Community, Author at iSportConnect

A-Leagues Revealed As New Identity For Australian Football

Recasting the men’s and women’s elite competitions as partners at the top of the game, the A-Leagues will use football’s position as the country’s most inclusive sport to grow the game for everyone.

As part of the change, the A-Leagues will move to a unified social media channel for men’s and women’s football on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in the coming months and will re-launch a new A-Leagues website, creating a single destination for fans of professional football in Australia and significantly increasing the profile and reach of women’s football.

The reveal of the new brand is the latest in a series of announcements since the A-Leagues took over the running of the professional game in December 2020, including: the expansion of the women’s league by three teams in two years; the launch of a new Club Championship to bring the men’s and women’s leagues closer together; and an historic Collective Bargaining Agreement to drive up standards and bring genuine equity to the game.

In the coming months, the A-Leagues will reveal a ground-breaking, world-class digital football platform to become the home of football in Australia, bringing fans closer to the world’s game.

The A-Leagues will continue to showcase the best in emerging Australian talent, from leagues featuring unparalleled numbers of emerging stars – several of whom have already played central roles at the Olympics after making headlines on the domestic stage last season.

Danny Townsend, Managing Director, said the new A-Leagues brand has a simple idea at its core.

“It’s not men’s football, or women’s football, it’s just football,” he said. “We’re committed to growing the game in Australia – for everyone. That means delivering a world-class experience on and off the pitch and inspiring the next-generation of A-Leagues superstars to fulfil their highest potential. This is just the beginning of our ambitious, long-term vision for the growth of football in Australia.”

Ant Hearne, Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We know our fans live and breathe football so we want to create the best possible experience in the stadium, at home, on the move, through gaming or fashion or food – however fans want to connect with football, we will deliver.”

The new A-Leagues 2021-22 season will kick off on November 19 for A-League Men and December 3 for A-League Women.

Taupō To Host 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship

IRONMAN today announced that the 2024 IRONMAN® 70.3® World Championship is set to be held in Taupō, New Zealand on 14-15 December 2024.

Taupō was originally selected to host the 2020 edition of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship which was cancelled due to the ongoing and widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taupō was then slated to host the event in 2022 before continued uncertainty around international travel led to next year’s event being shifted to St George, Utah, USA.

“We are pleased that the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will be taking place at the home of IRONMAN in New Zealand, Taupō,” said Andrew Messick, President & CEO of The IRONMAN Group. “Taupō is a historic and iconic destination in the world of IRONMAN, and while the wait to compete there in a world championship event has been longer than we had hoped, we can’t wait to see the best IRONMAN 70.3 athletes from around the globe have an opportunity to race in December 2024.”

Geoff Meyer, Oceania Managing Director for The IRONMAN Group, added his appreciation for the collaborative work by all stakeholders to provide athletes from around the world the opportunity to race this unique destination that has embraced IRONMAN Group events for more than 20 years.

“It is great to see all of our stakeholders come together to lock in a new date and welcome the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship to Taupō after the cancelation in 2020 and shift in location for 2022,” he said. “The additional two-year wait will put us in a position to welcome many more athletes to Taupō than we would have been able to next year, as well as showcasing the region, and New Zealand as a whole, to a global audience.”

Mayor of Taupō, David Trewavas, said that the event would provide an opportunity to showcase the Taupō District, and New Zealand, to a global audience.

“We are proud to be the home of IRONMAN in New Zealand and are ready to show the rest of the world exactly why that is. We have been working closely with stakeholders and are very pleased to see both council and government support roll over to the new date,” said Mayor Trewavas. “We have already laid the foundations to host the world’s best, and we can’t wait to deliver an event like no other that will allow us to showcase both the Taupō District and New Zealand to the rest of the world. Bring on 2024.”

Stuart Nash, Minister of Economic and Regional Development and Tourism said that the region looked forward to welcoming the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship community in 2024.

“We are thrilled that Taupō has secured the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for 2024. Taupō is regarded as a ‘bucket list’ destination for many of IRONMAN’s global athletes, and we can’t wait to host them, their families and supporters alike in a World Championship format in 2024,” said Mr Nash. “The Government is supporting this event through its Major Events Fund; and we know it is going to be worth the wait.”

Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board CEO, Shane Heremaia, also welcomed the announcement.

“We support IRONMAN’s decision to reschedule Taupō’s hosting of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship to 2024 in light of the ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic and border issues,” said Mr Heremaia. “Ngāti Tūwharetoa stands ready to welcome the athletes, their support teams and whānau to enjoy Lake Taupō, our taonga (treasure).”

Looking Ahead

2022 – St. George, Utah, USA

The striking Southwestern community of St. George has been a host venue for IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlons since 2010. St. George’s breathtaking scenery and views of the surrounding red rock canyons have made the community an ideal destination for athletes for years. The city’s walkable downtown area features great local fare and boutique shopping. It is also only a two-hour drive from the nightlife of Las Vegas, with its never-ending entertainment options. The course has historically begun in the beautiful Sand Hollow Reservoir before embarking on a bike course through picturesque Snow Canyon State Park prior to a run through the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

2023 – Lahti, Finland

Situated in Southern Finland, Lahti is the gateway to Finnish Lake District and located less than an hour from Helsinki. This innovative community currently hosts the IRONMAN 70.3 Finland triathlon, which has become a favorite on the European IRONMAN 70.3 calendar. Lahti offers visitors the opportunity to experience national landscapes in the Päijänne National Park. Once visitors arrive in Lahti, everything is within walkable distance, including the city’s transport hub, restaurants, shopping and hotels. Sibelius Hall, where the race has been historically centered, is one of the world’s largest public wooden buildings built in Finland in the last 100 years. The course has historically begun in the beautiful Lake Vesijärvi, with a bike course that leads athletes through forests along lakes and across rolling hills surrounded by typical Finnish villages and followed by a flat and fast run course along the lakeside.

IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Schedule
Year	Location	Date
2022	St. George, Utah, USA	Oct. 28-29, 2022
2023	Lahti, Finland	Aug. 26-27, 2023
2024	Taupō, New Zealand	Dec. 14-15, 2024

Birmingham 2022 Appoints GL Events As Official Overlay Supporter For The Commonwealth Games

Events infrastructure specialists, GL events UK has been appointed as the Official Overlay Supporter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

GL events UK, part of the global GL events Group, will offer planning, design and delivery of a wide-ranging number of temporary infrastructure services, as part of the Turnkey Overlay delivery contract, which includes temporary structures and marquees, temporary grandstand seating, cabins, scaffolding, rigging, fencing, containment, trackway, lighting, groundworks as well as venue specific special projects.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports and eight para-sports across 14 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. As the biggest event ever to be held in the West Midlands, it is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.

As part of their delivery of temporary event infrastructure, GL events will provide approximately 16,500m² of temporary structures, almost 44,000 grandstand seats and over 19km of fencing.

GL events and Birmingham 2022 are aligned in their aim to strengthen connections between communities in the West Midlands. As part of their delivery, GL events UK is also rolling out its most extensive social value programme yet, working alongside key Birmingham charities and CIC’s such as Jericho Foundation and Change Kitchen.

Scott Jameson, Managing Director of GL events UK, said: “As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of temporary event infrastructure, GL events has an enviable track record delivering at previous Commonwealth Games events, Olympic Games, and other major multi-sport championships. We are delighted that Birmingham 2022 has demonstrated its confidence in our business to deliver on the global stage.

“As a Midlands-based business, we feel passionately about upholding the values of Birmingham 2022 and are excited not only to deliver the highest standard of overlay services, but through our Social Value programme, contribute to the sustainability of the Games and the benefit of the wider West Midlands community.”

Ian Reid, CEO at Birmingham 2022, said: “It is fantastic to have GL events UK join us as our Official Overlay Supporter for Birmingham 2022. The team bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from their partnerships with previous Commonwealth Games and other multi-sport events and I’m confident they will help us deliver a safe and successful Games.

“We want Birmingham 2022 to leave a positive legacy in the region and look forward to working with GL events UK on their social value programme with local charities and organisations.”

Martin Reynolds, Executive Director at the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: “Having worked on previous editions of the Commonwealth Games, we are delighted our strong partnership with GL events is continuing as they become the Official Overlay Supporter of Birmingham 2022.

With significant expertise in supporting the delivery of world-class multi-sport events, GL events will play an integral role in helping us showcase the very best of Commonwealth Sport to a global audience.”

The ticket ballot is open and there are more than one million tickets available for the biggest multi-sport event to be held in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Prices start at £8 for under 16s and £15 for adults but vary depending on where you want to sit in each of the 14 venues and depending on which session you want to attend.

PGA TOUR And CDW Extend Partnership Through 2026

The PGA TOUR and CDW Corporation, a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions, today announced an extension of their marketing relationship that names CDW as the “Official Technology Solutions Advisor” of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. ShotLink, the TOUR’s real-time data collection and scoring system, will continue to be powered by technology and insights from CDW.

“We are grateful for our relationship with CDW and look forward to building upon this foundational partnership,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR executive vice president of corporate partnerships. “CDW provides the TOUR with valuable advisory services and expertise that continue to enhance our technological capabilities and benefit our tournaments, broadcast partners, players and fans in many ways.”

As an official TOUR partner since 2008, CDW has been instrumental in supporting a variety of technology advancements for the PGA TOUR’s ShotLink scoring system, helping track and capture every shot for fans around the world to enjoy on TOUR digital and media platforms. In addition, CDW enabled many technology integrations at the TOUR’s newly opened Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

“CDW is thrilled to extend our partnership with the PGA TOUR and continue leveraging our wide range of IT solutions and services to support the complex technology needs of the PGA TOUR,” said Mark Chong, senior vice president of strategy and marketing at CDW. “In order to provide the best TOUR experience possible, CDW is continually bringing highly advanced technology solutions that meet the rapidly changing needs of the PGA TOUR. As the sports landscape continues to evolve, our strong relationship with the PGA TOUR showcases the power of partnership and the importance of innovation between technology and sports.”

CDW will continue its hospitality and customer engagement programs at tournaments in strategic markets throughout the PGA TOUR season and maintain a presence across PGA TOUR social, digital and broadcast platforms. The TOUR will also continue utilizing CDW for products, solutions and services, including enhancements to ShotLink as well as enterprise technology needs for all TOUR-owned properties.

“CDW has been integral to the growth of ShotLink and delivering real-time scoring across all TOUR platforms that reach millions of fans around the world,” said Ken Lovell, PGA TOUR senior vice president golf technologies. “We are constantly working to innovate, and CDW is an invaluable partner in that pursuit.”

Creative Artists Agency To Acquire ICM Partners

Leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) announced today the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire ICM Partners (ICM), one of the world’s premier entertainment and sports agencies, to drive broader and more inclusive representation as their clients, their work, and their brands shape culture.

“Today’s storytellers, athletes, thought-leaders, and trend-setters who can move, inspire, and attract large, global audiences have unprecedented opportunity and ability to achieve their goals and aspirations,” said CAA’s Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane, and Richard Lovett. “The strategic combination of CAA and ICM bolsters our collective resources, expertise, and relationships to deliver even more opportunities for our world-class clients to build their careers and their brands across multiple disciplines and platforms in an evolving marketplace. Our strong financial position enables us to continue to expand and diversify our businesses, with service and representation remaining central to what we do and who we are. We’re fortunate to have a partner in ICM who shares our commitment to the widest and most inclusive vision possible for what our clients and company can accomplish together.”

“We’re thrilled to partner and combine forces with the talented CAA team,” said ICM’s Chris Silbermann, who will join CAA’s shareholder board. “Together, we will build upon our accomplishments and entrepreneurial spirit, and continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the best interests of our clients, as well as empowering new, diverse voices within the industry.”

The complementary combination of CAA and ICM will create deeper, broader, and more competitive opportunities for clients in the ever-evolving entertainment, media, and sports landscapes. ICM brings to CAA a global roster of artists in film, television, music, comedy, theater, games, politics, and podcasting. ICM’s industry-leading books division superbly complements CAA’s content-driven motion pictures, television, and podcasting businesses, in addition to its speakers arm, and other divisions. Further, ICM’s London-based ICM Stellar Sports, serves more than 800 clients around the globe and maintains offices in 10 countries.

CAA is a leading entertainment, media, and sports enterprise, with global expertise in motion pictures, television, music, sports, theater, digital media, publishing, endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, podcasting, speaking, games, and philanthropy. Led by a world-class management team and distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies and innovates opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world. CAA was the first entertainment talent agency to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, and establish a business in China, among other industry innovations. A subsidiary of CAA, Entertainment Benefits Group (EBG) is a leader in corporate entertainment and travel, with more than 40,000 clients and 60 million users. Founded in 1975, CAA is headquartered in Los Angeles, and has a significant presence in New York, Nashville, London, Beijing, and Shanghai, as well as offices in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Geneva, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Munich, Orlando, Stockholm, and Toronto, among other locations globally. For more information, please visit www.caa.com.

ICM is one of the world’s premier entertainment, media, sports agencies, dedicated to the global representation of artists, content creators, broadcasters, authors, artisans, journalists, and athletes in film, television, sports, publishing, theater, music, live performance, podcasting, branding, endorsements, product placements, sponsorship, commercials, broadcasting, speaking, and politics. Originally founded in 1975 as International Creative Management, then rebranded as ICM Partners in 2012, ICM has the expertise and influence of a legacy agency, and an entrepreneurial innovative spirit dedicated to serving its clients across the globe with passion and distinction. ICM has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., and London, and strategic partnerships in Europe, Asia, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.icmpartners.com.

The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Disabled Teenager And His Twin Brother Join LDN UTD Futures Fortnite Team

A disabled teenager and his twin brother are both on track to becoming Fortnite pros, with the help of the social purpose-driven esports organisation LDN UTD.

Born with just one arm, Ryan Wilson, 14, started gaming aged seven, at first with the help of his brother, Jayden. They’d play ‘Joy Ride’ on their Xbox 360 using the motion sensing device, Kinect. “I needed to do star jumps,” Ryan explains. “But I couldn’t do them properly, as I didn’t have a right arm. So, Jayden would stand behind me, and act as my right arm.”

Today the boys, who live in Great Paxton, Cambridgeshire, are estimated to be in the top 10,000 Fortnite players globally, despite playing on old machines and less than stellar Wi-Fi. Hence the requirement now to find a broadband and PC supplier.

LDN UTD nurtures, develops and educates young talent, and is providing the infrastructure and professional coaching to get the boys to the next level. Fortnite coach Darz has been brought on board to work with them.

“We’re so excited,” Ryan says, “we’ve got so much to learn. I know with the support of LDN UTD we’ll both be able to turn pro.” Ryan has adapted his game to ensure his disability doesn’t hold him back in any way at all. “I really want to show other disabled people what they can do. I want to use my experience, hopefully my success, to inspire them to do the same. To show others that absolutely anything is possible.”

The boys are in the top sets for most subjects at school. They box several times a week with their dad, and Jayden is also a keen footballer. “To become pros,” Jayden explains, “you need to be in top condition, physically and mentally, so we work on every aspect of our game. It’s about far more than just spending hours and hours gaming.” They’re great mates and of course arch-rivals as well. “When Ryan does well, I want to do even better! We push each other the whole time.”

LDN UTD unites professional esports and grassroots gaming with healthy lifestyle and social issues. They’ve held campaigns around racism, knife crime, diversity, nutrition, loneliness, and education and have already worked with the likes of the Mayor of London, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, Man City, Matchroom Sport and grime artist P Money.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the boys,” LDN UTD’s CEO Oliver Weingarten says, “I have been impressed with their incredible skill and drive. Ryan has such resilience and an incredible in-game IQ and Jayden is a natural leader. With the right equipment and support, I can see them climbing the rankings. I can’t wait to see how high they can both go.”

Ryan and Jayden are part of LDN UTD’s Futures program, and a range of sponsorship packages are available.

www.ldnutd.gg

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.