PPF And CME Announce Signing Of Agreement To Acquire RTL Croatia

PPF Group (PPF) announces that its subsidiary CME Media Enterprises B.V. (CME) has signed an agreement with RTL Group Central & Eastern Europe GmbH to acquire 100% of RTL Hrvatska d.o.o., (RTL Croatia), a commercial broadcaster in Croatia. The assets are valued at €50million. As part of the transaction, CME has secured the long-term rights to retain the use of the RTL brand in Croatia.

CME currently owns and operates VOYO, the leading Central European SVOD platform as well as five other leading television stations in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval from the Croatian Competition Authority and the Croatian Agency for Electronic Media. Closing is expected in mid-2022.

“As a PPF company, we are always open to interesting ideas for growth and investment and see that the Adriatic is a growing region with exceptional potential. We have a very successful operation with ProPlus in the region and I believe that these two Adriatic countries can work well in parallel. As in our other countries, we will focus on digitalization and local content creation, while continuing to excel in pluralistic and high-quality journalism,” said Didier Stoessel, CME CEO for Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

UK Athletics’ Major Events To Remain On BBC For 2022

The BBC has been confirmed as UK Athletics’ (UKA) broadcast partner for the 2022 Major Event series.

With four major track and field championships taking place in 2022, coverage will be available on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and BBC Red Button. The series begins on 19 February with the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham.

UKA interim CEO Mark Munro was “delighted” with the partnership.

“Athletics is given a brilliant platform by BBC Sport,” he said. “We’re looking forward to working with the team there to bring great athletics performances into people’s homes in the year ahead.

“The audience reach of their website, Red Button and iPlayer platforms means in this stellar year for athletics events, it is more important than ever to maximise the exposure that the four major track and field championships will bring.”

Other events to be broadcast live on the BBC include the UK Athletics Indoor Championships between 26-27 February, the Muller Birmingham Diamond League on 21 May and the Muller UK Athletics Championships between 24-26 June.

Thailand’s Football Association Selects Stats Perform For Data And Integrity Deal

The Thailand Football Association has become the latest sports federation to choose sports AI and data giant Stats Perform as its exclusive official data and integrity partner.

The wide-ranging agreement sees Stats Perform’s leading data brand, Opta and RunningBall services exclusively collecting and distributing real-time scores and detailed data from the Thai League 1, League 2, FA Cup and League Cup football competitions for the next 8 years, as well as Thai national team fixtures.

Patit Suphaphongs, General Secretary of The Football Association of Thailand “We are delighted to be partnering with the best-known and most trusted data provider to the world’s leading sports leagues. Our alignment with Stats Perform means the highest quality live stats, analysis & tools that will help us attract more fans and sponsors, enhance traditional broadcasts, power outstanding fantasy products and supercharge our social, online and offline presence. We know how their services and the famous Opta brand have helped other leagues, teams and players elevate their profiles and are thrilled to have access to the same proven strategies in Thailand.”

Stats Perform’s leading Integrity division will provide core services around monitoring and risk management of competitions.

Another key part of the partnership is Stats Perform’s  new ‘Pressbox Graphics’ platform.

Pressbox Graphics will help the Thai leagues and competitions deepen and extend fan interest from 90 minutes to the entire multi-day match lifecycle by quickly producing automated visual graphics and animations, powered by Opta data, at scale. This tool is currently used by major professional sports teams globally to drive fan and sponsor awareness and engagement, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Line.

Steve Cliffe, Stats Perform Vice President, APAC, commented “We describe Stats Perform as the DNA of sport because our content is the deeply-embedded code that helps sport grow by giving fans, media and sponsors the right information, in the right amount of detail, in the right way. Combined with a trusted data brand like Opta, these are the critical elements to maximise fan engagement and entertainment before, during and after the action. We’re very excited to now be working with the Thailand Football Association and helping them ensure that the standards of their pre-game, live and post-game coverage reflect the high calibre of play on the field.”

The Thai competitions join major global sports leagues using Stats Perform’s detailed statistics and Opta’s world-famous brand to power broadcasts, media coverage, sponsorships and fantasy games such as the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, Germany’s Bundesliga, France’s Ligue 1, MLS, Japan’s J-League and most recently Australia’s A Leagues.

Williams Racing And Duracell Announce Long Term Partnership

Williams Racing is pleased to announce a new, multi-year partnership with Duracell, one of the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, specialty cells and rechargeables.

Duracell and Williams will collaborate across a variety of high-profile marketing initiatives, including a major TV commercial, esports and on-the-ground activation at several Grand Prix, starting with the Miami Grand Prix in May. Duracell branding will feature prominently on the Williams car, team kit and race suits of Williams Race Drivers, Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi.

Jost Capito, Team Principal and CEO for Williams Racing said, “I am so proud of this partnership between Williams and Duracell, and I am grateful for the trust and confidence they have put in us. Having their name on the side of our car is a personal highlight for me, as my nickname for 30 years has been Duracell – because I never run out of energy. I am very much looking forward to our work together.”

James Bower, Commercial Director for Williams Racing, said, “We are immensely proud to be partnering with a globally-recognised brand such as Duracell. Our announcement is a testament to all the hard work the team has done in 2021, how we have developed our commercial proposition and the growth of our sport, particularly in North America.”

Ramon Velutini, Chief Marketing Officer & President, Duracell, said, “We’re pleased to partner with Williams Racing and are looking forward to seeing the team move back up the grid. Our shared passion for performance, a focus on winning and commitment to excellence in engineering made working with the Williams team a natural fit for our brand. Williams, like Duracell, understands that “good enough” is never enough. I am thrilled that they are using our latest technology to power their critical devices on race day.” 

Innovative engineering and powering important moments have been a cornerstone of the brand since the early days of Duracell landing on the moon to the more recent 2019 launch of Optimum. This partnership is another example of Duracell powering a critical, high-stakes moment – but this time, on the racetrack. Now a brand in the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio, Duracell traces its roots back to the 1920s and has grown to be an iconic brand, known for its famous ‘Coppertop’ batteries. 

Birmingham 2022 Sign New Sponsors For The Commonwealth Games

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has welcomed four new providers to a growing list of sponsors, who are eager to contribute their equipment, services and systems to a standout Games experience, for the millions of spectators in venue and watching across the world. With less than six months until the opening ceremony, their experience and expertise will be invaluable in ensuring Birmingham 2022 is a safe and successful multi-sport event that showcases the best sport, culture and creativity the West Midlands has to offer.

BMet, one of the largest further education colleges in Birmingham, has been appointed as the Official Further Education College Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. BMet will provide crucial space for the training of more than 13,000 volunteers, the Commonwealth Collective, helping to make sure the Games runs smoothly

Microplus, will use their Games Information Systems including results data feed to help provide in time and accurate results to the global fanbase through the Birmingham 2022 website and related partner channels. Microplus has signed up to be the Official Provider of Games Information Systems for Birmingham 2022.

Domestic & General (D&G), the UK’s leading appliance care specialist, is proud to be named the Official Warranty Provider to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The partnership allows D&G to continue growing its visibility across the West Midlands, while promoting the region on a global stage.

Aston University, one of the top ranked universities in the UK for employability, has been announced as an Official University for Birmingham 2022. The university will be loaning ophthalmic equipment and providing eye care expertise, supported by a network of qualified optometrist volunteers, for three polyclinics which will form the primary healthcare facilities for athletes and team officials requiring medical assessment and treatment throughout the Games period. Supporting a carbon neutral legacy, the University will provide parking and host temporary electric vehicle charging facilities. In addition, postgraduate business and management students at Aston Business School have been tasked with developing ideas to create a lasting sustainability legacy for the city. These will be reviewed by Birmingham 2022 and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Alastair Henderson, Head of Sponsor Services at Birmingham 2022 said:

“Four new sponsors are joining us at a very exciting point leading up to start of the Games this summer. With little less than six months to go until the opening ceremony, Birmingham 2022 will be working closely with our providers to deliver a first-class Games for the city, region, and the Commonwealth.

“Our sponsors bring a high degree of experience to the table, and each play a crucial role in bringing an outstanding Games to the city.”

Katie Sadleir, Commonwealth Games Federation CEO, said:

“As the start of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games quickly approaches, we’re delighted to welcome BMet, Microplus, D&G and Aston University to our family of sponsors. Each sponsor brings with them industry leading expertise, and it’s fantastic to see the collaboration already happening to ensure Birmingham 2022 delivers a spectacular multi-sport event this summer.”

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports and eight para-sports across 15 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. As the biggest event ever to be held in the West Midlands, it is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.

Eskootr Championship Announces Inaugural Season Calendar With London As First-Ever Electric Scooter Race Location

The eSkootr Championship™ (eSC) has today confirmed exciting news ahead of its inaugural season, announcing that London will make history as the first-ever city to host an eSC racing event on 13/14May. As well as the UK, eSC can confirm five other countries that will host races in 2022, with the cities due to be announced shortly.

The groundbreaking new series, that will see riders compete against each other on electric scooters capable of reaching 100km/h, will have events at specially designed inner-city circuits in the UK, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain and the USA. Further locations will be added in future seasons.

Fast. Exciting. Dynamic. eSC is the first racing series for everyone, inspiring a new movement for safer, greener and more liveable cities. eSC riders are professional athletes from other sports as varied as skiing, surfing, motorcycles, BMX and stunt riders competing for individual and team championship glory whilst championing innovation for the future of micromobility.  

Hrag Sarkissian, eSkootr Championship™ co-Founder and CEO, said:

“This is a huge moment for eSC, and for sport, motorsport and the future growth of micromobility, as we announce the first destinations that will host our brand-new championship. “eSC is a fan-first sport and our race locations will provide the perfect backdrop for a spectator and entertainment experience like never before, with each event embracing the urban culture and associated lifestyle.

“At the same time, London, and the other cities we will announce shortly, are all incredibly progressive, with an appreciation for the real world relevance eSC brings as they seek to address the implications of a rapidly changing mobility landscape.”

Khalil Beschir, eSkootr Championship™ co-founder and COO, added:

“Our mission at eSC is to showcase close, exhilarating racing that is accessible to all and a platform for promoting sustainable, safe and more affordable transportation in urban areas. “London and our other locations are committed to eSC’s vision for events to be an inner-city festival of racing and entertainment, which makes them the perfect host-city partners. They each share our passion for providing a new, fan-first event that inspires a new movement for safer, greener and more liveable cities.”

Formula 1 To Race In Bahrain Until 2036 After Contract Extension

Formula 1 will continue to race in Bahrain until at least the year 2036, following an extension of the contract with the race’s promoter, the Bahrain International Circuit.

The Sakhir-based circuit first hosted Formula 1 back in 2004, and has provided some unmissable racing action over the years – not least in 2020, when two separate configurations of the track were used to host two separate Grands Prix.

The Bahrain International Circuit will also hold the 2022 Official Pre-Season Test, as well as the opening race of the season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on March 18-20.

The promoter, meanwhile, has previously announced sweeping measures to increase the environmental sustainability of the event, with all the energy used by the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix set to come from sustainable sources, aligning with both the Kingdom of Bahrain and Formula 1’s plan to have net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Speaking of the bumper contract renewal, Formula 1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali said: “I am delighted we will be racing at the Bahrain International Circuit until 2036 where more incredible racing and excitement will be on show to thrill our fans. Since 2004 we have had some fantastic races in Sakhir and we cannot wait to be back there for the start of the 2022 championship as we begin a new era for the sport.

“Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to welcome Formula 1 and it has a very special place in our sport, and I personally want to thank HRH Prince Salman and his team for their dedication and hard work throughout our partnership and look forward to the many years of racing ahead of us.”

Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of Bahrain International Circuit, said: “After 18 years of F1 racing, we are proud to have played a part in F1’s rich history and we now looking forward to continuing to build on that heritage well into the future. The growth and interest in Motorsport in Bahrain and the Middle East has significant momentum, with a new generation of fans embracing our great sport and we look forward to continuing that progress.”

Final Week To Enter Football Business Awards

The Football Business Awards will be returning on the 27th of May in London, celebrating the best of the footballing industry.

Football isn’t all about glitz and glamour. It’s about hard work, preparation and dedication. It’s about the organisation, planning and resourcefulness of the off-pitch teams, which allows extraordinary things to take place on the pitch. It’s about connection and commitment to communities. In the modern world – good football and good business – are inextricably linked.

iSportConnect is a proud partner of the 2022 Football Business Awards.

The extended deadline for entries is 18th February 2022 and the winners will be announced on 27 May at a lunchtime ceremony at the Brewery, London.

The categories celebrate the best across all aspects of the business of football including: technology; brand activation; fan engagement; professional services; digital and social media and sustainability.

View all categories and complete the intention to enter form to register your interest:

https://footballbusinessawards.com/categories/

EBU In Pioneering Agreement To Acquire Mediterranean Games Rights

Eurovision Sport and the International Committee of Mediterranean Games are delighted to announce their first-ever agreement for the EBU to acquire worldwide rights to distribute and broadcast the Oran 2022 Mediterranean Games in Algeria and the Heraklion 2023 Mediterranean Beach Games in Greece.

The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event that usually takes place quadrennially, and involves countries situated around, or very close to, the Mediterranean Sea. For these countries, the Mediterranean Games is among the most important multi-sport events after the Olympic Games.

The Mediterranean Games bring together the sports delegations of 26 Mediterranean National Olympic Committees which are members of the ICMG, competing in more than 25 disciplines.

Under the agreement, media rights for the Mediterranean Games and Mediterranean Beach Games are being centralised and commercialised for the first time, as part of a broader strategy by the ICMG to modernise the Games for the benefit of athletes and the individual sports.

Eight EBU Members have already confirmed their participation in broadcasting the events, with more to come. They are: RTSH (Albania); RTVA (Andorra); BHRT (Bosnia); CYBC (Cyprus); France Televisions (France); ERT (Greece); RTP (Portugal); and TRT (Turkey). The rights acquired exclude the rights in the respective host countries for the particular event, but both our Algerian and Greek Members, EPTV and ERT respectively, will be heavily involved in the production and domestic coverage of their home Games.

The 19th edition of the Mediterranean Games will be held in Oran, Algeria, between 25 June and 5 July, 2022.

Since 2012, a second multidisciplinary sports event, the Mediterranean Beach Games, has been held every four years. The third edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games is scheduled for 2 to 9 September 2023 in Heraklion, Greece.

Davide Tizzano, President of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce this new partnership of the ICMG with Eurovision Sport. It is the first time in the history of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games that the media rights are being centralized and commercialized and, undoubtfully, this will be a great opportunity to promote our Games and make them more popular with the youth worldwide, highlight their importance in the sports world and strengthen even further our relation with our member NOCs and the Organizing Committees.

“I am very excited about this collaboration with the world’s leading alliance of public service media and I want to thank EBU for its support and for the confidence shown to the ICMG and our Mediterranean Games.”

Andreas Aristodemou, Head of Summer Sports Rights at Eurovision Sport, said: “Working with the ICMG in order to increase the profile of the Mediterranean Games via the EBU Members’ television, radio and online platforms was an opportunity we could not miss. A key parameter for the EBU is the fact that the Mediterranean Games is a unique multisport event that brings together athletes from European, African and Asian countries and this allows us to involve all our Mediterranean Members.”

The Mediterranean Games and Mediterranean Beach Games cement the EBU’s status as the home of multi-sport games, with its portfolio also including the second edition of the European Championships, scheduled to take place in Munich, Germany on 11 to 21 August, 2022.

Horizon Therapeutics plc Named Title Partner Of The Irish Open In Six-Year Deal

Horizon Therapeutics plc, the global biotechnology company headquartered in Dublin, has today been announced as the Title Partner of the Irish Open in a six-year deal which will begin with the 2022 Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet, from June 30-July 3.

The agreement, which was engineered through the Strategic Alliance between the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, will herald in a new era for the island of Ireland’s national Open and underlines its status as a key event on the DP World Tour. The tournament will see a significant increase in prize money to $6 million, nearly double the amount on offer in the 2021 edition.

Founded in 2008, Horizon develops medicines for the treatment of rare, autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases and is motivated by the idea that science and compassion must work together to transform lives.

The 2022 Horizon Irish Open will return to the stunning Mount Juliet Estate for the second successive season following a hugely successful hosting debut in 2021 – won in wire-to-wire fashion by Australian Lucas Herbert. This announcement adds to an exciting time for golf in Ireland, as it builds towards hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027.

Guy Kinnings, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of the European Tour group, said; “We are thrilled to welcome Horizon as the new Title Partner of the Irish Open. It is a tournament which always holds a special place in the global golfing calendar thanks to its history, the world-renowned Irish fans and of course the many world-class players the island has produced.

“It is a sign of Horizon’s commitment to golf on the island of Ireland that they have committed until at least 2027 and we very much look forward to working with them. This agreement is just the latest example of how the Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR continues to benefit our membership.”

“Horizon has called Ireland home for nearly ten years and this partnership with the DP World Tour further solidifies our continued business and community commitment,” said Tim Walbert, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Horizon. “In addition to developing medicines, philanthropy is at our core. We have forged meaningful relationships in Ireland and know that serving as the Title Partner of this historic tournament will serve as a platform to positively impact the Irish and global community.”

First played in 1927, the Horizon Irish Open is one of the world’s most famous national opens, boasting former champions such as Seve Ballestoros, Sir Nick Faldo, Pádraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Rory McIlroy, Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal and Jon Rahm.

The 2022 edition will once again form part of the Open Qualifying Series, with the top three players not already exempt earning a coveted place in the 150th edition of the Open Championship, taking place two weeks later on the Old Course at St Andrews.

Image [Getty Images]