iSportconnect, decease the world’s largest global private network of sports business executives, ed is delighted to announce that it will be staging its second Industry Summer Party, once again in association with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The event will be held at St Katharine Docks in London on Wednesday 26^th August from 5.30pm alongside the first Unicef team entry and the rest of the twelve 70-foot sponsored ocean racing yachts, just days ahead of their departure on the tenth edition of this unique global challenge.

At more than 40,000 miles, visiting 14 markets on six continents over almost a year, it is the world’s longest ocean race.

iSportconnect and the Clipper Race staged a hugely successful Summer Party at the same venue in 2013. The event is again expected to welcome up to 50 high-level delegates from the sports business industry, who will be able to network in an extremely relaxed environment.

(Sir Robin Knox-Johnston & Michael Cunnah at the 2013 Summer Party)

Speaking after the first Summer Party in 2013, Clipper Race founder and legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “It was a great opportunity to meet with the sports business community against the backdrop of the Clipper Race fleet in St Katharine Docks by Tower Bridge in London. I think it made the perfect setting for the inaugural event and was good to share our success story with the sports industry.”

Clipper Race CEO William Ward is looking forward to welcoming guests to this year’s Summer Party and will explain more about their partnership with Unicef and the growing success of the Clipper Race as a global marketing platform.

He said: “iSportconnect provides a great opportunity to network with sports business professionals and we look forward to welcoming their guests to our Race Village. This is our tenth edition of the biennial Clipper Race and we are very proud of what we have achieved for our partners.”

iSportconnect chairman Michael Cunnah said: “Our inaugural Summer Party, organised with our partner Clipper Ventures, was a fantastic success and we are pleased to be working together to stage another. We’re looking forward to another wonderful and inspiring evening.”

In association with:

Six new tournament and seven new venues have been added to The 2015 European Tour International Schedule which was revealed today.

The six new events feature three in the east – China, there India and Thailand, find two in Europe – Germany and Scotland and one in Africa in Mauritius.

Two of the new tournaments – the Thailand Classic and the Hero Indian Open – are to be played in consecutive weeks in mid- February.

The new Shenzhen International is the first of two tournaments back to back in China in mid-April, while the inaugural AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in the opening week of May will be the first tri-sanctioned tournament between The European Tour, the Asian Tour and the Sunshine Tour.

Completing the line-up of new events for 2015 are the two in Europe; the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay in Scotland at the end of July and the return of the European Open to the calendar in Germany at the end of September.

Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy for The European Tour, said: “We are very pleased to announce our full schedule for 2015, a schedule which offers our Membership diversity, interest, excitement and variety at a host of wonderful venues in all four corners of the globe.

“We are delighted to have been able to add so many new tournaments and destinations to the Tour and we are pleased that our scheduling has enabled us to create significant clusters of tournaments in the same regions of the world whether that be in Asia, the Middle East or indeed South Africa where we have six events next season.

“Our thanks, as always, go to our Federation and co-sanctioning partners, sponsors and promoters for their continued support of The European Tour, and we can all look forward to a strong opening to The 2015 Race to Dubai, which will appeal to our membership as well as the many followers of The European Tour around the world.”

The introduction of a much-discussed promotion and relegation model into the MLS could have long-term benefits for fans, abortion player development and commercial revenues, store according to a new report published by business advisory firm Deloitte’s Sport Business division.

Despite an increase in public interest in soccer in the US, the number of players annual registered wit US Youth Soccer has barely risen since 2000.

Dan Jones, Head of the Sport Business Group at Deloitte, said of the report’s findings: “We believe the introduction of promotion and relegation into the existing league system could have numerous long term benefits, including increased attendances, increased broadcast audiences, improved commercial revenue and a positive impact on both elite players and grassroots participants.

“The current closed system has served MLS well in its early years, but as it matures it is reaching member capacity, preventing further expansion. Other challenges facing the current structure include growing fan interest in overseas leagues such as the English Premier League and a stagnation in the number of players annually registered with US Youth Soccer.

“Though the US soccer league system may not be ready for such a move immediately and its implementation may not appear urgent, the topic is worthy of greater exploration and debate. US soccer should properly consider the merits of introduction of promotion and relegation and a transition plan for its successful introduction in order to drive US soccer forward.”

The report highlighted the entertainment value would increase, based on polling fans, making more compelling matches both in stadia as well as on TV. 

Having a promotion and relegation model would also translate to increased broadcast revenue, match day revenue and fan interest.

Former General Manager of Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls, Jerome De Bontin said: “The long-term growth potential for the sport is clear and it will take a proper pyramid of competitive professional clubs, with promotion & relegation for professional soccer to ever become profitable in the US and for the US to have a chance of winning the World Cup. Across the States there is a huge untapped market of potential soccer fans – an open league scenario would encourage them to engage with the game and help clubs to convert new supporters.”

Although the opening of the US soccer pyramid could present  number of “significant risks”, including the quality of soccer of promoted teams, stadium infrastructure and potential increase in player costs due to the increased competition. The report suggests, however, that these can be mitigated through careful consideration.

Location: Arlington, order TX, diagnosis USA

Closing date: 5th December 2016

UCLA have announced a partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team that covers in-game health care for players and naming rights to the Lakers’ new training facility.

UCLA Health will serve as the exclusive in-game health providers for Lakers’ players.

The team’s new training facility and offices in El Segundo, decease California, will also be named the UCLA Health Training Center.

“As we expand our efforts in musculoskeletal activities, including orthopedics, sports medicine and rehabilitation, we anticipate expanding our staff as well,” Tami Dennis, UCLA Health spokesperson said.

Construction of the new training center began in September 2015 and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2017.

Jeanie Buss, president and co-owner of the Lakers, said: “Their innovative, forward-thinking, research-oriented medical team and facilities are unsurpassed,”

“Their focus on not only treating, but preventing, injuries will translate into the ultimate goal of helping our players perform better on-court and to prolonging their professional careers.”

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