The Japanese Olympic Committee’s (JOC) Symbol Athlete sponsorship program aims to raise US$6.7million over four years.

Popular Japanese figure skater, Yuzuru Hanyu has become the latest athlete to join the program, which is comprised of top Japanese athletes. Sponsors receive image rights of the athletes signed up to the program.

Skaters Daisuke Takahashi and Joji Kato are reportedly planning renew their involvement with the program and women’s speed skater Nao Kodaira could soon join the program.{jcomments on}

Phizzle, a leading technology provider of advanced mobile marketing products and digital advertising solutions, today announced it will continue to enhance the mobile experience for fans of the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2012-2013 NBA season.

The Suns and Sixers will provide fans the ability to receive instant news, updates, special offers and scoring alerts through SMS messages powered by Phizzle’s platform. Whether fans are at the game or watching at home, Phizzle’s proprietary solution, Broadcaster iX, produces real-time, interactive HD graphics enabling fans to be part of the action by providing fun and stimulating experiences, including Text-2-Vote instant polling, trivia opportunities, Text-2-Win promotions as well as Text-2-Screen elements through SMS messages, tweets and pictures displayed during the game on any screen.

The renewal of both teams also brings enhancements to the platform for both teams. Understanding the importance of social media and how it fits into the overall strategy for teams, the Sixers and Suns can now manage their SMS messaging as well as their social media outlets from Phizzle’s platform. Additionally, the Suns have successfully integrated Phizzle’s “chat” feature into their smartphone application enabling fans to have a direct, one-to-one SMS conversation with a guest service representative to enhance the in-venue experience by reporting issues or requesting assistance. These enhancements will enable the Suns and Sixers to streamline operations as it relates to social and mobile management as well as adding one more element that enhances the experience for every fan in the arenas.

“In the previous seasons which we’ve worked with Phizzle on various mobile campaigns, we’ve been able to consistently deepen the touch-point connection with our fans,” stated Nick Gesacion, Director of New Media for the Philadelphia 76ers. “Engaging our audience through mobile marketing, as with any successful, productive relationship, inherently requires a mutual exchange of value and that’s what Phizzle, as our mobile marketing provider, has helped us to develop and deliver.”

“We are pleased to continue our valued partnership with the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers,” said Ben Davis, CEO of Phizzle. “We think the ongoing relationship with both teams is an impressive testament to the growth — not just of our customers — but the market in itself that realizes just how powerful fan engagement through digital marketing can be. With Phizzle’s technology and solutions, we’ve been able to provide sports teams in various major sports leagues the opportunity to measure the behaviors, habits and interests of fans, which in turn enables them to target the appropriate audience with applicable offers and messages.”

MP & Silva, asthma a leading international sports media rights company, remedy with 14 offices worldwide, capsule | has been appointed as the Confederation’s exclusive media and marketing agency to distribute Oceania’s football content worldwide through a vast network of broadcasters.

The rights package comprises all OFC competitions, including the OFC FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2014, 2018, 2022, all OFC home-matches (national and club teams), the OFC Nations Cup (whose winner qualifies for the FIFA Confederation Cup) and OFC Olympic matches (Men and Women).

MP & Silva has the expertise and network to help drive OFC’s broadcasting strategy forward and distribute OFC content to a global audience.  The partnership was made official during a signing ceremony in Auckland this week, with OFC President David Chung and Senior Vice President Martin Alufurai putting pen to paper with MP & Silva representative Ahmed Schaefer, VP Acquisitions and Strategic Partnerships. 

General Secretary Tai Nicholas said that the partnership will help to open up new markets for OFC. “We face a number of challenges in the Pacific, especially when covering events across vast distances and in countries where infrastructure can sometimes be limited. But this new partnership gives us access to a whole range of resources while delivering OFC’s unique football content to the rest of the world”, added Nicholas.

Established in 2004, MP & Silva has a strong presence in Asia, with 5 offices distributing acquired rights for a raft of football leagues including Italian Serie A,  French Ligue 1, English Premier League and Brazilian League Serie A. In Oceania, MP & Silva has already developed relationships with Sky NZ, Network 10, Setanta and SBS but is looking forward to extending their reach into the region. 

The agency will act in an advisory role to further develop OFC’s marketing and television strategy, while working on behalf of the Confederation to sell OFC properties both regionally and internationally. “Our objective is to contribute to the success of all Oceania Football Competitions and improve its reach to other regions of the world. I am thrilled to start this journey with this highly innovative and dynamic FIFA Confederation and we are determined to develop a long and lasting relationship”, said Andrea Radrizzani, Group CEO of MP & Silva.

by Ismail Uddin

Lord Sebastian Coe is disputing the claims that the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 games will struggle to fill the stadium as doubts emerge over the sport’s ability to attract big crowds and the stadium ending up becoming a ‘white elephant.’

The stadium is expected to be converted from an 80,000-seater during the Games to a 60,000 capacity after the Olympics but critics have said athletics is not a strong enough sport to fill it.

Olympic organising committee chief Coe told the London Assembly the sceptics were wrong.

“There is no lack of demand for top class track and field in this country,” he said.

Crystal Palace often holds the biggest athletics events in Britain. The capacity there is about 16,000 but Coe said organisers could probably sell five times that number of tickets.

He added that between 50,000 and 70,000 fans typically attended international athletics events in European cities like Paris and Brussels.

“If we have a larger venue we would fill that venue, there is no question about that,” said Coe.

“Let’s not run away with the idea that track and field is a sport that is not supported—it is a very popular sport.”

Maintaining a track would not only fulfil a pledge made during London’s successful bid to host the Games, it should also strengthen the city’s attempt to stage the 2017 world athletics championships.

It has however restricted the search for a ‘legacy tenant’ and raised fears the stadium could lie empty for much of the time hence the notion of a’ white elephant.’ Running costs are estimated to be about five million pounds ($7.8 million) a year.

Last week a deal to allow second-tier soccer club West Ham United to move in to the venue collapsed over a legal wrangle with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and third-tier team Leyton Orient.

“I think it was the right decision to cut through the potential for ongoing legal challenge and, worse than that, ongoing legal challenge that was taxpayer-fuelled,” Coe said.

He added that athletics would be at the heart of the stadium’s legacy but it would not be “uniquely track and field”.

“I do think it is very important we maintain that commitment to an Olympic legacy and to a mix of tenancies in there,” he said.

West Ham could still end up renting the facility under a new plan to keep the stadium in public ownership.

The Football Association (FA) has been given a deadline of the end of February to bring in wide-ranging reforms including taking a leading role in controlling club debt.

The Government has published its response to the select committee report on football governance and called for further changes to the make-up of the FA board. The FA, working with the leagues, should take a prominent role in monitoring finances as part of a new licensing system, the response said.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson said: “This is an opportunity for football to sort this out for itself. They have until the end of February to do so, otherwise we will introduce legislation to require them to make the necessary changes.”

Robertson said the football authorities did not have to agree to follow the select committee’s proposals exactly but if not then they had to come up with an alternative solution.

“This is an opportunity to come up with something sensible that tackles the issues that have been raised,” he said.

The Government’s response says there should be a system of licensing for clubs where financial sustainability and robust checks on club owners directors are included.

The response states: “The Government shares the concern expressed by the committee at the extent of losses and the number of clubs on the edge of viability.

“Debt per se is not always a bad thing, but it must be genuinely sustainable and should be assessed as a percentage of turnover. Government believes that there is a legitimate role for the national governing body, working hand in hand with competition organisers, to ensure that appropriate and consistent checks and balances are in place to protect the overall financial integrity of the national game and its long-term viability.

“The recent moves by the Football League to work towards a break-even rule in the Championship are a welcome indication of the appetite amongst many clubs for a change.

“The Government expects that the issue of financial sustainability should be addressed as part of the recommendations on the new licensing model.”

The report makes clear the Government’s threat to bring in legislation if reforms are not made.

It states: “We expect the football authorities to work together to agree proposals, including plans for implementation, by 29 February 2012. The new board can then agree the way forward for the remainder of the recommendations, ideally for implementation for the start of the 2012-13 football season. If that does not happen the Government will introduce a legal requirement on the Football Association to implement the appropriate governance clauses by the swiftest possible means.”

The Government’s proposals also call for reform of FA board. They propose the new structure should be made up of chairman, general secretary, two further FA executives “bringing wider football expertise”, two independent non-executive directors and two each from the professional and national game.

The FA Council’s role should be changed so that committees report to the FA board instead, with a maximum limit of eight years for council members.

The football authorities should look at ways to encourage more fans on clubs’ boards, the Government says, and clubs should be forced to release players for England duty at all age levels from under-17 upwards.

A joint FA, Premier League and Football League statement said they would take some time to decide on action. The statement said: “We shall now take time to consider the department’s response as we formulate what the most appropriate actions might be.

“The FA, the Premier League, The Football League and representatives of the national game are already engaged in this process and are committed to keeping the minister and his department informed of our progress.”

By Martin Laurence

2010 was a fantastic year in the world of sports with numerous major events catching the eye and imagination of fans from around the world. The World Cup was staged in South Africa, the first World Cup to be staged on the continent. Sebastien Vettel became the youngest winner of the Formula One Driver’s championship with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber finishing third, ensuring victory for the young constructor’s team. The likes of England and India dominated World cricket with the former winning their first Twenty20 World Cup and retaining the Ashes in the same year. Europe’s golfers overcame the American’s to regain the Ryder Cup under Colin Montgomerie’s stewardship. The Commonwealth Games were shrouded in controversy prior and since the event in October in Delhi with organisers heavily criticised in their preparations to the event.

These are just a few highlights from a memorable sporting year and here will depict the world’s major sports in images highlighting their 2010!

American Football

Athletics

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Cricket

Football / Soccer

Formula One

Golf

Horse Racing

Ice Hockey

Rugby

Tennis

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has signed a commercial deal with Eden Park, the clothes brand founded by five international rugby players in 1987.

Eden Park will provide an exclusive tailored collection of bespoke formalwear for the team.

The six-year deal will cover the next two rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015. Eden Park will kit out the entire 215-strong England squads, ranging from the seniors, the under 18s, management, and backroom staff.

Martin Johnson, England team manager, said: “Eden Park’s rugby heritage and attention to details make it an ideal partner for the RFU. Being founded by five ex-international rugby players means they know exactly what a rugby player requires and we are delighted Eden Park has committed to a long term contract with the England team.”

The RFU Eden Park formalware includes grey suits, white shirts, smart overcoats and cashmere scarves.

Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips is intent on turning the British racecourse into the best circuit in the world, he has revealed.

Silverstone signed a new 17-year contract to host the Formula One British Grand Prix last December after Donington Park failed to secure funding for a major refurbishment .

For this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Silverstone has spent over US$7 million on a new layout, the first reconfiguration of the track since 1991.

Phillips said: “We intend to be the best circuit in the world. We will never compete with Abu Dhabi who have built a hotel that lights up in different ways, which is absolutely fantastic.

“But do we have a better circuit than they do? Yeah, I think we do. Do we have better crowds, better atmosphere? Yes, we’ve all those things.

“So we have something they, and a lot of these emerging circuits around the world, will never have. So if we can perfect our track – I’m not saying we’re absolutely there yet – and everything we do build is cutting edge and really spectacular, then why wouldn’t people think we’re the best in the world?”

Phillips went on: “I would say that in somewhere between three and ten years we would hope to achieve our aim. We’re almost emerging again – a rebirth if you like. We’re trying to cover an awful lot of ground in a short period of time. I wouldn’t pretend we are going to achieve it in anything less than that.”