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

Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) International have announced media distribution agreements with ESPN, YouTube and Facebook across the linear broadcast, digital and social media spectrums.

Each agreement will commence in 2014 to help celebrate and grow the sport of surfing worldwide. Today’s announcements mark the first national and global media deals in the history of professional surfing.

The media deals include the 26 elite tour events across men’s, women’s and big wave arenas in Australia, Brazil, Fiji, Indonesia, Tahiti, USA, France, Portugal, Chile, Peru, South Africa, Spain and Mexico. Since 1976, ASP has annually crowned the undisputed world surfing champions in a sport that hosts more than 120 million fans worldwide as well as the recently-identified number one sport fan for sponsor consideration and loyalty in the U.S., according to findings by global research firm Repucom.

“Professional surfing is a truly global sport which demands media distribution partners with significant reach. Our newly announced partners have tremendous presence in the innovative media arena and, together, they build the foundation for the ASP media platform,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said. “I personally believe surfing is one of the most dramatic and dynamic sports on the planet and it’s an honor to work with tremendously inspirational athletes in bringing their feats and stories to the public.”

“I find it very fitting that the rebirth of professional surfing in 2014 will be broadcast within the ESPN family of networks and back on ABC as they were the first to support surfing on television back in 1962,” Speaker continued.

ESPN teams up with ASP as the exclusive U.S. domestic broadcaster for professional surfing in 2014 as part of a three-year agreement to showcase the sport’s elite events. The rights deal will allow surfing fans to see highlight shows immediately following the events.

“ESPN is thrilled to be working with the ASP as the U.S. domestic broadcast partner for professional surfing,” Tim Reed, ESPN Global X senior director, Content Strategy and Sports & Competition, said. “We look forward to showcasing the excitement, energy and incredible skills of professional surfers touring the world under the ASP banner. The talent and experience that is being aggregated at the ASP make this a very exciting time for professional surfing as well as a great opportunity for ESPN to extend its X Games brand into professional surfing.”

Respective international linear broadcast deals will be finalized and announced in the coming weeks.

The ASP YouTube channel, along with the rebuilt ASP website which will embed this content via the YouTube player, will exclusively provide fans with more than 3,000 hours of programming, including 26 live streamed events annually across the men’s ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the women’s ASP WCT and the ASP Big Wave World Tour (BWWT). 

“ASP is committed to putting the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves,” said Claude Ruibal, Global Head of Sports Content, YouTube. “We’re committed to delivering the world’s best viewing and interactive experience to amplify these incredible performances, turning the ASP YouTube channel to a daily destination for a world of surfing fans.”

Facebook will serve as the primary social platform partner for ASP with the relationship focusing on fan engagement. The ASP will use Facebook to engage its rapidly-growing global fan base around surfing, both via broadcasts and connecting fans to the athletes themselves.

“We will be working closely with Facebook and Instagram as the primary social platforms to enhance our broadcast programming — bringing the tribe of surfing fans from around the world closer to the action they love, the athletes they follow and the sponsor brands they support,” Speaker said.

Veteran business leader and international sports executive Mark D. Miles will become chief executive officer of Hulman & Company which owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR on Dec. 17, 2012.

The appointment of Miles adds extensive experience to the company’s management. It also positions Jeff Belskus, who currently serves as CEO of several Hulman & Company lines of business, to focus his attention primarily on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation and INDYCAR.

Miles will lead the overall business direction and management of Hulman & Company, including a key role in the refinement and implementation of the company’s long-term strategic plan. Hulman & Company is comprised of Clabber Girl, Georgetown Realty, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR, IMS Productions and various other business entities.

“We are pleased to add Mark to the executive leadership at Hulman & Company,” said Mari Hulman George, IMS chairman of the board. “The combination of his international sports experience and leadership of large-scale events like the 2012 Super Bowl, along with his diverse experience with public and private corporations, make him an exceptionally positive match for our business. His business acumen, his ability to cultivate and develop partnerships and the extensive network in sports and business he will provide will strengthen all of our business units. His service as a member of the Hulman & Company board of directors has prepared him to contribute to the organization from day one.”

Miles brings an impressive blend of experience from all phases of his career to this new role. In the sports world, he transformed the ATP, governing body of men’s international professional tennis, from a start-up league to an international leader. During his 15-year tenure, the ATP posted impressive revenue gains, launched innovative marketing initiatives and expanded its global presence through successful events in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Bookending Miles’ career are two major sports entertainment events which he successfully and profitably led: the Pan American Games in 1987 and the Super Bowl in 2012, a 10-day event that attracted more than a million fans and set a new standard for the NFL.

His most recent business career includes six years leading the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, a consortium of the leading companies in Central Indiana working with the premiere university research institutions to strategically develop economic growth in the region. During this same period, Miles has served on the board of The Pantry, one of the largest independently operated convenience store chains in the country, with more than 1,500 stores in 13 states and annual revenues exceeding $6 billion. He is also a director for City Securities, a diversified financial services corporation based in Indianapolis. Earlier in his career, Miles was executive director of corporate relations for Eli Lilly and Company.

“It is an honor to join Hulman & Company, known for its tradition of success,” Miles said. “I’m excited about joining the team and contributing my lifetime learning from international professional sports, large-scale major sports events and business environments. I have worked for companies with global profiles and brands, and I’m happy to continue that on behalf of the Hulman-George family and its significant business interests.”

Belskus will continue as president of Hulman & Company, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation and interim CEO of INDYCAR. He has served as president and CEO of Hulman & Company since October 2011, one of his many senior management roles in Hulman & Company operations over the last 25 years.

“The racing components of our business are very important to our company, and Jeff is uniquely positioned to help lead us into 2013 and beyond as he has complete understanding of our sport and our 2013 plan and an excellent relationship with our key stakeholders,” George said. “By allowing Jeff to focus on the racing businesses and significantly less on the other business units, we are clearly aligning our executive management team to move the company forward.”

Said Belskus: “We see opportunities to continue the growth of INDYCAR, which I view as an exciting challenge. My passion is rooted in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR, and I have been energized by the opportunity we have in the short and long term for both organizations.”

Belskus added he is looking forward to working with Miles. They have served together on the Hulman & Company board since March.

“Mark and I have known each other for many years and have worked together closely since he joined the Hulman & Company board,” Belskus said. “Mark brings a wealth of experience and has a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges that face our business. I believe he will be very helpful in bringing new and successful ideas to the company.”

Miles also believes Belskus’ experience and knowledge will help to lead Hulman & Company’s motorsports-related businesses to even more future success.

“Jeff understands racing and has relationships throughout the industry that have developed during his tenure with the company,” Miles said. “Allowing him to focus on IMS and INDYCAR will greatly benefit Hulman & Company. I look forward to working with Jeff as we implement a long-term strategy for Hulman & Company that positions all our business units for growth.”

 

With just a few days left to register, capsule the final agenda has been set for the ninth edition of the KPMG Golf Business Forum in Italy, September 17-19, 2012.

More than 200 investors, developers, golf course operators and tourism professionals from 30 countries will gather at the Renaissance Il Ciocco Tuscany Resort & Spa, Barga, for three days of networking, seminars and social gatherings.

Joining Sir Nick Faldo, hotelier Sir Rocco Forte and Jack Nicklaus II, plus Rio 2016 Olympic golf course designer Gil Hanse, are four prominent business and sport visionaries.

HSBC?s Group Head of Sponsorship, Giles Morgan, will present the findings of the ?Golf?s 2020 Vision? report, analyzing global trends shaping the future of golf, including the rise of Asia and the influence of women.

Also looking into the future will be KPMG?s Global Head of Innovation, Adam Bates, focusing on the opportunities businesses need to plan and prepare for, while mitigating emerging risks.

Sports marketing consultant Stuart Robertson, creator of Twenty20 Cricket, a format that transformed a staid, traditional sport into fast-paced, captivating entertainment watched by huge global TV audiences, will talk about how to engage people with sport.

Meanwhile Dana Garmany, founder and CEO of Troon Golf, will speak to CNN?s Don Riddell about the five-star hospitality and customer service ethics underpinning his golf course operations business? global expansion.

Following on, Muriel Muirden from master planner WATG will lead a debate on ?Back to the Blueprint? and how golf courses and developments need to rethink their design and operations for the 21st century customer.

The three-day Golf Business Forum, with a special focus on opportunities in Italy and the Mediterranean, will also hear from leading European golf developers, including Zenon Eliades, creator of the acclaimed Elea Estate, Cyprus, featuring a Sir Nick Faldo designed golf course, and Ignacio Perez of La Zagaleta, near Marbella, one of the most exclusive gated residential communities in Europe. They will be joined by Ivan Jakov?i?, President of the Istria Region, looking at the potential for golf tourism in Croatia as part of the wider review on the Mediterranean region.

Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG?s Golf Advisory Practice in EMA, said: ?At a time when the wider economic situation remains challenging and golf participation is under pressure, it will be the businesses that innovate and take advantage of evolving demand-side factors, driven by global social trends, that will prove successful.

?That?s why I?m pleased to welcome such influential thought leaders and speakers to this year?s Golf Business Forum, which I believe will be the most informed, insightful and forward looking to date, offering essential market intelligence for investors, developers and all golf businesses.?

For more information about the Golf Business Forum, and for final registration opportunities, visit: www.golfbusinessforum.com

 

UEFA Euro 2012 Tournament Director in Ukraine Markiyan Lubkivsky, will lead the local organizing committee for the preparation of Ukraine to host the EuroBasket 2015 European Basketball Championship.

“I am finishing work at the office of the UEFA Euro 2012. The local organizing committee finishes its activities today. I am very grateful to the Basketball Federation of Ukraine for their offer to lead the preparation of a basketball tournament in terms of its organization and the projects close to those that we prepared for Euro 2012… I think the local organizing committee of EuroBasket 2015 will begin its work in February 2013,” he told the Basketball Federation’s press service on Monday.

On November 18, Lubkivsky visited the group stage draw for EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. “We will be able to organize the draw and EuroBasket 2015 on such a high level as the Euro 2012 European Football Championship was held. We have profound knowledge, so it won’t be a problem to organize EuroBasket 2015. However, we should start preparing already, because it is a complex project that requires significant effort,” he said.

As reported, on December 18, 2011 Ukraine received the right to host the European Basketball Championship in 2015. Ukraine offered to host the championship in its largest cities, including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Lviv, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk.

Anticipation is building in Durban with the 2nd annual Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) exhibition set to entertain, impotent educate and inspire this week (12-14 September) with a glittering and star-studded Gala Dinner (12 September), cheap exhibition (12–14 September) and conference (12-13 September). As the only trade show of its kind in South and Southern Africa, SETE has benefitted from key sponsors and partners such as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, CATHSSETA, SASCOC, EThekwini Municipality and the SABC, with this year’s edition expected to eclipse last year’s inaugural event in terms of size, scope and efficacy.

When considering that, as one of the quickest growing types of global travel, the sports tourism industry is estimated to have contributed over R6 billion to the South African economy last year, it is no surprise that SETE has attracted such high-level support. Both the conference and exhibition are intended to promote the country as a popular sports and events destination by facilitating relationships between South Africa’s tourism, sport and event industries, and according to Michael Mabuyakhulu (KZN MEC for Economic Development and Tourism), “South Africa and Africa needed an event of this nature, as the country and continent are both attractive destinations for major events. The SETE exhibition and conference will be exposing major local and international role-players to the excellent sporting facilities that exist in South Africa and the rest of Africa, and we are extremely excited about the potential for growth that exists in South Africa’s sports tourism industry”.

James Seymour (CEO of the Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau, acting as the KZN DEDT implementing agency for this event) said that “preparations for SETE 2012 are all already in place. The conference will feature an excellent programme including presentations and panel discussions anchored by high profile local and international speakers who are all specialists within their respective fields. The expected target in terms of exhibitor numbers has already been achieved, which bodes well for the event as we will also be hosting substantially more international hosted buyers than last year”. Another feature of the SETE conference that is sure to generate significant interest will be the National Sports Tourism Steering committee’s presentation of its 17 year strategy. Shaping and advancing South Africa’s development as a sports tourism destination, this plan will identify the key international events that South Africa should bid for, as well as the domestic events that need governmental support, in order to grow the country’s sports tourism industry.

In what may turn out to be one of the events of the year, the SETE Gala Dinner that will kick off proceedings has been chosen by SASCOC (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) to celebrate the South African Olympic Teams successful London 2012 campaign. With a limited number of tickets still available, there is still an opportunity for Durban and KwaZulu Natal sports fanatics to share in a night of glitz and glamour with multiple-SAMA winner Lira, Durban-born Olympic gold and silver medalist Chad le Clos, as well as a host of other sports celebrities. Autograph and photo opportunities for guests with athletes and personalities will also take place, allowing local, national and international businesses, sports fanatics, sponsors and supporters a chance to rub shoulders and share in the athletes’ experiences in London.

Sugen Pillay, Director for Business Development at Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group and SETE Conference Director, said that “as TEPG we are looking forward to welcoming the many international speakers and buyers from around the world to Durban next week. This year’s SETE promises to exceed all expectations and we are confident that the discussions at the conference will contribute towards a proactive plan to bring more events into the country. We call on all industry stakeholders to participate in shaping the future of the sports tourism industry in South Africa”.

To book your SETE 2012 Gala Dinner ticket, or for more information, visit www.sportsandevents.co.za or www.ucit.co.za (table bookings), like www.Facebook.com/SETE.ZA on Facebook, 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.

 

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