NBA To Continue With Sky Italia As Broadcast Partner In Italy

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sky Italia have agreed a four-year broadcast and multiplatform partnership expansion that will see Sky Italia continue as the NBA’s exclusive broadcast partner and official website operator in Italy.

As part of the NBA’s most extensive partnership ever in Italy, Sky Italia will broadcast more than 300 live games each season, including a record 48 weekend primetime games as part of the league’s ‘NBA Saturdays’ and ‘NBA Sundays’ European primetime initiative.

The NBA’s 74th regular season tips off Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 and concludes Wednesday, April 15, 2020. NBA games and programming will once again be available on Sky’s 24-hour dedicated NBA channel, Sky Sport NBA (channel 206) – including at least one live game per day, highlights and analysis.

Extensive video highlights, news, stats, scores, in-depth analysis and original digital content will continue to be available on sport.sky.it/nba, the official website of the NBA in Italy, enabling fans to stay connected to the game whenever, wherever they are.

“Sky Italia is one of our longest and most-valued partners in Europe,” said NBA EMEA Vice President, Global Media Distribution, Elsa Memmi. “With more access to live primetime games than ever before and extensive highlights available online there has never been a better time to be a NBA fan in Italy.”

“We are very pleased to announce the renewal of our relationship with the NBA for a further four years, and we are more than happy that the NBA has identified Sky as the best partner to enhance its brand once again,” said Executive Vice President Sky Sport, Marzio Perrelli.

“Sky remains the point of reference for the many NBA fans in Italy and will ensure the usual exceptional coverage, with even more matches in primetime and an enhanced editorial quality. This is just great for NBA fans and for those who are getting into basketball. Sky is, once again, the home of sport.”

Sky Italia’s coverage will include an average of seven live games each week during the 2019-20 regular season including a record 48 games in primetime as part of the league’s NBA Saturdays’ and ‘NBA Sundays’ Europe-wide weekend primetime initiative. Additionally, Sky Italia will broadcast live back-to-back games on Christmas Day. Fans can also look forward to marquee year-round events including NBA All-Star, the NBA Playoffs, the NBA Conference Finals, The Finals and the NBA Draft.

Vestas Appoints ATPI Sports Events As Activation Partner For Formula E Sponsorship

Vestas, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, joins the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team as a Principal Partner for the upcoming ABB FIA Formula E Championship season with immediate effect.

To activate this sponsorship for its various target groups, Vestas has appointed global travel and event specialist ATPI Sports Events. ATPI will be responsible for hospitality management, programme design and guest communications during the upcoming racing season.

Jurrie van den Berg, general manager client services, ATPI, said: “We are proud that Vestas has chosen ATPI Sports Events as a partner. This is a prestigious, international project that fits in seamlessly with the strategic direction that we have taken as ATPI Sports Events, which focusses on the international B2B market. The appointment further bolsters our international client roster and builds upon our successful involvement in Formula E.”

Magnus Bach, vice president global marketing, Vestas, commented: “In our partnership with Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team, the hospitality programme – targeting our commercial stakeholders and employees alike – is the backbone of our engagement. It is of critical importance for us that it delivers on objectives, every time we execute. With that in mind, it is only natural that we drive this project with our trusted partner, ATPI. Having worked closely together in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race, we are excited about embarking on this new chapter together with ATPI, whilst drawing on their vast experience and expertise in large international events.”

ATPI Sports Events has extensive experience in delivering travel, events, corporate hospitality, ticketing, branding and sponsorship activation for leading events and sports brands around the world.

Spartan Race UK Partners Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

Spartan Race UK has joined forces with Shooting Star Children’s Hospices who will become the official charity partner for the Windsor Spartan race in October and the first ever Spartan Stadion race held at Twickenham Stadium in November.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, throughout Surrey and across 15 boroughs of London.

They support families from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.

As part of the official partnership, Spartan are hoping to raise £50,000 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices through the fundraising efforts of racers taking part in the events. As well as this, as the official charity partner, the hospice will have a presence at both the Windsor and Twickenham events and across all Spartan Race digital channels in the lead up to the races.

Speaking about the partnership, Alex Clarke-Dawson, Sponsorship lead UK & Ireland at Spartan Race UK said, “We are incredibly excited to announce our new partnership with Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.  It is a fantastic cause and the level of care that they provide is second to none. We hope that we will be able to raise a significant sum of money for the charity and help give back to the community.”

Nigel Harding, Chief Executive of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices said, “The support Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides to families is crucial, yet the funding we receive from the government is negligible. We rely on the generosity of the public to keep our vital care service running, so we’re thrilled to be the official charity partner of the Windsor Spartan and the Twickenham Stadion Race.

“We hope that those signing up to take part choose to support their local children’s hospice charity – every penny raised really will ensure we can continue to support families facing the unimaginable.”

Northampton Rugby Club Agrees Three Commercial Deals

Premiership Rugby club Northampton Saints has announced three commercial partnerships with Marshall Amplification, WIT Fitness, and Michael Jones Jeweller for the 2019/20 season and beyond.

“We’re ecstatic to be able to announce new Club partners across three such diverse sectors,” said Lee Gibbons, Northampton Saints’ commercial director.

“Whenever we agree new partnership deals, it’s great news for Northampton Saints – but in signing up three exciting brands from completely distinct industries, we’re growing the Club’s profile even further and reaching new audiences.

“Partnership opportunities at Saints are not ‘one size fits all’; our team have developed bespoke packages for each brand, in order to provide the optimal inventory and activations so they can achieve their brand and business objectives.

“So, we’re thrilled to welcome Marshall, WIT, and Michael Jones to the team, and are excited for both our supporters and players to start reaping the benefits of these new relationships.”

WIT Fitness

WIT (‘Whatever It Takes’) Fitness is one of the fastest-growing sports businesses in the UK and has become Saints’ official training partner.

A retailer, gym chain, and brand in its own right, WIT plans to bring some of their infamous fitness classes and pop-up stores to Saints’ home matches this season and produce unique and engaging content from the players’ training sessions.

“We see Northampton as the perfect partner for us as we try to encourage the next generation to train hard and stay fit,” said Daniel Williams, chief executive of WIT Fitness.

“Our customers respect athletes who combine serious commitment in the gym with preparing to conquer their own sport, and WIT will be showcasing exactly this with unique behind-the-scenes content of Saints players training hard to win at the very highest level.”

Marshall Amplification

Marshall Amplification has a vibrant and dynamic history within the music industry, and has now become the Club’s official audio partner.

With the brand renowned for their manufacturing excellence, Marshall’s equipment is relied upon and celebrated by some of the greatest music artists in the world, and they will now supply Saints players with their market-leading headphones and amps to help them prepare for matches within the gym and the changing room.

Jon Ellery, managing director at Marshall Amps, said: “We’re proud to sponsor Northampton Saints. Jim Marshall was always a huge supporter of local sport, particularly to those that gave so much back to the local community.

“Music and sport are inspirational, and we hope that by partnering with Saints, together we’ll support aspiring rugby players and rock stars alike. So be loud, and be heard.”

Michael Jones Jeweller

Michael Jones Jeweller boasts a superb reputation across Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire for outstanding quality and value for money, and have become Saints’ new official jewellery partner.

The new deal sees the biggest hospitality area at Franklin’s Gardens renamed the ‘Michael Jones Jeweller’s Champions Suite’, and managing director Stuart O’Grady is relishing the opportunity to use the space for more exposure with local companies, national brands, and individuals.

“As a Northampton-based business we are delighted to partner with Saints,” he said. “This is one of the leading sports clubs in the country, and we know just how much it means to the people of the town and the business community.

“We want to grow our relationship with the engaged and passionate audience at Franklin’s Gardens, and show them that – like Northampton Saints – we offer our customers the very best in value and service.”

Watford Signs Bitcoin As Sleeve Sponsor

The Bitcoin logo (₿) will appear on the shirt sleeve of Premier League football club Watford this season, as part of an educational drive led by the innovative sports betting brand Sportsbet.io.

The logo is part of a wider campaign to improve awareness around Bitcoin and educate the public on the benefits of using cryptocurrencies. It is led by Watford FC’s primary shirt sponsor, Sportsbet.io, which announced a landmark deal with the Hornets in June.

Justin Le Brocque, Head of Sportsbet.io Marketing, said: “The crypto community have been hugely supportive of us since we began, so putting the Bitcoin logo on the sleeve felt like a fun way to give something back while also showing them our support.”

The sponsorship will be crowd-funded, allowing anyone who holds Bitcoin the exclusive opportunity to share in the perks granted to Watford FC sponsors. Contributors can bid for public LED space shown live during matches, use of the Bitcoin box for eight people and exclusive Watford FC merchandise.

“Some of the biggest challenges we, and others like us, face is raising awareness, dispelling common myths around cryptos and educating the public on the advantages and opportunities presented by cryptocurrencies,” added Le Brocque.

 “Our partnership with Watford marks a major disruption in the world of traditional sports sponsorship, and by adding the Bitcoin logo we hope this world’s first partnership will create even more buzz around cryptocurrencies.”

Scott Duxbury, Hornets’ Chairman & CEO, added: “Placing the Bitcoin logo on a Premier League shirt is something that challenges the accepted norm. We’re excited about the partnerships and the potential for new global conversations that it could help start for our club.”

Last month, Sportsbet.io announced a pioneering three-year partnership with Watford, marking the first time a company known for blockchain and cryptocurrency expertise had appeared on the front of a Premier League shirt.

The announcement was accompanied by the launch of Sportsbet.io’s ‘Know No Borders’ campaign, which highlight the brand’s commitment to putting players at the heart of the action, no matter their country, sport, team or currency.

IOC Partners Intel For Esports Tournament And VR Training

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020) have partnered with Intel.

Intel announced the Intel World Open esports tournament will take place ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which builds on the first esports experience delivered at Intel® Extreme Masters PyeongChang. The Intel World Open will feature Capcom’s “Street Fighter V” and Psyonix’s “Rocket League,” and kick off with online qualifiers in early 2020 where any player at any level can compete for a chance to join their national team.

A live qualifier event in Katowice, Poland, in June will determine which teams will advance to the championship esports tournament in Tokyo from July 22-24, 2020, leading into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The live finals in Tokyo will host fans at the Zepp DiverCity venue. Intel will power all of the live Intel World Open events with the Intel Core i7 gaming processor, as well as the PCs used in the broadcasts and complete backend infrastructure.

Kit McConnell, IOC Sports Director said: “We are excited Intel is bringing the Intel World Open esports tournament to Japan in the lead up to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. As we explore the engagement between esports and the Olympic Movement we are looking forward to learning from this event and continuing to engage with the passionate esports community from around the world.”

The IOC and Intel are further collaborating to define and implement solutions that combine the experience of the IOC and the technical expertise of TOP partner Intel to support the organizing committee becoming operationally ready.

VR training will be utilized to create an immersive learning experience for key managers at competition venues. Intel’s VR training system improves training effectiveness with a more realistic experience for those learning with more accurate/objective feedback

Rugby Canada Names OPRO As The Official Mouthguard

OPRO has signed an official partnership with Rugby Canada, the national governing body for Rugby Union in Canada.

With player welfare a key component of OPRO’s commitment to developing the game of rugby at all levels, the new partnership draws a parallel with Rugby Canada’s ‘PlaySmart’ initiative, which aims to put players first by educating them on the importance of injury awareness, prevention and recovery.

Specifically, OPRO will provide elite level mouthguards to all junior and senior players from Rugby Canada’s national programme, as well as providing access to their entire range of award winning Self-Fit mouthguards to Rugby Canada’s grassroots level of rugby across Canada.

The tie-up comes at an exciting time as Rugby Canada seek to build upon gold and silver medals respectively for the women’s and men’s sevens teams at last month’s Pan American Games, as they continue to look to harness the power of international events to inspire and develop the game at all levels.

Together, OPRO and Rugby Canada are looking toward September in Japan, to the highly anticipated men’s Rugby World Cup which they see as a fantastic opportunity to capitalise on the noise and excitement around the game, to inspire more children to become involved in a sport that is steeped in history.

As the official mouthguard of Rugby Canada, OPRO are now the mouthguard partner of over 75 teams including New Zealand Rugby, England Rugby, Australia Rugby, USA Rugby, Canadian Lacrosse, Football Canada and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  With over 20 years’ experience, OPRO is dedicated to bringing leading technology and safety to athletes at all levels of sport.

 OPRO Sports Marketing Director, Daniel Lovat said: “Canada has a long and successful history in the sport of Rugby, and we’re excited to now be a part of that. We have huge respect for the work they are putting into education around player welfare and are looking forward to working together to help foster improvements across all levels of the game moving forward.”

Rugby Canada’s Director of Athletic Performance, Matt Barr: “Player safety is paramount in everything that we do.  We are very pleased to partner with OPRO Mouthguards and for them to provide our athletes with a quality product.”

ABB FIA Formula E Announces Record Audience Figures And Revenue

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship has further accelerated its audience growth across the board in season five  with 72 per cent of followers on social channels under the age of 35.

Consumer growth figures at the end of the season also reflect a similar upward trajectory of the company’s financials. The preliminary numbers show a record revenue of over €200 million (EUR), up more than 50 per cent from last season and a positive EBITDA for the first time in the short history of Formula E.

Not only has Formula E seen a significant increase in revenue, the series has also experienced yet another consecutive year of growth across its digital platforms, as well as increased event attendance and more fans tuning in to watch on television.

Formula E entered a new era in season five, introducing the game-changing Gen2 car, rolling out an innovative race format and adding to the list of iconic cities featuring on the calendar, which in turn created a truly unique and unmissable sporting spectacle.

Coming off the back of the most competitive and unpredictable season so far, which saw eight different winners in the first eight races, the excitement on track has translated into growth across all areas and has again gained most traction with a younger audience.

Following a trend set in previous seasons and showing no signs of slowing, Formula E is continuing to capture a new and young audience, with a rising amount of followers, video views and sustained levels of engagement spread over the most desirable age brackets.

The combined total of followers has climbed 212 per cent compared to last season, more than doubling the number of new fans following the ABB FIA Formula E Championship on social media. Despite drawing a larger following, engagement rates haven’t relented and instead have continued to rise with a 449 per cent increase in interaction on Formula E owned content.

Formula E has focussed its efforts on servicing fans with the latest news, storylines and relevant content to help create conversation, stir debate and generate comments from fans. The series is also committed to producing original content in key markets, with multi-language community management attributing to additional levels of engagement.

The number of video views has grown for a second season in succession, coming in at 61 per cent more than last year and passing the 850 million mark. With 72 per cent of followers aged under 35 and 42 per cent of videos being viewed by fans under the age of 25, Formula E is among the highest-performing sports platforms on the planet in terms of percentage breakdown of young fans.

Targeting and tailoring content to a young audience ties in with Formula E’s broader brand purpose and vision of moving towards a cleaner future, faster – reaching more fans and bringing them one step closer to buying an electric car.

Formula E has had more event attendees than ever before, surpassing more than 400,000 spectators and ticket holders coming through the turnstiles in season five. Along with increased footfall in cities around the world, the number of fans watching on television has risen 24 per cent year-on-year, with a cumulative TV audience of 411m across 13 races.

After the most successful season to date, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is already gearing up for the new campaign with the most competitive line-up in motorsport. Both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche join the grid and will be battling for bragging rights when the five lights go out for the SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix double-header on November 22 & 23.

10bet Signs Didier Drogba As Global Brand Ambassador

10bet has signed a two-year partnership with footballer Didier Drogba to become its new Global Brand Ambassador.

After an illustrious career winning multiple major honours, including four Premier League and FA Cup titles and the coveted Champions League trophy with Chelsea, and twice being named African Player of the Year, Drogba will partner with 10bet continuing to pursue his passion for sport.

The former Chelsea and Ivory Coast international announced the move via a personal video on his social media page. He’ll star in the company’s global marketing campaigns to promote the brand in the UK and Asia, as well as making special appearances at major live events.

Didier Drogba, said: “I am excited to be partnering with 10bet on this campaign, and like that they promote responsible gaming. We had a lot of fun filming the ads which you will see very soon.”

A 10bet spokesperson, said: “Didier is one of the most successful and popular sports stars in the world. His career record of scoring 10 goals in 10 finals and winning 10 trophies at club level earned him the name “the ultimate big game player,” making him a natural fit for our partnership. His passion for the game will be invaluable as he joins us at 10bet in a new challenge off the pitch.”

NBA India Appoints Rajesh Sethi As Managing Director

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has named Rajesh Sethi as Managing Director of NBA India.

Sethi, who begins with the NBA on Sept. 12, will report to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. As Managing Director of NBA India, Sethi will oversee the league’s basketball and business development initiatives in India and will be supported by the region’s senior leadership team.

Most recently, Sethi was with the Essel Group, a leading business conglomerate in India, where he held various leadership roles with the group’s entities, including SITI Networks, Zee Entertainment and Ten Sports. Since 2017, he has been the Chief Business Transformation Officer of SITI Networks, one of India’s leading cable television systems operators, and he spearheaded the creation of multiple new offerings for SITI Networks’ consumers.

Prior to SITI Networks, Sethi was the CEO of Distribution and Sports Business at Zee Entertainment, a major Indian media company. Additionally, he was the CEO of Ten Sports, a subsidiary of Zee Entertainment, where he oversaw the global sports broadcasters’ sports channels.

Earlier in his career, Sethi was the CEO and Region Director for South East Asia of Allianz Global, a specialty insurance provider, and held executive roles with General Electric in India and Tata Motors.

“Rajesh’s extensive experience in the media and broadcast industry combined with his leadership and management abilities make him the ideal person to lead our efforts in India,” said Tatum. “We look forward to working with Rajesh to help take basketball and the NBA to new heights in India at a time when the game has never been more popular across the country.”

“I am thrilled to join the NBA at such an exciting time,” said Sethi. “The league has done a wonderful job of growing its presence in India, and I look forward to working with all our partners and colleagues here as we explore new ways to increase basketball participation and engagement.”