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IMG To Distribute Kambosos-Haney World Title Fight; Signs Deal With Foxtel

DiBella Entertainment has appointed IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, to sell media rights globally for the lightweight boxing world title fight between “Ferocious” George Kambosos Jr. and Devin “The Dream” Haney.

IMG has already negotiated a domestic rights deal with Foxtel to broadcast the bout, taking place on June 5 in front of more than 50,000 fans at Melbourne’s iconic Marvel Stadium, in Australia. The fight will be broadcast by ESPN in the USA in a deal negotiated by DiBella Entertainment and Bob Arum’s Top Rank.

World Champion Kambosos Jr. will put his WBO/WBA/IBF/WBC Franchise and Ring magazine belts on the line against WBC champion Haney to determine the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. Devin Haney is one of the best young fighters in world boxing and travels to Melbourne intent on becoming the undisputed unified lightweight world champion.

Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, commented: “I’m thrilled to have signed a deal with Foxtel to distribute the historic Kambosos vs. Haney championship unification bout on their Pay-Per-View channel, Main Event. Foxtel has long been the sports and PPV industry leader on the Australian continent and they are the right partner for an international fight of this magnitude. We thank Sam Stitcher and IMG for their invaluable assistance in negotiating this deal and we’re confident that their involvement will assure the widest possible international distribution for this boxing extravaganza.”

Sam Stitcher, VP, Head of Australasia & Indonesia for Media at IMG, commented: “This fight is set to be the biggest showdown in Australian boxing history and there is huge excitement throughout the world’s boxing community. We are delighted to be working with DiBella Entertainment to ensure the widest possible domestic and international audience, starting with Foxtel in Australia and ESPN in the USA.”

Kambosos Jr. v Haney will be a co-promotion between DiBella Entertainment, Top Rank, Ferocious Promotions, Devin Haney Promotions, Duco Events and TEG Sport.

Discovery And AT&T Close WarnerMedia Transaction

Combination of Discovery and WarnerMedia Creates Warner Bros. Discovery, Global Leader in Entertainment and Streaming

Today Discovery, Inc. and AT&T Inc.* (NYSE:T) announced that they have closed their transaction to combine the WarnerMedia business with Discovery. The combination creates a premier standalone global media and entertainment company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., which will begin trading on the Nasdaq with the start of trading on Monday, April 11, under the new ticker symbol “WBD.”

Warner Bros. Discovery will create and distribute the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film and streaming. The new company combines WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery’s leading non-fiction and international entertainment and sports businesses, including Discovery Channel, discovery+, Warner Bros. Entertainment, CNN, CNN+, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HBO Max, HGTV, Food Network, Investigation Discovery, TLC, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.

“Today’s announcement marks an exciting milestone not just for Warner Bros. Discovery but for our shareholders, our distributors, our advertisers, our creative partners and, most importantly, consumers globally,” said David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer. “With our collective assets and diversified business model, Warner Bros. Discovery offers the most differentiated and complete portfolio of content across film, television and streaming. We are confident that we can bring more choice to consumers around the globe while fostering creativity and creating value for shareholders. I can’t wait for both teams to come together to make Warner Bros. Discovery the best place for impactful storytelling.”

“We are at the dawn of a new age of connectivity, and today marks the beginning of a new era for AT&T,” said John Stankey, AT&T chief executive officer. “With the close of this transaction, we expect to invest at record levels in our growth areas of 5G and fiber, where we have strong momentum, while we work to become America’s best broadband company. At the same time, we’ll sharpen our focus on returns to shareholders. We expect to invest for growth, strengthen our balance sheet and reduce our debt, all while continuing to pay an attractive dividend that puts us among the top dividend paying stocks in America.

“In WarnerMedia, Discovery inherits a talented and innovative team and a dynamic growing and global company that is well positioned to lead the transformation that’s taking place across media and entertainment, direct-to-consumer distribution and technology. The combination of the two companies will strengthen WarnerMedia’s established and leading position in media and streaming. And our shareholders will now have a significant stake in Warner Bros. Discovery and its future successes. We look forward to seeing what the WBD team accomplishes with these industry-leading assets.”

Under terms of the agreement, which was structured as a Reverse Morris Trust transaction, at close AT&T received $40.4 billion in cash and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt. Additionally, shareholders of AT&T received 0.241917 shares of WBD for each share of AT&T common stock they held at close. As a result, AT&T shareholders received 1.7 billion shares of WBD, representing 71% of WBD shares on a fully diluted basis. Discovery’s existing shareholders own the remainder of the new company. In addition to their new shares of WBD common stock, AT&T shareholders continue to hold the same number of shares of AT&T common stock they held immediately prior to close.

American Group Wagmi United Complete Takeover Of EPL’s Crawley Town FC

Crawley Town Football Club can today confirm that investment group WAGMI United LLC have purchased Ziya Eren’s controlling shares of Crawley Town Football and Social Club Limited.

WAGMI United is dedicated to bringing Web3’s most innovative ideas and passionate communities to the world of sports. Founded by Preston Johnson and Eben Smith, WAGMI United seeks to reimagine how professional sports teams are owned and operated — building tight-knit communities of passionate fans and empowering them to take a personal stake in telling their team’s story and shaping its future. They are eager to bring this exciting new approach to the club.

“Crawley Town Football Club is a club with more than 125 years of rich history that we revere and respect. However, a conventional approach to ownership hasn’t worked, and the club is losing hundreds of thousands of pounds while its fans suffer through year after year of uninspiring results on the pitch,” said Preston Johnson, WAGMI United co-founder. “We think the club can do better and our fans deserve better. Sports are supposed to be fun and bring communities together. At Crawley Town, we’re going to shake up the status quo, try out some new ideas, and build a worldwide community of fans new and old that can be excited to cheer on the Red Devils together — stretching from West Sussex to anywhere in the world with an internet connection.”

WAGMI United also pledged a new era of unprecedented transparency and accountability to Crawley Town Football Club supporters and the Crawley community. With Johnson and Smith assuming roles as club directors, they plan to allow the fans to decide whether or not they keep those roles for the following season if the team does not achieve its goal: earning promotion to League One by the end of their second season in charge.

“If we’re trying to build a community-club, and we are, then we have to build in mechanisms to hold ourselves accountable,” said Eben Smith, WAGMI United co-founder. “So if Crawley Town Football Club doesn’t get promoted to League One by the end of our second season, which we think is about 50/50, then we under-performed. If we underperform, Crawley Town fans should get to vote on who the next directors of the club are. We might run for reelection because it was clearly all Preston’s fault, but we don’t just get to hold the fanbase hostage because our dad invented Cablevision.”

The agreement with WAGMI United will see Ziya Eren, Erdem Konyar, Emre Eren and Nuhkan Ruzgar leave the board with immediate effect. In addition to Johnson and Smith, full details of a new board will be shared in due course.

Members of the WAGMI United group were present earlier in the season for the Reds’ win over Swindon Town and met with club management to discuss plans for the future. Having met with the group, departing Chief Executive Officer Erdem Konyar said, “A new exciting chapter awaits Crawley Town Football Club. Eben and Preston represent a united, passionate, energetic and intelligent group committed to the progress of the club. It’s been an honour to serve this special club with Mr Eren, to whom I thank for all of the support and commitment over the last six years.”

General Manager Tom Allman said, “Today’s news is really exciting for the future of this Football Club and the Crawley community. All of my dealings with Eben, Preston and the WAGMI group as a whole have been really positive and productive with plans already well underway for next season, with the fans and the community being centric to these. In tandem with this, I want to take this opportunity to thank the fans and sponsors for their continued support of the club, especially over the last couple of seasons where various aspects, not least the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted on what we would’ve wanted to achieve – but to be continually backed, both socially and financially, has been nothing short of phenomenal. With today’s news, I hope this is where we as a team can start to reward the fans and everyone associated with the club who have stuck with us over the years and give them a club and town to be truly proud of. Finally, a thank you to Ziya Eren for the support and the opportunities he has afforded me personally during his time at the club.”

First Team Manager John Yems said, “This is an exciting time for the club. Let’s hope that we can continue the good progress we have made and take the club forward. I would also like to place on record a thank you to the previous owners. They gave me the opportunity to manage the football club, and I wish them all the best for the future.”

Furthermore, having met with the foundation’s leadership, WAGMI United will be donating an initial £10,000 to the Crawley Town Community Foundation in order to further develop the community programme and work within the Crawley area. Speaking on the donation, Head of the Community Foundation Darren Ford said, “We would like to thank WAGMI United for their generous donation, which will help the Foundation to further support the community of Crawley. This is an exciting time not just for the Club, but also for the community, whom the Club and Foundation serve and we look forward to working with the WAGMI United group. The Foundation would also like to thank the previous owners for their support of the Foundation and wish them well for the future.”

Over the course of the next month, Johnson, Smith and members of the WAGMI United group will be contacting Season Ticket Holders and sponsors to outline their plans for the future with further announcements due in the coming weeks, before meeting local press and the wider fan base in early May.

WePlay Announces Growth Partner Agency Repositioning To Power New Era In Sports And Entertainment

WePlay is launching a new, ambitious, and timely six-point Growth Manifesto designed to build deeper relationships between brands and fans, and develop new commercial models focused on long-term sustainable growth.

To bring WePlay’s Growth Manifesto to life, the multi-award-winning performance marketing agency has updated its old commercial and operating model, repositioning itself as a Growth Partner willing to absorb a share of financial risk with its agency partners.

The Growth Manifesto focuses on developing the relationship between brands and fans through reimagined experiences; growing across adjacent industries and shared interests; growing through new expanded service provision, providing fans with increased value; expanding globally, as well as locally to build a platform for all; growing together, embodying diversity, equality, and inclusion; growing sustainably, to develop a brighter future.

Luca Massaro, CEO and founder of WePlay, said:

“The traditional agency model is not fit for purpose anymore. Brands are now seeking a new breed of marketing partner.

“Our Growth Manifesto and new positioning as trusted business partners will help to grow and commercialise long-term relationships between brands and fans.

“The fact we are willing to share commercial risk, as well as the reward, simply proves that we want to build and maintain even stronger relationships with our partners. From now on we’ll be focused on one thing: long-term sustainable growth.”

The need for change was driven by the evolution of digital media and the rapid changes in society and culture caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Changes in media and technology have built an ‘always-on’ entertainment marketplace, transforming consumer expectations and threatening a faded generation of business models. Brands and their partners must recognise these developments as new opportunities to achieve accelerated growth.

WePlay has developed a new strategic framework purposely built to allow brands to reach their growth ambitions. It focuses on eight key areas: live events; broadcast/streaming; sponsorship; participation; e-commerce; ad-based monetisation; subscriptions; digital consumables. This framework – the ‘Growth Engine’ – will unlock exponential revenue growth from a foundation of fan engagement.

Massaro said:

“In the past, sports brands have sought a commercial approach that is more about breadth than depth. For example, focusing on one-time ticket purchases rather than thinking about how they can turn those purchases into a lifetime association. That is sustainable growth.

“There is huge value in harnessing the support and loyalty of local fanbases, but there is an opportunity to grow globally, too. The aim is to grow together and develop a sustainably brighter future both for brands and fans alike.”

WePlay’s unique platform for growth is founded upon five crucial factors. These include nine years of continuous growth at a CAGR of 60%, representing a stable platform for investment and scale, developing strong relationships with some of the most notable sports and entertainment brands in the world, and a reputation for delivering commercial business growth to all corners of the globe as 70% of agency partners are from outside the UK.

WePlay’s vision is to deliver a modern service provision and a flexible commercial model that supports the wants and needs of today’s extremely ambitious brands, in a disrupted and highly transient sports and entertainment marketplace.

WePlay’s repositioning involves a deep knowledge into the world of fandom, audiences, storytelling and content that drives revenue generation. The agency culture is ambitious and its long-term vision is to create foundations for sustainable growth which in turn will help brands build deeper connections with their fans.

The agency has exciting international expansion plans with a US office set to open later this year, while it has already launched new products and services for expanding markets which are reflected in the new dynamic agency branding, corporate identity and logo design, and a re-energised website.

Massaro added:

“We believe growth should be the single most important word to any business, certainly post-pandemic. It is no longer enough to drive short-term gains and move on to the next project. We must take the next step, encourage retention, and turn fans into brand champions.

“We want to go beyond the live event and the traditional rights models and look broader into popular culture; to facilitate new levels of fandom, commercial growth, and sustainability.

“Growth is about evolution. We believe in actionable business. We know what is needed, and what is needed has changed.”

Welcome to the Growth Era.

The Growth And Opportunity For Motorsport In Saudi Arabia

ELLVEE’s Commercial Partnerships Director Henry Lamont speaks to iSportConnect on Saudi Arabia’s continuing growth in motorsport.

What does the current picture look like for motorsport in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia is on a journey to build out its motorsports industry. Developing a thriving sports sector is a key strategic objective for Saudi under Vision 2030. Identified as a priority sport, motorsport is a leading driver in the growth of the sports sector.

Major events have been identified as a tool to accelerate this development. Saudi has now assembled a globally unique portfolio of major motorsport events. No other country hosts Formula 1, Formula E, Extreme E and the Dakar Rally, alongside a growing national calendar of events. And more major events are in the pipeline.

“Outside of events, investment is being made into new infrastructure at all levels of the motorsport pyramid. Most notably Qiddiya, the giga-project earmarked as the long-term home of Formula 1 in Saudi.”

A new entity, Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), has recently been established to promote and deliver this growing portfolio. Consolidating events under SMC will bring operational and commercial synergies. An innovative commercial architecture that aggregates rights across multiple events is already showing results, with SMC generating in its first year more sponsor revenues than any other promoter on F1’s calendar.

Outside of events, investment is being made into new infrastructure at all levels of the motorsport pyramid. Most notably Qiddiya, the giga-project earmarked as the long-term home of Formula 1 in Saudi, will have a comprehensive facility mix across all motorsport disciplines.

How do major motorsport events drive industry development?

Motorsport has always been a catalyst for innovation in the global automotive industry. Manufacturers use events as a testing ground for new technologies. In time, breakthroughs on the track filter down to the everyday vehicles we drive. Manufacturers will localise production, research and development to sit alongside major events and racing infrastructures to realise operational efficiencies and cost savings.

“Motorsport Valley in the UK is a great example of how governments can proactively accelerate this localisation. Currently six of the ten F1 teams are based within the proximity of Motorsport Valley…”

This localisation will drive the development of the local automotive economy. International companies will set up in Saudi; new Saudi companies will emerge; and foreign direct investment will accelerate technological research and development. All this will trigger significant job creation, workforce and talent development.

Motorsport Valley in the UK is a great example of how governments can proactively accelerate this localisation. Centred around Silverstone circuit and Formula 1 racing, the UK government launched subsidies for R&D and structured partnerships with public bodies, academia and the private sector. Currently six of the ten F1 teams are based within the proximity of Motorsport Valley, alongside multiple Formula E, Formula 2, Formula 3 and GT3 teams and their suppliers. Indeed, there are currently over four thousand motorsports companies within 80 kilometres of Silverstone, employing over 40,000 staff and contributing over £8 billion to national GDP each year.

Can Saudi Arabia follow the UK’s example?

Saudi is curating an event portfolio that drives and prioritises sustainability. For example, the new T1 Ultimate class for low-emission vehicles in the Dakar Rally saw Audi prototypes make history as the first representatives of this class in the 2022 edition. By 2030, all cars and trucks in the Dakar Rally will be fully powered by alternative energy, with zero emissions.

Saudi has an opportunity to leverage its event portfolio to establish a regional motorsport industry hub focusing on more sustainable future technologies. Electric vehicles, alternative fuels and autonomous technologies are major growth areas where leading manufacturers are prioritising investment.

The Saudi market is also investing significantly in future automotive technologies. Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owns ~60% of leading global EV company Lucid Motors which has announced plans to develop R&D and production in Saudi. The PIF also owns ~50% of ACWA Power, which is increasingly focused on renewable energy and has an equity stake in the McLaren Formula 1 team. Saudi Aramco, a global partner of Formula 1, has stated its aspiration to become the global leader in hydrogen fuel.

“Rights holders also have the opportunity to support Saudi in developing its own motorsports IP.”

What does this mean for motorsports rights holders?

Saudi is still looking to add more international events to its motorsports calendar, but rights holders can extract greater commercial value by seeking partnerships broader in scope than just events hosting deals.

ELLVEE is working with motorsports rights holders to help them structure such partnerships in Saudi. We help shape offerings that will support local workforce development – knowledge transfer initiatives, industry conferences, secondments to international events, STEM programs and more. At the same time, initiatives like driver development programs, youth events, academies and event wildcards provide opportunities for local Saudi racing talent to develop.

Rights holders also have the opportunity to support Saudi in developing its own motorsports IP. Two approaches can be taken. Firstly, working with Saudi to create new motorsports concepts where they own the commercial rights for monetisation. Alternatively, rights holders can offer equity to Saudi partners, consequently transferring ownership of their existing IPs.

Saudi’s ambition in motorsport isn’t slowing down and the opportunities for international rights holders are widespread.

ELLVEE: The trusted commercial advisers for events and IPs across sport, culture and entertainment in the Middle East – FOLLOW ELLVEE HERE

Tissot Become MotoGP’s Title Sponsor Of The Portuguese GP

Tissot and Dorna Sports are delighted to announce Tissot as the title sponsor for the 2022 Grand Prix of Portugal. The event will take place at the stunning Autodromo Internacional do Algarve from April 22nd to the 24th and will be officially named the Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal.

Founded in 1853, Tissot is the Official Timekeeper of the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship and has been since 2001. In more than twenty years as a partner to MotoGP™, Tissot’s role and expertise have only continued to become more and more vital as the sport continues to enjoy a golden era of history-making, close competition.

As a part of this longstanding partnership with MotoGP™, the Swiss watchmaker also creates unique watch collections that take inspiration from the sport, showcasing the shared commitment to accuracy, excellence and prowess in each and every piece.

The Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal is the fourth event in the last three seasons that welcomes the volume leader in terms of traditional Swiss watches as a headline act, with the partnership between Tissot and MotoGP™ only continuing to go from strength to strength. The Tissot name also enjoys plenty of trackside presence on the calendar, ensuring it remains front and centre at every MotoGP™ event.

Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot:

“It’s an honour to have Tissot in the title at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. We have always strived to be more than just a sponsor. As Timekeeper we play a crucial role in the event, while demonstrating our expertise in precision. It is what we do best, producing state-of-the-art and quality Swiss made watches, so it essential for us to provide our Partner with the utmost precision Timekeeping, we know how to offer. Having our name on the event illustrates our commitment even further.”

Marc Saurina, Senior Director of Global Commercial Partnerships at Dorna Sports:

“We’re very proud to see Tissot take top billing in Portugal at one of the most spectacular tracks on the calendar. As the Official Timekeeper of MotoGP, Tissot is a vital part of the sport and our collaboration has already celebrated two decades together. We’re delighted to continue building on our shared success and to see Tissot as title sponsor of the Portuguese Grand Prix this season.”

Flo Williams Joins MATTA As Women’s Sport Lead

Award-winning sports, fitness and wellbeing agency MATTA has appointed Wales & Wasps rugby player and founder of The Perception Agency, Flo Williams, to the position of Women’s Sport Lead.

Williams will provide insight, strategic knowledge and a deep cultural understanding to client projects and new business conversations, and help with deepening and broadening MATTA’s connection to the world of women’s sport.

The addition of Williams to the MATTA team will further boost the impact the agency has already made in women’s sport, including launching the Lionesses in 2015, elevating them to a household name; launching the Red Roses in 2016, and leading their recent brand evolution “One in, All in”; and creating the “Go Boldly” campaign that saw England Women’s cricket team sell-out Lord’s in 2017. More recently MATTA’s “It’s Show Time” ticket-driving campaign helped the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 to record-breaking sales, with the final selling out within just 45 minutes on launch day; and they are currently working with the ATP and WTA tours on their increasingly united campaign and brand work.

Williams has been working with MATTA on the recently launched England Rugby Red Roses “One in, All in” campaign for the past 8 months using her unique experience to deliver a project that is transforming the marketing of women’s sport. Williams also recently featured in MATTA’s webinar series “What Matters to the Fan of the Future – Rugby Edition”.

Having played elite sport for over 12 years – during arguably the most groundbreaking era for women’s sport to date – Williams has acquired a deep understanding of both the cultural and societal position of women in sport and the audiences for women’s sport. She also brings significant industry knowledge from her previous experience working with Loughborough University, MindShare and founding her own specialised women’s sport agency The Perception Agency in 2019.

The addition of this role, which has been flexibly designed to support Williams’s schedule as a professional rugby player, demonstrates MATTA’s commitment, belief and excitement around the hugely fast paced growth of women’s sport.

Tom Allwood, Co-Founder of MATTA, said, “Ever since the first days of MATTA back in 2015 we have seen women’s sport as a hugely exciting opportunity both creatively, and as part of our belief in the power of sport to make a difference in the world. Flo’s role is new in the agency and will drive our ambition to be a global force and leading voice in the marketing of women’s sport – allowing us to provide authenticity, insight, trust and purpose to our clients. Flo has a deep understanding of both the cultural and societal position of women in sport as an elite female athlete, and has first class marketing experience having founded The Perception Agency.”

Flo Williams, Wasps & Wales and now Women’s Sport Lead at MATTA, said, “I am extremely excited & grateful for the opportunity to take the role of Women’s Sport Lead with an award-winning, global agency like MATTA. Being in a position to make a genuine difference to the global landscape of women’s sport through marketing has always been my passion & MATTA are the perfect agency to facilitate this shared vision I first initiated via The Perception Agency. The creation of this role demonstrates MATTA’s ambition in women’s sport and I can’t wait to reveal everything we have planned!”

NBA And Fanatics To Open League’s First Store In Paris

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Fanatics, a digital sports platform and one of the largest global providers of licensed sports merchandise, today announced they will open the first NBA Store in Paris this summer. The new store, which will be operated by retail giant Lids and located at 20 Boulevard Saint-Michel in Paris’s Latin Quarter, will mark the third NBA Store in Europe, joining London and Milan.

The more than 300-square-meter, three-floor store will feature an extensive range of official NBA and WNBA merchandise and memorabilia, including jerseys, apparel, headwear, sporting goods, toys and collectibles from major brands such as Nike, Mitchell & Ness, New Era and Wilson. The store will also feature exclusive NBA Paris-branded apparel and novelties as well as a customization area where fans can personalize NBA jerseys and hats for all 30 NBA teams.

As part of the league’s partnership with Fanatics, additional international NBA Stores operated by Lids are scheduled to open this year. Locations and further information will be announced at a later date.

“At the intersection of fashion and basketball culture, Paris has a unique tradition for the game and some of the most passionate NBA fans in Europe,” said NBA Europe and Middle East Senior Director, Global Partnerships Steve Griffiths. “Together with Fanatics and Lids, we look forward to welcoming fans from France and beyond to this exciting new and interactive space where they can celebrate their NBA fandom in style.”

“Lids is excited to bring the first NBA Store to Paris,” said Lids Sports Group President Britten Maughan. “Our location on Boulevard Saint-Michel will offer the widest assortment of NBA products in the country and will be a destination for both locals and tourists. The NBA is an international brand and has proven to have a broad appeal globally. The new NBA Store in Paris will offer both fan apparel and trending fashion inspired by NBA culture in the U.S.”

Gallery: iSportConnect’s Digital & Data Masterclass

*The fantastic setting for our event at Emirates Stadium*

*Guests begin to arrive at for the Digital & Data Masterclass*

*An introduction from iSportConnect’s Ben Page and David Fowler*

*Our first panel of the day featuring Arsenal, the ECB, the Gym Group and InCrowd*

*From left to right: Mic Conetta, Alison Crowe, Alexandra Kyrke-Smith & Jim Hingston*

*Our second panel of the day – Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Snap Inc., the Minnesota Vikings and EngageRM*

*From left to right: Tim Barber, Kahlen Macaulay, Christian Magsisi & Scott Kegley*

*Our feature interview of the day with Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO of Evil Geniuses*

*The day’s third panel, containing Meta, the Kansas City Chiefs, Boots & Nagra*

*From left to right: Lea Bayssat, Robert Alberino, Dale Western & Anthony Smith-Chaigneau*

*Closing the day was a panel including the Carolina Panthers & Whistle International*

*From left to right: Jeff Nathenson, Beth Hushon & Sean Phaler*

AC Milan Launches First NFTs, Proceeds To Support Fondazione Milan’s Global Charitable Initiatives

Milan, in collaboration with Fansea, is delighted to kick off its first official NFT project, which sees the Club putting on sale a limited-edition 3D NFT of a special Rossoneri jersey from South Sudan, with proceeds going to Fondazione Milan to support their charitable initiatives across the globe, including its efforts to help alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The 3D NFT, created by Fansea using modern and sustainable technology, will cost €45. Fans will be able to purchase one or more of the only 75,817 certified pieces of digital memorabilia – a number that represents the capacity of the San Siro stadium – from 14April on the following website: https://acmilan.fansea.io/. The special 3D NFT will then be accessible on the Fansea app once it launches on 29April.

The limited-edition NFT represents a special AC Milan jersey from South Sudan, whose story was shared with the world last December. The jersey, from the 2016/17 season, was discovered by Danish war photographer Jan Grarup during a trip to South Sudan to document the effects of the severe floods in the country and was then donated to the Club, which ultimately put it on display in the Mondo Milan museum at Casa Milan – the Rossoneri’s HQ in Milan – in a new exhibition dedicated to the educational and social projects implemented by Fondazione Milan. The Club and Fondazione Milan had also made a donation to UNICEF, active in South Sudan to guarantee all children their right to a childhood.

Thanks to AC Milan’s partner BitMEX, which has committed to contribute to the project by making a donation to Fondazione Milan through the purchase of a large number of the special NFT, the first 10,000 fans to pre-order the NFT will also receive an additional benefit, which allow users to get trading discounts and other benefits on BitMEX.com.

This is AC Milan’s first NFT venture, a step that highlights the Club’s innovative nature, combined with the desire to always drive positive change through the power of the AC Milan brand, seeking to build bridges and promote the healthy values of sport that make up the very DNA of the Rossoneri, an ideology that is in line with the Club’s RespAct Manifesto.

AC Milan Chief Revenue Officer Casper Stylsvig commented:

“This is a special moment for the Club as it embarks on a journey in a new territory in the name of charity. It is in AC Milan’s nature to explore new innovative ways to engage with its international fanbase of over 500 million people, whilst spreading the positive values of sport, so we are proud to be able to combine these two different sides of our Club into one project.”

Fansea CEO & Founder Alexander Schlicher added:

“As part of this special charity project in collaboration with one of the most iconic clubs in the world, we share a passion for sport and want to take our part of responsibility to help disadvantaged people and children. With this first non-profit NFT, AC Milan is breaking new ground and will be supported by BitMEX as well as Fansea in the future.”