UK media group Global takes majority stake in Gary Neville’s sports media brand The Overlap

Global has acquired a majority stake in Gary Neville’s The Overlap

London-based media and entertainment group Global has acquired a majority stake in Gary Neville’s sports media brand The Overlap, as it looks to build its growth strategy across podcasts and branded entertainment.

Global, which owns radio stations Classic FM, Capital and Heart, will support former footballer Neville’s ambitions to establish a multi-format sports media network. It will mark the beginning of a partnership spanning multiple brands and channels across sports verticals, led by football.

The M&A deal, financial terms of which have not been disclosed, will see the company co-chaired by Neville and Global Group CEO Simon Pitts, with Scott Melvin as lead executive director.

Launched in 2021, The Overlap has become one of the UK’s most successful visual podcast brands, with more than 38 million monthly views on YouTube and 2.2 billion views across all platforms during 2025. Its flagship show, Stick to Football, sees ex-Manchester United and England player Neville chat about topical soccer stories alongside fellow former professionals such as Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher.

Neville had been looking for the right partner to support The Overlap’s next phase of development, with Global’s stake now key to delivering those ambitions.

Gary Neville, co-chair, The Overlap, said: “We see huge growth potential for The Overlap and have spent the last few months in a strategic investment process. We are delighted to have found the perfect partner in Global to power us forward and create ‘The Overlap Network’ with the aim of becoming a world-leading football and sports media platform.

“As part of the strategic investment process, Miroma Group have exited from The Overlap and I’d like to thank them for their support to get us where we are today. We are now looking forward to working with the whole Global team to bring our vision to life.”

Partnering with The Overlap strengthens Global’s footprint in video-first content brands. In October of last year, the group launched new podcast prodco Global Studios, acquired UK creator network The Fellas Studios and rolled out sports-skewing branded entertainment division Sport by Global.

Simon Pitts, Global’s Group CEO, said: “We want Global Studios to be the home of the best audio and video brands on the planet and The Overlap’s ambition, creativity and unrivalled connection with fans is a perfect fit.

“The acquisition of a majority stake in The Overlap accelerates our growth strategy across video, podcasts and branded entertainment, and strengthens Global’s position at the heart of the sports conversation following the recent launch of Sport by Global.”