Carrefour announced as premium partner for Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024

The Carrefour Group has become a premium partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Alexandre Bompard, Chairman and CEO of the Carrefour Group, and Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, signed the partnership agreement which, for the first time in the history of the Games, sees a world leader in food distribution involved in the greatest sporting event on the planet.

100 years since the Games were last held in Paris, Carrefour, with its iconic blue, white and red branding, at the heart of French people’s daily lives, is delighted to be contributing to this exceptional event for the whole of France.

The intention is for this partnership to spread to other countries around the world. At its heart is one of Carrefour’s key strategies: to bring about a food transition for all. The Group has a unique ability to bring all French people together around this gigantic celebration of sport through its 5000 stores and e-commerce sites. In addition, the Group is wholeheartedly committed to the values of Paris 2024, and is fully on board with the goal of organising Olympic and Paralympic Games which are sensible, sustainable and inclusive.

 Operating under the tagline “Nourishing every hope”, the partnership is divided into:

– a project to supply fresh produce and organic food (fruit, vegetables, cereal products, meat, fish and seafood) to the Olympic and Paralympic Villages for the athletes’ meals, offering exposure for top-quality French produce, whilst also promoting more sustainable eating.

– a branding project which, through the values of sport, promotes health through diet, the value of work, social betterment and inclusion;

– a business project involving all our partners and franchisees, raising awareness of disability, nutrition, health at work through sport, etc.

– a commercial project, involving numerous promotions. Carrefour will develop exclusive collections in a wide range of official products licensed by Paris 2024 (clothing, stationery, back-to-school collections, etc.).

 Alexandre Bompard, Chairman CEO of the Carrefour Group, said: “Soon, the heart of our country will be beating to the rhythm of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. It will be a historic event for all French people, with the eyes of the entire world fixed on Paris. With its popular presence, its 5000 stores in France, and its blue, red and white logo, the Carrefour Group wishes firmly to contribute to the success of this huge celebration of sport, help all French people to take part, and associate our brand with the marvellous values of Paris 2024. It is with great pride that the Carrefour’s 150,000 employees in France take part in this adventure.“

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, adds: “By welcoming Carrefour on board with the adventure that is the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 is reaffirming its desire to organise Games that are helpful to people and closely involved with their lives. Being among the largest networks of local businesses in France, Carrefour will help bring the magic of the Games to life for French people. Sport, health, commitment to healthy and sustainable eating, and inclusion: Carrefour shares our values and our desire to leave a legacy which is useful to society.”

CWI and CPL launch The 6IXTY – cricket’s power game

There is a new format coming to the Caribbean in 2022 with Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League bringing you THE 6IXTY – Cricket’s Power Game. 

The first edition of THE 6IXTY will see men’s and women’s teams compete in a new 60-ball tournament featuring many of the best cricketers from around the world with SKYEXCH the title sponsor for 2022.

This revolutionary format will see brand new innovations that will change T10 cricket and make the game even faster paced and action packed. 

Fans can look forward to the following exciting new rules:

  • Each batting team has six wickets – at the fall of the sixth wicket they are all out
  • Each batting team has two PowerPlay overs. They can unlock a third PowerPlay by hitting two sixes in the first 12 balls. This extra PowerPlay over can be taken at any time between overs 3-9
  • There will be 30 balls bowled from one end before the action switches to the other end for the final 30 balls
  • The 30 balls will be delivered as 5 separate overs, with no bowler being able to bowl more than 2 overs for the innings.
  • If teams do not bowl their overs within the allotted time a member of their team is removed from the field for the final six balls 
  • Fans will vote for the timing of a “Mystery Free Hit” where a batter can’t be dismissed by the bowler

The first edition of THE 6IXTY will take place from 24 to 28 August in St Kitts & Nevis at one of world cricket’s fastest scoring grounds – Warner Park.  Future expansion plans of the 6IXTY include the potential of multiple events at different locations around the Caribbean and beyond.

THE 6IXTY is a joint venture between Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League with the two organisations working closely together to create another world-class event. 

Ricky Skerritt, President of Cricket West Indies, said: “THE 6IXTY has come about because of a close collaboration between CPL and CWI which is the way forward. I am really excited about the innovation, excitement and entertainment that it is going to bring to the fans.” 

Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s CEO, said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for both CPL and Cricket West Indies as we create a tournament that will see cricket fans brought closer to the game. There will be world-class men’s and women’s cricketers taking part in a fantastic event for the Caribbean and this combined with cutting-edge innovations, signals a great moment for all fans of West Indian cricket.”

FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 qualified nations confirmed

Following a highly competitive season-long qualification process with a record-number of 84 nations competing, the 24 nations – including the hosting nation Denmark – for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ have been confirmed following the final playoff round.

From 27 to 30 July, the nations will be represented by up to three nominated players and will compete in a 2v2 format for the brand-new trophy and USD 400,000 in prize money.

The FIFAe Nations Cup is the climax of the FIFAe Finals in Copenhagen and the ultimate place for the local and global community as the final day of the event presents an exclusive opportunity for fans to be there in-person. Tickets are available here.

The FIFAe Nations Series™ kicked off at a domestic level, with FIFA’s member associations offering their communities to compete amongst each other and find the most competitive players within the country.

84 nations competed in this season’s FIFAe Nations Series, a rise of over 40% on last year. The top teams from the first qualification steps qualified for the FIFAe Nations Playoffs, where they earned their chance to qualify for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. 

Following the conclusion of the last playoff rounds, the 24 qualified nations are confirmed:

More information about the qualification and the event is available now to view on FIFA.GG.

Combining a 2v2 format with the chance to represent an entire nation gives the qualified players the opportunity to play alongside their teammates on the biggest stage of the season for their flag and national pride. Each nation has one substitute, making a total of three players per squad. Four groups of six nations will play each other in a round-robin format. The top four nations of every group qualify for the knockout stage, from the round-of-16 to the final. The draw for the competition’s group stage will take place on 4 July.

Some of the world’s best players will wave their nation’s flag at the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. The hosting nation Denmark will compete on home soil with the 16-year-old wonderkid Anders Vejrgang alongside Marcus Jorgensen and Fatih Üstün. Representing Argentina, Matias Bonanno, Nicolas Villalba and Yago Fawaz have dominated the South American Playoffs and will look to lift the trophy after coming in second place at the inaugural event in 2019. The champions of 2019 – France – were on the verge of missing out to qualify for this year’s event, but were able to claim the last ticket in Europe.

With first time participants such as India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates as well established teams like Germany, England and Brazil, the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 will be the perfect place to write history for all competing nations.

The FIFAe Finals in their entirety will be streamed live on FIFAe’s Twitch and Facebook channels – and the FIFAe Nations Cup will take place live from July 27 to July 30. All results and livestreams will be available on FIFA.GG.

Media accreditation for the FIFAe Finals 2022 is also now open and can be requested via sending an email with all of your information to media@fifaefinals.com. Assets for editorial use are available here.

Crystal Palace announce kit deal with Macron

Crystal Palace Football Club has today announced a new long-term partnership with Macron to become its official technical kit partner.

Macron is returning to the South London club after a previous partnership from 2014-18 and replaces Puma as the Eagles’ technical kit provider.

The Italian Teamwear specialist will supply all team match day kits as well as a wide range of training wear, travel garments and accessories from the forthcoming season onwards, which will be the club’s tenth consecutive season in the Premier League.

Palace recently confirmed plans to amend its crest to feature 1861, the year that the original team was set up by cricketers from the Crystal Palace Club, replacing 1905 on the badge, the year when the professional Club was founded – and this new crest will feature for the first time on the new playing kits, which are soon to be unveiled.

Based in Italy, Macron recently celebrated their 50th birthday, and are one of the fastest growing kit manufacturers in Europe, with its high performing sportswear, rooted in three pillars of technology, design and sustainability.

Macron has been voted the third largest technical brand in football within the UEFA rankings for the last four consecutive years. Since entering the rugby market, Macron today accounts for 34% of the total team kit sponsorships in the Northern Hemisphere and continues to produce high performance sportswear for more than 90 Clubs internationally.

Crystal Palace commercial director Barry Webber said: “Macron is an ambitious sports brand known for its innovation in materials as well as its style, and having formed an excellent working relationship with them in the past, we are pleased to be collaborating on Crystal Palace kits once again.

“We look forward to presenting the new strips to supporters in the coming weeks, alongside our new front of shirt sponsor Cinch”.

Macron Senior Sports Marketing Manager Ross Cook, said:“We are delighted to be working again with Crystal Palace Football Club having had such a positive relationship together, and to re-partner with such a strong club which has a long and rich history, is something very special for us.

“We have already started working hand in hand with the club to develop unique and exclusive collections created for their elite athletes as well as an extended apparel range for fans, all of which are driven by technical innovation, stylistic research, attention to detail and Italian flair alongside adapting to the club’s history and traditions.”

CHEQ named as official in-stadium mobile payment and delivery partner of the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium

CHEQ Inc., the world’s first social payments platform continues their growth in professional sports as they are named the official in-stadium mobile ordering and delivery partner of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium.

Mobile Ordering through CHEQ will be available throughout the stadium for the 2022 season and in-seat delivery will be available in select sections. CHEQ will also provide self-service kiosks in high-traffic locations to help reduce lines and wait times. 

“We are excited to partner with CHEQ to enhance our fan experience through their proven track record of innovation and technology in large scale sports venues,” said Jeremy Walls, Chief Revenue Officer of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. “We are a global entertainment destination designed to host big events and working with CHEQ to reduce wait times and increase efficiency will serve us well moving forward.”

CHEQ Chief Revenue Officer Jake Stone added, “The Miami Dolphins are one of the NFL’s most storied and beloved teams and we are delighted to partner with them to make mobile ordering easy and ubiquitous throughout the stadium. We also look forward to helping to strengthen the bonds with the local restaurant community and with fans who might not be able to attend games in person through our unique remote gifting functionality.” In addition to stadiums, CHEQ partners with local restaurants and bars to power mobile ordering and remote gifting, allowing users to pay for and send food and drinks directly to their friends’ tables in real time from anywhere in the world.

South Africa to host inaugural Men’s Nations Cup

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has appointed South Africa as the host country for the inaugural FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup. The event will take place at the North-West University of Potchefstroom – which successfully hosted the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup in April this year – from 28 November to 4 December 2022.

The aim of this new yearly event is to offer a top-level competition to the best-ranked teams not participating in the FIH Hockey Pro League and give the winning team the option to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League the next season, precisely. Therefore, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup marks the start of the promotion-relegation principle for the FIH Hockey Pro League, with the winning team of the first FIH Hockey Nations Cup having the chance to be promoted to the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League (provided they meet the necessary requirements for it).

The following eight teams – which include some of the powerhouses of world hockey! – will participate in the very first edition, having qualified based on their position in the FIH World Rankings of May 2021: South Africa, France, Canada, Japan, Korea, Ireland, Pakistan and Malaysia.

FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “On behalf of FIH, I’d like to thank wholeheartedly the South African Hockey Association for hosting this inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup. Everyone could see how successful the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup – the first FIH World Cup to be staged on African soil – was, and we’re delighted to go back to Potchefstroom soon! With the Nations Cup, not only a true hockey festival awaits all hockey fans, but there’s a lot a stake for the teams, including a place within the FIH Hockey Pro League!”

Shaune Baaitjies, Acting CEO of SA Hockey: “South Africa showed our capacity as a world class host with the hosting of the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup in Potchefstroom earlier this year. The North West University facilities were outstanding and received wonderful reviews from all involved. We are delighted that the FIH has chosen to host the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Potchefstroom. The South African Men enjoyed playing the home series of games in the FIH Hockey Pro League at the venue and look forward to adding more remarkable memories for the international hockey family. It promises to be a wonderful tournament at a wonderful venue!”

The inaugural FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup will be held in Valencia, Spain, from 11 to 17 December this year.

Bet365 announced as Official Betting Operator of the PGA Tour through 2024

The PGA TOUR and bet365 announced a three-year content and marketing agreement through 2024 naming bet365 as an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR. bet365 becomes the TOUR’s first OBO outside of North America with territories including the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia in addition to Canada.

In the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, bet365 will serve as the exclusive source for odds on the leaderboard and player pages on PGATOUR.COM and on TOURCast, the TOUR’s award-winning platform that allows fans to follow every shot from each group with a 3D rendering of the golf course. bet365 will further activate the relationship by having a brand presence across PGA TOUR media properties including on international market inventory on PGA TOUR.com, managed by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) under their strategic partnership with the TOUR, as well as on WBD platforms such as Golfdigest.com in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada.

“We are excited to work with bet365 to expand the TOUR’s sports betting initiatives outside of North America,” said Scott Warfield, Vice President of Gaming at the PGA TOUR. “bet365 was the first operator to integrate the TOUR’s official in-play betting product and they are poised for tremendous growth being on the forefront of in-play sports betting in golf. The TOUR continues to look for opportunities to innovate in new areas with a goal of engaging with fans.”

As part of the TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program, bet365 will have rights in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada to use PGA TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms.

A spokesperson for bet365 said, “The bet365 group are delighted to be working with one of the most iconic brands in global sport. Throughout this partnership with PGA TOUR, bet365 will strive to continue delivering a market leading in-play experience to our golf customers, both across our global sites and the PGA Tour platforms.”

Additionally, bet365 was the first sports betting operator to integrate the IMG ARENA Golf Event Centre product, which is an unparalleled, front-end sports betting solution, designed to revolutionize the golf betting experience by enabling interactive in-play betting on the sport. Created in association with the world’s leading golf tours, the Golf Event Centre is a real-time experience for golf fans and bettors. The industry-first product is the only place to find fast, comprehensive, shot by shot data and markets, live streaming which is purpose-built for in-play betting, and interactive course visualizations. The Golf Event Centre is available to sports betting operators worldwide where betting is legal.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, the PGA TOUR instituted a robust integrity program in collaboration with Genius Sports and later that year announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators around the world. The PGA TOUR is a platinum member of the National Council on Problem Gambling and is aligned with the American Gaming Association (AGA) as a Have A Game Plan®. Bet Responsibly public service campaign partner to educate golf fans on responsible sports betting.

McLaren and Goldman Sachs announce multi-year partnership

McLaren Racing today announced Goldman Sachs Group Inc, the global financial institution, as an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team for the 2022 season and beyond.

The multi-year partnership brings together two high performance organisations with a focus on excellence. It includes a commitment to accelerate progress towards McLaren’s net zero goals.

With a shared belief that sustainability includes addressing social, environmental and economic impacts as we transition to an inclusive net-zero economy, Goldman Sachs and McLaren will be using their combined expertise to drive change faster in McLaren’s journey to a more sustainable future. McLaren aims to halve its GHG footprint by 2030 on a 2019 baseline and achieve net zero by 2040 in line with the UN Sports for Climate Action initiative and Race to Zero campaign.

This partnership announcement follows the news that McLaren Racing has been awarded the FIA three-star Environmental Accreditation for the ninth year running, after becoming the first Formula 1 team to receive this recognition back in 2013.

Goldman Sachs branding will be carried on the McLaren MCL36 F1 cars from the 2022 British Grand Prix.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said:

“We’re thrilled to partner with Goldman Sachs, a global institution that shares McLaren Racing’s own values in recognising the importance of sustainability. As we work to achieve our bold long-term goals, Goldman Sachs’ support will provide an invaluable boost in fast-tracking our progress.

“Goldman Sachs will be a key partner in our sustainability journey, and we look forward to 
collaborating to make a positive contribution to our team, communities, and the wider world.”

Fiona Carter, CMO, Goldman Sachs, said: 

“Goldman Sachs and McLaren share an ambition to accelerate progress for the fans, our clients and in our communities. Together we’re excited to see what’s possible when we push our collective technical and intellectual expertise to the limit.”

Birmingham and Budapest are host city candidates for 2026 European Athletics Championships

European Athletics representatives recently visited the cities of Budapest and Birmingham after the Hungarian Athletics Association (Magyar Atlétikai Szövetség) and UK Athletics had been confirmed as the two bidding Member Federations looking to host the 2026 European Athletics Championships.

“We have two excellent candidates for the 2026 European Athletics Championships, with both potential Local Organising Committees having great experience staging major outdoor athletics events. They also have excellent stadia and either one of them would make an excellent host,” said European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov. 

“Birmingham will stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Budapest will be the host of the 2023 World Athletics Championships and so by 2026 they will be able to draw on these experiences. In the past, these cities have also staged outstanding global and continental events and they both have a great legacy in this respect,” added Karamarinov. 

“European Athletics would also like to confirm, following a recent European Athletics Council decision, that the 2026 European Athletics Championships will be organised as a stand-alone event like that in Rome in two years time,” commented European Athletics CEO Christian Milz. 

“The involvement and cooperation with the host member federation is especially important for European Athletics at our major events and we believe being independent, as the European Athletics Championships were until 2016, will strengthen this relationship as well as help create a special athletics experience for the competitors, athletics fans, and every other stakeholder in our sport, such as commercial partners, and provide enhanced international visibility and profile,” added Milz. 

Budapest was the first of the two 2026 candidates to receive European Athletics representatives and was visited on 7-8 June, followed immediately by the delegation visiting Birmingham on 9-10 June. 

A decision about which city will stage 2026 European Athletics Championships will be made by the European Athletics Council in November 2022.

Unibet new official partner of Ajax

Ajax has signed a multi-year agreement with Unibet, a provider of online sports betting. Unibet will join the Ajax partnership group, effective immediately.

The collaboration follows after Unibet received a license on June 8, 2022 to offer online games in the Netherlands. In addition to a commercial partnership, Ajax and Unibet will work together in the field of the prevention of matchfixing, mental health and responsible gambling.

Menno Geelen, Commercial Director Ajax: “We are delighted with Unibet as our newest partner. Unibet is known worldwide as a frontrunner in the field of responsible gaming. This will receive explicit attention in our partnership. Unibet distinguishes itself through their high-quality product offering that is enjoyed by fans. We will support this with joint content and initiatives. Above that, we will also commit to Unibet Impact.”

Unibet Impact
Lennart Kessels, General Manager of Unibet Netherlands: “We are extremely proud to work together with Ajax. Within our partnership, we will invest in Unibet Impact. Unibet Impact is a unique program based on partnerships with professional and amateur sportclubs, and societal organizations. Unibet Impact is dedicated to fostering a safer and more responsible online gambling industry, while bringing fun and entertainment to the Dutch society.”

“Specifically with Ajax, we want to focus on responsible gambling in relation to mental health. In the coming period, we will investigate how we are going to shape this exactly, while also learning from initiatives that we have already supported elsewhere in the world. We look forward to rolling this out together with Ajax.”