Anne Allin and Colin Sexstone have joined Gloucestershire cricket’s executive board with immediate effect.

Sexstone, a high-profile Bristol business figure, is well known to club members having been Gloucestershire chief executive.

With wide-ranging interests both in and outside sport, he was most recently chairman and previously chief executive of Bristol City Football Club.

Sexstone said: “I am really pleased to be joining Gloucestershire’s board at such an exciting time for the club. The redevelopment of the County Ground gives the club a real chance to grow the business and compete with the bigger clubs. I will do everything I possibly can to help the club achieve its plans.”

Allin, born and bred in Bristol, is head of marketing for Swire Hotels UK. She has over 20 years of experience at senior levels in marketing, starting out in the Bristol-based company Bart Spices. Over many years, she and her family have developed a great passion for cricket.

Allin said: “I am delighted to be part of the next phase of Gloucestershire Cricket. It is an exciting time for the club and for the city, and I look forward to contributing to the success of the club.”

Gloucestershire chairman Rex Body added: “Anne and Colin will bring different but extensive and very important skills and experiences to the club’s executive board. I’m delighted that they both enthusiastically accepted when I invited them to join us at a significant time in the club’s development.”

Rugby Ventures, for sale the management team behind the world leading B2B conference and exhibition, medic Rugby Expo, arthritis have today announced a major coup in securing the services of George O’Grady, CEO of the PGA European Tour to present at this year’s event. 

George has been a central figure in the development and ongoing success of the Tour’s commercial strategy, which today oversees the participation of 47 tournaments in 22 countries making the Tour the leading global brand in golf. Recent innovations have included the end of season ‘Race to Dubai’ as well as the expansion into new territories including the Far East and in particular China. 

The announcement of George O’Grady is the first in a series of high profile specialist sports marketers as the event looks to build on its conference and workshop programme in 2012 by providing a showcase for the sport to learn from other sports prepared to offer a detailed insight into their own commercial and marketing successes.

This year’s conference programme will again focus on the professional game on day one before switching to more grass roots inspired content on day two. Day one will feature a series of challenging plenary debates as well as a series of master class workshops covering sponsorship strategies, converting interest in social media into new revenue, creative marketing for clubs and managing stadia for maximum return. 

On confirming his attendance, George O’Grady said, “I am really looking forward to attending Rugby Expo, engaging and debating about how best to maximise commercial benefits for the sport and its clubs based on some of the strategies we have used at the European PGA Tour. All sports face challenging economic times and sharing best practice between each other will only aid our ability to think creatively as we continue to grow and develop all aspects of whichever game we are responsible for.” 

John Hockey, Chairman of Rugby Ventures said, “to get someone of George’s calibre to speak at Rugby Expo provides a clear intention of the quality of this year’s speaking line up, with many more names to be announced over the next few weeks. We have worked hard to widen our net beyond simply rugby union and league speakers and to bring the very best in their respective fields to Expo. George’s work in developing the global reach of the PGA European Tour will provide a fascinating insight into how developing successful long term marketing and commercial strategies can be transferred across for rugby.” 

Rugby Expo 2012, the fourth instalment of the event takes place at Twickenham during the Investec Autumn International series, with the event scheduled just 48 hours before the much anticipated England vs. Australia match. The event expects to attract more than 1,000 attendees across the two days, with more than 500 delegates from grass roots clubs attending day two which is focused on supporting grass roots rugby clubs. Complimentary tickets to attend day two of the event will be made available through partnerships with a number of home unions and professional club’s community programmes.

Kamil Novak, symptoms Sports Director of the Fraport Skyliners, viagra 60mg was announced as the new Secretary General of FIBA Europe, symptoms according to the German basketball club.

The decision to appoint Novak was made on Saturday by the FIBA Europe Executive Committee. The organization has been without a Secretary General since May when the Executive Committee ousted Nar Zanolin.

Novak has been the Sports Director for the Skyliners for the past seven years, but has been associated with the club for ten years.

In their statement, Gunner Wobke, managing partner of the Skyliners, congratulated Novak for his appointment and stated that the club had been encouraging Novak to pursue the opportunity with FIBA. He also stated that due to a number of issues, they wouldn’t be replacing Novak immediately and that he would be taking on Novak’s responsibilities.

Novak thanked the club and Wobke for 10 years of support and that the appointment to Secretary General of FIBA Europe is a “great honor” and a challenge at the same time.

Jan Pommer, managing director of the German BBL, weighed in on the announcement by congratulating Novak and stating that the BBL and the Skyliners can be proud of the fact that the man in one of the most important positions in European basketball came from them.

By Ismail Uddin

Worldwide Olympic Partners: TOP stands for The Olympic Partners programme. Created in 1985, the TOP programme, managed by the IOC, is the only sponsorship with the exclusive worldwide marketing rights to both Winter and Summer Games.  

Coca-Cola 

Partnership Began: 1928

Contract Ends: 2020

First introduced in 1886, Coca-Cola is a major player in the soft drink industry and now reaches consumers in over 200 countries. 

Coca-Cola first got involved in the Olympics in 1928 when the drinks company delivered the U.S. Olympic Team 1,000 cases of Coca-Cola to the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.

Since then Coke re-established their partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2005 for a further 12 years starting in 2009. They will be a worldwide partner until 2020 making their partnership run an unprecedented 92 years, the longest serving continuous partner in Olympic history. 

Coca‑Cola is a Worldwide Partner of The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay. 

Acer 

Partnership Began: January 2009

Contract Ends: 2012

Acer, a major technology manufacturer was founded in 1976. The Acer Group employs 8,000 people worldwide. Revenues for 2010 reached US$19.9 billion. 

Acer became a worldwide sponsor on the 1 January 2009 for Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. 

As an Olympic Worldwide Partner, Acer is providing the IT infrastructure for the London Olympics. The company is providing 11,500 desktop PCs, 2,000 touchscreen monitors, 1,100 laptops, 900 servers and 350 technicians for the upcoming games 

Acer said: “By joining the Olympic Games, we take our commitment to sport to the very highest level, providing innovative and dependable computing equipment to support the organization and the staging of the Olympic Games.” 

About London 2012, Acer added: “At the Olympic venues, our technicians will provide ground supports to the PC infrastructure, thus ensuring that all our equipment runs smoothly and delivers all the excitement of the Olympic Games to people the world over.” 

Dow

Partnership Began: July 2010

Contract Ends: 2020 

Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high-growth sectors such as electronics, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of USD 45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. 

Dow became a Worldwide Olympic Partner in July 2010, the official “Chemistry Company” of the Olympic Movement through to 2020 which has caused a lot of controversy. 

The problem stems from Dow’s ownership of Union Carbide, which it bought in 2000, 16 years after Union’s plant in Bhopal had a gas leak that “killed an estimated 15,000 people and injured half a million.” 

For London 2012 they will produce a sustainable, fabric “wrap” that will encircle London’s iconic Olympic Stadium. 

George Hamilton, vice president of Dow Olympic Operations, said: “Our goal is to provide solutions that help make the Olympic Games more sustainable, safer and that will help improve performance.” 

Atos

Partnership Began: 2001

Contract Ends: 2016

Atos is an international information technology (IT) services company. 

The company became a Worldwide Olympic Partner when it joined the TOP Programme as SchlumbergerSema in 2001. Atos helped open the Technology Operations Centre at London 2012 the”mission control” for all 94 Olympic competition and non-competition venues. 

For the London Games, Atos expects to process 30% more results data than in Beijing ensuring the world’s media meets the increasing demand of fans for information as it happens. With 15 billion PCs, smart phones and tablets predicted to be connected to the internet by the summer of 2012, the London Games are set to be the biggest smart Games ever. 

GE

Partnership Began: 2005

Contract Ends: 2020 

General Electric is an advanced technology and services company who are the official healthcare partner of London 2012. 

GE renewed their partnership with the IOC in July 2011 to include the 2020 Olympic Games. 

GE have provided state-of-the-art medical equipment that will be used to treat athletes at a world-class health facility during the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

McDonald’s

Partnership Began: 1968

Contract Ends: 2020

McDonald’s is the leading foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving quality food to nearly 50 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. 

McDonald’s commitment to the Olympic Movement began in 1968, when the company airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for American food. Since then, McDonald’s has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, their families and fans. 

For London 2012 McDonald’s have built four new Olympic venue restaurants in The Olympic Park featuring the latest European restaurant designs. One will be located in the Olympic Village to feed the athletes, one for the media in the Main Press Center, and two for spectators. 

McDonald’s is also the first-ever presenting partner for the ‘Games Maker’ programme.  LOCOG is tapping into McDonald’s expertise in people development to help attract and train up to 70,000 people who will be volunteering to make the Games a success. 

Omega

Partnership Began: 1932

Contract Ends: 2020 

Omega is one of The Swatch Group Ltd’s 18 watch brands. The Swatch Group Ltd., which has its headquarters in Biel, Switzerland, is the largest manufacturer and distributor of finished watches in the world. 

In Los Angeles in 1932, Omega became the first company to be entrusted with the timing of the Olympic Games. In 2009 they signed an extension with the IOC to 2020. 

For London 2012 they will continue to be the Olympic timekeeper for the 25 time which also marks their 80 anniversary sponsoring the games. 

Panasonic

Partnership Began: 1984

Contract Ends: 2016 

Panasonic began its involvement with the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles as the supplier of the professional sound system and large video display for the main stadium. The company became a Worldwide Olympic Partner in 1987 when it joined the TOP Programme as a charter member. 

For London 2012 Panasonic will help provide equipment and technology to enable the first ever live 3D coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

P&G

Partnership Began: 2010

Contract Ends: 2020 

P&G is a leading consumer product company. 

They partnered with the IOC in 2010 where they became an official Olympic worldwide partner in the “personal care and household products” category through to 2020, including for the London 2012 Olympic Games. P&G will also partner the IOC and the National Olympic Committees around the world. 

P&G Global Marketing and Brand Building Officer, Marc Pritchard said: “This partnership will allow us to continue building our business around the globe by offering all of our brands an opportunity to leverage the marketing power of the Olympic Movement. 

Samsung

Partnership Began: 1997

Contract Ends: 2016

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in telecommunication technology. 

Samsung became a Worldwide Olympic Partner when it joined the TOP Programme in 1997 under the category of wireless telecommunications equipment.

Samsung provides wireless telecommunications equipment to the Olympic Family to support the operations of staging the Olympic Games. 

For London 2012 Samsung partnered with Visa to bring mobile contactless payments to London as part of their support of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

Visa

Partnership Began: 1986

Contract Ends: 2020 

Visa is a leader in Internet based payments, generating more than three trillion U.S. dollars in annual card sales volume. 

Visa is the exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Olympic Games.

In addition to providing payment services to Organising Committees and Olympic spectators, Visa International has developed a tradition of programmes that support Olympic athletes in many countries, as well as programmes that teach the youth of the world about the history, values and ideals of the Olympic Movement.

1	Seb Coe Warns British Athletes from Using Twitter During Olympics	Friday, 20 July 2012
2	Giant Olympic Rings Unveiled in Surrey	Thursday, 19 July 2012
3	Yahoo! Reveals Expansive London 2012 Olympic Coverage	Thursday, 19 July 2012
4	Tokyo 2020 Officials to Learn from London 2012 Olympics	Wednesday, 18 July 2012
5	Havas S&E Research Reveals Stronger Brand Image for Olympic Sponsors	Wednesday, 18 July 2012
6	DOSB-Präsident Dr. Thomas Bach begrüßt Live-Streaming der ARD: “Olympia jederzeit und überall”	Wednesday, 18 July 2012
7	iCITY Given Preferred Bidder Status for London 2012 Media Centre	Tuesday, 17 July 2012
8	Ukraine to be Top Emerging Market at London 2012 says Goldman Sachs	Tuesday, 17 July 2012
9	LOCOG Withdraws Half a Million Olympic Football Tickets	Tuesday, 17 July 2012
10	Kuwait to Compete Under National Flag after IOC Agreement	Monday, 16 July 2012
11	G4S Shares Drop after Olympics Security Mishap	Monday, 16 July 2012
12	G4S Failures ‘completely normal’ says British Culture Secretary	Sunday, 15 July 2012
13	G4S Could Lose £50m Due to Olympic Games Security Blunder	Saturday, 14 July 2012
14	Ralph Lauren to Make U.S. Olympic Team’s Outfits in US for 2014	Saturday, 14 July 2012
15	London 2012 Media Center to Potentially Rival ‘Silicon Valley’ after Olympics	Friday, 13 July 2012

The British Basketball League (BBL) have announced they have secured a broadcast deal with British Eurosport for the 2013/14 Season. 

The broadcaster takes over as the UK rights-holder of the League with action from across the BBL available exclusively on British Eurosport in full HD. 

British Eurosport will broadcast 26 weekly shows during the season across multiple platforms. 

Commenting on the new partnership the BBL’s Commercial Director David Leyden Dunbar said: “Our move to British Eurosport is about creating an appointment to view for the British Basketball audience. Moving to more regular scheduling throughout the season I’ve no doubt that we’ll be able to translate a surge of interest in the sport, reflected in our participation numbers, into a passionate following for the new weekly show. Accessibility also played a major role in the decision making process and with British Eurosport available on both Sky, Virgin and BT’s new platform we’re confident that we can build our audience through the season.” 

David Kerr, Managing Director of British Eurosport added: “We are very pleased to have secured the rights to the British Basketball League, which adds to our recent announcement of NFL Monday Night Football and the UEFA Youth League rights amongst others. We look forward to bringing the very best domestic basketball action to fans in the UK.”