Formula 1, Giving Back and Other Recent Sports News Trends

A look at the sports news from PR Newswire in November and December that you might have missed.

By Katie Nuttall | Published Jan. 3, 2024

With a new year upon us here at PR Newswire, we took some time to sort through and track the most relevant sports industry news that hit the wire over the past two months.

During November and December, we noticed releases highlighting Formula 1 and its growing popularity, with lots of excitement and news stories surrounding the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. Another trend we have been following is an increase in brand/athlete partnerships. In addition, we have seen many stories focused on the sports industry giving back — timely during the giving season at the end of the year.

Overall, PR Newswire distributed nearly 900 sports industry releases during November and December!

Let’s take a closer look at some noteworthy releases we’ve seen across the wire during the last two months.

Some of the Most Popular Sports Releases

• Dolly Parton to Kick Off 133rd Annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with LIVE Halftime Performance During Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game
• 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Winners Revealed
• Pop-Tarts® Will Unwrap the First-Ever Edible Mascot at the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl
• HOKA® Partners with SATISFY® to Introduce the New HOKA x SATISFY Clifton LS - Exceeding Luxury, Style, and Performance Expectations
• Las Vegas Launches Campaign to Encourage Excessive Celebration at Super Bowl LVIII
• The Vans Pipe Masters Returns to The North Shore
• The Fort Rises: Unleashing A 43 Premier Pickleball Court Facility Via Landmark Public-Private Initiative

Sports News Trends

Take a look at a few of the trends we noticed among sports-related press releases in November and December, along with a few examples of each.

Formula 1

Formula 1, also known as F1, has seen a rise in popularity this year especially in the U.S. With a new American driver, three races in the U.S. and a new partnership with ESPN, many Americans are tuning in to the fast-paced sport.

Below are some examples of F1-related releases that sped across the wire at the end of the year:

• Amateur racer stuns in victory over three-time F1® World Champion Max Verstappen in Heineken®'s Global Player 0.0 thrilling finale
• Monster Energy To Begin Next Chapter In Formula One From 2024
• Ethara Unveils New Key Event Supporters for the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023
• Pacsun Brings F1 Collection to the Las Vegas Strip with Pop-Up Activations Around the Formula 1® Las Vegas Grand Prix
• Dutch delight in the desert: DJ and Producer Martin Garrix rounds off a triumphant Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix
• A Race 45 Years in the Making: Michelob ULTRA Celebrates Williams Racing Partnership with First-Ever Real vs. Virtual Race in New One-Of-A-Kind Television Special

Giving Back

During the holiday season, giving back is typically a priority for brands and organizations. The sports industry is no different. Between GivingTuesday and Christmas, we saw an uptick in press releases announcing organizations' philanthropic initiatives. In fact, we saw more than 75 sports industry releases over the past two months on this topic!

Here are a few examples:

• Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® and Albertsons Companies Foundation Unite to Bring Mission Tiger™ to the 2023 Tony the Tiger® Sun Bowl
• 1890 Initiative Kicks Off 'Countdown to Signing Day' NIL Fundraiser for Nebraska Student-Athletes
• Feed The Need Townhall Enters a New Decade of Helping Those in Need
• Wilson's 'Gift of Game' Celebrates Sport Through the Spirit of the Season
• Olympic and Pro Athletes Join Hands with Physician-Formulated Supplement Maker, 1MD Nutrition on Giving Tuesday to Raise Money for Underserved Pregnant Women and Children
• The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation & Icy Hot® Launch Newest Comebaq Court at Challengers Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles

Athlete and Brand Partnerships

More and more, we are seeing athletes and brands team up for an endorsement. Many of these partnerships now involve college athletes thanks to the NCAA’s name, image and likeness, or NIL, policy. Student-athletes can now make money from their personal brand. We saw more than 225 sports industry releases that involved licensing/marketing agreements during the two-month period.

Check out some examples:

• DICK'S Sporting Goods Partners with Kelsey Plum for "Holiday Shopping Sprint"
• Mark Wahlberg's Active Lifestyle Brand MUNICIPAL Partners with Cleveland Browns Defensive End, Myles Garrett
• Georgia Star Brock Bowers Teams Up with MET-Rx® to Power His Performance
• The Icon of Icon of the Seas: Lionel Messi Named Official Icon for Royal Caribbean's New Vacation
• Planet Fitness Debuts Empowering Partnership with Megan Thee Stallion, Dubbing Her as 'Mother Fitness' in a Dynamic Collaboration for the New Year

Looking Ahead

Despite the holidays, it has been a busy couple of months in the sports industry and we do not expect it to slow down! We are looking forward to the Big Game on Sunday, February 11, and anticipate many press releases about the exciting event.

Stay tuned for our next sports news roundup!

About the Author

Katie Nuttall is a Senior Content Specialist at Cision PR Newswire and has been with the company since 2018. She graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in Communications. When she's off the clock, Katie enjoys reading, yoga, walking her dog Harry, and traveling.