HP Enterprise Services and NASCAR today unveiled the NASCAR Fan and Media Engagement Center (FMEC), a business solution designed to better serve NASCAR’s industry, media, fans and sponsors by facilitating real-time response to traditional, digital, broadcast and social media.

The FMEC, the culmination of a collaboration between NASCAR and HP announced in June, leverages HP’s broad portfolio of services and solutions including: business solution design and implementation services, servers, displays and Autonomy software to provide an integrated solution only HP can deliver. This solution helps NASCAR analyze fan sentiment, identify emerging issues and discover topic trends for instantly actionable insights. Based on that, NASCAR and its partners will be not only better informed to take advantage of local and national coverage opportunities, but also able to conduct regular media analysis to help shape business practices.

“The Fan and Media Engagement Center will serve as a showpiece of NASCAR’s strategic technology vision,” said Steve Phelps, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, NASCAR. “We believe this center will be the best of its kind in sports. Thanks to HP’s consultative approach to our vision and their technology, software and services, NASCAR will be able to provide added value to our fans and industry.”

Combined with its media and entertainment industry consulting services, HP leveraged itsAutonomy Explore, Autonomy Intelligent Data Operating Layer and Autonomy Media Aggregation Service applications to provide NASCAR with access to a complete analysis of all key forms of media, including print, television, radio, video, images and social media. Unlike other monitoring and measurement systems that focus on only social or digital media, the FMEC platform will give NASCAR a unique perspective into analyses that combine several different types of media.

The FMEC also will leverage offerings from Jive to enable cross-enterprise collaboration and disseminate information from Autonomy to various NASCAR organizations including marketing, leadership and sponsors.

“The ability to monitor information and sentiment to adapt quickly to changing environments can provide tremendous competitive advantage,” said Charles Salameh, vice president — Americas region, Communications, Media and Entertainment Industry, Enterprise Services, HP. “HP’s integrated solution not only benefits NASCAR’s complex ecosystem but shows HP’s strategy of delivering unique, customer-centric solutions that make it all work in action.”

NASCAR’s Integrated Marketing Communications department will operate the FMEC, which will work closely with NASCAR Digital Media.

Rugby Canada has announced Enterprise Canada has become its agency of record for all public relations initiatives in 2012.

Enterprise Canada will be responsible for the comprehensive development and execution of targeted media relations strategies on behalf of the national rugby organization.

“We are pleased to be working with Enterprise Canada to build the brand of Rugby Canada,” said Graham Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Rugby Canada. “Rugby is a fast, exciting sport that people would love if they had more exposure to it. Enterprise Canada is invested in our organization and our game in a way that will help us make more Canadians aware of the great athletes we have playing this great game.”

With some 35 consultants in offices in Toronto, Niagara and Ottawa, Enterprise Canada has been a leading strategic communications, government, media and public relations firm serving the private, public and not-for-profit sectors for more than 60 years. Enterprise Canada will help promote the events and players of Rugby Canada, building the profile of both the organization and the sport, which will make its Olympic debut at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Enterprise Canada’s goal for the upcoming year is to help reinforce and maintain Rugby Canada’s current position within Canada as a progressive and well-administered sport organization.

Stephen Murdoch, Vice President, Public Relations for Enterprise Canada, said: “We are very excited that Rugby Canada has chosen to form a partnership with Enterprise Canada. We are very invested in ensuring Rugby Canada continued success. We are confident that this partnership for 2012 is the beginning of great things to come this year.”

by Ismail Uddin

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) have announced that the WWE Raw World Tour will visit for the first time the Zayed Sports City, ailment | International Tennis Complex in Abu Dhabi from Thursday, treat February 9 through Saturday, tadalafil February 11, 2012.

This marks the second time within a year that WWE is bringing its World Tour to the Middle East.

WWE currently has a strong TV presence in Abu Dhabi reaching more than 20 million households across the region with its flagship weekly shows, WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. WWE Raw is broadcast on MBC and the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, with WWE SmackDown seen on Orbit Showtime Network.

Patrick Talty, General Manager of the Zayed Sports City, said: “WWE is the biggest name in family entertainment today. Their Superstars are some of the most talented performers in the world. The fans will not be disappointed when they get to experience all the WWE excitement live and in person. We are proud to be hosting their inaugural trip to Abu Dhabi.”

Dominic Hayes, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, WWE International, added: “Hosting three live events in Abu Dhabi for the first time is a testament to the growing demand for the WWE brand in this region. As part of our continued international expansion, we are very excited to bring our unique form of live, action-packed entertainment and the biggest WWE Superstars to our passionate fan base in the Middle East.”

QPR owner Tony Fernandes has revealed the Premier League club is searching for a bigger venue in west London to replace Loftus Road.

The 18,500-capacity Shepherd’s Bush ground is the smallest in the English Premier League and Fernandes, who has been in charge of the club for just over three months, said they were looking to expand.

“It’s still premature at the moment. The key this season is to survive, but we would like a bigger ground, and we are looking,” Fernandes said.

“It has to be in the area. It makes no sense to move out from where you have spent most of your life, and where the fan base is.

Fernandes, who also owns F1’s Team Lotus and budget airline AirAsia, told Press Association: “So west London is where we are and where we’d like to be.

“I’ve built airlines and Formula One teams, but building a stadium is not the easiest thing in the world. There are opportunities in west London we are looking at.”

The key question for Fernandes is deciding on the capacity of the new stadium.

“Some fans are saying ‘We don’t have a fan base bigger than 20,000’,” Fernandes said.

“My gut feel is 40-45,000. That’s double where we are right now, but we’re in London and there’s a strong catchment area.

“Of course, there is nothing worse than a half-empty stadium, but I’m the king of sizing.

“If you start an airline with two planes, and then you buy 150 planes, the same question can be asked.

“As I say, it’s just a gut feel, but we’ll do some studies first.”

Of primary concern for Fernandes is ensuring QPR survive, with the Malaysian entrepreneur promising manager Neil Warnock up to four new players when the January transfer window opens.

Governing body, clinic UK Anti-Doping and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) have signed an agreement to share Athlete Biological Passport data and other doping-related information to assist in the fight against doping in sport.

The Athlete Biological Passport is a programme based on the monitoring of selected biological variables which can reveal the effects of doping. Athletes on the system are profiled over time and should show consistent levels of the variables. Any changes to the levels could suggest doping and will result in further investigation and target testing.

As the UK’s National Anti-Doping Organisation, pills UK Anti-Doping uses this information to monitor the levels in an athlete’s profile. The agreement signed with the UCI will allow both organisations to share this information and build their combined target testing capabilities.

UCI President Pat McQuaid said: “The UCI is very pleased with this agreement which marks another important advancement for the fight against doping. By pooling knowhow and resources at national and international level, overnight sale by efficiently using technological tools and the extensive Biological Passport data available, we are one step closer to permanently eradicating doping across the globe.

“The UCI is delighted to see its vision shared worldwide by important leading anti-doping bodies such as UK Anti-Doping.”

Andy Parkinson, UK Anti-Doping Chief Executive, added: “In the countdown to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, UK Anti-Doping is delighted to work with the UCI, who have led the way in maximising the benefits the biological passport offers.

“Establishing this formal partnership is vital in our ability to tackle doping and crack down on those who insist on dishonestly enhancing their performance. It also reinforces our joint ambition to pool resources and expertise in the fight against doping, not just in this country, but globally.”

The company formerly tasked with promoting the Wolrd Rally Championship (WRC), North One Sport, has been taken over by sports marketing firm Convers Sports Initiatives (CSI).

The acquisition of North One Sport by CSI was allowed through parent company North One Television, which snapped up the WRC’s commercial rights holding company in 2007 and will continue to produce all WRC programming.

In 2009, North One Sport was appointed to look after the WRC’s commercial and media rights on a long-term deal to run until 2020. Alongside the WRC, North One Sport manages the media distribution and content delivery on behalf of the Isle of Man TT, the Velux 5 Oceans Race and the Clipper Round the World yacht race.

Based in London, CSI is part of the Convers Group headed by Russian entrepreneur and investor Vladimir Antonov, who stated: “Convers Sports’ acquisition of North One Sport starts a new page in the history of the WRC.

“Our team will use all the resources available to us to continue to excite fans with one of the best racing challenges in the world,” he added. “Our company plans to invest substantial resources to improve the promotion of the WRC and bring the quality of competition to even higher levels. This will benefit both participants and spectators in the long run.”

North One Sport’s CEO Simon Long added: “In some ways it’s business as usual for North One Sport. The vision remains the same and we have continuity in that the great team of individuals that work for us will continue to do so.”

Formula One sponsor LG has said it is confident the Korean Grand Prix will go ahead as planned in October, despite problems over the construction of the circuit.

Executive vice-president and chief marketing officer at LG – which is based in South Korea, Dermot Boden, has said everything is being done to ensure the race goes ahead.

He said: “I live in Korea – I’ve been living there for two-and-a-half years – and this race is going to occur.

“The Koreans are passionate, driven and committed. They are very focused on delivering on their Key Performance Indicators and I want to be clear – we will have a race in Korea.

“I strongly believe that and I don’t have any reason to doubt that. The Koreans will want to deliver not jst a race but an outstanding race – and I think they will do that.”

 

Major League Soccer (MLS) club Sporting Kansas City have renewed their partnership with Brazilian club Fluminense FC until 2016.

The deal will see the teams directly facilitate cooperation for player loans/transfers, academy exchanges and commercial opportunities.

“When we started the initial discussions of forming a partnership with a club outside of the United States, we were looking for a very specific set of qualities and opportunities,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “We did not want this to be a marketing ploy. We wanted this to be beneficial for both clubs on the business and technical side.

“After meeting with Fluminense several times since the Disney Pro Soccer Classic in February, we realized that they were a perfect fit. We were aware of their club tradition and ability to produce world-class talent, but it was the common philosophy and vision shared between both clubs’ management that drove this partnership. We think there are many business practices that each club can share to better the other club promoting a win-win scenario on and off the field. Through this partnership, we’ll be able to send players down to Brazil to gain additional experience and Fluminense will be able to do the same with us.”

As part of the affiliation, Fluminense FC agrees to loan at least one player per MLS season to Sporting Kansas City. Fluminense FC will also loan other players to Sporting KC’s USL PRO affiliate(s). These loan moves will serve to further develop and showcase the players in the international market, while exposing them to a new culture and style of play.

In addition, Fluminense FC and Sporting Kansas City will collaborate on the exchange of youth players, academy staff and training/coaching methodologies over the course of the partnership. This alliance will provide opportunities for players within each team’s youth development system to live, train and compete abroad within the Academy system at the partner club.

“Player development, training opportunities and coaching education all feed into our core mission and this partnership with Fluminense FC will be of great benefit in all of these areas,” Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman said. “This partnership will provide access to another level of curriculum and will continue to help us become the best developmental organization in the United States.”

Each club has also committed to hosting an international friendly between the two teams inside their home venue and providing access to training facilities for pre-season visits. 

“We continuously invested in our presence in the North American market over the last two years in search of a strategic partnership,” said Fluminense’s president Peter Siemsen. “I believe our goals and communication are very well aligned. We could not be any more pleased with this association for our brand.”

The Australian Football League (AFL) has announced former News Corp Australia boss Kim Williams has joined the AFL Commission.

AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick nominated Williams for the non-executive role at an announcement in Sydney on Monday.

He replaces Rio Tinto chief financial officer Chris Lynch, who will step down on March 4 after six years in the role.

The media executive joins a number of other businessmen on the commission, including Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder and Seek co-founder Paul Bassat.

Williams abruptly stood down as News Corp chief executive in August last year after less than two years in the job.

He previously spent a decade as head of pay TV company Foxtel.

The appointment comes as the AFL reportedly looks to bring forward negotiations over television broadcast rights.

Fitzpatrick thanked Lynch for his role in developing the game at a time of great change, which included the addition of Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

He said Williams’ nomination was recommended by a sub-committee made up of himself, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, West Coast chairman Alan Cransberg and current commissioner Linda Dessau.

“Kim will bring significant experience and knowledge of broadcasting, print and digital media to the role, as well as his well-known life-long interest in the arts,” Fitzpatrick told reporters.

“He’s one of Australia’s most dynamic and creative business people.

“We welcome his intellect and his vision to Commission deliberations.”

Williams said it was a great honour to join the AFL.

“I look forward to being a dedicated contributor to Commission affairs and I trust that my skill set will represent something that combines harmoniously with that of the other commissioners,” he said.

Williams was an invited observer at the AFL Commission’s meeting in Sydney on Monday.

Fitzpatrick confirmed the league’s controversial cost of living allowances was being discussed, but was not a “key” item.

He said he didn’t anticipate a decision on any potential changes to the current regulations at Monday’s meeting, but hopes the AFL will reach “some sort of conclusion” in the next two to three months.

“Obviously whatever happens, clubs have to plan,” he added.