Crowd Network appoints former England rugby player to drive brand partnerships

Shaunagh Brown, the former Red Rose rugby player, has been appointed by Crowd Network (Crowd) as Brand Partnerships Consultant. 

Shaunagh joins Crowd as a consultant after already working with the network as a presenter on one of its most successful shows, For The Love Of Rugby (FTLOR), covering the Women’s Six Nations and Women’s World Cup in 2025. Across her playing career, Shaunagh earned 30 caps for England and was part of the Red Roses squad that won four Six Nations titles. As well as appointing Shaunagh, Crowd has welcomed Sam Ratcliffe as Account Manager, strengthening the team supporting Crowd’s biggest brand partnerships. 

As Crowd’s Brand Partnerships Consultant, Shaunagh will help shape and deliver commercial brand partnerships across its growing network of shows. She will work closely with talent and producers to identify partners that align authentically with Crowd’s content, with a particular focus onLong Story Short, hosted by ex-Lionesses Jill Scott and Karen Carney. 

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Alongside supporting Crowd’s existing shows, Shaunagh will also contribute to the growth of Crowd’s work-for-hire production arm, delivering high-impact audio, video and social-first content for brands, creators and organisations. This includes podcasts, YouTube formats and promotional content and Crowd’s athlete-owned model, which enables talent to build their shows as independent entities, providing them with careers after retiring from professional sport.

In the past year, Crowd has partnered with a number of national and global brands across its shows, including JAECOO, BrewDog, Thatchers, Chelsea FC Women and Red Bull, helping brands reach new audiences through authentic, athlete-led storytelling.

Mike Carr, CEO of Crowd, said: “Shaunagh brings a brilliant mix of elite sport experience and a deep understanding of how audiences engage with content. She shares our belief that collaboration with brands work best when they’re authentic and add real value to shows and their fans. We have ambitious plans for 2026, and Shaunagh will play a key role in helping us deliver meaningful, high-impact partnerships.” 

Shaunagh Brown, Brand Partnerships Consultant at Crowd, added: “Having already worked with the Crowd team as a presenter on the Women’s Six Nations last year, I’ve seen how the team creates innovative, creative and industry-leading content, and has evolved beyond podcasting into a full-scale production powerhouse. I’m excited to work with Crowd’s existing partners and build out their roster of brands that genuinely align with the shows and talent, and to help turn audience engagement into real commercial value – particularly in supporting the continued growth of women’s sport.”