iSportConnect release agenda for Lausanne Masterclass

The Lausanne masterclass, in partnership with ThinkSport, will take place at the Maison du Sport International (MSI) on September 20th.

It is an invitation-only event for our community of senior executives, our events provide a media/agency free opportunity to network and learn with like-minds, building the relationships that will change our industry for the better. 

David Fowler, MD Advisory at iSportConnect, said: “iSportConnect has been bringing together the community of international federations and rights owners in and around Switzerland on an annual basis since our first event back in 2017.

“We’re excited to be back in Lausanne, in partnership with ThinkSport, for our first in person event since before the pandemic. At the Lausanne Masterclass we will be exploring how sport can build new and sustainable revenue streams in the face of existential threats to traditional business models and sources of funding.”

LaLiga reinvent global digital strategy using WSC Sports

WSC Sports, today announced an agreement with LaLiga, the legendary Spanish football league, to innovate the league’s global digital strategy with automatically created and distributed real-time video highlights of all first and second division matches during the 2022/23 football season.

Utilizing advanced AI and Machine Learning technologies, the WSC Sports platform analyzes live sports broadcasts, identifies each and every event that occurs in a game, and in real-time creates and publishes customized videos. Each video comes complete with graphical and contextual elements added for branding and sponsorship opportunities. This enables LaLiga to maximize the use of their content, creating new revenue streams and a personalized fan experience on every platform for every type of fan.

This game-changing way to create real-time highlights at speed and scale will be used by LaLiga across all their digital properties (website, app, social media) for all first and second division matches during the 2022/23 season, around 800 games. Content created via the WSC Sports platform will also be distributed to LaLiga teams, so all fans across the league can enjoy the same viewing experience regardless of the team they support.

LaLiga will also be using the WSC Sports platform to unlock content from the LaLiga archive. Around 5,000 matches from the past six LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank seasons will be automatically indexed and tagged making them ready for any number of highlight combinations to be created in minutes.

Not only will LaLiga be able to fill their digital properties with AI generated video content, but they will also utilize a newly-launched WSC Sports product, Broadcast Pro, to easily create and edit matchday highlights at speed, in high resolution, for their broadcast TV channel

“We are pushing the boundaries of innovation to use LaLiga content in new and exciting ways, all with the goal of bringing LaLiga fans around the world closer to the games, plays and players they love. Using AI to speed up creation and distribution of our content, as well as our archive footage in broadcast quality, brings a level of technology expertise not seen anywhere else in sports,” said Melcior Soler, Audiovisual Director of LaLiga. 

“We’re delighted that LaLiga will be using the WSC Sports platform for the upcoming season to revolutionize their global digital strategy. It’s a privilege to work with such a global name and such a forward-thinking league that is always looking to deliver the best content experiences possible for its fans.” Itai Epstien, Director of Business Development, Head of EMEA & China at WSC Sports

LaLiga joins WSC Sports’ roster of leading football clients, including UEFA, Lega Serie A, Bundesliga, Real Madrid, the English FA and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). 

SWPL announces new three-year broadcast deal with BBC

The Scottish Women’s Premier League (“SWPL”) has today announced a new and improved three-year deal with BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland for live matches and highlights of the League.

The new agreement with both stations, which runs until the end of the 2024/25 season, is the biggest with the channels since they began covering the women’s game in Scotland,

BBC ALBA will show a minimum of 26 live SWPL games on the Scottish Gaelic language TV channel each season, which is a rise of six matches from the 2021/22 season.

The BBC Scotland deal will see the return of the increasingly popular highlights programme, but for an extended 45 minutes each week, and a guaranteed minimum of 23 shows over the season covering top-flight games. 

BBC Scotland will also have the option of streaming one game live each weekend, which will help to showcase and enhance the visibility of the top women’s league in Scotland.

BBC ALBA broadcast the first live match of the new deal on Sunday afternoon, when Celtic defeated Hibernian 9-0 at the Excelsior Stadium. BBC Scotland also broadcast highlights from all six SWPL matches on Monday evening.

Fiona McIntyre, managing director of the SWPL, said: “We’re really pleased to have agreed this new, record deal, which is great news for the League and supporters across the country.

“The ongoing partnership with both BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland will be vital in growing the game in this country in the coming years, and their long-term support of the women’s game is truly appreciated.

“This significant new agreement represents the growth and ambition we have for the League. 

“It was a really exciting opening weekend of the SWPL season, and we know that viewers will be in for a treat for the rest of the season.”

Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Multiplatform Content at BBC ALBA partner, MG ALBA said: “We’re thrilled to be able to bring our audiences more live coverage of Scottish women’s football than ever before.

“Everyone at BBC ALBA is proud to be expanding our investment and continuing to increase the visibility of the sport in Scotland and beyond.

“We look forward to another successful season for all those involved in Scottish women’s football.”

Louise Thornton, Senior Head of Multi-Platform Commissioning, BBC Scotland, said: “We’re delighted that we’re increasing coverage of Scottish women’s football over the next three years. Adding more highlights and live streams will significantly enhance our offering to audiences at an exciting time for the game in Scotland. We’re looking forward to working in partnership with BBC ALBA to deliver more free-to-air coverage of the SWPL.”

Leeds United partner with Hisense

Hisense, one of the world’s leading consumer electricals brands, has announced the extension of its partnership with Leeds United for a further two years. 

The extended partnership will see Hisense, which has its UK headquarters in Leeds, continue its support of the club as a Gold Tier partner which includes LED perimeter advertising, media interview backdrop branding and extensive branding of the prominent East Stand. 

Hisense has become increasingly involved in professional football internationally, serving as an Official Sponsor for both the UEFA 2022 Women’s EURO and the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

Working alongside Hisense, Leeds United will spearhead brand activity throughout the two-year deal, including innovative brand activations, exclusive fan offers and sponsorship optimisation. 

In 2020, Hisense handed East Stand branding rights over in honour of the late Leeds United legend, Jack Charlton.  

Howard Grindrod, Hisense UK’s Vice President, said: “We’re proud to have our UK headquarters in Leeds and we have experienced significant brand and commercial benefit from our initial agreement, so it was extremely important for us to continue our partnership with Leeds United – a huge club that have kept the dreams of so many fans alive the last couple of years.  

“Football fever has been sweeping the nation and given our wealth of experience in this sector internationally, we wanted to maintain our presence within the Premier League, which is arguably the best league in the world. We wish the team the best of luck in the season ahead and can’t wait to be there alongside the local community to support them every step of the way.” 

Paul Bell, Executive Director at Leeds United, added: “We are delighted that Hisense are extending their partnership with the Club. Over the past two seasons we have worked closely with the team at Hisense to deliver a series of exclusive digital content, innovative partner activations and global awareness campaigns for Hisense to help support the growth of the brandHisense are a world-renowned consumer electronics brand, with a strong connection to football and it is testament to the reputation and strength of the Leeds United brand that we have extended our relationship together as we continue our journey in the Premier League. 

“Through the partnership Hisense will receive significant brand visibility, both globally through the Premier League TV footprint and regionally through their high-profile branding on the East Stand here at Elland Road, which directly overlooks the M621 motorway and is seen by over 30 million vehicles annually.” 

FIFA+ to broadcast U-20s Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2022™, which will be hosted in Costa Rica between 10th and 28th August, is set to be broadcast live for free on FIFA+ in over 100 territories, bringing audiences from across the globe all new access to tomorrow’s stars of the women’s game.

Matches will be live on FIFA+ in 114 countries, including tournament hopefuls Germany, Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria. FIFA+ will also be the home for fans in women’s football powerhouses England and Sweden.

Aside from the live match coverage, FIFA+ will also be the home of premium editorial content for the tournament, tracking news, interviews and analysis throughout.

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ has long been a hotbed of emerging talent, with previous stars including USA’s Sydney Leroux, Germany’s Alexandra Popp and Dzsenifer Marozsán, and Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala – who stars in Episode 3 of the FIFA+ Original Series, Icons.

Find out more about the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ now.

Charlotte Burr, FIFA Director of Strategy, Development, and FIFA+, said: “After a summer that has seen women’s football capture the hearts and minds of fans around the world, with continental champions crowned in every major region, we’re delighted to be bringing the stars of tomorrow to the world on FIFA+.

“For years, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ has been a fascinating window into the next generation of superstars in the women’s game, and 2022 promises to be no different. Costa Rica will provide a stunning backdrop to elite football and drama aplenty – we’re excited to be bringing fans around the world closer to the tournament and the future stars of the women’s game.”

Premier Padel’s online viewership rises by 15%

Following a highly successful first P1 tournament in Madrid, Premier Padel’s second P1 event kicks off in Mendoza this week at the Aconcagua Stadium.

Keeping up momentum from the electric Madrid P1, Premier Padel’s journey continues to Argentina, where fans in South America will meet the world’s only padel official tour for the first time.

The Madrid P1 continued the trend of growing the fan-base in the stadium, through social media and international broadcast. In total more than 30,000 fans were present in Madrid’s WiZink Center over the week, with the stadium packed out for the final match, which saw the pair Lebron and Galan win their third Premier Padel title over Qatar Major champions Navarro / Di Nenno.

Broadcasting figures were equally as strong, with the competition viewed across more than 180 global territories. Broadcasters included ESPN, beIN SPORTS, Sky Sports, Supersport, Charlton, Viaplay, Arena, Cosmote and Coupang in addition to Spain’s TVE.

Online engagement was just as encouraging, with YouTube subscribers reaching over 100,000 during the Madrid P1, and the tournament reaching new heights with 3 million views on the platform throughout the week, a 15% rise from the Paris Major last month.

The tour’s Instagram presence also grew by 12k followers during the Madrid P1, finally reaching 100k followers.

As the Mendoza P1 kicks off, Argentinian fans can look forward to watching stars fresh from their outing at last week’s Madrid P1. Alongside champions Lebron / Galan, big hitters Stupaczuk / Lima and Tapia / Gutierrez who will play their second Premier Padel tournament together in their home country.

Belastaguín / Coello and Madrid runners-up Navarro / Di Nenno are also travelling to the Andes, to entertain what will surely be near sell-out stadium of fiercely passionate Argentinian fans.

Broadcasters for the Mendoza P1 will include ESPN (South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean), Canal+ (60 world territories), Sky Sports (Italy, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland), beIN Sports (MENA, South-East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, France and Turkey), Viaplay (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Netherlands, (TVE (Spain) and Charlton TV (Israel) and many more.

Ziad Hammoud, Director of Premier Padel, said: “After three successful Majors and an inaugural P1, Premier Padel is just getting into its stride. We are keeping up our momentum with a 15% increase in YouTube viewership and our first P1 in Argentina, the home of many of our most talented players and biggest fans. We thank the FIP, the Asociación Padel Argentino and the Professional Padel Association (PPA) for supporting this tournament in Argentina and for keeping the players at the heart of everything we do.”

The Mendoza P1 marks the fifth international tournament hosted by the brand new circuit and Premier Padel’s arrival in South America ahead of the World Padel Championships in Doha in early November.

From there, Premier Padel will recommence at the Monterrey Major in Mexico from the 28th November to the 4th December.

Premier Padel was launched earlier this year, governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP) and backed by the Professional Padel Association (PPA) and Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).

Veloce esports breaks half a billion views

Veloce, the UK-based next-gen sports ecosystem, has recorded over half a billion views across its YouTube channels in one month for the first time. The landmark continues the growth of the Veloce’s fanbase that can watch and support their favourite gamers and drivers as they compete around the world within one ecosystem.

In four years, monthly viewers have grown from 27,000 to 500m

In the last year alone, monthly viewing has grown 150% from 200m to 500m

Veloce’s new TikTok channel alone has 140m monthly views

35m subscribers across Veloce channels on YouTube

Rupert Svendsen-Cook, CEO of Veloce Group, said: “To hit half a billion monthly views in under four years is special. With other channels like TikTok we are going over 640 million a month. That just shows you the appeal Veloce has but also the growth of Esports and other future focussed sports. 

“We are talking about a huge, young audience, engaging with sports, both physical and digital, in a new and different way. We think it is the future of how fans will consume sports in the future, around the world. We are going to keep building that ecosystem for our fans and giving them the great content they want.” 

Veloce, based in a studio in West London, have grown from their founding in 2018 as an Esports team with three employees to one of the fastest-growing modern media and sports rights holders in the UK with over 40 employees and teams competing at the cutting edge of the future of sports. 

Veloce Group’s teams compete in future focussed sports, both physical and digital, championing sustainability and gender diversity. In motorsports, Veloce compete in Extreme-E – attracting partners like E.ON – and won the W Series last season with Jamie Chadwick.

In Esports, Veloce operates over 10 teams, both under the Veloce umbrella itself and across partner and joint venture operations, including Mercedes F1, McLaren, Quadrant (with F1 driver Lando Norris) and Yas Heat. Further, Veloce has over 60+ gamers competing across titles such as Official F1 Game, Forza, GT Sport, DiRT Rally and Project Cars.

Miami Dolphins partner with Grover electronics

Grover, the global leader for on-demand consumer electronics rentals, officially announces a partnership with the Miami Dolphins. Headquartered in Miami and Berlin, Grover provides access to premium consumer tech products at an affordable price and on a flexible schedule.

This partnership, which unites two massive business presences in South Florida, will include the use of Grover’s technology throughout the West Field Club area of Hard Rock Stadium for attendees and team members to enjoy and interact with. Grover will also receive the rights to name a menu item in Hard Rock Stadium and host a Field Box for the duration of the season.

To officially kick off the partnership, Grover will take part in the Junior Dolphins’ High School Kick Off in which high school football teams from across South Florida will visit Hard Rock Stadium to participate in a variety of enriching activities prior to attending a Dolphins preseason home game on August 27, 2022.

“We are excited to partner with Grover to enhance our engagement with our fans, team and local community,” said Jeremy Walls, Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer of the Miami Dolphins. “With a shared commitment to innovation and sustainability, this collaboration with Grover will contribute to providing Hard Rock Stadium guests with the best experience possible across all our venue events.” 

The partnership comes as Grover’s latest effort to further establish itself in Miami and support the city’s growing startup community. Grover has seen great success in Florida since opening a Miami Headquarters in February of this year.

“The Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium are landmarks here in the Miami community and we are thrilled to team up to further our work to improve digital fluency by making technology more accessible and affordable for all,” said Michael Cassau, CEO and Founder of Grover. “This partnership works to support not only The Dolphins team and fans, but the Miami tech community at large as Grover continues to make Miami our home. We can’t wait to see you at the games!”

Grover works to promote the mass adoption of flexible tech ownership so people can experience a better life through access to technology while encouraging a better, more sustainable future. With more than 600,000 devices already circulated, Grover reduces product under-use, lengthening the life cycle of technology and flattening the hype cycle that causes used gadgets to end up in landfills.

BetMGM extends deal with NFL in Canada

BetMGM announced it has extended its multi-year partnership with the National Football League in Canada.

As a part of the agreement, BetMGM now has the rights to use official NFL marks in Canada and advertise on NFL-operated digital platforms in the country. BetMGM also will offer Canadian customers access to exclusive NFL experiences.

“Expanding our partnership with the NFL into Canada sets the stage for amazing opportunities as we begin the upcoming football season,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt in a statement. “We’re already seeing great interest from our Ontario customers and this collaboration truly elevates the BetMGM experience.”

BetMGM was among the first gaming operators to go live in Ontario after the province launched online sports betting and igaming in April 2022. The partnership complements BetMGM’s 2021 agreement when the company became an approved sportsbook operator of the NFL in the U.S.

“We are thrilled to be working with BetMGM in Canada as an Official Sportsbook Partner,” said NFL Canada Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships Gavin Kemp. “BetMGM delivers a unique gaming platform to this emerging market and will enhance the NFL fan experience in Canada in new and innovative ways.”

Moovit and Medipol Başakşehir FK expand global mobility partnership 

Medipol Başakşehir FK, qualifiers in UEFA Conference League, is announcing the strategic expansion of its partnership with Moovit, the popular urban mobility app, to improve the overall fan experience at both home and abroad matches. The expansion follows the ease of Covid restrictions, and uptick in fan attendance at both home and away games. 

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Medipol Başakşehir FK signed a strategic partnership with Moovit in 2021. By downloading Moovit’s free iOS or Android app, or using Moovit’s Web fans have been able to receive real-time public transport information to reach Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium, including digital step-by-step guidance to the stadium’s entrances, and services alerts about changes or disruptions to the network.

During the partnership, the Moovit app sent notifications to users with up-to-date information for 16 local games in Turkey, and reached hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting Istanbul with the most reliable public transportation information.

Now, with supporters able to travel to games abroad, Medipol Başakşehir FK and Moovit will help Turkish fans alleviate any worries about arriving or leaving a match, and allow fans to travel across Europe with greater convenience using Moovit’s accurate and relatable transit information. 

Medipol Başakşehir FK will help bring awareness to fans about the partnership by providing Moovit visibility in the LED screens around the field and in the press conference room for all the home games. 

Vice President of Başakşehir FK, Mustafa Erogut, said: “Moovit is one of the most important collaborations we have where we can improve the experience of fans on match days in an environmentally friendly way. Together, we have reached hundreds of thousands of people, especially tourists. With the removal of the travel ban this season, I have no doubt that we will provide a more comfortable and sustainable mobility experience, not only to our own fans, but also to many football fans both domestically and across Europe.”

“We’re excited to extend our partnership with Medipol Başakşehir FK, especially at a time when people are coming together again around the world to enjoy football,” said Sam Sed Piazza, Director of Partnerships EMEA & APAC at Moovit. “The Club knows that the fan experience is complex and starts from the moment people begin making their way to the stadium until they safely arrive at home, and we look forward to continuing our work with them.”

Sustainability is of utmost importance to Başakşehir. The team has run several sustainability campaigns about the environment including I promise to raise awareness about water consumption, and Promise to Go Forever Green which was created in partnership with La Liga team Real Betis to raise awareness about climate change.