UEFA Launches UEFA eEURO 2021 Tournament

Following the success of this year’s first ever UEFA eEURO, European football’s governing body has announced the competition will return for a second edition, with the final tournament planned to take place next summer in London.

UEFA eEuro 2021 will see participating players compete in the largest national team efootball event – and it will be played exclusively on KONAMI’s eFootball PES 2021 SEASON UPDATE. The competition will feature all 55 of UEFA’s member associations, who in November will start selecting their teams to take part in the qualifiers in early 2021.

The aim for all contestant countries will be to qualify for the final tournament in London from 9–10 July, scheduled just before the final of the real-world UEFA EURO 2020 at Wembley Stadium on 11 July.

“The UEFA eEURO has given efootball enthusiasts the chance to dream of representing their country on the biggest stage and all competing teams will be looking to emulate Italy who were victorious earlier this year,” said UEFA Events SA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.

“The inaugural UEFA eEURO was an undoubted success, with over 15 million people having watched competition footage across UEFA’s platforms. We have seen a massive growth in the popularity of efootball over the past few years and eEURO 2021 will continue to give us the opportunity to connect with new and existing fans of national team football.”

Reigning champions

Represented by a team of four gamers – AlonsoGrayfox, Naples17x, Nicaldan and Genoa_Npk02 – Italy were consistently impressive during the inaugural virtual final tournament. Beaten just once in qualifying, the Azzurri dispatched Israel in the quarter-finals and France in the last four to set up their showdown with Serbia, whom they defeated with a last-minute goal in the best-of-five final series.

“It was a great emotion,” said AlonsoGrayfox after the May 2020 final. “It was incredible to get to this point and now that we have won it, I cannot express my feelings in words. The decisive game was the one against France in the semi-finals. That victory gave us self-confidence. I’m proud to be Italian, I’m proud to be Sardinian. It’s incredible, I still cannot believe we did it – it’s a dream.”

How will the competition unfold?

As with its successful predecessor, UEFA eEURO 2021 will have a specific team focus. Each participating national association will compete with a national efootball team comprising between two and four players, who will represent their country in the pan-European event.

The format will be similar to the real-life UEFA EURO 2020, entailing a qualification phase and a final tournament, in which the players will face off in London. Between November and December 2020, each association will nominate their team, with participants being chosen through a domestic online or ‘physical’ tournament – unless a national efootball team already exists.

An official draw will then be made to divide the competing countries into groups for the online qualification stage; in this phase, every team will play two matches against the other sides in their group, with the team with the highest overall aggregate score being determined the winner. The winner of each group and the best six runners-up will qualify for the final tournament in London.

“Our teams have pulled out all the stops to secure the biggest and best licences possible for eFootball PES 2021 SEASON UPDATE; quality licences that match the level we set each year when it comes to game play,” said Naoki Morita, President at Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.

“The partnership with UEFA and the EURO 2020 tournament is a big win for our community and new users who look for fresh content throughout the year.”

Former F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg Creates Extreme E Team

Extreme E, the new electric off-road racing series, is delighted to welcome Nico Rosberg to the championship through the formation of his own team – Rosberg Xtreme Racing (RXR) – which will make its racing debut in 2021.

Led by 2016 Formula One™ World Champion and sustainability entrepreneur Nico Rosberg, the team is an evolution of Team Rosberg, founded in 1994 by Nico’s father and 1982 F1 World Champion, Keke Rosberg. RXR builds on the team’s success in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) as well as Nico Rosberg’s post-F1 career as an entrepreneur in the field of sustainable mobility. 

Since retiring from Formula One, Rosberg has invested in numerous successful sustainability start-ups and is also an early investor and shareholder of the all-electric racing series Formula E. With his entrepreneurial commitment, Rosberg supports businesses that offer disruptive solutions in the transition to a sustainable society. In 2019, Rosberg founded the GREENTECH FESTIVAL, a global platform to showcase pioneering green technologies.

RXR and Extreme E share a commitment to educate and inspire the series’ audience to take action in the fight against climate change both internationally and locally across the five-race calendar which spans four continents. The team’s commitment extends to off-track activities and projects with high-level institutions and initiatives that generate measurable social and environmental impact in the remote locations which Extreme E is set to visit. One of the first projects that RXR will support in its opening season is an initiative by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which works with rural communities in Senegal to monitor available water resources and the status of vegetation.

Commenting on the team’s unveiling, Rosberg Xtreme Racing Founder and CEO Nico Rosberg said: “We are thrilled to unveil Rosberg Xtreme Racing as the latest addition to Extreme E. The series represents an amazing opportunity to not only drive awareness but also inspire action in the fight against climate change – the single biggest threat to our planet today. Since retiring from F1 I have dedicated my career to sustainable technologies so to be able to combine these endeavours with my passion for racing is incredibly fulfilling. 

Alejandro Agag, Extreme E Founder and CEO, said: “We are ecstatic to finally announce that Rosberg Xtreme Racing will be joining our line-up for the first season of Extreme E. We have been talking about this project for many months and we are thrilled he has chosen Extreme E for his formal return to motorsport as Founder and CEO of his own racing team. There is clearly a great synergy between Nico’s endeavours in the sustainability field and the aims of Extreme E so his team is a hugely welcomed addition to the series.”

Seven Network To Broadcast 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

The Seven Network today announced at its 2021 Upfront presentation that it is the exclusive Australian media rights holder for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, to be held in Beijing, China from 4 – 20 February 2022.

Seven will offer Australians a comprehensive, multi-platform experience for Beijing 2022, building on the experience set to be delivered during Tokyo 2020, in July 2021.

This announcement builds on Seven’s long-term partnership with the International Olympic Committee and will mark the third Olympic Games in a row hosted in a favourable time zone for Australia, after PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020.

James Warburton, Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’re thrilled to announce this continuation of our partnership with the International Olympic Committee, to be the home of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

The Olympic Games are part of our DNA at Seven, so we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC to deliver another incredible experience for Australian audiences.”

‘IOC is delighted’

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The IOC is delighted to announce an extension to our agreement with Seven in Australia. We have a partnership that dates back to the Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956 and Australian sports fans will be able to count on Seven’s sports broadcast expertise and passion for at least another edition of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022.

In addition, as the IOC redistributes over 90 percent of its revenues, the financial support of our long-term commercial partners benefits the athletes, including the Australian Olympic Team for Beijing 2022, and the entire Olympic Movement. This solidarity is more important now than ever.”

Kurt Burnette, Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer and Director of Olympics, said: “Today’s announcement solidifies Seven as the destination for the biggest events. In the space of seven months, we will be the exclusive broadcaster of Tokyo 2020 and now Beijing 2022.

Both events are set to deliver unparalleled audiences, amplified by Beijing 2022 being the third consecutive Olympic Games we’ve broadcast in a favourable time zone for Australian audiences, just two hours’ difference from Australia’s east coast.

“PyeongChang 2018 broke records on broadcast and digital, and we know Beijing 2022 will set new records again.”

Digital offerings

Seven’s coverage of Beijing 2022 will be comprehensive, building off the extensive multiplatform coverage that will be delivered just seven months prior during Tokyo 2020.

Spanning Seven’s broadcast channels, market-leading BVOD platform 7plus and other digital properties including 7NEWS.com.au, Seven will take audiences closer to the action than ever before.

Lewis Martin, Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Network Head of Sport, said: “In July next year, we’ll bring Australian audiences Tokyo 2020 with a level of coverage never before available for free in Australia for an Olympic Games.

Multiple broadcast channels, dozens of digital streams on 7plus, all available on any device a viewer might choose – it’s going to be an exceptional experience.

“Just seven months later, we’ll build on that coverage with Beijing 2022, giving Australian audiences a new level of coverage for an Olympic Winter Games. We can’t wait.”

Beijing 2022 will also represent an opportunity for brands to connect with audiences at scale, leveraging the massive audiences generated by the Olympic Winter Games to reach niche audiences, at scale.

Huge numbers

During the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, 16 million broadcast viewers were reached across the screens of Seven. Both the Seven Network and Channel 7 were number one in every market and every key demographic for every day of the Games.

And with 103.5 million minutes live-streamed on 7plus and 4.5 million people reached across social media during PyeongChang 2018, digital platforms will deliver huge growth to complement the already massive broadcast audience.

The Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates says Seven’s exceptional Olympic coverage has given Australia’s Olympic winter sports a significant boost: “Seven’s coverage of the 2018 Games in PyeongChang set a new benchmark for winter sport in Australia.

Our athletes are really looking forward to the Beijing Games in February 2022 and the chance to represent their country before a huge television audience back home. Right now, with 15 months to the Beijing Games, we have Australian athletes preparing themselves in Europe and North America, while our freestyle skiers are currently training at our new Olympic Winter Training Centre in Brisbane.”

Mr Burnette added: “With Tokyo 2020 we’re delivering not just massive audiences, but niche audiences at a scale never before achievable.

We’ll do exactly that again just seven months after Tokyo 2020 with Beijing 2022, offering brands a series of opportunities to reach exactly their targets in ways never previously possible. Plus, it’ll enable brands to start their 2022 in a big way with what will be the biggest cultural and sporting event of the year across broadcast and digital. It’s an unbeatable opportunity.”

Hyperice Named Multi-Year Partner Of PGA TOUR And PGA TOUR Champions

The PGA TOUR and Hyperice, the industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression and thermal technology, announced a new multi-year partnership designating Hyperice as the “Official Recovery Device of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions” and a “Sponsor of PGA TOUR Active.”

As part of the TOUR’s Official Marketing Partner program, Hyperice will activate and create custom content within PGA TOUR Active (www.pgatour.com/active), a new TOUR initiative highlighting health, fitness and lifestyles of professional golfers, where fans get an inside look into the techniques and activities helping the world’s best perform at their peak. The partnership will also introduce Hyperice’s range of products and technologies into the Player Performance Centers, state-of-the-art mobile fitness centers that travel with the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions to provide fitness equipment and care through its recovery technology to players on-site at tournaments throughout the season.     

“As an industry leader in recovery technology, we couldn’t be more pleased to introduce Hyperice to the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions players and trainers,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “By developing products inspired by professional athletes, and making recovery technology and education accessible to all, Hyperice will help ensure our elite athletes recover effectively to perform at their best each week over a long season.”

Founded in 2010, Hyperice has always centered its product development around the needs of athletes to aid in their pursuit of excellence by optimizing performance and expediting recovery, making innovative handheld percussion massage devices, vibrating foam rollers, heat and vibration wraps and ice compression wraps for training, faster muscle and tissue recovery.

Beyond this new partnership with the TOUR, Hyperice has also been heavily touted by professional athletes, recently welcoming professional golfer Rickie Fowler to join the lineup of influential, high-performing athletes who serve both as investors and ambassadors. The company is set to provide its flagship product, the Hypervolt, to TOUR players at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD as well as every golfer on the PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour.

“Our partnership with the PGA TOUR is truly the first of its kind. In addition to delivering Hyperice recovery technology directly to players during tournaments to optimize performance, we’re able to give fans behind the scenes access to their favorite players’ health, fitness and recovery routines,” said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “Hyperice is committed to helping athletes worldwide move better and recover faster. Today’s announcement demonstrates the PGA TOUR’s commitment to elevating the sport and performance of its athletes. We’re also excited to have golf superstar Rickie Fowler join Hyperice as an ambassador and investor to help further advance our global health and wellness mission.”

“Hyperice has long been a part of my daily routine, so I’m very excited to have easy access to technology during play,” said Rickie Fowler, PGA TOUR Professional. “With fitness and body maintenance being a huge trend amongst us pros – especially during the time off at home – I love that the PGA TOUR has chosen the best in the business to share the importance of proper recovery to players, trainers and future generations of pros.”

Throughout the partnership, PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions players and trainers will receive the latest products, research and hands-on training from Hyperice to aid their recovery, enhance their performance and improve health and movement. Furthermore, the TPC Network will become a Hyperice retail partner, selling products on-site at its 16 owned and operated TPC courses around the United States.

In addition, this partnership will increase brand awareness for Hyperice’s newly launched App, powered by HyperSmart™ technology, which seamlessly blends physical and digital activity to create an experience entirely customized to the user. With its new Bluetooth® and artificial intelligence platform, it can recommend routines for body maintenance, recovery and performance goals by analyzing users’ wearable data.

BBC Confirmed As UK Broadcaster For Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The BBC has signed up to be the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. 

The deal means the corporation will broadcast Birmingham 2022 events on television and radio and provide online coverage for the home nations, offering unparalleled coverage of the UK’s largest sporting event since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The BBC has a long and proud association with the Commonwealth Games which dates back to 1954. With the longstanding history between the BBC and the Games, the organisation will bring an unrivalled experience of covering Birmingham 2022. 

The deal marks a particularly significant moment as 2022 coincides with the BBC’s own centenary celebrations. The partnership also reinforces the BBC’s longstanding connection with Birmingham and the Midlands, as one of the oldest regional arms of the broadcaster. 

The announcement comes on the day that Birmingham 2022 unveiled the Games’ medal event programme, confirming that the competition will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.

In addition, Birmingham 2022 will host the largest ever integrated para sport programme, as well as a record number of mixed events including diving, swimming relays and para-athletics relays.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022. 

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “I am delighted that the BBC has taken up the domestic rights for the Commonwealth Games.

“I believe this deal represents a huge vote of confidence in Birmingham as well as the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement. 

“We anticipate some of the world’s highest profile athletes will compete at Birmingham, which will be an historic event for women’s sport, with more medals for women than men. 

“The BBC has demonstrated a huge commitment to women’s sport and with 2022 marking their centenary, I am delighted they are partnering again with Commonwealth Sport to help us generate huge levels of excitement and anticipation in the lead up to one of the biggest sporting events the UK has ever have hosted.

“I am thrilled that the BBC will once again connect millions of viewers to the drama and excitement of the Commonwealth Games, bringing their world class production and analysis to homes and handsets across the UK.”

Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, said: “In a year when many major sport events have been postponed, this is welcome news for sports fans. 

We are delighted to be broadcasting the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.”

Birmingham 2022 CEO Ian Reid said: “This is a significant moment for Birmingham 2022 and we are very proud to be working with the BBC as the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Games. 

The BBC’s record in covering major sports events is truly outstanding and we can’t wait to work with them on our edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Birmingham 2022 is the biggest sporting event to be staged in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the BBC is the perfect broadcaster to showcase our 19 sports and 8 para sports, the majority of which will be held in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands, ensuring that the city and the region will be truly centre stage in 2022.”

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “This is another significant step towards the successful delivery of Birmingham 2022. It will be a fantastic year of culture and national celebration as we enjoy the Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and Festival UK. 

“I am delighted that the BBC will continue its long-standing heritage of broadcasting the Games, and I look forward to watching every moment of the action.”

IMG Arena Agrees Worldwide Betting Rights Deal With Lega Basket Serie A

IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, has secured the worldwide betting rights for the next five years with Lega Società di Pallacanestro Serie A (LBA), the top tier of Italian basketball.

The relationship will cover all the LBA events and began with the recent 50th anniversary of the prestigious Supercoppa won by A|X Armani Exchange Milano.

In addition, IMG ARENA will become the official partner for the LBA’s fastpath data, allowing it to boost commercial opportunities with sportsbook partners, while ensuring the integrity of the proprietary, licensed data and its distribution.

Freddie Longe, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of IMG ARENA, said: “We are delighted to start our alliance with the LBA. Basketball has a broad geographical following that makes it one of the world’s most popular sports.  We are committed to investing in elite leagues like the LBA as part of our promise to provide the highest quality content for our sportsbook customers.”

Umberto Gandini, President of LBA, said: “We take great pleasure in announcing the new partnership with IMG ARENA, who have a proven reputation of working with federations and leagues to both develop and protect sports via their innovative products and solutions. We understand the benefits of a long-term relationship and in IMG ARENA we have found a partner to help grow and future-proof our sport.”

Headquartered in London, IMG ARENA works with more than 460 leading sportsbook operators worldwide, providing always-on services including 24/7 live streaming and on-demand virtual sports products designed to evolve and inspire engagement by placing fans at the heart of the action. In 2019, more than 175 million hours of IMG ARENA content was watched by 56 million unique viewers around the globe. IMG ARENA’s clients include the ATP, UFC, the PGA TOUR, European Tour, the FA Cup and Serie A.

vivo Becomes Official Partner Of UEFA EURO 2020 And 2024

vivo has announced a four-year deal with UEFA under which the Chinese smartphone manufacturer will become an official partner for UEFA EURO 2020 and UEFA EURO 2024

This comes after vivo agreed with the Indian Premier League to pull back their title sponsorship of cricket’s biggest global franchise for 2020 as ongoing tensions linger between China and India, with Dream11 taking over the sponsorship for 2020.

vivo has been announced as an official partner for the next two editions of UEFA EURO, the Chinese company becoming the official smartphone provider for UEFA EURO 2020 and UEFA EURO 2024.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of UEFA said: “We are delighted to have vivo onboard as a partner for UEFA EURO 2020 and UEFA EURO 2024 – a competition which is followed by millions of football fans around the globe. Vivo is a recent and modern smartphone brand and we sincerely value their commitment to excellence and dedication to giving their customers the best possible experience. With vivo’s help, we are looking forward to connecting football fans globally over the next four years and beyond.”

The announcement also means vivo becomes the first ever presenting partner of the UEFA EURO Opening and Closing ceremonies, where the smartphone manufacturer will work with UEFA in order to create a memorable experience for the millions of viewers around the world, who will watch the tournament unfold.

Denny Deng, CEO of vivo Europe said: “Both UEFA and vivo share a passion for excellence, and for providing unique and fantastic new experiences for our fans. vivo hope to leverage the strengths in smartphones and smart services to work with UEFA, connecting with consumers around the world to create unique, outstanding and innovative human experiences for an extraordinary and unparalleled UEFA EURO.”

Kosmos Tennis Appoints Enric Rojas As Managing Director

Enric Rojas has replaced Javier Alonso as the new Managing Director of Kosmos Tennis.

Enric has worked at IMG for 13 years, nine in Spain and four in London as SVP Head of IMG Media for EMEA. He has an extensive experience in the world of tennis and sport and will lead the group as they prepare for the second edition of the Davis Cup Finals.

After three years as CEO and leading the creation of Kosmos Tennis and the organisation of the new-format Davis Cup Finals, Javier Alonso is stepping back from the forefront of the company to dedicate himself to other group projects including EMR and Kosmos Studios. 

Thanks to Javier’s professionalism and extensive experience in the world of sport, Kosmos has achieved important milestones. Javier will not be leaving the tennis project entirely and will remain as an advisor.

SailGP Appoints Fiona Morgan As Director Of Purpose And Impact

Backing-up SailGP’s recently announced purpose-led agenda Race for the Future, the global league has announced the appointment of Fiona Morgan in the newly created role of director of purpose and impact.

Through Race for the Future, SailGP is placing purpose at the heart of the sport’s pinnacle league to accelerate change to a cleaner and more inclusive future. Morgan joins SailGP to drive the global league’s forward-thinking purpose agenda internally and externally, and deliver real value for fans, partners, host cities and staff.

With nearly 20 years’ experience in the industry, Morgan joins SailGP with an exceptional track record of shaping social impact strategy and campaigns for some of the world’s most high-profile sports brands.  Recently she was the driving force behind Sky’s corporate and social purpose team, The Bigger Picture, and led the Sky Ocean Rescue consumer campaign, which reached an awareness of nearly 50 million people across Europe and resulted in behavioral change among its customers towards plastics. Morgan is also an ambassador for Meaningful Business – a global community of leaders who combine profit and purpose to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 – and an advisory board member at 17 Sport.

Morgan said: “We have a hugely exciting opportunity as a global platform to not only transform the sport, but at the same time, drive a purpose-led agenda that inspires and delivers real and meaningful change and focuses on a better future for all.  We will make decisions with a better future in mind and that’s a new and progressive way of thinking for sport.”

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We have a responsibility and purpose that goes beyond our entertainment proposition, and we are really excited to have Fiona on board to take SailGP from intention to action, and deliver our ambitious goals to effect environmental and social impact within and outside of the sport.”

Expedia Sign Sleeve Sponsorship With Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC and Expedia, one of the world’s largest full-service travel sites, have set off on a multi-year agreement that will position the travel platform as a principal partner of the club, landing on the shirt sleeve of both men’s and women’s team kit.

As Liverpool FC’s official travel companion, Expedia will create emotionally-driven campaigns through access to players, matchday visibility and branded content. Communication will focus on empowering fans to discover, book and enjoy the journey as well as the destination, maximising their experience for when football and travel will return to normal.

Matt Scammell, commercial director at Liverpool FC, said: “I see a great synergy between the club and Expedia; as organisations we both understand the value of the right support, whether that means not having to worry about travel arrangements or knowing the 12th man is behind you every step of the way.

“I’m delighted to embark on this journey with Expedia and looking forward to the relationship benefiting our global fanbase when we can all experience the freedom of football and travel once again.”

Adam Jay, president and co-lead, marketing at Expedia Group, said: “We are thrilled that Expedia is now the official travel companion of Liverpool FC.

“When we can all freely experience the joy of travel again, we look forward to being the perfect travel companion for the Reds and their fans around the world, ensuring that wherever they are, they will never walk alone.”