Japan 2019 was the most economically successful Rugby World Cup ever, with nearly £4.3 billion generated in economic output according to a report published by EY .
The report further stated that 242,000 international visitors stayed an average of 17 days each in Japan, providing tourism and economic benefits to the host nation, 46,000 jobs created or sustained for the tournament and there was strong regional impact at the heart of nationwide benefits.
Significant rugby and community sport’s infrastructure legacy, including Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium Outcomes reinforce Japan’s stature as a major commercial rugby market.
Rugby World Cup 2019 has been heralded as the best to date, delivering a unique experience for visiting fans, showcasing Japan’s renowned culture and spirit of Omotenashi and significantly boosting national pride. Delivering unforgettable moments on and off the field, the tournament has been reinforced as one of the world’s most prestigious and exciting sports events.
LaLiga and EA Sports have renewed their long-term partnership that will continue to offer unrivaled authenticity to EA Sports FIFA players for the next 10 years.
Under the partnership renewal, EA Sports will remain the exclusive Official Video Games Partner of LaLiga while the two organizations will expand their efforts to create world-leading football entertainment. This includes a joint commitment to grow fandom and esports participation through LaLiga’s official esports competition, eLaLiga Santander.
The new agreement comes as the world is playing and watching more EA Sports FIFA than ever before as football fandom continues to grow. EA Sports FIFA 20 for console and PC is the most-played game in franchise history. Unique players have increased 10 percent year-over-year and daily active players reached an all-time engagement high. Fans are watching record volumes of EA Sports FIFA content as more than 12 billion minutes have been viewed on Twitch since launch–the equivalent of more than 133 million traditional football matches. The 260 percent year-over-year growth in EA Sports FIFA content viewership was also fueled by the recent global EA Sports FIFA Stay and Play Cup that aired to millions in more than 100 countries.
Cam Weber, Executive Vice President & Group GM, EA Sports said: “Our joint commitment will enable both immediate impacts for the next EA SPORTS FIFA experience, and long-term opportunities to continue to strengthen LaLiga fan engagement over the next decade.”
Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga said: “We have built a collaborative partnership with EA SPORTS for more than 20 years that has seen both organizations become leading international brands. Our new agreement signifies our commitment to maintain this growth and create the best entertainment for football fans worldwide.”
The EA Sports FIFA and LaLiga partnership will help deliver the most authentic and comprehensive global football interactive experience in the world. Only in EA Sports FIFA can LaLiga’s millions of global fans represent their favorite clubs in interactive entertainment. Both organizations will continue to advance sports innovation, building upon recent successes such as LaLiga’s EA Sports Atmospheric Audio for LaLiga match broadcasts.
LaLiga continues to fuel significant player engagement across the EA Sports FIFA franchise. LaLiga is one of the most popular leagues selected in online play, has the biggest in-game fanbase across 70 nations worldwide and LaLiga clubs were used in more than one billion matches. FUT fans will continue to engage with unique LaLiga in-season content only found in EA Sports FIFA including Team of the Week (TOTW), Player of the Month (POTM) and Team of the Year (TOTY).
The San Francisco 49ers has signed an exclusive multi-year partnership with MANSCAPED, the leader in male below-the-waist grooming and hygiene.
As part of the deal, MANSCAPED will become the Official Below-The-Waist Grooming Partner of the San Francisco 49ers. Extending well beyond keeping 49ers players on top of their grooming game, this dynamic sponsorship entails highly curated brand integrations as well as surprise and delight elements that will enhance the fan experience.
Kevin Hilton, 49ers vice president of corporate partnerships said: “Anybody who followed our thrilling run to the Super Bowl last year knows that the 49ers are comfortable with close shaves so MANSCAPED will be a welcome addition to the 49ers family. MANSCAPED is changing the game of personal hygiene for men everywhere, and we are proud to partner together to highlight their brand with relevant connections to our fanbase.”
The center of the collaboration will come to life at Levi’s Stadium, the acclaimed home of the 49ers located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Recognized as one of the world’s foremost technological innovators among sports and entertainment venues, Levi’s Stadium will provide the perfect platform for an array of MANSCAPED brand integrations with the 49ers. Additional information on in-stadium placements and other promotional initiatives will be announced in conjunction with the team’s marketing plans for the 2020 NFL season.
Ryan Fiore, MANSCAPED’s vice president of marketing said: “MANSCAPED and the 49ers share the same passion for connecting with fans in an authentic, memorable and lasting way. We look forward to further exploring this like-minded vision together.”
This partnership follows MANSCAPED’s recent announcement of the brand’s multi-year exclusive sponsorship with UFC. These high-profile partnerships are a testament to MANCASPED’s dedication to carefully seeking out only the best partners in order to develop meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships that strategically elevate both parties.
Manchester City and Intel Sports have announced a multi-year extension to their partnership.
In 2019, Manchester City installed Intel True View technology in the Etihad Stadium, with dozens of 5K Ultra HD cameras offering fans a way of watching the game they had never experienced before.
Over the course of the partnership so far, Intel True View clips and content have generated millions of views across City’s digital estate.
Nuria Tarre, Chief Marketing Officer of City Football Group, said: “We are delighted to be extending our relationship with Intel Sports. We are not surprised at what a popular addition to our content True View has quickly become. We entered our partnership in the spirit of collaboration and innovation and we have been delighted to hand fans control of how they view immersive highlights so quickly after installing True View. At a time when we are having to play behind closed doors, we are extremely pleased that Intel True View’s comprehensive perspectives showcase the experience of being in the Etihad Stadium. We are looking forward to more years of working and innovating together.”
James Carwana, GM of Intel Sports added: “Our relationship with Manchester City provides fans the ability to interact, control and experience the match in previously unimaginable ways. The club’s innovative approach to integrate True View immersive highlights at the Etihad Stadium has been a testament to its dedication to their fans. As we continue to develop our volumetric video technology, we’re delighted to team up with Manchester City in delivering fresh and engaging experiences to fans.”
AS Roma has signed Edison Energia as the club’s Official Energy Partner.
With the agreement, Edison will become the club’s energy provider – working on sustainable energy solutions throughout the club’s offices and stores in Italy.
Edison will work with the club to implement a number of sustainable energy solutions for both the club and its fans, including installations at the club’s training ground. Edison will also become part of the ‘Easy Mobility’ campaign the club launched in January 2020 – in order to help supporters get to the Stadio Olimpico on matchday in more efficient, safer and energy-efficient ways.
Francesco Calvo, the club’s Chief Operating Officer said: “We are incredibly proud to have signed this agreement with one of the main players in sustainable energy, not just in Italy but in Europe. Among the many reasons why the club wanted Edison Energia to join the family was the shared focus on sustainable energy solutions, along with the many great offers the partner can provide to our fans.”
Massimo Quaglini, administrator for Edison Energia said: “Edison Energia is putting its expertise at the disposal of the club and its fans, to create a ‘team’ that can make concrete strides towards building a sustainable future for all with a better quality of life.”
Tickitto look at how Coronavirus has created the requirement to evolve into the virtual world for many in the event industry.
The COVID-19 lockdown has made virtual events necessary for many industries. Many people have had to give up cheering with crowds, meeting new people, and hanging out with their friends while still trying to enjoy the latest sporting events, concert tours, and live panels.
In some instances and for specific use cases, when executed properly, virtual events can be used as an alternative for the traditional in-person events. However, the technology comes with some limitations to be kept in mind.
We took the time to analyse the three main types of events that saw a surge during the pandemic and the experience of attending those virtually.
Virtual Sport Matches
Conference apps like Zoom and Discord are allowing people to watch games from the comfortable distance of their own homes.
As Germany started lifting off restrictions, football games resumed behind closed doors. Borussia Dortmund Football Club fans joined in via a zoom session to watch their team play. We have also seen how Danish SuperLeague team AGF Aarhus made it possible for fans to join in and watch the match virtually.
Even though the technology allowed fans to reconnect with their teams, the German Bundesliga game attendees commented that watching the match on the screen felt somewhat dull and isolating. Watching your favourite team from home can hardly compete with the experience of being in a sports arena filled with fans. Furthermore, the energy in sporting events is essential to their appeal. The crowd cheering for their team when they score or mingling with fellow supporters at the drinks queue during half-time are all essential elements of an event.
Concerts and Festivals
With the help of streaming technology, many artists and musicians were able to reconnect with their audiences and took their performances to the virtual stage. Musicians like Pink, Coldplay, and John Legend found a way to perform for fans by using live streaming and social media.
Virtual concert platforms became more relevant and saw a significant increase in fundraising as the industry began to recognise the value of connecting musicians with their fans regardless of the circumstances. Streaming tech companies are also partnering up with some of the biggest names in the industry. For example, Big Hit Entertainment, the label behind the global K-pop supergroup BTS, just partnered with streaming-tech company Kiswe to stream their concerts.
In any case, it is essential to mention that performances might become one dimensional when filtered through technology. No platform or home can mimic the acoustics of a concert hall along with the energy of people singing along and dancing together.
Panel discussions
Panel discussions with creators or various speakers are another popular event category during the lockdown. Since people can no longer attend panels, some companies are using strategies like real-time illustrators to spice up their discussion broadcasts.
Both live and pre-recorded sessions are valid options for companies to bring these events to people trapped in their homes. With live sessions, audiences at home can still feel like they’re experiencing an event for the first time, which is ideal when discussions include breaking information, sports scores, or anything time-sensitive. On the other hand, pre-recorded sessions can be refined through technology to be high-quality entertainment with less downtime.
The real-time format of virtual panel discussions can be executed quite well as questions and answers that generally accompany those can be supported via the current tech platforms with features like raise your hand in Zoom and the Q&A feature. If needed, moderators can simply jump in and steer the conversation. However, virtual panels do hinder the opportunity for networking to some extent compared to real events.
Final Remarks
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, but in this case, the necessity of social distancing forced us to adapt to a new normal. It has taught us to fully embrace the capabilities and drawbacks of modern communications systems and, along with them, cloud-based event platforms tools. What lies next is not adjusting to accept those events, but instead recognising that these are rather a temporary measure while restoring confidence to re-host and attend physical events during the recovery phase.
iSportconnect spoke with Mustafa Ghouse, Chief Executive Officer, JSW Sports. JSW Sports, the sports vertical of the JSW Group, owns and operates franchises in three of India’s biggest leagues — IPL (Delhi Capitals), Indian Super League (Bengaluru FC) and Pro Kabaddi League (Haryana Steelers). The JSW Group has also led the establishment of the Inspire Institute of Sport, India’s first privately funded high-performance training centre for future Olympians, in Bellary, Karnataka.
How different and difficult it is going to be for the sporting realm in India amidst COVID19?
The impact from COVID-19 is being felt across the board and sports is no exception. In fact, the sporting industry relies heavily on events and therefore, there would be a definite financial impact that would be felt throughout the sector. Besides the impact on professional sports leagues and Olympic sports, there is a massive group of allied industries, semi-professional and amateur athletes, grounds staff and other professionals who have been impacted by the pause in sporting activity. To use an example, the Sports Good Manufacturing Industry is massive in India and a significant portion of the products are exported (bats, footballs etc). This industry alone does business of close to $1 billion annually an employs 500,000 people. Given the extent of India’s lockdown, it’ll be key for the industry as a whole to address these aspects as we move towards some sense of normalcy. I do not think we can really say sports is well and truly back until the maidans (fields) in Mumbai and Kolkata are back with kids playing cricket and football all over.
So yes, it is going to very different for sure, but it also provides the industry a good opportunity to accelerate adoption of technology and innovate in terms of improving the sporting experience for everyone involved.
How drastic has been the impact on your business as IPL/PKL may get cancelled this year as JSW Sports owns franchises in these leagues?
There will be a definite impact on business due to the postponement/cancelling of events. Globally, there are reports that sponsorship rights-fees are expected to fall around 37% year-on-year. While it is too early for us to be able to quantify this in exact terms, we are bracing for a 25-30% impact on our topline for this year. This would, of course, be subject to how the situation normalises over the coming months. For instance, all our conversations with the leagues we are involved with seem to suggest that there is a possibility for the IPL, PKL and ISL to go ahead in some form this year. So while it is almost certain that it won’t be like a regular season, the finer details of how the matches do go ahead, what sort of travel, staff and spectator restrictions are in place etc will all play a role in sponsor interest and consequently, on the financial conditions of the franchises.
What are the brands JSW Sports teams currently work with? How do you narrow down on brands you want to be associated with?
At JSW Sports, we work with 80+ brands from different segments across our sporting properties, which include the 3 franchises (across cricket, football and kabaddi), our roster of Olympic talents and the Inspire Institute of Sport- the High Performance Training Centre we’ve led the establishment of. Through our assets, we feel that we are well positioned in the Indian sports ecosystem to cater to a range of brand marketing needs. For example, we’ve been able to drive some milestone partnerships with Kia Motors, for their first sports marketing association in India through Bengaluru FC, and Bridgestone, an IOC TOP Sponsor, who have partnered with the Track & Field Program at IIS part of their CSR initiative. The common thread across all our sports properties is a focus on professionalising sport in India and developing young sporting talent for the nation. We’ve found that brands looking to reach the aspirational youth of India find such partnerships very effective. Similarly, with non-cricket sports getting more attention in India and more Indians becoming competitive at the world stage, we’ve seen a lot of interest from brands wanting to associate with our Olympic talent.
We know Bengaluru FC is one of the top teams in ISL. What is the future of football in India? Like LaLiga is being broadcast on Facebook, you reckon the ISL can follow suit?
Bengaluru FC was started with a hope to bring about a change in the way football teams are run in India and the journey so far has been extremely satisfying for us. That being said, football is a long-term play for us as management and we’re working on building on a strong foundation that we have been able to set so far through strategic partnerships such as the one we signed with Rangers FC last year. On the broadcast plans and mediums, that is a call for the league to make. The broadcast partner is a key stakeholder in any league and I think Star has done a great job in helping ISL get the visibility it has through its broadcast platforms and Hotstar. As franchise owners, we are in constant touch with the league management and would welcome any move which can unlock value for the league and its teams.
Any plans of venturing into eSports? Is the eSports scene growing in India?
eSports is an interesting space we’re observing closely. Online gaming platforms have seen incredible growth and this has accelerated even more during the past few months. India’s demographic advantage, increasing disposable household incomes and access to data and internet make the online gaming and eSports market an attractive proposition and while we aren’t planning on entering the space at this moment, it is an area we are keeping a close eye on for the future.
The German Football League (DFL) has agreed to award the domestic live rights to the German Bundesliga, from 2021-22 to 2024-25, to pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland and OTT streaming service DAZN, according to The Associated Press.
The growth in the value of Bundesliga broadcast rights has ended under a four-year deal secured as the media industry grapples with the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Comcast Corp.-owned Sky and the DAZN streaming service will pay less than the 4.64 billion euros (around $5.2 billion) generated in the 2017-21 agreements, people with knowledge of the deals reported The Associated Press.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deals ahead of the German league organization.
The top games will be on Sky, which has the rights to 200 matches on Saturdays.
DAZN, which currently sub-licenses around 40 games from Eurosport, will be able to show 106 games across Fridays and Sundays from the 2021-22 season after securing a package in the auction with the league.
Dentsu has signed a strategic partnership with the Global Esports Federation with the aim to promote the global development of the growing eSports business.
The strategic partnership will focus on joint efforts to develop new marketing programs and eSports events. In collaboration with JeSU, Dentsu will lend its expertise and experience to collaborate with various game publishers, commercial partners and various International Organizations to further elevate the credibility, legitimacy and prestige for eSports.
Chris Chan, President, Global Esports Federation said: “We are certain that this strategic partnership will strengthen the future prospects of the GEF, expanding the vital work that the team has already established. We look to Dentsu for their expertise to bring together the best of eSports and sport, further fulfilling our mission to elevate eSports and the world’s eSports ecosystem.”
The GEF was launched in December 2019, in Singapore, to establish the voice and authority for the worldwide eSports movement. The federation brings together diverse leaders from eSports, a well as more traditional sporting organizations and athletes, with the vision to create a sustainable ecosystem for eSports. Tencent is the Founding Global Partner of the GEF, and from Japan, the Japan eSports Union (JeSU) is a member of the federation.
