Welsh Rugby Union

the welsh ⁢Rugby Union (WRU) has entered a period of⁢ exclusivity with Y11 ⁢Sport & Media regarding the ‍potential acquisition of Cardiff Rugby.

The governing body has identified Y11, the ⁢current owners​ of Ospreys, as the preferred bidder following a board meeting on Monday. This proposal⁣ has moved ahead of a⁤ rival bid from a consortium ⁣involving former Cardiff director ⁢Martyn Ryan. cardiff have been under the ownership of the WRU since entering governance ‍in April ‌2025.

The potential deal has raised questions regarding the future structure of Welsh rugby, as the union⁤ has ‍proposed reducing its number of professional sides. If completed, the agreement would require scrutiny under World ⁢Rugby regulation 14, which prohibits entities from controlling ​more than one club in the same competition.

A statement from the WRU read, “The WRU board met for its January meeting today and considered the recommendation from the executive leadership team on​ the sale of Cardiff rugby. The board reviewed in detail the final two bids and unanimously approved the proposal to move forward with a preferred ⁣bidder into an exclusivity period. Following this decision, the WRU has obligations to liaise with a⁢ number of stakeholders over the next few days.”

“We ⁢will then discuss the decision with the two bidders and ⁣the management of Cardiff Rugby and expect to ​be in⁣ a ‌position ⁢to have completed this by next⁤ week. The WRU hopes to finalise the detailed‌ negotiations with the preferred bidder and sign a ‌binding agreement within a matter of weeks.”

Squash Media & Marketing has appointed Two​ Circles on a five-year partnership to support global‌ growth ahead of the LA28 Olympics.

SMM, the commercial entity owned and operated by the Professional Squash association (PSA), has entered the agreement to accelerate audience ‍expansion and commercial development. Two Circles will manage media rights strategy and distribution services for the PSA Squash​ Tour.

Additionally, the data-driven sports agency will ​provide marketing support to enhance the organisation’s digital platforms, specifically focusing on scaling the streaming service SQUASHTV. The ⁤collaboration aims to establish a deeper understanding of the sport’s audience and markets as squash prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 ‌Games.

Alex Gough, Chief Executive Officer, PSA, said, “With squash on the path to its Olympic debut at LA28, our focus is firmly on engaging and growing audiences across the globe. ⁣Two Circles’ expertise in⁤ media‌ rights,data and digital growth will help us expand global ⁢distribution,accelerate SQUASHTV ⁤subscriber growth and build lasting momentum for⁤ the sport through 2028‌ and beyond.”

Tom McJennett, Managing Director, EMEA, Two Circles, said, “Squash is‌ a sport on the rise, ​and we are proud to have been selected by SMM to help unlock its‍ full potential over the coming ⁣years. Growing ⁤audiences and revenues is what we do best, and that is exactly what we will deliver in the build-up to the sport’s Olympic​ debut at LA28 and beyond.”