1	Crystal CG Makes Olympic History with World’s Largest Digital Display at Opening Ceremony	Saturday, 28 July 2012
2	London Olympics Opening Ceremony Tickets Yet to be Sold	Friday, 27 July 2012
3	P&G: Olympic Sponsorship Should Pay Dividends	Thursday, 26 July 2012
4	Tourists Coming for London 2012 Olympics to Transfer One Billion Dollars to Pounds	Thursday, 26 July 2012
5	LOCOG Apologise for Flag Mix-Up During North Korean Olympic Soccer Match	Thursday, 26 July 2012
6	BBC to Use Adobe’s Project “Primetime” to Deliver Video Streams for London 2012	Thursday, 26 July 2012
7	IOC & IPC Sign Olympic Games Deal	Thursday, 26 July 2012
8	GE Healthcare Launches New Virtual Video Exploring Olympic Village Polyclinic	Thursday, 26 July 2012
9	Havas Reveal Sponsors Benefitting From Olympic Fever	Thursday, 26 July 2012
10	ARD rüstet sich für die Übertragung der Olympischen Sommerspiele in London	Thursday, 26 July 2012
11	London Heathrow Olympic Strike Called Off	Wednesday, 25 July 2012
12	Olympic VIP Lanes Frustrates Commuters	Wednesday, 25 July 2012
13	David Beckham to be Included in Olympic Ceremony	Wednesday, 25 July 2012
14	POCOG Faces Criticism Over Controversial Decisions	Wednesday, 25 July 2012
15	Olympic Truce Wall Opened in London 2012 Olympic Village	Tuesday, 24 July 2012
16	1,200 Troops Drafted in for Olympics Security	Tuesday, 24 July 2012
17	Tokyo Olympic Bid Team Launches Official Campaign Tagline	Tuesday, 24 July 2012
18	Rogge: ‘Common sense will prevail’ about Ambush Marketing at London 2012	Sunday, 22 July 2012
19	Coca-Cola Beatbox Unveiled at London 2012 Olympic Park	Sunday, 22 July 2012
20	BOA Chairman Endorses Troops to Get Spare Olympic Tickets	Sunday, 22 July 2012

FOX Sports have announced a new multi-year broadcast partnership with Bellator MMA in Latin America

Through this agreement, FOX Sports Latin America has acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast Bellator MMA content in all Latin American countries, including Brazil, with a total distribution of more than 50 million households.

Beginning in October of 2013, FOX Sports will air Bellator content, including Bellator 360, a large collection of previous Bellator live events and other original content. Starting in 2015, fans of mixed martial arts will have access to more than 25 live Bellator events per year as well as in-territory live events on FOX Sports and the online authenticated platform FOXSportsPlay.com.

“FOX Sports Latin America has been looking for the premier mixed martial arts organization to partner with, and Bellator is the perfect fit. We are thrilled to make Bellator the widest distributed MMA promotion in Latin America and Brazil, reaching more than 50 million homes from day one” said Carlos Martinez, President of FOX International Channels Latin America. “We are also very excited to be able to work as partners with Bellator to produce large scale Bellator events throughout Latin America and to produce reality shows in key territories. This partnership is a long term relationship that has virtually unlimited potential.” added Martinez

“We’ve now taken a monumental next step forward in the evolution of the global brand that is Bellator,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “To have partnered with FOX Sports, Latin America’s largest and most powerful sports network is the perfect fit for Bellator in this incredibly vital region. This is just the beginning of what Bellator and FOX Sports International will build into the largest worldwide alliance in combat sports history. The possibilities that surround this alliance are nearly endless, including live events in key Latin American markets and the distribution of unique Bellator content exclusively for FOX Sports.”

Penn National Gaming, diagnosis Inc. has appointed Mark Loewe Vice President of Ohio Racing Operations, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Loewe, a 30-year veteran of the horse racing industry with a five year tenure at Penn National Gaming, most recently served as Vice President of Racing at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, PA, a position he assumed in November 2010.

As Vice President of Ohio Racing Operations, Mr. Loewe will oversee the operations of the Company’s two existing Ohio racetracks – Beulah Park in Grove City and Raceway Park in Toledo – and work closely with the team overseeing Penn National’s development of two new gaming and racing facilities in Dayton and Austintown. He will be assisted by Jim McKinney, who will continue as General Manager of Beulah Park.

“Mark has done a tremendous job for us since joining Penn National five years ago,” said Christopher McErlean, Vice President of Racing for Penn National Gaming. “Ohio is an exciting long-term opportunity for our company and we are looking forward to the next few years as we transition from our current tracks to a new era in Ohio racing, highlighted by new facilities and expanded revenues through the introduction of gaming. I believe Mark is up to the challenges and opportunities we face in the Buckeye state as we build these new racing facilities and transition from our existing operations.”

In addition to his work at Penn National Race Course, Mr. Loewe served as General Manager at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club in Longwood, Florida from February 2008 to November 2010. Prior to joining Penn National Gaming, he served as Director of Pari-Mutuel Operations at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa from 2005 to 2008 and in a number of management positions at Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Florida for over 15 years. In addition, Loewe was a licensed Standardbred trainer for over 10 years.

Mr. Loewe commented: “I am looking forward to this exciting new challenge. I fully appreciate Penn National’s confidence in my abilities as we build two new racetracks from the ground up while managing two existing operations.”

Mr. McErlean added: “Bill McLaughlin, current General Manager at Raceway Park, will be departing the Company on November 1 to pursue other opportunities. I want to thank Bill for his leadership at Raceway Park, taking what was supposed to be a short-term project and turning it into a five year effort during which he made a number of positive changes for both our guests and the horsemen. We wish Bill well in his new endeavors.”

English Premier League’s Arsenal FC has appointed Simon Lilley as its new Retail Director.

Lilley joins from his previous role as Head of Licensing and Retail at LOCOG, where he was responsible for running the highly successful licensing programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Prior to joining LOCOG, Lilley spent ten years with adidas, working across their sports apparel and footwear businesses, before joining UEFA as their Senior Manager for Licensing and Retail, helping to negotiate the appointment of adidas as a worldwide sponsor and licensee for EURO 2008 alongside the development of its global product range.

Lilley’s appointment follows the departure of Retail Director Nick Peel, who left in August after spending two years with the Club. During this time, Arsenal relaunched its online and mobile retail arms and opened a new flagship store at Brent Cross Shopping Centre.

Speaking about the appointment, Arsenal Football Club Chief Commercial Officer, Tom Fox, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that Simon has decided to join Arsenal. His track record in delivering outstanding commercial revenues for global sports brands and developing multi-channel retail businesses is second to none.”

“Our retail division has made enormous strides recently and we hope that Simon will help us to continue shaping and evolving our retail strategy as we look to identify further opportunities to grow our retail operations both online and internationally.”

Lilley will start his new role with Arsenal on 19 November 2012.

Marisol Casado has been re-elected as President of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), price cialis for a further four years at the 25th ITU Congress in Auckland.

Loreen Barnett of Canada has also won another 4-year term after being re-elected as Secretary General of ITU, treat ensuring that ITU remains the only International Federation in the Olympic Games with women at the top two leadership roles. 

In the Vice-President race, Antonio Alvarez of Mexico, Sarah Springman of Great Britain and Bill Walker of Australia were all re-elected. 

Three members to the ITU Executive Board were re-elected including Ria Damgren Nilsson of Sweden, Ahmed Nasser of Egypt, and Shin Otsuka of Japan. Debbie Alexander of South Africa was also elected to the Executive Board for the first time. 

In all, 109 National Federations were represented at the 25th ITU Congress, held at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland. 

 

ampoule sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;”>High profile speakers to feature at upcoming Sports and Events Tourism Exchange conference

cough | sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;”>A number of high profile international and local speakers will be taking to the stage at the upcoming Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) conference (12-13 September), exchanging ideas and providing a platform that will enhance the sport, tourism, and event industries in South Africa. CATHSSETA (Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality, Sports Sector Education and Training Authority) have also recently come aboard as naming sponsors of the conference, and their partnership with SETE is sure to add much impetus to the many aims of this influential event.

Held at the ICC Durban later this year, both the SETE conference and exhibition (12-14 September) will look to facilitate relationships between South Africa’s tourism, sport and event industries and promote the country as a popular sports and events destination. To this end, the conference programme will include presentations and panel discussions anchored by keynote speakers who are all specialists within their respective fields. The National Sports Tourism Steering committee that was appointed at last year’s SETE conference will also be presenting the national sports tourism strategy at the conference, outlining the key sports events which SASCOC and its partners will be bidding for until 2030. Focused on identifying the key events which will require government’s support between 2013 and 2030, the plan will be discussed and finalized at the conference.

South African representatives who will be speaking include James Nxumalo (Mayor of Durban), Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha (KZN MEC for Arts Culture, Sport and Recreation), and Fikile Mbalula (Minister of Sport), who will all contribute to positioning the province and country as a major role-player in the lucrative global sports, tourism and events industries. Sam Ramsamy (IOC Executive Committee) will be offering a global perspective on the opportunities that Olympic sport present for the South African sports tourism industry, whilst key South African sports administrators like Oregan Hoskins (Vice President of the IRB), Danny Jordaan (Vice President of SAFA), and Cassim Docrat (CEO of Gauteng Cricket) will all examine ways to maximize commercial opportunities in South Africa’s major events, sports and tourism markets by way of an interactive panel discussion. Kamilla Swart (Head of Centre for Tourism Research in Africa) will offer a unique glimpse into the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, presenting findings of research undertaken that assessed the impact on carbon footprint and how events can be used to contribute to the green economy.

International presentations will come from the likes of: His Excellency Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani (Secretary-General Qatar Olympic Committee), who will examine Qatar’s vision for becoming a global leader in sports tourism and how its hosting of major sporting events has developed the country’s brand, profile and reputation; Mike Lee (CEO of Vero Communications), who will analyse global communication platforms and how they are utilized to promote major events; Winand Krawinkel (Managing Director Adidas), who will offer a sponsors perspective by identifying the essential value drivers sponsors will look for in its contractual relationships with sporting rights holders as well as how these can be successfully developed to fit the brand profiles and objectives of both parties; Paul Bush (CEO of Event Scotland), who will look at the processes host nations need to go through to make sure they get the right event for their country, taking in to account the role of both public and private sector stakeholders play in delivering the event and contributing to a viable and successful legacy for both sport and tourism; and Thomas Abrahams (Editorial Director Sportz Power India), who will examine the efficacy of online media marketing and communications strategies for sports events.

According to Director for Business Development at TEPG and SETE Conference Director Sugen Pillay “the aim of the SETE conference is to understand the global market place for events and their political and macro-economic importance to host nations and cities, and to achieve this we have assembled an impressive selection of some major role-players in the various sectors surrounding the sports, events and tourism industries. Speakers at the conference will contribute to our understanding of the commercial links between sport, events and tourism, as well as focusing on how local and national events in South Africa can be marketed, supported and developed to make an even bigger contribution to our economic growth. The number of international speakers will ensure that knowledge transfer and innovation of the global sports, events and tourism industries are not lost on South Africa, ensuring our continued success in the global events market”.

The conference will run alongside the second edition of the SETE exhibition (12 – 14 September), which itself will feature an estimated 100 exhibitors as well as over 60 international hosted buyers (IHB’s). For more information, visitwww.sportsandevents.co.za, like www.Facebook.com/SETE.ZA on Facebook, follow @SETE_ZA on Twitter.

 

Exhibition Details:

For those companies wishing to book a stand for this exciting event, please contact Trish on trish@tepg.co.za. Stands are limited!

Sports and Events Tourism Exchange 2012

12 – 14 September

ICC Durban

Entrance: FREE

Times: Wed 12 September & Thurs 13 September 09h00 – 17h00, Fri 14 September 09h00 – 14h00

 

Conference Details:

The two day SETE conference (12-13 September) which runs alongside the exhibition has attracted a line-up of high profile international and local speakers.

12 – 13 September 2012

Registration: Open on www.sportsandevents.co.za

Fee:      R3500.00 excl VAT full package

R2000.00 excl VAT Day 1 Only

R1500.00 excl VAT Day 2 Only

 

Contact: Rene Staack on rene@tepg.co.za or Jenna Harper on jenna@tepg.co.za