Nic Coward appointed Chairman of ECB’s newly formed Regulatory Committee

iSportconnect member Nic Coward has been appointed Chairman of The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) newly formed Regulatory Committee.

Coward is currently non-executive chair of England Golf, having previously served as CEO of the British Horseracing Authority and General Secretary of the Premier League, and has been a member of the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission since 2015.

In his new position, Coward will oversee an eight-strong committee which will include three independent members sitting alongside two senior ECB executives, a non-aligned ECB Board Member, and two appointees drawn from the wider first class and recreational game.

Speaking on Coward’s appointment, ECB Chairman Colin Graves said: “Nic is a highly respected figure with a strong background in legal and regulatory affairs and he will bring a wealth of wider experience across the sports industry to this role.

“He and the committee will have a major role to play in ensuring that we follow best practice in all areas of governance and sporting integrity – and continue to place a special emphasis on the vitally important issue of safeguarding.”

Set to come into effect from January, the committee will be appointed by the ECB Board but be wholly independent and have full oversight of all ECB’s rules, regulations and procedures.

Rugby World Cup Board recommends South Africa as RWC 2023 host

The Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) Board has unanimously recommended to the World Rugby Council the selection of South Africa as Rugby World Cup 2023 host. The World Rugby Council will now meet on 15 November in London to consider the recommendation and vote on the next host.

World Rugby and Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “This is the first Rugby World Cup host selection to take place following a complete redesign of the bidding process to promote greater transparency and maximise World Rugby’s hosting objectives.

“The comprehensive and independently scrutinised evaluation reaffirmed that we have three exceptional bids but it also identified South Africa as a clear leader based on performance against the key criteria, which is supported by the Board in the recommendation.

“I would like to congratulate South Africa on a superb bid and all the bid teams for their dedication and professionalism throughout the process to date. Our colleagues on the World Rugby Council will now meet on 15 November in London to consider the Board’s recommendation and vote to decide the host of Rugby World Cup 2023.”

Independent auditors will oversee the process and the vote on 15 November, which will comprise a total of 39 votes, with a simple majority required to select the Rugby World Cup 2023 host.

50-over cricket continues to offer ‘valuable brand exposure’, says ECB’s commercial director

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) commercial director, Sanjay Patel, says the 50-over format of the game continues to offer “valuable brand exposure” after Royal London extended its title sponsorship of men’s and women’s domestic and international one-day cricket for a further two years.

The new agreement will see Royal London continue to sponsor all of England’s home one-day internationals, plus the 50-Over Royal London One-Day Cup competition, until the end of the 2019 season.

Commenting on the deal, Patel said: “It’s exciting that Royal London want to extend their relationship with cricket still further – building on the successful partnership we’ve forged together over the past four years.

“With the England’s men’s one-day team victorious in all three one-day series last summer, the England women’s team winning the ICC Women’s World Cup and the Royal London One-Day Cup serving up a memorable Lord’s final, the 50-Over format continues to enjoy a significant media profile and offer valuable brand exposure.

“We will be aiming to make this partnership even stronger over the next two years and would like to thank everyone at Royal London for being such enthusiastic supporters of cricket at all levels.”

Emma Hill – Group Head of Brand and Sponsorship, Royal London added: “Our initial partnership with the ECB began at an important time in the company’s history as we re-launched the Royal London brand.

“Owing to a very successful 4 years of cricket sponsorship, we’re thrilled to be committing to the sport for another two years as we continue on our brand building journey. Like cricket, we’re a brand steeped in rich heritage and tradition and we’re excited about what we can achieve in partnership together over the next two years.”

Royal London has been an ECB sponsor since 2014 as part of an agreement which also includes support for England women’s one-day cricket and ECB’s age-group competitions at recreational level.

The sponsorship encompasses access to England players, in-ground advertising and corporate hospitality, as well ass competition naming rights.

Manchester City launches partnership with Khmer Beverages in Cambodia

Manchester City has announced a new multi-year partnership with Khmer Beverages’ Cambodia Beer, who will become the Premier League club’s official beer partner in South East Asia.

The agreement marks the first major sports partnership of its kind to take place in Cambodia and is set to further strengthens the Citizens’ presence in Asia.

Damian Willoughby, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Khmer Beverages. Khmer Beverages shares Manchester City’s commitment to empowering the lives of others and driving social change within the communities that we operate.

“This announcement marks the Club’s first commercial partner based in Cambodia and we are excited to explore this market together, utilising Khmer Beverages’ great pedigree for creating dynamic campaigns to help us engage with Manchester City fans in the country.”

Leang Pov, President of Khmer Beverages, said: “Through this partnership, Khmer Beverages aims to bring international football experience to the fans in Cambodia and organise exciting and entertaining social events for fans.

“Khmer Beverages has been a strong supporter of the football sector since our establishment. We support local clubs and the national team and this time we raise the bar higher by bringing Manchester City’s experience and connections to Cambodia.”

This partnership also includes additional Manchester City rights for Khmer Beverages; official water partner in Cambodia, official soft drinks partner in Cambodia and official energy drink partner in Cambodia.

188BET announced as title sponsor of ‘2017 Champion of Champions snooker tournament’

188BET has been announced as the title sponsor of the 2017 Champion of Champions snooker tournament.

Taking place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry from Monday to Sunday 6-12 November, the 188BET Champion of Champions will be broadcast live in the UK on ITV 4.

The 188BET Champion of Champions features World Snooker tournament winners from the previous 12 months, including World Champion Mark Selby and Masters Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Barry Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, said: “We are delighted once again to be working with 188BET on what is one of the biggest events on the snooker calendar.

“The 188BET Champion of Champions is a blue riband event and the millions of fans watching both in person at the Ricoh Arena across the world on live TV will be in for a treat of world class snooker from the first ball till the last.”

188BET’s Managing Director, Nigel Singer said: “I’m pleased to announce 188BET’s partnership with Matchroom Sport. The Champion of Champions snooker tournament is one of the biggest events on the snooker calendar.

In addition to live television coverage in the UK, the 188BET Champion of Champions will also be aired on CCTV in China, Sky New Zealand, OSN throughout the Middle East, StarHub in Singapore and Now TV in Hong Kong.

Discovery Communications and Eurosport unveil plans to transform Olympic Winter Games viewing experience

Discovery Communications and Eurosport have today unveiled their plans to transform the Olympic Winter Games viewing experience with the ‘Make it Yours’ editorial strategy across all screens set to deliver every minute for fans in Europe.

First fully digital Games for Europe

Eurosport will deliver the first fully digital Games for Europe, live and on-demand coverage across all screens in 48 markets*.

The interactive Eurosport Player will be the only place fans can watch every minute, every athlete and every sport – online, on mobile, tablet devices or connected TVs. More than 4,000 hours of coverage and 100 events will be available, including 900 hours of live action, more than ever before across the continent

Eurosport Player will give fans the chance to personalise and define their own Olympic experience. The new Make It Yours campaign, launching in November, will call on fans to take control of their Games experience and choose what they watch, when they watch and how they watch their favourite sports and local heroes.

Taking a new approach for a new generation, Discovery recently announced a first-of-its-kind Olympic Games partnership with Snap Inc in Europe**. At Games-time, the partnership will deliver user-generated and behind-the-scenes content from PyeongChang 2018 to Snapchat users in Europe.

Eurosport will have a dedicated mobile digital studio in PyeongChang and will work with some of the biggest digital influencers from across Europe, embedding them into editorial teams during the Games to co-create unique content for social media focused on engaging new and younger audiences. This represents another Olympic Games first for Europe.

Technology and innovation

Innovation will be at the forefront of Eurosport’s immersive coverage, utilizing the latest production technology, more data and 1,100 cameras to bring fans closer to the action.

A highlight will be the new “Eurosport Cube” studio, with action from PyeongChang brought to life through ground-breaking technology. An Olympic Games first, the Cube studio will use augmented reality and enhanced data to create an immersive and interactive environment, offering fans best-in-class analysis of the action.

As part of Eurosport’s series of up to 100 new and unique short form films, technology will be used to share a greater understanding of every winter sport. This first-of-its-kind content will give fans a new perspective on winter sports, allowing them to become the experts.

An example is Eurosport’s Sport Explainers: using augmented reality and data to create films that delve deeper into the technical explanations of winter sports, showing how the world’s best athletes win gold.


World class talent expertise and analysis

Eurosport’s global scale will bring more expertise, with in excess of 150 local experts and Olympians reporting on the action and bringing the fans closer to the athletes’ Olympic journey. The star-studded line-up includes numerous former athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their sport and whose names transcend their home markets.

Offering deeper analysis and the best insights, the unprecedented line-up currently features more than 150 winter sports expert talent and commentators, including 58 Olympians, with 151 Olympic Games, 75 Olympic Games medals and 28 Olympic Gold medals among them.

Jean-Briac Perrette, Discovery Networks International President and CEO, said: “PyeongChang 2018 marks the first Olympic Games of our ground-breaking long-term partnership with the International Olympic Committee.

“We want to redefine the Olympic Games experience for the viewer with immersive storytelling, unrivalled expert talent and an all-screen strategy reaching new and younger audiences. We know that viewers want more: more access to their local heroes, more expertise and more ways to watch the Olympic Games, and this is exactly what we are bringing to fans across Europe.”

Peter Hutton, CEO Eurosport, said: “Our leadership in sports broadcasting, combined with Discovery’s extensive presence and platforms, will bring local fans closer to the events and athletes that they love.

“Our world-first Eurosport Cube studio is a perfect example of this, using augmented reality and enhanced data to offer fans more informative analysis of the action. This will bring to life expert analysis in an interactive and immersive virtual world which has never been seen before at an Olympic Games.”

* Excludes France 2018-2020. Excludes Russia. Eurosport will be an Official Broadcaster in the UK 2018 and 2020.
** Excluding France and Russia
*** Working title

International Olympic Committee considering esports for future Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is open to the possibility of including esports in future Olympic Games.

The Paris 2024 bid team said in August that it was keen to discuss the introduction of esports with the IOC, thanks in part to the rapid growth of the competitive video games industry.

The full 2024 sports programme will be shaped in 2019, while a decision on what sports will be on show in the French capital will be taken after the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Esports has already secured a place at the 2022 Asian Games and could be a part of future Games – if it complies with IOC’s rules and regulations.

“Esports are showing strong growth, especially within the youth demographic across different countries, and can provide a platform for engagement with the Olympic movement,” a statement released after Saturday’s IOC summit said.

“Competitive esports could be considered as a sporting activity, and the players involved prepare and train with an intensity which may be comparable to athletes in traditional sports.

“In order to be recognised by the IOC as a sport, the content of esports must not infringe on the Olympic values. A further requirement for recognition by the IOC must be the existence of an organisation guaranteeing compliance with the rules and regulations of the Olympic movement.”

Anthony Joshua signs partnership with JD

Anthony Joshua has signed a multi-fight partnership with JD, who become the heavyweight boxer’s official sports retail partner.

Joshua is set to spearhead JD’s investment in British boxing which sees the high street sports fashion retailer support the sport from grassroots to the biggest world title fights.

JD will receive exclusive branding, content and activations with AJ and his team. The reigning IBF and WBA champion will also feature in JD’s boxing magazine show JD Undisputed.

Joshua said of the agreement: “I’m buzzing to partner with JD. I have been a customer since I was a kid. I’m really looking forward to working with the guys on a range of projects to help young people achieve their full potential whether that be in boxing, music or whatever their passion is.

“I can’t wait to put on a show for the team Saturday night.”

The deal with AJ and JD comes ahead of this weekend’s bout against Carlos Takam at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

JD Group Marketing Director, Stephen White, added: “JD are delighted to announce our sponsorship of Anthony Joshua, MBE and support his journey to become the undisputed world heavyweight king. AJ is the perfect ambassador for JD.

“The brand is in his veins. He personifies what we are all about and specifically what young people can achieve with their swagger, hard work and dedication. JD is a unique brand, rooted in our communities and we believe that working with AJ we can do something really special that will help inspire and give opportunities to the next generation.”

IRFU agrees three-year retailing and sponsorship deal with Intersport

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and Intersport have announced a new partnership that will see the sports store become the official sports retailers to the IRFU for the next three years.

Intersport Elverys have also been announced as the official sponsors of the Ireland Sevens teams.

The new jersey will be worn by the Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams during the  2017/18 season for both sides.

IRFU President Philip Orr said: “The IRFU warmly welcome Intersport Elverys as new sponsors and are delighted they are sponsoring the Ireland Sevens international teams. The Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams have a big season ahead, culminating in both teams competing in the Sevens Rugby World Cup in July.

“Intersport Elverys have a great rugby tradition, sponsoring Connacht Rugby and being the official retail partners to the IRFU for a number of years. We are looking forward to working together and are excited by the opportunities ahead.”

Patrick Rowland, CEO of Intersport Elverys, said: “Our sponsorship of the Ireland Sevens teams was a huge opportunity for us to get involved in rugby at another level and create a strong partnership with the national organisation.

“We have been involved with Connacht Rugby for a number of years so it seemed fitting that we get involved with our national Sevens teams especially since Men’s and Women’s Sevens rugby continues to grow at an enormous rate both internationally and nationally.

“Both teams made history this summer by making it to next summer’s Sevens Rugby World Cup, so it’s clear the game is on the rise in Ireland. This will be an amazing sporting occasion and will be great for us to be on board as proud sponsors.”

ESPN set to take X Games to Australia in 2018

ESPN is bringing for the first time ever its X Games to Sydney, Australia in 2018.

Featuring Skateboard, BMX and Moto X competitions, the event will take place at Sydney Olympic Park on 19-21 October 2018.

Produced by Seven West Media, Australia’s integrated media company, the event will also be feature a music and arts festival as part of a strategy to target the millennial audience.

Seven chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette said: “We are proud to be bringing the X Games to Australia. We have a terrific relationship with ESPN and we look forward to delivering an outstanding event.”

ESPN X Games vice-president Tim Reed said: “Australian athletes have played a huge part in the history of X Games, earning 138 medals and providing many memorable moments. We’re thrilled to bring the event to their backyard.’’

X Games Sydney 2018 sports and disciplines are:

  • SKATEBOARD
    • Big Air
    • Street (Men’s & Women’s)
    • Vert (Demo Only)
  • BMX
    • Big Air
    • Dirt
    • Street
    • Vert (Demo Only)
  • MOTO X
    • Best Trick
    • Best Whip
    • Freestyle
    • Step Up