Extreme E Brings In Broadcast Specialist Adey As Latest Addition

Extreme E, the pioneering electric off-road race series, has bolstered its operations division with broadcast technology specialist Dave Adey joining the growing team as preparations for Season 1 continue.

With the championship committed to lessening its on-site footprint for minimal environmental impact, Adey’s role includes sourcing and utilising cutting-edge technology which supports a remote broadcast and race control vision.

Adey brings a breadth of experience in the industry, including roles as a Network Director at BBC Television in the early 1990s, Head of Broadcast Operations at ITV Digital at the turn of the millennium and senior management roles at BBC Broadcast and Red Bee Media in the mid-2000s.

His shift into motorsport came in 2014 when he consulted for ABB FIA Formula E for its inaugural campaign, where he was responsible for broadcast and technology and dealing with the challenges faced by an all-new global series.

“The experience gained through our work with Formula E has been a major benefit to us here at Extreme E,” stated Head of Broadcast and Technology, Dave Adey. “It’s been invaluable in helping us hit the ground running with Extreme E.

“We know exactly how to get infrastructure like this off the ground from a ‘standing start’. That said, the remote nature of Extreme E will provide us with a new set of obstacles to overcome entirely, on top of those we encountered during the formative years of Formula E.

“It’s an exciting prospect on a professional level – facing up to issues in locations that are entirely without basic infrastructure. Enabling remote production in places without any kind of mobile data, WiFi or power means we need to start from scratch in each case and we have to ensure we’re self-sufficient and self-contained to prevent an environmental impact whilst creating an event and the facilities to run and broadcast that event.”

To pull this off, a series of innovations and firsts will be implemented, with editing and production carried out back at Extreme E headquarters in London before delivery via the world feed to broadcast partners worldwide. Technologies will include specialised camera equipment and wireless infrastructure requiring reduced cabling, strategic placement of equipment to mimimise on-site and freight requirements, and the aforementioned remote race control and television facilities.

Extreme E is set to be broadcast across the globe with multiple partners already on-board and discussions currently taking place with more than two-dozen additional providers. The championship has announced deals with the BBC (UK), FOX Sports (United States, Canada and the Caribbean), FOX Sports Asia (Southeast Asia), Mediaset (Italy), Sony India (Indian subcontinent), FOX Australia, Dubai Sports (Middle East, North Africa), TVNZ (New Zealand) and BTRC (Belarus).

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “Extreme E is a unique prospect for broadcasters and there’s a significant appetite for sporting competition of the highest level, driven by a sustainable message and a goal of raising awareness of climate change and the human impact on our environments.

“It is an incredibly specialist prospect from an operational point of view. Dave is an invaluable asset in that regard. To be able to lean on professionals of his stature and breadth of experience is key. Having helped deliver a world-class broadcast product from day zero on Formula E, with all the challenges involved there, he is well placed to deal with everything Extreme E will throw our way in the lead up to our January 2021 start-date and beyond.”

As well as live broadcast coverage, the championship will be accompanied by a deep-dive behind-the-scenes documentary series looking at the ups and downs of the series, its drivers, personnel and teams.

More on Extreme E’s broadcast innovations as well as announcements on teams, drivers and series partners will be made in the coming weeks as the championship builds towards its January 2021 start-date.

UK Sponsorship Awards Postponed

The UK Sponsorship Awards, due to take place in a couple of weeks, have been postponed until September.

In light of the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the UKSA event organisers have taken the decision to postpone the event until Monday 21st September 2020.

This decision has been taken in light of the most recent WHO and UK medical advice, with a view to safeguarding our friends and colleagues in the industry. We thank you for your understanding at this challenging time for all of us.

The names of winners and finalists will be unveiled at the rescheduled event – just as they would have been on March 24th. All tables and tickets purchased remain valid and will be transferred to the new date. 
If you have any immediate questions, please get in touch – rosie@sponsorship-award.co.uk. Otherwise, we hope you and your families stay safe and well during this outbreak.

Coronavirus: What The Uncertainty Means For Athletes And Online Talent

Much has been written about the devastating impact which the coronavirus is set to have on the sports and wider entertainment industry – as a result of the unprecedented disruption caused by the global pandemic.

There is no doubt as to the potentially significant long-term social, economic and commercial impact on stakeholders right across the industry: whether rights holders (governing bodies, federations, clubs and event organisers), broadcasters, brands, sponsors, commercial partners, suppliers, venues or service providers. Those affected will have a vested interest in the hosting of live events at physical venues, but also the marketing, advertising and promotion of these events online.

It is important, however, not to overlook the individuals at the very epicentre of the industry, and what the worldwide health crisis is likely to mean for them in both the short and longer term.

This article looks at some of the practical, commercial and legal issues that talent and their representatives should be alive to in light of the ongoing uncertainty: whether players, athletes, influencers, gamers or online talent.

The current position

The spread of the virus has led to a host of unprecedented postponements and cancellations across the world of domestic and international sport. Elite football in the UK and Ireland has been suspended for a minimum period of a number of weeks, and the postponement of Euro 2020 is all but certain.

Athletes should carefully review the terms of their existing player contracts or participation agreements and seek clarity from their employers as to possible scenarios.

A growing number of other international competitions across traditional sport have been affected, including the London Marathon, the Six Nations, Premiership Rugby, UEFA’s Champions league and Europa League, England’s Test cricket series in Sri Lanka, as well as major global events in tennis, golf, Formula 1, Formula E and cycling. The responses at the top layers of elite international sport have in most cases trickled down to the lower levels of domestic and grassroots competition too. There have been numerous examples of squad wide quarantines and self-isolations off the back of individual players and staff testing positive in various sports.

The esports industry has been similarly affected. Many tournament organisers have cancelled, postponed or adjusted events. Most notably the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) has suspended its spring season indefinitely and major international events have been cancelled across CS:GO, Overwatch, Dota 2, Call of Duty and FIFA to name but a few.

Key issues for Talent

  • Player contracts and on-field deals

The uncertainty around whether the 2019/20 domestic season will be able to be completed creates a myriad of issues for athletes in the context of their contracts with their club or employer. For example, if the current domestic football or rugby season continues on into the summer and beyond, there will be question marks surrounding players whose contracts come to an end on 30 June 2020. Whilst there is an onus on clubs to take proactive steps to engage with players and agents who fall into that category, and indeed consider their strategy for registering new players for the remainder of this potentially extended season, players themselves, and their agents, should be proactively planning for the various possibilities.

There is no doubt that clubs across numerous sports will face significant financial pressures due to the loss of match day revenue during any period of postponement. Whilst players will continue to be entitled to their wages, clearly performance-related bonuses will be affected. One legitimate question which has already been raised is whether football’s financial fair play rules should be relaxed, or event temporarily suspended.

In the football context, there will inevitably be players and agents assessing their options for potential moves to new clubs during the summer 2020 transfer window. The position remains that the window will close in the UK on 1 September 2020. Whether this is likely to change or not given the possibility of an ‘extended’ season, is obviously far from clear, and any changes will need to be communicated in advance by the relevant league body.

It would be sensible for Talent or their representatives to review any existing commercial deals to identify any ‘red flags’ and assess whether there is a need to take proactive steps to mitigating any risk.

Athletes should carefully review the terms of their existing player contracts or participation agreements and seek clarity from their employers as to possible scenarios. The same should be said for individual athletes in sports such as tennis or golf, who as independent contractors face the prospect of losing out on significant revenue due to not being able to play for prize money.

  • Existing commercial deals

It would be sensible for Talent or their representatives to review any existing commercial deals to identify any ‘red flags’ and assess whether there is a need to take proactive steps to mitigating any risk. This could involve initiating conversations with brand partners to ensure minimal disruption to brand campaigns or endorsement deals.

From a legal perspective, in many cases contracts will include “force majeure” clauses, which state that the parties are effectively released from performing their obligations if a specified event outside of the control of a party takes place. The way in which this clause is drafted and specifically how a “force majeure” event is defined, is key. I.e. whether a “pandemic” is expressly stated as being a “force majeure” event will be significant in informing what the Talent’s and brand’s respective rights and obligations are.

The sensible approach for a Talent to take is to proactively try to find solutions by working collaboratively with brand partners. For example, if a Talent is being engaged by a brand to deliver services as part of a digital campaign related to a specific event (such as, for example, Euro 2020 or the London Marathon), it would seem sensible to vary the contract to allow for the rescheduling or amendment of the services. Likewise, if being quarantined or having to self-isolate, or being restricted from travelling, prevents a Talent from delivering the services as part of the campaign or partnership, exploring creative ways of finding solutions makes sense.

  • Should new commercial opportunities be ignored?

There is inevitably a risk that the current uncertainty will lead to a natural decline in brand-related activity – whether endorsements, sponsorships or online campaigns. This is especially the case for activations related specifically to events or competitions directly affected by the responses to the virus. That said, there is nothing stopping Talent from pursuing new commercial opportunities. When doing so, however, it will be crucial to ensure that the drafting around “force majeure” in the contract with the brand is sufficiently robust. Ideally, there should be a degree of flexibility in the contract around what happens should the campaign or partnership be affected by coronavirus.

A “force majeure” clause will often state that after a period of time, the party affected by the event will be entitled to terminate the contract. Talent and their representatives should consider sensible wording around the parties committing to working together to agree a rescheduling of the services at the next available date, should the disruption continue. This is particularly relevant where a campaign or partnership relates to a specific event.

If a Talent wishes to partner with a brand as part of a global campaign involving overseas travel (for example, to attend video shoots or promotional events), thought will need to be given to what happens should a travel ban prevent the Talent from delivering the services, or indeed if a Talent feels uncomfortable traveling because of the risks to his or her health. These scenarios should ideally be factored into any contract negotiation and documented in the agreement itself.

It is worth noting that clubs, governing bodies and national team associations have duties of care towards their athletes and part of that duty relates to an individual’s health and wellbeing.

On one hand, there is a risk that brands’ budgets for these types of campaigns will be significantly reduced going forwards. On the other hand, there is an argument that the next few months will present a unique opportunity for Talent and brands to fill the void left by the lack of live sport by pushing out quality and engaging content online.

Finally, Talent should pay close attention to how payment terms are structured to ensure they are fairly remunerated for work carried out even if campaigns do not complete.

  • The power of an online post

The profile of athletes and online talent, and the level of interaction and engagement through their social media channels, means that what they say and post online takes on heightened importance in times like these.

For the most part, this should be seen as a positive for Talent. Already we have seen numerous examples of athletes posting positive and in some cases inspiring messages of support, by emphasising that looking out for the health and wellbeing of others is more important than the results of a league or competition. The exchange on Twitter between Manchester City FC and Southampton FC is another example of a creative way of engaging with fans online. However, Talent should be alive to the risks associated with social media too. A post can go viral within seconds and will be monitored closely by clubs, governing bodies and commercial partners. As tempting as it might be to be critical or negative of others (whether sporting bodies, government ministers or world leaders) for their responses to the pandemic, Talent should ultimately think before they post and recognise the potential damage of saying something that could be construed as being insensitive or offensive.

  • The importance of following advice and guidance

Talent should ultimately listen to and stay abreast of official guidance from key stakeholders. This is first and foremost, the UK or Irish government (as applicable) and the World Health Organisation, as well as the relevant national federation or governing body in the sporting context. It is worth noting that clubs, governing bodies and national team associations have duties of care towards their athletes and part of that duty relates to an individual’s health and wellbeing.

Concluding thoughts

There remain many ifs and buts, and plenty of unanswered questions, such is the unprecedented nature of how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted the world of sport and entertainment. Much of this uncertainty relates to how clauses in contracts are to be interpreted, who will share the commercial risk, and what this means for a Talent’s ability to earn a living and commercialise his or her image.

Whilst legal disputes are in some cases inevitable, it is hoped that from a Talent perspective, there will be ways of finding sensible and reasonable solutions when dealing with employers, regulators and brand partners – by taking a transparent and collaborative approach. Nevertheless, Talent and their representatives should be alive to the challenges posed by the ongoing disruption and the impact on their current and future contractual and commercial relationships.

Jonny Madill is a Partner in the Sports and Esports Group at sports, media and entertainment law firm Sheridans. He advises athletes, influencers, clubs, governing bodies, federations, event organisers, sponsors, brands, agencies and esports organisations. You can follow him on Twitter at @jonnymadill07 and @sheridanssport and contact him at jonny.madill@sheridans.co.uk.

OFFICIAL: UEFA Postpones EURO 2020 By 12 Months

Priority given to completing domestic competitions in an unprecedented solidarity move by UEFA. Working group set up to examine possibilities for this season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions.

UEFA today announced the postponement of its flagship national team competition, UEFA EURO 2020, due to be played in June and July this year. The health of all those involved in the game is the priority, as well as to avoid placing any unnecessary pressure on national public services involved in staging matches. The move will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed.

All UEFA competitions and matches (including friendlies) for clubs and national teams for both men and women have been put on hold until further notice. The UEFA EURO 2020 play-off matches and international friendlies, scheduled for the end of March, will now be played in the international window at the start of June, subject to a review of the situation.

A working group has been set up with the participation of leagues and club representatives to examine calendar solutions that would allow for the completion of the current season and any other consequence of the decisions made today.

The decisions, taken by UEFA’s Executive Committee, followed videoconference meetings held today with the presidents and general secretaries of the 55 national associations, as well as representatives of the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPro Europe, convened by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, to find a coherent plan to break the logjam of fixtures building up due to the spread of the virus across the continent.

Announcing the decisions, Aleksander Čeferin said:

“We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. It is at times like these that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism.

“The health of fans, staff and players has to be our number one priority and, in that spirit, UEFA tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football. There was a real spirit of cooperation, with everyone recognising that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result.

“It was important that, as the governing body of European football, UEFA led the process and made the biggest sacrifice. Moving EURO 2020 comes at a huge cost for UEFA but we will do our best to ensure that the vital funding for grassroots, women’s football and the development of the game in our 55 countries is not affected. Purpose over profit has been our guiding principle in taking this decision for the good of European football as a whole.

“Football is an uplifting and powerful force in society. The thought of celebrating a pan-European festival of football in empty stadia, with deserted fan zones while the continent sits at home in isolation, is a joyless one and one we could not accept to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition.

“I would like to thank the European Club Association, the European Leagues and FIFPro Europe for their great work today and for their cooperation. I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart the 55 national associations, their presidents and general secretaries, and my colleagues from the Executive Committee for their support and wise decisions. The fine detail will be worked out in the coming weeks but the basic principles have been agreed and that is a major step forward. We have all shown that we are responsible leaders. We have demonstrated solidarity and unity. Purpose over profit. We’ve achieved this today.

“I would also like to thank Alejandro Domínguez and CONMEBOL, who have agreed to move CONMEBOL’s 2020 Copa America in order to follow the recommendations issued by the international public health organisations to enact extreme measures and as a result of EURO 2020 being postponed. This means that clubs and leagues in Europe will have as little disruption as possible in the availability of their players. These joint efforts and especially this coordinated and responsible decision, are deeply appreciated by the whole European football community.

“I would like to thank FIFA and its President, Gianni Infantino, who has indicated it will do whatever is required to make this new calendar work. In the face of this crisis, football has shown its best side with openness, solidarity and tolerance.”

UEFA EURO 2020 was scheduled to take place in 12 cities across Europe from 12 June to 12 July 2020. The proposed new dates are 11 June to 11 July 2021. UEFA would like to reassure existing ticket buyers and hospitality clients that if they cannot attend the tournament in 2021, the face value of their tickets and packages will be refunded in full. Within the next month, further information on the refund process will be communicated to existing ticket buyers via email and on euro2020.com/tickets.

Decisions on dates for other UEFA competitions, whether club or national team for men or women, will be taken and announced in due course.

ASOIF Postpones General Assembly 2020 To November

With the COVID-19 currently causing considerable disruption in many parts of the world, including Switzerland, ASOIF has taken the decision to postpone its General Assembly to November.

The annual gathering of all ASOIF member federations was scheduled to take place in Lausanne on 21 April during the SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit 2020. The Summit was cancelled on Saturday, after the Canton of Vaud, where Lausanne is located, imposed a ban on events involving more than 50 people under emergency measures in effect at least until 30 April 2020.

The ASOIF General Assembly, which gathers more than 100 people, would exceed this number. The ASOIF Council agreed to postpone the General Assembly until later in the year.

ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “In solidarity with all efforts to restrict the spread of the virus we should do everything possible to reschedule such meetings until later in the year.  Everyone’s health is most important now.”

The annual gathering of all ASOIF member federations is now likely to be held in conjunction with the IF Forum, scheduled for 4-6 November 2020 and organised by SportAccord. ASOIF is in contact with all relevant stakeholders to organise a coordinated set of meetings and save unnecessary travel and hotel costs for the participants.

Somerset CCC Team Up With Kukri As New Kit Supplier

Somerset County Cricket Club are pleased to be able to announce that we have signed a partnership agreement with Kukri Sports which will see the international sportswear manufacturer become the Club’s Official Kit Supplier.

The two organisations have a successful history of collaborative working with Kukri being the Club’s Official Kit Supplier from 2011 until 2015.

The partnership will see Kukri become the exclusive supplier of all SCCC’s playing kit and training wear. They will also provide kit for the SCCC Academy and Pathway.

Kukri pride themselves in providing quality industry-leading sportswear which inspires as well as performs.

With eight offices based across the globe, from North America to Australasia, and with their global headquarters in the UK, Kukri provide kit for hundreds of sporting organisations and clubs from grass roots to elite level including England Athletics, Lancashire CCC, Loughborough University, Commonwealth Games England and Ulster Rugby.

After signing the agreement, SCCC Strategy Director, Sarah Trunks said: “We are delighted to be working with Kukri again after developing such a strong and successful relationship with them over five years from 2011.

“Quite rightly they have an excellent reputation within elite sport and our players and staff are certainly impressed with this year’s kit.

“We are looking forward to working with them throughout 2020 and hopefully beyond.”

Chris Marshall, Kukri Sports Sales Director said: “Kukri are immensely proud to announce our partnership with Somerset County Cricket Club. The club possess a prestigious history in the game and has been a leading county in terms of on field results and player development, producing a number of England stars and consistently pushing for silverware in all formats.

“We believe working alongside Somerset is a statement of our intent in the cricket market and particularly the developments we have made to our product. The Somerset 2020 season range showcases what it means to represent and support the county and we look forward to developing this further as our partnership progresses.”

The SCCC Shop is Somerset County Cricket Club’s Official Merchandise Store and will be selling the Official SCCC 2020 season playing shirts. The outlet will also be the exclusive SCCC Training Wear Range stockist.

Somerset County Sports, which is located in front of the Somerset Cricket Museum, will also be stocking the 2020 playing shirts plus a wide range of cricket equipment and clothing.

SportAccord Announces 2020 Summit Cancellation

SportAccord has announced with regret the cancellation of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2020, which had been due to take place from 19-24 April in Lausanne, Switzerland.

On 28 February, the Swiss Federal Government imposed a ban on large-scale events involving more than 1000 people. The ban came into immediate effect and was set to apply until at least 15 March 2020. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) moved to declare the COVID-19 outbreak as an official Pandemic. Yesterday at 14:30 CET in a press conference, the Canton of Vaud under emergency measures imposed a ban on events involving more than 50 people until 30 April 2020. SportAccord, which brings together nearly 2,000 delegates, has taken the necessary step of cancelling SportAccord 2020 to give International Sport Federations, stakeholders, partners and attendees as much time as possible to make arrangements in light of the cancellation.

“Our priority is the health and welfare of our International Federations and delegates attending our event, so this decision has been taken with the utmost consideration for those who were planning to attend SportAccord 2020 in Lausanne.” SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli said.

“This is obviously an extremely unfortunate situation and we are saddened that our community will not be able to attend our annual gathering, but we wanted to announce this decision at the earliest opportunity to enable plans to be adapted accordingly for all concerned.”

SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt said: “Following the COVID-19 outbreak, SportAccord has made every effort to find a viable solution for the staging of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2020.“

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but in taking the decision to cancel the event at this stage, we have endeavoured to minimise the potential disruption to our delegates’ plans. SportAccord is very grateful for the support of the City of Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, International Olympic Committee, partners, exhibitors, and delegates in recent weeks. We are now focusing on the delivery of what promises to be a superb SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg and we look forward to welcoming our friends from around the world to Russia from 23-28 May 2021.”

Partners, exhibitors and delegates who had registered to attend SportAccord 2020 in Lausanne will be contacted shortly with further information.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up to date via LinkedIn and Facebook. For enquiries, email info@sportaccord.sport.

Monday’s Coronavirus Update: FIH, ITU, World Curling, FFA, IMMAF, World Archery, UIPM

FIH

Following the latest information and recommendations from the World Health Organization and the decisions taken by a number of governments and local authorities around the world regarding the current COVID-19 outbreak, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and all participating National Associations (NAs) have decided to put all FIH Hockey Pro League matches currently scheduled until 15 April on hold, with immediate effect.

ITU

In the light of the rapid spread worldwide of COVD-19, the Executive Board of the International Triathlon Union has decided to suspend all activities until the 30th April. The measure includes the suspension of all the competitions in the World Triathlon calendar

World Curling

The organisers of the World Curling Federation’s LGT World Men’s Curling Championship 2020 in Glasgow confirmed that the event has been cancelled, following the latest Scottish Government advice with regard to the hosting of major sports events during the Covid-19 pandemic, and based on the need to protect the resilience of the emergency and public health services.

The World Mixed Doubles and World Senior Curling Championships 2020 have been cancelled in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, due to the ongoing spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

FFA

The Professional Footballers Australia’s A-League Delegates met on Monday afternoon to discuss a range of issues relating to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on professional footballers.

This meeting followed Football Federation Australia’s (FFA) confirmation this morning that the remainder of the A-League 2019/20 regular season, and the W-League 2020 Grand Final scheduled for this weekend, will proceed.

FFA confirmed the matches would proceed; with all matches to be played behind closed doors and with no fans permitted to attend.

IMMAF

At IMMAF the health and wellbeing our members matters to us, and we are mindful of current global measures and concerns regarding the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Therefore, we are sadly postponing our two upcoming tournaments in April and May until further notice: The 2020 IMMAF Africa Open Championships and the 2020 IMMAF Pan American Championships. Participants should contact their National Federation regarding refund of participation fees and for further advice.

World Archery 

World Archery’s executive committee has suspended all international competition and development activities until the end of April due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

UIPM

UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Cup Season Postponed Until May Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

IMG ARENA Scores Long Term Partnership With European Volleyball Confederation

IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, has secured a long-term, worldwide live betting streaming and betting data rights partnership with the European Volleyball Confederation (Confédération Européenne de Volleyball, CEV).

The deal covers volleyball, beach volleyball and snow volleyball – the new form of the sport launched by CEV and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) in 2016 – allowing sportsbetting operators access to content across all events organised by the CEV.

This includes the CEV’s blue riband volleyball events, the biennial EuroVolley, which is contested by 24 national teams, and Champions League, the top competition for the contintent’s leading club sides each year. A total of 56 national federations are represented by CEV.

The deal was brokered by the international rights agency AMI on behalf of CEV, with AMI retaining all betting category sponsorship rights for all CEV events.

Freddie Longe, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of IMG ARENA, said: “We are privileged and excited to announce our partnership with CEV. Volleyball is a globally-popular sport, with the CEV administering some of the most exciting competitions it has to offer.

“Operator feedback tells us volleyball is a property that has much untapped potential and one which the industry feels will benefit from an improved sports betting solution. Our move into the sport will allow us to significantly enhance the betting interface and boost engagement with its community of passionate fans.”

Aleksandar Boričić, CEV President, said: “Partnering with IMG ARENA to distribute our sports betting live streaming and betting data rights is an important strategic development for CEV. IMG ARENA has a strong track record of working with federations and international sports organisations to both protect and grow sports via their innovative products and solutions.

“We understand the benefits of a long-term relationship, and in IMG ARENA we have found a partner to future proof our sport for the next generation of fans.”

Headquartered in London, IMG ARENA works with more than 460 leading sportsbook operators worldwide, providing always-on services including 24/7 live betting streaming and on-demand virtual sports betting products designed to evolve and inspire engagement by placing fans at the heart of the action. In 2019, more than 175 million hours of IMG ARENA content was watched by 56 million unique viewers around the globe. IMG ARENA’s clients include the ATP, UFC, the European and PGA Golf Tours, the FA Cup and Serie A.

Friday’s Coronavirus Update: UEFA, Premier League, EFL, Formula 1, FEI, World Surf League, ITTF

UEFA

All matches in UEFA competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, will not take place next week.

In the light of developments due to the spread of COVID-19 in Europe and related decisions made by different governments, all UEFA club competitions matches scheduled next week are postponed.

This includes the remaining UEFA Champions League, Round of 16 second leg matches scheduled on 17 and 18 March 2020; all UEFA Europa League, Round of 16 second leg matches scheduled on 19 March 2020; all UEFA Youth League, quarter-final matches scheduled on 17 and 18 March 2020.

Further decisions on when these matches take place will be communicated in due course.

As a consequence of the postponements, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League quarter-final draws scheduled for 20 March have also been postponed.

Premier League and EFL

Following a meeting of Shareholders today, it was unanimously decided to suspend the Premier League with the intention of returning on 4 April, subject to medical advice and conditions at the time.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “Above all, we wish Mikel Arteta and Callum Hudson-Odoi speedy recoveries, and everyone else affected by COVID-19.

“In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our clubs, Government, The FA and EFL and can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.”

Despite the challenges, it is the Premier League’s aim to reschedule the displaced fixtures, including those played by Academy sides, when it is safe to do so.

In this fast-moving environment, further updates will be provided when appropriate.

The Masters

Statement from Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club:

On Wednesday, March 4, we issued a memo stating that our plans to host the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals had not changed. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing risks associated with the widespread Coronavirus COVID-19 have led us to a decision that undoubtedly will be disappointing to many, although I am confident is appropriate under these unique circumstances.

Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.

Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision. We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date.

We will continue to work with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the City of Augusta and all other local authorities. We are grateful to all of these entities for their exceptional efforts and guidance.

We recognize this decision will affect many people, including our loyal patrons. Your patience as we make every effort to communicate effectively and efficiently is appreciated, and we will share any additional information as soon as it becomes available. Updates also will be posted to our website, Masters.com.

As COVID-19 continues to impact the lives of people everywhere, we seek your understanding of this decision and know you share our concern given these trying times. Thank you for your faithful support.

Formula 1

Following the cancellation of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the postponement of the races in China, Bahrain and Vietnam, Formula 1 and governing body the FIA have said they now ‘expect’ the 2020 season to begin at the end of May – though this will be regularly reviewed.

“Following the announcement of the Australian Grand Prix’s cancellation this week and the ongoing and fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation globally, Formula 1, the FIA and the promoters have taken these decisions in order to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains our primary concern.”

All parties said they were hopeful the races could be staged at a later date, and in light of the impact the virus is having, the statement added that it is expected the F1 season can begin at the end of May.

“Formula 1 and the FIA continue to work closely with the race promoters in Bahrain and Vietnam and the local health authorities to monitor the situation and take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve.

“As a result, Formula 1 and the FIA expect to begin the Championship in Europe at the end of May but given the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Europe in recent days, this will be regularly reviewed.”

FIFA

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, met yesterday with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss how football can help the WHO respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and what measures should sports governing bodies and administrators take in specific situations.

“Sports governing bodies and decision makers should always keep in mind that health comes first,” Mr Infantino and Dr Tedros said in a joint statement. “All sports bodies must be ready to follow national guidance, based on thorough risk assessments, to stage safe events or take other required actions that protect the health of fans, players, coaches and the broader communities.”

WHO and FIFA, working in conjunction with other leading figures in world football, will launch a joint awareness raising campaign and engage in various initiatives to ensure all people receive needed advice to protect and promote their health and that of their communities.

In 2019, WHO and FIFA, football’s world governing body, agreed a four-year collaboration to promote healthy lifestyles through football globally.

World Surf League

Due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of athletes, fans, and staff, the World Surf League (WSL) has made the decision to cancel all events yet to commence at all tour levels, worldwide for the remainder of March, including the opening event of the 2020 Championship Tour (CT) on the Gold Coast in Australia. Additionally, the WSL has canceled the Papara Pro Open Tahiti.

This decision is based on guidance from the World Health Organization, who has declared that COVID-19 is now a global pandemic, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, governments and local public health authorities where events are being held.

“Coronavirus is having massive consequences for sporting events and gatherings of all kinds around the world, and we are no different,” said WSL CEO Erik Logan. “We did not take this decision lightly as we are aware that it has a significant impact on the surfing community. However, the health and safety of our athletes, fans, and staff are paramount. From the standpoint of social responsibility, we also take very seriously the role our events might play in accelerating the spread of the virus. We’ve been in close contact with our athletes and we feel strongly that this is the right thing to do right now.”

“The fluid nature of this situation is forcing us to evaluate things day-by-day, and even hour-by-hour,” Logan said. “As this continues to evolve, we’ll continue to adapt, endeavoring to make the next right decision each day.”

FEI

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI), United States Equestrian (USEF) and Las Vegas Events have announced the force majeure cancellation of the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2020 in Las Vegas. The annual equestrian competition, featuring the Olympic disciplines of Jumping and Dressage, was scheduled for 15-19 April at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“It is very regrettable that next month’s FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas have had to be cancelled, but the decision was out of our hands”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“Since the FEI World Cup series began in 1978 for Jumping and in 1985 for Dressage, the Finals have never had to be cancelled before, but the global concerns about the spread of the virus and the travel restrictions imposed by the US Government have meant that the Finals are one of many major sporting events impacted by this outbreak.

“Like everyone in our community, we are disappointed, not only for the athletes who have qualified for the Finals, but also for Las Vegas Events and US Equestrian, and of course our top partner Longines, but the health, well-being and safety of our athletes, officials and our fans has to be our top priority. We hope we can alleviate that disappointment by returning to Las Vegas for a wonderful FEI World Cup Finals in the future.”

All ticket buyers and exhibitors will be issued full refunds. The Las Vegas Events ticket office will contact all ticket holders on the process starting the week of 16 March.

ITTF

In light of the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has decided to suspend all activities provisionally until the end of April 2020.

Following the declaration by the World Health Organization of COVID-19 as a pandemic and the increased number of international travel restrictions, the ITTF has decided to suspend all activities provisionally, with the health and safety of athletes, coaches, officials and fans as the top priority.

The suspension comes into effect from Monday 16th March 2020 and relates to all ITTF sanctioned events, High Performance and Development activities and ITTF Foundation activities that had been due to start between the above date and the end of April 2020.

The ITTF Executive Committee will hold an emergency meeting on Monday 16th March to discuss the situation further and an announcement will be made next week regarding the ITTF World Tour Hong Kong and China Opens.

The ITTF has also recommended to all Continental Associations to follow the ITTF’s decision.