Looking for a sports copywriter?
Are you a marketing director, media manager or communications professional working in professional sport?
Do you need clear, powerful copy that conveys your key messages while being sensitive to all your stakeholders, from commercial and broadcast partners through to fans and community programmes?
For almost 20 years, Nota Bene founder Neil Barraclough has provided sports copywriting services to organisations in the UK and beyond.
Our detail-focused approach has won praise around the world.
You get two rounds of amends on every job, so your final copy will always be exactly as you want it.
And we’re happy to invest time and effort getting to know your business in full. In fact, we insist on it.
Sports copywriting projects
We have written and edited:
B2C email campaigns, product descriptions, web copy and internal training documents for sports clothing and apparel manufacturers
In-house publications, press releases, web copy, media guides, match-day programmes and annual reports for governing bodies
Product taglines for sports supplement suppliers
Press releases and web copy for sports sponsors
Match-day programmes, press releases and web copy for clubs
Books for sports publishers and international non-profit sporting organisations
Web copy and company profiles for specialist sports marketing and media agencies
“A very talented writer…”
“Neil’s copy is always first rate and he never has any problems meeting deadlines.
“He can clearly juggle many projects at one time and he is also willing to give feedback on briefs, which is important. He also knows his subjects very well and is willing to do tons of research to ensure he is an expert at most things.
“Not only is he a very talented writer, but he also a sense of humour. He’s an excellent hire.”
– Craig Spence
Communications Director, International Paralympic Committee
Extensive sport experience
Before launching Nota Bene Copywriting, Neil Barraclough spent more than 15 years working as a sports journalist - including more than a decade working for every British national newspaper.
He covered major sports and finals, reporting for titles including The Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Times and The Sun from venues such as Wembley, Old Trafford, Murrayfield and the Millennium Stadium.
He was also hired by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to work at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. In Rio, he was the IPC’s head of editorial.
Nota Bene Copywriting has helped sporting organisations with web copy, B2C email campaigns, annual reports, press releases, editing, company profiles, product descriptions, internal training documents and more.
Sports copywriting case studies
Take a look at some of our past work with sporting organisations:
“Absolutely nailed it!”
“We found Neil’s website with a quick Google search - it ticked all the boxes - a quick 15 minute chat and we were away. A week later and our new set of product taglines arrived. Neil absolutely nailed it!!!
“I have worked on this product for years and not once got close to these results. We will be back. In fact, we started using one of the new lines within 15 minutes of them arriving.”
- Jim Peskett
General Manager, Xendurance Europe
Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our sports copywriting clients say…
“We’re so glad to have him…”
“Neil's been wonderful to work with.
“His experience and the quality of his work speaks for itself. But as a small, fast-moving team, we also need people who are responsive, reliable, and don't need hand-holding. Neil hit the ground running and has worked on taglines and CTAs through to editing and helping us to build a consistent style guide.
“We're so glad to have him in our reach.”
- Camille Gomez
Creative Manager, DECATHLON America
“Neil has always delivered…”
“I first worked with Neil at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games so, when On needed some extra support with sports storytelling, I knew who to call. Over several years, Nota Bene has supported On across a range of topics and channels. From email subject lines to articles of 2,000 words plus, Neil has always delivered, no matter how tight the turnaround.
“One of Neil’s greatest assets is his interviewing technique. Whether speaking to one of our team or an elite athlete, he’s able to draw out not only the key points but the human stories that really captivate the reader. One piece of copy Neil ghostwrote for an athlete was so accurately interpreted that they had it printed and framed, which I think speaks volumes.
“On top of all that, Neil has a great sense of humour and is a pleasure to work with. I’d happily recommend him any time.”
- Mike Stuart
Copy Lead, On
“I’ll happily work with him again…”
“I’d been struggling with inconsistent copy across my business, and I had issues with being succinct and getting my point across.
“I found Neil and immediately could see he got what I was trying to achieve and was pretty much spot on right away with the copy he wrote. Any small changes he took in his stride, and I didn’t have to worry about any reaction to me editing his work.
“He’s easy to get on with, reliable and sticks to timelines – I’ll happily work with him again in the future.”
- Hugo Scheckter
Founder and Managing Director, The Player Care Group
“An excellent standard…”
“We used the services of Neil for some proofreading work we needed on the RLWC2021 Host Bid Guide. He not only conducted the work on a tight deadline, but did it to an excellent standard.
“We would ... engage with the services of Neil in the future.”
– Stephen Brown
Programme Manager, Rugby League World Cup 2021
“Completely transformed the business…”
“I've worked with Neil in two different industries. As well as providing work of the highest quality, always on time, in an efficient manner and to brief, the sheer respect he demands from his peers and those who work around him is a sure sign of his outstanding ability, work ethic and quality personality.
“He takes time to understand the purpose behind what he is writing, and has a unique style that makes his work stand out above others. He understands when is appropriate for him to question a brief and to add his own spin on things too, which is important. Having that additional input to a brief is vital.
“To give some specific examples… I presented Neil with a massive brain dump of my business. For many years, it has struggled with identity, meaning that potential clients and suppliers are unsure of who we are and what we do. Spending some time with Neil, and then assigning him with the task of sorting out the brand positioning, has completely transformed the business and put it on a specific clear path for the better.”
– James Gordon
Director, JDG Media Ltd
Business Manager, Manchester Giants Basketball
Can we help you?
B2B and B2C copywriting
From large, complex copywriting projects to simple one-page edits, we craft the right message for your business, your audience - and your commercial objectives.
“Amazing to work with...”
“Quick and precise.”
”Made the whole process simple and hassle free.”
”An expert at… useful copy that can sell products.”