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BetCity.nl Named First Ever Official betting Partner Of FIH

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is glad to announce the signing of a 3-year partnership with Dutch betting company BetCity.nl, the first-ever betting partner of hockey’s world governing body.

The partnership covers the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup as well as the FIH Hockey Pro League seasons in the Netherlands, from now until June 2025. BetCity.nl will be visible for the first time at the FIH Hockey Pro League matches that will be played in Nijmegen (Netherlands) at the end of May.

As an established, experienced and 100% Dutch supplier, BetCity.nl has a great deal of affinity with its products and its market. This is in tune with the confidence that its players who, in addition to their passion for the casino games, also share the love for hockey and the sentiment of sportsmanship in general.

The landmark partnership was facilitated by Sportradar, the official betting and gaming data rights partner of the FIH. The leading sports technology company is very pleased to support the FIH’s move into the betting space and introduce hockey to a new and highly engaged group of sports fans.

Commenting on the partnership, FIH CEO Thierry Weil said:

“We’ve been looking at engaging with the betting industry for some time now, but it was essential for us to do so in a completely trustful environment. Thanks to our collaboration with Sportradar, we’ve found in BetCity.nl the ideal partner to open the doors of the betting market to hockey. This first-of-a-kind move for us will hopefully generate further similar opportunities in this area in the future.”

Melvin Bostelaar, CEO BetCity.nl:

“The Netherlands have been among the world’s top teams in hockey for years. As a 100% Dutch company, we are proud to be affiliated with the FIH and therefore being visible at matches in the Pro League and the Women’s Hockey World Cup of our national team!”

For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please visit FIH.hockey, follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and download the Watch.Hockey app.

Lancashire Cricket And Emirates Sign Long-Term Partnership Extension

Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce that Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has signed a new seven-year extension of the Club’s headline partnership, until 2029, making it the longest and biggest sponsorship in English domestic cricket.

The extended partnership includes naming rights of the world-class stadium Emirates Old Trafford, as well as shirt sponsorship for Lancashire Lightning’s Vitality Blast shirt, and strengthens one of the most recognisable and respected sponsorships in sport.

The partnership began in April 2013 and this extension means that Emirates will remain as principal headline sponsor at Lancashire Cricket and Emirates Old Trafford and be on the front of the Club’s T20 shirt for at least 17 years.

In addition to the previous assets, a new lounge – named the Emirates Business Class Lounge, a dedicated hospitality and Conference and Events space – will be branded up in the historic Pavilion at Emirates Old Trafford.

Emirates’ seven-year extension sees Lancashire Cricket and its headline partnership of the Club, continue its presence as part of the airline’s prestigious family of sporting partnerships including Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, the Emirates FA Cup, Paris Saint Germain, International Cricket Council, Rugby World Cup 2019, Formula 1, global golf tournaments and others in Australian Rules Football, tennis and horse racing.

Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive at Lancashire Cricket, said:

“This is an historic day for the Club and we’re delighted to announce the Emirates partnership renewal, which positions the sponsorship at Lancashire Cricket as one of the biggest and most recognisable in the game.”

“We are hugely proud of our relationship with Emirates, a world class brand with a truly global reach, and this is another very positive step as part of the Club’s continued commercial growth and development.

“Emirates are once again demonstrating their great belief in Lancashire Cricket’s aims and ambitions for the future, continued development at Emirates Old Trafford and their investment over the next seven years will only help us continue our journey.

“The new partnership extension, as headline sponsor of Lancashire Cricket and Emirates Old Trafford until 2029, underlines how much both organisations value and benefit from the positive and on-going relationship.

“We are incredibly grateful for their support of the Club and we look forward to working with their team over the next seven years and beyond.”

The organisations have worked together on a number of activations over the years including the well-known Emirates Catch a Six at the Roses Vitality Blast fixture, Emirates Lockdown Heroes in 2021 which paid tribute to those made a tangible difference to the national and local fight during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Club also supported Emirates during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup last November and have visited the Dubai 2020 Expo twice over the past six months.

Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand for Emirates, added:

“We are very pleased to be extending our partnership with Lancashire Cricket Club until 2029. Emirates is a staunch supporter of cricket and today’s announcement reaffirms our commitment to the sport in the UK, and worldwide.

“Lancashire is a legendary name in English cricket, and as the world’s largest international airline – we are proud to be playing such a big role in the Club’s growth and success. The new agreement will make this the longest, and biggest sponsorship in English domestic cricket. We very much look forward to the next seven years of our mutually beneficial relationship.”

The partnership extensions follow on from the Club’s historic pre-season tour in March, where Lancashire’s men’s team were joined by the women’s Thunder squad – a first joint tour ever undertaken by a First-Class county. The squads trained at the ICC Academy, playing a number of fixtures whilst also visiting the Dubai 2020 Expo, alongside the Emirates cabin crew.

In addition to this, Emirates Old Trafford continues to transform, even after the £65 million redeveloped over the past decade, after plans were approved from Trafford Council for work at the ground. The new project includes plans for a 100-bed hotel extension, 1,025-seater stand, a heritage centre, a guest services hub, and a new retail store facing directly on to Brian Statham Way. This continued redevelopment will play a key role in the Club’s long-term financial strategy and sustainability moving forward and will also increase and improve the facilities that can be used by Members and supporters.

Viaplay Nets EFL Championship And Carabao Cup Football Rights In 10 Countries

Viaplay will be the exclusive streaming home of EFL Sky Bet Championship and Carabao Cup football in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland and the Netherlands from the 2022/2023 season, as the result of a long-term rights agreement. Every season, more than 180 live matches from England’s hugely popular second tier will be shown on Viaplay, including the Sky Bet Play-Off Semi-Finals and Finals. Fans can also follow Premier League and EFL teams in every round of the Carabao Cup, culminating in a showpiece final at London’s famous Wembley Stadium.

The Championship is Europe’s fourth most-watched league, and as the English Football League (EFL)’s flagship division attracts millions of supporters through the turnstiles, with over 20 million attending matches in the EFL’s divisions every season. In recent years, the Championship’s 24 teams have included famous clubs such as Aston Villa, Derby County, Fulham, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion. Each season, the two top teams are promoted to the Premier League, with a third spot decided by a highly anticipated Play-Off Final.

Currently held by Liverpool, the Carabao Cup is open to all 92 teams in the English league pyramid and is played over seven knockout rounds. The winner receives a place in the following season’s UEFA Europa Conference League.

Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group Chief Sports Officer: “Sports fans everywhere know there’s nothing like English football. Its blend of skills, passion, tradition and unpredictability makes it a winner, on and off the pitch. Viaplay already holds Premier League rights in nine countries. Securing the EFL Championship and Carabao Cup in this long-term partnership means we can offer fans great value as the home of English football, all on a single world-class platform.”

Trevor Birch, EFL Chief Executive: “The EFL plays a vital role in the English football pyramid and our competitions continue to have vast global appeal, attracting tens of millions of supporters every year both on screen and through the turnstiles. Our heritage and competitiveness are unrivalled in League football and we are delighted to partner with Viaplay in 10 countries across Europe so fans can enjoy the EFL story and follow every twist and turn of the new season.”

Viaplay will offer local language commentary and studio programming for selected EFL Championship and Carabao Cup matches.

Viaplay has exclusive rights to show Premier League football in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, and will add Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Netherlands from August.

AFL, AFLPA Announce New CBA For AFLW Season Seven, With Wages Rising 94%

The AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) are pleased to announce a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has been reached for 2022 NAB AFLW Season Seven with average player salaries increasing 94% across the board.

The increased pay deal will ensure that the average salary for all 540 players across 18 clubs will rise 94% from $23,904 to $46,280 with AFLW players in Season Seven to play 10 home and away games and four finals (one additional Final than in Season Six).

The pay rate for players will be:

Tier 1 players will receive $71,935 – (previously $37,155 – a rise of 94%)
Tier 2 players will receive $55,559 – (previously $28,697 – a rise of 94%)
Tier 3 players will receive $47,372 – (previously $24,468 – a rise of 94%)
Tier 4 players will receive $39,184 – (previously $20,239 – a rise of 94%)

The first round NAB AFLW Season Seven will begin on the last weekend of August 2022– the week of the AFL Pre-Finals bye and will see the introduction of four new teams – Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and the Sydney Swans.

List sizes at each club will be maintained at 30 and with the inclusion of the four new clubs the total number of players will increase from 420 to 540, cementing AFLW’s position as the biggest employer of female athletes in the country.

Player contracts would run from 15 May 2022 through 31 December 2022.

Under the revised CBA, it is estimated that more than 40 of the top AFLW players will be paid more than $100,000 in Season Seven inclusive of TPP, ASAs and other allowable payments – up from 12 players in Season Six.

The Total Player Payments inclusive of Base amount and Prize Money is $25.6 million for Season Seven, compared to $10.4 million in Season Six, an increase of 146%, and four times any other professional women’s team sport in the country.

The AFL has also committed to an enhanced capacity and flexibility within the AFLW soft cap policy to ensure all clubs are able to provide the necessary support for players in Season Seven.

Clubs will be required to ensure there are minimum levels of medical, physical preparation and high- performance staff resourcing to allow AFLW players to prepare for matches and training sessions more efficiently.

The new CBA includes an increase in AFL distributions to the AFLPA to $925,714 to support the Association in providing greater assistance to AFLW players across player development and injury support.

Under the new agreement Player insurance (coverage of excess medial costs) is extended to include aligned second tier matches, and the AFLW Pregnancy and Parental Support Policy has been extended so that the benefits and support available under the Policy will be available to parents with children up to three years old, previously 12 months.

Also included in the new CBA is a doubling in relocation allowance for players moving interstate.

AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said today’s announcement provides certainty for players and clubs and continues the trajectory of sustained growth for the league and women’s football across the country.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience, especially the players and clubs over the last few weeks, and that patience has resulted in a great agreement for both the players and the broader industry.” Mr McLachlan said.

“Our NAB AFLW Competition has accelerated the growth of women’s football across the country, and we are entering a new, exciting phase with all 18 clubs and our focus is now on continuing to support, nurture and amplify our competition at every opportunity,”

“The agreement represents a landmark improvement in pay for AFLW players and an historic level of investment in domestic women’s sport that truly values the contribution of our players and is a giant step forward in achieving our vision of ensuring AFLW players are the best paid female athletes in any local professional competition by 2030.

“As well as providing the best possible outcome for AFLW players, the responsibility of the AFL and the wider football industry is to recognise that we all need to balance the needs of all parts of the football community.

“Ensuring we can continue to invest in pathways for women and girls so that all facilities at community level provide gender-friendly facilities that are welcoming, continue to encourage and support women and girls being involved in football and investing in policies and programs that deliver a safe and welcoming environment for all people at all levels of our game.

“In order to sustain the continued growth of the NAB AFLW competition, we will need to keep investing in the next generation of players, coaches, umpires, administrators, and the next generation of people who will watch, attend, and financially support the growth of football into the future while also continuing to support our 18 clubs to recover from the impact of Covid-19.

“For today – We have a new CBA; a new start date and our focus moves to ensuring everyone is ready to go for Season Seven in August.”

AFLPA Chief Executive Paul Marsh lauded the agreement as a major step forward for the players and the future of the AFLW.

“Today is a significant and exciting day for AFLW players and for those who are aspiring to be future AFLW players,” AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said.

“This agreement is the first step toward our vision of AFLW players being full time footballers by 2026. Our players love the game and are driven to succeed. This CBA acknowledges the important role the AFLW players have and instils great confidence in the future direction of the competition.

“Congratulations to the AFL for showing their belief in this competition and its players. This agreement makes a huge statement as to the AFL’s intent to make AFLW the sport of choice for female athletes.

“Through this process, the players have been united in their vision of what is important for the future. There has been a high level of engagement, which speaks to how much the players care about AFLW and its long-term position on the sporting landscape. I want to thank all of the players for their involvement, and in particular the players on our negotiating committee as well as our Captains and Delegates.

“The players are thrilled with this CBA and the outcome speaks to the belief we all have in the future of AFLW.”

Key dates for Season Seven include:

AFLW Expansion Signing Period 24 May 2022
Sign and Trade Period 31 May 2022
NAB AFLW Draft 29 June 2022
Pre-season commences 13 June 2022
Season Commences, 25-27 August 2022 *
Finals commences, 4-6 November 2022 *
NAB AFLW Grand Final, Weekend of 25-27 November 2022 *
* Fixtured dates and game times TBC

BBC Sport To Broadcast RideLondon To 2026

RideLondon and the BBC have agreed a new deal which sees the broadcaster continue to show the festival of cycling for a further five years.

RideLondon returns on 27-29 May, after a three-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in a new format and a new partnership with Essex County Council.

The weekend will feature five events including the RideLondon Classique, a new three-day UCI Women’s WorldTour stage race and the RideLondon-Essex 100, a challenge ride for more than 20,000 amateur riders. The weekend also features FreeCycle, an eight-mile loop of traffic-free roads in central London for riders of all ages and abilities, and the RideLondon-Essex 60 and 30, shorter challenge rides.

The BBC has been host broadcaster of RideLondon since its inception in 2013. The event is the most successful legacy event from the 2012 Olympic Games.

The BBC coverage will comprise:

Friday 27 May: (BBC iPlayer and Red Button) Evening highlights of Stage One of the RideLondon Classique
Saturday 28 May: (BBC iPlayer and Red Button) Evening highlights of Stage Two of the RideLondon Classique
Sunday 29 May 15:00 – 18:10 (BBC Two): live coverage of Stage Three of the RideLondon Classique and highlights of FreeCycle and the RideLondon-Essex 100, 60 and 30

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of RideLondon, said: “BBC Sport has been a fantastic partner to RideLondon since the first edition of the event in 2013 and we’re delighted to be continuing our partnership. We look forward to outstanding coverage of the 2022 event, which will be presented by Clare Balding.”

Whisper TV will be producing the coverage of RideLondon and the event will also be broadcast across Europe, pan Asia and North America on Eurosport/Discovery, on the Global Cycling Network and across South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa on SuperSport.

Kappa Renews Exclusive Apparel Sponsorship Deal With British Basketball League And Women’s British Basketball League

The British Basketball League (BBL) and Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) are delighted to announce the renewal of its partnership with exclusive apparel sponsor Kappa.

The worldwide sportswear company has continued their significant commitment to supporting the league, with this latest deal ensuring the BBL is Kappa’s longest standing UK based partner.

Kappa, who have been partners since 2016, will once again supply each BBL and WBBL club with a wide range of sportswear; including playing uniforms, training kit, tracksuits and leisure wear for the players to wear in the upcoming campaign.

British Basketball has seen monumental growth in recent years and following record attendances throughout the 2021-22 season, it is set to be yet another landmark year alongside the Italian sportswear brand.

The announcement comes fresh off the back of the conclusion of the 2021/2022 season last weekend which saw Leicester Riders crowned BBL Play Off Winners and London Lions crowned WBBL Play Off Winners in front of a record crowd at The O2 Arena, London.

The BBL/WBBL’s Chief Operating Officer, Andy Webb, said: “We are thrilled to be continuing our long-standing partnership with Kappa and thank them for their continued support of both the BBL and WBBL. It has been an incredible year for the growth of British Basketball, what with the investment deal earlier this year and the record attendances at the play-off finals, the sport is thriving, and we look forward to working with Kappa again next season.”

“We can’t wait to see our clubs once again kitted out in their apparel out on the court in what is such an exciting time for the sport.”

Dave Bandell, National Team Sports Manager at Kappa said: “When the BBL deal was up for tender we at Kappa didn’t hesitate to pitch again for the apparel partnership. This is now Kappa’s longest running sponsorship in the UK and emphasises our commitment as a brand to Basketball in the UK. We continue to provide quality kits and benchwear to the BBL and WBBL and wider basketball community and are grateful to be given a further opportunity to work within the upper reaches of basketball”

T-Mobile And SailGP Unveil Season 3 Partnership Showcasing 5G In The World’s Most Exciting Racing On Water

SailGP, the world’s fastest growing global sports league, and T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader, have announced a new partnership designed to bring 5G technology to the world’s most exciting racing on water. As the exclusive U.S. 5G partner of SailGP, the Un-carrier will deploy brand-new Hybrid 5G Mobile Networks in iconic racing locations, including during the United States Sail Grand Prix at Chicago’s Navy Pier (June 18-19, 2022), the second event of SailGP Season 3.

As part of the Hybrid 5G Mobile Network solution, T-Mobile and SailGP will develop 5G technology applications designed to reduce global data and video latency. SailGP’s award-winning, fully remote broadcast leverages the Oracle cloud to globally transmit live racing data at low latency, providing the perfect platform to integrate T-Mobile’s Hybrid 5G Mobile Network.

T-Mobile will also team up with the United States SailGP Team, led by Jimmy Spithill (CEO and Driver), to activate at U.S. events and within the U.S. broadcast on CBS.

Spithill said: “Having T-Mobile 5G embedded in the F50 fleet accelerates the new era of racing. The massive amounts of data we’re able to use in real-time is truly game-changing for coaches, athletes and fans. With T-Mobile’s Hybrid 5G technology powering our F50 fleet, we’re pushing the boundaries of the sport and capturing the attention of the next generation of racing fans to experience.”

Led by T-Mobile for Business, engineers from across the T-Mobile team are leading the way in developing the world’s most advanced 5G network solutions.

Callie Field, President of T-Mobile Business Group said: “The SailGP partnership is the perfect platform to showcase our industry leading solutions; with the launch of our 5G Advanced Network Solutions, T-Mobile is ushering in a new era, giving customers like SailGP flexibility to get exactly the performance they need with real results.”

All of SailGP’s F50 hydrofoiling race boats will be 5G-enabled from the start of SailGP Season 3. Season 3 will include global, iconic destinations from Saint-Tropez to Dubai, Copenhagen to Singapore, and all U.S. locations will deploy the T-Mobile 5G network.

Wasserman Combines With iSportConnect Web3 Summit Presented By Tezos

The iSportConnect Web3 Summit presented by Tezos is delighted to announce that we have connected with Wasserman, a leading sports marketing and talent representation company.

iSportConnect’s Web3 Summit presented by Tezos will be taking place on the 28th and 29th of June 2022 at Emirates Stadium in London. Head to https://www.web3summit.sport/ for more information, the full agenda and to purchase tickets.

Wasserman is a partner to some of the world’s most iconic brands, properties and talent in their endeavours across sports, music, entertainment and culture. Our purpose is to transform the businesses and careers of our clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally in more than 20 cities.

“We’re inspired to team up with iSportConnect to drive positive foundational change through this new and exciting frontier.”

“Wasserman are thrilled to be partnering with iSportConnect for the Web3 Summit. Innovation is in our DNA and it’s our duty to our clients and the broader industry to continue to push the boundaries. We’re inspired to team up with iSportConnect to drive positive foundational change through this new and exciting frontier,” said Lenah Ueltzen-Gabell, Managing Director, EMMEA at Wasserman.

“Wasserman is one of the most well-respected organisations within the business of sport, to have them on board with our Summit is fantastic. We’re thrilled to be able to welcome them to the Emirates on June 28th and 29th for what should be an incredible event to take the sports industry to the next level,” said Sree Varma, CEO of iSportConnect.

Tickets to the iSportConnect Web3 Summit presented by Tezos on the 28th and 29th of June at Emirates Stadium in London are available now, purchase them via our Web3 Summit website here – https://www.web3summit.sport/event-details/tickets/ticket-form

Melbourne To Host 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) In 2022

FINA is pleased to announce that Melbourne, Australia, will host the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2022 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre from 13-18 December 2022.

The 16th event edition will be the first time that Melbourne has hosted this prestigious 25-meter event, with the state-of-the-art Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre as the host site. Set on the shores of Albert Park Lake, the city will welcome more than 1,000 athletes from over 180 countries for six days of world-class swimming action.

“FINA is delighted that the proud swimming nation of Australia will host the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) for the first time,” said FINA President Husain Al-Musallam. “Australia has a great swimming tradition and we’re looking forward to coming back to Melbourne. I am sure this will be another highly successful FINA event that provides the world’s best short course swimmers with the environment to perform at their very best. We are incredibly grateful to our hosts for stepping forward to host this prestigious meet.”

Melbourne bid to host the short course world championships after FINA removed the event from Kazan (RUS) following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Australia’s “Garden City” has played host to many major aquatics events, including the FINA World Championships in 2007 and multiple FINA Swimming World Cups. Other FINA events in Australia have been the 1991 and 1998 World Championships, which were both held in Perth.

Citi Becomes Founding Partner Of New PARA SPORT Programme With IPC

Citi has announced that it is the founding partner of PARA SPORT, the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) new grassroots-to-high performance programme that aims to change the narrative around people with disabilities and provide Para athletes and their member organisations with a platform to drive societal progress.

In addition to championing the PARA SPORT programme and supporting its launch, Citi will help grow specific Para sports through International Federations. The first sport to benefit will be Para ice hockey, with a focus on advancing gender equity in the sport.

Citi is partnering with World Para Ice Hockey to develop the Women’s World Challenge, a new four-team round-robin international competition for women’s Para ice hockey. The first Women’s World Challenge will take place from 26-28 August at the Cornerstone Community Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. This is a powerful step in establishing a pathway for the first women’s World Championships.

Becoming the founding partner of the new PARA SPORT program is an evolution of Citi’s long-time commitment to changing perceptions of people with disabilities. The journey began in 2012 supporting Para athletes in the U.S. and grew to Citi’s first global and mission-led partnership with the IPC from 2018 to 2021.

“Initiatives like PARA SPORT and the Women’s World Challenge have a remarkable power to drive societal change,” said Ed Skyler, Citi’s Head of Global Public Affairs. “This new chapter in Citi’s support of Para sport is enabling us to turn our focus to the athletes and sport development programmes, broadening the impact we can make on the community-level, and ultimately, helping to foster inclusion around the world. Our firm is incredibly proud of our partnership and remains steadfast in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

The addition of the Women’s World Challenge supports World Para Ice Hockey’s strategic plan to help attract new athletes to the sport and establish a long-term strategy for sustainable, entertaining events.

“I don’t think it’s an underestimation to say that this is the most exciting time in the history of Para ice hockey. Over the last year, there have been some positive advances in the female game with countries offering taster sessions for women and trying to build a community, which is exactly the ethos of Para sport,” said Michelle Laflamme, World Para Ice Hockey Manager. “The Citi partnership promises to turbocharge female engagement in Para ice hockey, as we will be able to offer repeated sanctioned events in women’s Para ice hockey for the first time. That’s not only exciting about the potential pathway, but it also sends a strong message to our members that we are dedicated to the development of women’s Para ice hockey.”

The PARA SPORT program has three core elements:

Awareness – Helping people with disabilities engage more actively in sport by raising awareness of Para sport opportunities and the benefits of the programs for them and their families.
Community – Creating inclusion through sport, which is often about the people we meet, the memories made along the way, and a togetherness felt by both individuals and their families.
Freedom – Giving people an opportunity to challenge themselves and help increase their confidence. Those involved in Para sport have a profound sense of freedom, empowerment, and a strong sense of personal identity.

A new video series called ‘It Starts with Sport’, which communicates the new narrative, will highlight leading Para athletes and how they first started their Para sport journey. Learn more at www.para.sport