Paris 2024 confirm Etienne Thobois as CEO of Organising Committee

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Committee has confirmed the appointment of Etienne Thobois as CEO of the Organising Committee.

Thobois played a key role as CEO of the bid, helping Paris to its historic victory as Host City of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A former French badminton champion and Olympic athlete, his previous experience also includes Finance Director of the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris, CEO of Rugby World Cup 2007 in France, founder of Keneo sports consultancy, former IOC expert on venues and finance and technical expert for Tokyo 2020.

The appointment comes after a robust recruitment process, which began in November and was overseen by independent firm Odgers Berndtson, who also helped place the CEO for London 2012. A shortlist of four candidates was selected for interview from a pool of 61 applications.

Thobois was chosen by Tony Estanguet following a discussion with members of a Committee that included French IOC Member Guy Drut and representatives from the city, the government, the region Île-de-France, the National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) and National Paralympic Committee (CPSF).

Paris 2024 President, Tony Estanguet, said: “We are delighted with the appointment of Etienne Thobois to the role of CEO. Etienne stood out amongst a field of very high-calibre applicants.

“His leadership and experience was crucial to our victory in Lima and will prove invaluable over the next seven years as we work together to build our exciting project for the 2024 Games.”

The appointment comes as Paris 2024 is finalising its plans for the formation of the organising committee (OCOG), due to be launched in January.

With the OCOG statutes agreed domestically and sent to the IOC, the appointment of the CEO and establishment of the OCOG governance, the arrival of the Olympic and Paralympic Act in Parliament (20-21 December) and the early work of infrastructure delivery body Solideo, everything is on track to move the project forward to the next phase.

Bristol City announce JD as sleeve sponsor for Carabao Cup quarter-final

Bristol City Football Club has announced that JD have become the Championship side’s official sleeve sponsors for tonight’s Carabao Cup tie against Manchester United.

As part of the agreement, the sports fashion retail company will lend their support to City in the quarter-final tie at Ashton Gate. The game will be screened live on Sky Sports, as well as around the world to more than 80 different countries.

Bristol Sport chief commercial officer Caroline Herbert said: “We’re delighted to have the support of JD, a global sports fashion retailer with over 400 stores including in Bristol & at Cribbs Causeway, for the much-anticipated Carabao Cup quarter-final tie.

“There’s a real buzz around Bristol at the moment and everyone is looking forward to Wednesday’s cup tie as City look to reach the semi-finals.”

JD Group Marketing Director Stephen White said: “This is a fantastic draw for the club and a deserved tie after such a great run. We are delighted to partner with the club and look forward to seeing our brand on the kit for what will be a very exciting night.”

City’s social media accounts have proven to be very popular this season, with a selection of creative gifs igniting fan interest.

International Surfing Association and World Surf League reach landmark agreement on Olympic Qualification

The International Surfing Association (ISA) today announced an agreement with the World Surf League (WSL) on the qualification principles for surfing in the Olympics Games in Tokyo 2020, ensuring the participation of the world’s best surfers from the WSL Championship Tour (CT) as well as promoting universal opportunities for surfers around the world.

In principle, the agreement will see up to 18 of the 40 places at the Games reserved for WSL Championship Tour (CT) surfers (10 men and eight women), with the remaining 22 places determined at the 2019 and 2020 ISA World Surfing Games, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, and a single slot (each for men and women) for the host nation (Japan).

With the support of the WSL, the ISA eligibility rules for Olympic participation will require surfers to make themselves available for their national teams to compete in the ISA World Surfing Games in 2019 and 2020 and, if selected by their National Federation, to participate.

The final decision on the complete process is subject to the approval of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its meeting in February 2018.

The agreement between the ISA and the WSL reinforces both organizations’ commitment to the successful Olympic debut for surfing, showcasing a strong collaboration between an IOC-recognized International Olympic Federation and the professional home of the world’s best surfers.

Surfing was confirmed as an Olympic sport for Tokyo 2020 in August 2016 after decades of campaigning by the ISA for the global development of surfing. Surfing will also be included in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima. This campaign has been buoyed by the continued improvement in high-performance surfing and mainstream attention of the WSL Championship Tour.

ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said: “We are happy to reach this historic agreement with the WSL on the participation of their top stars in the Olympic Games and ISA World Surfing Games. The support, endorsement and collaboration of the WSL and its top professional surfers has always been an important part of our Olympic pathway to Tokyo 2020 and beyond.

“This agreement not only underlines our commitment to have the world’s best athletes competing for gold in Surfing’s debut in Tokyo, but also to ensure that the competitions reflect the open access and universality of our sport around the world, in all five continents.

“We are also very pleased to have the WSL’s full support of and commitment to the ISA World Surfing Games between now and 2020. The participation of the top professionals in their national teams will elevate the surfing to new heights, creating additional excitement and drama in the lead-up to the Olympic Games.“

WSL CEO, Sophie Goldschmidt, said: “The Olympics offers an incredible platform for any sport and surfing stands to benefit from this massive opportunity in 2020 and, hopefully, beyond. It is essential for surfing to showcase its best possible surfing through this opportunity and that requires the world’s best surfers from the Championship Tour to participate.

“It’s great that the ISA and WSL, in conversation with the athletes, could come to an agreement on the qualification process for 2020. We look forward to enhancing the partnership as we get closer to this fantastic opportunity.”

WSL CT surfer and Men’s Athlete Rep, Adrian Buchan, said: “I believe surfing will inject new electricity into the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. My fellow athletes and I are very excited to showcase our skills on the world’s biggest sporting platform, and for this incredible opportunity to expand surfing’s growing reputation as a world-class competitive sport.”

WSL CT surfer and Women’s Athlete Rep, Sage Erickson, said: “It’s great that the WSL and the ISA have agreed on a qualification path for the Olympics in 2020. It’s a major opportunity for the sport and we need to make the most of it. Showcasing the sport with the world’s best surfers, in the best waves possible, is something we’re all in agreement on.”

iSportconnect adds Formula One to Broadcast Masterclass lineup

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that Ian Holmes – Director of Media Rights at Formula 1 – has been added to the lineup for the Broadcast Masterclass on February 28, 2018.

Already confirmed to speak at the all-day event are Jonathan Licht, Director of Strategy at Sky Sports, Aarti Dabas, Head of Media Rights, Broadcast & Digital at the International Cricket Council, and Peter Hutton, CEO of Eurosport.

The quartet will add significant value to the content programme, courtesy of extensive expertise in the broadcast space, as iSportconnect brings 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.

Staying ahead of the broadcast curve has never been more difficult, with new opportunities coming online every single day, and the event offers a unique opportunity for leading executives to learn more about a crucial sector of the sports industry.

Debates are set to encompass a number of crunch topics, including the rise – and future – of OTT, plus current competition within the rights landscape, while a series of networking sessions will ensure those in attendance are able to share ideas and best practices.

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

No agencies or press will be in attendance and, as we follow Chatham House Rules, all panel discussions will remain confidential, allowing delegates to exchange viewpoints in a relaxed atmosphere.

A full speaker lineup for the event will be confirmed in due course. Please contact Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to register your interest in attending.

Confirmed speaker list:

Jonathan Licht, Director of Strategy at Sky Sports

Aarti Dabas, Head of Media Rights, Broadcast & Digital at the ICC

Peter Hutton, CEO of Eurosport

Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights at Formula 1

Jockey Club Racecourses to increase its prize money contribution by a record £4.2 million in 2018

The Jockey Club will contribute more towards British horseracing’s prize money than ever before by injecting an extra £4.2 million in 2018, it announced today. Its greatest ever increase will see British Racing’s largest commercial group put a record £27.1 million into prize money from its own resources next year (2017 budgeted: £22.9 million).

Significantly the figure, which is subject to abandonments, is spread throughout all levels of the sport, including grassroots level where prize money is increased by more than a third.

It also means the total amount of money on offer across the 15 Jockey Club racecourses in the UK is set to exceed £53 million, another new record and an increase of £8 million year-on-year.

As a result, total prize money at Jockey Club Racecourses’ fixtures in 2018 will be worth 77.9% more than the sums which were offered by courses outside the group in 2017.

Since 2010, The Jockey Club – which stages The Cheltenham Festival, The Randox Health Grand National and The Investec Derby – will have more than doubled its annual contribution to British Racing’s prize money from its own resources (2010: £13.0 million) on the back of its people working hard to drive the commercial growth required to afford this.

Governed by Royal Charter, The Jockey Club’s mission is to act for the long-term good of British Racing, which includes reinvesting all its profits back into the sport.

Prize money is vital to the livelihoods of trainers, stable staff and jockeys and provides an important return for the investment of racehorse owners. It is an essential incentive to encourage trainers and owners to enter horses into races, thereby producing and improving competitive racing.

Paul Fisher, Chief Executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “This is The Jockey Club’s largest ever commitment to prize money and hopefully that will translate into good news for racing fans through highly competitive racing at our courses.

“I’m really proud of our people, who’ve worked hard to achieve the commercial results we need to be able to offer this. Because we already put all of our money back into the sport, we can only increase our prize money contribution if we create the commercial returns to do so.

“Today’s announcement is not just about the best racing or focused on one or two racecourses, it’s all part of The Jockey Club’s commitment to support British Racing at all levels.”

In 2018 The Jockey Club is scheduled to stage 348 racing fixtures which will offer, on average, record total race values of £153,000 per fixture, up from a record £133,000 in 2017, a growth of 15% year-on-year. This compares to the average prize money per fixture of c£86,000 at fixtures run outside Jockey Club Racecourses in 2017.

Significant increases in contributions towards prize money in 2018 will also ensure:

· Every JCR fixture will offer at least £40,000 in prize money

· Every Sunday fixture run at JCR will offer at least £65,000 in prize money

· Every JCR fixture will include at least one race worth £10,000 or more, while 83% of the group’s fixtures will have at least two per fixture, up from 58% in 2017

· Every JCR ‘small course’ will have at least one fixture previously worth c£55,000 boosted to £80,000 or more from 2018, meaning that every JCR small course will stage at least four fixtures worth £80,000 or more next year (2017: 22 JCR small course fixtures worth £80,000 or more; 2018: 91% increase to 42 JCR small course fixtures at that value)

· Values for grassroots* races staged at JCR will increase by more than a third, compared to a year-on-year increase of 15% for race values across JCR

Gloucestershire-based Jumps trainer, Fergal O’Brien, who operates at all levels of the sport, praised The Jockey Club, saying: “I think what the Jockey Club have done over the last few years is fantastic.

“The money that is going back into racing is great for everyone and this new announcement will benefit all sections of owners and trainers. Racing at Jockey Club racecourses, big or small, is very worthwhile.”

Philip Freedman, Chairman of The Horsemen’s Group, which represents racehorse owners, trainers, stable staff, breeders and jockeys, said those participants would be delighted: “Horsemen are obviously delighted by the increase in The Jockey Club’s prize money contribution for 2018. Given the new media rights contracts are placing greater emphasis on field sizes the increases, particularly for grassroots racing, should ensure that these fixtures are attractive to Horsemen.

“The minimum guarantees at every fixture, and at enhanced levels on Sundays, should ensure that these fixtures are attractive not only to owners, but also to race goers and the betting public, to the benefit of all those whose livelihoods depend on the health of the sport.”

The UK Sponsorship Awards 2018 – Time To Enter!

The UK Sponsorship Awards (UKSAs) celebrate excellence in sponsorship, brand partnerships and rights holder marketing across all markets.

It’s time to start working on your entries for the UKSAs, the independent, most highly-prized and respected Sponsorship Awards rewarding excellence and, most crucially, effectiveness across all markets and sectors.

Winning a UKSA is the ultimate industry recognition of a perfectly activated partnership. Growing with and reflecting the industry for the past 24 years, the Awards attract entries from the largest blue-chip global campaigns through to niche CSR, purpose-led campaigns – and everything in between.

We’re looking for the very best in brand partnerships and rights holder marketing. Entries are welcomed from brands, rights holders and agencies.

Every year, the UKSA reshapes its categories to reflect the dynamism and diversity of the sector and for 2018 we have added a Football focused category. Indeed, we have a category to suit every partnership or strategy.

Full details can be found at www.sponsorship-awards.co.uk. You can contact the team on info@sponsorship-awards.co.uk or 020 8891 1067 if you need any help.

The final deadline for entries is January 15th, 2018 with winners set to be announced at a Gala Dinner on March 27th, 2018.

NBCUniversal expands NFL deal to cover mobile rights

NBCUniversal (NBCU) has acquired rights from the National Football League (NFL) to stream Sunday Night Football through NBC’s TV Everywhere offering on all mobile devices from the start of the 2018 season.

As part of the new agreement, NBCU can extend the streaming rights to its cable, satellite, and telco partners, plus virtual MVPDs.

NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football mobile stream will be made available on NBCU’s own properties and is set to include national advertising and local affiliate advertising for the first time.

The reach of national adverts, which will continue to be sold exclusively by NBCUniversal, will be further extended by passing through to Verizon and NFL mobile platforms, as per Verizon’s recently announced agreement with the NFL.

Rick Cordella, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media, NBC Sports Group, said: “This is an exciting day for NBC Sports.

“We have been streaming Sunday Night Football on numerous platforms since 2008, but as a result of this agreement, 2018 will be the first time we can stream primetime television’s No. 1 show on all digital platforms, creating a more seamless viewing experience for NFL fans.

“In addition to fans, this mobile agreement benefits our distribution partners, local affiliates, and advertisers, as it significantly extends SNF’s digital reach.”

Stay ahead of the curve – sign up to iSportconnect’s Broadcast Masterclass now

Manchester City extends football education offering in China

Manchester City is to partner with Kaiwen Education Group’s Kaiwen Academy, a prestigious school in Beijing, to launch a new football education experience that will allow young people in China to learn to play as a City player.

The ‘Kaiwen Manchester City Football School’ marks a long-term relationship between the two organisations and extends City’s role in football development in China.

Kaiwen Academy, a subsidiary of Kaiwen Education Group, has a vision to promote a ‘healthy body and healthy mind’ through its values of ‘adaptability, courage and persistence’.

Damian Willoughby, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “We are delighted to launch the Kaiwen Manchester City Football School. Kaiwen is a prestigious institution and shares City’s commitment to playing an active role in the development of football in China.

“We are excited to extend Manchester City’s presence in Chinese education and provide more young players with the opportunity to improve their talents through playing the City way.”

The Kaiwen Manchester City Football School will have a unique curriculum to provide aspiring young footballers with a bespoke football training programme alongside their traditional education.

The training will be delivered by City Football Schools coaches and will follow the same methods and philosophy that is used for City’s first team and Academy players.

Each summer the students will also travel to the UK for the chance to train at the City Football Academy, City’s training campus in Manchester.

The Kaiwen Manchester City Football School will launch next September and is available to students entering Grade 1 and Grade 2.

ECB set to introduce fully independent Board as governance reforms are approved

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced its membership had unanimously approved significant governance reforms – paving the way for the creation of a fully independent Board next year.

All 41 members approved a series of changes to the ECB’s Articles of Association which will include the ECB’s Board reducing in size from 13 directors to 12 with effect from next May’s Annual General Meeting.

The far-reaching changes, which follow a review led by the Board’s Deputy Chairman, Ian Lovett, mean ECB will exceed the minimum standard required for national governing bodies set out in Sport England’s recently published Code for Sports Governance.

Board Composition

Under the new arrangements, the ECB’s new 12-strong Board will comprise three different categories of Director:

  • Independent Non-Executive: Four non-executive directors who will be fully independent and need not have a close connection to cricket. This will include one senior independent non-executive director.
  • Cricket Non-Executive: Five non-executive directors with relevant experience drawn from the wider cricket network. Appointees will be required to stand down from any other current cricketing post which creates an actual or potential conflict of interest.
  • Chair and Ex-Officio Roles: Three ex-officio directors, being the ECB Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

All the non-executive Directors will be appointed for terms of three years and will be able to hold office for a maximum of three terms. The Chair will be appointed for a single term of up to five years with the CEO and CFO serving as ex-officio members for the duration of their tenure.

The recruitment process for the new positions will begin immediately with ECB committed to ensuring at least 30 per cent of Board Directors are female as part of its support for gender diversity

Board members whose terms of office expire before the next AGM or whose roles are affected by the changes to the Articles of Association will be required to stand down in due course.

Commenting on the changes, ECB Chairman Colin Graves said: “These are ground-breaking changes to our governance which have been based on extensive consultation with all our stakeholders across the professional and recreational game.

“They will help make the Board more representative of the whole game, embracing a broader and more diverse mix of independent voices as well as drawing on the experience and expertise of those working within the cricket network.

“My sincere thanks to our Deputy Chairman, Ian Lovett, for overseeing such a thorough and comprehensive review process and winning unanimous, game-wide approval for these important and necessary reforms.

“They are fundamentally important to the future of our game; reflecting ECB’s broader desire to modernise structures, improve strategic decision-making and give cricket the best possible platform for continued growth.”

Direct economic impact of London’s Summer of World Athletics exceeded £107 million

As the sporting calendar almost draws to an end, an event impact study has demonstrated the huge benefits of London hosting the world’s biggest sporting event in 2017.

The study, undertaken following the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017 has revealed the positive impact the ‘Summer of World Athletics’ had on the city with unprecedented results achieved.

London became the first city ever to host both the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships in the same year with more than 3,300 athletes from more than 200 nations competing in 30 sessions across 20 days.

The study, delivered by The Sports Consultancy, in partnership with Nielsen Sports, Gracenote and PCSG, assessed the total direct economic impact of the Summer of World Athletics as exceeding £107million.

More than a million people attended both Championships with events not just held in the London Stadium but across the capital. The IAAF World Championships were awarded a Guinness World Record for tickets sold in excess of 705,000, whilst the World Para Athletics Championships with 305,000 ticket sales, exceeded the figures for all previous editions of the event combined.

The report also revealed that a £2.1million investment was made into grassroots athletics and running with the official inspiration programme and ‘Team Personal Best’ engaging with 250,000 people through 733 events with 250 held in the host city alone. Further to that, an average 45% of those surveyed said they had been inspired to do sport or active recreation more often than usual as a result of attending the Championships.

The Championships also impacted audiences across the globe via broadcast and social media. On digital channels there were a recorded 1.6 billion potential impressions for the official hashtags #IAAFWorlds and #ParaAthletics. In addition the official mascot of the IAAF World Championships, Hero the Hedgehog, reached 4 million through the two main highlight videos on Facebook whilst the BP ‘Energy Within’ Campaign video featuring Richard Whitehead, released around the World Para Athletics Championships, attracted over 10 million Facebook views.

Finally, in the UK alone more than half the available viewing audience – a 10m peak – tuned in to see the British Team success in winning the 4x100m relay gold at the IAAF World Championships, and overall the events achieved a 942m cumulative viewing audience.

The study also reported:

  • The World Para Athletics Championships contributed a direct economic impact of £28.16m to the London economy and a total economic impact ranging between £38.86m and £56.89m, resulting in a total contribution to GDP of between £16.17m and £23.67m.
  • The IAAF World Athletics Championships contributed a direct economic impact of £79.01m to the London economy and a total economic impact ranging between £109.03m and £159.60m, resulting in a total contribution to GDP of between £45.36m and £66.39m.
  • Percentage of event attendees that agreed that hosting both Championships showcased London as a positive, vibrant city: 97%.
  • Percentage of attendees agreed they felt proud in London hosting both Championships: 98%.
  • Percentage of attendees agreed that hosting both Championships had a positive impact on London’s communities: (World Para Athletics 95%, IAAF World Championships 91%).
  • Percentage of those surveyed who said they had been inspired to do sport or active recreation more often than usual as a result of attending the Championships: (World Para Athletics 47%, IAAF World Championships 42%).
  • 15,578 tickets were sold for the championships through the sports and community groups programme.
  • As part of sustainability initiatives, 59% of spectators made use of the refill stations at the events with reusable drinks bottles.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “When it comes to hosting global sports events, this unforgettable summer proved once again that nobody does it quite like London. Our great city made a huge success of hosting both the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Championships – the first time both events had ever been staged in the same stadium, in the same year. London 2017 provided a lifetime of memories and showed that London is, without question, the sporting capital of the world.”

UK Athletics Chair Richard Bowker, said: “Once again, in 2017, London showed it can stage the greatest athletics events in the greatest athletics stadium in the world. Both the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Athletics Championships provided an inspiration to millions of people both in the UK and abroad.

“Not only can we reflect so positively on the efforts that went into organising what are unanimously being regarded as ‘best ever’ championships, UK Athletics is immensely proud of all the British athletes who competed in London this summer. We are confident the performances demonstrate we are in great shape as we continue to prepare for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.”

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The World Para Athletics Championships in London were by far the best yet, taking the event to a whole new level. Record crowds and broadcast audiences around the world were rewarded with record breaking performances by the Para athletes.”

IAAF President, Sebastian Coe, said: “It has been a phenomenal year of athletics, at the epicentre of which were the outstanding IAAF World Championships London 2017. We witnessed the greatest number of athletes, the highest level of performances and largest stadium audiences ever seen across the event’s 16 editions. This report shows the positive impact of hosting an IAAF World Championships.

“We would like to thank the Mayor of London and London 2017 Organising Committee for their dedication in documenting the event and its impact and creating with us the first comprehensive report that will enable the IAAF to have informed and detailed discussions with future cities wanting to host our events.

“Hosting sporting events must provide mutual benefit to a city, a country, the sport, the fans and all partners. London was a potent advertisement of the power and passion that athletics ignites and the strong and exciting future that awaits it when our sport delivers it right.”

UK Sport CEO Liz Nicholl, said: “Our own extensive research demonstrates that hosting major events provides significant social and economic benefits and we are delighted this new study shows this to also be the case with the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships.

“Thanks to investment from the Government and The National Lottery, the UK has staged another world class event; these successful World Championships form part of our ambitious strategy to maintain the UK as a world-leading host of innovative and inspirational international sporting events.”

Iain Edmondson, Head of Major Events at London and Partners, said: “London once again showed the world how it puts on world-class sporting events that are exciting, welcoming and accessible for all, and that demonstrate #LondonIsOpen.

“This report demonstrates that, five years on from the successful 2012 Olympics, world-class events in the London Stadium continue to be an impressive draw for international visitors and Londoners alike.”

Matthew Wilson, Director of Consulting at The Sports Consultancy, commented: “This report clearly evidences the extensive impact the IAAF World Championships and World Para Athletics Championships delivered to London’s businesses and citizens. These events delivered a direct economic impact to London which significantly exceeds that generated by the previous editions of each event.

“Moreover, London 2017 delivered compelling evidence across a broad range of impact parameters, evidencing successful engagement of London communities, enhancement of London’s reputation as a global tourism, major event and business destination as well as a champion of diversity, and investment in sport participation – not just in London, but throughout the UK and internationally.”