Latest news with #JoeWard
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Laidlaw, Kirby and Ward agree new deals with Hull FC
Hull FC prop Matty Laidlaw has signed a one-year contract extension to stay until the end of next 21, has played 31 times for the club since his debut in 2022, including nine in the Super League this other youngsters have also agreed new two-year deals - forward Will Kirby and winger Joe 19, has played three Super League games this year, while Ward, also 19, made his senior debut in the Challenge Cup in February."All three players have applied themselves really well both on and off the field, and we're really pleased to maintain that strong core of homegrown academy products within our squad as we move forward," said, external Hull's director of rugby Gareth Ellis.
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brothers launch new fun football club for city youngsters
Two Newport brothers are launching a new football school in the city which aims to put the fun back into the sport for primary school children. The Fun Footy Club, which will kick off in September, is the brainchild of brothers James and Joe Ward, who are former Newport County AFC Academy players and who both now work in education. Primary school teacher James, 31, who lives and works in Prague, Czechia, is the CEO and founder. His brother Joe, 28, who is wellbeing, learning and engagement officer at St Joseph's RC High School and a former EFL scholar (apprentice professional) at Newport County AFC. He is the head coach of the new club and other former Newport County Academy players will also be joining him on the coaching staff. The club will hold twice-weekly sessions at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in the Newport International Sports Village. James, who alongside his teaching career owns and runs the Prague Soccer School, said: 'We see football differently. We believe that children should learn to play football in a pressure-free and fun-filled environment. 'Academies and football clubs have for too long taken children's football far too seriously. 'We focus on giving children the most enjoyable experience, improving the chances of long-term participation in sport and skill development. We want to help children to play, improve and, most importantly, to love football.' Joe said: 'We love to have parents staying and enjoying the sessions. However, we do ask that parents do not give instructions to children during sessions.' The Fun Footy Club starts on Tuesday, September 2, with a session for children aged four to six (Little Kickers) from 5.30pm to 6.30pm and another for those aged seven to 10 (Young Ballers) from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. Each sessions is £9 booked in blocks which mirror school half-terms. For more details go to
Irish Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Joe Ward has had to take the hits in his quest to reach the summit of boxing
When Joe Ward answers his phone he's in surprisingly good form, all things considered. Just the night before, he got word that the biggest fight of his professional career had been cancelled. Being an optimist is probably no harm for a professional boxer, a sport in which there's no guarantees of progression, or indeed, paycheques. But this seems more like he's just used to it by now, and he's trying to focus on what's in his control. He's been featured on bills all around the world that have fallen through. Shows in New York, Montreal, Boston, Dublin and now Galway have all collapsed and left the Westmeath man in the lurch. 'We got tickets in our hands, and we always get a lot of family, friends and supporters who buy them, and they pre-booked hotels in Galway. So it's a big let-down', he explains. 'It's never easy when a show gets called, because there's the time, effort, and cost of these training camps. It can be very annoying sometimes.' In a sport where Ireland have often overachieved, 'Mighty' Joe Ward was one of Ireland's truly great amateurs, winning three world championship medals. Amateur boxing has been blighted by corruption, but to its credit, it tends to offer fairly linear pathways to success. Professional boxing, on the other hand, is a big game of snakes and ladders, with very few fighters having a simple route to the summit. READ MORE Joe Ward in action against Marco Delgado. Photograph: Tom Hogan/Inpho On top of that, it would be fair to say that Ward has been particularly unlucky when he has rolled the dice. In 2019 he went pro, saying that he felt he needed to 'give it a lash' before it was too late, but his debut ended up being a bizarre and disastrous affair, with the Irishman blowing his knee out. His opponent was awarded a stoppage win, but Ward was more worried about the long-term future. 'You go pro and you get an opportunity to fight in Madison Square Garden on your debut. You want everything to go right for you, you want to be that person that really stands out. I don't know; that's boxing. It was just the freakiest thing. At that time it was just like 'my god, is this the end of the road before it really starts? Is this what it was all leading up to?'' After recovering ahead of schedule, Ward was supposed to return in March of 2020, but you can guess how that turned out. The injury, along with the lockdowns caused by Covid, meant that Ward spent the first 14 months of his pro career with a record of zero wins and one loss. He admits that things weren't going to plan at that stage. 'That was definitely another blow, sitting out of boxing with Covid. Everything was really, really slow, time passes and everyday was a battle before it had started. I was nearly two or three years behind, all down to a freak injury and Covid; both out of my control. It's been a very tough few years since I started my pro career.' A losing record couldn't have sat well with Ward after his amateur days. After all, Ward has never lost a fight on Irish soil. That streak is particularly impressive considering he fought 2008 Olympic medallist Kenneth Egan in multiple national finals. He was only 17 in the first of those fights in 2010 – a time when amateur boxing brought a major buzz in Dublin. Joe Ward celebrates after beating Dmytro Fedas. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho 'Coming up against the likes of Kenneth Egan, a lot of people didn't really give me much of a chance because I was 17. I don't believe that the National Stadium was ever like that before, and it will take a long time before it's like that again. It was absolutely rocking. There wasn't a seat to sit down on, and looking back at it now they were amazing nights for Irish boxing.' There's been thousands of gruelling hours of training, but Ward's natural talent was clear from the minute he first stepped into his local gym in Moate, Westmeath. That was when he was only six years old; too young to join at the time, he says. Eventually though, his amateur coach Seamus Dorrington got sick of the kid haunting the front door to peek into the gym, and let him lace up some gloves. 'I was always turning up at the door and looking in. Eventually Seamus came up to me and said, 'come in and don't be messing around and hit the bag'. He wasn't paying much attention to me, then he looked over and took a bit of notice, and he said to my uncle 'that young lad is gonna be very special, just look at his footwork. Will you bring him back on Wednesday?'' It's a fitting origin story for Ward, given what he went on to accomplish, but it's the ending that's more of a concern now. Six years into his pro career, with 12 victories behind him, Ward still hasn't been able to climb the rankings. His opponent for the fight in Galway seemed to be the perfect step up: former British and European champion, Lerrone Richards. That was until Richards pulled out and the bill was relocated to Hull, where no opponent could be found for Ward. 'It's just about getting that one breakthrough fight and I felt like that was going to happen against Lerrone Richards. The fighters who are higher ranked than me know what I have achieved. I believe now that at the age of 31 that I'm better than I ever was, so they won't give me the opportunity unless I'm backed by the big guys.' There's a very limited number of 'big guys' out there, but Ward will need one of the major promoters on board, otherwise his ability inside the squared circle could go to waste. Now 31, there's only a certain amount of time left for him to reach the top of the mountain, and right now, the important question is not really whether he can do it. It's whether he'll get the chance to.
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Third Wave: AI And Web3 Are Changing Commerce At Amazon & QVC
Every TV show becomes a shop-able moment with Edge Video and AI When I was at AWS working on Cloud and AI, I spent time helping partners unlock the value of marketplaces—connecting buyers and sellers in more meaningful ways, simplifying transactions, and showing how digital platforms could transform traditional sales models. It taught me something powerful: when you reduce friction and deliver relevance at the right moment, commerce becomes invisible—and incredibly scalable. That same dynamic is now unfolding in the media. I'm always watching shows like Bridgerton or Emily in Paris and thinking, I wish I could buy that stunning dress or find that sleek Vespa they were riding. Or I'll be watching Outer Range or Yellowstone and wonder where to get that exact vintage jacket or rustic canoe. During a recent conversation with Joe Ward, CEO of Edge Video AI, I was introduced to Edge Video AI—a platform that turns any video stream into a living, breathing storefront. It's where watching becomes shopping and viewing becomes doing. Think of it as the next generation of monetization for content creators and media giants alike. Moving Beyond Ads and Subscriptions With AI For years, media companies have leaned on two business models: advertising and subscriptions. But both have limits. Ads fatigue users. Subscriptions are saturating the market. Viewers are seeking better experiences. Edge Video AI offers a third path: transactional media. It transforms video content into an interactive commerce layer, where AI matches relevant products to what's happening on screen. A single persistent QR code links the viewer's mobile device to the content—making everything instantly shoppable. Watching a beach scene? You might see travel excursions, swimsuits, or sunscreen appear—exactly when the viewer is most inspired. With one scan, you're browsing or buying without leaving the screen. Or check out the below from a TV show with your favorite actor. You can click and purchase that same leather jacket on your mobile device live. Watching a TV show means that you can now find that leather jacket or jeans worn by your favorite ... More actor In chatting with Robert Scoble, an AI Futurist, he told me that "we're witnessing the death of passive content. The future of media isn't just something you watch—it's something you engage with, shop from, and participate in. Real-time AI is turning every frame into a storefront and every viewer into a customer. This isn't just innovation—it's the reinvention of entertainment as an interactive, commerce-driven experience." And it works. One purchase can generate the same revenue as 300 traditional ads. Why AI Works: Relevance, Trust, and Mobile Edge succeeds by tapping into three converging trends: The model is already live with QVC, Amazon, and InTravel, and attracting attention from global players like Google. Any media company can onboard in days—Edge provides the QR layer and product feed, and the content starts working harder. This isn't just an innovation in tech—it's a shift in user experience design. Web3 Adds the Engagement Layer To Edge's AI What takes Edge to the next level is its Web3 integration. Gamified experiences—like quizzes based on what's happening in the video—reward users with points. Those points convert into blockchain-based tokens (like FAST, available on and Polygon), which can be redeemed for discounts, access, or even NFT-style digital assets. The experience transforms viewers from passive audiences into active participants—blurring the lines between media, commerce, and gaming. And it's wallet-enabled from the start. Tokens are stored in decentralized wallets like MetaMask, meaning users keep control—and brands gain loyalty through participation, not interruption. The AI Business Model Built for Scale Edge Video AI is quietly reshaping the media landscape by embedding real-time shopping directly into broadcast and on-demand video. Unlike traditional models that rely on manual tagging or interruptive overlays, Edge's fully automated, patent-backed system enables commerce to happen seamlessly within video content itself. Edge Video AI is already live with Intravel and DangerTV, and is rolling out across two major national media networks and five regional or mid-sized platform has integrations with over 21,000 vendors and access to more than 15 million products, including from giants like Amazon and Viator. The company's approach is designed for simplicity—deployment takes just hours, and it layers onto existing content without altering production workflows. Media partners see revenue shares ranging from 35 to 55 percent, along with optional setup fees and GDPR-compliant privacy protections. For an industry under pressure to find new revenue models, Edge Video AI offers a compelling case: commerce that doesn't interrupt, but integrates. It's a model designed to be additive, not disruptive—meaning it layers onto existing content without requiring major workflow changes. It's also built for scale: from major broadcasters to niche creators, anyone with video can now drive direct revenue from it. Web3 and AI Moves From Intention to Action What makes this moment different from past shop-able media attempts is the convergence of maturity in three spaces: It's the next evolution of how we connect attention to action. In a discussion with Joe Ward, the CEO, Edge Video AI, he said that "we believe content should work harder—for creators and for viewers. Our AI doesn't just watch video, it understands it, and instantly connects it to products people care about. Whether you're streaming on your phone or wearing AR glasses, the experience is seamless, contextual, and rewarding. This is where storytelling meets commerce—and where creators finally get paid when their influence drives action." Joe Ward, CEO of Edge Video Ai As someone who's helped build platforms at the intersection of technology and commerce—from enterprise ecosystems to decentralized identity—I see Edge Video AI as part of a broader shift from attention-based economies to intention-driven experiences. The Downsides Of AI But as with any technological leap, there are trade-offs worth considering. When every moment of entertainment becomes a moment of monetization, we risk blurring the line between storytelling and salesmanship. There's a fine balance between offering convenience and fostering consumption fatigue—especially when AI determines what we see and when. While shop-able content can feel seamless, it may also erode the escapism that draws people to media in the first place. If every sunset scene becomes a travel ad and every stylish outfit a product pitch, creators and audiences alike may start to feel the weight of commercial saturation. The challenge moving forward will be ensuring that utility doesn't come at the cost of authenticity. The New Revenue That AI Brings Helping partners realize the value of marketplaces at AWS gave me a front-row seat to how digital experiences can create exponential outcomes. What I'm seeing now in the media world feels just as pivotal. Edge Video AI isn't just turning content into a storefront. It's turning engagement into revenue and viewers into participants. It's building a path where content creators can scale without more ads or more paywalls—and where consumers can enjoy, interact, and transact in one fluid motion. The marketplace of the future isn't a website or an app—it's wherever our attention lives. And for media, that future just got a lot closer. Did you enjoy this story about AI and Web3's impact on revenue for shopping? Don't miss my next one: Use the blue follow button at the top of the article near my byline to follow more of my work.
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘Complete shock' as boxing event in Galway cancelled three weeks before fight night
A boxing event that was scheduled to take place in Galway's Pearse Stadium on June 28th has been called off by promoters GBM Sports. The card was set to be headlined by Galway native Kieran Molloy's bid for a European title, but it was announced earlier this week that the event would be moved, with details of the fights left unclear. The event has now been moved to Hull, England, and Irish fighters Molloy and Joe Ward have been dropped off the schedule. In a statement released on his Instagram, Molloy said the decision came as a 'complete shock' to him. READ MORE Molloy also stated that he had ended his contract with GBM Sports after the cancellation of the homecoming fight, which he had described as 'dream come true'. 'Following this decision, I have now parted ways with GBM Sports and will be putting my full focus into rebuilding for the future.' A media event had been held for the fights last week, where fighters finally received their tickets from the promoters. Pearse Stadium holds well in excess of 20,000 people, whereas the new venue, the Connexin Live in Hull, only holds about 4,000. Molloy stated that he had already sold a large portion of the 2,500 tickets the promoters had allocated to him to sell for the Galway fight night. Westmeath's Joe Ward was slated to fight former British, Commonwealth and European super middleweight champion Lerrone Richards on the undercard. After an excellent amateur career that included three world championship medals, the cancellation of this card is the latest setback in the professional game for Ward. After turning over in 2019, Ward fell victim to a freak injury in his debut fight, which remains the only loss on his record. Belfast's Sean McComb remains on the card, but still has no opponent confirmed as he climbs into the ring for the first time in over a year. McComb's last outing was a controversial loss over 10 rounds to then unbeaten Arnold Barboza Jr, where most observers felt 'Sugar' had got the better of the American. The event is now headlined by British fighters Bradley Rea and Shakan Pitters in a European title fight.
