For Immediate Release · Thursday, 11 June 2026
London, UK. Profenx Sport, the sports media division of Profenx, today announces the launch of its first talent-led media venture, partnering with journalist Joe Crann to build and scale The Wednesday Word across newsletter, website and YouTube.
Best known for his coverage of Sheffield Wednesday, Joe Crann has established himself as a trusted voice among fans. The Wednesday Word marks his first move into building an independent, direct-to-audience media brand, supported by the Profenx platform.
The partnership is the first launch under Profenx Sport's strategy to build a portfolio of talent-led sports media brands, providing journalists and creators with the infrastructure, technology and commercial support needed to grow sustainable media businesses around their expertise and audiences.
The launch is the first live example of Profenx's strategy to develop a scalable network of talent-led media brands, where journalists operate as businesses in their own right.
Profenx's Martin Crawford said:
“The shift from masthead brands to individual talent is accelerating. Audiences want expertise, personality and trust, and that sits with individual creators.
Our role is to turn that talent into scalable media businesses. We provide the infrastructure, data and technology to drive growth and monetisation, allowing creators to stay focused on producing high-quality, differentiated content.
Joe is exactly the kind of partner we want to back, and this is just the beginning.”
Since launch in April, The Wednesday Word has quickly built momentum, demonstrating both audience demand and the commercial potential of the model.
Joe Crann said:
“Making the move to go independent was a big and daunting step for me after years of working for other people, but partnering with Profenx gave me the confidence to step into a new space knowing that I had their backing. It also meant that I wouldn't be walking my new path alone.
The early growth we've seen shows what's possible when you combine great content with the right platform behind it, and I've been truly blown away by the response of Wednesdayites when it comes to getting behind me.
Working with Profenx means that I can focus entirely on delivering for the audience, while they help unlock wider opportunities elsewhere. I'm at over 4,500 subscribers now, with a rapidly growing audience across YouTube and social media, too. Hopefully the first few weeks are an indicator of where this project can go.”
Profenx is a media technology company focused on building profitable, talent-led content businesses.
The company is creating a platform that combines technology, data and commercial infrastructure to help journalists and creators grow sustainable media brands, bridging the gap between traditional publishing and the rapidly expanding creator economy.
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