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ONE Championship And Microsoft Partner To ‘Accelerate And Reinvent’ Digital Fan Experience

Microsoft named ONE Championship’s preferred cloud provider, delivering new fan engagement experiences powered by Microsoft Azure and best-in-class collaboration with Microsoft 365

ONE Championship™ and Microsoft Corp have announced a strategic partnership to harness the Microsoft cloud, including Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365, to transform digital fan experiences and enhance collaboration for employees. Microsoft is now ONE’s preferred cloud and data services provider, powering its digital transformation and accelerating innovation across all touchpoints.

Microsoft and ONE, through this alliance, are co-investing in digital fan experience transformation. The partnership is set to further enhance ONE’s position as a leading global sports media property and further execute its vision to engage fans through its unique brand of Asian values, world-class athletes and global appeal. As ONE accelerates its digital journey, the company will leverage the power of the cloud and data to build new capabilities and deliver cutting-edge digital experiences for its millions of fans around the world.

Empowering and enriching fan experiences

ONE will further enhance its over-the-top platform by leveraging Azure to accelerate its world-class streaming services and personalized content offers for fans around the world. AI-powered recommendation engines and analytics on fan behavior and viewing habits will allow ONE to better engage fans across all touchpoints and provide them with reimagined, tailor-made experiences.

Through Azure AI, machine learning and data analytics, ONE will expand its core data capabilities and transform its direct-to-consumer digital experiences. To further delight fans, ONE will provide them with unique sets of data and statistics to better understand the strength of a kick or a punch. Ultimately, the fans will be able to enjoy a more immersive experience when watching live events.

The collaboration between Microsoft and ONE will also allow fans to experience events remotely with the flexibility and scalability needed to address increasing demand from end users — especially during this unprecedented time when sports entertainment shifts to digital. In the future, the partnership will also enable ONE to explore other innovations such as the use of holographic computing in injury prevention; as well as the ability to improve athletic performance through AI and machine learning.

“I am thrilled to announce that ONE Championship has officially partnered with Microsoft to deliver fans the absolute best in data-driven digital experiences,” Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated. “ONE Championship is a global leader in live sports, and through the Microsoft cloud, we can accelerate our capabilities and digital presence.”

“Demand for digital experiences has never been higher and our partnership with ONE Championship — a leader in sports entertainment with the largest and most rapidly growing millennial fan base — will enable them to deliver on this opportunity in innovative new ways and enhance the services they provide for supporters, athletes and employees,” Jean-Philippe Courtois, EVP and president, Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing & Operations, stated. “We’re looking forward to working with ONE to help accelerate its digital transformation for the benefit of millions of sports fans around the world.”

Expanded productivity and content ecosystem

As part of its push toward digital transformation, ONE will roll out Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Teams, as the primary productivity platform for ONE employees worldwide, helping to ensure seamless collaboration in a new remote work reality.

In addition, to provide fans with a one-stop source of digital content, ONE has also partnered with Microsoft to bring its exclusive content stacks to the Microsoft News ecosystem, which reaches more than 500 million people in 180 countries every month through personalized news feeds on MSN, Bing and Microsoft Edge, as well as through dozens of global syndication partners.

World-class global sports thought leadership

ONE and Microsoft will also leverage the Global Sports Innovation Centre (GSIC),[1] a collaborative initiative between private, public and academic partners powered by Microsoft, to support innovation in the sports industry around the world. ONE is a powerhouse of innovation and thought leadership in sports, and through its involvement in GSIC activities, initiatives and open innovation projects, ONE will connect with industry stakeholders in other continents, exchange experiences, learn and add value to the sports tech ecosystem of start-ups, companies, organizations, universities and research groups.

Bundesliga And Mola TV Sign Five-Year Broadcasting Deal For Indonesia

Bundesliga International, a fully owned subsidiary of DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, and Mola TV have agreed to a long-term broadcasting deal to air Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches in Indonesia over the next five seasons (2020/21-2024/25). In addition to the top two German leagues, the multi-platform agreement also includes live streaming of the German Supercup, along with the promotion/relegation play-off matches each season.

Mola TV will feature exclusive live, delayed and replay coverage of all 306 Bundesliga matches per season across a range of platforms, including cable, paid TV, free-to-air terrestrial television and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), as well as Video on-Demand (VOD) and Over-The-Top (OTT) services. Live coverage of the DFL Supercup will also be aired by Mola TV, along with shoulder programming such as highlights and magazine shows.

Regarding the new deal, Bundesliga International CEO Robert Klein said: “We are delighted to have Mola TV as our partner in Indonesia and look forward to working together to make the Bundesliga the league of choice amongst Indonesianfootball fans. As well as promoting our brand of fast, high-scoring, world-class football, we are also very excited to work with Mola TV and it’s Garuda Select project to support the development of local Indonesian football talent. Our goal is to work closely with our partners on the ground, delivering unrivalled experiences to the Indonesian fans by bringing Bundesliga Legends, Bundesliga Experiences and Bundesliga football to the region.”

“We are excited to work with the Bundesliga to bring their unique brand of football to our shores. The league is the undisputed leader in developing world class young talents from all over the world, and if we aim to learn about developing talents, the Bundesliga is the league to learn from,” says Mirwan Suwarso, Mola TV’s official representative.

Bundesliga International, Mola TV, and its associated entities from GMV Networks will seek to work together to promote and market the Bundesliga, utilising their local expertise and various marketing assets and platforms. The aim is to bring the league closer to Indonesian football fans through more club, fan and grassroots activities, such as club visits and Bundesliga Legend appearances, as well as Meisterschale trophy tours.

The German top flight is also the perfect partner to enhance youth football in Indonesia. Over recent years, the Bundesliga has forged a reputation as the go-to destination for young players looking to hone their craft at the highest level. The average playing age of Bundesliga clubs is just 26.5, making it one of the youngest leagues in Europe. There is no doubt that this trend will continue with plenty of promising talent – think Giovanni Reyna, Jude Bellingham, Tanguy Nianzou – ready to make their mark in the coming seasons.

StarTimes Secures Four-Season Media Rights For LaLiga Santander

Digital TV operator StarTimes has announced its acquisition of LaLiga Santander broadcasting rights until 2024 across sub-Saharan Africa.

The company has secured the transmission rights of the Spanish top league, which will be broadcast in French language across its media platforms for paid subscribers in 47 territories.

“We are delighted to have secured the broadcast rights to LaLiga Santander, one of the most prestigious football competitions in the world,” said Kristen Miao, StarTimes Sport Director. “The acquiring of LaLiga Santander shows our commitment to continuously enrich our bouquets and to provide our subscribers with premium sport content.”

“This agreement provides an exciting new way for French speaking fans across sub-Saharan Africa to get closer to our competition,” said Melcior Soler, director of the LaLiga audiovisual department. “StarTimes has a strong presence in the region and a proven expertise in sports in general and football in particular, which will help us all to reach as wide an audience as possible.”

StarTimes will broadcast LaLiga Santander starting from the coming 2020/21 season. Matches will be aired live and in HD on the StarTimes Sport channels in French as well as the StarTimes ON streaming application.

World Bowling And StriveCloud Partner To Change The Way The World Consumes Bowling Forever

World Bowling and StriveCloud, the leading Belgian gamification technology company, have signed a three year partnership to launch a direct to consumer (D2C) app that will unite millions of elite athletes, participants and fans with vibrant competitions and immersive viewing experiences.

This partnership is another step towards the objective of creating an innovative and immersive digital environment that adds a whole new dimension in the experiencing of bowling, from both athlete and a viewer perspective, with the ambition and potential to make bowling the most integrated and digitally connected sport in the world.

Freek Borghgraef, StriveCloud’s co-founder and Head of Customer Development said: “I was staggered to find out how data-driven the world of bowling is. Being able to track a broad set of statistics of almost any game of bowling played globally opens up a brave new world of possibilities to change the way the world consumes bowling. And that’s exactly the ambition.”

Chris Neilson, World Bowling’s Innovation and Business Development Director commented: “This is a giant step for us as we start to break from traditional methodology to partner with experts in the esports community to bring together our sport, our athletes and our federations.

Neilson continued “Strivecloud will provide the core of our digital environment that allows us to build the platform and community along with QubicaAMF, Stack Sports, YBVR and future partners”.

Ospreys Agree New Commercial Partnership With Tech Firm PumpJack Dataworks

Ospreys are pleased to appoint PumpJack Dataworks to lead its future in the transformation of how the club can best harness data surrounding fan engagement and commercial transactions with the club. This will focus on improving the fan experience and providing a platform for innovatory rights deals and developing new revenue generating models.

Paul Whapham, Ospreys Corporate Brand Director commented: “Bringing in technology firms like PumpJack is critical for us to be able to both innovate the commercial model of the club, deliver new and better experiences for our core local fans, and to continue to build paths to extend our club’s reach internationally.

“We are excited to deliver new data driven initiatives for our fans and our commercial partners. Our immediate commitment is to find best-in-class partners on a global basis to improve club engagement locally and to build a wider audience of Ospreys’ globally distributed fans.”

Nick Goggans, CEO of PumpJack Dataworks said: “We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with an organization that is rich in tradition and local passion, but are also seeking new ways to immerse the club locally and provide authentic experiences for the fan both at home and internationally.

“We want to help Ospreys and their supporters better engage together and support the commercial growth of the club. This is a great case for evolution of the commercial opportunity that exists in Rugby Union both in Wales, the UK and internationally.”

iSportconnect Appoints Sandy Case As Chief Strategy Officer

iSportconnect is delighted to welcome on board Sandy Case as the company’s first ever Chief Strategy Officer.

Sandy will be heading up iSportconnect’s global strategy and forward thinking as the organisation strives to continue to be at the forefront of the sports business industry over the next few years. He brings a wealth of experience having held senior roles at Morgan Stanley, ASO, Benchmark as well as starting several award winning businesses within retail and health.

Sandy will be reinforcing the hugely successful consultancy arm as we welcome more unique clients and work to provide an even greater service to our current partners. Additionally Sandy will be leading on the development of a new global business concept.

In recent months, iSportconnect has adapted to the coronavirus pandemic by tailoring our service for those clients and hosting a number of virtual events, which gained over 18,000 attendees from more than 70 countries around the world, to benefit the global sports community. As well as this, iSportconnect has signed up a grand total of seven new consultancy clients in the last month.

Sandy Case, Chief Strategy Officer of iSportconnect, said: “I’ve been collaborating with Sree for several months and we have come up with some really innovative ideas to both grow and position iSportconnect at the heart of the industry and be a positive force for the business of sport. We have a new global strategy to implement and plenty of scope to grow the rest of the business. I love the idea that we can also be a little disruptive.”

iSportconnect CEO Sree Varma added: “I’m thrilled to be welcoming Sandy to our team as we look to develop the organisation further and go from strength to strength.

“iSportconnect continues to bring those within the sports industry closer together and provides unparalleled access for our consultancy clients. Rather than standing still we are constantly looking to better ourselves, and Sandy’s addition and ideas will be a tremendous benefit.”

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, where membership is exclusive and follows a strict door policy.

WWE Name Former CAA Head Khan To President And CRO Role

WWE today announced that Nick Khan, former Co-Head of Television at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), has been named President & Chief Revenue Officer, reporting directly to WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.

“Nick is a seasoned media executive with a deep understanding of our business and a proven track record of generating significant value for sports and entertainment properties,” said McMahon. “While representing WWE at CAA, he was instrumental in transforming our business model by securing domestic media rights increases of 3.6x over our previous agreements. Nick’s management style and personal demeanor are perfect for WWE’s entrepreneurial culture, and he will fit right in with our exceptional management team.”

“I am very much looking forward to expanding my relationship with Vince McMahon and the entire team at WWE, and becoming a full-time member of the WWE family,” said Khan. “It’s rare to have an opportunity to work at a company that is not only legendary in what it has already accomplished, but also uniquely poised to enter into an unprecedented phase of growth and expansion across all lines of business. Our collective industry experience will enable us to extract maximum value across the portfolio globally while driving long-term shareholder value.”

Khan, a former practicing attorney, transitioned to International Creative Management (ICM) in 2006 where he launched their Sports Media department and represented the biggest names in sports broadcasting. In 2012, Khan moved to CAA where he became the Co-Head of the Television Department. During his tenure there, Khan continued to represent the top broadcasters while also representing WWE, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Top Rank Boxing and others helping to negotiate billions of dollars in media deals on their behalf.

Highlights: iSportconnect’s eMasterclass Series

Watch a highlights reel from our recent iSportconnect eMasterclass Series as we adapted take our events to a virtual platform in recent months. iSportconnect will soon be returning as part of a new partnership with Eleven Sports for the ‘Talking Sport’ series starting on the 13th of August…

ELEVEN SPORTS Rebrands And Sets Focus On Expansion As It Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary

ELEVEN SPORTS is marking its fifth anniversary with a rebrand that lays the foundations for its ambitious growth plans. Under the new ELEVEN brand umbrella, the group’s ‘2.0 strategy’ will see ELEVEN expand its offering with a host of new content streams and plans to grow its digital ecosystem with the aim of democratising sports content for fans across the world.

Since launching in 2015, ELEVEN has been disrupting the traditional media landscape with a fan first, platform agnostic service that gives fans access to the best LIVE action whenever and wherever they want to consume it. To date ELEVEN has established itself as a leading sports provider in Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Taiwan, Japan and Myanmar. The group’s portfolio includes top competitions like La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, F1 and the NBA as well as a host of local sports rights in each market.

ELEVEN’s 2.0 launch will initially focus on the group’s European markets of Belgium, Portugal and Italy with additional territories to follow in early 2021.

ELEVEN SPORTS CEO Luis Vicente said: “Andrea Radrizzani, Marc Watson and the rest of our founding group launched ELEVEN SPORTS in 2015 with the belief that there was a market for a new type of sports platform that could deliver for fans in a more flexible, fun and accessible way.

“Over the past five years that’s what they have created, together with our 400+ amazing members of staff. We’ve built a global community of fans, a world-class portfolio of rights and a host of platform innovations that differentiate us from our competitors. We have disrupted the status quo to democratize access to the best sport content and delivered on our mission to be fully platform-agnostic and fan-centric.

“We are now the guardians of this amazing legacy and our ELEVEN 2.0 approach will build on the fantastic work that’s already been done. With our new ELEVEN 2.0 strategy, we’re going to accelerate our journey with thousands of hours of additional LIVE content every year, an innovative digital first and data led approach and continuous investment in Premium rights alongside new investment in Longtail and Newtail rights in virtual and traditional sports. We are convinced about the massive untapped potential in the new brand verticals we’ve announced and we are excited about the opportunities we can deliver for more sports, athletes and fans around the world, in a true spirit of co-creation and joint venture.

“More than ever, we are building the most varied, most dynamic content offering possible and a destination to serve all fans with the content they want, at the time they want and wherever they are. More than ever, we stand by the fans and for the fans”

Member Insights: Learn Your Customer Lifetime Value First, If You Want To Improve Loyalty

With closeness to fans at an all time high in terms of necessity, StriveCloud’s Jente Vanhaesebroeck takes a look at why learning your customers’ lifetime value is critical to the fan journey and improving their loyalty.

Have you ever wondered who your best customers are? You probably should. As a general rule of thumb, it’s up to 5 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain an existing one. What if by determining the lifetime value of your customers, you can secure their loyalty? Using gamification throughout the buyer’s journey can help you boost retention and engagement without additional costs.

And let’s be honest; who doesn’t want to save money? Sit back and relax, because we’re going to get into some data and unveil a couple of juicy gamification secrets behind true fan loyalty.

Here are some topics we’ll go over:

What is Customer Lifetime Value?
Will measuring Customer Lifetime Value boost loyalty?
How to calculate Customer Lifetime Value?
The true pain of losing a fan
Why is fan loyalty so important?
How to use gamification to elevate fan loyalty?
Why gamification creates superfans

⏳ What is Customer Lifetime Value?

Let’s start with the obvious question here: what is Customer Lifetime Value? Customer Lifetime Value (or CLV for short) is a metric that represents the total amount of money a customer is expected to spend in their lifetime as a customer. Thus projecting their loyalty and behavior over a lifetime.

“Retained customers also buy more often and spend more overall. To top it all off loyal customers are 4 times more likely to refer more customers to your brand.”

But who needs another metric to track? The reason it’s so valuable to measure Customer Lifetime Value is because of its direct link to revenue over time. Why is that important? Well, the old rule of thumb states it is 5 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one. Therefore every increase in retention has a major influence on revenue streams.

And if you think about it that makes sense. Because when you take Customer Lifetime Value and retention into account you are adding future value. In fact, a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profit by 25 to 95%. Retained customers also buy more often and spend more overall. To top it all off loyal customers are 4 times more likely to refer more customers to your brand.

One principle that encompasses this well is the Pareto principle. This economic principle, better known as the 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the profits come from 20% of your customers. These are your best customers as they usually have a lower service cost and higher spendings.