Manchester United Reforms Season Ticket Policies To Offer Fans Opt-In For Cup Competitions

Manchester United is revising its Season Ticket policies to offer more choice and flexibility, following consultation with fans.

From next season, Season Ticket-holders will be able to opt in or out of each of the cup competitions the team competes in.

The changes have resulted from consultation with the Manchester United Fans’ Advisory Board (FAB) and Fans’ Forum, whose members have worked closely with the club to develop the revised policies.

Under current rules, Season Ticket-holders are guaranteed their seats for all 19 Premier League home games and are obliged to buy all FA Cup and UEFA Champions League home games. 

Under the new rules to be introduced for the 2022/23 season, fans will have the choice of a Premier League-only Season Ticket, with the option to add FA Cup, Carabao Cup and European tickets on a competition-by-competition basis. 

Season Ticket holders who opt out of a competition will be able to apply for cup tickets on a match-by-match basis, subject to availability, alongside official members.

A Cup Season Ticket will also be introduced for the first time, guaranteeing access to all cup games at Old Trafford for Official Members.

Further flexibility will be provided by the launch of a ticket buy-back scheme, allowing fans to sell unwanted season tickets back to the club on a match-by-match basis where there is demand. This will be in addition to existing policies which enable tickets to be forwarded to Official Members or donated to Manchester United Foundation.

Collette Roche, Manchester United Chief Operating Officer, said: “When the Fans’ Advisory Board (FAB) asked us to review our Season Ticket policies, we were pleased to work with them to explore options for providing fans with more choice and flexibility. We recognise that not all Season Ticket-holders are able to attend every home game over the course of the season, and given the high demand, we want to increase the opportunities for Official Members to access seats that would otherwise go unused.

“We have listened to fans’ opinions and worked closely with the FAB and Fans’ Forum to agree reforms that will allow each Season Ticket holder to choose the option that works best for them. We believe this new offer provides flexibility and fairness for both our Season Ticket holders and Official Members.”

Reform of Season Ticket policies was among the first issues addressed by the FAB after its launch in January. The FAB is comprised of seven fan representatives and six senior club leaders and meets four times a year for in-depth dialogue on strategic issues. It operates in tandem with the larger Fans’ Forum, which focuses on matchday and operational matters.

Roche said: “In the past year, we have set up the FAB, expanded the Fans’ Forum, and appointed our first Head of Fan Engagement. These efforts are already resulting in tangible benefits for fans, and we’re grateful for the work of the fan representatives in helping deliver these positive changes.”

Mukuru To Become Official Sleeve Sponsor Of Crystal Palace

Mukuru, a next generation financial services platform and one of the largest money transfer providers in Africa, will become Crystal Palace’s official sleeve sponsor for the 2022/23 season.

Mukuru has more than ten million customers, and has completed more than 100 million transactions since inception in 2004. In addition to offering International Money Transfers, Mukuru also helps its customers around the world to address their broader financial needs.

Palace’s squad boasts several key players who represent African countries, including Wilf Zaha, Jordan Ayew, Jeff Schlupp, and African Cup of Nations winner Cheikhou Kouyate.

Andy Jury, CEO of Mukuru, says:

“Mukuru is a business that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do. Our essence and passion lie in helping to solve problems for Africa’s emerging consumers through financial inclusion and uniting people across the world. This passion drives the way we do business, the way we communicate with our customers and the way we choose partnerships.

“Soccer is the most supported sport on the African continent, uniting people globally, and our customers identified Crystal Palace as one of the teams they support.

“A team with several African players and an iconic coach with strong African heritage in Patrick Viera who our Mukuru customers look up to and resonate with. We are excited to be associated with Crystal Palace, a well-respected and prestigious Premier League team. The sponsorship places Mukuru on an international stage, further entrenching our global presence, operating in over 50 countries around the world,”

Barry Webber, Commercial Director of Crystal Palace, says:

“This is a really exciting partnership for Crystal Palace, and we’re thrilled to welcome Mukuru on board.

“As a club, we are incredibly proud of our links with the African continent, which were encapsulated by midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate winning the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.

This partnership will help us to continue to expand our international fanbase, and Mukuru join us at a fantastically exciting time for the club, both on the pitch and off of it.”

How Premiership Rugby And Gallagher Are Looking At The Importance Of Support In Leadership

To help address issues identified in a recent survey, Gallagher has launched a campaign of activity following the recent renewal of its title partnership with Premiership Rugby. The Gallagher Leaders Trust is an effective and ongoing mentoring network aimed at Directors of Rugby and head coaches across the league. Professor Damian Hughes is part of the panel of leading sports and business coaches, he explains why the Trust is necessary.

The challenge of creating a high-performance culture is age-old and ever-present. Whether you are a business organisation or sports team, everyone is striving for that magic formula. Leadership is fundamental to this. A good leader can be a visionary, an inspiration and ultimately the differentiator between success and failure. 

There is no failsafe recipe for successful leadership, but making sure you have access to a network of trusted advisers is a crucial component. The stand-out leaders of our time all have the willingness and ability to corral a group of experts around them, take on board their collective counsel and make informed, often difficult, decisions that will benefit their whole team’s performance.  

After all, the success of a business or a rugby team is highly dependent on effective teamwork, which in some instances necessitates bringing into the fold external specialists. 

“Recent research by Gallagher found a clear link between feeling isolated as a leader, due to the pressure of role responsibilities, and performance.”

Because leadership can be lonely. The higher you rise, the greater the weight of having to make critical decisions alone and the lower the number of close confidantes you are likely to have.

In fact, recent research by Gallagher found a clear link between feeling isolated as a leader, due to the pressure of role responsibilities, and performance – with negative impacts on productivity, confidence and decisiveness. All of which are likely to have ramifications for the team’s performance too, both in the short and longer term.

But these risks can be mitigated if senior leaders better understand the value – not the weakness – that lies in asking for help, seeking support and accessing expertise from those around them. 

That’s why Gallagher, in partnership with Premiership Rugby, is taking steps to ensure leaders are effectively supported with the launch of the Gallagher Leaders Trust. Aimed specifically at Directors of Rugby (DORs) and head coaches, the initiative is designed to help create an effective and ongoing mentoring network for those tasked with delivering exceptional performance leadership across the league’s 13 clubs. 

Comprising a panel of leading sports and business coaches, including Sir Andrew Strauss and myself, the GLT will work to ensure individuals are equipped to deal with the challenge of leadership and provide a network of external expertise and guidance.

We are also delivering elements beneficial to the broader leadership community such as intimate business breakfasts, content via The High-Performance Podcast and keynote talks that will allow for networking opportunities. 

“The ultimate goal of the programme is to help them meet the demands of leadership head on and ensure their welfare.”

For DORs and head coaches, the ultimate goal of the programme is to help them meet the demands of leadership head on and ensure their welfare, whether by equipping them with the right tools to navigate high-pressure situations or by creating an environment where individuals can benefit from bespoke advice and support, depending on their specific needs. 

Given worldwide events over the past two years, the need for strong, supported and informed leadership has never been greater. And those leaders need their own trusted networks to which they can turn. Leadership should not be a lone pursuit.

To find out more about the Gallagher Leaders Trust please visit: https://www.ajg.com/uk/news-and-insights/2022/february/gallagher-survey/

Lega Serie A Announces Partnerships With eBay; Shows Milan-Fiorentina In The Metaverse

Lega Serie A and the online sales and auction platform eBay announce a new and prestigious partnership.

eBay joins the sponsors of Lega Serie A and all its competitions as Official Partner, consolidating its visibility in Italy through a number of initiatives and activations that will be carried out at upcoming events.

Lega Serie A is thus continuing the internationalisation of its brand thanks to an agreement with eBay, the world-renowned marketplace.

The first initiatives linked to the partnership will take place on the occasion of the Primavera TIMVISION Cup Final Fiorentina-Atalanta, scheduled at the “Penzo” Stadium in Venice on 4th May, and the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa Final Juventus-Inter, to be played on 11th May at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

A new historic phase for Lega Serie A began yesterday with the broadcast of the first football match in the metaverse. On the occasion of Milan-Fiorentina, thanks to TIM technology and exclusively in the MENA area (Middle East and North Africa), it was possible to watch the match inside the Lega Serie A room in The Nemesis metaverse.

Fans and followers, entering the metaverse, were able not only to watch the match between the Rossoneri and the Viola, but also to interact inside the room with special games related to the world of Lega Serie A competitions and visit the Lega’s official social channels.

It was also possible to check the live statistics of the match and have their avatar wear the T-shirt with the Keep Racism Out logo.

“We want to be as close as possible to our users: young people spend their time in the Metaverse – commented Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo -. We are trying to be the first football league to express the concept of innovation. It’s like watching a match with other people, in a shared immersion of the football experience. Nobody wants to take poetry or humanity away from football. A modern league has to put technology at the service of entertainment, in this case in a virtual stadium, in a function that is a little closer to a video game. We are trying to ‘engage’ more the younger generation, otherwise fragmented and dispersed”.

“The Nemesis is the place where Lega Serie A broadcasted a match in the metaverse for the first time ever: it was a historic day for the technology, entertainment and sports industry – said Alessandro De Grandi, CEO of The Nemesis -. I am extremely proud to be able to share this important result with ConsenSys, Lega Serie A and TIM and I hope it will be just the first of a long series of events for the world of football on The Nemesis”.

Extreme E Extends Partnership With Bosch

Extreme E, the sport for purpose electric off-road racing series, is delighted to announce its partnership extension with Bosch, who will continue as the Championship’s Official Power Tool supplier for Season 2.

One of the world’s leading providers for power tools, power tool accessories and measuring tools, the German brand will continue to provide their professional equipment to service Extreme E’s electric SUV, the ODYSSEY 21.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said:

“I’m thrilled to extend the partnership with Bosch. Continuing our hard work from Season 1, Bosch provided us with the essential tools that helped us deliver Extreme E’s inaugural campaign and I look forward to building upon this relationship for Season 2, especially through our first legacy project collaboration together in Senegal.”

Bosch provides mainly cordless tools that are critical to the sport-for-purpose championship, can withstand the toughest Extreme E racing locations and and are forward-thinking in the wider technology and innovation sectors.

As part of the partnership extension, Bosch tools will specifically be used to assist in construction of X Prix event sites, which are held in the most remote corners of the planet to highlight the climate crisis.

Alongside providing support on race weekends, Bosch will be committing resources to Extreme E’s Senegal legacy project. They aim to educate the local community of Lac Rose on how to use their tools in addition to leaving the equipment behind for their use in Senegal when Extreme E leaves. The German brand’s tools will be utilised to aid the Lac Rose citizens to rebuild schools and houses.

The Bosch ethos is ‘by acting in an economically, environmentally, and socially responsible manner, we want to improve people’s quality of life and safeguard the livelihoods of present and future generations’. This ranges from environmental protection – reducing their ecologocial footprint to creating more sustainable products that help conserve natural resources. These are all values that Extreme E embodies in its environmental purpose to highlight the issues currently facing the planet to inspire action.

Henk Becker, CEO of Bosch Power Tools, added:

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Extreme E. Our professional power tools are made for the toughest applications – very similar to those conditions and challenges Extreme E is taking on. We fully support the championship’s purpose to raise awareness for climate change and share its dedication towards innovation and performance.”

Extreme E’s five-race calendar visits some of the areas hit worst by the climate crisis to raise awareness and encourage change. In each of the five race locations, Extreme E will leave a long lasting positive impact through its Legacy Programmes.

São Paulo Set To Host First E-Prix In Brazil

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and the City of São Paulo, alongside SPTuris and GL Events, signed a contract at the Monaco E-Prix that will see the all-electric race series head to Brazil for the first time, subject to FIA approval.

The five-year agreement, with the option of renewal, means the city of São Paulo could play host to the world’s foremost electric motorsport championship from Season 9 – the beginning of Formula E’s new Gen3 era.

“We are delighted that the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be heading to Brazil for the very first time pending approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council in June,” says Formula E Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Alberto Longo. “The country has a huge, long-standing passion for motorsport, it’s a big market as one of the largest countries in the world, and São Paulo itself is a historic race location.

“We can’t wait to welcome the Brazilian fans, they are like no other and there is sure to be a lively, unique atmosphere as the fans enjoy Formula E racing with the leap forward in technology and performance we are going to see with Gen3.”

Ricardo Nunes, mayor of São Paulo, welcomed the agreement: “Hosting an E-Prix is completely lined up with the city objectives: to attract events that promote São Paulo’s image to the whole world, to move the economy and create jobs with events tourism; furthermore, to foment sustainable development.”

Gustavo Pires, CEO of São Paulo Turismo, was in Monaco to sign the deal with Formula E. He said: “The creation of a strategic events calendar is essential to the strong reopening we want to São Paulo city in the post-pandemic and the E-Prix can contribute a lot in this movement.”

The news was welcomed by Brazilian driver in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Lucas di Grassi.

ROKiT Venturi Racing team driver di Grassi said: “The news of São Paulo hosting the next generation of Formula E is music to my ears. Not only does this milestone signify the return of the pinnacle of electric motorsport to South America but it’s an important step towards the electrification of the Brazilian automotive market. On a personal note, there is nothing like the pride and incredible energy of the Brazilian racing fans so it would be a dream come true for me to race in this game-changing championship in front of a home crowd.”

(At the desk, left to right: Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer; Gustavo Pires, CEO, São Paulo Turismo; Pedro Pauli, Chief Legal Officer, São Paulo Turismo)

MotoGP Strengthens Exclusive Strategic Collaboration With Tata Communications

Tata Communications, a global digital ecosystem enabler, and Dorna Sports, the exclusive commercial and television rights holder of the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship, today renew and strengthen their exclusive multi-year strategic collaboration – bringing the spectacle of MotoGP™’s close racing and incredible competition to nearly half a billion homes worldwide.

With its world-leading, digital-first suite of media offerings, Tata Communications empowers the world’s premier motorcycle racing series to deliver an innovative and transformed viewing experience to its fans worldwide. Tata Communications media edge services will allow MotoGP™ to continue to ensure excellent video quality, coupled with tremendous speed, delivering the race live from the track to the viewers’ screens in just a few tenths of a second. 

Tata Communications and Dorna teams will also boost migration from an onsite traditional media production to a remote production that will culminate in a future cloud-based model, increasing the number of video signals from 60 to 110 – some in ultra-low latency – providing more content to the viewers, and enabling the innovation of remotely produced immersive sound.

These remote production capabilities, combined with the global video content delivery network, will also enable increased remote broadcasting of live track action, supporting the increased sustainability and long-term environmental objectives of MotoGP™ and Dorna Sports as both continue to work together on world-leading and world-changing technological solutions. 

Tata Communications and Dorna have also been working together to leverage Private LTE deployment at race tracks to manage wireless camera feeds in low latency and the highest quality possible, bringing even more incredible content to viewers around the world.

Dhaval Ponda, Global Head of Media & Entertainment Services, Tata Communications:

“MotoGP represents the best in global motorsports today. Fuelled by our deep broadcast experience, video engineering pedigree and passion for technological advancements, we’re proud to extend this relationship to further accelerate the fan experience. Together, we’ll continue to co-create and elevate the viewing experiences for the legions of passionate motorcycle racing fans globally.”

Manel Arroyo, Chief Commercial Officer, Dorna Sports:

“Tata Communications has been  pivotal in enabling us to bring immersive live race action to our millions of fans around the world. Together, we’ve pushed the boundaries of innovation in sports broadcasting, increasingly bringing our global fans closer to their favourite sport. With this renewed collaboration, we trust Tata Communications to help us take the fan experience even further, using cutting edge technology to deliver an incredible experience for fans at home, which is as enthralling as watching the races on tracks.”

Tata Communications enables some of the world’s foremost sports and entertainment federations. The company’s media, cloud and connectivity services are underpinned by the world’s largest subsea fibre network of its kind, creating a fully-converged, end-to-end solution for fast-paced sports like MotoGP™. Since 2017, Tata Communications has played a key role of enabling MotoGP to continually push boundaries and create world-leading broadcasts of the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship. This successful relationship has been built on Tata Communications end-to-end managed service capabilities and advanced proof of concepts (POCs) by deploying bonded cellular private LTE services, ultimately enhancing the viewer experience.

SailGP Announces Debut Event In Asia With Singapore Sail Grand Prix

SailGP’s rapid global expansion continues with the addition of Singapore to its Season 3 calendar, as the iconic city-state plays host to Asia’s first Sail Grand Prix on January 14-15, 2023.  The event, which is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), will see the league’s 10 hydrofoiling F50 catamarans hit the waters in Singapore for the first time. 

In the first event of a three-year deal, the ten teams competing in Season 3 – including new franchises Canada and Switzerland and returning nations Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States – will race at Parkland Green in the picturesque East Coast Park in the eighth event on the calendar. 

The Singapore event will join the nine countries that have already been announced for Season 3, with the championship kicking-off this month at the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess on May 14-15. From there, the ten-nation fleet – comprising the sport’s best athletes – will head to Chicago, Plymouth, Copenhagen, Saint-Tropez, Cádiz and Dubai, ahead of Singapore, making it the biggest SailGP season to date.

After Singapore, the league – the first climate positive sports and entertainment property – will head to Christchurch, New Zealand and will conclude with the Season 3 Grand Final taking place at San Francisco Bay in May 2023. One further event is expected to be announced to complete SailGP Season 3.

Teams will race for two podiums in Singapore, as the world-first Impact League returns for Season 3, tracking the positive actions teams make in terms of sustainability and inclusivity. As part of SailGP’s Better Sport Strategy, the Singapore Sail Grand Prix will also include female athletes as part of the league’s Women’s Pathway Program plus introduce the sport to young people from diverse backgrounds through SailGP’s youth and community outreach program – SailGP Inspire.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “From our inception, we have made it clear that our ambition is to be a truly global championship, with some of the world’s most iconic waterfront cities as our backdrop. With the confirmation of our first Asian Grand Prix, the addition of Singapore to the line-up and Season 3 now spanning four continents, our vision is becoming a reality. 

“We have also found in the Singapore Tourism Board a like-minded partner who shares our commitment to a future powered by nature and recognizes the elite standard of sporting excellence demonstrated by the championship. We are excited to work together over the next three years and showcase SailGP and highlight Singapore as an iconic destination.” 

Mr Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board said: “We are excited to welcome the participants and fans of the first Sail Grand Prix in Asia. The event strengthens our calendar of sporting events and reinforces our position as a leading leisure and business destination. We support SailGP’s comprehensive strategy to reduce its overall carbon footprint, which furthers our ambition to become a top innovative sustainable urban destination.” 

Robbie Henchman, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at IMG, said: “With the inaugural staging of the Singapore Sail Grand Prix next January, we are delighted to be extending our long standing and valued partnership with STB, bringing SailGP’s world class, purpose driven entertainment product to Singapore. The amazing spectacle of the F50 catamarans racing at the East Coast Park will offer Singaporeans and visitors alike a thrilling live event experience.” 

The Singapore Sail Grand Prix will be broadcast live in over 186 territories through SailGP’s broadcast partnerships as well as across SailGP digital platforms including the award winning SailGP App.

SailGP is also continuing its bid process for its Season 4 host venues that share a commitment to a cleaner future and are actively taking action to move towards more sustainable practices and activities within their city.

International Canoe Federation Extends Chinese Broadcasting Deal

The International Canoe Federation has extended its partnership with China’s number one streaming platform, guaranteeing the sport a presence in the region until after the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The deal with Huya will run until December 2024, extending an arrangement which has already taken canoe sports into millions of Chinese households.

The ICF will extend its four-year partnership with Lausanne-based H&A Media, who will continue to manage the platform’s broadcast of major international slalom and flatwater canoeing events, with the support of the Chinese Canoe Association.

“China is a very important market for the ICF, and we were thrilled to have record-breaking audience figures in the China market for coverage of canoe and kayak events at Tokyo 2020,” said ICF Digital and Marketing Manager, Adam Collins. 

“It is essential we have continued strong media visibility to build on this momentum as we embark on the next Olympic cycle.

“In 2019, half of ICF’s main televised events took place in China, and a good showing of strong Chinese paddlers helped us achieve 30.1 million viewers across six events broadcast on Huya. In 2021, despite no events taking place in China and virtually no Chinese paddlers, we still attracted 11.52 million viewers on the platform.   

In 2021 931,369 Chinese viewers turned to Huya to watch sprint paddler Zhang Dong qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“The data and audience feedback over the past three years gives us confidence that Huya as a youth-orientated digital platform, will help drive audiences for our sport,” Collins said.

“Live-streaming offers immediate and accurate audience feedback on the popularity of international sports properties into the China market,” H&A Media Managing Director Guy Horne said.

“Between our Lausanne and Beijing teams, Huya TV and ICF event organisers, we have created a model which is generating long-term growth for canoeing.”

FIFA Announces Partnership With Blockchain Innovator Algorand

FIFA has teamed up with blockchain technology company Algorand to agree a sponsorship and technical partnership deal.

The agreement means Algorand will become the official blockchain platform of FIFA and provide the official blockchain-supported wallet solution. As per the sponsorship agreement, Algorand will be a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Regional Supporter in North America and Europe, and a FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ Official Sponsor.

Blockchains allow non-editable data to be permanently recorded and distributed on digital networks, while also facilitating innovations and ensuring safe, untampered exchange of value and assets such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and through blockchain-enabled wallets holding digital assets.

As part of the agreement, Algorand will also assist FIFA in further developing its digital assets strategy, while FIFA will provide sponsorship assets including advertising, media exposure and promotional opportunities.

On the occasion of the announcement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Algorand. The collaboration is a clear indication of FIFA’s commitment to continually seeking innovative channels for sustainable revenue growth for further reinvestment back into football ensuring transparency to our stakeholders and world-wide football fans – a key element of our Vision to make football truly global. I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Algorand.”

FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai added: “This announcement is an exciting moment for FIFA, as it officially enters into the world of blockchain and the opportunities this presents across various applications. At FIFA, we must constantly strive to identify and explore the most cutting-edge, sustainable and transparent means of increasing revenues to continue to support global football development. Algorand is clearly a forward looking, innovative partner that can help us achieve these goals.”

Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali, the Algorand blockchain is the technology of choice for over 2000 global organisations, governments and digital-native defi applications. In particular, Algorand helps organisations in finance, gaming, music, art and the sports world that seek to adopt Web3 digital capabilities as a path to accelerate growth, inclusiveness, transparency and innovation in an environmentally responsible way.

From the beginning, Algorand has focused on building technology that promotes inclusivity, opportunity and transparency for all,” said Silvio Micali, founder of Algorand.“This partnership with FIFA, the most globally recognised and distinguished organisation in sports, will showcase the potential that the Algorand blockchain has to transform the way we all experience the world’s game.”