Further panellists Confirmed for iSportconnect Directors’ Club on 27th November in London

iSportconnect, the world’s largest private network for sports business executives, is delighted to announce that Nick Blofeld (pictured R), CEO of Bath Rugby and Greg Thomas (pictured L), the CEO and President of PrivatAir, have joined the esteemed panel for the Directors’ Club in London.

iSportconnect Directors’ Club London is an invitation only event open exclusively for director-level executives in governing bodies, sports teams and sponsorship brands to share market insight and best practice. It features a panel of high-profile sport business executives who participate in a Question Time format Q&A session, as well as excellent networking opportunities.

Blofeld and Thomas will now join David Bernstein, former chairman of The Football Association, Wembley Stadium and Manchester City, plus Patrick Louis, CEO of the Lotus F1 Team for the event on the 27th of November at Dentons LLP.

Blofeld joined the Premiership Rugby club in 2009 and has overseen the revitalisation of the club, both on and off the field.

Thomas began his affiliation with PrivatAir, the luxury business aviation firm, back in 1994. He worked his way through the ranks of the company before becoming CEO in 2003 and then CEO/President 2009.

On having Blofeld and Thomas join the panel for the latest Directors’ Club, Michael Cunnah, Chairman of iSportconnect said: “The additions of Nick Blofeld and Greg Thomas to our latest Directors’ Club panel is great news for our event and for all of our delegates. When you place these two next to David Bernstein and Patrick Louis, there is a real sense of excitement that this will be another brilliant Directors’ Club, which has quickly developed a reputation for top quality content and guests. I thank Nick and Greg for joining us and I am looking forward to the 27th of November!”

Greg Thomas, CEO/President of PrivatAir added: “I am delighted to be joining the iSportconnect Directors’ Club panel and I am very much looking forward to discussing important issues in the industry. At PrivatAir we pride ourselves on our top quality service and we see a lot of the same qualities in iSportconnect and their events.”

Nick Blofeld, CEO of Bath Rugby commented: “I am very happy to be on the Directors’ Club panel and to be joined by great panellists. I have attended the Directors’ Club before and had a wonderful time, so I am delighted to have been asked back, this time on the panel!”

To register interest, please email: matthias.moulin@isportconnect.com

{jcomments on}

By Steve Moorhouse

Stoke City are still undecided on when the Britannia Stadium will be redeveloped and any work will only happen once the club is confident they will continue to sell-out.

Talk of expanding the stadium to 30, allergy 000 seats has been mentioned for some time and the club do have the planning permission to begin the work when they are ready.

Fans of the Potters have been known to create a raucous atmosphere at the Britannia, which is said to be a huge factor in the club’s continued presence in the Premier League.

Speaking to iSportconnect, Tony Scholes, the club’s CEO confirmed that they are still undecided on when the stadium would be expanded.

Scholes said: “We have looked at expanding the stadium and we’ve got the plans in place to do so, but we will not jeopardise the sell-out atmosphere and mentality that exists here at the moment.

“We will expand the stadium and that will probably take us to a capacity of around 30,000, when we are confident we will continue to sell-out for every game at that capacity.”

One problem that Scholes faced when he joined the club in 2004 was an aging fanbase. Talk of expanding the stadium shows that Stoke have addressed this issue.

Scholes added: “We now have over 25% of our crowd under the age of 21, which has been achieved through a number of initiatives, be they direct community engagement, our flagship City 7s project and our pricing policy.

“That along with our general pricing policy for adults, which can work out at £18.10 a game, has allowed us to play to sell-out crowds.

“They play a significant part in the atmosphere at the Britannia and many would argue that the atmosphere has helped the team considerably.”

London Welsh majority shareholder Kelvin Byron has walked out of the club and is withdrawing his financial support.

The news comes after the club was relegated from the Aviva Premiership, which was helped by a five point deduction for fielding an illegible player, a punishment that CEO Tony Copsey told iSportconnect was ‘incredibly harsh.’

Now Byron has confirmed he will pull out from the club he saved from liquidation in 2009 and has hit out at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premier Rugby League (PRL).

“I’m pulling out, that’s absolutely definite, and I’ve had enough of the RFU and PRL,” he told the Rugby Paper. “I’ve had 20 years with London Welsh, one of the great rugby brands, but everything’s been done to get us back out of the division.

“I’ve done a hell of a lot for of rugby but there’s hardly a Welshman in the side, so what’s the point? I think the EQP system is a restraint of trade but the RFU don’t seem to worry that clubs like Saracens are South African owned.

“How could we have prospered when our funding is totally inadequate? If we’d had the £3.5m like everyone else we’d be flying, but we had to pick up players no one else wanted. I think they’re breaking competition law in the way clubs are funded.

“Then we get fined £15,000. It wasn’t bad administration, Mike Scott committed a criminal act, but we’ve had little support and to have (PRL chief executive) Mark McCafferty on that tribunal after PRL did everything to stop us going up beggared belief.

“The bottom line is the RFU and PRL don’t want us there and if that’s the situation, London Welsh will have to find a level they can play at. I won’t be involved in rugby after the end of this season anywhere in the UK.”

Investment after relegation

Fears have been expressed about the impact relegation could have on the club, with doubts over fresh investment and the status of their tenancy at Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium.

Bryon added: “It’s happened before and could happen again, but hopefully we’ll stay at the Kassam and try to move forward.

“If they get new investors on the board, maybe they can take it back to the Premiership. But what is the point when the funding is so inadequate?”

Copsey previously told iSportconnect that investment would be key, especially if the club was relegated: “Without premiership status, that leaves a much bigger uphill struggle to gain that investment.

“Short term, it is about the desire of the current board of investors to supply more money, or to attract new investment.

“I would have thought, really for the club, it is about attracting new investment, but as I said that will be harder if we are not in the Premiership.”

Location: Canada

Closing Date: 12th September

Overview:

The 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society is looking to fill the contract position of Manager, doctor Human Resources.

In less than three years, canada viagra thousands of our country’s best and brightest will set their sights on Red Deer as we host the 2019 Canada Winter Games. More than 3,600 participants from across Canada, 450 media, 700 VIPs, 500 officials and thousands of visitors will join us for the two­week event. Featuring 19 sports and numerous cultural events and festivals, the 2019 Canada Winter Games will be the largest event in Red Deer’s history.

Working with staff and volunteers, the Manager, Human Resources will provide coordination, planning and operations support for the organization’s human resources function. These responsibilities will contribute to the mission of the 2019 Canada Games Host Society to deliver a life­shaping Games experience for all participants, our community, our province and our nation, which leaves a lasting legacy for athletic and leadership greatness.

How to Apply

Click HERE to apply

Marston’s and Warwickshire County Cricket Club have signed a new deal to continue their long-standing partnership through its 20 year tenure, pills with a seven year extension running to 2023.

The new agreement is one of the biggest Official Beer and supply partnerships in cricket and is worth more than seven figures.

Marston’s has been involved in supporting local, regional, county and national team cricket since the late 1990s, with the partnership with Warwickshire CCC now one of the longest standing beer sponsorship deals in sport.

Find out more HERE

Discovery Networks Norway, pills has agreed a six-year deal with the Norwegian Football Association (NFF) to acquire the media rights to the Tippeligaen, drugs the top division of Norwegian football.

 

This will be broadcast on the TV channels Eurosport Norway and MAX, and a handful of big matches will also be shown on the main channel TVNorge. All games will also be available on the streaming service Eurosport Player.

Dominic Coles, COO & CFO, Discovery Networks Northern Europe, said: “Sport is a major new genre for Discovery and acquiring strategically important local sports rights like Tippeligaen to supplement our fantastic pan regional rights creates a strong opportunity for us locally. 

“Football is one of the most important sports in Norway and this six year deal gives us the chance to create new value for passionate fans in the market.”

Discovery networks Norway is also teaming up with Norwegian newspaper VG, who will be producing daily sports news for the TV broadcaster and expanding coverage of Norwegian football through the week.

“For us, this is a milestone and an historic turning point in our sports coverage, and we are proud to show Tippeligaen and OBOS-ligaen for the next six years”, says Harald Strømme, CEO, Discovery Networks Norway.

“Our ambition is to give more football to the people, and to make Norwegian football more accessible. In cooperation with the Norwegian TV distributors, we will manage to do so. Together with VG and the Norwegian football community, including clubs and supporters, we will increase the interest and engagement for Norwegian elite football,” added Strømme.

Major League Soccer (MLS) has revealed it set a record for attendances for the 2014/15 season.  

The average attendance at an MLS regular-season game increased from 19, medicine 147 in 2014 to 21, ed 574 this season, ampoule an increase of 12.7 percent, the best in the league for 22 years.

Read more HERE.

 

Ian Edmondson, discount the Head of Major Events at London & Partners has talked to iSportconnect TV about the importance of the London 2012 profile to continue bringing major events to the capital.

After hosting a successful Olympic Games in 2012, London is now focused on future events, such as the Tour de France next year, the 2017 IAAF World Championships and more.

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect TV at Sportel Monaco, Edmondson said: “Having the profile of London is going to be important for that story, of what it is all about after the Games, rather than just our big moment in the sun in 2012.”

Other key events that Edmondson highlights are the those from across the pond, such as the NFL games at Wembley and the NBA matches that are coming to The O2 in 2014.

As Edmondson commented, the American sports have “invested in London in a big way.”

Describing the extra commitment from the NFL in hosting more games at Wembley as a “huge step forward,” Edmondson added: “We are supporting the NFL in that and how to grow their audience and how to internationalise the game, which is goof for London.”

To watch the whole interview with Edmondson, tune into the Big Interview on iSportconnect TV.

{jcomments on}