Barrow AFC invest in ground renovations

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Barrow AFC
Image credit: Barrow AFC

EFL League Two side Barrow AFC is undergoing renovations in the UK summer on their home ground, The SO Legal Stadium.

The Club is excited to finally be able to discuss ideas for the extra seats that will be added to the SO Legal Stadium before the 2023–24 season begins.

With the assistance of Gadsden Consulting and Tape Design Ltd., the work schedule has been established with the contractors GL Events and HBP Ltd.

For more than 30 years, the family-owned consulting engineering company of Gadsden Consulting has served its customers. They are based in Barrow-in-Furness and provide a wide range of expert design solutions for various project kinds and sectors.

Choosing a local business was a wise decision by the club as it supports their own community and the operation would be run smoothly with easy access and communication from both parties.

Due to the addition of 522 additional covered seats in the stadium’s north-east corner, the away end’s capacity will rise to just under 1000 spectators.

More upgrades include installing 371 covered seats on the West Terrace for the use of home supporters, allowing more supports to attend matches.

The renovation of the stadium will increase excitement within the Barrow community, driving fans to continue supporting the club and renewing their memberships for next season. As the stadium will hold more seats, it allows the club to grow their supporter base and attract a new groups of fans.

Finally, the Steelworks End will reopen for the 2023–24 season thanks to the installation of 196 seats this summer. Elevated wheelchair bays will also be a part of these upgrades as part of Barrow’s commitment to upgrading the SO Legal Stadium’s amenities for all fans.

Barrow’s opening game of the season takes place away at Tranmere Rovers on August 6.

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IMG takes commercial lead on inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup

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Image Credit: Vietnam Football Federation

IMG has been appointed to lead the global commercialisation of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, giving the new Southeast Asian national-team competition an established international sports business partner ahead of its first edition.

Under the strategic partnership, IMG will manage worldwide media and sponsorship rights sales while also overseeing broadcast production for the tournament, which takes place from 24 September to 5 October across Indonesia and Hong Kong, China.

The inaugural competition will feature 14 national teams, including all 11 ASEAN members alongside guest nations, with matches split between two divisions. Division 2 fixtures will be played in Jakarta and Badung, while Division 2 matches will be played in Hong Kong.

The agency’s role will include selling sponsorship and media inventory internationally while helping establish the broadcast infrastructure required to present the tournament to audiences outside Southeast Asia.

The partnership builds on IMG’s existing strategic relationship with PT Garuda Sepak Bola Indonesia, which has been working with the Football Association of Indonesia since 2025 on areas including commercial strategy, media rights, production and digital development.

For FIFA, the tournament creates another international football property in a region with a large and increasingly connected football audience.

For IMG, it adds another major regional property to a football portfolio that already includes competitions and organisations across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The immediate challenge will be turning the inaugural tournament into a sustainable commercial property capable of attracting broadcasters and sponsors beyond its first edition.

If successful, the FIFA ASEAN Cup could provide Southeast Asian national teams with a recurring commercial platform while giving IMG another foothold in one of football’s developing markets.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

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Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.

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