sports marketing agency Ten Toes as its content agency for the 2026 season. Based at the Kia Oval, the franchise has integrated the legacy of five-time champions Oval Invincibles with Surrey County Cricket Club and Mumbai Indians.

Ten Toes is tasked with developing a digital content strategy to engage UK-based fans and attract new audiences to the sport. Adam Sofroniou, Head of Communications at MI London, explained that the objective is to continue the work of building an audience for those new to cricket following the ownership of the team was transferred to Surrey and Reliance Industries. Sofroniou stated the priority is to use digital content to connect supporters with the heroes and characters of the team and the city of London.

Josh Hershman, Global COO of Ten Toes, described the partnership as an opportunity to capitalize on the domestic pedigree and global reach of MI London. Hershman pointed to the franchise’s five Hundred titles and the Mumbai Indians as key drivers of the team’s potential.

Tour of Britain Expands Family Cycling Festival for 2026

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Family Cycling Festival will expand to two 2026 race stages in Blackpool and Hull, extending community participation alongside the professional event. This expansion follows the introduction of the festival at the Glasgow stage of the women’s race in 2025.

The festival is scheduled for the following dates and times:

• Blackpool: August 20, from 11am to 2pm, coinciding with the women’s race. Activities will take place before the stage finishes outside the Solaris Centre.
• Hull: September 4, from 11am to 2pm, coinciding with the men’s event. The program will follow the start of the stage from East Park.

The initiative provides free cycling activities for all ages and abilities in traffic-free environments. Jonathan Day, Director of Events at British Cycling Ventures, stated that the expansion follows the huge success at the Glasgow stage of the women’s Tour in 2025 which saw families and people of all ages take to the roads. Day confirmed that the festival is free to access and open to everyone, whether or not they have a bike.

The 2026 Tour of Britain will utilize these host authorities in Blackpool and Hull to attract visitors and engage local residents through a combination of elite professional competition and community participation.

Official updates regarding ticket availability for the European Athletics Championships and registration for the Tour of Britain Family Cycling Festival are expected through the respective organizers’ official portals.

Do you think these community-focused festivals help professional sports grow their audience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.