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Team of the Week - 01.05.26

Fri, 01 May 2026 16:36:49 GMT

Team of the Week - 01.05.26

History, milestones and remarkable endurance define this week’s Team of the Week.

Sebastian Sawe rewrote marathon history with a sub two hour run in London, Akil Howson will become the first black official at an FA Cup final, George North prepares to close out a legendary international career, and Hannah Cox completed an extraordinary 100 marathons in 100 days.

Team of the Week - 24.04.26

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:01:46 GMT

Team of the Week - 24.04.26

Future stars, big moments and positive progress across sport this week.

Harry Williams takes his first step into the F1 pathway with McLaren, Coventry City secure their return to the Premier League under Frank Lampard, Erling Haaland delivers in another title defining moment, and new Sport England data shows more adults than ever are getting active.

Team of the Week - 17.04.26

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:39:28 GMT

Team of the Week - 17.04.26

Big wins, historic firsts and defining moments headline this week’s Team of the Week.

Rory McIlroy claimed another Masters title, Marie-Louise Eta made history as the first female manager in one of Europe’s top five leagues, Viktor Axelsen stepped away from the sport as one of badminton’s all time greats, and Gout Gout set a new benchmark for the next generation of sprinting talent.

Team of the Week - 10.04.26

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:37:00 GMT

Team of the Week - 10.04.26

Big runs, big records and bigger life moments this week.

Southampton’s remarkable rise under Tonda Eckert continues, Roy Hodgson is proving class is permanent with Bristol City, Laura Cardoso made T20 history with an extraordinary nine wicket haul, and Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan gave women’s sport another brilliant reminder that motherhood and elite performance belong in the same conversation.

Case Study: Brighton Half Marathon

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:50:32 GMT

About the Client

The 2026 Brighton Half Marathon marked the 36th edition of the event and remains one of the most popular fixtures in the running calendar. Taking place along the iconic Brighton seafront, the 2026 BHM welcomed thousands of runners to the 13.1-mile course, raising money for Sussex Beacon and many other charitable causes.

Collaboration

New Reach was brought in to manage the BHM digital platforms before, during and after the race, including live social media content across both event days. Throughout the weekend, we covered the youth races, wheelchair races and the half marathon across Instagram and Facebook, delivering valuable and personable content that captured the atmosphere and energy of the event. Alongside live coverage, we were also tasked with creating a bank of content for the BHM team to use post-event and in the lead-up to the 2027 race.

Our Objectives

Provide live social media updates across event weekend

Create a bank of content for future

use and promotion

Support commercial objectives by recognising event partners

The Results

From February to March, across the Brighton Half Marathon’s Facebook and Instagram channels, we achieved:

1,000+ Followers

500,000+ post impressions

250,000+ accounts reached

Which significantly grew the event’s digital presence around race weekend. We also delivered a comprehensive content bank for the BHM team, covering all key moments, sponsors, runners and wider event highlights, providing valuable assets for future marketing activity.

Team of the Week - 03.04.26

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:43:03 GMT

Team of the Week - 03.04.26

History, healing and high speed momentum headline the week.

Gary Woodland’s emotional return to the winner’s circle after seven years, Jannik Sinner’s relentless march through the Sunshine Double, Jermain Defoe stepping into his first managerial role, and Kimi Antonelli becoming Formula 1’s youngest ever championship leader made this another standout week across sport.

Team of the Week - 27.03.26

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:07:27 GMT

Team of the Week - 27.03.26

Where performance meets purpose, this week in sport. ��

Great Britain celebrated their most successful World Athletics Indoor Championships, Edin Dzeko rolled back the years with a crucial goal at 40, Katja Snoeijs used her voice to raise awareness around endometriosis, and AFC Bournemouth highlighted the impact of Alex Cooper through a brilliant World Down Syndrome Day moment.

Case Study: Team Seas Life

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:39:07 GMT

About the Client

Team Seas Life was a four person crew that set out to row the Atlantic in support of four incredible charities. They began their 2,550 nautical mile journey on 14 December and, after 38 days at sea, reached land on 21 January. Throughout the challenge, the crew spent Christmas, New Year and personal milestones away from family and friends to complete this remarkable feat.

Collaboration

New Reach was brought in to manage Team Seas Life’s digital platforms. Across multiple social media channels, we recognised that the crew presented a unique opportunity to showcase a once in a lifetime experience that very few people will ever encounter, and we relished the chance to bring that story to life across all channels.

Our main content series across the challenge was the ‘12 Days of Christmas’, in which 12 different celebrities dialled in to the crew to chat about the challenge and boost morale. The series concluded on Christmas Eve with a call from Hugh Bonneville, and also included well known faces such as Bear Grylls, Laura Woods, James Haskell and James Blunt.

We were able to share some truly remarkable moments, from pods of dolphins and luxury yachts to the realities of an Atlantic row. All of our content kept the fantastic causes behind Team Seas Life at its heart, consistently reminding audiences that the challenge was in aid of charities that would truly benefit.

Alongside this, we managed PR outreach before, during and after the challenge. Our approach combined national coverage with profiling the team across their regions and sectors, targeting regional media outlets across the country while also working closely with rugby titles, given Ollie Phillips’ career.

We placed a strong focus on broadcast opportunities, securing live interviews for Team Seas Life across BBC Breakfast, Sky News, Sky Sports News, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 4. This included coordinating interviews live from the middle of the Atlantic on Christmas Day across BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 5 Live.

We also secured podcast appearances for Ollie Phillips, including The Adventure and The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, as well as a feature in Men’s Fitness.

Our Objectives

Bring the epic, once in a lifetime challenge to life through engaging and impactful social media content

Generate PR opportunities to raise awareness of Team Seas Life taking on the World’s Toughest Row

Drive donations to the four benefiting charities through an effective integrated campaign

The Results

Digital

Across Instagram and LinkedIn, we generated a reach of around 500,000 over a four month period. On YouTube, we delivered 25,000 views across long form videos and Shorts, resulting in over 100 hours of watch time. Most importantly, across the entire challenge, Team Seas Life raised approximately £400,000 for Cure Parkinson’s, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Clocktower Foundation and the Matt Hampson Foundation.

Copy of Team of the Week - 20.03.26

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:04:53 GMT

Team of the Week - 20.03.26

Global shocks, breakthrough moments and unforgettable comebacks headline this week’s Team of the Week.

Venezuela stunned a star studded USA side to win the World Baseball Classic for the first time, Max Dowman announced himself on the biggest stage as the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer, Tom Pidcock claimed a landmark Milano Torino victory on debut, and Sporting CP produced one of the great European comebacks to keep their Champions League run alive.

Team of the Week - 13.03.26

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:29:15 GMT

Team of the Week - 13.03.26

Title hopes, record breakers and history makers feature in this week’s Team of the Week.

Scotland head into the final week of the Six Nations with a genuine chance of lifting the trophy after an unforgettable run of results, Bam Adebayo produced one of the greatest scoring nights in NBA history with an astonishing 83 points, Jake Adicoff became the first out gay man to win an individual Winter Paralympics gold, and Alex Mann set a new Six Nations record with 33 tackles for Wales against Ireland.

Team of the Week - 06.03.26

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:00:19 GMT

Team of the Week - 06.03.26

Touchline moments dominate this Team of the Week. ️

Mahamed Mahamed balances London Marathon training with Ramadan observance, Rob Edwards continues Wolves’ remarkable resurgence, Dave Rennie becomes the first head coach of Pasifika heritage to lead the All Blacks, and Neil Warnock takes charge of his 1,627th match, proving the fire still burns.

Are we expecting too much of athletes?

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:35:08 GMT

A recent report from Sky News' Rob Harris has highlighted England players’ concerns about feeling pressured to speak out on political issues at major tournaments.

Reading this was disappointing, but not surprising. It reflects a growing tension in modern sport: athletes sit at the centre of public conversation, yet many don’t feel supported, prepared or protected when that conversation turns political.

Athlete platforms are powerful, their reach is undeniable. But that should not automatically mean they should be the frontline voices on every political or geopolitical issue. It's also fair to assume that not only to many not feel comfortable or qualified to hold that role.

The burden of expectation

Sporting bodies, brands and even fans now look to athletes to offer a stance whenever a sensitive global issue arises. The expectation is heavy, and the scrutiny is unforgiving.

This raises an important question for the industry:

Are we empowering athletes to use their platforms responsibly, or are we leaning on them to take positions that organisations themselves are hesitant to lead on?

Too often, what starts as an opportunity for authenticity becomes a burden that athletes never asked to shoulder.

Where athlete advocacy fits

Athletes can, and do, drive meaningful social impact — especially when speaking from lived experience. And perhaps this is where the industry should be focusing its support.

There is enormous value in athletes championing social and economic issues that feel natural, relevant and constructive, such as:

Improving access to sport
Inspiring participation
Championing inclusivity
Supporting community programmes
Highlighting the health and wellbeing benefits of activity
Addressing inequalities

These are not 'soft' issues, ultimately they shape society and improve lives. This is where athletes are uniquely positioned to influence, without being dragged into politically charged territory.

Who should really lead political conversations?

If governing bodies, rights holders or organisations wish to take political or ethical positions, they should lead from the front — not rely on athletes to be the public face of those complexities.

Athletes can support, amplify and add humanity to important discussions, b ut they should not be the default spokesperson for institutional viewpoints.

As the role of athletes continues to evolve, the industry needs a clearer, more responsible framework for how we support them.

That means:

Giving athletes the freedom to choose if and how they speak
Providing education, guidance and safeguarding when they do
Reducing pressure to comment on politically sensitive issues
Elevating athlete voices in areas where they have genuine authority
Ensuring organisations do not outsource political leadership to individuals

Ultimately, the goal should be to empower athletes — not overwhelm them. And back them up when they do.

Their platforms are at their most powerful not when they’re forced into political commentary, but when they’re sharing stories, insights and perspectives that inspire participation, change communities and open doors for others.

Team of the Week - 27.02.26

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:27:27 GMT

Team of the Week - 27.02.26

Another week in sport that reminds us why it reaches far beyond the final whistle.

Noni Madueke, Alessia Russo and Alex Scott backed Arsenal’s No More Red campaign in honour of Tashan Daniel, Megan Keith set a new European women’s 10k record in Spain, Harry Brook’s century guided England to a T20 World Cup semi final, and Dick Advocaat stepped away from Curaçao to put family first.

Team of the Week - 20.02.26

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:39:27 GMT

Team of the Week - 20.02.26

From Olympic gold to stoppage time chaos, another week in sport that has not disappointed.

Mikaela Shiffrin stormed to Olympic slalom gold with a dominant 1.50 second margin, John Murray continues to set the benchmark in sports commentary, Wolves clawed back from 2-0 down to snatch a stoppage time draw against Arsenal and Keely Hodgkinson smashed the indoor 800m world record in 1:54.87.

Team of the Week - 13.02.26

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:48:19 GMT

Team of the Week - 13.02.26

Sport has a funny way of keeping you hooked… just when you think it’s over.

Leicester v Southampton was pure EFL chaos, a three nil half time deficit flipped into a 4-3 win with a last minute Shea Charles strike. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain marked his Celtic debut with a late winner, Aamilah Aswat made history as the first black female British jump jockey to win a UK race and 17 year old Choi Ga-on soared to Olympic snowboard halfpipe gold with a fearless final run.

Moments. Milestones. Magic.

New Reach and Motiv Sports UK partner for fourth year

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:16:18 GMT

New Reach renews with Motiv for fourth consecutive year

New Reach is proud to announce its continued partnership with Motiv Sports UK for a fourth consecutive year, driving powerful PR campaigns for iconic running events that sit at the heart of London and Oxford’s running scene.

Building on three years of strong results, the renewed partnership will see New Reach deliver an expanded scope of work across the Hackney Half, Saucony London 10k, Saucony Run Shoreditch, and the Oxford Half, as the agency deepens its strategic role in elevating the Motiv brand and its growing event portfolio.

With entries for 2026 tracking ahead of schedule across the board, the remit for Year 4 shifts focus from purely driving sign-ups to supporting Motiv’s broader commercial goals.

In 2026, New Reach’s work will centre on delivering a robust thought leadership strategy, strengthening Motiv’s Digital PR output, and spotlighting community impact and charity initiatives across the year.

This will be supported by an enhanced influencer engagement programme, deeper regional media outreach in London, Oxford and surrounding areas, comprehensive on-the-ground media management at each event, and continued oversight of risk management and crisis communications to safeguard the brand.

Together, this activity is designed to elevate Motiv’s commercial presence and connect the events with newer audiences in meaningful, culturally relevant ways.

Now entering its fourth year, the collaboration between New Reach and Motiv has become a trusted partnership built on creativity, agility and shared values. With the events continuing to grow year-on-year, in audience, cultural relevance and commercial opportunity, the expanded scope will ensure Motiv’s brand continues to rise in parallel.

Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director at New Reach, said: "Renewing with Motiv for a fourth year is genuinely exciting for us. These events continue to evolve, and so does our role in helping shape how people see and experience them. With entries already performing strongly, we’re shifting our focus towards areas where we know we can make a meaningful commercial impact. Motiv has huge potential as a leader in this space, and we’re proud to help push that forward in 2026."

Ian Allerton, Managing Director at Motiv Sports UK, said: "Our partnership with New Reach has gone from strength to strength over the past three years, and we’re delighted to continue working with them in 2026. Their understanding of our events and our audiences, combined with their creativity and ability to move at our pace, has been invaluable. This year’s approach is a natural next step as we grow the Motiv brand, and New Reach is the perfect partner to help us elevate our impact even further."

2026 marks a milestone year for Motiv: a maturing portfolio, an expanding audience base and a shift towards deeper brand storytelling. New Reach is excited to help shape this next chapter — supporting Motiv not only as event organisers, but as industry leaders with a compelling voice and vision for the future of mass participation.

Team of the Week - 06.02.26

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:09:34 GMT

Team of the Week - 06.02.26

First timers and all timers make up this Team of the Week.

Aden Durde made history as the first UK born coach on a Super Bowl sideline, Carlos Alcaraz completed his career Grand Slam at just 22, Brighton & Hove launched a bold campaign to become the UK capital for women and girls in sport, and Justin Rose claimed a stunning win at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Team of the Week - 30.01.26

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:11:22 GMT

Team of the Week - 30.01.26

A week of sporting moments you can’t scroll past.

Anatoliy Trubin delivered one of the moments of the season with a Champions League playoff clinching header, Kearnan Myall continues to redefine high performance ahead of Milano Cortina, GB’s X Games trio lit up Colorado with three golds, and Robert Paxton claimed another world indoor bowls title in a final for the ages.

Team of the Week - 23.01.26

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:22:56 GMT

Team of the Week - 23.01.26

t’s great to see people succeed, even better when they’re a client.

Team Seas Life successfully finished their 3000 mile row of the Atlantic this week, taking just 38 days and 4 hours to do so. Another client of ours, Hampshire Cricket, have a young star on their hands in Ben Mayes, who hit a record-breaking 191 at the Under 19s World Cup.

Rounding out this Team of the Week, Trinity Rodman becomes the highest paid women’s footballer of all time and Alice Kinsella, Olympic bronze medallist, has made a sensational comeback to gymnastics just 4 months post giving birth.

Team of the Week - 16.01.26

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:52:24 GMT

Team of the Week - 16.01.26

This Team of the Week is all about records being broken, taken and smashed.

Eilish McColgan is winning on and off the track with her European 10km record and Media Voice of the Year award at the Running Industry Awards. Kevin Durant has added yet another milestone, becoming the seventh-highest scorer in NBA history at 37. At the other end of the spectrum, 23-year-old Arthur Fery is just getting started as he prepares to compete at the Australian Open.

The Women’s T20 World Cup has been on our radar since it was announced, and with record ticket sales, it’s shaping up to be a world-class tournament.

New Reach and Hampshire Cricket partner for fourth year

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:53:04 GMT

Sport and impact focused PR and communications agency, New Reach, has renewed its partnership with Hampshire Cricket and the iconic Utilita Bowl for a fourth consecutive year.

This continued collaboration underscores New Reach’s commitment to delivering exceptional PR and media relations that has amplified profile for the club and venue, alike.

Since 2022, New Reach has worked closely with Hampshire Cricket to deliver strategic media relations, innovative campaigns, and impactful storytelling that showcase the club’s achievements both on and off the pitch.

New Reach has led PR campaigns including the historic solar project in partnership with Utilita, established new and improved relationships with media brands, driven global announcements and managed key media moments including media days, the signing of cricketing icon Ellyse Perry and the club’s acquisition by GMR Group.

Throughout 2026, New Reach will closely align with a new-look team at Utilita Bowl, delivering PR strategy across key moments inside and out of cricket. This will include The Hundred in its new format, the stadium’s 25 year anniversary, positioning the club and venue as leaders across T20, women’s and international cricket, ongoing cricket and regional media engagement, celebrating impact in the community and placing the club’s leaders at the heart of the industry.

Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director at New Reach, commented: “We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with Hampshire Cricket for another year. Utilita Bowl is one of the most exciting venues in global sport and entertainment, and we look forward to continuing to help Hampshire Cricket and the venue tell its story and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

“Every year is an exciting year at Utilita Bowl, and we’ve enjoyed working across such a variety of powerful projects and initiatives. 2026 is set to continue in that trajectory, but with some new faces internally at the club and the first full year of new ownership. We’re truly looking forward to backing the Rose and Crown again this year.”

Jonathan Peace, Head of Brand, Digital and Marketing at Utilita Bowl added: “New Reach has been an invaluable partner in elevating our communications strategy. Their expertise and creativity have helped us build stronger relationships with fans and media alike, and we’re excited to see what we can achieve together in 2026.”

With deep-rooted expertise in sport, media and events, New Reach crafts tailored campaigns across PR, social media and video that inspire action and create lasting impact. New Reach’s commitment to transparency and authenticity drives everything the agency does, with partnerships going beyond business; ensuring every collaboration is rooted in integrity, trust, and a shared purpose. New Reach will not compromise trust, morals or rules to profit.

Team of the Week - 09.01.26

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:56:14 GMT

Team of the Week - 09.01.26

Women driving change and excellence in this Team of the Week.

Abi Burton steps into a landmark leadership role for women’s rugby, Ellia Smeding completes a remarkable comeback to secure her place at a second Olympic Games, and Lauren Baltayan breaks new ground with a career defining British Junior Open title. Alongside them, Simon Yates bows out on his own terms after a Grand Tour winning career few could match.

Team of the Week - 19.12.25

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:21:23 GMT

Team of the Week - 19.12.25

Firsts, finals and fairytale moments take centre stage in this Team of the Week.

Hollie Davidson breaks new ground in the Six Nations, England’s stars dominate the world stage, St Mirren defy the odds at Hampden, and David Munyua puts Kenyan darts firmly on the map.

Team of the Week - 12.12.25

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:47:28 GMT

Team of the Week - 12.12.25

Two world titles, major comebacks, a landmark partnership and ... Sam's pick. Welcome to Team of the Week.

Lando's super come back is mandatory, says Nick, while Sam's picked a different kind of comeback, celebrating Philip Rivers' incredible NFL revival. The resurgence theme continues with Lindsey Vonn becoming the oldest skiing downhill World Cup winner.

Hannah's pick this week marks one of the most monumental commercial deals that women's sport has ever seen, driving significant growth for women's tennis.

Team of the Week - 05.12.25

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:45:25 GMT

Team of the Week - 05.12.25

This week’s Team of the Week celebrates perseverance and the power of inclusion.

UK Sport and Paralympics GB continue to be at the forefront of protection and encouragement for their participants, whilst Joe Root and Jeffrey Guan show that you can pull off incredible feats even in the face of doubt.

Team of the Week - 28.11.25

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:15:11 GMT

Team of the Week - 28.11.25

The champion(ship) mentality is at the core of this Team of the Week.

From Italy becoming the first nation ever to win the Davis Cup three times in a row, to Jamaica securing their first ever international gold medal in bobsleigh.

Nick simply had to get Southampton in there… and it’s probably best we don’t mention Sam’s pick.

Team of the Week - 21.11.25

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:12:52 GMT

Team of the Week - 21.11.25

The very best in the world, and those breaking new ground to get there, headline this week’s Team of the Week.

Luke Littler continues his rapid rise as the youngest world number one in darts, while Roger Federer adds another milestone with his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. On the world stage, Curacao have stunned everyone by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup against all odds.

Closer to home, the London Mavericks are driving real change in netball with a bold commitment to inclusivity for all players.

Team of the Week - 14.11.25

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:28:07 GMT

Team of the Week - 14.11.25

Records broken, history made and one very smug Team of the Week selection.

Michelle Agyemang backed up an early season prediction with a Golden Girl Award, Jamie Melham made Melbourne Cup history, Scotland dominated in style, and Eliud Kipchoge just keeps proving why he’s the GOAT.

The impact of inactivity

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:33:40 GMT

Inactivity is quietly draining our economy, health system and communities.

Sport England’s latest research is a wake-up call: equal access to sport and exercise could unlock £20 billion in savings and productivity gains for the UK. That’s not just a health issue, it’s an economic imperative.

The data is compelling:

For every £1 invested in grassroots sport, £4.38 is returned in savings and benefits.
Grassroots sport contributes £36 billion annually to the economy and generates £14 billion in tax revenue.
Yet inequalities persist. Those with disabilities, lower incomes, and black communities remain the least active.

At New Reach, we believe the solution is clear: movement. Sport isn’t just about participation; it’s about inclusion, opportunity, and impact. Every mile run, every game played, every community initiative matters, not just for health, but for economic resilience and social cohesion.

As the government prepares its Budget, the questions are:

How do we make sport accessible for everyone?
How do we turn participation into a national priority?

Because the cost of doing nothing is too high.

At New Reach, we help brands, rights holders, and organisations turn this challenge into opportunity. Through strategic PR, creative campaigns, and partnerships, we amplify the benefits of sport - driving participation, tackling inequalities, and delivering measurable impact for communities and the economy.

Team of the Week - 07.11.25

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:26:28 GMT

Team of the Week - 07.11.25

Team of the Week -31.10.25

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:21:17 GMT

Team of the Week - 31.10.25

Resilience and progress headline this week’s Team of the Week.

Women’s sport continues its rise, grassroots basketball gets a major boost, and England’s Wheelchair Rugby League side deliver a strong comeback. Add Tom Lockyer’s inspirational return to the pitch, and you’ve got a week that sums up everything great about sport.

Who’s in your Team of the Week?

Team of the Week -24.10.25

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:13:14 GMT

Team of the Week - 24.10.25

This Team of the Week shows that all good things must come to an end.

While the Moroccan U-20s lifted their first trophy and Noah Calouri is just at the start of his journey, Emily Scarratt is calling it a day at the end of an illustrious career.

Nick has gone for one of the more obscure picks this week.

Team of the Week -17.10.25

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:13:54 GMT

Team of the Week - 17.10.25

This week celebrates people at the very top of their craft. Jody Cundy has added to his already impressive medal tally, Alyssa Healy has hit form at just the right time, and Beau Greaves is pushing to become one of the top names in darts.

If you want a good laugh, check out Bilal Fawaz and his reaction to winning the vacant English Super Welterweight title, it’s a great watch and an even better redemption story.

Case Study: World Boxing Championships

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 13:14:04 GMT

About the Client

The World Boxing Championships 2025 was the inaugural elite global event for Olympic-style boxing, hosted in Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena from 4–14 September 2025. Bringing together 500 athletes from 60+ countries, the Championships marked the first time men and women competed for World Boxing Champion titles at the same event.

Collaboration

New Reach was brought in to manage editorial content for the event. Our existing relationships with World Boxing allowed us to generate awareness around their inaugural World Championships using the International Federation's owned platforms before and during the event. Before the event we produced, filmed and edited content such as community events, key milestones and event updates / announcements. During the event, we managed the official news service for the Championships, as well as providing social media content for the World Boxing channels.

Our Objectives

Provide content for core calendar activity and milestones

Create content designed to raise awareness and engagement of the event

Provide social media content during the event

The Results

For us, the numbers speak for themselves. We achieved over 27 million views across all social platforms, gained nearly 30,000 new followers gained and reached almost 8 million individual accounts across all platforms.

Team of the Week -10.10.25

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:17:07 GMT

Team of the Week - 10.10.25

This week’s Team of the Week highlights the power of openness both in sport and beyond.

From Anthony Taylor bravely speaking out about the abuse he faces as a referee, to Lewis Moody sharing his MND diagnosis with courage and honesty, these stories remind us how important it is to talk and support one another especially around World Mental Health Day.

There’s plenty of positivity too, with Jordan Cox and Emma Lamb recognised as PCA Players of the Year, and record-breaking viewership for the WNBA Finals showing just how far women’s sport has come.

Case Study: World Boxing

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:00:02 GMT

About the Client

World Boxing is the international federation for boxing that has brought boxing back to the Olympic programme for 2028. We have been working with them since 2023

Collaboration

World Boxing is a not-for-profit, international sports federation which aims to put the interests of boxers first and ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. Our role with World Boxing is to manage their entire digital presence. New Reach generates social media content across all platforms to raise awareness of key milestones, event videos and other important information.

Our Objectives

Provide significant growth of World Boxing’s audience.

Enhance digital footprint & reputation with regular, quality content.

Deliver engaging content across digital platforms and manage the digital outputs from events.

The Results

Since taking control of the World Boxing social media accounts, we have grown their audience on Instagram by over 35,000 followers whilst growing their Facebook audience to almost 40,000.

This has firmly cemented World Boxing as the official place to get all news related to amateur boxing and the push towards the future and specifically, LA28.

Team of the Week - 03.10.25

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:58:20 GMT

Team of the Week - 03.10.25

This Team of the Week shows what a great week its’ been for British sport.

Paralympians have taken this week by storm with some incredible success stories. Crystal Palace Football Club are on their best run in their 120-year history, and of course, we couldn’t miss the England Rugby women lifting the World Cup trophy!

Who would be in your Team of the Week?

Team of the Week - 26.09.25

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 14:44:41 GMT

Team of the Week - 26.09.25

History makers, move makers and….. beer makers? This TOTW has it all.

Bonus points to anyone that can guess Sam’s favourite sport based on the past few weeks’ picks!

Team of the Week - 19.09.25

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:58:32 GMT

Team of the Week - 19.09.25

Record breakers, history makers and trailblazers headline this week’s Team of the Week.

Faith Kipyegon cemented her dominance with a fourth world 1500m title, Hull KR lifted the League Leaders’ Shield for the very first time, and twins Mary and Millie Taylor continue to inspire on and off the cricket pitch. Elsewhere, Pafos FC are living the Champions League dream after defying the odds in their debut campaign.

Team of the Week - 12.09.25

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:56:24 GMT

Team of the Week - 12.09.25

From Argentina to Czechia to Hampshire, this Team of the Week is international. With the potential end of the biggest international star, a new star is born in Manny Lumsden. The WSL have introduced minimum salary requirements and Sam reminisces on his idol.

Case Study: Solar energy at Utilita Bowl

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 15:17:17 GMT

About the Client

We’ve worked with Hampshire Cricket for many years, providing powerful media coverage for the club, and the venue – now known as Utilita Bowl.

Collaboration

In 2024, the club announced a partnership with Utilita, which saw the energy firm take the ground naming rights for the newly named Utilita Bowl.

The partnership led to the venue announcing ambitions to become the world’s greenest cricket ground. We set to work generating positive profile around the partnership and ground’s new name, getting stuck into phase one of the partnership – the panels .

In September 2024, Utilita Bowl officially switched on 1,044 solar panels, marking the culmination of a summer-long installation. This represented the first major step in the venue’s ambition to become the world’s greenest cricket stadium, through a pioneering partnership with Utilita Energy.

Our job was to amplify this.

Our Objectives

Build a strategy to mark the completion of the panel installation

Generate positive media profile for the partnership

Set the narrative for venue’s ambitions

The Results

Around 600 pieces of media coverage, reaching an estimated audience of 41m says it all.

Utilising an England international fixture at Utilita Bowl provided us with the opportunity to align with the wider news agenda, where county cricket often struggles to cut-through. Demonstrating the potential impact, working with journalists across sport, news, trade and sustainability.

Featured across BBC Sport, TalkSport, Sky Sports, PA, ESPN, trade and regional media, the launch rounded off phase one brilliantly.

Marking the one year anniversary of the switch on, Utilita Bowl announced significant environmental impact achieved by the installation. Since going live, the array has generated 367,791 kWh of clean electricity; enough to power around 105 homes for a year. By reducing reliance on conventional energy sources, the venue has also prevented 55.17 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of removing 24 cars from the road for a year or planting more than 2,400 trees.

Team of the Week - 05.09.25

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:15:39 GMT

Team of the Week - 05.09.25

Team of the Week - 29.08.25

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:32:03 GMT

Team of the Week - 29.08.25

Noah Lyles is back at the top, Lewis Richardson continues to thrive in the pro ranks, Tommy Fleetwood finally gets his hands on a PGA Tour trophy, while Southern Brave make history by going unbeaten.

Case Study: Active Sussex

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:17:22 GMT

About the Client

Active Sussex is one of 43 Active Partnerships across England. The aim of the partnerships is to address inequality and empower everyone to be active in a way that works for them. They collaborate with charitable, community, and voluntary sectors to increase participation in physical activity for people of all genders, races, and abilities.

Collaboration

At New Reach, we believe in the power of ethical, purposeful communication. We knew we could help boost the profile of Active Sussex, spreading their message more effectively and reaching the right audiences. One of our core values is ensuring that our work, and the organisations we work with, goes beyond business. We seek out partners who share our values and are driven by a shared purpose. Active Sussex was a natural fit.

Our Objectives

Establish a strong brand identity on social media

Create stylistic graphics with consistent design elements to transform the look, feel, and reception of their social media presence.

Become the central hub for physical activity in Sussex

Celebrate success stories, highlight upcoming events, and raise awareness of local causes.

Demonstrate the power

of sport

Generate content that is relevant, timely, and aligned with

key news stories, while serving as a resource for partners to use.

Before vs After

Conclusion

Throughout our work with Active Sussex, we have built a consistent brand presence that delivers aligned and informative content, supporting both partners and local causes. By publishing weekly content, we’ve strengthened familiarity with their audience and amplified key messages across Sussex. Accessibility has remained central to our approach, with ALT text provided on all content to ensure that people of all abilities can fully engage with Active Sussex’s mission.

Team of the Week - 22.08.25

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:40:51 GMT

Team of the Week - 22.08.25

Ashvir Singh Johal makes history as the first British Sikh manager in the top five tiers of English football, while Colorado Rapids take a fresh approach to fan engagement with a unique shirt swap initiative.

The Red Roses head into the Rugby World Cup with their eyes on the trophy, whilst Sam has chosen to jump the gun (ners) and announce Eze unofficially…..

Case Study: World Rugby

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:39:02 GMT

About the Client

World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and is responsible for organising the Rugby World Cup, as well as the annual women’s rugby union competition, WXV.

Collaboration

We love rugby, so this was the ideal client for us. With a strong history of working in the sport, coupled with a passion for growing the game at all levels. Women’s rugby is on the rise, and the Rugby World Cup being around the corner provided the prime time to grow.

So, when World Rugby needed support promoting the women’s game ahead of a huge year, we were ready. New Reach was tasked with generating media coverage designed to raise the global profile of WXV, as well as supporting with key announcements ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Our Objectives

Build profile for WXV

Raise awareness of WXV globally, before during and after then event, to generate excitement for rugby union ahead of a significant year for the women’s game.

RWC Announcements

Lead on media coverage for major announcements for Rugby World Cup, including ticketing information and new partners.

Leadership

Generate insightful opportunities for World Rugby’s leadership team to comment on the growth of women’s rugby

The Results

Conclusion

We generated around 200 pieces of international coverage, in a short period of time, reaching an audience of around 20m.

As well as being great fun and a very enjoyable client, we’re really proud to have played a small role in the journey to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, with a host of national, regional and global media coverage. The Guardian, SI, BBC News, BBC World Service and much more.

Team of the Week - 15.08.25

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:51:04 GMT

Team of the Week - 15.08.25

Record-breaking rides, a historic chess triumph, and golfing glory headline this week’s standout performances.

Bodhana Sivanandan made history at just 10 years old, Matt Richardson and Will Bjergfelt smashed cycling world records, Armand Duplantis added yet another world record to his collection, and Justin Rose held his nerve to claim PGA Tour victory.

Team of the Week - 08.08.25

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:50:58 GMT

Team of the Week - 08.08.25

Big hits in The Hundred, record-breaking speed on the track, a teenage tennis sensation, and a legendary return to the international stage.

Zak Crawley smashed an unbeaten 67 to lead the Northern Superchargers to victory, Dina Asher-Smith stormed to the 200m title with a championship record, and 18-year-old Victoria Mboko stunned the tennis world with a Canadian Open triumph. Meanwhile, Brazilian icon Marta came out of retirement to inspire her country to Copa America Femenina glory in dramatic fashion.

Team of the Week - 01.08.25

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:50:22 GMT

Team of the Week - 01.08.25

There was only one candidate for this week’s Team of the Week... ��

The Lionesses bring more silverware back to England and continue to establish themselves as the most dominant England side in history.

The Hundred returns...but changes are coming

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:49:26 GMT

As The Hundred returns for its fifth year this August, familiar debates about its merits and flaws will return, however, the conversation is shifting.

Private investment has entered the competition on a major scale. Stakes in six of the eight teams have already been sold with the majority of investment coming from global cricket heavyweights in the Indian Premier League, such as, the GMR Group's 49% acquisition of Southern Brave.

In the short term, the number of teams will remain the same until at least 2028, but change is already in motion:

Potential rebrands — Several franchises are expected to align their identities with global sister teams.

Rising salaries — Top men’s player pay has jumped 60% to £200,000, while leading women’s salaries are up 30% to £65,000, with investor influence potentially driving further increases to attract world-class talent.

Format and scheduling debates — New owners may push for a switch from the 100-ball format to the globally popular T20.

Women’s cricket evolution — Double-headers have been standard since 2021, but the ECB is now exploring standalone women’s fixtures with the goal of drawing full-capacity crowds within a few years.

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will retain control over competition regulations, but a new governing board, including investor and county representatives, will influence player recruitment, salaries, and the draft system, potentially replacing it with an IPL - Indian Premier League India style auction.

These changes present both opportunities and challenges for franchises: to harness global investment for community impact, to innovate fan engagement, and to ensure the growth of the women’s and men’s games remains balanced.

The next few seasons will determine whether The Hundred evolves into a truly global competition or will it risk losing the distinct identity it has built since 2021?

Team of the Week - 18.07.25

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:50:06 GMT

Team of the Week - 18.07.25

Success at Wimbledon, resilience in the Euros, and a strong stand against abuse highlight a week of powerful performances.

Iga Swiatek, Julian Cash, and Lloyd Glasspool all claimed big wins on Centre Court, while the Lionesses held their nerve to edge past the Euros quarter-finals. Off the pitch, Salford City made a powerful stand against discrimination.

Team of the Week - 11.07.25

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:25:05 GMT

Team of the Week - 11.07.25

Unsurprisingly we've got the Euros and Wimbledon front and centre, with Sam sticking to his passion for American sports, and Ellis ditches his Spurs pride to pick young Myles.

We also want to take a moment to send our thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones of Diogo Jota and his brother after the devastating accident this week. May they rest in peace.

Team of the Week - 04.07.25

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:08:45 GMT

Team of the Week - 04.07.25

Unsurprisingly we've got the Euros and Wimbledon front and centre, with Sam sticking to his passion for American sports, and Ellis ditches his Spurs pride to pick young Myles.

We also want to take a moment to send our thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones of Diogo Jota and his brother after the devastating accident this week. May they rest in peace.

Insight: Are we finally starting to see Starmer’s plans for sport?

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:18:51 GMT

Are we finally starting to see Starmer’s plans for sport?

The last few weeks have been positive when it comes to investment in sport in the UK. But it’s a long-time coming.

It’s been a rocky time for the Prime Minister, as he ends his first year in office in somewhat of a crisis. Considering this, it’s fair to acknowledge that there’s broader political issues and concerns for the PM to address in his early stages in office, but we’re starting to see that sport is on the mind of this government.

In the build-up to the election, we saw Starmer’s campaign involve a significant sporting focus, regularly seen at professional and community sporting events, the Labour Society For Sport playing a big role and hosting events. Then, the manifesto raised concerns - somewhat underwhelming, jarring from the potential we saw during his campaign trail.

Then relative silence, until now. Give or take. It’s also worth noting that the Labour Society for Sport posted for the first time in eight months on its website, the other day – timely, perhaps?

The other week, PM met with England’s Lionesses ahead of their attempt at retaining their Euros title. However, this proved to be more than just a get-together with well-wishing, there was purpose behind it.

A new approach to PE and school sport was announced, with new School Sport Partnerships and a new Enrichment Framework for schools, designed to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. The PM’s office stated that schools will have a new framework, including a clear focus on equal access and two hours per week of physical education.

It's a positive step in the right direction, for sure, to ensure that more children have access to the benefits of sport and play. Especially as, still, we’re seeing less than 50% of children across the UK meet the minimum required activity levels. It’s a consistent issue, yet this commitment could potentially be a major first step in the right direction.

The same week, the government pledged £900m on major sporting events and grassroots facilities, as part of a ‘transformational’ investment. Over half going to supporting major events, ranging across confirmed events and potential future UK-hosted events.

A minimum of £400m of this is being committed to new and upgraded grassroots sports facilities over the next four years.

June’s been a busy and expensive month – but it’s been a long time coming. Why now?

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Stuart Andrew has warned to be cautious of optimism and recognise the wider challenges: “Funding for major sporting events and grassroots sport is welcome – but the Spending Review was no boon for British sports.

"[Chancellor] Rachel Reeves' tax hikes are forcing schools to sell playing fields and driving up business rates for stadiums. At the same time, Labour have scrapped the Opening Schools Facilities fund and the National Citizen Service – depriving young people of sporting opportunities."

These announcements could well be seen as a bit of much needed good news after a turbulent start to his tenure for the PM. Regardless, it’s needed and finally we are starting to see some of that pre-election enthusiasm for sport. We know what sport can do, let’s make sure it’s there for all.

Team of the Week - 27.06.25

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:22:42 GMT

Team of the Week - 27.06.25

This week’s Team of the Week is all about legacy, leadership and heart. Duckett’s Bazball brilliance, Cazorla’s fairytale moment for Oviedo, Lallana’s graceful goodbye and Pitman’s powerful message on pregnancy.

Bowls' Big Weekend

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:51:48 GMT

Behind the Bowls: The PR Push That Delivered 24,000 New Players

We’re lucky to work in the best industry in the world - shouting about sports.

It’s what we’re best at and it’s what we love to do the most. We work across so many different sports telling all sorts of stories. Every project offers its own challenges and advantages.

How do you craft the perfect national pitch? How do you reach out to so many regions efficiently? Is there another big sporting event that weekend?

When we got the nod from Bowls England and started to work on Bowls’ Big Weekend, these questions were front and centre. A nationwide, regionalised event meant a lot of pitching, liaising and getting results across the nation, with the small matter of the Premier League final day to contend with. To top it off, every weather report was promising storms.

So, what happened next?

21.7m broadcast views, including working with the brilliant mike bushell and BBC Breakfast team as well as so many regional broadcasters across the nation.
250+ pieces of coverage
The biggest Bowls Big Weekend yet - 24,000+ new players - obliterating the 20,000 target.

This project was a dream to work on, thanks in part to the top work of our team here at New Reach , but in huge part to the incredible bowls community and team at Bowls England.

The passion I witnessed from everyone I spoke to over those months was inspiring. Whether over email, on the phone or in person, everyone was truly welcoming, excited, and willing to do whatever was needed to make the weekend a success.

My trip to Kingswood & Hanham Bowls Club to manage the BBC Breakfast filming was the icing on the cake, seeing all the club members being active, social, benefiting from the game of bowls and just wanting to share that with more people. I even got a half-hour, 1-2-1 session with Alan Lambourne, who’s story of using bowls to rehabilitate his body after a major incident to now coaching and supporting others going through rehabilitation, reiterates how important sport can be - but also how lucky we are to do what we do, and tell the stories we tell.

We won’t mention who won the match between Alan and I.

Thanks again to the fabulous team at Bowls England for giving us this opportunity and being so helpful throughout. The sport is in great hands ahead of a huge year at the Commonwealth Games.

And for goodness sake, go and play Bowls.

Team of the Week - 20.06.25

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:40:38 GMT

Team of the Week - 20.06.25

JJ Spaun and Bath Rugby both secured huge wins this week. For Bath, it was a win on and off the pitch, announcing a three-year contract extension for Finn Russell. Mimi Rhodes continues her heroic debut season on the Women’s PGA Tour, and Mondo Duplantis is doing what only Mondo Duplantis can.

4 years of New Reach

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:06:02 GMT

9 April marks four years of New Reach. It’s been a remarkable journey so far, with much more to come. Our MD and Founder, Nick Rewcastle, reflects on the milestone.

If you said to me four years ago, that I would be writing this post, I may not have believed you.

When we set out, we had a clear mission; to make a difference in the development of sports, talent, and communities through ethical, impactful, and strategic communications. We promised to never compromise trust, morals or rules to profit.

I can proudly say that we’ve stuck by our principles and delivered some amazing results along the way.

What began as a small idea has grown into a team of dedicated PR, social media and video professionals, united by a shared set of values. We’ve had the honour of collaborating with a diverse range of clients, playing a role in telling the stories that matter the most.

There’s too many highlights and amazing projects to name them all, and we don’t want to miss anyone out. Just looking at some of the sports we have worked with, the variety is incredible; football, rugby, cricket, squash, bowls, climbing, rowing, table tennis, triathlon, running, basketball, gymnastics, sailing and even chess.

The past two years has seen us really drive growth across our digital offerings, growing our expertise across social media management and video, aligned with our ongoing PR work.

None of this would be possible without the incredible people I get to work with. Our team is small but mighty, and every single person brings passion, skill, and care to the table. Together, we've built something that feels authentic — something I’m genuinely proud of.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look forward to the next four years. We remain committed to our mission and are extremely excited about the future. We want to further grow the team, work with new clients, experiencing new sports and sectors.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our clients, partners, and the communities we've worked with over the past four years. Your trust and collaboration have been vital to our journey.

Here's to continued growth, meaningful impact, and many more milestones ahead.

New Reach renews with Motiv for third year

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:55:49 GMT

Motiv Sports UK has renewed its agreement with New Reach for a third year.

New Reach has provided PR services for mass participation events owned by Motiv Sports UK (formerly LimeLight Sports Club) since 2023.

This year, New Reach will continue manage all media activity around four of Motiv Sports UK’s events, including:

New Reach will work closely with the Motiv team across all four mass participation events, driving media coverage before, during and after the event across local, national and digital.

“ We love working with the Motiv team, ” said Nick Rewcastle, MD at New Reach.

“The rise in mass participation is extraordinary, as reflected in recent ticket sales. We’re already sold out for two of these events, with Hackney and Oxford breaking their own ticket sales records for the second year running.

“This year, we want to expand the reach of these events to continue targeting a wider range of audiences, utilising newer platforms and outlets to deliver the powerful messages of these great events, coupled with heartwarming stories of those taking part.

“We want to thank the Ian, Emily, Lydia and the rest of the Motiv team for their ongoing support, and we are delighted to be working with them again in 2025.”

Social media: adapt or be left behind

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 16:03:46 GMT

Will Lloyd, Communications Executive

One of the more valuable traits in social media management is adaptability. Rarely does everything work out exactly according to plan, so the ability to step back and consider why your plan didn't work, adjusting accordingly, is often the difference between a successful campaign that resonates with your audience and one that goes largely unnoticed.

When creating content plans for a new client or platform, we are often making an informed guess, whilst trying to demonstrate what we can do ‘in theory’. You’ve done the research and crafted a strategy that seems promising, but until the posts go live, there’s no guarantee of how things will play out. This is when we start to look at tweaking posting times, being more graphic/video/image led or even scrapping certain aspects completely.

That’s because social media doesn’t work the same way for any two accounts, and what performs well for one client or audience might struggle elsewhere. While it’s frustrating, this is what makes us good at our job - the ability to adapt to the needs of the account.

Social media rewards those who can step back, assess what isn’t working, and try something new. It can feel messy and unpredictable at times, but like any creative industry, trial and error is how you uncover what really works. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks’ original project struggled horribly before they *adapted* and joined Fleetwood Mac; now look at them - or at least their music…

It’s worth remembering that content plans aren’t set in stone. They’re a starting point and a vague concept, not a rigid programme. It might feel wrong to abandon a plan that you worked hard to come up with, but the best results often come when you allow yourself to be more creative and impulsive with your content.

If a series doesn’t gain the engagement you hoped for, you haven’t wasted your time. Treat them as experiments, and each time one doesn’t work, check it off the list and move on to the next idea. Eventually, you will find the trends and nuances that get people engaged - put yourself in the shoes of your audience, what would you like to see in your feed?

It’s all part of the process, and more often than not, your ability to adapt will be rewarded. Clients and audiences will appreciate content that feels fresh, creative and tailored to them.

New Reach Wrapped

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 12:47:24 GMT

It’s been another outstanding year for New Reach. It’s been a busy one for the team, and we want to take a moment to thank everyone we have worked with in the past year for placing their faith in New Reach as we continue our expansion.

2025 looks set to be another great year, as we continue to grow across all three of our divisions – PR | Social | Video.

Here’s a breakdown of 2024:

January

Captured social and video content at the World Boxing Cup in Sheffield

Started working with Greenhouse Sports

Announced Hampshire’s ground naming rights partnership - Utilita Bowl

February

Started working with Active Sussex

March

Attended NJIRC, capturing video content

April

Headed to Madrid to lead the UK media for the Laureus World Sports Awards

Launched LYR’s newest programme, Active Row Bristol

Managed media for the Rugby Black List Awards

May

Led the PR at the Hackney Half marathon

Sam promoted to Senior Comms Executive

June

Led the PR at the Blenheim Palace Triathlon

Sam got engaged!

July

Led the PR at the Saucony London 10k

Headed to Leeds to film with GB Climbing stars ahead of the Olympics

Will promoted to Comms Executive

August

Toby Roberts won Olympic gold – a huge moment for GB Climbing

September

Managed the media activity for Utilita Bowl’s historic solar switch on

Led PR for Greenhouse Sports’ partnership launch event with VitaCoco and Zharnel Hughes

October

Led the PR for Global Chess League in London

Media management at Oxford Half

Supported World Rugby for RWC25 and WXV

Company directors, Nick and Hannah, welcomed baby #3

November

Headed back to Sheffield for another World Boxing Cup

December

Started work on the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards

Helped England Squash with celebrating their annual Awards winners

Partnered with performance marketing firm, Double Media

See you in 2025!

New Reach doubles up with Double Media

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 09:51:36 GMT

We’ve proudly partnered with performance marketing agency, Double Media, to provide a wider offering to our clients.

Double Media specialises in all things paid advertising across channels such as Meta and Google and lead nurturing systems such as text automations and email automations.

The partnership aims to combine New Reach’s integrated communications offering and skillsets with Double Media’s performance marketing services.

You can find out more about Double Media at: www.double-media.com

Collaboration has always been at the heart of New Reach, with MD and Founder Nick Rewcastle creating strategic partnerships with varying organisations and talented individuals over the years.

New Reach Managing Director, Nick Rewcastle, said: “It’s a very exciting partnership for us, working with the guys at Double Media to offer something fresh and different. We’ve also been very impressed with their progress and development over the last few years.

“While we would love to say that we can do everything ourselves, we can’t, which is why we love combining with brilliant partners. Ryan and I met through a mutual connection and got on like a house on fire, so I knew this was the start of something great.

“What is also so refreshing is that Ryan and I agreed that we are both local business owners, doing great things, that can help each other out – because we want to. There’s no formal relationship or expectations, simply the ability to collaborate when we can.

“Simply put, Double Media have skills that we don’t, but know that some of our clients would love. Likewise, we can offer our PR services to Ryan’s clients – all with the peace of mind knowing that we vouch for each other.”

Health inequality crisis continues for young people

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 12:35:45 GMT

Last week, Sport England released its annual Active Lives Children and Young People survey – a fundamental date in the diary for all operating in this sector.

Yet again, concerning data has highlighted the sustained battle to get young people active. 52% of children and young people are doing less than the recommended amount of activity a day. Boys are still more active than girls with affluence and race a key factor.

The worrying consistency of these annual reports is the rise in health inequalities. Those from a white or mixed background are more likely to be active than Black or Asian children, a trend that has continued over the years, worsening since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic exacerbated the inequalities - with least affluent, Asian people, disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions all less likely to be active than other groups. But surely, we expected more progress by now?

A small glimmer of hope, however, is that the general situation generally isn’t getting worse, with overall activity levels around the same as the previous year, but we’re still not back to pre-pandemic levels. We can’t celebrate ‘not getting worse’, however, and the inequality crisis remains alarming.

There are significant learnings this year around motivations to being active, finding that those with three or more positive attitudes towards physical activity were more active. However, among the disparities are younger children being less active, with many having a knock-on effect from the pandemic.

Sport England chief executive, Tim Hollingsworth, said: “For the pandemic generation, COVID-19 has had a fundamental impact. The data shows that, for the children whose impressionable early years were defined by lockdowns and lack of activities, attitudes towards sport and physical activity are distinctly negative.

“The challenge is huge - with issues such as rising obesity levels and rising cost-of-living damaging children’s health prospects too – but so is the opportunity. An active generation is critical to the government’s missions because active children turn into active adults, helping our NHS and improving the long-term health and wealth of our country.

“Sport England will continue to play its part in solving these challenges, but we cannot do it alone. We look forward to working with the government and everyone who cares about future generations to drive the changes we need.”

The full report is available here .

Vacancy - Work Experience

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:54:16 GMT

If you are currently studying in a PR / journalism or comms-related course, or have recently completed your studies, then we would be delighted to discuss a work experience opportunity.

We're passionate about providing opportunity to those looking to kick-start their careers in this world. Ultimately, we believe that hands-on experience is priceless on a CV. Remember to really look at what we do and make sure that we are the right fit for you, and your career aspirations.

Location: Newhaven, East Sussex (you will learn more from being in the office)

Duration: TBA - long or short, happy to discuss (min 4x weeks recommended)

When: Immediate

What: Media relations, social media management, graphic design, video editing, copywriting

To apply, send an email to hello@newreach.uk to tell us about yourself and why you want to join team New Reach.

New Reach expands sport for good portfolio with Greenhouse Sports

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:50:01 GMT

Sport for development charity Greenhouse Sports has appointed New Reach PR to drive positive media profile in 2024.

The East Sussex-based communications agency will be working closely with the charity over the next year to support its new strategy, following the launch of ‘Greenhouse 2.0+ - The Way Forward’.

Greenhouse Sports is a charity that uses sports coaching and mentoring to empower young people who are facing disadvantage and help them to unlock their full potential. Operating in London for more than 20 years, and now with recently established programmes in Portsmouth and Leicester, Greenhouse Sports works with around 8,000 youngsters every year in over 70 coaching programmes across basketball, table tennis, volleyball, tennis and cricket.

Sport and social impact communications agency New Reach specialises in delivering impact through PR, social media and video and has been brought in by Greenhouse Sports to deliver traditional PR and media relations support to reach and engage new and existing stakeholders with the charity’s new vision and mission.

Greenhouse Sports’ Head of Communications, Ben Wyatt, said: “We are delighted to have Nick and New Reach joining our ‘Team for Life’ to support our urgent need and ambitious goals to reach a wider and influential audience and affect real change for the young people and communities Greenhouse Sports coaches support. The rising tide of poverty in the UK is increasing the mental, physical and emotional burden on the young people’s development. Pressures that our coaches work to alleviate day in and day out.

“New Reach have expertise and a proven track record in delivering extensive media engagement and landing the narratives and storylines to evidence how sport and the kind of work Greenhouse Sports does has a lasting and transformational effect on young people, their families and society as a whole.”

New Reach has a track record of working with charities in the sport for good sector, including the likes of London Youth Rowing, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Restart Rugby, London Sport, Hampshire Cricket Foundation and more, delivering powerful media coverage, social media and video content.

Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director and Founder at New Reach added: “The work being done by Greenhouse is transforming lives in some of the poorest communities in the country. Greenhouse’s impact in London over the last two decades is now being expanded and made available to other communities, and storytelling is a vital part of this journey.

“We know the powerful role that strategic comms can play in this space, driving further opportunity for growth. We are extremely passionate about the work being done by Greenhouse and can’t wait to become a part of the team.”

New Reach retained by Hampshire Cricket

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:36:38 GMT

After a successful first year of engagement, The Ageas Bowl has retained the services of New Reach PR for another 12 months.

New Reach entered an initial year-long agreement at the end of 2022 with The Ageas Bowl to support with driving powerful media coverage, the development of the venue and club’s communications strategy, working closely with the existing team.

Sport and social impact communications agency New Reach will now focus in 2024 on driving continued media coverage across national and regional media outlets, delivering important key messaging for the venue, Hampshire Cricket, Southern Vipers and the club’s community departments.

In the first year of engagement New Reach generated nearly 1,000 pieces of important media coverage across cricket, commercial, community and venue related activities.

Greig Stewart, Head of Customer Experience at The Ageas Bowl, said: “New Reach are fantastic storytellers and have brought a new energy and focus to our comms plan and content creation. A great group of people to work with, they have created positive relationships across the Club and their positive attitude to relationship building is evident in the highly engaged network of writers and broadcasters they have given us access to.

“Over the 12-months we have been working with Nick and the team our local and national reach has significantly increased across broadcast and written press.”

Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director and Founder at New Reach added: “Being originally from Hampshire myself, the chance to work with The Ageas Bowl was hugely exciting and over the last year that excitement grew as we uncovered the incredible work being done at all levels within the business.

“At New Reach, we work with businesses that care and provide powerful impact in their operations, so working with the right partners like The Ageas Bowl is perfect for us. We look forward to another busy year working in cricket.”

Photo credit: Dave Vokes

Rugby’s mental health crisis is getting worse

nrewcastle@yahoo.co.uk (Nicholas Rewcastle) — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:29:45 GMT

New Reach Managing Director, Nick Rewcastle, formerly worked in professional rugby before founding the agency. In the wake of rugby’s ongoing mental health emergency, Nick has penned his thoughts.

Sport is in a crisis, and I’m not entirely sure it recognises it.

Why? Because this crisis has been in existence for years.

One of the worst-hit sports is rugby. It’s in a mental health crisis, and it’s sadly no surprise. In the wake of the financial disaster the sport has experienced, the emerging ongoing challenges people are faced with around head injuries, busy playing schedules, social media and elite sporting pressures, it’s a tough time to be involved in the game.

England captain Owen Farrell has bravely taken the decision to step-aside for the time being from playing international rugby, and subsequently choosing to miss the 2024 Six Nations. If the team’s captain is in a position where he has no choice but to do so, how can more not follow? A sentiment shared by Bristol and England prop Kyle Sinckler who believes that more players will follow in Farrell’s footsteps in an attempt to protect their mental health.

But is the state of the game the sole reason for players, past and present, needing to manage their mental health? Absolutely not.

This abhorrent abuse on social media needs to stop. We need more regulation online. Farrell cited the abuse online as a core factor in his decision, alongside media coverage. Even the treatment towards referees online has forced the likes of Wayne Barnes and fellow colleagues out of the game. It’s not worth the abuse and threats – nothing is.

Unfortunately, sport is hard, and being a sportsperson is hard. So, more support is needed. And whilst the game is getting there, it’s not where it needs to be.

We’ve been working with the wonderful Restart , the official charity of the Rugby Players Association, and the work they do is phenomenal in providing mental health support to players, past and present. But they can’t do it alone, more work is needed from the unions and clubs to look after players. And more funding!

More players need to be advocating for mental health, like we have seen with Farrell, Sinckler and the likes of James Haskell and Joe Marler over the years. Mental health need not be taboo anymore in rugby, or sport as a whole.

In the last couple of years, four teams have vanished from the top two flights of domestic rugby in England. Over 200 players have had their worlds turned upside down with devastating diagnoses of brain injuries as a result of playing the game they love.

Rugby is in an existential crisis which has been building for over a decade now. Support those trying to help the ones that need it the most. Come on rugby, protect your people.

Why the FIA can’t afford to silence F1 drivers

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:14:14 GMT

Nick Rewcastle, managing director of New Reach PR, outlines in SportsPro how the FIA’s attempts to ban drivers from making political statements will have a devastating impact for the sport.

After considerable progress in very recent years, athletes have finally been given platforms to have a voice, discuss vital social and humanitarian issues and raise awareness for causes close to them.

After decades of resistance, and finally breakthrough, it would be disastrous for the walls to be rebuilt and athletes to be silenced.

Could the International Automobile Federation (FIA) be waving the red flag on its own sport, following in the footsteps on Fifa, soccer’s governing body, during the recent World Cup?

The FIA, the governing body for Formula One, is due to issue further guidelines to clarify the meaning of its new rule banning drivers from making political statements. In recent weeks, we have seen the likes of Lando Norris, George Russell and Sir Lewis Hamilton speak out against the FIA’s rule.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton is arguably one of the highest-profile and most successful sporting names to regularly drive purpose-led conversation across topics ranging from human rights to lifestyle choices. The British driver’s Instagram bio doesn’t state his success on the track, instead reading: ‘�� based. Living my purpose. Empowering those who may not realise their greatness. Equal rights for all. Love is love.’

The impact that Hamilton has had alone will not only have supported millions of people in hearing such a high-profile name address issues that resonate with them, but it also will have helped increase the commercial value of the sport through purpose-led brand advocacy. The power of the athlete voice is second to none, delivering emotional and commercial value across the world.

Some racing commentators believe that Hamilton’s activism has been the catalyst for the FIA’s decision, which was implemented earlier this year. The rule forbids ‘the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its statutes, unless previously approved in writing.’

As expected, human rights groups are up in arms, and have been over recent weeks, but only now are we hearing directly from those directly impacted: the drivers.

The FIA will no doubt have its reasons, likely citing commercial constraints and the stability of the sport. But the political landscape of the FIA, with the controversial Mohammed Ben Sulayem as its president, raises alarm bells. Whilst Ben Sulayem earlier this month announced that he would be taking a step back from direct involvement in Formula One, his tenure in the role has so far damaged the integrity of the sport.

His string of controversial decisions are accentuated by the lack of support from the Formula One itself, which is committed to providing a platform to raise awareness of issues around diversity and human rights. Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali has come out to say that the series would “never gag drivers”.

Despite the two bodies sharing the responsibility of running the hugely popular and commercial sport, unity appears to be some way off.

This breakdown has the power to devastate the sport. Without free speech for drivers, the sport will lose its talent who will perhaps seek new opportunities elsewhere in motorsport, which is seeing substantial growth as a whole. Without advocacy and purpose, many fans, groups and ultimately commercial partners will drop off. It’s not a world where voices can be silenced anymore – Fifa saw that last year, and the FIA is heading down a potentially destructive route.

What is reassuring to see is the harmony amongst drivers, teams and Formula One, who now seek answers from the FIA into what the “confusing” ruling actually means for them.

New Reach enters mass participation space

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:08:28 GMT

Sport and social impact communications agency New Reach PR has been appointed by LimeLight Sports Club to support with driving publicity for six of its annual events.

New Reach PR will be generating positive profile through earned media coverage and driving the narrative across the following events:

• Hackney Half

• Blenheim Palace Triathlon

• ASICS London 10k

• London Triathlon

• London Duathlon

• Oxford Half

The agency, founded in 2021, has risen in prominence over the last two years and is becoming recognised as a world-leading communications agency specialising in telling powerful stories of sport and purpose. New Reach PR has worked with the likes of Laureus, EFL, BPA, England Squash, London Sport, Commonwealth Games England and many more.

Commenting on the announcement, Managing Director of New Reach PR, Nick Rewcastle said: “LimeLight Sports Club is a brand with important values and is trying to redefine mass participation events across the country. These events represent communities and are looking to provide an inclusive, diverse and accessible approach to unite and promote health and mental wellbeing through these powerful sporting events. This is why we are confident that working with LimeLight Sports Club matches with our values and we are extremely excited to be joining them for this year.”

The Purpose of Sport in 2022

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:27:03 GMT

2022 proved to be the ‘bounce-back’ year for sport following the pandemic, and even grew on 2021 – the year that we dubbed as being the ‘Year of Purpose’. With the highs of record-breaking crowds and viewership and the lows of political controversy, this year in sport will go down in history as one of the most memorable.

We’ve shared 10 key moments that helped to define sport in 2022.

1. The Lionesses roar

In May, shortly after we launched our Purpose of Your Sport campaign, we examined women’s sport. We mentioned sold-out crowds at Camp Nou and the poignant sponsorships and broadcasting deals set to help with increasing visibility, participation and growth. And while we had seen an impressive amount of growth then, no one could have foreseen what would happen to women’s sport over the summer.

I am sure we are all in agreeance that the Lionesses are firm favourites to take the team gong at SPOTY this year, marking the highlight of sport in 2022, but it respresents so much more than a great moment on the pitch – the impact off the grass was dynamic.

Over a quarter of those that watched the Euros final went on to watch more women’s sport whilst other sports also benefited with 46% of those new viewers going on to watch cricket as well as football. Also, average attendances in the Women's Super League have increased by 200% after England's triumph at Euro 2022.

2. Red Roses suffer heartbreak, but bring us hope

The growth of women’s sport has not just been exclusive to football. The Women’s Rugby Union World Cup saw 42,000 people at Eden Park 1.7 million people tuning into ITV to watch the final despite its 6:30 am start time.

Robert Kitson’s article in The Guardian highlighted the position women’s rugby is in right now with the prospect of having a sold-out Twickenham in 2025 a real possibility. According to the article, around 70% of fans in New Zealand were new, suggesting that the game is seeing genuine growth.

Of course, it was heartbreak for the Red Roses, narrowly losing out in the final, but what the tournament has done for the sport globally is monumental.

3. Inclusivity wins

The Rugby League World Cup had both men, women and wheelchair tournaments happening simultaneously, witnessing a huge influx of crowds and visibility. Having all three tournaments at the same time meant that both the Women’s and Wheelchair tournaments were able to get similar attention to the Men’s.

A key theme for this year has been around focusing on growth in diversity and inclusion across sport. There’s no doubting that the Rugby League World Cup ticked those boxes through its record-breaking tournament, delivering on its promise to be the biggest, best and most inclusive in the sport’s history.

Some of the highlights include:

Every minute of every match from all three tournaments was broadcast live by the BBC with a cumulative match average audience of 29.24 million people tuning in domestically across network and digital channels.
The Wheelchair final between England and France, was watched by a combined peak audience of 1.3 million people, with a world record crowd of more than 4,500
40% of the TV audience share was female, while 37% of the overall viewers were under the age 55. Encouragingly 46% of the viewership was based south of the Midlands, outside of the traditional rugby league heartlands
The women’s final between Australia and New Zealand was watched by nearly a million viewers in the UK

4. The changing of the tennis guard

Tennis experienced a monumental year. Both Serena Williams and Roger Federer decided that this year would be their last on court. While change at the top of the sport has allowed newcomers to shine, we also witnessed continued criticism of Emma Raducanu as people focused more on her brand deals rather than her tennis playing.

Tennis has widely been seen as a relatively privileged sport that has created accessibility issues. Through our own blog here at New Reach , we highlighted the significance of affordable facilities. Furthermore, The Independent has reported that Amazon Prime will be reinvesting some of its earnings from Emma Raducanu’s US Open final, into grassroots tennis for young girls. Only time will tell how much of an impact this will have on the growth of the game.

5. It’s a Brum-ting

How could we not include the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games? Simultaneously, landing on the same year as London 2012’s 10-year anniversary, the legacy of multi-sport tournaments was a big theme of the year. Birmingham hosted a show-stopping event, rooted in the goal of building a legacy for the city and has invested considerably into its legacy programme.

However, while these Commonwealth Games were widely deemed a success in the short term, whether this success continues, is what so many tournaments have struggled to produce. As for London 2012, despite its ‘inspire a generation’ catchphrase, the city has not seen significant improvement in participation in sport. Without this improvement, we must continue to question the positive community of multi-sport tournaments and hold them accountable for their unfulfilled legacies.

6. The Q word

From one major tournament to another, the sporting year has come to an end with a unique winter FIFA World Cup. Talking about the legacy of this tournament, it is likely to go down as one of the most controversial sporting events in history.

From human rights violations, including the treatment of migrant workers and the anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the host nation Qatar, this tournament has highlighted one thing in particular – that sport and politics can never truly be separate. Even if you are FIFA and want it to be.

For many, the combination of sport and politics may be difficult, but it has to be said that tournaments like this have great power in influencing important values to the masses. When talking about the purpose of sport, we must also talk about the politics of sport.

To look more into this, take a look at our MD’s piece in SportsPro, analysing the ‘FIFA-Crisis’.

7. The Winter Olympics and Paralympics

Beijing 2022 kicked off the year of human rights controversy in sport and piled huge pressure on the IOC. Human rights, commercial worries and diplomatic boycotts dominated, while there were also climate change concerns with events made completely from manufactured snow.

However, the event saw a televised and digital audience of over two billion, highlighting a continued appetite for Olympic broadcast coverage in an increasingly fragmented media landscape, with more hours of coverage available than at any other edition of the Winter games.

Could this increased appetite also be centred around the increase coverage as a result of the controversy, or is the love of winter sport just on the rise?

8. The year of Sportswashing

The term sportswashing seems to be the big word for 2022 … so much so that it has also been used in the list of Collins Words of the Year. Sportswashing refers to organisations which use sporting activities to enhance or rehabilitate their image. The term involves using major sporting competitions to shade or distract from unacceptable policies or human rights abuses.

Sportswashing has recently been a key topic for media discussion with news that complaints have been lodged in five countries against FIFA’s branding of the Qatar World cup as carbon-neutral. Global football stars and sporting organisations have demanded that FIFA ditch its 'carbon neutral' claim and replace its current plans with a more responsible approach that prioritises reducing emissions.

While big sport gains big money from authoritarian regimes wanting to buy into the soft power of sport, the issue is being moved further up the agenda by activists, including the athletes themselves.

So, human rights activists and other critics are coining this term for these moves by deep-pocketed regimes to launder their reputations by sponsoring major sporting events or entities with global appeal – for the good of their business, as opposed to for genuine good.

For the laundromats involved, the practice is without doubt good for business, bringing in once unimaginable windfalls. Formula One’s 10-year deal with Saudi Arabia is reportedly worth $650 million. FIFA was roundly denounced when it awarded this year’s World Cup to Qatar back in 2010, but the petrostate is reportedly spending hundreds of billions of dollars on the tournament and it has become a generous all-purpose benefactor of the sport’s governing body.

While sportswashing calls out the practice of using sport to cover up abuse such as the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, which became part of Nazi propaganda, it seems rifer than ever. Will 2023 bring in better policing and governance to come down hard on sportswashing, greenwashing and any other types of ‘dirty laundry’ in sport?

9. Russia and Sport

Russia was banished from international sport following its invasion of Ukraine. The nation was already suffering reputational damage and sporting limitation as a result of its long-standing systemic history with doping allegations, but this year saw Russia isolated from nearly every sporting event as humanitarian issues took over.

Sport has always been of great national pride to Russia, but the future of its role in global sport is well and truly in doubt, as Russia’s political actions play a role in its sporting demise.

How will the world of sport continue to respond to Russia in 2022 and beyond? It’s integral that politics and humanity take precedent. Sport has a role to play in supporting Ukraine, as we have seen in so many instances, bringing positive impact to those that need it the most and using its platform to unite and support.

10. The 2022 Laureus Sport For Good Index

We round up this year’s list with a list, of sorts. New Reach PR was honoured to again support Laureus with the 2022 Laureus Sport For Good Index, a global list of the brands which use sport to tackle key challenges within society and the environment.

The 2022 Index includes global giants Nike, Visa, Microsoft and Google. Also making the list are EA Sports, Patagonia, Lego and Nissan, along with niche brands Hylo Athletics and sunglasses manufacturer SunGod.

While measures continue to be taken by brands to decrease their emissions and shrink their ecological footprint dominated the inaugural 2021 Index, this year’s edition demonstrated a vast increase in brands treating each element of the triple bottom line equitably.

The full 2022 Laureus Sport For Good Index is available here.

The purpose of football

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:05:20 GMT

Football has been the world's largest sport for centuries. With roughly five billion fans worldwide according to FIFA, its popularity is unrivalled. It also remains one of the most accessible at grassroots level, with an array of sessions, groups and clubs available, and all you need is a ball and some green space to have a ‘kick-about’. There are an incredible 18,500 clubs in England and 11 million players . In turn, the sport’s accessibility has provided some of the biggest names in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was originally from a modest neighbourhood in Funchal, Portugal, recently came out top of the list on SportsPro’s 50 Most Marketable athletes in the world in 2022, joined by 16 fellow footballers on the list, highlighting the sport’s dominance.

With this level of profile, it has provided these footballing sensations with the platform to raise awareness for, and discuss, important social and humanitarian issues. Ronaldo, for example, famously removed the Coca-Cola from the press conference desk to promote water and healthier lifestyles. Ronaldo’s Manchester United teammate Marcus Rashford is one footballer that exemplifies what it means to use your social influence for good. His work during the pandemic providing children with free school meals shows how we are seeing the sport use its high profile to provide for others.

As well as role models in the men’s game, we are also now seeing women’s stars emerging. The success of the Lionesses in the recent European Championships has significantly increased the profile of England women’s stars and the lionesses have transformed what success within women's sports looks like. The Euros final was the largest crowd ever seen for the tournament with an incredible 87,192 people watching. Not only was England’s win one for the sporting history books, but it is now driving meaningful and long-term change within women’s football, and sport as a whole. We are now seeing record attendances being set for Women’s Super League Games and the Lionesses are in a position to speak out on issues that matter most to them, for example, their plea to the Government to enable all girls access to football at school.

We are finally seeing more dedicated women’s sport reporters in the national media, and more space in the papers are opening up. Huge transfers including England’s Keira Walsh’s £400,000 transfe r to Barcelona is vastly symbolic of the value teams are putting on female players. We are seeing more in-depth and beneficial conversations around the realities of competing as a woman such as teams changing their kits, so players no longer have to wear white shorts.

From one major tournament to another, as this winter we will see the much-anticipated men’s FIFA World Cup take place in Qatar. To say the least, the tournament has faced a lot of criticism. The controversy stems from much more than the winter break required in the UK and the time of year, instead rightly focusing on fundamentally worrying human rights elements surrounding the nation and tournament. There have been shocking accusations of horrendous working conditions for migrant workers who built all the brand new facilities. An article from The Guardian revealed that 6,500 migrant workers have died in the country since being named the hosts.

In a country where homosexuality is illegal, LGBTQ+ groups have been outspoken about the human rights violations that this world cup is presenting. As a result, many of the teams competing have started wearing One Love armbands as a subtle form of protest. England, Wales, France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland’s captains will all be wearing the armbands as a sign of solidarity. While it is highly unlikely that this act will result in any positive action to reduce the harsh laws in Qatar, but it may encourage further conversation around homophobia in football, at the very least.

Football is, and will remain for the foreseeable, the leading global sport – at all levels. Why? Investment seems the obvious, with global sponsorships generating billions of pounds each year and the increased grassroots development opportunities being recognised and acted upon as the game grows on the main stage. It’s not without its controversies and corruption, sadly, and this all needs stamping out, but it’s important to recognise the power the sport now has to promote important causes and have a voice.

New Reach PR appointed by The Ageas Bowl

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 17:49:41 GMT

Sport and social impact communications agency New Reach PR has been appointed by The Ageas Bowl.

New Reach PR will support with raising awareness and celebrating The Ageas Bowl’s activities, the success and impact of Hampshire Cricket, as well as its role and responsibility to the community.

The agency, founded in 2021, has risen in prominence over the last 18 months and is becoming recognised as a world-leading communications agency specialising in telling powerful stories of sport and purpose. New Reach PR has worked with the likes of Laureus, EFL, BPA, England Squash, London Sport, Commonwealth Games England and many more.

Commenting on the announcement, Managing Director of New Reach PR, Nick Rewcastle said: “This marks a significant moment for New Reach as we enter the exciting world of county cricket courtesy of our partnership at The Ageas Bowl. Through working with Hampshire Cricket and Southern Vipers, we are also given the fantastic opportunity to support the broader non-sporting activities at The Ageas Bowl too, vitally demonstrating positive impact.

“There are great things happening at The Ageas Bowl, and now marks the time to tell these important stories and demonstrate its commitment to the community, planet and sport.”

Harry Walklin, Head of Marketing, Digital and Communications at The Ageas Bowl said: " The appointment of New Reach coincides with an exciting phase here at The Ageas Bowl with the venue’s transformational redevelopment plans looking to further enhance the amenities on offer to the local community.

“The Ageas Bowl is an important community asset, and we look forward to working with New Reach to tell that story.”

The purpose of rugby union

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 08:47:25 GMT

Before delving into the purpose of rugby union, we want to wish everyone at, and associated to, both Worcester Warriors and Wasps all the best as they endure a truly challenging time. We hope that the financial situations of both clubs are resolved, and all staff, players and fans return to a safe and secure environment. Now, on with the blog…

As the age-old story goes, rugby was created by none other than the legendary William Webb Ellis back in 1823 when he picked up the ball during a game of football and ran with it. It seems so simple, but since then, Rugby Union has become one of the most popular sports in the world. Over the years, the sport has developed into a game of strength, speed, skill, and passion. It also established the values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, and respect, as outlined by World Rugby in 2009. These values have been ever-present throughout the game as rugby has built a reputation for having friendly fans where home and away crowds stand together, strong levels of respect for both playing and refereeing and a culture of inclusivity where everyone can compete no matter what size you are.

And while rugby union in many ways has built a great reputation as a game of chivalry and respect, it is also known as a sport for the rich and the elite. In last month’s blog , we explored the purpose of rugby league, and we investigated how the elitism we see today in rugby was ultimately created by the decision to keep rugby an amateur game, barring anyone that couldn’t afford it to play. Even since making the game professional, its connections to private schools and a large concentration of players in the rich south of England, rugby union has struggled to shake off the elitist image it built up so many years ago.

With that said, rugby union has come a long way since its amateur days when it comes to inclusivity. Few moments shine greater for the sport than the 1995 Rugby World Cup when an undervalued and dismissed South African side, of mixed race and ability, showed the world the power of inclusion, driven by the great Nelson Mandela.

For English rugby fans, Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal in 2003 will remain etched in memories forever.

Those moments of greatness on the pitch have delivered so much off the pitch at all levels of the game. Following the 2003 World Cup, the numbers of young people playing the sport aged seven to 12 rose by 28 per cent over the three years after the tournament in Australia, while among teenagers (aged 13-18) there was a 16 per cent increase.

We are the first to say that major events don’t drive participation, but 2003 surely gave it a good shot. Although, the RFU was prepared, the government invested and naturally the sport grew.

And now we are seeing new levels of growth, albeit many will rightly argue, later than it should have. Nonetheless, rugby has taken a leading role in the growth of women’s sports in England. The England national team, aka the Red Roses, have made headlines in recent weeks as they are on a 25-game winning streak, the most of any national rugby team - male or female. As they go into the women’s World Cup in two weeks' time, their winning streak is unlikely to end soon and go into the tournament as firm favourites.

Whilst the women’s World Cup in New Zealand is gearing up to be a great spectacle, sadly the state of club rugby at home is dire. Worcester Warriors have been placed into administration and suspended from the Premiership after not meeting the RFU’s funding deadline. Wasps have also filed for administration to help with the club's financial situation, after they have struggled with the repayment of a £35 million bond to help with their relocation in 2014. With two clubs falling victim to financial difficulty, it begs to question what went wrong and how this has happened. No doubt thorough investigations will take place, with the RFU and Premiership Rugby behind those, but also being scrutinised at the same time. The devastation that this brings for not only the club, but the community is severe. From players and staff who are out of a job, the club charities that have delivered such good locally and the fans and those around who rely on the love and passion of their club – it’s heartbreaking.

Many blame Covid-19 for the financial pressure the sport is facing. But is it fair to just blame the pandemic when many clubs were making a loss before? Numerous club executives and owners have come out to say that premiership rugby business models are flawed and need to be overhauled. Saracens CEO, Lucy Wray, spoke to City AM about how important it is for Premiership Rugby to make changes that prevent more clubs from going down a similar fate as Worcester and Wasps.

From a sport that was once known for its elitism and its richness to being on the back pages for its financial difficulty, rugby’s turbulent journey continues. It’s a sport that doesn’t make it easy for itself, but brings so much joy to all when it goes right. Through the highs and lows, fans and players have always remained deeply passionate about the game.

It seems that now is the chance for the sport to not only grow the domestic game, but to also rejuvenate the entire structure, from business models to diversity – and perhaps even parity. Priorities have to be to sort the financial mess, of course, but as it does that and emerges from darkness, it’s fundamental that the sport considers its responsibility to diversity and inclusion, focusing on the potential that the women’s game has, ensuring more young people from varying backgrounds and communities engage in some way and we see an even more representative elite playing group on our pitches.

For now, we all eagerly await good news from Worcester and Wasps, whilst keenly watching the Red Roses dominate in New Zealand.

What Patagonia’s ‘gift to earth’ means for authenticity

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:55:40 GMT

Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director of New Reach PR, ponders in SportsPro whether Patagonia’s lauded decision to commit all future profits towards protecting the planet could mark a shift in the meaning of brand authenticity.

Patagonia has ‘given their company to planet Earth’. In layman’s terms, what that means is that the ownership of the company has been transferred to two charitable trusts, allowing profits not required to be reinvested into the running of the business to go directly towards fighting the effect of climate change.

The brand claims that “instead of ‘going public’, you could say we’re ‘going purpose’.” It’s fair to say that sacrificing profit to instead give back to the planet is pretty purpose-led.

The news spread like wildfire across the US and overnight here in the UK, before we knew it, every daily was running it. It was even the second most read story on BBC News – yes, in the week after The Queen’s death.

However, the best thing about this was that it wasn’t a ‘PR activation’ from Patagonia – this is genuine. Patagonia embodies the definition of being a purpose-led business. It actually cares. We can’t ignore the fact that founder Yvon Chouinard (pictured above) is a billionaire, but the authenticity comes from the fact that instead of financial growth, he commits to giving back and to his values.

Chouinard has written an open letter detailing the reasons behind this decision. He claims that he never wanted to be a businessman, things escalated and before he knew it, Patagonia was what it was. He never wanted to be a billionaire, and just wants to do good – that ethos has resonated through the brand’s existence.

Now, Earth is Patagonia’s ‘only stakeholder’. It’s powerful, and everyone is talking about it. Could we regard this as the most authentic moment in business history?

For a few years now, in the rise of the purpose-led movement, and the need for brands to be seen to do good, the definition of authenticity has been scrutinised. Nobody has really come up with the answer. Perhaps unbeknown to Chouinard, we finally have our answer.

Is this the big shift that we needed in authentic action?

Patagonia: The truest example of authentic purpose-led PR we have ever seen

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:48:58 GMT

Our MD, Nick Rewcastle, offered his thoughts on Patagonia and authenticity to PR Week. The full article, dated 16 September 2022, is available here , and below.

Patagonia’s only shareholder is now the Earth. The outdoor clothing brand lives and breathes the outdoors, with the planet at the heart of its everyday activity. From its inception, Patagonia has committed itself not only to providing a high-quality product, but also to negating the devastating effects of ecological destruction going on around us.

Patagonia was started as an experiment in responsible business. It was founded by craftsman and self-confessed accidental businessman Yvon Chouinard in 1973. In 2002, the company committed to giving away one per cent of its profits to grassroots sustainability and environmental causes.

Many would argue that Patagonia is the undisputed world leader in its approach to the planet. Having sustainability at the core of business objectives from the get-go has shaped its PR strategy, moulding its messaging quite differently from pretty much any other brand in the world.

There’s not that expected and all too common hard sales narrative, invasive PR campaigns and self-indulgent coverage across owned or earned platforms. The reality is real-life issues highlighted and the brand’s mission clearly narrated as being to resolve them. Consistent messaging over decades has delivered what we are now seeing.

No other brand has made such a commitment to any societal crisis. Patagonia has created, through impactful communications, a real sense of brand advocacy for its consumers. Its customers share its journey to ‘save the planet’.

Last year, Patagonia changed its marketing messaging around Black Friday, pledging to donate all online and retail profits from the day. The message resonated with the brand’s customer base, with one referring to it as a “fundraiser for the Earth”. Against the backdrop of a general dip in Black Friday revenues across the US, a record $10m was donated to non-profits working to improve sustainability through protecting air, water and soil for future generations.

Since 2018, the company’s purpose has been: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” Simply put, without more resources pledged to protect the Earth, there will be no businesses and no brands. Patagonia’s commitment to sustainability was even recognised in last year’s widely publicised and highly regarded Laureus Sport for Good Index .

This week, Patagonia announced the transfer of its profits after reinvestment into two charitable trusts. The company could have taken a different path, selling the brand and donating the proceeds, or going public – but this would have led to inevitable pressure for short-term gains from investors.

The brand’s approach has always been to get the bills paid and to be a platform for influencing change within its customer and supplier communities. It’s the truest example of authentic purpose-led PR we have ever seen. And it also acts as a call to other brands to consider their approach and commitment.

This week’s media coverage, widespread from The New York Times to the second-most-viewed article on BBC News, wasn’t a purely commercial exercise. It was a genuine example of telling the story of how Patagonia plans to use its purpose-first approach to fight climate change – and how others can join it, too.

The purpose of rugby league

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 14:21:39 GMT

Rugby League is a sport known for its hard-hitting tackles and brute strength (and according to a certain Secretary of State, a pretty spectacular drop goal…. not!).

Throughout the years it has butted heads with the other code, rugby union, but has always maintained its strong inclusive values and been a powerful representation of the industrial working-class towns in the north. Also known as the rugby league heartlands.

Rugby league was born out of the necessity for professionalism in the north. Before 1895 rugby was an entirely amateur sport played by the elite, with many richer players wanting to keep it that way to maintain prestige and exclusivity to the sport. However, working-class players only felt it fair they were compensated for their time playing and fought for the game to be professionalised. After a hard battle between the north and south, rugby was ultimately split, and rugby league was created. With rugby league’s professional status, this naturally created some rule changes to make it a more spectator-friendly sport and draw in the crowds. Within League, there are fewer players, smaller scrums, different point scoring, and no rucking. These changes created more of an emphasis on tackles, less end-to-end rugby and gave more value to scoring tries, over kicking.

After the tumultuous break-up, rugby union banned all players who supported the league and solidified the class dynamic between the two codes with Union being for the rich ruling class in the south and the other for the working class in the north. Many argue there are remnants of these values still present today, but that’s a much wider debate!

Is the north v south divide a bad thing?

Commercially, many will say yes – as it limits the growth and reach of the respective sports, with rugby league rarely entertained and welcomed south of the M6, and to an extent, the same the other way around.

COVID-19 hit sport hard, with union feeling the impact at club level big time, but league found it even harder. Those poorer working-class towns, with smaller investments and budgets truly felt the pinch. The growth of the game was stunted, but thankfully the recovery continues, and all seemingly survived. Not as much can be said, conversely to union, will the carnage facing Worcester and Wasps currently – and we all hope that things can be turned around and clubs can be saved.

Back to league, it’s always struggled to hold significant commercial value and grow its audiences. But what it has done is build a powerful audience and fanbase right at home. Rugby is a culture, a way of life for many. It defines communities, brings people together and offers so much in the heartlands.

Everyone wants to play either football or league, club foundations and the RFL are delivering daily on a huge scale in their local communities. The values of rugby are instilled across young people and adults from the tens of thousands that play at grassroots level, to those that turn up to the Halliwell Jones each week with a pie and a pint to cheer on the Wire. Respect plays a fundamental part in rugby league’s code of conduct, instilling positive values.

League also remains a game with inclusivity and diversity at its core. After all, the code was created based on the value of inclusivity for all classes. As far back as 1935 and 1937 respectively, Wales and England saw their first black league players and before we knew it the likes of Ellery Hanley and Martin Offiah become heroes in more recent years. In the 1980s women began playing and fast forward to today we have the Women’s Super League attracting record crowds to the sport.

That inclusion continues into providing opportunities for those with disabilities, with PDRL (Physical Disability Rugby League) on the rise and Australian comedian Adam Hills not only an ambassador for the sport, but also Warrington’s star man.

The countdown is well and truly on for next month, which sees the (belated) start of the Rugby League World Cup. What we will see is the international game returning to England, with the potential to bring a nation together and we might even see a few ‘southerners’ out and about in London to catch the men’s semi-final at The Emirates or the Copperbox where England will be in wheelchair action.

Yet there is a sense with this tournament, like we have rarely seen before, that it’s about so much more than the results on the pitch. The tournament is about inclusion, seeing a unity of competition across men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments at the same time. The tournament is an opportunity for rugby league to be showcased to the world, for the world. It is set to be the most inclusive of world cups to date and is a perfect example of the sport’s values.

Rugby league is a way of life for communities across the North of England, providing rare access to hard-to-reach groups in some of the most deprived areas of the nation. The potential for this world cup is huge, and credit to Jon Dutton and his team for the work they have done to get us to this stage.

Rugby league is a sport with purpose.

The purpose of multi-sport events

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:14:10 GMT

The Commonwealth Games started with a spectacular opening ceremony celebrating the rich history and culture of Birmingham. It showcased the city’s critical role in the industrial revolution, its multicultural atmosphere and celebrated the local musicians. The ceremony brought in all of the Commonwealth’s 72 nations & territories and over 4,000 athletes in front of a crowd of 30,000 people at the Alexander Stadium.

Multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games are, without a doubt, one of the highlights of the sporting calendar. Whether you like athletics, swimming or gymnastics, there is something for everyone to watch and enjoy. Unlike the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games brings together a new collection of sports that are popular within the Commonwealth countries. Sports such as cricket, squash, netball and lawn bowls have their opportunity to shine.

The ‘Friendly Games’, as it is more affectionately known, offers a great sense of camaraderie among teams, supporters and the entire Commonwealth of Nations. Team England’s narrative this year is all about being ‘Part of The Pride’ – and being involved, watching or following an event like this does instil a strong sense of pride in all of us.

That pride is somewhat even more heightened for certain nations and territories that don’t often get the chance to compete on the biggest global sporting stages. The Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man are a small example of those that are enjoying their moment, lapping it up quite rightly and everyone is loving it! We also have the rare opportunity to the Home Nations; England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales competing separately as well. They go from teammates to rivals for 11 days, test themselves in different ways against new competitors and aim to ‘Bring it home’.

But the Games, and multi-sporting events is about much more than just the competition and pride it instils. There are deep-rooted social and political issues that arise, as well as the L-word…legacy.

The Games' connection to the Commonwealth is a unique history for a sporting event. Starting in 1930, they were originally called the British Empire Games. However, the tournament has drastically evolved since then. The newly branded Commonwealth Games was created after many countries' connections to the British Empire faded and the Commonwealth as we know it was formed.

However, with this history comes a darker side too. The history of the Commonwealth and its connection to colonisation is not one that can be forgotten. Much of this legacy is still very prevalent in many countries competing in the Commonwealth Games. For example, with more than half the countries competing, homosexuality is criminalised. These laws were passed down through colonisation and their existence to this day is proof of the lasting effects. Tom Daley, a powerful voice for equality, delivered the Queen's Baton to the Opening Ceremony surrounded by a parade of LGBTQ+ progress flags carried by citizens of countries that criminalise homosexuality. The Games is using its platform to deliver some of the most pertinent and powerful messages to the world.

Speaking of nations, one of the mange issues surrounding the Commonwealth Games, as well as many other events, is around the challenge of finding a host nation. An increasing number of nations are unable to host sporting events due to lack of funding or infrastructure, let alone security and political issues. The 2022 Birmingham Games for example were originally meant to be in Durban. It would have been the first time the Commonwealth Games would have been held in Africa but unfortunately, after not being able to secure their budget, the Games had to go elsewhere.

It's a shame really, as there’s clearly a positive impact that hosting tournaments such as the Commonwealth Games can have on nations and cities, let alone the opportunity to make their mark on the global stage. We have to ask, is there more that can be done to allow more countries to have their moment?

Right now, we are seeing first-hand how Birmingham is buzzing with the energy of the Commonwealth Games being hosted there and has been an incredible opportunity for them to showcase the history and culture of their great city not only to the rest of the UK but all over the world. Not only have the games been a big boost for tourism but potentially local economies as well.

We always talk about legacy around major sporting events. We know that major sporting moments such as London 2012 ten years ago, or even the recent Lionesses win won’t spark a shift in participation and drive huge number of people to sport. The real work needs to happen behind the scenes to capitalise on this moment and create a sustainable future for grassroots sport.

But, for now, fair play to Birmingham. The city has seized this moment to spread important messages and are having a blast hosting the Games!

Anyone for tennis?... Anyone?

Thu, 26 May 2022 14:10:18 GMT

By Katherine Simmons, Senior Account Manager

Last month I went to the opening day of a refurbished public tennis facility. The sun was out and with just a slight wind, it was a cracking day for a quick knock about.

The town dignitaries and LTA, who played a role in funding the project, were out in force for the big reveal. On one of the new courts, a coach was trying her best to rally some interest from the surrounding park, giving out racquets and balls and inviting in potential young players, some of whom appeared to be day trippers outside of the facility’s catchment area.

Bookings for the new facility had opened on the same day. Of the three courts, two were occupied by players who had long become disillusioned by the mix of petty politics and oversized egos within the existing local club offer.

Low joining fees, coupled with the much-improved playing surface meant there was no need to preach to the already paid-up and converted here. Both sets played their advantage here – we’d shared information between ourselves on exactly when we thought the council would be opening the new courts so we could book ahead.

It was a glorious day for tennis. The warm weather had brought people to the park in their droves for the Saturday morning football and cricket club training sessions. The play park was thronging and there was already a queue at the café well before the 11am rush. Yet it appeared that few had known in advance about the new court opening with no easily visible signage encouraging people to have a go.

New public facilities, providing an affordable way to access sport, seem few and far between these days. They absolutely deserve to be celebrated.

But improved facilities won’t increase activity or participation unless they’re accompanied by campaigns to encourage and welcome people of all ages and abilities to take the first step of picking up a racquet and hitting a ball over the net.

Facilities are just the starting point to building communities through sport. The win only happens when people come together, whether they’re youngsters on the route to an elite career, rusty racquets re-discovering their serve, or a social game of doubles followed by a coffee.

In time, I hope people will see others using the courts and want to have a go themselves. It’s great to finally have an affordable facility that people can use as much or as little as they want. The Open Day could have been a great opportunity to introduce both tennis and the new courts to potential members or casual players… but sadly, I have to call it ‘Out’.

England Squash appoints New Reach PR

Wed, 11 May 2022 11:47:11 GMT

Sport and social impact communications agency New Reach PR has been appointed by England Squash to support with growing the profile of the sport ahead of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

New Reach PR is supporting with the national governing body’s campaigns in 2022 which aim to raise the sport’s profile as well as engage new and diverse audiences, through impactful media coverage, ultimately helping with increasing participation for the sport amongst young people.

The agency, founded in 2021, has risen in prominence over the last 12 months and is becoming recognised as a world-leading communications agency specialising in telling powerful stories of sport and purpose. New Reach PR has worked with the likes of Laureus, EFL, Beyond Sport, London Youth Rowing, Commonwealth Games England, Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice and many more.

Commenting on the announcement, Managing Director of New Reach PR, Nick Rewcastle said: “In this, the year of the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham, it’s squash’s year to shine, and we can’t wait to be a part of that journey. We saw in 2018 the popularity of the sport after the Games, with incredible results from the likes of James Willstrop and Sarah-Jane Perry, and are confident that the nation will be gripped this year.

“For us, what is truly stimulating, is the link that major events and elite athletes have to crucial areas of life such as participation levels and engagement in sporting activity. England Squash is trying to increase the number of young people taking part in the sport, giving access thorough programmes such as Squash Stars, and we are extremely excited to be delivering this important work.”

Donna Helmer, Marketing and Communications Manager at England Squash added: “We’re thrilled to team up with New Reach PR and look forward to working closely with them to help deliver on some of our key campaigns this summer including Squash Stars and the Commonwealth Games.

“We were hugely impressed by New Reach’s previous experience and depth of understanding of the sports sector. We have an ambitious vision to create a thriving and diverse squash community, and New Reach is the perfect partner to help us realise it.”

The Growth and Purpose of Women’s Sport

Tue, 03 May 2022 15:20:59 GMT

The current rise in women’s sports is not an anomaly. The huge crowds, household names and participation increase we are seeing are not just one-off events, they are constants.

But what has created the growth of women’s sport, and what impact has it had? Whilst we are regularly seeing new campaigns to get more women and girls into sport, there seems to be one that has created a lasting impact; ‘This Girl Can’. With an estimated 1.4 million women getting involved in sports, the campaign has made huge shifts in cultural and societal perceptions of women in sports since 2015. Their approach to getting all types of women involved in sport no matter what size, appearance, age, or ability, broke down barriers and preconceived ideas that had originally held women back from participating in physical activity.

Increased broadcasting coverage has also played a significant part in the growth of women’s sports. This is particularly true during the last two years, which may come as a surprise when considering the effect COVID-19 had on sports. A report published by Sky Sports and ‘Leaders in Sport’ found that nearly a quarter of all men (24%) follow more women’s sports than they did two years ago and that 68% of these men attribute this interest to an increase in the broadcasting of women’s sport.

The appetite for women’s sport is evident with the rise of broadcast and viewing opportunities and with that, this rises in interest and participation. The barriers are finally breaking.

More people watching

One of the most obvious examples of this growth is the way women’s sporting events are able to fill stadia. Only last week we saw over 20,000 passionate Geordies raising the roof at St James’ Park (for an FA Women's National League Division One North match, may I add!) whilst Lewes Women continued to make history by filling The Dripping Pan for the first time as they stunned Liverpool.

There is no better example, you might say, than the absolute scenes in Barcelona when, on March 30th Camp Nou saw the largest official crowd to ever watch a women’s football match. With a crowd of 91,553, larger than any that could be hosted in the UK, it showed a brilliant display of support for the women’s game. And whilst this impressive crowd was still making waves around the sporting world, they broke their record again less than a month later reaching a whopping 91,648. The spectacle of support that we are seeing for women’s sports is here to stay.

Football is by no means the only sport that is seeing increasingly high levels of consistent support. Rugby has seen record-breaking crowds. Firstly, during the England v Wales Tik Tok Six Nations fixture, the crowd reached 14,689, making it the largest crowd for an England match until it was beaten two weeks later when the Red Roses beat Ireland in front of 15,836.

Let’s also acknowledge the sponsorship opportunities that are becoming more and more apparently. Tik Tok’s sponsorship of the Six Nations has taken the game into new audiences, accelerated growth and is nothing short of incredible. We highly recommend following Stella Mills on Tik Tok, if you don’t already, for some inspiriting women’s rugby content!

Coming away from ‘in-stadia’, we mustn’t overlook TV audiences, too. Emma Raducanu’s impressive victory at the US Open, pulled in 9.2m viewers combined across Channel 4 and Amazon Prime. She brought a new lease of life into British tennis as the first woman to win a grand slam singles title since 1977.

Some challenges remain

Many athletes fear that entering the spotlight places a target on your back, somewhat, opening yourself up to criticism. Sadly, once you are in the public eye, many will be out to get you. This has been exemplified by a large amount of criticism that Emma Raducanu has received over sponsorship and coaching decisions. The likes of John McEnroe and Eddie Jones have piled in, claiming that she’s not focused on sport and her commercial interests are taking over.

Criticism within Women’s sport sadly new, however much of the criticism is historically, rather misogynistic. Whilst sexist, misogynistic action should never be condemned, it doesn’t mean that that we can’t debate, discuss and analyse. Many would argue that ‘Raducanu’ debate has strong arguments on both sides. Going through so many coaches in such a short amount of time will garner criticism no matter who it was. Male or female – we would hope!

Writing to The Guardian, Australian Netball Player Megan Maurice spoke on the importance of fair criticism in women's sport. She believes that with better coverage critics will have less space to fall back on female stereotypes in their commentary. Rugby international Rachael Burford said to Rugbypass in 2021 after the rise of the #ICare movement, that support of women’s players needs to be genuine. This was recently echoed by David Flatman who also said that if support for women’s rugby is going to be sustainable, people need to be able to see the game for what it is, a game with flaws that need improving.

Women’s sport has made huge improvements over the last few years thanks for developments across funding, sponsorship, broadcasting and crowds at elite levels. That, supported with campaigns such as ‘This Girl Can’ and organisations taking a focus on engagement of women and girls in physical activity, the only way is up.

To keep up with our new digital campaign, #ThePurposeOfYourSport, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn .

The Purpose of Cycling

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:13:43 GMT

Kicking off our brand-new campaign, The Purpose Of Your Sport , we will take a dive into Cycling. Well, it makes sense after all with the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup taking place this month as cycling fans flock to Glasgow to watch world-class racing.

Track cycling, with its high stakes and high speed, is one of the most exhilarating sports around. However, fundamentally cycling as both a sport and a pastime has so much to offer. From elite track and road cycling to mountain biking, BMX or simply using your bike for getting from A-B, it offers so much. We are talking broader holistic benefits around fitness, mental health and on occasions major sporting events can have a positive impact on society.

Around 10% of the adult population regularly participates in recreational cycling and the Department for Transport estimates that a typical ‘cycling city’ could be worth over £300 million to the NHS in healthcare cost savings!

But what is the larger purpose of cycling and what wider social impact does it have?

Our Heroes!

When it comes to the elite sporting scene, British Cycling holds a lot of prominence on the world stage, having produced several prolific cyclists for a number of years now. From Sir Bradley Wiggins to Jason and Laura Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy, while we are seeing profiles rise across the multiple disciplines of the sport such as BMX’s Bethany Shriever. Cycling has asserted its dominance in the elite British sporting landscape is only continuing to grow.

What comes with success? Generally, we like to think it inspires the next generation, increases participation etc.

After the 2014 Tour de France, the lasting impact of the event coming to Britain was described as ‘powerful’ and ‘unforgettable’ by British Cycling with over 95,000 people taking place in British Cycling registered events in regions touched by the Tour, with participation in the NGB’s programmes increasing by 64%.

Wonderful news and clearly there is some direct positive impact. The challenge is sustaining the ‘hype’ or ‘buzz’ – let’s just look at London 2012!

The Doom & Gloom

Whilst the sport of cycling on the global stage is hugely successful and having our icons and role models as influencers or inspirers, we can’t ignore the persistent challenges that keep popping up in the sport, across the entire pyramid.

Doping remains a prominent issue within the entire sport of cycling, as well as other such as athletics, weightlifting etc. British Cycling was not exempt when one of the team's doctors was found guilty of ordering banned testosterone in 2011. Furthermore, in 2017 allegations of bullying and discrimination came to light as one of the head coaches quit his post and a damming report uncovered behavioural issues that went left unaddressed for years. This has unfortunately still proven to be an issue in the sport as only this week Sir Bradley Wiggins bravely came forward with his experience of grooming from a coach at a very young age.

We’ve explored so many of the positives of the sport, yet you could argue that a lot of the hard work is somewhat wasted unless we create a safe environment for people to participate at all levels.

Stamping out abuse in its entirely will remain an issue in sport for years, however, and we are seeing progress of course, with many cases now being historical. But we need an environment where there are no more examples popping up.

Barriers

Other issues that cycling faces lie in everyday cycling and in grassroots sports. As a sport, there are still many hurdles that make it inaccessible to much of the population. Bikes are becoming increasingly more expensive and have become somewhat of a status symbol.

TFL research found that Cyclists in London are typically white, under 40, male, with medium to high household income, with the increase in cyclists being from existing cyclists that cycle more often, than a net increase.

There is not only an economic barrier, but a cultural barrier to why those of lower socio-economic backgrounds may not be able to take part in the sport.

Other challenges to participation fall down to safety concerns (road rage!), crime rates and theft and poor weather. Can’t do much about the rain though!

The National Travel Attitudes Survey (NTAS) found that 66% of adults over the age of 18 agreed that "it is too dangerous for me to cycle on the roads". The figure was even higher for women, at 71%.

Let’s look on the bright side

When looking at the purpose, of social impact of cycling – it’s a mixed bag. We aren’t going to come to a conclusion and haven’t the data to provide impact reports or anything like that.

However, to conclude, what we are seeing is that there is a lot of hard work being done here in the UK to improve and grow, and that will only increase in time. Campaigns from British Cycling such as #ChooseCycling are designed to support communities, commuters, and local councils to encourage more cycling as a mode of transport, to aid with health and the environment, are hugely positive streps and we can’t wait to see more of the impact from that.

Other campaigns include the ’Everyone Wins’ campaign which has aimed to make cycling more diverse, accessible and to increase participation by 2026. Cycling is working hard to address the barriers and improve D&I.

Whilst it feels somewhat remiss not to have dived deep into the environmental benefits, we just can’t keep going on! However, it goes without saying that cycling helps to protect biodiversity, creates less noise, air pollution and results in fewer emissions that are warming the atmosphere.

It’s also super for mental health, as all sport is!

With cyclists including, Dame Sarah Storey, Mark Cavendish and Bethany Shriever all nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards happening this month, cycling is set to shine, alongside the UCI Track Nations Cup. There is so much cycling can do to benefit so many people, and much that can be done to reach more.

To keep up with our new digital campaign, #ThePurposeOfYourSport, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn .

1 Year of Sport & Purpose

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 09:54:08 GMT

April marks one year since we launched New Reach PR. Yes, that’s right – we’ve only been going for a year! But what a year.

If you said to me that within a year, we would have worked with the likes of Laureus, EFL, Beyond Sport, ParalympicsGB and many more, I wouldn’t have believed you. I also wouldn’t have had any of it if you told me that we would be a team of four, have our own office and have worked with over 30 different organisations and individuals.

At times like this, reflection always seems to pop up, as it has for me looking back over an incredible year. I can look at the challenges, recognising the toll the pandemic has taken on sport – and PR agencies – as well as a few personal mountains to climb (don’t worry, I won’t bore you with those), but the most important question has to be…

What has our impact been?

We are, after all, the sport and social impact specialists, leading the way in delivering powerful comms in the space and telling the stories that matter the most. We have also stumbled, somewhat, into the sports nutrition space – and are loving that challenge as it evolves!

Making PR accessible has been a huge commitment in our first year, making the valuable commercial tool available to organisations that need it the most.

We’re proud to have worked with a number of outstanding charities such as London Youth Rowing and helping them achieve national profile to support their efforts in making sport available to EVERYONE. We’ve even worked with non-profit organisation Beyond The White Line and managed to throw founder James Chiffi’s face all over the BBC – highlighting the struggles of professional athletes, and the support out there.

Laureus are THE world leaders in sport for good, so to be able to work with them presents us with huge pride. The Laureus World Sports Awards are on their way, celebrating the best that sport has to offer, but we’ve thoroughly enjoyed being creative and helping to plan ongoing activity to celebrate and profile some of their incredible programmes, whilst exploring more B2B angles for Laureus, too.

The list of things we are proud of is endless, but it’s time to move on and look to the future. As we continue to make waves in this space, we want to look at the power of sport and its purpose thorough the rest of 2022. That is why we are launching our digital campaign:

The Purpose of Your Sport

From April – December we will focus on a sport, or multiple sports, each month and take a deep dive into its purpose. The good, the bad and the ugly across the entire sporting pyramid.

First up is Cycling. But before we get into that, I want to personally thank each and every one of our clients that have supported New Reach over the last year. Here’s to further greatness in year two!

MD comments in Management Today

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:38:56 GMT

Following recent conversations around how businesses support their employees and whether legislation should be imposed around contacting staff outside of working hours, New Reach PR Managing Director Nick Rewcastle offered his insights to Management Today.

I welcome any enforcement supporting the 'right to rest', however, there needs to be flexibility to ensure that businesses are able to continue operating, as many do, outside of working hours.

I run a PR agency, which naturally comes with its fair share of unsociable hours. As a leader, after-hours requirements should land on my head, where possible or prepared for in advance. By that, I mean anticipating potential requirements outside of working hours and adopting an on-call shift pattern with employees. That shift pattern could see some form of additional pay structure for extra hours, or at the very least, time in lieu.

Ultimately, we have to look after our own people and empower them during the working day to fulfil their potential and deliver the highest value. If we need them to work extra, let’s make it fair.

Read the full piece at https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/become-illegal-contact-staff-hours/hybrid-working/article/1734087

Introducing...New Reach PR

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:14:48 GMT

New name, same awesome results.

You may have noticed that we are no longer NR PR. W e are now...

New Reach PR.

Following substantial growth, the decision has been made to refresh the brand's identity as New Reach.

However, don't panic; same people, same awesome results, same logo (sort of), same contact details...just a new name.

Thanks to all of our wonderful clients, partners and friends in the media for their support so far in our journey.

Sport Industry.biz: It's time to make PR accessible

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:33:19 GMT

Sport's charities and grassroots organisations will play a vital role in getting the nation active again as restrictions lift. Nick Rewcastle, Managing Director of New Reach PR, told Sport Industry Group about how the PR industry needs to step up and ensure their stories are told.

Times have been tough across all sectors, but the last year has been damaging to the charity sector, and has set up a worrying future.

Significantly, in the third sector, one in five charities are now considering downsizing as a result of the pandemic, with 17% exploring closing down some, or all, of their offices.

The impact that the pandemic would have on charities was clear right from the start, with news headlines estimating billions of pounds worth of funding gaps within weeks of lockdown.

Sport’s positive impact on the charity sector was also brought into the spotlight with the cancellation of mass participation events - such as the London Marathon - creating eye-watering figures of lost revenue for charities.

There is light at the end of the tunnel with major events set to return this summer and beyond, but the mass reach of sport did manage to fill some of the shortfall in the meantime - and it shows the power that sport has to unite people behind a cause.

Read the full piece at https://www.sportindustry.biz/features/op-ed-its-time-make-pr-accessible-sports-third-sector .

New Reach appointed by London Youth Rowing

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 17:17:02 GMT

Sport and social impact communications specialists, New Reach PR, have been announced as London Youth Rowing’s inaugural PR agency.

The partnership will see New Reach provide ongoing support for London Youth Rowing (LYR), developing its communications strategy, whilst delivering impactful media relations.

London Youth Rowing helps to get young people, aged between 11-18, active in some of London’s most disadvantaged communities. 2021 will mark a significant year for London Youth Rowing’s expansion, with NR PR driving major announcements for the charity as they look to develop new programmes such as the hugely successful Race the Thames event, run by Olympic Champion and LYR volunteer, Andrew Triggs Hodge.

New Reach is committed to making a difference to the development of sports, talent and communities through ethical, impactful, and strategic PR. Part of the New Reach's offering includes affordable agreements for all charities whereby the agency works closely with charities to design retainers and campaigns that are reasonable, yet impactful.

The agency, based in East Sussex, has significant experience in the sport and social impact sector, having worked with Beyond Sport, Beyond The White Line, former England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock, My PT Hub, 23 Red and thinkBeyond, whilst also leading on the PR and social delivery for food brand Tweakd.

Upon appointment, New Reach MD Nick Rewcastle said: “When I set up the agency, I wanted to be able to utilise my skills to demonstrate the positive social impact of sport, highlighting the good news stories that we all need in these times. So, the chance to work with London Youth Rowing is the perfect fit for us and we are all very excited about this relationship.

“The likes of London Youth Rowing are real-life examples of the power of sport. It’s a shame that they, like many other charities, have never had the chance to bring in external PR support before, so I am delighted to be able to have worked with Matt and his brilliant team to finally provide them with that access, as part of an exciting relationship.”

London Youth Rowing CEO Matt Rostron added: “We are really excited to be working with Nick and New Reach. We have been lucky to secure specific funding for this and having an opportunity to really tell the LYR story to a new audience is something we have been looking to do for a long time now. We work with so many amazing young people, teachers, partners, funders, and supporters, and it will be amazing to be able to share these stories now.”

Having a Voice

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 14:13:11 GMT

We're all guilty of it, not making a song and dance about our own success stories and taking the time to grow our presence in the industry.

I'm not talking about just another case study on your website. Whilst that's important, what's more impactful is having a voice.

A 2020 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study revealed that nearly 50% of decision makers spend at least an hour a week consuming thought leadership, with 89% of decision makers claiming that thought leadership is a fundamental tool to enhance perception of an organisation.

I'm talking op-eds, comment, blogs, columns - all of the above. It's even important to consider topical and current broadcast outlets, including radio programmes.

We recognise the benefits of thought leadership, so wanted to share a few recent op-eds for one of our clients, thinkBeyond. Enjoy!

SportBusiness | The importance of sport in the post-Covid rebuild

Pete Fitzboydon, managing director of thinkBeyond, describes how sport can be at the centre of the social and economic recovery from Covid-19.

Have a read, here.

City AM | Doing good is now part of doing business

thinkBeyond MD, Pete Fitzboydon, takes a deep dive into why every sports brand and athlete needs to help society in order to find commercial success.

Read the full article here.

SportsPro | #ChooseToChallenge has to be more than a hashtag to make sport inclusive for all women

Radha Balani, director of design and facilitation at social cause sports consultancy ThinkBeyond, explains why the industry needs to recognise its responsibility to increase access and opportunities for women in under-represented ethnic groups to experience sport.

Dive in, here .

Sport Industry | The Importance of sport in corporate strategies

As lockdown measures begin to be relaxed, and sport begins to see the end of the pandemic's restrictions on its events, Pete Fitzboydon, the newly-appointed Managing Director, thinkBeyond, looks at why it's important for businesses to put sport front and centre as they look to support communities in the coming months.

Take a look, here .

We even secured a slot for thinkBeyond on a key radio show ...

BBC Radio London | The Women's Sport Show

Following her piece in SportsPro, thinkBeyond Director Radha Balani joined Jeanette Kwakye on BBC Radio London to discuss the role women play in sport, and how we can break down the equality and diversity barriers.

Listen here .

Telling Important Stories

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:32:26 GMT

It's been another busy few weeks for us, working with some important clients to support with beating COVID-19.

We were delighted to be brought in by 23 Red to support with announcing Plasma FC, on behalf of NHS Blood and Transplant.

Here are a few brilliant results to highlight a brilliant campaign.

'Plasma FC' | Supporting 23 Red and their client, NHS Blood and Transplant

Mail Online - QPR striker Charlie Austin urges Covid survivors to donate their blood plasma to the NHS after the centre forward was 'wiped out' by the virus and says he is lucky to be still be playing football following the illness.

Evening Standard - Football fans urged to sign for ‘Plasma FC’ to help in the fight against Covid-19

Sport Industry - FOOTBALL CLUBS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE COVID-19 PLASMA DONATION

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Sport at Christmas: Why the festive period is a gift for canny PRs seeking impactful coverage

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:50:05 GMT

Founder Nick Rewcastle gave his thoughts in City AM on the potential of PR over the festive period

Did we take for granted just how much incredible sport usually takes place throughout the festive period?

In football, we have Boxing Day and New Year’s Day fixtures. Rugby, meanwhile, sees the annual Big Game in which Harlequins head across the road to Twickenham for the ultimate booze-filled day out for 80,000 fans.

Inevitably, it is a bit different this year. While spectators are able to return in dribs and drabs to stadia across the UK, the atmosphere won’t quite be the same. Regardless, it’s happening. Well, most of it anyway.

My favourite event of the festive period, the Big Game, sadly won’t be taking place this year. But throughout December we will see live sport up and down the country, from Premier League football to Premiership rugby and even a spot of darts at Ally Pally.

One aspect that won’t change this year is that, as people head off on their festive break, everything quietens down a bit.

In this particularly hectic year, PR teams will have felt the struggle of battling against a busy news agenda to command column inches or space in the bulletins. But December is a slightly different picture.

It’s always the quieter of months. That has to be said tentatively as we all know how topsy turvy 2020 has proven to be. And with the vaccine roll-out ongoing, it would be reckless to predict this month’s news agenda.

But it’s usually true that, for a couple of weeks over the festive period, many shut up shop. Social media platforms go quiet, apart from a few pre-scheduled tweets, and PRs switch on their out-of-office replies.

Sport at Christmas is an open goal

What people don’t realise, however, is the opportunity staring them in the face.

We’ve all been there, just sat idly scrolling on our phone through boredom while grandad reads the paper and mum is browsing the news on her tablet.

News consumption is arguably at its highest during this period, presenting brands with a great opportunity.

People have more time on their hands. What’s more, with the PRs in holiday mode throughout large parts of the month, there is, to some degree, increased space in papers and planning sheets.

While we might not be seeing the usual hype around sports, and the need to drive ticket sales and engagement isn’t as high for obvious reasons, that doesn’t mean that the interest shouldn’t still be there.

It’s an open goal to translate good news stories into impactful coverage during December. After all, ‘tis the season of goodwill, so even the editors are allowed to get into the spirit.

The Big Rebuild: Why sport must recognise importance of PR before it’s too late

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:33:23 GMT

Founder Nick Rewcastle gave his thoughts in City AM on why sports needs to consider the role of PR as it rebuilds from the COVID-19 pandemic

Covid-19 has ripped the sports industry to shreds, leaving a trail of bare-bones teams who are overworked and stretched.

During a second lockdown it might seem hasty to think about rebuilding and planning for the coming months. But we know that one day sport’s fan ban will be lifted.

Once it does, it will happen quickly, and so many will be ill-prepared.

This week it emerged that the government is considering allowing fans back as soon as December. Meanwhile, we are already seeing live sport with crowds in some parts of the world.

And just before the second spike hit, we saw a number of British sports teams hosting events. That included Harlequins who safely welcomed 3,500 supporters – with zero reported cases of Covid-19 reported afterwards.

We are seeing frustration throughout the industry, with the likes of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as football’s European Championship postponed, events cancelled and those able to continue behind closed doors are forecasting terrifying losses.

In that context, it seems almost impossible to strengthen back-up. However, vaccines mean there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

Whether March or even sooner, change is coming – and the industry needs to get ready.

Strategic PR needed alongside reactive comms

Sadly, the pandemic brought cost-saving exercises, meaning some organisations made significant cuts to their PR teams. My job was one of those that went.

This has been a response to a shift in strategy. Clubs have tended to keep less experienced staff at the expense of others.

To a degree it is understandable as they mainly need people to do basic day-to-day roles. There is no strategic element to it – that’s all been parked. They are in reactive mode.

Yet never has it been more important to engage stakeholders.

The loss of revenue while fans have been absent means that clubs must work even harder to appease their commercial partners, and even try to grow their sponsor portfolio.

There will be senior stakeholders within the organisations who will be nervous, uncomfortable and in need of reassurance.

Supporters are left in limbo around their season tickets, the future of the sport and team they love.

All of these stakeholders effectively need a socially distanced hug, reassurance that everything will be okay.

The experience lost to staff cuts will soon have to be re-built. They need leaders who can deliver impactful communications to these audiences, to give them the necessary reassurances.

Key driver of ticket sales

As well as looking at the present, the industry needs to be ready to bounce back. The tempo will increase, there will be more pressure from the top.

Before we know it, the demand for PR will see a rush to create and deliver strategies, support ticket and retail sales and work with commercial partners.

Communications is more than a luxury. It may be hard to measure against, which is why it’s seen a ruthless cull.

But it’s an essential tool for generating impactful media coverage to raise brand profile and ultimately support with commercial strategies to make the organisation a viable proposition. And it’s one of the key drivers to ticket sales.

Sadly, many won’t have been in a financial position to properly deliver the required PR strategy, and sport will lose out on so much great coverage and direction as a result.

But if there is even a glimmer of budget for some senior communications support then organisations should capitalise. If there’s no budget for internal growth, then consider freelance support.

Because before we know it, the lockdown will be over, fans will become a reality again and there will be increased demand for impactful, targeted communications.

Bouncing back with a sporting mentality

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 19:16:22 GMT

Founder Nick Rewcastle offered his advice on how to bounce back from redundancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, as featured in The Sun.

When I lost my job as Comms Lead at Harlequins, I was devastated.

But a few months on, I am bouncing back.

Here are my top five tips for how to use a sporting mentality to bounce back and land work again.

1. Play to the whistle

It felt like everything was over for me after receiving the news.

If you’re facing redundancy, you’ll no doubt be going through a consultancy period. Consider your options, fight for your job and give your employer hard evidence (proof points, real business value) as to why they should keep you.

2. Down to the wire

But, for me, the money was the overriding issue. I felt this wave of fear that time seemed to be running out for me to keep a roof above our heads.

Tailor your CV and covering letter to the company and JD. APPLY!

3. Benched

Rejected…again. Jobs I thought I would get, I couldn’t even get an interview for.

Broaden your horizons. Look for a new challenge. If you’ve been made redundant, it’s likely that your industry is struggling, so be open to something new.

4. I get knocked down, but I get up again.

It had been over a month since my last job interview, and I realised that with how saturated the market had become, the chance of full-time employment at this stage was decreasing.

So, I jumped on to the HMRC website, registered as self-employed then started reaching out to some of my close contacts.

5. The ball’s in your court.

I realised that it’s time to take hold of my future and if I wanted to succeed, I needed to do this properly.

I purchased a domain, a basic website, roped in a graphic designer friend and voila I had myself a reputable looking business.

Since launching New Reach, I have been inundated with messages, calls and am working with some incredible businesses. I’ve gone from no interviews to this.