iSportconnect, Author at iSportConnect

Bowling Looks for Olympic Inclusion through Games Extension

Members of World Bowling have called for the Olympic Games to be extended to three weeks in their attempts to get their sport on the programme.

Chiefs at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are looking for ways to modernise the Games and to make them more attractive to younger viewers.

The Olympic Agenda 2020 Roadmap was launched as a part of this, and now World Bowling President Kevin Dornberger has submitted his ideas which could help bowling realise their Olympic dream.

Speaking at the International Bowl Expo in Orlando, Florida, Dornberger said: “We have very candid meetings with the IOC and they tell us what they see as our deficiencies, and I can’t disagree.

“Our scoring system is not easy enough to understand, even for bowlers.

“In the past there wasn’t enough effort put on helping ‘outsiders’ understand what was going on, but we’re working on that.”

Dornberger also said that making the sport easier to watch on television would be crucial to their hopes, but added he would not spend a lot of money on chasing Olympic recognition.

Digital Content Manager – UK Sport

Location: London, sale UK

Closing Date: 24th October

Overview:

UK Sport is the nation’s high performance sports agency responsible for backing our brightest medal hopes at Rio 2016 and beyond. UK Sport’s investment and strategic support was key in delivering the historic success achieved by British athletes at the Rio Olympic and Paralympics Games.

We are now looking for a Digital Content Manager to bring to life the incredible success of the athletes on the World Class Programme and support our exciting major events campaigns. This role is responsible for managing the UK Sport website and supporting all our digital channels with compelling and distinctive content.

We are looking for someone who has the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience of working in a communications environment
• Significant experience of managing websites through a Content Management System, asthma preferably Sitecore and understanding of HTML
• Expert in digital media with experience of website design and development
• Experience of generating shareable content and managing multiple social media platforms
• Experience of recording and editing video and creation of compelling imagery using InDesign or similar
• Experience using and understanding analytics tools such as Google Analytics
• Excellent written and oral communications skills
• Educated to Degree Level
• Good understanding of organisational branding particularly in relation to publications
• Understanding of use of digital communications in the wider communications mix most importantly social media
• An eye for detail and the ability to maintain standards of work under pressure

UK Sport offer a competitive benefit package, for further information on working for UK Sport and our benefits package, please click here.

How to apply

Please send your CV with a covering letter detailing why you feel you are suitable for the role to by 5pm on the deadline to jobs@uksport.gov.uk

Red Bull Racing renew IBM deal

Red Bull Racing has announced a renewed agreement to team with IBM Spectrum Computing for a further four years, buy cialis until 2020.

The Team uses IBM Spectrum solutions to manage the data used in the design and development of their 2016 challenger, order the RB12.

The newly extended Innovation Partner relationship is marked with IBM Spectrum Computing branding on-car and around the garage.

Matt Cadieux, Chief Information Officer, Red Bull Racing, said: “We’re delighted to have the continued support of IBM, who have already helped us see significant gains in productivity in the way we use our HPC resource.

“Their scheduling and storage tools have become a key element in managing our work flow and maximise our data handling.”

IMG extends Premier League partnership

IMG and the Premier League have extended their relationship – and will continue to run Premier League Productions (PLP).

PLP produces and distributes all the Premier League’s international programming. This includes the broadcasting of all 380 Premier League matches, seven magazine shows each week, and the 24/7 Premier League content service, run by some of the League’s broadcast partners as a full channel.

The deal with IMG, and the creation of PLP, is one of the main reasons why the Premier League has been so dominant oversees. The high production values, handled in-house by IMG at their purpose built studios, has lifted the Premier League brand to new heights in the last 12 years.

Under the new agreement a number of new programmes will be broadcast via the Premier League content service, including “Goal Rush” and a Fantasy programme which will provide in-depth analysis of the League’s Fantasy Premier League game.

There will also be an extension to the clips channel, which provides pre-match and in-game clips of all major incidents.

Eurosport Secure Rights to Badminton’s All England Open

Eurosport has agreed a new broadcast agreement to cover the All England Open Badminton Championships 2016 in the UK and Ireland.

The tournament will run for six days from Tuesday 8th March.

David Kerr, prostate Managing Director of Eurosport in the UK and Ireland said: “We know badminton enjoys great support in the UK and covering the YONEX All England Championships is a great opportunity to fuel the passion of British and Irish badminton fans and give those who cannot make it to Birmingham an opportunity to see the best players in the world at the sport’s oldest and most prestigious badminton tournament.”

Adrian Christy, medic Chief Executive of Badminton England said: “Eurosport have an excellent track record of presenting top class sport to a worldwide audience and the agreement means that fans can enjoy watching the players who will be winning medals at the Olympics in Rio later this year.”

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25 Sponsorship Deals of the Week: 04/02/16

1	NFL and Bridgestone Extend Sponsorship Deal Ahead of Super Bowl	Friday, 05 February 2016
2	Marseille Pen One-Year Extension With Principal Sponsor Intersport	Friday, 05 February 2016
3	Bayer Leverkusen Swap Adidas for Jako in Two-Year Kit Deal	Friday, 05 February 2016
4	Real Madrid Partner With Fud as Mexican Title Sponsor	Friday, 05 February 2016
5	DraftKings Secure Trio of Premier League Partners as Part of UK Expansion	Thursday, 04 February 2016
6	LPGA Renews Deal With Acer as Official Marketing Partner	Thursday, 04 February 2016
7	USA Hockey and Dunkin’ Donuts Strike Multi-Year Partnership	Thursday, 04 February 2016
8	ECB and Yorkshire Tea Drink to Three-Year Extension	Thursday, 04 February 2016
9	LA 2024 Teams up With Banc of California	Thursday, 04 February 2016
10	Renault Agrees Partnership With Infiniti Ahead of F1 Return	Thursday, 04 February 2016
11	Norwich City Partner With Two Circles in Multi-Year Deal	Thursday, 04 February 2016
12	Peugeot to Sponsor ITV’s 6 Nations Coverage	Thursday, 04 February 2016
13	JOTA Sport Seals Sponsorship Deal With Gazprom Neft	Thursday, 04 February 2016
14	Cleveland Sports Franchises Team up With Constellation	Wednesday, 03 February 2016
15	Scottish Rugby Toasts to Three-Year Extension With A.G. Barr	Wednesday, 03 February 2016
16	PSG to Stay Fit With Technogym in Two-Year Deal	Tuesday, 02 February 2016
17	Tennis Canada Inks Multi-Year Partnership With Fila	Tuesday, 02 February 2016
18	Indycar and Honda Seal Partnerhsip Extension	Tuesday, 02 February 2016
19	World Snooker Signs Two-Year Sponsorship Renewal With Betway	Tuesday, 02 February 2016
20	Warwickshire CCC Seals One-Year Extension With Broadway Casino	Tuesday, 02 February 2016
21	PG&E to Energise Super Bowl 50 Host Committee	Monday, 01 February 2016
22	Asian Tour Agrees Deal With Panasonic to Title Sponsor New Japan Event	Monday, 01 February 2016
23	AOC Secures Multiple Partnerships in the Lead up to Rio 2016	Monday, 01 February 2016
24	Super League Confirms Batchelors Peas as Official Partner for New Season	Monday, 01 February 2016
25	Goodyear Named Official Partner of FIA European Truck Racing Championship	Monday, 01 February 2016

Cookson: Change the Leader to Change the Reputation

By Christian Radnedge

International Cycling Union (UCI) chief Brian Cookson believes that the reputation of a scandal-hit organisation is best recovered with a regime change – something FIFA members may be thinking about in the build up to the presidential election later this month.

Speaking at the Telegraph Business of Sport conference in London this week, therapy Cookson reflected on his 30-months in charge of the UCI which was blighted by corruption and widespread doping allegations when he succeeded his controversial predecessor Pat McQuaid.

In the changes since he took over, including an exhaustive report into the era of doping in the sport, Cookson rated cycling as “two or three out of ten” in the race to sporting integrity.

He admitted though that even a leadership change may not always produce results.

“I think it’s very difficult to change the reputation of an organisation if you don’t change the leadership of that organisation” Cookson said. “However, even if you do change the leadership, and the governance or the administration, that’s not a given that that’s going to improve the reputation either.

“So I think you’ve got to walk the walk as well as talk-the-talk and you have to earn that kind of respect and support and that’s a difficult process because people will constantly challenge you, they will constantly look for behavioural patterns in you that they saw in previous leadership as it were.

“So you’ve got to try to be true to yourself and true to your commitments but equally living in the real world at the time – that means having to grin and bear things sometimes.”

Soon after being elected in September 2013, Cookson made sure that the board of the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation was renewed and was therefore made completely independent of the UCI.

Earlier this year the Cycling Independent Reform Commission’s report into the doping era epitomised by Lance Armstrong gave a damning indictment of practices happening under McQuaid’s watch and previous president Hein Verbruggen.

Cookson said that there was still a long way to go to achieve sporting integrity in cycling.

“One of the things I’ve found is that the world doesn’t change because you can flick a switch and say ‘I’m here now and we’re all going to things differently aren’t we?’” he said.

“So trying to make those different processes stick, trying to be consistent, trying to be accountable and auditable is all part of that process and so if you want an answer I would say I think we’ve got to two to three out of 10 on the way and we’ll keep working and trying to get to 10.

“It’s not ever an easy process to change those deep-seated cultural and behavioural patterns.”

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Tottenham Hotspur Given Go-Ahead to Build New Stadium

English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been given the green light to build their new £400 million stadium.

The club won a high court battle allowing them to purchase the final piece of land required to begin construction on the 56, health | 000 seater stadium.

More info HERE.

Alistair Kirkwood and Steve Parish to Join Brett Gosper on Impressive London Directors’ Club Panel

iSportconnect, the world’s largest private network for sports business executives, is delighted to announce that NFL UK Managing Director Alistair Kirkwood and Crystal Palace FC Chairman Steve Parish will be joining the panel for the Directors’ Club in London.

The first London Directors’ Club of the year will be held on 17^th March.

Alistair Kirkwood and Steve Parish are the second and third panellists confirmed for the event, joining World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper.

Kirkwood has been with the NFL for over 14 years in various capacities and took up his current position as the Managing Director of NFL UK in 2006.

He has overseen the International Series of regular season NFL matches at Wembley which is a key part of the NFL’s international development strategy.

Prior to that role, Kirkwood spent five years as the Vice President of Strategic Planning & Business Development at NFL International and a year as the Director of Business Development at NFL Europe.

Steve Parish has been the Chairman at Crystal Palace since 2010 after he, along with a consortium of another three businessmen, acquired the club.

Before joining Crystal Palace, Parish founded and owned global brands services company, Tag Worldwide.

Directors’ Club events are a gathering of exclusively invited director level delegates, partaking in a BBC Question Time-style discussion with a panel of well-established executives from the sport industry followed by networking.

Michael Cunnah, Chairman of iSportconnect, said: “We are really excited to welcome Alistair and Steve onto the panel for the Directors’ Club. They will make great panellists as their recent achievements in their respective sports are impressive.”

Alistair Kirkwood said: “I am looking forward to the Directors’ Club and the opportunity it offers to share and enjoy insight and learnings with others in the industry.”

To register your interest contact: sylvia-line@isportconnect.com

Invitation Policy: iSportconnect Directors’ Club is an invitation only event open exclusively for CEOs, chairmen and director level executives from governing bodies, sports teams and sponsorship brands.

Social Media Policy: The iSportconnect Directors’ Club follows Chatham House rules and therefore all content must be kept confidential.

We encourage delegates to tweet pictures and use our hashtag #iSCDirectorsClub but please do not quote panellists.

Partnership opportunities: Our partners benefit from a range of different branding opportunities and introductions to potential clients. Please contact Mike Rocha-Keys at mike@isportconnect.com or call +44(0)20 3239 5400.

To watch highlights of previous iSportconnect Directors’ Club events click here.

Event Partners:

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Kosovo Will Compete at Rio 2016 Following IOC Recognition

Kosovo will officially compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio after gaining full recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The decision was made today by the IOC at the 127th IOC session in Monaco and it means Kosovo becomes the 205th National Olympic Committee recognised by the IOC.