Four finalists named for next two MLS expansion teams

Major League Soccer announced today that Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento have been named finalists for the two expansion clubs that are scheduled to be announced later this year.

Owners and officials representing the four prospective expansion markets will make formal presentations to MLS Commissioner Don Garber and the League’s Expansion Committee in New York on December 6, 2017.

The four selected markets and ownership groups are:

Cincinnati: Carl H. Lindner III – Co-CEO of American Financial Group and Owner, Chairman and CEO of FC Cincinnati; Scott Farmer – CEO of Cintas Corporation.

Detroit: Dan Gilbert – Owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Inc.; Tom Gores – Owner of the Detroit Pistons and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Platinum Equity.

Nashville: John Ingram – Chairman of Ingram Industries Inc. and CEO Nashville Soccer Holdings; Wilf Family – owners of the Minnesota Vikings; Turner Family – Managing Partners of MarketStreet Enterprises.

Sacramento: Kevin Nagle – Managing Partner of Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings and Minority Owner of the Sacramento Kings. Jed York – CEO of the San Francisco Forty-Niners. Mark Friedman – President of Fulcrum Property Group and Minority Owner of the Sacramento Kings, and other limited partners.

Commissioner Garber said: “The leaders of the Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento MLS expansion ownership groups have bold visions and innovative plans for their clubs, stadiums and their involvement in their respective communities.

“We are pleased these highly-respected business and sports leaders have been so determined to bring Major League Soccer to their cities. We have been greatly encouraged by the progress that all four of these groups have made and we are looking forward to their presentations.”

Following the presentations on December 6, 2017 a meeting of MLS’ Board of Governors on December 14, 2017 in New York City will include additional discussions on expansion with ownership representatives from every MLS club.

The next two MLS expansion teams are scheduled to be announced before the end of the year. Two more expansion teams are scheduled to be selected at a later date.

This past January ownership groups from 12 markets submitted formal bids for an MLS expansion team. The other eight markets were Charlotte, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa/St. Petersburg.

While only Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento are being considered for the next two expansion teams, all remaining markets are under consideration for the following two expansion clubs that will be announced at a later date.

In December of 2015, MLS announced plans to expand the league to a total of 28 teams. Los Angeles Football Club begins play in 2018, becoming the league’s 23rd team, and discussions continue to progress for an MLS expansion team in Miami.

Jim DeLorenzo, Head of Sports, Amazon Video: ‘ATP deal will give Prime members tremendous value’

New players are entering the sports broadcast market as shifts in consumer habits present new opportunities for companies and rights holders to prosper, thrive and grow.

But while talk of big moves into the market represent speculation in some quarters, Amazon has already made plenty of significant ones.

Perhaps none more so than the recent deal for live and on-demand distribution rights to the ATP World Tour in UK and Republic of Ireland. The new agreement will make Amazon Prime Video the home for practically all major men’s tennis, barring the four grand slam tournaments.

Jim DeLorenzo, Head of Sports, Amazon Video, believes the offering will bring “tremendous value” to Prime members. He told iSportconnect: “We always look to broaden the selection of compelling content we provide to our customers. Tennis is an exciting and truly global sport with a large fan-base, and the ATP is the leader in men’s tennis.

“This partnership brings more than 1,500 live matches from 37 top tournaments and extensive on-demand content to Prime Video, at no extra cost to a Prime membership. This adds tremendous value to Prime members in the U.K. and Ireland.”

But, having built Prime’s success on a broad range of television series and feature-length films, why has Amazon decided to move into the live sports sector?

DeLorenzo said: “For any video content we start with the customer and work backwards to bring them what they want. This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the launch of Prime in the U.K., and 10 years in we continue to invest in faster delivery, expanded selection and incredible content for members to watch, read and listen.

“We keep adding benefits and value to Prime because we know that we get a great reaction from Prime members every time we offer them new benefits or they engage with more of the benefits – both in terms of new members joining Prime, and members who use multiple benefits being more likely to stay with Prime.

“In the Prime Video business, the way we engage customers in the service is by offering them TV and movies that they love, that they’re passionate about, that they want to seek out, and that’s where sports is a great fit for us. We know many Prime members around the world are passionate about sports and that they want options of how to watch their favourite events and athletes.”

If Amazon Prime’s users’ collective appetite is successfully whetted, it appears to be likely that more international sports content could be on the cards in the future. But DeLorenzo opted not to speculate about future opportunities: “It’s too early for us to speculate how we may approach live sports content going forward.

“We streamed NFL Thursday Night Football games this season, and while we’ve been pleased with the audience numbers and the positive customer response, we are still in the early days and continue to learn.”

As for the ATP broadcast itself, plenty of potential ideas as to how Amazon will present their product have been suggested, ranging from special offers of merchandise for those watching to an additional social element. But we we will have to wait to discover how the finished product will look.

DeLorenzo added: “It’s too early to talk about anything specific, but I can say we are always looking to innovate in ways that enhance the customer experience.”

Broadcasting is dead – and more alive and dynamic than ever before in the digital world – but staying ahead of the curve has never been more difficult. Click here to sign up to iSportconnect’s Broadcast Masterclass.

bwin.ru becomes the first non-Russian online betting brand to be officially licensed and operated in the country

GVC Holdings PLC (LSE:GVC), the multinational sports betting and gaming group and DIGITAL BETTING LTD, supported by Rambler&Co, the Russian media group, have today announced the launch of bwin.ru, the first non-Russian online betting brand to be officially licensed and operated in the country.

The partnership, which brings together one of Russia’s largest and most creative online media companies with one of the world’s most popular gaming brands, will be amongst the first licensed online betting services offered in Russia and it is anticipated it will take a leading position in the market.

Dmitry Sergeev, general director of DIGITAL BETTING, LLC (CEO bwin Russia): “We are pleased to officially announce the launch of bwin in Russia.

“We have worked extremely hard to adapt the platform in line with the regulatory requirements and we are excited to be live in the market. In preparing bwin.ru we have incorporated feedback and request from our customers which were collected during the pre-registration stage.

“We are sure that Russian bettors will want to choose bwin, and trust us with their business.”

Anton Rozhkovskiy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NGO Mobilnaya Karta, LLC (First TSCUPIS) said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of bwin.ru on to the Russian market, the first global sports betting brand bwin licensed in the country and operated by DIGITAL BETTING, LLC.

“The emergence of such a major player in the industry is a sign of the growth of the interactive gambling market and of the infrastructural readiness of the Russian betting industry for the coming of foreign gambling operators.”

bwin.ru offers its clients an innovative product for placing interactive bets. A web based offer for desktop and mobile is now available to customers, with native iOS and Android apps set to be introduced in the near future.

bwin.ru offers an expanded selection of the most popular Russian events which previously have had limited availability on bwin.com. The odds have been formulated for Russian customers and are highly competitive with other offers in the market.

Goodform signs industry expert duo Stuart Fenton and Ed Coan

Sports-focused data and insight agency Goodform has secured the services of two industry-leading consultants to broaden the agency’s client offering.

It signals further growth for the current holders of the coveted ‘Best Business Serving Sport’ at the Sports Business Awards. The two consultants are award-winning sports copywriter and marketer Ed Coan (below) and digital strategy expert Stuart Fenton (main image).

“Ed and Stuart’s credentials are second to none,” said Goodform Managing Director Michael Jones. “We have brought them on board to complement our existing services and add genuine value in their specialist areas of expertise.”

Ed has worked in the sports sector for more than 30 years, across various high-level commercial, marketing and chief executive roles. He has handled strategic management, marketing and communications projects for numerous organisations. These include world and national sports governing bodies, clubs, sponsors, apparel manufacturers and tournaments.

His many years at the FA means he has significant knowledge of major events, Wembley Stadium, and sports governing bodies, from grassroots through to world-class tournaments. Additionally, his experience has seen him become a sought-after writer/editor of bids for major international sporting events.

Stuart led the digital strategy for two of the biggest sporting events to hit the UK in recent times – the 2015 Rugby World Cup and 2017 IAAF World Championships.

Developing the digital marketing campaigns for both events, his work played a major role in them becoming the most successful tournaments of their type ever. The 2015 Rugby World Cup was regarded as the most commercially successful of all time, whilst the 2017 IAAF World Championships achieved a Guinness World Record for the number of tickets sold for the event.

Ed and Stuart’s experiences will be brought to bear on Goodform’s already-impressive client list, which spans the sporting world. 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.

Real Madrid announce global sponsorship agreement with Nivea

LaLiga champions Real Madrid have extended their partnership with Nivea Men for a further five years.

The cosmetic brand will serve as a global sponsor until 2022, incorporating more than 70 countries around the world.

As part of the agreement, Nivea will benefit from a strong brand presence through pitchside LED hoardings at the Bernabéu Stadium, plus exposure on the club’s various social media and digital platforms.

Real Madrid President, Florentino Pérez, said: “We work every day to continue being the greatest sporting reference in the world. Something that forces us to choose our companions very well.

“Nivea Men has become one of those great allies, who have helped us extend the passion and love for Real Madrid. Nivea Men is a historical brand, leader, of prestige and quality, with which we established a strategic agreement in 2013.”

Worcester Warriors announce iPro Sport as official hydration partner

Worcester Warriors have today announce a new partnership with iPro Sport, who will become the club’s official hydration partner until May 2019.

The isotonic drinks supplier will supply the Worcester Warriors first-team and Academy players to deliver great hydration and aid recovery to the playing squad.

Warriors Director of Rugby, Gary Gold, said: “Warriors are delighted to have iPro Sport on board and we’re excited to work with them to help deliver results for us and our fans.”

Warriors Performance Nutritionist, Jordan Higgins, added: “The physical and mental demands of Rugby Union are extremely high, with games and training programmes asking so much of our players. It is so important for our players to be optimally fuelled and hydrated in order to perform at the elite level.

“iPro is an ideal product for us as it provides fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes. This product is great as it can be consumed before, during and after games, assisting in performance and recovery. Having a product like iPro Sport in partnership with us is awesome.”

Commercial Director for iPro Sport, Sophie Christy, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be chosen by Warriors as Official Hydration Partner. We strive to provide elite athletes with a hydration product range, which provides the nutritional and performance benefits they require.

“When it comes to hydration, professional rugby players understand how important it is to keep hydrated and what measures they need to take so they perform at their very best which is why iPro Sport has been chosen by the players for the players.”

World Rugby and Tudor announce long-term partnership

World Rugby and Tudor have announced details of a new partnership that will see the luxury watch brand sponsor some of the world’s biggest and most prestigious rugby competitions and events.

Under a wide-ranging seven-year deal, Tudor will be the official timekeeper of Rugby World Cup 2019 and 2023, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021, Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 and the annual World Rugby U20 Championship.

With a shared mission of development and growth by pushing the boundaries, World Rugby joins an exclusive stable of Tudor ambassadors and sponsorships featuring David Beckham, the New Zealand All Blacks, and 2016 men’s fifteens World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “We are excited about our long-term partnership with Tudor. In line with Tudor’s ‘Born to Dare’ mantra, World Rugby is on a mission to grow our sport beyond its traditional markets and communities and we are looking forward to working with Tudor to further the projection of rugby in a global context.”

A spokesperson at Tudor added: “World Rugby embody the values that have made TUDOR what it is today, and because of that, we are proud to welcome them to our family. Much like ‘Born To Dare’, Tudor’s manifesto, World Rugby has a rich and famous history that has shaped the sport to what it has become today.

“Under World Rugby’s governance, Rugby World Cup is the third biggest quadrennial global sporting event, and we’re excited to be partnering with them as the event is hosted in Asia for the first time in 2019.”

New conference programme ‘HealthAccord’ revealed for SportAccord Convention 2018

SportAccord Convention is delighted to reveal details for the inaugural conference programme: HealthAccord: The Power of Sport – The Power to Change, set to take place on the afternoon of Thursday 19 April 2018 at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre in Thailand. This builds on the success of the International Federation (IF) Forum 2016 where international sports federations gathered to discuss the power of sport to drive world health.

Recognised as two of the leading experts in sports medicine and health, Co-Chairs for the new HealthAccord conference programme: Dr. Margo Mountjoy, Chair, ASOIF Medical + Scientific Consultative Group, IOC Medical + Scientific Commission-Games Group FINA Bureau; and Prof. Fabio Pigozzi, President, FIMS (International Federation of Sports Medicine) & Member of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission – Medical and Scientific Group commented:

“HealthAccord is testament to Sport’s commitment to continued innovation for our athletes, as well as the significant role sport can play in cultures and communities around the world. They went on to say:

“This is a defining time for sport and SportAccord Convention continues to be a strong platform for addressing global issues amongst sport and industry leaders. HealthAccord gives us an opportunity to reflect on how our policies, partnerships and resources can best be put into use to support athletes at every level, as well as to share and identify practical ways to influence citizens to lead healthier lives – particularly in urban areas.”

Drawing on the knowledge and work of experts from global health programmes, HealthAccord will be of interest to international sports federations, cities, governing bodies, sports scientists, the medical fraternity, and industries who have a vested interest in sport – all of whom can register for SportAccord Convention. HealthAccord will include presentations, panel sessions and case studies with two overarching sessions focused on athletes and global citizens, respectively.

The first session: The Power of Sport will examine how to increase sports sponsorship and engage audiences through the application of ‘state of the art’ sport science and sport medicine, not only enabling an athlete to perform more spectacular feats that are ‘higher, stronger, faster’ to thrill global audiences, but will also enable athletes to remain active in sport for a longer duration. The session will identify the health principles underpinning the improvements in athlete performance and longevity in sport.

The second session: The Power to Change will look at the Olympic health legacy and lessons learnt, as well as implications for the future towards healthy, active sporting cities. Emerging evidence shows there is a general demise in the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness of young individuals in western countries that seems to track the decrease in levels of physical activity. This decline in physical fitness also appears to be having a negative effect on sporting performance. There is the belief amongst some experts that the decline in physical fitness may impact negatively on sporting performance.

As half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas and this trend is destined to continue, this makes it likely that more of the world’s population will be affected by sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity. There is an urgent need, therefore, for the Olympic movement and stakeholders in sport, to become social drivers and help to correct this mismatch. This session will examine what it takes to influence urban citizens worldwide, as well as the practical approaches that can be taken, so physical activity becomes part and parcel of their daily lives.

Further details can be found on the HealthAccord conference webpage. Registration and exhibition uptake for SAC2018 confirms strong interest for the next Convention taking place in Bangkok, Thailand from 15-20 April 2018, where delegates have numerous networking opportunities to connect with sporting leaders and decision-makers involved in the business of sport.

Formula One launches new logo for digital future

Formula One has launched a new logo following the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The redesign by Liberty Media – the sport’s American owners – replaces the logo which was originally introduced by Bernie Ecclestone and has been in use for 23 years.

Liberty hope the new, modern design will help with their ambitions to expand F1’s appeal and attract new fans, having acquired the motorsport for a reported £6.4 billion earlier this year.

F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches said: “You cannot stitch the old logo chevron to the right. A number of brands, particularly in this day and age, are trying to simplify their marks to enter the digital space.

“Look at Starbucks, or Coca Cola which has taken the condensation off their logo to enter digital. We felt we had to go a little bit further and really retool to position us on a going forward basis.”

The logo has received mixed reviews on social media while Lewis Hamilton questioned the decision to replace the “iconic” logo.

Aggreko to power the Glasgow 2018 European Championships

Aggreko has today been announced as the official temporary power supporter for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

The global leader in mobile, modular power, heating and cooling will provide both temporary and continuous reliable power across the Championships’ competition and non-competition venues in August.

Aggreko will provide around 60 generators supplying more than 10 Mega Volt Amp (MVA) of energy, distributed through more than 240 panels and 26km of cable. This will power the successful delivery of 84 sessions of sport, including Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and Mountain Biking at Cathkin Braes.

Robert Wells, Managing Director, Aggreko Major Events Services, said: “We’re proud to support the first staging of the prestigious Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

“We look forward to working with the team and Glasgow city to ensure the faultless delivery of power to the Championships. There is no better place to do this than in Scotland.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, added: “The latest addition to the Glasgow 2018 sponsor family, Aggreko has helped deliver excellent multi-sport events around the world.

“Working with a well-known brand with its roots in Scotland will help guarantee the success of the inaugural European Championships.”