The Boat Race, one of Britain’s most historic sporting and cultural events, has handed an integrated PR, social and content brief to The PHA Group.
The agency is tasked with introducing the event to new audiences and telling the stories behind the students that compete in an occasion which marks the season opener to the London sporting calendar. The Boat Race sees crews from Oxford and Cambridge battle it out on the famous Championship Course, stretching over 4.25 miles of tidal Thames in West London between Putney and Mortlake.
PHA will also be responsible for amplifying The Boat Race’s curated and user-generated content through strategic content planning, shoot management and in-house editing.
First raced by crews from Oxford and Cambridge University in 1829, The Boat Race is now one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events, offering an unrivalled educational experience to the student athletes who take part.
The 2025 edition of The Boat Race was a record breaking event, becoming the most watched female sporting event in the UK of the year at the time the event was held. It had a higher UK viewership than The Masters and Bahrain Grand Prix events held on the same weekend.
Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race Company, commented: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with The PHA Group. In what is Channel 4’s first year as our broadcast partner, we have a unique opportunity to bring the stories, ambition, and spirit of our athletes to an even wider audience. The PHA Group’s passion and expertise will help us make this a landmark season for everyone involved in The Boat Race.”
Dan Funston, Senior Account Director at The PHA Group, added: “It’s a privilege to be working with a British sporting event as iconic as The Boat Race. There is a huge opportunity to elevate the profile and impact of this historic sporting occasion. Our team is energised by the ambition of The Boat Race organisation, and we’re excited to help share the stories of human endeavour, heritage, and athletic excellence that make this event so special.”
Channel 4 won a competitive rights bid to become the exclusive free-to-air TV home of The Boat Race. The 2026 edition of The Boat Race will take place on Easter Saturday 4 April – with the Women’s Boat Race at 14.21, and the Men’s Boat Race at 15.21.
The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 200,000 spectators at the banks of the river and watched by millions more on television.
