Formula 1 Powerboat racing is set to return to the River Thames for the first time in 30 years.
Chinese sports promotional company Tianrong Sports has announced that they will host a Grand Prix around London’s Royal Victoria Docks in June 2018.
The event will feature 24 drivers, with racing speeds of up to 140mph. The London Grand Prix will form part of the F1H20 World Championship season that includes races in Abu Dhabi, Miami and Harbin, China.
Li Haojie, chairman of Tianrong Sports, said: “London has a great sporting tradition and was a natural choice to showcase Formula 1 Powerboat racing.
“We look forward to the opportunity to expand our global fan base in London and give spectators the chance to experience one of the most electrifying live sporting events in the world.”
The International Surfing Association (ISA) has secured a new television deal with global broadcaster Eleven Sports, which will see multiple World Championships event highlights broadcast in the USA, Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore and Chinese Taipei.
The deal was struck with the support of the ISA’s media distribution partner, Broadreach Media, and will continue the ISA’s drive to grow the visibility and reach of world class surfing events for national teams around the world, following the landmark decision to include Surfing on the Olympic Sports Programme for Tokyo 2020, and will see elite Surfing and SUP competition broadcast in new territories.
ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said: “We are delighted to partner with Eleven Sports to bring exposure and visibility to ISA events in new territories and regions of the world. Following on from our landmark inclusion on to the Olympic Programme for Tokyo 2020, our sport has continued to benefit from increased interest and attention from broadcast media and we’re very pleased to welcome Eleven Sports to the global surfing family.
“We are excited to be showcasing our sport’s high performance and youthful energy to new and global audiences, and offering a glimpse to those around the world of the unique atmosphere we will be bringing to Tokyo 2020.”
Danny Menken, Group Managing Director, Eleven Sports, added: “We are very pleased to add more top international content across multiple markets from a contemporary sport at the forefront of youth engagement such as Surfing.
“We are committed to providing great content for millennial viewers that they can relate to and feel a part of. Our partnership with the ISA helps us achieve this goal and we are looking forward to working with them to grow their reach and fanbase across our markets.”
As part of the agreement, Eleven Sports will broadcast highlights of the following events:
2017 ISA World Surfing Games, 21-28 May 2017, Biarritz France
2017 ISA World StandUp Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship: 1-10 September 2017, Vorupør & Copenhagen, Denmark
2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship: 23 September – 1 October, Hyuga, Japan
2017 ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship: 30 November – 3 December, La Jolla, California, USA
Betway has signed a three-year deal to become the official betting partner of Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.
Already a betting partner of four Bundesliga 2 outfits – St. Pauli, Union Berlin, Eintracht Braunschweig, Dynamo Dresden – the leading online bookmaker has extended its involvement in German football by tying up a deal with Alexander Nouri’s side, who finished eighth last term.
The new agreement is part of Betway’s commitment to drive brand awareness with major football teams across Europe, plus its high-profile status in the UK where it has been the principle sponsor of West Ham United since 2015.
Christian Rauhut, Sales Director of Werder Bremen, said: “Betway are one of the leading online bookmakers in Europe and we’re trhilled to be partnering with them.
“It emphasizes the power of our brand that Betway have selected Werder Bremen as a partner, as they take the next step in the highest German league.We are really excited about the co-operation.”
Betway’s Anthony Werkman, Marketing and Operations Director, said: “We are really happy to announce our latest partnership with Werder Bremen. The Bundesliga is at the forefront of world football and we’re delighted to be a part of it.
“With a number of football sponsorships in place, the season ahead is a very exciting one for us. We’re very much looking forward to increasing our involvement in German football, especially with a top club like Bremen as they head into the 2017-18 campaign.”
Just over six weeks after registration opened for the SportAccord Convention set to take place at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre, Thailand from 15 – 20 April 2018, over twenty organisations have already signed-up for the #SAC2018 exhibition with many more organisations about to sign.
The only annual sports business convention where all the international sport federations (IFs) are guaranteed to attend, these exhibitors include six international sport federations as well as ten cities and regions.
Showcasing Melbourne as the “Ultimate Sports City” at the SAC2017 exhibition in Aarhus Denmark, Damien de Bohun, General Manager of Major Events at Visit Victoria, said: “Melbourne is the sports capital and has sport in its DNA, we have wonderful people who run great sporting events, incredible facilities and a great city. When it’s
all said and done, people just love coming to Melbourne and love enjoying the sport that we host.”
The SportAccord Convention format for 2018 has been designed to increase networking opportunities for both exhibitors and delegates with access to the conference auditorium and official meeting rooms via the Exhibition Zone which are all on one level.
Exhibitors will also have access to the SAC networking mobile app to contact delegates, arrange meetings, and keep up-to- date with the latest news at the Convention.
Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention, said: “The SportAccord Convention exhibition is always a popular draw and sells out year-on- year and with over 20 exhibitors already signed-up, this is a great start.
“With no price increase for 2018, having more featured zones as well as more booths facing directly onto a bigger SAC Café, we’re expecting the exhibition to sell-out even sooner.
“Everyone with a vested interest in sport is here under one roof at SportAccord Convention and exhibitors see SportAccord Convention as an opportunity to connect with sporting business leaders.
“It goes without saying, having a booth enables exhibitors to highlight their products, services or sport and in the case of cities and regions, an exhibition booth provides a meeting point for international federations and sponsors to discuss future events and opportunities.”
Due to the overwhelming popularity of ‘enhanced’ booths at last year’s Convention, this is the ‘go-to’ booth for #SAC2018 with even more booths being made available. Entry-level booths will start at 6m² and include 4 delegate passes (increasing with booth size), graphics, TV, chairs, table, information counter, Wi-Fi, power, lights and carpet).
Organisations will also be able to purchase floor space and build bespoke booths such as the award-winning FEI booth in 2016 and the outstanding FINA World Championships booths in 2016 and 2017. The exhibition zone will also feature a special ‘Thai Pavilion’ to include local Thai attractions.
Registration for SportAccord Convention 2018 is open and organisations are encouraged to take advantage of the limited number of early-bird delegate passes on offer at CHF1,500 (a saving of CHF1, 000).
Exhibitors are also encouraged to take advantage of the preferential rates negotiated with Official Logistics Provider DB Schenker who have partnered with SportAccord Convention for many years, for the transportation of booths and marketing materials to Bangkok. Please refer to this news story to connect to the DB Schenker team responsible for Bangkok.
The SportAccord Convention World Sport & Business Summit provides a unique platform for Leaders from international federations and industry to meet and discuss the business of sport. The annual 6-day summit also includes an extensive Conference programme, and is host to all the Stakeholder General Assemblies attended by their Members. The Convention also offers many other social and networking opportunities as part of its Official Schedule.
GB Athletics and USA Track & Field (USATF) have announced that they will battle each other in a new format, one-day athletics competition next year.
‘The Meet’ will take place on Saturday 21st July 2018 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London.
The fresh, fast-paced format is designed to appeal to new audiences as the sport seeks new ways to engage with younger fans.
The competition will last a total of two hours and will feature a series of running, jumping, hurdles and relay events. Athletes will compete and score points for their respective countries in nine events.
Niels de Vos, Chief Executive officer, British Athletics, said of the event launch: “’The Meet’ will provide audiences with a fantastic head-to-head match between British Athletics and USA Track & Field, and promises to be one of the biggest events in athletics in 2018.
“We are delighted to host Team USATF here in London, in an event that will excite spectators in the best athletics stadium in the world.
“This event will thrill a whole new generation of athletics fans who have attended the London Stadium in their hundreds of thousands for the Muller Anniversary Games, World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships. Fans can register their interest in attending this fantastic new event now via the British Athletics website.”
USATF CEO Max Siegel said: “USATF is thrilled to collaborate and innovate with British Athletes on ‘The Meet’. Team competition captures the attention of fans in a way that brings excitement, attention and focus to our sport. ‘The Meet’ will bring track and field back to the future by reviving dual-meet team competition in a way that caters to modern fans.”
Specific format and participants will be announced in early 2018.
ATP, the governing body of men’s professional tennis, in association with Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced the launch of a new ‘PlayerZone’ app and website.
The revamped PlayerZone, an extranet portal for ATP players, allows users to engage with each other and access information across a wide range of operational aspects related to life on Tour.
The PlayerZone is developed with best-in-class technology to be intuitive and more convenient, offering biometric login on the app. It also provides information on tournament entries and withdrawals, automated updates on match scheduling and results, rules and regulations, all the way to hotel information, transportation and visa requirements.
Besides simplifying the life of players on Tour, PlayerZone will also feature new prize money and tax data to ease tracking of earnings and facilitate compliance.
The new app will increase engagement with the next generation of players, provide a central portal of information as players’ progress through different stages of their career, as well as offer a forum to engage with the players’ support teams in a private and secure digital environment.
“The ATP World Tour is a truly global business, taking place in over 30 countries across six continents, and with players from over 100 countries,” said Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman & President.
“We live in a world where immediacy and connectivity are integral to the success of our daily operations. With that in mind, we’re delighted to launch the new PlayerZone, in partnership with Infosys, which will not only greatly enhance our direct communication with our players and their support teams, but also help players navigate the demands of everyday life on Tour in the most efficient way possible.”
Rajesh Murthy, president of Infosys, added: “Over the last two years, innovation has been a key part of the Infosys-ATP partnership. It started with re-imagining 25 years of tennis data and 12 million data points, and today we are using best in class digital technology to power the PlayerZone portal.
“We are delighted to have successfully launched this portal, a first in the digital space in the sports industry for us. This was no mean task as players have specific requirements, and the ATP has numerous rules which needed to be incorporated.
“As part of our partnership, we developed a joint vision for ATP to become one of the most innovative and digitalized sporting organizations in the world and we are excited to be enabling them in this time of change.”
Tottenham Hotspur today announced that LEAGOO, a China-based smartphone and technology provider, will become the club’s Official Mobile Phone Partner for five years from the start of the 2017-2018 season.
The partnership was launched at Hotspur Way. Johnson Zhuang, CEO of LEAGOO was joined by Tottenham Hotspur first-team players Harry Kane, Victor Wanyama, Eric Dier and Kieran Trippier for an official announcement.
The club’s continued international growth is a key attraction for LEAGOO as it looks to increase awareness of its business across China and South-East Asia, as well as other key markets in the Middle East and North Africa.
As part of the partnership, LEAGOO will have a presence at Tottenham Hotspur’s home matches, on the club’s digital channels and will create stylish co-branded smart phones and accessories that Spurs fans across the world will have the opportunity to purchase.
Fran Jones, Head of Partnerships of Tottenham Hotspur, said: “We are delighted to bring such an exciting and ambitious company as LEAGOO on board as a partner.
“We look forward to working with them in the long-term to help grow their presence across the world, particularly in Asia, an area where the Club continues to increase in popularity.”
Johnson Zhuang, CEO of LEAGOO added: “We are proud to become an official partner of Tottenham Hotspur; a club with an extensive worldwide fan base that will provide us with the opportunity to widen our reach.
“We are looking forward to working with Spurs and we are also excited to create a new handset for the Club and its supporters.”
iSportconnect is delighted to confirm that five additional guest speakers have been added to the lineup for the Lausanne Summit on September 27. The event will be held at the Olympic Museum.
Claude Ruibal, Executive Director at Infront Sports & Media AG, Timo Lumme, TV & Marketing Director at IOC, Lorenzo Stoll, Vice President at SWISS Executive Committee and Ralf Reichert, CEO at eSports company ESL, will take part in a series of presentations and panel discussions, offering delegates a unique insight into the sports industry.
David Dellea, Head of Sport Business Advisory at PwC, will also present attendees with the results of PwC’s Sports Survey 2017.
Already confirmed to speak at the event are Ben Morel, MD & Sr Vice President EMEA at National Basketball Association, Patrick Baumann, President of the International Olympic Committee Evaluation Commission, Paul Barber, Chief Executive at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer at Eurosport, Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director at UEFA and Jeff Haas, Chief International Officer at DraftKings.
Ornella Desirée Bellia, Head of Legal Affairs at the Association of European Professional Football Leagues, will act as a moderator.
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The event’s content programme will bring together an elite group of leaders from premier rights owners and other sports industry stakeholders to discuss and debate issues impacting the future of the global sports business. Topics are set to include the struggling image of sport, the challenge of hosting major events and digital disruption.
The Summit represents a breakthrough opportunity for top-tier executives in the Olympic Capital to experience and enjoy the superb learning and networking benefits of iSportconnect’s exclusive invitation-only events.
Content programme:
Panel 1 The image of sport: irreparably damaged?
The connection between the image of sport and the brands associated with it is critically important. With the reputation of sport under pressure on various fronts, this relationship has become increasingly strained. Where do rights holders, brands and other stakeholders in the world of sport stand on this issue of huge strategic importance?
Panel 2 The challenge of hosting major events
In times of austerity, the competition between cities to host major events is not what it used to be. At the same time, the potential impact of hosting can be difficult to resist. Where does the balance lie? How can event organisers and cities find a better path to staging their events while serving the needs of cities?
Panel 3 Never-ending digital disruption: what’s next?
How do sports organisations plan and thrive in an environment where the old media models are fractured and it is close to impossible to predict the next big thing to engage consumers?
The format of the Summit will differ to our traditional Directors’ Club events. Proceedings will last for a full day and feature a combination of panels and interviews with 100 plus senior executives in attendance.
Confirmed guest speaker list:
Ben Morel, MD & Sr Vice President EMEA at National Basketball Association
Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary-General, President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations, and Chairman of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Paul Barber, Chief Executive Officer at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club
Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer at Eurosport
Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director at UEFA
Jeff Haas, Chief International Officer at DraftKings
Claude Ruibal, Executive Director at Infront Sports & Media AG
David Dellea, Head of Sport Business Advisory at PwC
Timo Lumme, TV & Marketing Director at IOC
Lorenzo Stoll, Vice President at SWISS Executive Committee
Ralf Reichert, CEO at ESL
Further speaker announcements will be confirmed in due course.
There is limited space for this exclusive event so please email Chris Edbrook (chris@isportconnect.com) to register your interest in attending. Click here for more information.
In partnership with world leading professional service firm PwC’s Sports Business Advisory Practice and with the support of ThinkSport
Betting on Sports 2017, the second edition of the largest international sports and betting trade conference will take place at Olympia Conference Centre from 12-15 September.
Featuring 1,200 senior executives, 165 leading industry speakers, 44 key sessions across eight conference tracks and space for 60 exhibitors within the exhibition area, #boscon2017 has become a must-attend event for the entire sports betting sector.
Here are just seven of the key reasons why missing this event is not an option:
Take advantage of a full industry gathering
With no fewer than 1,200 senior executives, Betting on Sports has grown into the most senior attended event in the gaming industry. From the leading operators to the largest sportsbook affiliates, key suppliers and sports clubs, everyone will be gathered in one place. This is a unique opportunity to form new business partnerships and re-ignite existing industry relationships.
Mr Green CEO Jesper Kaarbrink said: “SBC Events are here to stay. Great networking and seminar focus. With a focus on sports betting, the exhibition was also very targeted and you basically found something interesting in every booth. Also very impressed with the high number of attendees making it possible to have a lot of productive meetings in just two days.”
2) Enjoy an unrivalled source of industry expertise
SBC Events has guaranteed that all delegates will learn from the best and brightest across the sports and sports betting industries by organising eight conference tracks, featuring a massive 165 speakers across 44 sessions. Here is just a small sample of those lined up for the event:
Pinnacle CEO Paris Smith
Sky Betting & Gaming CEO Richard Flint
British Horseracing Authority CEO Nick Rust
Danske Spil Head of Sportsbook Jens Nielsen
XL Media CEO Ory Weihs
Better Collective CEO Jesper Soegaard
Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood
Ladbrokes Coral Director of Player Protection Graham Weir
Mybet CEO Markus Peuler
BetBright CEO Marcus Brennan
BetStars Managing Director Zeno Ossko
Superbet Group Director Jamie Hart
Matchbook CEO Mark Brosnan
3) Experience world class hospitality at Olympia
Not only will there will be a lively networking and exhibition area, sat alongside the running of three simultaneous conference tracks, but food and refreshments are complimentary for all delegates. Golden Race is introducing the Alpine Bar with beers and schnapps, and Grind Coffee Society, one of London’s leading coffee roasters, will be serving coffee in the OPTIMA coffee bar area. There will also be draft beer at the Racing Post cafe, and engaging digital game competitions from the likes of Digital Fuel and Millennial Esports in the Esports area.
4) Discover new ideas and products
Stay up to date with the latest industry products in the exhibition area, which is ready and waiting to host 60 of the leading companies in the sports betting space, including 22 first time exhibitors for an SBC-organised event. The 1,768 sqm space will also feature allocated networking areas and meeting rooms, along with pre-organised esports and sports related competitions.
Lee-Ann Johnstone, Digital Marketing Expert at Best Odds Marketing, added: “If you are in the sports industry and you want to get ahead with your business, find the latest trends and learn about regulation in this space, get yourself a ticket. The networking is great too. Highly recommended.”
5) Party at some of London’s most spectacular venues
The world class Altitude 360, located on the 29th floor of Westminster’s tallest building, has been selected as the host venue for the official networking party on Wednesday 13th September for its 360-degree view of the UK’s capital city, renowned party atmosphere and a layout designed to maximise networking and business opportunities.
Under the Bridge, a famous club below Stamford Bridge at Chelsea FC is the venue for the closing party on Thursday 14th September. Roman Abramovich’s favourite London venue was recently refurbished for £30 million.
6) Set up one-on-one meetings via the event app
It promises to be an action-packed week, but you can plan your time in the best way via the official Betting on Sports event app, available via iOS and Android.
There is no need to chase people up if you’ve set aside meeting times and places with the right people for your business, all from your mobile phone. You can even check up on the conference schedule and delegates, along with a full list of sponsors and exhibitors.
7) One price fits all
Once you have paid for your conference ticket, everything is free! This includes breakfast, lunch, exhibition, conference sessions, networking drinks, networking events and the parties.
SBC Events has deliberately kept ticket costs low considering the value provided by the 165 speakers and 44 sessions, along with the scale of the exhibition area, networking focus and business opportunities.
Right now, tickets for the event are available at a fantastic 25% Group Discount, when buying 3 or more – you can get them HERE.
Millions of people from over a hundred countries around the world will be able to tune into live television coverage and video streams carried by international media, in addition to the official Clipper Race web site and social media channels, when the eleventh edition of the biennial Clipper Round the World Yacht Race gets underway from Liverpool, UK this weekend, Sunday 20 August.
“Our global media audience continues to grow significantly which is important for our Team Partners and Host Ports,” said Clipper Race Director of Sponsorship Jonathan Levy.
“The previous edition saw our unique global audience grow to well in excess of a billion people. The live coverage this weekend will not only provide significant exposure for our partners and their distinctively branded yachts but will also showcase Liverpool and its ability to stage a major international sporting event to a global audience; particularly important as a contender to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022.”
Live video streams of the departure ceremonies will be carried on-line from 0800 BST local time covering the crews’ farewell ceremony on stage, manning their boats and departing their moorings in Albert Dock. This will be followed by the fleet entering the Mersey and conducting a parade of sail along the waterfront for the tens of thousands of spectators anticipated to line both sides of the river.
At 1200 Noon BST the on-line feed will feature a special one-hour live TV show which will also be beamed around the world by satellite to include the race start at 1230 BST local time including live helicopter footage of the yachts racing around a tight circuit in front of the crowds before heading out to sea towards Punta del Este in Uruguay, their next port of call in this year-long 40,000 nautical mile ocean race around the planet.
It will capture the true Corinthian spirit of these ‘everyday’ people taking on this remarkable challenge. The 1-hour TV show will be broadcast on a range of international TV channels and news websites worldwide including Fox Sports in Europe and the Eleven Sports Network in the US and parts of Asia and Europe.
The live TV show and web streams are being produced by the Clipper Race Official Host Broadcaster, 1080 Media TV, voted ‘Best Online Broadcast Company 2017’ and producer of the award winning global documentary series ‘The Race of Their Lives’ which goes behind the scenes to follow Clipper Race crew as they participate in this unique global event.
The previous series in 2015-16 was broadcast in 171 countries and reached 914 million households around the world. “There is huge interest in the Clipper Race from international broadcasters and audiences on six continents,” said Cliff Webb, CEO at 1080 Media TV.
“No other event takes everyday people and trains them to take on the world’s toughest oceans. It is a very compelling human story and the success of the 7-part TV series speaks for itself. In addition, a growing global online audience now complements traditional live television coverage, attracting substantial audiences.”
