EFL and Twitter team up to live stream Carabao Cup draw

The English Football League (EFL) and Twitter have agreed a deal to stream the fifth round draw draw of the Carabao Cup live to a global audience via the social media platform.

The agreement marks the first time a draw of a major English footballing competition will be exclusively broadcast on the platform.

Fans will be able to watch the action unfold on Twitter from 4pm GMT on Thursday 26th October.

EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey said: “The EFL prides itself on being innovative and not being afraid to try something new if we believe it has the potential to increase exposure and awareness of our competitions at home and abroad.

“We are therefore excited to team up with Twitter to give fans of EFL clubs across the world access to the Round Five draw via their new live streaming service. It’s the first time a major cup draw in the UK has been broadcast exclusively live on the social media network and presents us with a rare opportunity to engage with a global fan base alongside being able to continue the debate immediately after the ties are determined.

Bruna Zanin, Sports Partnerships Manager at Twitter UK, said: “We are thrilled that fans around the world will be able to watch and join the conversation around the Round Five Draw as it unfolds live on Twitter.

“EFL have always been incredibly innovative in their use of Twitter, so it felt like a natural fit to collaborate with them to exclusively broadcast a draw of this kind for the first time.”

David Butcher, Managing Director of Carabao Energy Drink UK&I, added: “In our first year as sponsor of the Carabao Cup, Carabao Energy Drink has been doing things differently and, this is a fantastic opportunity for everyone around the world to tune in and find out who their team will take on as we get to the final stages of the Carabao Cup.

“Alongside the EFL and Twitter, we’re excited to be hosting the draw in an entirely new format, and we look forward to joining the conversation in real time with millions of football fans.”

UEFA doubles TV rights revenues in two rights cycles

UEFA, Europe’s football governing body, has doubled television rights revenues for both its national and club team franchises over the last two contractual cycles, according to Guy-Laurent Epstein.

A proportion of the increase is a result of growing competition for rights between different platforms, plus UEFA’s decision to restructure key events, including the launch of the upcoming Nations League and expansion of the European Championships.

Epstein, UEFA’s marketing director, told Sportel’s Expert Panel 1 that a key reason behind the evolution “was the decision to centralise all rights because this allowed us to improve the scheduling of games and meant broadcasters could tell a better story.”

Epstein acknowledged that increasing levels of competition have made it difficult for traditional free-to-air broadcasters to secure UEFA rights but believes a shift towards pay-TV is yet to negatively affect his organisation’s sponsorship revenues.

He added: “For brands, being associated with UEFA competitions like the Champions League and Europa League is not just about generating media value.”

The Nations League is set to launch in September 2018 and will aim to rid international football of meaningless friendlies in favour of a new, competitive tier system.

READ MORE: UEFA launch Nations League with aim of ensuring ‘continued success of international football’

The Boat Race announces Mizuno as official performance apparel partner

Global sportswear company Mizuno has been announced as the official performance apparel partner for The Cancer Research UK Boat Race.

The partnership, which is set to cover the next three boat races, will see Mizuno exclusively produce and design performance apparel and gym wear for race athletes.

Edd Dibb, Mizuno’s European Team Apparel Manager, said: “We’re delighted to be on-board with such a prestigious event and a brand that is fundamental to the British sporting calendar.

“After working alongside British Rowing, The Boat Race is another huge step as we look to continue our expansion into the rowing market. We can’t wait to get started.”

David Searle, Executive Director of The Boat Race Company, added: “We’re delighted to have Mizuno as our Official Performance Apparel Partner for the next three years.

“Mizuno are a globally recognised brand and have produced kit that has seen victory at some of the world’s foremost sporting events. For us, they are the perfect partner to continue developing the Race’s domestic and international reputation.”

Winners announced for the TV Sports Awards 2017 and Golden Boy accolade

London 24th October, 2017 – Last night, TV Sports Awards 2017 (TVSA) honoured the best achievements from the sport media industry. Golden Boy was awarded to the best young footballer Kylian Mbappé.

The ceremony, held at the fascinating Salle des Etoiles, was hosted by two talented sport presenters, Marc Edwards and Rachel Stringer, who undoubtedly delivered a fantastic act.

In conjunction with SPORTEL Monaco, the event was a magnificent occasion to unite and celebrate the success and magical moments of the industry whilst raising money for the Play for Change Charitable Trust.

All proceeds from the night will help the charity to continue delivering impactful sport and education programmes for underprivileged children around the world.

With an audience of 300 professionals from the world of sports media, the ceremony began with the presentation of the Tuttosport Golden Boy awarding the Paris Saint-Germain football player: Kylian Mbappé.

It was a special night for people who are passionate about sport and in particular football. Juan Mata, midfielder for Manchester United won the Play for Change (PFC) award, recognising his inspirational and influential work with the Common Goal project.

Full list of the 2017 TV Sports Awards winners:

Best Live Event Coverage: Eurosport’s Coverage of Tour de France

Best Sports Thematic Channel: Olympic Channel

Best TV Rights Deal: Svensk Elitfotboll domestic deal with Discovery/Eurosport

Best Sports Broadcaster: BBC Sport

Agency of the Year: Infront Sport and Media

Media Executive for the Year: John Gleasure – Perform

Sports Media Company of the Year: Perform

Best Sports Project: ATP Media – Tennis TV & DAZN by Perform

Play for Change Award: Juan Mata for his work with Common Goal

Fantastic entertainment was shown throughout the evening and there was an exclusive auction, powered by Charity Stars, which offered unique items, exclusive memorabilia and ‘money can’t buy experiences’.

The 2017 edition of the TV Sports Awards was open to the whole industry to apply and had a very high calibre of nominees. There was a huge interest in the Best Sports Project award category, which is a new category and awarded two winners: Tennis TV by ATP Media and DAZN by Perform. Well done to Perform with three wins and was casted as Sports Media Company of the Year.

Play for Change Ambassadors Anne Wafula Strike MBE and Bonita Norris both represented the charity and spoke highly about how sport can positively impact lives.

iSportconnect adds Facebook and NBA to Dubai Summit speaker lineup

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

Jerry Newman, Sport Partnership Lead – EMEA at Facebook, and Ben Morel, Managing Director and Senior VP – EMEA at NBA, will offer delegates a unique insight into the sports industry.

Newman and Morel join a stellar lineup of speakers including Nuala Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life Aberdeen, Murray Barnett, Head of Global Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships at F1,  Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby, and Adolfo Bara, General Manager Marketing & Sales at LaLiga.

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.

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

Dates will soon be announced for a Beijing and Singapore Summit as part of a ‘World Tour’ of iSportconnect Summits in 2018.

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.

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and 1080 Media TV production and distribution deal extended to 2020

Billed as the greatest ocean adventure around the planet, the biennial Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has extended its commitment to a fourth season of the award-winning ‘Race of Their Lives’ human adventure unscripted TV series, produced by UK based 1080 Media TV, to complete distribution deals through to 2020.

The unique event trains every-day people from all walks of life, many of them sailing novices, to take on the world’s toughest oceans in the biggest round-the-world race featuring hundreds of crew from over 40 nations, battling it out on twelve identical modern yachts, in a year-long 40,000 nautical mile series of races between six continents to circumnavigate the globe.

“We continue to have excellent feedback from broadcasters to the 7-part series we produce for the Clipper Race, which follows this unique challenge through the experiences of the Corinthian competitors of all ages and backgrounds, as they take on this extraordinary endurance challenge,” said Cliff Webb, CEO of the 1080 Media TV.

“We are currently in production with the third season of ‘The Race of Their Lives’ which is following the 2017-18 edition of the Clipper Race, which has just reached Cape Town. The extension of our role as Host Broadcaster for the Clipper Race to 2020 enables us to respond to the growing demand to include the 2019-20 edition in our distribution deals.”

The previous series of the Clipper 2015-16 Race reached over 900 million households in 171 territories. The current series is adding, even more, broadcasters, digital and OTT platforms. In addition to The Race of Their Lives series, released as the event unfolds, 1080 Media TV produces and distributes two live shows which capture the emotionally charged opening and closing stages and ceremonies of this ocean marathon; plus news feeds, B-rolls and edited packages, together with a diverse range of social media content.

The current edition of the Clipper Race started from Liverpool, the UK on 20 August 2017 and will return there on 28 July 2018. The next edition of the Clipper Race will run from August 2019 to July 2020.

“We have been very pleased with the quality and style of programming and extensive distribution achieved by 1080 Media TV,” comments Jonathan Levy, executive producer on behalf of race organisers Clipper Ventures. “We feel it is important to be able to maximise the development of the widest possible range of content which engages with audiences everywhere, who are captivated by people like them, and who take on this incredibly challenging human adventure.

“Extending our production partnership to 2020 enables us both to take advantage of new channels and technologies. Despite more than 20 years of running the Clipper Race, we are constantly evolving and continue to grow from strength-to-strength with a very robust and successful business model. We are already signing up crew and sponsors for 2019-20 and even 2021-22.”

The Race of Their Lives 2 was voted Best Sports Documentary Series (UK) in the TMT Media Awards

Moto GP confirms Michelin as tyre supplier until 2023

Dorna Sports announced a contract extension with Michelin that will see the French marque continue as the sole, official tyre supplier to MotoGP until at least 2023.

The five-year agreement, covering the 2019 to 2023 seasons, was announced at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Victoria.

Michelin joined MotoGP as sole supplier in 2016.

As part of the agreement, the Michelin brand will also continue to be featured trackside at each event – and will be the title sponsor of a Grand Prix.

Pascal Couasnon, Director of Michelin Motorsport, said: “After two seasons that have seen tyre performance and strategy make a real contribution to the show delivered by motorcycle racing’s premier series, DORNA Sports has decided to extend its collaboration with Michelin as technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier to MotoGP for five more years.

“We are naturally delighted to have earned the confidence of Carmelo Ezpeleta and his team. Michelin intends to use its continuing association with Dorna Sports to continue developing ever-safer and more competitive racing tyres, as well as innovations that will go on to benefit our road tyres.

“Michelin is also delighted to continue working with the teams and riders who gave us such a warm welcome back after our absence from the championship and also to be able to build on the sense of pride felt by our staff following our successful return to MotoGP.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports, said: “I am delighted that MotoGP and Michelin will continue their collaboration for a further five years.

“MotoGP has only continued to grow, excite and thrill fans since Michelin came on board as sole tyre supplier in 2016, and we are proud that our partnership will once again form the foundations of a further five years of stunning racing. This is fantastic news for the Championship, teams and riders as we look to the future.”

Lagardère Sports agree distribution deal of new international esports event

Lagardère Sports today announced it has signed an exclusive worldwide deal with RFRSH Entertainment that will see the agency represent the media rights for the global Counter-Strike (CS:GO) tournament BLAST Pro Series.

BLAST Pro Series will be launched by RFRSH Entertainment in Copenhagen this November and the tournament will continue in major cities across the globe, returning to Copenhagen in November 2018.

The tournament aims to be the biggest ever international esports event to take place in Denmark, and will also give the six teams a chance to compete for a $250,000 prize pool.

The BLAST Pro Series format has been created to maximise the audience experience, both live in the arena and through streaming and broadcasts.

Lagardère Sports will use their global network to engage existing fans as well as reaching new audiences.

Nikolaus von Doetinchem, senior vice president media at Lagardère Sports, said: “Lagardère Sports is becoming a leading marketing agency within the esports industry and it was a natural step for us to also start lending our expertise in media rights – particularly with the phenomenal explosion in the esports market and huge surge in spectatorship for live tournaments.

“We’re looking forward to working with RFRSH Entertainment, who as well as creating, owning and producing the groundbreaking format of BLAST Pro Series is an esports front runner when it comes to creative marketing, media and team management. Together with RFRSH, we will commercialise and further professionalise esports media rights.”

Alexander Lewin, VP programming and distribution atRFRHS Entertainment, said: “Esports is the most engaging live entertainment out there and Counter-Strike is by far the most exciting genre.

“Our mission at RFRSH Entertainment is to deliver the greatest moments in esports to fans and our mainstream audience, and we have created a range of engaging and innovative content around the BLAST Pro tournament Series.

“We are delighted to team up with Lagardère Sports to provide our complete tournament package to broadcasters, commercial partners and fans, and look forward to working with the global Lagardère Sports team in our quest to reach millions of homes.”

Northridge, a new sports law firm launches in London

A number of the UK’s most prominent sports lawyers launched a new law firm, Northridge.

Based in London, the top tier team has moved from law firm Charles Russell Speechlys with four founding partners Jonathan Ellis, Ian Lynam, Jon Walters and James Eighteen.

Ellis and Lynam had headed up the Sports Group at Charles Russell Speechlys for the last five years, leading the team’s promotion to tier 1 in both Chambers and Legal 500.

The team’s clients from day one will include The Football Association, leading Premier League football clubs, the Welsh Rugby Union, Premiership Rugby and a roster of high profile sports stars such as Dele Alli, Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Founding partner Ian Lynam said: “We have been delighted with the response from all of our clients in following us to Northridge. Our focus and scale will enable us to build on our position as the team to turn to in the sports industry when the stakes are highest.”

Jonathan Ellis added: “The quality and depth of our team is what sets us apart. Our associates have market-leading experience, with many of them being trusted advisors to our core clients.

“We will start on day one with 16 fee earners and have ambitious recruitment plans for the coming year. We are committed to repaying the confidence that the team has shown in us by operating an inclusive management structure and by having each member of the team share in the success of the firm.”

SAP and WTA introduce real-time tennis analytics for media

SAP and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) today announced a new online portal that provides data and insights to media in real time during WTA tournaments.

SAP Tennis Analytics for media uses innovative technologies and analytics to enhance the sport of tennis for players, coaches, tournament organizers, media and fans.

SAP Tennis Analytics for media will be available exclusively for the WTA credentialed media at the start of the 2018 WTA tour.

The tool applies SAP Leonardo Machine Learning capabilities and SAP Predictive Analytics software to provide deeper analysis and insights based on historical and live data. It includes instant side-by-side player, tournament and career comparisons during live matches.

The software also provides an “alerts” feature that notifies users of any outliers in benchmarked player data and gives media access to stats with context – data accompanied by meaningful insights.

“The role of data in tennis continues to grow in importance across the entire tennis community, and particularly among tennis journalists who play an integral role in storytelling throughout the season,” said Micky Lawler, president of WTA.

“The opportunity now to have access to SAP’s blueprint of real-time insights can take the art of tennis journalism to new heights. Our fabulous partnership with SAP continues to deliver innovations that improve the sport for our fans and all of our stakeholders around the world.”

“We’re excited to bring the same deep level of data and analytics seen in SAP Tennis Analytics for coaches and the Tournament Performance Center to our media partners,” said Jenni Lewis, head of tennis technology at SAP.

“The real-time nature of insights provided by SAP Tennis Analytics for media has the ability to help media create richer content and change the way our audiences utilize data before, during and after tournament play.”