SailGP Season 2 Rescheduled For 2021

With a continued emphasis on protecting the health and safety of its national teams, global staff, partners and event communities, SailGP has determined that its racing must remain suspended for the remainder of 2020. Consequently, SailGP Season 2 events will be rescheduled for 2021.

Two of the four impacted events have new dates for 2021 – San Francisco on April 17-18 and New York on June 4-5. SailGP also intends to return to the U.K. and Denmark during the rescheduled Season 2, replacing racing previously planned for August 14-15 and September 11-12 of this year.

Season 2 is set to be expanded from five to a minimum of seven events during the year-long period beginning in April 2021, spanning to the early months of 2022. Results from 2020 Sydney SailGP – the first and only completed event of the year – will be null and void.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “This terrible pandemic has led to the tragic and ongoing loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, and first and foremost, our thoughts go out to those victims, and their grieving families and friends.

“The global nature of our league is one of our strongest characteristics, as we bring together top talent from all over the world to both organize and compete in a new form of professional racing. As we face this health emergency, our geographic diversity unfortunately becomes a potential liability both to ourselves and those around us.

“Our focus must necessarily shift to returning at a time when our events do not present undue internal or external risk.

“We’ll use the coming months to focus on important initiatives to make both our racing and broadcast even more attractive – including through further development of our F50 catamarans, simulator and gaming platform, as well as enhanced data integration via artificial intelligence – while continuing to work toward our ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2025. I’m confident that our rescheduled second season will go beyond what we would have been able to deliver this year, and we’re extremely fortunate to have the ongoing support of partners including Rolex, Oracle, ROCKWOOL and our many broadcasters to help us get there.”

Two months ago in Sydney, teams representing Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, Spain and the United States took to the water in the world’s fastest sail race boats for what was anticipated to be the first of five events in 2020. There, four-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Ben Ainslie led the British entry to victory in his SailGP debut, overcoming the local favorite and defending season champion Tom Slingsby and his Aussie crew.

Ainslie said: “This has of course been a huge challenge for the entire world, and in particular for healthcare workers on the frontline of this crisis. At the end of the day, this is sport, and we’ll get back out there when it’s safe for everyone involved. Of course, it’s tough not to be out on the water, especially after I got my first taste of SailGP in Sydney a couple months ago. Racing these boats is a privilege, and I know we’ll have that moment again. In the meantime, I’ll be looking to find ways to be even better when we are up and racing again next year.”

Slingsby said: “Of course we’re incredibly disappointed to have to press pause on our bid to be back-to- back SailGP champions. We wish we could be out there straight away and get some payback, but there are greater concerns across the world at the moment. We’ll be ready when the time is right, and SailGP will be bigger and better than ever.”

In a bid to protect the organization throughout this unpredictable period, Coutts has temporarily forfeited his salary in its entirety, while remaining employees have voluntarily taken salary reductions effective through the end of the year. The overall workforce has been tapered proportional to the current modified requirements, while the contracted athletes are being compensated for more than 50 percent of the planned season activity.

The rescheduled Season 2 events will continue to be showcased around the world via partnerships with top-tier broadcasters in more than 100 territories, including in each team market: SKY Sports (U.K./Ireland), CBS Sports (U.S.), Fox Sports (Australia), Canal+ Sport (France), TVE and TV3 (Spain), TV 2 Sport (Denmark), and DAZN (Japan).

Audience figures from the 2020 Sydney SailGP (February 28-29), represented a 27 percent growth from the 2019 event that served as the global league’s world premier. Among that growth was a 16 percent expansion of the total broadcast audience, along with an 83 percent increase in social media video views and 234 percent jump in social media impressions.

In Q1 of this year, more than 13 million minutes of content were consumed across the league’s Facebook and YouTube channels, while SailGP’s new marketing campaign film It’s Not What You Think reached nearly 6.5 million people in the month prior to the season opener.

During the league’s inaugural season in 2019, fans embraced the SailGP concept, as the championship’s five events garnered a television audience of 256 million. In addition, more than 133,000 spectators watched the live events, 138,000 downloaded the award-winning mobile app and more than 100,000 eF50s raced in the debut of the league’s first-generation gaming platform.

In the months leading up to the 2020 start of Season 2, the league added national teams from Denmark and Spain, signed team title partners INEOS and ROCKWOOL, announced a new event in Copenhagen and brought on Endeavor as a minority shareholder.

Coutts said: “We’ve created a lot of growth and momentum from our first six events, and are 100 percent committed to becoming a leading rights holder and advancing the sport in a way that has never been done before. We’ll prioritize innovative improvements during this interim period, and then refocus on live events in early 2021.”

Expo 2020 In Dubai Postponed For One Year

Expo 2020 Dubai is gearing up to help shape a post-pandemic world and create a better future for all after a two-thirds majority of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Member States voted in favour of postponing the next World Expo by one year.

The global mega event will now run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, a delay that allows all participants to safely navigate the impact of COVID-19, and allows the World Expo to focus on a collective desire for new thinking to identify solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: “We welcome the decision of BIE Member States to support the delay Expo 2020 Dubai by one year. We are thankful to Member States for their continued commitment to contributing to a World Expo in Dubai that will play a pivotal role in shaping our post-pandemic world at a time when it will be most needed.

“Over the last 50 years, we have sought to build bridges, connections, and partnerships around the world because we believe in genuine collaboration to safeguard the future of all. This swift and overwhelming vote reflects the strength of our international partnerships and truly reflects the positive role the UAE and Dubai play with all countries around the world.

“This affirmation by the international community of Dubai’s offering and its ability to deliver, further strengthens our commitment to matching ambition with achievement to hosting an event that will capture the world’s imagination, when the time is right.”

With a BIE General Assembly impossible to stage due to COVID-19 restrictions, Member States voted remotely on the BIE Executive Committee’s recommendation for a delay as proposed by the UAE Government at the beginning of April and recommended by the BIE Executive Committee on April 21. While the vote remains open until 29 May, the two-thirds threshold was surpassed within a week of voting opening on 24 April.

Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE, said: “I applaud the swift response by BIE Member States. Their support for the postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai – which will be formally approved on 29 May – is a renewed sign of solidarity, and demonstrates the shared will to work together in ‘creating the future’.

“In their support for the one-year postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai, Member States of the BIE are giving the world the opportunity to reconvene in 2021, when together, we can address the challenges facing humanity and celebrate the unity and solidarity that strengthen us. With its theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 Dubai will offer the world a unique platform to share the lessons, solutions and ideas for a better tomorrow.”

Expo 2020 Dubai retains its name and remains committed to hosting an exceptional event that will celebrate humanity’s resilience, creativity, culture and innovation – including major technological advances in the fields of medicine and science.

The first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, and largest ever event to take place in the Arab world, Expo 2020 will welcome 192 countries, plus businesses, multilateral organisations and educational establishments.

NFL Removes London Games From Schedule For 2020 Season

The National Football League announced today that it will schedule all 2020 games in the United States in order for the entire season to be played in NFL teams’ stadia under consistent protocols focused on the well-being of players, personnel and fans. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made this decision after consultation with our clubs, national and local governments, the NFL Players Association, medical authorities and international stadium partners.

“After considerable analysis, we believe the decision to play all our games domestically this season is the right one for our players, our clubs, and all our fans in the US, Mexico and UK,” said NFL Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Christopher Halpin. “We greatly appreciate the support of our governmental and stadium partners in Mexico and the United Kingdom, who all agree with this decision, and we look forward to returning for games in both countries in the 2021 season.

“We also thank our incredible fans in those territories for their passionate support of the NFL. We will continue to serve them through our outstanding media partners and by being active supporters of both grassroots football and COVID-19 relief efforts in Mexico and the UK.”

The NFL had been planning to play one game in Mexico City at Azteca Stadium and four games in London – two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and two at Wembley Stadium – during the 2020 season.  The Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins had all previously announced that they would be home teams for International Series Games in 2020.  These teams will now play all of their home games this season at their home stadia in the United States. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “While the NFL’s many fans in London, the UK and Europe will obviously be disappointed by this news, it is absolutely the right decision to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the sport. I know that the NFL remains fully committed to London and I look forward to welcoming NFL teams back to the capital in 2021.” 

Alistair Kirkwood, Managing Director of NFL UK, said: “The NFL’s London Games have become a major part of the NFL season and the UK sports calendar. But the uncertainty in the current sporting landscape and the tremendous amount of long-term travel and planning required to stage successful London Games mean this is the sensible decision to make.

“Ahead of our games returning next season, we will continue to strengthen our ties to the UK community this season through programmes such as NFL Flag and the NFL Academy.”

Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy said: “We fully appreciate the difficult decision that the NFL has had to make, given the unprecedented circumstances everyone around the world is facing. We were overwhelmed with the response we received from everyone at the inaugural NFL matches in Tottenham last year at our new stadium – the sport’s only purpose-built stadium outside of the United States – and we were proud to deliver world-class facilities for the NFL family.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone from the NFL back to Tottenham in 2021 as we further develop our unique partnership and create even more memorable game days. Until then, we wish the NFL a successful season ahead and send our sincere thoughts and well-wishes to everyone who has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Mark Burrows, The FA’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Wembley Stadium has had the privilege of hosting NFL games for the past 13 consecutive seasons, and they are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the stadium’s calendar. We were of course looking forward to welcoming teams back to Wembley this autumn – in particular, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were due to be the first NFL team to play back-to-back international games here in London.

“However, we understand the challenges that sports across the world are facing as a result of this crisis and, as a valued partner, we fully support the NFL in their decision to schedule all games in the US this year. We wish them every success for the new season and stand ready to welcome the NFL back to our iconic venue in the near future.”

LaLiga Clubs To Return To Training This Week

LaLiga clubs are returning to training this week following the Spanish Ministry of Health’s approval for the return of sports training sessions.

In accordance with the Return to Training Protocol that LaLiga has drawn up with medical experts, professional players from LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank – the first and second divisions of professional football in Spain – will start training alone following medical tests carried out by club staff.

This return to training has been planned by LaLiga with measures that have been agreed with the relevant sports and health authorities in order to guarantee as much safety as possible for the health of all those involved.

These measures cover a period of approximately four weeks with different phases that, in any case, will be subject to the de-escalation process established by the government. Thus, together with the medical tests carried out by clubs, a staggered return to training has been implemented that will start with players training alone and end with group activities prior to the return to competition, scheduled for June.

Professional footballers returning to work will go hand in hand with the recovery of a very significant economic sector that accounts for 1.37% of Spain’s GDP and creates 185,000 jobs. This is at a time when the country’s economic situation is now the main concern, precipitated by the health crisis.

“This crisis has had a profound impact on all of us. The return of football is a sign that society is progressing towards the new normal. It will also bring back an element of life that people in Spain and around the world know and love,” said Javier Tebas, the president of LaLiga. “People’s health is paramount, so we have a comprehensive protocol to safeguard the health of everyone involved as we work to restart LaLiga. Circumstances are unprecedented, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 19/20 season this summer.”

FINA Confirms New Dates For FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Road Cycling European Championships Postponed

Following consultation with the city of Fukuoka, Japan Swimming Federation, organisers, athletes, coaches, technical committees, TV partners and sponsors, FINA is pleased to announce that the FINA World Championships in Fukuoka (JPN), initially scheduled for the summer of 2021, will now take place from May 13-29, 2022.



“After liaising with the relevant stakeholders and receiving feedback from them, we have no doubt that the decision taken will provide the best possible conditions for all participants at the Championships. We look forward to witnessing the world’s best aquatic athletes from around the world competing in the city of Fukuoka (JPN) in 2022,” said FINA President Dr Julio C. Maglione. “At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, FINA hopes the announcement of these dates will allow for some clarity in planning for all concerned.”

The FINA Family would like to thank the authorities of the City of Fukuoka, the Japan Swimming Federation, Organising Committee of the FINA World Championships, and all our partners for their commitment and support in reaching this decision.

Moreover, the FINA World Masters Championships will take place across the island of Kyushu (JPN), from May 31-June 9, 2022.

The European Cycling Union (UEC) and the organizers of the 2020 UEC Road Cycling European Championships, originally to be held in Trento (Italy) from 9th to 13th September 2020, have reached an agreement to postpone the event by one year. “Having acknowledged the consequences of the pandemic outbreak in the last few weeks – Trentino Marketing CEO Maurizio Rossini explained – we are pleased with an outcome that satisfies everybody, and puts us in the position to set up the event at its best, and produce the greatest redemption from both the technical and the promotional sides”.

The Championships will take place in the first half of September as the final decision about the date – according to the options accepted by the organizers, 1-5 September or 8-12 September 2021 – belongs to the International Cycling Union (UCI) once the new season’s international calendar will be completed.

The event shifting to 2021 was the result of lengthy negotiations among the parties involved after the Coronavirus outbreak has frozen every sports activity to date. “We have reached the wisest decision afterward – Trento’s Tourism board Director Elda Verones argued – with the full consent by the City of Trento and all the local institutions. Given how the Coronavirus is affecting the economics, we can look forward to the next year’s event as a great opportunity to gather people and share our common thrive for upturn once the emergency will be finally over”.

The UEC, along with the UCI and the National Associations, will now evaluate alternative solutions to hold the 2020 edition in a new location.

Vindicia Webinar | A Digital Sports Economy: Engage Fans and Diversify Revenue Streams

In these unprecedented times, with live events canceled or postponed, the industry is effectively in hibernation due to the Coronavirus. Now more than ever, leagues, distributors and teams need to re-examine their digital strategy. Vindicia has teamed up with Pulselive to share practical advice on how to build fan engagement platforms to diversify revenue streams.

In this live webinar, you will learn how leading sports brands are pioneering their use of digital content, how to deliver content through highly engaging platforms to fans worldwide, and the monetisation models needed to grow a sustainable source of income in the coming years. In addition, Pulselive will share insights from their recent research into sports fan behavior during the COVID-19 crisis.

Hosted by:

  • Mark Bishop, Head of Marketing, EMEA & APAC, Vindicia
  • David Strachan, Creative Director, Pulselive

May 6, 2020, 15:00 – 16:00 BST (7:00 – 8:00 am PDT)

Follow this link to sign up – https://www.vindicia.com/company/events/live-webinar-digital-sports-economy-engage-fans-and-diversify-revenue-streams

LaLiga Creates Three New Programmes To Support Global Broadcasters

  • In order to bring audiences closer to the competition, LaLiga has produced three new shows for international consumption.
  • LaLiga players have been instructed on recording techniques to help produce quality content from home.

With ‘stay at home’ measures in place around the world, broadcasters have been adapting their content in order to keep audiences entertained. At LaLiga, this situation was quickly acknowledged and a strategy was put in place to create additional new programmes and support all  broadcast partners.

To observe social distancing, the team in Spain has taken a creative approach. Instead of regular camera crews and editing studios, the content is being produced remotely and with LaLiga players (or their families) even playing the role of camera operators.

As a result, three new shows have been created from scratch, thanks to collaborations between LaLiga and the clubs. LaLiga’s national and international broadcasters, including the league’s own 24/7 channel LaLigaTV, are now able to bring ‘LaLiga StayAtHome’, ‘LaLiga Nations’ and ‘LaLiga Clubs’ to their audiences.

“We have been proactive with the creation of these shows for LaLiga broadcasters,” Melcior Soler, director of LaLiga’s audiovisual department, said of the new programmes. “We are collaborating with clubs and players, who have been extremely willing to help. Together we are providing as much content as possible.”

Creating broadcast content from home

The ‘LaLiga StayAtHome’ programme is a 30-minute weekly show that brings viewers closer to the stars of the competition, who share their fitness routines, daily diets, interesting hobbies or their perspective on the current situation. Uniquely, content has been created directly from the homes of LaLiga players, who have recorded all the material themselves…

… To read the full piece and subscribe to the LaLiga Global Fútbol Newsletter follow this link: https://newsletter.laliga.es/global-futbol/laliga-creates-three-new-programmes-to-support-global-broadcasters

“We Should Strive To Ensure There Are More Women In Leadership Positions” – Part Two Of Our Conversation With Mary Davis, Special Olympics CEO

Following her announcement as one of iSportconnect’s Influential Women In Sport List for 2020 last month, Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics, spoke to iSportconnect’s Ben Page about her career-long journey with the organisation and why it means so much to her, how attitude’s towards women in sport have altered in this time and equality in sport. 

This is part two of our conversation with Mary, part one was released earlier this week and you can read it here: https://www.isportconnect.com/volunteer-ceo-story-mary-davis-special-olympics-ceo-one-isportconnects-influential-women-sport-2020/

Do you think more can be done to promote not only women playing sport, but at the executive level like yourself as well?

We should strive to ensure there are more women in leadership positions. What iSportConnect is doing to recognise influential women in sport is fantastic. It is so important to acknowledge and recognise women leaders in sport so girls can see the pathway is paved. They’ll see these role models and can be inspired in the same way I was inspired.

The media coverage of women’s sports has come a long way, but in many countries it can still be improved. The gender pay gap is still entrenched around the world. The US is having a public conversation around the pay gap right now with the women’s national soccer team having more World Cup wins than then men and being paid significantly less.

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment with Special Olympics?

I represent five and a half million athletes with intellectual disabilities, half a million volunteer sport coaches, thousands of volunteers, and sponsors and partners who generously support us and what we do. I have the responsibility promote the voice and influence of our athletes and the impact that they can have in the community at large. I believe I’ve improved understanding of people with intellectual disability, and helped shift perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.

When I started as a volunteer with Special Olympics Ireland, I thought I was providing a service to people with intellectual disability—training them, making their lives better. But now we’re creating an environment where the athletes are our leaders. They’re the teachers of inclusion and respect and like Greg Silvester, who spoke at your recent event, they’re doing an incredible job.

When I was coaching a female athlete in gymnastics to win the all-round gold medal in the 1989 Special Olympic World Games in South Bend, Indiana, I will never forget that moment because she had worked so hard. She’s a wonderful example of someone who, through the confidence, self-esteem and dignity she got from sport, was able to move from sheltered employment to working in a hotel in open employment and living in an apartment which she still lives in today. She’s now on the counsel of patrons here in Ireland.

Do you think changing the perceptions the general public may have of Special Olympics athletes is the key for you?

I do. Through our programme in schools, we are changing the mindsets of young people who will be the leaders of the future. When they are in influential positions, they will change policies to be more inclusive of people with intellectual disability. They will embody the spirit of the movement, and ensure people with intellectual disability are given opportunities both on and off the playing field and ultimately be able to participate in the workforce just like everybody else.

Sport is the key that opens the door. No matter your ability, what you learn through sport training—discipline, leadership, communication, and so on—you use at school, work, and your community. We are all peers on the playing field, and learning that attitude first hand stays with you your whole life.

The 2012 Paralympics in London marked a huge change in perceptions for that organisation, could there one day be a time when Special Olympics is mentioned alongside the Olympics and Paralympics?

Media coverage of the Paralympics in London was outstanding and that awareness that did begin to change perceptions of people with disabilities in many countries.

The Olympics and Paralympics are about elite sport and being the best and winning medals. Of course Special Olympics athletes like to win medals as well, but we are about being your best. We are a community-based, grassroots organisation, with five and a half million athletes training and competing in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.

While we are best known for our World Games, we have over 100,000 competitions every year. Special Olympics is about athletes being the best they can be in every aspect of their lives. We use the platform and power of sport to achieve health, well-being and changing mindsets about people with intellectual disability being true leaders.

Premier League Clubs Reaffirm Commitment To Finishing Season

At a meeting of Premier League Shareholders today, clubs discussed possible steps towards planning to resume the 2019/20 season, when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

It was reiterated that the thoughts of all are with those directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the Premier League’s priority is the health and safety of players, coaches, managers, club staff, supporters and the wider community.

The League and clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only return to training and playing with Government guidance, under expert medical advice and after consultation with players and managers.

The League welcomed the creation of the Government medical working group for a return of elite sport, which met for the first time this morning.

No decisions were taken at today’s Shareholders’ meeting and clubs exchanged views on the information provided regarding “Project Restart”.

It was agreed that the PFA, LMA, players and managers are key to this process and will be further consulted.

The clubs reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining integrity of the competition and welcomed the Government’s support.

ECB Chair Colin Graves To Exit At The End Of August

Colin Graves confirms his term as Chair will end on 31 August 

The ECB Board confirms that ECB Chair Colin Graves has made the decision to end his term on 31 August.

The Board looks forward to celebrating the significant achievements of Colin Graves’s term in the coming months.

Commenting on his decision, Colin Graves said: “With the launch of The Hundred unavoidably moved to 2021, I have reviewed last year’s extension of my term as Chair, and put a request to the Board to now finish early, on 31 August.

“It feels important to both the game and the ECB Board, to allow Ian Watmore to commence his role earlier than originally agreed. I have no doubt that his wealth of experience in sport, business and government will be invaluable as we navigate through this crisis

“I have been extremely heartened by how cricket has come together in these recent, unimaginable times. There remains a long road ahead, but I have immense confidence in the excellent leadership of Tom Harrison, our Executive Management Team and the ECB Board as they shape the direction of our response to COVID-19.

“It has been a privilege to work with so many passionate people across the game who are driven by their belief in cricket’s power to improve lives and connect communities.

“There is still much to be done in the coming months as I continue to lead the ECB during this challenging time. As we get closer to August I will look forward to saying my farewells and sharing good wishes to all those I have worked alongside.”

The Board confirms Ian Watmore as Chair Elect

Following the publication in a national newspaper of allegations against Ian Watmore around his 2018 tenure as a non-executive director of the English Football League (EFL), the Board established a sub-committee of directors comprising Barry O’Brien, Katie Bickerstaffe and Martin Darlow to review the allegations, which Ian denied.

During an extensive process, that included a confidential review of the report referenced in media, the sub-committee has universally agreed that there was no evidence to support any allegation of wrongdoing on Ian Watmore’s part. In addition, it was concluded that the appointment process had been undertaken in a thorough and professional manner and the Board now regards the matter closed.

Accordingly, the ECB Board on Wednesday unanimously endorsed Ian Watmore’s appointment as Chair Elect, which will now be put to the membership for ratification at the AGM.

The appointment of Mr Watmore was made in February, following a rigorous search and selection process run by a dedicated Nominations Committee. The committee was chaired by ECB Non-Executive Director and ex-England cricketer, Lucy Pearson, and former England Captain and current Chair of the ECB Cricket Committee, Sir Andrew Strauss. The late David Hodgkiss, Chairman of Lancashire Cricket at the time, represented the game as an observer to the process.