MotoGP confirms three-year deal with Buriram circuit in Thailand

Thailand has been confirmed on the MotoGP calendar from 2018. Sakon Wannapong, the Governor of Sport Authority of Thailand, and Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports CEO, signed the contract in a ceremony in Bangkok.

More than 200 members of the media gathered at the event in a new market for the World Championship, with interest in Thailand incredibly high as they prepare to welcome MotoGP.

With the deal now finalised, the Thai Grand Prix will be staged in Buriram, north east of Bangkok, from 2018 – with the initial deal sealing it as a fixture until 2020.

General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand: “We are happy that MotoGP is coming to Thailand and you can see that this is a very good deal for everyone, and all the stakeholders in motorsport fully support it.

“Even though they are competitors, they have all come together and would like MotoGP to happen in Thailand. We would like to say thank you the circuit of Buriram and to Carmelo, and thank you to the media.

“It is a challenge for Thailand to be the host of MotoGP, but beyond the circuit, it will also be good for infrastructure of Thailand – to upgrade the airport, to get ready for everyone to go to the circuit.

“Not only for Buriram, but also the area and the north eastern part of Thailand. They welcome this major event to the north east, and believe the economic and the tourist impact will be very good for Thailand. Thank you to Dorna Sports for coming to Thailand with MotoGP.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports: “Thailand is a big consumer of bikes also and they are happy to use MotoGP to develop tourism here in Thailand.

“We are very proud to have made this agreement with the Thai government. The races here so far have been Superbike – who will also renew the contract in the near future – and we see that there’s a lot of expectation.

“MotoGP has had a lot of interest in Thailand, and it’s sure to be a Grand Prix with a lot of interest from everyone. We need to fix some of the dates but the calendar is finished, and I hope we can soon announce the draft calendar for 2018.”

Kwesé and ESPN agree exclusive sub-Saharan Africa broadcast agreement for IAAF events

Econet Media will bring International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competitions to its Kwesé TV platform in sub-Saharan Africa from 2018, having reached an exclusive agreement with ESPN, who were representing the IAAF.

The six-year deal, brokered by ESPN’s Media Distribution unit, begins on 1 January 2018 with Kwesé TV becoming the exclusive broadcaster for IAAF events and content in sub-Saharan Africa, these will feature across its free-to-air and pay TV channels as well as the new Kwesé Play service.

The deal includes the next three IAAF World Championships (2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, 2021 IAAF World Championships in Eugene, Ore., USA and 2023 IAAF World Championships*) as well as the next three IAAF World Indoor Championships (2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, UK, 2020 and 2022) and more than a dozen other competitions in the IAAF World Athletics Series.

Through its pan-African footprint, Kwesé Sports broadcast the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London which dominated sports headlines as they showcased the world’s finest athletes.

The rights agreement is the latest in Kwesé and ESPN’s successful partnership after the brands signed a long-term collaboration agreement for sub-Saharan Africa in October 2016. This year the partnership has launched a dedicated ESPN channel on Kwesé Sports, and the KweséESPN.com website and app.

The deal comes in the wake of the recent announcement that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and ESPN Media Distribution are collaborating to represent the media rights to IAAF events across Europe and Africa – bringing a unique, combined ability to maximise the profile of Athletics and increase access to the sport’s top global competitions to hundreds of millions of fans across the two continents via a combination of free-to-air television, pay television and digital media platforms.

Joseph Hundah, President and Group CEO of Econet Media, said: “Our exclusive collaboration with ESPN was forged on our collective commitment to bringing the best in world class sporting content to African audiences.

“Athletics enjoys a huge following on the continent with African sports men and women dominating in a number of categories. The IAAF is an important addition to our Kwese Sports portfolio as we extend our offering and build Africa’s most diverse sports destination.”

12BET announced as official sponsor of ITTF Team World Cup 2018

12BET has signed a deal with Table Tennis England and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to be the Official Betting and Gaming Sponsor of the ITTF Team World Cup 2018.

The Team World Cup will take place at the Copper Box Arena in London from February 22-25 next year.

Mark Taffler, Table Tennis England head of commercial, said: “We’re delighted to be working with a brand of the size of 12BET on the Team World Cup 2018.

“The profile of table tennis globally was a key factor in 12BET coming on board, and they also wanted to work with us to help deliver a superb event in London which table tennis fans all over the world can enjoy.”

12BET has an expanding portfolio of sports sponsorship, including recently becoming the first shirt sleeve sponsor of Premier League team West Bromwich Albion, and has also put its name to world-level snooker and badminton events.

12BET spokesman Rory Anderson said: “Everyone at 12BET is delighted to add the Team World Cup Table tennis tournament to our growing sponsorship portfolio.

“We will have extensive branding at the event that will be picked up by an impressive number of global broadcasters.

“We are looking forward to seeing the best players in the world compete at the Copper Box Arena in February.”

Accenture signs four-year deal to become lead partner of British Triathlon

Accenture has signed a four-year sponsorship deal to become a lead partner of British Triathlon.

The unique partnership will see the leading global professional services company work hand-in-hand with the sport’s world-class athletes and coaches. The two organisations will also promote inclusion and diversity through the expansion of a new mixed relay format of triathlon.

Accenture is now an Official Partner of British Triathlon’s Elite Teams. The organisations will work closely to improve elite triathlete performance in the run-up to Tokyo 2020 by applying new technologies across the sport’s world-class Olympic and Paralympic programmes.

Accenture will also be the Official Innovation Partner and Official Mixed Relay Partner, a format that British Triathlon has big plans for following the recent announcement that it will debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Julian Skan, Senior Managing Director at Accenture, said: “We are extremely proud to partner with British Triathlon. Triathlon is a sport that fits perfectly with our focus on gender equality and disability inclusion, as well as promoting health and wellbeing. And nothing beats working together when you are striving for success, so we’ll support British Triathlon’s elite triathletes by applying new technologies with the aim of improving performance.”

Jack Buckner, Chief Executive of British Triathlon, said: “Accenture is a company that has innovation and excellence at its heart. Nothing beats working together and our team is looking forward to the new partnership, especially with this weekend’s Accenture British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup 2017 Nottingham. It will provide the launch pad to our relationship and mixed relay as we aim to attract new audiences to our fast growing sport.”

The deal represents one of the biggest investments in British Olympic sport since the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s a unique opportunity to build upon the sport’s success and create a platform to encourage active and healthy lifestyles through triathlon.

Emma McGuigan, Group Technology Officer for Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology operating group, continued: “Innovation sits at the heart of the partnership, and is woven through all aspects of the relationship.

“From championing the new mixed relay format of triathlon to enhancing elite performance through collaboration projects, we look forward to playing our part in propelling British Triathlon’s elite athletes towards their 2020 goals.”

Liverpool 2022 Commonwealth Games could bring £1bn boost to UK economy

A study has today revealed that hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Liverpool and Manchester could deliver an economic boost to the region and wider UK economy of around £1 billion*.

The study, conducted by Deloitte, the business advisory firm supporting the Liverpool bid, estimates that £110 million could be generated pre-Games, largely through an increase in tourism due to Liverpool’s higher profile, and construction work in the city creating additional jobs for local people.

During the Games, the spending of visitors and those involved in the Games on hotels, hospitality, retail and travel, could generate £60 million in additional economic activity.

Significantly, legacy benefits for the city, mostly in the five years after the event, could account for £750 million, with a further £120 million shared across the UK. These would take the form of ‘place’ benefits, such as the earlier development of infrastructure and regeneration projects; ‘people’ benefits, for example healthier lives through sports participation and giving local people the skills to succeed; and ‘productivity’ benefits through increased tourism, exports and foreign investment.

Liverpool 2022 Bid Chairman Brian Barwick said:

“This report shows what a successful bid could mean in hard terms for the city, region and the wider UK. Liverpool is a world-famous city, which people love to visit. Our Games plan, centred on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, combines existing world class venues and stunning new facilities, such as a 50m pool in the city centre docks. It will attract visitors from around the world and provide a huge boost to the economy during the Games and for years to come.

“Liverpool has a rich industrial, cultural and sporting heritage and, as a globally-recognised city that has been on its own journey of reinvention, is the perfect place to showcase Britain in a post-Brexit era. And with Liverpool also being home to the UK’s official biennial International Business Festival which attracted over 42,000 day visitors and secured £600m of trade and investment in 2014 and 2016, the city is uniquely placed to promote UK Plc to the Commonwealth and beyond in 2022.”

Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool said:

“This study shows that hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games makes huge sense for the city, wider region and UK as a whole, delivering significant and lasting economic and social benefits.

“It will be truly transformational and will accelerate up to £1 billion of planned investments to transform the city’s world famous waterfront. Existing plans for Everton FC’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, 1,700 new homes in the north docks, the 10 Streets Stadium Gateway Development and Kings Dock destination development will all be accelerated, creating 12,000 new jobs and leaving a lasting legacy for communities across the city.”

Mark Lawrie, Partner, Deloitte, said:

“We have conducted a robust socio-economic analysis within Treasury guidelines and we are confident that the analysis confirms a very positive impact for Liverpool, Manchester and the UK.

“It is also important to recognise that there are a large number of ancillary investments planned that will enhance the city’s infrastructure enabling it to both act as a host for the Games, and as a driver of trade and tourism for the UK. The acceleration of these investments will have a significant impact on the regional economy and help to secure an enduring legacy benefit for the UK.

“We believe that when considered in its entirety this evidence makes a compelling endorsement of Liverpool’s ability to showcase the best of ‘UK Plc.’”

*Although total economic impacts at both Liverpool and UK level are in the region of £1bn, in-Games expenditure is higher in Liverpool due to visitor origin, and legacy impacts are higher in the UK due to spillover effects. These two effects broadly balance out.

SuperSport to broadcast Guinness PRO14 rugby in South Africa

SuperSport have today joined the Guinness PRO14 as broadcast partners in South Africa and will kick off their Championship coverage by screening the Toyota Cheetahs’ visit to Kingspan Stadium to take on Ulster live on SuperSport 1.

This follows SuperSport’s acquisition of the broadcast rights this week after the Championship was expanded to include the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings from South Africa.

SuperSport will produce select SA-based fixtures and take the overseas feed on other PRO14 matches that will be broadcast.

Martin Anayi, CEO of PRO14 Rugby, said: “We’re delighted to have SuperSport join our stable of broadcasters in the Guinness PRO14. SuperSport are recognised as one of the world’s premier sports broadcasters and it is fantastic to have them involved in telling the story of our Championship.

“We’ve already seen how the addition of the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings has energised players, coaches and fans in the north and the south and we can’t wait to see that enthusiasm out on the pitch. Rugby fans have always wanted to see true north v south battles at club level and now they will get that.”

Gideon Khobane, CEO of SuperSport, said: “This is an exciting property that offers an entirely new flavour. There’s a particular intrigue in northern hemisphere rugby and to be part of it presents an array of possibilities, both for the teams and indeed SuperSport. We look forward to watching the action unfold from this weekend.”

Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, added: “We’re delighted SuperSport have reached agreement to acquire the rights to broadcast the Guinness PRO14.

“This is a fascinating and ground-breaking change for rugby and I am sure people will be keen to tune in and see how the hemispheres measure up against each other in club competition. SuperSport have given us a ring side seat and we’re already looking forward to Friday night’s inaugural broadcast.”

iSportconnect adds Etienne Thobois, Balázs Fürjes and Marisol Casado to Lausanne Summit lineup

iSportconnect is delighted to confirm that three 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.

Etienne Thobois, CEO of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, Balázs Fürjes, Government Commissioner for Major Budapest Developments and Marisol Casado, International Triathlon Union President & IOC Member, will take part in a series of presentations and panel discussions, offering delegates a unique insight into the sports industry.

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, Jeff Haas, Chief International Officer at DraftKings, 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.

David Dellea, Head of Sport Business Advisory at PwC, will also present attendees with the results of PwC’s Sports Survey 2017.

Ornella Desirée Bellia, Head of Legal Affairs at the Association of European Professional Football Leagues, will act as a moderator.

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

Marisol Casado, International Triathlon Union President and IOC Member

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

Etienne Thobois, CEO of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee

Balázs Fürjes, Government Commissioner for Major Budapest Developments

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

Steve Dainton and Raul Calin appointed to senior ITTF positions

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has announced two senior staff appointments. Steve Dainton, who has been the Acting CEO for the past two months, has now been appointed as the permanent CEO.

Raul Calin, who has been serving as the ITTF Director of Operations will assist Mr Dainton as the ITTF Secretary General.

On the appointments, ITTF President Thomas Weikert stated: “Both Steve and Raul have both been extremely loyal to the ITTF over their many years of service, and have been instrumental to the growth of the ITTF over recent years.

“The ITTF Executive Committee and I have complete trust in both of them to excel in their new positions and guide the ITTF to a new fruitful era.”

On his promotion to the ITTF CEO position, Dainton stated: “It’s an exciting new era for the ITTF and table tennis. It’s the right time for the ITTF to realize its true commercial potential and modernize itself to ensure that table tennis cements itself as one of the leading sports globally at all levels.

“I am looking forward to helping to ensure this and to especially assist in growing the table tennis industry to new levels, meaning not only more people playing table tennis, but also more people actively engaged. If we get it right this will ensure the true stars, the athletes ,will be better recognized and rewarded.”

Dainton will be assisted by Raul Calin, who has been appointed in a newly created Secretary General position and will continue to be based in Lausanne to focus on ensuring ITTF’s positive Olympic relations.

Calin said: “I am looking to help build ITTF into a modern organisation, with transparency in all levels of management, with ambition and clear goals. ITTF should look for excellence in all areas.

“An institution in which national associations interact actively with the ITTF management for the benefit of our athletes and fans. Let’s work towards excellence in our sport events, let’s have ambition, let’s make an ITTF everyone is proud of.”

More changes to the ITTF professional structure will be announced in the coming months.

Violent gameplay could harm Esports’ bid for Olympic inclusion

Esports must conform to ‘Olympic values’ in order to be included in the Games, according to IOC President Thomas Bach.

The Paris 2024 bid team is keen to discuss the possibility of adding Esports, which generated £400m in revenue in 2016, to the Olympic movement in seven years’ time.

Bach has confirmed talks on the matter will take place but also suggested popular titles with violent gameplay may fall foul of what is expected from an Olympic sport.

READ MORE: Power up – number-crunching the incredible growth of esports

“We want to promote non-discrimination, non-violence, and peace among people,” he told the South China Morning Post.

“This doesn’t match with video games, which are about violence, explosions and killing. And there we have to draw a clear line.

Bach added: “So if ever somebody is competing at playing football virtually or playing other sports virtually, this is of high interest.

“We hope that, then, these players are really delivering sports performance. If [fans] at the end would even play the sports in the real world, we would even be more happy.”

A final decision on Esports’ possible inclusion will be made by the IOC.

‘Ground-breaking’ Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 breaks multiple records

This year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup has proven to be one to remember.

New Zealand lifted the coveted trophy on Saturday after a pulsating final against England and World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont has hailed the competition as a “special and ground-breaking” event, which broke records on and off the field.

New stars were born and the performance bar was raised by the world’s top players and teams. For instance, World Rugby analysis showed that on average the ball was in play 10% longer than in men’s matches.

Yet, the biggest results were achieved off the field, where viewership and social engagement records were smashed.

To break down some of the impressive numbers, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 was:

The best attended – Ireland 2017 raised the bar in terms of support throughout the tournament with a record total attendance of 45,412.

  • The pool stages in Dublin sold out with 17,516 attending matches.
  • The final attracted 17,115 spectators.

The most viewed – The tournament captured hearts and minds across the globe with Ireland, France, UK, and the USA all recording record viewing figures.

  • A new tournament record of a peak audience of 3.2 million tuned into the France vs England semi-final.
  • A peak of 2.65 million tuned into ITV in the UK to watch the final – the largest single audience for a Women’s Rugby World Cup final.

The most engaged – Ireland 2017 was the most socially engaged World Rugby event of 2017, generating record video views, social engagement rates, and website traffic.

  • 45 million views across official tournament platforms, the best-performing World Rugby event of the year and the biggest since Rugby World Cup 2015.
  • 73% of social media engagement was under 24, while a 53/47% audience split between female and male fans highlighted the appeal to both.
  • There were 63,000 uses of the official competition hashtag #WRWC2017.
  • 50,000 new fans joined World Rugby’s social media communities.
  • 600,000 unique users visited Women’s Rugby World Cup website over the duration of the tournament from 223 different countries, generating four times as many page views as WRWC 2014.

“The level of global coverage and excitement is a testament to the performances of the world’s top teams and reflects the surge in interest around the world,” added Beaumont.

“Off the field, our friends from the IRFU did an exceptional job at hosting the event, while the volunteers and fans were simply brilliant.”

“But most of all, it is the teams who deserve the praise. There is no doubt that they have inspired a new generation of girls and boys to get into rugby and while only one team can be crowned champions, all the teams were fantastic on and off the field – rugby has certainly been the winner.”

READ MORE: Brett Gosper explains why World Rugby’s strategic mission is bearing fruit on all fronts