HSBC has announced it will not renew its partnership with the Australian Rugby Union national team once the agreement finishes at the end of this year.
The Sydney Morning Herald has stated that the worldwide bank will not be continuing their partnership with Rugby Australia, with the federation now searching for a new banking sponsor.
However, reports state that the country’s rugby association are in strong talks with airline Qantas for an extension of their current sponsorship.
UEFA’s App for their upcoming Euro 2020 competition next summer, which will be hosted in cities all across Europe, will contain a travelcard for fans within each city.
On the day’s games are due to be held, fans will be able to travel for free on game days in certain cities, with geographical aids such as maps and stadium guides included in the app.
Events Chief Executive at UEFA, Martin Kallen, commented on this new development: “Prior to and during the finals, the tournament app will act as the gateway for everyone to embrace all that EURO 2020 has to offer. The app will unlock a personal digital travelcard, because spectators with match tickets will enjoy free public transport in almost all host cities on match days.
“This has been a significant undertaking and we appreciate the support provided by the host cities in making this a reality – unprecedented across so many countries during a final tournament, and a crucial element in encouraging fans to use public transport services.
“We are creating a new experience driven by the fans. Combining fan insight and the latest in digital technology, our focus is to deliver a personalised experience for every fan.
“This starts with the implementation of digital ticketing for specific target groups at every game. The digital match ticket will be complemented by a range of digital services all designed to help fans make the best use of their time – whether attending the match, organising their travel and accommodation, or sampling what each host city has to offer,” Kallen added.
LaLiga has announced a new agreement with Turkish pay platform D-Smart to broadcast the competition in Turkey until the end of the 2021-22 season.
A minimum of 6 matches per game week will be shown on its Sports channels SporSmart and SporSmart 2, while D-Smart will also distribute LaLiga Santander matches on its digital application D-SmartGo.
In addition, one free-to-air match per game week will be offered to the entire Turkish population. It will live broadcast LaLiga’s 1600 CET (1800 local time) Saturday match via D-Smart’s official YouTube channel.
Owned by the Demirören Group, D-Smart is a fast-growing platform providing TV and internet services to more than 2 million households in Turkey. As part of the deal it will carry out significant promotional activities for LaLiga throughout the duration of the agreement.
D-Smart will begin transmissions this coming game week with the following matches (all times Central European Time):
Friday, November 29
21.00 Celta de Vigo – Real Valladolid (Live)
Saturday, November 30
13.00 D. Alavés – Real Madrid (live)
16.00 Real Sociedad – SD Eibar (YouTube / live)
21.00 Valencia CF – Villarreal CF (live)
Sunday, December 1
12.00 Sevilla FC – CD Leganés (live)
21.00 Atlético de Madrid – FC Barcelona (live)
iSportconnect’s Dubai Summit next Thursday will have a main focus on the final summit of the day, where we will see major player’s from the ICC, World Rugby and FIBA come together to discuss the impact their world cup’s had this year.
Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby will discuss the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan, Manu Sawhney, ICC CEO, will talk about this summer’s Cricket World Cup in England and Frank T. Leenders, Director General of FIBA Media will speak to us about how the FIBA World Cup in China has impacted the game.
This is sure to be a fantastic event hearing about the details required to put on the three biggest men’s sporting world cup’s during this calendar year, and we can’t wait to hear from these fantastic names!
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 2019 iSportconnect Dubai Summit, please contact Joe Condon at joe@isportconnect.com
The World Squash Federation has appointed William Louis-Marie as its new Chief Executive Officer. The 53-year-old will take up his position at the Federation’s HQ in Hastings, England, on 9th December.
The WSF has been seeking to fill the post since Andrew Shelley stood down in June after nine years in the role.
William Louis-Marie boasts a successful track record in heading up sports companies: Following his position as Communications Director of the European Games in Baku in 2014 and 2015, he joined the International Boxing Association (AIBA) – firstly as Communications Director before being appointed Executive Director, managing and organising the general administration of the Association and its 202 affiliated National Federations.
“It has taken us longer than we hoped to fill this important post but we are delighted that we have found William Louis-Marie, and that he has agreed to take up the challenge,” said WSF President Jacques Fontaine.
“He comes to us with a respected pedigree in world sport and will undoubtedly bring a fresh new vision to our Federation and our global game.”
William Louis-Marie added: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the World Squash Federation as its CEO and to work closely with its Board Members to contribute to the continuous development of Squash.
“The popularity of squash keeps growing as more and more people enjoy playing it on all continents. I’m extremely convinced squash can become one of the most entertaining racket sports in the world with the support of all our National Federations.
“I look forward to working with all squash stakeholders to expand the global reach of our sport and make WSF a leading organisation in the sporting world.”
City Football Group has agreed a deal to acquire a majority stake in its eighth club, Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League, marking a major move into Indian football.
CFG will become the 65% majority shareholder of the Club, alongside existing shareholders, acclaimed actor and film producer, Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh who combined will hold the remaining 35% of shares. Completion of the investment remains subject to the approval of certain football bodies.
News of the acquisition was revealed today in front of the Club’s fans by CFG Chief Executive Officer, Ferran Soriano together with Chairperson, Football Sports Development Limited and Reliance Foundation, Mrs Nita Ambani. The deal will see Mumbai City FC benefit from the Group’s commercial and football know-how, whilst at the same time delivering a new and exciting element to the CFG global commercial platform.
Chairman of City Football Group Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “We believe that this investment will deliver transformative benefits to Mumbai City FC, to City Football Group and to Indian Football as a whole. City Football Group is committed to the future of football in India and to the potential for Mumbai City FC within that future.
He added: “We are very much looking forward to playing an active role in Mumbai City FC’s fan and local communities, and working with our co-owners to further develop the Club as quickly as possible.”
Welcoming the City Football Group to the Indian Super League and Indian Football, Mrs Nita Ambani commented: “It’s a landmark occasion that celebrates the remarkable rise of Indian football and brings to life our vision for the beautiful game in India.
“It is a great endorsement of the increasing appeal of Indian football and for all football fans in India, this is a moment to take pride in our football, our culture and the opportunity we present to the world in developing the sport. The power and potential of our youth makes India the most exciting global opportunity in the world today, in every field, and especially in sport.
“On behalf of all Indian football stakeholders, I welcome City Football Group and thank them for their interest and belief in Indian football. I am sure Mumbai City FC and Indian football will benefit greatly from this historic partnership.”
BeIN Sports are threatening Serie A with cancelling their overseas TV rights after the league decided to take their Supercup to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most prominent places where the channel is illegally broadcast from around the world, and BeIN are unhappy with the fixture being played in a country that so often breaks their anti-piracy rules.
BeIN owns a huge amount of the league’s overseas broadcast rights, and were they to cancel their contract with the league it would cost Serie A in the region of $500million.
BeoutQ is a Saudi Arabian station which illegally broadcasts many tv channels, particularly BeIN Sports, who are currently suing the company for $1billion.
A BeIn spokesman commented: ‘BeIN is actively reconsidering its entire commercial relationship with Serie A following the league’s decision to go ahead with its Super Cup match next month in Saudi Arabia, the country responsible for the mass theft of the league’s premium sports rights for over two years.
‘It is astonishing that the league has decided to press ahead despite all the evidence of the damage that has been done to the league’s business by BeoutQ, Saudi’s pirate operation.
‘It is remarkable what Serie A is seemingly prepared to jeopardise – not only all the financial revenues from one of its biggest broadcaster partners, but also the exposure BeIN gives to the league in markets all around the world, from Europe to Asia and all across the Middle East and North Africa. Serie A’s leadership is putting at risk all of this, in favour of making a quick buck from the very entity that has been stealing its rights for two years.’
However, Serie A’s Luigi Di Siervo said: “When I was elected as Lega Serie A chief executive in February 2019, I found a multi-year agreement to play the next Italian Super Cup finals in Saudi Arabia.”
The Australian Open and Mastercard will extend their global partnership in a new multi-year deal announced today.
As the Official Payment Partner, Mastercard is set to deliver a range of unforgettable experiences throughout the tournament to fans onsite and around the world.
“There is an incredible synergy between the Australian Open and Mastercard,” Tennis Australia Chief Revenue and Experiential Officer Richard Heaselgrave said.
“I’m delighted we have the opportunity to work together to continue to enhance the fan experience, both here at Melbourne Park, and globally via our online platforms.
“As the Australian Open evolves, we look to collaborate with world-class brands that share our vision for celebrating elite sport, innovation and one-of-a-kind experiences.
“The level of choice this January is unprecedented, and we have worked incredibly hard to expand our food, entertainment and family friendly offerings, with Mastercard aligning perfectly in helping us create lifetime memories for millions of fans.”
“Mastercard is thrilled to once again be partnering with Tennis Australia to put on another magical Australian Open in 2020,” said Rustom Dastoor, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Asia Pacific, Mastercard.
“This world-class tournament offers Mastercard infinite possibilities to create priceless experiences for cardholders and consumers around the world that will bring the tournament to life in meaningful ways that are sure to leave a lasting impression – whether they’re watching a match from the stands, or following along online from the comfort of home.”
As anyone who regularly attends football matches in England and Wales can attest, persistent standing at football matches has been an issue for a number of years.
Fans who stand at games in the Premier League and the Championship are constantly requested to sit by stewards.
A number of football fans have been campaigning for the ban on standing at stadiums should be lifted, but the current model of all-seater stadiums does not safely allow for this.
However, a new seating concept has been devised, called 2020 Seating, which solves the problems of persistent standing, from both the club and fan perspective.
If you’re short and can’t see or don’t want to stand for long periods, you probably won’t see the most exciting action when other fans stand in front of you. That is essentially what we set out to solve.
Potential problems exist for fans that may not be able to stand for a full 90-minute match and therefore require the use of seats, where their view of the game, the reason they paid their ticket, is then blocked or impaired. This is also problematic for younger people and children who are attending the games.
2020 Seating solves these dilemmas, by eliminating the problem of persistent standing at football grounds and delivering a safe environment for all. It enables supporters to see the action, even if everyone around them is standing, and includes a guardrail to block supporters from falling. They can be set out in a theatre style, with off-set seat centres in alternate rows, which further improves fans’ views or in the traditional lines of seats i.e. one behind another. You can also enjoy an enhanced level of comfort as the seats are fitted with armrests and footrests, with design options to accommodate ambulant disabled fans.
This concept has been developed by Noel Jeffs and Michael Cunnah, who have over 40 years’ combined stadium management experience gained at a senior management level at Wembley Stadium, Aston Villa Football Club, Galatasaray Sport Kulubu, Turkey and Al Ain FC, UAE. The elevated seats ensure that all supporters’ eye levels are the same regardless of whether they’re sitting or standing, and Cunnah said: “With conventional seats, if you’re short and can’t see or don’t want to stand for long periods, you probably won’t see the most exciting action when other fans stand in front of you. This is no longer a problem if 2020 seats are installed”.
The 2020 seats have been installed in the family stand at Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park Stadium, and also at Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC’s Easter Road ground. They are produced by 2020 Seating Ltd in conjunction with Alderdale Seating, and have been cleared for installation in stadia throughout England and Wales under the UK Government’s ‘all-seater’ stadium policy by the Sports Ground Safety Authority.
Installing the seats in a theatre-style layout mitigates the risk of fans spilling into the gangways which makes the areas where 2020 Seats are installed incredibly safe.
Noel Jeffs added: “A lot of clubs actually have problems when everybody stands as fans spill into the gangways. There’s also a high risk that they will topple over seats in front, particularly during goal celebrations. We started thinking about how best we can mitigate all these issues and we solved the problem by raising the seats, which also enables the guardrail to be raised to the regulatory 1.1m in height.
“The seat is also multifunctional as it improves the customer experience and allows for the inclusion of families and disabled fans. There is also a cost benefit in terms of reducing stadium and temporary stand construction costs.”
Michael Davies, General Manager at Wycombe Wanderers, said: “As a club, we’re very open-minded about trying new things. We’ve reached a point where we were looking to upgrade to provide something better and safer for our families as the existing seats got older. The bespoke 2020 Seat installation in the Frank Adams Stand at Wycombe has also proven to be a cost-effective solution to reprofiling the old standing terrace, which has avoided the cost of demolition and reconstruction.
“I think the best thing about these seats is that they’re not typically like most rail seats. They are off-set so if someone stands in front of me, I can look through the gap over their shoulder. We hope to install more of these seats around the ground when the time comes. I’d have no hesitation in recommending it to other clubs.”
Clubs such as Wolves and Tottenham Hotspurs have installed seats with barriers where everyone stands. Those that wish to sit go elsewhere in the stadium.
The 2020 seat is a hybrid and therefore means that fans don’t need to choose between sitting or standing. Installing the 2020 seat give the “standers” and the “sitters” what they want in a safe environment that is compliant with Green Guide 6.
No longer is “sitting or standing” a decision that fans have to make – they can do both whenever they wish.
Those wishing for more information can visit www.2020seat.co.uk or contact info@2020seat.co.uk.
With the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup well underway and the semi-finals and final taking place this weekend, it was a great time to interview Joan Cusco Carbo, VP and CEO of Beach Soccer Worldwide.
The Beach Soccer World Cup is taking place in Paraguay for the first time, so iSportconnect asked Joan how the event is going, what the sport has been developing in recent years and how they adapt as a sport.
So, how has the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup been going so far?
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup always brings great, unforgettable moments, and so far it has been no different. With the best teams in the world competing, and the unique atmosphere of a World Cup, excitement and thrill were always guaranteed.
Paraguay is hosting a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup for the first time, the first FIFA event in their history! This means that the evolution of the sport is reaching new frontiers. The APF have been doing a great job both on and off the pitch, and the growth they have brought to beach soccer has been rewarded with the possibility to host the biggest competition in the sport.
Every year, more and more national associations embrace beach soccer, realise its potential, and make it a part of their programme.
Where has the sport seen the best development in recent years?
Beach Soccer has not stopped growing for the past few years and in 2019 we have seen confirmation of that. We have had new teams coming to take part in competitions, and have taken another huge step forward of women’s beach soccer, with the inclusion of new national teams taking part at the international level. We have also had new events being born, with the World Winners Cup, a global club competition, ready to become bigger and bigger in the coming years. I would also not like to forget our role in the Olympic movement, either, as beach soccer has featured in the first ever ANOC World Beach Games, becoming one of the highlights of the games, and being one of the pillars of the second European Games, held this summer in Minsk
How do you continue to work on expanding Beach Soccer as a whole?
There is only one way to do it: working hand in hand with the national associations and the different confederations, so that we jointly built solid ground together. Every year, more and more national associations embrace beach soccer, realise its potential, and make it a part of their programme, which is the key not only for the international competitions to keep growing healthily, but also for the grassroots programs to successfully bring more athletes in.
Sponsorship and TV Rights distribution concepts are constantly changing and you need to keep up to date to be competitive in this pool and keep positioning yourself as an attractive sport for brands and media.
What are the areas you see as having the best potential for growing the sport?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the development of women’s beach soccer. 2019, as we promised, has seen an amazing improvement in this field, with both national teams and clubs competitions taking place in new areas of the world, to make this year the busiest one in the history of women’s beach soccer. This has to be seen as the confirmation of the potential women’s beach soccer possesses, we just need to work steadily to make this potential blossom into a solid structure of competitions
What are the main difficulties for Beach Soccer as a sport and how do you conquer them?
Like all sports, we need to keep exploring the income possibilities that support any kind of growth. Sponsorship and TV Rights distribution concepts are constantly changing and you need to keep up to date to be competitive in this pool and keep positioning yourself as an attractive sport for brands and media. Otherwise, without that projection, future gets harder and harder. Fortunately for us, beach soccer has always been an appealing sport through its uniqueness. We need to keep working to maintaining the unique presence, as it makes beach soccer so special and attractive to brands and media, and at the same time put all of our effort in to enlarge our fanbase at the same time as making our athletes base grow.
Finally, what have you been most pleased about this year and what are you most looking forward to in 2020?
I couldn’t highlight only one thing! It is the combination of new events, the strengthening of old relationships, the growth of the players and the teams, and the increasing interest from TV and media. The combination of those things showcases the real place the sport finds itself at and the projection it must follow. This is exactly the road we want to follow in the coming season, incorporating more and more people, more countries, more televisions and broadcasters.