UFC announces global licensing partnership with Opro

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a new multi-year global licensing agreement with OPRO, the world’s largest manufacturer of mouthguards.

The agreement, which begins in 2018, grants the oral protection company the rights to produce UFC branded mouthguards and provide bespoke guards to UFC athletes.

UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products, Tracey Bleczinski, said: “OPRO has been a world-renowned manufacturer of mouthguards for more than 20 years and we are thrilled to launch this new global partnership.

“As an industry pioneer, OPRO has designed some of the most innovative guards in sports and we look forward to delivering these premium products to UFC athletes and the combat sports community.”

OPRO Chief Executive Officer, David Allen, said: “OPRO has ambitious international expansion plans for the coming years, and partnering with another hugely progressive and pioneering brand who are growing exponentially all over the world, particularly in key markets for us such as Asia and the Americas, is truly exciting.

“This partnership with UFC reflects our continued growth in the combat sports market and we look forward to working with them as we kit out more and more UFC athletes with OPRO guards.”

UFC athletes will have the option of wearing mouthguards by OPRO while training or competing in the UFC. OPRO will also offer UFC branded guards to combat participants and fight fans for purchase at opromouthguards.com and through a network of key global retail partners.

Nissan becomes first Japanese manufacturer to join Formula E

Nissan is set to become the first Japanese automotive brand to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship – joining the electric street racing series in season five.

Nissan will have the chance to promote its Intelligent Mobility – the company’s three-pillar strategy to re-define how its vehicles are driven, powered and integrated into society.

Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E, said: “To have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series. Not only is it great to welcome a new manufacturer to the Formula E family – it’s great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is.

“Japan is a country at the forefront of new technologies with one of the biggest followings of Formula E. The shift towards sustainable mobility is in motion and it’s unstoppable. I look forward to seeing the Nissan logo adorned on the new-look cars for season five.”

Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of global marketing and sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan’s management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania, added: “As the ultimate expression of the thrill of instant acceleration and agile handling that’s at the heart of Nissan zero-emission driving, Nissan is going to electrify the Formula E championship.

“Nissan will be the first Japanese brand to enter this growing championship, bringing our long history of motorsports success to the Formula E grid. It will give us a global platform for bringing our pioneering Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy to a new generation of racing fans.

“Nissan’s DNA is rich in innovation in electric mobility, not to mention a long history of success in motorsports. It makes sense that we bring these two core elements together by competing in Formula E.”

Nissan is set to replace one of the existing validated manufacturer registrations for the 2018/19 season – maintaining the current list of nine manufacturers in total for season five.

iSportconnect adds Fox Networks Group and ICC to Dubai Summit speaker lineup

iSportconnect is delighted to confirm that two additional guest speakers have been added to the lineup for the Dubai Summit on November 29.

Sanjay Raina, General Manager & SVP, Fox Networks Group/National Geographic – Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, and Aarti Dabas, Head of Media Rights, Broadcast & Digital at International Cricket Council, will take part in a series of interviews and discussions, offering delegates a unique insight into the sports industry.

Already confirmed to speak at the event are Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby, Adolfo Bara, General Manager Marketing & Sales at LaLiga, Nuala Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life Aberdeen, Murray Barnett, Head of Global Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships at F1, Jerry Newman, Sport Partnership Lead – EMEA at Facebook, and Ben Morel, Managing Director and Senior VP – EMEA at NBA.

The Summit represents a breakthrough opportunity for up to 150 top-tier executives in sport and entertainment to experience and enjoy the unique learning and networking benefits of iSportconnect’s exclusive invitation-only event concept.

The event will be held in the lavish surroundings of Address Boulevard; the newest lifestyle address located in the prestigious Downtown Dubai area.

The hotel will also host a networking reception on November 28, allowing delegates and speakers to relax and engage with their high-ranking peers.

Further speakers will be announced in due course.

There is limited space for this exclusive event so please email Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to confirm your interest in attending.

What makes the iSportconnect Summit so special?

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

World Rugby announces Gilbert as official ball supplier for major 15s tournaments

World Rugby has announced the appointment of Gilbert as official ball supplier for its premier 15s tournaments, including the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups.

World Rugby and Gilbert’s deal includes:

  • Rugby World Cup 2019 and 2023
  • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021
  • World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy
  • World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup

Gilbert will be unveiling the official Rugby World Cup 2019 match ball design on the same day with replica sales beginning from the end of this year.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “We are proud of our long-standing relationship with Gilbert that has game innovation and development at its core.

“Through a succession of MATCH-XV balls, technical advances have supported the world’s top men’s and women’s players at Rugby World Cups, while also recognising and addressing the needs of more durable balls for development programmes around the world.

“We look forward to working in partnership with Gilbert through our showcase 15s competitions to further global rugby growth in profile and participation.”

Gilbert, who are also official suppliers to a number of national member unions, have been suppliers for Rugby World Cup since 1995.

Richard Gray, sales and marketing director at Gilbert Rugby, said: “It is a tremendous honour for everyone at Gilbert to have been selected by World Rugby as their official ball supplier, not only for the next two Rugby World Cup tournaments but also the full range of World Rugby 15s events.

“We are particularly excited by the opportunity to support World Rugby by investing in the development of the sport in new rugby markets, as an integral part of the agreement. Coupled with our existing support of the World Rugby sevens programme, this new agreement cements the Gilbert ball at the heart of the game.

“We are looking forward to launching our new Rugby World Cup collection over the coming months in the runup to Japan 2019, culminating in the unveiling of our new match ball.”

The deal is in addition to that to supply the men’s and women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

PGA Tour and China Golf Association set to launch PGA Tour-China in 2018

The PGA Tour is partnering with the China Golf Association to launch PGA Tour-China in 2018.

The PGA Tour-China schedule will feature a series of tournaments beginning in spring 2018, with each event offering a prize purse of at least 1.5 million RMB ($2.2 million).

PGA TOUR-China will provide players with a path to the PGA TOUR through the Web.com Tour, with the top-five money-winners at season’s end earning 2019 Web.com Tour membership.

In addition, there will be at least 15 additional players who will have access to the latter stages of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Ty Votaw, executive vice president of PGA TOUR Global Business Affairs, said: “The essence of PGA Tour-China is what the PGA Tour offers, namely a world-class brand, global credibility and Web.com Tour access that gives players a path to the PGA Tour.

“We are excited to partner with the CGA in this endeavour going forward and appreciate the CGA and its cooperation, assistance and collaboration. We are playing a strong tournament schedule, with significant purse sizes.”

As golf continues to grow, PGA Tour-China expects to attract a truly international membership, with the majority of the players coming from Asia.

“We believe PGA Tour-China will weekly present outstanding competition played at strong golf courses throughout the country. Our 2018 season ensures that we’ll continue providing exceptional playing opportunities for our players,” said Greg Gilligan, managing director of PGA TOUR Greater China.

“Sport is undergoing reform in China, and we think it is an important and positive reform. We are very pleased to be working in concert with the China Golf Association and are happy we are in a position to offer playing opportunities on a high-level Tour played to PGA TOUR standards, the same quality players and fans have come to expect.

“We are delighted to cooperate with the PGA Tour again on this new tour. It not only provides a broader platform for Chinese players but also enriches the existing men’s professional golf tournaments in China,” said Xiaoning Zhang, President of the CGA.

The PGA TOUR China Series began in 2014, five months after then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem and the CGA’s Zhang announced its formation at a press conference at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

Miami Dolphins become first NFL team to partner with Deezer

Deezer, a global music streaming company, today has announced a new strategic partnership as the official music partner of the Miami Dolphins.

The partnership will give Miami Dolphins fans access to a channel dedicated entirely to their favourite team, containing the official playlists of the Miami Dolphins team, the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders and mascot T.D.

The channel also will feature Game Day and Warm-Up playlists.

“The Miami Dolphins are a truly iconic brand that has international appeal,” Deezer North America VP Jorge Rincon said.

“We selected the Dolphins as our first foray into the North American sports scene as they are steeped in tradition. This partnership allows Deezer to celebrate the players, cheerleaders, mascot and fans that are the fabric of this hugely popular NFL team.”

Todd Kline, Miami Dolphins senior vice president and chief commercial officer, said: “We’re honoured to be the first North American professional sports team to partner with such an innovative global brand, giving our fans deeper access and a personalized experience through Deezer Flow.

“This Dolphins channel gives our fans direct access to the players’ favourite music — be it what they listen to off the field or in getting pumped for a game.”

Arsenal FC announces Cover-More as official travel insurance partner

Arsenal Football Club has today announced Cover-More as its official travel insurance partner.

The agreement is set to run for three seasons and will give the global specialist and integrated travel insurance and medical assistance provider a number of rights and areas of exclusive access.

The company, which operates in 14 countries, will create Arsenal travel insurance, car-hire insurance and match ticket cancellation insurance solutions for Gunners supporters attending and travelling to games.

Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Cover-More into our family of official partners. After our hugely successful pre-season tour in Sydney, we are delighted to be partnering with this leading Australian-headquartered brand on a global basis.

“I’m certain that we can support Cover-More’s global growth plans while providing our supporters with insurance packages that help and protect them at home and on the road.”

Mike Emmett, Cover-More Chief Executive Officer, said: “We aim to protect the individual Arsenal fan experience when they want to go to a game, whether they’re travelling from Islington or India, Sydney or San Francisco.

“We will employ technology to customise our proposition for each fan and use geo-location to offer them meaningful types of protection products. Examples are a ticket-protection product that also rewards fans if the team wins on the field or switch-on-switch-off travel insurance products for diehard Gunners fans whether they live within or outside the UK.

“Arsenal Football Club has thrived on a pioneering and innovative spirit throughout their 125 years in existence. They make their fans proud wherever they are in the world and it is that focus on innovation, the fan experience and their loyal worldwide following that makes this an exciting partnership for Cover-More.”

As part of the agreement, Cover-More will also become an official partner of the north London outfit’s Emirates Stadium Tour experience.

World Rugby and IMG Replay agree three-year partnership extension

World Rugby has extended its exclusive worldwide archive partnership with IMG to include all major events until the end of 2020.

The agreement, which will now also cover Women’s Rugby World Cup, World Rugby U20 Championship and the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, will see more than 2,500 hours of content made available on IMG’s digital platform, IMG Replay. This will include archive footage from both upcoming and historic seasons and events.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “IMG has proved itself over many years to be an excellent partner for World Rugby, helping us to grow the game in several key markets around the world. In particular, IMG’s influence in making the most of the Olympic effect since rugby sevens’ debut at the Games in Rio 2016 has been profound.

“With the help of the team at IMG, I look forward to more growth in 15s and sevens over the coming years as we introduce millions of new fans globally to our tournaments and other events.

Richard Wise, Senior Vice President of IMG Media, said: “After more than 25 years of successfully marketing Rugby World Cup’s archive footage, we are delighted to extend our relationship with World Rugby to cover all of its major tournaments.

“Rugby’s men’s, women’s, junior and sevens tournaments all continue to grow exponentially in size, coverage and scope, and we look forward to offering extensive footage to broadcast platforms around the world.”

In addition to this newly extended partnership, IMG also now represents World Rugby globally across licensing and marketing.

Telstra’s NetCam technology set to be used at WTA Finals in Singapore

Telstra’s innovative NetCam technology will be deployed at the 2017 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, with the technology providing audiences with never before the broadcast vision of the tournament.

Commissioned in partnership with Perform Group for the WTA Finals, Telstra’s NetCam will be deployed on each side of the tennis net to deliver audiences with an unprecedented panorama of the court during competition.

In addition to improving the fan viewer-experience, the miniature camera technology will also provide players and officials with a unique and live net’s eye view of the on-court action.

Trevor Boal, head of Telstra Broadcast Services said: “Telstra’s NetCam will be a game-changer in delivering a more immersive broadcast experience for tennis fans around the world. Broadcasting vision from Telstra’s NetCam at the WTA Finals will be a world first, with the innovative technology never before used in a competition finals environment.”

Pioneering NetCam at the WTA Finals builds upon Telstra’s six-year multi-million dollar broadcast partnership with Perform Group for the delivery of live and file-based video content of WTA tournaments across Telstra’s Global Media Network.

John Learing, WTA media managing director, said: “Women’s tennis is an incredibly athletic and fast-paced game. Telstra’s NetCam allows us to provide WTA viewers with a unique perspective while helping us to tell that athletic storyline.

“Tennis fans are not just courtside they are now immersed in the game on the court and at the net. This is going to be exciting for fans watching the WTA Finals live in Singapore.”

The NetCam device is the result of several years of research in Telstra’s Globecam facility in Melbourne working closely with tennis authorities including Tennis Australia to ensure viability. Globecam has its own proprietary camera and software allowing the creation of a unique device in a custom-designed housing.

The technology captures live play during the broadcast production with high-quality HD, stabilisation and degree of control once only dreamed of, including:

  • full HD 1080i/50i
  • full remote camera control for colour, exposure, etc.
  • digital pan/tilt for image framing adjustment
  • light-weight unit discretely fitted to the net

Tennis is the latest sport to feature Globecam after participating in a number of sporting events around the world including cricket, all codes of football and even skydiving and motor racing.

NetCam features on the WTA Finals live from Singapore worldwide from 22-29 October.

EFC appoints Inverleigh as worldwide distribution partner

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organisation EFC has appointed Inverleigh as their exclusive worldwide distribution partner, commencing a four-year partnership in the distribution of EFC’s event telecast rights and non-live content.

EFC produces over 80 hours of new premium content per annum, involving 10 events each year, featuring over 150 exclusively contracted fighters from around the world, and currently telecast in over 120 countries.

“Given their expansive network of broadcast partners, Inverleigh provides a great opportunity to build the global audience for EFC and raise greater awareness for the EFC brand, athletes and partners”, said EFC President Cairo Howarth.

“We see great growth potential for EFC, and we see this partnership as an important step in the next phase of our growth.”

Inverleigh Director Matt Whytcross added: “EFC is a premium promotion with high-calibre athletes and excellent production values. We see an exciting growth opportunity, for both parties, by way of this partnership.”

The deal also features ‘The Fighter’ – a reality series where ten undefeated contenders from around the world live and train together, and are pitted against each other, fighting to avoid elimination. Season 1 of The Fighter is currently in production.

Broadcast rights for EFC events and programming are currently being offered for license via Inverleigh’s in-house sales team.