NBA And Smart TV Platform VIDAA Announce Multiyear Partnership

The National Basketball Association and VIDAA USA, Inc. today announced a multiyear partnership to make NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service, available for purchase on all Hisense and Toshiba TVs through the VIDAA smart TV platform.  Beginning with the 2020-21 NBA season, more than 20 million users of VIDAA-enabled smart TVs across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East will be able to purchase NBA League Pass and watch hundreds of live NBA games each season through the VIDAA platform.

“I am proud that we teamed up with the NBA since it is one of the most popular leagues in the world,” said Guy Edri, EVP of Business Development for VIDAA platform. “Our mission is to bring the finest sports entertainment – both global and local – to fans at the touch of a button.  We will enable the best experience for our consumers and NBA fans in every corner of the world.”

“We’re excited to offer NBA League Pass to VIDAA subscribers and provide another platform for our international fans to experience the excitement of NBA basketball,” said NBA SVP, Global Media Distribution and Business Operations, Matt Brabants. “VIDAA’s vast reach and strong commitment to promoting NBA League Pass will help us continue to grow the game of basketball in priority markets around the world.”

NBA League Pass provides the most comprehensive live and on-demand access to an entire season of NBA games in high-definition with live stats, alternative audio and multiple viewing options.  Subscribers will have access to League Pass’ Next-Generation game viewing enhancements, including new camera angles, multiple in-language streams, celebrity influencer commentary, in-depth analytics and statistical graphics, and social media integration.  VIDAA users will have the option to purchase a variety of subscription packages based on their location.

In January, VIDAA announced the global launch of a completely revamped version of VIDAA, including a new user interface and the integration of content providers, putting the user and their habits at the center of the TV experience.  The platform incorporates a centralized user management, advertising and billing system, which simplifies the user experience and provides customers with a more direct way of accessing the content they enjoy.

British & Irish Lions And SA Rugby Announce Joint Venture

The British & Irish Lions and SA Rugby have today announced the creation of a joint venture for the 2021 Tour to South Africa. 

The ground-breaking, new model aims to maximise the Tour’s appeal by bringing together two of the biggest brands in world rugby to work in a more collaborative way. 

Under the terms of the new venture, The Lions and SA Rugby will combine their commercial offering, enabling broadcasters, partners and licensees the chance to fully leverage and activate around a new centralised programme.  

A more joined-up approach to CRM, digital and social content will provide more opportunities to engage with the global rugby fanbase, while also unlocking new assets such as a Tour documentary that can now be packaged together to offer access inside both Lions and Springboks camps. There will also be a co-ordinated ticketing, travel and hospitality programme to ensure fans have more access to the Tour matches taking place in South Africa next year. 

“We are pleased to announce the formation of our new joint venture with SA Rugby; the first time a Lions Tour has been approached in this way,” said Ben Calveley, Managing Director of The British & Irish Lions. 

“A Lions Tour is a global sporting event and its continuous commercial growth over the last decade has made it clear that a more collaborative, efficient and optimised structure was needed. 

“Together with SA Rugby, this new approach will ensure that the 2021 Tour will reach new heights and avoid some of the inefficiencies we have experienced on previous tours. While competition on the field of play is great, off the field we should aspire to work collaboratively to create a whole greater than the sum of the parts.” 

Commenting on the announcement, SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux, said: 

“The creation of the joint venture is an important milestone on our journey towards next year’s series against the Lions. 

“Our partnership with the Lions is a good example of rugby’s northern and southern hemispheres working together to create greater benefits for both organisations.

“I am confident that this new more collaborative approach will help unlock new and increased revenues for South African rugby and the British & Irish lions, which gets reinvested in the game, and look forward to working in close partnership between now and the Tour next year.” 

Bach Plans To Run For Second Term As IOC President

IOC President Thomas Bach has announced that he plans to run for a second term at the helm of the organisation in his opening speech at the start of the 136th session of the International Olympic Committee.

Bach concluded his speech by stating: “If you, the IOC Members want, I am ready to run for a second term as IOC President and to continue to serve you and this Olympic Movement, which we all love so much, for another four years.”

During the speech he is also stated the need for sport during the current time: “Sport has great social significance by being the glue which bonds communities together. Sport has great economic significance by creating jobs and generating an important contribution to GDP. For all these reasons, sport is an essential factor, not only during the crisis but also for the recovery from the crisis. This is why we have repeatedly called on governments to include sport in their corona recovery programmes. And our actions have been recognised and our message has been understood by many,”

He also emphasised the need for unity in his message, saying: “We must even strengthen our efforts to convince governments and the entire international community of the irreplaceable value of the Olympic Games. It is the only event today that brings the entire world together in peace, solidarity and without any discrimination.”

“The athletes from the 206 National Olympic Committees and of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team are living this value of non-discrimination. This was demonstrated in a unique way by Jesse Owens, the legendary four-time Olympic champion. At home, he had to suffer from the painful reality of racial segregation. In contrast, in the Olympic Village, he was living together as an equal with all the other athletes enjoying the same rights.”

Tepper Sports & Entertainment And Fanatics Announce Long-Term, Omnichannel Retail Partnership

Fanatics, the global leader for licensed sports merchandise, and Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) today announced an exclusive, long-term agreement to become the company’s official omnichannel retail partner. Under the new deal, Fanatics will operate both the e-commerce and physical retail experiences at Bank of America Stadium for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Charlotte’s new MLS expansion franchise.

The teams’ enhanced online and mobile shopping platforms will be driven through Fanatics’ Cloud Commerce Platform (CCP), creating a rapid, seamless experience for fans whether shopping on desktop, phone or tablet, and will feature larger, hi-resolution product displays, frictionless checkout and the largest assortment of real-time products. The new Panthers online store, shop.panthers.com, is currently live and accessible by fans, while e-commerce for TSE’s new MLS expansion team will fall under Fanatics’ operation of MLSShop.com and all of the league’s online team shops.

“We are thrilled to partner with Fanatics to provide a seamless retail experience and a wider variety of products for fans of both the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte MLS franchises,” said Mark Hart, vice president & chief operating officer of Tepper Sports & Entertainment. “Fanatics’ experience in the NFL and MLS provides good synergy across the Tepper Sports & Entertainment platforms and is yet another best-in-class partner for TSE and Bank of America Stadium.”

Fanatics will also oversee operations of all in-venue retail locations throughout Bank of America Stadium for both the Panthers and Charlotte’s expansion MLS team, including the official team store, kiosks and additional concourse shops. The blending of online and offline merchandise will create an omnichannel retail experience for fans on gameday and beyond, with a significantly expanded assortment of readily in-stock products, whether shopping online, via mobile phone or at the game. Additionally, over time the groups’ multi-channel relationship will allow Fanatics to create experiential retail touchpoints throughout the stadium across multiple technology infusions.

“Fanatics is proud to partner with David Tepper and his talented management team, who have a bold, progressive vision for both the Panthers and their new MLS franchise,” said Gary Gertzog, Fanatics President of Business Affairs. “We see an incredible opportunity to significantly elevate the entire end-to-end retail experience for fans through our connected, tech-infused e-commerce and physical retail offerings, which will be on full display regardless of shopping online, on your phone or at the game.”

Fanatics is the official e-commerce partner of both the NFL and MLS. The Panthers become Fanatics’ 25th NFL partner, nine of which are omnichannel deals, while Carolina’s new MLS team will mark the company’s 14th MLS omnichannel partner upon the brand’s launch on July 22. Fanatics has recently helped launch full e-commerce and in-venue retail operations for MLS expansion teams Inter Miami CF, Nashville SC and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC).

Member Insights: Why You‘re Not Retaining Fan Engagement And What You Should Do About It

Don’t you just hate it when you’re getting spammed with ads for products that have nothing to do with your interests? One of the greatest challenges in sports marketing today is sparking fan engagement through digital experiences tailored to the individual needs of the fans, StriveCloud‘s Jente Vanhaesebroeck looks at a recent example.

A great digital experience starts with delivering the right message at the right time and maybe even more important to the right person.

The same applies to esports fan engagement! In this article, we jump into the personalization hurdles of Swiss esports agency eStudios and their gaming tournament platform GameTurnier.

You’ll discover:

  • How personalization drives fan engagement
  • The role of data in crafting a frictionless fan experience
  • What kinds of different behaviors exist in the esports community
  • How eStudios overcame their community challenges through personalization

IOC Financial Support To Olympic Movement Hits $100 Million, Announces Virtual Festival With Airbnb

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already supported the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs) with around USD 100 million since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis.

To date and as needed, USD 63 million have been allocated to IFs and USD 37 million to NOCs.

In addition, it has been confirmed today by the IOC Executive Board (EB) that the IOC will continue supporting the NOCs with the TOP Programme allocation amounting to USD 150 million payable by end of this year. Furthermore, the IOC is committed to ensuring funding for the IOC-Recognised Organisations.

The IOC, as the leader of the Olympic Movement, is playing a critical role in supporting its stakeholders during the COVID-19 outbreak. The organisation has swiftly delivered on its commitment to allocate an aid package programme for the Olympic Movement.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Olympic Movement is facing an unprecedented challenge. The IOC has to organise postponed Olympic Games for the first time ever, and has to help its stakeholders come through this global crisis. This new situation will need all our solidarity, creativity, determination and flexibility. We shall all need to make sacrifices and compromises. Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. This situation requires every one of us to do our part, and this applies to all of us, including the IOC. We are glad to be able to help with our support programmes.”

The IFs are facing financial hardship due to the cancellation of sports events and the impact on the sporting calendar of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 being held in 2021. Due to the urgency of the situation, payments to IFs started in June 2020, and the programme is still continuing. The IOC’s support comes in different forms, and is decided after an assessment of needs and on a case-by-case basis.

THE IOC, THE IPC AND AIRBNB ANNOUNCE SUMMER FESTIVAL OF OLYMPIAN & PARALYMPIAN ONLINE EXPERIENCES

The IOC has also announced a new summer festival in association with new partners Airbnb.

– With the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 postponed until 2021, the IOC, the IPC and Airbnb will bring the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics online with a curated programme of activities hosted by athletes for the first time in history

– Bookings for the five-day event will open on 22 July, with more than 100 Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences offered by Naomi Osaka, Yusra Mardini, Rui Hachimura, Allyson Felix, Lex Gillette, and others

– Fans who book will proudly support their heroes ahead of Tokyo 2020, as proceeds will provide valuable income to athlete hosts, now and beyond the festival, including some who are on the road to their Olympic and Paralympic dreams

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb are announcing a five-day summer festival featuring more than 100 Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences hosted virtually by some of the world’s best athletes. The festival of Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences will kick off on 24 July, when the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were originally scheduled to begin, and is an opportunity for athletes to generate income while they share their passion for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and their sport with guests.

“The Olympic Games bring the whole world together and, whilst we will all have to wait one more year to celebrate in Tokyo, the Olympic flame continues to be the light at the end of the dark tunnel humankind is currently going through,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “It demonstrates that we are stronger together. This festival is a great platform to unite and inspire the world in the spirit of friendship and solidarity this summer. The IOC puts the athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement and supports them at every stage of their journey. We are delighted to collaborate with Airbnb to provide innovative economic empowerment opportunities for Olympic and Paralympic athletes around the world.”

UK Sport And Sport England To Co-Commission Review Into Allegations Of Athlete Mistreatment In Gymnastics

“UK Sport and Sport England welcome and support the decision of British Gymnastics to step aside from the review it announced last week and have agreed to co-commission a fully independent review into the serious concerns raised by gymnasts.

“We are working closely with key stakeholders, including the British Athletes Commission (BAC) and the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), to develop the terms of reference and the structure of the review to ensure it has credibility and the confidence of all of those who have had the courage to come forward.

“Our immediate priority is to provide support for all those affected by these allegations. We are working with the BAC as it finalises its plans to assist gymnasts and others who have been impacted to raise their concerns and take part in the review. Further and full details of the support available will be published online as soon as possible.

“We appreciate this is an anxious time for many young gymnasts and their families and we intend to move swiftly to finalise and publish the details of the review.”

BRITISH GYMNASTICS STEP ASIDE TO REMOVE DOUBTS ABOUT REVIEW

At a Board meeting on Tuesday night British Gymnastics made the decision to step aside to allow UK Sport and Sport England to co-commission the Independent Review it first established following concerns raised by British gymnasts about mistreatment.

British Gymnastics originally announced the commissioning of a QC led Independent Review last week. However, to remove any doubt of the Review’s integrity or independence, British Gymnastics has asked that UK Sport and Sport England now co-commission it.

Commenting on the decision, Jane Allen, CEO of British Gymnastics, said: “It is vital the Review is unequivocally independent with full resources to effectively deal with concerns raised by gymnasts. In the past week, the complexities have increased, and it is clear to retain the trust of the gymnastics community we have decided to recuse ourselves from any management of the Review. Our priority is to learn the lessons and ensure the welfare of all those within gymnastics. By stepping aside, we hope the Review can now proceed unimpeded.”

The Review is intended to recognise the importance of the concerns raised and the determination of UK Sport and Sport England to jointly investigate those concerns, and ensure there are actions identified to bring about positive change,  by way of a process that is independent and impartial.

Pepsi Extends Partnership With Pakistan National Cricket Team

Pakistan Cricket Board and Pepsi today announced a one-year extension as principal partner of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team for all three formats. Pepsi and PCB have enjoyed a fruitful partnership for over two decades.

The partnership will run initially until 30 June 2021, during which period Pakistan will take on England in the upcoming Test and T20I series from 5 August and are then scheduled to feature in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, and away series against South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

Easy Paisa, Pakistan’s first mobile financial services platform, will be the associate partner of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team for the upcoming tour of England.

Director – Marketing & Franchise, PepsiCo Pakistan, Saad Munawar Khan: “We are proud to continue our much cherished journey with Pakistan cricket as the principal partner of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team.

“Pepsi, Pakistan cricket and our passionate supporters are all part of one family and we are very excited to see our champion cricketers taking the field and making us proud with stellar performances.”

PCB Director – Commercial, Babar Hamid: “Despite working with a backdrop of a challenging economic climate, I am delighted that we have reached an acceptable agreement with Pepsi to continue as a principal partner for, at least, the next 12 months.

“Pepsi has been our valued partner since the 1990s, during which period we have shared great on-field memories and we look forward to that continuing over the next 12-months. 

“This extension of the partnership not only reflects our relationship and understanding with Pepsi, but also indicates the value that they place on the profile and visibility that sponsoring the Pakistan men’s national cricket team brings.”

Track And Field Athletes Unite To Formally Establish Independent Athletics Association

Today marks the formal launch of The Athletics Association, an independent organization established for athletes, by athletes.

Formed in response to the calls from athletes worldwide for independent representation, the objective of The Athletics Association is to provide Track and Field athletes with a meaningful voice, to fight for stronger athletes’ rights, and to seek an athletes first approach to our sport.

The Athletics Association aims to engage in positive dialogue with the sport’s governing body, World Athletics, and their own athletes’ commission, but will of course hold World Athletics to account when necessary and challenge them if they are not acting in the best interest of the athletes.

The non-profit Athletics Association has been busy developing a number of support services and member benefits for athletes, including a hardship grant fund, training courses, and discounts on products. Details of the full annual membership package will be announced ahead of the full roll-out in January 2021.

The Athletics Association initial objectives:

1 – Lobby World Athletics and the Diamond League stakeholders regarding the changes to the Diamond League schedule that were announced for 2020. We will offer suggestions and alternatives that would include all stadium disciplines, and would benefit athletes and fans, as well as the long term interests of this diverse and wonderful sport.

2 – Gain a seat at the table with World Athletics to command real involvement and power when it comes to decision-making in the sport, as we look to amplify the voices of our members and athletes all over the world.

3 – Announce the Athletics Association’s welfare charter, highlighting our commitment to improving the conditions for athletes across a range of issues.

4 – Solidify our membership package that will begin in January 2021 and will offer access to courses on issues such as financial literacy and life after Athletics, and also discounts on products.

5 – Present World Athletics with innovative ideas for the growth of the sport.

The collective has launched with two-time Olympic and four-time World champion, Christian Taylor, as the inaugural president “I am very proud of the progress made by the members of the Athletics Association Board. Since its initial inception a lot of work has been put in to establish the right governance and long-term viability that is essential to do justice to the athletes we represent. It’s this that has attracted the commitment and support of the athletes on the Board. We have athletes from every continent, and a wide variety of disciplines; we are made up of Olympic and World champions, as well as world record holders and continental champions. “

“In addition to the board members, there are so many other athletes who have helped get us to this stage. World Athletics recently published a strategic plan, and athletes have been identified as key stakeholders. The Athletics Association provides a representative voice and a simple way for the sport’s governing body to follow through on their commitment. We are ready to contribute to the growth of the sport that we love, ensuring that athletes are part of the decision-making process.  This association is for the athletes, by the athletes, and we are determined to make a real difference. We firmly believe that we can affect positive change in our sport. We are ready for the challenge.”

The Athletics Association has also agreed to a strategic partnership with Global Athlete, a progressive athlete start-up movement aiming to inspire greater athlete representation in organisations across the world of sport. The partnership brings together two organisations with similar values to collaborate on projects, share insights and drive change that will ultimately benefit the athletes and the sport.

“Global Athlete is proud to be a partner with the Athletics Association. Establishing an independent association is a critical step in enhancing athletes’ rights. It is so important for athletes to have their own representation” said Rob Koehler, Global Athlete Director General.

“The sport of athletics needs to find a new and exciting path for success. This success can only be possible with real meaningful athlete engagement. Athletes have the desire to further grow the sport while at the same time ensuring the utmost care is given to athletes’ rights. Together we are stronger.” said Emma Coburn, The Athletics Association Vice-President.

The Athletics Association structure:

The Athletics Association Board is made up of representatives from every continent and comprises 24 athletes, including individual global champions: Christian Taylor (President) Emma Coburn (Vice-President), Allyson Felix, Ashton Eaton, Julius Yego, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tianna Bartoletta and Tom Walsh.

To see all the board members and their roles please visit our brand new website www.athleticsassociation.org and sign up and register to receive up-to-date information.

Extreme E And AFC Energy To Pioneer Zero Emission Vehicle Charging

Extreme E, the revolutionary new electric SUV off-road racing series, has announced it is embarking on a world-first collaboration with AFC Energy, with its pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy.

Extreme E is the first event organiser to utilise hydrogen fuel cell power generators for charging, and the decision supports Extreme E’s goal of being sustainable and creating minimal local impact on the environments in which it races. This innovative solution from AFC Energy offers a completely sustainable fuel production process. The system use water and sun to generate hydrogen power which will then be used to charge all the ODYSSEY 21 E-SUVs off the grid. 

Not only will this process emit zero greenhouse emissions, its only by-product will be water, which will be utilised elsewhere on-site.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “This collaboration with AFC Energy is a game changer, not just for Extreme E, but also to the wider sports and events industry which could also benefit greatly from using this innovative, zero emission charging technology.

“AFC Energy is the leading provider of Alkaline Fuel Cell systems for the generation of clean energy. It has developed a wide range of technologies to enable sustainable off-grid power generation, which is easily transportable, offers high efficiency, and emits water, which we can utilise elsewhere in site, as its only by-product. 

“In everything we do around this championship we are focussed on being sustainable and supporting the environment, whilst also being innovative. It is fantastic that Extreme E is leading the way in motorsport when it comes to sustainable solutions like this. Motorsport is often associated with a high detrimental footprint on the environment through event infrastructures, but we are trying to change that, and this collaboration with AFC Energy is a huge step in the right direction.”

AFC Energy has engineered a bespoke H-PowerTM fuel cell system for Extreme E, which has been designed with a clear specification and focus on sustainable innovation.

Adam Bond, Chief Executive Officer at AFC Energy, said “We are honoured to have been selected by Extreme E in such a world class motor racing championship, designed to highlight not only the true potential of electric vehicle SUVs in some of the harshest environments on Earth, but also the need to raise public awareness of the debilitating impact climate change is having on our ecosystems. 

“The H-PowerTM system will showcase to a global audience exactly how Hydrogen can be used as a viable alternative to incumbent diesel generations in the remotest and harshest of environments.”