Russell Stopford Appointed Chief Executive Officer At Digital Sports Agency Stadion

Russell Stopford, former digital lead at Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona and Manchester City, has joined top digital sports agency Stadion as Chief Executive Officer.

Highly-respected in the digital world, Stopford will play a key role in leading the strategic growth and development of Stadion who already have an impressive portfolio of clients across top tier football, rugby union and sports governing bodies.

Lee Cook, Founder of Stadion, said: “When you have worked in sport for as long as I have,  you get to know some amazing people and occasionally an opportunity to work with them. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Russell over the last eleven years since we met while he was at Manchester City. With his experience at some of the top clubs and digital businesses in the world  I knew we had a rare opportunity to bring someone with a wealth of knowledge  and expertise into Stadion. I’m delighted he has joined the team and can’t wait to grow the company together.”

Stopford said: “Stadion has an outstanding reputation for creating bespoke high performance digital experiences for some of the most respected brands in sport. The business continues to go from strength to strength and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to evolve the offering and to lead and work alongside a very talented team of innovative and creative individuals.”

He added: “Stadion has developed a suite of purpose-built products which ensure clients achieve maximum engagement with their customers across all aspects of digital and social in an extremely user-friendly way. This is an exciting time for Stadion.”

Most recently, Stopford was Chief Digital Officer at PSG leading the digital transformation of the club for nearly  four years. He was responsible for strategy, execution and commercial for the French giants’ products connecting their global fan-base through consumer digital technologies. Previously he was Director of Digital for FC Barcelona, which included the largest social media audience of any sports club in the world. 

Prior to that he was Product Development Director at Perform Group (including Goal.com – the largest global football site) and before that was at Manchester City where he was responsible for all digital channels including City TV. 

Stadion was founded in 2014 by Cook. Clients include four of the top ten football clubs in the world as well as several other EPL, SPL and championship clubs, Team GB, the Union Cycliste International (UCI), Harlequins and Munster from the world of rugby union and the Australian Olympic Committee.

Stadion has created products that power everything from websites to apps and voice interactions. These are built around a central publishing hub which allows the client to deliver the latest content to its audience in a fully customisable, modular and responsive way. 

beIN SPORTS Wins Exclusive Rights To Broadcast World Rugby Sevens In 25 Countries Spanning MENA And Australia

beIN SPORTS has announced an exclusive broadcast deal with World Rugby covering the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the remainder of the 2022 Series and the full 2023 Series. The agreement also includes rights to Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.

The deal means that beIN will be the only place to watch World Rugby’s sevens action in Australia and all 24 territories of the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region until the end of the 2023 Series.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 will take place from 9th to 11th September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. The event is expected to attract well over 100,000 fans to one of the best live sporting events in the global calendar and is the premier stand-alone international rugby sevens competition outside of the Olympic Games.

In the run up to Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, beIN SPORTS will broadcast a packed schedule of events kicking off with the HSBC Rugby Sevens in Singapore on 9TH & 10TH April. This will be followed by action in Vancouver, Langford, Toulouse, London and Los Angeles through to the end of August this year.

Mike Kerr, Managing Director, beIN Asia Pacific said:

“We are incredibly proud to partner with World Rugby. The Sevens has a loyal fan base in MENA and Australia, and we’re delighted to offer fans extensive coverage of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 and the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series on beIN SPORTS.  This latest acquisition demonstrates beIN’s ongoing commitment to bringing compelling sports offering to our viewers.

Alan Gilpin, Chief Executive, World Rugby said:

“We are delighted to welcome beIN SPORTS to the global rugby sevens family. They join us at a very exciting time for the sport following a hugely successful second Olympic competition in Tokyo and with Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in Cape Town set to thrill fans around the world later this year.

“Through this partnership with beIN SPORTS the fast paced, high octane nature of rugby sevens will have the opportunity to reach and inspire new fans and participants as rugby sevens continues to grow and expand around the globe.”

This weekend will kick-start the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series action in Singapore’s National Stadium (09-10 April 2022), which will be available to watch exclusively on beIN SPORTS.

iSportConnect Combines With Fayre For Web3 Summit

We are delighted to be able to announce that Fayre have come on board as a partner for our iSportConnect Web3 Summit.

iSportConnect’s Web3 Summit will be the sport, media, entertainment & gaming industry’s global annual gathering to understand, explore and share knowledge and information in order to ensure the industry develops from understanding the impact web3 can have.

The Summit will be taking place on the 28th and 29th of June 2022 at Emirates Stadium in London.

About Fayre

Fayre is a global multi-chain marketplace and dashboard for brands and fans. They are passionate about bringing NFTs to a wider audience. They are on a mission to change the way brands and creators interact with their fans.

Part NFT marketplace, part fan activation hub. They make tools that allow creators and brands to establish and manage fan clubs, which gives NFTs unlimited function & purpose in real life, online and in virtual worlds.

Fayre recently partnered with LaLiga club RCD Espanyol to create unprecedented NFTs that bridge the digital world and real life experiences for the Espanyol fans. The NFTs will provide fans with exclusive access to certain elements in the stadium, the team and many other perks to be announced in the weeks ahead.

Sandy Case, CEO, Web3 Summit commented:

“We’ve had some fun chatting with Luis Carranza (CEO) and Silvia Mogas (CMO) and love the way they have the ability to create NFT experiences that are simple to understand from a fan perspective. A key ingredient when it comes to being part of our upcoming Web3 Summit and educating us all on the use cases and benefits. They also have a very cool logo.” 

Silvia Mogas, Head of Marketing, Fayre said:

“We want to help the sports industry as we recognise the NFT space needs to be carefully explained and thought through so that rights holders can see the long term commercial benefits and create improved engagement with their fan bases.”

Tickets for iSportConnect’s Web3 Summit are currently available at the Early Bird Offer price of £549pp, follow this link to get your tickets for the event now – https://www.web3summit.sport/events/ 

Konami Becomes AC Milan’s First-Ever Official Training Wear Partner

AC Milan and Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. are pleased to announce a long-term partnership that will see KONAMI become the first Official Training Wear Partner in the Club’s history,  and one of the Rossoneri’s Principal Partners from 1 July 2022.

From the beginning of next season, KONAMI’s eFootball™ logo will feature on the front of the men’s team’s official Training Kit, which will be worn by the players during their training sessions at the Milanello Sports Centre, as well as before every fixture in domestic and international competitions. It is an agreement that underlines the global appeal of AC Milan, which continues to grow both on and off the pitch. Furthermore, this partnership unites two brands that have always fuelled the passions of millions of people around the world: they are global icons of innovation, sport and entertainment that are capable of appealing to increasingly wider audiences and have consistently set new trends.

The new Training Kit will be unveiled in the coming months, as will further details on a partnership that looks to combine the physical and digital universes. During the course of this partnership, AC Milan and KONAMI will strengthen their common status as entertainment powerhouses, generating an innovative ecosystem of initiatives that will unite players and fans both on and off the pitch.

Casper Stylsvig, AC Milan’s Chief Revenue Officer, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome KONAMI back into the AC Milan family as one of our Principal Partners and our very first Training Wear Partner for the men’s team.  We are very excited about the potential that this partnership offers us both as a Club and a brand to break new ground together. “

Naoki Morita, KONAMI Digital Entertainment B.V.’s European President, commented:

“KONAMI are very excited to be working with AC Milan once again. Becoming a Principal Partner of one of the biggest football clubs in Europe and also putting our brand on their training kit is an incredible opportunity. We are looking forward to working with the Club and creating an innovative partnership together.”

DAZN Group Appoints Alice Mascia As CEO Of DACH

DAZN Group, the leading global sports entertainment company, today announces that Alice Mascia has been appointed to lead its operations in DACH. She joins DAZN on 1 May.

Mascia’s appointment comes amid significant global momentum for the business and as DAZN continues to cement itself as the ‘home of sports fans’ in DACH, following the landmark acquisition of Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League rights, along with other major football rights like Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s LaLiga.

Mascia joins a growing and revitalised global leadership team, including Bosco Aranguren in Spain and, in Italy, Franco Bernabè and Stefano Azzi.

Mascia has 20 years’ valuable experience in the media and telco industries. She has a proven record of launching new business, products, and brands.  A recognised international executive, she has led on M&As, business transformation and business strategy and execution. Previously, she held senior roles at Foxtel Group and at Sky Deutschland. Mascia’s huge experience in the industry will help further accelerate DAZN Group’s ambitious growth aspirations in DACH as it becomes the leading sports entertainment platform.

Shay Segev, CEO, DAZN Group said: “This move exemplifies the importance of and our upmost commitment to the DACH market as we bring decision making closer to our fans. It is an honour to have recruited someone of Alice’s calibre and someone with such a wealth of experience to lead the market and continue to expand our platform and drive our ambitious growth plan. Her experience and knowledge of the market will drive the business forward.  She joins at an exciting time as we begin to diversify into the true global destination for sports fans.”

Alice Mascia said: “Having worked in the media and consumer industry in DACH for over a decade, I can’t wait to join DAZN’s team at such an exciting time for the business and in a region so close to my heart. I am looking forward to driving DAZN’s ambitious growth strategy and continuing to deliver an incredible entertainment experience for DAZN’s members and all sport fans in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.”

DAZN first launched in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland in 2016 and currently holds football rights including the German Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga. DAZN continues to be the leading global sports entertainment company and was named Apple TV App of the Year for 2021 and has reached a record-breaking number of fans across the world with its live sport and original programming. As 2022 continues, fans can expect an even deeper, more interactive experience with DAZN as the Group moves forward with recreational betting, gaming, e-commerce, NFTs and tech advances in the viewing experience.

WNBA’s Atlanta Dream Partners With Microsoft And Xbox To Empower Girls And Women In Atlanta

the Atlanta Dream announced a landmark multi-year partnership with Microsoft Corp, creating an alliance that seeks to change the game for women and girls through technology, access to sport and community programming in underserved areas of Atlanta.

This transformative partnership highlights both companies’ shared commitment to the Atlanta community and the belief that investing in and empowering women will help create more connected communities, stronger teams, and better leaders.

“This important partnership sits at the intersection of sport, purpose and technology while highlighting both the Dream and Microsoft’s shared commitment to investing in the Atlanta community and continuing the legacy of this great city as a place where the power of representation, inclusivity and community matter,” said Morgan Shaw Parker, President of the Atlanta Dream. “Together, we believe the power of sport can change lives and Microsoft is committed to helping us make that happen for girls and women in Atlanta.”

As part of the long-term relationship, Microsoft will become the Official Technology Partner and Jersey Patch Partner, beginning with the 2022 Atlanta Dream season. By implementing products and services like Surface, Azure, Dynamics and Power BI, Microsoft will help the Dream take basketball to the next level both on and off the court. The partnership will allow that same programming and technology to extend to the Dream’s practice and training facilities with the intent of assisting the team as they continue to develop into a model franchise.

“We are excited to be an official partner of the Atlanta Dream and showcasing how Microsoft technology can help empower their work on and off the court,” said Amy Sorokas, Director Microsoft Strategic Partnerships. “We look forward to working with them on youth programs in the community, bringing fans closer to the game, and informing the team with data insights.”

“At Xbox, our mission is to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We are excited to partner with the Atlanta Dream to bring to life our core message – Power Your Dreams – which not only celebrates the values of diversity and inclusion shared by Xbox and the Dream, but also spurs the imagination when two amazing teams collaborate in their communities” said Chris Munson, Senior Global Xbox Sports Partnerships Manager.

Microsoft has also committed to working with the Dream on youth programs that combine basketball with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to inspire the next generation of athletes and emerging leaders to learn about science and technology while improving their skills on the court.

The Dream’s partnership with Microsoft will become a model that defines how the team works with corporate partners beyond traditional assets with a sharper focus on impacting and improving the lives of young women in Atlanta.

Whisper Wins BBC Contract For UEFA Women’s EURO 2022

As a pioneer of Women’s Sport production, Whisper is delighted to have been awarded the BBC contract for production of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.  

 Whisper and the BBC will deliver a truly ambitious and sustainable home EUROs that will include live BBC TV and iPlayer coverage of all 31 matches. All home nation games, both Semi-Finals and the Final, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

 Whisper already produces the FA Women’s Super League and the Women’s FA Cup for the BBC, as well as delivering digital content across the UEFA Women’s Champions League. It will draw on these key relationships as it seeks to deliver creativity and ambition that befits BBC’s Match of the Day brand.  

 In line with many of its productions, Whisper has pledged to ensure its production team is at least 50% female, including Jemma Archer as Editor, Kay Satterley as Production Executive, Bethan Evans as Director of Production and Kirstie Bennett as Creative Lead. The team will be overseen by Whisper MD Mark Cole.  

 England will kick off the tournament against Austria on 6 July, 2022 at Old Trafford, with the final at Wembley on 31 July, while Northern Ireland start their historic campaign a day later against Norway.

 Mark Cole said: “It’s a huge year for women’s sport and it’s great for Whisper to be at the heart of one of the biggest moments of the summer. We are hugely passionate about women’s football and excited about partnering with the BBC to deliver engaging coverage to big audiences with moments that unite the nation. We really hope our creative films, expert storytelling and innovative broadcast solutions will make for engaging coverage and help ensure that BBC will be at the heart of a UK-wide festival of football that can inspire the next generation.”  

 Whisper delivers ground-breaking women’s sport coverage beyond football, including Rugby Union, Cricket, W Series and The Paralympics, delivered by one of the most diverse teams in the industry.

BBC’s commitment to women’s sport is impressive, shown by its landmark deal to provide live TV coverage of the FA Women’s Super League alongside the Women’s FA Cup and extensive women’s football service on radio and digital platforms.

Nick Castaneda Joins PUSH LIVE As Chief Commercial Officer

PUSH LIVE has appointed Nick Castaneda as their Chief Commercial Officer.  Castaneda, previously Senior VP of International Sales at The Switch, joins the fast-growing digital audience and live content agency as it looks to drive further expansion into new markets and sectors. 

PUSH LIVE’s unique streaming technology and audience design strategy allows brands, rights holders, and content creators to customise and personalise live streams, distributing them to an unlimited number of channels and platforms. Clients include world-renowned brands such as Amazon Music, BAFTA, Electronic Arts, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Virgin Galactic. 

Castaneda will oversee the sales and marketing teams and form a key part of PUSH LIVE’s senior leadership team as they propel the business forward. Prior to joining the business, Castaneda oversaw the international sales team at live video production and distribution company The Switch, driving its expansion into APAC and EMEA regions. He has over 15 years of experience within broadcasting and live production, having worked at Pacific Television in close collaboration with broadcast partners FOX Sports Australia, Stats Perform, MTV and Sky UK. 

Commenting on the appointment, Phil Tucker, co-founder of PUSH LIVE said: “I am delighted to welcome Nick to the team, he has a huge wealth of experience in broadcast and live streaming. Nick has a proven track record of delivering commercial growth and a keen ability to open the eyes of clients and partners to the incredible opportunities that new tools and technologies bring. He will play a crucial role in taking us as a business to the next level as we look to expand into new sectors and transform the way audiences are designed,”. 

Nick Castaneda, Chief Commercial Officer, PUSH LIVE added: “I’m thrilled to be joining PUSH LIVE. With new technologies that offer a unique approach to audience design and curation we are set to have a revolutionary impact on brands, rights holders, and artists. I can’t wait to begin working with prospective partners and customers to turbo-charge the business’ ongoing expansion.”

Salesforce Creates Five-Year Partnership With Formula 1

Formula 1 is pleased to announce that Salesforce, the global leader in customer relationship management (CRM), will join as a Global Partner to power and grow fan engagement for the most prestigious motor racing competition. In addition, Formula 1 will work with Salesforce to gain actionable insights from Formula 1’s carbon footprint, helping to accelerate our mission to reach net zero emissions by 2030. Both efforts will further strengthen F1 fans’ connection to the sport and sustainability efforts, creating long lasting and loyal relationships worldwide.

Throughout the partnership, F1 and Salesforce will work together to expand our already growing global fan base and deepen the engagement of our existing fans. Salesforce Customer 360 will provide greater insight into and understanding of the F1 global fanbase and help inform behaviours, communication, and actions with our fans as they engage with the sport, while bringing them closer to the action than ever before.

F1 will work with Salesforce, a proven leader in sustainability, as it looks to deliver against its Sustainability Strategy. Salesforce has net zero emissions today across its full value chain and achieved 100% renewable energy for its global operations. With Net Zero Cloud, Salesforce enables organisations to easily track, analyse, and report on carbon emissions and waste management data across their business ecosystem.

In addition to a richer understanding of fan data, the multi-year deal is also focused on bringing unique experiences to fans. This will include new broadcast graphics, designed to bring fans closer to Formula 1 and Grand Prix activations; starting with Driver of the Day in Melbourne. Salesforce will utilize F1’s marketing and B2B platforms through trackside signage, digital content, and hospitality at Grand Prix races. By leveraging the technology and expertise from Salesforce to create innovative digital experiences and accelerate sustainability efforts, F1 will build and develop the most engaged fanbase in sports.

Brandon Snow, Managing Director, Commercial, Formula 1, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Salesforce to F1 as a Global Partner, further strengthening our roster of top-tier industry leaders. Using their industry-leading technology products, we will work together to create a new era of fan experience and engagement for our ever-growing fanbase. The fans are at the heart of everything we do and both we and Salesforce will be working together to continue to improve the experience for the fans and insight we have to tailor our approach even better.”

Colin Fleming, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Marketing for Salesforce, said:

“Salesforce is excited to join the fast-paced world of Formula 1, partnering with them to connect with their global fanbase in a whole new way. Working with F1 to transform their approach to fan engagement and sustainability will give existing fans even more to love, and open doors for new audiences as the sport continues its rapid growth. It’s an exciting time for F1, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

Topps Becomes An Official Licensing Partner Of UEFA EURO 2024, Signs José Mourinho As Ambassador

The Topps Company is proud to announce its partnership with UEFA as an official, licensed partner of UEFA EURO 2024. From 2022 onwards, Topps will be the exclusive partner: providing official stickers, trading cards and collectables connected to the UEFA EURO and other UEFA national team competitions. 

Already the official partner of the UEFA Champions LeagueTM and all other UEFA club competitions, Topps and UEFA have today announced a partnership for UEFA EURO 2024TM, UEFA EURO 2028 and other UEFA national team competitions including the UEFA Nations League Finals and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. 

Topps, which earlier this year became part of Fanatics, a leading global digital sports platform, will become UEFA’s new and official licensed partner from 2022 to 2028, providing exclusive stickers, trading cards and collectables connected to UEFA EURO 2024TM in Germany as well as upcoming events. UEFA, which already partners with Fanatics, with the company running its official Fan Shops at major UEFA tournaments, will now access Topps‘ iconic brand, collectables expertise and world-class product development and manufacturing capabilities at the biggest international tournaments across Europe. 

For the announcement and activation of the partnership, Topps have also signed football legend José Mourinho as its EURO Ambassador to personally select the players that will be included in the Topps collections. In the humorous campaign film #TheSpecialSelection, Mourinho is presented as the official Sticker Manager of all the national teams for Topps and the Road to UEFA EURO 2024TM collections. First and exclusive products will be released in Summer 2022. Within the partnership announcement spot, Topps helps Mourinho – who has won almost everything while coaching an array of Europe’s elite clubs – accomplish the one thing missing from his glittering career: managing a national team – or at least selecting the players of the national teams that will be included in the Topps sticker album. 

Mark Catlin, General Manager International Sports & Entertainment of The Topps Company:

“The European Championship is the biggest and most prestigious football event on a national level in Europe, recognised globally, with its very own legacy when it comes to stickers, trading cards and collectables. We are naturally extremely happy to be the official partner of UEFA through to 2028, offering our community and football fans throughout the World, the premier national players, teams and the greatest of European footballing moments. The announcement of this partnership is a huge step and there is so much more to come on our road to EURO 2024 and beyond.” 

Patrick Rausch, Chief Marketing Officer EMEA of The Topps Company:

“This is more than special for us. That is why we selected none other than The Special One, José Mourinho. José is a true legend and one of the biggest names within European football. We are proud to announce the partnership with him as our testimonial and such an iconic campaign film – showing that commercials from sticker companies can actually be funny and entertaining.”