FIFA Expands Digital Reach In China

FIFA has extended its digital outreach in China by launching official accounts on popular digital platforms Douyin and Toutiao.

Building on FIFA’s existing presence in the country with Weibo, FIFA will now be able to offer more content to fans across China through the two platforms and will expand its digital presence in country to four platforms, with FIFA accounts already active on WeChat and Weibo.

Douyin, a short-form video platform, has become one of the most downloaded apps worldwide with an estimated 500 million monthly active users. News aggregator Jinri Toutiao currently has 700+ million users and will provide Chinese fans with a new way to engage with FIFA.

Luis Vicente, FIFA’s Chief Digital Transformation and Innovation Officer, said: “In March 2018, FIFA launched its first digital platforms for Chinese fans. With the growing desire for football content on FIFA’s digital channels from fans in the country, we are excited to expand our digital presence and to better serve football and efootball Chinese fans on a daily basis.

“Through these new accounts, Douyin and Toutiao will enable FIFA to entertain, inform, and engage millions of football fans in the country and wider region, as well as forming an important part of our commitment to build, nurture and engage long-lasting football fans communities in China to assist and accelerate the further development of football in the country.”

FIFA launched its Chinese digital channels in March 2018, becoming the first football organisation to launch a WeChat Mini Program and growing over 10 million social followers in the first 12 months, becoming the fastest growing sports organisation online in China.

 

iSportconnect’s Madrid Summit Draws High Praise From Guests

The iSportconnect Madrid Summit, in partnership with LaLIga, last Friday was a fitting preamble to Europe’s biggest and richest football occasion of the year.

The event attracted more than 100 invited high-level delegates for valuable discussion and networking at the Cines Callao in the centre of the city, the day before the Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitan Stadium.

Speakers were unanimous in their praise for the event.

“iSportconnect events are fantastic to attend,” said Ellie Norman, Formula 1 Director of Marketing & Communications. “Lots of insight, lots of learning, they’re fantastic.”

“It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people from the industry,” said David Arroyo, Digital Director of Dorna Sports.

“It’s always great to be able to meet with people who are sharing some of the same challenges and hear about what they’re doing, and help your business,” said Mark Parkman, General Manager of the Olympic Channel.

David Hopkinson, Real Madrid’s Global Head of Partnerships, summed up: “I think we have a duty to show up and be part of these fine events.”

Re-elected FIFA President Infantino: “The Toxic Times Are Past”

Gianni Infantino was re-elected FIFA president unopposed at the congress of world football’s governing body in Paris on Wednesday as he claimed to have turned the organisation from being “toxic and almost criminal” back to its core values.

Infantino’s re-election was marked by a round of applause from the congress after the statutes were changed earlier in the day to no longer require a vote if there was only one candidate for the position.

Reuters reports:

The 49-year-old Swiss-Italian lawyer now has a four-year mandate to try and accomplish his grandiose plans for football which were partly frustrated in his first term.

He has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding Sepp Blatter in the wake of a damaging corruption scandal that Infantino claimed the body had now shaken off.

“Nobody talks about crisis at FIFA any more or rebuilding it from scratch. Nobody talks about scandals or corruption, we talk about football. We can say that we’ve turned the situation around,” he told the congress in a lengthy speech at Paris Expo.

“This organisation has gone from being toxic, almost criminal, to being what it should be — an organisation that develops football and is now synonymous with transparency, integrity.”

“Today everything is open and transparent. It is not possible at FIFA to make hidden payments of do anything unethical with our money. There is no more place for corruption,” he claimed.

Infantino said FIFA’s previously precarious financial situation was now looking rosy with the organisation’s budget increased from $5 billion to $6.4bn and reserves up from $1bn to $2.75bn.

This was despite increased spending on development projects in FIFA’s 211 member associations. FIFA spent $1.1bn in the period 2015-18 and will increase the sum to $1.75bn from 2019-2022, he added.

Infantino claimed 11 areas of progress during his tenure, from financial health, women’s development, the fight against racism and a scandal-free 2026 World Cup bidding process. However, he said the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system had been his major triumph.

“It’s the biggest success story. It has become an integral part of football inside one year. It doesn’t change the game, but it helps and cleans the game. It brings justice to the game. It’s not perfect but it’s very close to perfection,” he said.

Infantino also used the opportunity to promote the new-look 24-team Club World Cup, which starts in two years’ time but is under threat of a boycott from Europe’s top clubs due to concerns over fixture congestion.

“We know that clubs are the heartbeat of the game, they train the players. We need to offer clubs a chance to shine on a world stage and to challenge for a World Cup,” he added.

Chinese Tech Giant ByteDance Invests In Hupu

Hupu, a leading China online sports community, has raised 1.26 billion RMB ($182 million) in pre-IPO round funding from ByteDance, a Chinese internet tech giant operating several popular machine learning-enabled content apps globally including Toutiao (‘Headlines’), one of the largest content discovery platforms in China, and short-form video app Tik Tok, the world’s most downloaded app in 2018.

Sources from Hupu, which has 30 million registered users, confirmed the deal today exclusively to Lanxiong Sports, the first sports business content provider in China, a key partner in the first iSportconnect Summit in China in 2018.

This round of funding is the largest amount of money raised by Hupu since its founding in 2004 and gives ByteDance a 30% stake in the company.

ByteDance and Hupu have collaborated prior to this investment. After ByteDance became an official global partner of the NBA for short-form content, Hupu started using ByteDance’s Xigua Video as the default video platform when redirecting users.

ByteDance has been accelerating its business in sports by landing short-form mobile content rights from top rights owners including China Super League(CSL), ITTF, China Volleyball League (CVL) and WWE.

ByteDance’s Toutiao has also agreed partnerships with CBA, UFC, the English Premier League, La Liga, PGA Tour and other rights owners.

In March, ByteDance reached an agreement with the International Cricket Council to deliver ICC World Cup content through Tik Tok and its Helo social media platform.

Hupu confirmed its IPO intentions to the Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau in March, and its capital strategy has been supported by ByteDance.

However, it’s not yet clear what changes the latest funding injection will bring to the current stakeholder structure of Hupu. Cheng Hang, Hupu’s co-founder and CEO, now holds 44.056% share of the company by his own and two of his subsidiary companies.

3D Digital Venue’s Experience With Cleveland Cavaliers And Its VIP Spaces

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is located in Cleveland, Ohio and is home to the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. The venue boasts a seating capacity of 19,432, which is one of the largest in the NBA.  As the organization continues to provide the best fan experience possible, new technology now offers a unique experience to guests before they even step foot into the building.

The Cavs use Ticketing3D from 3D Digital Venue and AXS to enhance the ticket buying process by allowing guests to virtually see the view from any seat in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before purchasing tickets.

The same experience is also offered to guests interested in purchasing premium seating inside of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which includes more than 60 suites and five lounges. Because VIP sales are such a large part of revenue for the venue, it was important to the Cavaliers that guests would be able to navigate through the premium spaces and to see an accurate and detailed view of each space from all aspects. 3D Digital Venue individually created each space with respect to the elements that give each room its own personality.

The challenge of accurately recreating the spaces and ability for guests to navigate in through the space Virtual Reality required a level dedication and detail that the team at 3D Digital Venue has been improving for years.

3D Digital Venue, conceived in 2012 in Barcelona is a global technology solutions company focusing on building 3D Digital Venue Management Solutions for the Sports and Entertainment Industry. Equally unique and diverse in its offerings, 3D Digital Venue has been successfully building best in class 360-degree 3D interactive solutions that excel in delivering greater fan satisfaction, increasing season ticket holder renewal rates and providing special viewing for prospective VIP buyers.  

 

Benfica Opens The Gate For Cryptocurrency

Portugal’s club S.L. Benfica, Primeira Liga champion for the 37th time this season, has become the first major European football club to accept cryptocurrency payments.

Partnering with solutions provider UTRUST, Benfica now gives its supporters the option to use cryptocurrency to purchase match tickets and the full range of merchandise through the official Benfica online store.

With more than 14 million supporters worldwide, and a global, digital fan base that exceeds seven million across social media platforms, Benfica will use cryptocurrency to help drive its evolving e-commerce strategy and expand its global audience.

The partnership with UTRUST, based in Braga in northern Portugal, will give Benfica access to a wider customer base and offer a significantly enhanced online experience through the implementation of novel technologies.

UTRUST’s core technology will allow Benfica to take advantage of the increased security and convenience of cryptocurrency payments while protecting the club from market volatility.

It will also significantly reduce processing fees and eliminate inconvenient credit-card chargebacks and fraudulent payments.

Most importantly,  Benfica will be able to settle payments directly to its bank in fiat on the very same day they are received.

For supporters, paying with cryptocurrency is cheaper, safer and faster than any other online payment method.

With the UTRUST platform, users can pay using the native UTRUST token (UTK) in addition to popular cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The official Benfica online store has already begun accepting cryptocurrency and supporters can purchase tickets, clothing and all other merchandise via Benfica’s desktop website, mobile or dedicated app

S.L. Benfica CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira said: “This is an exciting day in the history of S.L. Benfica as we announce our decision to accept cryptocurrency payments. Our benfiquistas make Benfica the unique and special club that it is, and we recognize that many of our supporters are now digital users first, so we want to be ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting novel technologies and giving our supporters the best online experience.”

“We are very excited about the possibilities that this partnership with UTRUST presents in the evolution of our e-commerce strategy and we look forward to accepting our first cryptocurrency payment.”

UTRUST Co-Founder and CEO Nuno Correia said: “This partnership with Portugal’s number one football club marks a major milestone for UTRUST and the blockchain ecosystem as a whole. Benfica is one of the biggest sporting clubs worldwide and we are delighted to be making cryptocurrency payments possible for their 14 million supporters around the world.”

Gatorade Launches App For User-Generated Content

Gatorade has launched a new mobile product to help athletes capture and elevate their individual sports accomplishments.

Available for both iOS and Android, the free Gatorade Highlights app enables video capture and editing features, so that users can easily share their high-quality content across social channels or through email and text message.

Users can create broadcast-quality video clips with graphics and “motion stickers” that move with the action in the videos, letting athletes point out key moments in the clips.

Digital agency World & Co led strategy, branding, design, and development of the new platform.

The move comes as Gatorade focuses on digital innovation and invests in new ways to connect with athletes.

“Young athletes are increasingly searching for ways to showcase their unique skills and distinct identities, and then share them with the world,” said Work & Co Associate Partner Caleb Yarian. “That insight became the strategic foundation for Gatorade Highlights – building a digital platform that fuels athlete individuality.”

Steve Tew Will Step Down As All Blacks CEO At End Of Year

Steve Tew will step down as New Zealand Rugby CEO at the end of 2019 after a 12-year tenure highlighted by four World Cup titles and a massive increase in revenues.

Tew, appointed in 2007, restructured NZR into a commercial juggernaut that has helped deliver the last two World Cups for the All Blacks and two of the last three titles for the women’s Black Ferns.

Reuters reports:

He will hope to sign out with a fifth World Cup triumph when the All Blacks bid for an unprecedented hat-trick in Japan from September.

“I’ve always been a great advocate for challenging convention and keeping New Zealand Rugby fresh and invigorated, whilst always encouraging our people to grow and extend themselves,” said Tew.

“I believe the time is right for someone else to lead the organisation.

“It has been a great privilege to hold this position and I’m grateful for every day that I have experienced.”

Under his stewardship, NZR maintained rugby’s dominance in the South Pacific nation while delivering global silverware despite a tough policy on players’ eligibility.

Barring a handful of exceptions, overseas-based players are ineligible to play for the All Blacks but the strength of the country’s talent pathways and coaching has mitigated the player drain.

New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams have claimed six of the last seven championships in the mainly southern hemisphere competition, with the Canterbury Crusaders favoured to win a third in succession in coming weeks.

It has not all been plain sailing.

The former Canterbury CEO had to announce a record NZ$15.9 million ($10.5 million) loss for 2009 after investments went sour amid the global financial crisis.

NZR also came under fire in 2016 over its handling of assault allegations from a stripper hired by Waikato Chiefs players during their end-of-season celebrations.

The organisation has proved flawless at running major events, however, with Tew overseeing New Zealand’s successful hosting of the men’s 2011 World Cup and the lucrative British and Irish Lions tour in 2017.

Having successfully steered New Zealand’s winning bid for the 2021 women’s World Cup, Tew has been touted for a senior role at World Rugby but he said he had no plans beyond finishing up in December.

“I’ll sit back, take a deep breath and look at what the options are,” he said.

The next CEO will have “daunting shoes to fill,” World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper wrote on social media.

“Staggering on field achievements and outstanding commercial and brand victories off it,” he tweeted.

“He fought ferociously for what was right for @NZRugby but also championed what was right for @WorldRugby.”

W Series CEO Catherine Muir Bond: “Changing The Face Of Motorsport”

As the W Series, the first all-female motor racing competition, heads into its third race of its first season this coming weekend in Misano, Italy, iSportconnect TV presents an exclusive interview on iSportconnect TV with W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir.

The W Series, which has the ambition of opening up motorsport to female drivers, features 18 drivers from 13 countries in this first season, which started at Hockenheim, Germany on May 4 and finishes at Brands Hatch on August 11.

One of season one’s biggest story so far happened off the track in late May when W Series announced a new partnership with NBC Sports to broadcast the inaugural season across the U.S.

In the UK, Channel 4 is showing all six W Series races live.

Catherine was an intellectual property solicitor who specialised in sport before moving into corporate finance, where she spent over a decade working on sports and gaming M&A deals and IPOs.  These included the sale of Chelsea Football Club to Roman Abramovich and the acquisition of Aston Villa by Randy Lerner.

As she tells it herself, “W Series started its life at my dining room table as I was looking for a new venture after taking a career break for my only child who I gave birth to at age 45.”

“Three years on, I’m surrounded by the most talented team making this dream happen.”

This week, W Series named WWE veteran Tracey Keenan as Chief Commercial Officer. See more here.

 

Liga ACB Picks Protocol Sports For Asian Distribution

Spain’s basketball Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto (ACB) has selected Protocol Sports Marketing to to market and distribute the television, digital and streaming rights to Liga ACB, Copa del Rey, Supercup and its associated media properties to select territories in Asia and Eurasia.

The Liga ACB (also known as Liga Endesa) is widely considered, alongside the National Basketball Association and the Euro League, to be among the top three basketball leagues in the world.

Featuring 18 teams, including world class franchises Real Madrid and Barcelona, Liga ACB’s competitive balance benefits from a promotion and relegation system, with the two lowest-placed teams each year being relegated to Spain’s LEB Oro League, and the top teams from LEB Oro promoted each year to Liga ACB.

Toronto-based Protocol Sports will market Liga ACB media assets, including up to 68 regular-season games, the various play-offs, the Copa del Rey tournament and a weekly magazine show.

“We are very impressed with Protocol Sports Marketing and its legacy of working hard to deliver meaningful prospects for its right holder partners,” said Joan Manuel Carreras, ACB’s Director of International Development.  “With Liga ACB at the forefront of basketball’s progression all around the world, we are confident that Protocol Sports can deliver new opportunities for Liga ACB.”

“Protocol Sports will never relinquish its role to work with fragmented, niche and emerging sports, but this deal offers a wonderful chance to market internationally an historically-significant property such as Liga ACB,” said Protocol Sports CEO J. Gary Gladman.  “We are so pleased to have concluded this deal with ACB, and my entire team looks forward to providing significant and long-lasting opportunities for Liga ACB.”