Six Nations Rugby And Pitch International Extend Partnership Into Fourth Term

Six Nations Rugby and Pitch International have extended their partnership, which began in 2010, to see the sports marketing agency represent the Six Nations wider rights portfolio and continue to distribute the international media rights for the Six Nations.

The agreement covers the men’s, women’s, and Under-20s Six Nations tournaments, the Autumn Nations Series and World Cup Warm-up matches for all six unions, as well as management of the archive for the Six Nations.

Henri Kamerling, Managing Director of Rugby, Football and Global Partnerships at Pitch International said: “Over the past decade we have worked in tandem with the Six Nations and its unions to significantly grow revenues, international distribution and fan engagement for all Championships.

“This new agreement gives us the opportunity to build on our strong Rugby foundations and create a roadmap for future growth. In this cycle we are able to go to market representing all of Northern Hemisphere Rugby in one package of rights for the first time, which we believe will be a hugely exciting proposition for our international broadcast partners.”

Over the course of the partnership both the men’s and women’s game have seen significant growth.

The men’s Six Nations international distribution has risen from 60 million households in 2010, to 200 million across 188 territories.

The 2021 women’s Six Nations was available in 130 territories to an audience of 100 million households – a 100% increase since 2017.

Ben Morel, CEO of Six Nations Rugby said: “Our joint approach has been to focus on taking international rugby to previously untapped territories and fans, as well as the traditional rugby markets.

“As a result, both the men’s and women’s tournaments have flourished on the international stage. We have been working in great partnership with Pitch, whose credentials in rugby are very strong, to develop deeper and stronger relationships in overseas markets and deliver our broadcast partners a comprehensive offering of international rugby.”

Alongside their agreement with Six Nations Rugby, Pitch also distribute the international rights for Premiership Rugby.

UPL Ltd Announced As Regional Supporter For FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

FIFA is pleased to announce UPL Ltd, a world leader in sustainable agriculture, as a Regional Supporter in the South American market for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

UPL Ltd is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions and is one of the top five agriculture solutions companies worldwide. Its mission is to “reimagine sustainability” and as part of its activities leading up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, it will invest in sustainable farming practices and develop carbon reduction projects in South America.

Its portfolio consists of biologicals and traditional crop protection solutions, with more than 13,600 registrations. It is present in more than 130 countries and reaches more than 90% of the world’s food basket. Through this network, UPL Ltd aims to spearhead community outreach programmes and enhance awareness of improved farming practices, such as carbon capture technology, via marketing campaigns and media placements in the South American region, as a Regional Supporter for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Today’s announcement builds upon UPL Ltd’s memorandum of understanding with the FIFA Foundation, signed in August 2020, to work together to use football as a platform to raise awareness about several key social and environmental issues, including the positive impact that sustainable development, environmental protection, educating young people and leading a healthy and active lifestyle can make within society.

Speaking about the announcement of UPL Ltd as a Regional Supporter in the South American market for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said: “We are happy to welcome UPL Ltd on board as a Regional Supporter in the important South American market for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. UPL Ltd is a leading global brand in its sector and, like FIFA, believes in the importance of sustainability, development and education. Today’s news builds on the MoU signed by the FIFA Foundation and UPL Ltd in 2020. We look forward to working closely with UPL Ltd to use football as a means to improve awareness of sustainable farming practices and emerging technologies that are beneficial to all.”

Commenting on the collaboration, UPL Global CEO Jai Shroff said: “We could not be more excited that UPL is teaming up with FIFA. Football is a universal language – and loved by countries across the world – and if we can use it to power people’s understanding of food systems, how they work, and why the world needs them to be sustainable, then it’s a win-win for people and the planet. This relationship is a dream team for the goal of reimagining sustainability and transforming sustainable food systems.”

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will take place from 21 November until 18 December in eight stadiums across Qatar.

Sportradar Announces Extension Of Official Data Partnership With The International Tennis Federation

Global deal to enhance integrity measures and drive fan engagement

Sportradar, the leading global sports technology company creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, today announced a three-year extension to its agreement with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to serve as the ITF’s Official Data Partner.

The agreement extends the strong partnership between Sportradar and ITF, which, since 2012, has encompassed the World Tennis Tour as well as a number of other major ITF competitions, such as the Billie Jean King Cup.

In addition to the official data partnership, the extension enables the Federation to deliver a number of important ongoing integrity-led major projects, including the development of innovative technology infrastructure to further enhance integrity protection at World Tennis Tour events. Together with the projects and activities mentioned, the ITF, in partnership with Sportradar, will continue to invest significantly into accreditation, control systems and personnel to safeguard the integrity of tour events, leading the tennis world in efforts to ensure a secure player and fan experience.

As the global governing body of tennis, the ITF subscribes to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) tennis-wide anti-corruption programme and services. As part of its ongoing commitment to protect the integrity of its sport, the ITF will continue to leverage Sportradar’s integrity services by including its Universal Fraud Detection System, an advanced and proven bet monitoring service to analyse global betting patterns, and its unrivalled ‘Intelligence and Investigations’ (I&I) capabilities.

Furthermore, Sportradar will create a suite of enhanced digital assets connecting tennis fans with new websites, apps and fan-centric products to provide a more dynamic user experience that will be powered by Sportradar’s fast, accurate and reliable data.

Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl said: “Sportradar is the world leader in helping leagues and federations across the globe maximize the value of their data whilst ensuring the integrity of sport. We’ve partnered with the ITF for almost a decade, and the extension of our agreement is a sign of their continued trust, which is built on a shared commitment to innovation and to driving increased fan engagement. We are passionate about tennis and I’m very proud of the benefits this partnership will bring to an incredible sport.”

ITF President Dave Haggerty commented: “We look forward to our continued partnership with Sportradar as we deliver technology that will help to ensure the protection of integrity and data as well as a digital platform that will enhance the fan experience around ITF World Tennis Tour and major events, including the Billie Jean King Cup.”

Betway Become Official Partner Of Philadelphia 76ers

Today, leading global online betting and gaming brand Betway has announced its partnership with Philadelphia 76ers.

As part of the multi-year agreement, Betway signage will be displayed throughout The Center during locally televised 76ers regular-season home games, including visibility on 52-square foot Court Aprons, Courtside LEDs and game-clocks throughout the games. 

Betway will also have a presence on TV-visible signage alongside the scorers’ table.

76ers will also provide Betway with exposure and brand recognition through the 76ers’ official Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Prior to each regular season 76ers game, Betway will sponsor a Pre-Game Stats Graphic that will include relevant statistics giving fans per-game insights, while 76ers social media will help promote Betway marketing initiatives.

Anthony Werkman, CEO of Betway, said:

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Philadelphia 76ers.

“As the Betway brand is licensed in Pennsylvania, this is not just a branding opportunity but a chance for us to engage with fans who will also be able to access our product.

“With an extensive list of marketing assets associated with the deal, we are sure this will be a very successful partnership.”

Owen Morin, Vice President of Corporate Presidents of the Philadelphia 7ers, said:

“We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Betway.

“As a leader in sports betting across leagues and teams, Betway is best-in-class and provides their customers with premiere betting offerings. Together we will bring elite experiences to 76ers fans.”

The LEGO Group, Pandora and Starling To Partner With UEFA Women’s EURO2022 In England

Today UEFA and The FA have announced three new national partners of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, with the line up now including the LEGO Group, Pandora and Starling Bank. The tournament, which is due to be the biggest European women’s sporting event in history, will be hosted in England next year. The partnership announcement comes just two days before the tournament’s final draw, live on BBC One on the 28th October, with the public ballot for tickets opening that evening.

The competition’s partnership with the LEGO Group forms part of the company’s ongoing commitment to champion girls who rebuild the world through creative problem solving and their ‘Ready for Girls’ campaign, celebrating girls who rebuild the story of old-fashioned gender norms.

The partnership with Pandora is aligned to their mission of giving a voice to people’s loves and passions, highlighting the vital role team sport can play in equipping young people with self-confidence and a sense of identity.

Starling Bank has been named the official national banking partner for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and as part of it’s involvement, the four-times winner of Britain’s Best Bank, will showcase its commitment to health & wellbeing, empowerment and equality.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, Director of Marketing at UEFA, said “We are delighted to have the LEGO Group, Pandora and Starling Bank join us as the first national partners of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022. The addition of these three major brands is further proof of the scale of this event and our ambition to make it the biggest women’s European sport event ever. It is important for us to have partners on board who share the same values, working together collectively to deliver what is set to be a record breaking tournament that further grows the women’s game.”

The tournament takes place from 6 July – 31 July 2022 in 10 stadiums, across nine cities in England, including Brighton & Hove, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford and Wigan & Leigh.

The Final Draw will be hosted live on BBC One from 16.30 BST on the 28 October. Fans tuning in can expect a star-studded show, hosted by Alex Scott and Gabby Logan live from Greater Manchester.

Fans will have their next chance to apply for tickets following the draw with the Public Ballot opening that evening at 19.00 BST here: www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketing. 

IC Markets Announce Sponsorships With Six Bundesliga Clubs

IC Markets, the world’s largest Forex CFD broker, has secured six Bundesliga Club partnerships for the current 2021/22 season. The line-up includes Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Hertha BSC, FC Augsburg, DSC Arminia Bielefeld, Greuther Fürth and VfL Bochum. For IC Markets, it is the first engagement in German football. All partnerships were facilitated by the global sport business agency SPORTFIVE.

In essence, the packages at each Bundesliga club are comprised of LED perimeter advertising securing IC Markets comprehensive TV presence in one of their core European markets. In addition to this, as a club partner IC Markets can also benefit from logo and IP rights from each club.

Hendrik Schiphorst, CEO of SPORTFIVE Germany, says: “The eye-catching TV presence at the six Bundesliga clubs will contribute a great deal to increase the awareness for IC Markets in Germany as a core market. We are happy that, thanks to our vast sales network, we were able to facilitate these first-class partnerships in Europe’s No.1 sport that will help the brand to achieve the communication objectives.”

Andrew Budzinski, Founder and CEO of IC Markets, explains: “Practice, hard work and discipline are the foundations for success as a trader. These same values can be found in sport. The Bundesliga stands out as a leading example of the virtues of sportsmanship, and IC Markets is proud to be taking this step with a league with such a rich legacy. We’re always looking for ways to make the world’s most powerful trading tools more accessible. That’s why we are partnering with these exceptional clubs to bring fans closer to the action than ever before.”

NFL Signs New Five-Year Deal With Sport 24

Sport 24, the world’s only live 24/7 sports channel for the inflight industry, has renewed and expanded its partnership with the National Football League (NFL) for a further five years, building on a relationship which started in 2014.

The IMG-owned and operated service will broadcast 100 live NFL games per season to passengers on select airlines including JetBlue, Emirates, Etihad, Turkish Airlines and ANA.

The agreement includes all international games, Playoffs, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl which shall take place on Sunday, 13 February 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Sameer Pabari, Managing Director of International Media at the NFL, said: “Our fans are keen to follow the action wherever they are, and we are pleased to continue our relationship with Sport 24 to bring fans NFL games while inflight.”

Richard Wise, SVP, Content and Channels, IMG’s media business, said: “We are delighted to grow our partnership with NFL for an additional five years. NFL has been a key component of our premium US sports offering and Super Bowl has always been one of Sport 24’s most popular events. With its large global fanbase, we have no doubt it will be a huge hit onboard.”

Sport 24 is available on Panasonic’s market-leading live television service, which is broadcast via satellite. Launched in 2012, both Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra are produced from IMG’s production HQ at Stockley Park, near London’s Heathrow Airport. Sport 24 also shows live action from the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, NBA, MotoGP, golf’s Majors, tennis’ Grand Slams and more.

SportAccord Confirms Top Speakers For Post-Tokyo 2020 Discussions At Virtual IF Forum

Leading figures from the International Olympic Committee, World Archery and the International Golf Federation will be among the key speakers at the fully-virtual International Federation (IF) Forum on 5 November 2021, SportAccord has announced.

The IOC Sports Department will focus on a variety of learnings from Tokyo 2020 before Dr. Pau Mota, the IOC’s Senior Manager, Medical and Scientific Department, will highlight the most important medical issues that arose in relation to the Olympic Games earlier this year.

With the IF Forum taking place under the theme, ‘Tokyo 2020 – Learnings and Take-Aways for the Future’, there will also be timely Games-related case studies from World Archery Secretary General Tom Dielen and International Golf Federation Executive Director Antony Scanlon.

Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, the President of SportAccord and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), will also provide the welcome address at the invitation-only virtual gathering, which will take place over half a day, from 09:00 to 12:45 CET.

The programme’s content has been driven by the IOC and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), and the structure of the IF Forum will provide an ideal opportunity to discuss best practice approaches and lessons from the Tokyo 2020 experience.

Each of the sessions will be followed by a dedicated 15-minute Q&A slot, giving IFs the chance to participate and interact in a valuable knowledge-sharing exercise.

“Each of these expert speakers will provide essential perspectives on what they learned from a unique Olympic Games, helping to sharpen the focus of IFs on future challenges and opportunities,” Dr. Raffaele Chiulli said. “Undoubtedly, there will be vital take-aways from these sessions, and with more than 300 leaders from over 125 IFs set to attend virtually, there will be a very healthy exchange of ideas via the dynamic digital platform.”

IF Forum 2021 Host City partners are: City of Lausanne and Canton de Vaud and the Official Partners are: City of London, Marsh, OnePlan, Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Deportivo and Sport Event Denmark.

The IF Forum will take place just over six months before the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 reunites the global sports movement, allowing the industry’s leading figures and stakeholders to gather in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, VK, and Instagram.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022, which will take place from 15-20 May in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.

ATPI Launches Halo To Make Navigating The Future Of Travel Easier

Global travel management and events specialist, the ATPI Group, is adding a new ATPI Halo division to its expanding portfolio. ATPI Halo reflects the organisation’s ongoing investment into sustainability, technology innovation, and future work forces. In celebration of the launch of ATPI Halo, the business is working towards achieving carbon neutral status with a clear plan for 2021 and beyond.

ATPI Halo is an incubator of new ideas and services focused around sustainability designed to support each of the existing client-focused business units around the world to grow and evolve. Clients of ATPI Corporate Travel, Direct ATPI Global Travel, ATPI Marine & Energy, ATPI Sports Events, ATPI Corporate Events and ATPI Mining & Resources will all benefit from the new services, research and development from ATPI Halo to ensure that approaches to business travel change for the better.

Ian Sinderson, ATPI Group CEO, said:

“ATPI has a long history of being one step ahead and defining new ways of working. Our business has grown throughout the last 100+ years thanks to a culture of always improving, thinking ahead and investing in new ventures. Our efforts are rooted in delivering exceptional client service for the long term. That means we need to always be open to change, and to support our clients with the right tools to embrace future norms.

“There has never been such an intense period of disruption and with the establishment of ATPI Halo we are demonstrating to our clients that we are the right long term partner to navigate these unpredictable times.”

ATPI Halo’s sustainability expertise brings robust consultancy to the managed travel sector, ensuring businesses make meaningful in-roads towards the goals set out by worldwide governments to become net zero by 2050. ATPI Halo’s team provides counsel and recommendations, including on how to reduce a travel programme – a first for a travel management company (TMC) – together with carbon neutrality consultancy services backed by accredited partners including Respira and the Climate Neutral Group (CNG). Other partners are also being sought to ensure a complete range of services can be made available to clients.

In particular, ATPI Halo supports clients to reduce their impact on the environment across travel and events. New services on offer include a bespoke and accredited carbon offsetting programme, ensuring that schemes are relevant to a client’s core business. ATPI Halo’s sustainability team has sourced over fifteen esteemed carbon credit projects in the core markets where the business operates, and where there is also a direct community benefit.

To lead the charge on sustainability, and as part of ATPI’s ongoing investment in this area, the company is currently building a sustainability team, new to the organisation, as part of its ATPI Net Zero campaign across the Group. The team will be drawn from every region within ATPI to ensure a consistent approach to the environment, social objectives and governance across every office.

EBK GP Announces Global Multi-City E-Bike Race Series To Take Place In 2022

E-Bike Grand Prix (EBK GP) has today announced that the first ever race series will take place in 2022, with Dubai, one of the world’s most pioneering cities with a reputation for delivering sporting spectacles, confirmed as the first host city partnership.

EBK GP is an exhilarating new international cycling sport – a grand prix series – showcasing ground-breaking E-Bike technology whilst working with global host cities to raise awareness of climate change challenges; seeking to mobilise citizens and promote cleaner, greener, healthier cities.

The series will take place in cities around the world, with races along public roads, showcasing iconic landmarks and cultural sites, as part of a high-speed, thrilling sporting spectacle. Coverage of the Dubai event and the Series will be broadcast internationally via television and digital media.

EBK GP will include ten events with ten competing franchise teams each fielding two squads, one male and one female. Gender equality is central to the series, with both male and female competitions contributing equally to the team’s overall score.

EBK GP is committed to leaving a lasting green legacy in host cities, and as part of the agreement to become a host city, government administrations will commit to tailored three-year Sustainable Transformational Mobility (STM) programmes. Development and delivery support will be provided by a sustainability partner.

Global host city partners will also join together in a visionary network of progressive cities sharing knowledge and world-class best practice. Collectively, they will make a significant contribution towards making the cities of the future cleaner, greener and healthier.

EBK GP is also showcasing what can be achieved with technological innovations in cycling. Proudly, BMC Switzerland will be the exclusive bike partner, building an innovative new E-Bike for the series. For decades, BMC bikes have met the highest standards in quality, design and manufacturing. 

This new E-Bike will combine traditional cycling capability with battery-powered technology creating the fastest, most technologically advanced, and environmentally friendly cycle sport in the world. The bike, yet to be released, will be used by all teams and is set to deliver the new benchmark of e-road bikes – for both competitive and non-competitive cyclists.

Judith Rowan, Global Host City Director at EBK GP, commented: “The E-Bike Grand Prix Series reflects the newly pivoted face of global sporting events. It is a disrupter. EBK’s technology-driven, intense race format together with a robust sustainability mandate are essential attributes of sporting events of the future. We are very excited to lead the charge and extremely proud to welcome Dubai – one of the world’s great innovators – as our inaugural host city partner. This is an exciting development for cycle sport and the sports industry as a whole!”

HE Saeed Mohammed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, said: “We are thrilled to be the first host city announced for the first-ever E-Bike Grand Prix Series – the fastest and most technologically advanced cycle sport in the world. Dubai is one of the world’s most pioneering cities, and is the embodiment of possibility and innovation, and there are clear synergies between our city’s vision and this ground-breaking sports property.

“The EBK GP will not only create a sensational sport experience in the city, but it will further advance Dubai’s sustainability achievements, especially at a time when we are hosting Expo 2020, which is championing sustainability and promoting a future where mankind can live in harmony with nature and technology.”

David Zurcher, Chief Executive Officer at BMC Group, said: “At BMC we are always looking towards the future. It’s in our DNA to push the boundaries of cycling innovation, whether it is in terms of new technologies, trends or exciting event formats like the E-Bike Grand Prix. We are excited to be the bike partner for EBK GP, being at the forefront of a new, exhilarating cycle sport as we have been so many times in BMC’s history.”