Global, the group behind a host of radio stations including Capital and Heart, a massive OOH operation, and many more media, production and entertainment activities around the world, and The Overlap, the multi-award-winning sports media group founded by Gary Neville, have announced a strategic partnership to support The Overlap’s ambition to build a multi-format sports media network.
The Overlap has become one of the world’s most popular football and sports destinations since launching in 2021, with more than 38 million monthly views on YouTube, and it recently announced it had achieved 2.2 billion views across all platforms in 2025. The Overlap spans sports including football, rugby and cricket and is home to fan debates, exclusive interviews, and the smash-hit series Stick to Football. The long-form conversations with the biggest names in football, politics, business and world sport have set a new benchmark for authenticity, insight and storytelling.
The announcement will see the beginning of a partnership to build out a media network spanning multiple brands and channels across sports verticals, led by football. The company will be co-chaired by Gary Neville and Global group CEO Simon Pitts, with Scott Melvin as lead executive director.
Global will use its platforms, relationships and unrivalled marketing power to support the growth of The Overlap, from hosting and distribution to data-driven insights and industry-leading ad sales, through Global’s digital advertising exchange (DAX).
The news follows the launch of Global Studios, Global’s new powerhouse for content creators. Global Studios is designed as the ultimate one-stop shop for audio-visual storytelling, offering best-in-class production facilities, seamless multi-platform distribution, and the marketing muscle of Global’s radio, digital and outdoor network, putting creators and advertisers at the heart of the fast-growing, video-first podcast world.
Gary Neville, co-chair at The Overlap, said: “The Overlap started as an idea that we thought people might like and we went for it. What has happened since then has been a great journey and it’s a team that I love working with and I’m incredibly proud to be a part of. We never thought of it as a business, we just wanted to create something that people loved and would come back to watch every week. We see huge growth potential for The Overlap and have spent the last few months in a strategic investment process and are delighted to have found the perfect partner in Global to power us forward and create ‘The Overlap Network’ with the aim of becoming a world-leading football and sports media platform.
“As part of the strategic investment process, Miroma Group have exited from The Overlap and I’d like to thank them for their support to get us where we are today. We are now looking forward to working with Simon, Ashley and the whole Global team to bring our vision to life.”
Simon Pitts, Global’s Group CEO, said: “The Overlap is one of the UK’s most successful and dynamic sports entertainment brands, with a hugely exciting growth plan. Gary and Scott [Melvin, Overlap executive director] have done an extraordinary job building The Overlap and we’re thrilled to welcome them and their fantastic team to Global as we embark on this next phase of growth together. We want Global Studios to be the home of the best audio and video brands on the planet and The Overlap’s ambition, creativity and unrivalled connection with fans is a perfect fit.
“The acquisition of a majority stake in The Overlap accelerates our growth strategy across video, podcasts and branded entertainment, and strengthens Global’s position at the heart of the sports conversation following the recent launch of Sport by Global.”
Melvin added: “The growth of The Overlap has always come from listening to our audience and understanding what brought them here in the first place. Because people loved Stick To Football, we’ve expanded into formats like Stick To Rugby and Stick To Cricket. This partnership allows us to continue doing that by developing new formats, continuing to work with leading talent, and delivering world-class sports content for our community.”
The partnership will see the continued growth and development of The Overlap with an ambition to build a world-leading sports network.
The Overlap was founded in 2021 by Neville and has become one of the UK’s biggest football and sport platforms. It has won multiple awards, including Broadcast Sport’s YouTube Channel of the Year and the Sports Journalism Awards’ YouTube Show of the Year, and it recently secured broadcasting rights for the German Bundesliga. The platform has also attracted some huge names, with guests including David Beckham, Rory McIlroy, and Tyson Fury.
The Overlap brand features high profile regular talent including Stick to Football with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright, and Roy Keane as well as Fan Debate with Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes. In May 2025 The Overlap launched Stick To Cricket, with Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd, and Phil Tufnell.
Partnering with The Overlap strengthens Global’s fast-growing footprint in video-first content brands and follows the acquisition of The Fellas Studios in October 2025 and the rollout of Sport by Global, a new branded entertainment offering dedicated to sport.
