Formula 1 Targets Season Start In Austria On July 5

Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey has today released a statement outlining the plans for how a possible race calendar for the sport will look for the now changed 2020 season.

The statement reads:

Although this morning it was announced that the French Grand Prix, due to take place in late June, will not be going ahead, we are now increasingly confident with the progress of our plans to begin our season this summer.

We’re targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July weekend. September, October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races.

We will publish our finalised calendar as soon as we possibly can.

We expect the early races to be without fans but hope fans will be part of our events as we move further into the schedule. We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country.

The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues.

F1 Revised Calendar V3.jpg

The FIA, teams, promoters, and other key partners have been working with us throughout these steps and we want to thank them for all their support and efforts during this incredibly challenging time. We also want to recognise the fact that the teams have been supporting us at the same time that they have been focusing enormous and heroic efforts to build ventilators to help those infected by COVID-19.

While we have been moving forward with our 2020 plans, we have also been working hard with the FIA and the teams to strengthen the long term future of Formula 1 through an array of new technical, sporting, and financial regulations that will improve the competition and action on the track and make it a healthier business for all involved, particularly as we engage the issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

All of our plans are obviously subject to change as we still have many issues to address and all of us are subject to the unknowns of the virus. We all want the world to return to the one we know and cherish, yet we recognise it must be done in the right and safest way. We look forward to doing our part by enabling our fans to once again safely share the excitement of Formula 1 with family, friends, and the broader community.

Our best wishes to all of you.

Chase

Facebook Launches ‘Facebook Gaming’ App Early Due To COVID-19

Facebook have forced through an early release of their brand new ‘Facebook Gaming’, a platform created in order to compete with Twitch and YouTube’s streaming services

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic the number of people competing within Esports and online gaming has seen a dramatic rise, as people have been forced to stay at home in the majority.

Without the access to watching live sports, people have been finding other products to view in order to keep themselves entertained, so platform’s such as Twitch and YouTube have leapt even further to the forefront of people’s minds.

Therefore, Facebook has accelerated their new Facebook Gaming platform in order to try and capitalise on this, with Facebook themselves admitting that the original release was due to take place in June of this year, with an iOS version yet to be completely developed.

Facebook announced through their Facebook Gaming page on Twitter: “The Facebook Gaming app is a focused, gaming-only experience where you can watch your favorite streamers, play instant games and take part in gaming groups. It’s all of Facebook Gaming in one neat, app-sized package.

“We’re launching the Facebook Gaming app first on Google Play – but yes, an iOS version is in the works. (Truthfully, we were planning a June launch, but given the state of the world, we figured you might want to let you #PlayApartTogether a little earlier.)”

World Archery To Stream Lockdown Knockout Remote Archery Tournament

World Archery has announced the Lockdown Knockout, the first remote archery competition to be streamed live on the federation’s digital channels.
Eight compound archers – four men and four women – will be invited to take part in the first edition of the tournament, which will start with a qualification period on 1 May and matchplay following on 9-17 May.

The winner of the event will receive 1000 CHF and runner-up 500 CHF in prize money.

Matches will be filmed with mobile phones and a live broadcast produced from a remote location. Coverage will be available live on World Archery’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, with highlights available to linear television channels.

Only archers who can safely shoot in socially distanced settings and in accordance with local health guidance will participate.

World Archery has suspended its international competition calendar due to the current outbreak of COVID-19. No physical events will take place before the start of July, with the situation reviewed monthly.

Schedule

Matches are expected to take place in the afternoon in Europe. Exact scheduling will take place on a match-by-match basis.

  • 27 April – Participants announced
  • 1-4 May – Qualification period (filmed)
  • 9-12 May – Quarterfinals (live)
  • 14-15 May – Semifinals (live)
  • 17 May – Final (live)

Structure

World Archery rules will apply wherever possible, with common sense adjustments due to limitations caused by the remote nature of the event.

1. Format – The target used will be a 40cm triple-spot target face, triangular or vertical, set at 18 metres.

2. Qualification – The ranking round will consist of 60 arrows. Men will be seeded on one side of an elimination bracket and women on the other.

3. Matchplay – Each match will consist of 15 arrows with ties resolved in a single-arrow shoot-off.

4. Linecutters – Any decision normally requiring a judge (primarily linecutters) will be decided between the athletes, by the live stream host or, if possible, by allowing the viewing public to vote. These decisions are final.

5. Spirit – While a winner will be crowned, this event is focused on entertainment. Participants are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the event.

Technical details

Participating archers will send two IP video streams – archer and target – via mobile phones on 4G or laptops on stable wifi to a remote production site. The signals will be mixed with graphics and commentary in Vmix and streamed live by World Archery.

Competitors will only see the broadcast available to the public during the filming of the production. They will be able to interact with their opponent and commentators.

Premier League Appoints Gary Hoffman As New Chair

The Premier League is delighted to confirm Gary Hoffman as its new Chair. Today, Shareholders voted unanimously in favour of Gary’s appointment at a special teleconference meeting. He will take over from Interim Chair Claudia Arney on 1 June.

Gary is currently the Chairman of Monzo Bank Limited, Hastings Group Holdings plc and Coventry Building Society. He will leave Hastings Group before joining the Premier League.

Previously, he was Chairman of the Football Foundation, Chairman of Visa Europe, a Vice-Chairman of Coventry City FC and was appointed to lead Northern Rock through its government bailout. He began his career at Barclays, where he rose to executive positions including Group Vice-Chairman and CEO of Barclaycard.

‘Football central to my life’

Commenting on his appointment, Gary said: “Football has been central to my life as a fan, an administrator and in my business career, so it is an honour to join the Premier League as Chair.

“During my time at the Football Foundation, I saw how the growth of the Premier League, to become the world’s most-watched sporting competition, helped it play an increasingly pivotal role in communities across the country.

“I am convinced this spirit of togetherness will help the game we cherish, and the Premier League, endure long into the future”

Gary Hoffman

“Now everyone in football, at home and abroad, is coming together to support one another through the COVID-19 pandemic. I am convinced this spirit of togetherness will help the game we cherish, and the Premier League, endure long into the future.”

‘Outstanding candidate’

Bruce Buck, Chairman of Chelsea Football Club and Chairman of the Premier League Nominations Committee, said: “Gary was the outstanding candidate in an extensive and highly competitive search process, and we believe he will form a strong partnership with our Chief Executive Richard Masters, helping to guide the League while promoting new ideas and strategies.

“Gary has proved over decades, as an executive and a board leader, that he has the character to steer world-renowned organisations through both good times and crisis situations.

“At a vital moment in our history, Gary’s knowledge and skills are sure to help us through this very difficult period.

“The Committee and all of the clubs would like to thank Claudia Arney for her superb work and dedication as Interim Chair through this very difficult time. She has guided the League with amazing dedication and hard work. We are extremely grateful for all she has done.”

2020 European Athletics Championships In Paris Cancelled

European Athletics today announces that the Paris 2020 European Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place at the Charlety Stadium from 25-30 August, have been cancelled.

The decision to cancel the championships was taken today by Paris 2020 Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Fédération Française d’Athlétisme (FFA) at an extraordinary LOC Executive Committee meeting.

This was held following an earlier meeting between the relevant French authorities. European Athletics and the Paris 2020 LOC had been evaluating all possible options for holding the championships this year as planned following a feasibility study relating to the current situation.

European Athletics, and all other relevant parties involved in the project, were subsequently informed of the decision to cancel the Paris 2020 European Athletics Championships.

The decision to cancel was driven by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the associated risks linked to the current situation, which are far from being under control, as well as the existing ban on mass gatherings in France.

An evaluation made by the FFA Medical Commission was also taken into account when considering all the potential risks for spectators and accredited persons who would attend the championships. The commission’s unfavourable opinion on this issue, delivered this week, was duly taken into account by the Paris 2020 LOC and the FFA at their meeting.

Commenting on the cancellation of the European Athletics Championships, European Athletics Interim President, Dobromir Karamarinov said: “It is with great regret that we announce the cancellation of the Paris 2020 European Athletics Championships. We had hoped in these troubled times to offer European athletes a major event to aim for at the end of this summer. Unfortunately, today we were informed by the LOC and French athletics federation that, after discussions with the relevant French national and local public health and safety authorities, they were no longer able to proceed with delivering the championships this August and were forced to cancel the event.

“Whilst we regret announcing the cancellation of our European Athletics Championships, it is worth reiterating that in these unprecedented times the health and safety of all athletics’ stakeholders including athletes, fans, officials, partners and everyone connected with the sport is paramount. We will always do what is best for the members of our athletics family and the wider public.”

The European Athletics Council will discuss this issue, together with other changes to the global athletics calendar that have been forced upon the sport due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at their next meeting which is scheduled to take place via video conference on 7-8 May.

Dutch Eredivisie Season Cancelled: Top Team Ajax Not Awarded Title

The Dutch football league has opted to shut down the Eredivisie season following new government advice.

Ajax, who had been top of the table on goal difference, will not be awarded the title, in a move which could influence a number of the other major European leagues as they discuss how to deal with the culmination of their own season.

The Dutch football have slightly had their hand forced by their government, as earlier this week events, including football matches even behind closed doors, was banned, leaving them with no option but to end the season.

However, the implications for this decision will be wide-ranging, and everybody will now await to see if there are any serious legal repercussions from this decision.

ELEVEN To Broadcast ABB Formula E Race At Home Challenge

ELEVEN SPORTS will broadcast the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge in support of UNICEF LIVE to motorsports fans in Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Italy and Myanmar from this Saturday.

As part of Formula E’s fundraising partnership with UNICEF, the all-electric street racing series will enter the online world with an eight-week esports competition featuring all the teams and drivers from the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, as well as a selection of top gamers.

The ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge will feature two separate grids running in parallel, one comprised of drivers from the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and the other one filled by some of the fastest gamers and influencers. The winning gamer will make the transition from the gaming world to secure real-life track time on a Formula E circuit during a race weekend.

Races will be staged each Saturday, culminating in a Grand Final scheduled for June 13. ELEVEN fans will be able to watch two live races each weekend, as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship drivers and gamers line-up separately during a single 90-minute broadcast.

Danny Menken, Group MD, ELEVEN SPORTS, said: “During this unprecedented time ELEVEN SPORTS is dedicated to continuing to serve its fans with exciting and innovative LIVE content. Leading eSports events like the E Race at Home Challenge offer something new and fresh for our motorsports fans around the world, we hope everyone enjoys what should be an exciting competition!”

ELEVEN SPORTS’ eSports package currently also includes the Digital Swiss 5 elite cycling series. ELEVEN streamed the EA Sports FIFA 20 Stay and Play Cup last week, which saw stars from top European clubs go head-to-head. ELEVEN launched its own Virtual Race of Portugal event last month, featuring pro drivers competing with motorsports fans in a virtual race.

Registration Opens for SportAccord 2021 in Ekaterinburg

SportAccord has opened the registration process for the 2021 edition of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The dynamic and historic city will reunite the international sporting community from 23-28 May 2021 at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo convention centre, helping to draw a line under the turbulence of 2020 and herald a bright new chapter for the future of sport.

Situated on the banks on the Iset River, on the crossroads between Europe to the west and Asia to the east, Ekaterinburg will bring together all international sport federations and their stakeholders, as well as industry executives and experts from across the globe for six days of high-level meetings, an unmissable conference programme, a bustling exhibition and a thriving networking schedule.

While in Ekaterinburg, delegates will be able to explore a destination that has become a hotspot for tourism, business and sport.

Russia’s fourth-largest city by population is home to numerous professional teams across a wide range of sports and will host games during the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship before staging the 2023 FISU Summer Universiade, having previously hosted 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli said: “Sport plays a vital role within communities worldwide and, at SportAccord, we want to contribute towards the resurgence of sport following an incredibly challenging 2020 by working with our partners in Ekaterinburg and Russia to deliver an outstanding SportAccord 2021.”

“SportAccord is built on the principles of unity and friendship – and these will be key pillars for sport and society as a whole in the coming months. Preparations are on track for a superb event in Ekaterinburg that will bring the sporting world together once again for essential knowledge exchange and networking, all for the benefit of the future development of sport.”

SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt said: “We truly appreciate the hospitality shown by our hosts and to be able to return to Russia once again. SportAccord remains focussed on unity, inclusion and building joint bridges for the world of sport and that of society.”

“With registration now open for SportAccord 2021, those who had already earmarked the dates of 23-28 May 2021 in their calendar will have the opportunity to confirm their attendance for our annual Summit.”

To benefit from our early registration rate, click here to register as a delegate and here to find out more information about attending.

Sportradar’s Sports Content And Coverage Far Above 2019 Levels

Sportradar, the global provider of sports content and intelligence, today released figures showing that they had sustained their delivery of sports content and coverage despite the lack of live sports globally due to COVID-19, even managing to increase the overall coverage levels compared to the same period last year .

So far in the month of April, there has been an 11% increase in its available sports content compared to April 2019, with coverage of approximately 24,000 matches in total worldwide. In a typical month, Sportradar provides live coverage for approximately 20,000 matches. As a result, Sportradar’s Live Odds coverage is up 30%, while Live Data is up 20% compared to this time last year.

This significant achievement reflects Sportradar’s rapid response to the current absence of live sports and increased appetite for alternative content from customers. The company has pivoted its business to focus on developing a range of innovative and non-traditional sports products, in addition to continuing to partner with leagues around the world.

Sportradar’s Chief Executive Officer, Carsten Koerl said: “Innovation is the cornerstone of our company. During this time, we have been able to quickly adapt to change and constantly evaluate and re-evaluate the products and services we are offering. We’re pleased to have been able to utilise our technological expertise, comprehensive sports data and sports partnerships across the world quickly to continue to help our customers deliver entertainment and engagement with additional live content and coverage.

New products and content include:

Simulated Reality

The first completely AI driven product simulating the event data from major professional sports matches which the company delivered from concept to live in 10 days. Simulated Reality taps into Sportradar’s AI and machine learning capabilities to create and deliver a sports betting experience which is as close to real life as possible.

On the first day of its launch, Sportradar saw approximately 250 clients sign up to the soccer service. Cricket has since been released with other sports, including tennis, to follow soon.

Virtual Sports

Sportradar recently added to its Gaming Solutions portfolio with the release of the Euro Cup 2020. Euro Cup 2020 has been built using motion capture technology, allowing fans to experience the sights and sounds of this virtual football tournament creating a fan and betting experience as close to real-life as possible.

Innovative live sports tournaments

Through its partnerships with leagues and federations across the world, Sportradar has supported the creation and curation of a number of live tournaments. This includes darts, tennis and table tennis events, such as the International Tennis Series Presented by SportsEdTv, Brazil Autumn Cup Table Tennis and PDC Darts at Home. Sportradar is also providing coverage for live sports events that are still currently going ahead and will resume its comprehensive coverage of live sports globally as they return.

Electronic Leagues

Through its network of partnerships, Sportradar has added three high profile properties to its electronic leagues offering. The events include the Brazilian Confederation of esports (CBES) Pro Player Cup, Uruguayan Federation of Virtual Football (FEFV) Pro Club League, and the Russian Premier League (RPL) Cyberleague Pro Series.

Numbers Betting

Outside of sports, Sportradar also provides the most comprehensive pre-match lottery betting solution on the market. The product offers coverage around the clock, with more than 10,400 draws per week from over 165 real State Lotteries worldwide.

UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 Rearranged for Summer 2022

Move of tournament to 2022 ensures flagship competition has full potential to further boost growth of women’s football.

The UEFA Executive Committee today confirmed that the postponed UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 will be played in England from 6 July to 31 July 2022. It is planned to use the same venues that were originally proposed to host the event.

Commenting on the rescheduling, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: “When we had to take an urgent decision on the postponement of UEFA EURO 2020, we always had the impact on UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 in mind. We have carefully considered all options, with our commitment to the growth of women’s football at the forefront of our thinking. By moving UEFA Women’s EURO to the following year, we are ensuring that our flagship women’s competition will be the only major football tournament of the summer, providing it with the spotlight it deserves.”

The decision to move UEFA Women’s EURO came after UEFA announced on 17 March that UEFA EURO 2020 would be postponed to 2021 following the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the duty of UEFA to protect the health of all those involved in the game, while allowing domestic leagues and European competitions to be completed. The extensive discussions leading to the move included talks with organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with whom UEFA and the English Football Association continue to work with collaboratively to ensure that 2022 provides a memorable summer of elite sport.

UEFA’s chief of women’s football, Nadine Kessler, said: “The core question guiding us together with the English FA was: What is best for women’s football? With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021, we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the tournament, the players, the fans, women’s football partners and everybody involved in all areas and at all levels of the game. UEFA Women’s EURO is Europe’s biggest women’s sport event. It is also among the biggest sports events in the world, and therefore needs and deserves a platform of its own.

“This decision puts us in a position to deliver a tournament that attracts global attention, maximises media coverage and increases stadium attendances, and is therefore helping us to meet our core objective of inspiring the next generation of footballers.

“2022 also allows for further promotion and partner activation, which would have been much more difficult in what is now a crowded summer in 2021. It is a clear sign of commitment to our dedicated partners who have joined us since we decided to separate the sponsorship of women’s football from men’s football.”

The English FA’s director of women’s football, Baroness Sue Campbell, said: “As a nation and at The FA, we are extremely proud to be hosting UEFA Women’s EURO 2021, and are fully committed to delivering a world-class experience for players, staff and fans alike as the best of the European game comes to England.

“However, the sporting calendar must adapt while the world tackles something much bigger than sport. In these unprecedented times, it should be reiterated that the health of our communities remains the absolute priority for us all.

“As a result, following discussions with UEFA, we fully support its decision to postpone UEFA Women’s EURO 2021. We agree that this decision will ultimately benefit the tournament, creating its own window in the football calendar. It will also allow us all more time following this challenging period to deliver an unforgettable event befitting of a home EURO.

“We have made excellent progress in the planning of the tournament to date, and particularly want to thank our host cities and venues for their ongoing commitment and support. We are also grateful to the Commonwealth Games Federation for its collaboration as we sought to confirm these new dates, and look forward to working together to showcase the best of women’s sport across both of our events.

“We will continue our dialogues with cities, venues and our partners over the coming months as we work towards delivering a record-breaking UEFA Women’s EURO on home soil in 2022. We are confident that it will be worth the wait.”

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin added: “I would also like to thank The Football Association, the local organising committee and our member associations, who are as convinced as we are that the postponement to 2022 will be to the benefit of women’s football at large. The football family has once again shown unity, and we are now not only in a position to look forward to a European summer of football in 2021, but in 2022 as well. We are grateful for the cooperation of FIFA and the Commonwealth Games Federation in arriving at these dates.”

Further details, including potential amendments to the match calendar or the name of the tournament, will be announced in due course.