Community, Author at iSportConnect

ANNOUNCEMENT: LaLiga, EVOS ESPORTS, Betway, KFC Among Speakers For iSportconnect Esports eMasterclasses

iSportconnect is delighted to reveal the first confirmed speakers for our opening group of Esports eMasterclasses, commencing from 9th June, 2020.

The first session is ‘Esports 101: An Industry Overview’ in partnership with NiceCactus on 9th June at 3pm BST. This session will delve into the relationships between Publishers, Leagues, Teams & Fans, the Growth of Esports and the predictions for the next 5 years, alongside much more.

Speakers:

Allan Phang, Head of Marketing & PR, EVOS Esports

Ian Smith, Commissioner, Esports Integrity Commission

Gregory Bolle, Chief Revenue Officer, Nicecactus

To sign up for this eMasterclass please follow this link or use the banner at the bottom of the page

https://event.webinarjam.com/register/67/ml42yaz9

The second eMasterclass titled ‘How Not To Fail: Brands in Esports’ in partnership with Kairos Sports will take place on the 16th of June at 3pm BST. With more and more blue-chip brands entering the Esports space, how can Brands ensure they have a strong entry to market, and how can they be authentic in their approach? Join us to discuss this and much more.

Speakers:

Adam Savinson, Head of Esports Betway Group,

Josh Benge, Brand Engagement Lead, KFC

Drew Townley, CEO, Kairos Esports

To sign up for this eMasterclass please follow this link: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/68/6v9kqf0m

Our third eMasterclass ‘Innovation Throughout Covid-19: How Esports Has Grown Up’ on 23rd June at 3pm BST will explore how has the increased visibility over the period helped to grow the industry, how the industry can capitalise on this increase exposure to further monetise, how things will have changed post Covid-19, and more.

Speakers:

Leo Matlock, Commercial Director, BLAST Premier

Alfredo Bermejo ,Digital Strategy Director, LaLiga

To sign up for this eMasterclass please follow this link: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/69/xykq1al9

Member Insights: What Measures Are NGBs Taking To Ensure Their Long-Term Stability After Covid-19?

Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Weightlifting, evaluates how national governing bodies have had to adjust following the difficulties caused by Covid-19 and the subsequent postponement of many major events throughout 2020.

The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games has had a big impact on national governing bodies (NGBs) large and small across the globe.

Covid-19 has placed an immense strain on the finances, resources, and staff at organisations, and has left many athletes questioning how they will survive the next 12 months. The situation is no different at USA Weightlifting (USAW) and we have had to work collaboratively to ensure that our long-term future is secured.

Many NGBs have been working together to help share the burden of the pandemic, with issues around revenue, expenses, and athlete welfare prevalent for all. This collaborative approach has helped to promote best practice across different organisations, with USAW partnering with USA Cycling, USA Triathlon, and the Canadian Weightlifting Federation. It’s clear that we are all in this together and any support that we can provide one another is invaluable.

With many competitions postponed this year, 2021 is likely to be one of the most expensive years in the history of sport. NGBs will have the same issues post-pandemic, but without the support and leeway given in 2020. They will still have the same income streams, but spending will be double in many cases, particularly in relation to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

At USAW, we are very fortunate that many of our members are still able to compete in some capacity from their own homes or garages, especially at an elite level. It’s led to us moving some competitions to virtual events where athletes are able to stay active and compete against one another to remain competitive.

That’s not to say we haven’t been hit hard financially by the cancellation of certain events, as well as the many coaching courses that we run throughout the country, but in some cases we have seen the emergence of virtual activities that we would not have envisaged pre-Covid-19.

Online camps and competitions that we had initially planned to role out a few years from now have been fast-tracked and could lead to a reduction in costs in the long run, potentially providing a welcome boost.

Another difficulty for all NGBs is maintaining consistent communication with the elite pool of athletes, particularly those that had qualified for Tokyo 2020. The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the pinnacle for many athletes, and the uncertainties around the event can have a negative effect on their mental health and wellbeing.

It’s vital that these athletes are given the necessary support to enable them to stay motivated and not be worried about external factors such as the financial implications of a postponed Games.

Clearly this is a very difficult time for everyone, but elite athletes are in a unique position where they’ve gone from regular competitions around the globe to individual training programmes with no guaranteed live sport in sight.

The situation is ever-changing and there is no easy answer to how NGBs will cope moving forward. One thing that we can all agree on is that the return of live sport – in whatever capacity that may be – will provide a welcome boost for all.

Sodexo: Our Hidden Heroes Supporting With Covid-19 Testing Centres

Our Sports & Leisure team, led by divisional managing director, Steve Hawkins and account director, Anthony Boyton has joined forces with our Healthcare and Government & Agencies businesses’ segments to help set up and mobilise Covid-19 testing centres across the region. By working together our teams have managed to set up each centre to be fully mobilised within two to three days.

Wembley

As a strategic partner to the Department for Health and Social Care, Sodexo has been working with Boots and Deloitte to set up the drive-through testing centres for NHS and other key workers.

Sodexo is currently involved in 10 Covid-19 testing centres across the UK and Ireland region. The centres are providing vital testing on an appointment-only basis for self-isolating NHS and key workers, or symptomatic members of their family. Individual NHS Trusts are selecting and contacting their workers to arrange appointments.

Sodexo’s involvement in the testing centres includes:

Infrastructure build
Estates management
Security and traffic management
Cleaning
Resourcing and Testing – in partnership with Boots and other agencies
Supply Chain
Waste management

Sodexo’s team at each test centre includes many colleagues from sites which have closed and who are being redeployed to help support the nationwide Covid-19 effort.

At one of the first testing centres to be opened at IKEA Wembley, our Sports & Leisure business took the lead with support from its Peyton & Byrne teams in London, and the Sodexo Universities team at Richmond University Kensington Campus.

Rubia and Carlos

Two cleaners Carlos and Rubina (pictured right) from the University joined the team at the centre to help keep the cafeterias, offices, and collection booths clean and sanitised. Speaking about redeploying to a virus testing centre, Carlos said: “The process of redeploying was very smooth. I’ve met lots of new people and have faced new challenges.”

Rubina commented: “We know that our service plays an important role in preventing the spread of the virus.”

Working at the newly established Covid-19 testing centre is a complete change from their usual roles on the University campus. Carlos added: “This is different to the work I’m used to – because of the risk of contamination. Initially I had no idea what we would accomplish, and when I found out I was very happy to be able to be part of it.”

Rubina’s advice for others who are being redeployed is to “go into it with an open mind and with the desire to make a difference.”

Andrew Barber only joined Sodexo in January 2020, as hospitality manager at the Signet Library in Edinburgh, so when the venue closed due to the pandemic Andrew welcomed the redeployment opportunity to help at Glasgow Airport’s testing centre.

Andrew Barder

Andrew (in the image above) said: “It’s been great to get out and do something worthwhile for the greater cause, learning new things, meeting colleagues from venues across Scotland and being part of the wider Sodexo group.I’m supporting the Glasgow Airport testing centre within the Information and Labelling Hub, dealing with the spreadsheets we’re getting sent through from the government on who has to be tested each day, checking all of their personal details are correct when they arrive and assigning them with different barcodes which then go on to their test samples so it can then be correlated when their results come back from the lab.”

In addition to the many valued colleagues who are being redeployed to help at the testing centres our health and safety teams are also giving up their time to help provide valuable training as each centre opens.

Again, our sports & leisure led in all aspects of the health and safety (HSEQ) elements required for each centre. Emma Semmens, Laura Steel and Alan McCormick set up the systems and processes and internal governance required for each site and worked closely with our supply management team to ensure correct PPE was available at each site.

Michal Bak

Above: Redeployed employee Michal Bak

As sites were mobilised our HSEQ teams from our various businesses have stepped in to provide on-site teams with an overview of the health and safety compliance required and to ensure the teams had the right equipment, training, and set-up to carry out their roles – including PPE, cleaning products and procedures, traffic management and signage. This included Joanna Powaga, Christian Reynolds and Andrea Mitchell, all from our Government & Agencies Integrator team who worked over the Easter weekend to help with the opening of two of the testing centres.

On average Sodexo has between 30 and 50 people working at each centre every day and to date over 250,000 items of PPE and cleaning materials have been supplied to the testing centre teams.

Sean Haley, regional chair, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: I am immensely proud of how our teams and the wider industry have come together to share our expertise and work in partnership with the NHS to fight the threat posed by Covid-19. It has never been more apparent that our business lives and breathes its values.

Children from the local communities where the testing centres are located are helping to boost spirits of NHS workers who are arriving to be tested by decorating the entrances with thank you messages and pictures of rainbows.

thank yous

Jason Harvey (pictured above), Sodexo’s catering services director for Blackburn Rovers has redeployed to support the Covid-19 testing centre at Manchester Airport, he said: “As our key workers arrive at and leave the testing centres they can see walls covered in messages saying thank you to them and pictures of rainbows which children have drawn, which our staff help stick up. We’ve also contacted Royal Mail who, for the whole of Greater Manchester, have agreed to collect all kids’ posters, laminate them and deliver them to the Manchester Airport site.”

Goodform: Sports Fans Are More Active Than Ever, As ‘Accessible Sports’ Look To Benefit

The UK Government announced lockdown measures on March 23rd 2020, making it 70 days since the nation came to a standstill. This pause has had a widespread impact on society, politics, and economies, and of course sport, which is intertwined with all three. The relentless use of “unprecedented” across sport media during this period highlights the need for answers. With supporters and participants being the main source of revenue for sport, whether it be broadcast, commercial, matchday or target-led government grants, there is no-one better to tap into to inform decision-making, and the future of sport, than the fans.

In the second edition of our Sports Fan Panel COVID-19 survey, 1878 fans told us how COVID-19 has continued to impact their lives and what the return of sport should look like. Over the coming weeks, we will be releasing our findings in three parts – Sports Fans’ Lives, the Sporting World and Women’s Sport. In combination with a powerful sample size, our research and analysis adheres to robust methods. We stress this fact, as now, more than ever, it is essential that sports organisations are aware of where insight is coming from and that they directly question what they are told and/or read.

A positive paradox for COVID-19 and exercise

The widespread benefits of exercise on physical health are well-known. More recently, the positive effect that exercise has on mental health is also being discoursed and grounded in research. Supplementing this, we can reveal that sports fans are tackling one of the most challenging times in recent history – head on. 74% of the Panel recognise that exercise can be instrumentalised to better manage their mental well-being. This underpins the latest wave of Sport England’s longitudinal analysis which identifies that 63% of adults report mental health improvements from exercise during the pandemic. Despite the shackles placed on the nation by an invisible viral jailer, we are clearly finding ways to access exercise and harness its benefits.

In fact, our latest Sports Fan panel findings indicate that people are spending more time exercising compared to the early stages of lockdown. 54% of the Panel are exercising for 5 or more hours per week, which is a 17% increase from our April 2020 survey. As well as doing more exercise, more sports fans are setting out on foot, hopping on the bike and getting their sweat on at home. It seems a restricting Coronavirus pandemic is having an ongoing positive impact on the nation’s exercise habits, which is taking greater effect as lockdown continues.

But what does this mean for sports during lockdown?

‘Accessible sports’, like cycling and golf, will emerge stronger

With 21% of the Panel cycling, and a further 26% planning to take it up, there is an opportunity to help the nation switch from four wheels, to two. British Cycling have taken note, re-launching the #choosecycling campaign that aims to drive this process and to achieve their goal of inspiring “the next generation of cyclists”. The National Governing Body (NGB) will also benefit from a widened participation base, and a deeper talent pool to channel into one of six cycling disciplines, if they can engage new participants and encourage them to continue once normality returns. This is a unique period and an opportunity that cannot be missed by sports that are still accessible, and effort should be made to attain and retain new participants.

Golf and tennis are examples of ‘accessible sports’ that have featured in Government narrative in past weeks. Sports fans have expressed a desire to tee off for the first time as lockdown extends, which will be encouraging for England Golf. This stems from unprecedented (yep, we said it) levels of leisure time across the nation, where for both golf and tennis, the full sport, or at least the majority of it, can still be undertaken with social distancing in play. However, there is an expiry date on ‘accessible sports’, as other sports will return and people will have less leisure time, and so representative NGB’s must act – fast. Top-down visible safe-practice guidance, incentivising beginners and inventive marketing campaigns pushed through digital channels, are proactive and effective ways to do this.

A fantastic example of an NGB not letting the crisis go to waste through a proactive and inventive approach, are British Triathlon. Their Colour Challenge encourages participants to engage with daily exercise regimes, and progress is tracked via a customised colour chart. Through attaining sign-ups and newsletter recipients via an inventive campaign, British Triathlon are elevating the sport at a turbulent time, while raising funds for charitable causes. NGB’s, like British Triathlon, who are able to pivot quickly in response to the pandemic through innovative campaigns, will also place themselves in a better position to withstand the impact of the virus.

But, what about team sports, that are built around shared goals and action?

Team sports will stage a comeback

£35 million of Sport England funding has been offered to grassroots clubs and the physical activity sector, helping to keep sport afloat. While essential, this lifejacket still cannot accelerate the return of team sports that are more tightly bound by social distancing rules compared to ‘accessible sports’. ‘Staying alert’ is typically a marker success in team sport, but at the two month stage of the pandemic, this phrase has taken on a new meaning. Six people up to two metres apart will become the new normal for the near future of sport and exercise, but all those involved with grassroots sports will be encouraged by 80% of sports fans planning to resume sports participation.

In the face of new challenges, team sports have been reactive, publishing quick turnaround return to sport guidance in response to Government guidelines. This is a step in the right direction, as fans want to return but also need to feel safe. Our Sports Fan Panel evidence this standpoint, with 62% likely to return to teams sports, while 18% of fans were unsure and require more information to resume participation. This is promising news for teams sports, who should look to maintain this level of transparency with fans like never before, as their return, and the revival of grassroot sport, clearly depends on it.

Gyms have also been trying to keep members connected during their closure via social media. Migrating workout routines from gym to digital channels is a smart move at this time, considering that 40% of sports fans are exercising at home. However, with this relocation arises new challenges. The likes of Joe Wicks and Meggan Grubb are new competition to gyms, in a fitness world that has become digitalised and domesticated by lockdown, and where limitless online choice offers an attractive alternative to being confined to what is available in a 5-mile radius. Yet, gyms have unique selling points of their own, like rich social networks and a better range of equipment. Apparently these pros outweigh any cons, as 67% of our Panel will return to the gym and lift… once lockdown does.

Lets discuss…

Our Sports Fan Panel have shared positivity around their plans to return to sport, and the full infographic is available below. If you would like further information on the unique benefits of the Sports Fan Panel and how your organisation can use it, please register your interest here.

MotoGP Cancels Motul Grand Prix Of Japan Due To Covid-19

The FIM,IRTA and Dorna Sports have now announced the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan after cancelling British and Australian Grand Prixs last week due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The event was scheduled from the 16th to the 18th of October at the Twin Ring Motegi.

Motul Grand Prix is crucial for MotoGP from a brand viewpoint as major manufacturers like Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are from Japan.

The Twin Ring Motegi has been on the MotoGP calendar since 1999. The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports said that the race at the venue will now return in 2021.

Kaoru Tanaka, President, Mobilityland Corporation said: “Mobilityland has been preparing for this year’s MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, however the situations in Japan and Europe are unpredictable and the extension of the international travel ban is expected. As a result of our discussions with Dorna, the managerial body of the series, we agreed that we have no choice but to cancel the Japanese GP in order to complete the season.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at the very unique Motegi circuit, meaning we will not have a Japanese Grand Prix on the calendar for the first time since 1986.

“The MotoGP family is working very hard to be able to re-start the racing season and hold as many events as possible, and in the safest way possible. For this reason, the FIM and Dorna, in consultation with IRTA and MSMA, have decided that, until mid-November, MotoGP will remain in Europe to do as many European MotoGP events as we are able to. Therefore, overseas events, if at all possible, should be scheduled after mid-November – which would be too late in the year for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan to be held.

“For this reason it has been decided, in consultation with Mobilityland, that the Motul Grand Prix of Japan cannot be held in 2020. I very much thank Mobilityland for the support given to MotoGP. On behalf of Dorna, I would also like to thank all the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We very much look forward to returning to Motegi next year.”

UEFA Consider Moving Champions League Final From Istanbul

UEFA is currently considering moving the Champions League final from its scheduled venue in Istanbul, according to a report by Associated Press (AP).

The European football’s governing body is exploring ‘all the options’ for the format of this season’s Champions League schedule.

The Turkish city was due to host the final this Saturday at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, but the tournament was suspended in mid-March at the last-16 stage because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Furthermore, The New York Times reported that the final would be moved from Turkey but that Istanbul could be chosen as host of a future final, when it is safe for fans to travel from abroad in large numbers.

UEFA still hopes to conclude the competition by the end of August, but with major changes to the format likely and games set to be played behind closed doors.

A UEFA spokesperson told AFP: “We are looking at all the options regarding the calendar and the format of the competition in the working group involving the clubs, leagues and national associations. No decision has been taken yet but there should be at the Executive Committee meeting on June 17.”

BLAST, MediaMonks And MyCujoo Participate In Second ‘Talking Sport’ Event

BLAST CEO Robbie Douek, MediaMonks CEO Victor Knaap and MyCujoo CEO Pedro Presa took part in Thursday’s ‘Talking Sport’ episode, titled ‘A Pivot to Digital: Enhancing Fan Engagement Strategies in Sport & eSports’. They were joined by moderator Michael Broughton, Marketing, Technology and Fan Engagement Expert and Sky Sports News presenter David Garrido.

“There are years where nothing happens and there are weeks where everything changes and we are definitely in those weeks where everything changes,” Knaap told the audience, explaining how the sports industry can use this situation to accelerate the move into digital. For Knaap, this period of coronavirus lockdown has shown that there is even greater appetite for digital than some might have believed. “The different generations are suddenly behaving more similarly and people my mother’s age start to look at content like Hangouts to have dinner, which was unheard of 10 weeks ago,” the MediaMonks CEO added.

Broughton backed that sentiment up. “I’d argue that we shouldn’t forget about Gen X or the Boomers because they have the money, they’re willing to spend and they’re not so digitally unaware as you’d think they might be,” he stated.

Presa and Douek also agreed that the dynamics of the coronavirus crisis has created new opportunities for embracing Digital. “I think it’s time for rights holders, especially sports rights holders, to embrace the digitalisation aspect and to focus and adapt as well to the different types of content and how they’re being produced,” stated Presa. “I’m still watching football in the same way I watched football 30 years ago, which makes so little sense considering we’ve got so much technology at our disposal,” added Douek.

It was clear that the audience in the webinar and their organisations also agree with the ‘Talking Sport’ experts about the benefits of pushing forward right now with digitalisation projects. A poll was put to the audience with the question: Will the Covid-19 crisis result in a change to the budget allocation for digital for your organisation? 69% said they would increase their digital budget, 21% said it would stay the same and only 10% expected a decrease.

Some key talking points from this week’s episode of ‘Talking Sport’:

Pedro Presa, on why authenticity is as important as production value: “I think it’s time for sports rights holders to embrace the digitalisation aspect and to focus and adapt as well to the different types of content and how they’re being produced. At MyCujoo, we’ve proven that it’s not only about the super high-quality broadcast, but it’s about the authenticity and the easiness of bringing the content to fans, from a mobile phone or a multi-camera production. It’s about being able to basically broadcast and distribute it and be present where the user is.”

Michael Broughton, on involving fans and not simply engaging them: “I think fan engagement as we currently see it is likes, shares and various metrics with various levels of dependability. I like the word ‘involvement’ because when I went away and looked it up in the dictionary, looking at involvement compared to engagement, it talked about a two-way relationship. Fan engagement is ‘I’ve created the content and I’ll send it out to you and you’ll like and share it, comment on it or whatever it is’. Whereas, involvement is saying ‘actually, there’s a deeper relationship here, that there is a two-way relationship and you’re going to be involved with me’.”

Robbie Douek, on traditional sports not giving the audience enough: “If you look at how much involvement we’ve had in the traditional sports industry since COVID-19, we haven’t had enough. We love football, we love cricket, we love tennis, we love sport. We want to know about these players. We want to know about these teams. And yet, the clubs and the players aren’t giving us enough of our fix. And we need more. Actually, the technology was there and available for them to do that. So, eSports took advantage of that and we’ve been inundated by broadcasters phoning us up for content because there isn’t anyone else providing it. So, we were in the right place at the right time really.”

Victor Knaap, on the need to convince brands that football is not a luxury: “I think the industry needs to start convincing brands that football is not a luxury, that it’s part of life and keeps us sane. Social pressure is getting extremely important, so finding the right message in this time as to why you as a brand are involved in football is going to be super important, because some of the sponsoring is just because the contract is signed and you cannot build from that, but the relevancy is going to be ‘why should you do that?’ and I think that message needs to come from clubs, from players and from the whole industry. If you lose that you will have a setback that is more than 50 percent. If you don’t fix that, football is placed in the luxury spend of a brand and will have a branding backlash.”

The next episode of ‘Talking Sport’ will take place next Thursday, June 4th, and the topic then will be ‘From World Cup glory to Covid-19: The future for women’s sport’. Another group of expert guests will tackle that topic and it’s already possible to register right here.

MotoGP Forced To Cancel British And Australian Grands Prix

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the British and Australian Grands Prix. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak and resulting calendar changes have obliged the cancellation of both events.

The British Grand Prix was set to take place from the 28th to the 30th of August at the classic Silverstone Circuit. Silverstone hosted the first Grands Prix held on the British mainland from 1977, and MotoGP™ returned to the illustrious track ten years ago. 2020 will now sadly mark the first year MotoGP™ sees no track action in the British Isles for the first time in the Championship’s more than 70-year history.

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix was set to take place at the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from the 23rd to the 25th of October. Phillip Island hosted the very first Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1989 and since 1997 has been the only home of MotoGP™ Down Under – with its unique layout providing some of the greatest battles ever witnessed on two wheels.

The cancellation of the British Grand Prix also obliges the cancellation of the corresponding British Talent Cup track activity at the same event.

Stuart Pringle, Silverstone Managing Director: “We are extremely disappointed about the cancellation of the British MotoGP event, not least as the cancelled race in 2018 is still such a recent memory, but we support the decision that has had to be taken at this exceptional time.

“I want to thank the stoic British fans for their patience and support. We must now look forward to 2021 when Silverstone will once again host the fastest and most historic MotoGP race on the calendar and work hard to make it a truly exceptional event for all to enjoy.”

Paul Little AO, Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman: “We’re very disappointed that MotoGP fans throughout Victoria, Australia and internationally won’t get the chance to make the pilgrimage to see the world’s best riders compete on one of the best circuits anywhere in the world, but the right decision has been made.

“The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix puts Phillip Island on the global stage and it’ll be back better than ever in 2021.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re saddened to have to announce the cancellation of these iconic events after finding no way through the logistical and operational issues resulting from the pandemic and rearranged calendar. Silverstone and Phillip Island are always two of the most thrilling race weekends of the season, with both tracks never failing in their promise to deliver some of the closest racing in our Championship.

“On behalf of Dorna, I would like to once again extend my thanks to the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We look forward to returning to Silverstone and Phillip Island next year for more incredible battles.”

Provisional Schedule Agreed For Return Of 2019-20 FA Cup

We have today agreed a provisional restart date for the 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup, which has been on hold since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Following the announcement that the 2019-20 Premier League season will provisionally restart on Wednesday 17 June, the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals will now take place over the weekend of Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June.

Provisional 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup schedule

Quarter-finals: 27 June & 28 June
Semi-finals: 18 July & 19 July
Final: 1 August

The Emirates FA Cup semi-finals will take place across the weekend of Saturday 18 July and Sunday 19 July, with the Emirates FA Cup Final on Saturday 1 August.

Further information on venues and timings will be announced in due course.

“We are pleased to agree the provisional restart date for the 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup,” said our chief executive officer, Mark Bullingham.

“The competition has been an integral part of the English football calendar for nearly 150 years, and we’d like to thank the Premier League executive and clubs for their support in scheduling the remaining matches during this unprecedented time.

“This has been a difficult period for many people and, while this is a positive step, the restart date is dependent on all safety measures being met. The health and wellbeing of players, staff and supporters remains our priority.”

The schedule for the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals, which was originally drawn on 9 March, is:

Leicester City v Chelsea
Newcastle United v Manchester City
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Norwich City v Manchester United

European Tour To Return In July With String Of UK Events

The European Tour today announces plans for the resumption of the 2020 season with the launch of a new six-week ‘UK Swing’ as well as the confirmation of new dates for four Rolex Series events.

Following the suspension of the season on March 8 due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, the European Tour will return to action initially behind closed doors in July and run through until December. All tournaments will be subject to stringent safety and testing protocols set out in the Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy which will continue to evolve, aligned with international Government guidance and health guidelines.

The first tournament in the ‘UK Swing’ is the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood, which will be played at Close House, near Newcastle in the north east of England, from Wednesday July 22 to Saturday July 25 – a week earlier than originally scheduled.

It will be followed by the English Open at the Marriott Forest of Arden and the English Championship at Marriott Hanbury Manor, before The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport hosts back-to-back European Tour tournaments – the Celtic Classic and the Wales Open.

It is a timely return to the south Wales resort as this year also marks the tenth anniversary of Europe’s dramatic victory against the United States in The 2010 Ryder Cup at the same venue.

The UK Swing will then conclude with the UK Championship at The Belfry, another venue rich in Ryder Cup history, having played host to four contests with Europe triumphing in two (1985 and 2002), the US having won in 1993, with the 1989 match ending in a 14-14 tie.

Details of subsequent tournaments on the European Tour from September through to November will be announced in due course, with a variety of scheduling options currently under consideration as the global situation continues to evolve.

However, rescheduled dates have been announced for four Rolex Series events; the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club which now takes place from October 8-11 and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club which moves to the following week, October 15-18.

There are also new dates for the final two tournaments of the year. The Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player is now scheduled for December 3-6 at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, with the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, now due to take place from December 10-13 at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where the 2020 Race to Dubai Champion will be crowned.

All tournaments played in the reshaped 2020 season will be governed by the Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy which has been developed by Dr Andrew Murray, the European Tour’s Chief Medical Officer, in consultation with health care specialists Cignpost, who will deliver the testing procedure, and advisers in many of the 30 countries the Tour plays. This strategy will continue to evolve, aligned with international Government guidance and health guidelines.

Aside from adhering to the Health Strategy, all European Tour tournaments from July until December will also be part of the Tour’s new ‘Golf for Good’ initiative, a narrative which will underpin the season and one which aims to give back in three key areas:

▪ Supporting the Communities where the European Tour plays.

▪ Rewarding the true heroes, such as the front line workers.

▪ Promoting the many health benefits that golf offers.

The ‘Golf for Good’ initiative will be launched at the new ‘UK Swing’ in July and August, six weeks which will culminate in £500,000 from the European Tour being distributed equally between charities local to the tournament venues and charities chosen by the leading ten players in a mini Order of Merit which will run across the six tournaments.

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “Since the suspension of our 2020 season in early March, we have taken a measured approach in reassessing our schedule, informed every step of the way by our medical advisers and government guidance.

“We have consistently said that safety is our absolute priority and that is why today we are announcing our resumption in two months’ time supported by a comprehensive health strategy which has been led by our medical team.

“Without question we have had to think differently about the remainder of our 2020 season which is reflected in today’s announcement. As golf’s global Tour, diversity is ordinarily one of our biggest strengths, but in this instance it has become one of our biggest challenges.

“Initially, therefore, based on the expert guidance we received, playing in clusters, in one territory, is the best option in terms of testing, travel and accommodation.

“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank Betfred, Close House, Marriott, The Forest of Arden, Hanbury Manor, The Celtic Manor Resort and The Belfry for sharing our vision for this ‘UK Swing’ and we look forward to returning to tournament play in July with this innovative stretch of six events.

“As well as getting golf going again for our players, our broadcasters, our stakeholders and our millions of fans around the world, these new events will also enable us to give back during these unprecedented times, building on some of the community support already given by our players over the past few months.

“I also want to pay tribute to Rolex, BMW, Aberdeen Standard Investments, the Scottish Government, Nedbank, Sun International and DP World, for their continued commitment to the European Tour which allowed us to move four hugely important tournaments on the European Tour into new dates later in the year.

“Not only did they show flexibility, they also showed understanding of the current global situation and we are truly fortunate to have them as partners of the European Tour.”

While the intention remains to crown a new Race to Dubai Champion on Sunday December 13, as part of the changes to the end of the 2020 season caused by the impact of COVID-19, the European Tour’s Tournament Committee recently agreed that all Members’ 2020 Categories, and their ranking within that category, will be retained in 2021 with related playing rights being protected to the absolute maximum possible in the 2021 season.

That decision was passed unanimously by the Committee, as was the fact that there will no longer be a ‘Minimum Tournament Regulation’ for the 2020 season.

Pelley added: “We recognise that when we resume playing golf, each player’s circumstances will be different. We therefore do not want to put anyone in a position whereby they feel they have no choice other than to play in certain events in order to protect their livelihood.

“Similarly, the feeling was that it was not fair to disadvantage any member who might want to play in an event but who might not be able to due to ongoing travel restrictions. Therefore, in consultation with our Tournament Committee, it was agreed preserving their exempt status for 2021 was the fairest solution in these unprecedented times.

“As a consequence, there will be no Qualifying School this year and no formal graduation from the Challenge Tour, although the Tournament Committee has agreed to reward exceptional performance on both the European Tour and the Challenge Tour in 2020, precise details of which we will announce in due course.”