“Whakatāne has the most qualified mayor in the world with Victor Luca,” he said.

He expressed disappointment in not seeing greater support for him on the council, particularly in his advocacy for more affordable rates.

“Affordability is vital, and we have to look to the future. There’s no reason Whakatāne District Council cannot create new revenue streams. The solar project that Mayor Victor was an advocate for is the perfect example.”

He said he was strongly in support of Luca’s proposal for a second river crossing.

“It’s critical infrastructure. Again, this is an area where councillors have dragged the chain. It’s a no-brainer, how important a second bridge is to Whakatāne for the safety of the residents.”

Though he had no plans to move home, Horan said it had always been his goal to return to Whakatāne one day.

“Whakatāne is a part of me. Apart from being born in Whakatāne, my children’s whenua is buried in Whakatāne.

“My love and responsibility and connection to Whakatāne is unbreakable.

“I’m there every second weekend anyway, particularly whenever the surf’s great.”

Horan said he had “no designs on being mayor”.

“But I do have strong designs to support our mayor to make Whakatāne a home for present and future generations.”

Horan attended St Joseph’s Catholic School and Whakatāne High School, and represented Whakatāne in sport during his youth, including in swimming, water polo and surf lifesaving.

He also represented New Zealand and Australia in water polo, was a New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Ironman champion and New Zealand outrigger canoe champion.

Horan went on to become a weather presenter for Television New Zealand between 2005 and 2007.

In 2008, he contested the East Coast electorate as a New Zealand First candidate. He became a New Zealand First list MP in 2011.

After being expelled from New Zealand First, he remained in Parliament as an independent. In 2014 he formed his own party, the NZ Independent Coalition, which failed to win any seats.

He later returned to study and earned a post-graduate degree in dispute resolution from the University of Waikato, and now does a variety of work.

“I help a lot of people if they have problems with different government departments. A lot of it, the work’s altruistic because by the time they get to me they’ve already exhausted every legal avenue.

Horan said he has helped people with immigration problems and also did cultural report writing for the courts.

“But a lot of that work has dried up thanks to this government.

“I also work with a travel operator taking targeted tours overseas. I’ve just come back from the United States. I get to travel a lot and keep an eye on what’s happening around the world.”

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

LUBBOCK, Texas (June 26, 2025) – Lubbock Christian University Athletics has announced a new strategic partnership with FanWord, one of the nation’s leading storytelling and technology companies in college athletics. The collaboration, which centers on FanWord’s content creation platform FanWord Assist, aims to strengthen the Chaparrals’ storytelling capabilities and amplify the voices of LCU student-athletes, coaches, and alumni.
 
With a proud championship tradition and a commitment to academic and athletic excellence, LCU Athletics continues to seek forward-thinking tools to enhance its digital presence. The integration of FanWord Assist into the department’s communication efforts will enable LCU to streamline content production and deliver more consistent, impactful written stories.
 
“There are countless impactful stories to share at LCU,” said Chris Due, LCU’s Associate Athletic Director for Communications. “We’re excited to partner with FanWord to help us highlight the journeys of our student-athletes and coaches in a creative and forward-thinking way.”
 
FanWord Assist, already trusted by more than 100 institutions across the country, helps athletic departments produce a wide variety of content including game recaps, athlete bios, feature stories, and news releases. The addition of the platform will increase LCU’s capacity for timely storytelling while enhancing brand engagement and audience connection.
 
“Partnering with Lubbock Christian University is a major highlight for us,” said Chris Aumueller, CEO of FanWord. “They have an incredible athletic tradition and a clear passion for telling meaningful stories. Our goal is to help them bring those stories to life more easily and effectively, and we couldn’t be more excited to support their journey.”
 
The partnership underscores LCU’s commitment to innovation in college athletics and aligns with the department’s broader mission to promote and celebrate the achievements of its community—both on and off the field.
 
To learn more about FanWord and its storytelling tools, visit FanWord.com.
 

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Sports Market Place Directory 2025 Edition” book has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Sports Market Place 2025 provides a one-stop resource for this billion-dollar industry. This will be an important resource for large public libraries, university libraries, university athletic programs, career services or job placement organizations, and is a must for anyone doing business in or marketing a product or service to the vast U.S. sports industry.

Sports Market Place is the classic sports reference work that has served the sports industry for over 50 years, offering full coverage of 103 sports – from Air Sports to Yachting – including data on fast-growing segments such as cycling, fitness, gymnastics, martial arts, running, swimming, and weightlifting. Over the years, this work has grown to include nearly 2,000 pages of valuable content, including professional, college and youth leagues and teams, sports media, events, facilities, sponsors, manufacturers, and professional services.

With this directory on your desk, you have a comprehensive tool providing current key information about the people, organizations and events involving the explosive sports industry at your fingertips. Sports Market Place provides must-have contact information (nearly 13,500 listings) including: 11,484 websites, 6,047 email addresses, and nearly 40,000 key executives.

• Single Sports has over 2,109 sport-specific organizations, leagues and teams that comprise over 100 specific sports. It includes professional, major and minor leagues, coaches, managers, and an alphabetical index.

• Multi Sports includes 12 specific categories, including athletic foundations, Olympic teams, halls of fame and youth sports organizations. It includes a total of 835 and an alphabetical index.

• College Sports has 1,697 listings with associations, conferences, degree programs, and division I, II and III schools. You’ll find a comprehensive list of coaches and sports management programs, and an alphabetical index.

• Media includes prominent newspapers and radio and television sports programming. Listings include editors, commentators, show hosts and an alphabetical index.

• Sports Sponsors includes 119 sponsors that support most major sports, including college bowl games, and an alphabetical index.

• Professional Services comprises 13 categories, from executive search services to ticket services, for a total of 1,684 listings, and an alphabetical index.

• Facilities has 1,365 listings and includes seven categories from arenas to facility concession services. You’ll find stadiums, race tracks, architects, management services, and an alphabetical index.

• Manufacturers & Retailers include 1,929 listings, with a separate section for Software Manufacturers. Listings include valuable contact information, including key executives, plus products and brands. This chapter includes two indexes – one by sport and one by subject.

• Events, Meetings & Trade Shows include 1,060 listings, of which 130 are trade shows. Events and trade shows are listed separately by both sport and date. This section also includes two alphabetical indexes, one for trade shows and one for events.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Single Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• Air Sports Organizations

• Archery Organizations

• Arm Wrestling Organizations

• Auto Sports Organizations

• Auto Sports Racing Leagues/Teams

• Badminton Organizations

• Bandy Organizations

• Baseball Organizations

• Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Major

• Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Minor

• Basketball Organizations

• Basketball, Leagues and Teams

• Biathlon Organizations

• Billiards Organizations

• Boating Organizations

• Bobsledding Organizations

• Bowling Organizations

• Boxing Organizations

• Broomball Organizations

• Canoeing Organizations

• Climbing Organizations

• Cricket Organizations

• Croquet Organizations

• Curling Organizations

• Cycling Organizations

• Cycling, Leagues/Teams

• Dart Organizations

• Diving Organizations

• Equestrian Organizations

• Equestrian, Commissions/Pari-Mutuel

• Exercise/Fitness Organizations

• Fencing Organizations

• Figure Skating Organizations

• Fishing Organizations

• Football Organizations

• Football, College Bowl/Classics

• Football, Professional Leagues/Teams

• Frisbee Organizations

• Golf Organizations

• Greyhound Racing Organizations

• Gymnastics Organizations

• Handball Organizations

• Hockey, Field Hockey Organizations

• Hockey, Ice Hockey Organizations

• Hockey, Professional Hockey (NHL)

• Hockey, Professional, Minor Leagues

• Hockey, Roller Hockey Organizations

• Horseshoe Organizations

• Inline Skating Organizations

• Jai-Lai Organizations

• Kayaking Organizations

• Kiting Organizations

• Lacrosse Organizations

• Lacrosse, Leagues/Teams

• Luge Organizations

• Martial Arts Organizations

• Motorcycle Organizations

• Mountainboard Organizations

• Netball Organizations

• Orienteering Organizations

• Pentathlon Organizations

• Petanque Organizations

• Platform Tennis Organizations

• Polo Organizations

• Racquetball Organizations

• Ringette Organizations

• Rodeo Organizations

• Roller Skating Organizations

• Rowing/Crew Organizations

• Rugby Organizations

• Running Organizations

• Sailing Organizations

• Scuba Organizations

• Shooting/Hunting Organizations

• Shuffleboard Organizations

• Skateboard Organizations

• Skiing Organizations

• Sled Dog Organizations

• Snowboarding Organizations

• Snowmobile Organizations

• Soccer (Futsal) Organizations

• Soccer Organizations

• Soccer, Leagues/Teams

• Softball Organizations

• Softball, Leagues/Teams

• Speedskating Organizations

• Squash Organizations

• Surfing Organizations

• Swimming Organizations

• Table Tennis Organizations

• Tennis Organizations

• Tennis, Leagues/Teams

• Track & Field Organizations

• Triathlon Organizations

• Tug of War Organizations

• Volleyball Organizations

• Water Polo Organizations

• Water Skiing Organizations

• Weightlifting Organizations

• Windsurfing Organizations

• Wrestling Organizations

• Yachting Organizations

2. Multiple Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• Athletic Foundations

• Disabled Sports

• High School Sports

• Military Sports

• Olympic, International Federations

• Olympic, Organizations

• Olympic, United States Major Governing Bodies

• Professional Organizations

• Sports Commissions/Convention Visitors Bureau

• Sports Halls of Fame, Libraries, Museums

• State Games Organizations

• Youth Organizations

3. College Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• College Associations

• College Athletic Conferences

• NAIA I Colleges

• NCAA Division I Colleges

• NCAA Division II Colleges

• NCAA Division III Colleges

• Sport Management Degree Programs

4. Media

• Alphabetical Index

• Newspapers

• Magazines

• Sports Business Directories

• Media Production

• Sports Radio Networks

• Sports Radio Programs, Local

• Sports Radio Programs, National

• Sports Satellite Radio

• Sports Radio Stations

• Sports Television, Cable & Broadcasting

• Sports Television Pay Per View

• Sports Television Programs, Local

• Sports Television Programs, National

• Sports Satellite Television

• Sports Television Stations

• Sports on the World Wide Web

5. Sports Sponsors

• Sponsor by Sport Index

• Sports-Related

6. Professional Services

• Alphabetical Index

• Executive Search Services

• Event Planning & Services

• Event Security

• Financial Services

• Marketing & Consulting Services

• Technical Services

• Sports Agents

• Sports Attorneys

• Sports Medicine Services

• Sports Travel Services

• Statistical Services

• Student Athlete Recruiting Services

• Ticket Services

7. Facilities

• Alphabetical Index

• Arenas & Stadiums

• Race Tracks – Auto

• Race Tracks – Equestrian Downs & Parks

• Race Tracks – Greyhound

• Facility Architects & Developers

• Facility Management

• Facility Concession Services

8. Manufacturers & Retailers

• Company by Sport/Subject Index

• Equipment & Product Manufacturers

• Software Manufacturers

• Retailers

9. Events, Meetings & Trade Shows

• Alphabetical Trade Show Index

• Meeting and Trade Show Calendar

• Alphabetical Events Index

• Events by Date

• Events by Sport

10. All-Volume Indexes

• Entry Index

• Executive Index

• Geographic Index

For more information about this book visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fkhjzi

Source: Grey House Publishing Inc

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Eight teams are heading to Liverpool Aquatics centre as the North West’s Region hosts the U16 Girls Inter-Regional Championships this weekend.

Five teams will battle it out for the top prize with North West Thunder, West Midland Warriors, South West Sharks, London Sharks and South East competing in Division One.

They’ll face off for the top honour after finishing as the highest ranked teams at the U14 inter-regionals two years ago.

In Division 2, Scotland, East Midlands and North East Steelers will go head to head in the event, which will see each side gain plenty of vital match experience.

You can follow all the scores from the competition with our live scoreboard below.

Division 1

Division 2

SVG Europe’s Will Strauss with Lewis Wiltshire, SVP and managing director of digital at IMG

SVG Europe welcomed some 200 people to the Digital Sports Summit on Wednesday, where the strategies, tools, techniques and technology required to successfully create and distribute social, mobile and streamed sports content where explored.

After opening remarks from George Lopez, head of global operations at title sponsor Tata Communications, attention turned to IMG’s Digital Trends Report 2025.

In a presentation and fireside chat, Lewis Wiltshire, SVP and managing director of digital at IMG, outline the technologies and developments that are expected to shape the sports media landscape for rightsholders over the next 12 months. First up was the notion of a “first” or “second” screen, with Wiltshire emphasising the parity between larger screens and mobile devices.

He said: “There are more than 7bn mobile phone contracts globally…so this is not ‘second screen’ tech. We’re not saying it’s become the ‘first’ screen, we just don’t think there is a hierarchy.

Wiltshire also spoke about 2025 being the true era of wearables, and the impact of connected glasses and spectacles that are equipped with cameras on the capture of content. And he also spoke about the changing nature of search, with people now – thanks to AI – expecting answers rather than a list of results.

The session then shifted to a ranking of publishing platforms, with YouTube taking top sport thanks largely to its monetisation options for content owners.

Kahlen Macaulay, head of international sports partnerships at Snapchat (pictured, below), then shared how sports broadcasters, federations and other rights holders/owners and brands can successfully make use of the platform, particularly to reach younger viewers.

Macaulay spoke about how Snap has moved beyond a platform for video content teams to something that can “drive marketing and affinity”.

“Adidas, Nike and a host of luxury brands understand that it’s not about selling product straightaway, it’s about brand building. Sky Sports, for example, know they aren’t going to get a 15 year-old to take out a subscription, but it’s about building that relationship.”

Next, Tom Halls, SailGP, director of social, Patrick Burch-Lovell, European Tour Productions, creative director, original and branded content, Alexandra Willis, the Premier League, director of digital media & audience development and chair Richard Craig-McFeely explored strategies for engaging sports fans with short-form content, taking a detailed look at how federations, leagues and broadcasters alike can use Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms to attract, retain, monetise and engage with sports fans.

And then, before breaking for lunch, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Reuters Imagen shared how they digitised and centralised the federation’s content library, with Kirsten Lincoln, Reuters Imagen, senior account manager, Tabitha Horsefield, ITF broadcast operations project lead and Eoin Kelly, ITF senior media rights manager exploring the journey from siloed management to a searchable, cloud-based platform.

After lunchtime networking, a fireside chat: with Tim Cocker, founder of Eggchasers Rugby (pictured, below), revealed how – and why – the podcast and YouTube channel acquired the rights to second tier French rugby union, the Pro D2.

Cocker spoke about adopting an “I’ll do it myself” approach, which when combined with the forward-thinking approach of French rugby authorities, resulted in the acquisition of a year long deal to air Thursday night matches live on his YouTube channel to viewers in the UK and Ireland.

Next up was a panel comprised of Colin McKevitt, Badger & Combes, MD & Lancashire CCC CIO, Duncan East, Buzz 16, MD, Joshua Barnett, After Party Studios, MD, Ed Abis, Dizplai, CEO plus chair and consultant Tom Bowers, who delved into the world of watchalongs, exploring why people want to shape content as well as watch it, and how best to enable more involved viewing experiences.

Leaning on his experience of working with the FA on the Women’s Super League (WSL), Little Dot Sport Partnerships Director David Scriven provided expert insight into how to launch, manage and run a YouTube sports channel.

And then, taking into account the sessions that preceded it, Scott Miles, Sky Sports, head of content delivery, Donald Sievewright, Matrox, EMEA director of sales and Alex Ferris, LucidLink, senior director of solutions engineering explored how content hubs can streamline the distribution of sports video across multiple platforms.

The day wrapped up with a special showcase session in which Rachael Burford, head of women’s rugby at the Rugby Players Association (RPA), and HBS/Skroller general manager Jamie Aitchison discussed how and why female rugby players are becoming digital content creators: a move that is both helping clubs and leagues resonate with new and different audiences, and also supporting current and former players as they persue new career paths beyond the game.

GREENSBORO – It was a big season for North Carolina A&T men’s track and field, culminating on Thursday with two postseason outdoor track and field awards from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) for two of its student-athletes.

Sophomore Xavier Partee claimed CAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Sophomore teammate Xzaviah Taylor captured CAA Men’s Athlete of the Year.

Taylor earned second-team All-American honors from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the 400H. Taylor advanced to the NCAA East Prelims in 2024 in the 400H, but this season, he elevated to a new level. He won CAA outdoor titles in the 400H, 400m and he helped the 4×100 team finish second.

Taylor entered NCAA nationals with the best qualifying time coming out of the NCAA East Prelims in the 400H, running a time of 49.18 to break the program record. Additionally, he ran on the 4×400-meter relay team that won at the prestigious Drake Relays.

“It means a lot to me,” said Taylor. “I went through a couple of struggles my freshman year, learning how to run my races. Coming into my sophomore year, I made a conscious effort to put in the work. I focused on my craft. I did what I had to do, and I came to conference, and I doubled. It showed how much work I put in over the years.”

In addition to having a twin brother who excels at track, his father, Angelo Taylor, was a three-time Olympian and three-time world champion in the 4×400 relay. Therefore, he fully understands the journey and is going through the process to reach his ultimate goals.

“I just need to compete more, and having competed at NCAA nationals helps,” said Taylor. “I have to compete against the best even more. That was my first time there in my individual event, so it was a little nerve-wracking for me.

Taylor also acknowledged how much fun he had at nationals competing against the nation’s best.

“It showed me how much experience they had and that they had to wait their turn. The guy who won finished fifth two years ago, then he finished second the next year, and then, of course, this year, he won. It showed me he put in the work and just stayed patient.”

XAVIER PARTEE

Partee also has a father with a familiar name. Derrick Partee is a 2000 graduate of North Carolina A&T and the head boys basketball coach at Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro. Xavier said there is no question he comes from a basketball family. He planned to become a walk-on for the A&T men’s basketball team upon becoming a student at A&T.

Then, by some random chance, someone encouraged him to try track and field during his senior year at Smith High School. Partee started with the high jump, but he wasn’t sold on the event. Therefore, someone suggested the triple jump. Bingo!! That led Partee to come across another familiar name and face in the Triad area – Roy “Spaceman” Thompson.

Thompson is the former legendary director of track and field at A&T and a former track and field athlete at A&T who has coached a few jump champions over the years.

“Shout out to Space,” said Partee. “He showed me so much about the event. I fell in love with it.”

During his freshman outdoor season, Partee finished second in the triple jump at the 2024 CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Before winning the CAA indoor championship in the triple jump in 2025, Partee jumped 51 feet, 1 ¾ inches, at Texas Tech’s Corky Classic to finish eighth.  

“To go from 49 (feet) to skip 50 and go to 51, I wondered if it was a fluke,” said Partee.

He wondered about that for a while. Partee opened the outdoor season by sustaining an injury at High Point University during the Aggies outdoor track and field opener, forcing him to miss a month. When he returned, the Aggies were hosting the Aggie Invitational at Johnson Track. It was no fluke. Partee jumped 50 feet, 10 ½ inches, to win the event.

“I religiously rehabbed my hamstring injury every day,” Partee said. “Then, to do that, my first meet back, I believed I could really be something happen in this event.”  

Partee jumped 52 feet, 4 ¾ inches at the NCAA East Prelims to qualify for nationals as a sophomore. He finished 17th nationally at nationals, jumping 50 feet, 3 ¼ inches.

“I really haven’t had a second to sit with it,” said Partee about being named CAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. “Right now, I just feel ready for the next step. I feel ready for next year. We put in a lot of work obviously to get here, so I’m excited about getting back to work to see how much better we can do.”