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iSportConnect Offers Condolences To The Families Of Jacques Rogge And Simon Greenberg

The sporting fraternity has lost two highly valued members this week, in the passing of Jacques Rogge and Simon Greenberg, and iSportConnect would like to offer its condolences to both of their families.

Jacques Rogge

Rogge was the eighth President of the IOC, from 2001 to 2013, after which he became Honorary President.

IOC President Thomas Bach stated in the IOC’s announcement of his passing: “First and foremost, Jacques loved sport and being with athletes – and he transmitted this passion to everyone who knew him. His joy in sport was infectious.

“He was an accomplished President, helping to modernise and transform the IOC. He will be remembered particularly for championing youth sport and for inaugurating the Youth Olympic Games. He was also a fierce proponent of clean sport, and fought tirelessly against the evils of doping.

“The entire Olympic Movement will deeply mourn the loss of a great friend and a passionate fan of sport.”

Rogge Was On Time

A recollection from our own Jay Stuart of an encounter with the former IOC President

In the sometimes murky world of Olympic politics the Belgian physician Jacques Rogge was a man of transparent decency and his presidency of the IOC was instrumental in restoring the organisation’s credibility and reputation in the wake of the Salt Lake City integrity crisis. After hearing of his passing I’d like a share a little personal tidbit that I remember him by.

In 2000, before he was elected, I requested an interview for Sportvision magazine, of which I was the editor. The magazine was a modest one but we spoke directly to the international federations and as he was running for IOC president it was potentially a useful platform for him. He agreed to do it in Sydney during the 2000 Summer Games and we made an appointment − for a Friday evening at 8 p.m.

I arrived at the official downtown hotel of the IOC well in advance. The lobby where we were to meet was usually buzzing. It was most definitely not buzzing. The place was empty. I don’t just mean quiet. I mean nobody but me. Of course everybody was out enjoying Sydney and doing things that important IOC-type people do in the evening during the Games. Sitting there all alone I started feeling irritated with myself for not realising that at that time Rogge would be out schmoozing at dinner somewhere like everyone else and foolish for waiting around for him. I thought, ‘There is no way this guy is not going to blow me out, apologise and re-schedule…’

But wouldn’t you know, exactly on time the man himself strolled in and joined me. So it was just the two of us sitting like a couple of wallflowers in the empty lobby. We had a nice friendly chat and I like to think that the article that came of it in my publication, alas long defunct, might even have helped him in his ultimately successful campaign.

Simon Greenberg

Simon Greenberg has also sadly died this week at just 52. Former of the Mail on Sunday, Chelsea FC and News International, before his most recent role with the Athletic, Simon was an extremely valued member of the sports community.

Here is a clip of Simon discussing Dow Jones Sport’s Intelligence Division, which he helped to create during his time at News International, here is a clip of Simon discussing Dow Jones Sport’s Intelligence Division, which he helped to create during his time at News International, with iSportConnect at SportAccord’s event in Denmark a couple of years ago.

Stats Perform Become Official Data Provider Of The Barclays Women’s Super League

Stats Perform, the sports tech leader in data and AI technology, has today announced a new three-year agreement with The Football Association, which will see the company become the Official Data Provider of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.

The agreement means the continuation of a partnership which first started eleven years ago and will see advanced Opta Analytics insights, including metrics such as Expected Goals, Expected Assists and Defensive Coverage, being generated for every match in the women’s top flight.

Opta data from Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches will also be used to power features across the league’s official digital channels, providing fans with performance insights on players in the competition. The FA’s Media Team will also be supported with editorial packs for all Barclays FA WSL matches, as well as benefitting from direct access to Stats Perform’s editorial and research staff, who will be on hand to provide insights to enhance fan engagement. Stats Perform will also provide enhanced data collection across other women’s leagues and competitions.

In addition to the extended Barclays FA WSL support, Stats Perform will also continue to provide ongoing support to the FA’s Performance Analysis department, providing Opta data to assist with the monitoring of England international players and their analysis of upcoming opposition.

Alex Rice, Stats Perform Chief Rights Officer, added: “We are absolutely delighted to have extended our relationship with The FA, which has culminated in Stats Perform becoming the Official Data Provider of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. In recent years, we have seen the profile of the women’s game grow significantly and we will be on hand to deliver detailed insights, derived from AI, on the league’s standout performers. I am looking forward to working closely with The FA in helping them achieve their key goals in developing women’s football, both on and off the field, for the next three years.”

After extending the partnership with Stats Perform through to the summer of 2024, Kathryn Swarbrick, Director of Marketing and Commercial at The Football Association, said: “We’re delighted to be extending our long-term relationship with Stats Perform as we head into the biggest Barclays FA Women’s Super League season ever.

“The women’s game continues to make strides in the right direction and having a recognised and respected data partner is another sign of the professionalism of our game and demonstrates that we want to continue setting the bar higher.”

French Broadcaster TF1 Acquires Rights For Home Rugby World Cup In France 2023

The TF1 group, who have been the French broadcaster of each of the last four Rugby World Cups, is very pleased to announce the renewal of its partnership with World Rugby.

The two partners are delighted to have reached an agreement on the acquisition of the broadcasting rights for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France (8 September – 28 October), and Rugby World Cup 2021 in New-Zealand (8 October -12 November 2022).

With this agreement, the TF1 group is cementing its ambition to provide free-to-air coverage of the best international sporting events, and to make them accessible to as many people as possible.

Hosted by France, the Men’s Rugby World Cup will be the stand-out sporting event of 2023.

The tournament kicks off at the Stade de France with a classic showdown between France and New-Zealand. Over the following seven weeks, the competition will bring its emotion and drama to 10 host cities and 9 stadiums across the country.

The TF1 group is very proud to be able to showcase the highly promising and talented French national team playing on home soil.

The agreement also strengthens the Group’s coverage of women’s sport, as it will broadcast the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2021 played in 2022 across its channels – building on the success of the Women World Cup in 2019, and the recent World and European Handball championships.
2022 will be an eventful year for women’s sport on the TF1 Group’s channels with the next Euro handball tournament, the Euro football tournament and the Rugby World Cup.

Gilles Pélisson, TF1 group Chairman & CEO, says: ‘We are pleased to offer French viewers free-to-air coverage of these fantastic tournaments. This partnership is born out of our commitment to rugby, whose values we are proud to promote to a very large audience, with an ambitious French team that is in a very good state of mind. We are also very happy to offer a very eventful exposure to the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2021 and thus confirm our commitment to women’s sport. It also shows our desire to forge strong ties with the public and to allow them to experience great sporting emotions on our channels’.

Alan Gilpin, World Rugby CEO says: ‘We are delighted to be extending our long-standing and successful partnership with TF1 group. We have a golden opportunity to reach and inspire new fans across France with Rugby World Cups in 2022 and 2023 and we know that TF1, with their passion and expertise for world class live sport, will capture the action, the drama, emotion and story behind the matches perfectly’.

Portugal Masters Added To 2021 European Tour Schedule

The European Tour today added the Portugal Masters to its 2021 schedule, with the rearranged tournament now set to take place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from November 4-7.

It will be the 15^th consecutive edition of the event which became part of the European Tour in 2007. The €1.5million event was originally due to take place at the end of April but was postponed due to travel difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has now been rescheduled for November 4-7, replacing the Volvo China Open which, due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, will be played as a national event only this year and will not be sanctioned by the European Tour.

South African George Coetzee claimed the title when the Portugal Masters was last played in September 2020, finishing two shots clear of Englishman Laurie Canter to secure his fifth European Tour title.
He joined a list of champions that includes Lee Westwood (2009), Shane Lowry (2012) and Pádraig Harrington (2016).

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to confirm the rescheduled Portugal Masters as we continue to reshape the end of our season following yesterday’s announcement of the Mallorca Golf Open.

“Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has been a popular venue with our players, and it has produced plenty of drama, so we are very pleased to be able to return for the 15^th year in a row. We are grateful to the venue for accommodating us at a busy time of the year and to Turismo de Portugal for their long-term support of this tournament.

“Naturally, it is disappointing we are unable to sanction the Volvo China Open again this year, but we have long-standing relationships with Volvo and the China Golf Association, and we look forward to that event returning to our schedule in 2022.”

Stefano Saviotti, Chairman of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection “The Portugal Masters is an incredibly important showcase of golf in The Algarve and we are delighted to once again welcome some of the world’s finest golfers to the Dom Pedro Victoria Course.

“After a difficult period, the European Tour’s return to our facilities enables us to demonstrate why Vilamoura and Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection has a reputation as one of Europe’s most sought after golf destinations. We look forward to hosting such a prestigious event and crowning the 2021 champion.”

Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, said: “The Portugal Masters is of great importance for the tourism sector in Portugal, providing great media exposure of the whole country. It confirms that Portugal continues to be an excellent destination for all golfers, and an international presence in terms of major sporting events. This is a very prestigious competition, and it will be an important moment to showcase the international prestige of our country.”

Host City Application Process Launches for SportAccord’s Industry-Leading Events

SportAccord has launched the host city application processes for future editions of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit from 2023 and the Regional SportAccord from 2022.

Cities interested in hosting the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering have been invited to submit a Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. The next edition of the event will take place from 15-20 May 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America took place in December 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, USA, and those interested in hosting future editions can complete a Bid City Application Form. Applications will be considered to host a dedicated Regional SportAccord for Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, as well as Pan America.

Information about who attends both events, as well as hotel accommodation requirements, short- and long-term hosting benefits, the financial commitments and hosting terms, and the bidding and selection processes can be found by accessing the City Application Information Packages for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit here and Regional SportAccord here.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, first held in 2003, is the only global sports business gathering attended by all international sport federations and their affiliated umbrella organisations, as well as organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, plus experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With more than 1,500 key decision-makers representing over 1,000 different organisations and over 150 cities and regions in attendance, the six-day event in March, April or May each year features high-level meetings, a conference programme split into multiple sector-specific ‘streams’, an exhibition and numerous social events.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, says: “We have been greatly encouraged by the significant number of destinations that have expressed an interest in hosting future editions of our industry-leading events as the global industry continues its recovery from the pandemic. We look forward to receiving formal applications in the coming weeks and months for these events, which will take place after the highly anticipated SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg marks a milestone in the global sports movement’s resurgence.”

Regional SportAccord was launched in order to bring together international sport federations and organisations involved in the business of sport for a specific region, with the 2019 Regional SportAccord Pan America event attended by international sport federations, cities and ministries, rights-holders and industry experts. Designed to welcome more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries representing well over 200 different organisations, Regional SportAccord, held over three days, also showcases a two-day conference programme and an extensive sports industry exhibition.

Click here to check out the City Application Information Package and here to access the Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. For Regional SportAccord, the City Application Information Package can be accessed here and the Bid City Application Form can be found here.

Each Bid City Application Form should be submitted along with a formal Letter of Commitment that has been signed on behalf of the prospective host city.

For any questions regarding the Bid City Application Process, please contact SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt by email at nis.hatt@sportaccord.sport or by phone at +41 79 126 62 28. Every Bid City Application will be presented to the SportAccord Executive Committee for review, and each city will receive feedback in due course.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, the 19th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.

Modelo And UFC Renew ‘Official Beer’ Partnership

Modelo and UFC have renewed their partnership that first established Modelo as the “Official Beer of UFC” in 2018.

As part of the renewed partnership, Modelo and UFC will continue to create memorable experiences for their passionate, shared fanbases across in-venue, digital and retail platforms, including Modelo signage and branding inside UFC’s world-famous Octagon.

“UFC is pleased to extend the partnership with Modelo, an amazing brand that shares our unmatched commitment to a passionate fan base,” said Paul Asencio, UFC Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships. “We are excited about the work we are doing together to revamp gyms and inspire athletes in Cleveland, Austin, Seattle and Saratoga, and look forward to seeing the next generation of fighters come from these communities.”

Modelo and UFC have announced a new initiative with leading nonprofit Rebuilding Together to revitalize training gyms across the country, boosting the Fighting Spirit and ultimately strengthening these communities. In collaboration with Rebuilding Together, Modelo and UFC are renovating several gyms across the U.S. that play integral roles in positively shaping their local areas.

“Modelo and UFC fans know it doesn’t matter where you come from, it matters what you’re made of, and often, self-made people have allies in their corner who help them succeed,” said Greg Gallagher, Vice President, Modelo Brand Marketing. “For many, that support comes from gyms that provide structure and safe havens, which is why we’re proud to partner with UFC to revitalize these important community pillars.”

In addition to the new gym revitalization efforts, Modelo has continued its commitment to communities’ Fighting Spirts by donating funds in recent years to help alleviate the education debt of military veterans, fund the provision of essential supplies, equipment and resources to protect healthcare workers throughout the pandemic, and support COVID-19 relief programming and related small business loans. More efforts to follow in the future.

Getir Expands Tottenham Hotspur Deal To Become Official Training Wear Partner

Getir, the pioneer of ultrafast grocery delivery, has signed a three-year agreement to become Tottenham Hotspur’s new and first-ever Official Training Wear partner, increasing its commitment to the Premier League club as an Official Global Partner.

Having previously announced its first sporting partnership in the UK with Tottenham Hotspur in August, the new agreement will see Getir feature across the Club’s training wear for the Men’s team. The partnership was launched today at the Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre by Head of Kit and Equipment, Steve Dukes, and players, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura, Joe Rodon, who unveiled the new branding after receiving a rapid delivery from one of Getir’s couriers in time for training. Watch HERE.

Since launching in the UK in January, Getir has completed 1 million grocery deliveries across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton, Cardiff, Liverpool and Bristol, and expects to operate in up to 15 UK cities by the end of 2021, as well as launching in the US before the end of the year.

“We are excited to be announced as Tottenham Hotspur’s first-ever Training Wear sponsor. As an Official Global Partner, we look forward to supporting our loyal customers and reaching out to more people in the community on match days throughout this three-year partnership. We are delighted that fans will see our purple and yellow name within the stadium and on the training kits of the players.” says Turancan Salur, Getir UK General Manager.

Todd Kline, Chief Commercial Officer of Tottenham Hotspur commented: “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with Getir and carrying their name on the Men’s team training wear for the next three years. We look forward to supporting the growth in awareness of the Getir brand using the global appeal of the Club and by delivering unique experiences and match-day activations at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for our fans using Getir’s world-class technology.”

European Tour Appoints Organisation’s First Head of Commercial Communications

The European Tour today announced the appointment of James Francis as its first Head of Commercial Communications.

Francis joins the European Tour after four years at Edelman, the world’s largest PR agency, where he was an Associate Director in its London office and advised a wide range of clients in the sports and entertainment sectors.

Prior to that, he worked in Downing Street as Head of Campaigns for the UK Government, and he also has previous experience in an in-house communications role for a global sporting brand from his time as Senior Communications Manager for the Williams Formula One Team.

His appointment as the Tour’s first Head of Commercial Communications, under Communications Director Scott Crockett, reflects the significant commercial growth reported by the European Tour in recent years.

Francis’s portfolio of clients at Edelman included DP World, and he will continue to work closely with the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions in their capacity as an Official Partner of the European Tour, alongside Rolex, BMW, Callaway, Emirates, Workday and Zoom.

He will also be responsible for the Tour’s wider commercial communication strategy which includes the Ryder Cup Worldwide Partner programme, with global brands AON, BMW, BP, RBC and Rolex.

Francis said: “The European Tour is an innovative global sporting brand which has been widely acclaimed in recent years for its creativity, award winning content and pioneering commercial partnerships. It’s an organisation that I have always admired and I’m looking forward to joining the Communications Team to help tell this success story to a global audience.”

Guy Kinnings, the European Tour’s Deputy Chief Executive, Ryder Cup Director and Chief Commercial Officer, added: “James will be a terrific addition to our Communications team, joining us at a key point in our commercial evolution.

“The Tour is more commercially robust than ever before, showing current sponsorship growth of more than 100% on projected new business in 2021 against a market predicted to be 25% down in Europe. We are also energised by the potential for further growth generated by our Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR, and James will be vital in helping us to communicate these positive stories as we continue to drive golf further.”

Herbalife Nutrition Becomes Official Nutrition Partner Of Tottenham Hotspur Women

Herbalife Nutrition, a premier global nutrition company, will work closely with the team to provide expertise and its Herbalife24 sports nutrition products to create programmes that maximise player performance. The partnership will see Herbalife Nutrition branding on the back of Tottenham Hotspur Women players’ shirts and on stadium signage – with both parties collaborating on content creation that can be enjoyed by fans and Herbalife Nutrition members in the UK and globally.

Tottenham Hotspur Women are set to compete in a third straight Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign having gained promotion in 2019. Rehanne Skinner’s team kick-off the season at home to Birmingham City Women on Saturday 4 September, with the match taking place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Herbalife Nutrition has significant experience of supporting elite football clubs, having been nutrition partner to the LA Galaxy in the US since 2005 and in recent years partnering with top European women’s teams, such as Atletico Madrid Femenino in Spain and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin in France.

Manny Nwosu, Country Director, UK, Ireland and Iceland for Herbalife Nutrition, commented: “This exciting new partnership will see Herbalife Nutrition working closely with the Spurs Women’s team to ensure that their nutrition needs are met both in training and during matches. By combining our nutrition expertise, our experience of working with elite sports teams and our leading range of Informed Sport-approved sports nutrition products, we’ll support the players with their unique nutritional requirements both on and off the field.”

Commenting on the new partnership, Todd Kline, Chief Commercial Officer, Tottenham Hotspur, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Herbalife Nutrition as Official Nutrition Partner to our Women’s team ahead of the upcoming season. The partnership unlocks expertise and support from an industry-leading brand that will help accelerate the continued growth our Women’s team has seen in recent years.”

LawAccord 2022 To Focus On The ‘Legal Opportunities And Challenges In The Ever-Expanding World Of Sport’ In Ekaterinburg

The biggest names in sports law, governance and anti-doping will debate ‘Legal Opportunities and Challenges in the Ever-Expanding World of Sport’ at the LawAccord conference during the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The programme for the full-day conference on Monday, 16 May 2022 will feature a series of updates, presentations, Q&As and panel sessions on vital legal matters in sport, with numerous athlete and International Sport Federation (IF) representatives set to take part.

One of the schedule’s highlights will be a ‘Global Report on Safeguarding Sport from Corruption and Crime’ presented by Alexandra Sokolova, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Associate, Corruption and Economic Crime Branch Division at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The programme will also feature Michael Lenard OLY, Vice President, ICAS, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS); Matthieu Reeb, Secretary General, CAS, Dr. François Carrard, Partner and Co-Founder of Kellerhals Carrard; and Stephen Townley, Solicitor, FCIArb, CAS and Jams Arbitrator/Mediator, and Founder of Active Rights Management Limited.

Timely topics that will be discussed include ‘Legal Ramifications of the Pandemic on Existing Commercial Contracts’, ‘Athlete Participation in Governance’, ‘Global Cooperation in Anti-Doping Resolutions’, ‘Preserving Relationships via Alternative Dispute Resolutions’ and ‘Private Equity and Sport – Implications for Governance, IF Rights and Obligations’.

There will also be LawAccord’s regular CAS update on hot topics and recent cases, with networking drinks wrapping up a packed schedule.

“LawAccord provides a forum not only to hear presentations on the latest legal developments that are important to International Federations, but moreover, an opportunity for leading figures from the international sporting community and the sports-law sector to meet and discuss these developments and other issues in sports law.” said Michael Lenard OLY, who is also a Member of the LawAccord Steering Committee. “This LawAccord programme reflects the changing times we live in and the legal challenges and opportunities facing the sporting world as it emerges from the pandemic.”

Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord and GAISF, said: “LawAccord has become an unmissable part of SportAccord in recent years, highlighting issues that IFs and sports industry stakeholders simply cannot ignore. The most recent edition of this gathering of sports-law experts attracted a record number of attendees for its first full-day programme in 2019 and, with excitement building ahead of SportAccord in Ekaterinburg, we are anticipating significant interest in LawAccord next year.”

LawAccord will sit alongside SportAccord’s other established conference streams, which include CityAccord, HealthAccord, MediaAccord, and the main SportAccord Summit programme, and will be of interest to a broad range of stakeholders in sport, including host cities and regions, administrators, event operators and IFs.

InvestAccord, ArtAccord and MinisterAccord will also feature as new streams at next year’s edition of SportAccord in Ekaterinburg, which will take place from 15-20 May 2022.

As the only global sports industry event attended by all IFs and their stakeholders, SportAccord brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.