Hassan al Thawadi, capsule Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, the body responsible for overseeing the coordination and preparation of the FIFA World Cup when it is hosted in the Middle East for the first time, will deliver his unique insight into the strategies being developed to stage one of the most challenging and complex sporting events in history in a rare public interview at the International Sports Event Management (ISEM) conference in London on Wednesday November 7^th.

Al-Thawadi, who also held the position of CEO during the bid campaign which saw the Gulf state overturn the odds to be selected as hosts, is among the headline speakers at the seventh edition of the conference which takes place at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch.

An outstanding, passionate and persuasive speaker, Al-Thawadi’s appearance is certain to be among the highlights of ISEM 2012.  It is one of only a handful of opportunities which events professionals will have to hear him during 2012.

The FIFA World Cup is far and away the largest single sports event in the world and Qatar’s plans involve breathtaking stadium construction and infrastructure projects with a carefully planned legacy for Qatar and other Nations.

During the interview with SportBusiness Group Editorial Director, Kevin Roberts, he will be asked not only to provide a progress report on the project but to discuss some of the current and future challenges in staging a mega event in a country with a small population.

Hassan Al-Thawadi plays a critical role as Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, which functions as a central body, uniting public and private stakeholders in Qatari society to ensure a united and focused approach to the gigantic project.

He was named among the leading innovators in world sport during 2011 by readers of SportBusiness International and, as one of the top 30 international lawyers under 40 by Legal Business magazine.

ISEM 2012 will reflect on the key management issues and lessons from a packed year of international sport which has included not only the Olympic Games but UEFA Euro 2012 and the IRB Rugby World Cup.

International Olympic Committee Vice President, Sir Crag Reedie CBE, will reflect on the success of London 2012 and its lessons for future Olympic Games during his session on Thursday November 8.

Sir Craig, a former Chairman of the British Olympic Association, played a key role in both the bidding and organising phases of London 2012, will share his unique insight into the triumphs and challenges of one of the most successful Olympic Games with an audience of industry leaders drawn from governing bodies, organising committees and event service providers around the world.

As a member of the IOC’s Executive Committee and the commission set up to evaluate Games Bids, Reedie has unparalleled expertise in the issues facing cities to develop rationales for hosting major sports events and the hurdles they face in delivering them.

He will deliver the ultimate insider’s guide to what it takes to win a bid and deliver a successful event drawing on the wealth of knowledge and practical experience developed by the Organising Committees of previous Games and the IOC.

As well as reflecting on the learnings from this year’s events, the conference will look to the future through a series of presentations, discussions and interviews with the people responsible for delivering the next wave of sports mega events.

Other speakers include Kit McConnell, Head of Rugby World Cup 2011 and David Grevemberg, CEO of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, each of whom will ensure that ISEM 2012 delivers the best ever insight into, and analysis of, the planning and staging of major sports events.

The International Sports Event Management conference attracts the crème de la crème of the international events business as well as senior representatives of governing bodies and local organising committees. The result is an event which provides priceless networking opportunities as well as fascinating, practical and hugely valuable conference sessions.

Over the years ISEM has earned a reputation as the ultimate meeting place for sports event professionals, who gather to share information and insight into the trends and issues shaping the sector.

Many of the leaders of world sport have been speakers at previous editions of ISEM and the 2012 edition is set to continue this trend.

The Hyundai A-League Grand Final , cialis which took place yesterday, sale saw 296,000 Australian people tuning in to see Central Coast triumph over Western Sydney. 

It was the most watched A-League match in history.

Fox Sports’ LIVE coverage of the decider surpassed the previous record, the 2007 Grand Final between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United by 14,000 viewers, and smashed last year’s Grand Final average audience by 38 per cent.

The finale was the perfect ending to the Hyundai A-League season which has seen unprecedented interest in the sport, achieving record crowd attendances and television ratings.

Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany said: “Yesterday we witnessed an incredible ending to what has been one of the most remarkable sporting stories of the year.

“Never before has there been so much interest in football in Australia and FOX SPORTS has been there every step of the way with live and exclusive coverage of every Hyundai A-League match.

“At the beginning of the season the headlines were all about marquee signings which no doubt helped raise the league’s profile and crowd attendance but, the real story at the end of the day, was the emergence of quality teams and contests that captivated fans.

“This season was the most watched season in the competition’s history with more than 2.8 million viewers tuning in to FOX SPORTS’ live coverage with average audiences up 23 per cent on last year.

“With over 33 weeks of prime time coverage, the Hyundai A-League is emerging as a real gem for us in summer and has well and truly cemented itself in the Australian sporting fabric,” Mr Delany concluded.

World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship tournament officials have announced the hiring of Earl “Butch” Buchholz as tournament chairman as the event returns to Trump Doral on March 6-10.

Buchholz, unhealthy who founded and built the Sony Open Tennis tournament into one of the top sporting events in South Florida, sale sale will work to raise the charitable impact, profile and entertainment and social atmosphere of the event.

“I am thrilled to be associated with a world-class event like the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and look forward to re-connecting with South Florida business and golf communities,” said Buchholz, who has extensive experience working with the South Florida community.  “The Cadillac Championship is truly a jewel of an event featuring one of the best fields in golf and one of the game’s best and most recognizable title sponsors in Cadillac. With the dramatic investments and improvements that The Trump Organization and renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse are planning for both the resort and the course, this event is poised to become one of the biggest sporting, social and entertainment events in the world. We are going to bring fashion, music, business leaders and celebrities together to create events during tournament week that will make the Cadillac Championship one of the most desirable tickets to get here in the Miami area.”

Prior to becoming a renowned event operator, Buchholz rose to as high as No. 5 amateur in the world in tennis and was a member of the U.S. Davis Cup Team.  He made the transition to tennis entrepreneur to build the Lipton Championships – now known as the Sony Open Tennis at Key Biscayne – into the fifth-largest tennis tournament in the world.  An inductee of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Buchholz was the Commissioner of World Team Tennis and the CEO of the ATP Tour.  Buchholz also created the Challenge Series of tennis tournaments that were held in six different countries in Latin America.

“The Cadillac Championship, already one of the most prestigious golf events in the world, is prepared to reach new levels,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “We are delighted to bring someone of Butch’s caliber on board to help change the culture of the event from a golf tournament to a community celebration. Having Butch join the team, alongside Executive Director Eddie Carbone, gives this event an amazing opportunity for growth that will significantly increase the tournament’s charitable footprint as well on its economic impact in South Florida.”

Following fantastic initial results with Championship football club Derby County and a growing list of positive case studies from the United States, health Tickets.com and Digonex have confirmed they will be showcasing their combined expertise in the field of dynamic ticketing at Rugby Expo 2012. 

The workshop which will take place at 11.45 on the professional focused day one of Rugby Expo (14 Nov) will enable both companies to highlight the details behind the strategy of dynamic ticketing, anesthetist | why clubs and venues should consider the option to engage in dynamic ticketing and share the results from others that have adopted the strategy. 

Derek Palmer, symptoms Managing Director / EVP, International for Tickets.com, on confirming the session with Digonex said, “The debate around dynamic ticketing is gathering pace and our work with Derby County FC will show rugby clubs, unions and leagues just what can be achieved when the right partners work together to help clubs and venues engage creatively with fans to help sell more tickets.” 

On confirming his role as presenter Rugby Expo, Jeff Eglen, VP of Strategy at Digonex said, “I was delighted to be asked by Tickets.com and the team at Rugby Expo to support the event. We have worked closely with Derek and his international team on various successful projects. The chance to share these results and explain more about dynamic ticketing to the commercial world of rugby is something I look forward to.” 

Derek Palmer will also be taking part in a main stage Q&A with New York Mets VP ticket sales and services Leigh Castergine on day one at 14.45. The Q&A will share some of the secrets of the Mets’ ticketing strategy that enables the sale of millions of tickets per season in the United States’ most competitive sports market. 

Both sessions will support a full programme of content at the world leading rugby conference and exhibition which has more than 40 speakers now confirmed including European PGA Tour CEO George O’Grady, leading sports entrepreneur Barry Hearn, IRB Head of Development and Performance Mark Egan, Premiership Rugby CEO Mark McCafferty and new RFU Chairman Bill Beaumont.

The Portsmouth Supporters’ Trust (PST) have completed the takeover of Portsmouth FC, moving the League One side out of administration for the first time in 14 months.

A meeting between the former owners at Fratton Park and the PST settled the deal on Friday in a much-needed boost for the struggling club. 

Portsmouth have narrowly avoided liquidation since falling into administration in January 2012, but a supporter-led syndicate allowed the club to fall back under ownership. Fans contributed £1,000 to be part of the Trust, raising nearly £3million to complete the deal. 

Although Portsmouth will be relegated to League Two next season, joint administrator Trevor Birch believes there is cause for optimism amongst Pompey supporters. 

“We have cleared the final hurdle: all of the paperwork has now been signed and the sale concluded,” Birch said. “It has taken more than 14 months of hard work from all concerned to get here and there were many times over that period when I didn’t think we would make it; but we have, and Portsmouth Football Club can once again look forward to the future with optimism. 

“The PST has shown what can be achieved when fans unite together for the good of their community. The club has been through considerable turmoil over the last few years, and I hope it can now enjoy a period of stability and the chance to build solid foundations for a sustainable future based on hard work and honest endeavour.” 

It was also announced that Portsmouth had been deducted ten points from the current points total after exiting administration. 

The Football League had previously confirmed Pompey would be deducted the points once they came out of adminstration but it was unclear if the penalty would come into effect during this season or next. 

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) have appointed Bill Pulver as their new Chief Executive.

Bill Pulver, the head of linguistics technology company Appen Butler Hill, was named John O’Neill’s successor at the helm of the Australian Rugby Union ahead of a big year for the sport, with the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour.

ARU chairman Michael Hawker said Pulver’s experience in marketing that included sports and entertainment sponsorship, as well as a devotion to rugby, made him the ideal candidate.

“We wanted someone with proven commercial success at CEO level, with international business experience and a love of rugby,’ said Hawker.

“The board also set priorities around good communication skills and an understanding of the world of sports marketing and media. Bill has all those attributes.”

Pulver said he felt “privileged and excited” to take the job.

“For 20 years I have been a chief executive in a diverse range of industries and now I have the opportunity to focus my efforts on this great game, the game I love.”

He said 2013 would be a momentous year, with 14 Test matches scheduled for the Wallabies including the British and Irish Lions tour, but noted there were also challenges ahead.

“In the short term the challenge for our team in the ARU headquarters is to work with all the game’s stakeholders to ensure rugby in Australia powers forward as a unified and energised force,” he said.

Former ARU Boss John O’Neill resigned in October.