Community, Author at iSportConnect

Sportradar Adds Eastern European Championship 2020 To Tennis Portfolio

As part of its ongoing support for tennis around the world, Sportradar, the global provider of sports content and intelligence, has announced a partnership with the Tipsarevic Tennis Academy for the duration of the Eastern European Championship 2020, which is taking place in Belgrade, Serbia.

Throughout the pandemic Sportradar has worked closely with its partners to bring back live tennis and its involvement in the Eastern European Championship follows recent successes with the likes of the Tennis Point Exhibition Series, the Austrian and German Pro Series featuring world No.3 Dominic Thiem and the International Tennis Series.

With 352 matches scheduled to take place over a six week period, the Eastern European Championship is a substantial addition to Sportradar’s portfolio of tennis events. The data company will provide a range of live tennis content solutions directly from the event including the data production for all matches, using data collection software which the umpire will use to score matches and transmit data back to Sportradar.

Following ATP and WTA rules, the event will feature players from both the men’s and women’s tours. Forty-eight players are set to take compete in the men’s draw including Milomir Kecmanovic, currently ranked No.47 with the ATP, and Aljaz Bedene, who sits at No.61.

The women’s event will feature 42 players from the WTA including Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann and the Netherlands Arantxa Rus, ranked 63 and 70 respectively.

Additional live content from the tournament includes a state-of-the-art audio visual offering. As well as its live AV feed, Sportradar is distributing the event for television worldwide and providing coverage of four matches each day of the week with play scheduled to take place between 14.00 and 22.00 CEST.

David Lampitt, Managing Director Sport Partnerships at Sportradar said: “This past few months have proved challenging for everyone in the industry. We’ve drawn on the full breadth of our resources in order to support our partners within tennis and to ensure the sport is brought back safely for everyone to enjoy.

“We’re delighted to be involved in an event of this size and profile as we continue to facilitate the return of live sport. And we’re particularly pleased to have the chance to be involved in a combined event involving top players from both the men’s and women’s Tours. The scale of it is truly unique in the current circumstances.”

eFootball.Pro awards esports league media rights to Sportradar

eFootball.Pro, which will be launching a football esports competition together with KONAMI, has signed leading sports data and content developers Sportradar as “Official International Media Rights Distribution Partner”.

Under the terms of the multi-year partnership, the company will be the exclusive agency commercialising the live media rights for the new league’s matches, as well as distributing matchday previews and analysis, highlights, news, interviews, reports and other audiovisual content to provide the public worldwide with everything they need to understand, follow and gain insight into the new exciting league.

Sportradar will also be in charge of production across all this content, including all the live LAN (face-to-face) matches. These fixtures, whose details haven’t been unveiled yet, will be played by top-notch teams and will become a model in the electronic sports space.

eFootball.Pro’s Managing Director Javier Alonso highlights the professionalism of the company: ‘We trust in the quality of the contents produced by Sportradar and its expertise to distribute them. We hope that we together will lay the foundations of the football esports’ future and bring the spectators a unique and exciting product’.

Sportradar’s Director Media Rights Giuseppe Sampino added: ‘This league already has all the ingredients in place to ensure that it takes the world by storm. With the likes of Piqué involved as President and Founder, Sportradar are delighted to bring our pedigree in the international sports media space together with our existing esports credentials to the table.

Fans as well as industry observers will be watching with keen interest as this league launches, flourishes and excites, and we cannot wait to be part of that evolution’. Sportradar covers more than 350,000 matches from over 50 sports every year, and lists UEFA, NBA, Bundesliga and ESL, the world’s largest esports organisation among its partners.

Sportradar will also be responsible for the distribution of other esports events that esports Media Rights (EMR), which owns eFootball.Pro, will organise. EMR competitions will go beyond football esports and one of them will be unveiled soon.

Coca-Cola Becomes Premier League Sponsor

Coca-Cola will be a sponsor of the English Premier League (EPL) as of January 2019.

The U.S. beverage manufacturer has signed a three-year contract with the league to promote a variety of products including fruit drinks, with low or zero sugar options

Coca-Cola joins Barclays, Carling, Cadbury, Nike, Tag Heuer and EA Sports as EPL sponsors.

Under the terms of the agreement, Coca-Cola will also launch a nationwide Premier League Trophy Tour, to get English football fans closer to the league and to the brand’s products.

Richard Masters, managing director of the Premier League, said: “We are excited that this is Coca-Cola Great Britain’s first portfolio-wide partnership and they will be bringing it to life across a range of brands.”

Jon Woods, general manager of Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland, said: “The Premier League is one of the most diverse leagues in the world and unites people with a shared passion for football and we’re looking forward to working together to help bring fans to closer to the action.”

Arsenal Links With Beer Partner In Africa

English Premier League club Arsenal has reached a deal with SKOL as Regional Beer Partner in Rwanda, with plans to expand into other territories across Africa over the next two and a half years.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda already sponsors several clubs in the region and the partnership will involve Arsenal staff providing football consultancy services to offer guidance and advice to support the development of these clubs.

Arsenal will also be providing football teams sponsored by the brand with trips to London to visit Emirates Stadium and receive coaching sessions with Arsenal coaches.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda and Arsenal will also run coaching clinics to support grassroots football.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda will promote the partnership through TV commercials, the production of special edition co-branded bottles and large scale on-pack promotions offering supporters the opportunity to win match tickets and official Arsenal merchandise.

Fans will also be able to attend sponsored match screening parties and join newly created official supporters’ clubs.

Arsenal Commercial Director Peter Silverstone said: “We are delighted to welcome SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda to the Arsenal family. The partnership is a direct result of our successful partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and re-affirms our affinity with Africa.”

“We have nearly 90 million followers across Sub-Saharan Africa, and we’re looking forward to connecting with new fans in the region whilst sharing our knowledge and experience, developing coaching programmes and helping SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda build their business.”

Ivan Wulffaert, General Manager, SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda, said: “SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda are proud of their approach to brewing and product quality. We always take that extra step to ensure the best experience for our customers and consumers. We are very happy and proud to partner with Arsenal FC as we view Arsenal as the team that takes great pride in their approach to football and the quality of their play on the pitch. A refined version of the great game.”

Also in the News Today

Portugal’s SportTV has bought all the local rights for the 2020 UEFA European Championship. The company will own both free-to-air and pay-television coverage rights for the first time. SportTV CEO Nuno Ferreira Pires said a free-to-air partner for Portugal national team matches has yet to be found.
Meredith Starkey joins the Carolina Panthers at the end of March as the NFL team’s first CMO. She comes from T-Mobile, where she has been VP Marketing, Sponsorships & Events. Panthers President Tom Glick (who has spoken at several iSportconnect events) said she is “a proven difference maker in our industry and understands fans and how to deliver special moments, memories and experiences to continue to fuel their passion.”
Sky Italia has been hit with a €7 million fine by the country’s Competition Authority (AGCM) for failing to tell potential subs that it did not have all Serie A’s games in its football package this season. The regulator ruled that Sky engaged in “an aggressive practice” that did not make clear that its Sky Calcio package would offer fewer Serie A games than in past seasons when it held all rights.
Nike faced a PR nightmare after one of its shoes split open during an NCAA basketball game on Wednesday night. Not only was the shoe worn by probably the top college player in the country (Zion Williamson of Duke), the game was on national TV – and former U.S. President Barack Obama was in the crowd (and appeared on camera reacting to the event). Nike stated afterward: “We are obviously concerned and want to wish Zion a speedy recovery. The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance.” The statement called the shoe explosion “an isolated occurrence.”

Also In The News…

The Rugby League World Cup has announced the first seven projects to receive grants for the provision of capital items, kit and equipment or to refurbish and improve existing facilities.

Applications for CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants have been open since October 2018, with a total of £10 million available for local clubs and community projects to create a positive impact, of which £9 million will be allocated to large-scale requests costing more than £15,000, with the remaining £1 million being granted to smaller-scale projects.

The government investment, delivered in partnership with the RFL and Sport England, is part of RLWC2021’s ambitious plan to leave a lasting legacy.

Protocol Sports Marketing has been appointed as the worldwide media rights agency for the semi-finals and finals of the World Boxing Super Series, on behalf of Comosa AG, a joint venture between Sauerland Events and Swiss promoter Richard Schaefer, the former CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

The NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers on ABC led U.S. primetime on Saturday in the 18-49 demographic with a 0.9 rating from 8:30-11 p.m.

LiveScore Launches Free-To-Air Live Streaming Service, Will Air Remaining Serie A Matches

LiveScore, one of the world’s leading real-time sports updates and results providers, is set to launch its first ever live streaming service, offering millions of UK users a front-row seat as live football returns across Europe’s top leagues.

Having secured live streaming rights to all remaining matches in Italy’s Serie A season, LiveScore will be on-hand to help football fans in the UK and Ireland celebrate the return of elite sport, through to the climax of the current 2019/20 campaign.

The deal, the latest successful negotiation led by Saran Media Group on behalf of LiveScore and agreed with Premier Sports, also sees LiveScore secure the rights to live-stream one third of all remaining fixtures in Portugal’s Primeira Liga. Live football successfully returned to the country this month, whilst Italy’s iconic Serie A domestic league will restart this weekend on Saturday June 20th as Torino host Parma.

Tonight LiveScore’s new streaming service will be showing a match of big significance to the title race in the Primeira Liga, as sixth placed Rio Ave host second placed S.L. Benfica at 21:15 BST.

The free streaming service – which is to be integrated within the existing LiveScore iOS and Android application – ensures that LiveScore remains the go-to destination for fast and reliable sports coverage. With a global audience of 56 million monthly active users, including 2 million in the UK alone, the new OTT service complements existing unparalleled coverage, content and statistics for hundreds of sporting leagues and competitions around the world.

Ric Leask, Marketing Director at LiveScore, said;

“We’re excited to celebrate the return of football by providing live free-to-air streaming on LiveScore for the very first time. This is a hugely important step for LiveScore, as we continue to innovate and offer our audience the most immersive sports coverage possible.

“Serie A and Primeira Liga are two of the most popular and keenly followed European leagues amongst our 2 million monthly users within the UK and Ireland, so this is a fantastic opportunity to give something back to our loyal userbase. After a long wait for top-level football to return, this is a brilliant start for our new live streaming service.”

The new free-to-air live streaming capability will be facilitated by LiveScore’s partnership with leading sports OTT specialists StreamAMG. The relationship will enable a fully integrated video product which will deliver a first-class viewing experience.

Premier Sports will remain as the exclusive UK and Ireland broadcast TV partner for both the Primeira Liga and Serie A, with their subscribers able to watch all matches live on TV.

LiveScore Launches Free-To-Air Live Streaming Service, Will Air Remaining Serie A Matches

Tonight LiveScore’s new streaming service will be showing a match of big significance to the title race in the Primeira Liga, as sixth placed Rio Ave host second placed S.L. Benfica at 21:15 BST.

Ric Leask, Marketing Director at LiveScore, said;

Premier Sports will remain as the exclusive UK and Ireland broadcast TV partner for both the Primeira Liga and Serie A, with their subscribers able to watch all matches live on TV.

BT Sport Launches App On NOW TV Devices

BT Sport is giving customers more ways to watch, by making its award-winning app available from today (16 June) on NOW TV devices.

NOW TV joins a wide range of large screen devices and platforms on which sports fans can watch BT Sport, including Samsung smart TV, Sony PlayStation, Xbox and Apple TV, as well as mobiles, tablets, BT TV, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.

Customers with a NOW TV Smart Box with 4K, who have the necessary subscription, will be able to access BT Sport Ultimate, the only channel providing regular live sport in stunning 4K with High Dynamic Range, which provides the highest quality pictures seen outside of cinemas.

Existing BT Sport customers with access to its app for large screen devices can access BT Sport on NOW TV devices at no extra cost, allowing them to watch live, catch-up and on-demand sport, and, have a second screen to watch two livestreams simultaneously*.

New customers can access the app in a range of ways including BT Sport Monthly Pass, which offers all sports fans a flexible way of watching top-flight sport for a simple monthly fee with no contract. Available for just £25 per month for instant access, BT Sport Monthly Pass lets anyone buy and watch BT Sport on a month-by-month basis. Over the month from BT Sport’s first live Premier League game on 20 June, the pass will offer live matches from the Premier League, every match from Germany’s Bundesliga, plus live UFC, Turkish Super Lig, WWE, AFL and more. To find out more customers simply go to bt.com/sport/monthly-pass, download the BT Sport App from their app store and log in.

Additionally, BT Sport is increasing the range of catch-up and on-demand content available via its app for large screen devices (NOW TV, Samsung smart TV, Sony PlayStation, Xbox and Apple TV). Customers can now access classic matches and events from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and more. Full event replays are also now available, enabling fans to re-watch Premier League games in full, soon after they are broadcast on BT Sport.

Andy Haworth, managing director, commercial, BT Sport, said: “Today’s news marks the latest in this season’s sport innovations from BT, following our launch this season of Europe’s only channel offering sports in stunning HDR picture quality. BT continues to create more ways for our customers to watch their favourite sport, and we’re connecting more viewers to our content as BT Sport continues to go from strength to strength.”

Today’s launch comes ahead of the Premier League returning to BT Sport this June. BT Sport will kick off with a double header of Watford v Leicester City at 12.30pm this Saturday (June 20) and Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal, the first Premier League game to be shown at 3pm on a Saturday.

Red Bull And Dorna Sports Extend Sponsorship Agreements

Dorna Sports is delighted to announce an extension to its partnership with iconic energy drink company Red Bull. Part of the agreement will see Red Bull title sponsor both the 2020 Gran Premio de España and 2020 Gran Premio de Andalucía, which are set to take place at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 17th to the 19th of July and the 24th to the 26th of July, respectively.

Moreover, the agreement also sees the global energy drink brand confirmed as the title sponsor of the Gran Premio de España and the Grand Prix of the Americas until 2024, as well as a co-sponsor of the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.

Over the years Red Bull has shown a strong commitment to sports worldwide, including the MotoGP™ World Championship. Not only is Red Bull present in every category partnering with a wide range of athletes and teams, but it is also a significant contributor to the motorcycle racing scene through the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, one of the most successful talent development programmes. Red Bull is both title sponsor and co-organiser of the Cup.

Pau Serracanta, Managing Director of Dorna Sports: “Red Bull is a true partner of MotoGP™. As we approach the end of this agreement, it will be nearly 20 years that we will have spent working together – since 2005, when Red Bull was the title sponsor of the US GP at Laguna Seca. In addition to this agreement, we have also worked together as co-organisers of the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup for more than a decade, Red Bull has been our partner in the MotoGP™ eSport Championship since inception, as well as the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, and we organise the Austrian Grand Prix together at the Red Bull Ring – in addition to our broadcast agreement with ServusTV covering Austria and Germany. We are delighted to continue working with Red Bull.”

With this extension of the partnership that has already existed for many years, Dorna and Red Bull show a solid commitment to keep growing the sport together for many more years.