The International Cricket Council was the world’s top sports rights owner in social media during July, thanks to the ICC Cricket World Cup, which ended July 14. The latest survey by sponsorship analytics and evaluation platform Hookit puts the NBA in second place, even though it’s the off-season for that league. See the whole TOP 10 on iSportconnect TV.
AC Milan Launches New App With Live Friendly
AC Milan has released a new mobile application, exclusively on the iOS platform, with streaming of a club match tonight (Monday 19 August) at 8:30 PM CET of the club’s friendly at Cesena. The match will be available for free via the new app with live commentary in English.
Available for free in Italian and English, the App offers an all-round immersive experience with live events, exclusive content, daily news and updates, as well as integrated ticket and merchandise stores.
After the exclusive, the app will be launched on Android for the Serie A season start on Saturday August 24.
One of the main features of the app has been designed to be the best matchday live experience for all AC Milan supporters, providing them with official line-ups, player stats, live blogging and up-to-the-second updates and alerts. This feature also gives fans the opportunity to vote for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the match.
The App also delivers exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access from Milanello, Casa Milan, Vismara and San Siro, giving supporters an insight into the Club and its players.
The new app is also a direct gateway to the social media accounts of all players and influential club personalities with its ‘Daily Best of’ feature, which includes the best and most popular content shared on Instagram and Twitter.
The App also provides quick links for fans to buy matchday tickets and official merchandise through direct access to the Club’s online store.
To celebrate the launch of the new mobile application, supporters will have the opportunity to watch the friendly match between AC Milan and Cesena through the App on August 17th at 8.30pm CEST. The match will be available for free with live commentary in English.
Casper Stylsvig, the Club’s Chief Revenue Officer, said: “The launch of the official AC Milan App is an important step towards the Club’s digitalization process. There will be further developments over the coming months that will allow the Club to improve the level of service and satisfaction for both fans and commercial partners.”
Lamberto Siega, Marketing & Digital Director, added: “The new AC Milan App completes the Club’s B2C digital ecosystem. The key focus is to provide our fans with a hub that offers an immersive and exclusive experience. This will allow us to know our fans better through data, which in turn means offering them a more relevant and personalized experience.”
Tokyo 2020 Unveils Live Sites For Local Fan Engagement
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) has finalised its selection of 30 Live Site venues in nine prefectures across Japan, including a new venue in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture.
The Live Sites are an integral part of Tokyo 2020’s plan to bring the excitement of the Tokyo 2020 Games to local communities. This will allow everyone the chance to be closer to the Games and be part of a shared experience.
All are located in areas hosting Tokyo 2020 competitive events and in the Tohoku and Kumamoto regions, which were hit by natural disasters in 2011 and 2016.
At the live sites, visitors can enjoy live broadcasts of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on huge screens, watch exciting on-stage performances, and participate in various events. This unique atmosphere in live site venues will surely create a memorable Tokyo 2020 Games for everyone.
Operated in conjunction with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and other organisations, the Live Sites will welcome visitors and spectators from around the world allowing them to join in the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The official Live Site logo was also unveiled today with a design that embodies the sense of unity with the Games venues.
Why CD Leganés Launched Its Season Ticket Campaign In The Philippines
The municipality of Leganes, in the province of Iloilo in the Philippines, could not be much further removed from the town near Madrid that shares its name. But LaLiga Santander club CD Leganés was determined to bring them together through football.
With a reputation for creative marketing and communication strategies, CD Leganés has earned admiration from supporters and opposition fanbases alike through bringing humour and passion to its work. But travelling 18,000 kilometres to launch its new season ticket campaign was ambitious even by its own high standards.
Read the full story here.
Betfred Becomes Main Sponsor Of RCD Mallorca
Betfred marks its launch in the Spanish market by becoming the main sponsor of LaLiga club RCD Mallorca.
As primary club partner, Betfred benefits from front-of-shirt exposure, the main presence at Estadi de Son Moix and access to a tailored package of rights featuring digital activation opportunities to engage with football fans across the country.
The following update comes courtesy of Betfred partner Sportradar:
The United Kingdom-based bookmaker has been established for over 50 years, operates over 1600 retail outlets and enjoys a burgeoning online and mobile presence. Betfred has recently been granted a license to operate in Spain and the Mallorca deal coincides with the granting of this license.
Copa del Rey winners in 2003, RCD Mallorca boast a rich history in Spanish football and count four-time African Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o and Real Madrid star Marco Asensio among their former players. Following their promotion from the Segunda Division via the play-offs in June – the club marked their return to the top flight with a 2-1 win against Eibar on Saturday.
Fred Done, Co-Founder of Betfred said: “The agreement with RCD Mallorca is the first partnership we have made outside of the United Kingdom. The deal to be the principal partner of the Spanish Club is one we believe will assist our planned expansion both in Spain and internationally. I’m delighted with the agreement and I feel that we are joining a club that continues to grow and look forward to being part of an exciting season ahead.”
Maheta Molango, CEO of RCD Mallorca, said: “We are thrilled to have Betfred utilise RCD Mallorca as a vehicle to achieve its strategy of international expansion. In addition to this, we recognise our goals and this is also a strategic partnership for RCD Mallorca within an important context of the British, Spanish and international markets.”
How The Arrival Of Wu Lei Has Boosted LaLiga’s Digital Presence In China
January 28th, 2019 was significant for LaLiga’s relationship with football fans in China. The day that RCD Espanyol de Barcelona completed the transfer of Wu Lei from Shanghai SIPG saw the arrival of a new hero to Spanish football, who could form a central part of the league’s strategy for growth in the country. The subsequent increase in followers and levels of engagement that LaLiga has seen suggests that its approach is paying off.
After the arrival of Wu Lei, LaLiga began a digital content strategy that would create a series of memorable events for Chinese fans throughout the season. In order to keep fans up to date with the striker’s progress in Spain, every event involving the player, from his first start to his goal on the final day of the season, was promoted via posts on all of LaLiga’s Chinese social media profiles, on Sina Weibo, WeChat, Toutiao and Douyin.
To find out more, click here.
LaLiga Kicks Off New Season On ITV
LaLiga Santander is back on British television. LaLiga and UK have confirmed the continuation of their broadcast partnership in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The season starts this evening (Friday 16 August) with live coverage of Athletic Club versus. FC Barcelona on ITV4 as well as ITV Hub LIVE.
A game from each of the first three matchdays of the new season will be shown live, featuring all the passion and colour of Spanish professional football.
Weekly highlights of all the LaLiga Santander action will also be shown on both ITV and ITV4 following each matchday.
The new season on ITV follows ITV4’s successful coverage of LaLiga during the final months of the 2018-19 season.
World Air Sports Announces Indoor Skydiving Summit
‘Tunnel Vision of the Broadest Kind’ is the tagline for the first Indoor Skydiving Global Summit in February 2020 being organised by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI).
After indoor skydiving’s bid for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games lost out to events in four other sports for inclusion in the programme, the stakeholders in this young air sport discipline meet on the northern Costa Brava in Spain to make adjustments to their shared vision for the Olympic cycle through Los Angeles 2028.
The FAI is working with its Parachuting Commission (IPC), and Support Air International (SAI) to deliver the event scheduled from February 1-3, 2020.
An estimated 200 summiteers will descend on the Bay of Roses | Land of the Sky | Home to the Wind for two days of deliberations on the nature, the current scope and the future development of indoor skydiving.
There is hardly another location in the world quite as steeped in the history of competitive human flight as the two resort towns Castelló d’Empúries/Empúriabrava and Roses, which have been hosts to numerous FAI World Championships and World Cups in Skydiving since 1989 as well as The Wind Games in Indoor Skydiving since 2014.
The goal of the Summit is to have the participants in the summit draft and adopt the 2020 IndoorSkydiving.Vision, the statement establishing the parameters for future collaboration between the stakeholders in the continued advancement of the young air sport discipline.
FAI President Robert Henderson said, “I congratulate the IPC for their initiative in creating this opportunity for different stakeholders to join in pursuit of a common goal, to share ideas and to develop this fledgling discipline further.”
“It has something for everyone,” said IPC President Gillian Rayner, “for tunnel owner/operators, for coaches/instructors, for athletes and for providers of equipment. The Bay of Roses will be the place to exchange and to learn.”
“The Bay of Roses is a truly extraordinary location for skydiving,” said SAI Chief Executive Roland Hilfiker, a resident of the area. “That is what brought me here in the first place, when I came from far to hang up the shingle on what has since become Skydive Empuriabrava.”
FanDuel Reaches MLB Betting Deal
FanDuel Group and Major League Baseball have announced a multi-year partnership designating FanDuel as an Authorized Gaming Operator of MLB. This is a landmark deal for FanDuel as it marks the company’s first partnership with Major League Baseball or an MLB team.
The partnership provides FanDuel access to official MLB data, along with league and team marks and logos, across FanDuel’s online sports betting products and retail sportsbook locations.
“Fantasy sports and sports betting have become a national pastime in their own right, so it’s natural to join forces with Major League Baseball,” said Kip Levin, President & COO, FanDuel Group. “MLB clearly understands how working together can be beneficial for baseball fans and both companies alike.”
“FanDuel has proven itself to be a leader in the sports betting space and has shifted a step ahead again through its commitment to, and recognition of, the value in being an authorized gaming operator,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Gaming & New Business Ventures. “Now having access to our official sports betting data feeds and MLB brands, we’re looking forward to the creative sports betting and fan experience innovations FanDuel will develop.”
“Baseball is one of the most popular sports to bet on and partnering with MLB allows us to make the betting experience even better for our customers,” continued Levin. “With an enhanced betting experience, sports fans are watching more baseball as they have a stake in the game.”
In-play wagering is a large part of the sports betting experience and accounts for more than 50% of FanDuel Sportsbook’s total business. MLB and FanDuel Group joining forces allows FanDuel to enhance the in-play and overall sports wagering and experience.
Alibaba Co-Founder Nears Record-Price Deal In NBA Acquisition
Alibaba co-founder Joseph Tsai is nearing an agreement to gain sole ownership of the NBA Brooklyn Nets in a deal valuing the team at $2.35 billion, according to the New York Times.
The deal, which will set a record for the purchase price of a U.S. sports franchise, does not include a stake in the Barclays Center, the team’s arena, though Tsai is also expected to eventually gain control of that from Prokhorov’s Onexim.
The negotiations were confirmed by two people with knowledge of them who were not in a position to discuss them publicly.
Read the full story here.