Euroleague Basketball Announces 2020 Fan XP Innovation Challenge Finalists

A group of 10 ambitious and forward-thinking startups from around the world have been selected as finalists for the Euroleague Basketball 2020 Fan XP Innovation Challenge.

A jury of global tech business professionals chose the finalists from among 80 aspirants from 17 different countries who applied to meet the challenge’s stated goals of offering solutions to create the best fan experience possible in one of three fields: broadcast-related fan engagement; in-arena fan engagement and/or smart arena solutions; and fan engagement through digital platforms.

iSportconnect’s Founder and CEO Sree Varma will be on the panel deciding the best new startup at the final event in Barcelona later this month.

The 10 finalists, hailing from seven countries on three continents, will present their projects at 4YFN, the startup exhibition of the Mobile World Congress, with more than 25,000 attendees, from February 22 to 24 in Barcelona, Spain.

The EB 2020 Fan XP finalists are:

  • Edisn of India is an AI computer vision platform that uses proprietary player recognition technologies to deliver enhanced fan engagement and provide additional monetization opportunities for content owners.
  • Stadiugraph of Italy Stadiugraph is a free app that enables fans to crowd-source and perform mosaic choreographies within minutes after being designed and approved by the majority of the supporters.
  • watafan from Spain offers sports stars the tools to create their own digital and gamified autographs that may be distributed from mobile to mobile by reading a QR code instead of a pen, guaranteeing collectible value for their scarcity and exclusivity.
  • StriveCloud from Belgium is a competitive gamification platform that attracts, connects and retains new fans by activating static customer service management (CRM) data through game mechanics and motivational psychology.
  • Pressenger of Spain helps apps interact with fans to visually communicate results and highlights; interactively share promotions, contests and quizzes; welcome fans to the arena; and send reminders about events and breaking news; among other innovations.
  • SeatServe, from the United States, is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that enables fans to use in-seat delivery and express pickup services at arenas, leading to an increase in revenue and customer satisfaction.
  • Piing, from the United Kingdom, is a digital platform that uses massively multiplayer games to turbo-boost fan engagement. Whole crowds join in games on a big screen, using their phones as controllers, boosting atmosphere and the fan experience.
  • YBVR of Spain offers interactive and immersive content for fans to engage in at home, at the arena or on the go. No longer will fans need to be physically present at a game to experience the magic of “being there”!
  • Vogo of France distributes live and replayed audio and video to spectators in arenas, transforming their game experience by providing multi-camera content on demand on tablets and smartphones, irrespective of the number of people connected.
  • ViciTV, from the United States, turns existing fan engagement investments by clubs into a global sports TV network, giving franchises the ability to control and personalize the gameday experience for out-of-market fans.

At the Euroleague Basketball 2020 Fan XP Innovation Challenge, the finalists will be able to present their pitches in a public session at the 4YFN conference, where a jury formed by top sports, tech, innovation, and investment specialists will select the winning startups.

4YFN is the world’s most influential startup business platform enabling startups, investors and corporations to create, discover and launch new ventures together. Held alongside MWC, 4YFN is the forum for entrepreneurship.

Serie A To Start New Esports League With Infront

Infront and Lega Serie A officially launched the eSerie A TIM on Wednesday, offering thousands of gamers the chance to compete for Italy’s top football clubs in the first edition of the event.

As the event’s exclusive media, marketing and digital partner, Infront will be delivering its full service offering throughout the tournament. This includes organisation of the competition with the support of leading Italian esports company PG Esport as well as 15 days’ worth of broadcast production of all events and matches.

The entire production will be broadcast live on Lega’s digital platforms and group and playoff stages will take place at Infront’s studios in Milan. Qualified players will have the opportunity to be picked by one of the participating Serie A TIM clubs in a draw. Full coverage of all phases will be broadcast on multiple platforms including YouTube and Twitch with a dedicated live feed made available for broadcasters.

This will be supplemented by additional content for all participating Serie A TIM Clubs.

The League will be divided into two phases: an online knockout tournament open to all amateur players offering a path to becoming a professional player followed by the full Championship. The tournament will feature a Group Stage, Play-Off and Grand Final which will feature the top eight players. Amateurs who qualify for the tournament will be selected by participating eSerie A TIM clubs to represent them.

On The Move: Latest Weekly Job Appointments

Chris Young has been named Senior Vice-President at Major League Baseball, while Morgan Sword has been appointed the association’s Executive Vice-President, Baseball Economics and Operations.

Richard Verow, the former Sky Sports executive has joined beIN Sports as Chief Sports Officer.

Kevin Thelwell has left his position as Sporting Director of Wolverhampton Wanderers to join New York Red Bulls as Head of Sport.

James Johnson is now Vice-President at Deltaltre.

Andrew Lamb is now Head of Partnership Development for The Ocean Race.

Jeff Plush is USA Curling’s new Chief Executive.

Jeremy Kanter has become CMO at Fever-Tree.

Wyatt Hicks was appointed NASCAR’s Managing Director for Digital Media.

Deepa Malik has been announced as President of the Paralympic Committee of India.

Formula 1 To Broadcast All Of Preseason Testing On Own OTT Channel

Formula 1 has opted to show all six days of pre-season testing on their OTT channel, F1 TV Pro, for the very first time.

Subscribers to F1 TV Pro, as well as Sky F1 UK and Sky F1 Italia viewers, will be able to tune into live coverage of the tests at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 0900 to 1300 CET and then again from 1400 to 1800 each day – that’s February 19-21 and February 26-28 – as the teams descend on the Spanish track to get their first look at the pecking order for the 2020 season.

F1 TV Pro will also host a daily Tech Talk show – analysing the latest innovations the teams are trialling for 2020 – as well as full coverage of the new lunchtime press conferences, due to be held daily across testing. Sky F1 UK’s round-up show will also be available on F1 TV Pro.

Improving the viewing experience even more, meanwhile, with 2020 marking the first year that pre-season testing will be an official F1 event, the teams have all unanimously agreed not to use vanity screens during testing – a move that coincides perfectly with F1’s extended coverage!

All F1 TV subscribers will have access to a much richer Live Timing page on the official F1 app this year, with fans able to follow all of the drivers’ lap-by-lap performance live using the fantastic lap segment feature, while also comparing drivers’ lap times against one another.

Download Vidicia’s Latest White Paper – Is Your Subscription Billing System Restraining Your Business Growth?

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  • Is your billing system making you money or costing you money?

Follow this link to download Vindicia’s latest white paper report – https://www.vindicia.com/resources/white-papers/your-subscription-billing-system-restraining-your-business-growth?utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=kb-monsterrevenue-Jan2020

TWO WEEKS TO GO: 2020 Esports Masterclass – Gfinity, Fnatic, Renault F1 And Betway Join Speaker Lineup

iSportconnect are delighted to announce four more speakers to the lineup for our Esports Masterclass at Withersworldwide in London on the 20th of February.

Graham Wallace, Chief Executive Officer of Gfinity and Andrew Cooke, General Counsel of Fnatic will be speaking and providing their expertise on the world of Esports.

Also joining us to discuss the ever-growing world of Esports are Guillaume Vergnas, Partnerships Development and Esports Manager at Renault F1, and Adam Savinson, Head of Esports at Betway.

Already announced for the event:

With a maximum of 150 invite-only delegates, iSportconnect provides a media/agency free opportunity to network with influential senior-level sports business executives. We are famous for our intimate and relaxed environment, encouraging ideas exchange and helping to introduce you to the right new connections.

To register your interest in attending the 2020 iSportconnect Esports Masterclass, please contact Theresa Muller at theresa@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The Esports Masterclass is a complimentary event for iSportconnect members who are from governing bodies, sports teams, brands and broadcasters. There is no fee to become an iSportconnect member. No sports agencies, professional service providers & suppliers are allowed at our Masterclasses.

For limited partnership opportunities, please contact brandon@isportconnect.com

SailGP Sells Minority Stake To Endeavor

On the verge of embarking on its second season of operation, SailGP has sold a minority stake to global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor.

Endeavor’s investment position in SailGP values the global sports property at US$200 million after its highly successful first season. 

As part of the investment, SailGP will benefit from access to the Endeavor network’s expertise across content production, media rights distribution, creative services, licensing, sponsorships and consumer marketing. 

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “Endeavor’s partnership with SailGP represents a pivotal moment in our young and developing history. It strengthens our position going into our second season and signals the projected long-term value of SailGP. This is the start of a new era in our sport, and we couldn’t have a better partner than Endeavor.” 

Endeavor President Mark Shapiro added: “SailGP is transforming the way people view sailing. For the first time, the sport is being packaged in a broadly appealing, consumable, consistent and exciting format, bringing it in line with some of the world’s top sporting events. If the first season is any indication, SailGP has incredible potential and strong value for its partners, and we look forward to helping forge the future of the league.” 

Climate Conversation Set To Dominate First Global Sports Week Paris

The role of sport in the climate emergency is set to dominate discussions at the first Global Sports Week Paris taking place tomorrow and Friday at the Carrousel du Louvre.

The new annual gathering of the world sports economy is organised under the patronage of UNESCO and the high patronage of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.

The event will bring together 1,500 delegates and more than 100 international media around an agenda focussed on the future of sport at the intersection of business and society.

On the programme are issues ranging from sport’s role in driving gender equality to the impact of digital transformation on the industry’s core business model. Sports tech and social business also feature strongly.

But climate considerations dominate the agenda for the first edition, with keynote contributions expected on the subject from F1 Executive Chairman and CEO Chase Carey, Ocean Race Director Richard Brisius and incoming Wimbledon CEO Sally Bolton, alongside athlete activists including big-wave surfing star Justine Dupont.

Major sponsor brands including Dow, Adidas and EDF are also expected to share their vision of a sustainable future, alongside media executives including Yannick Bollore, Chairman of the Havas Group and the Vivendi Supervisory Board.

On Friday, Global Sports Week will be the stage for key carbon policy announcements from the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon) and the French Football Federation in partnership with the French ministry of sport.

French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu will host a meeting of her international counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.

The agenda for Global Sports Week Paris has been significantly shaped by a group of 50 under-25s, drawn from 22 countries, and billed as representatives of a new global generation.

Global Sports Week Chairman Lucien Boyer explained: “We believe it is crucial to understand the interests and expectations of the emerging consumer generation if sport is to continue to grow its influence and impact in the world.

“On climate, we hear very clearly the young generation’s clamour for change. Sport itself faces tangible impacts, but it also has a great potential to contribute to solutions.

“We hope Global Sports Week can be a place to put some new ideas into action.”

Global Sports Week organisers confirmed details of the event’s own sustainability practices, which include no single-use plastics; zero waste; and the use of 100% recycled materials in the site build and overlay.

Dorna Sports And LaLiga Unite To Fight Piracy Issue

LaLiga and Dorna Sports have reached an agreement that will see LaLiga’s technological content protection department lend its anti-piracy services to the competitions managed by Dorna Sports. These include the Italian-based Dorna WSBK Organization, which runs the WorldSBK superbike championship.

With the signing of this agreement, both LaLiga and Dorna Sports reinforce their commitment to protecting global content distribution in collaboration with television operators and digital platforms. 

As part of this partnership, LaLiga will use its own anti-piracy tools to monitor and eliminate illegal MotoGP™ and WorldSBK audiovisual content hosted on social networks, digital platforms and mobile apps.

Fake profiles that make fraudulent use of the logotype and name of Dorna Sports will also be monitored and eliminated, as well as those pertaining to Dorna’s competitions.

In addition, LaLiga’s human, technical and legal resources will be used to monitor and de-index those pages that illegally publish Dorna Sports content from search engines. The tools created by the LaLiga technological content protection team also allow the tracking, pursuit and compilation of legal evidence in order to fight illegal transmissions via IPTV and cardsharing.

Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga said: “With this alliance, LaLiga extends its commitment to fighting audiovisual piracy. Joining with Dorna Sports motivates us to keep working to protect competitions’ audiovisual value. Fighting against piracy is a top priority for LaLiga and we’ll continue to invest in technical tools and human resources to keep advancing in this field.”

Manel Arroyo, Managing Director of Dorna Sports added: “The signing of this agreement between LaLiga and Dorna Sports shows our complete commitment to the fight against piracy. The protection of audiovisual rights is and always has been of utmost importance for us because, due to the exclusive and attractive nature of the content we produce, it suffers much more from the consequences of piracy. Both MotoGP and WorldSBK will greatly benefit from the tools created by LaLiga’s technological protection team, which is a global point of reference and therefore a guarantee of security for our championships.”

Sportradar Expands Partnership With Major League Baseball To Develop New Virtual Baseball In-Play Game

Sportradar, the world-leading provider of sports data and content solutions, today announced an expansion of its existing partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), launching a brand new virtual baseball in-play offering for licensed gaming operators in the US and across the world.

The virtual baseball in-play game is the first Sportradar virtual gaming solution developed in association with a major US sports league. Featuring official MLB team names and logos, this game gives fans yet another way to engage with Major League Baseball and allows licensed gaming operators to add extra value to their offering, combining fast-paced betting for mobile and online users, with longer betting cycles for retail. This new virtual baseball offering is based upon historical data and can be accessed all year long.

As with all of Sportradar’s virtual sports products, this product has been built for betting, ensuring the experience is as close to real-life as possible. As part of the collaboration, the product uses actual MLB data to simulate live game play. For the visuals, over 1,300 individual motions were captured using a combination of cutting-edge motion capture technology, and software developed specifically to add to the real-life look and feel of the game.

“We are very excited to work with Major League Baseball in bringing a virtual baseball gaming solution to the market,” said David Lampitt, Managing Director, Sports Partnerships at Sportradar. “Leveraging MLB’s official content, we are confident that we have an enticing product that consumers will love and that bookmakers will benefit from. As with all of our virtual sports offerings, our aim was to bring the most realistic look, feel, and betting experience to the market.”

Sportradar’s Virtual Gaming Solutions were first established in 2010. Utilized by over 180 bookmakers worldwide, the portfolio now includes Virtual Basketball, Virtual Tennis In-Play as well as soccer, horse and dog racing. All products use a combination of cutting-edge innovation, including Motion Capture, as well as Sportradar’s comprehensive pool of sports and betting data to create the most realistic virtual sports offering possible.

“We are pleased that our partnership with Sportradar has resulted in the development of this new virtual baseball offering,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Gaming and New Business Ventures. “One of the reasons we partnered with Sportradar was to develop new, engaging products for our fans leveraging the power of MLB’s best-in-class content. This first-of-its-kind virtual offering does just that, and we are excited to bring fans this new entertainment option.”