Sinclair Is Open to Working With Tech Giants To Stream Live Sports

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. would consider teaming up with Amazon.com Inc. and other tech giants to offer live sports, its chief told Reuters, fresh from announcing a $9.6 billion deal to buy Disney’s regional sports networks.

On Friday, Sinclair announced a deal to buy Walt Disney Co.’s collection of 21 regional sports networks (RSNs), turning the largest U.S. broadcast station owner into one of the biggest live news and sports companies this side of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corp.

Reuters reports:

With Walt Disney Co, Amazon, Netflix Inc. and AT&T Inc. just some of the combatants now in the video streaming wars, “There is only going to be more competition and more interest for key assets like this in the future,” President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Ripley said, in response to a question about licensing sports to big tech companies. “We have an interest in as broad a distribution as possible.”

The deal is a capstone to Sinclair’s expansion from a stodgy TV station owner to a conservative-leaning media company stitching together 190 local TV stations across the country.

In January, it launched an advertising-supported streaming TV service called STIRR. It is also modernizing its broadcast technology to the new ATSC 3.0 standard, which will let it act more like an online TV company by offering interactivity and ads targeted to viewers.

In an interview on Sunday, Ripley said the deal was a bargain because Disney needed to sell the assets to gain approval for its $71.3 billion deal to buy the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox from Murdoch.

The sports networks are valued at five and a half times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, after tax benefits, compared to MSG Networks which trades at around eight times.

Disney is selling the YES Network separately for $3.5 billion to the New York Yankees and Amazon, according to a person familiar with the deal. Sinclair also reportedly has a stake in that deal. Amazon and the Yankees did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

But Sinclair’s doubling down on traditional TV appears to run counter to the shift in consumers away from traditional television, broadcast and pay TV to digital services owned by Netflix and Google.

Ripley said battling the tech giants head-on, as Disney and AT&T are preparing to do with upcoming digital video services, made no sense for the much smaller Sinclair.

“We’re a local media company with a strong focus in local news and we continue to see that as an area that will have strong relevancy if we took it multiplatform and not be an area flooded by cheap cash by big tech,” he said.

The company views live sports as a long term profitable business because of its scarcity.

“There are only 160 or so baseball games a year,” Ripley said. “No matter how much money that Amazon or Google or Apple throws at the MLB (Major League Baseball), they can’t really change that dynamic very easily.”

Profits could be hurt as the sports network’s contracts with pay television providers are up for renewal in the next two year, according to BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield.

Ripley said those contracts expire over as long as a few years to 15 years.

Sinclair already distributes content to multiple cable, satellite and streaming companies, including YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc’s Google. Adding more digital clients like Amazon would be just another distributor relationship, he said.

The acquisition will see Sinclair capitalizing on the new U.S. sports betting market.

In addition to increased fan engagement and viewership, he expects $1.5 billion to $2 billion of new ad revenue industry-wide “in short order,” from sportsbook operators and other companies marketing in the space.

Ripley also plans to eventually allow viewers to place bets right from their screens during live games, similar to how fans can wager in Europe now.

“If you’re interested in gaming, we’re going to add on extra stats, the ability to do prop bets in the game, pitch by pitch, play by play,” he said. “You can play along and wager while you watch.”

The in-game, on-screen wagers, which it is currently exploring with its Tennis Channel, would be done in partnership with sportsbook operators, but Sinclair would not want to become a bookie itself.

W Series Poised For The Start In Hockenheim

Eighteen women racers will line up on the starting grid at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit tomorrow for the debut of W Series, the first all-female championship that could ultimately help break Formula One’s male monopoly.

Many more men have walked on the moon than women competing in Formula One, with Italian Lella Lombardi the last to start a grand prix in 1976 and only female to score — albeit half a point.

Reuters reports:

W Series, which can count on the expertise of a strong contingent of ex-McLaren Formula One employees including ex-racer David Coulthard, hopes to provide a platform for women to progress.

“We believe we have the best female drivers in the world driving W Series and we are going to put the world’s spotlight on them,” said Chief Executive Catherine Bond-Muir of the six-race series.

“Hopefully, we can make stars of our drivers and they therefore can attract more sponsorship so they can go on into international Formula Three, Formula Two and who knows, into Formula One.”

Last week, W Series signed a deal with Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), the Nordic region’s leading entertainment provider, to show high-definition live coverage of each of the six races in the W Series calendar.

Earlier in April, W Series and UK broadcaster Channel 4, announced a partnership to provide live free-to-air coverage in the UK of all six races.

More than 100 women, ranging in age from 17 to 33, applied last year to compete in the series, which provides identical 1.8 litre Formula Three cars and has a $1.5 million prize fund.

The series winner will collect $500,000, with prize money down to 18th place. Races last half an hour plus one lap.

There is no cost to those selected, who were whittled down to 54, then 28 and finally 18 with two reserves after trials in Austria and Spain. A total of 13 nationalities are represented.

“Formula One is…very, very tough to reach and it is always going to be my dream, it is my dream and it will remain my dream,” Belgian-born South African Naomi Schiff told Reuters at a recent media day.

“If that is really realistic at this point, I don’t know. Hopefully the W Series will help us to move forward and closer to those goals and make that possible for younger women in the future.”

Practice is on Friday with qualifying and the race on Saturday as a support to the German Touring Car (DTM) championship.

Media interest in the series has been considerable, with a string of broadcast deals announced including free-to-air Channel Four in Britain who have an investment in the television production company co-founded by Coulthard.

While some female racers have opposed a series that separates the sexes, male critics have questioned the premise.

Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, a former grand prix driver, sparked controversy when he wondered out loud whether women could cope physically if they ever did get to Formula One.

Those competing have no such qualms, welcoming the chance to further their careers without having to worry about where the money was coming from.

“The best way to make an immediate first impact for women in this industry is to put 18 drivers on the grid and have it be a fully funded deal where I don’t have to worry about ‘when is the next cheque coming’,” said American Shea Holbrook.

Five of the 18 women are British, including Jamie Chadwick who in 2015 became the first female driver to win a British GT championship and last year became the first to win a British Formula Three race.

The final race of the series will be at Britain’s Brands Hatch in August.

 

THE SPOT Names Award Partners

Thinkport has announced four influential Award Partners who will be closely involved in the heat of the start-up battle at THE SPOT. Asics Tenkan-Ten Growth Catalyst, Eurovision Sport, Swiss Timing and UEFA will all oversee different rounds of the start-up battle and potentially help some of the competing young entrepreneurs to develop and grow further.

THE SPOT, an international sport and innovation event, will be back in Lausanne on 28 and 29 May and bring together hundreds of visionaries, tech gurus, curious minds, solution seekers, providers and investors.

Anna Hellman, Director of ThinkSport, said: “We are thrilled to have such prestigious partners for the start-up battle, which is a key element of THE SPOT experience. All of these four Award Partners perfectly embody the spirit of the event, embracing progress and innovation within their organisations, for the good of sport and society.”

The start-up battle, operated by Venturelab, will feature 40 pre-selected young companies which will go toe-to-toe during four different rounds on the first day. Each session will spawn one winner who will then move on to the final, to be held on the second day. The jury will be made up of experts from the academic, business and sports world. The incentives for the competing young entrepreneurs include prestige, prize money and potential collaboration opportunities with the Award Partners.

A separate discovery battle will offer a platform for early stage start-ups to pitch their innovative ideas in front of experts.

In addition to the start-up battle, THE SPOT will feature a Marketplace and Demo Zone, where participants will be able to present and discover brand new products and solutions with changing stands every day; a conference programme in untraditional format; and numerous networking opportunities.

Not signed up yet for THE SPOT? Click here to get up to speed and join THE SPOT.

AFC Bournemouth Renews Mansion Partnership

Premier League club AFC Bournemouth has re-signed a deal with Mansion to continue as our principal partners for a fourth successive season.

The newly-extended sleeve sponsorship allows the gaming operator and club to continue their long-standing relationship, and will see the two brands working closely on a range of commercial projects and mutually beneficial marketing activities to reach and reward both club fans and Mansion’s members.

With the launch of their new sportsbook product, MansionBet, the Mansion Group have signed a number of tactical partnerships across the sporting world in recent months, covering boxing, pool, horseracing and even comedy, via the sponsorship of football’s funny man, Darren Farley.

After years of working together, Mansion commented that they felt loyal towards Bournemouth, and considered the club and their fans to be extended family.

Rob Mitchell, Commercial Director at AFC Bournemouth, said: “I’m delighted that we have extended our partnership with Mansion Group.

“Mansion Group have been a great supporter of the club throughout our time in the Premier League, helping raise the club’s global profile, and I look forward to continuing to work with them.”

World Rugby and NBA To Feature At iSportconnect’s 2019 Paris Summit

iSportconnect is delighted to announce the second event of this year’s Global Event Series, the 2019 Paris Summit, which will be held on Thursday 4th July.

iSportconnect has assembled a content programme that will bring together thought leaders from premier rights owners and brands to discuss and debate strategic issues impacting the future of the global sports business, including digital content strategies, sponsorship and partnership issues, hosting major events and the future of sporting facilities.

The first speakers confirmed to feature at this event are Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby; and Dan Rossomondo, Head of Global Media & Business Development at the NBA.

Brett is responsible for the strategic and business operations of Rugby’s global governing federation. As the sport continues to reach out, engage and inspire participants in record numbers worldwide, Brett oversees the implementation of World Rugby’s record investment, development and player welfare strategies, the delivery of what is set to be a landmark Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, the growth of the HSBC Sevens World Series and Rugby’s successful participation in Tokyo 2020 after its successful return to the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. A former top flight player for Queensland and Australia Under 21 and the Racing Club in Paris for nearly a decade, Gosper joined World Rugby in 2012. This followed a distinguished career with major international marketing services and media companies including Ogilvy, Havas, Omnicom and most recently as CEO McCann Erickson Europe, Middle East and Africa and CEO of McCann Erickson USA.

Dan leads business development for new global marketing partners and manages the media sales relationships and media execution with NBA global licensees and partners while working to increase existing revenue and create new revenue streams. He previously served as Senior Vice President, International Business Development where he worked with regional offices across the NBA’s different business units. Dan also spent time in the Global Media Department where he managed the content needs of league marketing and merchandise partners on a global basis, worked on the NBA’s domestic U.S. television renewal and was the point person for the league’s television and digital media licensees with respect to advertising sales within Global Media Distribution. Additionally, Dan managed relationships with U.S. content distribution partners.

Prior to rejoining the NBA in 2009, Dan worked as Vice President of Client Partnerships for Time Warner Global Media from 2007 to 2009.  In his previous time with the league from 2004 to 2007, Dan held positions as a senior account executive, senior manager, and director of global media. He worked for IMG as an account manager from 2003 to 2004 and at Madison Square Garden in advertising sales from 1995 to 2000.

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 Paris Summit, please contact Chloe McCombie at info@isportconnect.com

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

 

NCAA Unveils Five-Year Plan For Womens’ Basketball

Following up on the high-profile Women’s March Madness tournament, the NCAA has announced its strategic plan for women’s basketball, a game plan to guide decision-making in the sport across all three college basketball divisions through 2024.

NCAA women’s basketball engaged more than 1,000 stakeholders in the development of the comprehensive plan, which will guide NCAA Divisions I, II and III in collaboration with their key stakeholders to express fully a shared vision for the future of women’s basketball.

“Women’s college basketball just experienced a phenomenal and exhilarating postseason with the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four and the Division II and III national championships,” said Lynn Holzman, NCAA Vice President of Women’s Basketball (see video below). “Playing off these successes, we are excited to be officially rolling out our new game plan for the next five years.”

The process evolved over a 12-month period and engaged coaches, administrators and current and former student-athletes involved at every level of women’s college basketball. The leaders of the WBCA, USA Basketball, ESPN, numerous media personnel and other strategic partners also actively participated in the feedback and planning process.

Those stakeholders agreed that the values of teamwork, inclusion, passion, excellence and integrity drive the unique identity of NCAA women’s basketball and incorporated them in the campaign’s tagline: We TIP with Excellence and Integrity.

The NCAA’s vision for the sport — developed through stakeholder feedback — is to:

  • Unify and grow the women’s basketball community.
  • Empower student-athletes to reach their full potential.
  • Celebrate and elevate the game.
  • Create an inspiring experience for all involved.

 

Jockey Club Seeks New CEO As Bazalgette Announces Planned Departure

The Jockey Club is to appoint a new Group Chief Executive with the news today that Simon Bazalgette will stand down by the end of 2019 from the role he has fulfilled for more than a decade as he transitions into a non-executive career.

The announcement follows last week’s news that The Jockey Club delivered another record financial performance – a tenth consecutive year of commercial growth – which allowed it to contribute a record £27.1 million into British Racing’s prize money last year.

Over the last 10 years, The Jockey Club has increased its turnover by 68.2% and its contribution to prize money by 116.8%, as well as investing in its facilities, racing surfaces and initiatives to promote the sport.

The recruitment process to appoint a new Group Chief Executive will be led by representatives of The Jockey Club’s Board of Stewards, including the current Senior Steward, Roger Weatherby, the Senior Steward designate, Sandy Dudgeon and the Deputy Senior Steward, Julia Budd.

They will be advised by the executive search and talent advisory firm, SRI. Given the talent within The Jockey Club, the successful candidate may be appointed from within British Racing’s largest commercial group.

Simon Bazalgette, Group Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, said:

“The Jockey Club is a fantastic, purpose-led organisation full of talented and experienced people, so this has been a really hard decision for me to make.

“When appointed a little over ten years ago I agreed to do at least five years before going non-executive, but there’s always been plenty to do and great opportunities that have kept me fully engaged. On the back of our tenth set of record results, and with a great team in place, now seemed the right time to make my transition. I’ll be standing down as Group Chief Executive by the end of the year, but I do hope to stay involved in a non-executive or advisory role.

“In my opinion, The Jockey Club is blessed with the best management team in British sport, supported by a strong Board and governance structure, and my executive colleagues and our hardworking teams have been instrumental to what’s been achieved across Jockey Club Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates, The National Stud and Racing Welfare in recent years, which I’m sure will go from strength-to-strength.”

Roger Weatherby, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, said:

“Simon Bazalgette has made an outstanding contribution to British Racing as The Jockey Club’s first ever Group Chief Executive.

“He has played a pivotal role in major achievements for our sport, including revolutionising racing’s media rights value, vital Levy Reforms, nearly 100 days of free-to-air coverage with a dedicated major broadcaster in ITV; and most importantly the ability for The Jockey Club to make record contributions to prize money and investments in our facilities around the country on the back of strong commercial performance.

“He has assembled a first-class executive team and we will now begin a process to ensure his successor builds on the very robust foundations that Simon has laid.

“We are keen that The Jockey Club and Racing does not lose the significant knowledge and expertise that Simon has, and so we very much hope that he will continue to be involved in some way into the future.”

Bazalgette recently joined the EFL Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director, replacing his non-executive role at the London 2017 World Athletics and Para-Athletics Championships, where he was Senior Independent Non-Executive Director.

Super League Triathlon Returns To Jersey

After the first full season of Super League Triathlon racing around the world, Jersey in the Channel Islands will once again host the opening weekend of the SLT Championship Series on September 28-29, 2019.

As well as races contested by the world’s foremost elite triathletes, there will be Age Group races and a festival Fan Zone vibe. Last year’s event attracted 14,000 spectators.

For the second year running, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is returning as title sponsor of the Jersey event, with Jersey Telecom, Ravenscroft and Comprop also returning as partners for the weekend.

The SLT Championship will feature the best 50 triathletes in the world selected using a qualification system that rewards the best performances and offers new talent the chance to compete at the highest level.

In 2018, the RBC SLT Jersey event had a broadcast reach of 850 million potential viewers around the world. Thanks to the event, the Top 10 SLT athletes increased their social media following by 19.7%.

https://vimeo.com/304999836

 

 

 

Champions League Match Tops Italian Ratings

The UEFA Champions League match between Barcelona and Liverpool was number one on Italian television yesterday evening.

Despite the lack of an Italian team, the game on RAI 1 drew 4.876 million viewers and scored a market share of 20.6%.

Barcelona’s 3-0 win was also number one in The Netherlands, where Veronica pulled 1.843 million viewers with a 34.4% share.

ESPN Digital Racks Up Record Traffic

ESPN Digital ranked as the top U.S. digital sports property in March across every key metric.

ESPN reached 95.4 million unique visitors (up +23% YOY) for its largest March on record. The ESPN app was once again ranked as the No. 1 sports app in the U.S., attracting 19.9 million unique visitors and 1.8 billion minutes, up +25% and +39%, respectively YOY.

ESPN Digital also was No. 1 in total minutes with 6.1 billion, which was 3.1 billion more than No. 2 Yahoo-NBC Sports (3.0 billion), and with an average minute audience of 137,500, out-delivering No. 2 Yahoo-NBC Sports (67,832).

ESPN’s Digital properties include ESPN.com; espnW, the network’s initiative serving female sports fans; the ESPN App, WatchESPN and ESPN3, the 24/7 live sports broadband network, and ESPN Fantasy Sports, which includes the No. 1 fantasy football game.

ESPN Digital properties also include ESPN Digital Audio, Interactive Games and other emerging digital media properties including fivethirtyeight.com, Nate Silver’s site exploring analytics across sports, politics and economics.