NHL Game Wins In U.S. Ratings, But Look At How Small The Audience Was

An NHL Playoff game drew the biggest audience in Saturday night primetime in the USA.

NBC’s broadcast of the St. Louis versus San Jose game from 8-11 p.m. was the night’s highest-rated programme with 2.28 million viewers, beating a repeat of American Idol on ABC in second place.

Winning the night is obviously a good thing but just think about the size of that audience number.

An audience of 2.28 million would not even have been number one in The Netherlands! It would have placed third in the Dutch ratings on Saturday (number one was the NPO1 evening news with 2.806 million)

And the USA (approx. 330 million population) has 19 times as many people (Netherlands 17.1 million).

British Olympic Association Names Andy Anson As Chief Exec

The British Olympic Association has today appointed Andy Anson as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Anson, aged 54, joins from Goals Soccer Centres PLC, where he has been CEO, and brings with him considerable sports experience having previously worked in football and tennis as well as for leading sports retail and marketing organisations.

With the BOA being completely independently funded to fulfil its objectives of taking athletes to the Olympic Games, Anson brings a wealth of commercial and marketing experience to support Team GB maintaining and growing its status as the nation’s most loved sports team.

With little over a year to go before Tokyo 2020, Anson will join with considerable knowledge of the BOA and the Olympic Movement, having served as an unpaid Independent Non-Executive Director of the BOA (the National Olympic Committee) since 2011, during which time the organisation has enjoyed excellent performances at both the summer and winter editions of the Games.

Sir Hugh Robertson, Chair of the BOA, said: “Andy is a very high-grade individual who has a unique combination of sports experience and commercial expertise. We are delighted to have him on board to lead Team GB into Tokyo 2020 and beyond.”

Andy Anson said: “I have been fortunate to enjoy a rewarding career across different aspects of the sports industry over many years, but the BOA is an organisation close to my heart and I am extremely motivated to play a role in the future of the organisation on behalf of the athletes and the member National Governing Bodies.

“With Tokyo 2020 on the horizon I believe the BOA and Team GB has an exciting future ahead and I am delighted to be asked to lead a team of talented and dedicated professionals to ensure we give the athletes and sports every chance to succeed on sport’s biggest stage.”

Anson joins the BOA following the departure of former CEO Bill Sweeney to take up a similar role at the Rugby Football Union. No start date has yet been agreed for Anson, although it is anticipated this will be in the autumn of 2019.

 

AEG Europe and The British & Irish Lions Confirmed To Speak At 2019 CRM & Ticketing Masterclass

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that Chris Marking from AEG Europe, and Shane Whelan from Guinness Six Nations and The British & Irish Lions are the latest to join the speaker lineup at our 2019 CRM & Ticketing Masterclass, which will be held on Wednesday 22nd May in the City of London.

The content of the Masterclass will focus on the customer journey built around data insights and engagement prior to the event, innovations to make the ticketing experience more seamless and post-event follow through.

In partnership with AXS and Goodform, iSportconnect’s CRM & Ticketing Masterclass will bring together industry thought leaders to focus on new ways for rights owners, brands and their partners to prosper, thrive and grow as the digital revolution continues to disrupt the traditional marketing models.

The speaker lineup will feature:

  • Chris Marking, Vice President of International Partnerships and Strategy, AEG Europe
  • Shane Whelan, Digital Manager, The British & Irish Lions and Guinness Six Nations
  • Benjamin Steen, Head of Customer Care, Digital Licencing and Stadium, FC Bayern Munich
  • Paul Newman, Director of Ticketing, AXS

Chris joined AEG Europe in February 2007. In his role as Vice President of International Partnerships and Strategy, Chris leads AEG’s international partner relationships as well as setting the strategy across AEG’s International Global Partnerships group. The AEG Global Partnerships strategy team delivers insights that include; commercialisation studies, sponsorship evaluations, return on investment /opportunity research, sales strategies, partnership strategies and premium seating insights. Through this work, Chris has also set up a 3rd party consultancy division within AEG, working with clients including; FC Barcelona, French Federation de Rugby, Battersea Power Station and Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Chris also overseas AEG’s multi-territory partnerships with American Express, DHL, Marriott, Cisco, Toshiba and others activating across AEG Presents, The O2, Mercedes Benz Arena Berlin and Shanghai, ICC Theatre in Sydney to name a few.

Shane has lead the digital programme for the Guinness Six Nations and British & Irish Lions since 2012. During this time, he has digitally managed the 2013 and 2017 British & Irish Lions tours to Australia and New Zealand respectively. In addition, Shane has overseen 7 Six Nations campaigns, where all of the channels have enjoyed record statistics. During his time at Six Nations, he also worked on the Guinness PRO12 until 2015. His previous experience in sport included similar roles in basketball and football. Throughout all of this time, the CRM programme has been one of the key objectives of each organisation and all have enjoyed strong growth in this area in recent years.

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 CRM & Ticketing Masterclass, please contact Chloe McCombie at info@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The CRM & Ticketing 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

Discovery Buys Golf Digest To Bolster U.S. Reach

Discovery, Inc. announced today it has acquired Golf Digest from Condé Nast. Golf Digest is the world’s leading golf media brand and will extend Discovery’s global golf media business to the U.S. market through Golf Digest’s multiplatform distribution and reach.

The acquisition creates a powerful programming engine by adding Golf Digest to GOLFTV’s offerings that already include exclusive carriage of the PGA TOUR, the European Tour, and the Ladies European Tour, as well as the Masters Tournament, in select territories outside the U.S. and Discovery’s exclusive global content partnerships with Tiger Woods and Francesco Molinari.

The addition of Golf Digest boosts Discovery’s global golf ecosystem with a leading platform in the U.S., which will allow the company to now reach golf fans with everything associated with the game, including instructional videos, equipment advice, course rankings, travel destinations, online bookings and more.

Additionally, Discovery and the PGA TOUR are expanding their 12-year strategic partnership with a new content and sales relationship in the U.S., among other initiatives. The organizations will deepen their partnership and join forces to create the largest digital network in golf with a one-stop activation platform, now including Golf Digest, for advertisers to engage with fans and players.

This includes a full suite of editorial coverage, live and on-demand video streaming, digital, social, print and branded content opportunities. The current Golf Digest sales teams will continue to be responsible for ad sales during a transition period until the Discovery / PGA TOUR sales integration is complete.

David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, Inc. said: “Golf Digest is a world-class brand that has become the ‘go-to’ authority for millions of golf enthusiasts, professional players and global advertisers. It’s a natural strategic fit with Discovery’s goal to be the leading golf media platform in the world. Through our investments with the PGA TOUR, the European Tour and our partnership with Tiger Woods, we wanted to bolster GOLFTV’s international offerings with Golf Digest’s award-winning journalism, broad consumer reach and deep content library while also creating the largest U.S. digital golf business.

“Jay Monahan and the PGA TOUR have been great partners and we are excited to expand our mutual vision to bring these amazing players and all of their terrific play to more people on more devices in every market in the world.”

Rick Anderson, Chief Media Officer, PGA TOUR, said: “We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with Discovery, as well as Golf Digest, which has been an official marketing partner of the PGA TOUR since 2006. By combining our assets in the U.S., we’re now able to offer the most robust digital content and product offering for fans, golfers and TOUR partners. The new PGA TOUR / Golf Digest digital network will be the single largest golf network offering unrivalled breadth and depth of content across platforms.”

Barcelona Remains World’s Most Followed Team

The English Premier League has the most clubs in the latest list of teams with the most social media interactions from sports sponsorship analytics and evaluation platform Hookit.

But FC Barcelona of LaLiga remains far and away the most followed team in the world with way more interactions than Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea combined.

Those three English cubs along with Manchester United and Liverpool all make the top 10, which includes seven European football clubs.

Two Indian Premier League cricket teams are on the lost, including Mumbai Indians in second place.

Gold Coast Bids Farewell To SportAccord

With the 17th edition of SportAccord ending in Queensland, Australia, today, Tom Tate, Mayor of host city Gold Coast, expressed his optimism on the positive impact the event will have in Gold Coast as the city and Queensland continue to build on the legacy of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“The biggest legacy,” he said, wasn’t the buildings that you see. It’s the feeling the Gold Coasters get, the pride they feel. Now that we are on the world stage, we don’t intend to get off.”

Kazakhstan Will Host Inaugural World Combat Games

The Kazakhstan capital of Nur-Sultan will host the inaugural World Combat Games in 2021.

The announcement was made today during the General Assembly of the Global Association of International Sports Federations in Gold Coast, Australia.

Powered by GAISF, the World Combat Games are set to take place from May 3-9, 2021, bringing together the most exciting combat and martial arts sports athletes from all over the world.

By hosting the Games, the organisers aim to further develop those sports and inspire the next generation of athletes. One year before the Games, the organisers will launch the World Combat Games Festival, which will incorporate all 14 regions of Kazakhstan, making it a country-wide celebration.

GAISF said that Nur-Sultan was chosen to host the Games due to its modern facilities and the country’s passion for combat and martial arts sports.

The three main venues of the World Combat Games will be the Martial Arts Palace, the Alau Ice Palace and the national velodrome, which are conveniently located within close proximity of one another and will be complemented by a festival plaza offering a memorable all-in-one experience.

The Martial Arts Palace was specifically designed for major international competitions and training camps in Kazakhstan’s capital city. The purpose-built Martial Arts Palace is currently in the final stages of development and will be inaugurated this summer.

Following the announcement, former Kazakhstan Prime Minister and President of the Martial Arts Association of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov said:  “We are delighted to have been awarded the 2021 World Combat Games. Combat sports and martial arts are extremely popular throughout Kazakhstan and it is sure to be a wonderful celebration of sport. My thanks to GAISF for their ongoing support and we now look forward to an amazing Games in 2021.”

GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli said: “Creating a platform for our Members to showcase their disciplines through multi-sport games is one of GAISF’s main priorities. We are excited to be working with the team from Nur-Sultan and the launch of the World Combat Games.”

 

NHL’s New Brand Spot Focuses on ‘Feel’

The National Hockey League has unveiled a new brand spot on national TV, digital and social platforms in the U.S. during the Stanley Cup play-offs.

The message of the promo, entitled ‘Feel,’ is that the NHL and its players’ connection with fans extends “far beyond the ice… where what matters has nothing to do with stats or standings.”

“While the action on the ice gets the spotlight, it’s often the quieter moments between players and fans that form emotional connections and make lifelong memories,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Brand Officer and Executive Vice President. “Hopefully this spot captures, in a small way, the excitement and emotion that binds all of those on one side of the glass to the other.”

‘Feel’ is the NHL’s latest brand spot in a lineup of critically-acclaimed ads.

The TV spot is going out on NBC, NBCSN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports and NHL Network, and run across digital and social media channels (including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, NHL.com), and in-arena throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The spot was developed by Baby Bear’s Porridge Productions, in collaboration with Cutters Studios and the NHL in-house marketing team.

Have look at how the league is promoting its brand.

 

 

 

Chiulli Of Powerboating Assumes Presidency Of International Sports Federations Association

The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) General Assembly today unanimously elected Raffaele Chiulli as President of the organisation.

Chiulli has served as GAISF Vice-President since 2015 and Senior Vice-President since 2016. His term as president begins immediately and he will serve a two-year mandate, as outlined in the GAISF statutes.

Ahead of the election, Chiulli laid out his work programme for the future of GAISF. His plans include supporting International Federations in their promotion of youth development programmes and social responsibility initiatives, as well as strengthening the role of GAISF as a services-based organisation.

In his programme, which was sent to all GAISF Members ahead of the General Assembly, Dr Chiulli said that he wanted to ensure GAISF was a forward-thinking organisation with a focus on good governance.

“Whilst I am loyal to the traditions, values and principles of GAISF, I also believe that we must be a modern and forward-thinking organisation,” Chiulli said. “I believe GAISF can and should be a driving force in supporting International Federations to achieve their goals.”

Chiulli was due to stand for election at the 2020 General Assembly. However, following the death of Patrick Baumann in 2018, GAISF Members accepted the Council’s proposal to bring forward the presidential rotation by a year. President Chiulli’s term is therefore due to end at the General Assembly in 2021.

The new GAISF President was elected President of the SportAccord convention organisation yesterday. He has served as the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) President since 2013, and of the International Powerboating Federation (UIM) President since 2007.

Brisbane Hosts All NRL Games In New Special Event

Fans of Australia’s National Rugby League are getting to feast on an entire round of games from around the whole league over this weekend as the first NRL Magic Round, a new event concept, kicks-off in Brisbane.

The event brings all 16 NRL teams to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in a multi-year deal struck by Brisbane City Council (through Brisbane Marketing) in partnership with the Queensland Government (through Tourism and Events Queensland).

The entire deal is tipped to inject more than 300,000 room nights and have an economic impact of more than $60 million, and comes after Brisbane hosted another successful NRL Double Header this year.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our game and create a festival-like occasion for a Premiership Round.”

“We have seen the success of double headers in recent seasons, but this takes the concept to another level.

“There are enormous benefits to a full Round in the one location. Obviously, there will be significant exposure for such a unique round and it will be a wonderful promotion for all our clubs.

“We’re extremely grateful for the support of the clubs, the stadium, the Queensland Government, Brisbane City Council and our broadcast partners Nine and Fox Sports, who have provided unwavering support to ensure this initiative became a reality.”

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the fact that Brisbane was chosen to host the inaugural Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium once again demonstrated the city’s reputation for staging major events.

“Major events support our local economy and create jobs right across Brisbane, with their economic impact expected to rise to a record $165 million this financial year,” he said.

“Events such as the Battle of Brisbane, the Ashes cricket, the Rugby League World Cup finals and the Bledisloe Cup have helped attract huge numbers of visitors from across Australia and overseas.

“Brisbane will be in the sporting spotlight once again when all 16 NRL teams play a round in the one venue and is set to attract thousands of visitors to fill our hotel rooms and boost our local economy.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said hosting an entire round of the NRL competition would further enhance Queensland’s reputation as the home of rugby league.