International Padel Federation Announces ESPN As Major New Broadcast Partner In LATAM

The official new global padel tour – governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP) and backed by the Professional Players Association (PPA) and Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) – today announced a landmark broadcasting deal, with ESPN revealed as the Official tour’s broadcast partner in LATAM, covering South America, Central America, Mexico and Caribbean. The Disney-owned broadcaster has signed a four year agreement to be the home of padel in the Americas in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Widely-regarded as one of the world’s foremost sports broadcasters and a US giant of media, ESPN will elevate the sport of padel to never-seen-before levels in the key Americas markets – opening up accessibility and exposure to padel in nearly 50 countries as part of the deal.  Significant other international broadcast deals are soon to be revealed, as the new tour has the goal of showcasing padel globally like never before in countries all over the world.

This week is also expected to see the launch of the Official tour’s new name, logo and other brand identities, which have been advised upon by some of the world’s top creative consultants.

Since its launch a month ago, FIP, PPA and QSI have made a flurry of major announcements connected to the new Official tour, including confirming at least ten (10) new tournaments will be held this year – including four category 1 events – with the first category 1 event confirmed to take place in Qatar on 28 March to 2 April. Registrations for the first Official tournament have already broken all records, with 123 pairs registered including players from 19 different countries. The prize money for each category 1 event – which is also a record – has been disclosed as €525,000 for each tournament, while significant new ranking points for the new tour have also been announced.

This new chapter for padel under the leadership of FIP sees the professionalization and globalisation of the sport fully supported by the world’s leading players, represented by the Professional Players Association (PPA); and a new global strategic partnership with QSI. QSI is the investment group behind several world-leading sports brands and businesses, and will provide unparalleled expertise and business acumen in developing sports and brands on the global stage.

Importantly, the new tour is the only Official tour in padel, being under the governance and regulation of FIP, having the benefit of FIP’s Official player ranking system, and falling within the auspices of the wider international sports community. Uniquely from a governance perspective, under FIP’s Official tour, player representatives sit on various committees directly helping to shape the future of their game.

Regarding the announcement of ESPN as a major new broadcast partner, Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation (FIP), said: “When we say we are taking padel to the top of world sport, we mean it – and this major 4-year deal with ESPN for South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean is testament to that. Disney-owned ESPN is one of the world’s foremost sports broadcasters and a US giant of media – the fact we have signed this partner reaffirms the global ambitions that we hold; and also the enormous interest in the new Official tour. There is much more to come.”

Premier League Suspends Agreement With Russian Broadcast Partner

The Premier League and its clubs today unanimously agreed to suspend our agreement with Russian broadcast partner Rambler (Okko Sport) with immediate effect and to donate £1million to support the people of Ukraine.

The League strongly condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We call for peace and our thoughts are with all those impacted.

The £1million donation will be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to deliver humanitarian aid directly to those in need. 

This action follows a weekend of matches displaying League-wide support for Ukraine.

All club captains wore special armbands and fans joined players, managers, match officials and club staff in a moment of reflection and solidarity before kick-off at each match.

Big screens displayed “Football Stands Together” against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag. These words were also shown on LED perimeter boards during matches.

This message of solidarity was visible to fans around the world across Premier League digital channels and via match broadcasts. 

This is in addition to the numerous ways in which clubs continue to display their support.

beIN SPORTS To Stream UEFA Women’s Champions League On Free-To-Air (FTA) Giving Major Exposure To Women’s Football

beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”) is proud to announce that the remainder of the UEFA Women’s Champion’s League (“UWCL”) will be available as a free-to-air broadcast across all of beIN’s 24 markets in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), both on linear and via streaming.

beIN’s announcement today, on International Women’s Day, is the latest in a number of measures taken by the global media group to boost exposure and interest in historically non-mainstream sports, through its beINSPIRED initiative. The mission behind beINSPIRED is to elevate the profile of under-represented sports globally, and to recognise the value that all sports – and women’s sport in particular – play in the international sports eco-system.

It is the second year that beIN is broadcasting the UWCL on free-to-air social channels, with the Paris Saint-Germain (“PSG”) Feminine knock-out matches in the UWCL also aired on Facebook and on the PSG Feminine website in May 2021. This initiative in 2021 saw over 200,000 viewers – a record – watch the PSG Feminine matches, with approximately a third visiting the beIN Facebook page for the first time. In 2019, beIN broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 41 countries around the world – more countries than any other broadcaster.

Recent research from Deloitte has referenced that fan interest in women’s sport has increased not just amongst sports fans, but the average viewer. 84% of sports fans watch at least one women’s sport event during the year, and over two thirds of viewers watch at least one women’s sport during the year.[1]

beIN is proud to broadcast the 2022 UWCL quarter-final matches on the beIN SPORTS free-to-air linear channel, as well as beIN SPORTS’ YouTube channel in MENA. The remaining matches of the tournament will also be broadcast in the same way through the second quarter of the year, with the final being aired on 22 May 2022. The UWCL tournament will enter the quarter finals stage later this month, with Bayern taking on PSG, alongside Real Madrid tackling Barcelona, on 22 March. This will be followed by Juventus v Lyon and Arsenal v Wolfsburg the next day.

Yousef Al-Obaidly, Group CEO of beIN MEDIA GROUP said:

“beIN’s commitment to women’s sport is proven not only by the unparalleled range of women’s sports rights that we hold, but also how we promote those rights in a way that gives female talent maximum exposure. We are delighted to showcase the UEFA Women’s Champions League to established and new fans in the MENA region on our free-to-air (FTA) beIN SPORTS linear channel and also online. We’re also pleased to make this announcement on International Women’s Day as part of our beINSPIRED initiative, which is singularly-focused on giving female athletes and talent – both on-screen and off-screen – elevated recognition on the global stage.”

ICC And FanCraze Launch Women’s Cricket Digital Collectibles

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and its Official Digital Collectibles Partner, FanCraze, today announced a very special release of ‘ICC Crictos’ featuring some of the top moments of the women’s game from recent ICC tournaments. 

ICC Crictos are the ICC’s official digital collectibles.  Minted on the Flow Blockchain, Crictos enable fans to collect and trade their own slice of cricket history from a range of ICC events. As part of the ICC’s commitment to growing women’s cricket, fans now have the opportunity to own and trade some of the most celebrated moments in women’s cricket featuring superstars of the game such as Ellyse Perry, Mithali Raj, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Alyssa Healy, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Ecclestone, Natalie Sciver and Jess Jonassen.

A special pack drop will occur tomorrow (Wednesday), with all fans having the opportunity to secure one of these historic women’s cricket moments within a pack, alongside some noteworthy moments from the recent ICC U19 World Cup and from ICC Men’s Tournaments of the last two decades. This special pack drop will start at 12pm UTC at www.fancraze.com/icc and will be uniquely promoted by Twitter India as part of a collaboration to celebrate women’s cricket and International Women’s Day. 

Finn Bradshaw, ICC Head of Digital said: 

“Women have created some of the most memorable moments in ICC tournament history, so we are pleased to be able celebrate them and give fans the chance to own a moment from their favourite player. We believe creating products like these in emerging technologies helps the next generation of cricket fans get closer to the game they love.

“This very special drop contains classic moments from previous tournaments featuring the biggest names in women’s cricket. And most importantly, this won’t be the last time we celebrate our champion women cricketers as part of the Crictos program – we are very much looking forward to commemorating fans favourite female moments as we expand the Crictos collection.” 

Anshum Bhambri, CEO of FanCraze remarked:

“Our mission at FanCraze is to build a platform for cricket fans to discover, engage with and own all types of cricket content. We are very proud to showcase women cricketers who create history and inspire millions to do the same. These are marquee NFTs in the evolution of our cricket metaverse and we believe fans would love to own these iconic moments.”

BWF Signs Multi-Year Deal With M88 Mansion As Official Betting Partner

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has appointed M88 MANSION as official betting partner of BWF Major Championships through to 2024.

The partnership encompasses the following tournaments:

  • TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2022
  • TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2022
  • TotalEnergies BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2023
  • TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2023
  • TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2024

BWF Commercial & Communications Director, Owen Leed, said: “We are excited to announce our partnership with online betting platform M88 as we look to strengthen the sport’s profile globally,” Leed said.

Carlos Lopez, Creative Director of M88, added: “We are very much delighted and thrilled to partner with BWF over the next three years. Badminton is recognised as a worldwide sport and has a fast-growing audience not only in Asia but globally. Joining forces with BWF will help elevate the connection between M88 and its Asian followers to expand its brand visibility in the region. We believe that this partnership will create compelling and sustainable value for both parties.”

The deal was brokered by BWF’s Commercial and Broadcast partner, Infront, with the assistance of Outlast Sports & Entertainment.

“This is just the start of the evolution of the engagement of the sports fans by M88. Expect more exciting things in the coming months together with BWF,” said Outlast CEO Salauddin SS.

Haas F1 Ends Partnership With Uralkali And Cuts Nikita Mazepin From Team

Haas F1 Team has decided to end their title partnership with major Russian brand Uralkali and terminate the contract of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin.

The company is part-owned by Mazepin’s father, Dmitry Mazepin, and due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Haas felt there was no choice but to end their association with the Russian group.

This is the latest of the sporting sanctions coming against Russian businesses, after many major deals such as Gazprom’s with UEFA and Aeroflot with Manchester United.

Puma And Serie A Announce A New Long-Term Partnership

Global sports company PUMA and Lega Serie A have today announced a new long-term partnership. PUMA becomes the league’s official technical partner from the start of the 2022/23 football season and will be the official match ball provider for all games in Serie A, Primavera 1 competitions, the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa and eSerie A competitions.

With a total audience of over one billion viewers in close to 200 countries annually and with over 21 million social media followers across all platforms, Serie A is one of the most watched leagues in the world. The competition is home to some of the most popular teams and players in the game. PUMA is already active in Italian football through iconic teams such as AC Milan and US Sassuolo and over the years has partnered with beloved players that include Diego Armando Maradona, Giorgio Chiellini and Gigi Buffon.

The exciting new partnership adds to PUMA’s existing LaLiga collaboration and significantly expands PUMAs on pitch visibility and strengthens its position as a leading football brand. 

The partnership paves the way for a new era in Lega Serie A. One that will be amplified through PUMA’s Faster Football platform that focusses on performance, innovation and culture. A mission that aligns perfectly with the ambitions of Lega Serie A and their aim to be the world’s most beautiful league, promote social responsibility and drive innovation on and off the pitch. Reflected in Lega Serie A’s Mantra ‘We are Calcio’. 

Defined by its history, legacy and passion that follows it all over the world. Serie A is considered one of the most tactical leagues around the globe and is the perfect stage for PUMA to help drive the next chapter in Lega Serie A football.

“We are extremely proud to announce this new partnership” – said Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo – “The link with a brand of international recognition such as PUMA demonstrates the importance and reputation of Lega Serie A at a global level and offers a greater level of visibility for our brand. By choosing PUMA we will guarantee both the highest technical standards for all our competitions and a style in line with the fashion trends of the young generations. This agreement also guarantees continuity in the centralised marketing operations of the Lega Serie A and confirms the willingness of the Clubs to work together for the enhancement of our product”.

“PUMA is very proud to partner with Lega Serie A and we look forward to many exciting football seasons together,” said Manolo Schuermann, Head of Sports Marketing Teamsport. “The partnership gives PUMA the platform to promote the brand in one of the world’s elite football leagues and will be rooted in collaboration and ambition. This mindset will allow us to produce great product, storytelling and commercial campaigns. We have always been deeply rooted in Italian football and now look forward to creating another legacy together with Lega Serie A.”

PARTNERSHIP START: July 1st, 2022

BCCI Announces RuPay As Official Partner For TATA IPL

The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) today announced RuPay, the flagship product of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) as an official partner for TATA IPL, which will begin on 26th March 2022. This will be a multi-year partnership.

RuPay is the first-of-its-kind Global Card payment network from India, providing an exceptional self-reliant card payments network with innovative features that have made it a successful interoperable card. RuPay is widely accepted at ATMs, POS devices, and e-commerce websites.

Mr. Brijesh Patel, Chairman, IPL, said:

“We are pleased to have RuPay on board as an official partner of the Indian Premier League 2022. This association of IPL and RuPay, the flagship product of NPCI, brings together two of India’s best homegrown brands and is set to create a huge impact on millions of Indians across the globe, encouraging digital payments adoption in a faster and seamless manner.”

Commenting on the partnership, Ms. Praveena Rai, Chief Operating Officer, NPCI said, “We are delighted to partner with the BCCI for one of the most celebrated sports leagues – Indian Premier League. We believe RuPay resonates well with IPL as both brands are bringing India together. Just like IPL provides high voltage entertainment to all Indian cricket lovers, RuPay offers tech-led, innovative, and customized offerings to people across the country, being accepted in India and internationally. With RuPay’s venture into IPL as the official partner, we feel it is one of the best ways to define the tech-savvy, youthful, contemporary brand personality of RuPay.”

Zwift Extends Investment Into Growing Women’s Cycling With Paris-Roubaix Femmes Title Sponsorship

Zwift, the global online fitness platform, is delighted to announce it will become presenting partner of the Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift.

The four-year deal will see Zwift expand its significant investment in the women’s peloton and partner with one of the most exciting and iconic one-day road races, the ‘Hell of the North’, set to kick off on 16th April 2022.

Today’s announcement builds on the momentum generated by Zwift’s groundbreaking partnership with the A.S.O for this year’s inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, with both events underpinning its overarching commitment to redrawing the map for women in cycling.

The Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift are highlights of the Women’s Tour that showcase the exceptional breadth of talent and drama of the women’s peloton and it is Zwift’s ambition to introduce the world to a new generation of female heroes and inspire future champions.

Zwift has been working to put women’s racing on an equal footing with men’s for some time with initiatives including the recent UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Virtual Tour de France, Zwift Academy and the Tour for All. 

Kasia Niewiadoma, Professional Cyclist with CANYON//SRAM Racing UCI Women’s WorldTeam:

“It’s fantastic to see a company like Zwift stepping in to make the investment our sport deserves, allowing us to now race some of the most iconic races in the world. Paris Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift is something truly special and is one race that will always live up to the expectation.”

Coryn Labecki, Professional Cyclist with Jumbo-Visma UCI Women’s WorldTeam:

“We have already proven this to be an unmissable event in the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar and it’s fantastic to have Zwift show its support by increasing their investment in the advancement of professional women’s cycling. 

“This is another important milestone for the women’s peloton and I’m certain that increased exposure will help bring the drama and excitement of this race to more people than ever before.”

Eric Min, CEO & Co-Founder of Zwift:

“We’re incredibly proud to be the first ever presenting partner to Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift and to be expanding our relationship with the A.S.O. Alongside the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, this is a huge opportunity to shine a light on one of the most iconic and exciting races on the Tour and showcase the incredible quality and talent of the women’s peloton.

“The ‘Hell of the North’ is a highlight of the cycling calendar and I’m sure it will captivate audiences across the world and inspire women everywhere to begin their own cycling journey.”

Yann le Moënner, General Director of Amaury Sport Organization: 

“We are particularly excited to have Zwift join us as title partner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift. Zwift’s involvement in the development of women’s cycling continues after being the very first to follow us after the creation of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which will take place for the first time next July. Following our collaboration during the virtual Tour de France of 2020 and after the success of the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes last year, we are convinced that with Zwift at our side, our efforts for the development of women’s cycling will be crowned with success.”

World Sports Photography Awards Announces iSportConnect Partnership

The World Sports Photography Awards and iSportConnect are pleased to announce a media partnership for the 2022 World Sports Photography Awards. 

iSportConnect was launched in 2010 with the aim of bringing together sports business professionals around the world in a sports business networking community enabling them to meet one another, find information and obtain access to a wide range of relevant services. 

The platform is now the largest global private network of sport business executives, where membership is exclusive and follows a strict door policy. iSportConnect’s three pillars are their community, advisory service and networking events.

iSportConnect’s founder and CEO, Sree Varma, will join the 2022 World Sports Photography Awards judging panel.

World Sports Photography Awards has recently announced a headline partnership with MPB for the third edition of the awards, which will celebrate the best sports photography of 2021 across 27 different categories.