NFL announces future Super Bowl venues

The NFL has announced the locations for the next three Super Bowls with Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles chosen for Super Bowls LIII, LIV and LV.

The NFL announced at the Spring League Meeting that Atlanta has won the right to host the Super Bowl in 2019. 

It will be the third time they host the game and the first Super Bowl in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is under construction and scheduled to open in 2017.

The 2020 Super Bowl will mark a return to South Florida for the first time in a decade. 

Super Bowl LV in 2021 will take place in Los Angeles. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell previously called the plans for the newRams stadium to be “transformational, not just for theRams, not just for the Los Angeles community but for the NFL.”

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said: “We think Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a great host stadium for the Super Bowl”

“Thank you to all fans and citizens for their support.”

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross added: “The only thing better than winning the 2020 Super Bowl is playing in it and winning it.” 

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Panasonic become official partner of Olympic ceremony

This year, check for the first time, herbal Panasonic Corporation is also an “Official Ceremony Partner” for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Panasonic will provide turnkey visual technologies for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Ceremonies,

As the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category, Panasonic will help to enhance the quality and excitement of the 2016 Opening and Closing Ceremonies by delivering images to audiences around the globe. 

Genius Sports continue partnership with FIBA

Genius Sports and FIBA’s Foundation, impotent the International Basketball Foundation, drugs have announced an extension of their long-standing partnership until 2019.

Alongside this strategic agreement, Genius Sports has also secured the non-exclusive rights to collect and distribute live data to the betting and media markets from more than 2,000 official games at FIBA events until 2017.

These events include the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournaments and 2017 Continental Championships.

The extended partnership sees Genius Sports become the ‘Official FIBA Data and Statistics League and Federation Partner’ for the next four years as it works closely with FIBA and the International Basketball Foundation (IBF) to roll out its Sports Management Platform to National Federations.

The partnership dates back to 2005 and has seen FIBA and the subsidiary SportingPulse brand co-develop and distribute FIBA Organizer & FIBA LiveStats to basketball federations and leagues in 120 countries. FIBA LiveStats, a module of the Genius Sports Management Platform, is the world’s most popular basketball live statistics tool.

Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, said: “We are delighted to continue this exclusive collaboration with the newly- branded Genius Sports with respect to their statistician and competition management tools for federations and leagues globally.

“This agreement further demonstrates Genius Sports’ commitment to service the FIBA family with the highest quality technology solutions in the market.”

Nick Maywald, Genius Sports CCO, added: ‘‘FIBA and the IBF are committed to the development of basketball around the world and we are proud to support this through a close partnership that has spanned more than 10 years. Sports technology and the creation, distribution and monetisation of data are central to any sports development strategy.

“We are delighted to announce this expanded agreement with FIBA and look forward to working with even more federations and leagues across the world to make basketball the most popular sports community.”

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Singapore set to take centre stage for SPORTELAsia 2016

The host city of Singapore will be a prominent part of the programme at SPORTELAsia next week from March 15-17 as delegates from around the world gather at the Shangri-La Hotel for the spring edition of the twice-yearly international sports media trade event.

“We are pleased to be working very closely with Singapore Sport, sale ” said David Jones, order marketing and sales agent of SPORTEL. “They will be showing our attendees some of the opportunities that Singapore offers.”

As home of the huge Singapore Sports Hub complex, clinic which opened in June 2014, the city is keen to attract events and the subject of Sport in Singapore will be there theme of a panel session in the conference sidebar to the exhibition. Speakers will include Kok-Keng Lau of leading local law firm Rajah & Tann, Elliot Renton of Grabyo, and Beatrice Lee of MP & Silva.

“There’s a lot going in Asia,” Jones said. “There are more opportunities in China, where there will be a lot more events and competition is increasing. LeTV, which will have a big presence at the event as Le Sports.”

Fittingly, China – What Next? will be the theme of another conference session with Jim Small from Major League Baseball, Hang Yu from Le Sports, Sam Li from Sina Sports and MP & Silva’s Beatrice Lee.

Jones reported that the new companies from Asia at the event will include several providers of combat sports. “MMA is one of the growing sports genres out of Asia,” he said.

The conference programme will also feature a session on Virtual Reality. “We have to talk about VR because it’s going to be the future of sport,” Jones said. “It probably won’t be long before technology puts viewers right inside the experience of live games.”

Looking ahead to the 27th SPORTEL in Monaco from October  24-27, Jones hinted that there would be some very big changes relate to expanding the event. Watch this space.

 

ATP re-elects Chris Kermode as CEO and President for second term

The ATP has confirmed that Chris Kermode has been re-elected to serve a second consecutive term as Executive Chairman & President.

Kermode began his first three-year term in the role of ATP Executive Chairman & President in January 2014, cure and the extension now sees him working through 2019.

“I’ve taken great pleasure in leading the ATP since 2014, abortion and I’m delighted to continue in my role as Executive Chairman & President, prostate ” said Kermode.

“I’d like to thank the Board of Directors for its vote of confidence and support as we look to continue to maximise growth opportunities in the years ahead.

“Just as importantly, I look forward to working with the other governing bodies of tennis to continue to protect the integrity of our sport.”

Kermode will continue to be based out of the ATP’s office in London.

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FIBA and Perform Seal Major Long-Term Strategic Partnership

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has agreed a new strategic partnership with digital sports content and media group Perform.

The deal will cover the period of four FIBA Basketball World Cup cycles (2017-2033) and Perform will be FIBA’s worldwide partner for the distribution and sale of all media-related rights to FIBA national men’s and women’s team competitions.

As part of the partnership the two organisations will create a joint venture called FIBA Media, which will be designed to increase the value of the basketball fan experience.

FIBA Media will also deliver exposure, on multiple platforms, providing fans with access to content.

Perform will invest close to €500 million in the strategic partnership and enhance live production, broadcast services and data and editorial distribution through the FIBA Media unit.

FIBA will have an active role in respect of all major strategic and commercial activities of FIBA Media.

FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann said: “This strategic and innovative partnership marks a new era for FIBA. It allows us to combine the strength and benefits of our successful commercial subsidiary – FIBA Media & Marketing Services SA – with the extensive global resources of Perform.”

Perform CEO Simon Denyer said: “We are delighted to be working with FIBA on this long-term, ground-breaking partnership. Basketball has long been a major focus for Perform and FIBA is a fantastic partner that continues to evolve the game globally.”

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Hosts for 2019 IPC Swimming World Championships Wanted

IPC Swimming has launched the bid process for the 2019 World Championships, cough the ninth edition of one of the world’s biggest gatherings of para-athletes.

As well as being an opportunity for swimmers to win coveted world titles, it will be one of the final qualification opportunities for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and is expected to attract around 700 athletes from 70 countries.

The bid documents can be found at IPC Swimming website. The bid process will close on 1 February 2016.

Xavier Gonzalez, IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “Swimming is one of our biggest and most popular sports and attracts a huge amount of interest from fans and the media.

“In recent years we have seen the quality of World Championships improve every time, especially with the new gold standard created in Glasgow, Great Britain, this summer.

“In Glasgow, we welcomed the largest ever number of broadcasters and media to a Worlds and after the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games we expect this to increase further.

“There are numerous benefits to hosting major international competitions, not least their potential legacy for tourism, accessibility and exposure for venues and cities.”

Glasgow 2015 attracted 16 broadcasters from eight countries and hundreds of media from around the world, who beamed coverage of the 152 medal events and 38 world records to their audiences.

Glasgow 2015 also had a potential reach of nearly nine million people online and on social media and over 3.5 million through television and print news coverage.

In 2013, the IPC Swimming World Championships were held in North America for the first time in Montreal, Canada, attracting new audiences.

In 2016, the IPC Swimming European Open Championships will take place in Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Portugal.

The host for the 2017 World Championships is currently being decided.