Formula E Appoints stichd As Retail Merchandise Partner

Formula E and stichd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Puma SE Group, today announced the specialist brand partner in fashion essentials, lifestyle apparel and accessories as well as football and motorsport fanwear, has been appointed to produce high quality sustainable merchandise retailing via a new global e-commerce platform https://store.fiaformulae.com/.

The new e-commerce store launches today and the product range will also be available at physical retail outlets at all remaining ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races this season, starting with the Rome E-Prix taking place this weekend (9 and 10 April).

The new long-term partnership will see stichd fulfil a new integrated global merchandising brief including:

  • Designing and developing a range of Formula E merchandise including apparel, accessories, and fan items
  • Buying and producing products for Formula E teams
  • Developing and operating Formula E’s global e-commerce offering
  • Providing retail services in the Allianz E-Village at ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races
  • Delivering merchandise solutions to Formula E’s partners

Aligning with Formula E’s mission of prioritising sustainability and minimising environmental impacts, all products produced will be sourced featuring organic cottons and recycled polyester, meeting the strict ethical, social and environmental standards of stichd.

With expertise in designing and developing products for amongst others Porsche Motorsport, Formula 1 and the Mercedes F1 team, stichd are specialists in motorsport product and operate licensed partnerships with fashion brands such as PUMA, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, Calvin Klein and HEAD. Fans of Formula E and its teams will now be able to choose from new clothing lines and accessories via easier access to official merchandise online and at physical retail outlets at all ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races, starting from Rounds 4 and 5 in Rome on 9 and 10 April.

Simon Lilley, Retail & Licensing Director, Formula E, said:

“We are excited to partner with stichd, a proven branded merchandise leader with a commitment to sustainable processes and deep expertise in product development, ecommerce and event retail on a global scale. This partnership signifies a new fan-first approach for Formula E as we focus on developing a premium branded merchandise offering that appeals to our young, passionate ‘Electric Generation’ fanbase.

“Our long-term partnership with stichd will improve the online retail experience for fans with access to clothing, merchandise and accessories in and out of season. As we welcome fans back to ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races this season, they will be able to show their support for the sport with the latest branded products available in the Allianz E-Village starting from our next race weekend in Rome on 9 and 10 April.”

Keith Harkess, Brand Director, stichd, said:

“We’re thrilled to be appointed by Formula E to activate the World Championship’s digital e-commerce platforms and race retail merchandising. As a company we entirely support Formula E’s mission to drive forward sustainability and we look forward to working alongside them to provide new, innovative merchandise and retail opportunities to fans around the world.”

Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship features the biggest 16-race calendar to date. Thousands of fans will be in the grandstands in Rome this weekend for Rounds 4 and 5 before the season continues in the centre of iconic world cities of Monaco, Berlin, Jakarta, Vancouver, New York and London before the climax in Seoul.

UK’s Committee For Advertising Practice Bans Footballers, Athletes, Gamers And Reality Stars From Promoting Gambling Ads

Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced today the introduction of tough new rules for gambling ads as part of our commitment to safeguarding young people and vulnerable audiences.

These rules will significantly impact gambling advertisers looking to promote their brands using prominent sports people and celebrities as well as individuals like social media influencers, who are of strong appeal to those under-18.

The new rules state that gambling and lottery ads must not:

“be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture.” 

This is a step-change from the existing rules that gambling ads must not be of ‘particular appeal’ to children. A ‘strong’ appeal test prohibits content (imagery, themes and characters) that has a strong level of appeal to under-18s regardless of how it is viewed by adults.  

In practice, this will significantly restrict the imagery and references that gambling ads will be allowed to use and should decrease the potential for gambling ads to attract the attention of under-18s in an audience. For example, ads will not be able to use:

  • Topflight footballers and footballers with a considerable following among under-18 on social media. 
  • All sportspeople well-known to under-18s, including sportspeople with a considerable volume of under-18 followers on social media.
  • References to video game content and gameplay popular with under-18s.
  • Stars from reality shows popular with under-18s, such as Love Island.

Advertisers have until 1 October 2022, when the rules will come into effect.

In October 2020, CAP launched a consultation to respond to GambleAware’s Final Synthesis Report: The impact of gambling marketing and advertising on children, young people and vulnerable adults. The findings of this report indicated that regulatory changes would help continue to protect under-18s from gambling-related advertising harms.

Our gambling advertising rules have always placed a particular emphasis on protecting young and vulnerable people and we will continue to review our rules, policies and guidelines to make sure that they are effective.

Shahriar Coupal, Director of CAP, has said:

“The days of gambling ads featuring sports stars, video game imagery and other content of strong appeal to under-18s are numbered. By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting.”

Craft 1861 Partners With MotoGP And ROKiT Venturi Racing

Dorna Sports is delighted to announce a first-of-its-kind agreement with Craft 1861 as the American brand is named the Wellness Partner of the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship. The new multi-year collaboration begins in 2022 and is a global first in motorsport, ushering in a new era of accessible, innovative wellbeing. Craft 1861 has also announced a new partnership with Pramac Racing, becoming the Wellness Partner of one of the sport’s most successful Independent Teams, also beginning in 2022.

Craft 1861, based in Albuquerque in New Mexico, uses ethically sourced natural ingredients and rigorous testing backed by clinical research to create a range of CBD-enhanced products. The company is an industry leader in the scientific research, development, and manufacturing of hemp derived Cannabidiol (CBD) products, all of which contain zero THC. Craft 1861’s 100% pure CBD isolate is tested in International Standards Organization (ISO ®) certified labs and exceeds World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) testing standards. It is non-psychoactive, non-toxic, and non-habit-forming.

Craft 1861 aims to promote an inclusive and innovative approach to wellness – from workout recovery to curative topical injury treatments and plenty in between. The company will play a crucial role in the physical and mental wellbeing of the athletes and staff in the FIM MotoGP World Championship and Pramac Racing, monitoring and working towards improving performance throughout the 2022 season and beyond.

This new multi-year agreement as MotoGP™ Wellness Partner also incorporates a substantial digital campaign, including tailor-made MotoGP™ content created by Craft MotoGP™ ambassadors in the paddock, as well as trackside advertising at a number of Grands Prix throughout the season.

Eric Lujan, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Craft 1861: 

“As a diehard fan of MotoGP as well as being a motorcycle enthusiast, I am thrilled to partner with Pramac and MotoGP to elevate the recovery and performance of these incredible athletes and the wider teams.”

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

“We’re delighted to begin this ground-breaking partnership and it’s an honour for us to welcome Craft 1861 as MotoGP Wellness Partner. We look forward to working with such an innovative brand with so many shared values showcased in their mission statement and their products, and to seeing the Craft 1861 brand trackside in MotoGP. And of course, in terms of content, we’re excited to see what we can create together as this new collaboration begins!”

ROKiT VENTURI RACING PARTNERS CRAFT 1861

Physical and Mental Wellbeing

Ahead of the 2022 Rome double-headed E-Prix, ROKiT Venturi Racing and Craft 1861, the all-natural CBD wellness innovator are delighted to announce a multi-year collaboration.As the team’s Official Wellness Partner, Craft 1861 will play a supporting role in both the physical and mental wellbeing of the team, carefully monitoring team performance throughout the 2021/22 FIA Formula E World Championship and beyond.

A Unique Partnership

In this innovative collaboration – which is the first of its kind in World Championship motorsport – Craft 1861 will have a prominent place in ROKiT Venturi Racing’s visual identity for 2022 and beyond.From the Rome E-Prix onwards, Craft 1861’s branding will appear on the front wing and headrest of the team’s new black livery as driven by Edoardo Mortara and Lucas di Grassi, on driver racing suits, and on team clothing.

In Their WordsROKiT Venturi Racing CEO, Susie Wolff said:

“Craft 1861 is an innovator in the field of CBD innovation and we are proud to be part of their global brand development journey. Craft 1861’s focus on the creation of sustainable product innovation without compromising on quality is something we really identify with as a team and, by partnering with ROKiT Venturi Racing, Craft 1861 will be engaging with the eco-conscious dynamic and progressive Formula E audience demographic.”

Craft 1861 Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Eric Lujan commented:

“We are thrilled to partner with ROKiT Venturi Racing Formula E team. Our company is proud to be the first CBD company in Formula E. We offer CBD hemp products to those focused on wellness and a healthy lifestyle, which is the perfect match for the rising millennial FE fan”

AFC And beIN MEDIA GROUP Extend 2022 Agreement To Cover AFC Champions League And AFC Cup In Various Territories Across MENA

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”) have agreed to extend the portfolio of rights to be broadcast by its flagship channel, beIN SPORTS, for the 2022 season to now include rights to the AFC Champions LeagueTM and AFC Cup™. 

The agreement grants beIN SPORTS rights in certain MENA territories, excluding KSA, UAE, IR Iran and Iraq. beIN’s exclusive territories are (14): Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. In addition, beIN SPORTS has non-exclusive broadcast rights in the following territories: Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan.

The agreement follows the announcement that beIN secured live rights to broadcast last month’s 12 remaining AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar matches in 18 countries across MENA. The AFC Champions League 2022 Groups Stage kicks off on Thursday 7th April.

beIN SPORTS will continue to showcase these additional AFC rights on their four newly launched dedicated AFC channels – namely a 24/7 channel called beIN SPORTS AFC, together with three pop-up channels – beIN SPORTS 1 AFC, beIN SPORTS 2 AFC and beIN SPORTS 3 AFC -which will allow concurrent viewing of games. Every AFC match broadcast on beIN features the best-in-class studio analysis presented by beIN’s top punditry team using beIN’s state-of-the-art studio facilities.

Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA said:

“We are delighted to further expand our coverage of AFC tournaments in MENA this year and to welcome back the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup to beIN. Our millions of viewers can expect exceptional coverage of these tournaments, which will bring the high-calibre of Asian football to the huge number of followers across the region”.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said:

“We are pleased to announce this partnership with beIN, which will bring the AFC’s world-class competitions to more nations across the MENA region, including nine AFC Member Associations.

“The MENA region is home to some of the most passionate fans of Asian football and it is essential that we provide them with unparalleled access to further solidify the AFC’s ambitions of confirming football as the number one sport in the Continent”.

The AFC rights will be available across all beIN’s subscription packages and add to beIN SPORTS’ unparalleled sports portfolio across the MENA region, which also includes exclusive rights to the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Conference League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, the FA Cup and many more football and other sports rights. beIN SPORTS is the official broadcast partner of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ across the entire MENA region.

Aser Ventures Appoints Ioris Francini Appointed Aser Vice Chairman

The sports, media and technology investment platform Aser Ventures has appointed the former WME | IMG (now Endeavor) Co-President Ioris Francini as Vice Chairman. 

A hugely respected media executive, Ioris brings deep strategic expertise and a unique set of relationships with rights owners and brands to Aser. He will play a key role in strengthening the group’s investor relations and driving new commercial growth across the portfolio.

Ioris has a 20-year track-record in the sports and entertainment industry. He joined IMG in 2003 and was made President of IMG Events & Media in 2014. From 2016-19 he served as Co-President of WME | IMG and President of IMG Media. Ioris now holds the advisory role of IMG Media Chairman.

Andrea Radrizzani, Aser Ventures Chairman & Founder, said:

“At Aser great people are at the core of everything we do. We are proud to have built a world-class leadership team over the years to support our portfolio companies and partners, and Ioris is going to be a fantastic addition. His experience, network and expertise will add massive value to our group. I’m delighted to welcome him to the Aser family.”

Ioris Francini, Aser Ventures Vice Chairman, added:

“Aser Ventures has a leading portfolio of sports, media and technology companies with a history of building innovative ventures and aggressively growing the existing businesses in which it invests. I’m excited to work alongside Andrea and the brilliant management team at Aser to continue to drive the group forwards in the years ahead.”

Aser’s portfolio includes the Premier League club Leeds United, the sports media group ELEVEN and a network of content, marketing, data and blockchain companies. Aser marries investment with deep market expertise, making it uniquely placed to generate value for its partners, companies and their end users. 

Aser has made over USD 300m worth of investments and grown to an estimated enterprise value of USD 1.5bn since 2015. 1,500 employees across 25 offices worldwide operate across Aser’s network of portfolio companies. The group’s investment partners include Corrum Capital and 49ers Enterprises, an investment entity affiliated with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Red Bull Launches Rugby Combine To Give New Talent The Chance To Play For England

As part of its ongoing partnership with the RFU, Red Bull has today launched a unique opportunity for anyone in England to have a chance of representing their country on the international stage of Rugby 7s.

Born out of the idea that talent can come from anywhere, the Red Bull Rugby Combine could place participants on a path they’ve never considered before by presenting the chance of rubbing shoulders with rugby elite and representing their country.

Whether you know your line outs from your scrums or have never picked up a rugby ball; the Red Bull Rugby Combine is made up of four bespoke tests that are designed to assess a candidate’s speed, power and agility before ranking them against the rest of the country. 

RFU England’s Women’s and Sevens Performance Manager, Charlie Hayter said:

“The Red Bull Rugby Combine will give the RFU an opportunity to unearth untapped Rugby talent across the country. The key to any successful national sports team is its ability to spot and nurture talent, which might otherwise have gone unnoticed.  

“The tests allow us to assess raw physical attributes rather than previous playing experience. This means The Red Bull Rugby Combine will give anyone the chance of showcasing why they can go on to play at an elite level regardless of previous opportunities they may have had.”

How can people get involved? Find all the information here:

The first round of the Red Bull Rugby Combine will take shape in the form of a moveable container travelling around the country during April and May 2022. Individuals can register their slot for the location closest to them via redbull.co.uk/rugbycombine. Testing is limited to 10 candidates per hour. Opening hours are between 10am-3pm. Though the majority of sites the container will appear in are University Campuses, the Red Bull Rugby Combine is open to everyone.

Once participants have taken on the Red Bull Rugby Combine, their results will be analysed to identify the top performing 20 men and 20 women. The winners will be invited to train in the England Rugby 7s environment whilst RFU management observe to see if any have what it takes to progress to an elite level. All 40 finalists will be invited to attend a day of the England Rugby 7s Tournament at Twickenham, London.

Shared CONMEBOL/UEFA office opened in London

CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin today opened a shared CONMEBOL/UEFA office in London, which will represent the sister confederations in common projects, including competitions, across various areas.

The creation of a shared office follows on from the strategic cooperation agreement signed by CONMEBOL and UEFA on 12 February 2020, and its extension signed on 15 December 2021.

CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez was also this past weekend re-elected for a second full term in charge of the organisation.

Dominguez took over the organisation in 2016 and was initially re-elected in 2018.

Through the agreement during his tenure, UEFA and CONMEBOL will look to organise a variety of football events, while also cooperating in other areas such as refereeing and coaching programmes.

CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez pointed out the historical significance of the inauguration of the CONMEBOL/UEFA shared London office, stating:

“CONMEBOL and UEFA have decided to take their cooperation to a higher strategic level. We are the two continents with the most notable tradition and prestige in the most popular sport on the planet. On the pitch we are loyal rivals, but the comprehension that football is a powerful force for tolerant, peaceful and pluralistic societies, unites us.”

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin added:

“Building a fruitful and lasting relationship such as ours came easy as we share the same love and passion for football. This shared office is the symbolic next step in the right direction for UEFA and CONMEBOL. It will help us work jointly to develop football across our confederations and beyond.”

The first major sporting event organised jointly by the two confederations is the Finalissima: a match between the CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 champions Argentina and the UEFA EURO 2020 winners, Italy. This match will be played at Wembley stadium in London on 1 June 2022.

Tickets for the game sold out in less than a week – with only a limited number of hospitality tickets still available.

SPOTV Agrees Deal To Air The Masters Across Southeast Asia

SPOTV has added the 2022 Masters Tournament to the growing list of the world’s biggest sporting events that it broadcasts.

All four days of the Tournament – which will be played at August National Golf Club from April 7-10. More great drama is expected this year and can be watched on SPOTV in this region in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. It will also be streamed on its mobile app SPOTV NOW, in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore only.

The Masters is arguably the highlight of the year on the golfing calendar and was won last year by Hideki Matsuyama – who became the first Japanese player to win one of the four majors in men’s golf.

“The Masters is a major addition to our portfolio of sporting content,” said Lee Choong Khay (CK), CEO of SPOTV.

“SPOTV is privileged to have the opportunity to broadcast one of golf’s most revered and most watched tournaments which we know has a huge following in Asia.”

In addition to the main Tournament coverage, two additional feeds will be available to access via the SPOTV NOW app: Masters on the Range, which features unique coverage, analysis and interviews with players making their final preparations at the Tournament Practice Area; and Featured Groups, where viewers can get to follow two specific featured groups.

SPOTV, which was launched last year, also has rights for The Open, as well as the U.S, Open golf & PGA Championship (in Malaysia and Thailand only) and is the destination to watch golf’s major events. SPOTV also has a slate of other premier sporting content across tennis; Wimbledon and the US Open MotoGP TM, BWF Badminton, and the World Table Tennis events.

Australia Named Preferred Candidate For Rugby World Cup 2029

World Rugby has named Australia as the preferred candidate to host Rugby World Cup 2029.

The announcement cements Rugby Australia’s position to host the men’s and women’s events in 2027 and 2029 as main competition USA enters ‘exclusive dialogue’ for ’31 and ’33.

World Rugby will meet with Rugby Australia and the respective country and state representatives in the coming days ahead of a final vote in May.

“We are excited by Australia’s vision and passion to work with World Rugby to deliver an exceptional Rugby World Cup in 2027 and now 2029, cementing the nation’s status as being at the heart of the Rugby Universe for a three-year period,” World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said in a statement.

“Confirmation of Australia’s candidacy represents a major milestone for the global advancement of women’s Rugby, completing a roadmap of Rugby World Cup hosting all the way through to 2033 which is supported by the exciting new WXV competition which launches next year.

“This unprecedented certainty will further enable World Rugby to work with all our stakeholders to accelerate fan, broadcast, sponsorship and participation opportunities for the women’s game on a global basis.”Play VideoAttendees at Australia’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Bid launch speak about the potential of a tournament on home soil.

This comes just a week after the government confirmed further funding for both events, which was considered the final hurdle to clear in Rugby Australia’s quest to host the hallmark events.

“We’re delighted to be named preferred candidate to host Rugby World Cup 2029,” RA Chairman Hamish McLennan said.

“This is a truly wonderful addition to our bid for Rugby World Cup 2027 and we would love to welcome the pinnacle event on the women’s XVs calendar to our shores for the first time in 2029.

“Today’s announcement is another step in the right direction for Rugby in Australia as we head toward the final decision by World Rugby Council in May. We continue to be buoyed by the spirit of collaboration in which we are working with World Rugby.

“Hosting two Rugby World Cups is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australia and the Rugby community and all aspirational future Wallaroos and Wallabies who will shortly be kicking off their season across the country. The fact we have reached this stage in the process as preferred candidate for both the men’s and women’s tournaments is something the Australian Rugby community should be incredibly proud of.

“Again, I’d like to thank the Australian Government for their fantastic support for our bid to date, including last week’s package of support announced in the Federal Budget, which has made today’s announcement possible. Game On for Australia 2027 and 2029!

BOXXER And bet365 Extend Official Betting Partnership

BOXXER, the Sky Sports Boxing promotion, is delighted to announce an extension of its partnership with bet365, who will continue as the Official Betting Partner of BOXXER until 2023.  

Since the company’s inception in 2000 by Denise Coates CBE, bet365 has become a global operation offering an unparalleled online betting experience to more than 63 million customers in more than 20 languages. 

bet365 is renowned for its innovation of award-winning and industry-leading betting products, having pioneered In-Play betting as it continues to break new ground in software innovation. This includes live streaming of 600,000 events per year on its digital platforms and is complemented by its offerings in Casino, Poker, Games, and Bingo.

Under the partnership, bet365 branding will appear prominently across all pre-promotional activity, including press conferences, open workouts and weigh-ins; culminating in extensive in-arena exposure on fight night, with 360-degree branding across the ring corners, ropes and toblerones; and the venue’s screens, banners and boards. bet365 will now feature on the ring canvas, arena barriers and more – occupying more inventory than ever before.

The partnership will also see activations unique to the BOXXER Series, including a co-branded live draw, a branded and gamified ring walk, and bet365-customised fighter stats displayed on the arena screens. 

bet365’s odds will be promoted on BOXXER’s website and social platforms in the build-up to each fight night, with in-play optimisations exclusive to BOXXER. bet365 will also feature across BOXXER’s social content, including logo integration into digital content series such as In The Camp, association with BOXXER’s performance prizes announced after each event, and exclusive content capture with talent. Live streams of BOXXER’s shows will be available on bet365’s platforms in a host of territories globally, to further enhance the experience for customers around the world. 

BOXXER’s next show will take place on Saturday 2nd April at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, headlined by Savannah Marshall’s defence of her WBO middleweight title against Femke Hermans, as Marshall eyes a mouthwatering clash with long-time rival Claressa Shields in the coming months. Also on the card will be Albanian star Florian Marku vs. Chris Jenkins in Marku’s toughest test to date, and many more. 

Commenting on the extension of the partnership, BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said:

“It’s been a pleasure working with bet365 since our launch with Sky Sports in October 2021, and we’re delighted to be taking our partnership to the next level. bet365 is a truly global brand with great values and we look forward to working on many iconic events together over the coming year.” 

A spokesperson at bet365 said:

“We are delighted to have agreed a long-term partnership with BOXXER following a successful launch platform during 2021. The brand ethos and approach align with the global brand and with a very collaborative approach, we are sure it will be a great 2022-23. Having already delivered iconic bouts together, we’re excited for what’s to come.”