Community, Author at iSportConnect

Inter Milan CEO: “Our Chinese Exposure Has Helped Boost Revenue”

Following Inter Milan’s release of record financial results yesterday, CEO Corporate Alessandro Antonello expressed confidence about the renewal of major sponsorship agreements and the progress of the new Milan stadium project.

Last season, Inter’s consolidated revenues increased by 20% to reach €417 million, the highest-ever figure achieved by the club, while the EBITDA grew by 53% to €105.2 million. The net result was a loss of €48.4 million, attributed to the significant investments made to strengthen on-field performances.

Here’s what Antonello had to say in his press conference:

“We’re satisfied with the work that has been carried out in the past few years, we’ve more than doubled our revenue since Suning came in. Our increase in turnover is obviously also linked to the exposure of our brand on the Chinese market, but we have also come together to make agreements with 16 new partners, so we also consider regional and local growth important. We’ll continue to work on these two levels simultaneously.”

On the possibility of renewing sponsorship agreements with Nike and Pirelli:

“At the moment, we can say that we have finalised an agreement with Nike for the renewal of retail and licensing rights, starting from November. It’s a very important phase because it will open up new frontiers and allow us to explore new markets. It’s an important opportunity for growth, something which represents a pillar for all major European Clubs.”

“Our relationship with Pirelli has lasted 20 years and we have a contract until 2021. To date, there are no alternatives on the table, we’ll work together to address whether there are opportunities to be had.”

On the number of Nerazzurri fans throughout the world, a figure which is constantly growing:

“Our fans’ support allowed us to break the one-million barrier for the total number of spectators who attended San Siro last season and our average attendance was 61,000, the highest in Italy for the fourth successive year and the fifth highest in Europe ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Arsenal. Beyond that, the most important data is the constant growth of our numbers.”

“The growth of our digital channels is testament to this. The figures in this respect are also record-breaking: we had 22 million followers in June and now we’re up to 28 million. This amounts to a very high growth rate, thanks to the content produced by our very own Inter Media House. This content is of high quality and also targets youngsters and women.”

On the new Milan stadium project:

“We’ve begun a journey with the Institutions of the City of Milan. A feasibility study has been submitted, and this represents an idea for an important area like San Siro. Discussions are taking place with the Institutions, citizens and fans, we’re taking on board all the feedback that is being given to us. We are firmly convinced of the project that we have presented and the Ipsos survey has told us that 64% of citizens see everything in a positive light.”

Leadership Masterclass Speaker Spotlight: Javier Tebas

Javier Tebas is the current President of LaLiga, he will be speaking the iSportconnect Leadership Masterclass on the 27th of November.

He will be speaking alongside Keith Pelley, CEO of The European Tour, Chloe Targett-Adams from Formula One and a number of others.

Bio

Javier Tebas Medrano (San José, Costa Rica, 1962), Spanish, holds a degree in Law from the University of Zaragoza.

He founded his own firm specializing in Business Law, later incorporating areas of sports law and bankruptcy law.

He has served as legal advisor to several Spanish and foreign clubs and sports entities (SAD), as well as a director of numerous bankruptcy proceedings of companies and sporting institutions. In addition, he serves on the boards of several national and international associations.

Tebas exercises regularly as a speaker and guest lecturer at conferences, courses and seminars in Spain and Latin America, is the author of several publications and articles in professional journals and a regular contributor to newspapers, radio and television. He also teaches at various masters within the sport and commercial areas.

The president of LaLiga, has been president of the SD Huesca and has held various offices and positions in the national football league, most notably as a member of its Executive Committee, first vice president or second vice president of LaLiga before becoming the president of LaLiga.

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 Leadership Masterclass, please contact Joe Condon at joe@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The Leadership 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.

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

Pringles Partner With NBA For 2020 Paris Game

The National Basketball Association have announced a partnership with Pringles, making the Promotional Partner of the NBA Paris Game 2020.

Pringles will offer consumers who purchase their snacks through a retailer, a chance to win tickets to the NBA Paris Game 2020. Pringles is teaming up with key social media influencers, with the support of NBA and Pringles social media channels, to give fans a further opportunity to win tickets.

Following the move from London, where the league has played one of its regular-season fixtures for the past seven consecutive seasons, 2020 will be the first time an NBA game has been played in Paris.

Chinese Sportswear Brand ANTA Becomes Official IOC Uniform Supplier

The International Olympic Committee has announced that Chinese Sportswear company ANTA has become its official uniform supplier until the end of 2022.

This agreement, which covers apparel, shoes and accessories, will mean ANTA supply IOC members and staff for the next four major IOC events, beginning with the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne next year.

During the signing ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are delighted to announce this long-term agreement with ANTA. We were very pleased by the excellent quality and designs of the uniforms delivered for PyeongChang 2018 and Buenos Aires 2018, and we have been very impressed by the professionalism, great service spirit and flexibility of the ANTA team.”

“ANTA is a strong partner of the Olympic Movement, and we thank it for its commitment to sport in China as well as its partnership with the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. We look forward to wearing its uniforms with pride in Lausanne, Tokyo, Beijing and Dakar.”

Ding Shizhong, the Executive Chairman of the Board and the CEO of ANTA Sports, said: “We feel honoured to work with the IOC. ANTA’s value of ‘Keep Moving’ echoes with the Olympic motto of ‘higher, faster, stronger’. We would take this opportunity to build a bridge that inspires broader exchanges and communication for Chinese culture and Olympic culture.

“As our brand grows in China and in the international arena, we will keep on promoting the Olympic spirit and culture in our markets by helping our consumers approach the charm of the Olympics in a more accessible way, and bring the transcendent sports spirit into everyone’s daily life,” he added.

Ligue 1 Teams Up With StadiumGo

LFP, the French professional football league, has agreed a deal with StadiumGo, a carpool app for sporting events.

StadiumGo’s ride-sharing app is intended for fans to be able to use in order to get lifts to games together, both to reduce the amount of cars travelling to games and to get fans interacting with each other.

Romain Lauvergnat, founder of StadiumGo, said: “It is important for us to offer new mobility solutions dedicated to fans, while strengthening the links between them through the experience of carpooling between supporters.

“This agreement makes it possible to show that the world of sport is mobilized in the face of current environmental issues and we are very proud to be able to benefit from the support of the Professional Football League.”

Belgian Pro League Aided By LaLiga With Anti-Piracy Tools

LaLiga are helping out the Belgian First Division as both leagues attempt to tackle one of the biggest problems for sports leagues and broadcasters, illegal streaming.

Piracy is a major problem in sport, with LaLiga utilising a number of different tools to challenge the issue, so they are partnering with the Belgian league to share these offerings in order for both to benefit from the system.

Emilio Fernández, the Head of Content Protection at LaLiga, said: “I am happy with the relationship I have with the likes of Google, Facebook and YouTube. I think they collaborate with us. Maybe they can do more, sure. But I am happy with the way that I can find a video and they remove it more or less immediately. With social media we can find more videos of course, but I am happy. For me, the problem is not social media.”

“Today we have all the tools for blocking, but we don’t have the law,” said Fernández. “I would like to have a law for it to be faster to block IPTV and illegal streaming.”

ONE MONTH TO GO: iSportconnect Leadership Masterclass

There is now just one month until the iSportconnect 2019 Leadership Masterclass in London will take place.

The event, which will be held at Withersworldwide, will cover a number of different topics and be headlined by interviews with Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga, and Keith Pelley, CEO of The European Tour.

Our latest two speakers to be added to the lineup are Luca Ferrari, Global Head of Sport for Withersworldwide, and Steve Martin, the New York Times bestselling author.

To register your interest in attending the 2019 iSportconnect Leadership Masterclass, please contact Joe Condon at joe@isportconnect.com

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

Coca-Cola Signs Deal With Juventus

Juventus and Coca-Cola have signed a two-year partnership deal that will see the drinks company become the official partner of the club on Italian territory.

Giorgio Ricci, Juventus Chief Revenue Officer, said: “A brand like Coca-Cola fits perfectly into the current development strategy of the Club, also through collaborations with partners of great value and prestige. This agreement will focus on enhancing the Italian market, which is very important for both, through the activities we are going to implement together. The ambition to grow together in the near future remains constant.”

Alex Zigliara, General Director of Coca-Cola Italy, added: “Coca-Cola has always been close to the world of football and invites everyone to get together, spend happy and positive moments while supporting their favorite team. We are excited to share this passion and communicate these values together with an icon of sport like Juventus.”

On-site Betting To Occur On PGA Tour Next Year

Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA Tour, has told AFP there is a plan for on-site betting to be allowed at events from next year.

Monahan said: “You’ll start to see product in the market place next year. It’s all about engagement. When done right, it gives fans the opportunity to engage with your sport over a longer period of time and have more interest in what’s happening across the entire player field.”

The betting markets that will be introduced, however, was not something covered. That will be a key source of intrigue to both supporters and those in the golf world as to what could be offered by the Tour with this product, with corruption always a wary topic in the sports world.

“We’ve done a ton of work to make certain that that’s the position we’re in. I think when we come forward, you’ll see that we’ve taken significant steps to address that. We’re going to participate in a thoughtful way and I’m really comfortable with that,” the commissioner added.

“It’s legalised in a lot of international markets and we’ve put the right systems in place, both in terms of an integrity programme and monitoring activity. As it is becoming legalised by state in the US, you can either participate or not, and we feel smarter to be participating.”

DAZN Strikes Up Boxing Partnership With Snapchat

DAZN has announced a new deal with Snapchat to produce content and two new shows around the company’s major boxing events.

The streaming service has signed a number of high-profile boxing deals, the biggest of which being the $365 million contract with Canelo Alvarez for 11 fights, also having an agreement with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

Jamie Horowitz, EVP Content for DAZN North America, said: “The DAZN Snapchat slate will bring fight fans closer to the action while allowing us to showcase the sport to an entirely new audience.

“These shows were specifically developed to leverage the Snapchat platform and highlight the sport’s most thrilling moments. Viewers can expect everything from quick cut highlights on fight night to exclusive access from a fighter’s locker room moments before a bout.”