Taruka Srivastav, Author at iSportConnect

Eleven Sports Secures Exclusive Rights To 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships In Taiwan

Eleven Sports has acquired exclusive live rights to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships, and the FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Cups in Taiwan.

The 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships will be live from the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, and Eleven subscribers will have the opportunity to watch Taiwanese athletes on the world stage.

Chao-Tsun Cheng, current Asian record holder in Javelin will be looking to convert his IAAF Continental Cup Silver medal into another medal at the World Championships. The 2019 FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Cups come live from Japan with China and USA looking to defend their titles in the Women’s and Men’s tournaments respectively.

“These new rights additions, together with live coverage of the English Premier League, the NBA, Lamigo Monkeys and Formosa Dreamers, ensures we continue to serve sports fans across Taiwan with some of the best international and local action.”

SC Freiburg’s Keller Proposed For German Federation Presidency

SC Freiburg President Fritz Keller has been proposed as the next President of the German Football Federation (DFB) by the exploratory commission tasked with finding a replacement for Reinhard Grindel.

The DFB said yesterday the 62-year-old Keller would be presented to regional associations and the German football league (DFL) for questioning at a meeting in Berlin on August 21.

He would then need to be confirmed in post at the DFB assembly in Frankfurt on September 27.

German news agency DPA reports:

“Fritz Keller is without doubt an extraordinary personality with all the qualities for the office of DFB president,” said Rainer Koch, one of two interim bosses.

“Decades-long experience with close connections to professional and amateur football, also with women’s football and youth work, along with a great business career make him stand out.”

Grindel resigned as DFB chief in April after admitting he had received a €6,000 watch as a gift from the former head of the Ukrainian football association.

Koch and Reinhard Rauball took the reins on an interim basis and were also part of the commission which considered permanent candidates for the job.

“With a view to the big challenges which await the DFB at this time, Fritz Keller is the candidate that fits to lead the biggest sporting organization in the world in the future,” Rauball said.

Keller said he would step down from his Freiburg position if elected at the DFB, something which was “anything other than easy” to decide as his work with the Bundesliga club brought him “great pleasure.”

Freiburg’s advisory board said in a statement Keller would be a loss to the club but praised his “intensive” work and supported his candidacy.

Together with the DFL, the DFB wanted to propose single a candidate to present at its congress.

A recruiting firm, regional and state associations, professional clubs, DFB partners, and figures from society and business were all asked to help develop the profile deemed necessary of Grindel’s replacement, who must be an administrative all-rounder.

These discussions, the federation said, led to the commission – which also included DFB Treasurer Dr Stephan Osnabruegge, Vice President Ronny Zimmermann, and Peter Peters and Christian Seifert of the DFL – unanimously deciding on Keller.

Assuming he is confirmed, Keller must walk a fine line domestically between the needs of tens of thousands of amateur players while sharpening the professional edge of one of the most successful countries in global football.

Germany is hosting the 24-team European Championships in less than five years and there are politically shark-infested waters of the UEFA and FIFA governing bodies to be safely negotiated.

Grindel also resigned his membership of the FIFA Council and as a UEFA vice president. Keller does not automatically inherit these roles and the DFB may prefer he concentrate on the tasks at home given the amount of work that awaits him.

Keller would be ultimately responsible for everything from the details of the fourth-tier regional leagues to the construction of the DFB’s €150 million academy and the fortunes of coach Joachim Loew’s national team.

And he will also be expected to bring stability to an organization now on its third president in five years; Grindel’s predecessor Wolfgang Niersbach resigned in November 2015 over a scandal surrounding the successful bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Wasps Dial In Vodafone As Official Communication Technology Partner

Vodafone has agreed a sponsorship deal with Wasps Ladies rugby team in addition to the recently announced new sponsorship and technology deal with the men’s Wasps rugby club as well as the netball teams.

The partnership will see Vodafone equip the Ricoh Arena with 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

The Ricoh Arena will also host a Vodafone Business Lounge, currently one of only two outside the company’s Newbury headquarters. It will allow Vodafone business customers from both the West Midlands.

The Wasps sponsorship is part of Vodafone’s broader investment in Coventry and the wider West Midlands. Vodafone Gigafast Broadband is rolling out across Coventry.

UEFA Foundation for Children Collaborates With Turkish Football Federation To Help Refugees

UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) have joined forces to help refugees in Turkey with the ‘Live Together’ project.

The Live Together project aims to improve the living conditions of refugees, migrants and host communities. It will facilitate social cohesion by encouraging Turkish children and Syrian child refugees to interact while playing together in safe spaces such as schools, communities centres and clubs. Through sport – and football in particular – those children will learn how to live together.

TFF President Nihat Özdemir said: “TFF is very glad to enter in this project with the Foundation and to contribute to helping children and youth to respond to numerous challenges. Football is a great unifier and can help children to learn to live together and improve their lives. TFF Looking forward to the mutual cooperation and will do its best for the success of the project.”

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: “When a child plays football, he gets lost in the game. Football enables them to be children and dream big. We are pleased to partner with the Turksih Football Federation to use football as a tool to unite cultures and establish mutual understanding and respect.”

Eleven Sports Secures Exclusive Live Rights To The 2019 IAAF World Athletics In Taiwan

Global sports provider Eleven Sports has acquired exclusive live rights to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships, and the FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Cups in Taiwan.

Chao-Tsun Cheng, current Asian record holder in Javelin will be looking to convert his IAAF Continental Cup Silver medal into another medal at the World Championships. There will also be the chance to watch Taiwanese talent on the track with Chun-Han Yang competing in the 100m and 200m sprints, while Kuei-Ru Chen will compete in the 100m Hurdles.

The 2019 FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Cups come live from Japan with China and USA looking to defend their titles in the Women’s and Men’s tournaments respectively.

“We are delighted to add three global competitions to our strong portfolio of live sport and give our viewers the chance to see Taiwanese athletes competing on the world stage,” said Simone Kang, Managing Director of Eleven Sports in Taiwan. “These new rights additions, together with live coverage of the English Premier League, the NBA, Lamigo Monkeys and Formosa Dreamers, ensures we continue to serve sports fans across Taiwan with some of the best international and local action.”

CAA Sports And Polaris Sports Extend Global Partnership

CAA Sports and Polaris Sports have extended their global partnership.

Led by CEO Luis Correia, Polaris Sports and CAA Sports originally partnered in 2008, and since have jointly represented the commercial rights for many of the world’s premier football players, managers, and coaches, including five-time Ballon d’Or-winner and UEFA Champions League all-time leading goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo; FIFA World Coach of the Year José Mourinho; Golden Boot-winner James Rodríguez; Manchester City Midfielder Bernardo Silva; Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder Dele Alli; and Bayern Munich Midfielder Renato Sanches, among many others. Most recently, Polaris Sports/Gestifute and CAA Sports signed new clients Atlético Madrid Striker and teenage superstar João Félix and Real Madrid Forward Vinícius Júnior for global representation.

“In our business, partnerships are rarely as smooth, seamless, and mutually beneficial as the one we’ve shared with Luis, Jorge, and their team at Polaris Sport for more than a decade,” said Michael Levine, Co-Head, CAA Sports. “We have worked well together for so long that it feels as if Polaris is part of our extended CAA family. We look forward to continuing to innovate together on behalf of our long-standing clients within the sport of global football.”

CAA Sports and Polaris Sports, led by CEO Luis Correia, work collaboratively to create global commercial opportunities for its shared athlete clients in the areas of endorsements, licensing, publishing, speaking engagements, motion pictures, television, video games, and digital media. On behalf of Ronaldo, CAA Sports and Polaris Sports have orchestrated one of the most comprehensive commercial portfolios in all sports, making Ronaldo the most marketed athlete in the world. The companies have brokered global agreements with Nike, American Tourister, Clear, DAZN, Altice, MTG, Sixpad, Dubai Holding, Crunch Fitness, CR7 Fashion and CR7 Beauty, and helped grow his CR7 business into such categories as footwear, men’s furnishings, fragrance, and apparel. Additionally, the companies brokered a deal for Ronaldo, the most followed athlete on social media with nearly 400 million subscribers, to executive produce a scripted drama series for Facebook Watch.

Polaris Sports and CAA Sports also further solidified Mourinho’s position as the most marketed coach in international football through an unmatched portfolio of endorsement partners, including global partnership deals with American Express, Yahoo!, Jaguar, Heineken, Mastercard, British Telecom, adidas, and Hublot, in addition to a book publishing deal with Headline, the UK-based imprint of Hachette.

“For over a dozen years, our strategic alliance with CAA Sports has been very successful, which makes this partnership renewal so special and relevant,” said Correia. “We have developed deep personal and business relationships throughout this period, which have enabled us to create and develop fantastic opportunities for our clients.”

Birmingham 2022 Set For Largest Female And Para-Sport Programme In Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced that Birmingham 2022 is set to have the largest ever female and para sport programme in history after Women’s T20 Cricket, Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis were confirmed for the next Commonwealth Games.

The announcement comes after the 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) voted by the required majority to accept the proposal from Birmingham 2022 to add these three sports to the existing programme.

The addition of Women’s T20 Cricket will see eight teams competing at Birmingham’s iconic Edgbaston Stadium. This adds to a strong female sports programme which, as it stands, will see two more women’s medal events than men’s at the Games, with 135 compared to 133. There are currently seven mixed events, with the confirmed event programme to be announced next year.

It marks the first time in history that a major multi-sport event will feature more women’s than men’s medal events.

The addition of these sports means Birmingham 2022 is expected to surpass the previous Commonwealth Games record for women’s medal events in Gold Coast 2018 by two.

With the inclusion of Para Table Tennis, the Games will have more para sports of the programme at a Commonwealth Games than ever before, with eight para sports now confirmed for the multi-sport competition.

Beach Volleyball joins the sports programme for Birmingham 2022 following a hugely successful Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018, where it became one of the star attraction at the Games.

Today’s announcement also confirms that there will be up to 4,500 athletes competing at Birmingham 2022 across 19 sports. The Games will take place from 27 July to August 7 in 2022.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “Today is an historic day for the Commonwealth Games and I am delighted that we can now confirm that Birmingham 2022 is set to have the largest ever female and para-sport programme in history.

“I would like to congratulate and formally welcome Women’s T20 Cricket, Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis to the official sports programme for Birmingham 2022 and I know they will all help enhance what will be a spectacular and vibrant multi-sport event.

“I would also like to thank our Commonwealth Games Associations for recognising the benefit that these three exciting sports will add to Birmingham 2022 and voting to include them to the sports programme.

“We are passionate advocates of women’s sport and para-sport so I am thrilled we are able to make this special announcement today.”

International Cricket Council Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “We are delighted and honoured the Commonwealth Games Associations voted to include Women’s T20 cricket as a sport at the next Commonwealth Games. This is a very significant moment for women’s cricket and for the global cricket community, who were united in their support of this bid. Our partnership with the Commonwealth Games is a significant step forward in realizing our ambition for the women’s game. All the players who are lucky enough to compete at Birmingham 2022 will be part of a truly memorable experience.”

International Table Tennis Federation President (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert said: “The ITTF is delighted to learn that the Commonwealth Games Federation has accepted the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee’s recommendation for the inclusion of Para Table Tennis. We wish to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Table Tennis England in preparing the submission.

“This will hopefully provide us with an opportunity to build upon the successes of the Gold Coast Games, to further the development of our Para athletes across the Commonwealth and provide an impetus for activity on the local and national scene in England. The inclusion of Para Table Tennis in multisport competitions that are not exclusively “Para events” is also a clear proof of how popular Table Tennis is and how viable it is for local organising committees to stage our sport.”

Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 said: “I am delighted that our proposal to add women’s cricket, beach volleyball and para table tennis to our sports programme has been endorsed by the CGF’s Executive Board and now by Commonwealth Games Associations from across the globe.

“We proposed these sports after carrying out a thorough and robust review with some of our partners and it was clear to the review panel that these sports will help us to reach new audiences, ensuring that we seize this fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the Games, the West Midlands region and the people that live here.

“We’re also delighted that we’re now able to add Edgbaston Stadium to our list of venues for Birmingham 2022, as it’s truly a world-class facility and a jewel in Birmingham’s sporting crown.”

Nigel Adams MP, UK Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries said: “I am proud that the UK is hosting the largest ever women and para sport programme in Commonwealth Games history. It is the first time any major multi-sport competition has more medal events for women than men, and builds on the incredible growth of women’s sport. These additions are also a fantastic opportunity to increase the profile of para sport, and to showcase the city of Birmingham to a global audience.”

Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director of Women’s Cricket said:“We are incredibly excited that Women’s T20 Cricket will be included in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It’s an honour for cricket to be involved in an event that is committed to championing female and para sport.

“Cricket’s inclusion offers a wonderful opportunity to capitalise on the global reach of the Games to showcase the very best of women’s cricket and to inspire a new generation of women and girls to start playing the game.

“We are really pleased that the teams at both Birmingham 2022 and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) share our belief in the power of cricket to connect communities, inspire and engage people across the world.”

Neil Snowball, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CCC said: “Seeing women’s T20 recognised as a sport in the Commonwealth Games is fantastic for the game of cricket and we’re thrilled that Edgbaston can play a leading role by hosting this first ever tournament at Birmingham 2022.

“Our recent hosting of the Specsavers Ashes Test match and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup proved once again that, by working in partnership with our city stakeholders and delivery partners, Birmingham is an outstanding host of the world’s biggest sporting events.

“Birmingham 2022 will put the city, and the West Midlands, on the world stage again and we’re very excited to be working with the Commonwealth Games organising team on delivering one of the biggest events that this region has ever experienced.”

England Women’s all-rounder Nat Sciver said: “It’s massively exciting for women’s cricket to get an opportunity like this at Birmingham 2022. We are always looking to grow cricket and to take it to as many people as possible and the platform of Birmingham 2022 will really help that.

“England Netball winning the gold in Australia was inspirational and we hope during our own Commonwealth Games journey, we can also inspire and encourage more girls to get involved in cricket.

“We’ve obviously been lucky enough to lift a World Cup on home soil, and as a kid that was something we’d all always dreamt of. The Commonwealth Games is different of course, but the idea of becoming a medallist on home soil is hugely exciting and hopefully we can work towards that.”

Team England Beach Volleyball players Victoria Palmer and Jess Grimson said: “We’re super excited about the inclusion of beach volleyball for Birmingham 2022. We had the opportunity to represent Team England at the Gold Coast in 2018, which was something we will never forget. But to have the opportunity to play at a home games would be the real dream and also a huge step forward for beach volleyball in England.”

Para Table Tennis player Ross Wilson said: “It is brilliant news that Para table tennis will be included in the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

“Competing for Team England on the Gold Coast last year was an incredible experience and I’m really proud to be Commonwealth champion. It is something I’ve always dreamed of and to go out and win was just an absolutely amazing feeling and one I can’t really describe. I really hope that I will have the chance to defend my title in Birmingham in 2022 as to do that in front of a home crowd would be so special.”

Commonwealth Games England CEO Paul Blanchard said: “This announcement is a very exciting moment for us as it not only adds three more sports to a very diverse programme but also provides the opportunity for more Team England athletes to represent their nation at a home Games in Birmingham.

“Para table tennis adds to an already packed para programme, the biggest ever, which we are incredibly excited about. Roommates Ross Wilson and Kim Daybell battling it out in the TT6-10 final to take gold and silver for Team England was a standout moment for me at the Gold Coast 2018 Games.

“After seeing first hand what a spectacle the beach volleyball competition was in Australia, I can’t wait to see it again on home soil. We also applaud the inclusion of women’s T20 cricket and welcome the sport joining us for the first time ever after a thrilling year of growth in women’s sport.”

World Surf League Forges A Content Partnership With Rolling Stone

World Surf League (WSL) has joined forces with Rolling Stone.

As part of the new partnership, Rolling Stone will celebrate the elite athletes competing on the WSL Championship Tour, the series that crowns the men’s and women’s world surf champions each year.

Rolling Stone will devote significant editorial backing to the project, including features and photos essays in the magazine as well as video and digital content. Athletes featured in the partnership include Stephanie Gilmore (reigning 7X WSL Champion), John John Florence (2X WSL Champion), Coco Ho, Lakey Peterson, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Conner Coffin and more.

The first piece of content, “My First Time with Coco Ho,” has been released today. Watch here. “My First Time,” is an ongoing fan-favorite series featuring a wide-range of artists, actors and celebrities as they sit down to divulge a series of “firsts”. Through “My First Time,” viewers get a closer look at some of pop culture’s most well-known faces. Past participants have included, Ringo Starr, Lizzo, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Willie Nelson and Seth Rogan. New content will be released each week on RollingStone.com and WorldSurfLeague.com.

“The athleticism, drama, and adventure of pro surfing is a perfect fit for Rolling Stone readers, who count on us for the most cutting-edge cultural content in the world,” said Rolling Stone President Gus Wenner. “Rolling Stone is thrilled to partner with the World Surf League on a slate of joint initiatives that celebrate the world’s best surfers and the Championship Tour as music is such a critical part of surfing and life on the tour.”

“Rolling Stone is legendary in the music industry and it’s really awesome to work with such an iconic brand,” said 7X reigning WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore. “I’m passionate about music and there’s a strong natural connection with surfing, which makes this an extremely exciting partnership. Rock and roll.”

The partnership will also include Rolling Stone’s sponsorship of the music stage featuring The Raconteurs, as well as a special edition co-branded apparel collection with Rolling Stone and Outerknown at the upcoming Freshwater Pro pres. by Outerknown. The event is a crucial stop on the WSL Championship Tour and takes place at the Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California, from September 19 – 21, 2019.

McLaren Racing Returns To IndyCar With Chevrolet Partnership

McLaren Racing will return to full-time IndyCar competition from 2020 in a strategic partnership with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Arrow SPM) and Chevrolet.

McLaren last competed full-time in IndyCar in 1979. Under the partnership, the team will be renamed Arrow McLaren Racing SP and will field two Chevrolet-powered cars in the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series, reflecting the continuing status of Arrow Electronics as the team’s title partner, as well as a new manufacturer partnership with Chevrolet.

The partnership will see the infrastructure of Arrow SPM underpin the team’s operations, while McLaren adds technical expertise, commercial experience and marketing strength to enable the new entity to perform at the highest competitive level and regularly challenge for wins and the series title. Arrow SPM co-founders Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson continue in their current roles.

Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director, McLaren Racing, will lead the McLaren IndyCar programme and involvement in Arrow McLaren Racing SP. He will helm a dedicated group from McLaren Racing, independent of the Formula 1 team.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, commented: “IndyCar has been part of McLaren since our early years of racing, and the series today provides not only a commercial platform to continue to grow our brand in North America, but competition with some of the best teams in international motorsport.

“This team provides McLaren with the right synergy as a strategic partner for our return to the sport. We believe together we can help each other achieve our mutual ambitions. Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson have built a solid foundation and we look forward to working together to take the team to the next level.

“I’m absolutely delighted that we will expand our relationship with Arrow Electronics across both F1 and IndyCar, while renewing our long affinity with Chevrolet as our engine partner. McLaren and Chevrolet have a special history together in North America and it is fitting they are part of our full-time return to IndyCar.

“We come to IndyCar in full respect of the sport, our competitors, the fans and the task ahead. At our core, we at McLaren are racers and where there’s competition that puts us to the test, we will race. The NTT IndyCar Series provides such a challenge.”

Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director, McLaren Racing, commented:
“IndyCar is a natural fit for McLaren, given our legacy and determination to succeed at the top levels of international motorsport. Our ambition, over time, is to consistently compete for wins and championships. We acknowledge the challenge ahead of us but McLaren is committed to this partnership and to supporting the team as a whole.”

Sam Schmidt, Co-Owner, Arrow SPM, commented: “I’m extremely proud of the team that Ric and I have built and that a legendary brand like McLaren Racing has decided to partner with us to form Arrow McLaren Racing SP to continue our march to the top of IndyCar. Arrow is a tremendous partner which has been integral to our growth as a team since 2015 and to the creation of this new partnership. The combined technical resources and commercial opportunities both McLaren and Arrow bring to the table provide a winning combination.”

Ric Peterson, Co-Owner, Arrow SPM, commented:“I’m really excited that we could pull together our long-term partner Arrow and forge a new partnership with McLaren to become a unified force. I’m equally thrilled that Sam and I are able to continue on in our long-standing relationship together and maintain our ownership position in the company. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Mike Long, Chairman, President and CEO of Arrow Electronics, commented: “Advancement in automotive technology continues to be a powerful growth driver for our business. We are delighted to see our partners join forces in a way that provides an even broader platform and showcase for Arrow’s engineering and innovation.”

Jim Campbell, US Vice President, Performance and Motorsports, Chevrolet, commented:“Chevrolet and McLaren have a storied history of racing together, going back to the mid-1960s. We have always had tremendous respect for Zak Brown and Gil de Ferran, as well as for Sam Schmidt, Ric Peterson and Mike Long. We are looking forward to partnering with the entire Arrow McLaren Racing SP team as we prepare for the 2020 IndyCar season.”

Report: Football’s Economic Impact Stretches Across All Parts Of Spain

The professional football industry has made a huge impact on Spain’s economy and a new report confirms that it extends to all regions of the country. From Galicia to Andalusia to Catalonia to the Canary Islands, Spain’s autonomous communities have attracted tourism, created jobs and experienced growth because of the game.

Read the full report here.