UFC And Monster Energy Announce Extension Of Global Partnership

UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and Monster Energy, the  global energy drink icon, today announced the renewal of their global partnership in which Monster will continue to serve as the “Official Energy Drink of UFC.” In addition, the deal will expand to include Monster as the “Official Water of UFC,” creating a new sponsorship category for the MMA promotion.

The multi-year agreement marks the second consecutive global sponsorship renewal between UFC and Monster and continues to build upon a relationship that began in 2015 and which has become one of the most successful brand partnerships in sports. 

“Monster has been one of the best partners UFC has ever had,” said UFC President Dana White.  “Our companies have grown alongside one another for more than a decade and we look forward to continuing the partnership for many years to come.”  

Under the terms of this agreement, Monster will continue to have center canvas and entrance logo placement inside the fighter gate of UFC’s world-famous Octagon® at all events.  Monster will also partner with UFC on retail promotions and social and digital media integrations during events in select markets, as well as serve as the presenting sponsor for UFC’s Twitch channel.

“Monster Energy is extremely proud to continue its partnership with UFC,” said Monster Energy’s CEO Rodney Sacks. “For the past decade, Monster and UFC have become synonymous in the fighting world and we look forward to continued growth together in bringing mixed martial arts to the forefront of professional sports worldwide.”

“Monster Energy is a global force in the energy drink category and we are proud to continue our partnership with them,” said UFC Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships Paul Asencio.  “There are few brands in the sports sponsorship space that align as closely as UFC and Monster.  Each brand’s authenticity is a strength that has allowed us to build brand loyalty among millions of fans and consumers.  We look forward to the continued evolution of our partnership.”

Monster will also become the official sponsor of several original programs featured on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, now available in more than 200 countries and territories.

Monster’s logo will also remain prominently displayed on the UFC FIGHT NIGHT KIT COLLECTION apparel of its sponsored UFC athletes. This roster currently features nearly two dozen fighters, including: UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas; UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko; former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic; former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejcyk; former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones; #2-ranked lightweight contender Justin Gaethje; and #6-ranked welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal.

Unilever Extends Partnership With The Hundred

Unilever has unveiled a unique partnership with The Hundred during the competition’s inaugural year as it announces the company’s deodorant brand, Sure, will become the Official Partner of The Hundred umpires.

Sure signed a three-year deal with the innovative cricket competition in December 2020. The partnership supports Sure – who have delivered long lasting protection against sweat and odour for over 50 years* – and its mission to provide confidence to keep armpits dry in high pressure situations – including an umpire’s decision on a cricket pitch.

As part of the deal, Sure branding will feature on the side of umpire uniforms while also obtaining digital rights, as well as the unique opportunity to provide an award at the end of the tournament for leader of the six hitting league from the men’s and women’s competitions.

The Hundred is providing sports fans with an exciting new 100-ball format featuring world-class domestic and international players in men’s and women’s competitions.

Rob Calder, Commercial Director for The Hundred, said: “On the pitch, the pressure felt by umpires can often be underestimated. In this unique partnership with Sure, we recognise the big decisions umpires must make – often within seconds – to provide a fair and entertaining game. As Official Partner of The Hundred Umpires, it’s great to see acknowledgment of the role they play by one of the most respected brands in the sporting sphere.”

Chris Barron, Vice President of Beauty & Personal Care at Unilever UK & Ireland, said: “With this all-new partnership in a space we have never utilised before in the UK, we are acknowledging and supporting the role of umpires in cricket and providing confidence to keep armpits dry in high pressure situations.

“The Hundred is an innovative competition and as we continue to inspire people to move more at a time when physical and mental wellbeing plays a vital part in daily life, we are able to support with our Sure brand and products. As The Hundred completes its inaugural year, we’re excited to grow with the sport into next year and beyond.” 

IMG ARENA Adds Ryder Cup To Its Golf Betting Lineup

PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe collaboration will deliver an enhanced fan experience at the biennial contest.

IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, has acquired the data distribution rights to the Ryder Cup.

The biennial match play event will be part of IMG ARENA’s ever-growing Golf Event Centre, which already includes European Tour events, as well as the PGA Championship, also run by the PGA of America. 

The Ryder Cup features the United States versus Europe and will next take place at Whistling Straits, in Kohler, Wisconsin, from September 21-26, 2021.

IMG ARENA will package and present the data from the Ryder Cup for sportsbook operators via the Golf Event Centre, working with the organisers and rights holders at the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe.  The partnership will allow sports bettors to enjoy a comprehensive range of real-time, shot-by-shot data and markets, as well as interactive course visualisations.

The purpose-built sports betting solution is an industry-first product that enables interactive in-play betting on the sport.

Max Wright, SVP Commercial of IMG ARENA, said “As an iconic sporting showpiece, the addition of the Ryder Cup to the Golf Event Centre cements its status as a must-have product. 

“Sports bettors will be able to enjoy a totally new and unique experience at this year’s event, with a never-seen-before range of data and content to consume as they enjoy a magical three days of action.

Seth Waugh, PGA of America CEO, said: “This experience allows fans to engage with our most unique flagship event – the Ryder Cup – in a way that they’ve never been able to before. This is an entirely new avenue to globally reach a world of people, beyond just dedicated golf fans, and importantly to continue the momentum of growing interest in the game from an increasingly diverse fan base.” 

Guy Kinnings, European Tour Deputy CEO, Ryder Cup Director and Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The Golf Event Centre offers a new way for fans to enjoy and experience the Ryder Cup, a global event that transcends our sport.

“We have been working closely with IMG ARENA across our European Tour events since 2019 and the inclusion of the Ryder Cup in the Golf Event Centre is the natural next step in that partnership.”

Headquartered in London, IMG ARENA works with more than 470 leading sportsbook brands worldwide to deliver live streaming video and data feeds for more than 45,000 sports events annually, as well as for on-demand virtual sports products including the UFC Event Centre. In 2020, more than 210 million hours of IMG ARENA content was watched by 69 million unique viewers around the globe. IMG ARENA’s clients include the ATP, UFC, European Tour, PGA TOUR and the FA.IMG ARENA builds on vision to be the ‘Official Home of Golf Betting’ with addition of Ryder Cup to the Golf Event Centre

OneFootball To Become Home Of Free-To-Air Football Streaming In Italy

OneFootball now has the rights to show live matches and highlights of 12 different leagues and competitions from around the world in Italy, following a new deal to broadcast Portugal’s top-tier competition, the Primeira Liga. All live and on-demand footage will be shown free-to-air for OneFootball users, and will be available on smartphone and tablet via the OneFootball App (iOS/Android, incl. Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast) as well as on desktop via the OneFootball Website. 

This offering will see OneFootball establish itself as the go-to destination for free-to-air streaming in Italy, with the world’s leading football media platform having the rights to top matches from 12 competitions and plans to add more. OneFootball users in Italy will now be able to watch a wide variety of games and thrilling action featuring leading teams from countries across the globe, such as Portugal, China, Scotland or the United States, right at their fingertips and all for zero cost.

Alongside this, OneFootball will also be showing Serie A highlight clips of all 380 matches of the new season non-exclusively, available from midnight after each match.

Following the conclusion of the UEFA European Championships 2020, club football is returning around the globe and fans in Italy now have the perfect destination to watch the action. The newly added leagues and competitions that OneFootball now has the exclusive broadcast rights for in Italy* includes the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Scottish Premiership, AFC Champions League, AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar, Liga MX, Japanese J League, Chinese Super League, CONCACAF Champions League 2022, and the USL Championship. Those competitions complement the existing portfolio in Italy that includes the Korean K League, Austrian Bundesliga, as well as the German Regionalliga, which is made available via a global distribution partnership with German broadcaster sporttotal TV.

OneFootball provides fans around the globe with a holistic, flexible and affordable offering, allowing users to access high-quality football content whenever and wherever they want it. The deals further OneFootball’s commitment to bring live football matches and highlights to its users and follow media rights deals such as with the Bundesliga to become the exclusive broadcaster of the German top-tier in Brazil.

Nikolaus von Doetinchem, Vice President OTT Streaming & Media Rights OneFootball, said: “We are delighted to be the home of free-to-air football streaming in Italy and to broadcast this unrivalled range of top matches from leagues around the world, as well as highlights from Serie A. It reflects our commitment to putting fans first with our innovative and flexible model, and to providing a platform that gives users easy access to the widest possible range of high-quality matches.”

ImagineAR (IPNFF) Joins Forces With iSportConnect Targeting European Sports Clubs, Leagues and Broadcasters

ImagineAR will be the exclusive AR Consultancy Client for this two year agreement

London, August 2021 – ImagineAR (IP:CSE) (IPNFF:OTCQB), an Augmented Reality Company that enables sports teams, brands and businesses to instantly create their own mobile phone immersive AR campaigns, has partnered with iSportConnect, headquartered in London, to introduce ImagineAR fan engagement products to UK & European soccer teams, sports leagues, broadcasters and brands. The iSportConnect platform is the largest global private network of sport business executives and major clients include Tata Communications, InfrontX, Vindicia and Hookit.  

“At iSportConnect, we understand just how big of a role mobile augmented reality will deliver for fan engagement during today’s new paradigm in 2021. Our organisation has decades of experience in the sports marketplace and are confident that ImagineAR will be an integral digital channel for every team desiring to build their global fan base and new revenue monetisation strategies,” according to Sandy Case, iSportConnect’s Chief Strategy Officer. 

Alen Paul Silverrstieen, CEO of ImagineAR, stated “We have been in discussions with iSportConnect for over a year and are excited to finally enter into a multi-year partnership focused on expanding our global sports clientele in the UK and Europe.

“Their executive team maintains a significant network of sports industry executives which ImagineAR can quickly introduce to our patented fan engagement platform. We will also be using their offices as our new London headquarters.”

About iSportConnect

iSportConnect was launched in 2010 with the aim of bringing together sports business professionals around the world in a sports business networking community enabling them to meet one another, find information and obtain access to a wide range of relevant services. The platform is now the largest global private network of sport business executives with over 20,000 members, where membership is exclusive and follows a strict door policy.

About ImagineAR

ImagineAR Inc. (CSE: IP) (OTC: IPNFF) is an augmented reality (AR) platform, ImagineAR.com, that enables businesses of any size to create and implement their own AR campaigns with no programming or technology experience. Every organization, from professional sports franchises to small retailers, can develop interactive AR campaigns that blend the real and digital worlds. Customers simply point their mobile device at logos, signs, buildings, (products, landmarks and more to instantly engage videos, information, advertisements, coupons,3D holograms and any interactive content all hosted in the cloud and managed using a menu-driven portal. Integrated real-time analytics means that all customer interaction is tracked and measured in real-time. The AR Enterprise platform supports both IOS and Android mobile devices and upcoming wearable technologies. The AR Platform is available as an SDK Plug-in for existing mobile apps.

For more information or to explore working with Imagination Park, please email info@imaginear.com, or visit www.imagineAR.com.

iSportConnect Consultancy

iSportConnect’s consultancy division works to help our clients with commercial development, marketing and communications and business strategy surrounding the world of sport, helping to provide business intelligence; global sports market entry strategy and support.

Top Russian Media Organisations To Shine A Spotlight On SportAccord 2022 In Ekaterinburg

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 is set to benefit from outstanding media coverage, with a series of Russia’s top media organisations having committed to Partnerships for the event in Ekaterinburg.

More than 50 members of the Russian media have already been accredited to attend next year’s edition of sport’s most important global gathering, from 15-20 May 2022 at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo.

Russia Today will serve as one of SportAccord 2022’s Principal Media Partners, while RIA Novosti Sport, Sports Business Consulting (S-BC) and TASS Russian News Agency will be Media Partners in Ekaterinburg. The leading Russian media organisations will provide in-depth coverage before, during and after the event.

“Russia’s most recognised media groups will help to shine a spotlight on SportAccord 2022,” said John Hewitt, Event Operations Manager, Communications, SportAccord. “Their coverage will play a vital role in taking the essential insights, news and messages from the gathering in Ekaterinburg to an audience across Russia and beyond. There has been significant interest in next year’s edition from media organisations based in Russia and internationally.”

Alexey Galanov, Media Manager of the SportAccord 2022 Organising Committee said: “The involvement of Russia’s leading media groups illustrates the importance of this event for the host city, region and country. The standing and reach of these organisations in Russia and beyond are unparalleled and will enable us to further engage with key decision-makers on a global basis.”

The role of the media, and how International Sport Federations (IFs) can work positively in partnership with media organisations, will be explored in detail during MediaAccord, which will take place during SportAccord on Thursday, 19 May 2022. In addition, MediaAccord will also feature an inside look into the Russian media landscape.

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.

ICC Announces Olympic Ambition For Cricket

The International Cricket Council has today confirmed its intention to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. The ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport which will be focused on cricket becoming part of the Olympic family for LA 2028, Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “Firstly on behalf of everyone at the ICC, I would like to congratulate the IOC, Tokyo 2020 and the people of Japan for staging such an incredible Games in such difficult circumstances. It truly was fantastic to watch and captured the imagination of the world and we would love for cricket to be a part of future Games.

“Our sport is united behind this bid, and we see the Olympics as a part of cricket’s long-term future. We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics.

“Clearly cricket has a strong and passionate fanbase, particularly in South Asia where 92% of our fans come from, whilst there are also 30 million cricket fans in the USA. The opportunity for those fans to see their heroes competing for an Olympic medal is tantalising.

“We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but we know it won’t be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics could be.”

England and Wales Cricket Board Chair Ian Watmore will Chair the ICC Olympic Working Group and he will be joined by the ICC Independent Director Indra Nooyi, Chair of Zimbabwe Cricket Tavengwa Mukuhlani, ICC Associate Member Director and Vice President of the Asian Cricket Council Mahinda Vallipuram and Chair of USA Cricket Paraag Marathe who believes the time is ripe for an Olympic bid: 

“USA Cricket is thrilled to be able to support cricket’s bid for inclusion in the Olympics, the timing of which aligns perfectly with our continuing plans to develop the sport in the USA. With so many passionate cricket fans and players already in the USA, and a huge global audience and following for the sport around the world, we believe that cricket’s inclusion will add great value to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and help us to achieve our own vision for establishing cricket as a mainstream sport in this country.”

LaLiga Advances Sponsorship Strategy With KORE Software Partnership

LaLiga, one of the most popular and successful professional sports competitions in the world, has selected KORE Software to optimize its approach to partnership and activation management and support its global growth.

Home to many of the world’s most famous clubs including Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and FC Barcelona, LaLiga is not only heralded for its success as the top league in Europe, but also for its strides in innovation and putting technology at the heart of business processes.

Working with KORE Software, LaLiga now has access to one of the industry’s most sophisticated and comprehensive solutions to provide enhanced service, collaboration, and insights to LaLiga’s 11 global offices and all of its partners.

LaLiga will leverage KORE Software’s intelligence platform to manage global sales initiatives and sponsorship deals. In adopting this technology, LaLiga secures best-in-class activation and fulfillment, deal measurement, sales and pipeline management and performance reporting.

KORE Software’s solution will provide LaLiga with real-time partnership success measurement for commercial deals across different countries and currencies.

For LaLiga’s international commercial and marketing team, this will provide new efficiencies as it continues to build multi-market activations, while its partners and other stakeholders will benefit from improved campaign coordination and investment insights.

“LaLiga has grown from being a national league in 2013 to a global entertainment business with more than 50 commercial partners, said Óscar Mayo, Executive Director at LaLiga. “Partnering with KORE will allow us to sustain this rapid growth while making campaigns more memorable and impactful. Our growth strategy is driven by technologies that deliver greater insights and share them among global teams.”

As industry leaders look for innovative solutions to manage their partnerships and stay ahead of the curve, many are turning to KORE Software for its unique offering of world-class technology. KORE is the market the leader in sports and entertainment business management solutions, providing customers with an unparalleled approach to data insights, services, and support.

“We are thrilled to partner with LaLiga, a leader recognized for the excellence they bring to the sport and the experience they deliver to their fans. LaLiga provides a truly global reach to their partners, and their selection of KORE is a testament to our ongoing innovation and our own deep industry expertise,” said Jason Fletcher, CEO at KORE Software. “We are honored to work with LaLiga’s team to advance its asset and activation management.”

Premier League Productions Appoint Gus Williamson And Mike Norrish To Senior Leadership Team

IMG has added to its senior leadership team at Premier League Productions (PLP) with two new appointments.

Gus Williamson, former Head of Rugby Union at Sky Sports, joins as Director of Programming and Mike Norrish becomes Director of Digital & Creative, having held a similar role at BT Sport.

Nick Morgan, Managing Director of PLP at IMG, said: “Our ambition at PLP is to deliver world class content and services to the Premier League and its broadcast partners helping the league to remain the most watched, valued and admired in the world. Gus and Mike will play key roles in ensuring we continue to innovate and provide engaging and cutting-edge content to inspire football fans across the globe.”

Williamson’s role will be to create a world-class content and programming experience for the Premier League’s international broadcast partners as well as working closely with the newly formed digital team to ensure a unified content experience. He left Sky at the beginning of 2019 after 20 years, spending nearly a decade creating and delivering the broadcaster’s rugby union strategy and output across all channels and platforms. He was previously a producer on the UK broadcaster’s cricket coverage. Most recently, he has been acting as a media consultant for a number of companies including DAZN, CVC Capital Partners and ISG Media.

Norrish’s primary focus will be to transform how PLP helps the Premier League and its international broadcasters engage new fans and viewers by developing the next generation of Premier League content. He was a key member of the BT Sport launch team in 2013 and continued to play a leading part in the channel’s strategy, culture and values. Previously he was Digital Sports Editor for the Telegraph Media Group, Sports Editor of the 7Days newspaper in Dubai, UAE, and a sports journalist with the Press Association news agency.

West Ham United Partners With Leading Male Grooming Company MANSCAPED

West Ham United is delighted to announce MANSCAPED™, the leader in male grooming and hygiene, as the Club’s Official Male Grooming Partner.

MANSCAPED has become a lifestyle brand admired and trusted by over two million men worldwide, and is the global leader in men’s grooming, hygiene, and self-care. Founded by Paul Tran in 2016 in San Diego, California, MANSCAPED tapped a white space within men’s grooming, sparking a fresh conversation that was once taboo, and creating a new category of its own.

Today, MANSCAPED’s diversified line of precision-engineered tools, unique formulations, and accessories provide the essentials for male self-care, while moving men forward by unlocking confidence and elevating lives.

MANSCAPED also shares the Hammers’ commitment to fighting testicular cancer – a disease with which late West Ham captain Bobby Moore and young Australian forward Dylan Tombides were both initially diagnosed with prior to their premature deaths. MANSCAPED’s long-time partnership with the Testicular Cancer Society aims to spread education and awareness about the disease.

This initiative will sit at the heart of the partnership between West Ham United and MANSCAPED, while the company’s brand logo will be seen on the LED boards at London Stadium on matchdays and across the Hammers’ Official Programme and digital channels.

Nathan Thompson, Commercial Director, West Ham United, said: “We are proud to partner with MANSCAPED, a company which sets the very highest standards with its range of male grooming products, and is also raising awareness of testicular cancer, which affects thousands of men across the UK every year.”

“We’re excited to announce our return to the Premier League stage in partnership with West Ham United, a club revered and respected by so many fans worldwide,” said Joey Kovac, VP of Marketing at MANSCAPED. “As a storied club full of phenoms and veterans alike, The Hammers are widely known for their exceptional performance, meaningful brand values, and total likability — qualities we often define ourselves with as a brand. We look forward to amplifying this special partnership throughout the 2021/22 season.”