ZAIN Group maintains official title sponsorship for the Arabian Gulf Cup

Zain Group, a leading provider of innovative technologies and digital lifestyle communications operating in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, has renewed its agreement to remain the official title sponsor for the Arabian Gulf Cup. The deal was brokered by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation’s (AGCFF) commercial agency, IMG.

Under the agreement, the biennial international football competition will be known as the ‘Khaleeji Zain 26’ for the upcoming edition. It will take place in Kuwait between 21 December 2024 – 3 January 2025.

Alongside naming rights opportunities, Zain Group’s brand will be present across key premium assets for the competition, including on pitch branding, digital integrations and broadcast advertising as well as city-wide fan zones and activations for the duration of the tournament. Zain Group became the tournament’s first official title sponsor when it previously came on board for the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2023, held in Iraq.

Jassim Al-Rumaihi, Secretary-General of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation, said: “We appreciate this partnership with Zain which was secured through our commercial partners IMG, and are looking forward to another successful competition. This partnership with Zain will enhance the Arabian Gulf Cup edition in Kuwait, especially as it attracts football fans in the region and we hope to continue this association long term.”

Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO, commented: “As a leading provider of innovative technologies and digital lifestyle communications across the region, Zain is committed to the development of youth and sports as vital pillars of every society. By participating in the Arabian Gulf Cup (Khaleeji Zain) for the second consecutive edition, we aim to contribute to elevating Kuwait’s standing as a leading force in regional sports. This thrilling competition will be watched by millions of passionate fans across the region, also bringing together thousands of fans from the GCC, to celebrate the unity, rich heritage, and enduring bonds of the Gulf nations.”

Adolfo Bara, SVP & Managing Director of Football Events at IMG commented: “Zain Group’s continued support and participation in the Arabian Gulf Cup showcases the strength of the tournament as a growing global asset. Together, IMG & AGCFF delivered one of the most successful editions of the tournament in 2023 and we’re looking forward to expanding on that success to grow the competition for the future.”

IMG has a long-term commercial partnership with the AGCFF to market the media rights and sponsorship agreements for the Arabian Gulf Cup, through to 2031. The partnership has delivered significant commercial milestones for the tournament, securing a series of new commercial partners for the previous edition featuring globally renowned brands Toyota and Mitsubishi Electronics, alongside established regional brands.

In addition to its partnership with AGCFF, IMG manages global sponsorship sales for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Football Club Internazionale Milano, Chivas De Guadalajara, the Leagues Cup, The Confederation of African Football (CAF), Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB), and the current World Cup titleholder Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA).

EBU and FIBA agree four-year broadcast partnership for premium national team basketball events in Europe

Basketball fans across Europe will get unprecedented free-to-air access to premium men’s and women’s national team events with a new broadcast partnership signed by FIBA, basketball’s world governing body, and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Starting in November 2025, the four-year deal covers the public service television, radio and digital platforms of 19 EBU Members in Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye and Ukraine.

EBU Members will broadcast every game played by their national teams live and free. For major events, live broadcast rights also include selected Group Stage, Quarter Final and Semi Final match ups – along with the Final.

Members will also contribute expert broadcast services for home games in the qualifier events for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, FIBA EuroBasket 2029, men’s and women’s Olympic qualifying tournaments and the qualifiers for the FIBA Women’s World Cup 2026.

Frank Leenders, FIBA’s Media & Marketing Services Director General, said: “This partnership underscores the growing popularity of basketball globally, especially for fans who are passionate about supporting their national teams.

“The expertise and reach of the European Broadcasting Union provide a quality platform to boost basketball in Europe with even more games and more exciting action for existing fans and new audiences.”

As part of the agreement, EBU Members will also provide significant marketing and promotion of FIBA events and their national teams.

Adrian Fikentscher, EBU’s Director of Acquisitions, Sales and Partnerships, said: “Bringing basketball to wider audiences than ever before across Europe marks a significant step in making the sport more accessible.

“Our strong partnership with FIBA opens an exciting new chapter for basketball and its athletes. With the support of EBU Members, we are committed to ensuring basketball reaches the audiences it deserves.”

Negotiated by FIBA Media, the strategic partnership between FIBA and DAZN, this collaboration reflects the growing sporting and cultural importance of national team basketball in Europe. With an impressive track record of bringing together significant audiences for prime-time television already in place, this is set to be extended and enhanced even further with this unprecedented partnership with the EBU.

“Deloitte’s Global Impact on Sports: Transforming the Olympic Movement through Innovation, Gender Equality, and Sustainability”

In this insightful conversation, iSportConnect’s Taruka Srivastav sits down with John Tweardy, Consulting Principal for the Olympic & Paralympic Games & Major Events at Deloitte Switzerland. They explore Deloitte’s ambitious mission to become the “most trusted” professional services provider in the sports sector, driven by a decade-long partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). John delves into the organization’s strategy for Paris 2024, the importance of gender parity, and the transformative role Deloitte is playing in the Olympic movement through digital innovation, sustainability, and athlete support.

Tell us about the current strategy and vision and mission for Deloitte when it comes to sports.

We have a goal to be the “most trusted” professional services organization in sports. This mission requires bringing our entire global portfolio to our clients to help solve their biggest challenges. Deloitte Sports has been making an impact for over 10 years and has nearly 3,000 practitioners globally focused on sports. In 2022, we were inspired by the IOC’s mission to create a “better world through sport” and wanted to take the practice to the next level, truly driving transformation on and off the field of play. The result was the IOC and Deloitte announcing a 10-year, five-Games TOP partnership through 2032 to transform the way the Olympic and Paralympic Games are experienced by fans and delivered to the world.

Deloitte’s purpose is at the heart of our partnership. We are applying our deep expertise in management and business consulting to enhance and secure the IOC’s digital ecosystem supporting the Olympic Movement. Using our business acumen, we are delivering initiatives that catalyze historic firsts–like driving gender equality across sport and helping members of the Olympic movement reach their sustainability aspirations. From launching the Olympic Games Learning Platform to over 2,000 users across four Organizing Committees to support the continuation of knowledge across the Olympic Games to now operating digital transformation capabilities of Converge™ by Deloitte for Sports, which powers the Olympic Fan Data platform, we are already seeing the impact of our partnership across transformation, talent, and purpose.

Additionally, I am proud to say that Deloitte has an extraordinary dual-career group comprised of 15 athletes who are both Deloitte professionals and elite athletes. They competed in 11 different sports at Paris 2024, earning a total of nine medals—five gold, two silver, and two bronze. Team Deloitte exemplifies how Deloitte supports athletes in pursuing their dream of competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games while building their dual careers and, further, how Deloitte can help the IOC support Olympians’ post-athletic careers through specific education and skills-building resources. ​

What was your (commercial / digital / marketing / content) strategy with regards to Paris 2024?

Ahead of Paris 2024, Deloitte and the IOC launched The First Effect – a campaign that celebrates our unique partnership with the Olympic Movement and the stories of trailblazing Olympians and Paralympians who have achieved a first, paving the way for others to follow– measuring the transformative impact of humanity’s firsts on the world’s greatest stage.

It was powerful to see featured firsts such as the first female Olympian to run for Saudi Arabia, the first Refugee Olympic Team, and the first amputee swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Games. During Paris 2024, Deloitte celebrated 48 new firsts, including the first Olympic Games with an equal number of male and female athletes and the first medal for both the Refugee Olympic and Paralympic Team. Ads featuring the campaign were displayed around Paris—including large ads along the Champs Elysees and in the Gare du Nord train station.

Paris 2024 was the first games for Gender Parity. How important was that for sponsors like you?

This was a major milestone for the Olympic Movement. Our Deloitte France teams helped certify the Games with a first-of-its-kind GEDI (Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) framework. Working with the IOC, Deloitte has supported the creation of a maturity assessment tool to define progressive maturity levels related to gender equality, diversity and inclusion for international events. This tool aims to provide a set of guidelines to foster gender equality, diversity, and inclusion at events and can be used for future Olympic Games and events all over the world.

J. Michael Evans – Alibaba Group, Yiannis Exarchos – OBS, Javier Tebas – LALIGA, Gerard Piqué, Marco Materazzi and AWS to headline at SPORTEL flagship event

In just under three weeks SPORTEL Monaco (28-30 October 2024), the world’s leading event for the sports media, broadcast and technology industry, will kick off with an unprecedented level of conference programming, capturing the hottest topics and future trends, presented by a new wave of top tier visionaries, star studded businessmen and disruptive innovators, at the heart of a bustling exhibition and market floor – the largest gathering of its kind, bringing together decision makers from the global sports media industry.

Industry heavyweights including President and Director, Alibaba Group (J. Michael Evans), CEO, OBS (Yiannis Exarchos), SVP Content, Production & Business Operations, WBD Sports Europe (Scott Young), led by Michael R. Payne, will share exclusive insights around “Paris 2024: An Olympic Broadcast & Viewership Success”, which showcased the biggest tech overhaul in decades – never seen at this level at the Olympics.

Inspiring discussions with footballing legends turned entrepreneurs lead the way, starting with Gerard Piqué, Kosmos-Kings League Founder, who will share exclusive insight about the creation of this competition with a Gen Z focus and how it is disrupting the beautiful game. Also hear from Marco Materazzi, Official Ambassador of (GRAS) Blockchain Sports and mentor of the Brazilian reality show “O Grande Jogo” (The Big Game), helping young boys to develop their football talents and become a part of the sport. The renowned LALIGA President, Javier Tebas, will share through his highly anticipated Keynote session, how LALIGA is leading the change as a top-tier sports organization to fight against audiovisual fraud in the sports media and broadcast industry.

Two exciting Masterclass topics will be hosted by SportBusiness including, “Behind the Lens: Creating a Successful Sports Docuseries”, diving into the business of creating blockbuster sports docuseries. Revealing the key factors that turn compelling sports narratives into profitable, global entertainment phenomena, will be the PGA Tour (Tom Jeffs), World Athletics (James Lord) and Fremantle (Georgette Schlick), led by SportBusiness’s Callum McCarthy. Following on, SportBusiness’s Imran Yusuf will host the SPORT(EL) spotlight panel, “What’s Next for Cricket as it Continues its Growth Journey?”, both commercially, powered by India, but also still going strong in its historical territories, notably the UK and Australia and now exploring new exciting territories such as the US, how are fans and digital set to play a key role? Expert panelists include FOX Sports Australia (Nic Goard), Rajasthan Royals, (Jake Lush McCrum) and Quidich (Gaurav Metha).

Sponsorship is now the second most important revenue stream for most rights holders and an informative panel, “The Role of Sponsorship Evolving in an Industry Under Pressure to Generate Revenues”, will dive into the different models of sponsorship, whether category exclusive marketing rights, or a broader, more fragmented sponsorship strategy and how brands strategically connect with their target audiences. Sponsorship experts led by SPORTEL’s Giovanni Aquilanti will feature Milano Cortina 2026 (Nevio Devide), FIFA, (Marco Nazzari) and Protocol Sports Marketing (Lowell Conn) to complete the line up.

Opening the conference programme will be podcast pioneers, Unofficial Partner, with their popular sports media podcast series coming to the SPORTEL stage. “The Bundle Live” will explore the biggest stories of 2024 and the people and companies having the greatest impact on the sports media industry. Expert insights will be shared by Gemba Europe & Middle East (Claire Kelly), EBU, (Glen Killane), OneFootball (Yannick Ramcke) and led by Unofficial Partner’s Richard Gillis.

Speakers Corner will also play host to a slate of case studies and presentations highlighting the latest technologies and solutions trending for the sports media and broadcast industry, including topics and speakers: “Live Sport Production” (LiveU with EBU/Actua Films); “Building a Champions League of MMA” (PFL); “How FAST is Shaping the Future of Sports Streaming” (WURL with EBU/Nagra and World Rugby); “Maximising a League’s Value Beyond Automatic Production” (Spiideo with Svensk Elitfotboll); “First Live Referee Camera in MMA” (Tivio Studio); “Amazon Web Services Innovation in Sport” (AWS with European League of Football); “Future Fans: Engaging Younger Audiences with GenAI” (WSC Sports); “Reality Show the Big Game” (Blockchain Sports with Marco Materazzi); “Revolutionizing Sports Streaming: AI and New Monetization Innovations” (Harmonic) and “The Opportunities and Vision for Regional Sports: CBC Sports Connect’s Evolution” (Pixellot with CBC).

New for 2024, the Innovation Stage will also shine the spotlight not once, but twice on multiple presentations: “Private 5G, Mobile & Ultra Low Latency: Lessons Learned from a Summer in Paris” (Haivision); “Sports ABC – Sports Economy and AI Tech” (ISB with Ztudium) and “Breaking Down The Fan-Centered Formula for Sports Streaming Success” (Infront Lab, whose Activation Engine will be on display throughout Masterclasses at SPORTEL Monaco for interactive polls and audience Q&A).

Warming up to the “Pitch” session, now a firm highlight at SPORTEL events, the spotlight will shift to a select group of new SPORTEL companies that are transforming and revolutionising sports content with AI and other groundbreaking technologies, in this quick-fire pitch, powered by Magnifi. Each “Pitcher” will have just three minutes to present and two minutes Q&A, to impress both the audience and an international panel of judges, with the winners receiving prize money and prestige!

Another first, is a special event championing women in sports media and innovation, co- sponsored by AWS, with a networking lunch and the panel: “How Women are Driving Innovation in Sports”, featuring awesome ladies led by AWS (Julie Souza), with Formula E (Aarti Dabas), and SailGP (Melissa Lawton) and Sportradar (Diana Ustymenko).

Wrapping up on day three, is another first in collaboration with SVG, the “Sports & Generative AI Workshop”, with sessions led by SVG’s Ken Kerschbaumer and George Bevir, plus guest moderator Carlo de Marchis (A guy with a scarf). An interactive discussion between the panelists and audience, will debate the potential role AI will play in everything from rights, advertising, content creation, content distribution, and the fan experience, addressing concerns and opportunities. On stage panelists include AWS (Paul Devlin and Dave Mace), PGA Tour (Scott Gutterman), Veritone (Peter Leeb), Magnifi (Ross Tanner) Spectatr (Shifa Garg), ISB (Ursula Romero), HBS (Johannes Franken) and Tradable Bits (Maurizio Barbieri), entwined with lots of audience engagement throughout the morning, wrapping up a truly engaging and innovative SPORTEL conference programme.

“SPORTEL Monaco continues to evolve, with the pulse of the sports media landscape. This year, we are thrilled to welcome an unprecedented number of executive leaders and innovators, sharing their visions on the future of sports media and the technologies that are redefining our industry. In 2024, the focus on emerging trends such as AI and innovations for broadcast, demonstrates how SPORTEL remains at the forefront of innovation. Our goal is to provide participants with an environment where they can not only discover these technologies and trends, but also engage with the minds shaping the future of global sports. » said Loris Menoni, Executive Director, SPORTEL Monaco.

Breaking the Sound Barrier: How Italian Basketball is changing the game for fan access

Italy’s LBA is transforming fan engagement by mic’ing up players and referees, offering unfiltered access. Should we be getting more access to in-action audio? writes David Granger, Director at Arc & Foundry

For those following Formula 1 over the past few races, the topic of driver’s language has been the story du jour.

It’s the vocabulary they use while speaking via team radio to strategists on the pitwall – it has been one which has had drivers react from the vociferous (Lewis Hamilton rightly objected to swearing being associated with rap artists) to the, well… silent. World champion Max Verstappen went all Kimi Raikkonen at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Finnish driver was renowned for his monosyllabic answers in press conferences. Max did the same after being fined and told to do community service for swearing on the team radio.

The sad (although unlikely) thing is, if others follow Verstappen’s lead, we’ll lose one of the more interesting inputs from the drivers. Having been media trained for press conversations to ensure nothing is uttered which might compromise team information, the odd expletive and invective from drivers in the warm-down laps or in the heat of mid-race was a treat for fans. Some of it was funny as well. And F1 wasn’t afraid to use it on social either.

The opposite of this, and perhaps what fans would far prefer is to hear everything that goes on during the action. Which is what’s happening in the second sport biggest league in Italy – the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). They’ve mic’ed up all the players *and* the referee to let fans listen in to the conversations on court in their series Into The Game.

It’s a brave, bold move but means we get to really hear what’s going on both on court and off it. The mics remain hot when the players and coach retire to the changing rooms in between games to berate or celebrate the play.

Into The Game is now in its second season, having launched in 2023-24 and fans can hear the conversation on LBA’s web site (legabasket.it), on their mobile app and via YouYube.

How does it work? A high-quality microphone and transmitter are sealed in the light undershirt under players’ jerseys. The lightweight transmitter is the size of a credit card and made of fabric so won’t injure a player.

The teams have been consulted throughout this process and with respect to ensure nothing affected performance. The mics were initially trialled by the 16 under-19 teams of the Serie A clubs in their Next Gen Tournament.

The players and coaches were asked for their feedback (which was positive), then the mics were tested in practice before the Serie A games proper. And, since the audio is broadcast post-game, clubs give their approval before it goes live.

But the fans love the format and the insight – it’s a unique way to collect and provide exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

The most surprising thing heard so far? The mutual respect shown between ref and players. On the television, on in the stands, you can’t hear really hear what they say to each other. Now we can.

The plan is to keep listening in to players, coaches and refs, but the audio collected will be part of a larger storytelling plan – not simply eavesdropping for the sake of it but enriching a narrative around games and the season.

The great thing is this brings fans closer to the sport without the need to change rules, add layers of augmented reality or gimmicks to grab the attention of newer fans.

The balance to this raw audio is the LBA has invested heavily in super super slo-mo cameras to capture amazing footage of leaps, dunks and moves across court. These are not your average beauty shots, but a real change to the way the league represents the sport, especially on social.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAS-RPyIwGU

Basketball has a rich heritage in Italy, but it is also progressive enough to embrace technology and innovation while retaining those roots. It has its own Derby d’Italia (the original pits Inter against Juventus in soccer) with the rivalry between Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna, while it continues to attract sponsorship from major brands such as Unipol, an Italian financial company that is a leader in the insurance and banking sectors, and Frecciarossa, the leading company in managing passenger rail transport that lends its name to the high-speed train. Interestingly, it has a long-term agreement with Infront as marketing advisors, which is clearly paying off.

In audience terms broadcast deals with DAZN and Eurosport, have increased digital broadcast and the LBA’s footprint worldwide, while at arenas the experience is constantly improving, making live attendance even more of an event. And, importantly, the youth development system ensures a steady flow of new talent, to secure the sport’s future growth.

So there is real drive to include and engage existing, and future, spectators from both a high-end technical and more raw access to the audio action, something few sports have tried.

If only F1 could be as bold.

Sportian extends partnership with Belgian Pro League to create a full data ecosystem

Belgian Pro League has introduced new sports data innovations powered by Sportian Performance. With three major innovations and all data captured by Performance, the Pro League and its clubs are investing in their sports development to get closer to the top of the European game. 

From next season, Pro League teams across men’s, women’s and youth football will have access to high-quality sports data and enhanced analysis capabilities with new range of data and tracking solutions that will be centralized on Sportian’s data visualization and analysis platform, Sportian Performance. 

Camera technology innovation for better game analysis

Starting in the 2025-26 season, at least 12 automated cameras will be installed in each Jupiler Pro League club stadium, and 8 cameras at Challenger Pro League clubs. This new technology will provide significantly more accurate images, which are crucial for tactical analysis and the collection of both event and tracking data. Thanks to these advanced cameras, not only will players be better mapped, but their actions and physical performances can also be analyzed in greater detail.

Using advanced automated cameras it will be possible to monitor and analyze both collective gameplay and individual player performances with much greater precision. This upgrade will allow for significant advancements in tactical analysis, data collection, and even the determination of crucial moments such as offsides.

Integrated data platform for youth, women, and first teams
All collected data – from youth, women’s, and first teams – will be centralized on one platform: Sportian Performance. This platform, which is used by other major competitions such as LALIGA, will allow clubs to perform both video and data analysis, providing a complete overview of players’ performances and developments across all age categories and competitions.

“We’re proud to be forming this unique project with Pro League that will empower its teams at all levels to elevate their game through performance data insights and smart decision-making. Our Performance platform is born from a vision to raise the competitive level of sports competitions leveraging smart data and has been honed by years of development with the coaching experts of LALIGA, its participating clubs, and the technological muscle of Globant. This platform, as part of the wider Sportian and Globant ecosystem, offers an integrated suite of solutions that not only enhance performance but also create a robust foundation for innovation and growth in the world of sports. Working alongside Pro League, we are certain that this new solution will bring lasting results across its entire football ecosystem”, said Alejandro Scannapieco, Sportian CEO.

Limb-tracking: From 50 to 10.000 data points per frame

One of the most groundbreaking innovations is the introduction of limb-tracking technology. Where previously only 50 data points were collected per frame, the new cameras in the Jupiler Pro League will capture no less than 10,000 data points per frame. This will allow even the smallest movements of each player’s body parts to be tracked with precision. For the Challenger Pro League, this is an absolute first, as tracking data will be collected for the first time using the same advanced system as in the Jupiler Pro League.

“If you’re not the biggest, you have to try to be the smartest. That’s why, in collaboration with our clubs, we are investing heavily in new technologies from 2025 onwards,” explained Pro League CEO Lorin Parys. “Belgium will be the only country in Europe to collect and centralise sports data from U13 level upwards. This will enable us to focus more than ever on developing talent. For the first time, we will be collecting tracking and event data for our women’s competition. Only the Bundesliga and the Premier League do this. Our Jupiler Pro League will get a serious boost, as we will be installing at least 12 tactical cameras in each stadium, instead of the current 3, to improve tactical analysis. In the future, we will no longer measure 1 point on a player’s body, but more than 40. We will be the only ones to do this in the two highest leagues.

“We process all this information and store it in a central environment. This is where the clubs, TV channels and RBFA can easily exchange data, a system that is currently only used in LALIGA. These investments benefit not only the clubs and players, but also the fans. Because VAR will draw a semi-automatic offside line using artificial intelligence, waiting times are reduced and decisions are improved. All this will also be more transparent, as the 3D offside wall will be visible on television. A premiere for a national competition on the European continent. Finally, fans will receive more data on television, which will further enhance the viewer experience. We look forward to using these new features to take our football to an even higher level next season”.

Big leap forward for women’s and youth football

The women’s competition, the Lotto Super League, will be supported by SciSports’ event and tracking data technologies starting next season. All clubs will gain detailed insights into their players’ performances, helping them further professionalize. For the first time, the physical and tactical performances of the female players will be captured and analyzed at a comparable level to the men’s competitions.

In youth football, performances from U13 teams onwards will also be monitored and analyzed by SciSports. This will enable clubs to track the development of their young talents and compare them with peers both within and outside the club. This data provides clubs with a valuable benchmarking tool to better guide youth players in their development.

“SciSports is thrilled to partner with the Pro League in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing insights into women’s and youth football in Belgium. By collecting and analyzing vast amounts of data at both player and team levels, we are enabling the Pro League and the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) to make informed decisions in player monitoring and development. This partnership marks a significant milestone, as the Pro League becomes the first European league to invest in comprehensive youth data collection from U13 teams onwards.

This initiative underscores the Pro League’s commitment to fostering the next generation of talent and setting a new standard for youth development across Europe. We are incredibly proud to support this vision and look forward to contributing to the long-term success of youth football in Belgium,” said Vincent van Renesse, Chief Executive Officer of SciSports.

Semi-automated offside technology: faster, more accurate, and more transparent

A semi-automated offside technology will be introduced in Jupiler Pro League stadiums. Powered by GeniusIQ, Genius Sports’ next-generation sports data and artificial intelligence, this new system has been built on the key principles of speed and precision to minimise breaks in the game and deliver accuracy.

AI will automatically select both the best camera angle and the correct frame of the pass moment, and it will draw the offside line, all within seconds. This technology not only enables quicker decisions but also allows for greater transparency towards fans by displaying the images clearly.

Paul Hunt, Sports Business Director at Genius Sports, said: “We’re delighted to partner with the Pro League to implement cutting-edge mesh tracking technology and a suite of performance, fan engagement and officiating solutions, all powered by GeniusIQ. Equipping the Pro League with mesh data is a quantum leap forward for Belgian football, capturing billions of data points from every game to create incredible new opportunities, including semi-automated offsides technology, augmented broadcasts, in-depth team and player analysis and much more. We look forward to working with the Pro League to put them at the forefront of data-driven innovation in European football.”  

Carling named as Official Beer of the SPFL

The SPFL and Molson Coors have announced a new partnership that sees Carling unveiled as the Official Beer of the Scottish Professional Football League.

The partnership will run until at least the end of Season 2026/27 and will see the Carling brand represented at league matches and every round of the Premier Sports Cup.

Carling’s activation will also include a number of engaging opportunities for supporters from across the SPFL to get involved with.

Lee Willett, Carling Brand Director at Molson Coors Beverage Company, said: “Carling is the lager brand consumers most commonly associate with football so we are thrilled to be able to announce our partnership with the SPFL.

“We’re committed to supporting the beautiful game at every level here in Scotland and across the UK. That includes giving local clubs a chance to win new team kits through our Grassroots Goals initiative in partnership with Umbro, and now helping clubs and fans enjoy the country’s biggest competitions through this new partnership.

“We can’t wait to stand alongside Scottish football fans for the upcoming seasons.”

Neil Doncaster, SPFL Group Chief Executive, said: “It is fantastic news to welcome Molson Coors and Carling as an official partner of the SPFL. Carling has a rich history of supporting Scottish Football and this new association with such a respected UK brand comes at an exciting time for the league and our member clubs.

“We are very much looking forward to working with the Carling team for the next three seasons and, hopefully, beyond.”

The partnership is the latest commercial agreement secured for the SPFL by the Scottish Football Marketing venture.

Brendan Napier, Commercial Director of Scottish Football Marketing, said: ‘’We are really proud to welcome Carling as the Official Beer partner of the SPFL.

“Carling is a brand that is synonymous with football in this country and has a long and illustrious record of connecting communities and supporters on matchdays.

“With that, we felt Carling, and their talented wider team, represented the perfect partners for us here at the SPFL.

“We are looking forward immensely to kick-starting the new partnership; one that will further enhance the SPFL viewing occasion in pubs, bars and homes around the country.’’

MLS signs OneFootball as official content distribution partner

OneFootball, a leading digital football media platform, and Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada, have announced an agreement to showcase MLS to a wider international audience. This new program underscores OneFootball’s dedication to expanding global soccer content as it becomes an official content distribution partner for MLS worldwide.

The partnership will grant OneFootball access to MLS highlights, covering hundreds of MLS matches, MLS NEXT Pro matches, and MLS NEXT matches per season. Fans can anticipate timely highlights and enhanced coverage of MLS competitions across the One Football eco-system.

In line with its strategy to deliver the most relevant football content in all formats, OneFootball will distribute MLS content via its app, website, and Connected TV platforms. The partnership will also leverage OneFootball’s video player network, which includes the newly announced co-branded content hub with Yahoo! Sports, to enhance the visibility and reach of MLS content.

ONEFOOTBALL CLUB ADVISORY BOARD

To further cement this agreement and highlight OneFootball’s commitment to growing the sport both in the U.S. and internationally, MLS will be welcomed as a shareholder and join the prestigious OneFootball Club Advisory Board. This esteemed board includes OneFootball shareholders such as Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, PSG, FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City FC, Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Olympique de Marseille, Liverpool FC, Juventus FC, and the German Football Federation (DFB).

“As MLS’ continues to grow its relevance on a global scale, we are excited to work with OneFootball to provide fans around the world access to the amazing action in MLS each week,” said Seth Bacon, MLS Executive Vice President of Media. “This collaboration provides an excellent platform to help further showcase all the momentum behind MLS to a young, tech-savvy, global audience and to further our mission of elevating the profile of MLS, and we look forward to working together with OneFootball to deliver compelling and engaging content to fans worldwide.”

“OneFootball’s mission is to deliver an unparalleled football content experience while empowering content owners to connect directly with their audiences,” said Patrick Fischer, CEO of OneFootball. “We are thrilled to welcome MLS to our Club Advisory Board and look forward to this partnership enhancing their coverage and supporting the growth of soccer in North America and beyond.”

F1 signs LVMH as Global Partner in a 10-year deal

Formula 1 has announced that luxury brands group LVMH will become a Global Partner in 2025 – when the sport will be celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The new 10-year deal will include several of LVMH’s iconic Maisons, including Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy and TAG Heuer.

A statement from Formula 1 and LVMH described the deal as an “unprecedented agreement between the world leader in luxury and the pinnacle of motorsport” which will launch next season “at a time of incredible ongoing popularity, cultural relevance, and overall excitement for Formula 1 as a bridge between global sport and entertainment.

“At the crossroads of the LVMH Group’s values of creativity and excellence with Formula 1’s innovation and high-performance, the partnership will bring together the best of these two worlds and provide unparalleled experiences combining thrilling sport and elegant art-de-vivre, wheel-to-wheel racing and time-tested craftmanship, for enthusiasts, fans and clients.

“From the birth of Formula 1, in 1950 through to the modern day, LVMH and its Maisons have been a part of the sport. With this new partnership both Formula 1 and LVMH are excited to write new chapters of this incredible story, with each Maison involved bringing its unique expertise, heritage, and energy to heighten the collaboration.”

Further details of the partnership will be announced in early 2025.

Greg Maffei, President and CEO, Liberty Media, said: “LVMH and Formula 1 are two global brands that consistently push the boundaries of creativity and innovation, values core to Liberty Media.

“We were thrilled to work with one of the LVMH Maisons during the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year, and to now expand our relationship with the Group as they become a Global Partner.

“The opportunity to scale our commercial arrangements is emblematic of the vision we have for Formula 1 as the business continues to grow its platform. We look forward to working with Bernard and Frédéric Arnault in the years to come.”

British Gymnastics inks partnership with The Fruit Factory

British Gymnastics has announced partnership with The Fruit Factory, a leading UK-based fruit snack brand known for crafting delicious snacks made with real fruit juice.

Nick Horswell, Commercial Director of British Gymnastics, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “A very warm welcome to The Fruit Factory, who are joining us this month as an official partner. We’re thrilled to be working with such an exciting and fun family brand. Their on-the-go snacks will be a fantastic addition to our community, and we know our gymnasts, families, and fans alike will enjoy them just as much as we do.”

Tara Stevens, Senior Brand Manager at The Fruit Factory, also shared her excitement: “I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with British Gymnastics for 2025. This collaboration is a natural fit as we share the same values of being fun, playful and energetic. We’re particularly excited to fuel young gymnasts with our tasty fruit snacks, supporting their passion for the sport and helping to create an active and positive environment for the next generation.”