Community, Author at iSportConnect

NFL Look to Explore London Franchise Option by 2022, Set to Grow Sport in Brazil

Mark Waller, from the National Football League (NFL), has revealed the sports organisation is in the process of 15 year initiative to potentially place a franchise in London by 2022.

Wembley Stadium in London played host to the first of three regular season games yesterday and has hosted games since 2007 when they began their plan.

Now into its seventh year, Waller, the Executive Vice President, International believes a franchise could be in place by 2022.

“When I started this job in 2006, I said at the time as we started this initiative that it was a 15-20 year initiative. I think we are on track for that and we are on track for the lower of the two numbers,” he told iSportconnect.

“I think we are seven or eight years into a 15-year process and in the greater scheme of things, history and the sport and what it stands for, that feels like a meaningful amount of time to make sure you do it right.

Waller, who was previously the Chief Marketing Officer, wanted to move away from just adding to regular-season games being played in England’s capital.

“I’m not sure the next step is to play four, five, or six games. I don’t think it needs to be a numerical progression of the number of games.”

He also revealed that the NFL was looking to increase their opportunities in Brazil.

“In terms of opportunities, not surprisingly Brazil is a market we are interested in. They have a lot of sports growth going at the moment between the World Cup and the Olympics. It feels like an opportunity to grow a sport in that market, he added.”

Read the Full Interview with Mark Waller Here

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Learfield Sports Gets Sponsorship Sales Rights to Big West Conference

The Big West Conference and Learfield Sports announced an exclusive five-year agreement in which Learfield will serve as its dedicated sponsorship sales partner.

The collegiate multimedia rights holder already is aligned with the Big West through exclusive rights agreements with five of its nine member institutions – Cal Poly, buy CSUN, medicine Long Beach State, physician UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara.

Learfield will establish a local team known as “Big West Conference Sports Properties” to office at the conference headquarters in Irvine. Learfield Sports will actively sell all Big West Conference assets and tournaments, including the men’s and women’s basketball tournament at the Honda Center in Anaheim next March. The agreement takes effect immediately.

“We’re elated to partner with an industry leader like Learfield Sports to help us grow our corporate relationships and leverage our assets,” said Big West Conference Commissioner Dennis Farrell. “With 40 years in the business and a deep connection right in our very own footprint, we look forward to working with the Learfield team to bolster our complete offerings at the league level. This is a great day for the Big West.”

MotoGP’s Gresini Racing Partners with Aprilia Until 2018

Gresini Racing have announced a deal to run Aprilia prototypes in MotoGP from next year, in an agreement which extends to 2018.

This partnership will allow Aprilia Racing to take advantage of Gresini Racing’s significant contribution in terms of MotoGP experience and know-how. Gresini Racing will manage Aprilia bikes on track in MotoGP for four years, starting from the 2015 season.

Fausto Gresini, Team Manager, commented, “I am very glad that Aprilia identified Gresini Racing as the ideal partner to enter the MotoGP World Championship. I would like to thank the Piaggio Group for giving me a fantastic opportunity, that is working closely with such a glorious manufacturer; an Italian brand that has become synonymous with a passion for racing, reaching amazing results worldwide.”

“The four-year agreement between Gresini Racing and Aprilia opens a new chapter in our history: in this moment I feel a great responsibility, but the motivation to succeed in this exciting, all Italian challenge is even bigger. The Grand Prix world is part of the Aprilia brand and to represent it in the premier class, the MotoGP World Championship, is a source of great pride for all of us. An incredible reward for the work done in all these years by Gresini Racing.”

Washington to Host 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic

The National Hockey League (NHL) have announced the Washington Capitals will host the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic

The game will take place on Jan. 1, 2015 with the Capitals’ opponent and location of the game to be announced at a later date.

“The excitement of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic continues to grow, and bringing the 2015 event to the D.C. area will write another chapter in the game’s great history of entertainment,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “We are looking forward to being in Washington with the Capitals’ great fans.”

The 2015 game will mark the seventh Winter Classic, an annual game that Forbes magazine called the best new sporting event of the last decade. It will mark the second time in history the Capitals will play an outdoor game. Washington defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 in front of 68,111 fans at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Jan. 1, 2011.

“We are extremely excited to host the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and bring this great event to the D.C. area,” Leonsis said. “Our great fan base deserves to experience the magnificence of an outdoor game. We are thrilled to once again be part of this great event.”

The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the Capitals and Penguins aired in primetime on NBC and was the most-watched NHL regular season game ever in the U.S. with an average of 4.5 million viewers. The event also drew the largest audience on CBC for any of the U.S.-based outdoor NHL games.

Russia Contemplating Bidding for 2019 Basketball World Cup

Alexander Krasnenkov, the head of Russia’s national federation, has revealed they will consider bidding for the basketball World Cup in 2019.

“We’re looking at 2019, that’s when the World Cup is scheduled for,” federation head Alexander Krasnenkov told R-Sport.

“We’re capable of hosting the football World Cup, so why can’t we hold the basketball one too?”

Krasnenkov added the Russian Basketball Federation had originally planned to bid for Eurobasket 2017, but had been told to abandon the plans by the government because Russia is hosting several major sports events at that time, including the 2018 football World Cup.

“We talked to the Sports Ministry. The ministry asked us not to put in Russia’s candidature until 2018. The country has gathered a lot obligations for the period until 2018 and needs to host a lot of major competitions,” he said.

Russia has never hosted the tournament, although the Soviet Union won it three times and Russia won silver in 1994 and 1998.

France and Germany have signalled they may place a joint bid for the 2019 World Cup, as have the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Puerto Rico has also been linked with a possible bid.

Sochi 2014 Sign Licensing Deal with X5 Retail Group

The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee has revealed a licensing agreement with the X5 Retail Group, thumb a major player in the Russian grocery market.

The agreement was signed by the President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, and the Director of Corporate Affairs of X5 Retail Group, Mikhail Susov.

Under the agreement X5 will become an official Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee retail sales operator. The sales of the Sochi 2014 licensed merchandise will be organized in 45 Russian regions in 3500 shops of its stores – Pyaterochka, Perekrestok and Karusel. In the coming year X5 expects to sell about several million units of Sochi 2014 licensed merchandise.

Thanks to this deal, Olympic retail sales volume for the Games of 2014 is expected to reach an all-time record for the history of the Winter Games with the total number of official Sochi 2014 retail stores growing to 4,300.

The President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, commented:”Sochi 2014 Olympic retail sales volume will rise to a new level thanks to cooperation with one of the largest Russian retailchain.

“We are transitioning to the more convenient retail sales format for the customer, when one can buy Sochi 2014 merchandise close to his home. This really is a unique way to promote the Sochi 2014 brand through the popularity and broad coverage of X5 stores so that Sochi 2014 goods will now be very visible.”

The Director of Corporate Affairs of X5 Retail Group N.V., Mikhail Susov, added: “The Games in Sochi is a historic event for our country. We are proud of the fact that the X5 Retail Group, who’s Pyaterochka, Perekrestok and Karusel stores serve around 2 billion shoppers every year will become a part of history and make their contribution to the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the development of mass sports in Russia.

“X5 has always tried to be the best in the retail market, and we are very pleased that the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee appreciated the opportunities and potential of our retail chains to promote the Sochi 2014 licensed merchandise. X5 Retail Group has extensive experience selling licensed merchandise, and now this list of products will complement the Sochi 2014 lineup, which, I am convinced, will be in high demand among our customers.”

Derek Jeter’s Jersey Most-Sold in MLB

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association on Monday jointly released a list of the 20 best-selling Majestic Athletic jerseys since the All-Star break with New York Tankees’ Derek Jeter topping the list.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton and Yankees newcomer Ichiro Suzuki top the list, with rookie sensations Bryce Harper of the Nationals and Mike Trout of the Angels rounding out the top five.

Six players, including Ichiro, Harper, Trout, Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish and retiring Braves legend Chipper Jones, made the top 10, after not appearing in the top 20 on the 2011 calendar-year list released in March.

Jeter topped that earlier list as well, and is still going strong, gradually climbing into the career top 10 for hits and easily leading MLB with 213 of them in 2012.

Seven additional players are in the top 20 after not appearing in last year’s list: Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, Joey Votto of the Reds, Prince Fielder of the Tigers, Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays, Yadier Molina of the Cardinals, Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers and Brett Lawrie of the Blue Jays.

Players representing 12 different teams make up the top 20, including postseason contenders that have not been represented on the list in recent years, such as the Nationals, Pirates and Reds. It is another metric reflecting today’s overall competitive balance.

The top 20 include nine infielders, seven outfielders, two pitchers and two catchers. Of the top 20, 18 were All-Stars in 2012.

The list figures to be a harbinger for what fans are likely to be purchasing over the holiday season at the MLB.com Shop, but that also depends on who wins the World Series and which players switch teams once the Hot Stove League gets under way.

Albert Pujols’ new Angels No. 5 jersey was far and away the top seller during last year’s holiday shopping season, and 2011 World Series MVP David Freese is still high at No. 11 on the new list.

Most popular jerseys
These are the 20 most sought-after jerseys since the All-Star break, based on sales of Majestic Athletic jerseys:

1. Derek Jeter, Yankees
2. Josh Hamilton, Rangers
3. Ichiro Suzuki, Yankees
4. Bryce Harper, Nationals
5. Mike Trout, Angels
6. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
7. Yu Darvish, Rangers
8. Chipper Jones, Braves
9. Justin Verlander, Tigers
10. Robinson Cano, Yankees
11. Matt Kemp, Dodgers
12. David Freese, Cardinals
13. Joey Votto, Reds
14. Ian Kinsler, Rangers
15. Prince Fielder, Tigers
16. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
17. Buster Posey, Giants
18. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
19. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
20. Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays

Sports Events and the L-Word— Steven Falk

Londoners will soon be (literally) swimming in legacy. Alternatively, they will be able to run, cycle, row, reside, stroll, marvel and bask in the reflected glory of all the impressive infrastructure built for the Olympic Games and given over to public use once the circus leaves town. Much focus has be directed by LOCOG at making the London 2012 legacy something that will endure and deliver real value to the people who ultimately funded it through their taxes.

This is not always the case with major sporting events. The magnificent though largely empty World Cup venues in South Africa provide an expensive reminder of how the legacy concept can fail to deliver on its promise. And goodness knows what innovative uses the 120,000 male Qatari citizens eligible to attend public events will find for the 12 new stadia to be bequeathed to them after the World Cup in 2022.

Of course not every sports event has a legacy fixation. As English Premier League football teams prepare to embark on their traditional pre-season tours, this is one area where the idea of legacy is relegated to the economy seats the back of the plane. This month, EPL clubs will collectively travel 200,000 miles and play over 120 matches on four continents in pursuit of brand exposure and incremental revenue. The biggest clubs will rake in up to £2m in tour fees but how much of this will be invested to benefit local fans economies eager to host their footballing idols?

The answer is not much. With some creditable exceptions such as Chelsea FC’s Blue Pitch initiative, most touring clubs take the money and run. So the question is this. Why when major events direct so much focus onto the issue of legacy do most of the world’s leading football clubs pay it only lip service?

The simple answer is that legacy in the form of local infrastructure does not pay. It’s expensive to deliver and even more costly to maintain and run on an on-going basis.

There is another way though. Touring clubs and the EPL could invest in a programme of sports education. They could provide the means for local people to learn how to run effective coaching programmes and to improve local standards. Delegates nominated by the host FAs could learn best practise in sports administration, coaching, nutrition and sports science. They could engage in an organised and accredited process of knowledge transfer by which leading clubs and their National Associations could pass on the methods, techniques and administrative processes that have contributed to their success.

The cost of this approach is relatively low. Local people would benefit. And the reputation of touring clubs and the EPL would be enhanced.

Now that is a worthwhile legacy.

About Steven Falk:

A graduate in Psychology from Manchester University, Steven started his career in the motor industry before taking an MBA at Warwick University Business School. There followed commercial roles at Astra Zeneca, United Utilities, Great Universal Stores and MBNA Bank where he worked on a range of assignments in the UK, Eastern & Western Europe, North America and Asia.

From 2001 to 2009, Steven was Marketing Director at Manchester United Football Club. Steven served as a member of the Executive Committee of Manchester United and a board director of Manchester United Foundation, the club’s charitable trading arm. In January 2010, he launched Star Sports Marketing, a specialist sports marketing consultancy.

For a confidential conversation on how Star Sports Marketing can help you to devise and implement an effective brand strategy. Visit www.starsportsmarketing.com or email steven.falk@starsportsmarketing.co.uk

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Cheltenham Racecourse Seeks New Sponsor for Foxhunter Chase

Cheltenham racecourse is on the search for a new sponsor for its famous Foxhunter Chase.

The race, which was first staged in 1904, has been run under the Christie’s banner for the past 34 years but earlier this week the world famous auctioneers withdrew their sponsorship.

“Christie’s has been an excellent partner for this iconic race, but we will now begin the process of talking to other interested parties and recruiting a new sponsor,” said Cheltenham’s Peter McNeile.

WSB Announces Ukrainian Deal for Further Franchises

The World Series of Boxing (WSB) have reached an agreement with the Ukrainian Boxing Federation that elevates the number of WSB Franchises for the upcoming season to 14.

This follows the recent signing with the Argentinean Boxing Federation.

The agreement was signed by Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, AIBA President and WSB Board Chairman and Mr Vladimir Prodyvus, President of the FBU, the Ukrainian Boxing Federation. On this occasion, the WSB was introduced to the local media with the presence of newly crowned WSB Team Champion Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder assistant coach Sergiy Korchinskiy, Bantamweight Vitaliy Volkov (7-3) and two-time Middleweight WSB World Champion Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-0).

“Ukraine is one of the World’s true boxing powerhouses and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome their Franchise to the World Series of Boxing”, stated Dr Wu. “I am convinced that this is only the very first step of the involvement of the Ukrainian Boxing Federation in AIBA’s projects, especially with the AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) that begins in the fall of 2013. We look forward to working closely together.”

This visit to Ukraine was also an opportunity for Dr Wu to meet with Mr Ravil Safiullin, the Ukrainian Minister of Sports. The AIBA President explained how impressed he was by the success of the UEFA EURO 2012 that is currently being held in the country, co-hosted with Poland. He also mentioned the importance Ukraine has on the boxing landscape, referring to the four gold and one silver medal claimed by their boxers at the last AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011.

Mr Safiullin confirmed that boxing was one of the most important sports in the country and declared that he was hoping for a fair contingent of medals at the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games.

Finally the Ukrainian Minister of Sports added: “With the Euro, we showed the World that Ukraine is more than capable of hosting big sporting events. Our country needs to carry in this way and we very much look forward to welcoming APB and AIBA competitions here soon.”