Boxing Day Belongs to the Local Game

StuntPegg, Guinness, and a love letter to non-league football

There’s a certain type of football story that doesn’t need a stadium, a superstar, or a broadcast slot. It just needs a local ground, a winter fixture, and people who care. That’s exactly the space where the partnership between StuntPegg and Guinness sits grounded, seasonal, and quietly confident in what football already does well.

Rather than reinventing the game, the campaign simply pointed fans back to it.

Why This Partnership Makes Sense

Nieve’s football content has always been rooted in curiosity and culture rather than noise. She notices the moments around the match; the rituals, the humour, and the people. Which makes her a natural fit for non-league football, where those details are the experience.

Guinness understood that. Instead of placing her in a glossy, top-flight environment, they invited her to Oxford for a Boxing Day non-league fixture, letting the setting do the storytelling. The brand didn’t lead the narrative; the matchday did.

Oxford FC, Tradition, and a Playful Twist

Oxford gave the campaign a distinctly English backdrop historic, slightly self-aware, and full of character. The activation leaned into that by introducing a choir performing specially arranged Oxford FC themed football chants.

It was playful without being forced. Familiar chants were elevated just enough to make people smile, reminding viewers that football culture is built on repetition, rhythm, and shared moments, whether they’re sung on a terrace or harmonised by a choir.

Non-League at Christmas Hits Different

Boxing Day football is tradition, but when the top flight steps back, non-league steps forward. Local clubs become gathering points for fans who still want the matchday feeling during the holidays something to do, somewhere to go, and a reason to stand together for 90 minutes.

This is where the campaign really lands. It doesn’t tell people to care about grassroots football. It shows them that it’s already there, ready and waiting, especially at Christmas.

A Simple Incentive, A Strong Message

Without top flight football this Boxing Day, grassroots clubs are ready and waiting for you who want to watch some football. To say thank you, Guinness gave away up to 10,000 free pints at participating non-league clubhouses this Boxing Day. Amazing.

The free pint is an easy hook, but it supports a much bigger idea: go local, support your community club, and keep Boxing Day football alive where it started.

Why the Campaign Works

The strength of this partnership lies in restraint. Guinness doesn’t overpower the moment. Nieve isn’t turned into a spokesperson. Non-league football isn’t oversold.

Instead, the campaign celebrates what already exists, local grounds, festive fixtures, and football culture in its most recognisable form. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best football stories don’t come from the top of the pyramid, but from just down the road.