RedBull Racing announce sportswear partnership with Castore

Premium sportswear brand Castore have announced their new long-term partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing. This partnership will see Castore become a Team Partner for the Oracle Red Bull Formula 1 team from the 2023 season onwards.

Castore will supply the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team with apparel from the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season. Additionally, Castore branding will feature on team apparel and on the race suits of Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 drivers, current World Champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.

Castore exists with one simple principle – to create the highest quality sportswear to help athletes perform at their best. The Manchester-based company takes great pride in their apparel that optimises athletic performance in all conditions. Oracle Red Bull Racing and Castore both share a commitment to innovation, with both brands always pushing for marginal gains across the business. Using advanced engineering, expertise in sports science, unique technical fabrics and rigorous testing means Castore are delivering products that are revolutionizing the performance sportswear industry.

Castore have collaborated with the 4-time Constructors Champions to develop high performance sportswear ranges. The British brand will also take on Oracle Red Bull Racing’s licensed merchandise programme providing the team’s global fanbase with fantastic access to products across the globe.

The Castore x Oracle Red Bull Racing collections will be available to purchase on Redbullshop.com, Castore.com as well as trackside retail.

Tom Beahon, Co-Founder, Castore said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Oracle Red Bull Racing, one of the most iconic F1 teams of modern times. Not only are they an impressive brand but we share the mindset of relentlessly pursuing ways to optimize performance, encapsulated by Castore’s motto ‘Better Never Stops’. The partnership further strengthens Castore’s presence in Formula 1, and we are thrilled to continue this journey with the Oracle Red Bull Racing team and their hugely passionate fanbase.”

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner said: “Formula 1 is a tremendously demanding environment. In 2023 we’ll race in 24 different locations around the world, in conditions that range from freezing cold to soaring heat and energy-sapping humidity. Our Team members have to be equipped to perform no matter what they encounter and sportswear optimised for functionality and comfort is a crucial component in achieving the level needed to win. Consequently, I’m excited that we are partnering with Castore as their expertise in sports science, materials and engineering will help us to meet that goal. I’m also really pleased that we’ll be able to bring that level of performance to fans.”

OneFootball announces new UK distribution partnership Premier Sports

OneFootball, has announced a new distribution partnership with Premier Sports that will bring three of Europe’s top competitions to fans in the UK.

The new partnership includes a multi-year highlights deal for the Spanish LaLiga – one of the top football leagues in the world – where some of football’s most renowned clubs, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, all compete. 

The distribution partnership will give fans access to post-match highlights clips of all ten games each matchday, free-to-air via the OneFootball App on smartphone and tablet, and via the OneFootball website. Highlights from last weekend’s action in LaLiga are already available to view on OneFootball, with the deal set to run until the end of the 2024/25 season. In total, fans will have access to 380 highlights clips per season.

In other exciting news, OneFootball will also show selected live matches from both the DFB-Pokal, Germany’s most prestigious knockout cup competition, and the Portuguese top flight, Liga Portugal. For the rest of the 2022/23 season and for just £1.79 per game, fans can watch some of Europe’s best teams go head-to-head, including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig in the DFB-Pokal, or Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting CP in Liga Portugal.

The deal builds on OneFootball’s growing list of free-to-air streaming rights in the UK. OneFootball recently announced a multi-year streaming deal to bring select live matches from the Italian Serie A to fans in the UK and Ireland, and also offers free-to-air coverage from many other leagues across Europe, Asia and South America. OneFootball already has similar distribution partnerships in place across the world, including with Sky Deutschland for the live broadcast of Bundesliga 2 and DFB-Pokal in Germany, as well as with Helbiz Media for Serie BKT in Italy.

The distribution partnership complements Premier Sports offering across their owned and operated platforms, with the aim of tapping into OneFootball’s young and highly-engaged UK user base.

Nikolaus von Doetinchem, Vice President OTT Streaming & Media Rights at OneFootball, said: “Our approach to live football at OneFootball is all about flexibility, accessibility, and getting fans closer to the clubs and leagues they love from all around the world. We’re building a fantastic offer for our UK community, bringing them live action and highlights from a big mix of global leagues, as well as some of Europe’s elite competitions. Thanks to Premier Sports, UK fans can enjoy highlights from one of the best leagues in the world, LaLiga, as well as affordable live coverage of two other top European competitions.”

Why live will beat digital in the battle to engage sports fans

In this month’s Digital Café, David Granger looks at the race for fans’ attention, and whether augmented reality makes a live event even better than the real thing.

In the generational lack of attention-span debate (it’s-less-than-a-goldfish v ever-seen-Gen Z-tear-into-eight-hours-of-xBox FIFA?) sport has examined and experimented with changes to the format of games and to the way sport is consumed.

For cricket it was offering shortened games and series. For Formula E it was the fanboost: a (some might say misguided) Mario Kart-esque premise that the fans can directly influence performance by voting to give their driver’s car an extra power-up. Their intention of engaging fans via technology is a noble one, but the concept is a little warped.

The reaction of traditional sport to the supposed threat of losing a fanbase and chasing younger viewers to this perceived problem has resulted in innovation to enhance (though not necessarily improve) the viewing experience or the gamification of live sport itself.

The march of progress is one which should be harnessed, rather than halted, but assessing why sports fans are sports fans should be taken into consideration. Changing the sport and the viewing experience to emulate a screen experience might not be the salvation some marketers believe. 

Last month the Minnesota Twins launched ARound, a shared augmented reality (AR) app for use at its Major League Baseball home games.

The premise is fans can aim their phones at Target Field during breaks in the live action to play games against other fans in the stadium. It’s (obviously?) targeted at younger spectators to keep them engaged while their older relatives grab refreshments/discuss the innings. 

It’s described by Chris Iles, the Twins’ senior director of brand experience and innovation as able to “…create a shared experience and creating some context around an event…” which is interesting, because that arguably is exactly what the live baseball game is intended to do. 

Currently (like the Manchester City connected scarf) there are no plans to capture or leverage user data, but that’s surely only a matter of time. And will those young AR-battling fans take their own kids to games if the only way they could be engaged in a shared experience at live baseball was through gamified augmented reality?

Where added layers of technology will make sport more engaging is when it’s watched not live, but on screen. For those who work in sport business, there is really nothing like the atmosphere of a live event, and the visceral reaction of a crowd in real-time. But we can and shold enhance the screen experience.

Companies like Sports Buff have identified and built on this. They create graphic layers which can be added by any broadcaster to give information as well as entertainment and engagement be that polls, prize draws or posts. The premise is to stay engaged with the action, rather than detract from it. And to prove the concept has legs, it’s just secured a cool £2.1 million in its latest funding round.

The single biggest chunk of cash has come from London-based sport investment firm Sport Republic, who see this as a way not only to keep online audiences engaged, but eventually monetised to create new commercial opportunities, as they said: “…especially with next generation audiences.” Because again, the ultimate commercial aim is catching them young and reeling them in for life. 

To be fair to ARound and the Minnesota Twins, the next iteration will bridge the gap between stadium and sitting room. Viewers watching games which are streamed and televised could also be added to the AR platform in the stadium. 

But… I’m not so sure an AR game will be able to deliver the “energy and excitement that is in the stadium” as they predict. There really is nothing like live sport.

Euroleague basketball names new leadership

Euroleague Basketball (EB) announced changes to its senior management on Wednesday, September 14, with a new President and a new CEO appointed by its shareholders. 

EuroLeague icon Dejan Bodiroga, who won three EuroLeague titles and multiple individual awards during a legendary playing career, has been named President of Euroleague Basketball, and will also fulfill the role of Director. Bodiroga is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in European basketball history. 

Bodiroga brings his deep knowledge and experience into his new role and will focus on increasing the quality of the competition for clubs, players, fans, partners, and all EB stakeholders. His extensive international network provides the foundation for a new strategy focused on improving EB’s institutional relationships within the global basketball community, including the EuroLeague Players Association, the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials, FIBA, domestic leagues, and other basketball-related institutions. 

Following his playing career, Bodiroga served as Vice-President of the Serbian Basketball Federation between 2011 and 2015 and subsequently as President of the Competition Commission of FIBA Europe. 

“We are entering a new era for EuroLeague,” Bodiroga said. “The past 20 years have seen Europe’s premier basketball competition establish itself as a powerhouse in global sports. I’d like to thank Jordi Bertomeu and his team for their vision and hard work and look forward to continuing to build and expand the impact of EuroLeague and EuroCup.” 

Marshall Glickman, G2 Strategic’s CEO and a long-time advisor to Euroleague Basketball, has been named the Acting CEO of EB, Director of its affiliated companies, and Special Advisor to Euroleague Properties. Additionally, he will have a seat on the board of Euroleague Ventures, the league’s joint venture with IMG Media. Glickman will serve a transitional role and will assist Euroleague Basketball’s shareholders in recruiting a permanent CEO. 

Glickman’s focus will be on the business side, working closely with IMG to optimize the value of the league and the clubs’ collective commercial assets, expand its fan base, integrate European basketball into popular culture across the globe and, ultimately, expand into more key markets. 

“Euroleague Basketball is like family to me,” said Glickman. “I have always believed that the top pan-European basketball league has tremendous potential, particularly its appeal to the digital native generations. I am thrilled to help our friends at the league office and the best clubs in Europe transition to new leadership. I am grateful to EuroLeague’s founder, Jordi Bertomeu, for his leadership, friendship, and support, helping me adapt to European cultures and sporting traditions, and look forward to his counsel and wisdom going forward.” 

Glickman has an extensive career in the sports industry, including being the President of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and Oregon Arena Corporation, Broadcasting Coordinator for the National Basketball Association, Director of Media Sales for NBA Properties, and Chairman & CEO of Portland Family Entertainment. Glickman has a profound knowledge of the European sports ecosystem, as G2 Strategic has been a business advisor to Euroleague Basketball for 20 years. G2 Strategic’s European client portfolio has included LaLiga Santander (Spain), Ligue de Football Professionnel (France), French Tennis Federation, FC Barcelona, Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Rochelle, Stade Français, CSKA Moscow, Association of Tennis Professionals, Tennis Canada, as well as several European sports clubs (PSG, Olympique Lyonnais, CSKA) and tennis tournaments. 

Glickman has also played a leading role in the development of several planned or built arenas and stadiums, including Moda Center (Portland, Oregon), Providence Park (Portland, Oregon), Moscow Sports & Entertainment Center, American Airlines Arena (Miami, Florida), Roland-Garros (Paris), and a new arena in Villeurbanne, France. 

Glickman has served on several boards in his hometowns of Portland, Oregon, and Bend, Oregon, and has produced live jazz shows for several years. 

Jordi Bertomeu, 22 years at the forefront of EB

Glickman and Bodiroga will take over from CEO Jordi Bertomeu, who had been in the role for 22 years. 

Bertomeu was one of Euroleague Basketball’s founders in 2000 and has led it since then throughout its continuous growth. Under his management, the EuroLeague rapidly became the most recognized basketball competition outside of North America, gaining a worldwide audience for both the intensity of the competition and its role in forging breakthrough talents. Bertomeu was at the center of decisions on competition structure and rule changes that consistently heightened the dramatic effect of the EuroLeague to make every game count more than any other league of its kind. 

Euroleague Basketball broke new ground again in 2016 by creating the first true international European league among major European team sports in a joint venture with media and entertainment giant IMG. As a result, EuroLeague’s popularity and commercial performance have experienced significant increases in television viewership, social media engagement and global recognition. 

The Euroleague Commercial Assets shareholders would like to thank Bertomeu for his unmatched dedication over 22 years and wish him well in his future endeavors.

The9 Limited’s NFTSTAR to launch Neymar and Giannis NFTs, Metaverse dApps and Games

The9 Limited (Nasdaq: NCTY) (“The9”), an established internet company, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary NFTSTAR Singapore Pte., Ltd, which operates the Web3 metaverse platform
NFTSTAR, will hold the four new products launching conference on October 15, 2022.

NFTSTAR will launch four different products，including a NFT collection designated for the international soccer superstar Neymar Júnior, a unique Web3 metaverse social platform “Playmaker” to provide worldwide Web3 users with moments of reunion for the coming important global soccer matches, a Blockchain soccer game “Metagoal” for gamers to build their own Web3 soccer clubs to compete for the honour of the “Meta-World-Cup” and a sports prediction collecting game “Wonder Win” for gamers to collect commemorative NFTs and quiz each game.

The launch of these NFTs, metaverse dApps and games constitutes the core foundation of the NFTSTAR metaverse ecosystem.

The NFTSTAR community platform will cover superstars in various fields, including but not limited to sports, entertainment, art and celebrities in different industries. The NFTSTAR community platform aims to become a significant portal to the metaverse.

ELLVEE announce appointment of Iain Higgins and Brett Sherrard

ELLVEE, the Dubai-based commercial and strategic advisory business for the sports and entertainment industry, today announced the appointment of Iain Higgins, the former Chief Operating Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and first ever Chief Executive of USA Cricket, as its Managing Director. 

Higgins, who started this month, is the latest appointment to ELLVEE’s leadership team, which was also strengthened over the summer by the arrival from UEFA of Brett Sherrard, as Commercial Director.

Higgins, a former professional rugby-league player, who, in 2019, left the ICC after eleven years to spearhead efforts to develop cricket in the USA, returns to the UAE to join ELLVEE’s growing business as it moves into new offices in One Central, Dubai. 

He has previously led campaigns to secure the inclusion of women’s cricket in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and to secure the awarding of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024 to the USA and Caribbean. He was also responsible for the development of a Global Strategy for the sport of cricket and a Foundational Plan to establish cricket as a mainstream sport in the USA by the end of the decade.

Like Higgins, Sherrard, brings with him a wealth of sports leadership and knowledge, with particular expertise in supporting the staging of major global events such as UEFA EURO Championships, UEFA Champions League and the Ladies European Golf Tour, and in structuring and delivering the commercial programs around them.

Sherrard has also previously held a senior role within Standard Chartered Bank providing support across its entire global sponsorship portfolio, which included the bank’s marquee sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club.

ELLVEE Founder and CEO, Sam Hollis, commented, “We are thrilled and very proud to have Iain and Brett join the team at ELLVEE following an extensive executive search process.  Over the past twelve months, ELLVEE has quickly established itself as a trusted adviser to senior leaders in sports and entertainment in the Middle East and to those looking to do business in the region. From their years of experience in leadership roles, both Iain and Brett have a deep understanding of the business of international and domestic sporting rights holders and events, and are ideally suited to help our clients capitalise on the evolving opportunities within the UAE, KSA and Qatar.” 

Higgins added, “Brett and I have followed the recent growth and success of ELLVEE, which has a talented and motivated team with great connections, experience and insight across the region. We are both very excited to be working alongside them to help drive the continued growth of ELLVEE’s business.

“We are observing an emergence of exciting opportunities in this part of the world that ELLVEE is uniquely placed to support, and we are looking forward to helping local authorities, operators, investors and other entities identify and partner with sporting and entertainment properties in ways that will help them to achieve their business objectives.”

Roundtable round-up: The role of web v apps in growing fan relationships

Our community Roundtables are a vital part of what we do at iSportConnect, it gives senior people from all over the sports business world the chance to come together and discuss – in a private and intimate setting – their thoughts on a particular issue. 

On Tuesday September 6th, one of these roundtables was held at Queensland House, on the Strand. We debated: The role of web vs app in your digital transformation and growing fan relationships.

We were joined by people from Premiership Rugby Clubs, International Federations, Agencies and a National Governing Body. 

The session was kicked off with some case studies by app developers Choicely, which highlighted the amount of time people spend on apps. “On average people spend 4 hours and 40 minutes on their mobile devices and in that time people spend 4 hours and 12 minutes in IOS and Android apps.”

The group discussed the ability that apps have to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for fans is unique. This makes them more likely to stay in your ‘digital ecosystem’ for longer increasing the chances of them making another purchase or signing up to something else. 

To get maximum value from an app you need to make sure it contains high quality content and to do so “you should treat your app as a media channel”. Strong content is all well and good but you need to understand what it is that your audience wants to be reading and interacting with. Without that understanding you will be wasting time, money and only pushing your audience further away.

According to Choicely, push notifications are one of the best ways apps allow clubs and rights holders to keep in regular contact with their users without them feeling like they are being spammed. Instead you can make them feel special and send out exclusive offers, promote tickets and run prize competitions.

The biggest concerns in the room surrounded the work needed to keep an app up to date and whether their inhouse teams could manage both an app and a website. There is no denying that the technology with apps is more complicated and the ability to be able to effectively manage an app to maximise ROI was another challenge especially for a national governing body which already is struggling for resources. Choicely experts said that it would only require 2-3 hours per week to keep the app fully up to date and full of interesting interactivity.

The move towards OTT in particular with developing sports was considered by the group to be complimented by the use of apps. OTT can be easily integrated into apps and can give these growing sports, with dispersed fan bases, the chance to push out regular content (and monetise when the time is right). This was of particular interest to the national governing body and international federation. 

Here is the upcoming schedule for our Roundtables:

September 27: Maximising Event Profitability

September 29: The role of technology in taking your live sports broadcast to the next level

To register your interest in our Roundtables please email: Henry@isportconnect.com

Nottingham Panthers announce partnership with The Skinny Food Co

Fast-growth Nottingham based healthier alternative food and drink brand The Skinny Food Co., who earlier this summer placed 18th (4thin the Midlands) on The Sunday Time’s coveted list of Britain’s fastest growing businesses, have just announced an exciting new two-year partnership with the Elite Ice Hockey League’s Nottingham Panthers.

Alongside having their logo feature on main playing shirts and helmets, The Skinny Food Co will use their wider partnership rights with the Panthers, including a branded in-the-ice centre circle and rink side dasher board promotions at each goal end, to further increase their brand awareness across the UK and internationally. In addition, the brand will engage Panthers fans with a range of exciting offers and promotions throughout the season, displayed on regular jumbotron announcements. Skinny Food Co will also be celebrated as official community partners with a large banner displayed in the arena of the main foyer, a very high traffic area at all Panthers home games.

Launched in 2018 after co-founders James Whiting and Wayne Starkey were tired of seeing many people close to them forced to avoid great tasting food for the sake of their health, the Skinny Food Co is now stocked in a number of major high-street retailers across the UK – this includes ASDA, Morrisons, Co-Op, Home Bargains, Holland & Barrett, TK Maxx, SPAR, Aldi, B&M Bargains and Lidl, while the brand’s products are also stocked in excess of 50 countries globally.

Featuring over 300 great tasting products including high protein, low sugar and low-calorie sauces, breads, snacks, syrups, flavoured coffee and more, The Skinny Food Co is committed to helping people source healthier alternatives whilst still enjoying food to the maximum. Their aim is to allow anyone to eat a wider variety of foods often avoided when choosing to eat healthy or due to specific dietary requirements, making it possible again. The products are created to suit everybody’s needs, from fitness and sports enthusiasts to busy parents and office workers, to diabetics, vegetarians and vegans alike, and those with food intolerances.

James Whiting, Skinny Food Director and Co-Founder, said: “Personally, I’m a huge sports fan myself. As a Nottingham based company, it’s important to us to have a strong presence in our home city. Partnering with such an established team such as the Panthers will help build our brand presence in Nottingham and we’re excited to continue to grow with the club.” 

Wayne Starkey, Skinny Food CEO and Co-Founder, added: “Not only are we extremely happy that our partnership with Nottingham Panthers will help us build upon our strong local presence, we’re also super excited to produce some fun campaigns for and with our local community.”

“It’s a massive honour to build upon the success we have already had with another prestigious sports club in our home city in Nottingham Forest. We’re looking forward to supporting our local team on and off the pitch, and I for one cannot wait to get started.”

Expressing her excitement of the partnership, Nicola Strachan, Panthers Commercial Director, said: “I’d like to welcome James, Wayne and the team at Skinny Food Co and look forward to working with them. It’s fantastic to get such an up-and-coming and exciting Nottingham brand on-board with us and we hope this is the start of a very successful partnership.”

McLaren Racing and Jack Daniels announce partnership

McLaren Racing today announced a new multi-year partnership with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey as an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team from 2023. 

Jack Daniel’s has over 155 years of heritage in crafting whiskey and will enter Formula 1 for the first time with McLaren to evolve its global presence and reach new consumers. 

McLaren and Jack Daniel’s will host a variety of events and media and hospitality programs throughout the 2023 F1 season. The two brands will also collaborate to develop McLaren and Jack Daniel’s-themed programmes at retail outlets. 

McLaren and Jack Daniel’s will create custom marketing and advertising campaigns including a special edition bottle in select markets in 2023.

Jack Daniel’s branding will feature on the nose of McLaren’s 2023 F1 cars as well as on the driver’s overalls and pit crew helmets. 

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing:  “We are thrilled to welcome Jack Daniel’s to the McLaren F1 Team. Together we will look to reach new audiences as well as hosting a variety of events together. 2023 is an important year for McLaren as we commemorate our 60th birthday, and we are excited to celebrate with an iconic brand like Jack Daniel’s by our side.”

Sophia Angelis, SVP, Global Managing Director, Jack Daniel’s: “Entering the fast-growing world of Formula 1 with McLaren Racing aligns perfectly with our vision to make Jack Daniel’s the most iconic spirits brand globally.  Jack Daniel’s and McLaren Racing have always been bold, confident brands and we are excited about the platform that this partnership presents for Jack Daniel’s and McLaren to take our responsible drinking message to a new audience and engage fans all over the world.”

Kukri Sports announce partnership with British Wrestling

Kukri Sports have announced a five year partnership with British Wrestling.

The deal will see the international sportswear brand provide a full range of bespoke sportswear for British Wrestling competitors and coaches, while offering support to grassroots clubs across the country.

British Wrestling is the National Governing Body for wrestling in the United Kingdom, which includes the Olympic and Commonwealth styles of wrestling, as well as additional types under the jurisdiction of United World Wrestling and other indigenous forms of wrestling.

Craig Anthony, Chief Executive of British Wrestling, said: “I’m delighted with our new five-year partnership with Kukri. After working with them as the Team England kit supplier for the past two Commonwealth Games the athletes have provided consistently strong feedback and working with a UK-based supplier means reduced costs and logistics for all.

“We’ve worked closely with Kukri’s design team to develop a British look that I’m sure will help to instil pride in all representatives across the talent and performance pathways.”

Josh Beal, Sales Director of Kukri Sports, said: “We are delighted to partner with British Wrestling for the next five years. The performance and quality of the wrestling suits has gone down extremely well throughout the Commonwealth Games and we are thrilled to continue to supply the top wrestlers with Kukri singlets, a bespoke off mat range and support wrestling clubs around the country in this exciting partnership.”

Kukri Sports are partners to some of the world’s best sports organisations, supplying elite apparel to assist their team’s challenges on a local, national, and worldwide scale.

The brand are kit partners to a number of leading sports organisations such as Commonwealth Games England, British Gymnastics, England Athletics and Somerset County Cricket Club.

The brand also supply high quality multi-sport teamwear to some of the biggest schools and universities around the world. With kit partners spanning across the globe, competing on a local, national and international level Kukri are at the forefront of bespoke sportswear design.