ELEVEN SPORTS Sees Huge Boost From Live Sport In Taiwan

ELEVEN SPORTS Taiwan has been providing sports fans around the world with a rare offering of LIVE SPORT this week, with action from the Taiwan Super Basketball League & Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Matches have been streamed globally via Twitter, while ELEVEN SPORTS Taiwan also shared all the action locally across their linear and OTT platforms and on Twitch.

The broadcasts have enjoyed record breaking audiences, with fans starved of live sport tuning in from around the world to watch both competitions.

Today’s Chinese Professional Baseball League match between FubonGuardians and Rakuten Monkeys has recorded over 1M views on @ElevenSportsTW.

For the Super Basketball League Playoff on between Yulon and Pauian on Thursday, more than 430,000 fans tuned in live, with over 200,000 watching the replay.

Across ELEVEN Taiwan’s week of sport, live and replayed shows racked up more than 3million views in total. Among those tuning in was Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who tweeted a picture of her enjoying a Chinese Professional Baseball League game from her living room.

ELEVEN SPORTS Taiwan launched in 2016 and offers fans a package of local baseball and basketball in addition to premium international rights including the English Premier League and NBA.

European Tour Cancels Two Key Season Events In Germany And France

The European Tour today confirmed the cancellation of the BMW International Open and the Open de France and the postponement of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event, due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The BMW International Open, which has been played every year since 1989, was due to take place from June 25-28 at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, in Munich, Germany. The Open de France, continental Europe’s oldest national Open, was scheduled to take place a week later, July 2-5, at Le Golf National, near Paris. It has been cancelled following the French government’s decision to cancel all mass public gatherings and events until mid-July.

Meanwhile, the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, one of eight Rolex Series events announced at the start of the 2020 season, was scheduled to return to The Renaissance Club in North Berwick from July 9-12. Discussions are ongoing to reschedule the tournament.

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “The decision to cancel the BMW International Open, which has been a cornerstone of the European Tour calendar for three decades, and the Open de France, one of our most historic national Opens was made in consultation with our long-term partner BMW and the French Golf Federation respectively with public health and well-being the absolute priority for all of us.

“Both Germany and France have been significantly impacted by Coronavirus, and our thoughts go out to everyone affected in both countries, as well as elsewhere around the world.

“In consultation with Aberdeen Standard Investments, VisitScotland and Rolex, we have also decided to postpone the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, which is part of our prestigious Rolex Series. Discussions about the possibility of rescheduling this event will continue as we look at a variety of different scenarios for our schedule for when it is safe and permitted to resume playing. We will only announce details of these plans when we have clarity on the global situation.”

PDC Secures Nine-Country Broadcast Deal With DAZN For StreamAMG Produced PDC Home Tour

Live sport is returning thanks to the PDC and StreamAMG. The PDC Home Tour will be streamed to PDCTV, broadcasters and other partners by sports streaming specialists StreamAMG, offering fans live elite sport for the first time since widespread Coronavirus measures were put in place.

The PDC has also now agreed a nine-country rights deal with DAZN which will see this new competition, to keep darts running during COVID-19, broadcast in the USA, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Canada, Japan, Austria and Switzerland.

However, in an entertaining twist, Gary Anderson, ninth on the PDC’s current Order of Merit, and Daryl Gurney will not be able to take part after his Wifi was deemed not strong enough for the live broadcast.

Starting tonight at 1930 BST, elite level darts players will compete from their living rooms via live video calls in a nightly league format for 32 consecutive nights. The broadcasts will include live score graphics on screen and commentary from darts commentator Dan Dawson.

To bring the competition from the player’s homes to fans worldwide, StreamAMG is managing each stage of distribution to PDCTV, PDC social channels and broadcast partners, as well as a series of bookmakers’ websites. Production is being handled remotely, with live delivery and distribution to partners through the BT Tower and StreamAMG’s cloud distribution network.

StreamAMG is a long-standing partner of the PDC and has operated the PDCTV service since 2016. The company also streamed Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. II to the Indian Subcontinent in December 2019 for Matchroom Boxing, and is developing a multisport OTT platform for Matchroom Sport.

Viewers can register for free to watch the live matches on the dedicated PDCTV OTT service, as well as via multiple partner broadcasters across the globe.

“StreamAMG have been instrumental in helping us launch our first home-staged event to bring live darts to fans in these unprecedented times,” said Professional Darts Corporation Chief Executive Matthew Porter.

Matt McKiernan, Chief Operating Officer, StreamAMG, said: “To be involved in bringing back live sport is massively exciting. We’re looking forward to delivering the Home Tour and helping the PDC bring live action to sports fans worldwide.”

FC St. Pauli And Principal Sponsor Congstar Extend Partnership

Powerful message in difficult times: FC St. Pauli and principal sponsor congstar have agreed to extend their successful partnership to the end of the 2021/22 season.

The relationship goes beyond traditional shirt sponsorship and advertising at Millerntor Stadium in that congstar will continue to support FC St. Pauli in the development and establishment of eFootball in the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL). Accordingly, congstar is our official principal sponsor in the VBL, featuring on the shirts of our eFootballers since day one of the season. Team members Noah Maurice Itgen and Tom Köst are able to train in the congstar box at Millerntor Stadium, which has been specially kitted out for this purpose. If the situation allows, St. Pauli and congstar also aim to organise the 2nd Mobile Gaming Festival in Cologne this autumn, thus building on the successful launch last year.

“For congstar, the cooperation is more than a traditional sponsorship arrangement, it is a genuine partnership. This is demonstrated by the decision to extend the agreement despite the exceptional circumstances surrounding the coronavirus – something that is anything but self-evident,” said Bernd von Geldern, Director of Sales at FC St. Pauli.

Director of Marketing Martin Drust added: “It is because of congstar that we’ve been able to get involved in eFootball. We couldn’t wish for a better partner and look forward to stepping up our eFootball activities and carrying over our values to eFootball along with congstar.”

Dr Peter Opdemom, Director of Marketing, Sales and Service at congstar, said: “The district, the stadium and the liberal, cosmopolitan club and fan culture make FC St. Pauli an unmistakable brand in Germany. Its cosmopolitan stance and general attitude, in particular, are things we can fully identify with as a company. As a result, FC St. Pauli is really close to our hearts and we’re proud to continue our relationship. In times like these, it’s particularly important for us as a longstanding partner to commit to FC St. Pauli in the role of principal sponsor.”

The Apps Keeping LaLiga Fans Engaged And Entertained Around The World; LaLiga Apps Pass 110 Million Downloads

The apps keeping LaLiga fans engaged and entertained around the world
  • There have been 110 million downloads of LaLiga’s various apps and users are increasing during this period of COVID-19 shutdown.
  • Options include football skill challenges or educational games for children.

With the majority of global sports competitions temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans are searching for other means of entertainment. This has led thousands of people around the world to discover the family of apps that are run by LaLiga.

More than simply providing information on fixtures, clubs and players, the competition has developed several gaming and educational apps over recent years that allow users of all ages to discover the competition in a new way. The initiative has led to more than 110 million downloads, 80 percent of which come from outside Spain.

“At LaLiga we decided to launch as many apps and especially games as necessary to maximise the audience we reach and the engagement we get with our fans,” said Daniel Vicente, head of applications and games at LaLiga.

“We make different products available to fans, some with information about matches such as the Official App, others for fans more loyal to the competition such as LaLiga Fantasy Marca, for the little ones in the house, such as Educational Games or for the most casual fans around the world like Head Football LaLiga.”

Over 40 educative games
At a time when schools have been closed in many different countries, LaLiga’s approach has proven particularly relevant. The league’s Educational Games app is currently experiencing a surge in popularity as parents and carers look for new outlets to keep youngsters entertained in a productive manner.

Aimed at children between the ages of 4 and 11, the app, which was created alongside Edujoy, contains more than 40 games of varying difficulty, from maths puzzles to jigsaws to mazes to memory games.

There are nearly 3 million downloads already, with the highest percentage of users coming from Brazil. Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Mexico are among the other countries with the highest number of downloads.

To read the full piece and subscribe to the LaLiga Global Fútbol Newsletter, follow this link: https://newsletter.laliga.es/global-futbol/the-apps-keeping-laliga-fans-engaged-and-entertained-around-the-world

‘One World’ Global Special To Air On ELEVEN SPORTS

ELEVEN SPORTS will be broadcasting One World: Together At Home – a globally televised and streamed special in support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic – across our global network in Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Myanmar and Taiwan this weekend. 

Launched by international advocacy organisation Global Citizen, and the World Health Organization, One World: Together At Home will show unity among all people who are affected by COVID-19 and will also celebrate and support brave healthcare workers doing life-saving work on the front lines.

Curated in collaboration with Lady Gaga, the One World: Together At Home broadcast special will include performances and appearances by Alicia Keys, Amy Poehler, Andrea Bocelli, Awkwafina, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Camila Cabello, Celine Dion, Chris Martin, David & Victoria Beckham, Eddie Vedder, Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, FINNEAS, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J Balvin, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo,  LL COOL J, Lupita Nyong’o, Maluma, Matthew McConaughey, Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Pharrell Williams, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sam Smith, Shah Rukh Khan, Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, and Usher.

Leading up to the global broadcast special, there will be a six-hour streamed event in selected ELEVEN SPORTS territories. The streamed event will include performances and appearances from Adam Lambert, Andra Day, Angèle, Anitta, Annie Lennox, Becky G, Ben Platt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Black Coffee, Bridget Moynahan, Burna Boy, Cassper Nyovest, Charlie Puth, Christine and the Queens, Common, Connie Britton, Danai Gurira, Delta Goodrem, Don Cheadle, Eason Chan, Ellie Goulding, Erin Richards, FINNEAS, Heidi Klum, Hozier, Hussain Al Jasmi, Jack Black, Jacky Cheung, Jack Johnson, Jameela Jamil, James McAvoy, Jason Segel, Jennifer Hudson, Jess Glynne, Jessie J, Jessie Reyez, John Legend, Juanes, Kesha, Lady Antebellum, Lang Lang, Leslie Odom Jr., Lewis Hamilton, Liam Payne, Lili Reinhart, Lilly Singh, Lindsey Vonn, Lisa Mishra, Lola Lennox, Luis Fonsi, Maren Morris, Matt Bomer, Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bublé, Milky Chance, Naomi Osaka, Natti Natasha, Niall Horan, Nomzamo Mbatha, P.K. Subban, Picture This, Rita Ora, Samuel L Jackson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sebastián Yatra, Sheryl Crow, Sho Madjozi, SOFI TUKKER, SuperM, The Killers, Tim Gunn, Vishal Mishra and Zucchero. 

Luis Vicente, CEO, ELEVEN SPORTS, said: “At ELEVEN we are committed to supporting the World Health Organisation in any way we can in these unprecedented times. This historic show will transcend our usual sports offering to bring entertainment and inspiration to our viewers around the world, as well as helping to raise vital awareness for the World Health Organisation’s lifesaving work. We hope everyone enjoys what will be an historic event!”

One World: Together At Home is not a telethon – it is a historic, first-of-its kind global broadcast event to celebrate the heroic efforts of community health workers, and to support the World Health Organization in the global fight to end COVID-19. The broadcast will feature stories from frontline healthcare workers on the COVID response, commitments from philanthropists, governments and corporations to support and equip frontline healthcare workers around the world, with masks, gowns and other vital equipment, and to local charities that provide food, shelter, and healthcare to those that need it most. 

ELEVEN SPORTS’ parent company Aser Ventures is working closely with the World Health Organisation to promote key health messages across its network of global media platforms. ELEVEN SPORTS, Leeds United, Whistle and LIVENow have all joined the effort to raise awareness of WHO campaigns, as well as giving financial, logistical and promotional support to a range of local causes.

Fnatic Announce New Partnership With BMW

Fnatic are excited to officially announce the start of a ground-breaking partnership for esports, signing a multi-year partnership with BMW that seeks to focus on driving performance of Fnatic’s teams going forward.

The partnership will seek to make use of BMW’s industry leading research, design and technology to innovate how we look at esports and can improve every aspect of our performance. Working alongside BMW’s renowned engineers and designers, Fnatic will seek to maximise both software and hardware innovation to further entrench ourselves as the most forward thinking esports organisation.

“At Fnatic we are dedicated to maximising performance and entertainment through technology and innovation. It is these shared values that make BMW the perfect partner as we seek to level-up every gamer on the planet. As a pioneer in the automotive space, with a history of advancing entertainment in competitive sport and working with the best talent and teams, we are thrilled to be working with BMW to build the future of esports and entertainment together.” Glen Calvert, Fnatic

Alongside Fnatic, BMW will be partnering with four of the most successful esports teams in history; Cloud 9 (US), Funplus Phoenix (China), G2 Esports (Germany) and T1 (South Korea).  While competitors in the arena, each team is ‘United in Rivalry’ through their shared values and a drive to win, it is the competition that pushes development and enhances performance.  The partnership will harness the competitive spirit, passion and dedication to achieving at the highest level shared by each team to create engaging content across channels.

“Esports shows us how sports entertainment can continue to thrive and play a key role considering today’s challenges. Our entry into esports is motivated by a commitment to become a sustainable, global partner, supporting the teams and the discipline as a whole, before, during and after these times of uncertainty.” says Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer and Brand BMW.

A Fan Perspective – The Impact Of Coronavirus On Sport

The Coronavirus was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on the 11th of March 2020. With no regard for geography, the virus has had a widespread impact on societies, economies and politics across the globe. The response to cancel sports competition has unarguably been the right one, but how has this affected the most important stakeholders in sport – the fans?

1788 members of our Sports Fan Panel shared their views on the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had on their lives and the wider sporting world. They were a hung jury when casting their vote on how current competitions should finish, but most were excited to re-immerse themselves in live sports. It seems COVID-19 has dealt a significant blow to sport, but fans are ready to bring it back to life.

The sporting world

There is speculation that the Rugby Football Union could suffer a £45 million loss in revenue due to the pandemic, and the Premier League a staggering £1 billion. Two of the biggest sporting competitions every year, the Six Nations and the Premier League, therefore face pressure to finish their campaign whilst minimising disruption to the fragile, cyclical sporting calendar. At an unprecedented time for sport, this is no easy task.

This struggle is compounded by the fact that fan opinions are split, meaning any decision made is bound to cause upset. 24% of the Sports Fan Panel want the Premier League season to end immediately and current standings to remain, whereas; 22% agree that the season should finish now, but argue that points be void. The remaining fans want the season to finish, with 22% wishing this to be from behind closed doors, but 19% arguing that fans should be in attendance.

This concept of fixtures and events taking place from behind closed doors has been discussed in sports news frequently in recent weeks. Finishing the season and hosting sport events with crowds in the foreseeable future, may not be possible until a vaccine for the virus is widely available. Who knows when this will be? With 43% of the panel agreeing that behind closed doors games should occur in the event of a pandemic, live games without fans would help fill the void for many supporters, but can they be deemed a panacea?

There is consensus amongst fans on how the pandemic has been handled so far. On the 11th of March, the same day COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, over 52’000 Atletico Madrid and Liverpool fans mixed in and around Anfield. Unsurprisingly, around 3 in 5 of our Sports Fan Panel agreed that the match, as well as Olympiacos v Wolves and the Cheltenham Festival – all of which took place as the potential scale of the pandemic was becoming apparent – should have been cancelled or postponed. But who do fans think are responsible for softening the impact of the virus on the sporting world?

84% and 79% of fans believe that governing bodies and the Premier League respectively, have a duty to support lower league clubs in the fallout of the pandemic. This will be welcome news for the Premier League, as their advancement of £125 million to EFL clubs, is likely to be supported by fans. Conversely, this may be deemed by clubs as a short-term adhesive for the impact of the pandemic, which will have long-term implications. But, the spotlight has turned to players, for now.

Fans’ lives

Our Sports Fan Panel have been doing less exercise during lockdown, which may be indicative of efforts to avoid transmission of the virus. However, 39% have been working out at home, with 23% of these individuals looking online for help. Evidenced barriers to exercise such as cost, time and inspiration are no longer as prominent, and the likes of Joe Wicks, Gym Shark and Tyson Fury, have taken note. Clearly, exercise habits are changing.

The Coronavirus has evidently impacted fans’ relationship with fitness, but what about their relationship with sport? With an entire roster of mega-events and elite competitions postponed or cancelled, a void has been opened in fans’ lives. The Olympic Games, Euros, Premier League season, Six Nations, Wimbledon, T20 World Cup and the Open, form just part of an extensive list. Unsurprisingly, 3 in 4 of our Sports Fan Panel agree that they are impacted by the loss of live sport.

So how can sports stay connected? Across broadcast, social media and other digital platforms, archive footage has been instrumentalised to drive fan engagement, even leading to a temporary re-naming of Match of the Day to ‘Match of Their Day’. This was the most popular method amongst fans to drive engagement, with 49% outlining highlights as the way to do this.

However, the majority of the Panel have cast their attention away from sport for a replacement, with only 16% choosing to spend time they usually use to watch sport, with consuming sport in a new way. It seems re-living moments of glory will bring joy to many fans, but nothing compares to experiencing it for the first time.

Hearing this, sports organisations may feel helpless, but, a standout finding from the survey will offer some comfort. 89% of fans plan to attend the same number of events once sport resumes and 72% will be no more anxious than before the pandemic. Although the way in which fans consume sport from the comfort of their own home is quickly changing, attending live sport events offers something that can’t be matched during this period.

Hopefully this will act as a turning point for sports rights holders, who can use this time to review and improve the live sports experience, which on the whole, has been neglected. More from us on this very soon.

Final thoughts

The sporting world may be changing rapidly, but the time-tested emotional bond between fan and club, team and athlete, seems resolute in the face of the pandemic. The reliance sports organisations have on traditional broadcast revenue may be changing as new channels come to the fore, but the prospect of attendance revenue upon sports return represents a light at the end of the tunnel for sports organisations. More so than ever, fans will be relied upon as the heartbeat of sport.

British Gymnastics Foundation Releases Seated Activity Programme For Free To Encourage Elderly Activity During COVID-19

The British Gymnastics Foundation’s popular seated activity programme, Love to Move, has been made available online for free and expanded to help older people stay physically and mentally active at home.

The programme is designed to get older people moving and functioning better, integrating the use of gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation therapy and social interaction activities. The majority of the programme is based on movement patterns which work the left and right sides of the brain separately, benefiting older people and particularly those living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment.

The Foundation, partner charity of national governing body, British Gymnastics, has published the first session online and will be making additional sessions available on a regular basis. With those likely to benefit most currently isolating at home the programme, which has also been adapted to allow for social interaction ‘to screen’, can now benefit more lives than ever before.

Patrick Bonner, Head of the British Gymnastics Foundation, said:

“We have seen the positive impact Love to Move can have on the physical and cognitive aspects of older people in the last few years and we want to get the programme out to as many of those self-isolating as possible. This will mean that more people can feel the benefits and keep moving. We have already released the video of Kim Hall, our lead deliverer, so people can take part in sessions from their own home and will continue sharing resources online in the coming months.”

Love to Move started as a pilot project in 2015 and was trialled in care homes and community settings across the UK. The programme uses seated activities to help older people with their memory, balance, flexibility and finger dexterity, and it has already seen a marked improvement in many of its regular participants. It has since been rolled out across the UK but due to the current situation and requirement for the vulnerable and older people to remain in their homes, British Gymnastics Foundation made the decision to release the resource for free online. Former British Olympic gymnasts Kristian Thomas and Craig Heap are ambassadors for the programme.

Steve McFadyen, Sport and Leisure Programme Partnerships Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“We welcome the British Gymnastics Foundation’s decision to find creative ways to reach even more people affected by dementia, to encourage them to move a little bit more and feel the benefits of being active at home. Around 95% of people with dementia are over 65, and as an ‘increased risk’ group they are being advised to be particularly careful of the ‘stay at home’ rules.

“We know that people with dementia are finding it tough in these unprecedented times, with 80% of calls to our Dementia Connect support line around issues related to coronavirus. Keeping active at home both physically and mentally with fun and engaging seated activities can have a big impact on the health and wellbeing of people with dementia as well as their families or carers. It can help them connect with others through a shared experience, maintain or improve balance and put a much-needed smile on people’s faces. It’s free and accessible programmes like Love to Move that will be hugely beneficial to people living with dementia wherever they are.”

Kim Hall, the Lead Deliverer of the programme, added:

“The best thing about delivering Love to Move is seeing people’s quality of life improve. To see someone moving again, feeding themselves and re-engaging with their loved ones, and to see them visibly appear younger, brighter, more confident and happier is such a privilege.”

PGA Tour Set To Resume Schedule In June Without Fans

With additional time needed to ensure PGA TOUR tournaments are staged in the most safe and responsible manner possible given the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the PGA TOUR is announcing further schedule modifications for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, as well as plans for the opening portion of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR Regular Season, the restart of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season and updates regarding the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada schedule.

“The health and safety of all associated with the PGA TOUR and our global community continues to be our No. 1 priority, and our hope is to play a role – responsibly – in the world’s return to enjoying the things we love,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Today’s announcement is another positive step for our fans and players as we look toward the future, but as we’ve stressed on several occasions, we will resume competition only when – working closely with our tournaments, partners and communities – it is considered safe to do so under the guidance of the leading public health authorities.”

The PGA TOUR had previously targeted the week of the Charles Schwab Challenge (May 18-24) as the restart of the TOUR season, which has been suspended since THE PLAYERS Championship was canceled on Thursday, March 12. For health and safety reasons due to COVID-19, today’s announcement delays that timeline three weeks – to June 8, starting with the Charles Schwab Challenge – with additional tournaments being repositioned between then and the season’s conclusion, which is the TOUR Championship, ending on Labor Day (September 7).

At this time, the TOUR plans to resume play with the first four events closed to the general public but will continue to monitor the situation and follow the recommendations of local and state authorities in order to determine the most appropriate on-site access in each market. As such, the TOUR will continually review available COVID-19-related protocols that could be implemented at PGA TOUR events to ensure the health and well-being for all involved.

All three events that were previously scheduled between May 18 and June 8 – the Charles Schwab Challenge, Rocket Mortgage Classic and the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide – have been moved to later dates in the calendar.

The RBC Heritage, originally slated for this week (April 13-19) but canceled on March 17, has been added back to the PGA TOUR schedule in the week formerly occupied by the U.S. Open, which – as previously announced – has been postponed to September.

The RBC Canadian Open, originally scheduled for the week of June 8, has been canceled. Click here for a statement from the RBC Canadian Open. The Barbasol Championship, originally scheduled for July 13-19 opposite The Open Championship, has been canceled.  The Open Championship was canceled on April 6.

Three invitationals on the updated schedule, the Charles Schwab Challenge (120 players), RBC Heritage (132 players) and the Memorial Tournament (120 players), will see their respective field sizes increase to 144 to provide additional playing opportunities for PGA TOUR members.