Genius Sports Names Ian Wray To Lead Global Soccer Growth

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, has appointed sports data expert Ian Wray to lead its growth in the global soccer market.

Wray joins Genius Sports from ChyronHego where he led global sales for their sports-data focused Tracab division for the past nine years. In that role, he worked closely with the majority of major football leagues and federations globally to implement data tracking, coaching and fan engagement solutions.

Wray will oversee Genius Sports’ partnerships with many of the world’s leading soccer organizations including the English Premier League, Argentine Football Association and Liga MX. Applying his extensive expertise in official sports data, Wray will help to expand Genius Sports’ fast-growing range of technology, video and fan engagement solutions across the global soccer sector.

Jack Davison, Chief Commercial Officer at Genius Sports, said: “Ian is a real expert in how official data can be monetized to power the most contextual and engaging products for fans, coaches, broadcasters and other key stakeholders. Our global soccer business has grown significantly in recent years and Ian is the perfect person to take that to the next level.”

Ian Wray said: “I’m tremendously excited to be joining Genius Sports at this key moment in the company’s development. The market for official sports data and video content is continuing to expand at pace. I’m, therefore, very much looking forward to helping Genius Sports leverage its existing technology portfolio, as well as its impressive recent acquisitions, to deliver even greater value across the whole spectrum of stakeholders within the world of soccer.”

CSM Sport & Entertainment Appoints Dual Regional Directors In Asia

CSM Sport & Entertainment has announced a new leadership structure for their Asia operations which sees the appointment of two Regional Directors.

Lesley Murphy and Kathryn Rhodes have been promoted to oversee the agency in a joint Regional Director role after having both played a key part in overseeing client accounts and business operations in recent years.

Murphy has been with the CSM business since 2014, first leading the agency’s key account with AIA Insurance and the strategic delivery of their global partnership with Tottenham Hotspur. In her previous role, Murphy oversaw marketing and communications for CSM in the region and will continue to lead on driving exposure of the agency’s service offerings and expertise moving forward.

Kathryn Rhodes joined CSM in 2016 to spearhead HSBC’s sponsorship strategy and delivery of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Asia. In more recent times, Rhodes has led the charge on the agency’s business development, focused on driving new and existing client growth.  Rhodes will look to ramp up business development efforts across the region in her new role and continue to work closely with global and regional sales teams to connect brands with value-adding properties.

Both roles will report into CSM Deputy Chairman, Jim Glover, who commented: “The combination of the two skillsets that Kathryn and Lesley bring to the business will provide a very solid base from which we plan to increase our involvement and activity in the region. I have no doubt they will continue the fantastic work we already provide for our clients and look forward to working with them and the whole team to grow our offerings in Asia.”

On the appointment, Rhodes shared “I’m extremely excited to lead the CSM team and our growth strategy in Asia.  And it makes me proud to do so alongside another female leader”. Murphy added “I am thrilled to be taking on this new role to oversee our ambitions in Asia, and grateful to work with such an exceptional team. I look forward to expanding CSM Asia’s reach and impact across the region together”.

CSM has been delivering work across the APAC region for over ten years with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and Australia. Aside from long-standing clients, HSBC and AIA, the agency works with leading brands and rightsholders in the region such as adidas, SAP, Jaguar Land Rover, Hisense, Citi, CLP, and most recently NEOM.

CRYPTO.COM Becomes Paris Saint-Germain’s Official Cryptocurrency Platform

Innovation-driven Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has today announced a multi-year partnership agreement with the world’s fastest growing crypto platform, Crypto.com. Crypto.com will become the Official Cryptocurrency Platform Partner of the Parisian club and the partnership will also include the release of exclusive Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on Crypto.com’s native NFT platform: Crypto.com/NFT. In addition, for the first time ever for an agreement of such a scale, Crypto.com will pay a significant portion of the sponsorship fee using the cryptocurrency token CRO.

Paris Saint-Germain has recently built one of the strongest football teams in the history of the sport. Adding world class players Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes to an already exceptionally strong squad, has seen the club’s international appeal rise to new heights. Partnering with Crypto.com, a leader in the crypto industry was a natural next step. The company boasts over 10 million users worldwide and is a top-ten finance app in both the App Store and Google Play. In addition to building the world’s fastest growing crypto platform, Crypto.com also offers the world’s most popular crypto card available in 30+ countries.

Crypto.com has led the industry in sports partnerships, recently announcing global partnerships with UFC, Formula 1®, and Lega Serie A. Earlier this year, Crypto.com became the first crypto platform to partner with an F1 team, and the first to partner with an NHL team.

Marc Armstrong, Chief Partnerships Officer, Paris Saint-Germain, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Crypto.com to the Paris Saint-Germain partner family. We share the same passion for innovation and the same ambition to reach the very top. With this partnership Paris Saint-Germain demonstrates once more it’s vision and leadership as a pioneer in areas such as lifestyle, esports and digital. It is an exciting time for Cryptocurrency and we cannot wait to work with Crypto.com to bring new experiences to all of the club’s fans.”

“Our mission since day one has been to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency. We do so by finding the best partners in the world, and Paris Saint-Germain is second to none” said Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek, “Between the brand visibility, stadium and team access, and collaborative development of NFTs, I have no doubt we’ll create new and exciting experiences for football fans around the world.”

InCrowd Welcomes Simon Thomas As Chairman

With significant growth in the UK and International markets in the last three years, InCrowd has appointed Simon Thomas, as Chairman of its Board of Directors. A leader in the evolution of commercial sports marketing during his time at TEAM Marketing, FIFA and Fox, Thomas will guide the Board and shareholders, whilst offering strategic advice and support to the senior management team. 

Aidan Cooney, InCrowd’s co-founder and CEO stated, “We are absolutely thrilled that Simon has agreed to join InCrowd as Chairman. His appointment adds to a number of new senior executive appointments we have made in the past year. The level of experience that Simon brings both in terms of his standing in the industry and as a specialist in organisational transformation and development, should turbo-charge our next phase of growth across multiple new territories .”  

Thomas adds, “I have great respect for Aidan; as the founder of Opta Sports, he has a great track record and enormous experience in this area. At InCrowd he has built a strong team and the progression of the business in just 6 years is impressive. Product innovation to crack the digital challenge is paramount, along with client success and the creation of strong and trusted relationships. It’s an exciting era for the business and I’m very happy to join the team.”

Over the last 18 months, sport has seen a distinct acceleration in its digital transformation, as organisations realise the importance of truly knowing, connecting and engaging with fans on a deeper and personalised level through better use of first party data and premium fan facing platforms. 

In response to this, InCrowd chose to focus on product development, ideating, building and delivering new and innovative solutions to respond to the rapidly changing requirements of clients and their commercial partners. Over the last 2 years, InCrowd has almost doubled in size to over one hundred team members, with 65% of the workforce focussed on R&D. 

At the heart of InCrowd’s product innovation is their Customer Data and Experience Platform (CDXP), Bridge, a “one stop shop” for querying and using customer data to create personalised fan experiences across digital platforms via a best in class headless CMS and direct to fan content, messaging and engagement tools, all analysed across a range of tailored reporting suites.

“The very foundation of our business lies in our belief that fans are your greatest asset and that creating great digital experiences through high-quality fan facing platforms, data driven content & messaging and innovative activations is the most effective way to drive swift ROI.” says Cooney.

“We empower clients to be bold in their digital and data transformations and support them fully at every stage of their journey. These are the organisations that are now reaping the rewards and we’re excited to help others reach their full potential.”

Thomas agrees; “We are in an era of digital disruption, and clearly the industry is moving towards greater and more effective use of data. InCrowd are market leaders in this space. Everyone’s talking about the need to connect directly with fans and consumers, but at the moment it seems to be more talk than action. InCrowd are actually making things happen, facilitating monumental digital changes for their clients and demonstrating tangible returns, which is one of the things that sets them apart.”

About Simon Thomas

A sports industry veteran, Simon will take on the role of Chairman alongside his role of Partner at Colgan Bauer. An influential boutique firm, Colgan Bauer offers international sports strategy consultancy for many of the world’s top governing bodies, rights holders and investors. Prior to this, Simon was Chief Commercial Officer at FIFA, where he extensively restructured the digital and commercial teams.  His further experience includes 15 years at TEAM Marketing, UEFA’s commercial agency for the development of UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions in various roles culminating in Chief Executive Officer; and 3 years as EVP Global Sport and Content Sales at Fox where he acted on rights acquisitions for Fox Sports internationally and established a global content sales team selling entertainment, factual and sports content. Simon also established his own advisory agency, Talisman Sport & Media.

PCB Signs Three-Year Agreement With CricHQ And CricViz

The Pakistan Cricket Board has signed a three-year agreement with internationally renowned scoring platform CricHQ and world’s leading cricket data providers CricViz.

CricHQ will be PCB’s live scoring partner and will digitise scoring from grassroots level all the way up to the top-tier of Pakistan cricket which is the First XIs of the six Cricket Associations. The partnership will enable the PCB to collect data and analyse player performances using match reports and statistics.

Additionally, CricHQ will also provide video automation and capturing solutions for domestic matches in order to help coaches and players analyse performances.

CricViz, widely regarded as one of the leading data analytics software in the world, will give the PCB analysts and coaches the licenses to their query tool. The analysts and coaches will also be trained on the software to help in preparation of pre-match, during match and post-match analysis using the software.

Both partnerships are in line with the PCB’s plan to upgrade its data analytical wing to provide state of the art data analysis, match plus player impacts etc. These tools will help in modernising Pakistan cricket in terms of data analysis and selection of players.

The players are also set to make considerable gains as the tools are designed to help improve their performances while overcoming the flaws in techniques that might creep in their game from time to time.

Director High Performance Nadeem Khan: “We are delighted to enter into this very exciting partnership with CricHQ and CricViz. These partnerships will provide our players, coaches and selectors with the most modern statistics and tools that have become an integral part of present day cricket across the three formats. In recent years, these tools have turned the fortunes of many players and teams as data and statistics continue to revolutionise modern day cricket with the growing demands and advancements in technology.

“CricViz is one of the leading data analytics software in the world. It will not only provide full access but also training to our analysts on their software so we can make pre-match, during match and post-match analysis using their software.

“We would also be providing the same software at the domestic level to help up and coming players learn and understand how these tools can benefit them besides providing the coaching staff a great opportunity to upskill themselves and gauge their players.”

“This upgradation will help our data analytical wing to provide state of the art data analysis, match plus player impacts to their respective coaches at various levels of our professional cricket.”

CricHQ General Manager Global Grant Elliot: “We are very excited to be partnering with the PCB as their official scoring provider for all cricket. We look forward to using our technology to grow the talent and the game. It comes at a time when New Zealand plan to tour Pakistan after a break in international cricket.

“We at CricHQ are passionate about growing innovating and using the latest technology. It’s clear that the PCB plan on using digital technology to get the edge on talent and stay in touch with all their stakeholder by digitising players and their fans.”

IOC Awards 2026-2032 Broadcast Rights In China

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that the China Media Group (CMG) has been awarded the exclusive broadcast rights in the Chinese mainland and Macau (SAR) for the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina in 2026, the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad in Los Angeles in 2028, the XXVI Olympic Winter Games in 2030, and the Games of the XXXV Olympiad in Brisbane in 2032.

CMG has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile. The agreement also includes the right to broadcast all editions of the Youth Olympic Games until 2032.

The new agreement was signed during a virtual ceremony between IOC President Thomas Bach and CMG President Shen Haixiong.

“The IOC is delighted to announce an extension to our agreement with our longstanding broadcast partner, CMG” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The new agreement means Chinese sports fans will be able to continue enjoying CMG’s first-class coverage of the Olympic Games through to 2032. I would like to congratulate CMG for the overwhelming success of its coverage of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, when it reached hundreds of millions of people.”

The IOC redistributes over 90 per cent of all its revenues to support athletes and sports organisations around the world. In these times of crisis, this support and solidarity are more important now than ever.

Shen Haixiong, CMG President, pointed out that: “CMG and the IOC enjoy long-term friendly cooperation. CMG sent a team of nearly 800 people to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The team made contributions to the success of the Olympic Games under special circumstances through CMG’s coverage and supporting OBS’s world feed productions. This displayed CMG’s support for the Olympic Movement. The renewal of the Olympic Games broadcast rights in China will not only extend the partnership between the two sides, but also create a solid basis for widespread, continuous promotion of the Olympic Movement in China.”

According to Shen Haixiong, CMG’s CCTV Olympic Channel, which will be the world’s first 4K+HD, 7/24 TV channel, will be launched this year, along with the digital platforms of the CCTV Olympic Channel. This will be another key accomplishment in the cooperation between CMG and the IOC. It will facilitate the promotion of the Olympic Movement and the Olympic values in China and create a great atmosphere for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 to “encourage 300 million Chinese to engage in winter sports,” said Shen Haixiong.

CMG will broadcast the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in China with new innovations, including 8K Ultra HD transmission, and also support Olympic Broadcast Services’ production of the world feed.

CMG already has an agreement to broadcast the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The group (previously known as CCTV) has broadcast the Olympic Games through its agreement with the Asia Broadcast Union since the 1980s, and first acquired rights directly from the IOC for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008.

Quadrant Reveals Elgato As Official Streaming Equipment Partner

Quadrant has today (10 September) revealed a long-term partnership with world-leading audio-visual technology provider Elgato. As a popular gaming content channel and streaming hardware organisation, both companies occupy prominent positions in the video sharing arena and a collaboration between the two is a natural fit, signalling Quadrant’s first official partnership. 

The Munich-based streaming solutions brand offers a broad range of innovative audio-visual products including microphones, webcams and lighting as well as interface decks and capture devices that are used by content creators across all video sharing platforms. 

As Quadrant’s Official Streaming Equipment Partner, Elgato will unlock the combined audience of the channel’s prestigious talent team – Lando Norris, FNG, Aarava, SuperGT, RiaBish, Fifakill and Max Fewtrell – collectively amassing over three million YouTube subscribers, enabling them to reach an all-new viewership for the first time. 

Norris’ premium lifestyle and gaming brand, meanwhile, has witnessed its fanbase grow exponentially since its conception in November 2020 (100% in just six months), producing entertaining and engaging content for its channels during the last 10 months. 

The partnership promises to to be mutually beneficial with Quadrant members receiving an updated streaming set-up, including green screens, capture cards, microphones, lighting products, mounting solutions, stream controllers and Elgato’s new-for-2021 face cams. 

Together, the two organisations are set to harness a long-term partnership to deliver top quality content to global audiences on premium streaming hardware. 

Jamie MacLaurin, Chief Sporting Officer, Quadrant commented:

“We are really excited to announce Elgato as Quadrant’s first major partner. This is a brand that is synonymous with content creation and streaming across the globe and we are incredibly happy to have both their knowledge and experience on board.

“This partnership is a testament to the hard work put in by the team over the past 10 months and we cannot wait to see what creative content this collaboration produces.”

Tom Hildreth, Senior Partnerships Manager, Elgato commented: 

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Quadrant. After following them closely since their formation at the end of 2020, they have shown they aren’t afraid to try new things and create unique, high-quality content. With a growing roster of talented creators, an engaged community and a strong brand, Quadrant is a team we are thrilled to be supporting and working with.”

LaLiga Partners With Sorare To Enter The World Of NFTs

Today marks a historic moment for NFTs as Sorare welcomes LaLiga to the global fantasy football game.

One of the most popular leagues in sports ever, LaLiga becomes the first of the top 5 world football leagues to enter the NFT space for the first time … with Sorare.

More than a partnership

Together, LaLiga and Sorare are delivering a new way for LaLiga fans to unlock their football passion and connect with their favourite football clubs and players. Through Sorare cards, SO5, pitch-side ads, tickets for fans, and by offering unique football experiences that money can’t buy, LaLiga and Sorare are opening the world of NFTs to millions of fans for years to come. It’s more than a partnership, it’s a shared vision.

Of this launch, our CEO Nicolas Julia says:

“La Liga is one of the best leagues in the world, home to some of the most exciting clubs and footballers on earth. We are very proud that they have chosen Sorare to enter the world of NFTs. We are looking forward to working together in the years ahead.”

Javier Tebas, President of La Liga added:

“At the forefront of innovation, we are always looking ahead, looking to the future, to offer our fans new experiences. To constantly improve them, and to offer better coverage for our brand, Sorare will enable us to reach out to new, young communities, especially in Asia and America. We are very excited to be working with Sorare — the most exciting Sports NFT project today.”

So yes, yes! You read that right! All 20 LaLiga clubs will be joining Sorare with their cards landing on the Sorare market today.

It’s going to be a busy day so here’s everything you need to know to get prepared!

A Tour around Spain — The Auction Schedule

Sorare are doing something different for the launch of LaLiga to properly celebrate Spain’s legendary top league. Hop on the Sorare team bus and follow us on a six stop tour around the sunny regions of Spain as we launch a new Spanish club every 30 minutes.

LaLiga Limited Starter Packs

For the first time ever we’re launching Limited Starter Pack bundles for the die hard fans or anyone looking to dip their toes in LaLiga. Each bundle will include a Goalkeeper, Defender, Midfielder, Forward and an extra outfield player all from the same club. These will hit the Market next week!

A Very Special Weekly for Game Week 200

Tomorrow also marks an important day for Sorare and our community, it’s Game Week 200! To celebrate the launch of LaLiga and the Mighty 200, we’ve organised an extra special weekly.

The Mighty Top 200 Managers will win a special edition Game Week 200 LaLiga Limited card.

The Manager at the very top will win a special edition Gerard Piqué limited card. This card is a claim to a football fanatic’s trip of a lifetime. An all expenses paid trip to the biggest domestic league fixture in the world — El Clasico. The manager who owns that card on September 30th will be able to claim the Clasico Experience (more details to follow).

At Sorare, we’re football romantics. We’re harnessing the immense potential of NFTs and connecting digital and physical world experiences. This prize is just another step of many as together, we build more special moments, true ownership, and true football connection with your Sorare NFT cards.

We hope you’re ready for the journey ahead! For now, get ready to welcome LaLiga fans from around the world and of course… get scouting!

Inter Milan And ManpowerGroup Announce Extended Partnership

ManpowerGroup and FC Internazionale Milano are proud to announce that they have extended
their partnership for the coming seasons.

The partnership between Inter and the global leader in the innovative workforce solutions space is now
in its fifth year, reflecting the strong relationship between the two organisations, who share a number of
key values and work together with the aim of promoting talent, work, professional development and
sporting ethics.

ManpowerGroup – Inter’s Regional Partner and Official HR Partner – has long been a believer in the
values that sport conveys and that are equally important in the world of work, such as teamwork, loyalty
and the importance of challenging oneself. Added to that is safety, a newer concept but one that we all
view with fresh importance now, in work and in sport.

“We’re pleased to have renewed our partnership with Inter, the reigning champions of Italy and one of
the most important and historic clubs in the world,” said ManpowerGroup Italia CEO Stefano Scabbio.

“Together with Inter, we want to continue to invest in young people and in talent development. By
supporting this, talent can be one of the main drivers behind our country’s push to get back on its feet.”

Verizon And NFL Kick Off A 5G Future For Football With New Partnership

10-year partnership builds on longstanding relationship with the potential to drive future innovation for teams, coaches, players and fans.

Verizon and the NFL today announced a 10-year partnership that will utilize 5G to support innovation and technology adoption throughout the league. The partnership builds on the more than 10-year relationship between the NFL and Verizon that paved the way for the installation of Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service in parts of 25 NFL stadiums. Over the next decade, Verizon and the NFL will utilize 5G to unlock advancements that could have the ability to impact management, scouting, training, health and safety and game day operations.

“The NFL has embraced innovation for decades to bring fans closer to the game, from instant replay technology to outfitting players with microphones,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO Verizon. “Our longstanding relationship, and swift delivery of 5G connectivity in 25 stadiums, has created new ways to bring fans even closer to the action. As we embark on the next 10 years, our work with the NFL will continue to enhance and transform not only the fan experience, but also has the potential to improve player training and overall venue operations.”

“For the past decade, Verizon has been one of our key technology partners, helping with everything from digital distribution of NFL content, engaging our fans at the NFL’s biggest events, enhancing communications throughout the NFL ecosystem and upgrading technology within stadiums across the League,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “As we look to the next decade with our trusted partner, Verizon will help us capitalize on the promise of 5G technology, paving the way for the future of the game and delivering incredible experiences for millions of NFL fans.”

Together, Verizon and the NFL are transforming how people watch sports at the stadium. In 2019 Verizon deployed 5G Ultra Wideband in parts of 13 stadiums to coincide with the NFL regular season Kickoff. Over the last two years, Verizon has expanded 5G Ultra Wideband connectivity within those venues and surrounding areas, and has partnered with the NFL on in-stadium fan experiences like Verizon 5G Multi-View, which enables fans to view up to seven simultaneous camera angles and AR overlays of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats on select 5G-enabled phones. Verizon 5G Multi-View will continue to be available during the 2021 season in select NFL Club phone apps for fans in-stadium on gameday. Today, 5G Ultra Wideband is live in select parts of 25 NFL stadiums and more than 60 sports and entertainment venues across the country.

5G can unlock the incredible speeds, massive capacity and low latency that is enabling true innovation within the industry. In the future, 5G could support real-time analytics and visualizations for coaches and players, giving them a whole new ability to learn from the last play and prepare for the next one. 5G-enabled NFL venues could be turned into digital arenas that can host mobile-gaming events with real-time, on-site multiplayer action.

Shaping venue operations

Stadiums require a high level of technology, utilizing business solutions that can then be deployed to businesses of any industry. 5G coverage throughout venues gives operators the opportunity to unlock solutions that impact fan experience, public safety, access control, concessions, and crowd management.

Verizon is working with collaborator technology companies to bring to life brand new experiences within stadiums and venues around the country. For example, Verizon is currently collaborating to pair LIDAR technology with Verizon 5G Edge to help venue owners gain real-time information on crowd patterns, so they can make immediate decisions to help improve the flow of people.

National partnership, local impact

Verizon’s investment in upgrading the network in and around the 25 stadiums with 5G connectivity represents hundreds of millions of dollars in commitment to deliver fast reliable connectivity in NFL home cities. Specific stadium upgrades in this season’s Kickoff and Super Bowl cities include:

Tampa: Last year, Verizon invested over $80 million dollars for permanent network enhancements to its award-winning network to support the Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium and around Tampa. The stadium and the surrounding areas received substantial 5G enhancements, including 70 miles of high speed fiber, an upgraded distributed antenna system (DAS), and 281 small cell antennas that will provide coverage at events in and around the stadium as well as Downtown Tampa, Ybor City and the Tampa Riverwalk.

Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium, home of Super Bowl LVI, is Verizon’s largest 5G stadium build to date. The stadium and surrounding campus of Hollywood Park were built with 5G Ultra Wideband at the core by partnering early in the design process.