Lagadère To Fight CAF Decision To Cancel Sponsorship

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have decided to permanently end their billion-dollar agreement nine years before its planned conclusion.

Lagadère had signed a 12-year agreement with CAF in 2016, but the federation have now ceased the deal, which had seen the agency cover CAF’s media and sponsorship sales rights globally until 2028.

CAF have cancelled the deal after an investigation started in 2017 by Comesa (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) Competition Commission (CCC) surrounding alleged anti-competitive agreements between stakeholders and CAF.

Lagadère released a statement on the announcement, saying: “Lagardère strongly contests this decision, which, in its view, is unlawful, unreasonable and unjustified.

“Lagardère maintains that there is no reason – including the ongoing investigation by the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC), which has yet to issue its decision – to cancel the agreement at this stage.

“Lagardère deeply regrets this situation and has asked the CAF to adopt a more reasonable position and honour its commitments.

“Failing this, Lagardère will take any and all action to defend its interests and obtain compensation for any harm it may suffer.”

Italian Football’s Supercoppa Returns To Saudi Arabia

Italian Football’s Supercoppa will go to Saudi Arabia for a second consecutive season in Decemeber.

Lazio and Juventus will face off for the title, which pits the winner of Serie A and the Coppa Italia against one another, on the 22nd of December.

The match will be hosted at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, after Lega Serie A agreed a deal in 2018 to host three of the next five fixtures in the country.

Juventus and Lazio had been urged to boycott the match by Italian Broadcaster Rai, citing human rights concerns, however the match has now been confirmed.

 

IOC And Airbnb Reportedly Agree On Nine-Year Deal

The Sports Business Journal reports that the International Olympic Committee and Airbnb are set to reveal a new worldwide sponsorship deal.

This deal would be for nine years and run until the end of the Los Angeles games in 2028.

They would be introduced into the IOC’s TOP programme and become the 14th partner to be confirmed into that elite group of IOC sponsorship.

NBA TV Network Will Launch Subscription Service

Partnering with Turner Sports, NBA TV will now be available for customers via a subscription offering.

They will now be the first league TV channel to offer a direct-to-consumer subscription. The channel will broadcast over 100 live matches, and allow users to view NBA TV content on mobile, with it now being accessible through the NBA app.

Chris Benyarko, the NBA’s senior vice president for DTC, said: “NBA TV is the ultimate destination for around-the-clock access to premium NBA games and programming. We are thrilled to offer more ways than ever to access NBA TV and provide a preview of the future live game viewing experience.”

“Innovation has always been at the core of our NBA Digital partnership. The launch of this direct-to-consumer product, paired with new content initiatives, will provide NBA fans even greater opportunities to engage with NBA TV and our collective portfolio of brands,” Executive Vice President and General Manager of Turner Sports, Tina Shah, commented.

One Month To Go: iSportconnect Dubai Summit

There is now just one month until the iSportconnect Dubai Summit!

We are looking forward to hosting the event, which will take place at the Dubai Sports Council‘s headquarters, on the 5th of December.

iSportconnect are also delighted to reveal that H.E Saeed Mohammed Hareb, General Secretary of the Dubai Sports Council, will be giving an opening to the day’s events.

We can also announce that Kinda Ibrahim, Director of Partnerships – MEA, Pakistan and Russia at Twitter and Arjoon Bose, Europe-Australia Head of Brands Experience, Creative and Partnerships at General Mills.

This adds to our fantastic list of speakers who are already confirmed to take part in the event. They are Manu Sawhney, CEO of the International Cricket Council, Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby, Alexander Brown, Commissioner of Major League Lacrosse, Christian Volk, Director of eFootball and Gaming at FIFA, Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, and Juli Ferre, Commercial and Marketing Officer at AS Monaco.

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

Invitation Policy: The Dubai Summit 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.

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

Bruin Sports Capital Gets $600m Boost

Bruin Sports Capital has announced a wide-ranging, long-term strategic partnership with renowned private equity firms CVC Capital Partners and The Jordan Company.

The deal gives Bruin access to billions in capital, plus a global network of resources from the partners beginning with an initial combined investment for $600 million.

George Pyne, Founder and CEO of Bruin Sports Capital, said: “We are extremely proud to have the partnership and support of CVC Capital Partners and The Jordan Company, not only for what it says about our progress but also what it means for our businesses and future opportunities.

“To be able to say to a partner that on top of our track record and user-friendly model, we can tap into all the capital and global resources necessary to accelerate their business is quite powerful. As we enter this next chapter for Bruin, and with our partners, we will be even more bold and aggressive in building the platforms that lead the sports and entertainment industry forward.”

Chris Stadler, Managing Partner at CVC Capital Partners, added: “George and his team have built an impressive franchise, and we are delighted to be partnering with them to invest in and develop high-growth, high-performing global sports and entertainment companies. Our extensive European network and deep experience in sports, media, and entertainment ideally complement Bruin’s impressive existing platform.”

“We are excited to partner with George, an extremely talented leader with an exceptional track record of business transformation, that continues with Bruin Sports Capital,” said Rich Caputo, Chief Executive Partner of The Jordan Company. “In a sector undergoing fundamental shifts to the way it does business, he and the team have demonstrated a unique ability to uncover potential and turn it into significant value. We are going to provide the full gamut of our resources to Bruin and the partnership, and we look forward to great things ahead.”

Susanna Dinnage To Step Down From Discovery

Global President of Animal Planet at Discovery, Susanna Dinnage, will be leaving her role at the company.

This news comes less than 12 months after Dinnage turned down joining the Premier League as Chief Executive to replace Richard Scudamore, after reneging on an agreement to take up the role.

Discovery will be undergoing a restructure which will see Discovery and Factual’s Chief Brand Officer take control of Animal Planet.

David Zaslav, Discovery President and Chief Executive, said: “As we thought about this new structure, we arrived at the difficult conclusion that there is no longer a need for a standalone president role for Animal Planet. Susanna Dinnage, who has been an integral and deeply valued member of our leadership team for a decade, is supportive of this decision and will step down from her role as global president of Animal Planet and leave Discovery at the end of the year.

“Susanna has made enormous contributions here, first in her role overseeing Discovery’s 14 UK brands and businesses and steering the London-based production and development department and, most recently, leading Animal Planet.”

Dinnage added: “I have had an incredible decade at Discovery and been privileged to be part of such a purpose-driven, and truly global, company. As the world looks ever more closely at conservation, the past two years at Animal Plant have been particularly rewarding. It’s a very exciting time to be in the world of media and content and I look forward to the future.”

XFL Streaming Rights Secured By ESPN

ESPN will be streaming every game of the new XFL season, including the playoffs, to fans in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

This new deal will give fans the chance to watch more than 40 XFL football games live and on-demand on desktop, tablet, Android TV and mobile.

The 2020 XFL is due to kick off on Saturday 8 February when the DC Defenders host the Seattle Dragons at 7pm GMT.

Bragg Gaming Group, In Partnership Alongside Kambi, Join With Seneca Gaming Corporation

Bragg gaming Group have announced an agreement, in partnership with Kambi, with Seneca Gaming Corporation.

The deal will need to be approved by regulators, however it signals clear intent from a U.S. Casino to move into sports betting, as this becomes their first major casino and sportsbook deal.

Dominic Mansour, CEO, Bragg Gaming Group, said: “The agreement with Seneca and Kambi is a game-changer for Bragg. The U.S. casino and sports betting market is rapidly expanding, and Bragg’s ORYX’s expertise in PAM, casino, marketing and operations services, and integrations between land based and online, positions us well to take advantage of this growth. Entering the market with two such strong partners as Kambi and Seneca is an ideal scenario.”

Kristian Nylén, Chief Executive Officer of Kambi, commented: “I’m delighted to agree this sports betting agreement with Seneca Gaming Corporation, along with Bragg Gaming, a platform and gaming provider that will enable a fully-managed sportsbook and gaming service.”

Speaking on the deal, Holly Gagnon, President and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation, added: “The agreement with Bragg and Kambi is a huge win for our customers. Providing access to sports betting has been something that our customers have long looked forward to, and Bragg’s world-class casino and player account management services, together with Kambi’s market-leading sports wagering products, will create a fantastic customer experience that we can’t wait to offer.”

Celta Vigo Sign Sponsorship Deal With Maldives Government

RC Celta and the Maldives government have signed a sponsorship and collaboration agreement for the next three years.

The agreement is worth close to a reported $2.5 million, and includes the promotion of the country on the first team’s home and training jersey sleeves as well as on the official bus and various areas in the Abanca Balaídos stadium and training camps.

RC Celta President Carlos Mouriño said: “It is an honour and an enormous satisfaction for us, RC Celta, that we have been chosen to promote the beauties of their islands,” he said during the presentation of the team’s new sponsor.”

“We would like to thank RC Celta for allowing us to bring the sunny side of the Maldives to this club. We’d like us to be the sunny side of the RC Celta from now on,” commented Minister of Tourism for the Maldives government, Ali Waheed. “This agreement will greatly promote tourism and sport and will strengthen the backbone of our national team and all of our country’s football.”