Welcome to Sideline Moves, Insider Sport’s new weekly roundup spotlighting the key moves shaping the business of sport.
Every Friday, we bring you the latest executive appointments, strategic hires, boardroom shifts, and behind-the-scenes deals from across the global sports industry — all in one place.
Target Darts adds Beau Greaves to star-studded roster
Darts manufacturer Target Darts signed Beau Greaves, the women’s world number one and three-time WDF World Champion, to a multi-year deal today (9 May).
Following the agreement, Target Darts has announced plans to launch a special line of signature Greaves products as part of its September release. She joins a star-studded roster that includes Luke Littler, Nathan Aspinall and Stephen Bunting, though Greaves stands out in her own right.
She became a breakout name in darts after winning the WDF World Championship in 2022 at 18 years old, becoming the youngest women’s world champion in history. She has since defended her title successfully in both 2023 and 2024. The Doncaster-born player has also made a major impact on the PDC circuit, setting a new standard with 34 titles in the PDC Women’s Series.
James Tattersall, Managing Director at Target Darts, said: “Beau is an extraordinary talent and one of the most exciting players in the sport today, not just in the women’s game.
“Her personality, fearlessness and skill perfectly reflect what we’re about at Target and we’re excited to support her with the world’s best equipment to take her to another level. She has already achieved so much in her young career, and we believe that the best is yet to come”
BLAST expands into US with New York office and future plans
Esports entertainment company BLAST announced its expansion into the US on Thursday (8 May), including the opening of a New York office and plans to host six major events over the next two years.
While BLAST has hosted numerous events in the US in recent years, the company views this move as a way to strengthen its presence in the region.
The expansion is fueled by the strength of the US esports market, which boasts a value of over $1.3bn and more than $10m in prize pools across domestic tournaments this year, according to a report on Statista.
New York will act as the central hub of this expansion, aiming to allow BLAST access to more partnerships with US-based companies and brands, as well as collaborate more with North American creators, streamers, and talent agencies.
Leo Matlock, Chief Business Officer of BLAST, said: “We’ve been deeply committed to the growth of esports in the US for six years – hosting some of our most iconic live events here since 2019. Establishing a permanent hub here is a natural next step and also a powerful indicator of our long-term investment in the market.
“We have some incredible live events coming up across North America this year and are excited to continue to advocate this unmatched fandom and to work with national and local partners and brands, creating a positive impact everywhere we are. This move further adds to our global expansion efforts in 2025, with offices opening in India and the US this year.”
Bitpanda serves up title sponsorship of Hamburg Open
Germany’s longest-running tennis tournament, the Hamburg Open, was officially renamed the Bitpanda Hamburg Open on Wednesday (7 May).
Kicking off on 17 May, the tournament will feature some of the biggest names in tennis, including world number one Jannik Sinner and 2022 Hamburg champion Lorenzo Musetti. With star power like this and a rich tournament history, the event presents a strong commercial opportunity for the cryptocurrency exchange.
The partnership also broadens the tournament’s appeal across industries, such as tech and fintech. Bitpanda marked the announcement by projecting the competition’s new logo onto buildings during the OMR Festival, one of Europe’s leading digital marketing and tech events.
Bitpanda has already found success in tennis as an official partner of the ATP Tour. Its wider sports sponsorship portfolio also includes major football clubs such as FC Bayern Munich and AC Milan.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bitpanda to our great family of partners as the title sponsor of our tournament,” said Enric Molina Mur, Tournament Director of the Bitpanda Hamburg Open and Partner of Tennium, the event organiser.
“This partnership is a sign of trust and no doubt strengthens our tournament in line with our vision to grow the event by continued investments for the benefit of all stakeholders involved. Bitpanda, a renowned leading international company, shares our passion for tennis and brings an innovative perspective that will contribute to the continued success and growth of the tournament.”
X Games names Kevin O’Connor as CMO to drive brand expansion
Action sports series X Games hired former Apple and Nike marketer Kevin O’Connor as its Chief Marketing Officer on Tuesday (6 May).
X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom announced the hire on LinkedIn, emphasising that O’Connor will play a key role in elevating the brand and “bringing the X Games League to life” next year.
As Bloom highlighted, O’Connor’s main focus will be on the X Games League, a team-based competition featuring global events. Athletes will compete for points across both summer and winter leagues, with guaranteed compensation and new sponsorship opportunities aimed at offering a more stable career path.
Before joining X Games, O’Connor spent almost eight years at Nike, where he served as Marketing Director for the men’s training category for two years. He then worked at Apple for Beats by Dre, before most recently serving as Chief Marketing Officer for luxury menswear brand Peter Millar.
Bloom’s post continued: “His vision is to champion athletes as cultural icons, create always-on content that hits, and turn moments into movements. With Kevin on board, our exec team is now fully staffed and ready to build into the future.”
We’re spotlighting the movers and shakers shaping the sport business every Friday.
Submit your people moves to Insider Sport’s Editor, Rachael Kennedy, at [email protected] and be featured in Sideline Moves.
