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Industry Leaders Come Together To Discuss Future Of Women’s Sport

French Football Federation Secretary General Laura Georges, Sports Innovation Lab CEO Angela Ruggiero and Google’s Head of Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing Partnerships, Content & Media Kate Johnson came together to discuss the future of women’s sport on Thursday, in the latest episode of Talking Sport – powered by Eleven Sports and World Football Summit.

The webinar was moderated by Co-founder of The Offside Rule Lynsey Hooper and titled ‘From World Cup glory to COVID-19: The future for women’s sport’. Some key take-outs from the session as follows:

Laura Georges, on female athletes being more available to sponsors:

“If you talk about Olympique Lyonnais, the best women’s team in the world, what makes the difference is that the president there is really giving a lot of support to the women’s team. Also, some brands decided that ‘ok, we cannot afford to have the men, but we’ll decide to work with the women’s team’. What they’ve found as brands by collaborating with Olympique Lyonnais and their girls is that the girls are available. They say ‘this is what we like, we are close to the players’. The players have the right image and are close to the fans. They take the time after the games and it’s really showing that ‘if we want to support the women’s game then we receive a lot back’. But, it’s also the decision of the leaders who say ‘ok, this is what I expect of you, you are a brand and you want to work with us, but you need to step up your game and really give the best of your knowledge and competence to put the women’s game forward’.”

Kate Johnson, on making more content available to fans:

“There’s going to be a call on players to be more accessible, there’s going to be a call on making sure that content and behind the scenes content is going to have to evolve. I think federations are going to have to open up the aperture on what they are willing to let fans into from a behind the scenes perspective and even from a broadcast and a commercial perspective, making sure that what used to be so protected from a commercial rights perspective, where content is concerned… We’ve got to change the game and make sure that content is more accessible to fans and also more accessible to brands because I think that’s where the value comes. For brands to continue to lean in from an investment perspective, there has to be increased value in terms of how they’re able to connect with their audiences too. I think there is an opportunity for women to actually be innovative and lead that charge.”

Angela Ruggiero, CEO of Sports Innovation Lab, on women’s sport’s greater flexibility:

“The biggest advantage that women’s sports has today is that we’re not beholden to the typical way of doing business. We don’t have long-term rights, we don’t have the same long-term contracts. We have the opportunity to lean in and to create more branded content… What if 90% of the league is just branded content around the athletes because we know fluid fans, which is what we talk about at Sports Innovation Lab every day, these new-age fans want to do things differently […] What can we do in the time of COVID-19 to think differently? To lean in to fluid fans, which do things very differently. They’re open to change, empowered to choose and constantly evolving. That’s the three pillars of the fluid fan. That’s what I want this conversation to be about. It’s about how do we rethink the model rather than go ‘please don’t cut us, it’s the right thing to do’. Yes, of course it’s the right thing to do. Let’s get that out of the way. How do we do things differently? That’s the conversations I get fired up about because women have the nimbleness that the men do not. And that is an advantage we should lean in to.”

Next week’s episode of Talking Sport will focus on investment opportunities and challenges during Covid-19 and beyond. For full details and to register click here.

World-Class On-Track Digital Experience For Sydney Racing Fans

Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick racecourses will lead the world in digital racing information and on-course raceday experiences for customers, sponsors and business partners under a major new project.

With Australian Turf Club Members and patrons preparing to return on track in coming months, the project provides dynamic up-to-the-minute wagering, racing, tipping and real-time race information for on-course punters on racedays.

The new multi-million dollar technology will feature integrated television systems across both racecourses as well as innovative digital cube displays.

It will include high-impact content to engage and entertain customers at Australian Turf Club racedays and events.

The project is part of a 10-year partnership between the Australian Turf Club and major venue technology experts PMY Group (PMY).

This world-class project includes:

LED systems stretching 150m along the Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick home straights
Winning Post LED displays
Dynamic LED boards inside the Royal Randwick Theatre Of The Horse
High Impact LED Cubes at Royal Randwick
Enhanced IPTV and digital stream technology

Australian Turf Club Chief Executive Jamie Barkley said: “Punters and racing fans at the track will receive the most up-to-date information in a dynamic and unrivalled experience, better than anything you may see at home.

“We are delighted to launch this technology at the home of the Longines Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens, and as we prepare to unveil more of the project at Royal Randwick.

“Punters will get the latest odds, market movers, late mail tips and real-time racing data without moving from their seats or vantage points trackside.

“We also look forward to our premium partners and raceday sponsors joining with the many creative options and content opportunities this technology will bring across the racecourses all throughout a day at the track.’’

PMY Managing Director Paul Yeomans said: “We are excited to partner with the ATC to deliver what we expect to be a game changer in raceday experience and entertainment.

“The multimedia and operational experience being delivered is the first in a number of technology initiatives we are set to roll out together, and it has been an absolute pleasure to support Jamie Barkley and his team as they continue to deliver on their vision to enhance the oncourse atmosphere for members and patrons.”

The first phase of the project will go live at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 30 May before a second stage at Royal Randwick in July, 2020.

It features active collaboration with Australian Turf Club commercial partners who can provide new and fully immersive experiences.

The project is also aimed at attracting new brands to the ATC’s partnership portfolio.

Goodform: Fan Positivity For Sport Behind Closed Doors Has Grown

Fan Positivity For Sport Behind Closed Doors Has Grown & Fears Over Re-Attendance Can Be Quelled

Before COVID-19, the sporting world was characterised by a globalised and cyclical sporting calendar, with broadcast, commercial and matchday the three core financial pillars of its existence. While relentless, this calendar is also fragile, and the Pandemic has thrown it into disarray. With sports returning, the terrain has changed, and robust research is required to understand how. In the second part of our fan insights trilogy, we analyse sports fan perspectives to offer insights and guidance on how they expect sport to adapt, to understand how the sporting world will thrive again.

Fans are open to watching sport behind closed doors, but they want it to be accessible

Sofas will replace stands, and TV remotes will replace tickets, as many sports rights holders focus on getting sport up and running behind closed doors for unfinished seasons and beyond. A global spotlight is on the Bundesliga and UFC, who have pioneered the format, with the Premier League, Formula One, Royal Ascot and the PGA following close behind, and other including Premiership Rugby and ECB in the planning stages. Despite the lack of crowds, 71% of fans will not be deterred from watching sport behind closed doors on TV or online, helped by many having now seen it in action. Competitiveness, uncertainty of outcome and feats of sporting excellence are other elements that make sport, sport, and these remain very much alive behind-closed doors.

Growing openness to behind closed doors fixtures comes at a time when the format is also in its infancy. Virtual crowds and pre-recorded crowd noises (trialled by the Bundesliga) are all efforts to close the gap to sport as we knew it. However, sports rights holders should not just look at how to replace the atmosphere created by crowds, as this is likely to be unachievable, but also at how the at-home viewer experience can be enhanced. Wide-ranging commentary and punditry choices, referee mics and 5G automated score updates are just some potential avenues. However, what is imperative to sports fans first and foremost, is access.

74% of our Sports Fan Panel think it’s imperative that sport behind closed doors is available to watch as widely as possible. The Premier League has moved in the right direction, relocating 4 fixtures to the BBC for the first time ever, and also 4 to Amazon Prime, which will be free-to-air. With the Championship and potentially League One to resume, EFL’s iFollow, and also Formula One’s F1 TV, spearhead the rise of OTT platforms for sport, and a movement towards increased global accessibility – albeit usually behind a paywall. Other sports rights holders should review their digital offering, with it presenting opportunities to understand audience data in a more comprehensive way, and to engage fans in a highly personalised manner.

Fans are more anxious to attend live sport and need to feel safe before returning

With reliance on sources of revenue weighted differently on a sport to sport basis, getting live sport on the screen may be the overriding priority for some, but not for others. Many sports organisations will be very keen to get bottoms on seats to get revenue streams flowing again once lockdown ceases. However, a fan-led focus will need to be adopted to realise this. Sports should aim to remedy reattendance anxiety, which has increased by 27% in the month since our April 2020 survey, as fans’ knowledge of COVID-19 transmission improves. Growing anxiety also explains why the number of fans planning to reattend events as soon as they can has decreased by 19%, just in the past month.

Despite this, 41% of fans are still positive about supporting their beloved teams as soon as lockdown lifts – and the rest can doubtless be won over. With fan anxieties a roadblock to reattendance, clubs and event organisers can facilitate fans’ return to stadium gates, by tackling specific fears highlighted in research. Global survey data shows that regular disinfection is most important to sports fans when visiting public spaces, while adherence to social distancing measures and provision of hand sanitizer are also desired: return to stadium plans should incorporate these. Measures such as these will also need to be visible to fans as lockdown begins to lift, to quell fear of the unknown. As agreed by our Industry panel last month, strategising should begin now.

Sports that are quick to resume can tap into new audiences on a global scale

Excluding the Bundesliga, individual and non-contact sports will experience a quicker and/or smoother return to the screen. Mixed martial arts, snooker and horse-racing evidence this, with all three leading sports staging a comeback in recent weeks, albeit in a trimmed format. This will give them access to part of lost broadcast revenue at an earlier stage, while also avoiding the organisational headache of returning teams to training and eventually matchday. Sports that cross the fan viewership line first can even grow their audiences at this time, underlined by 56% of sports fans being more likely to watch sports that they wouldn’t normally watch as it makes a staggered return.

Having pivoted swiftly, Formula E and Formula One have been able to tap into this thirst for live sport like few other sports – throughout lockdown. Formula E’s Race at Home Challenge and Formula One’s Virtual Grand Prix highlight recognition of a growing esports market. Tapping into it will help bridge a new generation into the sport and unlock a revenue stream that can withstand all weathers, unlike broadcast, commercial and matchday. The buzz caused by Extreme E at what is dubbed a ‘crisis point’ for sport highlights its potential for growth, and that of the motorsport industry in general, particularly as crowds are not a core component of the sport for the at-home motorsport viewer.

Lets discuss…

The Sports Fan Panel represent over 50 sports and are a highly engaged audience that endeavour to shape decisions within sport. If you would like to explore the benefits of tapping into the Sports Fan Panel for your organisation, and view infographics such as the one below, then please click here.

Goodform: Fan Positivity For Sport Behind Closed Doors Has Grown

Fan Positivity For Sport Behind Closed Doors Has Grown & Fears Over Re-Attendance Can Be Quelled

Fans are open to watching sport behind closed doors, but they want it to be accessible

Fans are more anxious to attend live sport and need to feel safe before returning

Sports that are quick to resume can tap into new audiences on a global scale

Lets discuss…

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.”