Oxford, Cambridge Boat Race Gains Landmark Sports Funding

Cancer Research UK "was on Tuesday named title sponsor of the men’s and women’s Oxford and Cambridge rowing races to which BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management have given their support in what organisers say is a first in joint sports funding," according to Simon Greaves of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Newton CEO Helena Morrissey said that after last year when the women’s teams gained total parity with the men’s for the first time in the Boat Race’s 88-year history, "We started to think about the power of sponsorship and what else we could do for sport and the community by joining forces. ... We are delighted to be trailblazing a whole new model for corporate sponsorship." Boat Race Company Exec Dir David Searle said, "We had a huge number of plaudits for returning women to the tideway on equivalent terms, which was a very special moment for wider society. We thought afterwards with our creative minds how can we build on that. The Boat Race Company adopting Cancer Research UK was the spark" (FT, 1/19).