“Data Could Bring Tennis Closer Together”

The huge growth of the sports data business over the past 10 years has largely been driven by the explosion of live sports betting. Now a new deal for commercializing data promises to unlock more value for one of the most popular sports for fans to bet on.

Globally, football is far and away number one for betting. Behind it are two other sports, basketball and tennis, each with about 10% of the market. In 2020, the ATP and ATP Media joined forces to set up Tennis Data Innovations (TDI) as an innovation-led company specifically tasked with maximizing the value of tennis data.

Only 10 years ago, revenues generated from official data across all sports would have struggled to surpass the $10 million mark. Now, the figure is pushing past $1 billion with companies like Genius Sports, Stats Perform, Infront, IMG Arena and Sportradar leading the market.

Sports data in and of itself has limited IP protections and is not protected by copyright, What is protectable is how the data is stored in databases and elaborated in creative ways. TDI’s business is focused on turning multiple layers of raw tennis data into products with unique benefits.

While viewers are familiar with the increased use of stats to enhance coverage of events on TV and digital, the majority of data-driven revenues in sport – sometimes in excess of 90% of overall data value – comes from the sports betting industry, as live data is an indispensable input into their businesses.

And the data they pay for tends to be extremely fast and highly accurate information about what happens on the field of play: scores and results and the key details of the sporting action. The betting companies then turn this data into probabilities (sometimes the work is outsourced) which enables them to work out the price of bets to offer to  their customers.

TDI is preparing to shift that model in a new long-term partnership with Sportradar starting in January. TDI will not only be producing all of the scoring and tracking data from ATP matches, but feeding it through its own data platform, simplifying the supply of data downstream for betting companies. In parallel Sportradar as the commercial distribution partner will be leveraging its capabilities across probabilities and pricing for deeper data sets than ever before in tennis, bringing innovative new solutions and providing a one-stop solution for betting operators. iSportConnect’s Jay Stuart spoke with Tennis Data Innovations’ CEO David Lampitt to know more.

“We know that tennis has been and remains a popular sport for betting and we want to make sure that we’re at the forefront of innovation in this space, harnessing technology and driving growth by delivering the best possible products in the sports ecosystem.” said TDI chief executive David Lampitt. “This new partnership will help us to do that.”

Making tennis a better product for betting companies can also by extension make it more commercially attractive for TV and media companies as its audiences are more engaged and tend to stay watching for longer.

TDI collects a range of data at ATP events through different technologies. Umpires are supplied with tablets loaded with proprietary software and they log what happens on court in real time. TDI also compiles a deeper level of in-play information from tracking technology partners such as Hawk-Eye or FlightScope. TDI uses machine learning algorithms to refine this into standardised data sets such as the type of shot a player hits or whether an error is forced or unforced.

At present this is only being done by TDI for ATP events. When it comes to data, the sport of tennis is as remarkably fragmented as it in other commercial areas. The seven main tennis bodies (ATP, WTA, ITF and the four Grand Slams) use multiple different data collection systems.

Even at a combined event shared by the ATP and WTA, such as the Masters events in Miami or Rome, where the men and women play on the same courts, the data collection systems are separate and get switched over between matches.

These inefficiencies and the growing capabilities of TDI could move the sport towards a more coordinated and consolidated commercial approach to data. “It’s understandable that the aggregation of media rights or sponsorship sales carry some specific challenges, but data is different,” Lampitt said. “The downstream market is different, the value proposition is different and the opportunity for real synergy is pretty unique. We are hoping that over the next five years we will see a move towards having a more consistent operational set-up for tennis data and TDI is uniquely positioned to help enable that.”

In the meantime, TDI is building links with a number of other sports as a data specialist that can help them develop a clear strategy for managing their data assets.

Lampitt said: “We hope that tennis will be seen as a leader in developing innovative models around its data assets and using them to captivate hundreds of millions of fans around the world.”

Hexagon Cup signs Aurora Media Worldwide as broadcast production partner

Aurora Media Worldwide is headed courtside for its latest venture, as Broadcast Production Partner to the Hexagon Cup, the brand-new padel tournament, taking place in Madrid in February 2024.

The multi award-winning agency renowned for capturing innovative and stunning visual storytelling across sport, adventure and lifestyle, will provide the ground-breaking live action, highlights programming and behind-the-scenes content across multiple platforms, as this new tournament looks to make its mark in the world of padel.

As part of the coverage Aurora will produce a five-day world feed distributed with broadcasters around the world including Eurosport and discovery+, as announced last week. 


Padel is the world’s fastest growing global sport, with conversations increasingly moving towards it becoming a future Olympic sport. The Hexagon Cup has gained widespread acclaim for its innovative and equality-based team format, top-tier padel players, and celebrity teams including the prestigious names of; the Rafa Nadal Academy powered by Richard Mille team; RL9 by the Barcelona FC footballer Robert Lewandowski; Team AD/vantage by legendary tennis player Andy Murray; ElevenEleven Team USA, owned by U.S actress Eva Longoria; Team Bella Puerto Rico; and a fan-led Hexagon Cup team.


Born under the motto “For the Fans. For the Players. For the Game”, the Hexagon Cup features six teams, each featuring a male, female and Next Gen pair who compete for an impressive prize pool of one million euros, creating an exciting team competition and a unique experience for fans.

Lawrence Duffy, Aurora Managing Director, said: “ We are seeing a global explosion of interest in padel. The Hexagon Cup’s goal is to create a compelling viewing experience which not only excites the purist padel fans, but also draws in new audiences who love fast paced action, and are intrigued about this new sport. We are thrilled to be involved with such a stellar cast list in what looks sure to be a world class event.”
 

“The Hexagon Cup vision is built around creating a premium sporting experience, says Simon Freer, Chairman of Hexagon Cup. “We are new to the padel calendar and have high ambitions but we now need to be able to prove them. Having helped a host of sports start-ups to deliver high quality broadcast shows, winning awards for innovation along the way, we are delighted to be working with the Aurora team to bring our vision to life, and attract new global audiences for the sport we love.”

Registration open – SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit

SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2024 in Birmingham, West Midlands on 7-11 April 2024 is now open for registration with a sneak preview of the event programme and a second reveal of world-class speakers.

The news comes on the back of last week’s high profile speaker reveal for sport’s most influential industry gathering for over 1,500 delegates at the award-winning International Convention Centre (ICC) with conference programme theme “The Power of Sport”.

Register now – early bird rate

Registration has opened for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2024, with an early bird delegate pass offering an ideal opportunity to secure attendance at the biggest sport and business meeting of the year.

The early bird rate of CHF 1,500 is available until January 31, 2024 on SportAccord’s registration platform (https://thepowerof.sport/).

SportAccord Summit preview – stellar speakers

The SportAccord World Sport & Summit 2024 will run from Sunday 7 April to Thursday 11 April, with a host of local cultural activities also on offer before and after the event. The core of the Summit consists of official assemblies and meetings, joint IOC/International Federation meetings, the conference programme under the theme of the Power of Sport and an extensive exhibition space. Full details of the Summit programme, including cultural events, dinners, receptions and networking can be found here

A highlight of the conference programme on Wednesday 10 April will be an exploration of how the North American professional league model has enabled teams to become ever more powerful rights holders, focusing in particular on innovation and the use of technology to deliver value for partners and build fan engagement.

Among the speakers on this theme joining from the US will be Scott Kegley, VP Digital Strategy at the Atlanta Falcons and Rob Alberino, VP of Content and Production at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Birmingham, West Midlands – famous warm welcome

Birmingham and the West Midlands are famous for their friendly people and rich industrial and cultural heritage and delegates will get a taste of this as part of the Summit as it takes place right in the city centre.

SportAccord President Uğur Erdener said: “We look forward to seeing familiar faces and making new friends and connections next April in Birmingham and the West Midlands at the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. Delegates can now register to secure their places at this highly anticipated event in the heart of the UK’s leading sport city and region.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We all know how incredible the Commonwealth Games was for the West Midlands, but last year’s spectacle must be the start of a new sporting journey for our region – not the end.

“If we want to keep hosting the world’s biggest sporting events then showcasing our region to sport’s global decision makers is mission critical. That’s why this SportAccord conference is so important – and why I’m delighted we’ve been able to pull it off.”

Leader of Birmingham City Council Cllr John Cotton said: “As a fantastic sporting city with a global reputation for staging unforgettable events, Birmingham is the perfect home for the SportAccord Summit 2024.

As a famously friendly city, we can also guarantee a warm Birmingham welcome to all visiting delegates.”

Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, Gold Partner for 2024 said: “As a longstanding partner of SportAccord over the years we are delighted to confirm our Gold Partnership for the 2024 edition. I know our colleagues in Birmingham and the West Midlands will do a great job welcoming the global sports and business community to their exceptional city and region and we are really looking forward to it.”

EventScotland and Tourism  &  Events Queensland  are already confirmed as Silver Partners and iSportConnect will serve as Principal Media Partner.

FIBA extends partnership with Genius Sports until 2035

FIBA, the world governing body of basketball, has expanded its long-term partnership with Genius Sports Limited (“Genius Sports”) (NYSE:GENI) to deliver its revolutionary computer vision technology and AI-powered capabilities to Leagues and National Federations around the world from 2025 to 2035.

This new technology will transform the entire data and video ecosystem of international basketball, providing a unified, connected solution to automate and synchronize the collection of live game statistics and video production with advanced player tracking. Genius Sports’ optical system has been trained to read and understand live game plays and predict outcomes in real-time, turning raw live data and video into valuable, actionable game insights.

For the first time ever, Leagues and National Federations will have access to an AI-powered automated player tracking system. This advanced technology will also provide users access to a suite of cutting-edge coaching tools and analytics, automated officiating, and broadcast augmentation tools.

Since 2004, Genius Sports and FIBA have provided over 200 Leagues and National Federations worldwide with both FIBA LiveStats and FIBA Organizer, helping to collect official play-by-play statistics and drive digital transformation at all levels. To date, FIBA LiveStats has captured full box score data from over a million basketball games as both products continue their availability to the FIBA Family.

Also, under the terms of the new agreement, Genius Sports has been selected as FIBA’s Official Data & Video Capture and Production Partner as well as the governing body’s Official Innovation & Technology Services Partner from 2025 for a 10-year term.

“For almost 20 years, FIBA and Genius Sports have joined forces in developing the most innovative tools for Leagues and National Federations across all levels of basketball,” said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. “Through this automated solution, our objective is to assist National Federations and Leagues to increase their reach and revenue and at the same time, reduce costs. We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Genius Sports to achieve this goal and equip the FIBA Family with first access to this cutting-edge technology in basketball.”

“We’re thrilled to expand our landmark partnership with FIBA, equipping Leagues and National Federations with state-of-the-art technology to transform how their fans, coaches, officials, broadcasters and sponsors interact with live data and video,” said Mark Locke, CEO at Genius Sports. “Powered by our unique AI driven system, Leagues and National Federations at all levels of basketball will be able to automate data and video collection and utilize the highest quality player and team tracking data.”

Liverpool FC names Orion Innovation as digital transformation partner

Liverpool FC has signed a multi-year deal with Orion Innovation to become the club’s official digital transformation partner.

Through this exclusive deal, Orion Innovation will partner with LFC as it continues to innovate digitally and further connect its global fan base to the club.

LFC will leverage Orion’s two decades of deep experience transforming the business operations of some of the biggest sports leagues and teams across the UK, Europe, the USA, and Asia Pacific.

Speaking about the new partnership, LFC’s senior vice-president for digital, Drew Crisp, said: “We’re super-excited to be working together with Orion Innovation in the digital space, which is so important to us and our supporters.

“As a club we have an aggressive plan to continue on our digital transformation journey to elevate our fan experience. Orion will be a great long-term partner in our ever-evolving and progressing digital journey.”

Billy Hogan, CEO of LFC, added: “It’s fantastic to welcome Orion to the LFC partner family. We see strong synergies and cultural fit between our two brands, with similar core values, ambition, and the desire to be the best in class digitally.”

Through its Sports Innovation Lab, Orion has developed leading solutions for the sports industry, including a platform for sports operations, enhanced fan experience, and gameday management.

Raj Patil, CEO of Orion, said: “We’re thrilled to join the Liverpool Football Club family and drive digital innovation for one of the world’s most popular sports teams. We are confident that our collaboration will elevate the club’s fan experience and operations to even greater heights. This is because we pride ourselves on inspiring and accelerating digital innovation through long-term trusted partnerships with our clients.

“We’re also very excited about the impact LFC’s global platform will have on our brand.”

Satish Kumar, global head of sports and entertainment for Orion, added: “We welcome LFC to Orion’s Sports Innovation Lab and look forward to this partnership fuelling innovation for the sports industry. As a leader in stadium technology, we are thrilled to bring our expertise to Liverpool Football Club, one of the most iconic football clubs in the world.”

Zlatan Ibrahimović becomes operating partner in RedBird Capital

RedBird Capital Partners (“RedBird”) has announced the appointment of Zlatan Ibrahimović (“Ibra”) as an Operating Partner across its Sports and Media & Entertainment investment portfolio. In this capacity, he will also serve as a Senior Advisor to AC Milan Ownership and Senior Management.

Ibra is one of the most iconic football players to have ever played the game. He left his mark on every team he played for, winning 34 trophies between Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona FC, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Over the course of his career, Ibra scored over 570 goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades. Ibra was named the best player in Italy’s Serie A three times (2008, 2009, 2011) and was named the best player in France’s Ligue 1 three times (2012, 2013, 2015). He was also Serie A’s top scorer in 2009 and 2012, Ligue 1’s top scorer in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and the all-time top scorer for the Swedish national team.

On June 4, 2023, Ibra announced his retirement from football following AC Milan’s final game of the Serie A season, capping his career with the Rossoneri. With his appointment at RedBird, Ibra will kick off his post-playing career as part of the one of the most prolific and successful investors in sports and media globally.

Ibra is a personality whose name resonates far beyond the confines of the football pitch. His prowess on the field has enabled him to build a global brand as an entrepreneur, published author, marketing and advertising specialist and investor. With 123 million social media followers, Ibra is a global influencer of unquestionable scale and appeal, as well as a best-selling author for his autobiography “I Am Zlatan” which ranks as one of the most successful sports biographies. Ibra is also a humanitarian who looks to give back, teaming up with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to raise awareness of the extent to which hunger persists as a global problem and the 805 million people who are suffering from hunger today.

As an Operating Partner at RedBird, Ibra will collaborate with RedBird’s global investment team in supporting the firm’s existing investment portfolio across sports, media and entertainment. He will help source and evaluate new investment opportunities for the firm, and will advise RedBird portfolio companies on commercial projects, digital content strategies and strategic brand building initiatives to extend their presence on a global basis.

At AC Milan, Ibra will serve as a Senior Advisor to Ownership, which is led by RedBird and includes the New York Yankees, one of RedBird’s longest standing partners in sports. Working in close coordination with both AC Milan Ownership and Senior Management, Ibra will play an active role across the Club’s sporting and business operations and will help reinforce the Club’s winning culture. His mandate will include player development and high-performance training, advancing AC Milan’s global brand and commercial interests, and supporting special projects of strategic importance, including the Club’s new stadium.

“We have all been fortunate to witness Zlatan’s greatness as a player and his contributions in leading AC Milan to the top of Serie A,” said Gerry Cardinale, Founder and Managing Partner of RedBird. “What makes a winner of Zlatan’s caliber is not just physical talent, but also high intellect and an entrepreneurial spirit. At RedBird, we have developed partnerships with a very select group of high-performing world class athletes and artists who are able to thrive in the RedBird ecosystem across our sports, media and entertainment portfolio. I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Zlatan in thinking through his post-playing career options. To have him play an active role in the future of the Club is indicative of our continued commitment to excellence both on and off the pitch, and I’m looking forward to working with him as a partner and colleague at both RedBird and AC Milan. The respect Zlatan commanded as a player, his global presence among fans of the sport, and his diverse skillset as an entrepreneur is a powerful combination for both AC Milan and RedBird. I’m thrilled for our fans, our players and coaching staff, and the rest of the Rossoneri community that we can formally welcome him back to the team once again.”

Paolo Scaroni, Chairman of AC Milan, added, “Ibra embodies the meaning of a champion. During his time with the Club, we all saw his work ethic, determination and relentless pursuit of success. Having him as an Advisor for both Ownership and Senior Management is a win by all measures as we continue our relentless pursuit to return AC Milan to the top of European Football.”

AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani commented, “Bringing a leader like Ibra as an Advisor to AC Milan’s leadership team underscores our commitment to the future success of our Club for the benefit of our players and our fans. We’re fortunate to have access to Ibra’s creativity and expansive network of relationships across European Football to continue elevating the Club on a global stage.”

Discussing his new roles, Ibrahimovic added, “I am extremely grateful to be joining both RedBird and AC Milan in these important and influential roles. RedBird has partnered with some of the greatest athletes, teams and business figures in the world to create businesses with meaning and impact. I look forward to contributing to their investing activities across their sports, media and entertainment properties.”

He continued, “My love for the Rossoneri will never die, and the opportunity to be a part of its future in a meaningful way is something I could only have dreamed of. I am grateful to Gerry for making this opportunity available to me. I have greatly admired the commitment, passion and hard work RedBird and Senior Management have demonstrated since acquiring the Club. This is not a decision that I take lightly – it is one which is very important and personal to me and my family. I’ve thought long and hard about the first steps in my post-playing career, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to start that journey as a member of RedBird and AC Milan. For me and my family, this is truly a homecoming with the cherished Club where I ended my playing career and am now starting my next chapter.”

The money game: the lessons from the new Premier League deal  

Ian Whittaker, Twice City AM Analyst of the Year pens down the lessons from the new Premier League deal.

The new Premier League deal feels like it is a return to the days of old – Sky taking most rights, the re-emergence of a duopoly with TNT (ex-BT) and the absence of any Tech players. However, the outcome tells us a lot more not just about the value of the rights but the motivating factors for the main players.

For a start, the deal highlights – again – the sharp contrast between the English Premier League and other major soccer leagues when it comes to rights. The League managed to attract an increase in the absolute value of the rights (4% on a proforma basis i.e. adjusting for the fact the new contract is four years, not three). Other leagues, for example Serie A, have seen a decline in their absolute value while others – aka in France – have seen their auction process blow up spectacularly as bidders refused to meet the demands of a minimum price. This part reflects the appeal of the English Premier League relative to the others and part the financial state of the backers involved.

That leads onto the second point. People only bid for the rights – and are willing to pay large sums – if they think there is economic value. Sky is paying significantly more in absolute terms (it now owns four of the top five packages) but, from an economic and strategic standpoint, it is the right call to do. Sports is Sky’s citadel and, as it moves more to relying on a strategy of keeping customers and growing revenues per sub than subscriber growth, a vast increase in the number of matches available is likely to be valuable in keeping customers.

(I also think there is a very interesting advertising proposition here for Sky, particularly around the increased number of matches not just for the Premier League but also in the EFL – that demands an article by itself).

In a way, this also explains the presence of TNT. It was never going to be able to compete with Sky and the strategic (and financial) priorities of its co-owners, BT and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), means that it was always going to play Robin to Sky’s Batman. However, for TNT, retaining the crucial Saturday 12:30pm package sends a message to customers that it remains committed to having sports rights and reinforces it as a home for those who do not want to take Sky.

The third point revolves around the lack of presence of the Tech giants amongst the successful bidders. Again, this links with the above point, namely that the economic rationale has to work, and it does not for the major Tech giants. Unlike the US, there is not a large TV advertising budget they can win from such rights, and they can’t really make their money in other ways – Prime has probably maxed out in penetration in the UK and it is hard to imagine Apple seeing a uplift in sales of iPhones or other products from buying the rights. The idea that the Tech giants will be the saviour of European football rights – as has been also proved recently in France – is false.

Fourthly, I am not convinced by the arguments that the fact the Premier League is receiving far fewer revenue per game is necessarily valid. That suggests that the value of the League is driven ‘bottom up’ i.e. a value is assigned to each game and then these are multiplied together to produce an end value. However, that is not the case. Whether additional matches are televised or not does not really impact the economics for the League. Put it another way – if 50% fewer matches were televised and the value of the rights declined by 25% would this be seen as a triumph for the League as it had received more per game? Almost inevitably, the answer would be no. The League is focused on the absolute amount it receives – and will be pleased with an increase.

The most interesting point revolves around DAZN. I have been involved in a LinkedIn debate as to whether DAZN did submit an actual bid or not, but the point is that, regardless, it does not look as though it made a serious bid to secure any of the packages. I think that was probably right on their part – I am not sure securing the TNT package for example would have been economically viable and there was no way they could outbid Sky. DAZN is rumoured to be listing next year and so probably does not want to make any reckless moves. It will, though, raise questions about its appeal in the UK market.

All in all, the rights have resulted in (probably) a happy Premier League, a satisfied Sky, a relieved TNT, a nonchalant Tech space and a cautious DAZN. That is probably not a bad outcome for all involved.

As usual, this is not investment advice.

How IBA is ensuring gender balance

The IBA Ordinary Congress concluded last week in Dubai where 170 National Federation members made their voices heard. SwissBoxing was welcomed back following its resignation from IBA under new leadership, a direction that was then reversed at their last General Assembly. Granted provisional membership by IBA before the Congress, members supported their return by a majority of vote.

In addition, the US Boxing Federation, a new organization led by legendary Roy Jones Jr was formed following the disaffiliation of USA Boxing. Oceania gained two new members as the Norfolk Island Boxing Association and Tuvalu Amateur Boxing Association were accepted.

Meanwhile, three organizations had their memberships terminated by the Congress, as the Czech Boxing Association’s, German Boxing Association’s and Dutch Boxing Federation’s termination was approved.

IBA under Umar Kremliv, President of the IBA who completes 3 years today has ensured positive conditions for athletes including huge prize money, high competition standards, help to National Federations via Financial Support Program and equipment support. IBA has further made significant strides towards achieving gender equality in the sport of boxing and has been working hard to ensure that women boxers receive the same level of recognition and support as their men counterparts. Now gender equality is written in Constitution where the Board should have minimum 5 women representatives from each continent and it is in place.

Tereza Atilio Lual, President of the Boxing Association, Republic of South Sudan said: “I am very impressed with IBA. They want to bring gender balance within the organisation and boxing community globally. A few years ago, I was the only female president from the Africa region and now we have more female presidents. Some people think that boxing is only for men but that it not the truth. The association is further empowering girls and training them to be more self-reliant and financially independent.”

Projects that the Women’s Committee had launched already last year included: the IBA Women’s Boxing Questionnaire; the appointment of five IBA Confederation Women Ambassadors; the creation of Outstanding Women in Boxing Awards; the development of the Women Coaches Manual, the Women’s Community of Practice and “Invisible to Visible” project which highlights prominent women involved in boxing.

Wissam Zoubida, a member of the African Boxing Confederation further added: “IBA has introduced good policies to include women representation within the federation. To speak about my Moroccon organisation, for the first time we have a world champion Khadija El-Mardi and we have several women silver medalists as well. Because of this positive picture of boxing, the number of women participating in boxing has increased a lot. Boxing provides a lot of confidence to these women and my hope is for more women to take up boxing.”

At the global forum, Dutch-born boxer and IBA Champions’ Night winner Megan de Cler shared her story of how after being banned by the Dutch boxing organisation, how IBA is supporting her through its Financial Support Program (FSP) to help her achieve her dream of bagging a gold medal at the Olympics.

IBA Board of Directors Members Marta Forcen Celaya reinforced that inclusivity and gender balance are the priority of IBA. She said: “The development of women in Spain is super important to us. We must achieve gender parity. At IBA on the board of directors, for example, we are 50% women and 50% men, and this is true that it gives the impetus to be able to develop all women in the field, not only in sports.”

IBA further announced a $5 million prize money for the women’s world championship. Also, superstar fighters Conor McGregor and Petr Yan had a staredown officiated by IBA President Umar Kremlev.

TNT Sports to broadcast FIFA Club World Cup in UK and Ireland

TNT Sports and its streaming home discovery+ will show every match of FIFA Club World Cup 2023 Saudi Arabia™ live from Jeddah in the UK and Ireland including each match featuring current UEFA Champions League holders and Premier League champions Manchester City.

Live coverage of FIFA Club World Cup 2023 Saudi Arabia kicks off on TNT Sports 3 on 12 December (KO 18:00 GMT) with a first round clash between an Al-Ittihad FC side featuring Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho and Oceania Football Confederation champions Auckland City at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s 2022-23 treble winners enter the competition at the semi-final stage where they will face the winner of the second round tie between Club Leon (Winners of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League) and Urawa Red Diamonds (Winners of the 2022 AFC Champions League) with TNT Sports 2 broadcasting the match live from 18:00 GMT.

The final of FIFA Club World Cup 2023 Saudi Arabia™ is scheduled for TNT Sports 2 on Friday 22 December, kick-off 18:00 GMT.

Manchester City qualified for FIFA Club World Cup 2023 Saudi Arabia™ after defeating Inter Milan by a single goal to win the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul in June.

WTA to strengthen leadership for continued growth of women’s tennis

The WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) is moving forward with its strategic plan for the growth of women’s tennis with a further revision to its structure.

The revised structure will separate the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to allow greater focus on the WTA’s mission and goals and will bring on an additional new leader to assume the CEO role. The CEO will be charged with responsibility for managing and growing the operations of the WTA and its many initiatives. The WTA has begun a comprehensive selection process for the WTA CEO position, supported by the global executive search firm Korn Ferry.

Once the position of CEO has been filled, Steve Simon, currently Chairman and CEO of the WTA, will assume the role of Executive Chairman. In this role, Simon will focus on governance, strategic interests of the WTA within the sport, integrity issues and the development of new markets and frontiers for the WTA. In addition to his designated role as Executive Chairman of the WTA, Simon continues to serve as Chair of the WTA Ventures Board.

In parallel with the changes to the Chairman and CEO roles, Micky Lawler, who has served as President of the WTA since 2015, has decided to leave the organization at the end of the year to pursue new opportunities.

The planned revision to the WTA’s structure is the latest step in the WTA’s strategic development, which has led to a landmark collaboration with CVC Capital Partners and the creation of a new commercial division, WTA Ventures. The new structure will help the WTA to secure its objectives of growing the game and delivering equal prize money for women by 2033. It will ensure that the organization benefits from breadth and depth of expertise and experience across sporting, operational and commercial matters, allowing it to take advantage of future growth opportunities while delivering world-class events and providing an excellent experience and increased compensation for players. The changes have been developed with the WTA and WTA Ventures Boards since the summer.

Steve Simon, the WTA’s Executive Chair designate, said: “Following investment from CVC Capital Partners and the creation of WTA Ventures earlier this year, we are now moving ahead and implementing further change to ensure the WTA is well positioned for future opportunities. WTA Ventures is achieving significant progress under the leadership of CEO Marina Storti, and we are looking to replicate this model by bringing in additional operational expertise for the Hologic WTA Tour. By putting in place additional leadership capability and capacity, we are getting ready to accelerate the development of women’s tennis as the WTA moves beyond its 50th year. I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Micky Lawler. She has been a valued colleague who has made a significant contribution to the WTA and we wish her every success for the future.”

Victoria Azarenka, former WTA World No.1 and member of the WTA Players’ Council, welcomed the development, commenting: “I wish Steve all the best in his new role, and the continued progress and development of the WTA as an organization. The partnership with CVC has been a great opportunity for growth to our sport, and the addition of an added leadership role for increased aid will continue pushing the WTA forward and the progression of women’s sports. I look forward to seeing the benefits this will bring for everyone involved in our sport.”

Adam Barrett, Chair of the WTA Tournament Council and WTA Board member, added: “On behalf of the tournaments, we are committed to delivering the highest-quality experience for players and fans. Adding a strong CEO to the WTA leadership who will be laser focused on key operational issues will have a positive impact as we work together to further elevate women’s tennis for players, fans, partners, and our tournaments.”