iSportconnect adds Tencent Sports, CGX Management and Tianrong Group to iSC Beijing Summit speaker lineup

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that three additional guest speakers have been added to the lineup for the iSC Beijing Summit.

Tim Shi, Director of Operations and Event Development Departments at Tencent Sports, Julia Cui, Founder and Partner of CGX Management, and Li Haojie, committee member of F1 committee of Union Internationale Motonautique & Board Chairman of Tianrong Group, will collectively bolster an already stellar list of participants.

Shi has played a key role at Tencent since 2009, having overseen content operations at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2012 Olympic Games and 2014 FIFA World Cup. He has also led the organisation’s ambitious NBA project since 2015, following Tencent’s acquisition of an exclusive digital broadcasting rights package with the North American league.

Cui boasts two decades of experience in sports marketing and mass events, having held positions at Octagon and the Chinese Athletic Association. She has developed marketing strategies for high-profile sports properties such as the Chinese Olympic Committee, Badminton World Federation & Asian Beach Games and has also managed sponsorships for major brands including China Telecom, BMW, Red Bull and Li-Ning. Her current focus is on the road running events industry, with the aim of boosting health, tourism and the economy in China.

Haojie has overseen the impressive rise of the UIM F1H2O World Championship – the ‘flagship’ international series of single-seater inshore circuit Formula 1 Powerboat Racing.

The two-day event, which is set to be held at the iconic Water Cube, will incorporate panel discussion topics including football & grassroots development, the future of winter sport, tourism in China and the ‘one belt one road’ initiative.

Tom Glick, Chief Commercial Officer at City Football Group, will deliver a presentation highlighting how he has helped propel the organisation to the pinnacle of the footballing world.

Confirmed speaker lineup:

Rouven Kasper, Managing Director of FC Bayern Munich China

Yang Yang, IOC Member

Tom Glick, Chief Commercial Officer at City Football Group

Tim Shi, Director of Operations and Event Development Departments at Tencent Sports

Julia Cui, Founder and Partner of CGX Management

Li Haojie, committee member of F1 committee of Union Internationale Motonautique & Board Chairman of Tianrong Group

 

Additionally, a series of workshops will give delegates an opportunity to develop best practices in regards to sponsorship, fan engagement, social media and international events.

Chatham House Rules will be strictly adhered to, helping to produce a relaxed environment in which to discuss potential partnerships and consider business opportunities.

The full lineup of speakers will be confirmed in due course.

Please contact Niren Hirani (niren@isportconnect.com) for further information on ticket prices and remaining packages.

What makes the iSportconnect Summit so special?

∙ The Summit is open exclusively to Director/C-Suite level executives at sports rights holders, sponsorship brands and broadcasters.

∙ Event capacity is capped at 150 delegates allowing intimate access to key decision makers in the sports industry.

∙ No agencies or press in attendance and as we follow Chatham House Rules, all panel discussions will remain confidential.

 

 

EPCR announces plans to relocate headquarters to Lausanne

The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has announced plans to relocate its headquarters to the Swiss city of Lausanne.

The move will take place in July 2018, with all EPCR staff transferring permanently to new offices on Boulevard de Grancy in the heart of the city.

EPCR also plans to accelerate its development through strategic relationships and partnerships in the city, which is already home to 57 sporting organisations.

EPCR Chief Executive, Vincent Gaillard, said: “We are proud that EPCR will join such an illustrious list of sporting organisations in Lausanne and across the Canton of Vaud which is the latest step in our continued and exciting evolution.

“We have established firm foundations in Neuchatel with valued support from the local authorities, for which we warmly thank all involved. We are now looking forward to being part of a dynamic sporting community which logistically provides us with a great base from which to create outstanding rugby experiences across Europe.”

Oscar Tosato, Municipal Councillor for Sport and Social Cohesion of the City of Lausanne, added: “We are delighted that EPCR has chosen the Olympic capital to set up its headquarters. We are looking forward to welcoming them within our growing international sport community.

“The City of Lausanne is proud to be the home of international sport and the addition of EPCR, who continuously work to develop rugby, is proof that our efforts to provide an environment that is conducive to the development of sports organisations are effective.”

European Handball Federation add integrity to Sportradar partnership

The EHF and Sportradar have agreed an extension to their existing agreement, first announced in June 2017, with the company to provide additional integrity services to the federation and its competitions.

The multi-year deal will supplement the existing relationship between the EHF and Sportradar, which already sees the company provide a range of data, streaming, marketing and digital services across European Cup club competitions.

In this new development, Sportradar’s Fraud Detection System will be employed to safeguard a range of EHF competitions, including the VELUX EHF Champions League, Women’s EHF Champions League and EHF EURO events, from potential threats through the use of its world-leading monitoring tools.

The EHF will also be able to call on Sportradar’s Intelligence and Investigation services, which utilise a team of dedicated intelligence experts to help investigate any organisations or individuals who may be targeting European competitions.

Sportradar’s monitoring tools have been implemented since the start of the year. The Men’s EHF EURO 2018 in Croatia in January 2018 being the first major international EHF event to be monitored.

The company also provided further information on its services during the EHF EURO, with a seminar for delegates and referees held during the event’s final weekend.

Commenting on the new agreement, the EHF Secretary General, Martin Hausleitner, said: “The EHF is committed to protecting the integrity of its flagship club and national team competitions. This further extension to our cooperation with Sportradar brings us in line with many other leading sports organisations and will provide us with the tools and support to be able to maintain European handball’s reputation worldwide.”

Sportradar’s Managing Director of Integrity Services, Andreas Krannich added: “We are very pleased to be able to provide our integrity services to the EHF as we forge an ever-stronger bond with this forward-thinking federation.

“Our expert team has been monitoring matches from the start of the year, using our unique and world-class intelligence and detection systems to flag any attempts to manipulate or corrupt this incredible sport.”

Discovery announces Turkish Airlines as sponsor of Eurosport’s Winter Olympics coverage

Discovery Communications and Turkish Airlines have announced that the national flag carrier airline of Turkey will be the exclusive airline sponsor of Eurosport’s coverage of the Olympic Winter Games 2018 PyeongChang*.

TV adverts for Turkish Airlines will be shown on Eurosport across 48 markets around the opening and closing ceremonies, live coverage, highlights, repeats, and daily news bulletins showcasing every moment from PyeongChang 2018, taking place in South Korea from 9-25th February.

Positioning Turkish Airlines as the exclusive airline sponsor of Eurosport’s Games coverage, the campaign extends its long-standing association with premium sporting events.

The partnership gives Turkish Airlines a prominent position across Eurosport’s comprehensive coverage of the Games as the home of the Olympics in Europe.

With more than 4,000 hours and 100 events, including 900 hours of live action, PyeongChang 2018 will be the first fully digital Games across Europe with every minute, every athlete and every sport available to watch on Eurosport Player.

Jonathan Davies, MD Advertiser Partnerships, Eurosport & Discovery Networks International, said: “We are delighted to partner with Turkish Airlines for our comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Winter Games, which positions them as our exclusive airline sponsor.

“By partnering with just one media owner in Eurosport, Turkish Airlines will bring its long-standing association with sport to life for millions of passionate and engaged fans across 48 European markets.”

Seda Kalyoncu, SVP, Corporate Communications of Turkish Airlines, said: “We are excited to partner with Eurosport for their extensive coverage of the prestigious Olympic Winter Games from PyeongChang 2018.

“The Europe-wide partnership immerses Turkish Airlines into Eurosport’s coverage and is a great fit for our brand which stands out as the airline that flies to more countries than any other.”

*Excludes France 2018-2020. Excludes Russia. Eurosport is an Official Broadcaster in the UK for 2018 and 2020.

SportAccord 2018 ‘great honour to host world class event in Bangkok’

Recent Thai radio coverage and television news bulletins focused on the upcoming SportAccord have confirmed it is ‘a big opportunity and great honour to host the world class event in Bangkok.’

It is the first time SportAccord will take place in Thailand providing a prestigious platform, as well as easy-access for Thai organisations and those in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, to become involved in the business of sport and take advantage of the many opportunities the event has to offer.

SportAccord is the only annual sports business event attended by all the international sports federations within GAISF, and provides unique access to numerous networking events and high-profile attendees throughout the week.

These include around 1,500 delegates representing industry, cities/regions, legal and health teams, inventors, sports sponsors, providers and rights holders, subject matter experts, as well as newsmakers, to name a few.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord said: “Final preparations are well underway ahead of SportAccord in April. We have just returned from another series of very successful coordination meetings with the Thai Ministry and their teams in Bangkok.

“There is a lot of focused and dedicated work going on behind the scenes to ensure that the next SportAccord will be an outstanding success for everyone involved.

“If you have not already done so, I would encourage anyone involved in the business of sport, to register and take part.”

Speaking of the great honour in hosting SportAccord, Col. Ruj of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) revealed to news channels: “Thailand has gained confidence from SportAccord.

“This also comes from the hard work undertaken by the Thai team over the last 6 months, with a bit left to do over the next 2 months to achieve where we would like to be.”

As part of the Official Schedule, SportAccord will host well over 20 networking events, a 3-day Exhibition as well as an extensive Conference programme to include: the Summit (Plenary), CityAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord.

Goodform continues to drive engagement for NatWest 6 Nations

Sports-focused data and insight agency Goodform has been retained to deliver a CRM programme for the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations, and the Women’s Six Nations, which both got off to thrilling starts at the weekend.

Goodform has been official CRM agency since 2012, playing a key role in increasing fan engagement, driving traffic to the official website, encouraging mobile App downloads, and participation in the Fantasy Game.

All campaigns are driven by in-depth data insights and key learnings from engagement across previous campaigns, which has also seen impressive results for key partners
throughout the last six years.

Michael Jones, Goodform’s Managing Director, said: “The NatWest 6 Nations is internationally renowned as Rugby’s Greatest Championship and continues to go from strength to strength both on and off the field.

“Goodform is proud to have played a key role in driving data growth and increased fan engagement over the course of the last six years, and we are focused on ensuring that we build on these successes in 2018 and beyond.”

The NatWest 6 Nations is part of Goodform’s impressive client list which includes EFL, British Athletics, Silverstone, Premiership Rugby, and British Cycling. The agency’s core services focus on the use of data and insight to drive tangible growth – whether in revenue, participation or membership – or all three at the same time.

The range of Goodform services can be viewed here.

Fnatic appoint Nick Fry as new Head of Commercial Strategy

Major esports brand FNATIC has appointed Nick Fry as its new Head of Commercial Strategy.

The former CEO of the Mercedes AMG Formula One Team will provide strategic and advisory input as FNATIC looks to build the company’s global footprint.

Fry said of his appointment: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining such a forward-thinking company like FNATIC. As it stands, FNATIC is widely recognised among the biggest brand holders in sports, music and entertainment, and my role is to not only strengthen that position but also build on it.

“With esports in 2017 drawing 258 million unique viewers globally last year, the world’s biggest brands have started to take notice and want to be part of the action. FNATIC is leading the way for non-endemic and global brands to create a route towards the opportunities that esports is presenting.”

Wouter Sleijffers, CEO of Fnatic, said: “Having someone of Nick’s experience and stature is of significant value for FNATIC and esports as a whole.

“When it comes to esports, we’re in the forefront in terms of innovation and delivering value for the brands, leagues and partners we work with. Now is the time to build on the momentum we’ve created – Nick has experience that will aid us in doing exactly that.”

RMG and SIS extend partnership to include direct-to-home and streaming rights

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and Sports Information Services (SIS) have extended their relationship to encompass direct-to-home (DTH) and streaming rights to all 26 Irish racecourses, plus Chelmsford City in the UK.

RMG manages the rights of many of the leading British racecourses, while SIS holds the horseracing rights to all Irish racecourses, via an agreement with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR).

The new agreement will run until the end of 2023.

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “This deal is a very positive one and is in the best commercial interests of Irish racing. It secures income streams for media rights for the next six years and aligns all of our rights across all platforms with the same strong partners.

“The bulk of those income streams will go to racecourses with the balance going to Horse Racing Ireland – but all of the income will go back into Irish racing. The benefits of this deal will be seen across the entire industry

“This deal means we have moved from a situation of uncertainty in relation to direct to home, streaming and international rights, to arrangements that now have been agreed and locked down until the end of 2023.”

RMG Chief Executive, Richard FitzGerald, added: “This agreement means for the first time, viewers can enjoy the major storylines of both Jumps and Flat seasons in Ireland and Great Britain on one HD channel.

“Our 50,000 members and 6,000 pubs and clubs in Great Britain and Ireland will also enjoy the increasingly popular racing from Chelmsford City, which continues to grow in quality and consistently attracts the best horsemen.

“A package of all Irish racing, Chelmsford City and RMG’s horseracing rights will also prove a popular proposition for our streaming bookmaker partners and international broadcast partners worldwide.”

Sign up to iSportconnect’s Broadcast Masterclass now. Panel discussions topics include the new generation of video platforms, OTT. rights competition and deepening audience engagement.

Premier League confirms winter break is under discussion

The Premier League has confirmed that it is considering the introduction of a winter break, which will bring England’s top tier in line with other major European divisions.

Competitions in Italy, France, Spain and Germany all take time out mid-season, easing fixture congestion and giving players an extended rest.

A January break has been under discussion in England which – if agreed – would not impact on the popular schedule over Christmas and New Year.

An official statement read: “The Premier League has been in discussions with the FA and EFL for several months regarding the challenges of the increasingly congested English football calendar and ways in which we can work together to ease fixture congestion while also giving players a mid-season break.

“Provided space can be found in the calendar, we are open to this in principle and will continue constructive discussions with our football stakeholders to seek a workable solution.”

Meanwhile, an announcement on the next Premier League TV rights is expected later this month.

READ MORE: The rise of betting partnerships in the Premier League

Formula E names CBMM Niobium as title sponsor of Punta and Rome races

Formula E has today announced that CBMM Niobium has acquired the naming rights to the organisation’s races in Punta del Este and Rome.

Sponsoring Formula E will provide opportunities for CBMM Niobium to work with leading developers from the electric vehicle industry and help promote the contribution which Niobium Materials Technology is making to the creation of a more sustainable world.

Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “The importance of implementing technologies such as Niobium is crucial to the continual development in the automotive sector and the push for electrification, especially as the demand for producing battery and electric motor components accelerates further.

“Therefore, we’re pleased to again welcome CBMM and help expand the awareness of Niobium technologies to the world through its involvement in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.”

Eduardo Ribeiro, CEO of CBMM Niobium, added: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with Formula E. The championship has been a successful platform for CBMM to improve awareness of Niobium technology and enable knowledge sharing about new applications to address complex challenges.

“Being title sponsor is an exciting opportunity for us to show the huge variety of Niobium Materials Technologies and we look forward to communicating our plans for the Punta del Este and Rome E-Prix.”