GSW Reflects On A Landmark 2025/26 Season
As a memorable football season draws to a close and attention turns to a summer of sport, General Sports Worldwide looks back on a campaign defined by growth, innovation and impact across the industry.
Throughout the 2025/26 season, GSW’s club, brand and advisory teams worked alongside clubs, rights holders, event organisers and commercial partners on a diverse range of strategic, commercial and operational projects, helping organisations maximise revenues, improve performance and unlock long-term value.
The breadth of projects delivered over the past 12 months highlights GSW’s unique ability to combine strategic consultancy, commercial expertise, operational delivery and industry insight under one roof.
Alongside its consultancy work, GSW continued to support clubs, investors and stakeholders on a range of strategic advisory and M&A projects, helping organisations navigate investment opportunities, operational change and long-term growth planning.
The season also marked continued growth beyond football, reflecting the increasing demand for GSW’s expertise across the wider sports industry.
Among the highlights was its support of Soccer Aid for UNICEF ahead of its landmark 20th anniversary event, where they worked closely with the organising team on on-sale strategy, demand management and the operational delivery of ticketing for one of the UK’s largest and most successful annual sporting events.
Investment in people has remained a key priority throughout the season as the business continued to grow.
During the campaign, GSW welcomed Alfie Zak to the team, strengthening its research, insights and operational project delivery capabilities. They also welcomed back Ashley Peden following his successful spell as Chief Commercial Officer at Sunderland, further enhancing the depth of expertise and senior leadership experience available to clients.
Looking ahead to the 2026/27 season, GSW has already added Sheffield Wednesday to its client portfolio.
With the club entering a new era under new ownership and leadership, GSW will support a wide range of commercial, operational and strategic initiatives designed to unlock growth opportunities, enhance performance, improve guest experience and supporter relations, and maximise the potential of its off-field operations.
GSW CEO Sam Rush, said: “Football and the wider sports industry continue to evolve at an incredible pace, creating both significant opportunities and new challenges for clubs, rights holders and investors.
“What makes General Sports Worldwide different is our ability to combine strategic thinking with practical delivery. Many of our team have held senior leadership positions within clubs and sports organisations, meaning we understand first-hand the commercial, operational and organisational pressures our clients face.
“Whether it’s helping clubs grow revenues, improve operations, secure transformational partnerships or navigate investment opportunities, our focus is always on delivering sustainable long-term value.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved alongside our partners this season and excited by the momentum we are building as we head into 2026/27.”
