What Fans Think About The Ryder Cup

Sports fans say the 2018 Ryder Cup encouraged them to watch more golf on TV, but also that they would enjoy the event more if they better understood the format of the competition, and many of them say they would like to see a new golf competition with both men and women competing.

Those were among the extensive findings gleaned from the market by Goodform through its Sports Fan Panel research (see above). Over 10,000 sports fans are signed up to the platform with nearly 1700 of them taking part in this latest survey..

Alexandra Kyrke-Smith, Goodform’s Head of Research & Insights, said: “It’s great to see some really interesting insights emerging from this piece that are applicable not just to golf but to the industry more widely. In particular, there is a clear appetite for formats which give a higher profile to female stars, potentially playing alongside their male counterparts. It was also interesting to see such a high proportion of those surveyed stating that they had been inspired to both play and watch golf more as a result – highlighting the importance of capitalising on major events to drive participation.”

The Sports Fan Panel is a unique platform constructed by Goodform, which provides innovative CRM, data and marketing services to clients such as Formula 1, Premiership Rugby and the English Football League

A key point of the Sports Fan Panel research is that Goodform formulates questions that deliver actionable results. The company’s mantra is, don’t ask a question if you can’t do anything with the data you get out of it

Listen to what Alexandra and Goodform Marketing Director Joe Kyle have to say about the company’s approach to research and the opportunity to learn more about what fans think and want via the Sports Fan Panel.

LaLiga Business Show: Real Betis And Eibar On Brand-Building

As Real Betis and Basque club SD Eibar square off in a LaLiga match in Seville this weekend, iSportconnect is pleased to present these timely insights from the two clubs on the challenges of building their brands in the globally.

With a mature local market in Spain, Real Betis needs to look to the international market for growth opportunities, according to Ramón Alarcón, the club’s General Business Director. The key to international growth is to have a good brand because people “follow a brand.”

For SD Eibar, based in a  tiny village in the Basque Country, what’s opening doors outside Spain is a high-profile foreign player. Eduardo Valdés, the club’s International Business Development Coordinator, talks about the positive impact his team’s star Takashi Inui is having in Japan.

LaLiga Business Show: Real Betis & SD Eibar Brand Case from iSportconnect TV on Vimeo.

Leading MLB Exec Moves To Esports

Major League Baseball Executive VP Chris Park is departing to take over as CEO of esports company G.Sports in the new year.

Gen.G, rebranded from KSV Esports, operates elite-level teams globally in League of Legends, Overwatch and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, among others.

The company is headquartered in Seoul with offices in San Francisco and Shanghai.

MLB has said that it does not plan to replace Park. Deputy Commissioner Tony Petitti will take over his responsibilities as part of an internal re-alignment.

Park, 39, was MLB’s Senior VP Growth, Strategy and International before promotion one year ago to Exec VP of Product and Marketing.

Arsenal Links With Beer Partner In Africa

English Premier League club Arsenal has reached a deal with SKOL as Regional Beer Partner in Rwanda, with plans to expand into other territories across Africa over the next two and a half years.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda already sponsors several clubs in the region and the partnership will involve Arsenal staff providing football consultancy services to offer guidance and advice to support the development of these clubs.

Arsenal will also be providing football teams sponsored by the brand with trips to London to visit Emirates Stadium and receive coaching sessions with Arsenal coaches.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda and Arsenal will also run coaching clinics to support grassroots football.

SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda will promote the partnership through TV commercials, the production of special edition co-branded bottles and large scale on-pack promotions offering supporters the opportunity to win match tickets and official Arsenal merchandise.

Fans will also be able to attend sponsored match screening parties and join newly created official supporters’ clubs.

Arsenal Commercial Director Peter Silverstone said: “We are delighted to welcome SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda to the Arsenal family. The partnership is a direct result of our successful partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and re-affirms our affinity with Africa.”

“We have nearly 90 million followers across Sub-Saharan Africa, and we’re looking forward to connecting with new fans in the region whilst sharing our knowledge and experience, developing coaching programmes and helping SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda build their business.”

Ivan Wulffaert, General Manager, SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda, said: “SKOL Brewery Limited Rwanda are proud of their approach to brewing and product quality. We always take that extra step to ensure the best experience for our customers and consumers. We are very happy and proud to partner with Arsenal FC as we view Arsenal as the team that takes great pride in their approach to football and the quality of their play on the pitch. A refined version of the great game.”

Sports Betting Will Be Legal In Washington D.C.

The Washington D.C. local government has voted to allow sports betting and the U.S. capital will become the first city in its region to allow residents and visitors to bet on professional sports.

The D.C. Council voted 11-to-2 to open up betting a move backed by Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, a Democrat, and the change will take effect as soon as she signs the legislation.

The D.C. Lottery will be the exclusive operator of a new mobile betting app, expected to be the most popular way to place wagers.

People will also be allowed to bet at sports venues such as the Capital One Arena and Nationals Park, and at private locations in the capital such as restaurants and liquor stores.

Sports betting operators at arenas must pay $250,000 for five-year licenses, while retailers that want betting on their sites must pay $5,000 for two-year licenses.

The D.C. Office of the Chief Financial Officer, which runs the D.C. Lottery, has forecast that betting is expected to raise $92 million for city coffers over the next four years.

D.C. joins eight other jurisdictions that allow sports gambling: Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, West Virginia and New Mexico.

Saracens Duo Launch Sport Injury Product Venture

Two Saracens rugby players have announced a new business venture targeting sports people who suffer from joint and muscle discomfort or have issues with sleep and anxiety.

George Kruis and Dom Day have launched ‘fourfive cbd’, a line of cannabinoid-based products targeting active professionals.

Since WADA’s policy change in January to remove cbd products from its prohibition list, the cannabinoid is being adopted by athletes of all levels and disciplines due to the benefits they lend to athletes in regular, intensive training.

Day explained: “Sustaining injuries is a common part of any pro-athlete’s experience but is incredibly frustrating since we want to be getting on with the job, as such we are serious about recovering as quickly as possible.

“Injury-induced frustration led me to try cbd – with no set expectations – so I was delighted with the positive effect it had on my rehab. I quickly became a vocal locker-room cbd advocate, which is how George came to try some products out and became an equally passionate fan.”

Fourfive cbd products are available to buy via the company’s website and through social media.

New Zealand Sports Sell Tickets Together

In a New Zealand first, five local sporting codes in Canterbury have joined forces to create the Red and Black Sports Pack. This unique ticket offer combines 21 games from all five codes, across ten months of the year.

The teams involved are the Canterbury Rugby Mitre 10 Cup team, Canterbury Kings Cricket team, Canterbury Dragons football team, Canterbury Rams Basketball team, and, thanks to the support of Canterbury Hockey, the national men’s and women’s Vantage Black Sticks hockey teams, making this the ultimate package for a Canterbury sports fan.

“We are thrilled to be part of this innovative product,” said Canterbury Cricket CEO Jeremy Curwin. “We get to put our brand alongside some other fantastic Canterbury sports teams as well as the Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Black Sticks women and Silver medallist Black Sticks men. That is exciting for us and an awesome opportunity for sports fans in this province.”

Canterbury Football CEO Julian Bowden agreed, saying Canterbury boasted some of the most passionate sports fans in the world, so this was a product that made sense for this region: “We love our sport here in Canterbury, so the Red and Black Sports Pack will make a fantastic Christmas gift for so many people. To have the chance to see 21 quality sporting fixtures across ten months, at just NZ$249 for an adult and a child, is such a great deal and would set 2019 up to be the ultimate year of entertainment for any sports fan.”

For NZ$249, the Red and Black Sports Pack includes an adult and child ticket to the following fixtures:

  • 5 x Mitre 10 Cup Canterbury Rugby games
  • 5 x BK Super Smash 20/20 Canterbury Kings Cricket games
  • 5 x ISPS Handa Premiership Canterbury Dragons Football games
  • 3 x FIH Pro League Vantage Black Sticks Hockey games (all double-headers, with both the Men’s and Women’s teams playing)
  • 3 x Sal’s National Basketball League Canterbury Rams games

Tickets are transferable, making it a great Christmas present for the whole family. With only 200 Red and Black Sports Packs available up until 20 December, Canterbury sports fans will need to get in quick!

 

Disney Exec To Run Pro Football Hall Of Fame Expansion

The executive who ran Disney’s Shanghai theme park was named chief executive officer of the ambitious project to re-invent the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Ohio as a tourist destination.

Mike Crawford, most recently global president of portfolio management for Four Seasons Hotels, will head development of the $889 million Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.

The project is a partnership between the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Industrial Realty Group. Johnson Controls, a global diversified technology and multi-industrial group, signed an 18-year partnership with Hall of Fame Village in 2016 worth $100 million to spearhead the development.

The plan is to create the first-ever sports and entertainment Smart City featuring 10 major components integrated through technology, including Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Experience, an  indoor amusement park for featuring a massive football-themed waterpark.

UFC Fares Well In Primetime

A UFC bout on Saturday evening in the USA scored the highest rating in the 18-49 demographic in its time slot.

In a week consisting mostly of reruns the fight between Kevin Lee and Al Iaquinta (in photo) on FOX scored a 0.7 rating among 18-49s, the best for shows starting at 8 pm, although the audience of 2.15 million trailed repeats of Dateline on NBC (3.33 million) and NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS (3.01 million).

The 18-49 rating for the UFC was 0.2 higher than FOX scored for its broadcast of the season-ending 2018 MLS Cup last week, which had a 0.5 in the same demographic.

Italian Public TV Tops Ratings Again With Champions League

UEFA Champions League action again topped the Italian ratings on Wednesday night as public broadcaster RAI continues to ride high in its first season as the live window for big matches.

The 2-1 home victory of Swiss team Young Boys over Juventus attracted 4.393 million viewers on RAI 1 with a share of 17.8%.

In The Netherlands, Veronica also scored with the Champions League again, pulling the biggest audience of the day (except for the evening news).

The action-packed 3-3 draw between Ajax and Bayern Munich pulled 1.811 million viewers with a 30.9% audience share