London Stadium has appointed Julie Harrington and Vikram Banerjee as Non-Executive Directors, bringing senior experience from UK Sport and major event venues
The appointments come as London Stadium continues to serve as one of the UK’s busiest multi-purpose venues, hosting Premier League football, athletics, concerts and major events. The venue remains a central part of the capital’s sporting and entertainment landscape more than a decade after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Harrington joins the Board following a career spanning sports governance, venue operations and leisure. She currently serves as a Non-Executive Director at Chester Race Company and has previously held senior positions at The Football Association, including Managing Director of Wembley Stadium and St George’s Park. She also served as Chief Executive of British Cycling and British Horseracing.
Banerjee joins the Board while serving as Managing Director of The Hundred at the England and Wales Cricket Board. Since joining the governing body in 2018, he has played a role in the development of the competition, which was launched in 2021 as part of efforts to broaden the appeal of domestic cricket.
Earlier this year, the England and Wales Cricket Board completed an investment process involving franchises competing in The Hundred, attracting investment from a number of international investors and sports ownership groups. Banerjee has also worked in management consulting and held roles at Whitbread before moving into cricket administration.
The appointments follow the retirement of Phil Mead from the London Stadium Board.
London Stadium Chair Lyn Garner said: “We are delighted to welcome Julie and Vikram to the Board at an exciting time for London Stadium. Julie’s proven leadership across major venues and governing bodies, combined with Vikram’s commercial and strategic expertise in shaping one of sport’s most innovative competitions, will bring valuable insight as we continue to develop the Stadium’s long-term vision. I would also like to thank Phil Mead for his contribution and dedication during his time on the Board.”
Target Darts has signed Beau Greaves to a long-term management agreement, following her becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking title.
Greaves, who has been sponsored by Target Darts since 2025, joins the company’s management programme after becoming the first woman to win a Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) ranking title. The agreement covers commercial representation, brand development and career management.
The deal means Target Darts now represents the world number one-ranked players in both the men’s and women’s games, with Greaves joining reigning PDC World Champion Luke Littler under management.
Greaves is a multiple Women’s World Darts Federation (WDF) World Champion and has recorded extensive success on the PDC Women’s Series circuit. Her recent PDC ranking title victory marked a significant milestone for women’s participation in the professional game.
The agreement comes during a period of increased visibility for darts in the UK and internationally. The sport has experienced growing audiences in recent years, supported by increased media coverage and the emergence of younger players competing at the highest level.
James Tattersall, chief executive of Target Darts, said: “We’ve worked closely with Beau over the past year and have seen first-hand the impact she is having on the game. She is helping inspire a new generation of players and fans, and we believe she has an enormous future both on and off the oche.“
Greaves said: “I’m really proud to be joining Target Darts. Winning my first PDC title and making history is something I’ll never forget.
“To now be working even more closely with the team is really exciting. They’ve supported me throughout an important stage of my career and I know they share my ambition for what comes next.”
Daisy May Cooper Has Featured in a UK Campaign Ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
A promotional campaign featuring Daisy May Cooper, Guz Khan, Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE, Hannah Botterman and Max Fosh has been released ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will take place across England from 12 June to 5 July.
The campaign centres on a fictional writers’ room discussion about the significance of hosting a women’s World Cup in England. During the film, Cooper reflects on the impact of female sporting role models and the opportunities a home tournament can create for audiences across the UK.
“As a mum, I love seeing female role models on our screens as I know what a difference it can make. We’ve seen in recent years what can happen when a nation gets behind women’s sport and I hope this inspires fans up and down the country to tune in and cheer their side on.”
Rainford-Brent said the tournament could help drive interest and participation in women’s cricket, citing the wider growth of women’s sport in the UK in recent years.
“A home World Cup can be such a powerful moment for the sport. We’ve seen the successes of the Lionesses and Red Roses in recent years, and we hope this summer can be equally defining for women’s cricket. Having played and won in 2009, I know just how much it can help inspire younger generations to pick up a bat or a ball.”
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will begin at Edgbaston on 12 June and conclude with the final at Lord’s on 5 July. The tournament will be hosted in England and follows a period of increased attendance and broadcast audiences for women’s sport in the UK.
UK National Lottery Lotto has introduced a new two-draw format designed to improve players’ odds of winning a prize and increase the number of annual millionaires.
Allwyn has launched a nationwide marketing campaign to support changes to Lotto, the flagship game of the UK National Lottery. The campaign centres on the message “One ticket, Two chances to win” and promotes a new format that gives players entry into two draws from a single ticket.
Under the revised structure, the odds of winning any prize have changed from 1 in 9.3 to 1 in 4.9. Allwyn has stated that the changes are expected to increase the number of Lotto millionaires created each year from around 140 to 345.
The campaign will run across television, radio, social media, retail and digital channels throughout the UK. It also includes outdoor advertising at more than 1,000 locations nationwide, including installations in London, and a consumer activation at Old Queen Street Café in Westminster.
Allwyn became operator of the UK National Lottery in February 2024 after securing the licence through a Gambling Commission competition. The latest Lotto changes represent the most significant update to the game since its launch in 1994.
The campaign also includes partnerships with several podcasts and social media platforms, including Twitch, marking the first time Allwyn has used the livestreaming platform as part of a National Lottery marketing initiative.
The campaign was developed by VCCP, with support from Studio 59, Allwyn’s in-house creative and content studio, and media planning and buying by Hearts & Science..
Sussex Cricket extend BACA partnership
Sussex Cricket have agreed a three-year partnership extension with Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) to continue developing state school cricket.
The collaboration, which has been running for ten years, aims to support the growth of the game in state schools across the county. BACA, which operates its programmes under the guidance of former England coach Mark Robinson, provides cricket opportunities for over 100 students, allowing them to balance their academic studies with sports development.
The extension also sees the Aldridge Foundation continue as the front of shirt sponsor for the Sussex women’s team until September 2028. Additionally, BACA has recently launched a dedicated girls’ cricket programme for students in years 7 to 11 to help feed into the Sussex women’s pathway.
Gary Wallis-Tayler, Director of Sussex Cricket Foundation, said, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with BACA, which is a key part of our mission to transform state school cricket in Sussex. The high-quality opportunities BACA provide, not only help make cricket accessible but also helps identify talented players for our Sussex Men, Women & Disability teams which ensures everyone has opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
