The former ticketing and hospitality manager for the London 2012 Olympics, Paul Lemon has been named the head of business development at Prestige Ticketing, the official Olympics in-venue hospitality provider.

Lemon has more than 15 years experience in the sports ticketing and hospitality industry, having worked on a range of major events including five Olympic Games. 

Paul’s most recent role was ticketing and hospitality manager for Locog, where he oversaw the successful implementation of all official travel and hospitality products, including the ground-breaking Prestige Ticketing programme.

Lemon was previously general manager of Sportsworld Group in Beijing where he worked with sponsors and National Olympic Committees on a range of complex hospitality programmes. He has also worked with rights holders and sponsors at FIFA World Cups and IRB Rugby World Cups.

He said: “Having worked with Prestige Ticketing over the last few years, I’ve been really impressed by their long term view and their desire to constantly improve the quality of major sports event hospitality. On the back of a very successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, it is important we continue to set new standards in hospitality for all event stakeholders so that real value is delivered against their investment. Prestige Ticketing clearly share this vision so I’m excited about joining the team and the opportunities that lie ahead to create word class hospitality programmes at some of the world’s most prestigious events.”

Alan Gilpin, CEO, Prestige Ticketing, added: “As Prestige Ticketing embarks on the next step of its journey following the success of London 2012, we are delighted to have Paul in our talented team. He brings with him a wealth of commercial and operational hospitality experience and I have no doubt that he will make a significant and positive contribution to our business.”

Sports marketing legend Michael Payne, former Marketing Director of the International Olympic Committee will present at Future Sponsorship this November in Istanbul.  Michael Payne has been at the forefront of the sports marketing industry for over thirty years.  He led the global marketing effort for the Olympic Movement for more than two decades as the IOC’s first ever Marketing and Broadcast Rights Director.

Following the recent close of London’s iconic Olympic Games, Michael will open day two of the Future Sponsorship conference with a keynote presentation reflecting on the key lessons learnt, how the Games have raised the bar for future and what the Olympic legacy means for London.

Supported by host partners, Turkish Airlines and Euroleague Basketball, Future Sponsorship will address the major challenges in the sponsorship world and will gather high level brands, rights holders and agencies to shape the future of the sponsorship industry.  Forward thinking and motivational speakers will keep the audience engaged for two content-packed conference days.

Top speakers signed up to the anticipated event include Jordi Bertemou, CEO, Euroleague Basketball, Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines, Sally Hancock, Director of Olympic Marketing and Sponsorship, Lloyds TSB, Ragip Balciogu, MD, Beko UK, Hakan Aydinol, General Manager, Galatasaray, Paul Samuels, Senior Vice President of AEG Global Partnerships, Europe and Christian Struck, Director of International Brand Management, Grundig AG.

The programme will address a host of critical topics including market projections and trends, tapping into growth markets and effective growth strategies for marketing overseas.  We will see brands and rights holders share expertise from China, Brazil, Europe and the Middle East, as well as insights from Turkey on their plans and ambitions to grow it’s sports culture.

Other sessions will include presentations, case studies and panel debates on dealing with problem messages in CSR, looking at successful and not so successful sponsorships from the UEFA Euros and the Olympics, discussing the true value of sponsorship to brands on a panel.  Discussions will also take place around music festival and entertainment sponsorship and the future of the industry – sports, media and entertainment.

More speakers for 2012 will be announced in the coming weeks.

To register interest in Future Sponsorship 2012 go to www.future-sponsorship.com

The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has named Aïcha Garad Ali as the governing body’s newest Council member. 

The appointment, viagra which took place at today’s WTF Council meeting in Santa Cruz, Aruba, is indicative of the Federation’s commitment to gender equality. The WTF now has six female National Federation presidents and 23 female secretary generals. The WTF aims to encourage and support its MNAs around the world to promote the role of women and young people in sport. 

WTF President, Chungwon Choue: “It is a great honour for me to make this announcement – the World Taekwondo Federation is delighted to have Aïcha on board. She will be an instrumental member of the Council, offering knowledge from her extensive experience in sporting commissions and the Olympic Movement. Aïcha’s passion for youth and education was one of the fundamental reasons for her appointment – we are thrilled to have another member so enthusiastic about this area of development. It is also always important for the council to reflect the universal nature of taekwondo – which appeals equally to men and women in all five Olympic continents.” 

Aïcha Garad Ali, President of the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Djiboutien, commented: “It is a great pleasure to be appointed a World Taekwondo Federation Council Member. I am very excited to be part of the taekwondo family and to be able to contribute my experience in the Olympic Movement, particularly as an African woman. 

“I have already been working towards the set-up of the official national taekwondo association in Djibouti. Taekwondo activities have been going on for years in East Africa and I want to expand further and develop the sport in this important part of the world. Taekwondo is now the second most popular sport in Africa, after football; it is a powerful vehicle for social development.”

The 2nd annual Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) exhibition and conference (12 – 14 September), denture which kicked off yesterday at the ICC Durban, has attracted the interest of forty-six high profile International Hosted Buyers (IHB) from Jamaica, Brazil, India, France, America, as well as a number of other countries. As part of SETE’s dynamic and progressive IHB programme, the international buyers who will be attending the event will be introduced to the world class infrastructure that South Africa has to offer, in terms of stadia, venues and the well established services and supply chains of the sports and tourism industries.

Both the SETE exhibition and conference are tasked with promoting South Africa as a popular sports and events destination, with the eighty-six exhibitors who are showcasing their products and services at the event also looking to maximise their opportunity to access the influential international visitors as a means of gaining a footing in the sports tourism industry. Don Leffler (Director of Community Development Initiatives International), who was instrumental in attracting the Jamaican IHB’s to the event, said “as one of a number of South African tourism specialists who visited Jamaica in February to share learnings on Community Based Tourism, we were received by the South African High Commissioner to the Caribbean, Her Excellency Mathu Joyini, and also met with the Ministers of Tourism and of Trade and Commerce. During our discussions it became clear that there was a real interest and desire to introduce Sport and Culture Exchange Tours and Study Programmes between our countries”.

Through the tireless work of Joyini, who has worked hard at building closer relationships between Jamaica and South Africa, five Jamaican sports specialists accepted invitations to attended this year’s SETE exhibition and conference as international hosted buyers. According to Leffler, “their visit will add impetus to the work being done by South Africa’s Department of International Relations and our High Commissioner in Jamaica, aimed at building closer tourism, sport, cultural and business/trade relationships for mutual benefit, using sport and tourism as a catalyst for sustainable social and economic benefits”.

Also attending SETE 2012 as international hosted buyers will be a delegation from Brazil, represented by upper echelon  administrators from Brazil’s top soccer team, Palmeiras FC, an important connection in light of the global events that Brazil will be hosting in the years to come, namely the FIFA World Cup in 2014, and the 2016 Olympic Games. Jair Jussio, Director at Palmeiras FC, will be one of many high-profile guests at tonight’s SETE 2012 Gala Dinner, which will also see the like of Olympic gold and silver medallist Chad le Clos, multiple-SAMA winner Lira and Miss SA Melinda Bam celebrating the inspirational performances of the South African Olympic Team at London 2012. As a token of goodwill between the Brazilian delegation and their South African hosts, a Palmeiras FC jersey with the name “Fikile” printed on it was accepted by SASCOC President Gideon Sam on behalf of South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula, at last night’s star-studded Gala Dinner.

James Seymour, CEO of Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal Convention Bureau, said that “attracting international buyers to SETE 2012 is the key component to achieving our goal of promoting South Africa as a destination for international mega events, as well as further entrenching the country as the preferred location for sports and tourism activities for both local and international travellers. As a country we are able to offer top class facilities and services, making South Africa a prime location for all top-level international sports events and concerts”.

For more information, visit www.sportsandevents.co.za, like ‘SETE.ZA’ on Facebook, and follow @SETE_ZA on Twitter. SETE supports the inaugural South African Travel and Tourism Industry Conference (SATTIC, 2 – 4 September), a combined initiative of member associations of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).

The Sports and Events Tourism Exchange is hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, partnered by CATHSSETA, SASCOC and Tourism KZN, and supported by Springbok Atlas, SAA and SABC.

MSG Networks have agreed a broadcasting agreement with ESPN Deportes Nueva York 1050AM that will make 1050AM the Spanish radio broadcast home of the New York Knicks during the 2013-14 NBA season.

The agreement features a 60-game schedule and a continuation of a multi-tiered cross-promotional effort between The Madison Square Garden Company, including the Knicks and MSG Networks, and ESPN Radio.

“We are committed to providing our passionate Knicks fans with the best options to consume content on their favorite team across every media platform,” said Dave Howard, president, MSG Sports. “We have had a great, longstanding relationship with ESPN New York 98.7FM and are excited to expand our relationship with ESPN Deportes Nueva York 1050AM to bring our Spanish-speaking New York area fans the opportunity to listen to games on the radio.”

“We are very excited to expand our basketball programming with complete coverage of the New York Knicks,” said David Roberts, general manager, ESPN Deportes Radio Nueva York 1050 AM and ESPN Radio New York 98.7 FM. “It has been great working with MSG Sports and we look forward to continue this alliance to better serve the Hispanic sports fans in New York.”

“We’re happy to continue our great partnership with ESPN New York and ESPN Deportes Nueva York 1050AM,” said Ryan O’Hara, president of content, distribution and sales, The Madison Square Garden Company. “New York’s Spanish-speaking community is enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about Knicks basketball, and we’re proud to be able to bring these fans a dedicated, high-quality radio broadcast.”

The team failed to win an individual gold medal despite high expectation for the likes of world 100m freestyle champion James Magnussen. That disappointment came after Australia won six swimming gold medals in Beijing 2008 and seven in Athens 2004.

Neil has accepted full responsibility. “At the end of the day, I’m the CEO of the organisation and that’s where the buck stops,” he said recently.

Last night Neil was at farewell drinks with his staff.

“In the end I’d just had enough,” he said.

“When you stop enjoying the job, it’s time to go. I have witnessed great changes and I am proud to have played a role in this development and the enhancement of the sport’s revenue base.

“Following the below-expected results in London, swimming is now undertaking various reviews to set the new course for the future and it is therefore appropriate to step aside to allow the sport to progress to its next exciting phase.”

SA president Nettlefold said Neil’s exit was a “mutually agreed departure” but it’s understood he was told a week ago his job was in danger.

Despite his decision to quit Neil is expected to tender evidence to the review into the team performance.

Despite the drama engulfing the sport, Nettlefold was full of praise for Neil’s impact on SA.

“Under Kevin’s leadership, Swimming Australia increased its revenue by 40 per cent and instigated several new developments,” he said.

“Kevin was also instrumental in negotiating a new broadcast deal with Network Ten, the implementation of a range of important initiatives targeted at growing the sport at a community level, and the development of an aquatic facilities strategy.”

With goal line technology about to transform the game of football as we know it and with Hawkeye at the forefront of that transformation, pill Soccerex is excited to announce that the Inventor of Hawkeye, Paul Hawkins and Head of the General Secretary’s Office of FIFA, Christoph Schmidt will be participating in a special Goal Line Technology conference session at the Soccerex Global Convention in Rio de Janeiro, 24-28 November.

In July, the IFAB approved the introduction of goal line technology in football unanimously approving in principle both companies that took part in Test Phase 2: GoalRef and Hawk-Eye. This approval was subject to a final installation test at each stadium before the systems can be used in “real” football matches, in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for GLT.” The decision was then agreed after discussing the various challenges it would bring to stadia infrastructure and the cost to the worlds different football authorities. Here a group of experts will analyse the impact its introduction will have on football, by assessing how it has been put into action elsewhere in the world of sport before moving on to the planned implementation and the ramifications for football’s different stakeholders.

As Head of the General Secretary’s Office, Christoph Schmidt is the project owner of the IFAB, meaning all procedures, ideas, requests and changes to the Laws of the Game are handled by his office.  They were responsible for the whole testing phase including pre-tests (2010/11), test phase I (2011) and test phase II (2012). He will now focus on the licensing and certification procedure as well as the implementation into FIFA’s own competitions like the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012.

Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd, recently acquired by Sony, was developed in 1999 and is at the forefront of sports technology and broadcasting. The Hawk-Eye system works by placing numerous high frame rate cameras around the stadium focusing on each goal mouth.  The camera’s  will monitor the ball’s trajectory which will recognise if the ball has crossed the line, if so, it will send a message to the referee in less than a second with the decision which also offers video replays.

Paul Hawkins, Inventor of Hawkeye had this to say on the announcement:

“We are extremely excited to be attending the Soccerex Global Convention and to show the footballing world how the Hawkeye system will benefit the game. It has been a long journey for football to get to this stage. To speak alongside FIFA is a huge honour and will allow us to show the global football industry how the Hawkeye system will improve the game of football.”

Commenting on the announcement, Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said:

“We are delighted to welcome Hawkeye and FIFA to the Soccerex Global Convention, the decision by IFAB to include goal line technology in football is a huge development for the game. This panel will offer the first exclusive opportunity for the football world to learn how technology will affect football and confirms the importance of our world class conference programme.”

For further information about this event please call +44 (0)208742 7100 or visit www.soccerex.com/global.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) has extended their partnership with Infront Sports & Media for the distribution of the FIS World Cup competitions for the 2013/14 and 2014/2015 seasons.

The renewed deal, viagra signed today at Sportel Monaco, pills will include free distribution of Freestyle and Snowboard news clips to broadcasters. In addition, the official FIS YouTube channels will, from this season onwards, feature Alpine, Nordic, Freestyle and Snowboard clips – available free of charge to fans worldwide*.

The production of video news releases (VNRs) for various FIS disciplines is now into its fourth successful season – providing broadcasters and fans with valuable content and the sports with higher exposure. Infront’s dedicated production and post-production unit produces the clips for all FIS Alpine, Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Snowboard and Freestyle World Cup events where Infront manages media rights. Over the past three seasons, this distribution of quality coverage directly from the competitions has helped to increase the international reach of the FIS events across the world.

Under the extended agreement, in order to more extensively promote the two youth oriented disciplines – the FIS Snowboard World Cup and FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup – broadcasters will continue to be provided with broadcast-standard quality coverage of these events through the web portal free-of-charge. Each Snowboard and Freestyle feed features competition highlights including beauty shots, the top three final runs along with interviews and podium coverage.

As a major novelty this year, clips across all disciplines produced by Infront will be made available on the official FIS YouTube channels. This includes Alpine and Nordic events of which three minute clips will be made available by Infront within six hours from the end of each race and offered free of charge to fans around the world. 

Sarah Lewis, FIS Secretary General, said: “The popularity of the video news releases over recent years has remained consistent and was a clear motivator for continuing the service. With its post-production, distribution and digital media expertise, Infront supports us in boosting our sport’s coverage on various channels and around the world. Distributing the FIS World Cups programming through all available media platforms is highly appreciated by the fans and with the free material we can even offer an additional benefit to our broadcast partners.” 

Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront, said: “The extension of the project for two seasons is a result of its appreciation by fans and broadcasters. Together with the FIS and all national skiing federations, our overall ambition to increase audience interest by promoting and distributing the FIS World Cup programming through television as well as digital media remains. In this spirit, we are focusing on the development of both the established and emerging disciplines to reach new audiences and increase levels of exposure year on year.”

New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) have announced Phil Holden has become the new chief executive officer of the national body.

NZRL chairman Scott Carter said that following strong progress in recent years the NZRL is keen to ensure continuity of the game’s reforms and the further development of marketing initiatives to fund grass-roots growth.

“The board has been impressed with the quality of applicants for this CEO role and we’re delighted to have Phil joining us,” said Carter.

“Our next strategic cycle will focus on sustainable structures that embed recent gains and exciting new initiatives that include our bid to co-host the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Phil has the experience and skill set required in both of these areas.”

“Phil understands sport and communities from many angles. Through his various roles he has been sponsored and a sponsor, and both funded and a funder.”

Described as a charismatic values-based leader, Holden comes with a reputation of being able to build good relationships at all levels and delivering solid results.

Holden has previously held chief executive officer and general marketing roles with a number of blue chip New Zealand companies, while he also possesses considerable commercial experience in international markets and the hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, sports and gaming sectors.

He also has a keen interest in sport, having played representative hockey for Southland, Otago, Wellington and Hawke’s Bay, and is a former chairman of the Auckland Diamonds netball franchise.

Holden said he was really excited to be joining the NZRL as CEO in what is a dynamic time for the sport.

“The challenges rugby league faces and the family/community-based proposition of the NZRL were compelling reasons for me wanting this role.

“I feel privileged to be given this opportunity and I look forward to working closely with the board to build on the fantastic work delivered to date.”

The first wave of finalists for the brand new Football Business Awards have been announced.

Both the quantity and the quality of the entries has surpassed expectations. Over half of the Premiership and many Football League clubs are involved and there has also been strong interest from abroad with entries from as far afield as Belgium, cheap Italy, Denmark, Russia, Brazil and USA.

The shortlist in 6 categories have been announced – see Finalists.

Those shortlisted so far include the following:

American Express * Arsenal Media Group * Aston Villa Football Club * ATB Games * Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club * Circle Agency * Club Brugge * Colorado Rapids Soccer Club * Continental Tyre Group Ltd * Coritiba FootBall Club * ESPN * Everton Football Club * Harvey & Son (Lewis) * Inter Milan * Kitbag * KSS Design Group * Lindley Venue Catering * Manchester City Football Club * MOC Games * Pinsent Masons * Prozone Sports * Randers FC / Loyal Solutions * redboxdesign group * Samsung Electronics / Swindon FC * SpecialOne / FC Zenit * The FA * Turner Construction Company * UCFB (University College of Football Business) * Vauxhall / Carat Sponsorship * Walker Morris * Wolverhampton Wanderers

The highly respected panel of judges are currently reviewing the entries in the remaining categories and the final list of finalists will be announced on Friday 14th September 2012.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place at Chelsea FC on 8th November 2012.

If you wish to reserve a table at the event then please contact sian@footballbusinessawards.co.uk