Aurora And North One To Bring Extreme E’s Broadcast To Life With Cutting-Edge Approach

Aurora and North One strike multi-year deal with Extreme E for host broadcasting and raft of support programming and digital content

Extreme E has confirmed that All3Media group companies Aurora Media Worldwide and North One will act as host broadcasters in a multi-season deal that will see the companies tell the story of this remarkable championship across the globe.

The partnership which has supported Formula E since inception will now bring Extreme E to life through a brand new hybrid storytelling approach, combining sport and scientific stories highlighting the planet’s plight, using sports as its lens.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “As Extreme E is taking place in remote locations, with no fans on-site, our broadcast content is the primary window to our sport and is crucial to our success.

“Aurora Media Worldwide and North One are trusted leaders in broadcasting and I know they will bring our unique motorsport adventure and our incredible locations to life in a way that inspires our fans in ways never seen before in motorsport.  

“Whilst world-class sporting action will be at the core, our mission is to take our audiences on a journey that inspires each and every one of us to more closely consider the effect of our actions on the future of our planet, so our broadcast content will play a critical role in that goal.”

Extreme E’s five remote race locations, which include desert, arctic, rainforest, glacier and coastal sites, will provide a stunning canvas for hybrid storytelling. A significant part of the broadcast will focus on the landscapes that have been damaged by environmental issues, allowing Extreme E to tell the stories of the global climate crisis.

The live racing will be captured through a cutting-edge mix of track, on-board and live drone cameras and an innovative suite of data-driven AR and VR graphics, showcasing the unique action and extraordinary places.

The production will make use of advanced remote technology, minimising on site footprint with all shows, mastered in London, in real time, direct from all of the championship’s global locations.

The combination of track, car and earth data will create a hugely informative and immersive experience. 

Lawrence Duffy, MD, Aurora Media, said: “Once in a while a project comes along which speaks to its time. Extreme E is the most adventurous and challenging of sports properties, and one which uses sport as a power for good. It is a great privilege and responsibility to shine a light on these locations and bring this uniquely entertaining series to screen.”

North One CEO Neil Duncanson added: “We had always thought that running the World Rally Championship and broadcasting from some of the most hostile environments on the planet would always be our toughest motorsport assignment. We were wrong. Extreme E will take us all to a whole new level – in terms of the extreme locations we will visit, the cutting-edge production technology we will deploy and the array of content platforms we will serve. It is a hugely exciting proposition.”

Fédération Française De Rugby Names ORECA As Official Online Store Partner

Fédération Française de Rugby, the governing body for rugby union in France, has today announced ORECA as its official online store partner, in a deal brokered by IMG.

ORECA will operate the online FFR shop, sales promotion and marketing, using the rebranded France Rugby logo and identity. The new website, launched today, will coincide with the introduction of the new France Rugby jersey developed by Le Coq Sportif.

Serge Simon, Vice President of FFR, said: “The different rugby teams are at the dawning of big challenges for the years to come, during which the FFR is also pursuing its digital transformation. The French Rugby Federation is therefore proud to launch its new eCommerce shop, where all supporters and rugby fans will be able to embrace products that bear our famous rooster. This new platform will provide the opportunity to showcase the new jersey of the French rugby teams.”

Raphaël de Chaunac, Vice President of ORECA, commented: “We are delighted with this collaboration, which represents a business diversification for our company and we would like to thank FFR and IMG. Becoming the official online store operator of France Rugby highlights that we are at the service of the fans and the people practicing this sport.”

Mickael Andreo, Vice President of Licensing, IMG, added: “We are entering a highly strategic period for rugby in France with last month marking three years to go until France hosts Rugby World Cup 2023. Working with specialists in each area of the licensing ecosystem, we will allow the FFR to reach out to the fans with a compelling, qualitative and adapted product offer and services. We are delighted to welcome ORECA as part of our licensee family.”

World Sailing Supports New Innovative App By SAP To Track Local Races Around The Globe

SAP and partner Sailing Yacht Research Foundation today announced the launch of Sail Insight, a new mobile app designed for the global sailing community. The user-friendly app allows users to create, track and manage their own races and provides live data and analytics to improve performance and training. The app is available for download on iOS and Google Play and has been endorsed by World Sailing, the world’s governing body for the sport of sailing. 

Historically, tracking and analyzing live sailing action has been cost prohibitive for many sailors, coaches and race organizers and has made events and regattas invisible to fans watching from shore. Now, Sail Insight can be used at thousands of regattas and training races around the world to benefit various sailing audiences and the sport overall. Clubs and race organizers can create their own races and provide live tracking for teams, participants and fans. Sailors can access live leaderboards and live race performance data. Coaches can base their tips and instructions on training and in-race tracking analytics, and fans can use their own devices to follow sailors and teams during races. 

The Sail Insight mobile app is available for free through 2020. The free version of the app will allow users to test all features, create a sailor profile, participate in regattas, conduct self-tracking, share results and send invitations on social media. In 2021, the app will shift to offer both free access and a subscription based model, which will unlock additional features. 

The app utilizes SAP® Sailing Analytics, the world’s largest and most robust sailing database. It provides insights and transparency using cloud and in-memory technology, processing GPS and wind measurement data in real time. For the first time, SAP is bringing the capabilities of SAP Sailing Analytics  to the broader sailing community by introducing, together with SYRF, the new Sail Insight mobile app. 

“Since 2011, SAP has been a trusted partner and innovation leader across the sport of sailing, creating solutions that improve performance for sailors, teams and race organizers while also growing fan interest and participation,” SAP Chief Technology Officer and Executive Board Member Juergen Mueller said. “The new app leverages the power of our sailing analytics database to create a mobile app that allows members of the sailing community to access data and information to help improve performance and  enhance their race and event experience.” 

The app provides sailors, coaches, clubs and fans with live data and analytics beyond professional one design racing into other forms of sailing including big boat formula, performance cruiser and club regattas.  Users for the first time can access live leaderboards and handicap racing leaderboards for live predictive handicap scoring. When clubs, sailors or coaches set up races from the app, they also can share a link with other participants and fans to follow along. 

“We are thrilled to be working with SAP to help grow sailing worldwide,” SYRF Technical Director Larry Rosenfeld said. “The technology and capabilities that SAP bring are tremendous, and together with our board’s lifetime of work in the sport, we believe we can make progress even faster together by introducing  and getting feedback from the community now.” 

Bellator MMA Announce BBC Broadcast Deal

Bellator MMA have today announced a new broadcast deal that will see live MMA broadcast on the BBC for the very first time.

Eleven fights from Bellator’s upcoming Paris show, which takes place on Saturday 10th October at the Accor Arena, will be available live on BBC iPlayer to viewers across the UK. In another first for Bellator, the Paris event will also make history by being the first major MMA event ever hosted in France.

Fights featuring on the BBC will include the highly anticipated welterweight bout between England’s Michael “Venom” Page (17-1), better known to fans as “MVP,” and the undefeated Scotsman Ross Houston (8-0,1 NC). MVP is one of the biggest names in MMA, known for his exciting fighting style and highlights reel of knockouts. Houston, a former MMA world champion, will be looking to make his mark on his Bellator debut.

David Green, Head of Bellator Europe, said; “We are thrilled that we will be bringing live action from our first ever show in France to fans across the UK on BBC iPlayer. The BBC is unparalleled in its reach with millions of people tuning in to its sports content every week. We therefore look forward to servicing our existing fans better than ever before as well as hoping to attracting new fans who will be able to tune in to this historic event. The card is stacked from top to bottom so those watching are in for a real treat come Saturday night.”

Scott Coker, President of Bellator MMA, said; “This is a really exciting broadcast deal for Bellator MMA as our presence in the European market goes from strength to strength. Having just put on three events in Milan and now heading to Paris to make history there, we are committed to providing fight fans across Europe with regular events, featuring the world’s best fighters, which are easily accessible to them via our first-class broadcast partners. We have signed more big names to our roster this week and are looking forward to an action-packed 2021.”

Rugby World Cup And Societe Generale Extend Worldwide Partnership

World Rugby has announced that Societe Generale has renewed its long-standing and impactful worldwide partnership of Rugby World Cup for the 2023 event in France.

The first top tier Worldwide Partner to be confirmed for France 2023, Societe Generale was announced today and will embark on a three-year journey towards the most sustainable and impactful Rugby World Cup ever.

The renewal between Rugby World Cup and one of the leading European financial services groups , reflects enormous partnership interest after a hugely successful edition in Japan, which widened the reach, appeal and impact of the sport in Asia, and attracted a raft of new commercial sponsors.

Societe Generale is a major supporter of rugby worldwide from grassroots to the elite game and has been a valued partner of Rugby World Cup since the 1991 edition.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We are delighted to be extending our long-standing worldwide partnership with Societe Generale. The major French bank, Societe Generale shares values of integrity, solidarity, respect, discipline and passion with rugby, which have been evident during an association with the sport that stretches back more than 30 years.”

Societe Generale has become one of the most recognisable brands in rugby and a major supporter at international, union and domestic level as rugby continues to enjoy record participation, fan-base and commercial growth.

With World Rugby recently announcing a long-term host selection strategy for its men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups, the international federation is already experiencing record levels of interest for commercial partnerships. The full Worldwide Partner inventory for 2023 is on track to be completed before the event marks two years to go.

Societe Generale Chief Executive Officer Frédéric Oudéa said: “Societe Generale has been an historical partner of rugby. We share the sport’s values of teamwork and commitment, and we want to support its development in an inclusive way around the world. Our long-term engagement carries a special weight within the current sanitary context and economic uncertainty, which has affected the global rugby family. It was both a natural fit and our responsibility to partner for the seventh time with the next Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.”

Rugby World Cup 2019 was the most commercially successful rugby event of all time, with partners playing a full and active role in generating unforgettable moments for fans around the world.

Nielsen research has shown that the event has grown the global rugby fan-base by more than 50 million to a total of 400 million worldwide, while the 2019 edition set new attendance, audience and competitiveness records and delivered an unprecedented £4.3 billion in economic impact for the host nation and more than two million first time participants in Asia.

World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: “Societe Generale are a valued and active partner, proactively supporting the growth of the sport worldwide and we are delighted that they are the first partnership to be announced for what will be a home Rugby World Cup for them. We are excited by their activation plans which support our mission to make the sport more accessible and exciting for audiences around the world.”

RFU And Allianz Announce Landmark Partnership For Premier 15s

The Rugby Football Union has today announced Allianz Insurance as the new Insurance Partner of England Rugby and the title partner for the Premier 15s, with the official name of the competition being ‘Allianz Premier 15s’.

Allianz is committed to supporting the top-flight women’s domestic rugby competition in England as well as the England Rugby teams and the community game in line with its commitment to promoting inclusion, diversity and excellence.

As the Official Insurance Partner of England Rugby, Allianz will continue its long involvement in the sport, whilst supporting the RFU in building a sustainable and diverse future for rugby.

One of the largest general insurers in the UK, Allianz Insurance has a long history in rugby and is excited about turning its support and attention to the women and girls’ game which is a strategic priority for the RFU.  Together the two organisations will continue the strong growth trajectory of the sport through increased awareness activities and programmes like Inner Warrior.

Nicky Ponsford, Head of Women’s Performance at the RFU said: “This commitment from Allianz will have a significant and positive impact on the continued success of our women’s and girls’ teams.  Attracting a partner like Allianz is also a great honour and shows just how far the women’s game has developed.

Simon McGinn, general manager, Commercial & Personal, Allianz Insurance, said:  “We are delighted to announce this exciting new agreement with England Rugby as the Official Insurance Partner, which will see us become partner to the men’s and women’s England rugby teams. Allianz has a longstanding history with this fantastic sport and we are looking forward to continuing our involvement through this new partnership.

“Our partnership with the RFU also provides us with an excellent new opportunity to support women’s sport, as we become the title partner of the Premier15s and Inner Warrior, the grassroots programme to encourage girls and women into sport.”

Trondheim And Saalbach Elected To Host FIS World Championships 2025

Today, Saturday 3rd October, the FIS Council elected Trondheim and Saalbach as the Organisers of the FIS World Ski Championships in Nordic and Alpine Skiing, respectively. The final presentations by the four candidates for the FIS World Ski Championships 2025 preceded the election with the highly-anticipated decision announced at 17:30 CET, which was streamed live on the FIS Facebook and You Tube channels, and can still be viewed.

Trondheim (NOR) was unanimously appointed as host of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship 2025 as the sole candidate.

“In confirming Trondheim as the host of the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, we will bring our Nordic disciplines to the heart of the sport. Already in 1997 Trondheim staged an unforgettable World Championships with record crowds and an amazing atmosphere. I am certain what they will bring the world in 2025 will exceed all expectations,” said FIS President Gian Franco Kasper.

Alpine Skiing saw three quality candidates vying for the honour to host the FIS World Ski Championships 2025 with Crans-Montana (SUI), Garmisch Partenkirchen (GER) and Saalbach (AUT). Earning 12 votes, Saalbach won the election ahead of Crans-Montana and Garmsich Partenkirchen, who each finished with one vote.

“Much like with our Nordic World Championships, with Saalbach and Austria, we are going to the heartland of Alpine Skiing. Every time FIS has staged the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship in Austria, it is a special occasion with massive crowds and very professional organisation. There is not a doubt in my mind Saalbach will live up to this strong tradition.” said Kasper.

Case Study: How 100G Will Transform The Media Landscape

Research reveals that there were around 2.4 billion Internet users in 2014. By June 2019, that number doubled to 4.4 billion. That’s an 83% increase in the Internet user base in a span of just five years. For the media and telecommunications sector, this raises an all-important question: For the media and telecoms sector, how far can current underlying networks scale to accommodate the growing traffic on the Internet?

While the good news is that no one single network will need to support this burgeoning traffic, there remains some scepticism around existing networks and their ability to keep pace with the bandwidth demands of next-generation connected devices.

Businesses across various industries have already started upgrading to a networking speed of 10 gigabytes per second (GB/s). However, even 40-channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems operating on a 10 GB/s wavelength are fast reaching capacity across channels.

Fnatic Announces Global Partnership With Hisense

Fnatic are proud to welcome Hisense, the global consumer electronics and home appliances market leader, to our roster of partners with a multi-year partnership. Through this partnership, the two companies will produce a variety of content, including product reviews, video collaborations and social engagement, each featuring Hisense appliances and Fnatic’s prominent teams.

“We are thrilled to partner with Fnatic, one of the world’s top esports organizations, in a joint effort to bring a better quality of life to Fnatic and esports fans,” said Alex Zhu, the Vice President of Hisense International. “We hope to make Hisense TV and home appliances truly their friend and right hand in life by constantly exploring the needs of fans, so as to allow them to focus on enjoying every moment of esports games. Supported by the unique VIDAA operation system that launched at Hisense TV, we are dedicated to bringing more esports and Fnatic content to our big screens for fans.”

Hisense provides reliable smart home appliances including televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, cooking appliances among many others, that meet the demands of modern consumers. As a part of the deal, all Fnatic facilities will be upgraded with Hisense products. Fnatic will also have access to Hisense’s global network of customers, allowing for a wider audience and the potential to build a stronger fan base. This partnership represents another strategic milestone in Fnatic’s continued expansion into China.

“We are proud to partner with Hisense, a forward-thinking, innovative company, that is committed to bringing happiness into the homes of millions of families,” said Sam Mathews, Founder and CEO of Fnatic. “As a trusted partner, we are excited to share this collaboration with our fans, players and creators.”

ITU Rebrands To Become World Triathlon

As of 1 October 2020, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) will officially take on its new identity as World Triathlon, following a rebrand that will take the sport of triathlon and its world governing body forwards after 31 years as ITU.

The new identity has been developed to reinforce World Triathlon’s place at the centre of the global triathlon community. The new brand provides fresh impetus to its mission to continue growing the sport across the globe.

“The message behind the new name could not be clearer: World Triathlon represents the entire multisport community, from the first-time triathlete to the Olympic champion. It represents everything we stand for; innovation, ambition, collaboration and equality and will continue to be the leading voice shaping and sharing our sport’s incredibly bright future,” said World Triathlon President and IOC member Marisol Casado.

Starting in August 2019 and calling on members and stakeholders from across the triathlon family for their input, the rebrand has been a comprehensive process that gave an unprecedented level of insight into what ITU represented to its various stakeholders.

“Whether it is your first race or your fiftieth, our great sport has always been about pushing the limits of what you think you can do. It’s about being extraordinary, not just through racing but through everything that World Triathlon stands for; inclusion, sustainability, transparency and creativity,” added the World Triathlon President.

The three apex elements of the new World Triathlon logo represent the nine points of dynamic balance all triathletes share: Swim-Bike-Run, Mind-Body-Soul, Earth-Air-Water, represented in a palette of Transition Blue, Lawn Green and Sky Blue and with the planet in its soul.

“This rebranding exercise represents an important stage in the evolution of our organisation and the sport it represents on a local, national, international and Olympic level. We are now officially World Triathlon, and I am so excited about what this new identity means for our sport.”

“In only 20 years, triathlon has grown into one of the most popular sports on the Olympic programme, and that will only increase as our work sees more medal events added. We have never been an organisation that likes to stand still or look back, and the ways people interact and share their triathlon journeys has changed enormously over the past decades. The new look will help us appeal even more to the new landscape of young athletes, future partners and innovative sponsors as the governing body of the sport,” added Marisol Casado.

The innovative spirit that has always been a part of the organisation’s DNA will now be used with a fresh logo and look – both for World Triathlon and the five Continental Confederations – that open up exciting new possibilities for digital applications, event branding and sponsorship opportunities and will keep the World Triathlon profile at the apex of an increasingly competitive sports landscape.