Major League Baseball Names Karin Timpone Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer

Major League Baseball announced today that Karin Timpone has been named Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting to MLB Chief Operations and Strategy Officer Chris Marinak, Timpone will lead the league’s global marketing efforts and collaborate with executives across all revenue, product, and operations units as well as the 30 MLB Clubs. Timpone, who will also oversee MLB Events and Design Services departments, brings a broad range of experience in helping global brands connect with new audiences, deepen customer loyalty and innovate with next generation technology, such as blockchain.

Prior to joining MLB this week, Timpone has held senior positions leading high-profile brands including Marriott International, The Walt Disney Company, Yahoo!, and Universal Studios with an emphasis in digital, marketing and customer experience. Timpone has been recognized in Adweek’s roster of Top 50 in Media and Technology, and has been featured among the world’s most influential CMOs by Forbes, Business Insider, and Ad Age.

“As Major League Baseball continues to invest in its marketing resources, Karin brings outstanding experience and accomplishments with a track record as a digital pioneer and marketing leader of major global brands,” said Marinak. “Karin’s background at the cross-section of entertainment, media, digital, and marketing is a perfect fit to help deepen the connection MLB has with its fans while growing our fan base both domestically and internationally.”

As the Global Marketing Officer for Marriott International, Timpone led the creation of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, tripling the membership base to over 140 million. She played a key role in Marriott’s merger with Starwood to integrate its portfolio of 30 brands and introduced state-of-the-art global social media command centers, an initiative that was recognized at Cannes Lions with Gold and Silver awards in the category of Creative Data.

As a Senior Vice President at The Walt Disney Company, Timpone led product strategy and marketing for Disney’s suite of digital media products, including the creation of the company’s first live-streaming mobile apps, launched years ahead of current market trends.

Prior to Disney, Timpone was at Yahoo! where she was Head of Marketing, Yahoo! Media Group and Head of Consumer/Customer Innovation. Timpone also worked for Universal Studios as a Senior Vice President and previously for its parent company, The Seagram Company Ltd.

Timpone has a Master of Arts in Media Ecology from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College. She attended UCLA Anderson School of Management and has completed certification in FinTech from Harvard University and Blockchain certification from MIT Sloan.

Timpone serves as Independent Director on the board of Atlas Obscura, and was Global Chair of the Mobile Marketing Association where she continues to support the association as Chair Emeritus.

MediaAccord To Explore Breaking Down Barriers In Sport At SportAccord 2022 In Ekaterinburg

Media’s role in breaking down barriers in the ever-expanding world of sport will come under the spotlight at the MediaAccord conference on the afternoon of Thursday, 19 May 2022 during the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

MediaAccord will explore how International Sport Federations (IFs) can work with media organisations to share best practices across all platforms and find ways of capturing the passion of fans, participants and stakeholders, while tapping into opportunities for the development of sport.

Panel sessions and presentations will cover issues such as ‘coexisting in times of crisis – IFs and media relations in the 2020s’, ‘social media approaches for major events’, ‘lessons from a crisis – new formats in sport event broadcasting’ and ‘how IFs and broadcast media partners are engaging and telling the stories that matter in sport’. In addition, there will also be an inside look into the Russian media landscape.

“We have seen a significant pivot to digital platforms by many IFs over the past year, whether that is in relation to distributing archive footage of historic events and competitions on social media, or increasing athlete and lifestyle-focused output on streaming services,” SportAccord and GAISF President Dr. Raffaele Chiulli said.

“This strategic shift is just one of the significant trends in the sports media space, and it will be fascinating to hear at MediaAccord how IFs are planning to work alongside media companies and broadcasters to leverage changing behaviours to their advantage.”

MediaAccord will sit alongside SportAccord’s other conference streams, offering delegates clear signposts to specific areas of interest during a busy week of meetings and networking opportunities in Ekaterinburg, 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.

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.

Birmingham 2022 appoints Aggreko As Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter For The Commonwealth Games

Aggreko, the global leader in mobile and modular energy solutions, has been named the Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Games will see athletes compete in 19 sports at 14 locations, including the brand-new Aquatics Centre in Sandwell, all powered by Aggreko’s innovative temporary power solutions.

Aggreko will be applying relevant experience from previous international sporting events, including 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Recognised for its values-led approach to business operations, Aggreko’s appointment demonstrates its commitment to meeting the Birmingham 2022 Social Values Charter, which puts community at the heart of the Games.

Aggreko will be providing a modular energy solution that has sustainability and legacy at its core, with the launch of a number of community projects aimed to educate and leave a long-lasting legacy of the Games, improving opportunities and skills for those living and working in the area.

This support includes running educational events on sustainability, enhancing understanding of sustainable technology and the energy transition, as well as nurturing STEM skills in local schools and not for profit organisations. These events will run before, during and after the Games, with the first set offering local school children the chance of winning Birmingham 2022 tickets to attend the biggest sporting and culture event to happen in the UK for a decade.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete 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.

Robert Wells, Managing Director of Event Solutions at Aggreko said: “On behalf of everyone at Aggreko, we are delighted to be partnering with Birmingham 2022, and look forward to helping to deliver a truly outstanding Games, embracing the key objectives, within the Games-Social Values Charter, as well as delivering world class energy solutions.

“Not only will we deliver reliable, efficient and renewable temporary power solutions, but we will also help educate the wider community on the energy transition and the skills and technology needed for this to succeed, helping us all to understand and become excited about the new horizons for sustainability.”

James Eade, Head of Energy at Birmingham 2022, said: “We are delighted to have Aggreko on board as they join us as our Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter for Birmingham 2022. Aggreko are well-known for their experience in temporary power solutions and they have an enviable pedigree when it comes to multi-games events; they are the ideal partner to help deliver a safe and sustainable Games.

In selecting a delivery partner, we saw that Aggreko’s low-carbon corporate roadmap dovetails neatly with our pioneering zero-carbon games initiative. We are looking forward to using some of Aggreko’s new power generation and storage technologies as well as developing innovative approaches to powering the Games, whilst still maintaining the highest levels of reliability.

“In addition to their work on competition venues, Aggreko are committed to working with us on our community engagement activities, in particular focusing on nurturing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills within the local community. It is really important that we use exciting and engaging opportunities such as the Games to foster new talent in STEM subjects for the future benefit of our environment and well-being.”

Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Director Martin Reynolds said: “Having supported the previous two Commonwealth Games at Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, we are delighted that Aggreko’s commitment and expertise will once again power world-class competition at Birmingham 2022. We are proud that the Commonwealth Sport brand continues to attract world leading organisations like Aggreko who share our vision.”

Koda Cryptocurrency Announces New Shirt Sponsorship Deal

Koda Cryptocurrency, a brand-new UK cryptocurrency token, is delighted to announce a significant sponsorship partnership, agreeing a two-year deal with National League South team Slough Town F.C.

The agreement will see the Koda logo displayed on the front of the club’s men’s and women’s first team home shirt and the women’s second team shirt – including a unique QR Code on the arm- for seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Slough Town wore the shirt for the first time in last week’s friendly match vs Arsenal which finished 2-0 to the Rebels in front of a crowd of 1,348 at Arbour Park, Slough. 

Developed by SummitBC Ltd, Koda will be the native cryptocurrency on a new trading platform called SummitSwap. SummitSwap is a revolutionary platform which aims to solve many of the issues that have been identified on other cryptocurrency swap sites.

Ahead of the anticipated launch of SummitSwap, Koda Cryptocurrency is aligned to their three key principles T.E.E which stands for Trust, Education and Ease of Use. These three core company values can already be seen through everything that Koda Cryptocurrency do. The company offers online learning sessions on how to safely buy cryptocurrency while SummitSwap and all of our projects aim to protect investors against extortion and fraud.

James Gale, CEO of SummitBC and Koda Cryptocurrency, said: “I am extremely excited about this new partnership, not only because Slough Town are a local football team who I have followed for many years but also because it represents a huge milestone in the Koda journey, which is still only three months old.

Our mission is to make cryptocurrency accessible to everyone, not just the few. Our T.E.E (Trust, Education, Ease of Use) model is testament to that and is the foundations we have built ourselves on. I truly believe that there is a lot of undiscovered potential in the market we work in– this is only the beginning. Why not join us on this exciting investment journey?” 

Craig Edwards, Vice Chairman of Slough Town F.C, said: “We are very excited to have Koda as our home shirt sponsor, they are a young and exciting company and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

Philadelphia 76ers Announce Ticketmaster As Official Ticketing Partner

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today a new partnership with Ticketmaster, the global market leader in live event ticketing. The long-term deal designates Ticketmaster as the Official Ticketing Partner of the Philadelphia 76ers and its G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. In conjunction with the new partnership, 76ers fans will now be able to buy, sell, transfer and access tickets all in one place – whether buying direct or from other fans – at Ticketmaster.com, Sixers.com or through the Official 76ers Team Mobile App.

“Ticketmaster has a reputation for being a leader in innovation and providing a best-in-class experience. We are thrilled to partner with a brand that puts fans first and whose products will enhance the ticketing experience for our 76ers fans,” said Philadelphia 76ers President of Business Operations Chris Heck. “We are looking forward to having our fans back at The Center this season, and we are grateful to Ticketmaster for providing them with a front seat to all the action.”

As part of the exclusive partnership, Ticketmaster will receive prime marketing real estate during 76ers home games, including front pole placement, courtside LED, 360 LED and more. Ticketmaster will also present in-game fan contests, provide seat upgrades and other promotions. In addition to in-arena signage and promotions, Ticketmaster will be fully integrated into 76ers digital and social content across all platforms.

“The 76ers organization has long been an innovator in delivering elevated experiences to their passionate fanbase,” said Kurt Schwartzkopf, Ticketmaster Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Sports. “We are looking forward to partnering with the 76ers to continue enhancing the fan experience by delivering a seamless ticketing journey so that 76ers fans can keep their focus where it belongs – on the game.”

Baltimore Ravens Name DraftKings Official Daily Fantasy, Sports Betting And Free-to-Play Partner

The Baltimore Ravens and DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) announced Wednesday a new deal designating DraftKings as the Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner and an Official Sports Betting and Free-to-Play Partner of the team. As DraftKings’ first partner in the state of Maryland, the new deal marks DraftKings’ fifth active strategic agreement with an NFL team, further advancing DraftKings’ relationship with the league as an Official Sports Betting Partner and the Exclusive Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the NFL.

“With the start of the 2021 NFL season upon us, our latest designation with the Baltimore Ravens further exemplifies our commitment to fan engagement by way of the DraftKings experience,” said Ezra Kucharz, DraftKings’ Chief Business Officer. “The newly penned relationship offers something for every kind of sports fan and will allow them to engage with DraftKings’ digital content, free-to-play product, daily fantasy sports and, perhaps soon, sports betting, to ultimately bring them closer to the action alongside one of the top teams from the AFC North.” 

The new deal will feature DraftKings branding and custom content as part of the Baltimore Ravens’ weekly podcast, “The Lounge.” Expanding further into multi-media platforms,  DraftKings will also be named the title sponsor of Baltimore WBAL-1090 News Radio’s Gameday Insider pregame show and a presenting sponsor of the Ravens Wired video online content series, in addition to homepage takeovers on BaltimoreRavens.com, ahead of select games and events.

“This partnership reflects our continued commitment to delivering unique engagement experiences for our fans,” Ravens chief sales officer Kevin Rochlitz stated. “We’re proud to collaborate with an industry leader in DraftKings, and we look forward to seeing the innovative ways in which we’ll better connect with the Ravens fans across our many platforms.”

As part of the collaboration, DraftKings branding will be visible throughout M&T Bank Stadium, complete with a season-long suite. Additionally, the new deal offers exclusive gameday experiences, including away game trips, autographed merchandise, a Punt, Pass & Kick (PPK) event available to DraftKings customers through in-season daily fantasy and sportsbook contests, and a DraftKings-NFL Official Free-to-Play game.   

Professional Triathletes Organisation Partners With Story10 To Provide Global Video Distribution

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and Story10, the audience engagement network powered by SNTV, have agreed a partnership that will see Story10 distribute highlights, pre-and post-race reaction and venue profiling for The Collins Cup.

The Collins Cup, the PTO’s inaugural flagship event taking place on 28 August in Šamorín, Slovakia, is a new race format modelled after the Ryder Cup, pitting teams of International, European and USA athletes against each other. The event features 12 match-up races staggered 10-minutes apart, with a single athlete from each team going head-to-head-to-head over a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run.

The partnership will see Story10 generate exposure and awareness of The Collins Cup worldwide, showcasing the excitement, rivalry and personalities of the sport to their engaged global network of 1,200+ media outlets, across broadcast, digital and social. Leveraging Story10’s social partner network and bespoke PR services, PTO will also see its video content actively promoted to key markets and across some of the largest multi-sport channels in the world.

James Dobbs, Managing Director of Story10’s parent company SNTV said: “Perhaps more than any other sport, triathlon demonstrates the commitment, courage and desire of an athlete to compete and achieve. Amplifying this amazing event via Story10’s global network will ensure exposure and engagement for the PTO whilst delivering high quality sporting drama to our audiences worldwide. The success and growth of this event will provide a real platform for current and future triathletes and Story10 is excited to provide the international engagement that helps deliver that growth.”

Tim Godfrey, Chief Marketing Officer at PTO, said: “The Collins Cup is poised to be a hugely innovative and exciting new format in triathlon, and we are very excited to share it with a global audience. Story10 is perfectly positioned to ensure this event is seen by millions of people through their extensive network of over 1200 media outlets.”

Fuller’s Renews Partnership With Special Olympics GB

Fuller’s has renewed its partnership with Special Olympics GB for a further 12 months, with both organisations committed to building on the hugely successful existing partnership to help transform the lives of more people with an intellectual disability through sport.

Special Olympics GB is a non-profit organisation and the largest provider of year-round, sports coaching and athletic competition in summer and winter sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics GB currently has 105 all ability, inclusive sports clubs covering 28 sports across England, Scotland and Wales and reaches over 10,000 athletes.

An Official Partner since 2018, Fuller’s has been a generous, proactive and creative partner to Special Olympics GB from raising much needed funds including donations from promotional Children’s menu items and Ale & Pie tasting boards to donations from customers through Pennies charitable giving. Fuller’s employees have also joined in the fundraising with initiatives from the Fuller’s football tournament and pub quizzes to recent national campaigns such as the Captain Tom 100 challenge.

Moving forward, Fuller’s ambition is to build on the successes of the past three years and not only continue to raise money for Special Olympics GB and raise awareness of our amazing athletes, but also to build on its long-term view of becoming a truly inclusive employer with a blueprint in place for the recruitment of people with an intellectual disability embedded across the Fuller’s estate.

Commenting on the renewed partnership, Paul Richardson, Chair of Special Olympics GB said: “We are delighted, and hugely grateful that Fuller’s has decided to extend its partnership with Special Olympics GB for a further 12
months. Working with Fuller’s has proved to be a fantastic partnership for both sides and when we see its vision to celebrate individuality, create a world where everyone is respected and to welcome everyone into the Fuller’s family, we couldn’t ask for more. This truly demonstrates the fundamental impact our athletes and their successes and achievements have had on Fuller’s.

“With 94% of people with an intellectual disability NOT in paid employment this is a great step forward and one which we hope other forward-thinking companies will embrace. The last 18 months has been an incredibly difficult
time for those in the hospitality industry and for Fuller’s to continue with its commitment and support speaks volumes. Huge thanks to everyone at Fuller’s and all its customers who have supported Special Olympics GB to date. It is very much appreciated.”

Simon Emeny, Chief Executive Fuller’s said: “Special Olympics is all about inclusivity and so is hospitality. The connection with Special Olympics GB is a great way of introducing our teams to the possibilities that other people
have – yet which can go unnoticed. Public houses have always been a place for all – and with such a high proportion of people with an intellectual disability feeling socially excluded, we want to do our bit to address the issues. I’m delighted that we are continuing our partnership with Special Olympics GB for another year and I can’t wait to see where the partnership goes next.”

Genius Sports Appoints Former NFL Network And ESPN CEO As President, North America

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, today announced that Steve Bornstein will join the company in a newly created executive role of President, North America. Mr. Bornstein will lead the Company’s U.S. and Canadian activities, building on the existing team’s capabilities and relationships. He will assume the position with immediate effect.

Mr. Bornstein has held a range of prominent positions across the sports, media and advisory sectors. In particular, he brings extensive broadcast experience to Genius Sports, drawing on his over 20 years at ESPN and ABC, where in 1990 he became ESPN’s youngest president and CEO at age 38. At ESPN he oversaw the launch of ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Radio, ESPN Classic, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine, the ESPYs and the X-Games. He also created the network’s popular programming staples including: College GameDay, NFL PrimeTime, and Baseball Tonight.

Mr. Bornstein is also well-known for his time as President, CEO, and Founder of the NFL Network and Executive Vice President of Media where he oversaw the league’s media division and led negotiations on TV deals and sponsorships. He is a former Chairman of Activision Blizzard’s eSports division where he created professional leagues, and new ways to deliver best-in-class fan experiences across games, platforms, and geographies. He continues to act as a senior adviser to The Raine Group, a merchant bank advising and investing in technology, media and telecom.

As the head of the North American operations, Mr. Bornstein will optimize Genius Sports’ regional business infrastructure to position the Company for accelerated growth in existing and new areas, including streaming. This will include the sourcing and unlocking of value with new and existing sports partners, including the NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, NBA, and MLB. Additionally, Mr. Bornstein will work closely with the executive team to identify innovative and revenue accretive acquisition targets. He will also support the integration of recently acquired businesses, including Second Spectrum, which is the official data tracking and analytics provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS.

“Steve is an accomplished, forward-thinking executive who brings more than 30 years of sports media experience,” said CEO Mark Locke. “As we continue to execute on our growth strategy North America, we look forward to benefitting from a visionary like Steve who played a major role in shaping the growth and success of iconic brands like ESPN and the NFL. As a leader, he exemplifies the values set out at Genius and will help us progress our culture of collaboration and innovation.”

“I am excited to join Genius Sports at this time in the company’s growth,” said Mr. Bornstein. “And I’m delighted to partner with Mark and his outstanding team as Genius demonstrates and deepens its commitment to drive real value for its partners in the U.S. and Canada. I can’t wait to get started.”

Earlier in his career, Steve also served as Corporate Vice President of Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. (1993), President of ABC Sports (1996), Chairman & CEO of ESPN (1998), and President of ABC, Inc. (1999), where he was responsible for all media assets at ABC/Disney.

Mr. Bornstein holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin. An active philanthropist, he is the founder & Chairman of The V Foundation which has raised more than $335 million for cancer research in the name of late college basketball coach and ESPN analyst Jim Valvano. A lifelong believer in sports as a force for good, he has served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness.

Formula 1 Cancels 2021 Japanese Grand Prix

Formula 1 has announced that the 2021 Japanese Grand Prix has been cancelled, with race organisers citing “ongoing complexities” related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The race, which was also cancelled last year because of the coronavirus situation, was due to be held in mid-October, the third event in a planned triple header after the Russian Grand Prix and the rescheduled Turkish GP.

But on Wednesday morning it was announced the race at the Suzuka circuit would not be going ahead.

A statement from Formula 1 read: “Following ongoing discussions with the promoter and authorities in Japan the decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country.

“Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks.

“Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest in locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond.”