British Athletics extends Müller partnership to 2019

British Athletics has confirmed an agreement to extend its association with Müller until the end of 2019.

The deal will see British Athletics partner with the dairy company for a further three events in 2018 and 2019 in addition to the five major athletics events scheduled for this year.

Müller will once again be title partner for the Müller Anniversary Games, Müller Grand Prix Birmingham and Müller Indoor Grand Prix in 2018 and 2019. This partnership provides Müller with branding and activation rights for each event.

UK Athletics Chief Executive Niels de Vos said: “It’s great to have Müller on board for the long term, they’ve been a strong supporter of the sport over the past year, investing in television advertising campaigns amongst other activations.

“Their commitment until the end of 2019 shows that athletics continues to be an attractive proposition to established brands. We’re looking forward to continuing working with Müller to stage some of the world’s best athletics events.”

Michael Inpong, Chief Marketing Officer at Müller, added: “Müller is very proud to support Britain’s love of athletics and we’re absolutely delighted to lace up our running shoes again, as we continue our strong relationship with British Athletics.

“There’s a real untapped potential in this category. We’re building the biggest and best dairy company in the UK and by constantly finding ways to bring inspiration to the category, we aim to benefit everyone in the supply chain.

“The 2017 events to date have been a massive success, the athletes have delivered, the crowds have loved every minute of it and it has provided us with a great platform to sell our brand.

“These partnerships with world class sport help us to empower consumers to make healthy lifestyle choices and we can’t wait to continue our work with British Athletics in the years to come.”

City Football Group announces joint venture with Goals Soccer Centres in US and Canada

City Football Group (CFG) and Goals Soccer Centres (Goals) have today announced a joint venture which will see the Group team up with one of the world’s largest and most popular operators of dedicated, 5-a-side pitches, to create and run leading playing and training facilities across the US and Canada.

The sites will all be jointly City and Goals branded, with the new identity to be launched later this year.

City Football Group is the owner of football-related businesses in major cities around the world, including football clubs, academies, and technical and marketing companies. The Group includes football clubs on five continents; Manchester City in England, New York City FC in the US, Melbourne City in Australia, Yokohama f Marinos in Japan and CA Torque in Uruguay.

The news comes as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City visits the US for the Club’s pre-season tour, with games in Houston, Los Angeles and Nashville.

New signing, Danilo, will join Leroy Sane, Yaya Toure and Nicolas Otamendi at one of Goals’ two existing US sites, in Pomona, CA, to launch the new partnership.

It is a further commitment to North America for City Football Group, which has already put down roots in the US, owning New York City FC in Major League Soccer, coached by World Cup Winner, Patrick Vieira.

Alongside its Club investment, City has also been active on the West Coast, with the San Diego-based Manchester City Cup, run by Surf Soccer, now a regular fixture of youth soccer. As well as a vibrant and growing Manchester City and New York City FC fan base, CFG has pitches and active community programmes in New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles.

Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive of City Football Group, said: “This is a very exciting development for our plans in the US and Canada. Soccer is indisputably the world’s number one sport and growing fast in this region. We have an ambitious vision to help this growth, including our ownership of New York City FC in MLS and many other initiatives like the one we are announcing today.

“The best way for people to fall in love with soccer is by participating. There are a very large number of soccer players in the US and Canada, of all ages, and facilities, like the ones we have and will build, will help tremendously. At CFG we will bring our expertise from the professional game to help Americans play and improve at the sport they love.

“This initiative shows City Football Group’s continuing commitment to soccer in North America. This partnership with an excellent and recognized operator like Goals gives us the best opportunity to succeed.”

Nick Basing, Chairman of Goals added: “I am delighted we have concluded our new partnership with City Football Group which will transform the prospects to expand our North American estate.

“This is a transformational agreement for our Company to grow and strengthen the North American business. We are delighted to be partnered with a global leader in soccer and believe the combination will give us significant competitive advantage at a time when the emerging market is in its infancy.”

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Corporate Sponsorships Reimagined: City Football Group

First iSportconnect Capital meeting ‘well received’ by members

iSportconnect Capital held its first meeting today at Coutts Private Bank to explain and discuss with members the purpose and operating methods of the company.

iSportconnect Capital is a new investor network that provides investment opportunities for its members within the sport and leisure sector. Members will have access to a number of exclusive networking events throughout the calendar year.

iSportconnect Capital is born out of a joint venture between Chance Capital and the iSportconnect Group, which is the world’s largest network of sports business executives with more than 23,000 members.

The proposition was well received with some very positive feedback. More events will be held in the near future to progress the development of the new venture.

Please contact Hugo Chance on hugo.chance@isportconnect.com to discuss potential investment opportunities.

UK Athletics confirms interest in hosting World Para Athletics Championships 2019

Following the final day’s action at the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017, UK Athletics has confirmed it will be opening talks with partner organisations to facilitate the return of the championships in 2019.

The move follows on from a high level of positive feedback received from team leaders and athletes during the week and a number of partners indicating support for a 2019 event in London.

The BPA has asked UK Athletics to take the lead in exploring every possibility ahead of the September deadline for submissions to the IPC.

UK Athletics Chair Richard Bowker said:

“We are delighted that the World Para Athletics community has responded so positively to our delivery of the 2017 Championships, and are humbled if Para Athletics competitors, teams and colleagues would be willing to entrust it to us again in 2019.

“We will begin discussions with partner organisations immediately to see if we can secure the necessary support. So far I can confirm that we have received very positive indications from many of our key stakeholders, so we believe that there is the will to make it happen.”

BPA Chairman Nick Webborn said:

“The BPA looks forward to both supporting and engaging with UK Athletics throughout this process.  If we were to succeed it would be a tremendous statement to the world and a huge opportunity for our athletes and the British public once again to enjoy world class para-athletics in the best stadium in the world for it.”

Inter Milan appoints Alessandro Antonello new CEO

F.C. Inter Milan today announced the appointment of Alessandro Antonello as the club’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Antonello takes up his new position at Inter Milan on 1 September 2017 and is tasked with leading the Serie A club as it embarks on its new vision under owners Suning Sports.

Alessandro began at Inter as chief financial officer coming from Puma Italia in September 2015, before moving to chief operating officer one year later. He now takes over the top role at the Italian club where he will lead the senior management team.

“I am very proud and honoured to have been appointed as CEO of Inter and I thank the board for their support,” said Antonello on his new appointment.

“Inter is a great club with a proud and long history of competing regularly at the highest level. It is important for the club that we focus our efforts on the performance on the pitch.”

“And we will also continue to drive improvements off the pitch through our management team. Inter belongs to our millions of fans all around the world. Together with their support, and that of our partners, we are committed  to building a strong and successful future for this historic club .”

Steven Zhang, Board Member of Inter, said: “Inter is an Italian club with its roots in Milan. That’s why we chose Alessandro, who is not only a strong manager with international experience but crucially he has been a Nerazzurri fan since childhood. Alessandro is hugely respected by his colleagues, is a true professional and has the full backing of the company for the challenge ahead.”

As well as appointing a new CEO, Inter Milan has reorganised some key positions internally.

A new position of chief marketing officer will be taken up ad interim by Robert Faulkner, who continues in his current role of chief communications officer.

Giovanni Gardini, currently chief football administrator, is appointed chief football operations officer to better reflect his responsibility for all operational activities related to the first team and the youth sector, and to offer a complete level of support and services to the team.

Finally, Michael Williamson, currently corporate director, is appointed as chief strategy officer. This position will report into the CEO and will focus on key strategic initiatives across the club.

Sports betting industry’s ‘most comprehensive agenda’ at Betting on Sports

SBC Events has launched what it believes is the most comprehensive conference agenda the sports betting industry has ever seen for Betting on Sports 2017 (12-15 September).

Featuring 42 sessions on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 September, #boscon2017 will present over 150 experts from both the betting and sporting arenas, spanning three conference rooms at the Olympia Conference Centre in Kensington, West London.

The newest addition to the agenda is a track dedicated to data and its uses both in trading and marketing, which includes insight from BetGenius Business Development Director Matt Stephenson on how live data is pushing back the boundaries for in-play betting.

One of eight tracks running as simultaneous blocks of three, ‘Betting on Data’ will also touch upon the integrity of data, the future role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and the improved adoption of customer data.

SBC Managing Director Andy McCarron commented: “Betting on Data is the eighth and final confirmed track for a #boscon2017 agenda which satisfies the demand for such a huge variety of sports and betting related subjects. As far as we can see it’s the most comprehensive agenda the sector has ever seen.

“Operators are particularly interested in the safety of the data used, the live betting dependence on data, and how omnichannel success can be boosted by AI capabilities.”

Betting on Data is one of six tracks taking place in conference rooms 1 and 2, alongside the two-day, ‘Betting on Esports’, ‘Betting on Affiliates’, ‘Betting on Innovation’, ‘Betting on Regulation’ and ‘Betting on Racing’, organised in conjunction with Racing Post.

Meanwhile, the main auditorium at Olympia, with room for up to 450 delegates, will be hosting ‘Leaders in Betting’ on day one and a tour of the topical betting issues in tennis, cricket, rugby, basketball and boxing, putting ‘Sport in Focus’ on day two.

This includes an update on match fixing issues in tennis, breaking the boundaries with a fresh approach to cricket based markets, and an expert guide to overcoming the NBA’s ‘arms length approach’ to ensure close interaction between basketball and betting.

McCarron continued: “We are excited to take a tour of the leading sports with our ‘Sport in Focus’ track on day two, having already confirmed a raft of specialists including Leicester Tigers Head of Brand Chris Rose, PAOK Basketball President Bane Prelevic and the CEO of FIBA Basketball Champions League, Patrick Comninos.”

The list of high quality names appearing at Betting on Sports 2017 also includes Sky Betting & Gaming CEO Richard Flint, SuperBet Director Jamie Hart, Favbet CEO Nikos Chalikias, Pinnacle CEO Paris Smith, XL Media CEO Ory Weihs, Better Collective CEO Jesper Soegaard, Parimatch CEO Sergey Portnov, Mybet CEO Markus Peuler, BetBright CEO Marcus Brennan and Mr Green Head of Sportsbook Enda Gaffney.

Major League Soccer to implement Video Assistant Referees

Major League Soccer confirmed that beginning 5 August all MLS games will incorporate video review, including the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup.

In compliance with procedures outlined by The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the universal decision-making body for the Laws of the Game, a fifth member of a game’s officiating crew, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will have access to all available broadcast angles and check all plays for potential errors or serious missed incidents.

The VAR is located in a booth at the stadium, outside the pitch.

MLS is among the pioneers of this initiative worldwide, partnering with the United Soccer Leagues (USL), to facilitate the first test in live competition, on 12 August 2016, at Red Bull Arena.

The IFAB will conduct a two-year global study of the implementation of video review in various competitions before making a final decision about the incorporation of the VAR into Laws of the Game.

A decision is expected in 2018, or 2019 at the latest.

Do you think European leagues will follow suit? Join our community page and share your thoughts now! 

Juventus agrees first-ever back sponsorship deal

Juventus and Cygames signed a historic three-year agreement, as part of the international development plan carried out by the Italian club.

Starting from the 2017/18, for the first time in the history of the club, will appear the name of a sponsor in the back of Juventus’ game shirts.

Cygames, a leader in video game production and part of the CyberAgent group, was founded in Tokyo in 2011 and has become one the most important player in the entertainment industry.

“Today is a very important day for Juventus,” said Giorgio Ricci, Head of Global Partnerships and Corporate Revenues at Juventus. “For the first time in the history of the club, we’re announcing a sponsor appearing on the back of the shirt.

“The possibility of having a partnership with a prestigious international company has given us the motivation to think about this kind of partnership.”

“Therefore, we are proud to welcome Cygames into the Juventus family of sponsors. This is a strategic agreement for Juventus because it allows us to penetrate strongly in the Japanese market, and more generally to strengthen our presence in Asia.”

The new back sponsor will debut on Juventus’ shirts on 22 July at the MetLife Stadium in New York, during their first International Championship Cup game against Barcelona.

Cygames Chairman Koichi Watanabe said:  “We are excited and honoured to have signed this partnership agreement with Juventus, which will allow us to be the official sponsor of the club.”

“This partnership was predestined, given the colours that identify both brands: white and black. Certainly, Juventus and Cygames share the same mission: to give emotions and dreams to people all over the world, making us bearers of positive values.”

Liverpool announces team entry in Clipper Race global ocean challenge

Clipper Race revealed that Liverpool 2018, Liverpool City Council’s newest international destination campaign, will be a team entry in the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race.

The race starts in just under a month, on 20 August, from the city’s historic Albert Dock.

Taking advantage of the race’s global platform, the Liverpool 2018 team will visit twelve international destinations on six different continents throughout the eleven-month Clipper 2017-18 Race and will reach many more via the event’s international crew who represent over 40 nationalities, as the city once again looks to promote itself as one of Europe’s leading visitor destinations.

Making the announcement, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: “We’re delighted to be a Clipper Race team partner – not only are we part of the action, but it means that, once again, Liverpool is going to be seen across the globe by millions of people.

“As host port for the start and finish of this prestigious race, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a city-dedicated vessel as part of the competition.

“Maintaining an international profile is vital to us – we want this city to be at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to choosing a destination to visit, invest in, study in, or move to, and having such a prominent presence as part of the Clipper Race will help us achieve this.

Liverpool 2018 aims to attract audiences of millions of people, create significant economic impact and push Liverpool to the top of the ‘must-visit’ cities in 2018.

Liverpool’s decision to become both a team entry and the Start and Finish Partner for the Clipper 2017-18 Race also marks ten years since it last hosted the event, in which it also entered a Liverpool 08 team to mark its European City of Culture status, making it a natural fit to lead the campaign once again.

The Clipper Race is the world’s greatest ocean challenge and is unique as its raced by everyday people from all walks of life. More than 700 non-professional sailors, representing over 40 nationalities, will compete for eleven months on a fleet of twelve identical 70-foot ocean racing yachts, each led by a professional skipper.

Leading the Liverpool 2018 team will be Clipper Race Skipper Lance Shepherd, from Blackpool. Of the 16 Clipper Race crew taking part in the race, eleven will be racing on board Liverpool 2018.

Speaking on board the Liverpool 2018 team yacht, which reveals the campaign’s brightly coloured branding, Lance said: “It is my absolute honour to be taking the reins of Liverpool 2018 for the 2017-18 edition of the Clipper Race”

“Being from the North West, with lots of personal connections to the city, I was thrilled when it was announced that the Clipper Race was returning to Liverpool and I have always made it very clear I would love the opportunity to lead a Liverpool team.

“I feel very proud to be representing the Liverpool 2018 vision, and in turn, I hope the people of Liverpool really get behind our team and feel similarly about us as we will certainly do our best to make them feel proud throughout the race.”

The Clipper Race fleet will arrive in Liverpool on Monday, 14 August where a Race Village will be open in Albert Dock, allowing members of the public to come and have a closer look at the yachts and meet the crew ahead of their epic journey.

After bidding farewell to the crowds in an exciting departure ceremony in Albert Dock in Liverpool on 20 August, crews will start their opening 6,400 nautical miles race on the River Mersey before making their way across the Atlantic Ocean to the first stopover port, Ponte del Este, Uruguay.

The fleet will then continue on to Cape Town, Fremantle, Sydney, Hobart, the Whitsundays, Sanya and Qingdao in China, Seattle, Panama, New York, and Derry-Londonderry, before completing the circumnavigation in Liverpool on July 28, 2018.

Eurosport extends Tour de France broadcasting deal to 2023

Eurosport has sealed a new deal with the European Broadcasting Union and Amaury Sport Organisation that ensures cycling fans across Europe will be able to watch every minute of the Tour de France live on its channels for the next six years.

The four-year agreement will see Eurosport broadcast every single stage of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of the world’s most famous cycling race exclusively in 38 countries, with the first 75 minutes of action also exclusive in many of the remaining European markets.

The latest agreement extends 32-year long Eurosport’s association with the Tour de France.

Peter Hutton, Eurosport CEO, said: “We proudly claim to be the home of cycling and this new deal is further proof of that statement. We now have every minute of the Tour de France until 2023, meaning all the Grand Tours, the five Monuments and over 30 UCI World Tour events will be on Eurosport.”


The message for cycling fans is clear, Eurosport is the best place to follow the sport – we have every sprint, climb and break away from the biggest races covered on TV or on the go and on-demand via Eurosport Player.”

The new deal follows last month’s announcement that Eurosport had enhanced its current contract allowing fans in 54 European markets to benefit from up to 25 hours more live Tour de France coverage for the next three editions of ‘Le Tour’, including, for the first time, every minute live.

Hutton added: “The Tour de France remains the sport’s biggest event and we are delighted that the average viewing figures for this year’s Tour have increased, even when you consider we’ve delivered over 20 hours more live coverage compared to 2016.”

“We remain committed to looking at ways to improve the production of the sport, using more access to data to give a clearer explanation of the stories of each day.”