AIBA signs memorandum with ISF to develop sports and education through boxing

On the eve of the 29th Summer Universiade, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the International School Sport Federation (ISF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Taipei, committing to the joint exploration of boxing as a means of physical and educational development for young people.

AIBA agrees to use its expertise to assist with the technical aspects of ISF Schools Competitions, and its coaching infrastructure to ensure safe dissemination of best practice and the latest techniques around the world.

“The values that AIBA and the ISF share are instrumental in ensuring the success of this partnership for the benefit of young people around the world,” said AIBA President Ching-Kuo Wu.

“For many years, education has been a priority for AIBA and, now more than ever, the sport has a vital role to play in the social as well as physical education and well-being of young people. AIBA looks forward to cooperating with the ISF to bring new opportunities and inspiring future young boxers around the world.”

The agreement will see AIBA and the ISF combine resources and efforts to meet their respective objectives in promoting boxing among young people.

This effort aims to help foster the core values of mutual respect, dedication, and friendship.

AIBA’s expertise will be used to draft specific technical regulations for new events, as well as providing coaching. ISF events will be made available for the practical assessment of young officials.

“Boxing is one of the most enduring and universal of all sports, and its popularity is as strong as ever among people of all ages the world over,” said ISF President Laurent Petrynka.

“The ISF knows that every sport has the power to bring structure and hope to the lives of young people, but boxing involves a unique code among athletes that, alongside AIBA, we want to promote through new School Sport competitions and events,” said ISF President Laurent Petrynka.

Brian Barwick: Clipper Round the World Race launch sends ‘powerful statement of intent’ for Liverpool’s 2022 Commonwealth Games bid

Liverpool 2022 joined in the celebrations as the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race launched from the city’s stunning waterfront on August 20, once more showcasing Liverpool’s passion for sport and highlighting the key role the waterfront has to play in its transformational vision for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Thousands lined the docks to watch the 12 vessels set out on their 11 month voyage around the globe, which will see them returning to Liverpool in July 2018 to cross the finish line.

The waterfront is a key part of Liverpool’s 2022 bid. Athletics would take place at a new Everton stadium in Bramley Moore Dock, swimming at a new innovative drop-in arena in the South Docks, cycling and triathlon at Pier Head and a host of indoor sports at the ACC Precinct.

The launch of the Clipper Race was streamed live to a global audience and is testament to Liverpool’s ability to host major international sporting events. The city hosted the Gymnastic National Championships earlier this year, and is looking forward to welcoming the world as its two football clubs, Liverpool and Everton, embark on their new seasons.

Brian Barwick, Liverpool 2022 Bid Chairman said: “This has been a fantastic weekend of sport in Liverpool showcasing our best natural assets – the River Mersey and our people – which has sent out a powerful statement of intent about our capability to host major events.

“It is a further boost to our efforts to persuade Government we can deliver on our plan to stage a responsible, inspirational, and transformational Commonwealth Games.”

 

 

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “Once again, our amazing city has proved why it has an unrivalled track record in staging major events in what was the climax of an incredibly successful week showcasing sailing.

“The stunning backdrop of our incredible waterfront, married with the amazing sight of 12 yachts on the River Mersey, combined with the infectious enthusiasm of the spectators all came together to make a memorable day and shine the media spotlight on the city.

“We are now at a crucial stage in our bid to win the right to be the UK’s candidate city for the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and the timing of the launch of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race could not be more perfect.”

Senior Modern Pentathlon World Championships set to be staged in Africa for first time

Modern Pentathlon will again be beamed out to a global audience of millions during the 2017 UIPM Senior World Championships, held for the first time on African soil.

The championships in Cairo will run from August 22-28, with 21 medals on offer to 169 athletes from 29 nations. The 2017 event marks the 20th anniversary of the first combined male and female World Championships, held in Sofia (BUL).

Eurosport, which has a reach of 154 million TV homes, will televise the championships across Europe and beyond, as a result of a new deal struck with UIPM in 2017.

The competition will be held at the Pegasus Sports Club, contained within the Dreamland development and near to the Pyramids of Giza. Daily temperatures in Cairo are forecast to peak at 35-37C, providing an intense test of athletes’ endurance and stamina.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “This is the first time UIPM’s flagship senior competition has been staged in Africa and the local organisers in Egypt have worked hard for many years and proved their ability to host high-class Modern Pentathlon competitions.

“The Modern Pentathlon is the ultimate test of moral as well as physical qualities, and this year the physical examination will be even more demanding due to the high temperatures in Cairo, although most of our experienced pentathletes have competed here and in other hot locations before.

“It is great news that pentathlon fans around the world will be able to watch the action on so many television and online channels, including Eurosport, and UIPM is proud to see the World Championships develop as a great competition for all kinds of spectators.

“It is 20 years since the UIPM World Championships became a joint male and female competition and we now have an annual highlight of the international sporting calendar which goes from strength to strength.”

Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen heads the sportsbook session at Betting on Sports 2017

The Head of Sportsbook session featuring Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen, Mr Green’s Enda Gaffney and Vladimir Dratsjov from Olympic Entertainment Group (OlyBet) will provide an explosive start to the ‘Leaders in Betting’ track at Betting on Sports 2017 (12-15 September).

Kicking off the first full day of #boscon2017 in the main auditorium at Olympia Conference Centre (13 September), the trio will be discussing a range of key issues including the choice of sportsbook suppliers, new product partnerships, managing P&L and adapting to target markets.

Having launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook product in time for Euro 2016, Mr Green is in the process of developing a new sportsbook version, as part of a scaled up ‘2.0 business strategy’ which led to its best ever quarter in business (Q2 2017).

Meanwhile, OlyBet has streamlined its operation to six European territories, using successful operations in Estonia and Latvia to offset lost revenues from Poland and Belarus, where the company was forced to discontinue services due to restrictive national gambling regulations.

Guided by moderator Chris Duncan, a co-founder of Betsson and board advisor for Oddslife, Nielsen will be discussing business development for state-owned gambling operator Danske Spil, as the Danish government moves to lessen its influence in the regulated Danish market.

Nielsen commented: “Betting on Sports 2017 will provide the perfect platform to address the key opportunities, challenges and decisions involved with managing a successful sportsbook. It will be interesting to discuss the balance of outsourcing parts of the sportsbook operation versus in-house management in relation to desired product strengths.”

The Head of Sportsbook session is just the first act in a seven-part show for ‘Leaders on Betting’, a track that covers key aspects around the sports betting business such as trading, marketing, affiliates, product development, social responsibility and liability management.

Key speakers throughout the day include BetStars Managing Director Zeno Ossko, Pinnacle CEO Paris Smith, Sky Betting & Gaming CEO Richard Flint, BetBright CEO Marcus Brennan, Ladbrokes Coral Director of Player Protection Graham Weir, Mybet CPO Sean Keogh, Melchers Law Partner Dr Joerg Hofmann and Morten Ronde, Director of IMGL and the CEO of Danish Online Gambling Association.

Graham Weir, a key part of the Social Responsibility session,said: “It’s important for betting operators to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to allow us to explain the investment being made by the industry to improve player protection. It’s equally important for us to listen to others views on ways in which we can be better.”

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Formula 1 launches first official esports series

Formula 1 is set to launch its first ever official esports series in partnership with Codemasters and Gfinity, according to Reuters.

The landmark series will see gamers from around the world compete for the right to be crowned F1’s number one virtual driver.

A qualification round is set to kick off in September and will be followed by the semi-finals in October, which will be broadcast live from the Gfinity Arena in London.

20 competitors will then travel to Abu Dhabi for the final which will be held on the 24 and 25 November – the same weekend as the final Formula 1 Championship race of the 2017 season.

The series will take place on run on PlayStation4, Xbox One and Windows PC platforms.

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

Sean Bratches, Formula 1 managing director, said: “This launch presents an amazing opportunity for our business: strategically and in the way we engage fans.

“First, it’s a growing category with tremendous fan engagement that we’re entering in a big way; and we are proud to have Codemasters and Gfinity joining us on this ride.

“Of course as we do in Formula 1, we’ll continue to evolve and innovate in the way we run this virtual counterpart to the F1 championship to ensure we provide the most exciting and enjoyable experience we can for our fans.”

Neville Upton, Gfinity chief executive, added: “Formula 1 entering esports is a powerful endorsement to how vital it is for cutting edge organisations to consider esports in their digital offering in order to reach the elusive and lucrative millennial fan base.

“Gfinity has developed a unique & proprietary technical platform, which coupled with our in depth experience enable us to deliver a world-class turnkey solution for our global partners.”

Liberty Media, who completed a takeover of Formula One earlier this year, have targeted gaming as a key area to connect with a younger audience and drive revenues.

Manchester City and Mundipharma agree new global healthcare partnership

Mundipharma and Manchester City have agreed to a new global partnership following an inaugural first season that saw Mundipharma and BETADINE perform successfully as a regional partner of Manchester City.

Under the terms of the global partnership, the Manchester City Medical Team’s uniform and kits will feature BETADINE logos and they’ll be equipped with BETADINE® treatments for the playersThe brand will also benefit from enhanced exposure on digital display formats at home games.

The brand will also benefit from enhanced exposure on digital display formats at home games.

Mundipharma will continue to collaborate with Manchester City to provide aspiring footballers with opportunities to develop their skills as part of co-branded Youth Development Programmes, as well as offering fans the chance to see their heroes in action through consumer-based promotions.

Commenting on the new global partnership, Mundipharma CEO Raman Singh said: “This partnership has proven to be a great fit for our brands. Manchester City is one of the world’s best-performing football teams, while we have positioned BETADINE as a healthcare portfolio that builds personal resilience and supports well-being.”

Tom Glick, chief commercial officer of City Football Group, added: “We are extremely pleased to have extended our partnership with Mundipharma and BETADINE. They have been a great partner from the outset.

“We have been continually impressed by the creative approach they have brought to everything we have done so far. We are delighted that we now have an opportunity to work together on a global scale.”

Earlier this year, Mundipharma announced a partnership with J1 League club, Yokohama F. Marinos, which is also part of City Football Group.

NFL and Tencent agree China digital streaming partnership

The National Football League (NFL) and Tencent Holdings Limited, (Tencent) today announced a three-year partnership to make Tencent Sports the exclusive live digital streaming media partner of the NFL in China.

Under terms of the agreement, Tencent will air live and on-demand select preseason games, all Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football games, as well as select Sunday afternoon games, the playoffs, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons.

The partnership also features other expanded footage and programming rights, such as the NFL Draft, NFL Combine, and NFL Game Day, as well as programming such as NFL Hard Knocks and A Football Life, further bolstering Tencent’s non-game NFL content, making Tencent the home of the NFL in China.

NFL live games and content will be available for fans to access through Tencent’s NFL sections on both mobile and desktop terminals including Tencent Sports, QQ.com, Tencent Video, Kuai Bao, Penguin Live, Tencent Sports app, Tencent Video app, Tencent News app, as well as its social networking services, QQ and WeChat.


This partnership between the No.1 sports league in the United States and the No.1 digital sports platform in China brings the NFL’s excitement and quality production to Tencent’s hundreds of millions users.

“We are very excited about the NFL’s future in China and proud of our partnership with Tencent,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

“We are confident that this agreement will provide our growing number of Chinese fans with a better viewing experience and more opportunities for engagement with the NFL than ever before.”

Vice President of Tencent, Caitlyn Chen, said: “We believe our capability in production, content distribution and fans engagement will help NFL expand its audience profile and elevate the popularity of American football in China.

“Tencent Sports has been dedicated to fulfilling the diverse needs of Chinese users by bringing top premium sports content to China, including global sports leagues and tournaments, basketball, soccer, tennis, winter sports and American football, among others.

“We will continue to maximize the value of the sports right owners via the partnership and enhance the digital entertainment experience for Chinese users. We are committed to contributing to the growth of China’s sports industry.”

NFL China, Managing Director, Richard Young, added: “This extraordinary partnership will bring localized NFL games and content to Tencent’s hundreds of millions of daily users across China.

“The NFL’s popularity in China is soaring and our fan base will receive unprecedented NFL coverage and content throughout the year.”

Qatar 2022 organisers unveil Al Thumama Stadium design

Qatar World Cup organisers have unveiled their latest stadium plans for the 2022 tournament.

The Al Thumama Stadium boasts 40,000 seats and has been designed by local architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who modelled the venue on the “gahfiya” skullcap worn under the gutra, or male headscarf, in the Gulf.

The stadium, which is located in the Doha suburb of Al Thumama, is expected to be finished in 2020 and will stage fixtures up to the quarter-finals in five years’ time.

H.E. Hassan Al-Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “I am confident that, once completed, Al Thumama Stadium will become a favourite among the region’s sports fans and a sporting landmark that demonstrates to future generations just how unique the Qatar World Cup will be.”

Advanced air conditioning units will be used to cool the stadium and combat searing temperatures in the Gulf.

Capacity at the stadium, which is one of eight being constructed, will be reduced to 20,000 following the conclusion of the tournament.

Turner to launch OTT sports platform with live UEFA games set for Bleacher Report

Turner and UEFA have announced a three-year multi-platform rights agreement for the exclusive presentation of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League from the start of the 2018-19 season.

Timed to this multi-year rights agreement, Turner has also announced plans to launch a new standalone premium sports streaming video service with the expansive collection of UEFA matches serving as a core pillar of the direct to consumer offering.

The new OTT sports platform will debut in 2018, with fixtures set to be broadcast on Bleacher Report.

Turner President David Levy said:“The launch of Turner’s new OTT sports platform and partnership with UEFA aligns with the company’s continued strategy to further expand the distribution ecosystem and our ongoing commitment to engage fans with premium content they crave across all platforms.

“These highly-anticipated matches and supplemental original programming will be a key foundation for our latest direct to consumer business sports offering, as well as coveted content for Bleacher Report and our leading television networks.

“In addition to the new audiences we’ll attract through the streaming service, the partnership will leverage the tremendous reach we have with our television networks and Bleacher Report’s position as the leading digital destination for millennial fans.”

Lenny Daniels, President, Turner Sports, added: “Through this new agreement, Turner Sports is further expanding our portfolio with championship-caliber content featuring two of the most popular sporting events in the world.

“We believe world football is one of the most impactful growth properties in the U.S. Our shared vision with UEFA has led to the perfect opportunity to leverage the reach of Turner as we establish deeper connections with fans, while simultaneously creating new business ventures for our company.”

Turner’s UEFA Champions League coverage will include four live telecasts each week throughout the Group Stage, plus two televised matches per week during knock-out rounds. All other matches will be available live through Turner’s new OTT sports platform launching in 2018, including direct access to the premium streaming service via Bleacher Report.

All semi-final matches, along with the UEFA Champions League final, will be nationally televised on TBS or TNT. UEFA Europa League matches will be available through Turner’s premium OTT sports platform – including access via Bleacher Report – with the UEFA Europa League final to be televised on TBS or TNT.

NASCAR and Twitter announce first-ever plan to live stream in-car cameras

For the first time in the sport’s history, NASCAR will live-stream an in-car camera on Twitter for all 10 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs races in 2017.

Beginning with the first race of the NASCAR Playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR will provide fans a unique look from inside the race car with a live camera stream that can be accessed via its official Twitter handle.

Fans can watch the full broadcast of the race at Chicagoland, Sunday 17th September at 3pm ET on NBCSN.

On the same screen of the live stream, fans will find a real-time curated timeline of tweets that capture the best of the NASCAR live conversation.

“Through the in-car camera live stream on Twitter, our fans will have another compelling vantage point of the NASCAR Playoffs, where the energy and intensity of stage racing will be elevated to a whole new level,” said Steve Phelps, executive vice president and chief global sales and marketing officer at NASCAR.

“To provide this level of access on Twitter throughout the 10-week playoffs is a fantastic way to complement the viewing experience on NBC Sports and the NBC Sports app.”

Real-time race highlights will also be available on Nascar’s Twitter page, offering fans additional ways to follow the playoffs.

“NASCAR continues to innovate on Twitter, a place where their passionate fans discuss what’s happening before, during and after every race,” said Anthony Noto, Twitter COO.

“Our new collaboration will offer NASCAR fans a unique live stream perspective for the 2017 playoffs alongside the real-time Twitter conversation.”