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.”

Arsenal and KONAMI announce official partnership

Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. (KONAMI) have today been confirmed as an official partner of Premier League club Arsenal.

As an official partner of the north London outfit, KONAMI will benefit from greater access to the Gunners’ first-team squad and Emirates Stadium. KONAMI has also agreed extensive licensing and promotional rights – including access to the club’s social media platforms.

Vinai Venkatesham, chief commercial officer, Arsenal Football Club, said: “Our working relationship with KONAMI to date has been extremely successful from a licensing perspective and we are delighted to extend this and welcome them as an official partner.

“We look forward to getting started in the next phase of our relationship with KONAMI and creating some fun and exciting content that both Arsenal and wider football fans will enjoy.”

Jonas Lygaard, senior director – brand and business development for Konami Digital Entertainment, added: “We are determined to work with the best clubs football has to offer and are delighted to partner with Arsenal.

“The relationship we formed last year has gone from strength to strength, most notably when Emirates Stadium played host to the PES LEAGUE World Final.

“As such, we were keen to work even closer with such a highly regarded club and the new agreement will allow us to perfectly recreate and feature Emirates Stadium and the club’s many stars within PES 2018.”

JP Morgan Chase becomes Official Bank of Golden State Warriors

Chase announced today that it has been named the official bank of the Golden State Warriors.

As part of the new partnership, Chase will have signage and ATMs throughout Oracle Arena and will debut the newly renovated J.P.Morgan Club.

Earlier this year, the Warriors inaugured Chase Center, the state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex which will open in the fall of 2019 and serve as the home of the current NBA Champions.

“As our naming rights partner for Chase Center, we’re excited to continue to strengthen our partnership with Chase as our latest Warriors partner and official bank,” said Chip Bowers, Warriors chief marketing officer.

To celebrate the new partnership and the start of the new season, Chase will launch a Golden Victory Ball tour, starting on 10th October, in five cities throughout the Bay Area for five days leading up to the start of the Warriors 2017-18 season.

“Chase is delighted to deepen our partnership with the Golden State Warriors – true champions in every sense of the word,” said Jim Wening, Head of Middle Market Banking for JPMorgan Chase in the Bay Area.

“We hope Dub Nation enjoys the Golden Victory Ball tour as much as we do, as we all prepare to celebrate another championship season.”

SFR Sport agrees exclusive rights in France and Belgium to Anthony Joshua’s next three fights

SFR Sport has secured exclusive exclusive rights in France and Belgium to Anthony Joshua’s next three fights.

The coverage will commence when the British fighter faces Kubrat Pulev for the WBA and IBF belts in Cardiff on October 28.

Should Joshua beat his rival later this month a unification bout against America’s Deontay Wilder in 2018 could be on the cards.

The fight package was negotiated by SFR’s parent company Altice and is also set to give SFR Sport access to seven other major fights over the next two years, plus exclusive interviews and related content with Joshua ahead of his fights.

“This agreement is an immense honor for our group,” saidFrançois Pesenti, Managing Director of SFR Sport.

“In the wake of recent announcements of the acquisition of the most prestigious European soccer and basketball competitions, Altice’s association with Anthony Joshua once again illustrates its ability to give its subscribers the best of sport.”

Hulu agrees exclusive esports content deal with ESL

Esports company ESL has announced a new partnership with video-on-demand service specialists Hulu.

As part of the agreement, ESL will produce four unique series exclusively for Hulu focusing on topics such as gamer training, preparation and industry trends, plus ESL tournaments.

The four esports series in the deal will include Player V. Player, Bootcamp, Defining Moments and ESL Replay.

Nik Adams, Senior Vice President of Global Media Rights and Distribution, ESL, said: “The partnership with Hulu marks ESL’s first original series on an on-demand streaming service, and will showcase the diverse nature of esports through high quality storytelling.

“Esports appeals to a younger, more digitally savvy audience so Hulu is a perfect platform to build out our original content and expose the world of esports to new audiences.”

Lisa Holme, Vice President of Content Acquisition, Hulu, added: “Esports is one of the fastest growing areas of media and entertainment, and, through this first-of-its-kind deal with ESL, we can now bring the popular world of esports to Hulu.

“We know our viewers, especially those watching Hulu on consoles, are hungry for this type of content – so we’re excited to offer it on Hulu for the first time.”

iSportconnect adds Standard Life and F1 to Dubai Summit lineup

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

Nuala Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life Aberdeen, and Murray Barnett, Head of Global Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships at F1, will take part in a series of discussions and interviews, offering delegates a unique insight into the sports industry.

Already confirmed to speak at the event are 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.

Further speaker announcements and a venue will be confirmed in due course.

iSportconnect Launches Summit in Olympic Capital

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.

DraftKings launches its platform in new European markets

DraftKings, the world’s largest daily fantasy sports platform, has today announced the continuing expansion of its operations in Europe, with the launch of its games in Ireland and Austria.

Both Ireland and Austria have strong sports’ cultures and dedicated followers of professional teams and leagues. Austrian sports fans in particular have a strong affinity for American football. Each year the largest NFL season kick-off party in Europe takes place in Vienna.

Ireland has an engaged professional sports fan market, as well as a long history of season-long fantasy football, with golf and soccer on the rise in recent years. Additionally, MMA is an extremely popular sport in Ireland, particularly given the success of homegrown hero Conor McGregor.

“Sports fans in Europe are embracing the game inside the game through DraftKings’ contests and content,” said Jason Robins, DraftKings CEO.

“As we looked to expand our European footprint, it was an easy choice to launch in Ireland and Austria, given their renowned passion for sports.”

DraftKings’ European expansion is underpinned by its success in the UK and Germany. In the UK, September 2017 saw 51% year-over-year growth in entry fees and 31% year-over-year growth in new customers.

In Germany, September saw 46% growth in registered customers, the largest monthly growth to-date. DraftKings intends to continue expanding its geographic footprint, both in Europe and elsewhere, in 2018.

DraftKings will deliver all 10 of the sports currently available in the U.S. to Ireland and Austria, including seven soccer leagues, NFL, MLB, NBA, CFL, NHL, Golf, NASCAR, eSports and Mixed Martial Arts.