Paul Barber, Chief Executive of MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps FC, has taken part in an exclusive Featured Profile interview with iSportconnect news editor Martin Laurence.

Paul spoke of his decision to leave his boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur where he served as Executive Director, a position which he claimed was “a dream come true”, in order to become the Chief Executive Officer with the MLS franchise. Barber felt that the opportunity to lead the Whitecaps was one that doesn’t come around too often, stating that “moving to North America was just one of those opportunities that I didn’t feel I could turn down, either professionally or personally.”

He stated how he believes and admitted that football is still an emerging sport in the US and added that one of the main challenges in his role at Vancouver was “selling the game, as well as the club.” Barber added that he feels that the sport can compete with the major American sports and added that “in Vancouver, more people play our sport than play Canada’s favourite pastime, ice hockey, across the whole of British Columbia.” The Spurs man admitted that, “although it will take a little bit more time than the next couple of years”, he has “no doubt that football will become the biggest sport in North America too.”

Paul also spoke of his disappointment in losing out on the possibility of England and USA winning the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids respectively, stating: “As someone who supported England’s bid, nothing would have given me more pleasure than seeing FIFA award England the 2018 World Cup and the United States the 2022 World Cup.”

Among one of a number of major sponsorship deals to have been agreed by the club, Barber spoke of the significance of the Whitecaps kit sponsorship with Bell. MLS commissioner Don Garber recently lauded the club as being ahead of their league counterparts, including David Beckham’s LA Galaxy, in terms of sponsorship revenue, and Paul has had a large part to play in the sides recent successes off the field. Paul revealed that the process of signing a shirt sponsor in Europe with a club like Tottenham is “actually a very similar process” to that in the MLS. He added that the deal with Bell Canada was a “fantastic fit” and that, “To date, they’ve been a first-class partner in every respect. They are a world-class organization.”

Having also worked for the Football Association (FA) before moving to Canada, Mr Barber spoke of the difference between working for a federation and a club, saying: Football federations are, by definition, very political…They’ve got a lot of important governance work to do and a huge number of issues to deal with daily. Inevitably, they are slow moving and can seem to be ponderous.” He added that the nature of working for a club is same in North America as it is in the UK, stating: “Clubs, on the other hand, tend to be faster moving and less hierarchical, therefore quicker to make decisions.”

Paul also spent time as a non-executive director for Hampshire County Cricket Club and spoke of his surprise that the sport was already played in Vancouver. Barber quipped: “I think North Americans would find it hard to believe that it’s possible for followers of cricket to sit through five days’ worth of action and still not have a result!” As his second favourite sport Barber stated that “if you can understand the sport of cricket, then you can very easily become a fan,” but when asked as to whether the game could establish itself as soccer has in Vancouver, he added: “Whether cricket can truly compete with the big North American sports in the way football is at present, is certainly more debatable. I doubt it, to be honest”.

Mr Barber concluded on his interest in iSportconnect and the services it provides, saying: “iSportconnect is an extremely useful way of keeping up to date with the latest news from across the sports business world. The short, sharp electronic headline format makes it an easy, quick and valuable read.”

To read the full interview click here – http://tinyurl.com/65l9qfz

EDITORS NOTE:

Paul Barber was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps FC in March 2010 after serving as executive director at Tottenham Hotspur for five years. In his time with the Premier League club, Barber reported to chairman Daniel Levy and was responsible for all of the club’s key operational divisions, including commercial areas, hospitality and ticketing as well as international tours and friendly matches. Before then he worked as commercial and marketing director at the Football Association (FA), where he was tasked with developing programs for marketing, communications and commercial affairs, including broadcasting rights of the England national team and FA Cup. Barber’s sporting allegiances do not simply revolve around football and he is a fond cricket supporter having served as a non-executive director for Hampshire County Cricket Club.

The Sauber Formula One Team have announced a new premium partner in Mexican insurance group, Interproteccion.

The company’s logos will now be clearly visible on the rear wing endplates of Sauber’s Formula One cars under the deal which starts as of 2011. The Interproteccion logo will also adorn the drivers’ overalls and team clothing.

The agreement shows an increased Mexican influence on the Sauber team after agreeing a deal with telecommunications company, Telmex in recent times. The financial details of this deal are yet to be released although the Telmex deal is believed to be worth a sum of US$20.6m over two years. In addition, Mexican GP2 driver Sergio Perez joined the Formula One Team.

Team principal, Peter Sauber stated: “We met the key people from Interproteccion for the first time at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November, and are very pleased that we’ve been able to come to an agreement so quickly. Interproteccion is present in over 100 countries, and the international nature of Formula One offers correspondingly broad potential for synergies. We’re particularly happy, of course, that in Interproteccion we’ve now added a second Mexican company to our list of partners alongside Telmex.”

Interproteccion chief executive officer, Ignacio Casanueva, added, “We are proud and thrilled to be a partner of Sauber Motorsport, who have signed the two talented Mexican drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez for next season – Sergio as a race driver, Esteban as a test and reserve driver. Interproteccion is always aiming to achieve the highest standards, with both our clients and our partners. And supporting talented young drivers like Sergio and Esteban is a way of saying, ‘we believe in Mexico, we believe in success.”

The International Golf Federation (IGF) have appointed their first president, the governing body announced on Wednesday 15 December, as Royal and Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson.

Dawson, who has been joint secretary of the IGF since 1999, will serve a two-year term from January 1 alongside Ty Votaw, who has been appointed executive vice-president of the federation.

Votaw, a PGA Tour executive vice-president, co-ordinated golf’s bid to be included on the 2016 Olympic Games programme. Just over a year ago, golf and rugby sevens were confirmed as new Olympic sports.

Anthony Scanlon was introduced to IGF last month as the federation’s new executive director and the two new appointments represent a significant re-shuffle at the head of the IGF.

“These announcements, coupled with Antony Scanlon’s appointment as IGF executive director and our relocation to Lausanne, demonstrates golf’s determination to play an active part in the Olympic movement,” said Dawson.

Votaw added: “As we look ahead, the work has just begun in regard to the Olympic Games and the co-ordination efforts that are required in order to ensure success in Rio, but we very much look forward to the challenge.”

International Speedway Corporation (ISC), which currently owns and operates 13 active NASCAR tracks, has revealed it will update its media technology to enhance the experience fro fans on race days.

In addition to the thrilling live on-track racing action, fans will be able to enjoy rich multi-media content directly on their Sprint smartphones and other handheld devices, and on new high-definition video screens located throughout the racetrack. They will also enjoy enhanced connectivity to instantly share their raceday experience with friends inside and outside the track via Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

“With all the wonderful content available at-track, race fans are consuming our sport much differently today than a decade ago and they are sharing those experiences with friends across the country,” said ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy. “We’re taking a strategic approach to provide the very best connectivity and superior multi-media content to further enrich the fan experience. We want to cater to all of our loyal fans in attendance and we are committed to making the necessary investments to provide the type of raceday experience our fans expect from the leader in motorsports entertainment.”

These enhancements, which began in 2013 and will continue in 2014 and 2015, focus on several key areas:

-Digital High-Definition Video Screens: Beginning with Talladega Superspeedway in 2014, new large high-definition video boards will be installed across all ISC tracks. These video boards will be located throughout each facility to ensure all fans in attendance have a clear view of the screens to enjoy all the great content that it will deliver.

-Unique At-Track Content: ISC has deployed a fully-integrated multi-media content strategy to deliver up-to-the-second live in-race and in-car cameras views, instant race data and other interactive race-day content to enhance the live on-track action and provide fans with a raceday experience unlike any other in the industry.

-Enhanced Connectivity: Wi-Fi service will be provided in premium camping and fan areas, as well as in high-traffic areas. These services were already installed at Michigan International Speedway and Auto Club Speedway of Southern California in 2013, and will be rolled out to other venues in the ISC family in 2014 and 2015. In addition, ISC is working with American Tower Corporation to provide improved cellular coverage to include 4G connectivity for fans during race weekends. These systems have already been installed at Daytona International Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, and will be rolled out in Phoenix International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Auto Club Speedway in 2014 and the remaining ISC facilities in 2015.

In total, ISC and its partners have committed over $50 million to complete these enhancements through 2015.  

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) have revealed they will visit Dubai for the first time for the Duty Free Darts Masters, which will be played on May 23 & 24 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

The world’s top eight darts players will compete in the event which will be part of the first leg of the PDC’s World Series of Darts.

Commenting on the upcoming event, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said: “This is the first time that a professional darts tournament has been staged in Dubai and the first time that darts will be played in an outdoor arena. We think that this sport, which is growing in popularity across the world, will be a good addition to Dubai’s busy sports and social calendar.”

Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis, the world number two, is joined by seven-time major title winner James Wade, World Grand Prix champion Michael van Gerwen, European Champion Simon Whitlock, two-time major finalists Andy Hamilton and Wes Newton and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld in challenging for the title.

The players will initially compete in four knockout quarter-final matches on Thursday May 23, before the semi-finals and final are held on Friday May 24 to determine the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters champion.

“The Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters is an exciting event and I’m delighted that we’ll be coming to Dubai in May,” said world No.1 Phil Taylor.

“I’ve never had the chance to play there before so it’s great for me and the other players that we’ll be able to play for such a great title.

“The sport’s growing around the world and it’s a great chance for fans in both Dubai and from across the Middle East to see a live event, and hopefully this will be the seed for the tournament to grow in the coming years.”

With players from 21 countries having competed recently in the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship and 24 nations taking part in February’s Betfair World Cup of Darts, the PDC see the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters as an important stepping-stone in the sport’s worldwide growth.

“Darts is already a hugely popular sport in both Dubai and across the Middle East due to the live television coverage of our events on OSN, but it’s a very positive development to be staging the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters,” said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.

“Darts fans in Dubai will now get to see the best players in darts in the flesh for the first time in May and this tournament will give them the chance to experience a full PDC event live.

“Our aim is that the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters will be the inaugural tournament in a World Series of Darts which will see our top players taking the sport around the world, and our negotiations are continuing to turn this vision into a reality.”

Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) have employed Sports Revolution to become the exclusive in-stadia advertising partner of Twickenham. 

Twickenham, the home of England rugby, has been kitted out with a new LED fan-engagement and advertising system that stretches one kilometre around the bowl at pitch side and middle-tier levels.

Twickenham’s pitch-side LED advertising boards have been replaced and reconfigured with taller and higher definition units.

The new technology is debuting at the England’s ongoing 2012 QBE Internationals at Twickenham Stadium between England, Fiji, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Vange Kourentis, Sports Revolution’s group commercial director, said: “We are thrilled to be part of these exciting changes to Twickenham Stadium and to partner with the RFU. This is an important development in ensuring that fans are kept at the heart of the game.

“We believe that understanding the fan and improving the match-day experience is key to building successful partnerships between rights holders, sponsors and fans.”

Sophie Goldschmidt, the RFU’s chief commercial officer, added: “Our work with Sports Revolution is the first stage in establishing Twickenham Stadium as one of the most digitally advanced rugby grounds in Europe. We choose our partners carefully and look for those who offer insight and understanding of what we can do to continually improve the fans’ overall experience.

“The new LED system has been well received during the first two QBE Internationals and we look forward to implementing the next phase to ensure Twickenham’s long-standing status as a cutting-edge stadium.”

World soccer governing body, ed FIFA have announced the 11 cities which will host matches during the 2018 World Cup, anabolics set to be staged in Russia.

The tournament wil comprise of 64 matches and will be staged at 12 different stadiums with Moscow being the only city with two venues selected – those of Luzhniki, and which hosted the 2008 Champions League final, and Spartak.

Sochi, who will stage the 2014 Winter Olympics, St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Saransk, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don and Ekaterinburg will also host matches. Yaroslavl and Krasnodar missed out on being named host cities after putting in bids.

“The announcement of the host cities is the first concrete step taken in the delivery of the 2018 FIFA World Cup,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.

“They make a decisive contribution to the success of the most popular sporting event. We look forward to a productive partnership on our road to the first FIFA World Cup in Eastern Europe.

“We are very pleased with the pace of the 2018 LOC (Local Organising Committee) from day one when they were awarded the hosting of the event in December 2010. Their achievements show their enthusiasm and commitment.”

Vitaly Mutko, Russian minister of sport and chairman of the Russia 2018 LOC, said: “The final selection of the 2018 FIFA World Cup host cities is an important milestone en route to hosting the tournament in 2018.

“This decision launches the full-scale preparation for the FIFA World Cup in the 11 host cities across the country.”

Russia beat England and joint bids from Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal in December 2010 for the right to host the World Cup.

The 2012 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher announced that his league has signed a four year contract extension with Ford Field as the destination for the MAC Championship Game through the 2015 season.

The second longest running college football title game in America, this year’s championship will be held on Friday, November 30 on ESPN2, and will mark the ninth time the title game will be held at Ford Field. Revealed to coaches and a pair of player representatives from each school at the league’s official event to prepare for the college football season, the contract extension assures that one of the nation’s most underrated conference championships will stay right in Detroit.

Lions and Ford Field president Tom Lewand said: “Having hosted numerous NCAA sporting events over the past decade, Ford Field is proud to have been home to the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game since 2004. We’re thrilled to continue this tremendous partnership with the MAC, its teams and their fans.”

Premiership Rugby representatives have landed in the United States of America to play a key role in the development and promotion of rugby in the country.

En route the Aviva Premiership Rugby Trophy visited the cockpit of the British Airways plane. British Airways has supported the visit by supplying flights from their Olympic Flight Bursary Programme.

12 coaches, one from each of the Premiership Rugby clubs, have travelled to New York along with four members of Premiership Rugby’s Community Team to help promote the game. The visit follows Premiership Rugby’s successful trip to Brazil in March to help in the development of rugby in South America.

The core values of rugby will be used by coaches in their work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in New York to help improve self-esteem, community cohesion and other social outcomes.

The visit runs from 28th May to 2nd June and involves the following Premiership Rugby coaches: Caryl Thomas from Bath Rugby, Marc Dibble from Exeter Chiefs, David Barley from Gloucester Rugby, Thomas Williams from Harlequins, Christophe Ridley from Leicester Tigers, Michael Crump from London Irish, Ian Isham from London Wasps, Gavin Beasley from Newcastle Falcons, Benjamin Mann from Northampton Saints, Richard Spencer from Sale Sharks, Max Malkin from Saracens and Tamara Taylor from Worcester Warriors, alongside Wayne Morris, Sophie Hartley, Helen Clayton and Scott Watson from Premiership Rugby’s Community Department.

On Thursday 31st May Premiership Rugby coaches will help launch the Great Campaign Sports Festival, a touch tournament in Central Park, and then will be attending an end-of-season awards event in Harlem with youngsters’ friends and family.

On Friday 1st June, the Public School Athletics League High School Rugby 7s Final will be taking place in New York. During the week leading up to the Final and for the Final itself, two Premiership Rugby coaches and one Play Rugby USA coach will be assigned to mentor each school.

On Saturday 2nd June, Premiership Rugby will be running fan engagement fitness testing sessions in the fans village at the 2012 USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship in Philadelphia, where the Aviva Premiership Rugby trophy will also be on display.

Premiership Rugby’s Community Department has developed a number of ground-breaking initiatives including the Aviva Premiership Rugby Schools Programme, the award winning MBNA Tackling Numbers project and the award winning and innovative social inclusion programme Hitz, as well as the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup, the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Cup, and ESPN Premiership Rugby Masterclasses.

Wayne Morris, Head of Community at Premiership Rugby, said “Each season Premiership Rugby and its clubs invest more than £3 million in a variety of community programmes which aim to grow grassroots participation and tackle core social issues. In the last year alone, Premiership Rugby clubs delivered 150,000 man-hours of community programming to more than 240,000 participants. Premiership Rugby also provides 600 professional players, each a strong role model within their communities, who are involved in supporting the schemes. Our programmes prove that we are a world leader when it comes to our community initiatives, and I’m delighted we have been given the chance to come to the USA to help promote and grow the game.”

Mark Griffin, President of Play Rugby USA (PRUSA), said: “Play Rugby USA is one of the foremost Rugby-based youth development programs in the world. The PRUSA Academy aspires to be the pinnacle of PRUSA’s player development efforts for aspiring and talented young athletes. Partnering with Premiership Rugby and the world’s most competitive domestic rugby competition not only provides a strong endorsement of our Academy’s efforts but more importantly an opportunity for our players and coaches to develop with the support of a World Class partner.”

Dan Lyle, Executive Vice President of USA Sevens Rugby and a former Premiership Rugby player, said: “At the USA Collegiate Rugby Championship Finals we marry up development and aspirational opportunities for players and coaches. Premiership Rugby runs the top club competition globally and the partnership continues our efforts of partnering with World Class groups.”