The Great Outdoors, The Beautiful Game, The Speedway: Trends in Sports News

A look at the sports news from PR Newswire in May and June that you might have missed.

By Brock Haroldson | Published July 12, 2023

It's been a busy few months for sports news. As summer arrived, May and June saw such major events (and related news articles) as the championships for the NHL and NBA, the Men’s College World Series, the Indianapolis 500, and the 123^rd U.S. Open golf tournament.

Speaking of golf, some of the most momentous and industry-shaking news of the year was released via PR Newswire. Arguably one of the largest stories in all of sports so far this year was the announced merger of LIV Golf and the PGA.

PR Newswire distributed more than 1,000 sports-related press releases in May and June. A few of the most popular and most viewed releases of the period included:

• Planet Fitness Invites Teens To Work Out For Free All Summer Long From May 15 - August 31
• Friends of the University of Notre Dame becomes sponsor of Notre Dame Athletics
• Introducing the World's Most Portable Boat
• Chipotle Celebrates The 2023 Stanley Cup® Playoffs With Hockey Jersey BOGO Offer In The U.S. And Canada
• Picklemall to Launch First U.S. Location, Primed for Rapid Nationwide Expansion

Sports News Trends for May-June 2023

Here’s a look at a few of the larger trends we noticed in sports news in May and June, with a few highlights from each.

Motorsports

News from Indy Car, Formula 1, NASCAR, and more all raced through the wire during the past two months. Product tie-ins, sponsorship news, and event news made up the many motorsports releases. Big events such as the Indy 500 (May 28) and Le Mans (June 10-11) no doubt drove (pun intended) the trend further.   

Here are a few of the big motorsports releases you might have missed.

• BorgWarner Launches Exclusive Co-Branded Borg-Warner Trophy® Merchandise with Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  
• Lamborghini Broward Sponsors Two Cars For The 2023 Super Trofeo Season And World Championship
• e.l.f. SKIN Enters The Race With Indy 500 Driver Katherine Legge
• Chuck E. Cheese and Hendrick Motorsports Announce National Collaboration and Licensing Program with Shared IP
  
• Subaru Of America Returns As Presenting Sponsor Of SubieEvents Enthusiast Series
• Heineken® Extends F1® Sponsorship As Global Partner, Fuelled By The Sport's Phenomenal Growth

Outdoor Recreation

For many the start of summer means getting outdoors and enjoying one of the myriad options for recreation and personal sports. In the post-covid environment, the sector continues to grow faster than ever, and an increasingly diverse population is enjoying outdoor recreation.

This trend is driven home by the fact that three out of our top five most popular sports releases during the past two months were outdoor-related. In all, we distributed more than 200 releases in May and June tied to the outdoors, camping, and hiking space. 

Here are a few that stood out: 

• 5 Times Harder to Find Camping, Says 2023 Camping Report
  
• 'This Expansive Adventure' Launches a New Initiative to Make the Outdoors More Accessible for Everyone
• Outdoor Adventure Connection Launches, Ushering in a New Era of Modern Exploring
  
• Lectric eBikes Establishes National E-Bike Day
  
• Conquer every day and every adventure with epix Pro Series from Garmin
• REI Co-op expands e-bike efforts to support an emerging generation of cyclists, encourages alignment on access

Soccer

From local recreation leagues to the Premier League and the Woman’s World Cup, soccer news made up 125 releases on the wire in May and June.

Perhaps the popularity of Ted Lasso or the interest in the upcoming 2026 Men’s World Cup and recently announced 2025 Club World Cup that will take place in the U.S. accounts for the rise in popularity of soccer in the U.S., but futbol has long been top billing in most of the world.  

Check out these releases from May and June:

• Alex Morgan Teams Up with Orgain to Help Fuel Her Journey to Compete in The World's Largest Women's Soccer Event
  
• Manchester City Named World's Most Valuable Football Club Brand
• NYC Footy Hosts Largest Adult Soccer Tournament in New York City
• Abbott, Real Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation Band Together to 'Beat Malnutrition' Globally Through New Campaign
• Frito-Lay North America signs on as Tournament Supporter for FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™

Looking Ahead

July and August will take us into the height of the MLB and MLS seasons, while several international soccer leagues start up again in August. Also in soccer, the Women’s World Cup will take place in New Zealand and Australia as the U.S. looks to defend the title. The back-to-school time of year should see news geared to youth, high-school, and collegiate sports. And the NFL picks up with training camps and pre-season games.

We'll be watching all of it! Stay tuned for more sports news trends.

About the Author

Brock is a senior editor and has been with PR Newswire since 2012. When he’s not helping clients with their press releases, he enjoys leading music at his church, traveling, camping, hiking, skiing, following the Denver Broncos, baking sourdough bread, and spending time with his wife and two children at their home in New Mexico.