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.”

Read the full interview here.

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.

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 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

LaLiga: How Spanish Derbies Are Reaching All Corners Of The World

Not only is Spain home to some of the biggest clubs and best players in world football, but the country also boasts some of the sport’s most intense and exciting derbies. There is much more at stake than three points when certain clubs meet and these rivalries have been showcased in Africa through interactive workshops held in the Nigerian city of Lagos and the South African city of Johannesburg.

The five derbies showcased included the Basque Derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, the ‘Gran Derbi’ between Sevilla and Real Betis, the Madrid Derby between Atlético and Real Madrid, the Valencian Derby between Valencia and Levante and the Catalan Derby between Barcelona and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. To truly bring these to life, LaLiga used food, music and player appearances to offer local media a memorable experience.
To know more, click here.

LaLiga Goes Immersive To Raise Profile In Africa

Interactive workshops held in Africa to promote LaLiga’s five main derbies created significant coverage in the local media. LaLiga plans to host similar events in other locations around the world.

Not only is Spain home to some of the biggest clubs and best players in world football, but the country also boasts some of the sport’s most intense and exciting derbies. There is much more at stake than three points when certain clubs meet and these rivalries have been showcased in Africa through interactive workshops held in the Nigerian city of Lagos and the South African city of Johannesburg.

The five derbies showcased included the Basque Derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, the ‘Gran Derbi’ between Sevilla and Real Betis, the Madrid Derby between Atlético and Real Madrid, the Valencian Derby between Valencia and Levante and the Catalan Derby between Barcelona and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona.

To truly bring these to life, LaLiga used food, music and player appearances to offer local media a memorable experience.

You can read the full story here.

World Rugby’s Head of World Cup Alan Gilpin: “Building A Wider Audience for Rugby”

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, six months away, will be the biggest event on the international calendar this year, playing a large part in World Rugby’s vision for growing the sport globally.

Held in Japan for the first time, the tournament from September 20-November 2 will showcase 20 national teams playing 48 matches in 12 cities across Japan.

The host cities are “brilliantly engaged” in making the tournament a success, according to Alan Gilpin, who is World Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Rugby World Cup.

A big reason for being in Japan is to capture a new audience for rugby and the ticketing programme is showing the success of coming to Japan, he said an exclusive interview with iSportconnect TV.

With two million tickets for sale and 13,000 volunteers to mobilise, one of his challenges  has been getting the Japanese organising committee prepared for the massive scale of the undertaking,

During the first month of the tournament, there will only be four days when there’s not a match taking place.

The event will be a great opportunity for Japan to boost its development as a leading rugby nation and also a “great springboard” for the host nation before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The Rugby World Cup “is not only a great global event that draws a whole new audience that we don’t normally have,” Gilpin said. “It’s also a chance to make the commercial return that we need to do everything that we do.”

In the interview with Ben Barker, Commercial Director of Monterosa, he talked about the health of the sport more generally, including the women’s game, “the fastest growing part of the sport without a doubt.”

Manchester United And AC Milan Line Up For International Champions Cup

Manchester United, AC Milan and Benfica will play in this summer’s International Champions Cup (ICC).

ESPN has reached a new multi-year agreement with Relevent Sports Group for media rights to the annual summer football tournament featuring top European clubs playing across North America, Europe and Asia.

The agreement grants ESPN exclusive English and Spanish-language rights to a total of 25 matches, including the annual ICC tournament and various club friendlies, each summer in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean through 2021.

In the U.S., ESPN and Spanish-language ESPN Deportes will each televise 15 matches per year.

For the first time, OTT service ESPN+ will exclusively carry up to 10 matches live in English and Spanish, beginning this summer.

Additionally, ESPN platforms will cover the Women’s International Champions Cup – a new women’s competition that debuted in 2018 with the best clubs in women’s soccer.

The 2019 ICC marks the fourth straight year of ICC matches on ESPN. Last year, ESPN carried all 27 matches as 18 premiere clubs played in eight countries across North America, Europe and Asia over a three-week period.

“In six years, the International Champions Cup has become a fixture on the soccer calendar and the official start of the soccer season and ESPN has played a big part in that process,” said Relevent Sports Group Executive Chairman Charlie Stillitano.

“When looking to advance the tournament, we extended our agreement with ESPN, in large part because they share our vision of growing the sport of soccer both domestically and around the world.”

New NBA YouTube Africa Will Show Live Games

The National Basketball Association and YouTube today announced the launch of the NBA’s first YouTube channel dedicated to fans in sub-Saharan Africa.

In addition to featuring two live games per week in primetime for the rest of the 2018-19 season, including the Playoffs, Conference Finals and The Finals, the NBA Africa YouTube channel will celebrate the impact of African players in the NBA.

It will also showcase the league’s long history of growing basketball at all levels across the continent and using the game as a platform to inspire and empower African youth.

The first two live game broadcasts on the new NBA Africa YouTube channel will take place this Sunday, March 24, and will feature the Charlotte Hornets hosting the Boston Celtics at 12:00 am (CAT) followed by the L.A. Clippers visiting the New York Knicks at 6:00 pm (CAT).

The channel will feature original and archived programming, including a collaboration with Africa-based YouTube creators on original content, a customized weekly magazine show and NBA documentaries featuring current and former African players and legends.

“The NBA Africa YouTube channel is yet another important milestone for the NBA in Africa and will allow more fans to access our games, live and on demand, across the continent,” said Amadou Gallo Fall, NBA Vice President and Managing Director for Africa,

“As we enter the home stretch of the NBA season and teams fight for playoff positioning, we look forward to bringing the excitement of the NBA to more fans in sub-Saharan Africa while celebrating the NBA’s rich history and bright future in Africa.”

“From inception, YouTube has been a hub for fans to catch up on moments and coverage from their favorite sports,” said Dayo Olopade, Manager of YouTube Partnerships in Africa. “We are delighted to be partnering with the NBA to bring the action and inspiration of basketball to our audience in Africa.  We hope NBA fans on the continent enjoy watching the live games and commentaries on YouTube.”

The NBA was the first professional sports league to partner with YouTube and launch its own channel in 2005.  Last year, YouTube TV became the first presenting partner of NBA Finals and WNBA Finals.  To date, the NBA YouTube channel has generated more than 5.4 billion views.

The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010.  Opening-night rosters for the 2018-19 NBA season featured 13 African-born players.

Last month, the NBA and FIBA announced their plan to launch the Basketball Africa League, a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa.