Western Sydney Wanderers and BMD to bolster the women’s game

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Western Sydney Wanderers & BMD
Image credit: Western Sydney Wanderers

Western Sydney Wanderers FC have revealed a three year partnership with BMD, Australia’s biggest privately owned and operated civil engineering, design, construction and land development contractor.

The agreement, set to last until 2025, will centre primarily on the Liberty A-League, in line with the company’s commitment to bolster women’s representation for industry sectors where a female minority currently exists.

BMD, officially known as The BMD Group, operates five companies in BMD Construction. These are BMD Urban, Empower Engineers & Project Managers, JMac Constructions and Urbex. Established in Queensland in 1979, they now employ over 1800 workers Australia-wide, resourcing and delivering projects across the country. Most notably for their latest partnership, they have been operating in the Western Sydney region for more than two decades already.

In addition to establishing themselves as a leading company in the construction sector, BMD are simultaneously spear-heading women’s involvement in an otherwise under-represented field.

BMD CEO, Scott Power, said via press release:

“We are committed to ensuring our female representation sits above industry standard and we are proud that over the past eight years we have seen a 74 per cent increase in the number of women in our business which currently sits at 19 per cent. […] The partnership with the Wanderers women’s team is the perfect opportunity to extend this commitment to help other underrepresented industries, while giving back to the local community in which BMD operates.”

Western Sydney Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson added via press release:

“BMD has been industry leaders in their work in supporting and advocating for women in a number of industries, so it is fantastic to see this now transition to their support of women in sport. We look forward to working closely with CEO Scott Power and his team at BMD over the next three years.”

Western Sydney Wanderers are the latest in a series of partnerships undertaken by BMD in the sporting sector, which caters for National Rugby League (NRL) team North Queensland Cowboys, Australian Football League (AFL) outfit Brisbane Lions in both men’s and women’s leagues, and the Queensland Rugby League senior women’s state-wide competition, the BMD Premiership.

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LaLiga and CANAL+ strengthen anti-piracy alliance across nearly 50 countries

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LaLiga and CANAL+ have strengthened their partnership with a new anti-piracy agreement covering almost 50 countries. The deal spans Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti. It brings together the league’s anti-piracy capabilities with CANAL+’s technology, intelligence and enforcement resources. The move reflects a growing commercial priority for sports rights holders. Protecting live content has become essential to protecting the value of broadcasting deals.

LaLiga and CANAL+ will share intelligence and coordinate their response to illegal distribution networks. They will also work on joint investigations and enforcement activity. The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two organisations. CANAL+ distributes LaLiga content across multiple international markets. The new agreement now takes their relationship beyond broadcasting.

The partnership creates a joint focus on protecting the underlying value of the rights being sold. While broadcasters invest heavily in football rights, illegal streaming undermines revenue and weakens the commercial proposition of legitimate broadcasters.

LaLiga’s latest figures highlight the importance of audiovisual income to professional clubs. Broadcast revenue across Spanish professional football fell 5.2% to $2.3 billion (1.43 billion Euros) in the 2024/25 season. Commercial revenue reached $2.4 billion (1.58 billion Euros) and became the largest revenue source.

Piracy therefore represents a direct business risk. Illegal access can reduce the value broadcasters place on future rights packages, ultimately affecting the money flowing back into clubs and competitions.

LaLiga and CANAL+ are responding by pooling resources. For CANAL+, the agreement also protects its investment in international sports rights. The broadcaster operates in nearly 70 countries and has expanded its relationship with LaLiga alongside its international growth. For LaLiga, stronger enforcement can help protect the value of its global media proposition.

The partnership also carries implications for the wider sports industry. Rights holders increasingly need technology, legal expertise and cross-border cooperation to tackle illegal distribution. The message is clear. Winning a rights deal is only part of the commercial battle. Sports organisations and broadcasters must also protect the content once it reaches the market.

LaLiga and CANAL+ are betting that closer cooperation can make that protection more effective. This agreement may provide a model for other leagues and broadcasters facing the same challenge.

Bordeaux face uncertain future after American investor withdrawal

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Girondins de Bordeaux face their biggest crisis yet after their exclusion from France’s national competitions was upheld and proposed investor Park Bench walked away from a takeover. The club is on the brink of liquidation after poor financial management and failed ownership takeovers. The Paris Administrative Court rejected Bordeaux’s appeal in August. The court backed the decision that prevents the club from playing in national competitions for the 2026-27 season. Bordeaux will therefore this season remain in Régional 1, the sixth tier of French football.

The ruling followed a financial dispute with French football’s financial regulator, the DNCG. Bordeaux had presented additional financial guarantees after its previous hearing. The court ruled that those commitments could not be considered as part of that procedure.

The decision has now had a major impact on the club’s ownership plans. Park Bench, the US investment group working with Sparta Capital, has withdrawn from its proposed takeover. The group said its offer depended on Bordeaux remaining in the national championships. With that condition no longer possible, Park Bench decided not to proceed.

The withdrawal leaves Bordeaux in a difficult position. The club had hoped new investment would provide financial stability and help rebuild its sporting operation. Instead, the failure of the takeover leaves the future of the six-time French champions uncertain. Bordeaux has already endured several years of financial problems. The club lost its professional status in 2024 after bankruptcy proceedings and a previous administrative relegation. It then rebuilt its senior team in the second and third tiers of French football.

The latest exclusion represents another major setback. Bordeaux now needs to find a way to keep the club operating outside the national leagues. That means securing funding, meeting its financial obligations and establishing a sustainable ownership structure. The threat of judicial liquidation now hangs over the club.

In a statement issued in late August, Bordeaux said it would explore every remaining legal option after the administrative court ruling. But with Park Bench no longer backing the proposed takeover, the club has fewer options available.

The next priority will be survival. Bordeaux must find new financial backing or another solution to protect the club from liquidation. For one of France’s most historic and successful clubs, the immediate target is no longer a return to Ligue 1. It is simply making sure there is a club left to climb back.

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