WWE today announced it has surpassed one billion fans through its global social media platforms, further confirming its position as one of the most-followed brands in the world.
Check out the video below for more details on that amazing number.
The wrestling brand’s flagship Facebook page has more fans than the NFL, NBA, Marvel, Nike and UFC, and WWE Superstar John Cena is the most followed active American athlete on Facebook with more than 44 million likes.
On Instagram, WWE’s fastest-growing platform, @WWE has more followers than FIFA World Cup, ESPN, HBO and NHL.
On Twitter, @WWE has more followers than MLB, Disney, Amazon and Pepsi.
WWE is the top sports channel on YouTube, ahead of the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, ESPN and NASCAR with more than 40 million subscribers and 30 billion views.
WWE’s YouTube channel is also the second most-viewed channel in the world behind only T-Series, India’s largest music label and movie studio.
WWE’s 15 social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Qzone, Toutiao, WeChat, V+, Weibo, YouKu, Periscope, Pinterest, Foursquare and Tumblr.
Nike has launched the team uniforms for 14 national squads ahead of this year’s Women’s World Cup in France and signed a three-year promotion deal with UEFA Women’s Football, part of its growing focus on women’s sport.
The United States, Canada, France, England and Australia were among the teams whose kits were released at an event in Paris, attended by 28 of the world’s top female footballers.
The Women’s World Cup will be held from June 7 to July 7.
Reuters reported:
In the second quarter of the 2019 financial year, women’s footwear and apparel alone counted for nearly a quarter of Nike’s total revenue and it has said the women’s footwear and apparel market is now 1.5 times bigger than that for men.
Wall Street brokerage Bernstein calculates women’s sporting gear pulled in $7 billion for Nike last year.
Nike’s announcement of a partnership with UEFA comes three months after Visa signed a seven-year deal with European soccer’s governing body to sponsor the women’s game at all levels.
In a related development, Adidas announced that the players it sponsors on the team that wins the Women’s World Cup this year will receive the same performance bonus payments as their male counterparts.
The announcement followed news that the U.S. women’s national soccer team is suing their federation with allegations of gender discrimination, where all 28 members of the squad were named as plaintiffs in federal court.
Eric Liedtke, Head of Global Brands at Adidas, said in statement: “Today we are announcing that all Adidas athletes on the winning 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup team will receive the same performance bonus payout as their male peers.”
“We believe in inspiring and enabling the next generation of female athletes, creators and leaders through breaking barriers.”
The IAAF will cut back the Diamond League circuit in 2020 as the one-day competitions aim for a more consistent, fast moving format.
Meetings in the Diamond League, which begins its 10th season in May, will be reduced from 14 to 12 competitions, plus a final under concepts approved by the IAAF Council in Doha yesterday.
The number of disciplines will also be cut from 32 to 24 with 12 each for men and women and the longest event will be 3,000 meters.
There will also be a new focus on events held outside stadiums, where fans can be closer to the action.
Reuters reported that there was no indication which meeting would be dropped or what disciplines would be eliminated.
An examination at the end of this season will assess the quality of each meeting with the aim of focusing on the best 12 meetings plus a final with all 24 disciplines, the IAAF said.
The Diamond League currently features nine races for men and women and seven field events: high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.
Not all events are held at each meeting.
The circuit, the IAAF’s top competition outside the Olympics and World Championships, currently has two end-of-season finals, with Zurich hosting one-half of the disciplines and Brussels the other.
“The market very much told us at the moment the current two finals should be replaced by one thrilling night of athletics,” said IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon, who co-chaired a year-long review of the circuit.
Ian Hewitt will become chairman of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts the annual Wimbledon tennis event, at the end of this year.
The AELTC has said that Hewitt, who joined the club’s committee in 2002, will succeed Chairman Philip Brook in December this year after being appointed vice chairman on Saturday.
Brook has been the club chairman of the AELTC for nine years and was involved in expanding the size of its grounds by the acquisition of the adjacent Wimbledon Park Golf Club in December last year.
He said in a statement: “Ian’s combination of business acumen and considerable experience serving on the AELTC Committee and as Chair of the Wimbledon Foundation ensures that he will provide the AELTC with strong leadership for the coming years.”
“For now, we look ahead to continuing our planning for a successful Championships in 2019 and a seamless handover in December 2019.”
A well-maintained football pitch does not just offer a high-quality game but helps protect matters such as player safety and audio-visual spectacle. Playing surfaces are of such high importance to LaLiga that it has taken the unusual step of employing its own grounds quality manager, who is working with the clubs to keep their pitches in the best condition.
Pedro Fernandez-Bolaños is a former golf greenkeeper who has also worked as deputy grounds manager at Real Madrid. He believes his new role is proof of LaLiga’s commitment to improving football by focusing on the finer details of the game.
Commenting on the position of grounds quality manager, he said: “The position is a logical consequence of LaLiga’s desire to have football played on a top-quality surface. We maintain direct contact with the clubs to promote cooperation and create a colourful and attractive competition for the fans.”
The role helps clubs to keep player safety and visual spectacle as top priorities. A well-managed pitch can reduce the risk of player injury, as Fernandez-Bolaños explains: “You have to find the balance between a heavy field, which would put pressure on players’ muscles, and an excessively hard one, which causes joints to suffer.”
“It is necessary to avoid slips or having the studs get caught when a player turns or changes direction and this will ensure better security for the player.”
The LaLiga Television Broadcast Regulations not only require clubs to provide a playing field that is safe for the players and behaves in a uniform way, but one that is in the best possible visual state for TV broadcasts. For this reason, aspects such as the hardness and resistance of the turf, and the uniformity of colour on the grass, are emphasized.
This presents a deeply technical job for both Pedro and the ground staff of LaLiga. But with a new application, the task has now become a lot easier.
By using the new Greenkeeper app, clubs in LaLiga Santander and LaLiga 1l2l3 will receive detailed reports on the condition of the pitch in their home stadiums, replacing a paper report that previously had to be completed.
Club ground staff can use the app to register all necessary details on the playing field, from the local weather forecast, the last time the surface was used, how hard the ground is and the irrigation programmes being used.
Prior to the introduction of the application, clubs would need to submit paper reports on these details for each fixture in LaLiga and the Copa del Rey. The new digital format not only makes the job faster but makes the data easier to share between club staff and LaLiga.
This will quickly lead to positive results, according to Fernandez-Bolaños who commented: “Aside from the convenience for users, the main feature of the app is the creation of data that can be analysed by the business intelligence and analytics department to discover trends and be alerted if there are any changes.”
With so much new information being generated, Pedro will be able to keep improving the quality of playing surfaces across Spain, supporting LaLiga’s work to deliver the best experience for players and viewers alike.
This article appears in LaLIga’s Global Fútbol newsletter. You can read more here.
Sam Toles is the new chief content officer of Bleacher Report, WarnerMedia’s digital sports division.
Toles leaves MGM to join Bleacher Report under newly appointed CEO Howard Mittman, who is taking over from departing co-founder Dave Finocchio.
Based in B/R’s New York office, Toles will head content teams for all the brand’s platforms and programming, including the Bleacher Report website, app, and social channels including basketball-focused House of Highlights and animated NBA parody series Game of Zones.
Bleacher Report was founded in 2005 and acquired by Turner in 2012. Under a sweeping reorganisation of WarnerMedia announced by parent AT&T last week, Bleacher Report is now overseen by former CNN President Jeff Zucker, now chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports, a group comprising CNN, Turner Sports, Bleacher Report, and AT&T’s regional sports networks.
Variety reporter Todd Spangler provides more details as follows:
Toles, a 20-year veteran of the entertainment biz, joins Bleacher Report following Turner Sports’ announcement to develop sports-gambling content from a B/R-branded studio in the Caesars Palace Las Vegas sports book.
Bleacher Report, which targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, also recently expanded the B/R Football brand and its coverage of UEFA Champions League.
“Sam is going to help us amplify Bleacher Report’s voice and develop a disciplined system through which we can create new, compelling content and support our amazing talent pool of creators,” Mittman said in announcing Toles’ hire.
Toles commented, “There is no company positioned as well as Bleacher Report to capture and captivate young audiences hungering for a fresh perspective on the sports and culture they crave.”
Most recently, Toles served as MGM’s senior VP of digital and new platforms, leading the studio’s efforts around digital-native content development and distribution.
That included developing an original programming strategy for MGM’s direct-to-consumer platforms, including Stargate Command, as well as inking the first original programming slate for Walmart’s Vudu, which includes a digital series based on 1980s comedy Mr Men.
Prior to MGM, Toles was SVP and general manager of Vimeo’s Entertainment Group where he led programming for the video-sharing platform and launched its first slate of original programming including High Maintenance (subsequently picked up by HBO), the Emmy-nominated Garfunkel and Oats: Trying to be Special and Oscar-nominated animated short Pear Cider and Cigarettes.
Toles began his career in theatrical marketing at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., followed by home entertainment marketing roles at Paramount Pictures and Rhino. He then joined FremantleMedia as VP of business development overseeing media licensing and also served as VP of content strategy for Gaiam, where he led content strategy for the company’s subscription VOD service, Gaia.
Viewing figures for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) show a cumulative audience of 255 million for the first five races of the 2018-19 season, up 115 million from last season.
Double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain has been was a key driver of increased popularity during the first half of the 14-month season.
A new agreement with Spanish broadcaster DMAX ensured WEC could gain maximum exposure for Alonso’s involvement this year, with the cumulative audience in the country growing six-fold on the 2017-18 season to over 138 million.
The success of Alonso’s team, Toyota Gazoo Racing, also boosted coverage in Japan, with the cumulative audience increasing to 11.72 million. The popularity in Japan of another F1 world champion, Jenson Button, contributed to this trend.
In addition, all five races received more consistent coverage in the USA with Motor Trend (formerly Velocity) delivering over 60 hours of programming across the five races.
FIA WEC Chief Exec Gérard Neveu said: “The growth in viewing figures across traditional broadcast and digital platforms is extremely encouraging, particularly in an increasingly crowded and ever-changing motorsport market.”
“It is reassuring to see the engagement that fans around the world have with endurance racing, and the positive impact this has for our championship’s partners. Our work, of course, continues unceasingly and we face the remainder of the Super Season with huge optimism.”
In late 2018, Infront renewed its exclusive media rights partnership with WEC.
The 2018/19 WEC Super Season continues with the 1000 Miles of Sebring in the USA on 15 March 15.
Egyptian footballer Mo Salah of Liverpool FC, currently the number two goal-scorer in the Premier League this season, has become a brand ambassador of AlexBank (Bank of Alexandria), one of Egypt’s largest banks
A subsidiary of Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo, AlexBank, with 210 branches across Egypt, has been the official card partner of Liverpool FC in the country since 2017.
AlexBank CEO and Managing Dante Campioni said: “The partnership aims to help AlexBank’s customers engage with and become closer to their ever- popular champion Mohamed Salah.”
The Drone Racing League is adding a new streaming partnership with Twitter and will move its broadcasts from ESPN (after three years) to NBC and NBC Sports (NBCSN) for the Allianz World Championship Season starting on August 11.
DRL’s partnership with NBC and NBCSN will offer racing fans the opportunity to watch more than 44 hours of DRL coverage on NBC and NBCSN alongside NASCAR, INDYCAR, and Pro Motocross in 2019.
For the first time, DRL will feature pro drone racing content concurrently on all screens, including mobile phones, tablets, PCs, and TVs, immersing fans worldwide into their thrilling FPV (First Person View) action.
DRL Founder and CEO Nicholas Horbaczewski said: “Over the last three years, the number one request we got from fans was to bring DRL to an always-on digital platform. And now, by merging the sport of the f with the future of broadcast, we’ll give millions of fans the opportunity to watch DRL season races and video-game-like sports content anytime, anywhere — all while authentically engaging our integrated partners on an array of mediums across
TJ Adeshola, Head of US Sports Partnerships at Twitter, said: “The fast, non-stop action of the Drone Racing League fits perfectly with the always-on nature of Twitter,”We’re excited to bring live video content from this futuristic robotic sport and pair it with the already active conversation around DRL all in one place on Twitter.”
“Speed and racing are featured throughout the events that NBC Sports covers, from Olympic sports to motorsports and horse racing’s Triple Crown,” said Jeff Macaluso, Senior Director, Programming, NBC Sports. “The Drone Racing League showcases a unique blend of speed and skill and we’re excited to partner with them for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.”
DRL recently announced a three-year partnership with Youku, one of the largest streaming networks in China.
ESPN will deliver over 175 hours of live coverage (more than ever before) of the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi starting this Thursday.
Working with host broadcaster Abu Dhabi Media, ESPN3 will feature multiple live feeds each day throughout the Games March 14-21 across venues and competitions including athetics, swimming, football, basketball, volleyball, sailing-kayaking, equestrian, powerlifting and more.
More than 7,000 athletes from 170 countries will compete in 24 sports, along with 2,500 coaches and 20,000 volunteers. These will be the first Special Olympics World Games in the Middle East/North Africa region.
ESPN’s coverage will begin with a live three-hour special ESPNEWS, capturing the inspiration, pageantry, performances and special guests of the opening ceremony.
Each evening there will be a round-up show airing on ESPN2, ABC or ESPNEWS bringing viewers the stories, competition showcase, interviews and more.
Internationally, ESPN’s coverage will reach more than 200 countries around the world through its own branded television networks/digital streaming services, ESPN sub-licensees and multiple syndication partnerships that ESPN has arranged in collaboration with Special Olympics International.
ESPN will make this event available in Latin America (in Spanish & Portuguese language), Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Special Olympics World Games coverage will be carried on the ESPN Player streaming service across many countries in EMEA, on the Tencent digital platforms in China and on Sony India’s digital platforms in India. In Canada, TSN will air coverage on its family of television networks and digital platforms..
Ahead of the Games, iconic managers, coaches and athletes, including Pep Guardiola of Manchester City and England’s Gareth Southgate and U.S. Olympic figure skater and Special Olympics board member Michelle Kwan, have come together in an inspirational video entitled The Rallying Cry (watch it below).
Kiera Byland, cyclist and one of the 128 Great Britain athletes competing at the Games, said: “The Special Olympics has been life-changing for me because I experienced bullying in my school. All I wanted was friends, but other people thought it was fun to pick on me all day. I felt vulnerable and would hide in the toilets. I desperately wanted to get into sports – but I wasn’t very good at anything that needed hand-eye coordination as I have dyspraxia and I struggle with balance.”
“The biggest thing the Special Olympics has done for me is to give me a platform to have confidence and to make friends. I’m part of a global family, and each of us within that family has been given a voice. We feel valued.”
Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Managing Director of the Special Olympics World Games, said: “The World Games in Abu Dhabi is a way of working together towards a common goal of promoting global awareness about the importance of inclusion and tolerance for people with intellectual disabilities. It’s great to see these prominent sporting leaders showcasing what it is to be part of a truly unified team and encouraging everyone to join our movement. Abu Dhabi will shortly welcome thousands of athletes and the World Games and we cannot wait to showcase the world and humanity at its brilliant best.”
Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, said “We are grateful for the tremendous support these sporting heroes have given us to help celebrate and raise awareness for people with intellectual disabilities. I’m proud to be a part of an amazing movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport for people with intellectual disabilities.”
“The Rallying Cry video symbolizes the continuation and evolution of the Special Olympics mission – to tackle the inactivity, stigma, isolation, and injustice that people with intellectual disabilities face.”
