England’s ICC T20 World Cup Final against Pakistan to be on free-to-air TV

England’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final against Pakistan will be shown on free to air television after Sky struck a deal with Channel 4 to make the match available to the nation, enabling all the UK & Ireland to watch this sporting spectacle.

England’s bid to lift the trophy for a second time will be shown live on Sky Showcase – available in all Sky homes – and on Channel 4, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket. All channels will broadcast Sky Sports’ coverage which includes the award-winning commentary team of Ian Ward and former England captains Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton and Eoin Morgan.

This is the latest partnership between Sky and Channel 4 to make a key sporting moment available to the nation. Previous events include the iconic 2019 men’s super-over victory against New Zealand and the final race of the 2021 Formula 1 Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Jonathan Licht, Managing Director, Sky Sports said: “We know the importance of this game, so we are pleased to be able to share this great sporting moment with our whole nation thanks to our strong relationship with Channel 4. Whether you’re supporting England or Pakistan, this will be one to remember.”

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer, Channel 4 said: “We are thrilled that Channel 4 and Sky have struck this deal to make another great national sporting moment available on free to air television to audiences across the UK. As the days draw in, some thrilling international cricket from the southern hemisphere should offer some welcome cheer.”

England, led by Jos Buttler, secured their place in the final after beating India earlier today by 10 wickets. Pakistan swept past New Zealand winning their semi-final by seven wickets. The Final comes from the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and coverage starts at 7am (GMT) on Sunday.

Sky and Channel 4 have developed a strong partnership over many years which has benefitted UK sports fans, enabling them to enjoy free to air coverage as a result of the two broadcasters working closely together. Other deals have included live coverage of last year’s Formula 1 season finale which saw Max Verstappen snatch the championship from Lewis Hamilton in the most dramatic of circumstances and England’s historic win of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019.

Other events made available to all include:

  • England Women’s cricket defeat to Australia earlier this year (Sky Pick, Sky Showcase, Sky Sports YouTube)
  • FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Wales & Ukraine (shared with STV, S4C and ITV)
  • Momentous women’s boxing event, headlined by Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall (Sky Showcase and livestreams of undercard)

World Wheelchair Curling Champions awarded to Korea

The World Wheelchair Curling Championship and World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2024 will be held in the Gangneung Curling Centre, in Gangneung, Korea in March 2024.
 
The World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2024 will be held from 2–9 March and will be followed by the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2024 from 10–16 March.
 
The Gangneung Curling Centre is a 3,500-seater multi-purpose venue that played host to the curling competitions of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as well as several World Curling Federation championships.
 
The venue will host the upcoming World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2023 and the curling competition of the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games.
 
Eeva Roethlisberger, World Curling Federation Head of Competitions said, “We are thrilled to take our two major wheelchair championships in the 2023–2024 season to Gangnueng in Korea. We have held a number of events in Gangneung in recent years and each championship has been hugely successful.
 
“We are returning to a venue and city we know very well and we are certain that the organisers will once again provide a fantastic platform for our wheelchair athletes.”
 
Kyungsun Yoon, Korea Para Curling Association President said, “I am delighted to host the World Wheelchair Curling Championship and World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2024 in Korea. Our organisation will prepare these events to be the best events in the world. Furthermore, I hope that interest in wheelchair curling will increase through those events and wheelchair curling will become as popular as able-bodied curling.”
 

Bernoulli Locke launch fan-owned Sail GP team

Bernoulli | Locke, a member-based community creating new immersive partnerships and experiences using innovative Web3 structures, today announced they are launching a SailGP fan-owned racing team across Bermuda and the Caribbean. Using a DAO structure and built on the NEAR Protocol, this team is expected to open new opportunities in sports ownership and fan engagement.

The team’s territory combines the Caribbean and Bermuda, an internationally recognized sailing and business destination, providing the team with a diverse, culturally vibrant and historic sailing region with sufficient sailing talent and resources to mount a competitive SailGP team.

Founded by Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts, SailGP is widely becoming recognized as the most exciting race on water. The global, purpose-led league for professional sailing teams is raced in identical high-performance foiling 50-foot catamarans. The competition pits the world’s best sailing athletes against each other on a global stage. 

This new team hopes to be the tenth team in the league and participate in Season 4. SailGP Season 4 will comprise 14 events at iconic destinations around the globe and kick-off June 17-18, 2023 with the United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier, and include one event held in Bermuda in May 2024.

A Decentralized Autonomous Organization, or DAO, is a blockchain-based form of organization with governance managed transparently by its community. It is anticipated that interested fans that qualify will be able to purchase tokens, if and when offered by the DAO, that provide governance rights in the DAO, including the right to vote on important matters related to the team. The sports team’s owners will be able to vote on decisions ranging from the team name and flag, athlete selection, boat livery, fan benefits and access, sponsorship, management, team business decisions and more. 

SailGP CEO Russell Coutts said: “Last month we shared that we had updated our SailGP Participation Agreement to allow a DAO owned team to join the league, and now we are very excited to see David Palmer and his team of founders at Bernoulli | Locke forming a team under these amended rules. David and his team have a unique marketing and operational background building global membership-based communities – demonstrating the expertize required to launch and assist in operating a fan-owned team facilitated by a DAO.

“Professional sport is about building a passionate fanbase, and as a tech-forward global league – SailGP has leaned into Web3 to further develop the future of fandom. We look at the fan-owned team as the ultimate implementation of a loyalty program, and this new Caribbean & Bermuda team will redefine the fan experience and team ownership model. It is a testament to the value of our relationship with NEAR that a decentralized team can be created to ultimately provide control of a team to a passionate community of fans.”

The Caribbean & Bermudian team will bring together a community focused on racing, the sport of sailing, excitement and passion for the region as well as those who see the opportunity of decentralized community owned and operated sports teams. 

Fans can take the first step to getting involved now in this historic new DAO fan-owned team by indicating initial interest at FanVest.io. The opportunity to participate is expected to be available to a limited number of individuals and institutions meeting financial and other applicable requirements.

In addition, it is expected that fans will be able to own a seasonal membership pass (through purchasing and holding an NFT) that provides pass holders access to the community as well as governance but not equity.

David Palmer, Bernoulli | Locke Founder and CEO explains: “With our partners, we are delighted to bring a new and exciting level of engagement and participation for sports team owners and fans and add a new participant in SailGP. Our goal is to have a vibrant community of owners and fans jointly sharing the incredible journey of establishing and operating a competitive global racing team. Palmer continued, “Using the NEAR Protocol and the unique structure of the DAO we have established, we believe that we can achieve our goals with transparency and legal compliance, enabling the participation of an international community sharing a common sports interest and passion. We look forward to meeting the other teams on the water at the first race next season!”

“This historic partnership elevates fandom to a completely new level and creates a blueprint for building a successful use case for Web3,” said Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation. “Launching this fan owned team breaks down the hierarchy of sport, giving enthusiastic spectators the chance to play an active role in shaping the future of competitive sailing by democratizing access to the sport and allowing fans to collectively own and manage a team like never before.” 

Deadline for UK Sponsorship Awards approaching

The UK Sponsorship Awards are one of the most prestigious in the industry. They aim to celebrate innovative, inspirational and transformational campaigns, partnerships and teamwork.

The awards are taking place at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square on March 23rd.

The early bird deadline is on December 9th, with the final deadline on January 16th.

There are 33 categories include Sports Sponsorship, Best Football Sponsorship, Grass Roots Sponsorship, Best Digital Activation, Best Esports or Gaming Sponsorship.

Brands, agencies, rights holders, charities and other sponsorship stakeholders can now enter their work by registering here.

“2022’s Awards event was a roaring success, with our friends and colleagues turning out in force to celebrate the creativity and commercial acumen of their hard-working teams,” says UKSA CEO Rosemary Sarginson.

“Seeing so many talented individuals under one roof was a visceral reminder that sponsorship is a people business which thrives on face to face interaction. So for myself and the UKSA team, it’s exciting to be starting work on this latest awards cycle.” 

If you have any queries feel free to email Rosemary and the team here: info@sponsorship-awards.co.uk

BBC and ITV to share free-to-air rights for 2024 and 2028 Euros

The men’s European Championship will remain on free-to-air TV, with the BBC and ITV sharing rights for the 2024 and 2028 tournaments.

Germany will host a 24-team tournament in 2024, although the hosts and format for 2028 have yet to be announced.

The BBC and ITV will split the rights to each tournament equally and both broadcasters will show the finals.

Italy are the European champions, having defeated England in the final at Wembley in 2021.

“The BBC has proven time and again that we have the ability to bring the biggest sporting events to the widest audience,” said Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport.

“The previous Uefa European Championships were a huge success so we’re delighted that we’ve completed this deal for the next two tournaments that we hope will provide even more memorable moments for viewers.”

ITV director of Sport Niall Sloane said: “This deal keeps the Euros available on free-to-air television for viewers for the coming years. 

“Having delivered the biggest ever UK single channel football audience of 27.6 million at last year’s Euros, for England’s semi-final victory over Denmark, we’re looking forward to bringing to the widest audiences the very best coverage of tournaments that have such broad appeal.”

Uefa said a global audience of 328 million tuned in to watch the Euro 2020 final as England lost on penalties.

The UK audience peaked at almost 31 million for the match, which was shown on the BBC and ITV.

DP World Tour becomes first Golf tour to launch tournament in the metaverse

The DP World Tour has partnered with leading virtual reality golf game Golf5 eClub, to launch a new tournament in the metaverse that will coincide with the season ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the fifth and final Rolex Series event of the season.

The “DP World Tour Championship Metaverse Challenge” will be open to Golf5 eClub members and is available to play from 10-25 November 2022. It will see players compete against each other in a new virtual reality simulation of the final three holes of the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. That is the same course the world’s leading players, such as Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick, will be playing from 17-20 November as they bid to win the season ending DP World Tour Championship and be crowned the winner of the 2022 DP World Tour Rankings.

The virtual reality game has been developed by AAA Game Studios and can be downloaded via the Oculus app. Spectators attending the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai will also get the chance to enter the competition at a dedicated gaming area in the spectator village.

Speaking about the initiative Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “Golf lends itself perfectly to virtual reality gaming and we are determined to lead the way in bringing top-level professional golf to the metaverse. The team at AAA Game Studios have done an amazing job in recreating the final three holes of the Earth Course in what is a truly immersive and realistic experience that will enable fans to engage with golf and the DP World Tour Championship in new ways.

“This builds on the success we have already had in the launch of the DP World eTour, that will have its grand finale at the DP World Flow Pavilion in Dubai on 16 November. These innovations will make the DP World Tour Championship a multi-dimensional entertainment spectacle – both on and off the course.”

Daniel van Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer at DP World, said: “At DP World we are exploring how the metaverse can help tackle real-world supply chain challenges, so it’s great to also see virtual reality technology being integrated into golf and the DP World Tour Championship. We want to be at the forefront of world-class technology and innovation, so to see this challenge being launched by the DP World Tour during one of the biggest weeks of the golf calendar, is extremely exciting. We wish all of the competitors the best of luck and thank our partners for helping to make it happen.”

Antonio Marin, Founder and CEO, AAA Games Studios, added: “We are very excited to partner with the DP World Tour Championship to bring this tournament to life as a world’s first in the Oculus Metaverse. Our vision is to build out this partnership with the DP World Tour over the coming years and ensure fans can play some of the biggest events on the golfing calendar. We at GOLF5 pride ourselves on being the home of authentic golf in the metaverse and we are excited for the fans to be able to play the course at Jumeirah Golf Estates and the immersive experience we will be providing with this unique event”.

EngageRM announce three-year partnership with Brisbane Broncos

EngageRM, the market-leading sports and entertainment business technology services provider, has agreed a three-year partnership with National Rugby League (NRL) club, Brisbane Broncos.  

The three-year deal will transform the Broncos’ digital offering to provide a best in class premium sales, hospitality and partnership experience for both fans and corporate partners of the club.  

Since their founding in 1988, the Broncos have won 6 premierships, including 2 New South Wales Rugby League premierships, a super league premiership, and 3 NRL premierships. The team is the second-most successful club since the foundation of the NRL in 1998 and houses a famously passionate fanbase.  

This partnership expands EngageRM’s presence in both Queensland and the NRL, with the Broncos becoming the fourth NRL team to partner with the company.  

Through the state-of-the-art EngageRM system, the Broncos can now combine operations, fulfilment and sales management across the organisation within a centralised, single platform that is powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with EngageRM, an organisation who are constantly pushing the boundaries in their field, to transform our corporate and commercial offerings,” said Broncos Executive Manager Corporate Partnerships and Sales Dan Glass. 

“We are looking forward to working with the EngageRM team to continually improve our systems and processes to push the boundaries and connect with our passionate fan base on a new level,” Glass said.  

“The Broncos are one of the most iconic and successful rugby league clubs in Australia, their passionate fans are well known across the nation,” said Dale Equid, Commercial Lead for APAC at EngageRM.  

“We will be working hard with the Broncos to support their efforts to deliver exceptional audience engagement, boost operational improvements and build on their continued success.” Equid said.  

“This partnership with the Broncos is a significant milestone for EngageRM by expanding our reach in both the NRL and Queensland,” said EngageRM CEO Ned Coten.  

EngageRM’s partners include major U.S. sports franchises including the NBA’s L.A. Clippers, Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks in addition to teams and venues across the U.S., U.K. and Australia, including the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and Co-op Live in Manchester. 

Women’s Euros inspires rise in audience for women’s sport beyond football

The latest visibility report from the Women’s Sport Trust, with data from Futures Sport and Entertainment, has revealed the positive impact the Women’s Euros has had on growing women’s sport* consumption in the UK, not just for football, and in attracting a young, female audience.

27% of the 15.8 million new viewers to women’s sport in 2022 (based on not watching any other women’s sport in 2022) from the Women’s Euros, have gone onto watch more women’s sport in August and September, with 46% of those going onto watch women’s cricket and a further 46% watching more women’s football.

Excluding major international women’s football tournaments, a record 27.4m have watched women’s sport in the UK on TV between January-September, up from 26.6 million in 2019. Viewers have also watched for 271 minutes so far in comparison to 196 minutes in 2021.

This data doesn’t include the record-breaking audience for Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall. In October, the fight received Sky’s biggest-ever audience for a live broadcast of women’s sport, with over two million tuning in to make it the most watched women’s professional boxing event in history, with 38% of viewers female.

If you are interested in this topic sign up the Advantage All Global Forum, in partnership with the ITF, sign up here: https://share.hsforms.com/18j-5wqceSaqiy0HFyPD9pA31xsb

The Women’s Super League has also seen a significant boost in viewership this season, with audiences more than 1.5 that of viewership in the 2021/22 season.

·       Using data from the start of the season until 23rd October, Sky has seen average audiences for the WSL increase from 111k in 2021/22 to 220k in 2022/23, while BBC One and Two have seen average audiences increase from 393k in 2021/22 to 522k in 2022/23.

·       Audiences are also watching the WSL for longer, with Sky audiences watching for an average of 45 minutes per viewer in 2022/23, in comparison to 38 minutes in 2021/22, while BBC Sport viewers are watching for 42 minutes per viewer in 2022/23, which is also slightly up on the average of 39 minutes in 2021/22.

·       There has also been a significant rise in the number of young female Sky viewers who have watched the WSL in 2022/23 but didn’t consume WSL games last season on Sky. 42% of these new viewers are female, compared to an average of 39% of overall audiences being female on Sky for the 2022/23 season so far, while 40% of new viewers are under 35 this season, compared to the 27% season average in 2021/22.

·       Arsenal v Spurs became the most watched WSL match on linear TV ever. The game aired on BBC One and received an average audience of 762k, 3% higher than the previous high for the Manchester derby last season (738k).

·       Liverpool v Chelsea, airing on SS Football, Main Event, Premier League and Sky Showcase was the most watched pay-TV audience for the WSL ever, surpassing the previous high for Man City v Spurs last season. 

Chief Executive and Co-Founder of the Women’s Sport Trust Tammy Parlour said: “To see that major events like the Women’s Euros are not only inspiring new fans, many of whom are young and female, to watch more football, but also consume other women’s sport, is hugely exciting and provides an interesting opportunity for brands and broadcasters to invest in women’s sport and engage with these commercially valuable audiences.”

iSportConnect Roundtable Preview: Optimising revenue from premium & partnerships

The Covid pandemic dealt a huge financial blow to the UK hospitality industry. As recent events in rugby union have shown, sports leagues, clubs and venues are still feeling the after effects of the pandemic. 

Despite challenging economic times, B2B partnerships and premium experiences are areas of burgeoning opportunity where many sports organisations see room to grow through a smarter and more integrated approach to sales and servicing. 

In response to demand from our community, iSportConnect will be running a complimentary round table lunch event for sports organisations to discuss some of the related challenges and opportunities. 

In this roundtable, which will take place in London on November 24th, we will be discussing the challenges faced by sports organisations to grow revenues from their premium sales and B2B partnerships.

  • How do you find the right balance between acquiring new customers and retaining / growing revenue from existing customers?
  • How do sports organisations optimise their ability to up-sell / cross-sell to existing customers?
  • What role can data and technology play in helping to identify the opportunities, enhance your capabilities and increase revenue?

To sign up for the round table on November 24th in London, please contact kat@isportconnect.com (please note that places are limited!).

Sports Industry Awards: Entries close in one month

The entry period for the Sport Industry Awards 2023 will close on Thursday 8th December, however,
extensions will be allowed for 2022 FIFA World Cup campaigns.

The Sport Industry Awards celebrate the immense work carried out within the sector, whether it’s delivering world-class events and campaigns, using sport as a platform to drive social change, or
activating a sponsorship that reverberates around the industry and beyond.


If your organisation has delivered some outstanding work in 2022, then you’re encouraged to enter
one of the 18 prestigious awards categories and put you and your team in the position of winning a
coveted Sport Industry Award.


In a recent ‘Meet the Categories’ event hosted at the Sport Industry Group offices in London, four-
time Sport Industry Awards winner and the former Communications and Marketing Director at the
All England Club, Alex Willis, had this to say about entering the awards, “Obviously the ultimate
objective is to win but being shortlisted is an unbelievable sign of amazing work.


“I think sometimes people don’t appreciate enough what an honour it is to be on the shortlist. Even
just entering, having the guts to say ‘I’ve done some work that I’m really proud of and I’m going to
write it up in the best possible way I can’ is important.


“Whether it then becomes a case study for doing more stuff internally, whatever it might be. It’s not
just about the awards, it’s also about your own position within the organisation and your team being
proud of what they’ve done.”


As with all the Sport Industry Awards, the selection process for the winners is fully overseen by a
team of independent adjudicators.


The 2023 edition of the Awards will take place at Evolution London in Battersea on Thursday 27th
April.


Check out the full list of categories and start your entry here, or take at look at the top tips for an
award-winning entry here.


For more information, contact: Molly.Reynolds@sportindustry.biz