Smart Clothing and Body Sensors to debut as product showcase at SportAccord 2018

Making its debut at SportAccord 2018, smart clothing and body sensor brands will hit the runway in front of a global audience with a daily Product Showcase to ignite the senses at this year’s World Sport & Business Summit.

With more and more players entering this market, a growing variety of products are arriving on the scene. Sports apparel and footwear continue to lead the way with garments that provide more in-depth physiological and biometric data than has previously been available for wristbands and watches.

On top of this, professional sports teams continue to adopt the technology with the body sensor market set to achieve 92.1 million units in 2022.

The SportAccord 2018 Product Showcase provides a unique opportunity for a limited number of brands to get in front of their target audience – the international sports federations – and steal a march. Fitness wearables market growth is being driven by professional athletes, teams and consumers looking to gain performance advantage. Athletes and teams were identified as one of the biggest drivers at the International Federation (IF) Forum in 2014.

Compression technology for quicker athlete recovery, moisture management, smart footwear, wearable patches, connected sports and fitness apparel, all have the opportunity to be on stage at SportAccord 2018. Interested brands should contact sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 601 27 64.

With an average audience of around 700 delegates during each Product Showcase, brands will have the opportunity to reveal new products and apparel in front of the global sports community – including media.

Taking place in the heart of the exhibition close to the SportAccord Café, there are multiple packages available to suit all budgets starting at CHF 3,000 – a steal when the current rate per delegate is CHF 2,500. This package includes One Showcase, two delegate passes, and an advert in ‘The Daily’ SportAccord newspaper (digital and print). Brands will also benefit from exclusive ‘promo’ shots to raise visibility for use in media and marketing campaigns.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord said: “The Product Showcase is an exciting opportunity for sports apparel, smart clothing and wearables brands to gain exposure on a world stage.

“Years ago, professional teams had straightforward competition and training kits. Now, we’re starting to see devices integrated into their athletic wear for performance analysis. On top of this, smart sports apparel is being designed with superior comfort and performance in mind, for both consumers and professional athletes.

“Of course, ‘branding and sponsorship’ is also an important aspect for sportswear too – both on and off the field of play, and is part of the theme for this year’s conference programme. The SportAccord Product Showcase is a golden opportunity for a few brands to take part and engage with their target audience.”

Brands who are interested in taking part in the SportAccord Product Showcase set to take place from Tuesday 17 April to Thursday 19 April throughout the day, should contact the sales team: sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 601 27 64.

Brands will also have access to the SportAccord Official Schedule including well over 20 key networking events, a full conference programme, and a popular 3-day Exhibition, as part of the delegate experience. SportAccord is also host to the Annual General Assemblies of its GAISF members.

Eurosport records 76 million engagement digitally for PyeongChang 2018

Discovery and Eurosport’s coverage of PyeongChang 2018 on digital & social platforms reached a record 76 million – more than doubling the average number of users and reaching new and younger audiences.

Approximately 58% of the population watched on free-to-air and pay-TV in Discovery’s top ten markets across Europe, on its own channels, and those of its partner broadcasters, with a record breaking over 90% TV audience share achieved in Sweden and Norway.

And 76 million users enjoyed the games online, on social and through the integrated Eurosport app, which includes free content and premium sport streaming service, the Eurosport Player.

David Zaslav, Discovery Communications CEO, said: “Discovery is proud of the consumer response to Eurosport’s coverage of the Olympic Games, brought to life by innovative production, the latest technology and local stories for 48 countries in 22 languages.  Much of what we set out to do in PyeongChang, never has been done before, highlighted by delivering every minute of the action in the first-ever digital Games across Europe.”

Zaslav continued: “Our inaugural Olympic Games have surpassed expectations in terms of what we can achieve as a company, most notably with record audiences on free-to-air and pay-TV services, coupled with strong levels of traffic on our integrated Eurosport app, online and through our social channels.  We believe these fans have started or deepened their relationship with Eurosport and we are excited to keep them with us for more of the biggest sports moments all year round.”

 

LawAccord to focus on legal risks and contract negotiations for hosting big events

Delegates attending this year’s LawAccord conference will hear from leading experts on the legal risks and business implications for hosting major global sports events.

LawAccord will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 18 April during SportAccord at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre and is particularly suited to GAISF International Federation members and registered delegates from cities, legal teams, and sports stakeholders.

The opening session will examine how rights are awarded to host major events and will recommend the legal steps to undertake for contract negotiation.

Delegates will hear from Catherine Ordway, Senior Fellow, University of Melbourne who will discuss how inter-agency collaboration is increasingly needed to be organised by bidding cities to support traditional sports integrity efforts.

A special joint panel session will follow with CityAccord on the most important commercial considerations when preparing to bid for an international event to void disputes and conflict, supported by case histories. Legal and city panel experts include:

  • Craig McLatchey OAM, Lagardère Sports/EKS
  • Dr. Robert Kaspar, Assistant Professor for Sports Management, Seeburg Castle University
  • David Simon, President, Los Angeles Sports Council

A scene setter outlining the Dos and Don’ts in contract drafting will follow by Jeff Benz, CEDS, JAMS Mediator and Arbitrator and former General Counsel of the United States Olympic Committee. This will run alongside commentary from Francisco Lima, Director Governance & Institutional Affairs from the International Equestrian Federation, on special issues arising from the movement of horses. A panel session will follow and seek to identify the ten most important issues for any hosting agreement, including risk allocation between the event owner and host city. Commenting on his involvement in major event bids Benz said:

“I am pleased to participate in the LawAccord and CityAccord joint session at SportAccord on Host City Agreements.  Since my days as USOC general counsel through multiple event bids and hosting through today I have had the tremendous pleasure to work with a variety of parties in putting together the legal arrangements to conduct events in a variety of contexts. I am looking forward to sharing what I know about this subject and to deepening my knowledge learning from my fellow speakers and the audience. Putting together a solid event framework built on the basics business terms and legal agreements is the key to success in running events.”

This year’s LawAccord Keynote by Matthieu Reeb, Secretary General, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), provides the essential annual update, a must attend for lawyers and sports administrators, where Reeb will share the most recent CAS cases and their impact on planning and decisions.

LawAccord Co-Chairs Stephen Townley, Active Rights Management (ARM) and Michael Lenard, ICAS, Vice President will announce the launch of the LawAccord global pro bono sports law firm of the year award 2019. This is supported by leading international academics Hayden Opie and Matthew Mitten as independent administrators for the award.

Host cities, as well as organisations and legal practices looking to attend LawAccord should register for SportAccord 2018 giving them access to the entire conference programme. As part of the Official Schedule, SportAccord will host well over 20 networking events, a 3-day Exhibition, and an extensive Conference programme to include: the Summit (Plenary), CityAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord, HealthAccord; as well as workshops delivered by Sportcal and Yutang Sports.

 

ONE MONTH TO BEIJING: iSportconnect Welcomes Four More Speakers for the Beijing Summit

Today marks one month to go until the iSportconnect Beijing Summit, which is taking place on March 26-27th at the iconic National Aquatic Centre in the Olympic Park.

We are delighted to announce that four additional  guest speakers have been added to what is already a stellar list of participants.

  • Duan Gang, CEO and Deputy Chairman, China Open Promotions
  • Antoine Haincourt, Expert Associate, Director of MSc -EM Lyon
  • JohnathanLevy, Director of Sponsorship, Clipper Ventures
  • Jason Ferguson – Chairman, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA)

Gang was appointed as the Chairman of Beijing Youth Daily Social Affairs Committee in September 2015. He was then appointed as the Vice President of Beijing Media Group (HK0100), managing all the investment related job. He was appointed as the Executive Director of Beijing Media Group in May 2015 and then was appointed as the Executive Vice President of Beijing Media Group in September 2015.

Haincourt boasts an extensive international experience of working in Europe, North America and Asia. His lectures comprise of consumer behavior, branding management as well as sports culture.

In response to the needs of this ever-growing and changing industry, Antoine unites his expertise across diverse segments of the markets, including sporting goods, selective distribution, retailing and e-tailing, winter and summer sports with a strong professional network including prestigious companies such as Nike, ASICS, Adidas, Amer sports, Rossignol, Decathlon, Renault Sport, PSG, ISPO, A.S.O., Lagardère sports.

Ferguson has, in his current stint as WPBSA Chairman, presided over one of the most significant and radical changes to the way that the sport is governed when a controlling stake (51%) of World Snooker Limited (the previously wholly owned subsidiary of the WPBSA which is responsible for the commercial exploitation) was divested to Matchroom Sport Limited, with the associates retaining a 26% share in this entity.

Levy is an experienced marketeer with a long and distinguished career in the media and commercial sectors; pioneering the introduction of digital technology and communications in content creation, business process and brand globalisation, and building international partnerships with corporate, consumer and destination brands.

 

Confirmed Speaker Line-Up

 

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.

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.

Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation appoints Adwa Al-Arifi as the first woman committee member

Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation has named Adwa Al-Arifi as the first woman committee member in its history to empower women in the kingdom.

She will be part of the seven-member corporate social responsibility committee. She previously worked as  part of the Saudi Federation of Mass Participation as reported by Arab News.

She is the Founder & President of AlYamamah Female Football Club which is the first female football club in Riyadh. She manages the club and prepare club budgets, funding and sponsors

She will focus on improving fan engagement, driving community initiatives and campaigns. She is a graduate of Al-Yamamah University with an honors degree in business administration and is considered a female grassroots specialist.

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that we will be celebrating Women in Sport for the next two weeks ahead of the International Women’s Day on March 8th.

 

The European Tour names David Pryles as commercial director of Australasia

The European Tour has appointed David Pryles as commercial director in Australasia for the first time as it continues its international expansion.

Widely recognised as a highly qualified sports executive, David has a track record in leading teams and delivering outstanding commercial outcomes for both high-profile companies and major sporting brands.

This is the latest step in a strategic alliance between the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour, initiated last summer. That agreement aims to create co-sanctioned tournaments in the region and offer more holistic commercial packages to both sponsors and partners.

David’s role as commercial director will include the remit of building newly-integrated events and commercialising the European Tour within the region, as well as continuing to commercialise the PGA of Australia and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

The appointment demonstrates the European Tour’s continued commitment to innovation within the international game of golf‎. In addition to Europe, commercial teams have been established in Asia, Middle East and North America.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the European Tour at such an exciting time for golf,” said David. “I am very much looking forward to the future and what we can achieve together in the region.”

Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, added: “I’m delighted to welcome David to the team, and have no doubt his expertise and experience will benefit our ambitious organisation and help drive our global expansion.”

In the role of general commercial manager for PGA of Australia, David has been instrumental in driving revenue through the creation of new tournaments, as well as negotiating sponsorships, broadcast agreements and merchandising and licensing in order to deliver an innovative ‘whole of Golf’ commercial strategy.

David has also previously worked as head of partnership sales at Melbourne City Football Club and Group Commercial Sales Manager at Cricket Victoria.

 

iSportconnect Capital appointed as an advisor by Rugby Europe Enterprises

iSportconnect Capital is delighted to announce that it has been formally appointed as nominated advisor to raise a minority equity stake in Rugby Europe Enterprises, the governing body for rugby in Europe.

This is the first mandate for iSportconnect Capital, which is a joint venture between iSportconnect and Chance Capital Ltd.

Hugo Chance, MD of iSportconnect Capital commented: “This is a fantastic first project for our new venture. It is not often that an opportunity comes up to invest in a sporting governing body, especially one with the provenance of rugby in Europe. We are looking forward to working with Rugby Europe Enterprises in realising their longer term ambitions.”

iSportconnect Capital advises and raises capital specifically for sports and leisure focused businesses. We seek to advise appropriate business on growth and capital raising strategy. We are actively seeking applications for sport or leisure focused businesses who are looking to raise at least £1m and who have a minimum £500,000 EBITDA.

 

One Week to go Until iSportconnect Broadcast Masterclass London

Today marks the one week to go stage until the next iSportconnect Broadcast Masterclass in London on February 28, 2018 and there is only limited availability for delegates.

The event will take place at K&L Gates’ London office  which is located in the modern iconic premises of One New Change in the heart of the city.

The all-day event will bring together industry thought leaders 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.

Broadcasting is dead – and more alive and dynamic than ever before in the digital world. Television and video content is everywhere, with multiple platforms and devices available at billions of fingertips around the globe.

But staying ahead of the curve has never been more difficult, with business models often running to catch up to ever-changing technology and new opportunities coming online every single day.

Confirmed speaker lineup:

Peter Hutton, CEO of Eurosport

Jonathan Licht, Director of Strategy at Sky Sports

Aarti Dabas, Head of Media Rights, Broadcast & Digital at the International Cricket Council

Shane Warden, Director of Broadcast & Technology at ATP Media

Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights at Formula 1

Ralph Straus, Commercial Director at the International Equestrian Federation

Stefan Kürten, Executive Director of EBU Sport

Sebastien Audoux, Head of Sports – Canal OTT

Federico de Mojana, Head of Programming at the ‎Olympic Channel

Alex Rice, Managing Director – Rights and Strategic Development at DAZN

Danny Menken, Group Managing Director at ELEVEN SPORTS

Warren Phelops, Partner at K&L Gates

Michael Llewellyn, Senior Associate at K&L Gates

The speaker lineup is set to bring significant value to the content programme, courtesy of extensive expertise in the broadcast space.

Invitation Policy: iSportconnect Directors’ Club is an invitation only event open exclusively for chief executives, chairmen and director level executives from governing bodies, sports teams and sponsorship brands. Sports Agencies, professional service providers & suppliers, please contact us for sponsorship opportunities.

To register interest, please email Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) 

 

iSportconnect announces 2018 Finance Masterclass and adds UEFA and ex Chelsea CEO to the lineup

Working in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, iSportconnect is delighted to announce that we will be staging our Finance Masterclass which shall be taking place on April 11, 2018 at Penningtons Manches LLP.

This exclusive event is invitation-only and will bring together leading experts to tackle topics such as financial fair play, taxation, valuations and cybersecurity.

Andrea Traverso – Managing Director, Financial Sustainability and Research of UEFA, has been confirmed as a guest speaker for the event. He worked as a financial advisor before moving to UEFA in 2001. Traverso is in charge of the development of the UEFA club licensing system and he led the implementation of this important project across all 55 member associations.

Trevor Birch – Managing Director of Duff & Phelps Ltd and ex Chelsea CEO has also been confirmed as a guest speaker. As the CEO of Chelsea FC, he led the £200m sale to Roman Abramovich in 2003 and achieved similar success as the CEO at Leeds Utd FC.

The capacity for this exclusive event is limited to 80 to provide a series of intimate networking sessions which will give key decision makers an opportunity to forge new relationships and discuss potential partnerships in a relaxed atmosphere.

Want to attend? See our invitation policy below:

  • There is no fee to attend this event. However, the Finance Masterclass is open exclusively to senior sports business executives from rights holders, broadcasters and sponsorship brands only.
  • No agencies or press can attend and, as we follow Chatham House Rules, all discussions will remain confidential.

Please contact Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to register your interest in attending.

Sports Technology Awards unveils shortlist for 2018

The 2018 Sports Technology Awards revealed the shortlist, featuring all facets of the sports sector. The organizations shortlisted represent 44 sports and 20 countries, including industry giants such as Puma, Juventus, ATP, Audi, Gatorade, BBC Sport and Sacramento Kings, as well as new sector disrupters such as Spalk, Sports Whispers and DNA Fit.

Rebecca Hopkins, STA Group CEO, owners of the Sports Technology Awards, said: ‘This is now the fifth cycle of the Awards and the breadth of representation across sports, countries and brands reflects the value the global industry places on them. The range of technology submitted varied widely and offered outstanding levels of innovation – we didn’t envy the judges their task.

“Clichéd as it is to say that being shortlisted is a result in itself, but in this case – given the competition – it is true. Whichever brands win, it will be an amazing achievement, so we look forward to revealing the winners in May.’

John Rhodes, Director of HOK Sport and Entertainment, added ‘This was my second year judging, I was impressed last time, this year I have been amazed. The work on show – almost universally – was incredible but, more than that, you can really see how the entries will change sport – if they aren’t doing so already. The shortlist represents a group of highly visionary companies.’

The full shortlist is available here

In keeping with the tech-forward nature of the Awards, all shortlistees were given a sneak, Augmented Reality preview, 24 hours before the official reveal. This came courtesy of AR app, skignz, who placed a digital announcement in the sky outside successful brands’ offices.

The 2018 ceremony will be hosted at The Roundhouse in London on May 3rd, an experience set to be enjoyed by leading industry figures, innovators and international athletes from around the world. Tickets are available online