Nissan, Notre Dame Athletics, beIN Media Group & Verizon Media To Speak at 2019 Digital Masterclass

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that Jodain Massad of Notre Dame Athletics, Johary Rafidison of beIN Media Group, Taylor Riese of Verizon Digital Media Services, and Xavier Diquet of Nissan Europe will be speaking at our 2019 Digital Masterclass, which will be held on Wednesday 26th June at the Holiday Inn, Regent’s Park in London.

The Masterclass will look at the world of digital to reach and engage with fans throughout the event lifecycle, hearing from expert speakers sharing their experiences of communicating with their target audiences. With the actual field of play action making up such a small window of fan engagement, how do you keep the conversation with fans going outside of the live event experience? Given the rapid development of new technologies and channels available to speak to fans, how do brands keep up? Are your strategies to keep up with the changes robust and nimble enough while staying effective and relevant in an ‘always-on’ and competitive fan environment?

The Masterclass will also look at how the individuals within the sports universe are taking the power of social media and digital channels to speak about causes and issues affecting the world of sport, and for the very first time, we have Olympic medalists sharing their experiences and insights on their abilities to influence the very core of sport through digital.

The latest speaker lineup includes the following:

  • Adam Field, Head of Global Fan Engagement, Chelsea FC
  • Anand Narayanan, Head of Digital Marketing and Innovations, Panasonic UK
  • Callum Skinner, Olympic Champion, Lead Athlete for Global Athlete, and Sports Governance Reform Campaigner
  • Daniel Smith, Director of Communications and Digital, World Sailing
  • Jodain Massad, Executive Producer, Fighting Irish Media, Notre Dame Athletics
  • Johary Rafidison, Digital Content Insights, beIN Media Group
  • Rob Woodhouse, General Manager Talent – UK, TLA Worldwide
  • Richard Berry, Commercial Director, Williams Racing
  • Robert Alberino, Vice President & Executive Producer, San Francisco 49ers
  • Steve Wilson, Communications Adviser / Writer
  • Taylor Riese, Managing Director EMEA and India, Verizon Digital Media Services
  • Xavier Diquet, General Manager – Content & Brand Engagement, Nissan Europe

Fighting Irish Media elevates and empowers our student-athletes, together inspiring all who behold to forever engage in the Notre Dame experience. Big stories with small crews. In 6 seconds or 60 minutes, if we can set a mood, evoke an emotion, or deliver an idea worth remembering, we’ll go there. Jodain leads Innovation, with a background in writing, shooting, designing, and editing. He was told to choose a job he loves, and he did just that. Jodain has achieved 25 Emmy® Awards including Director, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Audio, Graphics (2011-2018); 6 New York Festivals International Film & TV Awards World Medals (2012-2014); and 4 SVG/NACDA College Sports Media Awards (2016-2019).

Johary’s main objective is to improve the digital performance of the beIN’s content across the group. Sitting within the group analytics team, his role is to shape the best picture of how sports fans consume digital sports content through data. Working in tandem with the producers and online publishers, he shares his insights in order to improve the digital experience of the beIN Media Group content. Prior to beIN Media Group, Johary was a digital content analyst in media (OMD EMEA), content (Grayling) and creative (AKQA) agencies working across different clients such as Nike, Xbox, Heineken, Adidas and Intel.

Taylor serves as the Managing Director, EMEA, and India, for Verizon Digital Media Services, whose next-generation platform is delivering the future of media. Taylor works out of London, UK, in the company’s European headquarters – his base of operations for the past five years since opening the company’s first overseas office. Over the past seven years, he has been responsible for a variety of industry verticals and markets, including overseeing all sales across APAC. Taylor originally joined the company as a part of Verizon Digital Media Services’ acquisition of Edgecast CDN. .

Xavier has spent the last 15 years working for the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance in South Africa, France and Spain, and has been involved in a variety of roles, mainly in marketing. In his current role, Xavier looks after all advertising, content, events and sponsorship related areas. Nissan currently sponsors the UEFA Champions League, after Xavier had the privilege of starting  negotiations with UEFA back in 2013, leading to Nissan becoming their official sponsor from the 2014/15 season. Nissan is also involved with Formula E, ICC and City Football Group, as well as working with global ambassadors such as Eden Hazard, Philippe Coutinho and Lieke Martens. This year, Xavier and his team delivered the first 100% electric Champions League Final in Madrid, providing 266 electric vehicles to shuttle UEFA guests. Xavier is also a lecturer in the E-Marketing, Mobility and Automobiles Masters programme at ESSCA School of Management in France.

Hosted by leading Global Sports Communications expert, Ben Nichols (of Ben Nichols Communications), the Masterclass will feature 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 Digital Masterclass, please contact Chloe McCombie at info@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The Digital 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 Hugo Millns at info@isportconnect.com

ATPI Reaches SANZAR Travel Agreement

South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (SANZAR) through its Travel Company SANZAR Travel, has entered into a Travel Services Agreement with leading corporate travel and events management company ATPI from the commencement of the 2020 Super Rugby and Rugby Championship season.

Peter Muller, International Board Member, the ATPI Group, said: “We are thrilled to bring our extensive sports experience to this elite international organisation, and to work with SANZAR Travel to deliver successful events to be enjoyed worldwide. Managing travel for the sports industry is dynamic and comes with very specific challenges. Our proficiency, innovative technology and global network make us one of the most well-respected sports travel and events brands in the world.”

Andy Marinos, CEO, SANZAR, said: “Our strategic decision to bring our travel in house and have the assurance of a company like ATPI providing support services has enabled us to move into the travel industry with a degree of confidence. Administering a competition such as ours that is unique in world sport, covering multiple geographies on a weekly basis requires an acute focus on all logistical and travel requirements. Having an organisation such as ATPI to provide support services is reassuring and we are excited to be working with them as we look to in the future further enhance our travel offering.”

Through its specialised sports division, ATPI has extensive experience in developing and delivering travel programmes and supporting logistics for major sporting events including the Rugby League Festival of World Cups in 2017.  The company has a long track record in providing travel and hospitality services around Summer and Winter Olympics.

Spanish Basketball ACB: “OTT Might Not Be What Fans Want”

The ACB playoffs continue tomorrow with another full house in the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona to watch Real Madrid and Barça Lassa competing for the championship of the popular Spanish basketball league. Joan Manel Carreras, ACB Director of International Development, talks to iSportconnect TV about rights deals, OTT and the growth of Europe’s strongest domestic competition.

French Police Hold Platini For Questioning About Qatar 2022

Michel Platini, the former head of European football association UEFA, was detained for questioning by French police on Tuesday over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament to Qatar, a judicial source told Reuters.

Platini’s lawyer, William Bourdon, was not immediately available to comment. The detention of the former soccer star was first reported by French investigative website Mediapart.

Reuters reports:

France’s national financial prosecutor’s office, which specializes in investigating economic crimes and corruption, has been leading a probe into the awarding of the 2022 tournament to the Gulf emirate since 2016.

It is looking into possible offences including private corruption, conspiracy and influence peddling.

UEFA declined to comment, while officials with Qatar’s organizing committee could not immediately be reached.

The decision in December 2010 to award the World Cup to Qatar surprised many given the lack of potential local audiences for the games, the extremely hot summer weather, and the poor performance of the country’s national squad. It will be the first Arab state to host the competition.

Le Monde newspaper reported that prosecutors were particularly looking into a lunch hosted by France’s then president, Nicolas Sarkozy, nine days before the vote that awarded the cup to Qatar. Platini and Sheikh Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, who was Qatar’s prime minister and is now the country’s emir, were guests at the lunch.

Platini has since acknowledged that he supported Qatar over a rival bid from the United States in the vote, but said Sarkozy “never asked him to”, the newspaper said.

Two of Sarkozy’s aides at that time, then Elysee secretary general Claude Gueant and Sarkozy’s adviser for sports Sophie Dion, were also questioned by police on Tuesday, judicial sources confirmed to Reuters. Dion remains detained with Platini. Gueant is a “free suspect”, the source said.

The lawyer for Gueant, who later became interior minister, was not immediately available for comment. A spokeswoman for Sarkozy declined to comment. A lawyer for Dion could not immediately be reached for comment.

Under French law, suspects can be held for questioning for up to 48 hours.

Platini was forced to leave his job as UEFA chief after he was investigated in another case over 1.8 million Swiss francs ($1.8 million) that he received from FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, in 2011. He was cleared in that case.

As a player in the 1970s and 1980s, Platini was a prolific striker, mainly for Saint-Etienne in France and Juventus in Italy. He played in three World Cups, captaining the French national squad to the semi-finals in both 1982 and 1986, and won the Ballon d’Or as Europe’s top player in 1983-84-85 when he played for Juventus.

 

 

Infront Will Distribute Olympics In Africa

The International Olympic Committee has signed a new agreement with Infront for the media rights to Sub-Saharan Africa for all Olympic properties up until and including 2024.

The six-year deal runs from 2019 to 2024 and includes the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2022 and the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The territory covers 46 African countries with the agreement comprising exclusive free-to-air television and radio rights, alongside digital rights.

Infront will also work with the IOC to produce a dedicated African television feed with a focus on the continent’s best athletes, delivering hundreds of hours of programming to audiences across the region. Over 30 journalists will deliver live and delayed broadcasts as well as highlights from all competitions and full coverage from the opening and closing ceremonies.

For the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Infront will provide a ready-to-broadcast customised programme, with over 200 hours of broadcast made available across 46 sub-Saharan African countries. This will include six to 15 hours of daily content in three languages.

Julien Ternisien, Infront Vice President Summer Sports, said: “Our shared objective with the IOC is to maximise the reach of the Olympic Games and bring the unique stories to households across Sub-Saharan Africa. We feel the next five years will be an exciting time for the Olympic Movement in Africa, with Dakar 2022 providing one of many opportunities for Africa to illustrate its passion for the Games. Infront is delighted to deliver the high-quality service it is known for.”

Timo Lumme, Managing Director of IOC Television and Marketing Services, said: “Following our partnership for Rio and Sochi, we are pleased to be working again with Infront to bring the best Olympic Games coverage to Sub-Saharan Africa.”

“In 2022, the Youth Olympic Games will be hosted for the first time in Africa, in Dakar, Senegal. With a young population, this is an important time for the development of the future of sport in Africa, and the IOC continues to redistribute 90 per cent of the revenue we generate through our commercial agreements to support sport around the world, including in Africa.”

 

Inter Milan Opens New Club Headquarters

Inter Milan family has unveiled the club’s new headquarters (Inter HQ) in the heart of the city’s innovation district in a move reflecting the ambition and vision of the club

Located in Viale Liberazione in the building known as The Corner, Inter HQ comprises five floors as well as a panoramic terrace boasting a view that extends from the Madonnina to the San Siro.

The space is characterised by a sharp visual identity that sees the Nerazzurri brand play a central role, together with the great players that have graced the club through its history and the international nature of the Nerazzurri.

The working environment offers pleasant natural brightness, created by large windows that cover this space in the heart of the ‘innovation district’ of Porta Nuova, and is complemented by carefully selected furniture and innovative technological implements. The final result is a space where the various workstation zones are accompanied by dedicated areas for sharing and collaboration, a setting that has been developed to enable productivity and efficiency.

The ninth floor of the structure, which is truly one of a kind, is dedicated to welcoming guests and hosting events. It comprises a multi-purpose media room as well as the Inter Heritage area and a completely renovated Trophy Room, a fully-fledged multimedia set-up that tells the entire story of the Nerazzurri’s glory in a single glance.

Eco-sustainability is one of the values that the club wants to uphold in this new era. The building selected for the club’s new base is one that has been reclassified, with close attention paid to environmental respect and energy efficiency, earning it a LEED Gold certification.

The investments in new club infrastructure do not end with the Milan office space. In addition to the new headquarters, there is the project to renovate the Suning Training Centre in Appiano Gentile, which commenced in recent days and will provide the club with an elite structure giving the team all the support needed to further enhance its sporting performance.

Euro U-21 Match Tops Italian Viewing

The Euro U-21 tournament topped all viewing on Sunday in host nation Italy with the national team’s 3-1 win over Spain pulling 5.660 million viewers on RAI 1 with a share of 29.4%.

On Thursday, Italy’s game again Ecuador in the U-20 World Cup on RAI 4 drew 425,000 and a share of 2.2%.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup topped the ratings in The Netherlands on Saturday with an afternoon match between Holland and Cameroon scoring a 79.8% viewing share with 2.260 million people tuning in to see the Dutch team’s 3-1 win.

Goals Soccer Centres Reported Up For Sale

British five-a-side soccer pitch operator Goals Soccer Centres is preparing to launch a sale process within months, according to Sky News.

The company, in which Sports Direct and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has an 18.92 percent stake, has drafted in advisers to examine a potential medium-term sale, Sky News said.

The review has been instigated by Lloyds Banking Group Plc, which has hired Deloitte to advise on the company’s future.

Established in 2000 and operating about 50 sites globally, Goals suspended trading in its shares since March amid accounting problems stemming from its tax reporting.

Former Goals Soccer Centres CEO Andy Anson was named chief exec of the British Olympic association last month.

 

POLO BLUE Surfs Into WSL Sponsorship With Brazilian Star

Ralph Lauren Fragrances brand POLO BLUE, launching its official sponsorship of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour this June, has tapped professional surfer and two-time world champion Gabriel Medina as the newest global ambassador.

POLO BLUE will serve as an official sponsor of the WSL Championship Tour and the official fragrance for three key events: Oi Rio Pro in Brazil, Vans U.S. Open of Surf in the U.S. and Meo Rip Curl Pro in Portugal.

The brand will amplify the partnership with a fully integrated marketing campaign including regional pop-up experiences, paid media, influencer partnerships and more.

“We are excited to have Polo Blue back in a big way for our 2019 season,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO. “There are natural synergies between style, confidence and the beauty of our sport – and we are looking forward to a long-standing partnership that highlights these critical pillars of surf.”

“To me, POLO BLUE perfectly embodies the surf lifestyle,” said Medina. “It’s about connecting with the power of the ocean and letting that power fuel you in all areas of your life. I’m excited to give fans a look at the things that inspire me on tour, including my family, travel and much more.”

 

 

Levante UD: Inclusion As A Business Strategy

Football fans come from all walks of life and expect to feel welcomed and represented when they interact with their club. At Levante UD, this approach to inclusivity informs everything that the LaLiga club does.

Valencia-based Levante UD runs 32 different football teams encompassing different age groups, genders and physical abilities.

This not only provides a platform for a wide range of competition. The club defines itself by normalising groups that had previously been marginalised.

Over more than 20 years, an approach has been developed within the club’s foundation to treat all footballers equally. As well as creating sporting success, this has also helped to increase acceptance in wider society.

“For us, the main outcome of playing football is socialisation,” said Vicente Herrero, Director of the Levante UD Foundation. “We have created an environment where both male and female players, with and without physical or intellectual disabilities, are mixing on an almost daily basis. For us it’s a model of not just how a club should run, but a community too.”

Levante UD’s approach to inclusivity can be traced back to 1998 when its women’s team was created. But it did not stop there. One of the cornerstones of the club’s efforts to make football accessible to all has been its Football School for People with Intellectual Disabilities (EDI).

After beginning in 2012, the school has grown in size and is now helping around 150 people fulfil their sporting dreams.

Read the full story in Global Fútbol.