In the run-up to London 2012 Olympics, Ambush Marketers continue to dominate. with non-affiliated marketers’ took 27 of the top 50 spots measuring effective brand activation by the Global Language Monitor’s Brand Affiliation Index (BAI).  

This despite the recent tightening of the rules by the IOC, The GLM BAI rankings are not simply a matter of pride or bragging rights but rather a battle for brand equity and the consumer’s mind and the billions of dollars committed to the IOC, which are primarily used to fund the Games. 

“The Olympic movement it is not immune to the historic shifts in communications affecting all institutions worldwide,” said Paul JJ Payack, founding president of the Global Language Monitor. “The seemingly all-pervasive media ensure that the flow of information can be stopped neither by national boundaries nor institutional gatekeepers. There is no reason to think that marketing activities are immune from such forces. In fact, marketing has been one of the foremost purveyors of new media technology.” 

For these rankings, encompassing the first quarter of 2012, GLM measured the strength of the brand affiliation for each official Olympic sponsor against those of their primary non-affiliated competitors. Though ‘ambush marketing’ is well understood to mean an organization knowingly exploiting a brand affiliation with the Games without the benefit of official sponsorship.

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Tournament officials announced Wednesday that the Champions Tour event in Savannah, now called the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf, has extended its contract with the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa through 2013.

The tournament’s executive director, Joe Rotellini, also unveiled a new logo for the event at a press conference.

Celebrating 10 years in Savannah and 35 years as an event, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf is considered the founding tournament on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour for players age 50+. The 2012 event will be held April 16-22 and will feature a $2.7 million purse.

Since the tournament’s arrival in Savannah in 2003, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf has had a significant economic impact on the community and has generated close to $1.5 millions for charities in the region.

“To celebrate these important milestones in the same year that we debut the tournament’s new name and logo is very exciting,” said Paul Alexander, Liberty Mutual Insurance senior vice president, communications. “We appreciate the wonderful support that we’ve received over the years from the City of Savannah, our partners at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort & Spa, and the volunteers and golf fans, who, along with the tournament’s legendary players, help make this a truly memorable event.”

Mark Spadoni, General Manager of The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort, said: “We are delighted that Liberty Mutual Insurance has committed to Savannah to stay through 2013. It is a tribute to the destination and all of the people within our community who extend warm hospitality year after year to all of their visiting guests. We are proud of the partnership that the Westin, the community, the PGA TOUR and Liberty Mutual Insurance has formed over these past 10 years and are looking forward to making this year’s 10th event in Savannah for all of their guests extra special. We are already thinking about ways to convince Liberty Mutual Insurance to stay in Savannah beyond 2013.”

Located in the heart of Savannah’s River District, the Champions Tour’s annual stop in coastal Georgia has been a favorite for both fans and players alike. The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa is Savannah’s only AAA Four-Diamond property that features beautifully appointed guest rooms, banquet facilities and public spaces. The resort’s par-72 Club at Savannah Harbor course was designed by renowned architects Bob Cupp and Sam Snead and opened in 1999.

“Having an event of this caliber in Savannah for another year is fantastic news for the community,” said Bill Hubbard, Savannah Chamber president and CEO. “In addition to having a positive economic impact on local businesses and charities, the international telecast allows us to showcase our wonderful city to potential visitors around the world. We thank Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Westin, PGA TOUR and other sponsors for their continued support of this event and the community.”

Champions Tour President Mike Stevens said, commented: “The city of Savannah has really embraced this event over the past decade, demonstrating to our players, sponsors and fans the true meaning of Southern hospitality. We are pleased to be returning to Savannah in 2013 and very proud to celebrate our 33-year long partnership with Liberty Mutual Insurance, as it is one of the longest-standing relationships in all of sports.”

“We are very excited about having the tournament in Savannah for at least the next two years and hopefully many more after that,” added the tournament’s volunteer chairman, Al Kennickell. “The Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf has been a great fit for Savannah and it is thrilling that we have some of the greatest golfers who have ever played the game playing in our event. We have also been blessed with a great group of volunteers, many who have been working our event for all ten years it has been in Savannah. Lastly we can’t forget the charity dollars that have gone to aid local organizations. Thank you to Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Westin and the PGA TOUR.”

The Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf’s unique format features a total of three team competitions during the week, starting with the Demaret Division on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the Raphael Division on Friday and Saturday. Official competition begins with the Legends Division, a 54-hole better-ball competition, on Friday, April 20. David Eger and Mark McNulty are defending champions.

Boss of Formula One’s Red Bull Racing team, Christian Horner has admitted it will be difficult to fit the recently postponed Bahrain Grand Prix into the season calendar after its cancellation last week. 

The country’s Crown Prince called off the race due to civil unrest and human rights protests taking place in the region, after Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone left the decision to him. 

The Bahrain Grand Prix was scheduled to open the 2011 season on 13th March, but the Australian Grand Prix will now take centre stage two weeks later. 

No decision has been made on a new date for Bahrain, or indeed, whether there will be a Bahrain Grand Prix or not and Horner stated: “It will certainly be a challenge to accommodate, but nothing is ever impossible. It’s a very busy calendar this year. Already now, at the end of November, we’ll have finished 19 races”. 

There was however, no problem from Horner about the decision to postpone the start of the new season with the Red Bull boss adding: “Obviously the country’s got bigger issues than a Formula 1 race at the moment. It was only right and appropriate to postpone”.

Indian Cricket authority, BCCI has rejected Sunil Gavaskar’s charge that Board has not paid a single penny to the legendary cricketer for his services. BCCI revealed that former Indian skipper had demanded Rs 20 million for his services to IPL as a Governing Council member.

“He has been sending emails regarding his payment but there was no contract,” said BCCI secretary N Srinivasan to Times Now.

However, BCCI also clarified that Gavaskar was to be paid only Rs 1 million for the past three years as per the agreement.

Meanwhile, BCCI president Shashank Manohar told reporters that Sunil Gavaskar had not sought any meeting with BCCI.

“I am ready to meet anyone, but he (Sunil Gavaskar) has not sought any meeting with me,” Shashank Manohar said.

Earlier, Omitted from the IPL Governing Council, Sunil Gavaskar has said that BCCI, the promoters of the Twenty20 League, has not paid him a single penny for his services.

In a major revamp, the BCCI left out the former Indian captain from the Twenty20 League’s Governing Council at its Annual General Meeting in September.

The Cricket Board did not give any reason for Gavaskar’s ouster, but there were reports that it could be a result of a payment dispute.

But the legendary batsman mantained that he had not been paid for the last three years which forced him to sent a “gentle reminder about the non-payment” to BCCI.

“I am yet to be paid by the BCCI for my role on the IPL Governing Council. I have not been paid at all by the BCCI, since I took on the offer,” Gavaskar told a news channel.

“I have just been told that Mr Sharad Pawar (ICC President) will organise a meeting between Shashank Manohar (BCCI chief) and me in his presence to sort out the matter and that for me is good enough,” he said.

The former India captain, however, refused to divulge what the pay packet would be, saying, “Never ask a woman her age and never ask a man what he gets.”

Gavaskar also denied that he had any links with the beleaguered Kochi IPL team and said he had still not made up his mind whether to accept the franchise’s offer to head it’s cricket operations.

ESPN are set to lose their Executive Chairman George Bodenheimer after more than three decades at the company this week.

Bodenheimer had relinquished day-to-day responsibilities to John Skipper at the start of 2012. He served as the company’s president for 13 years, originally joining ESPN in 1981 as a driver in the mail room.

The network said Tuesday that Bodenheimer’s last day will be Saturday.

Bodenheimer says: “ESPN’s future is bright, which is of great comfort to anyone who cares deeply about our company.”

Skipper calls Bodenheimer a “uniquely gifted leader.”

 

UEFA has revealed today their reach across all social media platforms surged through the 37 million mark in 2013, with the official UEFA Champions League Facebook page passing 16 million fans recently.

Launched in January 2011, the official Facebook page of Europe’s premier club competition has gone from strength to strength, with supporters receiving and interacting with news, photos, galleries and live updates during matchweeks. The page, which has grown by over 10 million fans since this time last year, provides a platform for fans around the world to share their views on the competition and engage with content on UEFA.com.

The UEFA Europa League page has also proved attractive, with more than 4.9 million users interacting, and UEFA is nurturing flourishing communities with seven further Facebook pages dedicated to UEFA.com, UEFA EURO, UEFA Women’s Champions League, UEFA Women’s EURO, UEFA Training Ground, UEFA Futsal EURO and UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Indeed, the UEFA Women’s Champions League page stormed past the 1.1 million fan mark in November to become the most popular women’s football page on the platform.

Official UEFA Twitter accounts, led by @ChampionsLeaguewhich boasts over 3.2 million followers, a rise of 3 million plus since December 2012, add another dimension to UEFA’s social media coverage. Fans are kept up to date with news, photos and goals as well as being given the chance to win great prizes through competitions. For the second successive year, followers can also vote for their UEFA.com users’ Team of the Year on Twitter by retweeting the names of their preferred XI.

Over the last 12 months, a number of new Twitter accounts have been unveiled with @UWCL bringing the UEFA Women’s Champions League to life, and @UEFAEURO and @UEFAEURO_fr delivering regular updates as the countdown to UEFA EURO 2016 gathers pace. 

Leading international media rights company, ambulance MP & Silva, ed pills have announced they have launched a new European base in Paris to strengthen their business ties in the region.

The Paris office will be the company’s eighth establishment in Europe and its 15th office globally, viagra 100mg following the opening of its new headquarters building in London in 2012. The office in Paris will serve as liaison basis for MP & Silva to further take care of and consolidate the service management of its clients and rights holders mainly in France.

Pierrick Ysern will work as Country Director in Paris, in close coordination with Roberto Dalmiglio, MP & Silva’s Managing Director for Europe.  Pierrick is a French national that joined MP & Silva in September 2011 to manage specific projects and properties related to tennis and football. A former professional tennis player, Ysern previously worked at the Lagardère Unlimited agency. 

Andrea Radrizzani, Group CEO, MP & Silva, said: “We are pleased to announce the opening of 15th office of MP & Silva in Paris. We continue to grow and consolidate our positioning in the European media rights market. Through a focused and dedicated approach, we aim to strengthen our commitment to broadcasters and rights holders in France, especially servicing the French Tennis Grand Slam, Roland Garros, and the French football Ligue 1.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will open St. George’s Park, The FA’s new national football centre, next month it has been announced.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is the Honourary President of The FA, will officially launch the new national facility, which was completed in July.

The Royal Party will visit the Burton-upon-Trent site on Tuesday October 9, and join specially invited guests to celebrate the opening of the new home for the 24 representative England teams.

Local community figureheads and young players will meet the Royal Party, before they greet staff from The FA, Hilton Hotels and Spire Healthcare, who operate the three main facilities at St. George’s Park.

They will then meet England Manager Roy Hodgson and his squad as they train at St. George’s Park for the very first time ahead of their Euro 2012 qualification game against San Marino later that week.

Hope Powell, England women’s senior team manager, will be joined by a number of her squad who will also meet Their Royal Highnesses as they tour the facility, including the community use pitches and Sport England pavilion, the Hilton and Hampton by Hilton Hotels and the Spire Perform rehabilitation centre.

FA Chairman David Bernstein said: “The opening of St. George’s Park is truly a momentous occasion in the history of The FA. Next year we will celebrate The FA’s 150th anniversary, and this moment will be recorded as significant as any that has gone before us in the last 149 years.

“We are particularly delighted that both the Duke and Duchess can join us to open this facility.”

Chairman of St. George’s Park David Sheepshanks added: “This is a wonderful reward for all of the people that have worked so hard to bring St. George’s Park to reality.

“The local community have embraced every aspect of St. George’s Park and this will be a red letter day for Burton-upon-Trent and the surrounding locality.”

The International Rugby Board (IRB) have announced that the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) will postpone hosting its round of the 2012/13 HSBC Sevens World Series. 

The decision follows a review of all operational requirements by the Union taken in full consultation with all stakeholders. The UAR will now focus on ensuring the delivery of an outstanding Sevens event in 2013/14 as well as the successful inauguration of Argentina into The Rugby Championship this year. 

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The IRB understands and fully supports what was a very difficult decision for the UAR. They have kept us fully informed throughout the review process and we believe that the decision they have taken is in the best interests of the Union, Argentinean Rugby and the HSBC Sevens World Series.” 

“The Union is dedicated to the delivery of a memorable and successful Series event that showcases Rugby in South America. By extending the delivery timescale we can work in partnership with the UAR and all stakeholders to ensure that the event in 2013/14 achieves all strategic aims, is beneficial for Rugby in Argentina and South America and secures its place on the Series as one of the must see events.” 

UAR President Luis Castillo said: “This has been a difficult decision to take as we are excited about our HSBC Sevens World Series hosting opportunity. However, the logistical challenges are too significant to successfully deliver an event this year that is beneficial for all stakeholders and we would like to thank the IRB for their support and understanding in this matter. We are now all focused on ensuring that all the processes are in place to ensure that our debut in 2013/14 is a successful one.” 

IRB Council Member for Argentina Agustín Pichot added: “We have worked tirelessly to deliver the outstanding event for teams, fans and Argentinean Rugby. However, we must ensure that player preparation time is paramount and unfortunately we cannot guarantee the logistics that achieve this important consideration this year. However, we are determined to resolve these issues in partnership with the IRB ahead of next year’s tournament with a considerable lead-in time and in the meantime look forward to our Rugby Championship debut.”