Bath Rugby have revealed changes to their senior management.

Bruce Craig (pictured left), Chairman of the Club, will assume the role of Executive Chairman effective from 1st September 2014. Chief Executive Nick Blofeld (pictured right) will step up to a wider group role, taking over responsibility for a number of key projects, including a focus on the potential Rec redevelopment, which would secure a long-term home for the Club.

Supporting Bruce Craig will be Mike Ford (Head Coach) and David Thompson (Performance Director), managing all aspects of the rugby side of the business. Tarquin McDonald (Finance & Strategy Director), will assume responsibility for the day-to-day running of the non-rugby side of the business.

Bruce Craig said: “I am very proud of the progress made by Bath Rugby under Nick’s direction over the last five years and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for all he has done for the Club to date. I am delighted that, in his new role, he will continue to focus on a number of key projects, including the potential Rec redevelopment, the on-going development of Farleigh House and support for the Bath Rugby Foundation. I am very much looking forward to next season and I am confident that we will see all our hard work bear further fruit in the seasons ahead.” 

Nick Blofeld added: “I have been privileged to lead a great Club over these last few years and to set it in the right direction for long term success. I’m now looking forward to concentrating even more on trying to keep Bath Rugby at the Rec, as well as a few other key projects, and to being able to watch the team’s successes next year and beyond.”

iSportconnect, the world’s largest private network for sport business professionals, has announced a partnership with TUI Travel Sport, a Division of TUI Travel PLC, one of the world’s leading leisure travel companies, welcoming the brand as their Official Sport Travel Partner of the Dubai Directors Club on May 29th.

Supported by Dubai Sports Council and in association with INTERACT, the first ever iSportconnect Directors’ Club Dubai will gather a key group of high level sport business professionals including PGA European Tour, Turkmenistan National Olympic Committee, Falcon and Associates, Red Bull, Pepsi, Oman Sail, Dubai Expo 2020, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, ADMM, Pro League Committee amongst others. Decision makers will discuss how the sports industry can help to drive business in the Middle East.

The TUI Travel Sport Division has a leading position in sports and event tour operating and B2B travel logistics. Part of the TUI Travel PLC, the division consist of sixteen global market leading brands, organising travel for over 40 years to major events for both spectators and corporate clients including; Thomson Sport, Gullivers Sports Travel, Sportsworld, Event International, ICC Travel and many more.

Nathan Wilson, Sales and Marketing Director at TUI Travel Sport, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with iSportconnect and believe their events offer a unique opportunity to discuss key topics with likeminded industry leaders. TUI Travel Sport businesses all have a common goal, which is about making event experiences special”

Michael Cunnah, Chairman of iSportconnect, commented: “TUI Travel Sport is an exciting and welcome addition and will no doubt help to make the Directors’ Club a valuable event for the sports industry.”

The first ever iSportconnect Middle East Directors’ Club will take place on May 29, 2014 at the Amwaj Rotana Hotel in Dubai, UAE and includes an impressive panel of high-profile speakers participating in an interactive Question-Time debate and an exclusive networking reception.

This unique invitation-only Directors’ Club, focuses on ‘Driving Business in the Middle East Through Sport.‘ The event allows rights holders and sponsors in the Middle East a fantastic, open discussion platform. Our high profile audience can network in a closed-door environment and discuss their challenges and the latest topical debate in the sports business here in the region. 

To register your interest, please contact:  Matthias.moulin@isportconnect.com or  sally@interact-events.com

Partnership opportunities are available for a selected number of suppliers and agencies.  If you are interested, please contact  sally@interact-events.com

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La Liga club Sevilla FC has signed a six-year partnership with Arkena.

The TDF Group owned company will provide its Online Video Platform (OVP) services to the Europa League finalists. 

Sevilla FC is one of the few clubs with a fully-dedicated 24/7 TV channel, medic SFCTV, decease available both on IPTV and DTT. The live streaming of the channel is offered for free on the club’s website through the Arkena OVP. The platform will also provide on-demand content, prostate such as interviews and other exclusive footage related to the Andalusian club, which is published on the club’s website.

“The pitch is no longer the only place where football clubs need to perform. Today, we need to engage with our fans: we need a strong team as much as a strong brand. Arkena’s OVP is a powerful tool helping us to spread Sevilla FC’s values and create awareness”, says Francisco Romera, Marketing Manager of the Spanish club.

“At Arkena, we believe that video is the most efficient way to communicate. We want to help brands spread the message and engage with their audience. Today, football clubs are strong brands, with very committed audiences that need to be provided with premium content. Sevilla FC is a pioneer on the matter and we are delighted they chose us to communicate with their fans and with the football world”, said Rami Alanko, Deputy CEO of Arkena Spain.

Arkena is providing its OVP platform with a full set of features such as multiscreen players and pre-roll advertisement. The content, both live and on-demand, is available on every connected device. The Sevilla FC qualified for the UEFA Europa League final, in which they will face Benfica. The final will take place on May 14th and SFCTV will broadcast exclusive content before and after the game, live from the Juventus Stadium.

FIFA have revealed significant interest in hosting in eight tournaments including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019.

A total of 31 declarations of interest have been received and FIFA has submitted the bidding documents, asthma which the relevant member associations have to sign and return before the FIFA Executive Committee assigns the tournament.

Five countries have declared an interest in hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, namely England, France, Korea Republic, New Zealand and South Africa. Of these countries, England, France, Korea Republic and New Zealand also want to host the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2018. FIFA have suggested that these two tournaments should take place in the same country. South Africa will host the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2018 in 2016.

For the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2018, five declarations of interest have been received: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Finland, Northern Ireland and Sweden are aiming to host the competition. For the three women’s competitions, the deadline for submitting the hosting agreement together with all the signed bidding documents is 31 October 2014, with the final decision on the hosts currently scheduled to take place at the first FIFA Executive Committee meeting in 2015.

The bidding process has also been opened for four editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA’s major club competition. India and Japan have expressed a wish to host the tournament in 2015 and 2016, while Brazil, Japan and UAE want to host it in 2017 and 2018. The complete set of bidding documents has to be provided by 25 August 2014 and the Executive Committee will select the host in September 2014.

There have also been a high level of interest in hosting the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017. A total of 12 countries are aiming to host the tournament: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago, UAE and USA.

These member associations will have to submit their definitive bids including all signed bidding and hosting documents by 1 October 2014. The host will be appointed by the Executive Committee at its meeting in December 2014.

Plans to redevelop Liverpool’s home, Anfield are still well on track according to managing director Ian Ayre.

Last October, the club announced that they would no longer be going ahead with plans to build a new stadium at neighbouring Stanley Park. 

Principal owner John W Henry has made it a priority to keep Liverpool at Anfield, saying last year he felt it was a “myth” that the club needed to move to a new ground to improve their financial prospects. 

Ayre told Sports Illustrated that an announcement on the next stage of the redevelopment could come as soon as May. 

“In order to extend Anfield, we need to acquire a bunch of privately-owned property around the stadium,” he said. “We’re making really good progress with that. 

“We have a meeting coming up in the next few weeks with the city council and ourselves and stakeholders. We said some months back it would take several months to improve that property acquisition situation. We’re definitely on target so far. 

“The No. 1 priority is to stay at Anfield, but there are two or three hoops to go through. The first is property acquisition, the second will be planning and the third will be to build the thing. I would guess our next announcement on it will come sometime in May or June.” 

Liverpool had been pursuing a new stadium at Stanley Park since 2000, but estimates suggested that building it would have cost around twice as much as redeveloping their current home. 

In addition, Henry and chairman Tom Werner were attracted to Anfield’s atmosphere and history because it reminded them of the 1912-built Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, which they also own. 

Ayre said: “We’ve always said the preference was to stay at Anfield. It’s the heart of the football club. 

“I remember the first time John and Tom came to look at Liverpool before they bought it. I was the person showing them around. When we went into Anfield, John said to me: ‘This is like Fenway. It’s the same feeling. Why would we want to build a new stadium?'”

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