The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) has announced a new year of co-operation with ATPI Halo, its carbon neutral partner for the General Assembly and FIM Awards.
The partnership highlights the exemplary focus that the federation have on environmental sustainability and reducing GHG emissions associated with their sport.
Last year, all unavoidable emissions of the FIM General Assembly and Awards were offset thanks to the sponsorship of ATPI Halo. Through this event the FIM contributed to two verified Projects, the Luangwa Community Forest Project and the Katingan Mentaya Project.
Katia Juárez, FIM International Sustainability Commission Director, explained:
“Motorcycling is contributing to climate action from different flanks. Introducing new alternative energies, research, promoting the reduction of consumption and during our events reducing emissions by raising awareness among our users, electronic competitions, use of public transport, and neutralising all those emissions that cannot be reduced.
The support of companies like ATPI Halo is very important for us to achieve our climate ambitions. Through the contribution to these projects we can support with programmes aligned with the objectives of our sustainability strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
Ian Sinderson, Group CEO, ATPI confirmed: “We are proud to be selected as the environmental sustainability partner to FIM for the second year running. ATPI’s commitment to protect the environment and its company values go hand-in-hand with those of the FIM and we are absolutely thrilled that ATPI Halo will be able to support this fantastic federation once again.”
Everton Football Club has confirmed a Club-record main partner agreement with Stake.com.
The multi-year partnership with the leading casino and sports betting platform will commence on 1 July and is the highest value front-of-shirt deal in the Club’s 144-year history.
As Everton’s main partner, the Stake.com brand will feature on front of the men’s and women’s playing shirts, as well as appearing on screens and media backdrops at Goodison Park and Finch Farm and across the Club’s digital platforms.
Established in 2017, Stake.com has quickly grown to become one of the industry’s largest online casinos with millions of users worldwide and offers a huge range of sports betting and casino gaming products. Stake.UK.com is fully licensed by the Gambling Commission.
The partnership with Everton represents further expansion of Stake’s sports partnership portfolio, building on the brand’s recent unveiling as the UFC’s Official Betting Partner in Latin America, Asia and Brazil, which is reaching a global TV audience of nearly one billion households. The organisation also has a huge portfolio of recognisable global ambassadors, with rapper and actor Drake and UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Jose Aldo, alongside Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, collectively forming a diverse portfolio of partners.
Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Chief Executive at Everton, said: “Stake.com is an ambitious organisation with impressive growth plans and we’re all very excited to enter into a partnership with them at this stage in their journey.
“My talented colleagues in our new Revenue Team have made excellent progress in recent months and worked tirelessly to secure what is the biggest main partnership deal in the Club’s history – I’d like to congratulate them on this achievement and, on behalf of everyone at the Club, express my gratitude to Stake.com for choosing Everton as a long-term partner.
“Finally, I am pleased to say that we have already been working together with Stake.com on some exciting activities and content for our local and international supporters and we look forward to sharing more detail on these plans soon.”
The new Club-record agreement comes following an expansion of Everton’s commercial team and a clear focus on delivering an uplift in revenue across all of the Club’s commercial assets. By taking up the option to end Everton’s previous main partnership with Cazoo early, the Club’s commercial team were able to beat off competition from within football and other sports to secure the lucrative deal with Stake.com.
Akhil Sarin, Head of Acquisition for Stake.com, said: “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Everton, a club steeped in tradition and with a passionate and loyal fanbase respected the world over. Everton is a club that perfectly complements our own growth ambitions as we seek to expand our presence globally and strengthen our top-tier sports sponsorship portfolio. It’s a huge honour for everyone at Stake.com to be joining the Everton family and playing our part in supporting the Club in the transition to the new stadium. We look forward to celebrating this most exciting chapter in the Club’s history with Evertonians everywhere.”
With new bases and staff now located in London and the US, supporting the commercial team at the Royal Liver Building headquarters in the centre of Liverpool, this deal is the latest development in the Club’s post-covid commercial strategy. More partnership agreements will be announced soon as the Club lays the foundations for future growth ahead of a move to a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
The Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) has today announced that Vodafone will be its official Technology Partner.
The tournament, which was postponed due to the pandemic, is set to take place in England from 15 October – 19 November and will be the first time the RLWC encompasses the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions within a singular event, across 61 games and 21 venues.
Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, RLWC2021 said: “We are pleased to welcome Vodafone Business on board as our official Technology Partner as we look to create innovative and exciting ways for fans to engage with the sport of rugby league.
“With tickets selling fast and excitement building, the countdown is on for our tournament to make a real impact across local communities in this country and we are delighted to have the support of Vodafone to help us deliver the biggest, best and most inclusive Rugby League World Cup in history.”
Nick Gliddon, Director, Vodafone Business UK, said “Our new partnership with the Rugby League World Cup is hugely exciting, and an important part of our ongoing support for sport in the UK. The Rugby League World Cup is a champion for diversity and inclusion, and we share those values and beliefs at Vodafone – we’re here to help bring to life the ‘Power of Together’ with this brilliant new partnership.”
This new partnership with the RLWC2021 further expands Vodafone’s commitment to support sport in the UK, post pandemic. The partnership builds on Vodafone’s new multi-year partnership with Wimbledon and the AELTC as Official Connectivity Partner, its role as Lead Partner for the British and Irish Lions 2021 Tour of South Africa, Lead Partner of Wasps Rugby and Netball, and Rugby Union Player Associations the Rugby Players Association (RPA), Rugby Players Scotland (RPS) and The Wales Rugby Players Association (WRPA).
Fulham Football Club is pleased to announce a partnership with state-of-the-art shading technology supplier Somfy for the next three seasons.
Somfy will provide Fulham FC’s Fulham Pier development with intelligent solar shading system to help create an energy efficient, sustainable space that provides visitors with a user experience focused on wellbeing and comfort. Somfy was chosen because of their expertise and proven experience in delivering smart shading solutions in the UK and across the world.
Somfy will use the partnership to engage with Fulham FC’s business network and will use the Fulham Pier development as a showcase to develop further business opportunities.
Operating in 59 countries, Somfy is the world leader in automatic controls for solar shading, access openings and closures in homes and buildings. They have spent the last 50 years assisting and making life easier for millions of users around the world. Somfy create new, reliable, and sustainable solutions that improve both energy performance and wellbeing for smart homes and connected buildings.
Channel Manager for Commercial Projects for Somfy UK, Elliot Chmielinski, said:
“Becoming an official partner of Fulham FC is fantastic and supports our plans for further development in the UK. The prestigious new Fulham Pier development is the ideal showcase for our intelligent shading solutions. The club’s recent promotion back to the Premier League and ambitious growth plans make it an incredibly exciting time to partner. We look forward to working closely in partnership and supporting the club over the next three years.”
Managing Director for Somfy UK, Steven Montgomery, added:
“We are delighted to partner with Fulham FC. The partnership provides us the opportunity to really showcase the power of working with Somfy on an end-to-end solution for dynamic shading. I’m excited about introducing our customers and potential project partners in the future to how we work and will work with Fulham.”
Fulham FC Sales Director, Jon Don-Carolis, added:
“We are delighted to welcome Somfy onboard in a ground-breaking partnership across Fulham Football Club and Fulham Pier. As we move forward into an incredibly exciting period for the Club it is important that we partner with brands with shared vision and beliefs. This strategic collaboration will drive new business to Somfy through showcase, association and introduction emphasising our corporate credentials.”
Special Olympics GB, the non-profit organisation and largest provider of year-round sports training and competition in summer and winter sports for children and adults of all abilities with intellectual disabilities, has announced that Jack Grealish, the 26-year-old England football star, has become a principal Ambassador.
Jack Grealish has committed to a long-term role with Special Olympics GB with the aim of raising visibility of the charity’s work throughout Great Britain and driving support and opportunities for the 1.5 million people who live with intellectual disabilities in Great Britain today.
Grealish, who became the most expensive English football player ever when he signed for Manchester City from Aston Villa last year for £100 million, has committed to using his platform to shine a light on the empowering role that Special Olympics GB plays in driving inclusion and creating possibilities for all individuals to be accepted regardless of ability or disability.
Jack Grealish said:
“I’ve been thinking for some time about how I can best use the platform football has given me to create a positive change, and it had to be something really close to my heart. Special Olympics GB is such an important organisation, playing a huge role in tackling the lack of inclusion for hundreds of thousands of kids in the UK with intellectual disabilities. Nobody should be excluded from opportunities, and I can’t stand bullying or discrimination! In my new role with Special Olympics GB, I’m proud to stand side-by-side with all the children, young people and adults living with intellectual disabilities, and the incredible families who support them. I hope that everyone in Great Britain gets behind Special Olympics GB and its incredible athletes and volunteers. So please follow Special Olympics GB on their social channels and together we can start to make a real difference.”
Colin Dyer, CEO of Special Olympics GB said:
“Everyone at Special Olympics is delighted and excited Jack has agreed to join Special Olympics GB as a principal Ambassador. After a truly challenging time for many people during the pandemic, particularly those with intellectual disabilities, there is so much positive momentum in Special Olympics GB at this time, it is the perfect moment to welcome Jack to the family. We look forward to continuing to add to our diverse group of Ambassadors to accompany Jack on his new mission with Special Olympics GB in the near future.”
Paul Richardson, Chair of Special Olympics GB said:
“The fact that Jack’s made the choice to align his brand with Special Olympics GB is testament to the importance of the work we are committed to doing and the ambitious growth plans ahead. Jack shares our vision for an inclusive world for all, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy and fulfilling lives. We are looking forward to working together with Jack and his team to make this a reality and I hope that everyone who doesn’t know about Special Olympics GB or intellectual disabilities will check out our Special Olympics GB website and social media platforms to see the massive, diverse and inspiring community we are proud to represent.”
Niall Guite, Special Olympics World Games gold medallist, artist, and member of the Special Olympics GB Athlete Leadership Team, said:
“I love football so much and it’s amazing to be on the same team as Jack Grealish! To have such an important player and public figure supporting our community gives us all so much energy and motivation. Thanks Jack and welcome to Special Olympics GB!”
Special Olympics GB has ambitious growth plans for 2022 including the return to full-scale competition from June to September with the largest celebration of intellectual disability sport in Great Britain with a brand-new format, The Special Olympics GB Summer Series of Sport. And 2023 is also set to be a big year for Special Olympics GB with the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin next June. Having Jack Grealish cheering on #TeamSOGB will be truly special for all the amazing athletes involved.
iSportConnect speaks with Tezos, the energy-efficient blockchain, to get answers to some of the most common questions they receive when it comes to the subject of blockchain and web3.
Over the last year Tezos has seen booming growth in user activity, with smart contract calls increasing per month from 100,000 in January 2021 to over 6.2 million in January 2022. Tezos continues to see adoption and momentum grow, with landmark technical integrations by leading sports franchises and global brands such as Red Bull Racing, Manchester United, McLaren Racing, The Gap, Kia and more.
What is Web3?
Web3 isn’t a single type of technology, but a blanket term for a myriad of applications that have emerged from the invention of blockchain. A blockchain is a database, to which information can be added, but not necessarily changed or removed.
Blockchains aren’t hosted in a single place or administered by a single authority, but instead, they are decentralized: Every computer on the network hosts a complete copy of the ledger.
Aren’t blockchains bad for the planet?
The short answer is that some are, and some aren’t. Blockchains are secured using one of two systems, Proof of Work or the newer technology, Proof of Stake. Proof of Work blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum use a huge amount of processing power to secure their ledgers.
“Tezos was designed from the beginning to be more efficient than other blockchains, and to avoid some of the issues that are associated with earlier Proof of Work platforms.”
But newer Proof of Stake blockchains, like Tezos, consume only a tiny amount of energy, without sacrificing security. This makes them more appealing to consumers and brands that are conscious of their carbon footprint.
What makes Tezos different from other blockchains?
Tezos was designed from the beginning to be more efficient than other blockchains, and to avoid some of the issues that are associated with earlier Proof of Work platforms, such as high energy consumption. In addition to its efficiency, Tezos is also inexpensive to use, with very low transaction fees compared to other chains.
Another important advantage of Tezos is its on-chain governance system, which enables it to evolve and upgrade seamlessly, over time, without disruption to users or developers.
What’s the point of NFTs?
NFTs get a lot of negative media coverage, but if you cut through the hype, the technology has a huge number of potential applications beyond just buying and selling artwork. An NFT is simply a token, proving ownership of a digital asset. That asset might be an artwork, but it might also be a ticket to an event, or an avatar in a video game.
“Web3 is in its infancy, but its potential to unlock new experiences, and provide real value to creators and consumers is vast.”
Even physical assets can be tokenized, allowing real-world transactions to happen on a blockchain, without the need for traditional intermediaries. One of the most exciting applications of NFTs for brands and consumers alike is experiences, where a digital ‘ticket’ can be used to provide access to events and spaces in the real as well as virtual worlds.
Why should my company / brand invest in Web3 technology?
Web3 is in its infancy, but its potential to unlock new experiences, and provide real value to creators and consumers is vast. In an ever more connected digital world, Web3 technology allows for a fairer exchange of value between creators and fans, and opens the door to the Metaverse – a fully virtual space for entertainment and commerce.
In addition, blockchains provide an immutable, transparent and virtually unhackable platform for data, away from the control of big tech companies. This makes Web3 solutions ideal for data verification, asset tracking, and supply chain management, among many other applications.
iSportConnect’s Web3 Summit presented by Tezos will be taking place on June 28th and 29th at Emirates Stadium, find out more about the event, which will provide tremendous learnings for the sports industry, via this link – https://www.web3summit.sport/
The Denver Broncos and the Walton-Penner family have entered into a purchase and sale agreement, it was jointly announced on Tuesday.
The deal is worth a reported $4.5 billion, the record for the sale of any US franchise but short of the amount the consortium led by Todd Boehly paid for Chelsea FC last month.
The purchase and sale agreement calls for the Walton-Penner family to acquire the Denver Broncos from the Pat Bowlen Trust. The agreement is subject to approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership as well as the satisfaction of customary closing procedures.
Please see below for statements from Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis and Rob Walton on behalf of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group:
STATEMENT FROM BRONCOS PRESIDENT & CEO JOE ELLIS
“I have enjoyed getting to know Rob Walton, Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner throughout this process. Learning more about their background and vision for the Denver Broncos, I am confident that their leadership and support will help this team achieve great things on and off the field.
“I sincerely appreciate the cooperation of our football leadership, executive team and staffs at both UCHealth Training Center and Empower Field at Mile High over the last few months and years. We also want to recognize the work of Allen & Company and Proskauer Rose, which have guided us through this process in a timely and efficient manner.
“While this purchase and sale agreement is pending approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership, today marks a significant step on the path to an exciting new chapter in Broncos history.”
STATEMENT FROM ROB WALTON ON BEHALF OF THE WALTON-PENNER FAMILY OWNERSHIP GROUP
“We are thrilled to be selected to move forward with the purchase of the Denver Broncos! Carrie, Greg and I are inspired by the opportunity to steward this great organization in a vibrant community full of opportunity and passionate fans.
“Having lived and worked in Colorado, we’ve always admired the Broncos. Our enthusiasm has only grown as we’ve learned more about the team, staff and Broncos Country over the last few months.
“We are excited to announce that Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, has agreed to join our ownership group. Beyond her role at Ariel, Mellody is an influential leader in corporate and civic organizations across the nation.
“Mellody currently serves as Chair of the Board of Starbucks Corporation and is also a director of JPMorgan Chase. We know she will bring her strategic acumen and leadership perspective to our team.
“Thank you to Joe Ellis and the staff of the Broncos for the first-class manner in which they have conducted this sale process. In addition, we thank Hogan Lovells for their guidance and support in this effort.
“We look forward to earning the confidence and support of the NFL as we take the next step in this process. When the necessary approval procedures are met, our family is excited to share more with Broncos fans, the organization and the community.”
New figures* from the Women’s Sport Trust (WST) show that there was a near four-fold increase in viewing hours of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League – up from 8,830,000 in the 2020/21 season to 34,048,000 in 2021/22 – contributing to women’s sport viewership increasing by 140% year-on-year in the first part of 2022.
Almost a third of the UK population has watched women’s sport in 2022, with 21.1 million viewers from January 1st-May 15th 2022. This is in comparison to 8.8 million at the equivalent stage last year, with the average viewing time per person double that of last year (149 minutes v 72 minutes).
Overall, women’s sport has seen fantastic growth in broadcast visibility and consumption, thanks to interest in the FA Women’s Super League, Women’s Six Nations and the ICC Women’s World Cup, with audiences showing unprecedented repeat viewership. Among the findings:
· 20% of total viewers have watched women’s sport on 5 or more occasions so far this year – up on 9% on the same period (1st January-15th May) last year
· 2.5 times increase in the number of hours of women’s sport broadcast in the first four months of 2022, in comparison to the equivalent period in 2019
· Women’s sport accounted for 23% of all sports coverage on BBC One and 20% of all coverage on BBC Two, while women’s sport made up 12% of all coverage on Sky Sports’ main event channel, although Sky accounted for the greatest number of women’s sport hours broadcast in the period (1st January-15th May)
· The first quarter of 2022 was the most watched Q1 for women’s sport on record in the UK, with 15.1 million watching 3 minutes or more of women’s sports coverage, in comparison to 5.06m in Q1 of 2021 and a previous peak of 10.2 million in 2019
The Barclays FA Women’s Super League, which saw a new partnership between BBC and Sky begin in the 2021-22 season, saw particularly impressive growth in viewership which included:
· 113 per cent more hours of coverage of The Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) on UK broadcast channels in the 2021/22 season (518 hours) versus 2020/21 season (243 hours)
· 46% of viewers watched The Barclays FA WSL on more than one occasion in 2021/22 – up from 31% the previous season
· 45% of the viewers for the 2021/22 season on BBC and Sky were female, in comparison to 33% on BT Sport in 2020/21
Tammy Parlour Co-Founder and CEO of WST says, “These broadcast figures demonstrate once again the growing demand for women’s sport in the UK and the increased visibility being provided by UK broadcasters to meeting audience needs.
“What is encouraging to see is the number of fans coming back on a regular basis to watch women’s sport on broadcast, with 46% watching the Barclays WSL on more than one occasion in the 2021/22 season, and a fifth of viewers watching women’s sport on 5 or more occasions so far this year in comparison to 9% in the same period in 2021.”
The MotoGP™ partner and leader in blockchain gaming will take top billing at Aragon and Australia in 2022, and two more events next season
Dorna Sports and Animoca Brands, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, announced today that Animoca Brands will be the title sponsor of two Grands Prix in 2022 and 2023. This season, Animoca Brands will take top billing at the Grand Prix of Aragon and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The two events will be officially named the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón and the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, respectively.
Animoca Brands became a partner of MotoGP™ in 2019, when it gained the rights to develop the first NFTs based on MotoGP™, the world’s fastest motorcycle racing championship. The two companies are producing MotoGP™ Ignition, a competitive management and collectibles game platform based on MotoGP™ and that is part of the REVV Motorsport ecosystem of play & earn games.
MotoGP™ Ignition, the official MotoGP™ blockchain game, will deliver branded experiences centred around limited edition NFTs. The game provides a digital collectibles platform where users buy and sell cards of varying rarity, as well as a card-based fantasy sports game and a sophisticated racing manager game. The game’s racing management experience will offer the bikes, riders, and champions of MotoGP™ as NFT collectibles that players use to assemble their racing teams to compete against other players.
MotoGP™ Ignition’s NFT collection and marketplace are available now and the card and manager games are expected to be available this year.Now, Animoca Brands and Dorna Sports are expanding and strengthening the partnership as Animoca Brands assumes the top billing as a title sponsor for two Grands Prix over two seasons.
Yat Siu, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands:
“We are incredibly pleased to deepen our partnership with Dorna Sports as we take over title sponsorship for MotoGP Grand Prix events. There is no more distinguished brand in the world of professional motorcycle racing than MotoGP, and we are proud to provide our sponsorship and inclusion into the REVV Motorsport ecosystem.”
Marc Saurina, Senior Director of Global Commercial Partnerships at Dorna Sports:
“We’re very happy to welcome Animoca Brands as the title sponsor for Aragon and Australia this season, and two more events in 2023. We’re very happy to take our collaboration to new heights – from the digital world to the track. We look forward to seeing our partnership gain even more exposure as Animoca Brands headlines at these two events.”
REVV Motorsport is an ecosystem of racing blockchain games by Animoca Brands powered by REVV, the token that serves as the primary currency of utility, purchase, and action for the ecosystem. REVV is designed to enable true digital ownership of game assets, giving players freedom and control over their NFT in-game items across a growing metaverse of racing games, including REVV Racing, MotoGP™ Ignition, Formula E: High Voltage, and the Torque Motorsport franchise.
Aston Villa and Fanatics, a leading provider of licensed sports merchandise and global digital sports platform, have today announced a long-term extension to their e-commerce, retail and manufacturing deal, with the Premier League club taking advantage of Fanatics’ global footprint and state of the art technology to better serve its fans.
The deal was agreed following significant growth in Villa merchandise sales through the club’s official online store, with sales growing by more than 450% since 2017, when Fanatics and Aston Villa started working together. It will see Fanatics retain global e-commerce, stadium retail and manufacturing rights for the Premier League club, ensuring that Villa fans will have access to one of the largest ranges of merchandise in the world.
Fanatics now partners with more than 900 sports clubs and organizations in the world and has worked with Aston Villa to grow visits to the online store by more than 300% in the last four years, changing the way Villa fans purchase merchandise online through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first society. Fanatics will also continue to operate the club retail store at Villa Park as part of the renewed deal.
Fanatics’ global network, which is now based out of thirteen countries worldwide delivered merchandise to Aston Villa fans in 85 different countries in 2021. In continuing its partnership with Fanatics, Aston Villa will use cutting edge e-commerce systems and the company’s vertical commerce model, which combines on-demand manufacturing with an agile supply chain to produce the timeliest assortments of merchandise.
Nicola Ibbetson, Aston Villa Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, said:
“Our partnership with Fanatics has been highly successful and has experienced significant growth in recent years, so we are thrilled to have cemented this relationship through this extension of our partnership. We have seen sales grow significantly over the past few years and going forwards the focus will be on increasing the product offering for Aston Villa’s growing global fanbase and continuous improvement to the innovation and technology we can bring to the retail experience for our fans.”
The Club will also continue to utilize Fanatics’ industry leading Cloud Commerce technology which provides rapid navigation for fans across online and mobile sites. This has meant Villa fans around the world have access to faster website performance, larger hi-resolution product displays, multiple currencies and frictionless checkout, transforming the shopping experience for the club’s fans.
Danny Downs, Fanatics UK General Manager, said:
“We are delighted that due to the phenomenal growth of the Aston Villa online business in recent years we are extending our relationship with this historic football club. From the moment we first partnered with Villa in 2017 we could see that the fans were incredibly passionate about their team and we have been privileged to serve them wherever they might be based in the world. We can’t wait to bring them even more choice in the coming years and continue our partnership with this innovative and forward-thinking club.”
Fanatics partners with several of the biggest football clubs across Europe and some of the largest sporting organizations in the world, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, International Olympic Committee and Formula One.
