Asian Games Postponed Due To Ongoing Covid Pandemic In China

The Asian Games has been postponed from its current date in September following China’s ongoing issues with the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement released today by the Olympic Council of Asia confirmed the postponement of the Games.

Following detailed discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC), the OCA Executive Board (EB) today decided to postpone the 19th Asian Games, which were scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from 10 to 25 September 2022. The new dates of the 19th Asian Games will be agreed between the OCA, the COC and the HAGOC and announced in the near future.

HAGOC has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games.

The name and the emblem of the 19th Asian Games will remain unchanged, and the OCA believes that the Games will achieve complete success through the joint efforts of all parties.

Additionally, the OCA EB also studied the situation of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, which was scheduled on 20-28 December this year in Shantou, China. After discussion with the COC and the Organising Committee, the OCA EB decided that as the Asian Youth Games had already been postponed once, the Asian Youth Games Shantou 2021 will be cancelled. The next Asian Youth Games will therefore be held in 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 

The OCA thanks Shantou Organising Committee for its great work during the preparation phase. We strongly believe that this effort will be beneficial to many different aspects of the development of the city, especially in the field of sport as well as for the promotion of Olympic spirit in Asia.

OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF ASIA

Infront Signs Long-Term Partnership With Epulze To Host Masters Of Gaming Series

Infront has signed a multi-year partnership with Epulze, the global full-service esports company, to operate and establish the Masters of Gaming (MOG) Esports Tournament Series, starting with top title Dota2. 

The partnership will focus on the commercialisation of MOG through local and regional tournaments and broadcasting, providing new opportunities for potential sponsors and partners to be part of the largest and most significant esports series in Southeast Asia. 

Featuring a USD 100,000 prize pool, MOG starts at the end of July 2022, firstly as an online tournament, and will welcome the best teams from Southeast Asia and China. The dates for the open qualifiers will be announced in May 2022. The event will be livestreamed across several global and regional platforms in close collaboration with local esports and traditional broadcasters

Mattias Lövgren, CEO of Epulze, said: “We have been working hard on setting up this partnership, and we are excited about it. With such a strong and amazing partner like Infront, we are, together, able to create this fantastic event.” 

André Fläckel, Infront’s Head of Gaming & Esports, said: “Dota2 has been a leading esports title for more than a decade. Our newly formed partnership with Epulze for the Masters of Gaming provides brands, media as well as betting partners a highly attractive platform to engage with gamers and esports fans in the Southeast Asia Region.”

David Nivelle, Managing Director of Infront Pan-Asia, added: “Esports is growing fast in Southeast Asia, and we believe the partnership with Epulze enables us to build a steady foundation in the esports ecosystem in this region. The newly launched Master of Gaming (MOG) series gives us the opportunity to offer an attractive platform to brands connecting them to esports and gaming fans.”

More information about the MOG Series will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

World Triathlon Partners With Z3ROD For Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Cycle

World Triathlon is pleased to announce that, alongside its Official Licensing and Merchandise Partner Tribe Solutions, it has reached an exclusive agreement with Z3ROD to become the official swim cap supplier to World Triathlon for the current Olympic and Paralympic cycle.

The agreement includes triathlon’s Olympic Test Event (held in 2023) as well as triathlon’s headline events of the Paris 2024 Games. Z3ROD will also become an official merchandise partner to the World Triathlon Store.

The three-year deal will see the sport’s biggest names wearing Z3ROD caps in the sport’s highest-profile events building up to Paris 2024, starting with World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama on 14-15 May. Customers will also be able to purchase Z3ROD caps from worldtriathlonstore.com.

“We are very pleased that Z3ROD will be supplying the Elite swim caps for the next three years across our major events,” said World Triathlon Head of Commercial and Marketing Kris Gemmell. “Having their products available on site at WTCS events and online via the World Triathlon Store gives triathletes of all levels an excellent new option in our swim-specific merchandise.”

“We are very proud to partner with the prestigious World Triathlon on their major events for this current Olympic and Paralympic cycle. As a French premium triathlon brand, Paris 2024 remains our biggest focus and we are thrilled to supply the Elite swim caps on the international scene,” said Frederic Dorez, co-founder of the brand and partnerships head director. “Thanks to Tribe Solutions we will also benefit from a great international exposure which will help spreading our brand image.”

Robert Flynn, Director of Tribe Solutions added; “The World Triathlon Official Store is excited to carry Z3ROD products via our online and events channels. The addition of custom swimwear for triathlon teams and clubs will compliment our exciting custom program.”

International Paralympic Committee Recruit Jonathan Neill For Commercial Consultant Role

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has brought in consultant Jonathan Neill to develop a new commercial strategy for the organisation.

Working with key stakeholders of the IPC, Neill will be responsible for developing and finalising the strategy that will sit outside of the existing The Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme and cover grassroots Para sport through to World Championship level.  With growing corporate interest in inclusion, the IPC is looking to engage partners in the burgeoning Para sport market.

Having previously worked in a variety of agency, brand and rights holder roles, including most recently as Head of Sponsorship Partnerships at Barclays, and Commercial Director at the Rugby League World Cup, his remit includes developing the commercial positioning, narrative, sales proposition and activity.

Jonathan Neill said: “The IPC is an organisation that I have admired for many years. Their events create a more inclusive world and underline the positive impact that sport can have on society. We’ll be demonstrating the role that brands and business can play in continuing those efforts, and meeting mutually beneficial objectives via partnerships.”

Mike Peters, IPC Chief Executive, added: “More and more organisations are making disability an important part of their inclusion strategy. The IPC knows that Para sport has the power to transform societies and we believe there is strong opportunity for growth in the partnership sector. We are excited to have Jonathan working with us to develop an exciting proposition.”

eSkootr Championship Announes Fox Sports Australia Broadcast Agreement, Plus Eight Others

Coverage of the inaugural eSkootr Championship™ (eSC) will be shown on Fox Sports in Australia.

Fox Sports Australia will broadcast highlights of the first ever eSkootr Championship race from Printworks London on 13/14 May, as well as the five other races taking place in 2022 – including the Swiss city of Sion, followed by France, Italy, Spain and the USA.

The use of escooters is on the rise in Australia and eSC will be using its platform and the learnings from the racetrack to help promote micromobility in inner city areas. As well as showcasing the action through the 90-minute highlight show, viewers will receive analysis and commentary about the series, both on and off the track, from an expert on-screen presentation team. Fox Sports Australia will use eSC’s owned program, created by Canadian production company Boombox, which includes pre-race build-up, race commentary and post-race interviews, highlights and analysis.

Fox Sports Australia is the home of sport with more than 2.4 million sports subscribers across the Foxtel Group.

Sharon Fuller, Chief Content Officer at eSC, commented:

“There has been a lot of interest in the series from Australia and we are thrilled to be working with Fox Sports to bring all the action from our first season to TV screens across the country.

“eSC is a dynamic, tense and unpredictable new sport, and our production has been developed to ensure viewers are taken right into the heart of the action with creative camera angles and new broadcast technology, and we can’t wait to showcase this to TV fans across Australia at the first race next week in London.”

eSC is also announcing today agreements with:

  • W Sport – International (currently Sub-Saharan Africa)
  • ABola – Portugal
  • MadCo – Spain
  • WedoTV – Austria, Switzerland and Germany
  • Charlton – Israel
  • Network 4 – Hungary
  • ProTV – Romania
  • Best4 Sport – Latvia

888sport Extends Agreement To Sponsor The National Football League

888sport, the innovative, cutting-edge sport division of 888 Holdings plc (LSE: 888), is delighted to announce that it has agreed a new sponsorship agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to continue as its official sports betting partner in the UK & Ireland until 2025.

Under terms of the new agreement, 888sport will expand upon its highly successful partnership with the NFL, which has spanned across the last two seasons. For the highly anticipated London fixtures, which are set to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium later this year, fans can expect to see the 888sport logo visible on the exterior of the stadium and throughout the fan zones, as well as on LED advertising boards during the games itself. This will be supported by a strong brand presence on all TV matches and highlight shows.

In line with the Group’s strategy to create entertaining, content-rich experiences for players, 888sport will become the exclusive presenter brand of the NFL’s apps and Fantasy products including Pick’em, the Super Bowl Challenge and Draft Predictor. Across its social channels, 888sport will also broadcast unique and engaging video content, filmed in partnership with the NFL and will offer fans exclusive prizes, including official merchandise and tickets to upcoming Super Bowl events.

The new agreement between 888 and the NFL cements the duo’s longstanding relationship, which has included a previous partnership with NFL team the New York Jets  – the first partnership of its kind between a pure digital gaming company and an NFL team.

Kieran Spellman, VP – Head of Sport at 888sport, commented:

“We are really delighted to be the official sports betting partner of the NFL and playing our part in the continuing growth and success of such an amazing brand and sport in the UK & Ireland. Our partnership will bring 888sport closer to the heart of live sport and continue to inspire us to create great content-rich and entertaining experiences for our customers. We are really looking  forward to continuing our work with the NFL and cannot wait for the start of the new season.”

Pedro Barreda, Director International Marketing and Head of Sponsorships, at 888sport, commented:

“This partnshership is another great step forward for 888sport, in strengthening our presence across our core markets of the UK and Ireland and making us the NFL’s official betting partner for many years to come.”

Michelle Webb, NFL UK Senior Director, Commercial, at the National Football League, commented:

“We are very pleased to be continuing and expanding our partnership with 888sport. We look forward to working with them on innovative ways to create touchpoints that will resonate with our fans and help us to reach a broadening audience.”

ATP & Pepperstone Launch Global Partnership, Live Rankings

ATP has announced Pepperstone, the award-winning Melbourne-based FX and CFD broker, as the global naming partner of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and Official Online Trading Partner of the ATP Tour.

The agreement sees Pepperstone join the Tour as Platinum Partner with a global on-site presence at 11 events across the ATP Tour season, culminating at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Pepperstone will also receive year-round promotion via ATP’s social, digital and broadcast channels, delivering worldwide exposure to the brand and its innovative trading products.

The partnership kicks off today with the launch of a brand-new product — the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings — a dynamic new feature enabling fans, players and media to track the real-time rankings and impact of match results day-to-day. The partnership launches ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2023.

First launched in August 1973, the Pepperstone ATP Rankings serve as a true measure of excellence and the official mechanism determining player standings, tournament entries and seedings in men’s professional tennis. A key barometer for player records and milestones, the Pepperstone ATP Rankings also provide a narrative that connects every level of the men’s professional game throughout the season.

In addition to the Rankings, Pepperstone also becomes the naming partner of the season-long Race To Turin, Race To Milan, the ATP Cup Standings, as well as presenting partner of the official year-end No.1 ceremonies in singles and doubles.

Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Pepperstone to our family of global partners and to celebrate the moment with the launch of the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. In line with Pepperstone’s award-winning customer service, the ATP is always looking for new ways to improve the experience of our millions of fans around the world, and the launch of the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings is a landmark moment that will help elevate our storytelling and create new opportunities to engage with the ATP Tour every day of the season.”

Tamas Szabo, Pepperstone Group CEO, said: “We are tremendously excited to enter into this ground-breaking partnership, becoming the first and Official Online Trading Partner of the ATP Tour. Tennis and trading have a few things in common – preparation, access to information, experience and ultimately the right decision at critical moments.

“ATP Tour’s global footprint and enormous following will enable us to bring the world’s financial markets to astute, adventurous traders around the world, driving our vision to create a better way to trade.”

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings will link match-by-match results to projected positional moves in the traditional Pepperstone ATP Rankings, immediately contextualising what a big victory – or defeat – means to a player’s standing relative to his rivals.

Updated following the completion of each match, Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings reflect real-time points added and dropped by players, who will dynamically rise and fall based on their most recent result. Fans and media will no longer have to wait until the weekly Pepperstone ATP Rankings are run to understand the impact of matches won and lost.

Pepperstone ATP Rankings will continue to be used for tournament entry and seedings and to recognise achievements and milestones with historical context. For example, a player must spend at least one week at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings to be considered a World No. 1.

The introduction of the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings marks the most significant addition to the ATP’s Rankings properties since the 2000 introduction of the calendar-year Race, helping track players’ journeys to qualify for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. It comes as part of a wider push to enhance functionality of the ATP Tour’s digital platforms, and continually level-up the fan experience across the tennis ecosystem. Visit Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. To learn more about how they work, visit our FAQ page.

World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 Announces Milano Pro Sport As Official Supplier

UK based gymnastics and sportswear manufacturer Milano Pro Sport has been announced as an official supplier to the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022.

Milano will feature prominently at the Championships as part of a fanzone open to the whole city of Liverpool, with their newest and most cutting-edge gymnastics collections available. 

Milano pride themselves on sustainability, aligning with the Championships’ own values, and the sportswear brand has recently started producing a fitness range in their new “Vita” fabric – produced using discarded fishing nets recovered from the bottom of European seas and recycled into textile grade yarn. Each purchase sees Milano directly supporting the “Healthy Seas” charity, which works to tackle plastic pollution in our oceans.

Milano began as a family business in 1991 but has since grown to be a major player in the gymnastics industry, becoming the official sponsor to the British Gymnastics team. The brand produces all their leotards in the North-West of England.

Discussing the partnership Gemma Williams Fox, Championships Director of the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022, said:

“I am delighted to confirm Milano as an official supplier for the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool. Based locally, but a world-recognised brand for providing gymnastics attire, we look forward to working closely with them to deliver an innovative event as we welcome the best gymnastics talent to a city defined by creativity, culture, and ambition.”

Working closely with Milano, the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 will be delivering a truly unforgettable event, ensuring a world-class fan experience and athlete environment with the strongest safeguarding and athlete welfare measures. 

On announcing their partnership, David Kaitiff, CEO at Milano said:

“It’s an absolute honour to have been selected to partner with World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022. Being at the forefront of our industry, bringing upgraded fabrics, upgraded diamantés and cutting-edge designs and collections to the industry is so exciting. We also look forward to interacting with our clients and wider audience at the event, and promoting our initiatives centred around our environmental and sustainability responsibilities. We look forward to meeting everyone from the gymnastics community around the world who’ll be visiting the event.”

The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 is an Olympic qualifying event for the Paris 2024 games and will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city. 550 gymnasts from 75 countries will compete in the global event at the M&S Bank Arena, which will take place from 29 October to 6 November 2022.

ABT Sportsline Confirms Return To Formula E

ABT Sportsline has confirmed it will return to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from the beginning of the Gen3 era, starting in 2023.

The German outfit will enter as a customer team and makes its way back to Formula E having been a fixture throughout the championship’s first seven seasons. Despite a hiatus in Season 8, ABT can still count itself among the most successful teams in Formula E history, with 47 podiums and 1,380 points to its name.

The team won the first ever Formula E race in Beijing in 2014 while Lucas di Grassi steered to the Drivers’ title in 2017. ABT sealed the Teams’ crown a season later and partnered with Audi between 2017 and 2021.

“Formula E has always had a big place in our hearts and we have never made a secret of the fact that we want to be back,” says Hans-Juergen Abt, Managing Partner. Abt and the team’s aim is to put together a perfect package alongside Head of Sports Marketing Director Harry Unflath and CEO Thomas Biermaier. “After the internal kick-off, we are now talking to our current and potential partners. The goal is to bring a strong team to the championship, both on and off track.”

“We have always been in contact with Formula E and the FIA, had many discussions and have received great support from the whole team around Alejandro (Agag), Alberto (Longo), Jamie (Reigle) and Frédéric (Bertrand),” says Biermaier. The result: ABT has expesed its intention to take over the twelfth license for Season 9. 

ABT has secured a powertrain supplier for 2023, which it will announce shortly, and discussions are already underway as the privateer aims to secure a pair of “clever” drivers to leverage every possible advantage at the start of Formula E’s new era.

“As far as our two drivers are concerned, we have very clear ideas,” adds Biermaier. “We will probably start as underdogs, unlike last time as a factory team. That’s why it’s all the more important that we have quick and clever drivers in the cockpit, who fit in well with us. The first talks are exciting and very positive, so I’m sure we’ll have our team together soon.”

“I am delighted to welcome ABT back to where they belong in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship,” says Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E. “ABT is a proven success story in Formula E with record-setting points and podium finishes so their return after a season out to be part of the Gen3 era is positive for fans and the sport.”

Jamie Reigle, Formula E CEO, said: “Formula E is the pinnacle of all-electric motorsport so it’s natural that teams and manufacturers leading the electric mobility revolution want to be part of the championship.”

“In Season 9 we will introduce two game-changing developments designed to enhance the appeal of racing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. First, we debut the Gen3 race car which will set the standard in performance, efficiency and sustainability. Second, we introduce new financial regulations to underpin competitive balance and financial sustainability for our teams. 

“Together, they create an environment for competitive racing and long-term growth. We look forward to seeing ABT embrace these opportunities as they return to Formula E in Gen3.”

Frédéric Bertrand, Director Formula E & Innovative Sport Activities at the FIA, says: “I’m delighted that a team so closely associated with Formula E since the beginning has expressed its clear intention to return to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from next season and to feature on the first grid of the new Gen3 era. ABT has solid references in the series, and more broadly in motorsport as a whole, and its commitment underscores the appeal of both Formula E and the new Gen3 car launched in Monaco recently.”

SPORTFIVE Appointed As Media Rights Partner In Asia For The Davis Cup Finals 2022-24

Kosmos Tennis today announced that global sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE will be its exclusive media rights partner in Asia for the Davis Cup for the next three editions, starting from the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals.

As part of the strategic partnership, SPORTFIVE will be responsible for the distribution of the media rights to the Davis Cup Finals up until 2024, in all of Asia except China, Kazakhstan, Japan and Singapore. The deal will also cover the 2023 and 2024 Davis Cup Qualifiers.   

Working closely with Kosmos Tennis, SPORTFIVE will leverage its global network, extensive media sales expertise and strong presence in the Asian market, to help grow its roster of broadcast partners in Asia and maximise its reach and audience in the region.  

Thomas Klingebiel, President Media at SPORTFIVE, said:

“Over the past few years, SPORTFIVE has already supported Kosmos Tennis with the distribution in the region. We are excited to extend our partnership and we are grateful for the trust and confidence Kosmos Tennis has placed in us. We believe the international fanbase of the Davis Cup has significant growth potential and together with Kosmos Tennis, we can expand the footprint of this prestigious competition in Asia and elevate it to new heights.”

Enric Rojas, Managing Director at Kosmos Tennis, said:

“We are very pleased to have SPORTFIVE, a renowned global organisation with a proven track record and know-how in developing mutually beneficial partnerships with long-term value, on board as our partner in spearheading the media rights in Asia for the Davis Cup. We look forward to working with them to further expand the coverage of the Davis Cup to reach more fans and new audiences in Asia.”

The Davis Cup by Rakuten is the world’s largest annual international team competition in sport, with a record 148 nations entering the 2022 edition. Since the historic reforms to a multi-city format in 2019, the previous two editions have seen a good attendance with over 105,000 spectators attending the 2021 event in Madrid and Turin and great interest from tennis fans from all over the world in front of the screens.

The group stage of the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals will see 16 nations playing across four cities – Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and a fourth city yet to be announced – on 14-18 September, with the top eight teams advancing to the knock-out stage, which will take place in Málaga on 21-27 November.