News
COMMUNITY CHAMPION & BUSINESS LEADER A MAJOR ADDITION FOR LIONS
4 weeks ago
Jason Harborow, a lifelong advocate for rugby league, joins Swinton Lions as a Board Member and Foundation Chair
Jason Harborow, a passionate lifelong supporter of rugby league, has played a key role in the sport’s development both locally and internationally.
In 1999, he took top-level rugby league to the USA through the RL World Cup qualifying tournament in partnership with Disney, later serving as Operations Director for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. More recently, Jason has championed women’s rugby league, supporting teams like Wigan St. Patrick’s, Wigan St. Jude’s, and Wigan Warriors, sponsoring both events and the teams.
In addition to his sports involvement, Jason is a distinguished global leader and senior advisor, specializing in large-scale projects across sports, culture, and entertainment. He is the founder and Chief Executive at Global-13, where he advises on major global initiatives.
He has also held key leadership roles in the UK and Europe, including serving as Chief Executive of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture, and General Manager of the Manchester Commonwealth Games. Jason is a prominent advocate for inclusiveness and community engagement, and he also shares his expertise as a visiting lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool.
Jason’s passion for Swinton Lions stems from the club’s strong community focus. He is eager to help the club achieve its ambitions to develop a new stadium and expand its impact across Greater Manchester and the north west.
Having accepted the invite to join the Lions’ Board and Chair its Foundation, Jason said, “Swinton Lions is a club built on strong community values, and I’m passionate about helping the club grow its impact both on and off the field.
“Through the Swinton Lions Foundation, we’re dedicated to engaging with the local community, promoting participation, and driving real change. I'm also excited to support the club’s vision to develop a new stadium and expand its reach across Swinton, Salford, Greater Manchester and the north west, ensuring that Swinton Lions continues to be a pillar of the community for years to come."
Speaking on behalf of the Swinton Lions Board, CEO Steve Wild added, “Upon meeting with Jason last week, initially to discuss the ongoing development of our Foundation, it quickly became apparent that here was a person with impressive business and rugby league related credentials, and someone who might not only fill our vacant position of Foundation Chair, but whose CV could also be of immense value to the club as a whole.
“I was therefore delighted when Jason enthusiastically accepted our invitation to join our Board of Directors, to help drive our strategic long term vision. It was clear that Jason and the club share similar goals, especially in terms of driving participation in rugby league through community focus, which also fits in well with our new stadium ambitions. He is very well connected from a potential commercial perspective, and has held several successful senior roles within this sport and other sports.
“We believe that the Board and Foundation dual appointment of Jason is a significant coup for our club, and we are delighted to have him on board.”
