World Rugby announces governance reform to accelerate global development of women’s rugby

World Rugby has underscored its commitment to furthering gender equality at all levels of the organisation by announcing sweeping reform of its Council with an ambition of at least one-third women’s representation from next year.

In an historic decision spearheaded by Chairman Bill Beaumont, World Rugby will increase the number of people who may sit on Council – its highest decision-making body – from 32 to 49, with the 17 new representatives to be women.

The ground-breaking reform will give the 11 unions and six regional associations, who currently have an additional vote but no additional representative, the right to send an additional representative to Council subject to that person being female. This will not result in any changes to the existing voting rights of unions or regional associations on Council.

Approval of the proposal by Council at its recent meeting in London is a first and very important step in World Rugby’s wider strategy to accelerate women in rugby on and off the field of play and bring gender-balance to the highest levels of its governance.

Beaumont said: “This is a major milestone in the progression and growth of World Rugby and the global game. The reform is historic, reflective of our ambitions and long overdue. If we are to promote and nurture the growth of women in rugby then change must be led from the top.

“I would like to thank my Council colleagues for their full commitment to this important reform and I look forward to welcoming their new representatives from rugby and beyond so that together we can work to further rugby worldwide. It is clearly a fantastic start and opens the door to even greater female representation in Council and across rugby in the future.”

Driven by a record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup, rugby’s highly successful inclusion in the Rio 2016 Olympic Programme and the thriving HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, women’s rugby is experiencing unprecedented growth with participation levels at an all-time high. Latest figures show more than 2.4 million women and girls are playing rugby at all levels, accounting for more than a quarter (26 per cent) of players globally, an increase in player numbers of 60 per cent since 2013.

In order to support that growth, promote greater parity at all levels across the sport and further strengthen and grow the game globally, the newly-approved strategic Women’s Plan has set out the following aims:

  • Drive inspirational leadership on and off the field
  • Grow sustainable participation
  • Build high performance through quality competition
  • Build an impactful profile, inspiring engagement
  • Grow strategic, sustainable investment partnerships

Kimoa becomes corporate partner of McLaren’s F1 team

Kimoa has today become a new corporate partner of McLaren’s Formula One (F1) team.

The multi-year partnership, which begins in January 2018, will see Kimoa become the team’s official surfwear partner.

The Spanish clothing brand, which is owned by driver Fernando Alonso, is sold via an e-store in more than 150 countries.

During the 2018 season Kimoa branding will feature on the team’s F1 car, driver overalls and helmet. It will also be displayed on Alonso’s team kit and driver cap.

Zak Brown, Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group, said: “As our new surfwear partner, Kimoa will easily sit alongside other clothing brands that we may look to introduce as we continue to grow our partner portfolio.

“Today’s announcement will place the brand squarely on the international stage and really help to amplify Kimoa’s global presence over the coming years.”

Alonso added: “As a double-world champion who has been racing in Formula 1 for 16 years, it can be tough to find new challenges in life. Founding Kimoa has given me that fresh start, and I’ve really enjoyed experiencing the adrenaline buzz and sensation of discovering something new for the very first time.

“I’m truly delighted about Kimoa’s new partnership with McLaren. Seeing the Kimoa logo on my F1 car, overalls, helmet and cap next year will make me and my co-founders feel extremely proud.”

EFL confirms plans to bring forward live streaming for EFL Trophy

The English Football League (EFL) has confirmed plans to introduce live streaming of its EFL Trophy competition early prior to rolling out similar coverage from the start of the 2019-20 season.

Matches taking place from Round Two of this season’s Checkatrade Trophy will be broadcast to fans in the UK and overseas via the EFL’s live streaming platform, iFollow.

This development has been made possible due to the organisation’s record broadcast agreement with Sky, whereby EFL clubs have been granted the rights to stream Checkatrade Trophy games to a domestic audience from the start of next season.

That opportunity has now been brought forward to take effect from this season’s competition and EFL Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey, is excited about its introduction

He said: “The ability to live stream EFL matches is an exciting new innovation that is already having a major impact for overseas fans of EFL clubs since we launched iFollow ahead of the 2017/18 season.

“This opportunity is being extended to UK-based fans from next season, as we develop plans to deliver live domestic streaming for any non-Saturday 3pm league and live TV games.

“It therefore presents supporters in the UK with a great opportunity to get a taster of the online match day experience and follow their team as the competition nears its conclusion at Wembley on Sunday 8th April.

“I am confident that this latest development will bring the competition to a new audience as interest and excitement grows throughout the knock-out stages.”

READ MORE: New players vs traditional giants – what’s next for the sports media rights landscape?

Toyota becomes official partner of Paralympics Ireland

Toyota Ireland has announced a new partnership with Paralympics Ireland that will see the car brand become an official partner to Paralympics Ireland and to the 2020 and 2024 Irish Paralympic Teams.

The announcement builds on Toyota’s worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partnerships in the mobility category, with an ambition for the partnership to promote a more inclusive society, help break down barriers to mobility, boost the profile of Paralympics through the Start Your Impossible campaign, and ultimately create a lasting legacy for Paralympic sports in Ireland.

Toyota has also confirmed brand ambassador deals with leading Paralympic athletes; Jason Smyth, Patrick Monahan, Noelle Lenihan, Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner, who will play a central role in Toyota’s global Start Your Impossible campaign.

Commenting on the partnership, Steve Tormey, Chief Executive, Toyota Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to support Paralympics Ireland as they prepare to compete on the global stage in Japan in 2020 and Paris in 2024.

“There’s a natural fit between Paralympics Ireland and Toyota Ireland’s brand values of being relentless, inventive and considerate – three traits which closely parallel what Paralympics is all about.

“We believe we are uniquely positioned to support the organisation and its athletes over the next eight years. This is the start of an exciting journey for Toyota Ireland, our Start Your Impossible campaign will break new ground for the brand in Ireland and we want as many people to take that journey with us.”

Miriam Malone, CEO of Paralympics Ireland, added: “We are delighted to welcome Toyota Ireland as official partners to Paralympics Ireland.

“There are very exciting times ahead for our athletes and parasports in Ireland over the coming years. We have enjoyed great success at recent Paralympic Games and, with the support of Toyota, I am sure we will continue to deliver amazing memories and world class, medal winning, performances into the future.”

Beşiktaş becomes latest club to join Dugout platform

Turkish club Beşiktaş has today become the latest team to join digital football platform Dugout.

Besiktas joins at a time of significant expansion into the Turkish market, with Bursapor and Gençlerbirligi have also recently signed up to the platform.

Dugout launched in 2016 and now has partnerships with 67 clubs including European heavyweights Barcelona, Chelsea, Juventus, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Dugout Executive Chairman, Elliot Richardson, said: “We’re really excited to welcome Besiktas to the Dugout platform. We have made significant steps over the past year, signing our first National Football Federation and League, and expansion into Turkey is another example of Dugout’s progress.

“The game today is truly global and fans don’t just want to watch matches in their own country – they want to follow their favourite clubs and players across the world.

“That’s what Dugout offers – unrivalled access for fans to see behind the scenes of the clubs and into the lives of the players. Thanks to Dugout, fans can now access the best content from Besiktas, both on and off the pitch, for the first time.”

Besiktas’ Chief Marketing Officer, Umut Kutlu, added: “As Turkey’s first sports club, we are so glad to join the Dugout platform.

“With our football team that has gained the respect of fans around the world, the breathtaking stadium and the spectacular atmosphere created by our fantastic fans; we are looking forward to widening our perspective through Dugout.”

Engage Sports Media rebrands: The new age content company is now ‘Engage Digital Partners’

Engage Sports Media have redefined their identity and will now be called Engage Digital Partners.

This comes with a fresh new look that reflects the brand’s positioning and culture. A vibrant group of experienced professionals from all walks of the content business make them a dynamic and diverse team with aspirations of consistently moving the industry forward.

Their current services include:

Content Studios, Distribution and Publication, Insights, Influencer Marketing, Brand Strategy, Commercial Strategy, Technology and Innovation, Consulting.

Gregg Oldfield, Chief Executive Officer, Engage Digital Partners said: “It has been over 5 years since we started the business as Engage Sports Media and we see this as an ideal milestone to effectively position ourselves for the years ahead.”

The brand refresh comes at an exciting period of Engage’s growth in the sports and entertainment industry and allows the new age content company to reaffirm their offering as high-level strategic partners, along with the dynamic content expertise and services they provide.

As an organisation, Engage continually strives to be a trusted content partner with rights owners, leagues, clubs, broadcasters and brands. The company hopes to add many more clients over the years to come.

With Podium, a new data-led service, Engage can make clients better equipped to innovate and provide content and commercial solutions that address the shifting media consumption habits and technology advances. Engage believes their product will move industry benchmarks on how they plan to make content.

It has been an impressive year for Engage, retaining the World Rugby account until 2020 and on-boarding several new partners including Major League Baseball, Arsenal FC, Godolphin and Mountain Dew.

Last week they celebrated winning the Digital & Social Media Excellence Award as part of the Goodwood Racecourse team at the RCA Showcase 2017.

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