LaLiga and SportBoost drive sports industry forward

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LaLiga and SportBoost have teamed up to enhance the sports industry by creating opportunities for athletes and ex-athletes, as well as technology start-ups dedicated to finding solutions to the challenges facing the sector.

This partnership will unite and benefit both athletes and technology start-ups through providing employment opportunities beyond competitive sport for the athletes and generating greater visibility, exposure and funding for the technology companies.

The presentation of the project, held at LaLiga headquarters, was attended by Javier Tebas and former goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Tebas, the President of LaLiga, declared:

“Teaming up with Iker [Casillas] and SportBoost means continuing our commitment to technology and innovation in LaLiga. One of our goals is to boost the sports industry in general, not just that of football, and with this kind of partnership we are making sure that this is the case.”

SportBoost founder Iker Casillas stated:

“This is a very important agreement for SportBoost because with this partnership we are able to provide athletes with the possibility of finding opportunities after retirement, a moment that can cause anxiety. In addition, start-ups can reach out to these athletes and benefit from everything they have to offer.”

The key to this project lies in the Player Entrepreneur Office (P.E.O.), a body that will manage and promote this relationship between athletes and ex-athletes, and startups, with the former being able to support the companies in five different ways:

  • Mentoring
  • Sponsorship
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Employment opportunities
  • Investment

The P.E.O. programme, initially planned for the next four years, will analyse innovative projects from national and international start-ups. Entities such as the ADESP (Spanish Sports Association), the AFE (The Spanish Footballers’ Association) and the CSD (High Council for Sports) through its PROAD (care to sportspeople) programme will be involved in the selection process. Once selected, they will be able to invest, mentor and receive training, through the P.E.O. It will also be able to offer the athlete’s services to startups that are searching for a professional who fits their profile in order to develop their working life beyond competitive sport.

The project will be announced to LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank players through the Players App, the application that directly connects the LaLiga Player’s Office with the players themselves.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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