Donald Parish, co-founder of sports communications agency, MatchFit: "Sport has an unparalleled ability to stop us in our tracks, and with support reaching fever pitch ahead of UEFA Euro 2024, the fantastic ‘England ‘Til I Died’ campaign from the British Heart Foundation stood out. A remarkable piece of creative work with true substance, the campaign was centred around 12 displays across the UK,  each dedicated to a young football fan who sadly died as a result of heart disease. This was supplemented with real life stories which ensured this was a through-the-line campaign with true ‘earned-first’ thinking at its heart. It was a compelling example of how to use the emotional and cultural significance of a sporting moment to land a life-changing message and encourage meaningful conversation."

Arun Lloyd, associate director at PR firm Hope&Glory: "Beyond the medals and incredible feats of Olympic skill, the fashion of this year's games dominated social feeds seemingly more than usual, as each nation looked to outdo one another with epic unveilings of their official team kits. A real stand out amongst it all though, was South Korean Sharpshooter Kim Yeji, whose mix of gen-z cyberpunk sci-fi style mixed with achingly cool sportswear became an unmissable sight. Spawning endless TikTok and Instagram-based memes before the world's press named her the Olympics' new style icon within days of the games starting. This was swiftly followed by Turkey's Yusuf Dikeç, who went viral for the opposite reason. Bringing fashion based balance to the sport by exuding some serious middle-aged accountant vibes as he nonchalantly picked up a silver minus the bespoke specs, headphones, and sportswear and was seemingly in full relaxation mode, competing with one hand in his off-the-shelf tracksuit bottoms."

Hannah Jones, account director at PR firm Hope&Glory: “Following reports that Paris’ foodie status didn't match up with the food in the Olympic Village, the chocolate muffin in the Olympic Village canteen became an icon, thanks to Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen's social feed. Although he missed out on the gold, his TikTok set a new personal best following a series of hilarious videos of Henrik going viral after sharing his obsession with this sweet treat. Racking up millions of views, hunting down chocolate muffins, rating chocolate muffins, strutting through the Olympic Village flaunting chocolate muffins, and forcing a mix of game (and less game) Team Norway athletes to participate in chocolate muffin reaction memes and renditions of 'do you know the muffin man'. Gaining a few hundred thousand new followers in a matter of weeks, it feels inevitable that we will see Henrick return as a muffin influencer for a confectionary company sometime soon. Watch this space.”

Joe Burdon head of sports and entertainment at PR firm The Romans: "In this case, the ecological highlight, became the sporting highlight, became the PR highlight. In the build-up to this year’s Olympics, the water quality of the Seine became a metaphor for Paris’ preparedness to host the games. However, bad weather meant worse water quality, and having already been postponed once, the night it was due to start the men’s triathlon was in jeopardy. Luckily, the triathlon went ahead, and as the sun rose on that Wednesday morning so did the optimism around the whole games…whilst from a British perspective Alex Yee and Beth Potter provided the gloss. PR Campaigns around water quality in the UK and beyond are plentiful, we’ve even sold a few. But it shows the power of the Olympics and sport generally that years of prep could have been washed away, with a PR storm to follow…whatever the weather. The narrative went from Paris has dirty water, to Paris was the platform for unparalleled sporting drama."

Jamie Nagioff, senior account director at PR firm Ready10: "Simone Biles grabbed plenty of headlines at Paris 2024 thanks to her incredible performances and fantastic return to form after a difficult time in Tokyo… and by unveiling her goat necklace – a reference to fans crowning her the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) of gymnastics. But, her most GOAT-like move of all actually came during the defeat to Brazilian Rebecca Andrade. The shot of Biles and teammate Jordan Chiles bowing down to the Floor champion was one of THE images of the Games, and was a shining example of sportsmanship, as well as women supporting women. And, it takes a quiet confidence within yourself and your own achievements to be able to truly celebrate a competitor besting you. Amongst all the talk of gold medals and GOAT necklaces, it was Biles’ humble display, and freedom to be happy for her competitors, that sent a subtle signal to all that she truly is the very best."

Mary Killingworth, managing director at PR firm Brandnation: "From 'giving up the smoke' for Solo Stove to delivering 'gateaux to the chateaux' for Just East, Snoop Dogg has a nose for marketing. But the rapper’s pièce de resistance has to be winning the Olympics without even competing. Setting a new gold standard in influencer and celebrity partnerships, NBC’s use of Snoop as a “special correspondent” ensured that Team USA didn’t just dominate the medal table but owned social feeds and news timelines too. The collaboration demonstrated a brilliant understanding of culture, not just the intersection of sport and music, but how this extends into internet culture. Whilst the Olympics celebrates the pinnacle of human sporting endeavour, the partnership reached its on summit, the pinnacle of meme-ability. I mean, who knew dressage was nuthin’ but a G thang? Snoop Dogg in full dressage get-up intent on seeing horses dance with his 83-year-old mate Martha Stewart is internet gold. But there’s a lesson here. Embrace culture, lean into passion points and take an offbeat approach to engaging talent – and you might just be onto a winner."

Fraser Clarke, senior account director, sport at PR firm Stripe Communications: “I'm a big Andy Murray fan so as sad as it was for me to see him bow out after such an illustrious career, it does stick in my mind as one of the stand-out moments from this year's summer of sport. From the send off at Wimbledon on Centre Court in front of his peers, complete with BBC montage and tearjerker on-court interview, to the 'Dandy' matches at The Olympics and those incredible comebacks. It was the perfect send-off for one of the country's greatest sporting stars. His passion for women's sport, on court heroics, emotion and dry sense of humour have seen him complete a PR turnaround from his early days as 'dour Scotsman' to one of Britain's best-loved sportspeople."

Bret Werner, president at PR agency MikeWorldWide (MWW): "This summer was transformative for sports, offering brands unparalleled opportunities. The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics dominated global conversation, not just in viewership but in digital engagement. The Games saw a remarkable 82% increase in NBC’s viewership, but the real story was on social media. The #Olympics TikTok hashtag experienced an astounding 822% surge in activity compared to the Tokyo Games, driven by diverse athletes and personalities resonating across generations. Paris didn't just win this year; it laid the groundwork for continued success at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, already sparking excitement for what’s to come. Female athletes were the true stars of the summer though. Their dominance at the Olympics mirrored a broader surge in attention around women’s sports, with a 121% increase in media coverage year-over-year. The WNBA All-Star Game shattered viewership records and became a prime moment for brand activations. Those who capitalised on this momentum with sponsorships and athlete partnerships are reaping the rewards, while others will be watching closely to seize opportunities during the upcoming WNBA Playoffs. This isn't just a moment—it's a movement, and brands must be ready to engage."

Nick Palmer-Brown, head of sport and entertainment at PR firm FleishmanHillard UK: "Highlighting one moment from this summer’s sporting marathon seems like choosing a favourite child (or client). Frankly, it’s a dangerous game. There have been so many standout moments: Ollie Watkins’ last minute semi-final finish, Keely’s victory in the 800m, the number of Olympic medal-winning mums and the first Games to achieve complete gender parity. How could we forget the wealth of social superstars who emerged during this summer’s sporting events after leveraging TikTok and other platforms? The Muffin Man, pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik, the calm and collected Turkish shooter…and the summer’s sporting marathon isn’t over as we look forward to the Paralympic Games kicking off.But my standout sporting moment is one that has been bubbling under the radar for a few years since Venezia FC first bucked the trend back in 2021. However, it was this summer that the cultural phenomenon of football and fashion collaborating reached its pinnacle. Brand partners and clubs finally realised the importance of celebrating the diverse communities that fill their fan base. It’s what any summer of sport should be all about.So far we’ve seen new Premier League clubs reveal their kits in partnership with fashion houses. Arsenal made waves with their Labrum collaboration, Brighton FC with Percival and Man City with C.P. Company. Even Bournemouth FC has emerged on the fashion scene with its part owner, actor Michael B. Jordan, designing Bournemouth’s special edition kit.Other moments may have defined this summer. But with football’s rising popularity in fashion-focused markets like the US, expect iconic kit collabs to define more than just this summer from a commercial mindset to a culturally connected one. And we’re here for it – especially in a sport so fuelled by the communities that don’t get the representation they deserve."