London, May 20, 2026 – Ultimate Sevens, a new global rugby sevens championship, today announced a strategic partnership with OS Studios, the global fan engagement agency and production company behind major live experiences and broadcasts across gaming, sports and entertainment, aiming to redefine how rugby sevens is experienced, distributed and consumed by both existing and a new generation of fans.
The partnership will see OS Studios lead Ultimate Sevens’ live broadcast production, including creator integration, content ecosystem and fan experience strategy, as the league prepares to launch a new vision for rugby sevens designed for a digital-first world.
Built around equal men’s and women’s competition, academy player integration and a faster, more accessible entertainment format, Ultimate Sevens is positioning itself as a modern alternative within the global rugby landscape, with a focus on building on rugby sevens’ existing fandom and reaching beyond traditional audiences.
Rather than treating broadcast, social content and live events as separate outputs, Ultimate Sevens and OS Studios are building a unified entertainment ecosystem where the athletes, creators, crowd and digital audience all exist inside the same connected experience.
The partnership will include:
- Global live broadcast production and creative direction
- Integrated creator and influencer participation across events and content
- Original storytelling formats designed for social-first audiences
- Live fan engagement experiences built into the arena environment
- The launch of the Ultimate Sevens Lounge, a multi-purpose pitch-side environment combining live broadcast, creator production, hospitality and fan interaction into a single physical hub
The collaboration reflects a wider shift in sport towards shorter-form, culturally connected entertainment formats capable of reaching younger and global audiences beyond traditional broadcast ecosystems.
Ultimate Sevens Managing Director, Barney Pascall said: “Ultimate Sevens is designed to unlock the full potential of rugby sevens for modern fans. When selecting our broadcast partner, OS Studios really stood out to us with their deep understanding of how modern audiences engage with sport, culture and entertainment. Combining world-class production and bold storytelling, together, we are building a platform that continues to give equal prominence to the men’s and women’s game, creates new opportunities for emerging talent, and delivers a more connected, immersive experience for fans around the world.”
“Rugby sevens has incredible heritage, but many parts of the sport still operate through systems built for a very different era of media and fandom,” said John Higgins, CEO of OS Studios. “What excited us about Ultimate Sevens was the ambition to build something differently from day one. This is not about simply producing rugby coverage. It’s about creating a property where live experience, storytelling, creators, athletes and fans all work together as one entertainment ecosystem.”
“Sevens is one of the most exciting formats in global sport,” Higgins continued. “It’s fast, emotional, accessible and naturally suited to modern audiences. We believe there is a huge opportunity to build a global rugby property that feels culturally relevant to the next generation, not just existing rugby fans.”
A core pillar of the partnership will be Ultimate Sevens’ commitment to equal visibility for both men’s and women’s competition, alongside meaningful integration of academy and emerging players throughout the league’s storytelling and coverage.
OS Studios will mirror that philosophy across its production and creative teams, with a focus on representation both on screen and behind the camera.
The announcement marks a continued expansion of OS Studios’ work across global sport, following its evolution from a gaming-first production company into a broader fan engagement agency operating across sports, entertainment and culture.
