Sport England Outlines COVID-19 Financial Support For Community Sport

Sport England has today confirmed that it is making up to £195m of funding available to help the community sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The package is additional to any funding support provided by the Government and is made up of the following:

  • A £20 million Community Emergency Fund, which will be opened immediately for local clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available. 
  • A £5 million pot for existing partners to bid into if they are facing specific and immediate financial difficulty
  • An additional £55 million to support our sectors during an ongoing period of restrictions, to fund new and innovative ways to keep people active and then, when the period of restrictions is over, to help organisations get back to business and adjust to a different environment
  • A £115 million rollover of current funding into 2021/22 to give long term certainty to over 100 well established partners who play a vital role in the delivery of sport and physical activity in England.

Alongside this, given the cashflow concerns in the sector, Sport England has also agreed that it will consider requests to release six months of the coming year’s funding (50% of awards) to its partners, meaning additional funding will be available sooner. 

Sport England is also working closely with Local Authorities and the organisations who run their leisure facilities and has been actively supporting this part of the sector to access the government support now available.

The package follows Sport England’s recent decision to offer major flexibilities to those who currently receive funding – including the ability to change timings, KPIs, targets and conditions, and redirect money to new activity in response to Covid-19. It has been drawn up following significant consultation with organisations across the sport and physical activity landscape in England.

Sport England CEO, Tim Hollingsworth said:

“As it is for so many others, these are extremely challenging times for the sport and physical activity sector. Sporting events are being cancelled, gyms and leisure centres are closed, clubs and community groups are not operating, and children and young people are all at home. This is impacting the sector financially in a significant way, although it is heartening to see huge amounts of innovation and agility, with many operators getting classes online in a matter of days to enable home workouts for example.

“As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity at a grassroots level, we have an important role to play both in ensuring that we support those with short term cashflow concerns and immediate loss of income, as well as those facing medium and long term survival challenges and financial difficulties.

“We want the sector not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future and when added to the funding made available by Government this package will ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to that.”

“We know that what this funding provides is a long way still from what the sector as a whole needs, and we will continue as a matter or priority to engage with our partners and with Government so that every opportunity for support is maximised.”

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, said:

“We are doing everything we can to keep Britain active and support the sport sector through these challenging times. This multi-million-pound package of public funding will not only help local sports clubs facing financial concerns but also encourage people to stay fit at home.

“When it is safe to do so, we want our brilliant community sport organisations to bounce back and we will work alongside Sport England and others to make that happen.”

2021 Dates For Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Confirmed

The dates of next year’s rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have today been confirmed.

Following a discussion between the organisers of Tokyo 2020, the dates have been rescheduled for the 23rd of July to the 8th of August 2021, with the Tokyo Paralympics will once again follow the Olympics and run from the 24th of August to the 5th of September 2021.

More to follow… Update: An official statement has now been released:

The International Olympic Committee, The International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the government of Japan today agreed new dates for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, in 2021. The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be celebrated from 23 July to 8 August 2021. They also agreed on new dates for the Paralympic Games, which will be celebrated from 24 August until 5 September 2021.

The leaderships of the key parties came together via telephone conference earlier today, joined by IOC President Thomas Bach, Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshirō, Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko and Olympic and Paralympic Minister Hashimoto Seiko, and agreed on the new schedule.

This decision was taken based on three main considerations and in line with the principles established by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on 17 March 2020 and confirmed at its meeting today. These were supported by all the International Summer Olympic Sports Federations (IFs) and all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs):

1. To protect the health of the athletes and everyone involved, and to support the containment of the COVID-19 virus.

2. To safeguard the interests of the athletes and of Olympic sport.

3. The global international sports calendar.

These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 (Olympic Games: 24 July to 9 August 2020 and Paralympic Games: 25 August to 6 September 2020), also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the IFs. Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented.

In a call on Tuesday 24 March 2020, based on information provided by the WHO at the time, IOC President Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō concluded that the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would be held in their complete form and not later than summer 2021. The Prime Minister reiterated that the government of Japan stands ready to fulfil its responsibility for hosting these successful Games. At the same time, IOC President Thomas Bach stressed the full commitment of the IOC to successful Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Following today’s decision, the IOC President said: “I want to thank the International Federations for their unanimous support and the Continental Associations of National Olympic Committees for the great partnership and their support in the consultation process over the last few days. I would also like to thank the IOC Athletes’ Commission, with whom we have been in constant contact. With this announcement, I am confident that, working together with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Government and all our stakeholders, we can master this unprecedented challenge. Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel. These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel.”

Andrew Parsons, the President of the IPC, commented: “It is fantastic news that we could find new dates so quickly for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The new dates provide certainty for the athletes, reassurance for the stakeholders and something to look forward to for the whole world. When the Paralympic Games do take place in Tokyo next year, they will be an extra-special display of humanity uniting as one, a global celebration of human resilience and a sensational showcase of sport. With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 512 days away, the priority for all those involved in the Paralympic Movement must be to focus on staying safe with their friends and family during this unprecedented and difficult time.”

The President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, Mori Yoshirō, said: “IOC President Thomas Bach and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee held a conference call today to discuss in detail the revised dates of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Hashimoto Seiko and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko joined the call. I proposed that the Games should be hosted between July and August 2021, and I really appreciate that President Bach, having discussed this proposal with the various international sports federations and other related organisations, kindly accepted my proposal.

“A certain amount of time is required for the selection and qualification of athletes and for their training and preparation, and the consensus was that staging the rescheduled Games during the summer vacation in Japan would be preferable. In terms of transport, arranging volunteers and the provision of tickets for those in Japan and overseas, as well as allowing for the COVID-19 situation, we think that it would be better to reschedule the Games to one year later than planned, in the summer of 2021. Notwithstanding the postponement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time in history, and various other issues that have already been highlighted, the event schedule is the cornerstone of future preparations, and I am convinced that taking this decision promptly will help speed up future preparations. I would like to thank all the stakeholders, including the host city Tokyo and the Government of Japan, for their hard work during this short period. The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will continue to work hard for the success of next year’s Games.”

Governor Koike Yuriko said: “In consideration of the global coronavirus outbreak, we need a certain timeframe before we fully prepare for the delivery of Games that are safe and secure for the athletes and spectators. Also, the preparation for the new dates will go smoothly, as the dates match with same timeframe as the original competition dates, corresponding with ticketing, venue staffing, volunteers and transport. Therefore, I believe that celebrating the opening of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on 23 July 2021 is ideal. The athletes, volunteers, torchbearers and local municipality governments have been concerned about the situation. Since we now have concrete new dates to aim for, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will commit all its resources, and work closely with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the national government and other stakeholders to fully prepare for the delivery of Games that are safe and secure.”

It has previously been confirmed that all athletes already qualified and quota places already assigned for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will remain unchanged. This is a result of the fact that these Olympic Games Tokyo , in agreement with Japan, will remain the Games of the XXXII Olympiad.

Member Insights: Eight Tips On How To Get Through The Coronavirus Pandemic For The Sports Industry

With the sports industry currently suffering after all major events being either postponed or cancelled, sports marketing expert and consultant Geoff Wilson advises on his eight tips for those currently working in the sports business.

We are living in strange and challenging times, so I wanted to provide some thoughts for you to consider at this time as a business involved in the sports industry:

  1. Get to know your industry through conducting online research. This is one I have found really helpful for me.  This time at home has allowed me to research what is happening in the sports world and to listen to industry experts. This has included, but not limited to; listening to podcasts, attending webinars and online conferences, reading articles and research papers etc.
  2. Strategic planning. Is now the time to consider reviewing (or even developing your strategic plan). Consider the following strategic steps to follow:

This steps will include research: where are we now: desk research, online surveys and online focus groups with internal and external stakeholders.  In addition to the research, online meetings with key staff should be established to start and review (or define) your vision, mission, values, goals, objectives and actions plans.

This strategic plan does not have be 100 pages!! Focus on the key priorities and ensure you execute them with great planning.

You may want to create a short term plan (over the next 6 months) or a longer term 3-5 year plan.

  1. From a practical level, I would suggest you;

A) Start to create a sales pipeline.

-Who is in your ‘black book’ (who do you know well)?  Can you reach out to them,

-What about your current customers? Can they help with introductions?

-Connect with people who attend the online conferences etc?

The aim is to create a list of businesses whom you can target not only when we come through the other end of this pandemic but also now.

B) Start to review, reduce and control your costs. What expenses can you do without or reduce now. Ensure you keep a tight reign on all expenses. This is important!

C) Ensure you take advantage of government support and help at this time.

  1. Use of technology such as webinars. As the challenge of working from home becomes a reality, it is important for sports organisations to be proactive and use the technology asap. This involves a change of habit and culture but no one knows how long this situation will last.
iSportconnect’s eMasterclasses will be taking place over the next couple of weeks.

Also, when normality returns, we will also see the benefits of using technology alongside the face to face meetings.

  1. Consider online training.I was asked by the Barcelona FC Innocation hub to create an online digital marketing course for sports organisations. This process took time.  This got me thinking how much knowledge many of us have in the sports industry. What better way to share it that to create online courses. There are a variety of elearning platforms out there to help you get started. Do some research into the best platforms, how to structure content and how to promote your course.

In addition to creating online courses, why not take this time to expand your own knowledge by taking courses and improving your understanding of topics such as digital, sponsorship, fan engagement, data etc.

Check out: https://barcainnovationhub.com/product/digital-marketing-in-sports/

  1. Reconnect with your staff. For me, staff is the number one area to focus on during times like these.  Staff are not only the people who deliver your brand promise but also helps you to build your organisation’s reputation.  In today’s world, we often have less time for staff (getting to know them, mentor and train them, get the most from them etc)

We are too busy in meetings and doing emails!  So, I suggest this is now a good time to get to know your staff, look after them and develop them. I believe, if done correctly, this will improve staff loyalty and retention.

  1. Working from home. As you settle into life at home, I suggest you don’t burn yourself out. Try (and I know its hard), to have set times when working from home. I believe staff working a normal week can be more productive than staff who are working ridiculous hours – the brain needs a break!!
  2. Reconnect with your family.This may be a strange one to mention but it’s your family who not only support you in your sports role but now they have time to see you due to the long hours involved in the industry. So spend time with the family. This will be good for your mental health.

About Geoff Wilson

Geoff runs his own sports consultancy business, working with clients such as FIFA, UEFA, AFC and FIBA across the world. He is also on the board of Tourism Northern Ireland. You can follow Geoff on twitter @geoffwnjwilson connect on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/geoffwnjwilson

Sportradar Unveils Simulated Reality Product Range To Drive New Sports Betting Offering

In the ongoing absence of live sports, Sportradar, a global provider of sports content and intelligence, today has announced the launch of Simulated Reality, an AI-driven product for professional sports matches, which will be made available to customers within its existing portfolio of events.

In an industry first, Sportradar has tapped into its AI and machine learning capabilities to deliver a sports betting experience which is as close to real life as possible, seamless and with no integration needed.

Carsten Koerl, CEO, Sportradar, said: “We have listened carefully to our customers and the betting community who have made it clear there is an appetite for alternative means of betting during this time where this is a void in live sports action. Simulated Reality will give our sports betting partners seamless access to a highly unique product that is first to market at no extra cost and integration. As market leaders in the industry, we pride ourselves on our ability to quickly pivot our business strategy and redirect our resources towards delivering new and innovative solutions such as this.”

Drawing on Sportradar’s historical football database and statistical output to provide match data for the product, the first simulated reality games will offer a comprehensive range of pre-match and live (in-play) betting opportunities. The simulations will reflect team form and normal match play creating an advanced gaming experience.

Simulated Reality will be launching on Friday, 3 April covering the top-tier football leagues from England, Germany and Spain. Simulated Reality football will offer fans the chance to complete the current football season, with all remaining fixtures scheduled to be played as per their original date and kick-off time. 

Played out over a full 90 minutes, fans will be able to bet on their favourite teams, access match analysis and league tables, while the game itself will be visualised by live match trackers.

Sportradar plans to extend its Simulated Reality product to several other leagues and competitions in the near future, with other sports earmarked for production including tennis and basketball.

IMG ARENA And ATP Media To Launch ATP Masters 1000 Virtual Tennis Product

IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, is launching an official virtual tennis product in partnership with ATP Media, the global sales, broadcast production and distribution arm of the ATP Tour. The game will be available in April and will help sportsbook partners fill the void whilst the ATP Tour is suspended.

This new deal expands the longstanding partnership between IMG ARENA and ATP Media and is the first time they have launched a virtual sports offering.

IMG ARENA is using licensed assets to create the first-ever officially branded virtual tennis product, featuring logos from the ATP Masters 1000 series along with official tournament names, to deliver an authentic, fan-first experience.

This unique and exclusive product is evidence of the ATP Media’s innovation strategy and adds to IMG ARENA’s growing portfolio of virtual products, which also includes golf, motorsport, football, horse racing, speedway, greyhound racing and cycling.

As the broadcast arm of the ATP Tour, ATP Media provides centralised media distribution across the ATP Tour, host broadcast production for the Nitto ATP Finals and ATP Masters 1000s, world feed production for the ATP 500s, Next Gen ATP Finals and certain ATP 250s, as well as the international distribution for the ATP Cup.

Mark Webster, CEO of ATP Media, said: “This is a landmark agreement for ATP Media at a challenging time. We are excited to be working with IMG ARENA to deliver fans around the world innovative content and new ways to enjoy their favourite tennis tournaments.

“Together we are creating a compelling, always-on product that will boost and diversify our sports betting offering, while helping to continue to further develop our international footprint.”

Freddie Longe, Managing Director at IMG ARENA, said: “ATP Media are one of the most progressive and forward-thinking media companies – we are delighted to partner with them to launch the world’s first officially branded virtual tennis product.

“When we invested in virtual sports specialists Leap Gaming, our vision was to create official products and unlock new revenue streams and forms of fan engagement for our clients. ATP Media share this vision and desire to evolve the way that its fans could connect with tennis. The result is a game-changing product that maximises player engagement and operator returns. As with all of our virtual sports offerings, we have developed the most realistic look, feel, and betting experience.”

Member Insights: COVID-19 – How Ticketing Has Felt The Impact

David Hornby, UK MD of ticketing engagement platform SecuTix whose clients include UEFA, Everton FC, Lancashire Cricket, The R&A and England Netball, looks at the challenges facing sports ticketing in the light of the coronavirus outbreak and the potential future ramifications for this vital part of sports business. 

In just the space of a few days, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the 2020 sports calendar with events cancelled or postponed. The latest being the Tokyo Olympics which have been postponed until 2021 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It’s the right thing to do in this unprecedented situation. The consequences for the business of sport will be far and wide, with the economic ramifications from the loss or suspension in ticket sales, one of the principal revenue streams for sports, being a very serious concern.

For those working in sports ticketing, the immediate challenge is managing mass refunds. For tickets bought online with a credit or debit card, refunds can be processed fairly simply. But those purchased by direct debit, credit schemes or PayPal are more complicated to process. Added into the mix is managing the inventory of different types of tickets – one-off games, season ticket holders, hospitality and VIP packages – and working out whether to roll payments forward to later games and events or give automatic refunds.

At SecuTix our focus right now is supporting our clients through this difficult time. Our clients are facing a complicated situation and are at the coal face of dealing with the frustrations of their fans. What is clear is that good customer service and maintaining strong fan relationships is fundamental at a time of crisis.

Will we go from 0 to 100% attendance overnight? I’m not sure. The sports business needs to prepare itself that this might not happen straight away.

Major sports clubs and rights holders are at the forefront of using fan data to improve the customer journey. They use insights to get a true picture of who every fan is and harness the data to enhance the fan experience. Now is the time to use that fan data to really show fans how much they are valued.  Ticketing teams are having to respond quickly in this fast moving situation, but I urge them to consider how they can personalise their dealings with ticketholders. The same degree of personalisation used when selling tickets should apply to all interactions. Think about what added value you could offer the loyal season ticket holder or the big spenders on VIP packages. In some cases, forget about the emails, pick up the phone, ask how they are and what you can do for them. How you treat fans in a time of crisis could future proof your fanbase and business. 

By David Hornby, UK Managing Director of SecuTix

In this unprecedented situation, any single sports club doesn’t hold all the answers and now is the time to learn from other live entertainment areas, other sports, other geos. We need to share best practice and examples of what people are doing that’s making a real difference. By doing so, hopefully sport can come out of this stronger.

Moving forward and once we are all through this, will we go from 0 to 100% attendance overnight? I’m not sure. The sports business needs to prepare itself that this might not happen straight away. There will be some tough questions to address over the coming weeks and months. 

We all want a swift return to full stadiums as they are a key driver for economic stability and fan engagement. They attract sponsors, broadcasters and ultimately more fans who want to be part of these vibrant, rich and engaging live sports communities. What we can be sure of is that when sport returns back to normality, there’s going to be one hell of a celebration.

Major National Team Kit Launches Postponed By Nike, Report States

A number of key footballing countries have been forced to postpone the upcoming reveal of their new kit by Nike, says SportBusiness.

England and France are two of the countries that are supposed to have suffered this consequence due to the coronavirus outbreak which has ground almost all of sport across Europe and the rest of the world to an extreme halt.

These kits will have been planned to be released ahead of EURO 2020, however that has since been postponed until 2021, leaving many of these kits now up in the air as to whether a possible new launch date can be arranged or even if a new style is decided by the time next year’s event comes around.

With production likely to have been completed, it will be interesting to see what happens next, whether any of the federation decide to continue through with Nike and release the kit anyway later this calendar year.

iSportconnect Insights: Gambling The Most Dominant Area Of Sponsorship, Says Sports Industry

Gambling has been named as by far the most dominant area of sports sponsorship, according to those working within the sports industry.

A massive 64% of people who took part in the latest edition of our iSportconnect Insights survey, centred around sponsorship in sport, placed it in their top three most dominant sectors.

That figure then rises even further, to 75%, when looking at responses from UK participants, but could a drastic change in terms of gambling’s relationship with sport soon be on the horizon?

While gambling is becoming legalised more and more on a regular basis in the USA, it is no secret that the British government, as well as others, is looking at reducing the ability of gambling companies to so blatantly sponsor sport on a number of levels and it remains to be seen how big of an impact this will have on sport sponsorship as a whole.

Gambling in sport is also taking a large hit financially during the coronavirus pandemic, with betting sites losing out on most of their offerings, and it may be interesting to see if, following the culmination of this crisis, whether gambling organisations will be more or less inclined to sponsor sport.

iSportconnect’s latest Insights survey was completed in accordance with Goodform, who collated the results from professionals working in sports business.

Interestingly, direct communication with fans has been named as the biggest key to sponsorship within sport for brands.

68% of people told us that the ability to communicate directly with fans was in their three most valuable points for a sponsorship package.

Interestingly, influencer engagement was revealed as one of the least important factors when considering sponsor activation, possibly surprising considering its popularity in 2020.

53% of those who completed the survey believe access to players/athletes for promotional activities is one of the three most important factors in sponsorship packages for brands.

However, that number rises up to a huge 73% when focussing on answers provided by those working with rights holders and clubs, indicating that people working outside of these organisations do not see this as such a key factor.

You can receive a download of the full survey to find out even more interesting details by emailing Alexandra.kyrke-smith@goodformgroup.co.uk

Wanda Sports Group Agrees Sale Of IRONMAN Group To Advance

Wanda Sports Group Company Limited today announced that it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement with Advance, a private, family-owned business, to sell The IRONMAN Group in an all cash transaction at an enterprise value of US $730 million (subject to customary purchase price adjustments).

The IRONMAN Group is comprised of a global portfolio of mass participation sports events, across triathlon, running, trail running, cycling and mountain biking.  As part of the agreement, Wanda Sports Group will continue to operate IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon series, Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and Epic Series off-road mountain bike series races of The IRONMAN Group in China under an exclusive license agreement.

Hengming Yang, President and CEO of Wanda Sports Group, said: “This transaction represents a great outcome for both parties. Advance is acquiring the world’s largest organizer of mass participation sports events and a portfolio of brands synonymous with excellence, and we will unlock significant value for our shareholders.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to leverage the strengths of our Infront and Wanda Sports China businesses to expand our global sports, media and marketing platform,” added Mr. Yang. “Our focus remains on ensuring our long-term partners get the most out of every event by increasing appeal, reach and fan engagement, organizing, operating and licensing popular mass participation events, and strengthening our foothold in China to serve the large and fast growing sports market. We will also benefit from a stronger balance sheet as we execute our strategy and create shareholder value.”

Andrew Messick, President & CEO of The IRONMAN Group, said: “We thank Wanda Sports Group for its support over the past four years and are proud of what we have accomplished together.

We look forward to continuing our work in China with Wanda Sports Group in the coming years.  Further, we are excited to join forces with Advance and benefit from its breadth of expertise as we continue to deliver the exceptional experiences for which we are known.”

Based in New York, Advance owns, operates and invests in companies spanning media, entertainment, technology, communications and education.

The sale is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020.  The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale to repay the principal amount of US$230 million and related interest and fees outstanding under the Credit Suisse facility and the US$50 million outstanding under a promissory note issued to Wanda Sports & Media (Hong Kong) Holding Co. Limited.  As to the balance of the proceeds, the Company intends to use all or a substantial portion of them to fund dividends or share buy-backs, subject to shareholder approval.