World Athletics Issues $10million Fine To Russian Athletics Federation

The World Athletics Council today fined the Russian Athletics Federation $10 million for breaching the sport’s Anti-Doping Rules, and, while reinstating the Authorised Neutral Athlete process for Russian athletes, has capped at 10 the number of Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA) allowed to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and other specified World Athletics and European Athletics senior events.

There is no restriction on the number of ANA athletes that can compete in international one-day events around the world, once they have been granted ANA status by World Athletics Doping Review Board. However, the ANA process will be suspended if $5 million of the $10m fine is not paid by 1 July 2020.

The remaining $5 million of the fine will be suspended for two years, to be paid immediately if during that period RusAF commits a further breach of the Anti-Doping Rules or fails to make meaningful progress towards satisfying the reinstatement conditions set by Council.

The ANA application process remains broadly the same, with strengthened criteria to be issued by the Doping Review Board on behalf of Council within the next week.

The World Athletics Council also approved a new set of criteria for RusAF’s reinstatement, which includes:

  • RusAF establishing a Reinstatement Commission with representation from a number of organisations and at least two representatives appointed by RusAF’s Athletes’ Commission;
  • Two international experts designated by World Athletics to participate in the work and meetings of the Reinstatement Commission, with RusAF bearing the costs;
  • The RusAF Reinstatement Commission to draw up a detailed plan to ingrain throughout Russian Athletics a zero tolerance for doping culture, which will be subject to approval by the World Athletics Council.
  • The two international experts to work with RusAF, in Russia, to ensure the plan is effectively implemented on the ground, and the change in culture is embedded throughout RusAF’s processes and decision-making.

[Decision of the World Athletics Council in relation to RUSAF’s breach of the anti-doping rules]
[World Athletics Council decision in relation to the process of reinstatement of RUSAF]

Commenting on the Council’s decision, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said:

“The package of sanctions approved by the Council today reflects the seriousness of RusAF’s wrongdoing and sends a clear message that we take these types of offenses by our Member Federations extremely seriously. We have consistently tried to separate the clean athletes from a tainted system, which is why we have reinstated the ANA process for athletes from Russia, enabling them to once again compete in International one-day competitions and earn prize money, but we have restricted the number of athletes eligible to compete in senior International and European events, including at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Clearly the previous measures were not enough to change the culture in Russian athletics. We hope this further measure will be sufficient to provoke real change.

“The decision to suspend half of $10 million fine for a period of two years is predicated on the cultural and behavioural change we want to see across all structures in athletics in Russia. But we need to be clear, if the initial sum of $5 million is not paid by 1 July 2020, then the entire decision made today will be revisited and could result in the ANA status being revoked indefinitely.

“The Council feels severely let down by the previous RusAF administration, which is why it has approved a new set of criteria for reinstatement of the Federation. This requires the new administration to set a clear roadmap for reinstatement, to be approved by Council, and greater oversight of the roadmap process by independent international personnel based in Russia.”

Inter Miami Set MLS Merchandise Sales Record, Join With Fanatics

Inter Miami CF, Major League Soccer’s (MLS) new South Florida expansion franchise, and Fanatics, the global leader for licensed sports merchandise, has announced a new long-term omnichannel retail partnership.
The announcement of the deal came as Fanatics announced that since the start of the 2020 regular season, Inter Miami CF has been the top-selling MLS team across the Fanatics network with the club breaking a record for online merchandise sales of a new MLS club during its opening weekend of play, nearly doubling the previous high.

The team’s global appeal, led by co-owner David Beckham, who was responsible for instituting the iconic pink colorway throughout team apparel and branding, sparked sales of fan gear across the Fanatics network to supporters in more than 40 countries during its inaugural weekend, with the UK accounting for more than 50% of all international sales outside the USA.

As the team takes part in its maiden season, Fanatics will manage in-venue retail operations at the club’s new Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Fanatics will also run online and mobile commerce for the team through its operation of MLSStore.com, creating a seamless shopping experience for fans whether shopping online, on their phone or at the stadium.

“We are very proud of our partnership with Fanatics because of the direct value they bring our fans as an expert in managing licensed sports merchandise,” said Inter Miami CF COO & Sporting Director Paul McDonough. “Our fans are craving for more opportunities to wear our brand and represent Inter Miami and Fanatics helps them achieve this through the distribution of fan gear apparel and accessories in our home stadium and online.”

Fanatics Brands, the company’s in-house apparel division, will provide a wide-ranging assortment of high-quality team and player apparel for all members of the family, which includes a significant assortment of unique, Miami-inspired products with distinct team colours. At the team’s home location, Fanatics will operate a variety of pop-up shops, kiosks and custom trailers all stocked with the most real-time assortment of team gear, including jerseys, hats, outerwear, accessories, women’s and youth products.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Inter Miami and their innovative, dedicated ownership group that is committed to providing a world-class experience on gameday and beyond to the passionate, diverse fans across this sports-rich region,” said Gary Gertzog, Fanatics President of Business Affairs. “With Fanatics’ technology-laced, omnichannel retail capabilities, we’ll reach this local and global fanbase with an incredible assortment of unique products available whenever and wherever fans are shopping.”

Sportradar And NPL Combine To Create Australia’s First OTT Streaming Platform For Football

Sportradar, the world’s leading provider of sports data and content, today announced Australia’s first national OTT platform for football (NPL.TV) in partnership with Football NSW & Football Queensland. The deal marks a significant milestone for Sportradar within the Oceania region with several sports and leagues looking to the National Premier Leagues platform as a benchmark to distribute and broadcast their proprietary content live and on-demand.

The industry-first, direct-to-consumer live and on-demand streaming platform, will initially launch showcasing Australia’s strongest National Premier Leagues competitions – New South Wales (Football NSW), and Queensland (Football Queensland) with the opportunity for the other member federations to join over the course of the 2020 season. More than 1000 games will be broadcast live and exclusive on the jointly developed platform.

David Edwards, Director of Sports Media and Partnerships, Oceania, Sportradar, said: “Today’s partnership agreement is the first-of-its-kind in the region and we’re proud to have jointly developed the OTT platform with Football NSW & Football Queensland.

“We’re seeing an increasing demand from both state-based and national sporting federations in establishing direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. Niche competitions suit the OTT distribution model by allowing rights holders to take control of their assets and develop a direct relationship with their fans on their own terms.

“We look forward to helping National Premier Leagues competitions increase digital revenues and supercharge their fan engagement through our unique, data-driven approach to OTT.”

Brian Meinrath, Head of Commercial, Football NSW, said: “Our partnership with Football Queensland and Sportradar is a defining moment for the National Premier Leagues.  NPL.TV provides us with the means to really understand who our audience is and provide robust viewership numbers to the market.  By aggregating content on the one platform, it gives us a huge opportunity to present existing fans with superior live and on-demand content as well as showcase our leagues to a new and expanding audience.

Tracy Grierson,  GM Marketing, Media & Partnerships, Football Queensland, said: “Football Queensland is an innovative organisation and by introducing the Sportradar built OTT platform, we will be making football and our competitions more accessible to supporters in Australia and around the world. Our partnership with Football NSW is an example of the unity of our federations and clearly demonstrates our desire to address future opportunities together for the promotion of our sport.”

The business model is unique in that it allows Football NSW, Football Queensland and Sportradar to explore both advertising integration and paid user subscriptions on a revenue share basis. NPL.TV is available at no cost to all Australia-based fans, with subscribers also able to upgrade to a ‘premium’ Full HD offering for a small monthly charge. Fans can watch live streams and full match replays along with a range of on-demand fan-driven content to be supplied by each member federation.

Sportradar has developed two portals for the International and Australian markets which users are automatically directed to according to their location. This has enabled Football NSW / Football Queensland to establish an international paywall for non-Australian users, with premium upgrades also available to drive additional revenues. The NPL.TV OTT platform is available through all web browsers and will also be available to download as an app (iOS and Android).

Up until now, National Premier Leagues matches have only been available to watch via social media, which provides a limited amount of insight into user behaviour. Sportradar’s evidence-based streaming strategy provides rights holders with deeper, data-driven insights into consumer behaviour, while allowing them to tell more engaging stories to fans across the full range of digital distribution channels.

Celtic Announce New Five-Year Partnership With Adidas

Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce that it has agreed a new five-year partnership with Adidas starting July 1st, 2020. adidas will become Celtic’s official kit supplier, covering both the men’s and women’s squads, in a deal which is believed to be the biggest kit sponsorship ever to be announced across Scottish sport.

Adidas will create and manufacture first team kit, training wear as well as all supporter replica kits.

Treble Treble winners and current Premiership league leaders Celtic will be teaming up with the global leader in football. adidas is the official supplier of the most important football tournaments in the world, such as the FIFA World Cup™, the UEFA EURO 2020™ and the UEFA Champions League.

The sports brand already partners with some of the world’s top clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich and Juventus.

Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell commented: “We are delighted to enter this new, long-term partnership with Adidas, one of the world’s leading sports brands. We warmly welcome Adidas to the Celtic Family and look forward to an exciting and successful partnership.

“We know through our discussions with Adidas that they, as a prestige brand, were eager to be associated with a Club of Celtic’s stature and proud history –  to be connected to the passion and commitment of our supporters and to Celtic’s wider vision and values.

“Likewise, everyone at Celtic is delighted to be partnering with one of the dominant names in sportswear manufacturing, an organisation which represents quality and excellence.

“This is a hugely significant new partnership for Celtic and our supporters and allows us to look to the future with confidence.  To be able to create this fantastic new relationship demonstrates the strength and stability of the Club and the power of our enduring story.

“I would like to congratulate everyone at Celtic and Adidas who have worked to deliver this fantastic new partnership between two of the world’s great sporting institutions, in particular, our Commercial Director Adrian Filby.”

adidas added, “Celtic’s successful football history and future ambition make us hugely excited to be working together to create a new chapter with one of the most famous football clubs in the world.

“We are obsessed with helping athletes improve their game, life and world and as such we look forward to supporting Celtic’s players on the pitch as they continue to create new levels of success, and we are confident their legendary fanbase will love our designs.”

Warwickshire Cricket Get New 50% Bamboo Kit In PlayerLayer Deal

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has agreed a new three-year Official Kit Supplier partnership with PlayerLayer, which will see both of its limited overs playing kits made from a more sustainable material derived from bamboo.

In a first for professional cricket, the material used in the shirts and sweaters worn by Warwickshire in the Royal London Cup and by Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast will contain a 50 per cent bamboo charcoal mix with polyester, with the full designs and new sponsors set to be unveiled closer to the 2020 season.

The new material significantly reduces the use of plastic and was showcased by PlayerLayer in football last year through its partnership with Forest Green Rovers, which is recognised by FIFA and UEFA as the world’s greenest football club.

Ben Seifas, Commercial Partnerships Manager at Warwickshire CCC, said: “We have previously talked about our ambitions to be the most sustainable cricket club and venue in the country and working with PlayerLayer to create our new bamboo kits takes us a step closer to this goal.

“As part of the development, several members of our playing squad have tested the material to highlight its capabilities in a high-performance environment, with all subsequent feedback confirming that it is a very comfortable and durable material.

“PlayerLayer has been an excellent partner of the club for the last three years and we’re grateful to its team for joining forces with ourselves to be leaders in cricket by creating this new material.”

In addition to the playing shirts and sweaters, the replica shirts will be made from the same bamboo material, which will be available from the Store 94 club shop at Edgbaston in the coming weeks.

Roderick Bradley, Co-Founder and Marketing Director said “ The Warwickshire CCC Bamboo project is extremely important to us. We believe that sport can drive change and this is a perfect example. “Warwickshire CCC have a global reach and will show how Cricket can send a message far beyond sport. This project is just the start of things to come with our partnership.”

Warwickshire CCC had already taken several steps in the battle against single use plastics by ensuring that all food purchased from the kiosks at Edgbaston Stadium is served in compostable packaging, serving drinks in recyclable e-cups and installing 11 hydration stations around the stadium for water bottles to be refilled. In turn, zero waste from the venue goes to landfill sites.

Edgbaston Stadium is also powered by renewable sources through a partnership with Haven Power and there is an active push towards sustainable transport through partnerships with National Express WM and West Midlands Trains, whilst the venue is also a Birmingham Top Cycle Destination.

iSportconnect’s Weekly Deals Update: Formula 1 Team Up With Saudi Aramco, Extreme E Get BBC Deal + More…

Formula 1 + Saudi Aramco

Formula 1 has today announced a new long-term Global Sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco, the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals company.

Extreme E + BBC

Extreme E has agreed a multi-year partnership with BBC Sport which will see the new electric SUV off-road racing series screened live and free-to-air across BBC digital platforms to British viewers.

PGA Tour + ESPN+

The PGA TOUR today announced its new nine-year domestic media rights portfolio for 2022-2030.

ESPN + MLB

ESPN and Major League Baseball have expanded their successful partnership with a new rights agreement that will see live MLB action on ESPN’s TV and OTT platforms across multiple markets in Europe and Africa.

FIBA + TicketSocket

FIBA and TicketSocket, a ticketing service operating worldwide, have entered into an agreement to provide state of the art ticketing solutions for FIBA events around the globe.

Renault F1 + DP World

DP World and Renault F1 Team have signed an agreement making DP World the Global Logistics Partner and Title Partner of the team, which will become the Renault DP World F1 Team as from the 2020 season.

Other Deals

Warwickshire + PlayerLayer

Sir Robert McAlpine + Paralympics GB

McLaren + Coca Cola

Celtic + Adidas

Sportradar + NPL

Inter Miami + Fanatics

LaLiga + PointsBet

 

Women’s Sports Group + FA

PwC and Suirui Group + Beijing 2022

 

World Bowling + QubicaAMF

Longines + CGF

 

West Ham + RoadX Tyres

British Athletes Agree Rule 40 Agreement With British Olympic Association

The British Olympic Association and a group of athletes represented by the legal firm Brandsmiths are pleased to announce they have reached an agreement in relation to the interpretation of the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 40 in the United Kingdom.

Following a challenge to the BOA’s Rule 40 position in November 2019, the BOA has engaged in constructive dialogue with Adam Gemili, who acted as lead representative of the athlete group, and Brandsmiths and agreed to provide a greater level of commercial freedom to athletes whilst preserving the BOA’s unique funding model, with new guidelines to be published in due course.

The guidelines will include increased multiple opportunities for athletes to endorse, via ‘thank you’ messages, their personal sponsors during the Games period, and a move to a process of deemed consent for athletes and their sponsors in relation to Games-time marketing campaigns.

The move to deemed consent, whereby athletes do not now have to formally submit all marketing materials for approval (but are still required to notify), has been further supplemented by a relaxation of the ‘in-market’ period, defining the dates by which a campaign has to be visible to the public.

Andy Anson, CEO of the BOA, said: “This agreement allows athletes to further benefit from their personal sponsors whilst balancing the needs of the BOA to raise funds to support all athletes at the Games.

“I’m grateful that Adam [Gemili] and his colleagues took the time to work with us to find a solution.

“We have always been and will continue to be supportive of athletes maximising their earning potential and having sponsors at a national or local level.”

Adam Gemili, on behalf of the athletes represented by Brandsmiths, added: “As an athlete group we are pleased to have reached an agreement with the BOA that moves us into line with other Olympic federations and that provides every athlete an equal and fair chance to generate sponsorship revenue in the build up to and during the Games.

“I would like to say thank you to the BOA for facilitating an open dialogue and recognising and addressing the concerns of the athlete body.

“Most importantly I would like to thank my teammates who have supported this movement both openly and behind the scenes, together we have made a real difference and demonstrated the strength of unity.”

Chair of the BOA Athletes’ Commission, Ben Hawes, who worked with the Athlete group and BOA to support the process, commented: “The BOA Athletes’ Commission is put in place by and is representative of athletes across all sports. We are glad to have supported the process to find a satisfactory position that will help all athletes access more marketing and commercial opportunities, whilst protecting the vital funding of the BOA which continues to enable Team GB athletes to have the best support at Olympic Games.

“It remains crucial that we have a strong athlete voice and seat at the table within the organisation. Athletes will then continue to have the ability to raise issues and concerns on any matter across the Olympic sporting journey.”

Coronavirus Update: NBA, FIBA, UEFA, MLS, LaLiga, ATP Tour, ITF, McLaren

NBA

The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of Wednesday’s schedule of games until further notice.  The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19.  The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of Wednesday’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena.  At that time, Wednesday’s game was canceled.  The affected player was not in the arena.

McLaren

McLaren Racing has confirmed this evening in Melbourne that it has withdrawn from the 2020 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, following the positive test of a team member for the coronavirus. The team member was tested and self-isolated as soon as they started to show symptoms and will now be treated by local healthcare authorities.

The team has prepared for this eventuality and has ongoing support in place for its employee who will now enter a period of quarantine. The team is cooperating with the relevant local authorities to assist their investigations and analysis.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, and Andreas Seidl, Team Principal of McLaren F1, informed Formula 1 and the FIA of the decision this evening. The decision has been taken based on a duty of care not only to McLaren F1 employees and partners, but also to the team’s competitors, Formula 1 fans and wider F1 stakeholders.

LaLiga

Given the circumstances that are coming to light this morning, referring to the quarantine established in Real Madrid and the possible cases in players from other clubs, LaLiga considers it appropriate to continue to the next phase of the protocol of action against COVID-19.  As a result, in accordance with the measures established in Royal Decree 664/1997 of May 12, it agrees to postpone at least the next two matchdays.

Said decision will be reevaluated after the completion of the quarantines decreed in the affected clubs and the other possible situations that may arise.

LaLiga, as organiser of the competition, has proceeded to communicate its decision to the Spanish football federation (RFEF), the High Sports Council (CSD) and the Clubs.

Tennis

After careful consideration and close discussion with the ITF Board and the Local Organising Committee, and in light of today’s announcement by the Hungarian government prohibiting public indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, it is with regret that the ITF announces the postponement of the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals. The event was originally scheduled to take place 14-19 April at the Laszlo Papp Arena in Budapest. Event organisers will be contacting all ticket holders in the next 48 hours to advise them of their options.

The ITF is committed to delivering the Fed Cup Finals in 2020 and is in consultation with key stakeholders, including the Hungarian Government, the Hungarian Tennis Association (HTA) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to find a suitable alternative date for the tournament. The Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals is an Olympic Qualification event and the ITF is working closely with the IOC to address any impact on athlete eligibility for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

In addition to the Fed Cup Finals, the Fed Cup Play-Offs due to take place on 17 and 18 April in eight locations around the world have also been postponed and alternative dates in 2020 will be announced at a later date.

ITF President, David Haggerty said, “We are extremely disappointed to have to make this decision, but we will not risk the safety and welfare of players, captains, event staff or spectators. This decision has not been made lightly; the threat posed by the COVID-19 is a serious one and calls for us to act responsibly as a federation and as human beings. This situation goes beyond sport.

“New dates for the Finals and for the Play-Offs will be announced in due course and will primarily be guided by the length of time that tennis as a whole is affected by COVID-19. We will continue to collaborate with our colleagues across the sport to ensure that the impact on players, tournaments, rights holders and fans is as minimal as possible.

FIBA

Considering the current situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and in order to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, officials and fans, FIBA today has announced that all FIBA competitions are suspended as of tomorrow, Friday, 13 March 2020.

FIBA will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis and will evaluate the options for the continuation or not of the respective competitions when and if the situation allows for it.

UEFA

In the light of the ongoing developments in the spread of Covid-19 across Europe and the changing analysis of the World Health Organisation, UEFA has today invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to attend meetings by videoconference on Tuesday 17 March to discuss European football’s response to the outbreak.

Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA EURO 2020.

MLS

Major League Soccer has suspended match play for 30 days, effective immediately, as the league continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 with its medical task force and public health officials.

At the appropriate time, the league and clubs will communicate plans for the continuation of the 2020 season and update the status of league events.

“Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season – based on the advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and other public health authorities, and in the best interest of our fans, players, officials and employees,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “We’d like to thank our fans for their continued support during this challenging time.”

ESPN And MLB Expand Partnership With New Rights Agreement Across Europe And Africa

ESPN and Major League Baseball have expanded their successful partnership with a new rights agreement that will see live MLB action on ESPN’s TV and OTT platforms across multiple markets in Europe and Africa.

The deal keeps live MLB on Fox Sports in the Netherlands and ESPN’s TV channels in Africa for another two seasons, ensuring fans can follow all the key action as MLB’s 30 clubs compete for supremacy.

The extended partnership includes OTT rights across much of Europe and all of sub-Saharan Africa, bringing live MLB to subscription streaming service ESPN Player in 96 countries across the two continents.

The agreement will give fans access to all the key action from the regular season through to the postseason and the World Series (rights vary in some markets).

ESPN will cover MLB special events, such as the London Series, which this year sees St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs go head to head in the British capital, as well as the showpiece All-Star game and Home Run Derby.

In addition, ESPN Player will carry the 24-hour MLB Network, joining four existing live channels already available on the service; ESPNU, The SEC Network, The ACC Network and The Longhorn Network. ESPN Player subscribers will also be able to watch ESPN’s popular highlights and debate show Baseball Tonight.

ESPN and MLB already collaborate in Europe to bring MLB action to fans in the UK and Ireland on BT Sport, including producing a weekly show titled “Caps Off” created specifically for British baseball fans. The show leverages ESPN’s talent, infrastructure and storytelling expertise around MLB.

Commenting on the news, Frank Rutten, ESPN Europe & Africa, said: “ESPN and MLB have a long and proud history of working together across the globe, and we’re delighted to build the relationship further in Europe and Africa. MLB is at the pinnacle of American sports, and we’re looking forward to bringing millions of fans every home run, shutout and grand slam of what is set to be a thrilling 2020 season.”

MLB Opening Day live on ESPN on Thursday 26 March includes reigning American League MVP Mike Trout and the LA Angels taking on the defending American League champion Houston Astros.

Where you can watch MLB with ESPN in Europe & Africa

  • Regular and Postseason on TV on Fox Sports in Netherlands and ESPN in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Regular, Postseason and MLB Network on ESPN Player in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vatican City and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Regular season and MLB Network on ESPN Player in Andorra, France and Spain