Eleven Sports adds darts and snooker rights to Belgium portfolio

Eleven Sports has added to its rights portfolio in Belgium with the acquisition of live and exclusive rights to the 2017/18 PDC World Darts Championship, the 2018 PDC World Cup of Darts and the Champion of Champions Snooker tournament.

All three events will be available to Eleven Sports subscribers on television, online, and on mobile via the Eleven Sports platform.

Danny Menken, Group Managing Director at Eleven Sports, said: “We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Matchroom Sport to bring more premium darts action – a sport that is popular locally in Belgium – to fans across the country.

“We are also thrilled to grow our portfolio by adding a leading Snooker tournament for the first time in this market.

“These additions signify more great progress for Eleven Sports, aligned to our strategy to meet un-met demand and make locally relevant, underserved content available for domestic fans in ways they want to consume it.”

Mark Lambert elected new chairman of The Rugby Players’ Association

Mark Lambert has today been elected as the new Chairman of The Rugby Players’ Association (RPA).

Having previously served as Vice-Chairman, the Harlequins prop received the unanimous backing of his fellow professionals on the RPA Players’ Board. A graduate of the Harlequins academy, Mark has made more than 215 appearances for the London club and this season marks his fifth on the board.

Mark will be supported in his new role by Northampton Saints’ second row Christian Day, who stepped down as Chairman but will assume the role of Vice-Chairman for the 2017/18 season. Christian originally joined the Players’ Board in 2011 and has spent the past three seasons as Chairman.

On his appointment Mark, said: “It’s an honour to have the opportunity to lead my fellow players as RPA Chairman for the 2017/18 season. Rugby is thriving in England but as the game continues to evolve, it’s vital that players have a strong, united voice on the issues that matter.

“While there will undoubtedly be challenges ahead, I am confident that the Board can build on its strong foundations to deliver for all RPA members on and off the field, and ensure that the players and their welfare remain the central issue in the game

“I’d also like to pay tribute to outgoing Chairman Christian Day. Christian has made a huge contribution to the game during his time on the Board and it’s great to be working with him as he assumes his new role as Vice-Chairman during his thoroughly deserved Testimonial Year.”

RPA Group CEO Damian Hopley, added: “During his time as a Player Representative, Mark has been a true champion for fellow professionals and an outstanding member of the RPA Players’ and Management Board.

“Mark has enjoyed a distinguished club career and brings a wealth of on and off-field experience to the role. We all believe that he will be an outstanding leader for professional rugby players in England over the months ahead.

“I would also like to place on record my sincere thanks to Christian for the instrumental role he has played as RPA Chairman since 2014. His tireless commitment to the cause has been an example to those around him and his continued involvement with the Board is a huge positive for the players and the game.

“This is going to be a critical year for the RPA and we are very fortunate to have such a capable and progressive Board led by Mark and Christian.”

USA Gymnastics names Kerry J. Perry as new President and CEO

The USA Gymnastics Board of Directors have today appointed Kerry J. Perry as the organisation’s new president and chief executive officer.

Perry will assume her new role on December 1, 2017, and will be based at the USA Gymnastics headquarters in Indianapolis.

Perry was formerly vice president of business development at Learfield Communications, Inc., and president and owner of KP Sports, which was acquired by Learfield.

In her various leadership roles, Perry has led many high-performing teams and organisations to great success, most recently in the collegiate sports field.

Paul Parilla, chairman of the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors, saod: “We are fortunate to have someone as capable and energetic as Kerry step into this leadership role.

“Her passion for the sport, commitment to athlete safety, and track record of motivating teams to succeed will help guide our vision for the future.”

Perry said of her appointment: “I am thrilled to join USA Gymnastics and I look forward to creating a culture of empowerment that encourages our athletes, our members, our families and our staff to have a strong voice as we move this incredible organization to heightened levels of achievement.

As a lifelong fan of the sport, I will be relentless in our pursuit of athlete safety, collaborative with our board, constituents and corporate partners, and supportive of our members, parents and staff on our journey to making USA Gymnastics the pinnacle of success.”

iSportconnect announces The Shard as London Directors’ Club venue

iSportconnect is delighted to announce that the next edition of our Directors’ Club will be staged at The Shard, London.

Opened in 2014, the 95-storey skyscraper has quickly established itself as one of London’s most luxurious venues and will ensure delegates can network with their high-ranking peers in style.

The spire-like sculpture boasts spectacular views of the capital’s skyline, stretching from its immediate surroundings of Tower Bridge to the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium.

Jellyfish, the award-winning digital marketing agency, are our venue partner for this end-of-year gathering and will be hosting the event at their offices and bar on floor 22.

Andrea Radrizzani, Founder & Group Chairman of Aser, and Owner & Chairman of Leeds United Football Club, has been confirmed as a guest speaker for the festive event, which will take place on December 6, 2017.

A selection of individual interviews and debates are set to offer an esteemed audience unique insight into key decision makers within the sports industry.

Chatham House rules will be strictly adhered to, as with all Directors’ Club events, encouraging a free exchange of ideas within a relaxed atmosphere.

Please contact Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to register your interest.

What makes an iSportconnect Directors’ Club so special?

  • Events are open exclusively to Director/C-Suite level executives at sports rights holders, sponsorship brands and broadcasters.
  • Capacity is capped at 150 delegates allowing intimate access to key decision makers in the sports industry.
  • No agencies or press can attend and, as we follow The Chatham House rule, all discussions will remain confidential.

The FA agrees three-year sponsorship deal with LG

Mark Bullingham, FA Group Commercial & Marketing Director, has backed the organisation’s new three-year sponsorship deal with LG to “transform” technology for English football’s players and fans.

LG stand to benefit from premium brand exposure across all rounds of the Emirates FA Cup, which boated a domestic audience of over 27 million last season.

The global consumer electronics manufacturer will also be the official digital screen partner of the England men’s teams, supplying digital screens at Wembley Stadium as well as at world-class training facility, St George’s Park.

Bullingham said of the agreement: “Our partnership with LG Electronics will help us to transform our technology at both St George’s Park and Wembley Stadium to benefit both fans and players.

“We spoke to all of the brands in the sector and were blown away by LG’s technology, which will help us to reinforce Wembley Stadium as the leading venue in the country for sports and entertainment events.”

LG Electronics UK Marketing Director, Carolyn Anderson, added: “We are really excited to have secured exclusive rights with The FA in a partnership that we believe will be a collaborative effort across the next three years.

“LG is a leading innovator in technology and we look forward to working with The FA to support its grassroots network, as well as equipping Wembley Stadium with the best products to cement its status as the leading sport and entertainment venue.”

Manchester City announces global partnership with Gatorade

Manchester City FC has today announced a multi-year global partnership with Gatorade, who are now the Premier League club’s official sports nutrition partner.

As part of the partnership, City’s sports scientists will work closely with the Gatorade Sport Science Institute (GSSI), whose mission is to help athletes optimise their health and performance through research and education in sports nutrition.

Gatorade’s portfolio of sports fuel products and equipment will be used by Pep Guardiola’s first team squad during training sessions at City Football Academy while on matchdays Gatorade will also have a presence on LED boards and branding at the Etihad Stadium.

Commenting on the new partnership, Damian Willoughby, Senior VP of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with a global leader in Gatorade.

“Gatorade’s knowledge and commitment to sports nutrition through innovative scientific research speaks for itself. Our team of sports scientists will work closely with the GSSI team to find new ways to support and fuel our players, both on and off the field.

“Gatorade is a globally recognised brand with a fantastic relationship with competitive athletes in the United States and all around the world. After a successful Manchester City US pre-season tour in Summer 2017, coupled with our growing presence and fanbase in the US and globally, Gatorade are the perfect partner for us.”

Anuj Bhasin, Head of Global Marketing for Gatorade, added: “Gatorade is excited to partner with Manchester City, to help fuel City athletes to perform at their best through the latest sports fuelling innovation.

“We look forward to a strong partnership with Manchester City by providing the team’s sports health and performance professionals with a variety of sports fuelling solutions to help maximise performance through customised sports science services.”

MLS and Fanatics announce new long-term global partnership

Major League Soccer (MLS) and Fanatics have today announced a long-term global agreement, which will begin in 2019.

In addition to extending the long-standing ecommerce relationship between the two organisations, the multi-channel deal is highlighted by Fanatics gaining worldwide rights to exclusively produce MLS fan gear apparel, headwear and hard goods across all retail and wholesale channels.

Fanatics, who recently acquired leading apparel brand Majestic, is set to use its agile supply chain and vertical manufacturing model to activate new MLS licensing rights across a wide array of categories the company specialises in.

Under the new agreement, Fanatics and MLS will also work together to identify and secure additional companies to grow the overall assortment of high quality products available to fans worldwide.

Kathy Carter, President of Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ commercial arm, said: “Fanatics has been a strong digital commerce partner of the League and our Clubs and we are looking forward to expanding our partnership and capitalizing on their expertise in licensed sports merchandising.

“We will be working closely with the Fanatics team to substantially expand our fanwear product assortments across all MLS Clubs, starting with the expanded categories that the Fanatics and Majestic brands will be bringing to the market.”

Gary Gertzog, Fanatics President of Business Affairs, added: “MLS fans are some of the most passionate and tech-savvy across the entire sports landscape, and we are excited to expand our partnership with this rapidly growing league to provide a significantly enhanced multichannel assortment of unique and timely products from both our Fanatics and Majestic brands as well as other top companies worldwide.

“Our philosophy of faster speed-to-market of merchandise will ensure fans can celebrate the players and teams they love in real-time, including special items for championship moments, record-breaking feats and breakthrough performances.”

The new agreement complements MLS’ existing partnership with Adidas – the official sponsor for the League, its clubs, MLS youth academies and youth affiliated clubs – for all products worn on the field by MLS athletes and technical staff.

AirAsia becomes UFC Official Airline sponsor

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a partnership with AirAsia as its Official Airline Sponsor.

As part of the collaboration, AirAsia will obtain rights to signage and branding inside UFC’s “Octagon” during the event in Shanghai and selected international UFC events in 2018.

AirAsia will also serve as presenting sponsor of select UFC Fan Experiences throughout the region, and it will be integrated across multiple UFC-based social and digital platforms, as well as having a presence during live-event broadcasts and on UFC.com.

As part of this partnership, Air Asia will also select an Asia-based athlete who will be awarded an all-expenses-paid scholarship that includes travel to the United States and training at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, NV.

UFC Asia-Pacific president Kevin Chang said:  “AirAsia is an innovative and fast-growing brand, we thank them for the support and we’re looking forward to creating engaging branded content for fight fans and AirAsia customers to enjoy.”

“The UFC expanded from their first event in Denver to the rest of the US and then to Asia-Pacific and the world, while AirAsia grew from a small domestic airline into Asia’s largest low-cost carrier that now flies to the US.

“Opposite directions but chasing the same dream, and we are thrilled to team up with a brand that shares our drive and vision.”

Eurosport agree deal with World Snooker to broadcast Shanghai Masters

World Snooker and Eurosport announced that the sports channel will broadcast the Shanghai Masters world ranking event.

The tournament is a new addition to the World Snooker calendar, and World Snooker and Eurosport have now agreed to add it to this season’s roster of events to be broadcast by the channel.

The 2017 Shanghai Masters runs from 13-18 November and will feature top stars including Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Judd Trump and defending champion Ding Junhui.

Promoted by Shanghai Juss Sports, the event will be staged at Shanghai Indoor Stadium, with record prize money of £700,000 ($815 thousand).

The Shanghai Masters will be broadcast on Eurosport and Eurosport Player in 54 countries and territories on Eurosport across Europe.

Gullivers Sports Travel becomes Netball World Cup 2019 Official Travel Office provider

Netball World Cup 2019 has announced the appointment of Gullivers Sports Travel as Official Travel Office provider for the event.

The event takes place from 12-21 July 2019 and will see the top 16 teams in the world go head-to-head at Echo Arena Liverpool.

As Official Travel Office provider, Gullivers Sports Travel will be responsible for developing, promoting and fulfilling packages for travelling fans from the UK and overseas through appointed official travel agents.

Netball World Cup 2019’s Event Director Lindsay Impett said: “We are delighted to have appointed Gullivers Sports Travel to work with us to provide high-quality and memorable experiences for fans travelling to the Netball World Cup.

“Gullivers Sports Travel has a proven track record of delivering for sports fans all over the world and we look forward to working with them to create something special for this event.

“The Official Travel Office programme will allow fans the chance to enjoy the event alongside the many other experiences Liverpool has to offer visitors from the UK and overseas.”

Gullivers Sports Travel’s Managing Director Sam Seward said: “As the longest-running sports tour operator in the UK and having operated netball tours for over 40 years, we fully understand the needs of the travelling fan and we look forward to supporting the Netball World Cup 2019 by providing event tickets, merchandise, bespoke events, and carefully selected hotels to supporters for a hassle-free, great value way of attending the Netball World Cup 2019 in Liverpool.

“Hosting the event in Liverpool provides a fantastic opportunity for netball fans of all ages to enjoy the unique atmosphere and world-class netball that is on offer.

“Our extensive network of travel contacts and suppliers is the perfect way to ensure that those travelling from the UK and overseas are guaranteed a great experience.”