Digital Café: How Lockdown May Change Social Media Communications In Sport

In the Digital Café this week, we sit down to discuss how social media in a time of lockdown might shape the future of communications. Will the medium really now shape the message?

No Filter

Something which is going to be interesting to monitor as sport gets back to business is what has changed once the enforced closed season is over. While “the new normal” was born, post-Covid, what will we have become used to in the world of digital and social in sport?

One prediction is there will be a realignment of the relationship between an athlete and their PR departments. A couple of cases have highlighted that in lockdown the connection between sportspeople and their audience (not necessarily their fans) has strengthened and that social media now merrily skips the filter Comms and PR usually provide, sometimes for good, sometimes, well…

When soccer player Clevid Dikamona took to Twitter back in March to make a statement regarding his future at Hearts he prefaced it with “Before someone distorts reality…”. An indication he was keen to ensure the the statement and his sentiments were his own words, rather than have anyone spin the story for him.

He later confirmed his departure with a second post https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/football/clevid-dikamona-confirms-hearts-exit-18338254. The interesting thing about the second post (below) was, not only was it pretty emotional for an au revoir, but it also read the tone of the supporters and the replies were nigh-on universally positive.

before someone else distorts reality … pic.twitter.com/LntjS4IxdF

— dikamona clevid (@DikamonaClevid) March 20, 2020

Contrast that with the communications situation just a few years back and firstly there would not have been the access to publicity without third party media and secondly sportspeople would be seen and, for the most part, not heard.

The second example was Lewis Hamilton calling out his whole sport on Instagram. Pundits and fans often bemoan the bland responses of rigorously media-trained drivers who aren’t keen on voicing their opinions – the heady time of James Hunt not holding back are cited as the good old days. 

But Lewis took matters into his own hands over the recent events in the US and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests. He reprimanded the whole sport on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lewishamilton/, and asked why people were silent. This prompted responses from several other drivers and also brought media and commentators’ attention to bear. It was a move which the multiple world champion had the confidence, and arguably the authority to do, but social media gave him the means to voice his message loud, clear and unfiltered. 

If, as Marshall McLuhan famously said, the Medium is the Message https://medium.com/@obtaineudaimonia/the-medium-is-the-message-by-marshall-mcluhan-8b5d0a9d426b, then social media has put sportspeople right back in touch with the fans.

During the turbulent first half of 2020, at a time when sport has been put on hold more and more drivers, players and athletes have had the time to hone their messages on a medium which has been available for some time, but is right now coming into its own. 

What will be interesting will be to see how teams, sports and even federations attempt to shape those messages and whether (or not) there will be a realignment of that relationship between the comms and PR teams who once held sole power over the message published and their athletes and teams. 

…Because there will have to be some alignment – or education – to avoid situations where it’s not only you, but your family’s social media that detrimentally affects your career. Such as Serbian winger Aleksandar Katai’s decision to leave LA Galaxy after inappropriate posts by his wife on Instagram. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/la-galaxy-release-serbian-soccer-star-aleksander-katai-over-wife-n1226601

International Coalition Brings Down Piracy Ring Boasting 40,000 Video Channels, VOD content And 2 Million Subscribers

Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), the Spanish Football League (LaLiga), NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection thank the Spanish National Police, and law enforcement agencies throughout Europe, for crackdown on international illegal IPTV streaming network 

The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), the Spanish Football League (LaLiga), NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection today announced the shutdown of an illegal IPTV streaming network based in Spain that served more than two million paying subscribers worldwide. 

The shutdown is the result of criminal complaints and assistance of DFL, LaLiga, NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection to the Spanish police. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) was also involved on behalf of the content industry. The coordinated international law enforcement operation was led by the Spanish National Police with the support of Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, and Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.

The pirate network was offering more than 40,000 video channels and video-on-demand content, offering a wide range of channels, sports events, films, documentaries, and series, as well as 50 pirate servers located in various countries in Europe. All were shut down as part of the anti-piracy operation. 

The piracy network was based in Spain but operated worldwide – in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States generating profits in excess of 15 million euros and causing much higher damages to the content industry. Its IPTV service was offered to resellers allowing them to create their own brand and illegal service as a franchise. Arrests were made in several European countries including Spain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Sweden. Individuals were charged with crimes against intellectual property, communications fraud, money laundering and criminal organization.

“We are grateful to the Spanish National Police and all involved in this operation for working together to protect and defend content owner rights,” said Melcior Soler, Audiovisual Director at LaLiga. “Piracy is a global problem and it’s critical for the industry as whole to come together to fight it, share knowledge and leverage key partnerships and anti-piracy technologies to preserve high-quality content for our fans – whether it’s in sports or other types of entertainment. Together we can make a difference and alter the piracy landscape.”

“The DFL welcomes this transnational anti-piracy operation that comes at the same time major European championships resume their activities. Tackling large pirate operations at the source is a key component in the fight against large-scale content theft,” said Dr. Holger Blask, Director Audiovisual Rights at DFL. “We are glad the industry is more and more united against piracy, in this case both the sports and the content industries joined efforts to make it happen”.

“We applaud the Spanish National Police for leading this anti-piracy effort to a successful outcome,” said Pascal Métral, VP Legal Affairs and Head of Anti-Piracy Investigations, Intelligence and Litigation at NAGRA. “These results could not have been achieved without close collaboration between all stakeholders – content owners, governmental entities and anti-piracy companies – and is a clear demonstration of how such efforts can have a real impact on stopping the spread of commercial piracy. We are honored to support the effort through our investigations and intelligence teams and to represent the interests of the sports and content industry to ensure their rights are protected.”

“Nordic Content Protection congratulates the Spanish National Police and other national law enforcement agencies throughout Europe that conducted this very successful operation. With assets and money worth six million Euros confiscated from the pirates, it’s a strong signal to other pirate organizations that organized IP crime eventually does not pay off,” said Anders Braf, CEO at Nordic Content Protection.

This latest success further illustrates the importance of a close partnership between content owners, operators, technology providers, policy makers and governments, to make real strides in the battle against piracy and to protect all media and entertainment industry stakeholders’ legitimate business.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas has also provided comment on LaLiga’s latest ruling regarding the beoutQ piracy operation.

“LaLiga welcomes the WTO’s ruling which indisputably establishes Saudi Arabia’s role in one of the most sophisticated and damaging piracy operations that has ever existed. Never before have we seen one of LaLiga’s attempts to protect its intellectual property deliberately blocked by a government. If Saudi Arabia wants to be taken seriously in world sport, it simply has to play by the rules.”

International Coalition Brings Down Piracy Ring Boasting 40,000 Video Channels, VOD content And 2 Million Subscribers

Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), the Spanish Football League (LaLiga), NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection thank the Spanish National Police, and law enforcement agencies throughout Europe, for crackdown on international illegal IPTV streaming network 

The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), the Spanish Football League (LaLiga), NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection today announced the shutdown of an illegal IPTV streaming network based in Spain that served more than two million paying subscribers worldwide. 

The shutdown is the result of criminal complaints and assistance of DFL, LaLiga, NAGRA and Nordic Content Protection to the Spanish police. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) was also involved on behalf of the content industry. The coordinated international law enforcement operation was led by the Spanish National Police with the support of Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, and Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.

The pirate network was offering more than 40,000 video channels and video-on-demand content, offering a wide range of channels, sports events, films, documentaries, and series, as well as 50 pirate servers located in various countries in Europe. All were shut down as part of the anti-piracy operation. 

The piracy network was based in Spain but operated worldwide – in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States generating profits in excess of 15 million euros and causing much higher damages to the content industry. Its IPTV service was offered to resellers allowing them to create their own brand and illegal service as a franchise. Arrests were made in several European countries including Spain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Sweden. Individuals were charged with crimes against intellectual property, communications fraud, money laundering and criminal organization.

“We are grateful to the Spanish National Police and all involved in this operation for working together to protect and defend content owner rights,” said Melcior Soler, Audiovisual Director at LaLiga. “Piracy is a global problem and it’s critical for the industry as whole to come together to fight it, share knowledge and leverage key partnerships and anti-piracy technologies to preserve high-quality content for our fans – whether it’s in sports or other types of entertainment. Together we can make a difference and alter the piracy landscape.”

“The DFL welcomes this transnational anti-piracy operation that comes at the same time major European championships resume their activities. Tackling large pirate operations at the source is a key component in the fight against large-scale content theft,” said Dr. Holger Blask, Director Audiovisual Rights at DFL. “We are glad the industry is more and more united against piracy, in this case both the sports and the content industries joined efforts to make it happen”.

“We applaud the Spanish National Police for leading this anti-piracy effort to a successful outcome,” said Pascal Métral, VP Legal Affairs and Head of Anti-Piracy Investigations, Intelligence and Litigation at NAGRA. “These results could not have been achieved without close collaboration between all stakeholders – content owners, governmental entities and anti-piracy companies – and is a clear demonstration of how such efforts can have a real impact on stopping the spread of commercial piracy. We are honored to support the effort through our investigations and intelligence teams and to represent the interests of the sports and content industry to ensure their rights are protected.”

“Nordic Content Protection congratulates the Spanish National Police and other national law enforcement agencies throughout Europe that conducted this very successful operation. With assets and money worth six million Euros confiscated from the pirates, it’s a strong signal to other pirate organizations that organized IP crime eventually does not pay off,” said Anders Braf, CEO at Nordic Content Protection.

This latest success further illustrates the importance of a close partnership between content owners, operators, technology providers, policy makers and governments, to make real strides in the battle against piracy and to protect all media and entertainment industry stakeholders’ legitimate business.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas has also provided comment on LaLiga’s latest ruling regarding the beoutQ piracy operation.

“LaLiga welcomes the WTO’s ruling which indisputably establishes Saudi Arabia’s role in one of the most sophisticated and damaging piracy operations that has ever existed. Never before have we seen one of LaLiga’s attempts to protect its intellectual property deliberately blocked by a government. If Saudi Arabia wants to be taken seriously in world sport, it simply has to play by the rules.”

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.”

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.

On The Move: Latest Community Jobs Update – New Additions At Eurosport And A New CEO For Heineken

Eurosport announced two new appointments, Amar Melwani as VP Distribution Partnerships and Rights Strategy and Scott Young as Senior Vice President, Production and Content.

Dolf van den Brink is the latest CEO of Heineken.

Xavier Gutierrez is now President and CEO of NHL franchise the Arizona Coyotes.

Matt Scammell is Liverpool FC’s new Commercial Director.

Olly Dale will be BWT Racing Point F1’s new Chief Commercial Officer.

Susannah Weyman has joined World Rugby as Global Partnerships Account Director.

Andy Ward was announced as Huddersfield Town FC’s Commercial Director.

Mo Fadl was named Sandsoft Games new CEO.

George Aivazoglou was named Vice President, Head of Fan Engagement & DTC – EMEA for the NBA.

Jorge de la Vega will be LaLiga’s next Commercial and Marketing Director

Adam Gardiner is Arsenal FC’s new Head of Brand Marketing.

Simon Remoussin is new Head of AS Monaco Esports

Michal Kolodziejczyk will be Canal+ Poland’s Editorial Sports Director.

Greg Luckman is new Chief Executive and co-Managing Director of Allied Sports.

MarkBjørk is new Dreamhack Sports Games COO.

Nicola Turner is Director of Legacy for Birmingham’s 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Bandar Al-Mashhadi is new Vice President and General Manager MENA for WWE.

Alexis Vapaille was announced as Eurovision Sport’s Sports Project Manager, Summer Sports.

Bournemouth’s Vitality Sponsorship Increased To Include Main Shirt Deal Until End Of Premier League Season

.AFC Bournemouth are delighted to announce that Vitality will be their official shirt sponsor for the remainder of the 2019/20 season and have revealed the striking new 2020/21 Umbro home kit that will also be worn for the remaining nine games of the current campaign.

The Vitality logo will be featured on the front of the club’s new home and away shirts during the final games of the top-flight campaign, starting with next weekend’s historic home fixture against Crystal Palace.

Broadcast live on BBC One, the match is anticipated to record the highest-ever Premier League television audience in the UK.

The partnership is an extension of the long-term relationship between AFC Bournemouth and Vitality, which has seen the Cherries’ ground known as Vitality Stadium since the summer of 2015.

Vitality, which specialises in health and life insurance and investment, will also use a number of its contractual matchday assets – including LED advertising and interview backdrop space – to thank and pay tribute to NHS staff and key workers for their outstanding efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AFC Bournemouth commercial director, Rob Mitchell, said: “Vitality has been a great supporter of the club over the past five years and I am delighted that we have been able to build upon this at such an important and exciting time of the season.

“Vitality is a brand which has a focus on health and wellbeing with a headquarters in the heart of our town.

“So, for a club which prides itself on community and healthy lifestyles, this is a perfect partnership and one that we love being a part of.”

Neville Koopowitz, CEO at Vitality, added: “We are delighted to be able to extend our partnership in this way with AFC Bournemouth.

“As a local employer in the town, we are pleased to be able to support the club, town and community in this way, and are proud to not only have Vitality’s name and brand on the shirts worn by the club’s players, but to be able use our sponsorship assets to call out and celebrate the vital role the NHS has played in past months.

“Sport brings us all together in a way very little else does and there is undoubtedly a unique opportunity for football to do this for us all at the moment.

“I look forward to the rest of the season with AFC Bournemouth and hope every single match not only brings us together but inspires many more people to get active and playing more football.”

AFC Bournemouth’s new Vitality-sponsored home shirt will not be available for purchase and is only being worn by the club’s first team during the final nine games of the current season.

WTA And SAP Partner To Support Players During Covid-19 With Launch Of WTA University

The WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and global technology partner SAP have teamed up to launch a new educational platform for WTA players called WTA University. Created with SAP Litmos solutions, this online learning management system expands on the WTA’s fundamental Player Development Program aimed to enhance the lives and careers of players by offering resources for physical and mental health, as well personal and professional growth.

With the tennis season currently suspended, the WTA and SAP expedited the rollout of the platform in March, offering a host of new private and live sessions customized to support the needs of WTA players during the remote and uncertain nature of COVID-19. From financial coaching by certified specialists and leadership inspiration from Billie Jean King, to a variety of daily guided fitness classes and orientation courses for new players, the resources provided through WTA University serve as a modern extension to the WTA’s continued member benefits.

Since the introduction of the new platform, more than 150 WTA players have enrolled in WTA University’s educational courses globally, logging over 400 hours of learning. The WTA player community has access to the University’s online tools from anywhere, at any time, and across any device.

Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program through the WTA’s partnership with Indiana University East, American CiCi Bellis recently explained how the new media training and mindful awareness courses were especially helpful in her business major coursework.

“It’s been incredible to have WTA University launch during this time. It’s given us new tools that allow us to focus our minds on something outside of tennis and improve our knowledge,” said Bellis. “It’s vital information, along with a variety of health resources too. I’ve really enjoyed having access to the yoga classes on demand. Even if I can’t make the live WTA session, I can still log on and stream any of the ‘It Takes Live’ daily fitness classes from my laptop or phone, wherever I am.”

Chief Revenue Officer of SAP Customer Experience, Paula Hansen added, “During these unprecedented times we have all found new ways to move forward and stay connected that have never been done before. In times of change and challenge, we see over 22 million users globally turning to learning. WTA’s brilliant use of SAP Litmos to continue to build skills on the court and off is a testament to the commitment they have to their players and we are thrilled to be a part of their transformative vision.”

With the successful launch of WTA University for players across six continents and more than 30 countries and regions, the organization plans to expand the innovative platform and its aggregated content to other areas of the sport. The WTA is presently working on its 2020-21 plan to further customize WTA University education for other segments of the tennis community, including WTA tournament staff, coaches and other player support team members.

European Tour And Challenge Tour To Resume In Austria With Dual Ranking Events

The European Tour and the European Challenge Tour will resume their 2020 seasons with back-to-back dual ranking events in Austria in July.

The Austrian Open at Diamond Country Club, from July 9-12, will mark the return of the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca after a five month pause following the global outbreak of Coronavirus. It will be followed by the Euram Bank Open at Golf Club Adamstal, which remains in its original slot on the calendar but now begins a day earlier, taking place from Wednesday July 15 to Saturday July 18.

Both tournaments will have prize funds of €500,000 and will be dual-ranking events with the European Tour, which fully resumes its 2020 season with the Betfred British Masters Hosted by Lee Westwood at Close House from July 22-25.

It will be the third consecutive year the Euram Bank Open has been part of the Challenge Tour schedule, with Darius van Driel of the Netherlands and Callum Hill of Scotland winning in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Jamie Hodges, Head of the Challenge Tour, said: “We are pleased to announce the resumption of the Challenge Tour season with the Austrian Open at Diamond Country Club and the Euram Bank Open at Golf Club Adamstal, two dual ranking events which will take place in consecutive weeks in July.

“Our measured approach to the 2020 season has mirrored that of the European Tour and we have been informed each step of the way by our Medical Health Strategy, led by our Chief Medical Officer Dr Andrew Murray, aligned to individual government safety advice.

“Part of this strategy is to play, wherever possible, in clusters in one territory and we are therefore grateful to the Austrian Golf Federation and the two venues, Diamond Country Club and Golf Club Adamstal for their support in making these events happen.

“We will continue to be guided by the European Tour’s Medical Health Strategy and we will announce details of subsequent 2020 Challenge Tour events in due course.”

 Ben Cowen, the European Tour’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, said: “These two dual ranking events provide vital playing opportunities for our members following the enforced period of inactivity since March.

“We are therefore grateful to both Diamond Country Club and Golf Club Adamstal, as well as the Austrian Golf Federation, for their support and we look forward to visiting Austria ahead of the European Tour’s full resumption with the Betfred British Masters at Close House the following week.”