Serie A Approve ISG As Exclusive Virtual Media Provider For Crowd Free Stadiums

The Lega Serie A assembly has approved Interregional Sports Group’s (ISG) virtual graphics solution for stadiums that are crowd free as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. 

The decision follows a testing programme, in a bid to identify the best solution for providing virtual graphics in the empty seating areas in stadiums across Italy. 

Following the process, ISG, along with their local production partners, Netco Sports Italy, were appointed providers for all Championship games until the end of the 2019/20 season. 

‘Lega Serie A are a world leader and innovator in virtual media in live broadcast’ explains Simon Burgess, Joint CEO and co-founder of ISG. ‘We have been working with Lega for many years and are extremely proud to continue to invest in and support new virtual media solutions in these challenging times,’ he added. 

Burgess believes the key to the project’s success lies in a combination of high-quality branding that is delivered sparingly so as not to compromise the viewing experience for the fans. 

‘Our prime objectives are maximising ROI for brands and delivering optimum revenue impact for rights holders, while never compromising the enjoyment of the live event for the viewing audience,’ he explained. 

ISG has deployed virtual centre pitch logos of club partners, pre kick-off, at half time and prior to the second half kick-off. Now empty stands at all Serie A matches will be filled with graphics and colours of the competing teams, but at selected times only. 

‘This approach provides interesting graphic enhancement but is not overexposed nor does it impact on the enjoyment of the live action of the match it appears in,’ said Burgess. 

‘We have been working more and more directly with Serie A clubs, using our expertise to find other ways in which we can help them increase their revenues and make best use of their stadium infrastructure to create new virtual media spaces and platforms, whilst balancing those key criteria,’ he added. 

‘Our senior team has been deploying and commercialising virtual media for almost a decade, working with all types of technologies and solutions and ISG has grown rapidly over the last six years. We are now entering a new paradigm in live sports broadcasting that presents huge opportunities to all stakeholders. However, it is a very complex process with many moving parts, liable to risks as well as rewards. ISG partners with rights holders, broadcasters and brands to realise those collective ambitions to a world class standard,’ said Burgess. 

ISG and Netco have a long-standing relationship, with Netco producing all Serie A broadcast graphics and supporting ISG on their International Presenting Sponsor package. This incorporates regional sponsorship packages, producing virtual goal mats and, working with Netco, customised match graphics to four intercontinental broadcast regions outside of Italy. ISG also produces virtual goal mats for Coca Cola, Lega’s title sponsor of the Coppa Italia Final and TIM, the domestic title Sponsor of the Serie A Championship.

Netflix Appoints Bozoma Saint John As Chief Marketing Officer

Netflix has appointed Bozoma Saint John as their new Chief Marketing Officer, replacing Jackie Lee-Joe who took the role last summer.

Saint John will officially join the company in August after leaving her current position as CMO of Endeavour. Prior to that she had held roles of Chief Brand Officer at Uber and Head of Global Consumer Marketing, Apple Music and iTunes for Apple and Head of Music and Entertainment Marketing for PepsiCo.

“Bozoma Saint John is an exceptional marketer who understands how to drive conversations around popular culture better than almost anyone. As we bring more great stories to our members around the world, she’ll define and lead our next exciting phase of creativity and connection with consumers,” Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix commented.

On the announcement of her appointment, Saint John said: “I’m thrilled to join Netflix, especially at a time when storytelling is critical to our global, societal well-being. I feel honoured to contribute my experience to an already dynamic legacy, and to continue driving engagement in the future.”

How LaLiga’s Latest Technology Projects Will Enhance The Entertainment Industry

  • More than 20 projects at LaLiga have been officially certified as research and development.
  • The business intelligence and analytics department employs 70 professionals and designs tools that improve LaLiga and other organisations.

As technology becomes increasingly important for the growth of all businesses, LaLiga has invested heavily in the tools and personnel that can take the entertainment industry forward. This has produced a significant change in how LaLiga operates on and off the pitch and positioned the competition as a leader in the industry, ensuring Spanish football continues to compete at the highest level.

Since Javier Tebas took over as LaLiga President in 2013, technology has been a key component of the strategic plan for Spanish professional football’s growth. This has seen LaLiga develop its digital offering at all levels and create a department of business intelligence and analytics. Led by José Carlos Franco, LaLiga’s Managing Director of Technology and Data, this department now has 70 employees and plays a key role within every part of the competition.

“We use the same methodologies that a major tech company might use,” Franco explained. “We’ve brought their way of working into our industry.”

With this ongoing innovation, LaLiga has been officially recognised by the Certification Agency for Spanish Innovation (ACIE) and the European Quality Assurance (EQA) scientific entity, with more than 20 projects being certified.

LaLiga’s OTT Platform
Many of the tools and platforms that met the requirements to receive R&D certifications are designed to enhance the future of the industry. An example is LaLiga’s own OTT platform, LaLigaSportsTV.

The platform, which was launched in September 2018, offers free broadcasts of more than 30 different Spanish sports, providing the kind of coverage that many of the country’s sporting federations never had before……

….To read the full article and subscribe to LaLiga’s Global Fútbol Newsletter please follow this link: https://newsletter.laliga.es/global-futbol/laliga-20-technology-projects-enhance-entertainment-industry

Paris Saint-Germain And Fanatics Sign ’10-Year Mega-Deal’ To Expand Partnership

Paris Saint-Germain and Fanatics, the global leader in licensed sports merchandising, today announced a ten-year e-commerce, manufacturing and licensing deal in one of the most comprehensive and ambitious sports merchandising partnerships ever created.

The deal is a massive expansion and extension from the previous e-commerce only arrangement between the two groups, which will now see Fanatics gain an even broader set of e-commerce rights as well as new manufacturing rights and management of the Club’s overarching apparel, headwear and hard goods licensing program, creating a wider range of products for PSG fans and dedicated PSG stores.

The new partnership sees a coming together of two of sport’s most cutting-edge and creative organisations and aims to provide PSG fans worldwide with the most comprehensive array of merchandise ever offered through Fanatics’ agile, vertical commerce model and global presence. The expansion will propel the Paris Saint-Germain merchandising business into one of the biggest in the world of sport.

Fanatics will exclusively operate the e-commerce business for one of football’s biggest and most recognisable global brands, while also becoming the master licensee for their full merchandise portfolio aside from Nike products and other co-branding initiatives.

The long-term partnership, which will begin this summer and run until 2030, will see Fanatics create the products or sub-license the rights to leaders in their respective fields, manufacture and distribute a significantly expanded, real-time selection of Paris Saint-Germain products, enhancing the choice and experience for fans of PSG across the globe. This will be done in accordance with the club’s strategy, with Paris Saint-Germain keeping ownership over its brand and its development.

The deal also expands the organisation’s reach by tapping into Fanatics’ database of 45 million active clients in all key PSG markets, which include Europe, North America and Asia, with the short-term goal of expanding the club’s e-commerce business by at least 3X over the next 36 months.

Following its ground-breaking deals and product innovation with the likes of Nike and its Jordan brand, Paris Saint-Germain has grown to become one of the most talked about consumer brands. In partnering with Fanatics, one of the most pioneering sports and technology companies in the world, the club will also gain access to cutting edge e-commerce systems and the company’s vertical commerce model, which combines on-demand manufacturing with an agile supply chain to produce the most timely assortments of high-quality merchandise for fans shopping across online and offline channels.

 “Above all, we were looking for uniting competence and excellence” says Fabien Allegre, the Paris Saint-Germain Brand diversification director. “What is special about Paris Saint-Germain is its brand ambition in fields outside football. On the other side, Fanatics has an incredible know-how when it comes to fan experience and maximizing the potential of sports brands. Our ambition which is high, is to join forces at times when consumption habits change rapidly and business evolves daily”.

Commenting on the new partnership, Gary Gertzog, Fanatics’ President of Business Affairs said: “Paris Saint-Germain is one of the most forward thinking and innovative football clubs in the world and is, without doubt, one of the hottest brands in global sport right now. Partnering with like-minded organizations that enjoy thinking outside of the box to move the industry forward is what excites us.  We are incredibly proud to team up with a club that is willing to push the boundaries of what is possible to continue enhancing the experience for sports fans globally.”  

Since 2011, Paris Saint-Germain has developed itself faster than any other club with no less than 5000 licensed products over 350 categories. Building on its cutting edge, innovative brand, PSG has also just launched #PSGlimited, a program of exclusive and limited series products for fans to uniquely showcase their pride and passion for the team. With Fanatics opening access to its more than 1,000 licensees, this partnership will continue to welcome new and original product lines for the fans throughout the world. Paris Saint-Germain aims at doubling its number of licensees in the next two years.

Fanatics partners with several of the biggest football clubs across Europe and some of the largest sporting organisations in the world, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Ryder Cup, Tour De France and Formula One.

Sportradar Signs 10 Year Agreement With European Handball Federation For Data Collection And Distribution Rights

The European Handball Federation (EHF), EHF Marketing GmbH (EHFM) and Sportradar, a global provider of sports content and intelligence, today announced a long-term partnership to include official data collection and distribution to media organisations and betting operators.

The multi-year agreements, set to run until 2030, will see Sportradar, as the ‘official data partner’ of EHF and EHF Marketing, collect and distribute official EHF data to multiple media and betting entities. In addition, Sportradar will utilise the full breadth of its technological capabilities, including AI and machine learning, to develop new solutions for analyzing data and identifying new insights to improve the sport and provide an unrivalled experience for fans and EHF partners.

The deal includes the collection of live data and comprehensive statistics for more than 1,500 national team and beach handball matches and more than 750 European Cup matches per season across all of European handball’s elite club competitions.

For the European Handball Federation, the agreement includes the Men’s and the Women’s EHF EUROs and their Qualifiers, the EHF’s younger age category events, the European matches of the World Championship Qualification and the Beach Handball EUROs.

Martin Hausleitner, Secretary General of the European Handball Federation, said: “As European handball enters a new era, the agreement with Sportradar is another important piece of the puzzle to elevate our sport to new and unprecedented heights. We are making a significant step forward, not only in terms of the number of matches we are offering live scouting for, but also when it comes to the depth of data available for our fans and partners.”  

David Szlezak, Managing Director of EHF Marketing, added: “It is absolutely vital to offer high quality and accurate data from the EHF’s club competitions. With this new cooperation, we are adding to the top-level scouting we have already achieved with Sportradar. For example, right from the first rounds, data collected in the new EHF European League will be on EHF Champions League standards. We are looking forward to working with Sportradar over the next decade to realise the full potential of this data.”

David Lampitt, Managing Director, Sports Partnerships at Sportradar, said: “We have a longstanding relationship with EHF and EHFM and we are delighted to have further extended our partnership to secure a long-term data and distribution rights agreement. We will be working alongside them to continue to grow the sport via our extensive network of media and betting partners.”

Member Insights: Technology Must Lead From The Front As Live Sport Makes Its Comeback

As the UK government continues plan for a schedule which will see fans returning, socially distanced, to sports events from the first of October, Restrata’s Botan Osman looks at the necessity for sport to utilise technology in its efforts to resume in front of crowds. 

There are few things in the world like sport to bring people together. In an often-fractured world, sport has the power to transcend boundaries, heal wounds and act as a glue for society. In this Covid era, and at a time when people are talking about the power of community more than they have for many years, it is no wonder that people are looking to sport as a sign of our collective progress in the post-Covid comeback.

Not only do people genuinely yearn to return to sporting stadia to experience the passion and emotion that comes with watching their favourite club or sporting star, live sport is being held up as something of a symbol for the collective confidence of society to return to ‘normal’ in a post-Covid world.

“It is natural, logical even, that given its mass gathering nature, sport is nervous about its comeback during the Covid-19 pandemic”

It is natural, logical even, that given its mass gathering nature, sport is nervous about its comeback during the Covid-19 pandemic – and that is why safety has to be at the forefront of the strategy for the return of live sport because, without the right level of confidence that it is safe to return to the stands, fans and clubs will understandably be hesitant to do so. To alleviate this concern, and to prepare for the broader reopening of stadia and competition for sports fans with social distancing measures in place from 1 October 2020, the UK Government (along with the official guidance it has provided: Elite sport – return to competition: safe return of spectators) has taken steps to provide the reassurance society needs, by announcing a series of pilots for the return of spectators to elite sports events.

Over the coming weeks, once the latest government delay announced today has passed, the UK Government will select the next range of sports and indoor and outdoor spectator environments to test the water, which will be rolled out to prepare for that all-important 1 October resumption of sport.

At the heart of creating a safety-first return to sport has to be technology. The technology sector has to be leading from the front in providing the solutions for sport’s comeback, which is why we recently partnered with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to deliver Bluetooth tracking technology to keep players, officials, operational staff and media safe – allowing the ECB to track and trace any suspected outbreak of Covid-19 within a match environment  – during the current test series between England and the West Indies. 

This technology has allowed for a nimble and quick-footed approach, whereby, instead of saying someone’s infected and we now have to test or isolate 450 people, we are able to isolate it to the handful of people we know they have had contact with in that last period. The approach that we trialed with the ECB contributed to the UK Government’s safety-first strategy for live sport to return, was adapted to meet the changing needs and regulatory requirements posed by Covid-19 and, above all, played its part in helping society emerge from this most global of pandemics. As the UK Government guidance insists, businesses have a duty of care to the safety of their people as venues re-open throughout the process [of live sport returning]: sport with no fans; sport with some fans; and the business-as-usual sport with all fans.

“We believe that digital solutions to enable management will be far more transparent and effective at not only making today’s guidelines possible, but improving continuously towards achieving any future changes”

Supporting stadia and sporting bodies in the technology required to achieve adherence to UK Government operating standards has been a valuable exercise which has allowed us to focus in on where the technology is an effective enabler to support venue management with the safe return of spectators to sport.

This new world we have entered, where events or stadia are required to be Covid-19 secure, brings with it new safety concerns and sensitivities. These new realities bring forth significant challenges which the whole world is seeking to overcome, and so the approach needs to be both designed and delivered through partnerships with key stakeholders from both public and private sectors.

The post-Covid world will be defined by those individuals and companies that diversified their services and that adopted a forward-thinking approach, deploying solutions that manage today’s crisis, provide confidence to the public and build a digital advantage as we navigate the unknown. 

“If Covid has taught us anything, it is that with challenge comes opportunity”

As we look ahead, we believe that digital solutions to enable management will be far more transparent and effective at not only making today’s guidelines possible, but improving continuously towards achieving any future changes that may come.  Looking ahead, we believe that the full return of fans will clearly happen, but in stages, and at every stage, evidence of compliance, performance and impact will set the foundation before sport can advance to the next level of its comeback.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on sport. It has placed huge pressure on stadia, clubs, event organisers and others, but we all want to see sport back – and, above all, back safely. After all, if Covid has taught us anything, it is that with challenge comes opportunity and that is why the technology sector must put its energies into helping sport & other sectors return. And to help fans get back to doing what they love: watching sport in a safe environment.

Behind The Scenes Of LaLiga’s Closed Doors Broadcast Innovations

LaLiga has resumed without fans in the stands due to health measures following the global COVID-19 pandemic. In anticipation of this, LaLiga spent two months between April and June developing technology that would help enhance its TV match broadcasts.

Through partnering with VIZRT and EA SPORTS the league created virtualised fans and crowd audio, creating the impression of full, lively stadiums while fans cannot physically attend.

LaLiga has been investing in match broadcast technologies for several years, through innovations such as volumetric video in the form of 360° replays, real-time statistics through its in-game video analysis tool Mediacoach, the installation of spider cams in more stadia than any other league and more. This commitment put the league in a strong position to meet the new challenge of behind-closed doors games.

As LaLiga’s Chief Communications Officer Joris Evers explained: “We have history in terms of being at the leading edge when it comes to our broadcasts. We’ve pioneered various technologies to make LaLiga look great on screens around the world and to give fans, wherever they are, the sense that they’re as close to the action as they can possibly be. Now, I think LaLiga is the only sports broadcast today around the world that offers this kind of viewing experience with the virtual audience as well as the virtual audio. It’s a big responsibility because millions watch LaLiga around the world in more than 180 countries.”

……… To read the full piece and subscribe to the LaLiga Global Fútbol Newsletter: Behind The Scenes Of LaLiga’s Closed Doors Broadcast Innovations

Cazoo Announced As Aston Villa’s New Principal Partner

Aston Villa is delighted to announce a new multi-year partnership with Cazoo, the UK’s leading online car retailer and fastest-growing digital business, to become the Club’s principal partner.

The Cazoo branding will feature on the playing kits and training wear of all Club sides from the men’s first team down to the youngest academy age groups, including all Aston Villa Women sides, as their first team embark on an historic first season in the Women’s Super League.

And for the first time in many years the Club’s principal partner branding will also feature on all junior kits to be sold, which means that Villa’s younger fans will now be able to purchase and wear the same shirts as their heroes.

The partnership, part of an extensive marketing campaign by Cazoo to accelerate online car buying, will commence at the start of the 20/21 season and will also see Cazoo branding featured throughout Villa Park stadium, on official club merchandise and across the club’s website and media backdrops.

Cazoo is pioneering the shift to online car buying in the UK and since its launch last year, consumers have rapidly embraced buying and financing used cars entirely online from Cazoo and getting them delivered to their door in a convenient two-hour slot in the same way as buying any other product.

Cazoo owns and fully reconditions all its cars before offering them for sale and delivering them in as little as 72 hours. Every car comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee and comprehensive 90-day warranty and Cazoo has already sold and delivered thousands of cars to customers all across the UK.

Alex Chesterman OBE, Founder & CEO of Cazoo said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Aston Villa and supporting the Club’s men’s and women’s sides as well as their academy and charitable efforts. We are looking forward to next season and working closely with the Club as we make Cazoo a household name by reinventing the used car buying experience and providing the best selection, value, quality and convenience for UK car buyers.”

Nicola Ibbetson, Aston Villa Chief Commercial Officer, added: “We are immensely proud to have partnered with one of the fastest growing businesses in the UK and Cazoo’s commitment to a partnership with Aston Villa provides both parties with an opportunity to work together for many years to come.

“Alongside several planned activations and fan engagement activities, all generations of Villa fans will be able to wear replica shirts that faithfully resemble those of their on-pitch heroes with the Cazoo branding appearing on all replica kit.”

Liu Guoliang Appointed Chair Of Newly Formed World Table Tennis Council

World Table Tennis (WTT) is honoured to announce that Mr Liu Guoliang, President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, will become Chair of the newly formed WTT Council, taking overall leadership and responsibility for pioneering the future of table tennis.

Putting players and fans at the very heart of its mission, WTT was set up by the ITTF in August 2019, a milestone in the professionalisation reforms of the sport, to modernise its commercial business activities and realise the full potential of table tennis in order to compete and excel among the highest-profile sports in the world.

The WTT Council will ensure the healthy development of WTT and be at the helm of the future development of the sport. Therefore, a true leader in the industry is needed to take on the position and direct the journey towards a brighter future.

Liu Guoliang is an extremely well-respected leader within the global table tennis community, demonstrating the perfect calibre and richest of career achievements. Following a stellar playing career, in which he won gold medals at the Olympics and World Table Tennis Championships, Liu Guoliang has since overseen serial success as the head coach of the Chinese National Team and as the President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), the world’s most successful table tennis association.

WTT is highly honoured to welcome Liu Guoliang as Chair of the WTT Council. We believe that, by following his direction, the global table tennis community will strive for a common goal, driving the WTT Council as well as our sport to the next level.

“Table tennis has enriched my life in so many ways and I have dedicated my life to this sport over many years. Therefore, I am immensely proud and honoured to have the opportunity to direct the WTT Council and help to make table tennis one of the leading sports in the world.” – Liu Guoliang, WTT Council Chair & CTTA President

“Liu Guoliang is an undisputed table tennis legend for what he has achieved both as a player, a coach and as President of the world’s leading national association, China. We are delighted to be welcoming him on board as Chair of the WTT Council. His CV speaks for itself and we firmly believe that he is the perfect man to help deliver success to WTT and to table tennis for many years to come.” – Khalil Al-Mohannadi, WTT Board Member & ITTF Deputy President

“For the success of WTT and table tennis as a whole, it is imperative that we have people of the highest order actively involved in shaping the future of our sport. The fact that Liu Guoliang is the most influential figure in table tennis, not only in China but around the globe, position him perfectly as Chair of the WTT Council. We certainly hope to take advantage of his reputation and influence for the global promotion of table tennis, making it especially appealing for the younger generations. The whole sports industry is in the shadow of the pandemic and we place our hope in Liu Guoliang to spark the future of our sport. This appointment is fantastic news for the entire table tennis family.” – Steve Dainton, WTT Board Member & ITTF CEO

World Athletics Announces New Partnership With Parkrun

World Athletics and parkrun Global Limited are delighted to announce a new partnership by which they will combine their resources to grow the sport of athletics and deliver good health and fitness outcomes for communities around the world.

Parkrun’s simple concept of offering an opportunity for anyone to participate in a free, weekly, organised 5km or 2km run at a local park has captured the imagination of communities around the world over the past 16 years.

From its roots at Bushy Park, Teddington in the United Kingdom in 2004, parkrun has expanded to 20 countries in the past 10 years, and now has more than three million participants globally.

World Athletics, which has 214 Member Federations, and parkrun will work together to encourage people around the world to get moving and keep moving by joining a local parkrun.

Parkrun will assist World Athletics to leave community health legacies in the host countries of World Athletics Series events by creating a series of permanent parkruns in the host cities and countries of world championship events, including the World Championships Oregon 2022 and Budapest 2023. To that end, World Athletics will facilitate government/city support for these events.

World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon said parkrun’s purpose aligned perfectly with the sport’s global ambitions for the next four years.

“We have just approved a strategic plan that has the main objective of using the power and accessibility of athletics and our athletes to create a healthier and fitter world,” Ridgeon said.

“One of the ways we are doing this is by developing strong new partnerships where our common cause is to get the world moving. We know that many more people have taken up running during the lockdowns around the world, which makes sense because our sport is the most universal and accessible of all sports, and we want to encourage those people to keep up their new fitness routines as life returns to a more normal footing after the pandemic. Doing a weekly parkrun is an excellent way to stay motivated and find a local running community once mass events are possible again.

“We’re also determined to leave tangible community legacies in all of our future host cities and countries, and there is no better way to do that than by helping to improve the health of their citizens.”

Parkrun CEO Nick Pearson said both organisations were determined to get more people running for their health, fitness and enjoyment.

“This partnership offers parkrun a fantastic platform to demonstrate the role, relevance and value of community health and wellbeing initiatives and to highlight that sport and physical activity is accessible to all,” Pearson said. “It is exciting to see this approach embraced by World Athletics, and we look forward to working with stakeholders in the host countries of World Athletics Series events to support and develop a network of parkrun events.

“We believe that finding positive ways to connect grass roots and community activity with elite sport has multiple benefits and builds stronger sporting foundations and broader engagement. Exercise and physical activity is more accessible and sustainable where sports organisations collaborate and work towards mutual goals. Encouraging the social and community participants to engage with and experience a more competitive sporting environment will help to build a stronger sport and expose pathways to more sporting opportunities.”