Highlight Reel: Pat Cummins Lends Voice to Animated Cricket Series ‘Snick And Willow’ 🏏
Plus, Nike Quietly Launches on Substack and Jason Steele identifies a potential new revenue stream for rightsholders among a wide-ranging conversation on the Sports Pundit Innovation Podcast...
Good morning!
A special shoutout to Phil Morris for his extremely kind invitation that he extended to the Sports Pundit WhatsApp group (which you can join if you’re not part of it already here) to attend British Speedway Premiership’s VIP partner event which saw Oxford Spires take on league-leaders Ipswich Witches.
Ipswich recorded another huge home score with a 65-25 beating of Oxford at Foxhall to continue their 100 per cent start to the season.
It’s great to see people treating the community in such high regard and looking to add value. And I’m always a proponent for anything that brings people in this awesome network together to connect in person.
Now, on to this week’s stories:
Pat Cummins Supports Animated Cricket Series 🏏
A New Revenue Stream for Rightsholders 🤔
Nike Quietly Launches on Substack ✍️
P.S. This is the second week in a row that I’ve called out the awesome writing of Daniel Yaw Miller. His publication SportsVerse has quickly become one of my go-to resources.
Let’s get into it:
FROM BAGGY GREEN TO THE BIG SCREEN
Pat Cummins Lends Voice to Animated Cricket Series ‘Snick And Willow’ 🏏
Australia Test cricket captain Pat Cummins is set to voice a character and serve as ambassador for a new animated kids’ series, Snick and Willow.
Created by Xentrix Studios Australia, the show follows two young cricket lovers, Snick from India and Willow from Australia, as they travel the world retrieving cricket artefacts and protecting their club.
Designed for children aged 5–12, the series blends sport, mystery, cultural exchange, and adventure while promoting teamwork, inclusion, and gender equality.
Cricket Australia has backed the project as part of its 2022–2027 strategy to boost youth engagement and support a more diverse cricketing community.
Why It Matters:
Cummins has said Willow’s character, an 11-year-old Aussie girl adjusting to life in India, could help “inspire young girls to fall in love with the sport.”
It’s important to remember that while cricket is competing for attention with other sports, it’s also, more importantly, competing with other forms of entertainment across YouTube, Roblox, Fortnite, etc. etc.
To grow the game among Gen Alpha, the cricket, and the wider sports industry, needs to speak in formats that kids understand and actually want to engage with.
Juventus has previously aimed to activate in this area, launching Team Jay. Following a successful run on YouTube, the second series was broadcast on NickJr and Nickelodeon in Italy from April 2025. Lancashire Cricket also previously launched Lanky & Friends, a three-part short animated series featuring the club’s celebrated mascot.
Leveraging Cummins for the show also creates a greater bridge between the two worlds, with kids perhaps recognising him or his voice when their interest transitions to the Australian cricket team or other cricket competitions such as the Big Bash and parents also perhaps taking a greater interest, too.
FLIP THE SCRIPT
🗣️ Jason Steele: “A New Revenue Stream for Rightsholders” 🤔
On this week's episode of the Sports Pundit Innovation Podcast, Leanne was joined by Jason Steele, a visionary strategist reshaping the way global sports approaches brand and audience growth, engagement, and commercialisation through digital.
In a thoughtful conversation, Jason explored how sports rightsholders and the investors backing them need to think more strategically about long-term brand building.
But the standout moment for me (for reasons that may become more obvious in the coming months) came when he flipped the script:
“Is there a new model there for rightholders to invest in some of these startups?”
Rather than just partnering with tech providers, Jason makes the case for ownership:
“I think the innovation hubs that some rightsholders are doing is a good approach because there could be one or two [startups] that come through the door and they create a better experience for fans, they create a commercial opportunity for your partners, and you make money out of it because they grow with you.”
“That's a new revenue stream for sports rightsholders that always want new revenue streams.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Finance
A rugby sevens franchise league backed by Sunderland ownership group BIA Sports is set for 2026 launch with eight-figure investment. The global tournament will see seven franchises compete in seven cities over seven weeks 🏉
LeBron James and Gerry Cardinale have joined a US$7M investment round in Fantasy Life, a sports and gaming content platform founded by Matthew Berry 🏀
Lyon has been reinstated to Ligue 1 following a successful appeal, clearing the way for Europa League participation which could have a knock on effect for Eagle Football Holding’s Crystal Palace, who have also qualified for the competition ⚽️
The IPL’s total valuation has risen nearly 13% to US$18.5B, with champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru now holding the highest brand value at US$269M 🏏
Marketing
The Premier League has teamed up with Adobe to let fans create custom content using AI and official assets as part of a new ‘digital fan experience’ partnership 🎨🖌️
Wrexham AFC has named Ancestry its new Official Family History Partner, with branding to appear on training wear during the club’s tour in Australia 🍂
Uber is the official rideshare and delivery partner of the LA 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games, supporting Team USA with optimised mobility solutions across the city 🚕
Media
WWE and the Big 12 Conference have expanded their partnership, with Friday Night SmackDown set to air from Big 12 cities ahead of major football games in 2025 📺
Fox Nation is entering live sports through a new rights deal to broadcast Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events on its streaming platform 🐂
Benfica has called for a halt to Portugal’s centralised media rights plan, criticising the proposed €300M valuation as undervaluing the league’s broadcast potential ⚽️
Innovation
Cosm is building its fifth immersive sports and entertainment venue in downtown Cleveland, featuring a dome-shaped theatre to stream everything from NFL to Cirque du Soleil 🍿
Movetru, a sportstech startup led by Naomi McGregor, focused on movement analysis and injury prevention, has raised £1.2M in pre-seed funding led by Two Magnolias 💸
The UK Royal Navy has launched an esports suite aboard HMS Prince of Wales in partnership with the British Esports Federation to host tournaments and future leagues ⚓️
OPERATING IN THE MARGINS
Nike Quietly Launches On Substack ✍️
Nike has quietly launched on Substack with the launch of a newsletter called In The Margins, a bi-weekly publication dedicated to new sports writing.
The Substack published its first post two weeks ago: Coming Out As A Jock, a personal essay from writer Robert Cordero, better known for his work with Department of Edge and The Business of Fashion.
Since then, In The Margins has featured contributions from authors like Sean Thor Conroe and Sarah Cristobal, who’ve written heartfelt essays on themes like fatherhood, tennis, and the endurance of motherhood.
It’s part of a bigger shift under new CEO Elliott Hill, whose arrival in January has seen Nike return to more expressive, culturally engaged marketing.
Daniel Yaw Miller, who broke the story, describes In The Margins as “the latest indication that Nike is getting comfortable once again being a little more experimental about how and where it shows up in sports culture.”
Why It Matters:
Nike’s move reflects a bigger trend highlighted by Monica Khan, which is seeing the smart brands no longer trying to ‘take back control’ from creators, they’re finally letting go instead.
In The Margins is a strong example of that, quietly handing the mic to trusted voices without trying to force a brand agenda.
There’s also a shift in how content is delivered. Compared to traditional social platforms, Substack (and newsletters more broadly) offer more reliability and ownership: when someone subscribes, your content actually reaches them.
From Tom Brady and Russell Westbrook to American Eagle and The Real Real, more public figures, athletes, and brands are embracing newsletters as a direct-to-audience play, as well as offering them a chance to establish depth.
GROUP CHAT
That’s a wrap for this week - huge thanks to everyone who’s part of our growing community.
As referenced in the intro, a special shoutout goes to Phil Morris for his extremely kind invitation that he extended to the group to attend British Speedway Premiership’s VIP partner event which saw Oxford Spires take on league-leaders Ipswich Witches. This earns him our title of Contributor of the Week 👑🙏
Welcome to all of our new members, too:
Ivan Kayima
Kevin Wagner
Not part of the group yet? What are you waiting for? Apply to join us by filling out a simple form on the website. Feel free to share this link with (your favourite) colleagues.
P.S. You can see a full list of all the current members, here.
JOBS BOARD
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