Baku 2015 European Games have announced the signing of three international broadcast agreements in Romania, here Hungary and Belgium.

The trio of deals ensure sports fans will enjoy live coverage of all 17 days of competition from next summer’s inaugural European Games.

The agreements will see DigiSport broadcast the Games in Romania and Hungary, decease while Sport 10 will screen the event in Belgium.

Simon CLEGG, allergy Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC), said: “The signing of these agreements show the high level of interest around the continent to tune in to the first European Games. Romania, Hungary and Belgium are three countries that have a proud history of sporting success and it is wonderful to know supporters there are now guaranteed coverage to follow their athletes’ achievements next summer.

“Working alongside International Sports Broadcasting, our host broadcaster, these deals will ensure sports fans will benefit from comprehensive broadcasting across a range of media platforms.”

International Sports Broadcasting will provide more than 800 hours of live, state-of-the-art production for the duration of the European Games.

All three countries will broadcast live action every day, as well as the complete Opening and Closing ceremonies. Preview programming and daily highlights packages will also be available.

Mr George DOBRE, Editor-in-Chief of DigiSport Romania, said: “We are delighted to confirm these agreements with Baku 2015 and are looking forward to treating fans in Romania and Hungary to the best live and exclusive sport from the European Games on a daily basis.”

Mrs Karin STOOP, Managing Director of Sport 10 in Belgium, added: “The first ever European Games will be of huge interest to viewers all across the world, and we are very pleased to be able to confirm we will be bringing the elite action to fans in Belgium.”

Last week, NTV Spor in Turkey were confirmed as the first company to sign an international broadcast agreement.

Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games taking place from 12 – 28 June 2015.

There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are amongst the leading clubs shortlisted for this year’s Football Business Awards.

September 27, sees the shortlisted clubs for the Football Business Awards announced. Categories for this year’s ceremony include Best Club Marketing Campaign, Sponsorship Deal of the Year, Best use of Social Media in Football, Use of Technology by Clubs, Best Football Community Scheme and the fcbusiness Magazine CEO of the Year Award. 

There is a massive increase in the quality and quantity of entries this year which includes twelve out of twenty premiership clubs making the final shortlist. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool are some of the names that will be competing to win a prestigious award.

The winners will be announced at a red carpet awards dinner at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea Football Club, in London on Thursday 7 November.

Bruce Buck, Chelsea FC, said: “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to be hosting the second Football Business Awards at Stamford Bridge. In my opinion, these awards are extremely important, and long overdue, in giving recognition to those who have excelled in the wide array of businesses involved in the football industry.”

Simon Burton, Director of the Football Business Awards, said: “Business and football are inextricably linked and on pitch performance needs to be matched by commercial achievement and acumen. Football clubs are economic drivers for their communities and football itself is one of the UK’s greatest exports. The quality and diversity of the FBA entries never fails to inspire.”

To see the full list of finalists click here.

To find out how to book a place at this year’s awards please visit www.footballbusinessawards.com or call the sales hotline on 020 7384 8213.

McDonald’s, Official FIFA World Cup sponsors and one of the biggest brands in the world have confirmed their participation in the conference programme at this year’s Soccerex African Forum, 1-2 October in Durban.

The session will see Sechaba Motsieloa, Corporate Affairs Director, McDonald’s South Africa give an exclusive presentation on how the company are fulfilling their 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy, through the sponsorship of a nationwide U14 school league.

The tournament, dubbed ‘Developing Dreams’, is in its fourth edition and is run in association with the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA). The McDonald’s U14 Schools League, which was first staged in 2010, helps identify young football stars of tomorrow and gives schools teams the chance to demonstrate their skills on a provincial and national basis.

So far over 32,000 learners from 3,294 schools nationwide have taken part in the tournament which sees district, regional and then the nine provincial winners playing in the national playoffs. The partnership is a clear example of how the World Cup has helped to develop football in South Africa and correlates with the Forum’s aims of bringing together the major decision makers in that development.

Sechaba Motsieloa commented: “The promise of tangible 2010 World Cup legacy is an issue we take very seriously at McDonald’s. We believe the best way to deliver that tangible legacy is through schools and education which allows us to reach the learners at a younger age, where the most amount of work can be done.”

The Soccerex African Forum will bring together 1,000 senior football decision makers together with businesses from across the continent and the world for two days of unrivalled learning, networking and business opportunities to unite the business of football in Africa.

You can find the conference agenda for this year’s Forum here: http://www.mysoccerex.com/AF13ConferenceProgramme.pdf

For further information about this event please call +44 (0)208 987 5522 or visit http://www.soccerex.com/africa

David Levy has been promoted to President of Turner Broadcasting System, abortion Inc. (TBS, Inc.)  the company has announced.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms.

In his new role, which is effective immediately, Levy adds oversight of Turner’s domestic entertainment and animation & young adults networks and business portfolios to his current leadership of the company’s advertising sales, affiliate sales and sports units. Levy will continue to be based in New York and reports to Chairman and CEO Phil Kent.

In addition to all of the company’s domestic revenue, Levy now oversees all creative and business activity of the Turner signature networks TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, as well as their digital brand extensions.

With his promotion, Levy adds Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, and Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media, to his direct-report team of business-unit heads that includes Donna Speciale (Turner Entertainment & Animation Ad Sales), Greg D’Alba (CNN Ad Sales and Turner Digital Ad Sales), Coleman Breland (Turner Network Sales) and Lenny Daniels (Turner Sports). This new structure increases efficiency, focus and accountability for growth and results at Turner.

“David is an extraordinary executive with a broad range of experience in just about every aspect of our business,” said Kent. “His imagination and audacity echo the spirit of Turner’s founder and namesake, and he inspires great teams to do their best work. Having worked closely with David for over 17 years, I know his capabilities and potential, and had planned to add to his already-considerable portfolio oversight of every aspect of our domestic entertainment and kids businesses, which represent well over half of our operating profit.”

“I’m looking forward to leading Turner Broadcasting alongside Phil and John Martin, and I appreciate their confidence in me for this important role,” said Levy. “I have invested more than 25 years in our company. That cumulative experience affords me a unique understanding of our capabilities and a vision for how I’ll work with Steve Koonin and Stu Snyder and the great entertainment and animation networks teams, and with our colleagues in the revenue and sports units, to continue to evolve and grow Turner.”

Levy inherits a portfolio of leading networks and brands including the #1 (TNT) and #3 (TBS) networks in prime time delivery of adults 18-34, 18-49 and 24-54.

Previously president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Levy will maintain his oversight of the company’s sports programming acquisitions, production, marketing, league relations and sports ad sales.

At Turner Sports, Levy has been instrumental in deepening and expanding Turner’s programming and rights relationships with the NBA, Major League Baseball, the PGA and the NCAA. He is widely credited with expanding the longest-running league/programmer partnership in professional sports, when Turner assumed joint management of the NBA’s digital businesses; with orchestrating Turner’s part in a deal with CBS and the NCAA for rights to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship through 2024; and most recently, with extending Turner’s media rights with MLB through 2021.