LaLiga Tech Introduces Suite Of Technology Solutions, Designed For The Digital Era Of Sports And Entertainment

LaLiga Tech marked its official launch today by revealing the range of technology solutions it can offer to the global sports and entertainment industry, while also confirming new agreements with World Padel Tour and communications specialists Millicom.

LaLiga Tech is the world’s first company to combine the experience of an international sporting organisation with deep technical expertise. Through a team of over 140 specialists that have designed solutions for LaLiga over the past seven years, it is now offering these solutions commercially to help accelerate the digital transformation of the industry.

Available as managed services via the cloud, LaLiga Tech solutions are used to create new direct-to-consumer channels, enhance and protect content with real-time data and digitise key management processes. All solutions are interconnected under a single data-based ecosystem, delivering new insights that can be used to drive wider growth across the organisation.

Miguel Ángel Leal, CEO of LaLiga Tech said: “Sports and entertainment has an enormous opportunity to build on its emotional connection with fans by taking a data-led approach to understand fan behaviours and design modern, engaging and profitable experiences. Our products have been specifically created for the sector and are supported by the human resources that have turned LaLiga into a digital leader over recent years.”

The LaLiga Tech offering

LaLiga Tech solutions are available under three principal areas:

Fan engagement

To help adjust to the digital behaviours of a global fanbase, LaLiga Tech offers solutions for:

  • Launching a proprietary OTT streaming platform, including business intelligence tools to analyse viewing patterns
  • Creating and managing multi-channel fan engagement campaigns, building a 360° picture of how fans interact with all digital properties
  • Building competition apps and web platforms, including fantasy gaming to engage a global fanbase
  • Enabling digital venue access with personalised in-venue experiences

Content enhancement

Incorporating real-time data to deliver new insights, LaLiga Tech’s content enhancement offering includes:

  • Mediacoach: the real-time match data platform generating advanced in-play statistics for use by coaching teams and broadcast partners
  • Content Protection: the LaLiga Tech subsidiary providing global monitoring software and analysis to instantly detect and remove illegal content, be it audiovisual piracy or brand counterfeiting.
  • Content Integrity: the software that tracks real-time data from the world’s major betting markets and analyses patterns around sporting events to detect any irregularity.

Competition management

LaLiga Tech competition management solutions bring data analytics to the heart of any organisation through the following:

  • Customised data dashboards that visualise performance of any platform across the digital ecosystem in real-time.
  • Custom applications that digitise key competition processes, including artificial intelligence tools for optimised match calendars, digital platforms to upload team or kit selections and resources for centrally managing financial processes.

Connected by a single data-based ecosystem, all solutions can be interconnected and integrated into existing environments, allowing for modular and scalable deployment for customers of all sizes.

New global agreements: World Padel Tour and Millicom

As well as announcing its technology offering, LaLiga Tech also announced two new agreements with global organisations in the sports and entertainment industry.

Firstly, it confirmed an alliance with World Padel Tour that will see LaLiga Tech become technology partner of the international padel circuit. Through the agreement, LaLiga Tech will develop a series of fan-facing technology platforms for World Padel Tour, allowing the growing sport to reach a wider global audience and for new fan experiences to be created across multiple assets.

Mario Hernando, CEO of World Padel Tour commented: “This agreement allows us to take the next step in building a dedicated global following for padel, which has already shown strong audience growth in recent years. LaLiga Tech shows a completeness of vision when it comes to building and activating fanbases using technology platforms and data, with the added benefit of having demonstrated its success within LaLiga.”

Global communications company Millicom, meanwhile, has signed an anti-piracy agreement that will see matches in Costa Rica’s Liga de Fútbol de Primera División (Liga FDP) monitored through the Content Protection solution, with illegal content being removed from online platforms through a combination of Content Protection’s advanced software and expert analysis team. This will assist Millicom in protecting the value of rights to Liga FDP matches, which it holds in Costa Rica through its Latin American operating arm, Tigo Sports.

Julio Sosa, Director of Tigo Sports, said: “The commitment of Tigo Sports in the fight against piracy, the protection of consumer rights and the well-being of the clubs is absolute and is reflected in the signing of this contract. With the support of LaLiga Content Protection and our team we are at the same professional level as the largest global sports companies “

LaLiga Tech works with numerous additional clients across the sports and entertainment industry including Dorna Sports, Moto GP, the Jupiler Pro League, Sky Mexico and the Royal Belgian Football Association.

UEFA And CONMEBOL Expand Cooperation, Announce Fixture Between Winners Of Euros & Copa America In 2022

UEFA and CONMEBOL have today announced the broadening of their existing cooperation as well as the staging of a match between the UEFA EURO 2020 winners Italy and the CONMEBOL Copa América 2021 winners Argentina during the international window in June 2022 at a venue to be confirmed.

The organising of this match is part of the expansion of the cooperation between UEFA and CONMEBOL, which notably includes women’s football, futsal and youth categories, the exchange of referees, as well as technical training schemes.

The agreement reached by the two organisations currently covers three editions of this match between the respective continental winners, and also includes the opening of a joint office in London, which will be in charge of coordinating projects of common interest.

By reaching this agreement, UEFA and CONMEBOL express their commitment to the development of football beyond their geographical zones, as a bridge uniting people, countries, continents and cultures.

The UEFA Executive Committee and the CONMEBOL Council also expressed a strong willingness to continue collaborating on other issues of mutual interest going forward.

Veloce Joins Forces With Codemasters To Launch Ground-Breaking VERSUS ULTRA Series

In an industry first, Veloce Esports has today (date) announced a partnership with leading racing game developer Codemasters to launch a revolutionary, multi-title, global esports racing league – the VERSUS ULTRA Series – with Lando Norris’ Quadrant team revealing itself as the first official entry.

Veloce is well-versed in original and innovative projects in the burgeoning esports sphere, sparked by the success of its immensely popular #NotTheGP series during the lockdowns of 2020. The ever-expanding Veloce Esports ecosystem yields substantial monthly viewership figures in excess of 230 million across its various channels. 

Codemasters is a world-leading video games developer specialising in the racing genre. Its portfolio includes DiRT, Project CARS, GRID, and the official series of F1® video games. The VERSUS ULTRA Series will feature an innovative event format with different stages of competition taking place across several Codemasters titles.

Some of the best-known global esports teams will be taking part, comprising world famous streamers, pro gamers, and more, with squads competing for the inaugural VERSUS ULTRA Cup. 

The first team to throw its hat into the ring is Quadrant, F1 star Lando Norris’ ever-popular esports squad. 

With the likes of F1 YouTube star Aarav Amin (Aarava), leading virtual racer Steve Alvarez Brown (Super GT), Maria Bish (RiaBish) and Niran Yesufu (FNG) on the books, Quadrant will undoubtedly be running at the sharp end during the inaugural season.

More information on the event format, team announcements and the VERSUS ULTRA CUP will be revealed in due course, with racing set to get underway in 2022.  

Rupert Svendsen-Cook, CEO, Veloce Esports, commented: 

“We’re delighted and feel very privileged to be partnering with such an established player in the industry as Codemasters, to launch what we know will be the best racing esports league in the world. We have worked closely with Codemasters for some time, as a large part of our media network features their titles, so it made a huge amount of sense to work together on this project. 

“For us, the key focus is on entertainment for the gaming community and offering an original and engaging format that breaks the mould of the traditional racing esports leagues currently available. We’re incredibly excited to share further details regarding who and what is to come as we prepare to launch in 2022.”

Toby Evan-Jones, Head of Business Development, commented: 

“The VERSUS Ultra Series is an exciting new format which creates both action-packed content and the opportunity for our players to compete with their heroes from the real and virtual racing worlds. Codemasters’ expertise in delivering world-leading racing titles makes us the perfect partner for Veloce. We hope players of all levels will come together to create a fun competition which redefines the competitive gaming landscape with an innovative and inclusive format.”

Endeavor To Acquire Sports Betting Company OpenBet From Scientific Games

Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company, has entered into an agreement to acquire OpenBet, a leading content, platform and service provider to the sports betting industry, from Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) for $1.2 billion paid through a combination of cash ($1 billion) and Endeavor’s Class A common stock ($200 million).

The acquisition will complement Endeavor’s position within the sports betting ecosystem, currently anchored by IMG ARENA, which works with more than 470 leading sportsbook brands worldwide to deliver official live streaming video and data feeds for more than 45,000 sports events annually.

The combination of OpenBet and IMG ARENA will create a unique end-to-end solution, delivering official data and video streams, premium content, cutting-edge mobile products and best-in-class betting technology solutions to leagues, federations and sportsbooks worldwide.

“OpenBet marks a strategic addition to our sports betting portfolio as we look to round out our technology and product offering for sportsbook operators and sports brands worldwide,” remarked Ariel Emanuel, CEO, Endeavor. “The combination of OpenBet and our IMG ARENA business will enable us to expand our footprint across the entire sports betting value chain and further capitalize on the tremendous upside we see coming from this fast-growing global industry.”

“This transformational announcement combines OpenBet’s market-leading sports betting ecosystem with unparalleled access to sports rights, content and data across the Endeavor portfolio,” said Jordan Levin, Chief Executive of Scientific Games’ Digital business. “Together, we are uniquely positioned to define the future of sports betting entertainment. Putting our customers and their players at the heart of our product and technology innovation will remain the key to our ongoing success. The team at OpenBet is second to none and we’re laser focused on the rapid expansion of the global sports betting market. Ari’s leadership and vision for the entertainment industry is exceptional and this is supported by Scientific Games’ commitment to Endeavor through the stock component of this deal.”

OpenBet, with more than 1000 team members situated across the globe, focuses exclusively on licensed customers and regulated global gaming markets serving a customer base that includes many top-tier sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, WynnBet, SkyBet, Ladbrokes and William Hill. OpenBet specializes in betting engine technology, having processed approximately three billion bets in 2020, as well as trading, pricing and risk management tools; player account and wallet solutions; innovative front-end UX and UI; and content offerings such as BetBuilder, DonBest pricing feeds and an industry-first sports content aggregation platform.

IMG ARENA works with leading sportsbook brands, leagues and federations worldwide, providing always-on services including live streaming and on-demand virtual sports products that inspire engagement by placing fans at the heart of the action. IMG ARENA’s rights holder clients include the PGA TOUR, Ryder Cup, UFC, ATP, USTA, Wimbledon, MLS and The Football Association.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory consents and approvals, and customary closing conditions.

The Raine Group acted as exclusive financial advisor to Endeavor on the transaction. Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to Endeavor.

Endeavor will host a webcast to discuss the transaction at 4:30pm ET on September 27, 2021. To access the live webcast and the accompanying presentation materials, visit the “News/Events” page on the Company’s Investor Relations site – investor.endeavorco.com. A replay and a copy of the transaction deck will be available on that site following the call.

Cryptocurrency Derivatives Exchange Bitget To Sponsor Juventus As Its First-Ever Sleeve Partner

Singapore-based cryptocurrency derivatives exchange Bitget announced a partnership with Juventus to become its sponsor. According to the agreement, Bitget will act as Juventus’ official partner and official cryptocurrency exchange partner, and also its first-ever sleeve partner. The deal was brokered by IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion.

Established in 1897, Juventus is one of most time-honored and award-winning football clubs worldwide. It was the first club in the history of football to win all the major international trophies with 38 Serie A titles, 2 Champions League titles, and 3 UEFA Cups. Juventus is one of the top ten football clubs in the world, with elite players such as Chiellini, Morata, Dybala and Bonucci.

In addition, legendary players like Nedved, Buffon, Zidane, Del Piero, Montero, Baggio and Cristiano Ronaldo have all played for the club, making it one of the most important and successful clubs in Europe and the world.

“Bitget has been looking for outstanding partners from the sports world and game community. Juventus has been fighting hard in the past century, demonstrating the fair, competitive spirit that is expected in sports. Sharing the same spirit and upholding the mission of Better Trading Better Life, Bitget is committed to provide liberal, ultimate and fair trading for cryptocurrency services to users worldwide. The partnership will help Bitget better enhance our international reputation,” said James Lee, the Global Strategy Officer of Bitget.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Bitget as the first Juventus sleeve partner and help them increase their awareness across our fanbase worldwide. We will work together globally and support the Partner’s international growth path by leveraging the mutual desire to address an increasingly broad audience,” said Giorgio Ricci, Chief Revenue Officer of Juventus.

Adolfo Bara, SVP and Managing Director of Football Events at IMG, added: “We are pleased to have signed Bitget as Juventus’ first-ever sleeve sponsor. This exiting partnership marks the cryptocurrency company’s first foray into sports sponsorship and comes into play as fans around the world tune in to watch Juve’s campaign in the Champions League.”

It is reported that Bitget, established in July 2018, is now one of the world’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency derivatives exchanges that support futures trading, spot trading and digital asset purchasing. It has 1.6 million registered users in 48 countries and regions including UK, France, Italy, South Korea, Japan, and Russia.

As a platform in pursuit of ultimate service and innovation, Bitget pioneered to launch three leading products of USDT-Margined Futures, One-Click Copy Trade, and Quanto Swap Futures. With this unique performance, it has become the most popular platform among users. With an average daily trading volume of $5.6 billion, Bitget is the world’s six largest derivatives exchange and the largest crypto copy trading platform, according to CMC data.

It is an undeniable trend that sports are getting increasingly connected with cryptocurrencies. Mainstream cryptos such as Bitcoin have been accepted as a payment method by many sports platforms. As global pandemic gives rise to the demand for digital solutions, the use cases of digital currencies have evolved rapidly, replacing part of the traditional functions.

Deltatre Hires Nielsen Sports Executive As Strategy & Design Unit Growth Accelerates

Deltatre, the global leader in fan-first experiences, has hired Max Barnett as its Strategy & Design Commercial Strategy Lead. 

An experienced sports media, data and technology leader, Barnett joins Deltatre from Nielsen Sports, where he spent close to eight years in several leadership roles. 

Most recently he headed up Strategic Consulting & Fan Research for the organization, based in New York City, working with US sports organisations, broadcasters and brands. Previously, he served for four years as Global Head of Digital at Repucom, prior to its acquisition by Nielsen. 

A well-regarded figure in the industry, Barnett also serves as a mentor in various global Sports Tech communities. 

At Deltatre, Barnett will assume responsibility for advising new and existing clients on commercial strategy, identifying data-driven ROI across the fan ecosystem. 

He will be based in London and will report to Pete Burns, VP, Strategy and Design at Deltatre. 

Welcoming Max Barnett to Deltatre, Derek Ellis, President, Strategy & Design, Deltatre, said: “Max’s experience and expertise in assisting rights owners, sponsors and media organizations to build strategies which capitalise on changing consumer demand will be crucial to our future growth plans. 

“We continue to build on the positive momentum Strategy & Design has attained over the past year, working with global sports organizations on growth strategies, including; vision definition and alignment, idea inception, market viability, audience research, strategy planning and revenue modelling.” 

Commenting on his appointment, Max Barnett, said: “I’m delighted to join Deltatre, after a year in which they have added some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to its client roster. It’s so exciting to be joining the Strategy & Design unit. The company and young unit has unrivalled experience and expertise, and I’m looking forward to bringing that knowledge and understanding to better serve our clients, new and old.” 

Deltatre’s Strategy & Design unit has experienced considerable growth in 2021. Led by Derek Ellis, the unit works with partners across sport and entertainment to clarify their vision, evaluate new opportunities based on audience data, define business strategy and embrace digital transformation. 

For over three decades Deltatre has helped the world’s largest sports and media organisations define clear strategies underpinned by robust technological solutions. The unit applies that knowledge and skill to advise organizations on their future strategies. It works to identify and validate opportunities and design innovative ideas to support business growth. 

Notably, it has worked closely with FIVB defining the value proposition, feasibility, rollout plan, operational impacts and commercial strategy of a direct-to-consumer ecosystem for Volleyball World. It also collaborated with Rogers Sports & Media on its next generation mobile experience. Deltatre’s strategy team works independently from the technical service teams. 

Sophie Goldschmidt Appointed As U.S. Ski & Snowboard President & CEO

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today the appointment of Sophie Goldschmidt as the organization’s next President and CEO. Goldschmidt will officially begin on October 18th, taking over from current President and CEO Tiger Shaw. Goldschmidt will be relocating from Los Angeles to Park City, Utah.

In her career, Goldschmidt has held numerous leadership, commercial and marketing roles with several of the world’s most well-known and prestigious organizations – most recently as CEO of the World Surf League (WSL). Prior to that, she held executive positions at the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Chime Sports Marketing (CSM), the PGA European Tour and Adidas. Goldschmidt is a proven leader who brings the unique experience of working closely with athletes across multiple sports from grassroots to the most elite levels, combined with a track record of positively transforming organizations from a business standpoint. Goldschmidt has been at the forefront of globalizing and innovating sports, media, and entertainment properties throughout her career. She will bring a fresh perspective as athletes prepare for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

“I am thrilled to be the next leader of U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Goldschmidt. “My priority is to build on the organization’s strong foundations. To take the levels of performance to new heights, to grow the number of participants and fans we engage with, in addition to creatively unlocking new value and investment. I see significant opportunities to further develop the profiles of the seven sports and of the athletes, who are inspirational role models. I’m also looking forward to working with the staff, coaches, clubs, the broader snow sports community, other key stakeholders and partners. I’m an avid skier with a passion for snow sports, which really makes this a dream opportunity for me at the right time. I can’t wait to get going.”

Goldschmidt will be taking over for Tiger Shaw, who is stepping down from his position as President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard after eight years. Shaw will stay on to aid Goldschmidt during the transition and will subsequently join the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation Board as a Trustee focusing on athlete fundraising – a key priority of Shaw’s during his time at the organization.

As CEO of the WSL, Goldschmidt was responsible for transforming both the business capabilities and culture. During her tenure, she negotiated a historic 10-year agreement with the athletes, led the implementation of equal prize money for men and women, secured unprecedented levels of linear and digital distribution, including a first-of-its-kind Facebook partnership, in addition to record revenue performance. She also delivered the first-ever competitive events utilizing wave technology at the WSL’s Surf Ranch, relaunched the organization’s ocean health advocacy program WSL PURE and significantly raised the WSL’s profile globally.

As Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of the RFU, Goldschmidt was responsible for all of the union’s revenue-generating areas and commercial programs, in addition to its marketing and digital communications. She was also Group Managing Director at CSM. In her time at the NBA as the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Goldschmidt helped spearhead the NBA’s global expansion of its brand. Prior to the NBA, Goldschmidt served as a Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the WTA globally and she began her career at Adidas. Goldschmidt was also one of the first two female Board Members of the PGA European Tour. She has spent much of her career in the U.S. and attended Baylor University on a tennis scholarship.

“Sophie brings an invaluable level of tacit knowledge gained from her previous roles working with athletes and sports organizations,“ said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors Chair Kipp Nelson. “Sophie’s leadership, commercial and marketing experience, combined with her commitment to the athletes, made her the ideal candidate. Her ability to grow engagement and raise the global profile of athletes, teams and brands will directly benefit all U.S. Ski & Snowboard stakeholders.”

“I’d like to give Sophie a warm welcome to the organization, while at the same time thanking Tiger for everything he has done the last eight years,” said two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin. “I am looking forward to this new era of leadership for all of our U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes as we head into this pivotal Beijing 2022 Olympic year. Based on what I’ve read, heard, as well as the interaction we’ve had thus far, I feel that Sophie’s commercial, marketing, and sports organization experience is a unique blend of traits that will set us up for success strategically not only heading into the Olympics, but – perhaps more importantly – moving forward as we build the future of our sports and inspire the next generation of skiers and snowboarders.”

Goldschmidt’s appointment signals a commitment to U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, partners, members and fans. Her immediate efforts will focus on spending quality time with the athletes, other key stakeholders and business partners to fully immerse herself in all aspects of the sports and organization, while in parallel developing the key strategic priorities and plans for the next stage of the organization’s growth leading into the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

“After a very comprehensive search, we could not be happier with the decision to select Sophie as U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s new President and CEO, “ said U.S. Cross Country Team alumna and executive search committee co-chair Kikkan Randall. “I am particularly excited about Sophie’s experience working directly with world-class athletes across a myriad of sports, she really understands how to put athletes at the forefront.”

Goldschmidt was also previously named one of Forbes Most Powerful Women in Sport, AdWeek’s Most Powerful Women in Sport, Sports Business Journal’s Forty under Forty, Leaders in Sport Under 40 Award, Marketing Week’s Vision Award and Sport360 Most Influential Women in Sport.

Brooklyn Nets & New York Liberty Form Global Multi-Year Partnership with Webull

The Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty have entered into a global multi-year agreement with Webull, an independent, self-directed broker dealer focused on zero-commission online trading and in-depth market data. As part of Webull’s first-ever sports partnership, the company will have international marketing rights to promote its alliance not only in the New York market, but also outside the U.S. through expansive marketing, advertising, and digital activations.

Additionally, Webull will become the official jersey patch partner for the Brooklyn Nets beginning with the 2021-22 NBA season. Webull will also be featured on the jerseys of the Liberty, the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League, and NetsGC, the NBA 2K League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets.

“I am very excited to announce Webull’s first sports partnership with the Brooklyn Nets and become the official game jersey partner,” said Anthony Denier, CEO of Webull, which is part of Webull Corporation. “There’s no better way to celebrate our company’s New York roots, and we are looking forward to collaborating on initiatives that give back to the Brooklyn community.”

“We are thrilled to introduce Webull to the world,” said John Abbamondi, CEO of BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets. “There is tremendous synergy between our two companies. Both are New York-based with a growing international presence and are focused on reaching a diverse demographic of tech-savvy, next-generation consumers and fans. We are looking forward to helping Webull connect with our millions of fans in communities across the globe.”

As the Official Online Brokerage of the Brooklyn Nets, Webull will receive digital signage at all Nets home games at Barclays Center and integration across the teams’ digital channels. The alliance will also extend into the community with Webull and the teams working together to implement impactful STEM programs that will benefit the underserved population in Brooklyn and beyond.

Webull, with its U.S. headquarters in New York City, is an easy-to-use, zero-commission brokerage and market data platform that is available to investors of all experience levels. In addition to providing powerful trading capabilities, Webull also offers educational resources for users to gain a deeper understanding of their investments. Recent product additions to the platform include multi-leg options trading, cryptocurrency trading, fractional shares, and a new Webull 7.0 interface for mobile users. The Webull app is accessible via phone, tablet or desktop computer. The company continues to expand its global reach with offices in six international cities and by serving its customers with market data from 31 countries.

bet365 Unveiled As Exclusive Betting Partner Of BOXXER And Sky Sports Boxing

BOXXER is delighted to announce a new partnership with bet365, which will become the Official Betting Partner of BOXXER and Sky Sports Boxing. 

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

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

As part of the partnership, bet365 will become BOXXER’s official odds partner and be integrated across BOXXER’s social and digital content. bet365’s odds will be promoted on BOXXER’s platforms in the build-up to each fight night, with in-play optimisations exclusive to BOXXER. Live streams of BOXXER’s shows will also be available on bet365’s platforms in select international territories, to further enhance the customer experience globally. 

bet365 branding will feature across the ring and arena on BOXXER’s events, starting with BOXXER’s first show on Sky Sports at Wembley Arena on October 2nd, headlined by Chris Eubank Jr.

bet365 and BOXXER will also create collaborative digital content to deepen fans’ understanding of the events and fighters. 

Commenting on the partnership, BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “We’re delighted to announce this new partnership with bet365, given their customer conscience, quality and trusted position around the world. We believe there is substantial synergy in terms of our brand values, with both companies committed to innovation and unlocking access to the greatest live sporting events.” 

A spokesperson for bet365 said: “We are delighted to be working with an exciting new partner within the boxing space that will bring compelling new events to the growing industry. We place significant importance on working closely with all of our partners and look forward to forming a positive relationship with Boxxer.” 

Minnesota Timberwolves Name Aura As New Jersey Patch Partner

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced a multi-year partnership with Aura, a leading provider of all-in-one digital security for consumers.

Aura is a new kind of digital security that protects consumers from digital crime and financial loss. With a mission to create a safer internet, Aura simply secures everything consumers need to do online to protect everything they care about offline. With one subscription and easy-to-use app, Aura proactively protects users from potential threats and helps resolve any issues.

The multi-year partnership designates Aura as the “Official Digital Security Provider” and will include the title of season presenting partner, in-arena and on-court signage and designation as the Official Jersey Patch Partner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Excel Sports Management’s Properties division sourced and negotiated the partnership between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Aura.

“Timberwolves fans know that every win is fueled by strong, proactive defense. Today, with nearly every aspect of our lives digitally connected, we need to protect ourselves and our families from digital crime with the always-on defensive energy of a full-court press,” said Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura. “As Official Digital Security Provider of the Timberwolves, Aura is joining this community’s defensive team, and we look forward to promoting simple, always-on digital defense in the Twin Cities.”

“This partnership speaks to each of our organization’s commitments to innovation, inclusion, and a safe digital experience,” said Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson. “As an early adopter of mobile ticketing and a completely contactless arena experience, we continue to place emphasis on tech initiatives and collaboration with forward-thinking partners. Aura was a natural fit.”

Through the partnership, Timberwolves and Lynx employees will have the opportunity to elect Aura as a digital wellness benefit, providing proactive protection against digital crime and financial loss.

Timberwolves guard and 2020-21 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team member Anthony Edwards serves as a brand ambassador for Aura, raising awareness for digital wellness and advocating for proactive protection.