Formula 1 announces ‘Grid Kids’ in partnership with FIA to make races ‘more relevant’

Formula 1 has announced the introduction of ‘Grid Kids’ in partnership with FIA to make its races more relevant for young fans. The move follows its recent to decision to ban ‘Grid Girls’.

Both Formula 1 and FIA will work alongside Grand Prix promoters ASNs – the FIA-recognised national sporting authorities – to provide a unique opportunity to youngsters and their families to be part of each race weekend.

Sean Bratches, F1 managing director of commercial operations, said: “This will be an extraordinary moment for these youngsters: imagine, standing beside their heroes, watch as they prepare to race, the elite of the elite in motorsport, to be there, alongside them in those precious few minutes just before the start.

“What an unforgettable experience, for them, and their families. An inspiration to keep driving, training and learning so that they can dream of one day being there themselves. What better way to inspire the next generation of Formula 1 heroes.”

FIA President, Jean Todt, added: “Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motor sport and the dream of every young racer competing the junior series that make up the FIA’s single-seater pyramid, from karting all the way to F1.

“We are therefore delighted to bring that dream a little closer by giving the future champions of our sport the opportunity to stand alongside their heroes on the grid in the build-up to the race start.

“For the wider FIA, this is an excellent initiative that provides additional support to our member ASNs in their efforts to grow motorsport worldwide through a unique reward they can make available to youngsters participating in their national series.”

Disrupting sports broadcasting: hidden opportunities for sports streamers

Winter has come for American sports fans in the best possible way, as the weekend’s thrilling Super Bowl will be followed by two weeks of Olympic competition.

I know I am not the only one eagerly awaiting live curling in the pre-dawn hours. Yet, as viewing habits change, more Americans will stream these events instead of watching them on a TV set.

Younger generations are leading the streaming revolution; GfK MRI data shows that 70% of Millennials (+20 points from Americans overall) and 76% of Gen Now (+26 pts) used a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu in the last month.

Streaming is essential to reach and engage younger sports fans, and Millennial sports fans in particular represent a tremendous opportunity for sports broadcasters and marketers.

While 41% say they are willing to pay for sports content (+16 points from Americans overall and +12 points from sports fans overall), only eight percent currently pay for it.

NBC is fully embracing streaming in February. There were 11 hours of streaming content surrounding the Super Bowl, and for the first time the Olympic opening ceremony will be streamed live. NBC is not the only one going all in on streaming: this spring, ESPN Plus will go live, and in the fall, Turner Sports will place most of their UEFA Champions League soccer games on a new streaming service.

Staying ahead of the broadcast 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.

Sign up to iSportconnect’s Broadcast Masterclass now.

Interestingly, teams are also shifting to streaming. In a groundbreaking partnership, MLS’s Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced this week that YouTubeTV will hold their local media rights. The move by LAFC and Turner Sports makes sense as soccer fans are more likely to use a streaming service than sports fans overall (57% vs 50%).

While it’s clear that broadcasters are boosting the accessibility of streamed sports content to meet the needs of the market and capitalise on the sports rights they own, are they prepared to use engagement to keep fans coming back, and paying, for more?

New research has identified a few ways to capture the opportunity that Millennial sports fans present.

Creating a conversation

Millennial sports fans value online communities, and 62% think that virtual interactions can be as good as in-person ones. So how can streaming outlets foster a community? E-sports platforms like Twitch are a great case study, as they allow online spectators to interact with each other and the players in real time. Perhaps TV networks can provide a way for fans to discuss the starting line-up and other key decisions in real time through their streaming services.

Getting personal

Being able to customise the streaming experience will also help attract and keep Millennial sports fans, as 79% tend to prefer products that are tailored to their needs (+15 points from Americans overall). And personalisation that integrates home technology and digital assistants would be even better, with Millennial sports fans being more likely to describe their home as a high tech zone (42%, +14 points from Americans overall) and 1 in 5 having a home assistant like Amazon Echo in their house. Perhaps in the future, Alexa can help tailor a viewing schedule for fans and I won’t have to go hunting to see what channel curling is on at 4 AM.

The good news is that the engagement of Millennial sports fans can lead to advocacy. Sixty-two percent typically go out of their way to tell others about products and services they like, paving the way for future growth.

While Millennials are a commonly decried as disruptors, they can truly lead the way to new revenue streams in the sports world and hopefully, a life-long relationship with teams and the content providers that connect them.

About the contributor

Adam Swift is a Senior Analyst on the Consumer Life team at GfK

PepsiCo renews UEFA Champions League partnership

PepsiCo has extended its partnership with the UEFA Champions League for the 2018-21 cycle.

The new agreement also includes sponsorship rights for the UEFA Super Cup in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Commenting on the deal, Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Events SA Marketing Director, said: “Since joining the UEFA Champions League partner family in 2015, PepsiCo and its brands have promoted the competition globally and we are pleased to continue our strong relationship into the 2018-21 cycle.

“From innovative digital activations, to on-pack promotions in over 100 markets, PepsiCo is the perfect partner for UEFA as we continue to build interest and awareness of the UEFA Champions League around the world.

“The UEFA Champions League Final Opening Ceremony presented by Pepsi has brought new audiences to the competition and we look forward to another exciting show in Kyiv.”

Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo Global President, added: “PepsiCo has a great, storied history with the game of football, which is why we’re delighted to be renewing our partnership with the UEFA Champions League. Over the past three years this has been a powerful, exciting platform, and we remain committed to bringing the best of football to millions of fans across the world.”

PepsiCo’s deal represents the third partnership extension for the 2018-21 sponsorship sales process for the UEFA Champions League, with Heineken and Nissan signing new deals, while Santander has joined as a new partner.

The San Jose Earthquakes signs CEFCU as official credit union partner

The San Jose Earthquakes has agreed a deal with CEFCU as its official credit union partner.

As part of the partnership, Earthquake and CEFCU will collaborate to come up with exclusive programs for CEFCU members. CEFCU members will further enjoy exclusive opportunities with the Quakes throughout the 2018 season such as a merchandise discount and an exclusive postgame event.

The partnership will also introduce the Movie Night Series at Avaya Stadium and in addition will have a Fan Photo Contest that will offer fans an opportunity to win a VIP package for the series.

Earthquakes chief operating officer Jared Shawlee said: “We are looking forward to collaborating with CEFCU and providing San Jose with unique and fulfilling events together. This partnership has a strong community focus that will give Quakes fans, CEFCU members and the Bay Area opportunities to enjoy Avaya Stadium in new ways, honor local teachers and help prepare kids for school.”

FIBA unveils a new initiative called Fast Break to support basketball healthcare personnel

FIBA has introduced a new quarterly publication called Fast Break to support basketball healthcare support personnel.

The first edition introduces the research on topics like the importance of ball control and self-regulatory skills; the epidemiology of illness at the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games; an analysis of sprain injury cases and an evaluation of a shoulder injury prevention program in Wheelchair basketball.

Peter Harcourt, chairman of FIBA’s medical commission, said: “We are delighted to present the first edition of FIBA’s Fast Break, an initiative to support team medical personnel and courtesy of our Canadian friends. This initiative is the outcome of the FIBA Medical Commission’s work and it aims to assist with evidence-based healthcare practice in basketball. We will be publishing Fast Break every three months and plan to distribute it to as many team doctors, physiotherapists and sport trainers as possible.”

Patrick Baumann, FIBA secretary general and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, said: “I would like to congratulate the Medical Commission for completing this important milestone and thank its members for their great efforts to reach out to the basketball community as well as for providing the highest quality of sports medicine knowledge. This resource will strengthen FIBA’s healthcare program for the benefit of all players.”

 

World Snooker renews its official data partnership with Sportradar

World Snooker has extended its official data partnership with Sportradar.

As part of the deal, Sportradar will continue to  manage official data from the leading snooker events to reach fans across devices, platforms and countries.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said: “We started our relationship with Sportradar back in 2010 and   we have been continually impressed by the way they have brought  new ideas, growth and value to World Snooker.

They have unrivalled quality of product and the best distribution reach in the industry  and they have supported us on a great journey growing the interest and commercial success of the sport. Working with the team in the UK and beyond, we’re delighted to continue our tie-up as we head towards our second decade of working together”.

Managing director group operations at Sportradar David Lampitt said: “Snooker continues to grow as a sport with die-hard fans, new and young followers and of course growing fanbases in Asia. We are proud that World Snooker continues to see us as the right partner to help them serve those snooker followers and bring them ever closer to the players, the tournaments and the sport in general”.

 

International Federation of Sport Climbing signs Japan Airlines as main partner

International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has signed Japan Airlines as its main partner.

As part of the partnership, Japan Airlines will support the development of sport climbing in 2018. Sport climbing will feature for the first time at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires this year and at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Japan Airlines will be present throughout the 2018 season during IFSC events and activities and will also be represented on IFSC social media.

IFSC president Marco Scolaris said: “We are thrilled to have such a committed partner sharing  the  same  vision  and  passion  for  aiming higher,  especially  during  a  period  of  substantial growth and new opportunities for sport climbing. We are looking forward to flying  into  the  challenges  of  tomorrow with Japan Airlines.”

IFSC vice president sports/events Kobinata Toru said: “It has been wonderful to see the evolution of our sport in Japan, a leader in sport climbing. The depth   of   the   climbing   community   in   Japan   is expanding  as  we  prepare  to  welcome  the  Olympic Games in Tokyo, and this new partnership between Japan Airlines and the IFSC is an example and agent of this positive change.”

Swiss Olympic signs Sunrise as one of its top-tier sponsors until 2020

Swiss Olympics has signed telecom company Sunrise as one of its top-tier sponsors until 2020.

The partnership will see Sunrise serve as a premium partner of the organisation and become the fourth company to join Swiss Olympic’s top-tier sponsors following deals with Toyota, the Japanese automotive brand, Ochsner Sport, the Swiss retail company, and soft drinks brand Rivella.

Roger Schnegg, director of Swiss Olympic, said: “We have found in Sunrise a strong partner who joins us at the highest level and is firmly committed to Swiss sport. In addition, this collaboration with Sunrise fits in perfectly with our sponsorship strategy, which relies on a small number of high-ranking partners.”

Christoph Timm, director of brand strategy and marketing communication at Sunrise, said: “We are convinced that Swiss Olympic fits perfectly with the Sunrise brand because we share the same Swiss values. With this commitment, we can express Sunrise’s position in favor of Swiss sports even more and bring it to life in the wider population.

We are delighted that the best athletes in Switzerland will be able to call and surf on the best network in Switzerland in the future. As The Unlimited Company, we also examine how we can lift potential career barriers, so that we are the top modern employer in the telecoms sector for top athletes.”

 

Table Tennis England signs Butterfly as official clothing supplier

Table Tennis England has signed Butterfly as its official clothing supplier until 2021.

The Table Tennis England squad will wear the bespoke kits by Butterfly for the first time at the ITTF Team World Cup in London later this month.

Butterfly has also created red and black ‘home and away’ versions of the kit, which features the new England Table Tennis Team logo designed around the traditional three leopards badge, as well as the logos of Butterfly and Tees Sport.

Taisei Imamura, president of Tamasu Butterfly Europe, said: “We are delighted to continue our long-standing support for Table Tennis England and the English team. The new kit that we are supplying takes advantage of the latest materials which are the most comfortable to play in and wear.

“I wish England every success in the Team World Cup and the other important competitions coming up in the near future.”

Table Tennis England chief executive Sara Sutcliffe said: “We are proud to have extended our relationship with Butterfly and hope our players can continue to deliver world-class performances while wearing a world-class brand.

“We are particularly pleased that our men’s and women’s squads will wear the new kit designs for the first time at the Team World Cup – I’m sure the home crowds at the Copper Box will really get behind them.”

Liverpool FC adds Petro-Canada Lubricants to its global partners list

Liverpool FC (LFC) has signed a three-year deal with Petro-Canada Lubricants.

As part of the partnership, Petro-Canada will work with LFC to create fan and customer-focused programmes, which will provide exclusive opportunities to enjoy unique experiences with the club.

Liverpool’s managing director Billy Hogan said: “We very much look forward to working with Petro-Canada Lubricants. To partner with a global business that shares the club’s values of ambition, commitment, and innovation is incredibly exciting for the club.”

Mark Plake, president of Petro-Canada Lubricants, said: “Liverpool Football Club is an internationally recognised team renowned for their endurance, reliability, and competitive edge. These are key attributes in both football and our business and we’re proud to celebrate our partnership with a club that so closely shares these qualities.”

Tony Weatherill, managing director of global marketing, research and development for Petro-Canada Lubricants said: “Liverpool FC and Petro-Canada Lubricants are built around high-quality teams that are driven by innovative thinking. The synergies between our two brands will make for a dynamic and successful partnership and we are eager to begin developing new opportunities together.”