LIVENow Partners With ELEVEN Sports To Exclusively Offer €4.99 PPV Pass For LaLiga & Serie A Matches In Belgium

Premium streaming platform LIVENow have partnered with ELEVEN Belgium to offer sports fans in Belgium a new way to access the best live action from LaLiga and Serie A. 

In addition to being able to enjoy comprehensive coverage from both leagues through  ELEVEN’s linear and OTT channels, fans will now have the option to secure PPV match passes with LIVENow for their favourite fixtures from €4.99.  

LIVENow and the ELEVEN Group are both members of Andrea Radrizzani’s sports and media investment platform Aser Ventures. The new deal will offer sports fans in Belgium ever more flexibility in how they watch their games. 

Head of Sport, Peter Leible comments, “At LIVENow our goal is to offer flexibility to sports fans in how they buy and consume content. We’re delighted to serve up matches from  Spanish and Italian football on a pay-per-view basis.” 

Schedule: 

League Match Date
LaLiga Atletico Madrid v FC Barcelona 3rd October 2021
LaLiga FC Barcelona v Real Madrid 24th October 2021
Serie A Inter Milan v Juventus Turin 24th October 2021

LIVENow’s LaLiga and Serie A coverage builds on the service’s fast-growing portfolio of sports rights. In Singapore, LIVENow were the exclusive home for Euro 2020 this summer and are bringing fans live pay-per-view coverage from the English Premier League in  2021/22. LIVENow also distributed Euro 2020 in the Philippines and streamed the Emirates FA Cup, Italy’s Serie B and Serie C, and Spain’s LaLiga across various international markets last season.

eToro Unveils Partnerships With Eight Italian Serie A Clubs

Multi-asset investment platform eToro has announced the expansion of its partnership portfolio, securing deals with eight clubs in the Italian Serie A for the coming 2021/22 season.

Founded in 2007, eToro is the world’s leading social investment network with over 20 million registered users worldwide. Making a significant investment into Serie A, eToro will be official partners of Bologna, Cagliari, Genoa, Sampdoria, Sassuolo, Spezia, Udinese, Verona and have an LED only deal with Salernitana. 

eToro offers clients throughout the Italian region access to not only a choice of investment instruments – from fractional shares and ETFs, to commodities and cryptoassets – but also a choice of how to invest. eToro users can invest directly themselves, copy another investor, or invest in one of eToro’s smart portfolios. 

Emanuela Manor, Italian Regional Manager at eToro comments: “eToro believes that sponsorships are a powerful tool for connecting with the communities at the very heart of a sport. With more people than ever engaging with the capital markets this year, financial education has never been so important. We will be working with the clubs to make the financial markets more accessible, bringing fans closer to the action and educating them on investing.”

As a partner of these Serie A clubs, eToro will gain global exposure through an extensive range of marketing opportunities including matchday LED boards, media backdrops, tickets and digital rights.

eToro has an extensive global partnership portfolio comprising multiple football clubs across Europe along with other sports including Rugby Australia. As one of Europe’s biggest sponsors, eToro will continue to expand its investment in a range of sporting communities across the world.

FIM And Discovery Sports Events Announce Ten-Year Speedway Vision From 2022

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and Discovery Sports Events have today revealed their vision for the future of Speedway over the next decade. Marking the start of Discovery Sports Events’ new role as global promoter for the sport, the organisations have unveiled a new SGP brand identity to run through the Speedway pyramid and details of new event formats to begin in 2022.

Long-term Vision for Speedway and New SGP Brand Identity

By bringing international Speedway together under one global promoter for the first time, the new vision will build a stronger and more connected international pyramid for the sport – from the grassroots all the way to the pinnacle of Speedway. From 2022, all categories will be unified under the new SGP brand unveiled today including the SGP (FIM Speedway Grand Prix), SGP2 (FIM Speedway U21 World Championship), SGP3 (FIM Speedway U16 World Championship) and a new international entry-level SGP4. The sport’s marquee annual events will complement the series and continue as the reformatted SON (FIM Speedway of Nations) and SWC (FIM Speedway World Cup), returning to the calendar for the first time since 2017.

The move is part of five key priorities under the new vision for Speedway including improving the year-round narrative of the sport with the riders at the heart, raising their profiles internationally; extend the distribution of the sport on both TV and digital platforms; enhance both the at-event and on-screen experience to deepen engagement with fans; widen the global Speedway footprint through new venues, more events and an extended season; and support juniors by connecting the next generation of champions to the sport.

New SGP Event Format and 2022 Calendar Reveal 

From 2022, the extended SGP season will include 12 rounds over 2 continents, and will feature 15 permanent riders and 1 local ‘wildcard’ entry per venue. In a significant change to enhance the sport’s narrative and boost the fan experience, the action will be contained in one action-packed day. A format of 20 heats, 2 semi-finals and 1 final will take place during Saturday evening, with practice and qualifying moving from Friday to Saturday afternoon.

The new integrated Speedway calendar from 2022 will see the sport develop a sustained and consistent narrative through the season, as well as each category being able to gain maximise awareness. With the season running from April to November bringing even more thrilling action to fans every year, three SGP2 events will be held (May, July and October), one SGP3 event (August) and a week’s bonanza (July) as fans can enjoy the SON and SWC on a rotation basis, as the summer gets in full flow.

Following a joint presentation ahead of the 2021 Ewinner Torun FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland, the FIM President Jorge Viegas said: “After 20 years with BSI, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their professionalism, cooperation and friendship.

“Looking forward, I would like to welcome the new FIM Speedway Grand Prix promoter Discovery Sports Events. This is a long-term believe in a new promoter that presented us a long-term vision to develop this spectacular discipline over the next decade. Speedway has a huge potential to grow not only in terms of attracting a new generation of riders, but particularly in terms of reaching new territories outside of Europe.

“I wish all the best to all the stakeholders who will be part of this new journey and can confirm that the FIM will continue to work hand in hand with the new promoter.”

Head of Discovery Sports Events, François Ribeiro said: “After 20 months of preparations, we are excited to start our promoter journey as part of Discovery Sports Events’ new long-term partnership with FIM. Speedway has great foundations, a super fan base and we see significant growth potential. We won’t change anything to the nature of the sport. Speedway will celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2023, but it is incredibly modern in its format: compact, spectacular, 100% in-stadium, Saturday evening primetime, something quite unique in motorsport to engage with fans. 

“For the first time in its history, Speedway at all levels will have a single international promoter, from grassroots-level up to pro-level. As Dorna and FIM have done remarkably well to build Moto 2 and Moto 3 as the MotoGP feeder, we will bring SGP2 and SGP3 junior championships to the SGP platform to train the best young riders and build a ladder for them up to professional level. 

“Discovery Sports Events will benefit from the truly global scale of Discovery Sports to grow Speedway’s global audience across discovery+ which will be become our premium Home of Speedway destination for fans, but also for Eurosport and domestic free-to-air channels owned by Discovery in key Speedway markets such as UK, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Germany. It is our ambition to grow the sport further and multiply the current SGP global viewership by 5 times within the next 3 years.”

New Ambassador for Junior Speedway

During today’s official unveil, FIM and Discovery Sports Events also announced that Speedway legend Tony Rickardsson will become the first SGP Global Ambassador. The 6-time FIM SGP World Champion and most successful Speedway rider in history will add his unrivalled experience and support the develop of the sport. Starting immediately, Rickardsson will advise Discovery Sports Events and support all facets of the sport from SGP to the junior categories of the sport and its young riders. 

SGP Ambassador Tony Rickardsson said: 

“I’m glad to give back something to the sport I love, and support Discovery Sports Events in its new promoter role. My aim is to ease the access of Speedway to young riders and make SGP even more remarkable competition. I will put my experience, my energy and enthusiasm in the new role and look forward to bring Speedway into a new golden era.” 

Driving Innovation in Speedway.

Ahead of the 2022 season, a wide range of innovations will be unveiled to heighten the experience of fans – both at the venues and watching on-screen – and bring them even closer to the action. Advanced event and television production will see a new setup at races, including:

  • New pit boxes
  • New central stage in the heart of the action
  • TV studios 
  • New SGP Fan Zones
  • Advanced SGP App to follow Speedway wherever you are

A New Long-term Partnership 

In October 2020, FIM agreed a long-term partnership which will see Discovery Sports Events promote FIM Speedway events globally for the next 10 years. The new agreement begins in 2022 and builds on the existing partnership between the organisations for the promotion of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) since 2015. 

In an expanded role following a competitive tender to select a new global promoter, Discovery Sports Events will leverage its long-standing motorsport promotion expertise and the global scale of Discovery to develop the sport and grow Speedway around the world. 

It will oversee the full operational and commercial aspects of the sport including multi-platform rights management and distribution, broadcast production, sponsorship rights strategy and the full suite of marketing, brand and promotional activity. It will also work with local organisers on promotion and maximising ticketing, hospitality and fan engagement. 

Discovery Sports Events was revealed in September 2021 as the new corporate brand to represent Discovery’s global promotion and events management arm, previously known as the industry renowned Eurosport Events. It has a 15-year heritage of growing some of the most popular motorsports series in the world – including the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup and PURE ETCR, the world’s first all-electric touring car championship that will upgrade to the FIA eTouring World Cup from 2022. Launching in 2023, it will also promote the ground-breaking FIA Electric GT Championship, a new long-term platform for manufacturers to showcase their flagship GT cars and innovative technologies. As part of Discovery, the promoter will also have the ability to tap into the scale and depth of the group’s worldwide lifestyle platforms, channels and brands to raise the visibility and awareness of the sport to new audiences globally.

BOXXER Announces Partnerships With Sports Direct And Everlast

BOXXER, the next-generation boxing promotion, today announced a new partnership with Everlast and Sports Direct, who will become official partners of BOXXER and Sky Sports Boxing. 

Everlast and Sports Direct, two companies united by their common goal to inspire and empower the next generation of athletes, are part of Frasers Group, a global powerhouse which owns some of the world’s most iconic brands.

Founded in 1910, Everlast has become synonymous with the sport of boxing and has been the brand of choice for generations of champions. Battle-tested in one of the athletic world’s toughest environments, Everlast products have stood the test of time. The brand produces equipment for every combat sport and is sold across more than 75 countries and 6 continents.

Sports Direct is Europe’s largest sports retailer and serves millions of customers every week. A staple of the British high street for almost 30 years, Sports Direct believes that sport is the great equaliser, and that access to sport – and the best sports kit in the world – should be a right for everyone.

The partnership commences with this Saturday night’s BOXXER event at the iconic SSE Wembley Arena. Headlined by Chris Eubank Jr against Anatoli Muratov, the event airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports.

Viewers will see Everlast and Sports Direct branding featured across all pre-event promotional activity along with prominent ring and arena branding during BOXXER live events. 

Everlast also becomes the preferred glove provider for all BOXXER events and will provide exclusive new glove and apparel collaborations for the BOXXER Series tournament events. 

Commenting on the partnership, BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “We’re delighted to announce this new partnership with Everlast and Sports Direct, ahead of our launch event with Sky Sports Boxing. Everlast’s commitment to quality means it’s an optimal fit for our boxers, who need equipment of the highest calibre to compete at elite level.” 

Chris Zoller, VP of Marketing and product Development at Everlast, added: “It has been a huge year for boxing and for Everlast in the UK. We have taken our pledge to British boxing seriously adding over 20 athletes to our Team Everlast roster so far, ranging all skill levels, backgrounds and goals in and with the sport. Supporting Boxxer and Sky Sports is the next step in our commitment to boxing and we are beyond excited for where it will take us, the sport and our athletes.”

Beckie Stanion, Chief Marketing Officer at Sports Direct, said, “At Sports Direct we are driven by our purpose to use the powers of sport to champion the legend in everyone, no matter how skilled you are. Sky Sports and BOXXER’s exciting new chapter covering both elite-level and emerging fighters gives us a platform to inspire boxing communities up and down the UK, and supports our mission to make boxing – and ultimately all sport – accessible to all. 

“Sports Direct is where many start their boxing journey, whether that’s picking up a gumshield or their first pair of gloves, so we are immensely excited to take our support for the sport into a new era.”

Genius Sports Announces Expansion Of Its Agreement With Entain And BetMGM With Official NFL Data And Fan Engagement Solutions

·         Genius Sports to provide BetMGM and Entain brands with full NFL offering including official data feeds, sportsbook content and fan engagement solutions

·         BetMGM is a leading sports betting platform in the U.S. available in 16 markets

·         New agreement expands on Genius Sports’ decade-long official data and trading partnership with Entain

Genius Sports Limited (NYSE:GENI) (“Genius Sports” or “the Company”), the official data, technology and commercial partner powering the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, today announced an expansion of its existing agreement with Entain and BetMGM. 

The new agreement provides Entain, the leading global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment operator, and BetMGM, a leading sports betting and iGaming operator jointly owned by Entain and MGM Resorts in the US, with a full NFL offering including official data feeds, sportsbook content and fan engagement solutions.

“Our partnership with Entain’s portfolio of leading sports betting brands and BetMGM has been central to Genius’ success for over a decade,” said Mark Locke, CEO at Genius Sports. “I’m thrilled that we are expanding our historic agreement to connect millions of sportsbook customers in the U.S. and worldwide with our premium NFL offering, powered by the highest quality official data.”

Genius Sports will provide BetMGM’s sportsbook customers with a full range of official sportsbook data, content and fan engagement solutions, including a complete suite of NFL-related products.

“As a sports betting operator we rely on data and partnering with Genius Sports gives us access to one of the best in the industry,” said BetMGM’s CEO Adam Greenblatt. “Combined with our unique platform and user interface, BetMGM is primed to offer an even better sports betting experience for our customers.”   

In August 2021, BetMGM was selected as an NFL Approved Sportsbook Operator. Genius Sports will provide BetMGM, and other Entain brands, with access to the NFL’s official play-by-play statistics, proprietary Next Gen Stats (NGS) data, and official sports betting data feed. Combined with exclusive representation of certain legalized sports betting advertising inventory on NFL digital properties, Genius Sports provides sportsbooks with end-to-end value, powering the full user lifecycle from player acquisition to pre-match and in-game betting, through to long-term customer retention.

This new agreement is a major expansion of Genius Sports’ more than decade-long partnership with Entain and its global brands, also including bwin, Coral and Ladbrokes. Genius Sports will continue to provide official data across top tier global sports properties including the English Premier League, Euroleague Basketball, Liga MX, Argentine and Colombian soccer.

Qatar To Join F1 Calendar In 2021, As Country Signs Additional 10-year Deal From 2023

Qatar’s Losail International Circuit will hold its first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 19-21, with the country set to host the 20th event of the 2021 season, as well as signing an additional 10-year deal to host F1 from 2023.

The Qatari circuit is most famous for its association with the world of two-wheeled racing, with Losail having hosted the MotoGP series since 2004. Ooredoo, the international communications company, will be the title sponsor for the event.

The race’s inclusion on the calendar will create a three-part Middle Eastern ending to the 2021 season, with the race in Qatar followed up by the first ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on December 3-5, with the season rounded off by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 10-12.

A statement from F1 said: “There was a strong will from Qatar to be helpful to F1, and in the course of this process, the vision for a longer partnership was discussed and agreed for 10 years.

“The step from the gesture to be helpful to F1 in 2021 to a long term strategy was short and simple and the vision for F1 to be the showcase for Qatar after the FIFA World Cup in 2022 was the driving force behind this long term agreement.

“As part of the longer-term deal, discussions will continue regarding the location for the Grand Prix from 2023 with further details to be provided at a later time.

Speaking of Qatar’s inclusion on the 2021 calendar, F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali praised the efforts of the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and the Qatari Authorities in helping to arrange the Grand Prix at short notice, saying: “We are very pleased to welcome Qatar to the Formula 1 calendar this season and for the longer term from 2023.

“The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation and Authorities have been incredible and have moved at great speed to ensure the race can take place this season at the Losail Circuit, famous to many as the host of MotoGP.

“We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix. The huge effort from all the teams, F1 and the FIA has made it possible to deliver a 22-race calendar, something that is very impressive during a challenging year and something we can all be proud of.”

Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, President of Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, said: “This is a very special day for Qatar Motorsport and our nation’s ambitions as a host of major sporting events.

“I’m very proud that we’ve been able to support Formula 1 by stepping in and hosting a race in our country in such a short time frame, while also securing a ground-breaking long term deal with F1.

“This exciting agreement means that Qatar will be the home of both Formula 1 and MotoGP for the next decade, which are the pinnacle events in global motorsport. We have a proud motorsport history and this is the next chapter for us. Qatar will be a great destination for F1 and we look forward to welcoming all the drivers, teams, media and fans very soon.”

Jean Todt, FIA President, added: “I congratulate Formula 1, the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation and the Qatari authorities, who have worked tirelessly to quickly and efficiently make the inaugural Grand Prix in Qatar happen in these challenging times.

“The Losail International Circuit, which will welcome the race, has been working closely with us to ensure they are full prepared for this momentous occasion. We are very proud of this collective achievement. I thank the QMMF President Abdulrahman Al-Mannai and His Excellency Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports, for their involvement.

“This commitment to F1 for the long term, as well as the organisation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and many other international events, is another example of Qatar’s strong passion for sport.”

The International Cricket Council Announces Strategic Partnership With Fintech Infrastruture Leader: Nium

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced today that it has entered a multi-year strategic partnership with Nium, a leading global financial technology (FinTech) infrastructure company. Nium provides banks and businesses with access to a suite of fintech infrastructure services through one API. This partnership includes involvement and integration in three global ICC events through to the end of 2023 such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the ICC World Test Championship Final in 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to be hosted in India.

As an official partner of the ICC, Nium will promote its association across broadcast and digital platforms, as well as execute unique fan and client activations at these ICC events. This partnership will enable Nium to engage the global cricket-loving business fanbase with innovative campaigns that highlight the power of fintech in helping make global money movement faster, safer, and easier. 

Speaking on the association, Anurag Dahiya, Chief Commercial Officer, ICC said: “We are excited to have Nium join us as an official partner, beginning with the highly anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held here in the UAE & Oman. This relationship will allow Nium to use the backdrop of cricket to promote its role as a pioneer in fintech innovation to its clients and prospects, worldwide. We look forward to working with Nium on developing bespoke campaigns that we believe in time will have a positive impact on our game and how we engage with fans.”

Speaking on this strategic partnership, Prajit Nanu, Co-Founder and CEO, Nium said: “We are beyond excited to join forces with the ICC as a unique B2B commercial partner. Cricket’s appeal transcends countries, currencies, and cultures. For years, Nium has been the behind-the-scenes fintech infrastructure powering some of the most recognized brands in the world. This partnership allows us to showcase our fintech innovations on a global stage, and to engage cricket-loving technologists in the development of new programs to advance the global game experience.”

Cricket South Africa Welcomes Castore As Its Official Apparel Partner

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today welcomed Castore as its official apparel partner for the next three years.

The agreement grants Castore exclusivity as the official apparel partner of Team Kit and products to CSA, its Teams, Staff and Players and as CSA’s official merchandising partner. The contract runs from 01 October 2021 to 30 September 2024.

The partnership further strengthens Castore’s presence in cricket, with the West Indies already being supplied kit by Castore and England Cricket recently announced, beginning in April 2022. It is Castore’s first step into South Africa, a nation which they see as a key market, given its love not just for cricket, but sport in general.

The full range of kit will be made from unique technical fabrics developed exclusively by Castore to ensure lighter, more flexible and durable kit than anything the team have ever worn before, ensuring that performance through a long and gruelling cricket season is of the highest quality. The announcement builds on existing partnerships Castore enjoys with McLaren (F1), Glasgow Rangers, Newcastle United & Wolverhampton Wanderers (Football) among others. Castore has additionally partnered with a number of athletes, with Grand Slam tennis champion Andy Murray, international rugby player Owen Farrell, England cricketer Jos Buttler and multiple gold medal winning Olympic swimmer and world record holder Adam Peaty among them.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Castore on board to our team of sponsors and suppliers,” said CSA Acting Chief Executive, Pholetsi Moseki.

“Castore is one of the big players in the world of sports technical apparel and they are involved around the world with such diverse sporting codes as Formula 1, cycling, football, athletics and swimming.

“As we all know most international cricket these days is played on the Asian sub-continent and its surrounding areas where climatic conditions are extremely challenging, and it is important that our players have the most comfortable apparel available to allow them to compete at their optimal level.

“Castore is a perfect fit for our national teams who all have major ICC events on the immediate horizon. We look forward to a fruitful and happy relationship over the next three years,” concluded Mr Moseki.

Tom Beahon, founder of Castore, commented: “Adding to our wide range of teams and athletes with a team such as Cricket South Africa’s Proteas is a huge honour for us as a brand and we’re excited to see where the partnership will take us. The T20 World Cup is the perfect way to kick off our partnership, an exciting, forward-thinking concept still in its formative years whereby entertainment is ever-present.

“We hope our innovative kit designs can add to the experience of the World Cup for both players and spectators alike. As a brand we’re deeply committed to both marginal gains and performance excellence so we’ll be working continuously with the team throughout the partnership to produce apparel which is unrivalled across the cricketing landscape, ensuring one of the most decorated teams in world cricket are wearing a kit that is fitting of that.”

ELEVEN Portugal Secures Exclusive Premier League Rights From 2022 To 2025

ELEVEN Portugal has secured the rights to the English Premier League for three seasons from 2022-23.

ELEVEN will deliver LIVE and EXCLUSIVE coverage of every Premier League match across its linear and D2C channels. It will be the first time all 380 games each season will be made available to fans live in Portugal.

As well as having access to some of the greatest clubs and players in world football every week, fans will be able to follow the fortunes of a host of Portuguese stars on ELEVEN. Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias at Manchester City, Diogo Jota at Liverpool, João Moutinho at Wolverhampton, and Nuno Espírito Santo at Tottenham Hotspur are amongst the legion of Portuguese players and coaches currently playing their trade in the Premier League.

ELEVEN´s live coverage of every minute of the Premier League will be supplemented by expert analysis, local commentary, and interviews with the biggest names in the game.

The Premier League is another milestone addition to ELEVEN Portugal´s leading portfolio of premium rights. Fans already enjoy comprehensive live coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Ligue 1, F1, NFL and much more with ELEVEN Portugal.

Jorge Pavão de Sousa, Managing Director,ELEVEN Portugal, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Premier League to deliver every match across our linear, digital and social media platforms for the next three seasons. The Premier League is one of the greatest competitions in the world and the fact that so many iconic Portuguese players and coaches are there makes it even more special. This is a milestone addition to our portfolio and a key step in us delivering on our mission to be the ultimate home of sport and entertainment for Portuguese fans.”

Paul Molnar, Chief Media Officer of the Premier League, added: “The Premier League is pleased to announce our new partnership with ELEVEN in Portugal. ELEVEN provide excellent sports coverage and will be an outstanding home for the Premier League. Through this agreement, fans in Portugal can look forward to more live matches than ever before.”

ELEVEN Portugal will join ELEVEN Taiwan in bringing the Premier League live to fans.

ELEVEN Portugal´s new partnership with the Premier League is set to create exciting new opportunities for synergies with Leeds United. Both ELEVEN and Leeds are part of the leading sports and media investment platform Aser Ventures.

Why Technology Is Key To Attracting Fans Back To Sporting Venues

Michael Cole, Chief Technology Officer of the European Tour, provides insight into how tech is enabling sporting organisations to draw fans back to stadiums and arenas.

After 18 months of playing golf behind closed doors, or to significantly reduced crowds, the site of thousands of fans descending on Wentworth Club for the BMW PGA Championship this month was a welcome relief. A sense of normality finally returning.

But COVID-19 will have a long tail. It’s easy to presume there is pent-up demand for a return to stadiums and tournaments, but we should not be complacent. For fans, there are likely to be concerns over extended safety measures diluting the experience, imminent financial challenges cutting household budgets, and the increasing popularity of alternative products such as e-sports to contend with. Fans have also enjoyed a wealth of behind the scenes digital and broadcast content since the start of the pandemic that has kept them connected to their favourite sports. In many respects, the armchair fan has never had it so good.

“Golf may not immediately strike the casual observer as a hotbed of technological innovation – but in some ways we are arguably the ultimate sporting test bed.”

At the European Tour we have thought long and hard about how we can utilise technology to enhance the experience of fans as they return en masse – and do this in a way that is easily repeatable across our 41 tournaments in 31 countries.

Golf may not immediately strike the casual observer as a hotbed of technological innovation – but in some ways we are arguably the ultimate sporting test bed. We are not dealing with one singular pitch or stadium – we have up to 156 players, competing across 18 “fields of play” over four days. These are surrounded by a small town comprising operational centres and hospitality pavilions, spectator villages and players lounges – most of which must be built from scratch. When you factor in a “down season” of just three days, the challenges become clear. 

But we have landed on a threefold vision for a digitally enhanced fan experience, and it’s one I believe can be applied to any sport.

Firstly, it’s to roll-out a converged and extended infrastructure, to ensure a truly “connected course” with digitally enabled administration and management processes that can be easily replicated at any tournament in the world. Push notifications to your phone telling you when the queue for a nearby food stall or toilet is gloriously empty? It’s the little things that can make a big difference to your experience.   

“We now collect an amazing 700,000 data points from our players at each tournament, giving us a wealth of fascinating insights to play with. The opportunities for things like in-game betting are obvious.”

But the real goal is immersive connectiveness, not to just technology but to the sport and the content it generates. We therefore want to go further and leverage emerging technologies such as AI, AR and IOT to create the “intelligent course”. This adds a layer of insight that can change the conversation in golf and attract new fans. It can also help bridge the gap between the spectators onsite and the armchair fan. For example, we now collect an amazing 700,000 data points from our players at each tournament, giving us a wealth of fascinating insights to play with. The opportunities for things like in-game betting are obvious.

The recent BMW PGA Championship, one of our flagship Rolex Series events, acted as a pilot for several new connected and intelligent course innovations. It was a paperless tournament, with QR codes replacing physical assets such as restaurant menus. All merchandise and catering outlets were contactless payment, and we introduced digital noticeboards which gave fans a one-click route to key information including course maps, leaderboards and tee times. Ticketing was also paperless, via an outbox web-based solution that did not require any dedicated apps, and we trialled a dynamic pricing model for the first time.

We also launched an AR experience that used gaming technology to create a digital twin of the 18th hole at Wentworth. All served from the cloud, this was presented on large screens in hospitality and merchandise areas and allowed spectators to see live, real-time updates on player and ball positions on that infamous closing hole. We also rolled the concept out to the displays in our fan zone, making sure you are always in the know with key highlights and live stats tracking – even when queuing.

“In the same way that rapid technological innovation has been a saving grace and enabler for businesses during the pandemic, it can now ensure a safer, seamless, and better-connected fan experience.”

The final step is to industrialise the connected and intelligent course to ensure they can be deployable across our full schedule of tournaments. This can only be achieved by delivered more cloud-based services, what we call “Tournament-as-a-Service”. Think of it as a “tournament in a box” that guarantees a world class service whether they’re staged and promoted by the European Tour, third parties or our co-sanctioning partners. After all, if you want to be a world class entertainment brand, you must be world class at every touch point.

No-one wished for COVID-19, but it has certainly helped accelerate innovation towards our vision of the Tournament-as-a-Service and the rollout of 5G will be unlock even more opportunities (we are testing a 5G infrastructure rollout at the Madrid Open next month in conjunction with Telefonica).

In the same way that rapid technological innovation has been a saving grace and enabler for businesses during the pandemic, it can now ensure a safer, seamless, and better-connected fan experience. If a fan visits a sporting event in 2022 and feels that the experience is simply “back to normal” compared to 2019 – then I think we have failed them. After all, as the adage says, you should never let a crisis go to waste.   

Michael Cole is Chief Technology Officer at the PGA European Tour and Ryder Cup Europe.