Team Sky announce Henri Lloyd as official off bike clothing partner

Team Sky has announced the launch of a new partnership with Henri Lloyd. As part of the agreement, Henri Lloyd Sport will serve as the team’s official off bike clothing partner until 2020.

Team Sky riders and support staff will be kitted out in the latest product technology from Henri Lloyd Sport, a new collection of transitional and multi-activity performance apparel.

Henri Lloyd Sport will also be launching an official Team Sky merchandise range in 2018.

Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Sky Team Principal, said: “Henri Lloyd is an iconic British brand with its roots in Manchester. Like Team Sky, they are extremely proud of that heritage.

“Henri Lloyd understand elite performance needs and they work with those who have to be at their best in extreme environments, from the America’s Cup through to Formula One.

“They are continually looking for advancements and new solutions to the same challenges that we face as we race and train in all conditions around the world.

“We are excited to begin collaborating with Henri Lloyd, sharing and benefitting from their knowledge and working together to ensure Team Sky stay ahead of the competition.”

Martin Strzelecki, CEO of Henri Lloyd, added: “We are thrilled to announce our official partnership with Team Sky, a team that reflects our shared values of innovation and performance.”

Eleven Sports announces partnership with Fighting Spirit

Global sports provider Eleven Sports has today announced a partnership with combat sports distributor, Fighting Spirit, for fans in Italy and Belgium to enjoy live and exclusive boxing in November and December.

On Friday 15th December, the WBO Heavyweight Title eliminator from Yekaterinburg, Russia, will be shown live and exclusive on Eleven Sports in Italy and Belgium.

Contender Christian Hammer will take on former world champion Alexander Povetkin in a bout which will see the winner become the mandatory challenger for the WBO title, securing the chance to face current Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker.

On Monday 27th November, boxing fans in Italy will be able to watch four bouts from the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, including the WBC International Heavyweight Title fight between Sergei Kuzmin and Amir Mansour.

Danny Menken, Group Managing Director, Eleven Sports, said: “We are thrilled to build on our fight sports portfolio across multiple markets worldwide following the recent success Eleven Sports has enjoyed with Mayweather vs McGregor and top MMA action from UFC and Cage Warriors.

“This partnership confirms our strategy to meet un-met demand and make underserved content available for domestic fans.”

Andrea Radrizzani, Founder & Group Chairman of Aser, is a guest speaker at iSportconnect’s London Directors’ Club. Register your interest here.

Goodform research reveals the most captivating sports event of 2017

It’s been another engrossing year of sport involving UK teams and individuals. Annual events such as Wimbledon and The Open have been augmented with major one-off events such as London 2017: the IAAF World Athletics and Para Athletics Championships.

But research by specialist sports insight agency Goodform has revealed that the most captivating event for UK sports fans took place more than 11,000 miles away: The British & Irish Lions rugby union tour of New Zealand in June/July.

34% of those surveyed pinpointed the Lions tour as the event ‘they most looked forward to’ in 2017. This level of backing will be music to the ears of those who want to ensure the future of Lions tours in their current form.

The first survey of its kind was conducted by Goodform using its unique Sports Fan Panel, a database of more than 32,000 sports enthusiasts that’s growing every day.

Goodform head of research and insight, Alexandra Kyrke-Smith, said: “The Lions stat is the headline figure, but the survey went much deeper.

“It’s also provided valuable information for event owners and rights holders in individual sports. We’ve been able to rank the main events in each sport in order of popularity – whether here or overseas.”

For sports marketers, the survey also delivers excellent insights on which to base marketing strategies. For example, it ranks the media channels most used to find out about events and the most-recalled advertising media.

“It’s also drawn back the veil on attendance drivers, such as the main factors dictating ticket purchase and the distance people are prepared to travel to an event,” Kyrke-Smith added.

“These are clearly vital in planning the feasibility of an event, whether a tournament, multi-day championship or a one-off event.”

The Sports Fan Panel results will be of particular interest to Goodform’s already-impressive client list, which spans the sporting world.

It also builds on the agency’s core services, which 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. The range of Goodform services can be viewed here.

Sports fans can sign up to Goodform’s Sports Fan Panel and express opinions to help shape the decisions of some of the UK’s leading sports clubs, organisations and governing bodies. To sign up, click here.

2018 Sports Technology Awards judging panel revealed

The 2018 Sports Technology Awards, the internationally recognised mark of excellence for tech-led innovation in sports, has announced this year’s judging panel.

Amongst the names joining the panel for the first time in 2018 are French footballer, Louis Saha and Wales and Lions Rugby International, Dr Jamie Roberts, Director of Team China and Vice Secretary General of Chinese Olympic Committee, Prof. Aijie LIU and ground-breaking Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach, Jenny Boucek.

Other panel debutants include Formula 1’s Director of Innovation and Technology, Pete Samara, International Cricketer turned commentator, Isa Guha and US Ski and Snowboard Chief of Sport, Luke Bodensteiner. The Awards also welcomes back Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marlon Devonish and Ben Ryan.

In what aims to be the most transparent, robust and honest sports awards judging process, the panel has a big task ahead as The Awards receives entries from over 30 countries which represent more than 50 sports.

Each judge reviews c. four categories, all of which sit in their field of expertise. All judging is conducted through a private online portal and undertaken without consultation with other judges. Marks are tallied with the shortlist being revealed in February and the winners announced at the Awards ceremony on May 3rd 2018 in London.

Rebecca Hopkins, The Sports Technology Awards CEO, said: “The nature of the Awards mean that we need judges from a variety of sports and with assorted expertise. We also strive to ensure the panel is diverse in terms of gender, age, race and geography.

“Once again we are delighted with the line up of our judges and immensely grateful to receive support from such an elevated group of industry leaders.’

The 2018 Sports Technology Awards judges are:

  • Prof. Aijie LIU, Team China and Chinese Olympic Committee
  • Alicia Klein, formerly-IAAF
  • Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympic Champion
  • Ben Martin, Amazon Tickets
  • Ben Ryan, Olympic Champion Coach
  • Betsy Grider, NASCAR
  • Daniel Marion, UEFA
  • Darin W. White, Ph.D. Samford Univ. Sports Analytics
  • Debi Kleiman, Babson College
  • Deborah Griffin OBE, RFU
  • Devon Fox, PGA TOUR
  • Dr Jamie Roberts, International Rugby Player
  • Gemma Evans, Sky News
  • Heather Bowler, WTA
  • Isa Guha, International Cricketer
  • James Dickens, Yahoo! Sport
  • Jason Wormser, FOX Soccer
  • Jenny Boucek, Sacramento Kings
  • Jerome Hiquet, Tough Mudder
  • Jill Geer, USA Track & Field
  • John Rhodes, HOK
  • Louis Saha, International Footballer
  • Luke Bodensteiner, US Ski and Snowboard
  • Mark Capalbo, ASICS America
  • Marlon Devonish MBE, Olympic Champion
  • Paul Francis, Adidas
  • Pete Samara, Formula 1
  • Rael Enteen, New York Jets

FIBA Basketball World Cup to be staged in multiple countries for first time in 2023

In 2023, the FIBA Basketball World Cup will, for the first time, be staged in more than one country after joint bids by Argentina/Uruguay and Indonesia/Japan/Philippines were confirmed as the finalists on Wednesday.

Both candidates submitted Host Nation Agreements on the deadline day to confirm interest in holding the 19th edition of FIBA’s flagship competition.

Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, said: “We are pleased to announce Argentina/Uruguay and Indonesia/Japan/Philippines as the final two candidates in the running to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

“In recent years, we have seen the way in which several countries teaming up to stage our biggest tournaments has been successful. This was the case at the last two editions of the FIBA EuroBasket as well as at FIBA AfroBasket 2017 and the FIBA AmeriCup 2017.

“We are fully confident this formula will also work to great effect for our flagship competition. Furthermore, these are countries with rich basketball traditions and passionate fans.”

The two bidders will present their candidatures to FIBA’s Central Board on December 9, with the hosts of the competition set to be announced on that day following a vote by the Central Board.

Cricket Australia extends Toyota partnership

Cricket Australia (CA) has extended its partnership with Japanese car manufacturer Toyota for a further four years.

The new deal will run until 2021, with Toyota set to become the naming rights partner of the regional Australian Country Cricket Championships.

As part of the extended partnership, Toyota will also continue its ‘Toyota Good for Cricket Raffle’, which has already raised over $1.7 million (AUD) for local cricket clubs since its inception in 2012.

Cricket Australia General Manager, Broadcasting, Digital Media & Commercial, Ben Amarfio said: “We are very proud of the partnership we have formed with Toyota over the past 5 years and we are excited that Toyota’s partnership with Cricket Australia is set to continue for at least the next four years.

“We are very grateful for the support Toyota provides at various levels of the Australian Cricket pathway, and we are looking forward to working with them to deliver their objectives of assisting cricket at a community level. Toyota’s support is having a very real impact with our grassroots clubs and teams.

“This renewal marks the fourth partnership renewal, to complement the eight new partners, over the last 12 months for CA and is yet another demonstration of the value cricket offers to Australian commercial partners.”

Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb added: “Toyota is proud to sponsor one of Australia’s most popular sports and we are pleased that this renewed partnership allows us to continue to give back to the community through the Good for Cricket program.”

Registration closes with one week to go until iSportconnect’s Dubai Summit

Today marks one week to go until iSportconnect’s Dubai Summit and registration for delegates has been closed due to popular demand.

The event will be held in the lavish surroundings of Address Boulevard – the newest lifestyle address located in the prestigious Downtown Dubai area – on November 29, 2017.

Attendees will have access to key decision makers in the sports industry via a series of panel discussions, interviews, keynote speeches and case studies.

In addition, ample break-out sessions will give the intimate capacity of executives an opportunity to build new relationships and – crucially – discover the local market.

Sree Varma, founder and CEO of iSportconnect, said: “I’m delighted to be bringing an iSportconnect Summit to Dubai for the first time.

“Our thought provoking content programme featuring household names from the sporting world such as LaLiga, World Rugby, NBA and Formula One will ensure delegates have intimate access to key decision makers in the industry.

“There is so much opportunity in the Middle East and I cannot wait for our wider network to build new relationships by sharing ideas, best practices and future plans with their high-ranking peers.”

Full speaker lineup:

Jerry Newman, Sport Partnership Lead – EMEA at Facebook

Ben Morel, Managing Director and Senior VP – EMEA at NBA

Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby

Adolfo Bara, Managing Director Marketing & Sales at LaLiga

Nuala Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life Aberdeen

Murray Barnett, Head of Global Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships at F1

Sanjay Raina, General Manager & SVP, Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan – Fox Networks Group/National Geographic

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

Alistair Kirkwood, Managing Director at NFL UK

Hussein Murad, CEO and co-founder of Inspiratus Group

Fernando Sanz, General Director, Middle East & North Africa and International Sports Projects at LaLiga

Jon Hall, Chief Growth Officer at Kodak

Ahmed Zaki, Senior Director of Live Communications at Du

Registration for this event is closed. Please email Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to confirm your interest in attending future events.

Click here to view a full event schedule, content programme and venue information.

IOC ‘confident’ PyeongChang 2018 will deliver memorable Olympic Winter Games experience

With less than 80 days to go until the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded its final Project Review in PyeongChang confident that a memorable experience awaits athletes and Olympic fans in the Republic of Korea.

“Venues are complete, the Olympic Villages are being kitted out, the Olympic Torch Relay is generating excitement for the Games across the Republic of Korea, and I can attest to the convenience of the new KTX high-speed railway. These are just a few of the many ways that preparations are continuing to be delivered ahead of what I am confident will be a memorable event for athletes and fans alike,” IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg said.

In addition to the convenient venue clusters set against a backdrop of both mountains and sea – where they will be able to watch the world’s best winter athletes compete on snow or ice – Olympic ticket holders will also be able to access the Olympic Park and Plaza, with their mix of cultural activities and exhibits.

The PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG) is also working to ensure spectators have access to updated accommodation and transport information to help facilitate their journeys to the Games, which for ticket holders will include courtesy shuttle buses and exemption from highway toll gate fees en route to PyeongChang.

“The local culture is what makes each Olympic Games so unique,” Lindberg continued. “I have no doubt the entire world will appreciate PyeongChang as a destination for winter sport after seeing the beauty of the region and experiencing Korean hospitality. I encourage everyone to come to support their athletes, experience Korean culture, talk to people at the venues and make friends for life.”

In the last month, POCOG has focused heavily on building up enthusiasm for the Games with the launch of its official PyeongChang 2018 app, as well as a number of other events and initiatives to engage Korea and the world with these Games. The Olympic Torch Relay also continues to connect the country to the passion of the Games, having passed through more than 20 cities since touching down in Korea.

With facilities now complete, POCOG has turned its attention to testing operational readiness and fine-tuning details to ensure athletes compete on the best fields of play possible.

“We are now only 79 days away from the start of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, and we are ready to welcome the world,” said POCOG President Lee Hee-beom. “We have had another very positive and productive Project Review with the IOC this week, and the next few weeks will be a busy and exciting time as we put the finishing touches to our preparations.

“The snow is starting to fall here and we are doing all we can to increase the passion and excitement across the nation to encourage everyone to come and be part of this winter sports extravaganza. It will be the most wonderful showcase of sports and culture that Korea has ever seen, and we invite everyone to buy their tickets and join us in PyeongChang.”

The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 open on 9 February 2018.

Alibaba strikes deal to become presenting partner of FIFA Club World Cup

Alibaba has today agreed a deal with FIFA that will see Alibaba Cloud – the technology company’s cloud-computing arm – become a presenting partner of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The agreement starts at this year’s tournament, which kicks off on December 6 in the United Arab Emirates, and will run through until 2022.

Alibaba Cloud will design and present the Most Valuable Player award as part of the new partnership, which replaces a previous deal formed two years ago with Alibaba E-Auto.

Alibaba Cloud President, Simon Hu, said: “By becoming a major partner of the FIFA Club World Cup, we hope to show how our technology can bring new aspects of fun and enjoyment to fans of sports, including those people who might have had barriers to access or participate before.

Iain Downie, FIFA’s director of marketing sales and strategy, added: “We are aware of the substantial value that Alibaba Cloud provides to business in terms of technical support and global reaching services.

“We can only see great potential in this fresh collaboration related to the FIFA Club World Cup.”

Manchester United announce partnership with coffee brand Melitta

Premier League club Manchester United has announced a multi-year partnership with Melitta.

The coffee brand will become the club’s first-ever official coffee partner, with the agreement covering the UK, Ireland and Germany.

200 fully automatic Melitta coffee machines and makers are set to be installed within Executive Club boxes and hospitality areas around Old Trafford. In addition, Melitta played a major role in the refurbishment of the club’s Red Café at its famous Old Trafford stadium. The new offering includes a sleek coffee bar, as well as a new dining area within the main restaurant.

Manchester United’s Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold said: “Like Manchester United, Melitta is steeped in history. Established over 100 years ago, the family-run business was built on its founders’ invention of the coffee filter, a traditional way of making coffee that is still used in homes, restaurants and offices all over the world today.

“We are very proud to be partnering with this household name and look forward to working with Melitta to further enhance the experience of the hundreds of thousands of visitors we welcome to Old Trafford each season.”

Volker Stühmeier, Member of the Chief Corporate Management at Melitta, added: “It is a great honour to work with one of the most successful football teams in the world in such a close and trustworthy way. For over 360 days of the year, our products will be used in one of the most traditional and iconic stadiums in the world.

“We have the ability to not only serve premium quality coffee using our state-of-the-art equipment, we will also be providing a substantial amount of porcelain, accessories, multipurpose and disposable materials. Old Trafford is an extraordinary showcase for Melitta.”