Werner Becher Appointed SportRadar Managing Director Of U.S. Betting

Sportradar has announced the appointment of Werner Becher as its new Managing Director of U.S. Betting.

Becher most recently served as CEO of Interwetten, where he was responsible for the global strategic positioning of the sports betting operator. In his new role at Sportradar, Becher will be focused on the growth, development and execution of the company’s betting strategy.

Werner Becher, MD of U.S. Betting, Sportradar, said: “I am thrilled to have joined Sportradar during such an exciting period. I look forward to working closely with Carsten, Tony and management to grow our market share and ensure the future success of the organisation.”

“We are delighted to welcome Werner as our Managing Director of U.S. Betting,” said Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer, Sportradar. “Since we first opened for business in the U.S. several years ago, we have experienced the rapid growth of sports betting in the region and fully expect this to continue for many more years as new states regulate. I am confident that Werner’s deep expertise will help us to both maximise the tremendous opportunity we have to grow our market share and further enable the expansion of this key market.”

 Sportradar recently acquired betting and gaming platform Optima.

Nike And Under Armour Announce Hiring Of New CEOs

Nike

Nike have announced that John Donahoe (pictured right) will be appointed as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Jan. 13, 2020.

Donahoe will replace Mark Parker (pictured left), who had held the role of CEO since 2006, who will become Executive Chairman and continue to lead the Board of Directors.

“It is an honor to become President and CEO of this amazing, innovative company, and to join the more than 76,000 talented and passionate employees dedicated to serving athletes,” said Donahoe. “Over the last five years, I’ve been proud to be connected to Nike through my role on the Board and now look forward to being a full-time member of the team, working even more closely with Mark, building on Nike’s success and seizing the opportunities ahead.”

Parker said: “This is an exciting time for Nike where we see brand strength and momentum throughout the world and great opportunity for future growth. I look forward to continuing to lead the Board as Executive Chairman, as well as partnering closely with John and the management team to help him transition to his new role.”

Under Armour

Meanwhile, Under Armour have announced that Patrik Frisk will become the company’s Chief Executive Officer on the 1st of January, 2020, taking over from Kevin Plank, who founded the organisation in 1996.

Plank said: “Our multi-year, transition approach has ensured purposeful leadership continuity. Patrik is the right person to serve as Under Armour’s next CEO. As my partner during the most transformative chapter in our history, he has been exceptional in his ability to translate our brand’s vision into world-class execution by focusing on our long-term strategy and re-engineering our ecosystem through a strategic, operational and cultural transformation.”

Under Armour President & COO Patrik Frisk added, “I joined Under Armour to be part of an iconic brand that demonstrated the power of sport and premium experience, when properly harnessed, is capable of unlimited possibilities. Today, I am even more resolute in this conviction. The opportunity that lies ahead of us is incredible. As our entire global team continues to lean hard into our transformation, I am honoured to lead this great brand toward the realization of its full potential.”

LaLiga Opens South Africa Office As Growth Continues

LaLiga has opened a new office in Johannesburg due to the success the league is having throughout South Africa.

Just four years ago LaLiga created their first permanent presence within the country and they have since created a number of partnerships with sponsors, broadcasters and the South African Football Association within the country.

Today, LaLiga is the second most popular foreign league in South Africa, when sx years ago it was not even possible to watch the league in the country, highlighting the massive growth.

“LaLiga has evolved from being an unknown brand for South Africans to being the second-most important foreign league in the country,” explained Marcos Pelegrin, recently appointed as Managing Director for LaLiga South Africa. “This is a huge achievement, as the English league has a historical relationship with the territory. It shows how much attention LaLiga, its teams and its players generate in the country.”

China And SportAccord Prepare For April Summit

Raffaele Chiulli, the President of SportAccord and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), has hailed preparations for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2020 on a visit to the event’s host city of Beijing, China.

Beijing will host the summit next April and Chiulli’s meeting with key figures behind SportAccord 2020 and the broader development of sport in China was productive. 

Chiulli said: “After being briefed on the impressive preparations by various stakeholders, we have been left in no doubt that plans are on track to deliver a truly memorable SportAccord next year. With six months to go, this trip has given us the ideal opportunity to gauge the level of excitement that is building ahead of what promises to be an unmissable event.”

Sportsbet.io Expands Flamengo Partnership

Sportsbet.io have opted to extend their partnership with Brazilian Football Club Flamengo.

The company had signed a three-month agreement with the club, however they have now extended the deal which will also include shirt sponsorship.

Tim Heath, CEO of Sportsbet.io said: “We are incredibly proud to be a global partner of Flamengo, which is no doubt, the biggest club in Brazillian football. Starting our relationship as a Digital and Media Partner in 2019, it was a simple decision to take our sponsorship to the next level, and have our logo on the famous red and black shirt.

Doug Scott Hired As Twitch Chief Marketing Officer

Streaming service Twitch has hired Doug Scott as their new Chief Marketing Officer.

Scott was most recently the CMO at Zynga and has joined Twitch as the company is experiencing a period of rapid expansion, also recently announcing a deal to stream every game of the Australian NBL season.

“Twitch is revolutionizing entertainment through its massive and highly engaged community of creators and fans,” a statement released by Scott announced. “I could not be more excited to join this incredible team and help to bring Twitch’s unique culture, brand and its passionate community to new audiences and global markets.”

Eurosport and ATP Tour Expand Partnership In Five European Countries

Eurosport has strengthened its position as the premier destination for tennis fans in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia by securing exclusive ATP Tour rights in a series of new multi-year deals.

The agreements, which commence in Romania and Hungary in 2020 and the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2021, include 41 ATP Tour events in each of the four markets, reinforcing Eurosport’s commitment to super-serve passionate communities of the sport’s fans with the very best coverage and content all-year-round.

Laurent Prud’homme, SVP Rights Acquisitions & Syndication for Eurosport, said: “Eurosport is all about powering people’s passion for sport through delivering the best experiences and content across all screens. Expanding our position in tennis is a major win for fans in these countries, who will enjoy enhanced coverage of the best players in the world week-in, week-out.

“Building on our innovative coverage of all four Grand Slams, we will truly become the Home of Tennis in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. As broadcast partner of the ATP and ATP Media in 11 European markets now, we look forward to maximising the scale of our partnership to super-serve tennis fans locally on all Eurosport platforms and devices.”

NBA And Tabcorp Agree Partnership Deal

The NBA has signed a new multi-year partnership deal with betting and gaming company Tabcorp in Australia.

Tabcorp will now become an authorised betting operator of the NBA in the country and the deal also means that NBA games will now be broadcast on Tabcorp’s Sky Channel.

Adam Rytenskild, Tabcorp managing director of wagering and media, said: “Our goal is to support the growing appetite in Australia for the NBA, which currently features the strongest contingent of Australian players we have ever seen.

“The NBA is popular with our customers, and we are proud to establish this partnership to bring fans of the competition a wide range of action in pubs, clubs and TABs. This creates an expanded sports offering, gives fans and our venue partners more value, and complements Sky’s unrivalled coverage of Australian and international racing.”

ANNOUNCEMENT: Extreme E and AS Monaco Confirmed For Dubai Summit

iSportconnect are happy to reveal the two latest speakers confirmed for our Dubai Summit on the 5th of December.

They will be Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, and Juli Ferré, Commercial and Marketing Director at AS Monaco Football Club.

Already confirmed to speak at our Dubai event is Manu Sawhney, ICC Chief Executive Officer, Brett Gosper, Chief Executive Officer of World Rugby, Alexander Brown, the Commissioner of Major League Lacrosse and Christian Volk, Director of eFootball and Gaming at FIFA.

ALI RUSSELL

Director of New Business, FIA Formula E / Chief Marketing Officer, Extreme E

Ali Russell has been working in the sports industry for over 20 years, with a career spanning across multiple sports, including roles in rugby, football and motorsport. He has worked in several high-profile positions including Chief Operating Officer at Rangers, Managing Director at Queens Park Rangers, and Chief Marketing Officer at FIA Formula E.

Ali is currently setting up Extreme E, a pioneering new series set to revolutionise motorsport. Starting in 2021, Extreme E will see electric SUVs compete in remote environments which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage, which has so far confirmed Greenland and the Amazon as race locations, will highlight the impact of climate change and human interference, whilst promoting the adoption of electric vehicles to help protect the planet. A sport for purpose, Extreme E will work alongside local NGOs and leading scientists to implement positive legacy initiatives in each location and aims to use sport as a powerful tool for education and action.

JULI FERRÉ

Commercial and Marketing Director

Juli has almost 15 years of experience developing international sponsorship strategies for top entertainment and sports properties. He started his journey with Cirque du Soleil in 2005 in the Netherlands before he switched into the sports industry through Beach Soccer in 2007- the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 in Dubai being his main highlight.

After several years in Switzerland with FIBA, Juli came back to Barcelona in 2013 to lead the international development and global sponsorship for FC Barcelona. In 2017 he joined AS Monaco FC as Commercial and Marketing Director, with the main objective to develop the brand globally and develop the overall business of the club.

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 Garcia brandon@isportconnect.com