Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), will lead a prominent presence on the ground at the influential Russia – Country of Sports International Forum in Kazan from 8-10 September.
Dr. Chiulli will lead a delegation representing SportAccord and more than 125 International Sport Federations (IFs) under the GAISF umbrella. The delegation will strengthen relationships with key industry stakeholders, including Regional Sports Ministers and Sports Administrators, ahead of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 from 15-20 May in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
With excellent support at a federal and regional level in Russia, preparations for SportAccord 2022 are progressing smoothly. Dr. Chiulli will discuss the latest plans for next year’s highly anticipated event at a number of official meetings with Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the SportAccord 2021 Organising Committee, as well as with Oleg Matytsin, Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation.
Dr. Chiulli will also speak at the event’s Plenary Conference Session in Kazan and will participate in a Panel Session focusing on SportAccord and the next edition of the event in Ekaterinburg. In addition, Ekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk Region will have an exhibition presence on the Kazan show floor.
“It is a great pleasure for myself and the SportAccord delegation to return to Russia for this important event in Kazan, as it provides an ideal platform to discuss the matters at the heart of the development of sport – at all levels,” Dr. Chiulli said.
“Our significant presence at the Russia – Country of Sports International Forum will allow us to connect with many influential decision-makers and engage stakeholders in sport as we look forward to the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg and as the host city selection starts for various GAISF World Multi-Sport Games.
“Furthermore, this gathering in Kazan will also give us an excellent opportunity to hold productive meetings and build bridges with our friends in sport at both the federal and regional level to discuss the latest preparations for a groundbreaking global gathering next year in Ekaterinburg.”
SportAccord 2022 in Ekaterinburg will feature a series of dedicated conference streams, including CityAccord, HealthAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord, the main Summit programme, and much more.
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.
Deltatre, the global leader in fan-first experiences, has hired Bhavisha Mistry as its new Senior Vice President of Product, Video Experiences.
Mistry will be based in London and report to Gilles Mas, President of Video Experiences. She will be responsible for the development of Deltatre’s end-to-end OTT product offerings, working closely with market-leading third-party technology suppliers, and evolving the company’s approach to creating and running the next generation of complex streaming platforms, across live and on-demand sport and entertainment.
Mistry is an experienced product leader, with over 10+ years’ experience in Product Management, particularly in the Media/Broadcast (OTT/VOD) streaming space. Prior to joining Deltatre, Mistry held the role of Product Director at Discovery. During her time there, she led the international expansion roadmaps for ‘Dplay’, and launched Discovery+ internationally (excluding the US), and on Sky Q in the UK.
Previously, Mistry spent close to eight years at Sky, most recently fulfilling the role of Senior Product Lead. She was heavily involved in the conception of Sky Go, and part of the subsequent launch team, leading on the Android platform.
Commenting on her appointment, Bhavisha Mistry said: “It’s an exciting time to join Deltatre, as we continue to develop our client offering, while ensuring we’re delivering products that reflect the very best in fan-engagement and innovation. I’ve always been aware of Deltatre’s reputation for efficient delivery and project management, and I hope to bring my customer facing, data-driven approach to the company.”
Welcoming Mistry to Deltatre, Gilles Mas, President of Video Experiences, said: “Bhavisha has an incredible track record, with experience of converting complex technical concepts into exceptional user experiences for some of the biggest names in the industry. We’re excited to see how our clients‘ fans – who are always foremost in any Deltatre product development – will benefit from Bhavisha’s expertise and drive.”
Deltatre’s clients across its market leading product and services portfolio include Major League Soccer, NFL Game Pass, BritBox and WWE Network.
UEFA is pleased to announce it has signed a ground-breaking partnership with bwin to become an Official Partner of the UEFA Europa League and the newly formed UEFA Europa Conference League, for the next three seasons (2021-24).
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director, said: “We’re delighted to have secured bwin as the first ever Official Sports Betting Partner for one of our competitions at Official Partner level. As a brand that defines itself by being in touch with fans and their passion for football and clubs throughout Europe, bwin is a great fit for our competitions.
The partnership with bwin allows UEFA to engage more openly with the sports betting sector, giving greater access to market intelligence and support from both a sports integrity and a commercial perspective. bwin is the world leader in responsible sports betting with a rich and long-standing tradition of partnerships in football, supporting clubs, federations and competitions worldwide. Their vast experience with sponsorship activations will be an invaluable contribution for both competitions”.
In parallel, UEFA is investing more in its fight against match-fixing by further developing its internal unit of experts and investigators in the field. UEFA is currently also looking at options to exploit its competitions data for betting purposes in a move to engage further with betting operators and enhance its visibility on the betting market.
The partnership underlines parent company, Entain plc, and bwin’s commitment to supporting both football and responsible betting around the world.
This season, a total of 64 teams from 35 of UEFA’s 55 member associations participate in these two leading competitions in European football from the group stage onwards, for which the partnership was concluded. The matches are broadcasted worldwide.
As the Official Sports Betting Partner of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, bwin will enjoy high visibility in both competitions, appearing on broadcast backdrops and in stadia, including on extensive perimeter advertising, websites and social media of these two UEFA competitions. A key element of the partnership will see bwin’s availability in supporting UEFA’s fight against match-fixing in order to maintain the integrity of the sport.
The sponsorship rights also provide the use of content and footage from both competitions on bwin’s own platforms, along with access to tickets and hospitality to create incredible experiences and entertainment for its customers.
Stephan Heilmann, Entain’s Managing Director Digital Europe, said: “We’re proud to be an Official Partner of the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League alongside other major international brands. The partnership will provide an array of exciting opportunities to enhance our offer to our customers, creating unique new experiences and content. It also provides bwin with a formidable platform to reach fans in regulated sports betting markets around the world, highlighting our unparalleled combination of the best product and the most responsible environment in which to bet.”
Genius Sports Limited (NYSE:GENI) (“Genius Sports”) today announced a new strategic relationship with Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR), the largest casino-entertainment company in the United States. Caesars Entertainment’s portfolio of casinos, sportsbooks and wagering entities will have access to Genius Sports’ entire official sports data content offering, including customer acquisition tools, and fan engagement solutions.
Caesars owns and operates one of the pre-eminent worldwide sports trading and betting platforms powered by data science and analytics, proprietary development, and a global team.
Genius Sports data feeds will support the Caesars trading and sportsbook platform by providing access to official NFL products, including official live sports data feeds. In addition, Genius Sports will become a programmatic advertising partner to Caesars Entertainment and supply its latest marketing technology to drive customer acquisition, engagement and retention for Caesars’ digital sportsbook and casino products.
In April 2021, Caesars Entertainment was selected as one of the NFL’s official sports betting partners. As an extension of that partnership, Caesars and Genius Sports now have entered into a deal to further Caesars’ official NFL-backed sportsbook offerings, by leveraging NFL official data, Next Gen Stats, and other offerings designed to ensure that its sportsbook users can always ‘Bet Like a Caesar’.
Alongside NFL content exclusive to Genius Sports, Caesars Entertainment will gain access to official data-powered in-play content for other top-tier US and global sports, including NASCAR, English Premier League, Argentinian and Colombian soccer, as well as Liga MX.
“True to the Caesars experience, it’s our goal to treat our sports bettors like royalty,” said Kenneth Fuchs, Head of Sports, Caesars Entertainment. “We know how exciting NFL betting is for our players and through our partnership with Genius, we can now provide bettors with the live NFL data they need to make wagers like a true Caesar. We look forward to improving our NFL sportsbook offerings through this partnership by giving customers a more engaging and exciting way to play.”
“Acquiring and retaining fans now requires a broader suite of innovative and interactive engagement tools than ever before. We are thrilled that Caesars Entertainment has recognized our investment in official sports data as it fuels the next generation of fan experiences,” said Mark Locke, CEO at Genius Sports. “Our range of live sport, in-game betting products and media services will support Caesars’ acceleration of its U.S. market growth, through exciting new brand, acquisition and monetization opportunities.”
“We are excited to see the continued growth in the relationship between Caesars and Genius, two key strategic League partners,” said Christopher Halpin, NFL Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. “NFL fans expect the best, and the combination of their data, capabilities and resources ensure they will provide our fans with exceptional betting experiences.”
Miguel Angel Leal has been named CEO of LaLiga Tech, the new entity created to help the sports and entertainment industry to take the next step in its digital transformation.
Previously, Leal held the positions of Enterprise Business Director at Huawei Technologies and Corporate Managing Director at telecoms specialist Teldat.
Among his principal objectives will be to lead the global growth of LaLiga Tech, which already works with numerous clients across the sports and entertainment industry such as Dorna Sports, the Jupiler Pro League, Sky Mexico and the Royal Belgian Football Association.
Leal brings extensive leadership experience in the B2B technology and telecommunications markets, having led projects for a wide range of companies focused on digital transformation, internationalisation, increasing profitability through business growth and streamlining operational and financial processes.
LaLiga Tech has been created to bring its wide range of solutions to the sports and entertainment sector as a new commercial offering. Its range of products have been specifically designed for the industry and are offered under a single data-based ecosystem. This ecosystem has been used successfully by LaLiga and its clubs over the past five years.
LaLiga Tech is a separate entity and will offer the experience accumulated by its years of consistent growth within LaLiga as it provides these services to other organisations across the industry.
Miguel Angel Leal commented: “It is an exciting time to join the sports and entertainment industry as the role of technology is becoming increasingly essential for engaging fans, improving content and managing competitions. LaLiga Tech has a unique offering and extensive industry experience which I am confident will help organisations of all sizes accelerate their digital transformation.”
France 2023 and Facebook are pleased to announce that Facebook has become the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023 hosted in France and experienced all over the world. As an Official Supplier, Facebook will support the tournament’s mission of making Rugby World Cup France 2023 a moment of sharing and celebration across all regions in France and around the world.
This is the first time Rugby World Cup has had an Official Social Media Services provider, demonstrating rugby’s growing popularity and innovative ways it is increasing its access to fans across the globe. Facebook will become the place where rugby fans from around the world will come together to follow their favourite teams and players, get information from the organisers and share their passion for rugby, before, during and after the competition.
As Official Social Media Services Supplier, Facebook will launch a range of exciting features including AR photo filters, LIVEs and other moments to create excitement around the event and reach a new generation of Rugby fans.
To celebrate and officially kick-off the “two years to go” until Rugby World Cup France 2023, a special show will be live streamed exclusively on Facebook on 8 September at 18:00 CET. Fans will have the opportunity to “go behind the scenes” of Rugby World Cup 2023 on the road to the opening match between hosts France and three-time champions New Zealand at the Stade de France. The show will feature special guests and personalities who will share their passion and insights around this international sporting moment. This will also be an opportunity to discover the ten French host cities and get a closer look at how they are preparing to welcome fans from France and around the world.
Facebook will also contribute to the tournament’s legacy when they provide free digital training to 3,000 young apprentices as part of Campus 2023. This apprenticeship programme, designed by France 2023, aims to train the new generation of French sports professionals, and leave a legacy of new resources to sports clubs and regional leagues. Digital skills and community management are today essential to the success and development of sports organisations and structures. Facebook is committed to building local community and Facebook employees together with experts will provide free digital training to a new generation of sports professionals.
Claude Atcher, CEO of France 2023: “We are extremely proud to welcome Facebook as the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023. The Rugby World Cup France 2023 will be a time for celebration and sharing for French and international fans both in and outside the stadiums. Facebook represents the biggest virtual stadium in the world and this collaboration will allow us to be even closer to Rugby fans and offer them new innovative experiences. Together we will share our passion for rugby, our values and engage with new rugby enthusiasts around the world.”
Laurent Solly, VP of Facebook Southern Europe: “Connecting people to their passion and creating community is Facebook’s mission and as the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023, we will enable Rugby fans from around the world to come together on our platforms to celebrate their passion, connect with their favorite teams and players and share the values of respect and community that are core to Facebook and Rugby World Cup. Contributing to the local community is equally important to Facebook and we are also delighted to be part of the Campus 2023 programme and will mobilise our employees and experts to provide digital training to future sports professionals.”
WORLD RUGBY AND CAPGEMINI ANNOUNCE TRANSFORMATIONAL RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 WORLDWIDE PARTNERSHIP
World Rugby has announced a new wide-ranging partnership that will see Capgemini join the family of Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. A world leader in helping organisations to transform by harnessing the power of technology, Capgemini will also become World Rugby’s Global Digital Transformation Partner.
The announcement deepens Capgemini’s relationship with World Rugby’s major properties, building on a successful Global Innovation Partnership for the men’s and women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Under the deal, Capgemini will harness its innovation and technology expertise to enrich the tournament experience for millions of fans in stadia and viewing via broadcast and digital platforms.
As World Rugby’s Global Digital Transformation Partner, Capgemini will play its full role in enabling the international federation to achieve key strands of its recently-announced strategic plan and player welfare advancement strategy, delivering innovative digital solutions to support the growth of the sport at all levels. Capgemini will also be the presenting partner of the men’s and women’s World Rugby Rankings and the World Rugby Team of the Year at the World Rugby Awards.
World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with Capgemini and welcoming them as one of our six Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.
“This partnership is much deeper than a brand association, this is a purpose-driven relationship between our two organisations that share many common values. It reflects our ambition to keep innovating and deepen our relationship with fans, enriching their experience by embracing new technology and digital platforms. Capgemini is the perfect partner to help us deliver this shared vision.
“With two years to go until France 2023 kicks off, we are in great shape. Preparations are on track. Our Worldwide Partner commercial programme is attracting new partners like Capgemini and we are confident that it will be the most impactful and sustainable Rugby World Cup ever staged and a spectacular celebration of rugby and its values in the sport’s 200th year.”
Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini Aiman Ezzat said: “At Capgemini we share the values of the rugby community; passion, team spirit and diversity are common key drivers for us both. I am thrilled that Capgemini will bring its deep expertise in innovation, digital and technology to enrich the experience of one of the major global sporting events of 2023. This new worldwide partnership reflects the international breadth and diversity of the Capgemini Group on the global stage.”
France 2023 CEO Claude Atcher said: “As the model for international sporting events continues to evolve, the role of strategic partners has never been more important. We look forward to working with Capgemini on a number of meaningful projects that will contribute to the overall success and legacy of Rugby World Cup 2023.”
Capgemini is the fourth Rugby World Cup France 2023 Worldwide Partner confirmed following Societe Generale, Mastercard, and Asahi who have come on board for the showcase event. With interest high after a game-changing Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, World Rugby is confident that the final three places will be confirmed by the end of the year, completing a stellar line-up of international brands.
On 8 September, the global rugby family will celebrate two years to go to the opening match at Rugby World Cup 2023 between host nation France and New Zealand at the iconic Stade de France. One million tickets have already been sold to fans around the world, confirming the global appeal of rugby’s biggest tournament.
Fuse, Omnicom Media Group’s Sport & Entertainment specialists, has promoted Alex Charkham to Chief Strategy Officer.
Charkham moves up from Head of Strategy to the newly created role on the Fuse board, reporting into Managing Director Stephen Hutchison and CEO Louise Johnson. Nick Anderson is promoted to Head of Strategy and assumes management and evolution of the company’s core strategic offering.
As CSO, Charkham will be responsible for ensuring Fuse’s capability evolves in line with changing landscape, client needs and expectations of brands and rights holders.
“I am thrilled to be offered the opportunity to play a more pivotal role in the strategic direction of the agency,” said Charkham.
“Part of the agency’s ambition is to ensure both our business and industry remain fit to meet the demands of modern marketing while also continuing to service core clients at a high level.”
Fuse CEO Louise Johnson said: “Alex has played an important part in our agency’s growth story and, in his new capacity as CSO, will continue to shape the course and direction of our business at home and abroad.”
Alex will specifically focus on the development and evolution of Fuse products and services and growing its international reputation. He will also support the global expansion of the business into new markets.
This will partly involve deeper integration with Omnicom agencies to maximise the group’s capability across areas such as digital, data & insight and research.
After joining Fuse in 2014 as an Account Director, Charkham launched Fuse’s dedicated strategy function in 2017 and was appointed Head of Strategy in 2019. During his tenure, he developed partnership strategies for, among others, Nissan, Barclays, PokerStars and Just Eat. He also co-authored Merge, Fuse’s first published book that investigates how technology will revolutionise sport for fans.
Charkham was a key figure behind the development in 2020 of Fuse Ignite, which launched in April this year as a consultancy service designed specifically to enhance the commercial capabilities of rights holders across sport, entertainment and Esports.
In the new CSO position, Charkham will maintain oversight of Fuse strategy as well as the Ignite offering.
Discovery Sports today announced it has reached an agreement with Tennis Australia to broadcast the Australian Open live and exclusively on a pan-European basis through to 2031.
The long-term agreement, commencing in 2022, includes all linear and digital rights and will extend Eurosport’s association with the first Grand Slam on the tennis calendar to more than 25 years having broadcast its first Australian Open in 1995.
As part of the 10-year agreement, Discovery will use its much-loved global channels, platforms and brands, including Eurosport and streaming service discovery+* – the home of real-life entertainment – to take the Australian Open to a bigger and broader audience than ever before. In addition to world-class tennis, Discovery will collaborate with Tennis Australia on a wide range of lifestyle and entertainment content to tell more of the rich stories from the tournament and go beyond the sport alone. Renowned around the world for showcasing real-life, non-fiction content spanning categories as diverse and universally popular as Home, Adventure, Travel, Food, Nature, Environment and Science, Discovery and Tennis Australia will aim to engage the whole household audience to help grow the tournament over the next decade.
Eurosport will also hold exclusive rights to AO lead-up events, including the Adelaide International ATP tournament on a pan-European basis, offering the world’s players vital match practice ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Andrew Georgiou, President of Sports, Discovery, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Tennis Australia and deepen our association with them around what is one of the jewels in the crown of the tennis season. We have an incredible heritage in delivering leading tennis coverage for broad audiences enjoying Grand Slam events on our platforms, covering all the stories that matter on and off the court on whichever platform people chose to follow the tournament.
“Extending our relationship with the Australian Open on a long-term basis mean we can take this even further, utilising the full breadth and depth of Discovery’s global channels, platforms and brands – including Eurosport and our streaming service discovery+ – to work with Tennis Australia and reach new audiences, around new and different stories, to play an even bigger part in helping grow the tournament.”
Craig Tiley, CEO, Tennis Australia, and Tournament Director, Australian Open, added: “For more than 25 years Eurosport has helped showcase the best of the Australian Open into Europe and we are delighted to extend and expand this historic partnership.
“We look forward to bringing our innovative coverage to life through Eurosport and Discovery’s free to air, subscription TV and multiple online destinations, and telling the stories of the players both on the court and beyond. both in January and throughout the year.”
During Australian Open 2021, record-breaking audiences were reported for Eurosport’s streaming service, via the Eurosport App, with a 36% increase in video starts versus 2020 and an 84% uplift in minutes watched versus 2020. Sizeable increases in unique visitors for Eurosport’s digital platforms during the Australian Open (+61% vs 2020) were also reported with significant growth registered in the UK (+244% vs 2020), Italy (+90%), Germany (+53%) and Spain (+25%).
Paris Saint-Germain and the house of Dior have signed a two-year partnership. Starting this season, Dior will provide the official wardrobe for the Parisian club and will outfit the Rouge & Bleu team. This is the first time that Dior has partnered with a sports club.
With this partnership, Paris Saint-Germain continues its pioneering foray into the world of fashion and lifestyle. The club shares the house of Dior’s passion for Paris, whose global influence is enhanced by the two brands’ creativity.
To mark this unique collaboration, Kim Jones, Artistic Director of Dior men’s collections, has designed a series of new creations for the next two seasons. Spanning casual and formal moods, this elegant wardrobe combines black and navy-blue shades – in tones specially designed for the Paris Saint-Germain team. The casual look is notably composed of a Harrington jacket, a knitted sweater and a polo shirt, all finished with an embroidered “Paris Saint-Germain” patch and the “CD Icon” initials, as well as the Dior Explorer derbies* in black leather, punctuated by the iconic Dior Oblique motif.
The formal outfit pairs a cashmere coat, a jacket, a shirt and pants, and a pair of black leather Dior Timeless derbies*. The pieces are enhanced by other subtle details, reflecting Dior’s exceptional savoir-faire.
Halfspace Group, who have seen record growth in 2021, have announced the appointment of Nick Bitel as Chairman on a three year term. Bitel, who stepped down as Chair of Sport England in July 2021, follows the successful term of Jon Smith who completed his chairmanship of Halfspace in August 2021.
Bitel is one of the most well known faces in the sports industry and, as well as being Chief Executive of London Marathon Events since 1995, has also been a board member of UK Sport for 8 years and was recently appointed Chair of the UK Governments Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Bitel is also a highly regarded sports lawyer whose clients include UEFA and the Wimbledon Championships.
“I am delighted at the opportunity to become Chairman of Halfspace at this exciting period for their growth,” said Bitel. “The company has shown great drive, innovation and resilience over the past 4 years to become a leader in this industry. I look forward to working closely with Sanjit, Rory, Steve and the board to help Halfspace become even more successful”.
In a joint statement, the Halfspace board said, “The board warmly welcomes Nick to his position as Chairman. We have already been impressed with his knowledge and are confident his stewardship will help lead to an even brighter future for Halfspace Group. We would also like to thank Jon Smith for his impactful term as Halfspace Chairman.”
Halfspace Group, who are this week up for three Sport Industry Awards, have also announced the appointment of Matthew Greenlees as the companies first Partnerships Director. Greenlees, who was formerly of Fulham FC, Repucom and Sportcal, will work across new business development as well as the integration of new clients into the Halfspace Group Client teams.
