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Eleven Sports announces new partnership with NBA G League

The NBA G League and Eleven Sports have today announced a new partnership that will include the exclusive presentation of up to 120 live NBA G League regular season games during the 2017-18 season.

The live NBA G League games will be shown in five of Eleven’s markets – the US, Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore and Taiwan. As part of Eleven’s strategy to deliver engaging localised content, games will be shown with local language commentary in each market.

Coverage is set to begin on January 10 with the NBA G League Showcase and Danny Menken, Group Managing Director, Eleven Sports is delighted to have strengthened the broadcaster’s basketball offering.

He said: “We are thrilled to build on our strong partnership with the NBA by adding NBA G League to our basketball portfolio, strengthening Eleven Sports’ position as a go-to destination for fans of one of the world’s most popular sports,.

“We know there is a significant hunger for basketball globally and our aim is to meet the demand of these dedicated fans. We are looking forward to working with the NBA in innovative and interactive ways to help grow and promote the NBA G League.”

NBA G League President, Malcolm Turner, added: “Our partnership with Eleven Sports is a monumental one for the NBA G League as we further solidify our position as the NBA’s official minor league and extend our outreach around the world to markets where fans are passionate about basketball

“During this historic year in which a record 26 teams are competing this season, the league will only grow and its popularity will continue to rise through Eleven Sports’ presentation of our games.”

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Matchroom Sport and Sky Sports announce new seven-year broadcast deal

Matchroom Sport and Sky Sports have today announced a new seven-year broadcast deal.

The agreement, which is set to run until 2025, means Sky customers will be able to watch a multitude of major events across eight different sports and comes alongside the continuation of Sky Sports’ broadcast agreement with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

Sky will broadcast live coverage of major fixtures of the annual sporting calendar including pool’s Mosconi Cup, Fish‘O’Mania tenpin bowling’s Weber Cup, the World Cup of Pool, World Pool Masters, PGA EuroPro Tour golf highlights, the World Championship of Ping Pong and others.

Matchroom Sport Chairman, Barry Hearn, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that we have been able to extend our relationship with Sky Sports for a further seven years.

“The support of Sky Sports has been fundamental to the success of Matchroom’s biggest events and it is great news for sports fans that coverage of Matchroom Multi Sport events and the PGA EuroPro Tour will continue well into the next decade.”

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Orlando Magic confirm Uber as official ridesharing partner

National Basketball Association (NBA) team Orlando Magic has announced an innovative partnership with Uber to enhance fans’ matchday experience at their home stadium.

As part of the agreement, Uber will become the official ridesharing partner of the Magic. The partnership includes a designated pick-up and drop-off lot for supporters using Uber for all pre-season and regular season Magic home games and all other ticketed events taking place at the Amway Center.

The designated pickup area will be available for pickup and drop offs from January 16 when the Magic host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Magic CEO Alex Martins said: “The Orlando Magic take great pride in creating legendary moments and identifying opportunities to enhance the fan experience.

“We are so excited to announce this partnership with Uber that will help make getting to and from Amway Center easier. Through our combined efforts with Uber, fans and visitors alike will have a seamless experience before and after games.”

Uber General Manager, Florida, Kasra Moshkani, added: “We are proud to be part of the Orlando Magic family through this partnership.

“Our mission is always focused on connecting people and enhancing their lives. This partnership is another great example of what we can achieve with a great partner in the Orlando community.”

National Lacrosse League agrees Facebook Watch deal

The National Lacrosse League (NLL), the largest men’s professional lacrosse league in North America, has announced a streaming partnership with social media platform Facebook.

As part of the agreement, the NLL’s ‘ReLax’ programme will be shown on new video platform Facebook Watch.

The weekly show will focus on insights, reactions and analysis of each weekend’s games and will be broadcast on Mondays at 6pm ET.

The deal will see the NLL enhance their digital presence, having previously agreed a live streaming deal with Twitter to cover the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Facebook Watch is geared towards episodic content and predictive audiences, with a number of major sporting organisations having already agreed deals to produce content specifically for the platform.

Aston Villa FC integrates chip and pin technology into season ticket cards

Championship football team Aston Villa has become the first club in the world to integrate pre-paid contactless and chip and pin payment technology into their season and member cards.

The new technology will enable supporters to use season and member cards in the same way as any pre-paid payment card, including contactless payments up to £30.

As part of the scheme, fans will be able to use their cards to enter Villa Park and purchase items at all of the stadium’s payment terminals, the ticket office and official club shop.

Traditionally season and member cards have been restricted to stadium access and online benefits but the new system will allow the club to build up a personalised understanding of each season ticket holder.

Cards will soon also allow fans to purchase on the high street at a host of affiliate retailers, who will be announced in due course. The technology behind the system is being provided by FortressGB.

Julius Baer agrees deal to become title sponsor of Formula E’s Zurich E-Prix

Julius Baer – a leading Swiss private banking group and global partner of the FIA Formula E Championship – has today been announced as the title sponsor of the 2018 Zurich E-Prix.

The electric street racing series is set to bring circuit racing to Switzerland for the first time in over 60 years, with the inaugural Julius Baer Zurich E-Prix set to take place on June 10.

Gian A. Rossi, Head Switzerland at Julius Baer, said: “Formula E is an investment in our society’s future. The racing series serves as a test bed for innovations advancing the future of mobility and ‘smart cities’.

“We firmly believe that in a country whose flair for innovation is the secret of its success, the racing series will generate great interest and underscore the image of Switzerland as a hotspot for technology.

“The decision to pick Zurich to stage the race is the right one – after all, it is a flagship for research and innovation as home to ETH, one of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, as well as being the country’s largest city.”

Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, added: “It’s only fitting that at such an historic moment in the championship and for motorsport in general, one of the main protagonists in bringing racing back to Switzerland for the first time in over 60 years, has put its name to the first-ever Julius Baer Zurich E-Prix.

“Since even before the first race in 2014, our global partner has believed in the concept of electric street racing and has been instrumental in making the championship what it is today.

“Formula E makes history at every race, but on June 10, Formula E becomes the first category to bring back professional circuit racing to Switzerland – none of this would have been possible without Julius Baer and the vision of electric racing.”

Asian Football Confederation expands partnership with Sportradar’s intelligence & investigation services

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today signed a new agreement with sports data company Sportradar for an historic partnership in the field of integrity, specifically addressing match-fixing.

Sportradar’s Intelligence and Investigation Services will now be engaged with the AFC from the 2018 and 2019 seasons to investigate those behind the fraud on the pitch in Asia.

This comes after all matches in the top two leagues and cups in the AFC Member Associations, as well as in AFC competitions, will be monitored for betting patterns as part of an existing agreement between the AFC, Sportradar and FIFA.

AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who joined Sportradar Chief Executive Carsten Koerl at the signing, said: “In the AFC Vision and Mission, the
fight against match-fixing is imperative and remains ongoing. We, at the AFC, take this threat extremely seriously and our actions during recent years demonstrate our zero-tolerance stance.

“But we also appreciate that times are changing, and technology is needed to combat this ever-growing threat. Sportradar’s technology and proven expertise will help us to target those corrupting our game.”

AFC General Counsel & Director of Legal Affairs Benoit Pasquier added: “Sportradar’s Intelligence & Investigation Services have played a crucial role in previous AFC cases and they provided firm support to the AFC Judicial Bodies.”

Carsten Koerl said: “We are delighted, honoured and proud that the AFC is taking such a determined step in the fight against match-fixing. Our Fraud Detection System has long been proven as a potent weapon against match manipulation. And now our Intelligence and Investigation products will give the AFC an added layer of protection.”

Sportradar’s Fraud Detection System and Intelligence and Investigation Services are world leaders in their field, partnering with over 70 football associations and have been involved in investigations leading to 214 sporting sanctions and 24 criminal convictions.

Boston Celtics announce partnership with Bedgear

NBA team the Boston Celtics have announced a new partnership with US bedding retailer Bedgear for the 2018/19 season.

As part of the agreement, Bedgear will serve as the team’s official performance sleep system partner and provide players will specifically designed mattresses and pillows.

The partnership aims to improve Celtic players’ sleep in an effort to gain a competitive edge over their rivals.

Rich Gotham, president of the Boston Celtics, said: “The Celtics are always looking for a competitive advantage and our partnership with Bedgear will help improve player performance through improved, sleep, rest and recovery.”

Eugene Alletto, chief executive of Bedgear, commented: “Boston matters to Bedgear and we’re proud to assist the Celtics in their upcoming London game by providing them with the best Performance Sleep Systems prior – helping them build their sleep reserves – and by traveling with them to London, to ensure they have the best equipment with them to achieve success.”

Eleven Sports in Poland to live stream first ever Bundesliga match on Facebook

Eleven Sports is set to deliver a Bundesliga first when the sports provider live streams the match between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich on Facebook in Poland.

The match between the two teams s the opening fixture of the second leg of Bundesliga season 2017/18 and takes place on Friday 12 January.

The move marks the first time that a Bundesliga match will be streamed live on Facebook and underlines the joint commitment of Eleven Sports and Bundesliga International GmbH, the sales and marketing arm of the German Football League (DFL), towards innovative marketing and promotional activities with the goal of closely engaging with fans and followers in Poland.

Danny Menken, Group Managing Director, Eleven Sports, said: “Live streaming on social media remains a priority for Eleven Sports and this is further evidence that we are bringing premium sport to connected fans everywhere in highly engaging and innovative ways.”

“Our ambition is to reach every fan in each of our markets and live streaming on social media makes our top-class properties much more accessible to the fans, while also helping Eleven and the rights holder to reach new and diverse audiences.”

Bundesliga International’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Klein, added: “For Bundesliga as an innovation leader in the field of Sports, digitalization plays a key role.

“Our digital platforms and social media channels are providing us with new, effective tools that we use to distribute the Bundesliga’s high appeal in the global market via inspiring content. With the Facebook Live stream through our partner Eleven Sports we will inspire more and more football fans for the Bundesliga in Poland.”