LaLiga Receives R&D+I Certifications For Technological And Innovative Work

LaLiga’s commitment to research, development and technological innovation has been recognised through both the Certification Agency for Spanish Innovation (ACIE) and the European Quality Assurance entity (EQA).

Both organisations, which are accredited certifiers of the ENAC (National Accreditation Body), have recognised several LaLiga projects due to the innovative nature of their technology.

The Calendar Selector tool, designed by LaLiga to optimise television viewing figures and stadium attendance with the use of artificial intelligence, has received recognition as a research and development project. The same certification has been applied to the Marauder, Lumiere and Tyche apps, which were created by LaLiga’s Antipiracy Department to help combat the illegal viewing of matches.

Over 20 projects developed by LaLiga have been certified as technological innovations, including its OTT platform LaLigaSportsTV, the real-time match analytics platform Mediacoach, Horeca (hotel, restaurant and cafe industry-focused), tools developed by the LaLiga BI & analytics department, corporate applications such as the clubs’ portal and the new LaLiga website, among others.

“We’re proud to receive these types of certifications because they validate all the hard work that we are doing within the world of technology at LaLiga. We are firmly committed to innovation and this recognition is a boost for us to continue down this path in the mid- to long-term,” explained LaLiga President Javier Tebas.

The recognition also provides a tax reduction with which LaLiga will be able to support its clubs financially to help them cope through these current uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, these certifications bring to the fore LaLiga’s commitment to investing in technology and innovation, through the creation of new jobs and the use of ground-breaking technology such as the Inferno supercomputer, which is currently being used by biomedical researchers in the fight against COVID-19.

Orange And Telefónica Agree Partnership To Broadcast LaLiga And Champions League

Orange and Telefónica have reached an agreement so that the former can broadcast the LaLiga and Champions League matches corresponding to the next season.

Both Vodafone and Mediaset have given up on acquiring the broadcasting rights of the parties. After reaching an agreement with Telefónica, which owns the television broadcasting rights of the main football competitions, Orange will offer its clients all the matches in the Spanish LaLiga, as well as the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, throughout the 2020-2021 season.

The company will pay an amount close to 300 million euros to issue the best football to its customers from September.

Meanwhile, Orange becomes the only alternative operator that will broadcast the main sports competitions in the season that begins next month of September.

ESPN To Be Part Of FuboTV Line-Up

FuboTV has agreed a multiyear distribution deal with Disney to bring ESPN to its service to capture the sports fans.

As part of the agreement, subscribers to FuboTV’s $54.99 standard subscription plan will get ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ABC, along with access to many other Disney Television Studios channels.

With ESPN now part of FuboTV’s offering, the company boasts that it has 100 percent coverage for tennis matches and live NFL games, and more US and international soccer than any other streaming service.

It also claims that through these newly added channels and others (some of which are available through channel add-ons to your plan), subscribers will get access to plenty of college football games, golf matches, college basketball, UFC wrestling, international sporting events, as well as all of the sports news and talk shows available on ESPN’s channels.

“With the addition to our lineup of the ESPN suite of channels, we continue to make good on our promise to sports fans to be the undisputed home of professional and college sports,” David Gandler, co-founder and CEO of FuboTV, said in a statement.

Sean Breen, Disney Media Networks’ EVP of platform distribution, said that with FuboTV’s “multiple access points across all major streaming platforms and a competitive price point, we continue to serve a growing audience that consumes video on multiple screens and attract new customers into the pay-TV ecosystem.”

David Beckham Co-Owned Guild Esports Launched Globally

David Beckham co-owned Guild Esports, a talent development company has announced its global launch.

Beckham, via DB Ventures, and Blue Star Capital have contributed towards a funding round by Guild Esports that’s targeting £25 million, with the latter investing £480,000 at 6p per share to maintain its 11.7 percent stake.

The company will allow the most able players who will be identified by scouts in order to be “coached and nurtured by industry leaders, the press release mentioned. To begin with, it will operate in FIFA, Fortnite, and Rocket League. Fergus Purcell, perhaps best known for his work with skate and streetwear brand Palace, was tapped to develop the company’s branding.

Beckham spoke on his involvement in Guild Esports: “Throughout my career I’ve been lucky enough to work with players at the top of their game, and I’ve seen first-hand the passion and dedication it takes to play at that level. I know that determination lives in our esports athletes today and at Guild we have a vision to set a new standard, supporting these players into the future. We are committed to nurturing and encouraging youth talent through our academy systems and I am looking forward to helping our Guild Esports team grow.”

Carleton Curtis, Executive Chairman of Guild Esports, commented: “The meteoric rise of esports shows no signs of slowing down and this is the perfect moment for Guild Esports to enter this exciting market. We have built an experienced management team and I am proud to have David Beckham as co-owner in this venture as his professionalism and deep experience of developing high-functioning sports teams aligns with our core strategy of building the best in class esports teams.

“At Guild Esports, David will be instrumental in helping shape the coaching programme implemented at our academies and we welcome his valuable mentoring as well as the inspiration he gives the younger generation of athletes. Esports is already one of the most popular spectator sports on Earth and will continue to grow globally as excitement, accessibility and knowledge of the sector soars. Guild looks forward to playing a big role in the future of this growing community.”

Rugby World Cup 2019 Generated £4.3bn In Economic Output, Says Report

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 Signs New 10-Year Deal With EA Sports

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).

San Francisco 49ers Names MANSCAPED As Below-The Waist Grooming Partner

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 Renews Intel Sports Partnership

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 Signs Edison Energia As Energy Partner

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.”

Member Insights: How The Pandemic Created A New Breed Of Virtual Event

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.