Community, Author at iSportConnect

Hopman Cup Future In Doubt After Losing Host City

Perth has been chosen as the third city to host the inaugural ATP Cup in January 2020, signalling an end to the Hopman Cup international mixed team event that has been hosted by the Western Australian city for the past 31 years.

The move leaves no room in the revamped tennis calendar for the Hopman Cup, which is popular with players and has traditionally served as a warm-up for the Australian Open, the year’s first Grand Slam.

Paul McNamee, founder of the Hopman Cup and a four-time doubles Grand Slam champion, said he did not know if the tournament would move to another city.

Reuters reports:

Sydney and Brisbane were announced as the other ATP Cup host cities in January, with Sydney hosting the knockout rounds and final.

“The ATP Cup will launch the global tennis season for the men,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said at the Perth Arena on Thursday.

“Four of the top 12 male players, and eight of the top 24, will play in Perth, with 24 teams competing across three cities — Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.”

The ATP Cup will have 750 ranking points and $22 million in prize money up for grabs.

“My immediate feeling is sadness that it’s not going to be there anymore and concern about where the Hopman Cup may be in the future,” McNamee told ABC News.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) which runs the Hopman Cup said it was “committed” to continuing to stage the event and had begun searching for a new tournament partner.

“The ITF is committed to upholding the core values of the Hopman Cup in the future and are encouraged by the interest that has already been expressed,” ITF President David Haggerty said in a statement.

“We are in discussions with potential partners to decide where and when this tournament will be next hosted. We will keep the Hopman Cup alive and look forward to successful future editions of this unique event.”

This year’s event saw Roger Federer face Serena Williams as Switzerland beat the United States.

McNamee said watching two of the sport’s biggest names battle it out was a fitting farewell.

“If there was a sign off… to say well, bye bye Hopman Cup, it was the fact that probably the two greatest players in the history of the sport, Roger Federer and Serena Williams, went on court at the Perth Arena and went head-to-head,” he said.

Sports Tech Funding Climbs In North America

Funding for sports technology ventures in the USA jumped by 34.5% in 2018 over the previous year, according to the new North American Sportstech Report compiled by SportsTechX.

The size of the average deal rose to a record high of $8.75 million last year.

Only two years ago, content was the hottest investment area. Now wearables and equipment, followed by esports, are attracting the most investment.

As the video below shows, New York City, not Silicon Valley, is the deal-making hub of the sector.

SportsTechX is the top source for data and insights about sports tech start-ups and the surrounding ecosystem. Founder Benjamin Penkert and his team has mapped the world and they help people and organisations navigate through it with authoritative publications, podcast shows and speaking gigs.

To access the North American research and learn more about SportTechX, click here.

Brewery Lines Up Phillies Pitcher In Rare Promotion Deal

A pitcher for the MLB Philadelphia Phillies has become one of the few active players in America’s major leagues to sign a beer endorsement deal as decades of resistance to player-led beer advertising gives way.

Rising star Aaron Nola, 25, will be a brand ambassador of Pennsylvania-based Yuengling Brewery, which has been a sponsor of the Phillies since 2017.

Beer and liquor companies have had advertising partnerships with teams and leagues for years, but until last year, professional sports leagues discouraged players from personally endorsing alcohol.

Last September A-B InBev made a deal with the player unions of baseball and basketball, the MLBPA and NBPA, allowing the brewer of Budweiser (among other brands) to use team sport player names and imagery in ads for the first time in about 60 years.

Since the 1950s, beer companies had voluntarily barred using players in ads through the Beer Institute’s Advertising & Marketing Code.

Nola will make personal appearances at special events to promote Yuengling beer and Phillies fans will also be given a chance to win a Yuengling home vending machine and participate in other social media sweepstakes and giveaways.

Research Shows Clubs Don’t Use Social Media To Push Retail

New research on social media has found that Somerset Cricket Club is the most effective sports team in the UK at engaging fans, ahead of the big guns in the English Premier League.

Search marketing agency Red Hot Penny rated Somerset number one, thanks in part to a phenomenal engagement rate on Instagram. Rugby union team Northampton also made the top five.

A strong performance on Twitter helped the Scottish Premiership (SPFL) claim the top spot as the strongest performing league overall, based on research from last November 5-December 7.

In examining scores of professional sports clubs, the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter activity for each club was scrutinised and ranked along with total follower numbers, followers per seat at their stadium (for Spurs the capacity of the new stadium was used), average post engagement and engagement rate across all three platforms.

The top five in the study, with the number of followers and their engagement rates.

Somerset Cricket – 379,504 and 4.03%
Glasgow Celtic – 2,781,377 and 1.48%
Tottenham Hotspur – 16,310,000 and 1.56%
Everton – 5,572,000 and 1.41%
Northampton Saints – 241,830 and 1.10%

Red Hot Penny found that many clubs aren’t paying the enough attention to social media to drive retail sales.

During the research period, some clubs were posting retail-related content effectively, notably Tottenham, Hearts, Dundee and Manchester City, but most teams made no mention of retail, had no ads running on their profiles and were driving zero traffic to their retail sites.

Russ Powell, Head of Marketing at Red Hot Penny, said: “Very few clubs are using social media to support their retail business, so they are missing out on a massive opportunity to bolster their revenue stream. The vast majority of social media profiles didn’t link to a club site, let alone a retail site.

He added, “Many fashion brands would bend over backwards for access to influencers such as professional sportsmen to wear their apparel. Yet clubs are just not using their assets in a smart way. It’s time for sports clubs to use what they have at their disposal and step up their retail ambitions.”

Second-Screen Use Accelerates For Young Bundesliga Fans

Apps have overtaken television as the primary way in which young people consume Bundesliga content, and the younger they are, the more they access a second screen while watching matches.

Research by the DFL show a large jump in using a second screen between fans in the so-called GenY age group and the younger GenZ demographic as second-screen use accelerates.

The most common use for the second screen is to follow a parallel match at the same time, just ahead of getting more information on the one being watched.

Check out the fascinating data in the video.

Nine Out Of 10 People Know The Olympic Rings

Nine out of 10 people can identify the Olympic Rings when shown the symbol and the Rings outperform other globally recognised symbols across a range of values such as “inspirational” and “inclusive,” according to consumer research released by the International Olympic Committee.

Some 93% of respondents were aware of the Olympic Games – more than any other major sporting or entertainment event. The Games also scored highest for appeal, with a mean rating of 7.5 out of 10.

The major global study, conducted by Publicis Sport & Entertainment in March 2018, surveyed 36,000 people, aged from 13 to 65, in 16 countries.

When looking at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 specifically, the study found that 65% of people considered the Games to have been a success, with this figure rising to 75% among respondents in the Republic of Korea.

The average “enjoyment” score amongst South Korean spectators for the PyeongChang 2018 experience was 9/10.

The opportunities and benefits of hosting the Olympic Games were also widely acknowledged in the study, with 77% believing that staging the Games leaves the host with many benefits and 72% stating that hosting the Games is an opportunity for economic development.

Commenting on the results of the study, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 were a success in so many respects. This latest research clearly demonstrates the strength of not only the Olympic Games, but also the Olympic values. In today’s fragile society, it is heartening to see that people still recognise the significance of these values and look to the IOC to bring the entire world together in peace.”

For more details on the research click here.

FIBA Media, Motorsport Network And WWE To Join Broadcast Masterclass Lineup

With just over 1 week to go, iSportconnect is pleased to announce that Paul Stimpson, Managing Director of FIBA Media, Olivier Dufour, CEO France and President of Video & OTT at Motorsport Network, and Tracey Keenan, Vice President and General Manager of WWE UK, will be speaking at our 2019 Broadcast Masterclass on Thursday 4th April. The event will be held at Fieldfisher in the City of London, and will bring together senior level executives in the industry to focus on new ways for media companies, rights owners and technology partners to prosper, thrive and grow as the digital revolution continues to disrupt the sports broadcasting market.

Paul is Managing Director of FIBA Media which is the entity set up as part of the 17-year joint-venture between FIBA and Perform/Dazn Group. FIBA Media is responsible for the sales, distribution, live and post-game production and delivery of broadcast rights linked to the various FIBA events including the Men’s and Women’s World and Continental events plus the World / Continental Cup Qualifier games as well as the FIBA Youth World Cups and the Basketball Champions League project.

FIBA Media is involved with an average of circa 500 basketball games per year and also has a Digital Marketing team working on the promotion of the events as well as a Broadcast Quality Department that reviews the live production of all games. Paul has been working with FIBA since 2000 and before that was at ISL.

Olivier is a senior executive in the field of digital sports media, OTT distribution, and marketing. Motorsport Network is a global media company that owns and operates multiple brands, connecting millions of people who love motorsport and cars, across digital, OTT, social media, print, marketplaces and live events.

Previously Chief Digital Officer at beIN Media Group, Olivier transformed beIN’s OTT distribution and digital publishing across all platforms, boosting subscriber base, viewership, ad revenue, and social media reach to record highs. As a founder of OTEK Media Consulting, Olivier launched many successful B2C digital products and focussed on the digital media strategy for industry leaders such as Euromedia, beIN SPORTS, France Television, Arte, Orange, French Ministry of Culture, BNP Paribas to name only a few. Earlier in 2002, Olivier founded SkemA, a pioneering start-up in the User Generated Video market. Solutions developed at SkemA propelled a new generation of TV shows, with users’ videos at their center, for many different broadcasters. He sold his equity to investors in 2007. Olivier started his career with telco Orange and Sofrecom, where he successfully launched some of the very first digital content distribution platforms.

Tracey is responsible for WWE’s UK&I business, their largest and most successful market outside of the USA. She provides strategic direction and leadership to drive business growth and increase revenue and awareness for all WWE brands and properties, as the company continues to set the standard for global innovation. Her role involves managing business lines including Content Distribution – TV, Digital and WWE’s highly successful OTT platform, the WWE Network; an extensive Live Event touring program, Digital and Sponsorship Sales, Consumer Product Licensing, Marketing, Communications and new Product Development.

Before joining WWE, Tracey has had commercial roles with a number of globally recognised sports, entertainment and media organisations, including the BBC, News Corporation, and Tottenham Hotspur FC, where she has led partnership, sales and business development programs. She has specialised in rights commercialisation and has particular expertise with Stadium and Arena naming and partnerships, having secured the naming partner at Aviva Stadium and venue partnerships at The O2.

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.

There are now only a few places available so to register your interest in attending the 2019 Broadcast Masterclass, please contact Chloe McCombie at info@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The Broadcast 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

Valencia CF: “We are trying to be a trailblazer in LaLiga”

On 18th March 2019, Valencia CF celebrated 100 years of existence. It is not a fact that will have escaped visitors to the Mestalla stadium this season, with centenary branding decorating the walls, a centenary-themed mobile application and a special-edition kit worn by the home players. There is even a Valencia centenary aeroplane being flown around Europe and Africa by Air Nostrum.

As one of the most decorated clubs in LaLiga, there is plenty of cause to celebrate this milestone. But for club President Anil Murthy, it is more important to look forward rather than back. “When you look at Valencia’s 100 years of history there have been some fantastic moments, but we have to be conscious that living in the glory of the past is insufficient for future survival,” he says.“We have to view the current state of affairs and ask, how can you survive as a club in today’s football world?”

This is a question that Murthy has focused on since he joined the club a little over two years ago and has led to strategy that prioritises growth at home and abroad.

By placing a focus on the “corporate level,” the President believes that Valencia is now in a stronger position than at any time in its history.

“If you want to build a club that will be big you can’t decide what you are going to do based on what is happening on the field,” he explains. “We have hired a lot of people from consumer or branding businesses which strengthens the way we can plan and execute things 6, 12, 18 months ahead.

“What we have achieved, in a relatively short time, is financial, social and sporting stability.”

Travel Management Experts ATPI Sports Events Join NIO As Official Partner

One of the world’s premier global travel management and events businesses ATPI Sports Events, part of the ATPI Group, has today signed a two-year partnership deal with ABB FIA Formula E Championship team NIO.

Becoming the official NIO Formula E Travel Desk, ATPI’s specialist sports events division will start its relationship with the team at this coming weekend’s FWD Sanya E-Prix in China.

ATPI Sports Events delivers travel, events, corporate hospitality, ticketing, branding and sponsorship activation programmes for global sporting events, sports bodies and corporate brands.

Operating from wholly owned offices in the UK, The Netherlands, Canada, France, Australia, China and the United States, ATPI Sports Events has a long and successful track record in sports as diverse as football, rugby, running, sailing, Formula One and the Olympic Games. Now, that list also includes the globe’s fastest growing form of motorsport – the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Angelika Sodian, Managing Director, NIO (UK):

“ATPI’s global expertise in every aspect of travel management, combined with its understanding of the motorsports world, make it the perfect partner to support all of NIO’s Formula E travel needs. As a leading Future EV mobility manufacturer, NIO is changing the future of mobility, and our electric-powered race car programme is an invaluable part of driving successful innovation.”

Adam Knights, Regional Managing Director UK, France & Benelux, ATPI Group:

“We’re excited to partner with NIO Formula E and demonstrate our extensive sports events experience in the fast lane, starting with the 2019 FWD Sanya E-Prix. With our skills deep-rooted in sports associations and our team’s knowledge built over many significant sporting events, we are not only committed to providing the best services to NIO, but also to supporting our new partner through every phase of a race. We are looking forward to working together with the NIO Formula E team to drive forward the new partnership and be part of this exciting new world of electric racing.”

Operating across more than 100 locations worldwide, ATPI boasts market leading travel booking technology, corporate event management and specialist knowledge in sectors such as shipping, energy, offshore, sports, retail, finance and professional services.

Round six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship season, the FWD Sanya E-Prix, takes place in China this Saturday, 23rd March.

Two Weeks To Go For iSportconnect Broadcast Masterclass

iSportconnect is pleased to announce that its just two weeks to go for our 2019 Broadcast Masterclass.

The event will take place on Thursday 4th April and will be held at Fieldfisher in the City of London, and will bring together senior level executives in the industry to focus on new ways for media companies, rights owners and technology partners to prosper, thrive and grow as the digital revolution continues to disrupt the sports broadcasting market.

To register your interest in attending the 2019 Broadcast Masterclass, please contact Chloe McCombie at info@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: The Broadcast 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 hugo@isportconnect.com