Birmingham bid to host 2022 Commonwealth Games receives official Government backing

Birmingham’s bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games has today been officially backed by the government.

The city’s bid plans have impressed the government which believes that, should Birmingham’s bid be successful, hosting the Games would provide value for the public money that would be invested.

Karen Bradley, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, said: “Our focus now is to work alongside Birmingham’s excellent bid team and Commonwealth Games England to put forward the strongest possible bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation, while ensuring that we get maximum value for money for the taxpayer.”

A formal bid is set to be submitted ahead of Saturday’s deadline while the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is expected to make its decision on a host city later in the year.

Ian Metcalfe, Chair of Commonwealth Games England, added: “Anyone who experienced Manchester in 2002, London in 2012 or Glasgow in 2014 will know just how special major sporting events in the UK can be.

“I am sure that Birmingham can stage an unforgettable Commonwealth Games in 2022. Birmingham’s exciting bid shows that the Games will not only deliver a sport programme of the highest calibre but also provide an amazing platform for the country as a whole.”

Tony Bellew vs David Haye rematch to be shown on Sky Sports Box Office

Tony Bellew’s rematch with fellow British heavyweight David Haye will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The pair will go toe-to-toe at London’s O2 Arena on December 17.

The bout is scheduled to take place on a Sunday night, which is unusual for a major boxing event.

Bellew was victorious in the pair’s first fight as he overcame former world champion Haye courtesy of a TKO win.

Adam Smith, Head of Boxing at Sky Sports, said: “This is one of the most eagerly anticipated clashes in recent times as arch rivals Tony Bellew and David Haye lock horns again in a pre-Christmas cracker.

“It’s a rematch which should provide everything – a fiery build-up, compelling action mixed with an uncertain, unpredictable outcome. We cannot wait to provide all the twists and turns in and out of the ring on Sky – enjoy the crazy ride!”

Umbel’s Mike Malo – Why venue ticketing is going mobile-only

When you go to a game or a show, you’re bound to see a lot of phones out for ticket scanners. While some sports and entertainment fans have hung on to the idea of the ticket stub as a memento, most have embraced digitally delivered tickets for several years now.

Of course, digitally delivered in many cases still meant that you could print out those tickets, but teams and venues are now making mobile tickets truly mobile.

Ticketmaster had found that marquee NFL matchups could have over 400 cases of ticket fraud. According to SportTechie, teams had issues with PDF versions of tickets — after all, it’s pretty easy to either make several copies of one ticket, or buy a lower-level ticket to get in, and then show a copy of a club-level ticket when trying to get into a section.

Ticketmaster decided to partner with the Dallas Cowboys to see what would happen if the printed option was totally off the table; they saw fraud “significantly decrease.”

Since then, teams across leagues have followed suit to varying degrees:

– The Montreal Canadiens are allowing printed tickets, but charging extra for them.
– The Kansas City Chiefs are offering mobile-only season tickets at a discount without knowing your seat beforehand.
– Orlando City SC implemented a tap-and-go system and so far have found “zero fraud.”
– The Miami Heat have gone all in. The NBA team will have no physical tickets, period.

Battling lines and the resale market

Fraud may be the number one reason for the shift away from physical tickets, but it’s not the only one. As the president of Ticketmaster, Jared Smith, put it, “There is also a much better understanding of who is in the venue and who your fans are with mobile adoption.”

After all, a PDF is simple to transfer via StubHub or Craigslist, and if that happens, the venue has no idea who’s in the seat. In a $5 billion (£3.73 billion) ticket resale market, that’s a lot of unknown fans. Mobile ticket transfers typically require at least three pieces of information: First name, last name, and email address.

That’s enough to reach out to someone, but leaves a lot of questions like how old they are, where they live, etc., which a venue would have if the ticket was purchased directly. Because of this gap, organizations like Turner Sports and Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment seek out data-collection opportunities to uncover fans at live events.

This can be a personality quiz, a digital scratch-off, or a simple legal waiver that can gather hundreds of data points using social authentication. Even if the event-goer buys tickets directly from the venue, these data-collection opportunities can collect otherwise hidden data, like affinities for sponsoring brands, visiting opponents, or artists that may be playing at the venue.

Aside from a data-collection opportunity and less fraud, the Cowboys told Sports Illustrated that they saw smoother ingress and a “morale boost in the box office.”

A better fan experience with mobile

And what about the fan? Teams have pointed to several major benefits. Though older fans may resist the move away from physical tickets, mobile has a major convenience factor for most fans tethered to their smartphones. This isn’t just in not having to remember to bring the ticket, but things like lines moving faster because of a standardized ticket and no issues of a printout already having been used.

Like personality quizzes and in-venue sweepstakes, mobile tickets can also offer another way to engage fans on gameday.

The Miami Heat, for example, incorporate their mobile ticketing system into their Heat app, which also includes exclusive content, contests, and exclusive offers. With data from mobile tickets and other activations, teams and venues can increasingly personalize the experience with highly targeted content. That can be before, during, or after the game to get those fans back in the venue.

Is it time for your venue to move to mobile-only? The Cowboys are certainly a success story, going from 3% of fans entering with mobile up to 80% of single-game ticket holders, and we’ll soon find out how these initiatives go for teams like the Montreal Canadiens and the Miami Heat.

What about those who don’t want to rely on smartphones (or are still using flip phones)? Teams are adding an asterisk to “mobile-only.”

The Heat, for example, states, “If a fan does not have access to any kind of smartphone…They will need to bring a valid ID with the name on the account. We’ll accommodate all guests with a valid ticket, of course.”

At the end of the day, it has to go back to the fans. David Haggith, a spokesperson for the Maple Leafs told USA Today: “We’re taking a measured approach, watching the landscape and how it affects our fans. Whatever we do about hard ticket stock will be after a conversation we’re having with our fans.”

Leeds United announce CurrencyTransfer.com partnership

Championship club Leeds United have announced international payments marketplace CurrencyTransfer.com as the their Official Global Payments Partner.

The agreement will see CurrencyTransfer.com operate as the Yorkshire outfit’s exclusive provider of cross-border payments services, while also working with the club on player transfer transactions.

Angus Kinnear, Leeds United CEO said: “I am very pleased to welcome CurrencyTransfer.com as the latest commercial partner of Leeds United. CurrencyTransfer.com will be providing cutting edge services helping the club manage currency risk when signing new players from overseas.

“This partnership is evidence of the international appeal of Leeds United and our desire to attract industry leading companies as official partners.’’

CurrencyTransfer.com CEO, Daniel Abrahams, added: ”It is an honour to launch our historic partnership with Leeds United. While Thomas and the boys excel on the pitch, we look forward to helping the club win off the pitch, delivering innovative currency solutions and huge savings. With Brexit causing exchange rate volatility, it’s important both the club and businesses of all sizes maximise the value of their foreign exchange activities.

“Hard work, grit, ambition and innovation has made Leeds a major financial and entrepreneurial city. This ethos firmly reflects our own values and the partnership provides a tremendous platform to showcase our services to the wider Yorkshire business community.’’

The CurrencyTransfer.com partnership will be seen across multiple platforms to drive brand awareness globally and via the Leeds United fan base, corporate membership and partner network.

Birmingham chosen as host city for 2018 Gymnastics World Cup

British Gymnastics has chosen Birmingham as the host city for the 2018 Gymnastics World Cup. The event will take place at Arena Birmingham in March 2018.

Jane Allen, CEO of British Gymnastics, said: “We’re delighted to bring this world class gymnastics event to Birmingham which has a long history of staging gymnastics championships at World, European and British Championship levels.

“Birmingham and the West Midlands has produced some of the most successful British gymnasts in history and it’s time to return to Birmingham and stage this spectacular event.

“It’s a fantastic competition and a real crowd pleaser that’s been enjoyed by sold-out crowds over the years. Besides the display of world class sport, where you’ll see some the world’s best gymnasts in action, there’s always a firm focus on fun and entertaining the audience.”

Councillor Ian Ward, Interim Leader of Birmingham City Council, added: “We’re delighted British Gymnastics has chosen Birmingham to stage this prestigious event.

“All eyes again will be on Birmingham as hosts of another significant international sporting event and we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best gymnasts to our city. We know Birmingham and the West Midlands will get behind this event and we are proud to support it.”

The World Cup travels the globe each year with four events staged in four different countries. In 2018 the competition will take place in the USA, Germany, and Birmingham before reaching a climax in Japan.

iSportconnect Launches Summit in Olympic Capital

iSportconnect, the largest global private network of sport business executives, successfully launched a new Summit format September 27 in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital.

The inaugural event, which was hosted in association with PwC and ThinkSport, took place in the spectacular surroundings of the Olympic Museum, where high-ranking delegates gathered to discuss a variety of issues impacting the future of the global sports business.

Attendees were given exclusive access to PwC’s Sports Survey 2017, which was first made public at the iSportconnect event.

In the opening panel session, Timo Lumme, TV & Marketing Director at the IOC, Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director at UEFA, Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer of Eurosport, and Lorenzo Stoll, Vice President at SWISS International Air Lines, exchanged views on the image of sport and brand reputation.

In the following sessions, ESL Chief Executive Ralf Reichert offered an overview on the future of eSports, and Paul Barber, CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, shared his insights on how a less wealthy team can compete at the top level.

The second panel of the day on the impact of digital disruption featured Jeff Haas, Chief International Officer at DraftKings, Ben Morel, MD & Senior Vice President EMEA at NBA, Alfredo Bermejo, Head of Digital Strategy at LaLiga, and Claude Ruibal, Executive Director at Infront Sports & Media AG.

Peer-to-peer discussions continued during a series of networking sessions overlooking Lake Geneva, providing guests with an inspiring setting in which to build new connections and consider potential partnerships.

Fittingly – given the Olympic-themed location – the third panel examined the challenge of hosting major events in times of austerity with Etienne Thobois, CEO of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, Balázs Fürjes, Government Commissioner for The City of Budapest, and Marisol Casado, President of the International Triathlon Union, providing expert insights on the issues.

The day concluded with a fascinating debate on the subject of electronic officiating and whether technology could one day have the capacity to wrestle control away from human officials completely, with Steve Carter, Managing Director at Hawk-Eye, on hand to explain the latest innovations.

Overall, the stunning setting, distinguished panellists and a thoroughly engaged group of international delegates added up to a successful launch of the iSportconnect Summits in Lausanne.

The next stop on iSportconnect’s global Summit tour is Dubai, with Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby, and Adolfo Bara, General Manager Marketing & Sales at LaLiga, having already been confirmed as guest speakers.

Future Summits will also be staged in Beijing, Singapore, Madrid, New York, Mexico City, Moscow, Munich, Paris and London throughout 2018.

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

Unibet agrees deal to become title sponsor of PDC Premier League

Unibet has agreed a three-year deal with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) to become the new title sponsor of the Unibet Premier League.

The 16-week long Unibet Premier League will take place across the UK, Ireland and Netherlands but in 2018 there will also be a first ever stop off in Berlin, Germany at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, leading to the Play-Offs in London in May.

The Unibet Premier League will be the newest addition and the 13th Unibet sponsored darts event following an initial partnership with the Unibet Masters in 2014.

Kindred Group CCO, Ebba Ljungerud, said: “Darts has been one of the fastest growing sports in our sponsorship portfolio in the UK and we are extremely excited about extending our partnership with the PDC to become the new sponsor of the Premier League.

“We are planning on making what we already know to be a great tournament even better.

“It’s grown to become the widest-reaching event in darts and we’re looking forward to 16 exciting nights across Europe. Darts is an action-packed betting sport and we will continue to bring our best-in-class activation and offer to all the fans. “

PDC Chairman, Barry Hearn, added: “We’re delighted that Unibet have furthered their association with us in their sponsorship of the Premier League for the next three years.

“The Unibet Premier League will be bigger than ever in 2018, with our success in the UK, Ireland and more recently the Netherlands leading to the introduction of a league night in Berlin next year, and it promises to be a special tournament.

“The Premier League’s growth since 2005 has been a phenomenon in British sport and it’s another boost that Unibet were so keen to add this prestigious event to their growing darts sponsorship portfolio.”

PwC’s Sports Survey 2017: Sports – the most disrupted of all industries

Sports industry leaders expect the sector’s growth rates to slow down from 8 to 6.4% per year. While football appears to be too big to fail and eSports is seen as a key growth area, respondents view the Olympics as having a less certain future.

More than two-thirds of respondents believe virtual reality is here to stay and will enhance the sports viewing experience. These are some of the key results of the 2017 edition of PwC’s Sports Survey.

Zurich, 27 September 2017 – The 2017 edition of PwC’s Sports Survey asked a wide variety of sports industry stakeholders about the challenges and disruptive forces that are prevalent today. The report focussed on a number of topical industry matters, such as the future of the sports right market, wearable and sensor technology, and virtual and augmented reality.

Hot growth rates cooling off?

Survey respondents across the board still expect the sports industry to continue to grow. However, they foresee this growth to slow down by over 20% to an average of 6.4% per year over the next three to five years.

David Dellea, Director of PwC Switzerland’s Sports Business Advisory Team, explains “the results of the survey confirm that the sports industry is reaching a decisive inflection point, where sustained growth will be the privilege of a few premium properties. Media is being consumed differently especially among the younger generation, and sport finds itself in competition with an increasing number of alternative entertainment formats”.

eSports growing fast, Olympics facing challenges

While most of those answering the survey expect football to continue dominating the global sports market, eSports ranked as the second highest format in terms of forecasted growth potential. The Olympic Games and winter sports, on the other hand, are showing signs of slipping down the appeal rankings of global sports properties.

This is also evidenced by their apparent decline in TV ratings, especially among the younger population. More generally, 57% of respondents consider the shift in consumer behaviour among younger generations as the top threat faced by the industry.

How real is virtual reality in sports?

68% of respondents believe virtual reality (VR) is here to stay and will enhance the sports viewing experience. They see it more as a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ VR will have an impact on traditional TV broadcasting. VR and augmented reality (AR) have the potential to revolutionise the fan experience when it comes to sports events, but also the way sports content will be broadcast. However, the survey also shows that further technological advances are needed if VR and AR are to reach their full potential in sports broadcasting.

Download: The full study is available here

2017 rugby finals weekend generates major income boost for Edinburgh

The 2017 European rugby finals weekend generated a total economic impact of £29.5 million (€32.7m) for the host city of Edinburgh, illustrating the strong legacy of the event beyond the field of play.

The showpiece finals of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup were hosted by Scottish Rugby at one venue (BT Murrayfield) on a single weekend for the second time and the direct economic benefits for the Scottish capital were recorded at £21.3m (€23.7m) in a report by The Sports Consultancy, an increase of 58% when compared with the previous season in Lyon.

EPCR Director General, Vincent Gaillard, said: “EPCR has seen a considerable boost in interest from cities, leagues and unions for hosting the outstanding rugby experiences of our finals weekend and this is reflected in the economic impact on Edinburgh.

“It shows that the event engages with all sectors of the rugby community and particularly, the fans, whose passion helps to make the competitions what they are.”

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer, Dominic McKay, said: “It is fantastic that our successful bid to bring the pinnacle of European club rugby to Edinburgh and BT Murrayfield generated such a positive financial impact of £21.3 million for the city and £29.5 million for the wider Scottish economy.

“The event drew over 80,000 rugby fans from across the world to the finals and that demonstrates how attractive visiting Edinburgh is, and the huge role that sport plays in the economy. We were delighted to host such a prestigious occasion in the country’s biggest stadium and intend to bring other similar international events to Edinburgh, and Scotland, in the coming years.”

The strengthened and more robust tender process for the finals weekend saw unprecedented interest from cities in both emerging and traditional rugby markets, culminating in the landmark award of the 2018 event to Bilbao and 2019 to Newcastle.

EPCR has received a further boost for 2020, with 18 expressions of interest received for the weekend that will showcase the 25th final of what is now the Champions Cup. The successful venue will be revealed in summer 2018.

Matthew Wilson, Director of Consulting at The Sports Consultancy, added: “Our research shows that hosting the European club rugby finals weekend left a strong legacy locally and a positive impression of Edinburgh as both a holiday and business destination.

“Hosting such a prestigious weekend of sport not only brings significant income into the local economy, it offers a year-round global marketing opportunity, substantially boosting future tourism.”

Birmingham Airport unveiled as first National Partner for IAAF World Indoor Championships 2018

Birmingham Airport has been unveiled as the first National Partner for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018.

The international airport is located just a few miles from Arena Birmingham, the venue for the four day Championships, which will welcome more than 400 athletes from 150 countries.

The Championships, which will be staged from 1 to 4 March 2018, will be the biggest indoor sports event to be held in the city for 15 years and it will be the first time that any country has held the outdoor and indoor world championships back to back, following London’s successful staging of the IAAF World Championships last month.

Championships Director Joan Durose said: “We are delighted that Birmingham Airport has come on board as a national partner for the IAAF World Indoor Championships.

“The airport has a key role to play in welcoming our international visitors to the city and with the expansion of their route network, and an increase in the number of airlines operating from the airport, more athletes than ever before will be able to fly direct to Birmingham.”

Jo Lloyd, Birmingham Airport’s Commercial Director, said, “We are extremely proud to be able to support this significant sporting event and become its first official National Partner.

“The Championships are a natural fit for us given the close proximity to the Arena and the fact that we will be the ideal gateway for those attending. It will allow us to showcase our airport brand to global audiences and as a gateway to the many wonderful places to visit within the Midlands region.”