TSE Consulting, drug the international consulting firm specialised in sport, online has expanded its presence in Asia with the opening of an office in Singapore.

The new office in Singapore will be headed by Kenneth Quah, patient Singapore native who has been based in the TSE headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland for the last six years.

Commenting on the expansion, Lars Haue-Pedersen, Managing Director of TSE Consulting, said: “The Asian market is very active in hosting events and using sport to reach government objectives. We are pleased to have Kenneth, a native to Singapore and an experienced TSE Consultant, take the lead of our new office. From Singapore he will enable us to better serve our clients in the region and at the same time expand our reach to new areas throughout Asia.”

Kenneth Quah, Director of TSE Asia, added: “I am excited to return to Singapore after many years and look forward to brining the expertise I have developed at TSE to the Asian market. I will also focus on bridging Asian cities, countries and sports organisations with best practices from other parts of the world. The office will be fully functional by the last quarter of 2012.” 

The new office will provide regional support to cities and regions who are looking to identify and leverage opportunities in sport within the following separate, yet highly inter-related components that are fundamental to sport in any city/region or country: events, performance, participation, and facilities. In particular, TSE Asia will assist cities and countries who are looking to develop long-term sports strategies and host international and national sports events. 

TSE Consulting, headquarted in Lausanne, Switzerland, also has offices in North and South America, Scandinavia, South Africa and the Middle East.

Read Lars Haue-Pedersen exclusive iSportconnect featured profile here>>

WWE have continued their recent expansion by announcing their first live tour of Russia.

WWE has seen recent success on Russian Televison and has scheduled the WWE RAW World Tour for the Luzhniki Small Sports Arena in Moscow on Wednesday April 11, ed 2012.

The WWE RAW World Tour will bring some of WWE’s biggest Superstars and Divas to the fans in Russia for all the live excitement. Among the talent slated to attend are: John Cena, CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, Kelly Kelly, Eve and many more. WWE will be working with the Russian live events promoter SAV Entertainment who has previously brought such prestigious acts as Paul McCartney, U2, Britney Spears, Aerosmith and Elton John to Russia.

“This will be SAV Entertainment’s first experience of this kind of show and we are very happy to launch it in Russia together with WWE” said Nadia Solovieva, SAV Entertainment CEO.

Dominic Hayes, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, WWE International, said: “Following the success of WWE RAW launching on 2×2 this past February, we are excited to bring some of WWE’s greatest Superstars and Divas to our Russian fans. WWE has a strong and ever growing fan base in Russia and we are looking forward to further developing the WWE brand in the market with this live tour.”

This follows WWE announcing their first foray into Abu Dhabi.

President, Enrique Cerezo, has initiated palns for a new Atlético Madrid’s 70,000-capacity stadium at La Peineta in the San Blas area of the city, which is set to replace the Vicente Calderón as their home from 2015.

Atlético’s current ground has room for 55,000 spectators and has been used by Los Colchoneros since October, 1966, but the new stadium will eventually have a 73,000 capacity after it has been expanded.

The first phase in the building of La Peineta is already underway: at the moment it is used for athletics and can accommodate 20,000 people and, according to the city’s ruling council, part of one of the stands will be demolished along with two floodlights while a number of walkways, perimeter walls and the athletics track will also be ripped up. Initially expected to be ready for the 2010/11 season, work on the new project has suffered a number of delays in recent years due to finance, but was formally approved on September 28.

At a ceremony in the city attended by the present squad and former Atlético greats such as Abelardo Rodríguez, Luis Aragonés, Luiz Pereira, Luis Reina and Kiko, Cerezo called it one of the most important days in history of the club.

He said: “This is an important day and I would say it is one of the most important in the history of this club. It is the beginning of a dream. Atlético hopes to create an unmistakable icon for the club and the city of Madrid.

“It will be a sign of identity and will provide the city with a new architectural symbol that in the future may become the home of the Olympic Games. There are not many times one has the opportunity to live a historical moment as relevant in the life of a sports club as this.”

On completion, La Peineta will be equipped with the best infrastructure and technology available and will hold concerts and major international sporting events with facilities expected to include: a state-of-the-art security system, escalators and elevators around the stadium perimeter on eight levels, meeting and conference areas, a clubhouse, an 18-hole golf course, swimming pools and paddle tennis courts. Supporters will also be able to take advantage of improved access points, nearby suburban and metro stations, parking for over 3,000 cars, commercial areas, specially adapted disabled areas, VIP rooms, private boxes, restaurants and fan zones.

Atlético are hoping to play at least one game there before the end of the 2014-15 season, while moving in permanently for the start of the following campaign, and confirmation of the move follows Madrid’s failed bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. However, the stadium will be presented as the focal point of the Spanish capital’s bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, when it will face competition from Doha, Istanbul, Baku, Rome and Tokyo.

Soccer’s World Governing Body FIFA have granted permission for England’s footballers to wear embroidered poppies for Saturday’s match at Wembley but only on their black armband.

The FA said in a statement: “The FA welcomes FIFA’s decision and thanks them for agreeing to this. While continuing to adhere to the laws of the game, wearing the poppy on the armband does ensure the poppy will be visible throughout the game.”

FIFA initially denied England’s request yesterday to place poppies on the national shirts during the Spain friendly but influential figures FA President Prince William and Prime Minister David Cameron jumped into the row.

The Duke of Cambridge – who lost two close friends in Iraq and Afghanistan – wote a strongly worded letter expressing his discontent.

Mr Cameron, meanwhile, blasted the ‘appalling’ decision to ban poppies worn out of respect for servicemen and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Less than an hour after the letters were sent, FIFA  whose reputation is hanging by a thread following a corruption scandal announced the compromise.

It means the FA has complied  to strict FIFA rules banning political symbols being displayed on national shirts, while football chiefs in Zurich save face.

It has also been discovered that NIke have taken advantage of FIFA’s submission by stitching poppies into the football boots of Ashley Cole, Theo Walcott, Scott Parker and Gabriel Agbonlahor for Spain match.

Sports marketing firm World Sport Group (WSG) have been appointed by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and the China Football Industry Development Corporation (CFIDC) on a multi-year deal, see to develop the brand of the country’s national soccer team.

WSG will create a comprehensive match schedule for China whilst enhancing the commercial revenues of the team once the deal is activated in May.

The agreement was signed by CFIDC deputy general manager, ed Liu Weidong and Nick Mould, president of East Asia at World Sport Group, at the organisation’s headquarters in Beijing on Saturday, March 12.

Wei Di, vice-president and general secretary of the CFA, stated: “We believe Chinese football has found itself at a reasonable level and the performances at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar showed that there has been a strengthening of resolve. There is a belief in what can be achieved in the future.

“We believe Chinese football can enjoy a bright and successful future in partnership with our friends at World Sport Group.”

Pescara in Italy has been announced as the host of the 2015 Mediterranean beach games.

This was decided by the meeting of the ICMG, doctor the 24 Olympic Committees of the Mediterranean countries which took place in Mersin, bronchi Turkey. 

Pescara situated in the Abruzzo region in Italy, which in 2009 hosted the Mediterranean Games, beat off competition from Marseille. The Mediterranean Games include beach games and water sports 

The event will take place 21st to 30th August 2015.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) have launched Monumental Network, medstore a hub for Monumental-controlled content platforms for fans and customers in the Washington D.C. region and around the world, announced Ted Leonsis, the organization’s founder, chairman, majority owner and CEO. 

MonumentalNetwork.com will serve as one of the region’s top destinations for sports and entertainment news, providing fans with exclusive, original content and programming.

MonumentalNetwork.com will serve as the flagship site of a network that will eventually include more than 20 websites and blogs that are associated with MSE’s three professional sports teams (Capitals, Wizards and Mystics), Verizon Center, Patriot Center and Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Additionally, the recently created Monumental video productions department will produce original video content that will be deployed on MonumentalNetwork.com and throughout the various sports and entertainment sites.

The launch of MonumentalNetwork.com includes a mobile and tablet version of the website as well as social login capabilities via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Yahoo.

“We are incredibly excited to launch Monumental Network, an all-encompassing platform that will deliver the most extensive and original content directly to our fans,” says Leonsis. “We will produce and broadcast unprecedented coverage of our teams as well as coverage of other sporting and entertainment ventures, making Monumental Network a comprehensive source for sports and entertainment news and features.”

Initially Monumental Network will create a common platform for many of its popular sites, including Ted’s Take, Capitals Voice, Dump ‘n Chase, Capitals Today and Washington Wizards Blog as well as new initiatives such as Daily Wizdom and Wizards and Mystics Today. This common platform will also allow a new, dedicated digital sales force to effectively and efficiently sell partnership opportunities across all platforms as well as the integration of mobile app sales.

Caterham Cars is looking to capitalise on the exposure gained from entry into Formula One by appointing Slingshot Sponsorship to activate all available commercial opportunities.

Slingshot will implement an extensive sponsorship strategy, anesthetist including brand marketing partnerships, unhealthy endorsement deals, arthritis licensing, corporate experience days, and much more.

The aim of the partnership is to create unique properties that can leverage the Company’s profile, and enhance the brand’s global appeal, capitalising on the brand’s entry into Formula One earlier this year.

Ansar Ali, Chief Executive of Caterham Cars, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Slingshot Sponsorship as their unique services complement the ambitious objectives of our brand, particularly now we are part of the Caterham Group.”

“As a British sportscar brand with the iconic Seven at the heart of our business, I have always felt we have much to offer brand partners, particularly through our motorsport and drive experience operations.  Now, as part of the Caterham Group, we have so much more to offer in terms of value and brand awareness, and Slingshot Sponsorship is the right partner to deliver and leverage the commercial partnerships.”

Motorsport is at the heart of Caterham Cars, with the Seven the original ‘race car for the road’; over 700 competitors racing the iconic model today in 11 countries around the world is testimony to this.

The acquisition of Caterham Cars by Tony Fernandes in 2011 and the Caterham F1 Team’s presence in Formula One has propelled the British brand to the forefront of a global audience.

With increased public and media attention from the Caterham brand’s first season in F1 and a recent track record of robust financial results, the company is now looking to further leverage its commercial activities.  Caterham plans to facilitate this through Slingshot Sponsorship’s expertise in building existing assets into commercially-sustainable sponsorship platforms.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director of Slingshot Sponsorship commented: “Being able to work with a brand that is on the brink of such change and innovation is what we live for at Slingshot Sponsorship.  We cannot wait to begin delivering the creative concepts and brand partnerships that will help project Caterham Cars to a wider audience of new enthusiasts.  The Caterham brand creates exceptionally strong advocates, both in Britain and internationally and we hope to turn this passion for the brand into a more holistic and accessible commercial property that can deliver real value for brand partnerships.”

by Ismail Uddin