The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) has announced a strong cast for its annual

morning Insights Forum on Digital and Social Media, capsule taking place in London on the 4^th

October 2012.

 

Craig Edmondson, prostate Head of Marketing, price Premier League and Richard Ayers, Head of Digital

Business Development at the British Film Institute, will review a selection of innovative

campaigns, exploring the thinking and activation behind the successful projects.

Nick Cohen, Head of MediaCom Beyond Advertising, will join in for a panel discussion

following a networking break. Hearing from the individuals who have driven that change, this

interactive session will focus on how future trends are likely to influence the sponsorship

industry.

 

Host Matt Rogan, Managing Director of Two Circles and ESA Director responsible for

Education and Training, said: “Creating digital impact is now a pre-requisite of engaging

customers on a personal level through sponsorship. We are thrilled to have secured such

experts to provide insights into the ever-changing opportunities of digital and social

marketing. This really is an essential session for anyone wanting their projects to cut

through”.

 

With a raft of digital awards to his name, Richard will be able to share his experience

working both at the BFI and as Digital Innovation Consultant at Manchester City Football

Club. Named ‘Individual of the Year’ in 2011 at the UK industry awards – the DADIs (The

Drum Awards for the Digital Industries), for his work at City, the Club’s digital service also

scooped the ‘Sport Website of the Year’ at this year’s Sports Industry Awards.

 

Having worked in the commercial department of the Premier League since 2004, Craig is

ideally placed to share the digital strategy, approach and advancements while illustrating

some current cutting edge developments and partnerships.

 

Approaching the discussions from another angle, Nick will bring his experience working at

the forefront of content and digital media with broadcasters and news providers, most

recently having spent nine years with the BBC before moving to MediaCom in 2011. During

the panel discussion, Nick will draw on some examples of his current work, including

Volkswagen and T-Mobile.

 

The morning forum will be held at the offices of MediaCom with registration and a light

breakfast starting from 8:30am and the session concluding at 11:30am. The forum is

affordably priced at £100 / £175 (plus vat) for ESA members / non-members respectively.

 

To reserve a place please contact Sue Cunningham at the ESA Office via

esaoffice@sponsorship.org, or telephone +44 (0) 20 9390 3311.

Attendance at the ESA Insights Forum will earn 2.5 ESA CPD Points. For further

information, please visit www.sponsorship.org/content/knowledge.asp

 

PMP Legacy have announced the appointment of Lord Sebastian Coe, the Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as Executive Chairman of CSM Sport & Entertainment a division of Chime Communications plc.

Lord Coe, who will take up his role in January 2013, when current Chairman Alan Pascoe becomes President, said: “I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic group with such a breadth of sporting interests and skills ranging from marketing, sponsorship and athlete representation to supporting bidding campaigns for world-class events. I hope my experience will help develop this exciting new business and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Jim Glover, Group Chief Executive of CSM Sport & Entertainment, said “We are entering an exciting new phase in our evolution at CSM Sport & Entertainment and I can think of no-one in the world better than Seb Coe to help us continue to build on our existing success. We are proud and delighted that out of the many and varied opportunities and avenues Seb could have chosen, he has agreed to join us.”

Peter Mann, Chairman of pmplegacy said “We very much look forward to welcoming Lord Coe into the CSM family and in particular to him working as part of the pmplegacy team on event bidding, hosting and legacy. Seb’s experience in taking London from conception through to execution, will make an invaluable contribution to our work with cities around the world, aspiring to bid for, win and host major sporting events. Seb’s experience in this sector is ‘without equal’ and I know that he is very excited about re-living that experience within CSM.”

CSM Sport & Entertainment is a division of Chime Communications plc. It comprises five major, internationally-recognised companies – pmplegacy, Icon, iluka, Fast Track and Essentially. CSM has 700 employees worldwide, across 15 offices in 13 countries including Abu Dhabi; Adelaide; Auckland; Cape Town; Doha; Dubai; Glasgow; Hong Kong; London; Madrid; Melbourne; Moscow; Paris; Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

Her Excellency, cialis Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, will officially open the inaugural Asia Pacific World Sport and Women (APWSW) Conference on the morning of Monday, 8 October 2012.

The APWSW Conference, a ground-breaking two-day forum on the business of women in sport, will host international delegates and speakers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, 8 and Tuesday, 9 October 2012.

Patrizia Torelli, President of the World Sport and Women Organising Association Inc conceived the APWSW Conference to provide delegates practical solutions to attract, engage and retain the interest of women in the business of sport.

‘We are honoured to confirm Her Excellency will open the APWSW Conference.   Her Excellency’s support and involvement complements the event’s commitment to increasing women’s involvement in sport,’ said Ms Torelli.

Strongly supported by government, the APWSW Conference’s program complements the 2006 Senate Inquiry into women’s involvement in sport.

Aiming to strengthen sport across all levels, the APWSW Conference’s two-day program will showcase the importance of women’s involvement from grassroots participation through to board level representation.

Secure tickets now at www.foxtix.com.au

Visit www.apwsw.com.au to see WHO ELSE will be joining the conversation and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for updates and news. Tickets available now at Foxtix.com.au

Tom Manners is set to take up a new position as Group Brand Development Director of the The Jockey Club, sales the largest commercial group in British horseracing, tadalafil  beginning his tenure from Tuesday 4th December 2012.

A highly experienced brand and commercial professional, Manners will be responsible for the development and marketing of The Jockey Club brand and generating commercial revenues, such as through partnerships and licensing arrangements. He will report to Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director of Jockey Club Racecourses.

Manners joins The Jockey Club after six years working for Gala Coral Group, where his roles included Group Brands Marketing Director, Group Retail Marketing Director and as Commercial Director of Gala Casinos, Gala Bingo and Gala Coral’s E-commerce division.

Paul Fisher, group managing director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We recognise that one of the key commercial opportunities for our business over the next few years is our brand and the value it can bring to the Group and British racing.”

Fisher added: “Tom Manners is a hugely experienced professional joining us with a strong record of success in senior brand, marketing and sales roles. We believe commercial partners, suppliers and our sales and marketing teams will enjoy collaborating with him and the vision he brings to The Jockey Club in this area.”

Manners was excited by the opportunity: “This is a truly exciting opportunity and I’m delighted to be joining The Jockey Club with its unrivalled assets and heritage in Britain’s second biggest sport. A force for good, reinvesting all profits back into racing for its long-term health; The Jockey Club brand has so much potential, including from a commercial perspective, to give back even more to the sport.”

The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) is delighted to announce an exclusive media partnership with iSportconnect for the upcoming ESA Insights Forum: Latest Trends for Digital and Social Media.

The event taking place in London on the morning of 4^th October 2012 will examine a selection of innovative campaigns, sales exploring the thinking and activation behind the successful projects. It will also review the social media/digital impact from the 2012 Olympic Games and focus on new trends.

iSportconnect Marketing & Partnership Manager Xavier Cureau said: “It is fantastic to be working with The European Sponsorship Association and a perfect fit for iSportconnect. We hope to work a lot closer with the ESA team over the coming year”.

iSportconnect offers an exclusive online platform that brings together thousands of sports business professionals worldwide. With a wide range of applications, iSportconnect combines business and social networking, detailed insights into the latest sports business news and market data, listings of business events and executive jobs, as well as market analysis to provide a one-stop shop for the sports business community. Existing LinkedIn and Twitter profiles can be synchronised and updated from iSportconnect, which also has iPhone and BlackBerry applications. iSportconnect has no introductory fees, and has no limit on communication.

Matt Rogan, Managing Director of Two Circles and ESA Director responsible for Education and Training, said: “We are very pleased to have the support of iSportconnect, an organisation that uses social media so well and is a complementary partner.

“Creating digital impact is now a pre-requisite of engaging customers on a personal level through sponsorship. Our experts Craig Edmondson, Head of Marketing, Premier League and Richard Ayers, Head of Digital Business Development at the British Film Institute, will give insights into the ever-changing opportunities of digital and social marketing”.

For further details about the ESA Insights Forum, visit http://www.sponsorship.org/content/knowledge/ESA-Knowledge-Events-Autumn-2012.pdf

For more information on iSportconnect, visit

http://dev.isportconnect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=3

 

The Asian Football Confederation will elect a President before April to perennially suspended AFC boss Mohamed Bin Hammam

An AFC statement said the election of a new leader was “subject to recommendations and advice of the AFC Legal Committee” with a decision due by mid-January.

The statement came after the AFC’s executive committee meeting at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday under the chairmanship of China’s Zhang Jilong, who has held the role of acting President since May 2011.

Zhang is a likely candidate to assume the permanent role, but he will probably face competition from Bahraini FA President Sheikh Salman and others.

“Under my caretaker leadership, I promised a new vision for AFC. I committed myself to a new era of transparency and I am confident that with your support I will be able to deliver this objective,” Zhang said to AFC members.

Bin Hamman has been out of office for the last 18 months fighting corruption allegations.

Bin Hammam, who was elected in 2002, has been credited with revolutionising the Asian Champions League and oversaw Australia’s entrance to the confederation.

He survived two further elections, the last in January 2011 uncontested, but his reign has often been controversial.{jcomments on}

BT Sport has agreed a highlights package deal for the Revolution Series elite track cycling.

This year’s series will showcase some of the biggest names in British cycling, symptoms as well as top international riders, over five indoor track cycling meets.

BT Sport will be bringing you an hour-long highlights show from Saturday’s curtain-raiser at the National Cycling Centre on Tuesday October 29, when you can see the likes of double Olympic champions Laura Trott and Jason Kenny take to the track.

Other big names competing in Manchester this weekend include Ed Clancy, Dani King and Jo Rowsell – all Olympic gold-medal winners at last summer’s London Games.

The series travels to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow on November 30 following a successful debut event there last season, with highlights to be broadcast on BT Sport on Tuesday December 3, before returning to Manchester in the New Year.

The best of rounds three or four will be shown on Tuesday January 7 and Tuesday February 4 before the series reaches its conclusion with a fifth round, added to the calendar for the first time this year.

The finale, a double bill of racing set over two days on March 14 and 15, will be staged at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London’s Olympic Park, marking the first elite cycling event to be held at the venue since the 2012 Games..

Sarah Mensah, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, has resigned after 19 years with the organization.

“Mensah’s departure is effective at the end of this month,” said Trail Blazers President and Chief Executive Officer Chris McGowan.

Day-to-day management of the team’s business, revenue and brand management operations, including ticket sales and service, corporate sales and service, suite sales and service, marketing, communications, community relations, broadcasting, game operations and digital communications will move under McGowan’s leadership.

“Sarah’s vision, creativity and steadfast determination were essential components of an outstanding career with the Trail Blazers,” said McGowan. “Her impact on our organization was profound. The Portland Trail Blazers are grateful for her service and commitment to excellence for 19 years.” 

“As the Trail Blazers begin a new chapter, the time is right for me to step down,” said Mensah. “There is a great new leadership team in General Manager Neil Olshey, Head Coach Terry Stotts, and President Chris McGowan. I want to thank Paul Allen for giving me the opportunity to lead and for always providing the team with the necessary tools to innovate and achieve both on and off-court success.”

“Sarah leaves an indelible mark on the Trail Blazers, the NBA and indeed professional sports,” said Trail Blazers owner Paul G. Allen. “She was a guiding force through some of the Trail Blazers’ most pivotal years in terms of growth, development and impact. Sarah will be missed by the entire Trail Blazers family, and we wish her continued success in the next chapter of her professional life.”

Rugby Ventures, site the management team behind Rugby Expo, ailment is delighted to announce a coveted addition to this year’s conference programme in Leigh Castergine, pills vice president for ticket sales and services for Major League Baseball giants the New York Mets.

Leigh will be joined by Derek Palmer, managing director & executive VP, International of headline sponsors Tickets.com and supplier to the Mets for a main stage plenary session on day one of Rugby Expo, bringing together a wealth of experience to discuss how rugby clubs can maximise revenue and engagement through their ticketing strategies.

“I’m very excited to be involved with Rugby Expo this year. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to share our league’s best practices in ticketing strategy and technology with the audience at Rugby Expo, while also learning more about rugby and its challenges and successes,” confirmed Leigh.

Having joined the Mets in 2010, Leigh has already been responsible for implementing dynamic ticket pricing to all New York Mets ticket areas, becoming the first team in the competitive New York sports team market to do so. Leigh previously worked for National Hockey League sides Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers, as well as National Basketball League’s Orlando Magic.

“Baseball, above all US sports, is renowned for its innovative ticketing strategies and what Leigh and her team have implemented at the Mets is certainly no exception. In a typical season the Mets can sell upwards of three million tickets in what is a very competitive New York sports market,” explained Derek.

“We received fantastic feedback in 2011 with involvement in our plenary session from Steve Fanelli, executive director for ticket sales and operations at MLB’s Oakland Athletics and with Leigh confirmed for this year, we will provide clubs with an exclusive insight into one of the biggest ticketing challenges faced by professional sports teams.”

Major League Baseball side the Mets not only contends with rival baseball team the Yankees, but a total of nine professional sports teams located in New York, all competing for fans, support and, ultimately, ticket sales.

“Not only are we a part of a highly competitive sports and entertainment market in New York, we also host 81 home games a season in a venue that holds 42,500 fans; such challenges mean that operating a successful ticketing strategy is crucial,” explained Leigh.

Commenting on the event’s conference programme, event director Jonathan Wilson said, “The quality of the speakers, conference programme and workshops at Rugby Expo is always a key factor in the reason delegates return year on year.

“We are delighted to welcome Leigh to the event and given her experience and successes through her work within professional sport, we know that she will be a fantastic addition to the list of world class speakers taking part at this year’s Rugby Expo.”

The conference programme will run alongside a busy exhibition floor, profiling some of the sport’s latest products, services and innovations.

If you are interested in attending Rugby Expo as a sponsor, exhibitor or delegate, please contact Jason McMahon at jason@rugbyexpo.com or on +44 (0) 7881 288900.