Sports Ticker #149 - Dyson invests in Bath Rugby and the new equestrian Premier Jumping League - a speed read of commercial updates from the sports world

In a fortnight that saw the Bahraini and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled due to safety concerns in the Middle East, Morocco awarded the AFCON trophy from Senegal following a legal challenge and the Belfast Giants be crowned champions of the Elite Ice Hockey League, we bring you news of the Bath Rugby takeover, the launch of the equestrian Premier Jumping League, and the landmark changes to female athlete insurance.

As always, if there are any issues on which you’d like more information (or if you have any questions or feedback), please do let us know or get in touch with your usual contact at RPC.

From Vacuums to Victory: Sir James Dyson invests in Bath Rugby
Inventor and vacuum tycoon, Sir James Dyson, has purchased a 50% share in Bath Rugby. The value of the investment is currently undisclosed, but it will mean that Sir James will become a co-owner of the current Gallagher Premiership champions, alongside Bruce Craig.  The billionaire founder of Dyson Limited (Dyson) already has links to the city, famously developing the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner in Bath. Similarly, Dyson and Bath Rugby share a long history since the brand became the club's title partner in July 2014. Though Bath has never been relegated from English rugby's top division, the Rugby Football Union's announcement that automatic relegation from the top division will be scrapped (see Sports Ticker #147 for more on this) is likely to make Premiership Rugby clubs more attractive to investors and lenders, who no longer have to be concerned about the effects of relegation on infrastructure and club development plans. 

Jumping the Class Barrier: McCourt's $300m Showjumping League Backed by Marseille Football Club owner, McCourt Global, the Premier Jumping League (PJL) has officially launched with a record-breaking $300million guaranteed prize fund. The prize fund spans three years, with $100 million earmarked for the first year (dwarfing the €22 million distributed by the Global Champions Tour last year). The PJL aims to attract the world's top riders by reshaping the economics of international showjumping and enabling riders to compete as full-time professional athletes. The first competition is scheduled to commence in March 2027, with 16 teams set to battle it out across 14 international venues. The PJL's backers hope that by transforming the structure of the competition to create a season-long team narrative, the sport will be able to target a new generation of fans. 

YouTube joins the World Cup as FIFA's preferred platform
YouTube has become a preferred platform for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under a new deal with football’s governing body. For the first time, rights‑holding broadcasters will be able to stream the first ten minutes of every match – or selected matches in full – on the YouTube platform. During the 2026 tournament (11 June–19 July), broadcasters will also be able to post extended highlights, behind‑the‑scenes footage and clips throughout the competition, giving both FIFA and YouTube valuable insight into how fans engage with World Cup content. Currently, YouTube isn't technically positioned as a direct competitor to ad-supported TV services, as they too can use the platform to connect with the wider, younger audience. However, this agreement may hint at future partnerships between the streaming giant and the football association. FIFA made $2.9billion from the 2022 World Cup television broadcasting rights; with this price tag, will YouTube consider bidding for live rights in the future? Stay tuned.

Right on Cue: Snooker World Championship's spiritual home secured until 2045
Despite previous reports that the tournament could be moved abroad, World Snooker Tour (WST) has announced that the Snooker World Championship will remain at the historic Crucible until at least 2045. WST reached an agreement with Sheffield City Council ensuring that the iconic Sheffield venue will celebrate 50 years of hosting the tournament in 2027. As part of the deal, the Crucible will undergo a £45 million refurbishment expanding its capacity by 500 seats – a 50% increase – which will be funded by local government and private investors. The move reflects a strong demand for tickets, with standard tickets to the 2026 event selling out almost a year in advance. This year’s tournament will begin on 18 April, with defending champion Zhao Xintong looking to break the “Crucible Curse”, which has seen no first-time champion retain the title since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977.

Rock On! The Curling Group eyes US $25m ahead of league launch
The Curling Group (TCG), a sports business venture “dedicated to revolutionising the sport of curling”, is on the hunt for $25 million in Series A funding as it prepares to launch the Rock League, the sport's first fully professional competition. Originally slated for 2027, the league's debut has been accelerated to capitalise on the curling frenzy generated by February's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. A shortened one-week inaugural season is set to commence in Toronto this month, intended as a proof-of-concept showcase to entice investment ahead of a full five-week season scheduled for January. The Rock League will adopt a franchise model comprising six teams of five men and five women each.  TCG will initially own and operate all six franchises, with plans to sell the entities into private ownership from 2028. Organisers hope this month’s showcase strikes t5he right chord investors, or else the Rock League find itself skating on thin ice ahead of January’s full launch. 

Extra time...

…and finally, the government-backed Women’s Football Taskforce has commissioned Loughborough University to work with leading insurers and brokers to ensure female athletes have access to appropriate and comprehensive insurance cover. Following recommendations set out in the Carney review, published in July 2023, the initiative aims to address key gaps in existing policies. These reforms focus on areas where provisions have historically been lacking, particularly in relation to conditions that disproportionately affect women. This includes relative energy deficiency in sport (Red-S), as well as health considerations such as pregnancy, contraception and menopause. Karen Carney herself has welcomed the changes, stating: “Seeing the recommendations being taken seriously and resulting in tangible improvements is always amazing,” adding that the development “justifies why the report was important.” Early implementation is already underway, with major insurance broker Aon extending its personal accident policies to include miscarriage resulting from a sporting accident as standard, marking a significant step toward closing gaps in athlete protection and supporting the continued growth of women’s sport.