Local brand AO, the UK’s most trusted major electricals retailer and sponsor of the Manchester Arena, have announced they are pumping more than £2 million into children’s sports and grassroots teams as part of an exciting new partnership with an NFL team.
With the Bolton-based, nationwide business continuing to support local teams and further invest in youth sport across Greater Manchester and beyond, AO‘s latest venture will see an estimated 472,800 young people benefit from a new initiative with an American football team looking to make an impact in the UK.
Teaming up to sponsor the Jacksonville Jaguars and their growing UK arm, whose support has been growing on this side of the Atlantic since 2013, the two organisations are combining to provide a new scheme to sponsor sports kits amongst grassroots teams across the country.
Better still, more than 87,000 youngsters will benefit from AO and the Jacksonville Jaguars sponsorship through their ground-breaking and hugely exciting new UK sports programme known as ‘JagTag’.
JagTag is a simplified version of tag-based American football, which was invented by Jaguars and is already sweeping across British schools, getting kids active and interested in a new and different sport.
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Most similar to the likes of tag-rugby, the game is already being taught in over 300 schools as part of their PE curriculum, not to mention having caught on at countless youth centres and sports halls nationwide.
AO has also created a hub on its website, where all types of grassroots youth sports teams can apply to have their kit paid for and sponsored by the retailer.
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Not a bad deal at all — and it’s by no means the first time AO has teamed up with local clubs and sports centres to ensure kids and young people have the right kit and equipment.
The initiative follows the Centre for Social Justice’s (CSJ) new report, ‘Game Changer: A plan to transform young lives through sport’, which found that providing a “right to sport” to 3.6 million UK secondary school pupils could help “slash youth crime, improve school attendance and boost their academic prospects” overall.
Speaking on the new partnership, AO Founder and CEO John Roberts said: “Talent is evenly distributed across the UK, but opportunity is not. Inside most of these kids is incredible potential yet they get ignored by politicians, so we need to start building them a future they care about and believe in.
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“By extending our grassroots kit sponsorships and our JagTag partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars UK, we’ll give almost half a million young people the chance to get involved in sport over the next five years.”
You can register your interest in the AO grassroots programme on behalf of a child, school, sports club or youth centre HERE.
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament
Danny Jones
The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.
The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.
With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.
Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.
For the fifth year in a row, we want you to be part of #TheHundredRising! 🎤
So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.
Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.
From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.
The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.
Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.
The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.
Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.
It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.
Danny Jones -
12th October 2023 
