ESPN agrees television rights deal with FIBA to 2021

FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with ESPN for the USA until 2021.

The new agreement will see ESPN broadcast all of FIBA’s Men’s and Women’s Continental Cups, plus the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers and the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018.

Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice-President, Programming and Scheduling, said: “ESPN is excited to continue our partnership with FIBA as the popularity of international basketball continues to ascend. This is our largest deal to date with FIBA, which will expand our year-round basketball presence exponentially.”

Frank Leenders, Director General of FIBA Media and Marketing Services (FMMS), added: “The USA is FIBA’s top ranked country and the home of basketball and our agreement with ESPN means that fans will get to see the very best of international basketball on a regular basis.

“Following the conclusion of this summer’s Continental Cups, the next games in November will see the USA men’s team playing in their Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 as they aim to be among the 32 teams playing in China come August 2019.

“In addition, the USA Women’s team will be fighting to retain their Basketball World Cup title in Spain in September of next year.”

Modelo agrees deal to become UFC’s official beer

Modelo Especial has agreed a long-term deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to become the combat sport’s official beer.

The new agreement starts in 2018 and is only applicable for events held in the United States. Modelo’s branding and signage will also adorn the UFC octagon while fighters and personalities are set to be used in advertising.

“Modelo is an amazing brand that shares UFC’s unmatched commitment to its fan base,” UFC President Dana White said. “I love Modelo and we’re already talking about doing a lot of exciting things together.”

“They want to get more into multicultural consumers,” Jim Sabia, Modelo’s chief marketing officer, said of the deal “We all benefit. They’re going to help take our brand into the general market consumer household.

“We feel very confident in what they do with their athletes and its integrity.”

New York Knicks agree jersey patch deal with Squarespace

The New York Knicks have announced a jersey sponsorship deal with website-publishing platform Squarespace.

As part of the multi-year agreement, Squarespace’s logo will be displayed on the front of the NBA team’s uniform.

David O’Connor, CEO of the Madison Square Garden Company, said of the Knicks’ first-ever patch deal: “This is a trend that’s happening more extensively globally throughout a lot of different professional sports.

“This is a relatively small step for the NBA, relative to what’s happening elsewhere in professional sports. We think it’s a good one.”

The Madison Square Garden Company and New York-based Squarespace are also set to give digital advertising opportunities to local small businesses that use the website platform.

 

UEFA confirms new Nations League composition

National associations divided in four leagues based on coefficient rankings

Following the conclusion of this week’s European Qualifiers group stage matches, UEFA has confirmed the composition of the four leagues for the UEFA Nations League 2018-19.

The format of the new national team competition features promotion and relegation and sees the 55 European national teams divided into four leagues in accordance with UEFA’s national association coefficient rankings.

The UEFA Nations League will be played in four leagues A to D, with League A containing the 12 highest-ranked teams.

League B contains the next 12 teams, League C the 15 following and League D the last 16 teams. The competition starts on 6 September 2018.

Each league will contain four groups of three or four teams. The league phase will be played over six matchdays from September to November 2018.

The composition of the groups within each league will be decided by means of a draw, which will take place on Wednesday 24 January 2018 at the Swiss Tech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Promotions and relegations between the leagues (four teams move up, four teams move down) will take effect for the second edition of the UEFA Nations League in September 2020. From that moment on, the composition of the leagues will be exclusively determined by the rankings of the previous edition.

The four League A group winners will play the Finals in June 2019 to determine the first UEFA Nations League winner. The Finals consist of four matches – semi-finals, third-place match and final – to be played in one of the finalist countries.

The UEFA Nations League aims to ensure the continued success of national team football by replacing most friendlies with competitive matches and by allowing all nations to play against equally-ranked teams.

The Masters announces international partnership with Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines has been announced as an international partner of the Masters golf tournament.

The new agreement begins in 2018 and will see Delta join UPS and Rolex in the ‘international partner’ sponsorship category while AT&T, IBM and Mercedes-Benz will remain as the tournament’s primary global sponsors.

“The business relationships we cultivate assist in our efforts to meet the unique and high expectations of quality established by our Founders many decades ago,” said Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament.

“Delta Air Lines is a welcome addition to our family of partners, and I know their enthusiasm for the Tournament – not to mention their own standards of excellence – will greatly enhance the Masters.”

The 2018 Masters Tournament will take place on April 2 – 8.

Fan engagement, the future of video and branded content among subjects discussed at iSportconnect’s popular Media & Communications Masterclass

iSportconnect, the largest global private network of sport business executives, has secured high praise from delegates for bringing together a wide-range of experts at the 2017 Media & Communications Masterclass.

The event was held at Charles Russell Speechlys’ offices in central London, with an array of high-ranking delegates in attendance.

The opening panel focused on the subject of internal communications and stakeholder engagement with Robert Sullivan, Strategy and Communications Director at The FA, Elizabeth Birchall, Head of Communications at UK Athletics & London 2017, and Adrian Bevington of Adrian Bevington Sport & PR Ltd, combining to offer expert insight into industry best practices and how to protect credibility.

Michael Underhill, Strategic Media Consultant at Ooyala, delivered an engaging keynote speech discussing how video has become a key ingredient in communication during the digital era.

Attendees were quick to pose plenty of questions of their own and the topic of live vs highlights led to an absorbing debate in regards to what could be next for video amid the potential threat of oversaturation.

Discussions continued throughout a close-knit networking break as delegates savoured an opportunity to share insights and experiences in their respective fields of communications.

The second panel of the day considered the theme of media and fan engagement, which has become crucial due to the rise of social media.

Fiona McLachlan, VP Communications at Eurosport, Steve Wilson, Director of Communications and International Relations at ITF, and Leon Mann, Director of Refresh Films, shared innovative viewpoints and thoughts on how executives can integrate both traditional media and digital outlets into communications strategies.

Liz Birchall, Head of Communications at UK Athletics & London 2017, said: “There’s always great people in the room and always a varied number of people from different sectors of the industry who can give you a real insight into the challenges they face.”

Steve Wilson, Director of Communications and International Relations at ITF said: “I’ve been on the other side of the fence for most of my career as a journalist. But now being on this side of the fence it’s been fascinating to be among my colleague in the communications field and hear their experiences, advice and professional words. It’s been a really helpful and influential experience.”

Peter Hannon, Head of Media and Communications at Commonwealth Games England said: “All the different panels were really interesting and there’s lot of things we can takeaway. I think we’ll be heading straight back to the office and putting some things into practice! It’s been very useful to be introduced to new people and speak to people you don’t normally get to talk to.”

iSportconnect has an exciting calendar of upcoming events, including the Dubai Summit and London Directors’ Club. Stay up-to-date with all future announcements on isportconnect.com. Please contact Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to register your interest.

South Africa’s new T20 Global League postponed until 2018

South Africa’s new domestic Twenty20 (T20 Global League) competition has been postponed by 12 months until November 2018.

The league was set to start next month, with England’s Eoin Morgan among a host of marquee international names due to take part.

The division is planning to be South Africa’s answer to the Indian Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash League but Cricket South Africa (CSA) and T20 Global League have made the decision to defer the inaugural competition.

“We have not come to this decision lightly,” said CSA Acting CEO, Thabang Moroe.

“Having discussed it with all our stakeholders including the franchise owners, we believe that the interest of the league should be our first priority. We have re-assessed our strategy and believe that postponing the first edition of the T20 Global League to next year will serve us well.

“We will regroup and come back stronger and better. At this time, we also wish to thank all the players, sponsors, broadcast partners, SACA (South African Cricketers Association) and FICA (Federation of International Cricketers) who have committed to the project.

“We appreciate the continued support of the individuals and organisations who have believed in this tournament.”

IAC extend Dragons sponsorship with jersey deal

Industrial Automation and Control (IAC) has today extended its commercial agreement with Welsh rugby union team the Dragons.

The new deal will see the company’s logo positioned on the right shoulder of the club’s home and away jerseys during the 2017/18 season.

Dragons Commercial Sales Manager, Dai Jenkins, said: “IAC have been a partner of the Dragons for many years.

“The company is an avid supporter of the Region and have a business in South Africa which works hand-in-hand with the expansion of the Guinness PRO14. It’s a very exciting time for the company and we are delighted that they have chosen us to help promote their brand.”

Kath Lewis, IAC Ltd Marketing and HR Director, added: “We are long term backers of the Dragons and are delighted to have been able to boost our support for the local team in this way.

“We actively support the Dragons and often entertain IAC Ltd’s business guests from home and abroad at Dragon’s games at Rodney Parade.”

Meanwhile, GOS Engineering have also agreed sponsorship deal with the Dragons. The Gwent-based company’s logo will feature on the first-team’s home and away shorts for the next two seasons.

iSportconnect announces Andrea Radrizzani as London Directors’ Club guest speaker

iSportconnect, the largest global private network of sport business executives, is delighted to announce that the next edition of the London Directors’ Club will take place on December 6.

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.

The Italian businessman will take part in an individual interview before receiving questions from an esteemed audience of key decision makers within the sports industry.


There will also be ample time for delegates to network alongside their fellow executives throughout the evening-only event, giving those in attendance a unique opportunity to share experiences and best practices with their distinguished peers.

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

A venue and full lineup of speakers will be confirmed in due course. 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.

Garmin selected as Official Supplier for the Volvo Ocean Race

Garmin today announced that it has been selected as an official supplier for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-2018.

The deal sets Garmin to provide its action and 360 cameras to the seven teams competing in the 45,000-mile race around the world.

The VIRB® 360 and VIRB Ultra 30, will be used on each boat to capture video that will be shared with race fans around the globe.

The Volvo Ocean Race, beginning on 222nd October, spans four oceans, touches six continents and stops in 12  cities.

“We’re honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Volvo Ocean Race, a race known as one of the longest and toughest professional sporting events in the world,” said David Dunn, Garmin director of marine sales and marketing.“

“Our VIRB action cameras are rugged and ready for adventure, just like the sailors taking part in this race, and we’re confident race fans watching the footage at home will get to experience the sport they love like never before.”

Jordi Neves, Volvo Ocean Race chief digital officer, added: “This is a fantastic partnership for the race and we are looking forward to working with such a dynamic and innovative brand.

“We are especially excited to be able to deliver 360 experiences from all boats by our on-board reporters that will be delivering the story of the race in the toughest conditions.”