SMMEX & Brand Licensing Europe Announce Partnership

SMMEX – Sports Merchandise and Marketing Exhibition announce a new partnership with Brand Licensing Europe. This collaboration will bring together 2 market leading shows and provide new opportunities for attendees to both shows.

SMMEX 2014, capsule a truly unique event, story will take place on Monday 10th March at Wembley stadium and play host to over 140 manufacturers and suppliers of merchandise and marketing services from across the globe. Brand Licensing Europe, drug which takes place at Olympia in October, is the definitive event for the European licensing industry and will see over 280 leading brand owners showcase the latest brands, characters and images to over 7,200 retailers, licensees and sales promotion professionals.

“BLE is delighted to be partnering with SMMEX. We hope that this partnership will open up new opportunities for exhibitors and visitors at both shows and help to engage more people in the world of licensing” says Darren Brechin, Event Director, Brand Licensing Europe.

Brand owners that exhibit at Brand Licensing Europe will be able to attend SMMEX and meet with potential new partners, whilst exhibitors at SMMEX will be able to visit Brand Licensing Europe and discover the latest brands, characters and images available for license. This new partnership will see both show organisers cross promote their respective events through direct marketing and co-hosted seminars.

Michael Corbett, Sales Director at SMMEX EVENT said “Our exhibitors are looking to work with the major sports clubs, brands and licenses available to them. There are hundreds of products readily available to brand in any colour with any logo and SMMEX at Wembley Stadium is the perfect place for any licensor to visit for free and potentially find a new partner. The show may have started for the sports teams, but a mug or kids toy is as relevant to an entertainment brand as it is to any sports club, so the event has grown to welcome all kinds of people. We are confident that teaming with BLE will bring both parties a host of new opportunities.”

A unique seminar and networking event will be jointly hosted by both show organisers on Sunday 9th March at Wembley, before the next SMMEX event.

To request your complimentary ticket to SMMEX at Wembley Stadium on Monday 10th March 2014 please visit www.smmexevent.com

Rob Manfred Promoted to COO of MLB

Major League Baseball (MLB) have promoted Rob Manfred to Chief Operating Officer putting him in a position to possibly suceed Bud Selig as commissioner.

He will oversee MLB’s day-to-day operations. The position had been vacant since Bob DuPuy resigned in September 2010.

Selig, who has headed baseball since September 1992, said last week he intends to retire in January 2015.

“The reorganization of our management team will facilitate an orderly transition and will position Major League Baseball’s operations for sustained prosperity well into the future,” Selig said in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence in Rob to excel at his expanded duties and to help the industry maintain its extraordinary growth and vitality.

“Rob has tremendous institutional knowledge and first-hand experience with many of our most complex matters, including labor, revenue sharing, competitive balance and the most comprehensive drug program in American professional sports,” Selig added. “I am pleased that I will work with him even more closely in the near future.”

Manfred had previously served as the league’s executive vice president of economics and league affairs. He was responsible for labor relations with the players union as well as human resources. Manfred was a partner in the Labor and Employment Law Section of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP in their Washington, D.C., office before joining MLB in 1998.

“I thank Commissioner Selig for placing his faith in me,” Manfred said in a statement. “The opportunity to serve the Clubs in this new position is a distinct honor. I have taken great pride in working closely with the Commissioner and supporting the many outstanding initiatives implemented during his tenure. All of us at Major League Baseball look forward to assisting Commissioner Selig during his transition process in preparation for his retirement.”

Increase in Tourism Boosts Turkey’s 2020 Bid

Turkey’s 2020 bid has received a boost following a report showing the number of foreign visitors to Turkey has risen in the first eight months of 2012 to 22 million – an increase of more than half a million visitors in the same period in 2011.

According to figures released by Turkey’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Turkey is rated as one of the top ten most visited countries in the world and Istanbul is the fifth most visited destination with more than 11 million foreign visitors expected this year.

Hasan Arat, Chairman of Istanbul 2020 said: “These figures highlight that more and more tourists are being attracted to Turkey’s vibrant culture, rich history, hospitable people and spectacular location which bridges Europe and Asia.

“Turkey’s tourist infrastructure has grown significantly, increasing by 67 per cent in the last ten years. By 2015 Turkey’s hotels will offer 370,000 rooms for a wide variety of budgets – and this diversity of hotel accommodation is replicated in Istanbul. This is one of the great strengths of our bid, which will be demonstrated in our candidature file next year.”

Ugur Erdener, IOC member and President of the Turkish NOC said: “This year Turkey is hosting several prestigious international sports events which, together with the increase in international visitors, contribute to the real momentum behind Turkeys bid to host its first ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020. However, we recognize there is a significant amount of work still to do, and our team of national and international experts is focussed on delivering a unique and innovative blueprint for the Games with our Candidature File which will be submitted to the IOC Executive Board early in 2013.”

Olympic Stadium in Contention to Host Rugby World Cup Matches

London’s Olympic Stadium is being contemplated as a possible venue for the 2015 Rugby World Cup hosted by England and Wales.

According to The Daily Telegraph, buy the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has filed a submission for the Olympic Stadium to host matches throughout the 2015 tournament.

The stadium could play host to several group stage matches as well as the third place playoff game with the arena likely to replace Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium as a tournament venue, were the application to be accepted.

Paul Vaughan, Chief Executive of England Rugby 2015 explained: “It would be great to have a world-class event in a world-class arena. It will help the Olympic legacy as well, so we are very keen to work with them on that, particularly because rugby is going to go into the Olympics in 2016 in Brazil.”

However, for the stadium to be considered, it must comply with the International Rugby Board‘s regulations, which require all arenas to be free of advertising.

England Rugby 2015 is expected to confirm the tournament venues early next year.

FIFA Confirm No Challengers to Blatter/Bin Hammam Candidacy

Soccer’s world governing body FIFA has confirmed that no new figurehead came forward to challenge Sepp Blatter and Mohamed Bin Hammam for the organisation’s Presidency before last night’s midnight deadline.

Current incumbent and Swiss national Blatter will therefore go head-to-head in a straight two-way contest for the post with long-time allay and Qatari president of the Asian Football Confederation, Bin Hammam in Zurich on June 1.

American journalist Grant Wahl had declared an interest in running for the presidency, dependant on a nomination from one of the game’s governing body. However, Wahl pulled out after failing to receive the nomination he needed, leaving the field clear for Blatter and his Asian challenger to fight it out.

FIFA said they would only announce the candidates formally on Monday, April 4″following a thorough verification process”, and have now done so. A statement released today read: The FIFA general secretariat received two candidatures for the FIFA Presidency by the statutory deadline (1 April 2011, midnight CET) in accordance with art. 24 par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes. The names of the candidates are: Joseph S. BLATTER (Switzerland) and Mohamed BIN HAMMAM (Qatar).”

The world governing body, which closed business for the weekend before the deadline, wanted to make 100 per cent sure that nothing had arrived by post or fax from any prospective contender that pre-dated the deadline.

Wahl, meanwhile, bemoaned the fact that he had been unable to secure sufficient backing having launched his campaign in protest at FIFA’s inner sanctum after a spate of recent corruption scandals.

Wahl wrote in his latest article for Sports Illustrated: “If FIFA were truly a representative democracy I’m convinced that not only would I have been nominated but I also would have beaten Blatter and Bin Hammam in a landslide on election day.”

Bin Hammam now has two months to convince FIFA’s membership that it is time for a change with his manifesto centred on transparency, whilst at the same time offering individual members a greater contribution of FIFA’s revenue than under Blatter.

Blatter could make his first post-deadline appearance at the SportAccord Congress in London, while the FIFA President is also scheduled to meet FA chairman David Bernstein privately at Wembley today in an effort to persuade England – still angry at their treatment during their disastrous 2018 World Cup ballot – to support him.

Manchester City Losses Continue Despite Record Turnover

Manchester City have announced today a net loss of £51.6m for the 2012/2013 season, halving their previous £97.9m loss from 2011/2012.

They also revealed annual turnover at £271m, breaking the £250m threshold for the first time in the Club’s history. The Club is also for the first time, operating with zero financial debt having paid off all remaining borrowings. 

In their financial report, Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke of optimism and of a “renewed sense of confidence for the future”, noting that on and off field success has “generated significant commercial opportunities for the organisation and underpinned a strong momentum for the years ahead.”

Chief Executive Ferran Soriano added: “Financially, the Club continues to improve. Growing revenues and controlled expenses are bringing the Club to breakeven in the immediate future and profitability thereafter.

“There have also been some changes to the organisation and management structures. Most notably, the new City Football Group (CFG), established this year will now oversee the operations of Manchester City Football Club, Manchester City Ladies Football Club, the newly established New York City Football Club and other potential future initiatives. This structure is designed to ensure that each of these entities can draw upon the world-class football and commercial capabilities that exist within the City family.”

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Sixth Edition of World Yacht Racing Forum and Design & Technology Symposium Underway

The 6th annual conference for the yacht racing industry takes place this week in Gothenburg to close the sailing season

Over 200 delegates and more than 50 speakers are heading to Gothenburg for the sixth edition of the annual World Yacht Racing Forum, sale ed co-located with the Yacht Racing Design & Technology Symposium. The two conferences have again attracted leading figures, drug experts and sailing personalities from all over the world.

The event started on Tuesday 10th December with presentations and sessions focusing on the future of the sport, viagra yacht racing sponsorship – brand activation, promotion of the sport, pitch, revenue streams and much more.

Running parallel to the Forum, the Yacht Racing Design & Technology Symposium will focus on the latest developments issued form the America’s Cup, foils and flying boats, rigid sails and new materials. The Symposium brings an important technical counterpoint to the commercial discussions that occur in the Forum.

Industry leaders in design, engineering and fabrication share their views on the state of the art technology used in hulls, decks, appendages, rigs and sails for use in the context of offshore and inshore racing.  They will also discuss any trickle-down technologies we can hope to see from the 34th America’s Cup.

There are other important topics also discussed at YRDTS, such as the latest advances in rating rules, the status of keel structure safety, and a new research project on offshore high-performance design being conducted by the Sailing Yacht Research Foundation (SYRF).

In an innovative approach to the interdisciplinary nature of elite yachting, the YRDTS will this year conclude by combining itself with the WYRF to conduct round-table discussions on the future of yacht racing from the technical perspective. With the help and input of prominent designers from the AC34 and other high-profile events, participants will have the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion on how new technologies will help shape the future of the sport.

Key personalities involved in both the Forum and the Symposium include Iain Percy, Knut Frostad, Ken Read, Jerome Pels, François Gabart, Luc Talbourdet, Mark Turner, Juan Kouyoumdjian, Pat Shaughnessy, Peter Bayer, Gino Morrelli, Yann Penfornis and many more.

The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image 2013 will be announced and celebrated during the Forum, on Wednesday, December 11. Whilst the international Jury has already chosen the Image of the Year, the delegates from the Forum and the Symposium will be asked to vote to select the winner of the public award.

Full details of the Forum and Symposium conference programmes and speakers are available on the event websites:  www.worldyachtracingforum.com

Former Padres Executive Jeremy Walls Becomes Chief Revenue Officer of Miami Dolphins

National Football League (NFL) team Miami Dolphins have named Jeremy Walls as the team’s Senior Vice President/Chief Revenue Officer, symptoms it was announced today.

Walls will oversee all revenue functions for the Dolphins, including all ticket sales, service and corporate partnerships. He will report to Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Garfinkel.

“Jeremy is an exceptional leader who has produced results everywhere he’s been,” said Garfinkel. “He’s also a person with integrity, humility and a fan-centric mindset who understands how to create a culture of customer service and innovation.”

Walls joins the Dolphins from the San Diego Padres where he served as the Vice President of Ticket Sales, Service and Operations. At San Diego, he oversaw the Padres Ticket Sales Department which included season tickets, groups, suites, services, operations, and CRM/strategy. Under Walls’ direction, the Padres increased overall ticket sales revenue and tickets sold, including the largest group sales revenue year in Petco Park history.

“I could not be more excited to be a part of the Miami Dolphins; a franchise with committed ownership and tremendous history and tradition,” said Walls. “I am also thankful to work with Tom again, a leader who consistently demonstrates the kind of character and vision that’s inspiring to be around. I look forward to quickly connecting with the Dolphins staff, Season Ticket Members, fans, and corporate partners.”

Prior to his time with the Padres, Walls was the Director of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the National Basketball Association. He supported the business efforts of NBA, WNBA and D-League teams with a specific emphasis on ticket sales, sponsorship and marketing functions. He was also responsible for consulting, training and teaching best practices to the teams’ business staffs.

Walls also served as Director, Groups, Suites and Inside Sales for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Prior to working with the Diamondbacks, he served as a Group Sales Manager and Account Executive with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.

International Federation of Sport Climbing Promote Lead Climbing for Olympic 2020 Bid

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) bid for the 2020 Summer Games will focus entirely on lead climbing. 

It has decided not to pursue bouldering or speed climbing.

The next major step for climbing’s Olympic bid is in December, when the IFSC will make a formal presentation to the IOC Program Commission and a final decision on new sports for the 2020 Games will be made by the IOC in September 2013.

The IFSC said it was forced to make a choice because of “the existing limit in terms of athletes” in the Olympics.

The IFSC added: “we do not exclude the fact that one day the three disciplines will be represented a the Olympic Games”.

London Bus Strike over Olympic Pay Postponed

London bus workers have postponed their strike on Thursday over Olympic bonuses in order for fresh talks to continue.

Discussions to resolve the row have been ongoing for the past two days at the conciliation service Acas.

The Unite union strike was over a claim for a £500 bonus for working during the Games. They have planned another strike just before the Olympics on July 24.

Peter Harwood, Acas chief conciliator, told the Press Association: “I am pleased to announce the suspension of both the pending court action and tomorrow’s strike. Acas talks are continuing.”

Transport for London (TfL) earlier offered to share any additional revenue made during the Olympics with bus staff in a move to resolve the dispute.

TfL’s managing director surface transport, Leon Daniels, said: “TfL does not directly employ London bus workers and this is therefore an issue for the bus operating companies and Unite to resolve through negotiation.

“However, in order to address the perception that TfL will be generating significant additional bus fare revenue from the Games, we have offered to share any additional revenue with bus staff.

“The offer of additional funds from the bus operating companies and a share of any additional bus fare revenue generated during the Games means there is no justification for further strike action.

“Should Unite insist that the total sum available is offered to all employees at bus operators across London, then this would mean a payment £583 for every employee of every bus company.”