Paddy Power is working with UK technology firm fanatix to provide an in-match social TV experience for viewers of the UEFA Champions League final.

Via the fanatix social TV platform, order | viewers will be able to discover other fans watching the game around the world as well as participating in the global debate around the action through aggregated and curated football-specific Twitter feeds.

Additional aspects of the service will see fans able to share their opinions on the Final with friends via the integrated group messenger, denture access in-depth match information and statistics, physician or engage in debate with the Paddy Power pundits.

Founded in 2011, fanatix is a technology platform designed to engage the burgeoning second screen sports entertainment community. The platform makes it easy to discover which friends are watching the same game, start a private group chat with them from anywhere in the world, for free or engage in the global debate around the game.

The deal is the third major coup for the company in recent weeks after the fanatix platform was selected by Manchester City to engage fans during the crucial Premier League title run-in games and ESPN to support the broadcasters coverage of the FA Cup Final.

Paddy Power, Head of Communications for Paddy Power, said: We’re always looking for fun ways to engage fans in a dialogue during big sports events and fanatix is the ideal platform to address the fast-growing second screen sports audience.”

Will Muirhead, fanatix CEO and Founder, added: “Paddy Power has done an incredible job in leading the charge of sports books onto mobile devices and we’re thrilled that they have chosen to work with fanatix on during this global event.”

“The recent Barcelona v Chelsea UEFA Champions League semi-final match generated over 14,000 tweets per second, making it the most ‘social’ television event ever. We expect the Final to be even more engaging for fans around the world.”

Jacklin Design Group, led by English Golfer Tony Jacklin CBE, has signed a development contract with clients Prestigia to create a brand new 18-hole golf course, as well as a 9-hole, par-3 course, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Tony Jacklin and his team will be working in association with fellow golf course architects, Martin and Stirling.

The Argan Golf Resort, set on 220 hectares and with 70 hectares set aside for the golf courses, will be situated just five minutes from the famous Mohammed VI Boulevard and only a few minutes from the city’s major historical sites.

On the 10th of December, 2011, Jacklin Design Group and The Argan Golf Resort staged an official signing ceremony, with invited press and special guests. The golf course is scheduled to open between spring and summer of 2013.

“We are really excited about the Argan Resort. We have designed the course in a desert style to minimize water consumption and have used plants and fauna that are indigenous to the area. The fabulous views of the Atlas Mountains provide the golfer with a stunning backdrop; this will undoubtedly provide players of all abilities with an experience to remember,” said Tony Jacklin, CEO, Jacklin Design Group.

The resort, which will feature a five star hotel, villas, apartments, private villa opportunities and Polo Club, also has further plans for a bespoke Golf Academy, created by Tony and his team.

Oliver Dury, Group Commercial Director, added: “The Argan Resort is a fantastic site. The resort is located close to both the cultural city of Marrakech and the International airport. Golfers will also have the opportunity to play multiple courses during their stay at Argan, making the region an ideal destination for golf tourism.” 

by Ismail Uddin

Chief financial officer for Formula 1 team McLaren, Andy Myers has stated that it will not be following its British rival Williams to the stock market.

50 per cent of the ownership of McLaren is held by Bahrain’s Mumtalakat sovereign wealth fund with the remaining shares in the hands of its chairman, Ron Dennis, and Saudi tycoon Mansour Ojjeh. 

In November 2009, they bought out former shareholder Mercedes’ 40 per cent stake but the motivation was not to list the business according to Myers, who stated: “The McLaren group has no plans to float in the future.”

Tomorrow, March 2, Williams will become the first F1 team to float when it lists 28 per cent of its shares on the Frankfurt stock exchange with the majority of the offering sold by its co-founder Patrick Head, who intends to retire this year.

Myers said McLaren’s strategy “is to remain as a private company in the ownership of a small number of focused shareholders, since we believe that best suits our business model”.

The ICC has today confirmed that it is in regular communication with the Pakistan Cricket Board and has offered to support the PCB in its current investigations into the reasons behind wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider’s decision to leave the Pakistan team on the morning of the final ODI against South Africa in Dubai.

At the same time, the ICC has also offered Haider, who left the UAE for London, any help he needs. ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “Clearly this is in the first instance a team matter for Pakistan cricket but the ICC is willing to provide assistance to the PCB and the player.

“We understand his plight if reports are indeed true, but we can only help if he is willing to engage with us.”

Haider, who played a match-winning knock of 19 not out to take his side to a victory against Proteas to level the series at 2-2 in the just concluded five match ODI series in Dubai, went missing from the team hotel on the morning of Pakistan’s fifth ODI against South Africa in Dubai and resurfaced in London later the same day.

He is planning to seek political asylum in Britain after fleeing from Dubai.

The 24-year-old told Pakistan TV station Geo that he plans to seek political asylum in Britain after confirming he had received death threats for defying match-fixing plans.

Sports law and commercial rights brand, The Sports Consultancy, has appointed Paul Foster, the former Department for Culture, Media and Sport and LOCOG executive, as a Senior Associate. 

Paul will expand the consultancy’s offering around senior operational major event planning.

During the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Paul was a key member of the Olympic Park senior management team responsible for the design, delivery and management of external operations of the Olympic Park and oversaw the 1,500 volunteers, contractors and stewards. Prior to this Paul was a Government advisor on 2012 venue, sport and Paralympic matters, responsible for overseeing the £110 million public investment into the Paralympic Games and co-wrote the London 2012 Disability Legacy Plan.

Most recently Paul was Executive Head of Business for Surrey Heath Borough Council responsible for the parks, culture, leisure and sports departments.

Commenting on the appointment Angus Buchanan, Joint Managing Director said: “We are delighted to welcome Paul to our expanding team. The operational experience he gained working on the London 2012 Games and more recently with local Government complements our existing, rapidly growing major events and venue consultancy services. We now offer senior consulting services across the full lifecycle of major events from strategy, feasibility and event bidding through to implementation and the commercialisation of rights.

Paul’s appointment also marks the fifth ‘ex-LOCOG’ employee to join The Sports Consultancy in the last year, substantially enhancing our major events consultancy offering and demonstrating a further legacy that the London Olympic and Paralympic Games is delivering to the UK sports industry.”

Paul Foster added: “I am delighted to be bringing my major events and local Government experience to company at this exciting time in the company’s development. No other agency has The Sports Consultancy’s strategic and operational professional talent and I am excited to be joining the team. “

MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, has announced a partnership with sports entertainment network The Whistle while also becoming equity partners.

The partnership includes content development, giving the Whistle’s audience “inside access” to the sport, and technological development, leveraging MLBAM’s expertise to support the growth of the Whistle’s new channels to connect with young fans.

As part of the agreement, The Whistle will deliver short-form, youth-friendly baseball programming and will feature baseball content across all of its digital platforms, including its website, mobile apps and YouTube through its new multi-channel sports network (The Whistle Network) which launched earlier this month with two million subscribers. In addition, MLBAM will provide technology services and video infrastructure supporting TheWhistle.com and other online Whistle content.

The Whistle aggregates, curates and develops sports content for a young fan’s perspective, covering all sports from backyards to schoolyards to pro stadiums and racetracks. Its content includes sports news and highlights, sports science and math, interviews with professional athletes, fitness, nutrition and sports games and contests.

“The Whistle is an important platform for young fans to inspire them through the sports they play and the teams and athletes they follow every day,” said Martin Keely, SVP, Partner Solutions, MLBAM. “We are proud to collaborate with The Whistle and play a role in developing meaningful, relevant content and engaging applications that deliver on their mission.”

In addition to MLBAM, other professional leagues and associations that are equity holders in or content partners with The Whistle include the NFL, PGA Tour, NASCAR, US Skiing, Major League Lacrosse, US Soccer, the Harlem Globetrotters and Alli Sports.

“This new partnership gives us direct access to America’s pastime and some of the most compelling athletes you will find in any sport. It also gives millions of young fans the chance to be inspired by and instructed in the individual strength, skill and commitment required to perform at pro levels,” said Whistle Co-Founder Jeff Urban.

Former President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball and Chairman of MLBAM Bob DuPuy praised the partnership.

“Generations have grown up gathering around the TV or radio to learn about our national past-time and their favorite teams and players. The Whistle is how the new generation of fans can connect with sports,” DuPuy said. “This deal is another major league development for The Whistle. MLBAM with it’s proven track record of innovation and leadership in the interactive space will help lead their technology efforts and keep them cutting edge.”

Construction of the first stadium for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar will begin next year.

According to the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, anesthetist which signed five stakeholder cooperation agreements at a signing ceremony in Doha, the stadium will be developed in conjunction with Qatar Foundation at Education City.

The agreements were signed with Qatar Rail, Ashghal, Kahramaa, Aspire Zone Foundation and Qatari Diar, all of which will play a vital role in delivering the infrastructure required for the tournament.

According to the committee, the overall schedule for all stadium construction will be revealed following consultation with FIFA.

Tenders for both project management and design consultant for the Al Wakrah Stadium have been issued with the winners due to be announced in November and December respectively.

The project management tender for the redevelopment of Al Rayyan Stadium has also been issued and will be awarded in the first quarter of 2013.

Five stadiums are currently in the process of planning or tender.  Details on the remaining stadiums will follow in the near future.

12 stadia are due to be built or redeveloped for use during the FIFA 2022 World Cup

“We will be signing more agreements in the near future to further unify local entities behind our common goal,” said Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee secretary, General Hassan Al Thawadi.

“The World Cup is no longer merely an event that lasts 30 days. Events of this stature have the potential to accelerate the progress of a nation and leave a lasting social, economic and cultural legacy.

“Our aim is to ensure that the event contributes to achieving the targets set in the 2030 National Vision and to ensure this, it is of the utmost importance that the entire nation works together in a spirit of close cooperation.”

European Club Rugby (ECR) has said the threat to quit European rugby by English and French clubs has left them “dismayed and frustrated.”

Clubs want structural changes to be made to the Heineken Cup and Mark McCafferty, Chief Executive of Premiership Rugby said to the Guardian: “ERC should know that we are serious. If it’s not resolved, we would go to an Anglo-French competition.”

McCafferty believed that reams from the RboDirect Pro 12 are given a significant advantage in the competition due to qualification methods.

A statement from the ERC has been released and spokesman Mark Jones commented: “”We are dismayed and frustrated at the position that has been taken by Premier Rugby.

“This is a process that is laid down as part of the accord agreed in 2007. It’s not a bolt out of the blue. The current qualification process was agreed by ERC’s shareholders as part of the 2007 accord.

“We welcome a full review of the tournament and we believe that at the end of the consultation process, European rugby will emerge stronger.

“All of our shareholders have said they want to see European rugby thrive and have agreed this consultation process.

“Our meeting on September 18 in Dublin is the second step in the process.”

The French and English clubs have also been criticised by Michael Bradley, coach of Edinburgh Rugby. Bradley said: “For me it is a bit of posturing more than anything else and I would hope they wouldn’t change the format.”

 

Olympics is Just Around the Corner

The Olympics are 17 days away and for this iSportconnect has created a Networking Tool and are launching a Olympic Special E-magazine as well as partnered with Havas S&E House.

 

London 2012 Networking Tool

Last month we launched the London 2012 Networking Tool, allowing iSportconnect members to see who else will be attending the event and schedule meetings with other members.

With everyone from journalists to marketing executives and presidents of international associations attending this historical event, iSportconnect is the one place for everyone to get together.

iSportconnect members who have already signed up include Sir Craig Reedie, Executive Board Member of the IOC; Ed Warner, Chairman of UK Athletics and Chris Daniels, Head of London 2012 B2B Activation at Lloyds Banking Group.

If you haven’t already, sign up to the London 2012 Networking tool at
dev.isportconnect.com/london2012

 

iSportconnect Olympic E-Mag Launch

iSportconnect is also very excited to announce that we will be launching an e-magazine with in-depth analysis, exclusive interviews and expert columns as well as special reports on the sponsorship, marketing, finance and security that accompanies the London Olympics.

iSportconnect News Editor Ismail Uddin said: “With the launch of the Olympic e-mag, iSportconnect is continuing its push for expansion. The upcoming games will receive expert preview coverage in this detailed issue.

“It will contain interviews with leading sports executives whilst having expert views from industry specialists. If you want to know what’s happening at the games from a sports business perspective then you must obtain this issue.”

The iSportconnect Olympics E-mag will be launched on the 23rd July 2012.

 

Havas Sports & Entertainment Partnership

iSportconnect has become a Partner of the Havas Sports & Entertainment (HS&E) House this July and August. This partnership builds on a relationship that was formed through the Global Sports Forum Barcelona of which HS&E is the founder and organising partner and iSportconnect a media partner.

Open every day (July 27th – August 12th) from 3:00-8:00 PM, the HS&E House is a thought-leadership platform involving leaders in the global sports community – brands, governing bodies, athletes, sports stakeholders, and journalists. The HS&E House will allow guests to network and debate with top experts, notably during the daily speakers program at 4:00 PM.

Havas Sports & Entertainment has more than 20 years experience in global sports marketing, and is working with 10 official London 2012 sponsors including The Coca-Cola Company, P&G, Lloyds TSB, BMW and Eurostar.

Lucien Boyer, Havas Sports & Entertainment President & Global CEO commented:

“iSportconnect is a perfect partner for us in this increasingly social media driven age. They will help us update the sports business community in real time on the views of sports leaders at the HS&E House. Also, their unique sports industry networking tool will connect our clients and friends from around the world during this summer of sport, allowing them to discuss the state of the industry, do business and stay on top of the latest happenings.”