Overwatch League Signs Licensing Deal With Upper Deck

The Overwatch League has entered into its first esports league license multi-year agreement with Upper Deck.

The partnership includes licensed collectibles like trading card release as well as stickers, sticker books, prints, posters and memorabilia.

The first Overwatch League-licensed trading card set will release June 19, 2019 on www.UpperDeckEpack.com and will showcase fan-favorite players and teams from the league’s inaugural season.

Jason Masherah, President of Upper Deck, said: “We are excited to collaborate with the Overwatch League for our first esports deal and to deliver new products to Overwatch League fans. This is a great way to celebrate Upper Deck’s 30th anniversary, and we look forward to working with the talented team at Activision Blizzard for many years to come.”

Daniel Siegel, Head of Esports Licensing at Blizzard Entertainment, said: “Collaborating with Upper Deck allows the Overwatch League to offer fans everywhere the opportunity to collect and trade exclusive cards and collectibles—featuring their favorite teams and players—that can be cherished for years to come.This is an awesome milestone for our companies, and for esports as a whole.”

 

Wolves To Install Barrier Seating In Stadium

Wolves will become the first Premier League club to install seats incorporating barriers in an existing stadium.

According to a club statement, all seats in the Sir Jack Hayward Stand will be replaced this summer by a new barrier seating solution, furthermore all seats in the Stan Cullis quadrant will be fitted with an independent barrier, both options will fully comply with the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s most recent guidance.

It has been confirmed by the SGSA that, provided certain strict conditions are met, both independent barriers and seats incorporating barriers can be licensed as compliant with the government’s all-seater policy.

Wolves Managing Director Laurie Dalrymple said: “After consultation with South Bank season ticket holders and discussions at Fan’s Parliament, we are delighted to be in a position to confirm that barrier seating will be installed at Molineux this summer.

“In April, we sent all supporters who have a season ticket in the South Bank a survey asking them a number of questions about their match day habits, including whether or not they would be in favour of barrier seating in the stand. An overwhelming majority of 97 per cent told us they would be in favour of the change.

“For some time, we have been working very closely with the Sports Ground Safety Authority and our Safety Advisory Group to evaluate our options, and the results of this survey meant we were happy to move forwards with the work this summer, with no negative implications to the capacity of either stand.

 

Wasps Dial In Vodafone For 5G Development

Wasps Rugby has named mobile network Vodafone as the new Club Partner in a deal which also includes Wasps Netball. .

As part of the two-year agreement, Vodafone will receive logo featured on the front of Wasps Rugby’s new shirt and Wasps Netball’s new dress for the 2019/20 season.

The partnership will also see significant investment in Ricoh Arena – including 5G capability – which will include augmented reality half-time entertainment services, to bring fans closer to the action when viewed through 5G smartphones and headsets.

Stuart Cain, Managing Director at Wasps, said:  “The West Midlands is at the forefront of the UK’s 5G investment programme so it’s a major achievement for Wasps to secure a partnership with such a well-known global business that allows us to harness this technology. The potential for 5G is huge. More than 1.6 million people visit Ricoh Arena every year and there are thousands of local business across the region that could benefit from this emerging technology.”

“It also positions Vodafone as a major investor in the region’s economy as the 5G roll-out gains more traction across the West Midlands Combined Authority region. We look forward to announcing further plans along with the new shirts for the 2019/20 season in the near future. We would also like to thank Land Rover for their support as a partner in recent years and we continue to have a very close working relationship with the company.”

 

 

Southampton FC Seals Its Biggest-Ever Sponsorship Deal With LD Sports

Southampton Football Club has named LD Sports as its new front-of-shirt partner, in what represents the biggest sponsorship deal in the club’s history.

Under the three-year agreement, the LD Sports logo will be placed on the first-team’s kits through to the end of the 2021-22 campaign. The deal will also see it displayed on the front of the Under-23 and Under-18 team shirts, along with the various squads’ training wear.

LD Sports is a brand new sports content, marketing and entertainment platform, which is launching this summer for the Chinese market.

Southampton Football Club’s Commercial Director, David Thomas, commented: “We are delighted LD Sports has chosen a partnership with Southampton Football Club as a platform to help launch their brand this summer.

“It’s an exciting challenge, and we are looking forward to using our growing credentials and awareness in China, as well as our content and digital marketing expertise, to help the brand achieve its business objectives over the next three years.”

Justin Tan, Business Development Manager at LD Sports, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Southampton Football Club. It is an exciting development for LD Sports, which will help us make a significant impact with our launch this summer and also provide us with a platform from which to grow and engage our fanbase across the world.

“We strongly believe this partnership will be a prosperous and beneficial one for both parties, and we are looking forward to the start of the 2019/20 Premier League season with Southampton.”

 

IAAF Extends Seiko Partnership Until 2029

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has extended its partnership with Seiko until 2029.

As part of the partnership, Seiko will continue to provide timing and measurement services to all 37 World Athletics Series events during the period, including five World Athletics Championships.

IAAF first partnered with Seiko back in the 1985 World Indoor Games since then Seiko has served at 184 IAAF events, including 15 World Championships, and is now finalising its plans for the 2019 edition in Doha this September.

Shinji Hattori, the Chairman and Group CEO of Seiko Holdings Corporation, said: “We are delighted that the IAAF has, once again, shown its trust in Seiko. We look forward to helping athletics develop and to providing our timing and measurement services to some of the most exciting and popular sports events in the world over the next ten years.”

IAAF President Sebastian Coe said:  “Timing and measurement has improved substantially in that time and Seiko has always been at the forefront of the evolution. As we look forward to the next decade we know that innovation and technology in sport will change immeasurably and we look forward to continuing to offer our athletes, our fans and our media partners the latest technology and creative thinking in partnership with Seiko’s expertise and world leading sports timing.”

 

West Ham United Signs A MuchBetter Agreement

West Ham United has tapped in MuchBetter as the club’s official Online & Digital Payments Wallet partner.

Under the agreement, MuchBetter will have marketing and experimental opportunities and digital advertising at the club’s London Stadium.

West Ham United Digital and Commercial Director Karim Virani said: “Everyone at West Ham United is delighted to welcome MuchBetter as our official online & digital payments wallet partner. MuchBetter are an extremely exciting company with innovation at the heart of everything they do, which absolutely resonates with our approach too. We are looking forward to working closely with them on improving and enhancing our fans experiences through their technology and services.”

MuchBetter CEO Israel Rosenthal said: “West Ham is one of the biggest names in the history of English football, and this partnership means a great deal for our young company. It is our mission at MuchBetter to make payments simple, more secure and more rewarding. We’re actively thinking of new ways to achieve that for West Ham fans who we believe will love using the app as part of their day-to-day lives.”

 

Cyclone Fani-Hit Bhubaneswar To Host FIH Hockey Series Final

Indian city Bhubaneswar, which is being termed as the ‘Sports Capital’, will host the Hockey series Finals scheduled to be held in the city next month as per Hockey India.

Bhubaneswar apart from other cities in Odisha was hit by Cyclone Fani on the 3rd of this month.

However, Odisha’s Department of Sports and Youth Services has carried out the assessment of the hockey turf at the Kalinga Stadium and ascertained that it has minor damage.

Odisha Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Sports), Vishal Dev said: “Our team has taken stock of the situation at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium which has suffered minor damages that can be repaired by the end of May. We are working closely to restore stadium operations. The team from Hockey India, along with technical experts, will be soon taking stock of the stadium and the turf.”

The tournament will see eight team including Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, USA, Uzbekistan and host India take part to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

 

Eurosport Records Double-Digit Growth In Coverage

Eurosport has recorded double-digit growth as result of its coverage of cycling and snooker.

The UK (+16%), Norway (+52%), Denmark (+10%), Spain (+51%), the Netherlands (+14%), Poland (13%) and Romania (+18%) – all reported double-digit growth for April compared with 12 months ago while Eurosport also revealed it reached 55.8m fans on its social platforms, an increase of 18% versus the same period last year.

Eurosport further reached 55.8m fans on its social platforms, an increase of 18% versus the same period last year.

Emir Osmanbegovic, Eurosport SVP Sports Content and Production, said: “Our mission is to power people’s passions and we are thrilled that millions of sports fans across Europe are enjoying the stories we at Eurosport tell week in, week out on whatever platform they choose.

“We continue to localise our production and centre our storytelling on the heroes that matter in our key markets, underpinned by unrivalled expertise, insight and analysis. We have a strong heritage in cycling and snooker and have made significant long-term investments in both from an editorial and production standpoint. It is hugely satisfying to see our strategy pay off.”

 

Umbro Replaces Adidas As Brentford FC’s Kit Supplier

Brentford Football Club has named Umbro as an official technical partner in a four-year deal.

As part of the agreement, the Manchester-based company will supply kit and training wear.

Sam Lucas, Head of Sports Sponsorship Umbro UK, said: “We’re delighted that Brentford FC will be wearing the famous double diamond from the start of next season. It’s an exciting time to be working with this ambitious west London club. It’s an historic time and we are here to help in any way we can. I’m sure the passionate fans will love the bespoke kits we’ve created in partnership with the Club, and we’re all looking forward to seeing them being worn by fans and players in the coming months.”

James Parkinson, Brentford FC Commercial Director, said: “I am delighted to announce that we are to be partnered with Umbro for the next four years. Brentford FC are to embark on a historic new era and there was an opportunity to partner with a brand with a strong football heritage. I look forward to seeing our players and fans in Umbro kits from next season.

“Umbro are a company that focus on football. They have a great track record going back nearly a century and are a firm that is known across the world for the quality of their products. At a time when we are moving in to a new stadium and also reflecting on the past, a partnership with a brand rich in heritage and at the forefront of technical kit innovation was a great fit.”

 

UK Sport Welcomes Sally Munday As Its New Chief

UK Sport has roped in chief executive of England Hockey,Sally Munday as its new head.

She worked at England Hockey for 10 years and will replace Liz Nicholl as UK Sport chief executive.

Munday said: “I know from personal experience that the UK Sport team have played such a key role in supporting the National Governing Bodies and their athletes in what has been an unprecedented period of success both in terms of medals and bringing major sporting events to this country.

“I am extremely excited to join UK Sport at this particular time, not only in the lead in to Tokyo 2020 but also the opportunity to implement the new UK Sport strategy leading to Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024.”

Nicholl said: “She is highly respected in the industry, has experience across all areas of our business and will be able to build on the success of UK Sport and the high-performance system to date and drive the delivery of the new strategy. I look forward to working with her over the coming months to enable a smooth transition.”

Dame Katherine Grainger, chair of UK Sport, said: “Sally has led a sport that’s not only excelled on and off the field of play at elite and grassroots level, but also delivered an impact both domestically and internationally.Her expertise and strong leadership will be invaluable as well as her passion and vision.”