Taruka Srivastav, Author at iSportConnect

Paralympics GB Agrees Gold-Tier Partnership With CMR Surgical

CMR Surgical (CMR), the global company that has developed the next-generation surgical robot, Versius has announced it has signed a gold-tier partnership with ParalympicsGB.

As the team’s Official Medical Device Partner, CMR Surgical will launch an internal and external campaign called ‘human skill, redefined’ that aims to challenge perceptions around human ability.

CMR is committed to making surgery better for patients around the world – bringing the benefits of minimal access surgery (otherwise known as keyhole surgery) – to everyone that could benefit. The partnership with ParalympicsGB allows CMR to showcase the inspirational people – across sport and surgery – who redefine skill and those who make the impossible, possible.

Mark Slack, Chief Medical Officer of CMR Surgical, commented: “At CMR, we are passionate about enhancing human skill with technology to deliver the best surgical care. In ParalympicsGB, we see several core qualities that resonate with us as a business, and the surgical community more widely: from their ambition and determination to succeed, to the precision and control in their sport. We are delighted to use this partnership to really shine a light on those inspirational figures who have pushed boundaries and challenged perceptions around human ability.”

The sponsorship will involve a multi-channel campaign which will include print and digital advertising, paid social and PR as well as internal employee engagement activities.

The partnership comes with plans for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games intensifying with ParalympicsGB expecting a team of around 240 athletes to compete in 19 sports including newcomers Taekwondo and Badminton.

Penny Briscoe, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission at Tokyo 2020, commented: “The Paralympics was founded in the UK by a surgeon in the 1940s and has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most exciting sporting events. We take great pride in the way the teams now inspire huge audiences across the globe to reconsider the true meaning of ‘ability’. It’s brilliant for us to go back to our roots with this sponsorship and work with a company that shares similar values which support the preparation of ParalympicsGB ensuring our athletes are truly impossible to ignore.”

ParalympicsGB captured the imagination of the British public at London 2012 winning 120 medals in front of sell-out crowds with countless memorable performances.

SA Rugby And Lions Sign PAS As Performance Nutrition Supplier

The British & Irish Lions and SA Rugby have announced Pro Athlete Supplementation (PAS) as Official Performance Nutrition Supplier of the 2021 Castle Lager Lions Series in South Africa.

The deal will see PAS supply the Lions’ and Springboks’ squads with a range of sports nutrition products aimed at improving performance and aiding recovery.

The 2021 Castle Lager Lions Series in South Africa is the second successive Tour that PAS has supported the team having also been an official Lions supplier for the Tour to New Zealand in 2017.

“We are very happy to be working with PAS for a second consecutive Tour,” said Paul Stridgeon, Head of Strength of Conditioning for The British & Irish Lions.

“The best possible nutrition is essential in a high-performance environment like a Lions Series.

“We believe that high quality Informed Sport accredited supplements, along with quality food and the correct recovery, are critical to ensuring the squad sustain a high level of performance throughout the Tour, so that’s why we choose PAS.

“Like the Lions, PAS are the best of the best.”

Jon Williams, Director of PAS, said: “We are immensely proud to become the official supplier of performance nutrition to The British & Irish Lions and the current World Champions, South Africa. We wish both teams the very best for a successful Tour.”

KitKat To Continue Partnership With League Of Legends

KitKat are extending and expanding their partnership with the League of Legends European Championship, European Masters competition, and European Regional Leagues!

KitKat joined the LEC journey as a partner of the LEC 2020 Spring Finals, and their relationship has only strengthened from there. Their core message, to “Take a Break”, is a great reminder for our viewers to find some room to breathe in all the excitement of the LEC, turning technical pauses into an opportunity for fans to rest and gather their energy to keep on supporting their team for the rest of the match.

With this extended partnership, KitKat will continue to be a Main Partner of the LEC and EU Masters through to 2023.

KitKat are extending this partnership to become a Main Partner for the League of Legends Continental League (LCL) and 12 ERLs for the 2021 Summer Season. This makes KitKat one of the farthest reaching partners we’ve ever had, and we couldn’t be happier to have them with us.

“It’s a pleasure to be working with a team that is truly passionate about esports. KitKat pursues a clear esports strategy in which the community is approached in a media-appropriate and authentic style on all relevant channels,” says Georg Fischer, Marketing Manager for KitKat Europe.

“The potential for non-endemic brands across esports and gaming is diverse and still largely untapped. We are very happy to bring the successful partnership with Riot Games to a new level.”

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with KitKat for LEC and welcome them on board to European Masters as one of our main partners through a multi-year deal,” says Zeynep Gencaga, Senior Business Development Manager for Esports EMEA at Riot Games.

“After a creative entry into the scene through a pilot by supporting the LEC breaks, KitKat is now becoming one of the most important partners of esports in Europe. Following the extension of the partnership to European language broadcasts, this summer will showcase the partnership across 12 ERLs. It’s a pleasure to be working with the team over at KitKat, who are committed to creating meaningful moments and engaging content for our fans.”

LA Lakers Renews Partnership With Staples Center

The Los Angeles Lakers and AEG, the owners of STAPLES Center, have signed a long-term lease extension agreement ensuring that the defending World Champions will remain in their downtown Los Angeles home arena through the 2041 season.

Since beginning their first season on November 3, 1999 at the iconic venue, the Lakers have achieved the most successful two decades in franchise history, posting both regular season (987-780) and playoff (139-79) records during that time on the way to winning six NBA championships, including last season’s record tying 17th title in the NBA bubble.

Separately, AEG and the Lakers confirmed their plans to make a wide array of significant capital improvements and upgrades throughout STAPLES Center.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with AEG. STAPLES Center ranks as one of the best arenas in the world to play and watch basketball and we are thrilled to be able to call it home for another two decades,” said Jeanie Buss, Governor, Los Angeles Lakers. The decision was made first and foremost with our fans and players in mind and AEG’s commitment to investing significant capital in the arena means that the Lakers will continue to play in one of the world’s premier venues. From the very beginning, AEG proved to be more than just the best arena operators in our industry, and on a daily basis they continue demonstrating why they are the best partner an organization could ask for.”

“When we began developing STAPLES Center, AEG had a singular goal — to create a showplace venue that would become the heart of sports in Los Angeles, home to the best franchises, events and fans,” said Dan Beckerman, CEO and President, AEG. “There is no doubt that our partnership with the Buss Family and the Lakers solidified the arena’s legendary status from the beginning and brought some of the most memorable moments in sports and entertainment history to fans. We look forward to another 20 years of our successful partnership with the Lakers and believe that the investments we are making will ensure that STAPLES Center remains the epicenter for sports and entertainment, delivering the most exciting events in the world.”

“The true winners today and for the future are our incredible fans, the greatest fans in all of professional sports,” said Tim Harris, President of Business Operations, Los Angeles Lakers. “For more than 20 years, Dan, Lee, and everyone on the arena’s staff has continually shared our vision and commitment to delivering first-class experiences to our players and our fans.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with today’s announcement and want to thank all of my colleagues who have played such important roles in creating so many unforgettable sports and entertainment moments in our arena,” said Lee Zeidman, President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE.

“For the past two decades, along with hosting 11 championship seasons achieved by the Lakers, Kings and Sparks, STAPLES Center and LA LIVE have helped drive the revitalization of downtown, bringing millions of fans to Los Angeles each year. Our planned renovations combined with the new Laker championships that are destined to be in our future, mean that the best is yet to come.”

Superbike World Championship Extends Partnership With Acerbis Until 2024

The Italian company Acerbis extends its partnership with the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship until 2024

Acerbis and Dorna WSBK Organization have signed a new agreement to carry on their collaboration up to and including the 2024 season. Since 2013, Acerbis has been an Official Sponsor of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The Italian brand has become an important partner of the Championship and since 2014, Acerbis provides DWO staff’s uniforms as well as holding the license to produce technical accessories with the SBK® brand for the Championship enthusiasts since 2016.

Since 1973, Acerbis has had a major presence within the motorsport industry. With strong values including passion and innovation, the Italian company develops products specifically aimed at the world of road racing. Its commitment to athletes and its pursuit of innovation perfectly suits the spirit of the fastest production-based motorcycle Championship in the world.

This new agreement will see Acerbis feature on trackside banners during the next four seasons, as the Italian brand will benefit from the worldwide exposure of the Championship.

Guido Acerbis, CEO Acerbis Italia: “The start of the WorldSBK Championship, of which our company is Official Sponsor, is always an exciting moment for all fans worldwide. The sharing of values with Dorna WSBK Organization is part of an international growth path in the two-wheel sector that continues to provide us with stimuli and inputs of fundamental importance. In the light of this ACERBIS Italia is currently developing a new project with them, providing top quality uniforms for all the WorldSBK staff. Since 2014 the partnership with Dorna WSBK Organization has been therefore marked by the enhancement of excellence at all levels: we would like to thank them once again, along with a warm wish for an increasingly exciting and engaging WorldSBK”.

Francesco Valentino, WorldSBK Commercial & Marketing Senior Manager added: “We are thrilled to continue the historical partnership between Acerbis and DWO for the next four seasons! They are a key partner of the Championship and a valuable Technical Partner providing top quality uniforms for all the WorldSBK staff. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work once again with Acerbis and we look forward to continuing our long-term collaboration.”

Saudi Arabia To Host World Combat Games

GAISF has announced that the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, has been awarded the 2023 edition of the World Combat Games (WCG), an international multi-sport event featuring 15 combat sports and martial arts which are Members of GAISF.

The WCG is an incredible celebration of combat sports and martial arts, showcasing the world’s best athletes and driving global exposure for these sports and the host city. Powered by GAISF, the WCG strives to establish bridges between elite sport and local communities through inspiring initiatives encouraging youth participation in combat sports and martial arts.

His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al-Saud, Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) President, said:

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to welcoming athletes from all parts of the world to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is very much aligned with the Olympic Values and this event is within the country’s vision for 2030 to promote a vibrant society with a diverse and thriving economy.

“Saudi Arabi has the infrastructure and will use this event to strengthen the martial arts community in Saudi Arabia and use this multi-sport games as one of the first major events toward the Asian Games 2034.”

GAISF and SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli stated:

“The World Combat Games is much more than a sporting event powered by GAISF, it is part of an MoU between GAISF and the IOC. The WCG represents sports as much from the Non-Olympic, as from the Olympic family. The next steps will be to finalise the sport programme with the International Sports Federations and obtaining the final approval from the IOC.”

Chairman of the GAISF Multi-Sport Games and GAISF Vice President, Stephan Fox, who is also a former martial arts world champion, said:

“Saudi Arabia is an ideal choice for this post-pandemic event showcasing an exchange of culture from around the world and is the perfect bridge between elite sport and local communities. The bid presented by Saudi is robust and inspiring. The vision for this event will bring a festival celebratory atmosphere. There will be workshops by leading martial art masters, educational conferences and the first World Martial Arts Gala, honouring the legends of martial arts and combat sports.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during a special ceremony at the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee’s (SAOC) General Assembly, which included all recognised martial arts and combat sport national federations.

Stadium Australia Searching For Naming Rights Partner

Stadium Australia is now accepting proposals to become its new naming rights partner.

VenuesLive, operator of Stadium Australia, has commenced the search for a new partner to enjoy significant benefits and exposure over the course of the expected seven-to-10-year term.

Shane Stoddard, NSW General Manager of Commercial at VenuesLive, said: “Stadium Australia is the only iconic Australian sponsorship property currently available on the market and represents an unprecedented opportunity for exposure.

“We’re giving leading companies the chance to embed their brand in the fabric of Greater Sydney – the fastest growing economic region in the country – and be part of the platform that connects Eastern and Western Sydney.

“The Stadium continues to host some of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest sport and entertainment events, and with more on the horizon this is a chance to rise above the advertising clutter and gain significant consumer attention.”

Stadium Australia is the generic name given to the major events stadium that was built to host the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Opened to the public in March 1999 in the lead-up to the Games, the Stadium became known around the world as ANZ Stadium after a deal with ANZ Bank was struck in 2008. That agreement expired in late 2020.

Stadium Australia has become home to the NRL Grand Final, State of Origin, Bledisloe Cup, Socceroos World Cup Qualifiers and friendlies, football internationals featuring famous clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Juventus as well as and some of the country’s biggest concerts featuring global acts like The Rolling Stones, U2, AC/DC, Adele, Ed Sheeran and Queen.

The Stadium has hosted six mainstream sports – football, rugby league, rugby union, AFL, American football and cricket.

TikTok To Livestream Extreme E’s Senegal Race

Extreme E’s second stop – the Ocean X-Prix – on its inaugural season calendar this weekend (29-30 May) at the stunning venue of Lac Rose, Senegal where it will again be teaming up with leading short video platform, TikTok to produce outstanding digital live content to further bolster the series’ already impressive social media offering.

Extreme E’s broadcast of its debut event in Saudi Arabia in April pulled in a massive 18.5 million views across its TikTok content. The championship also acquired 60,000 new fans after Little Dot Studios activated the partnership using their vertical video expertise on behalf of the series.

As part of the initial collaboration, Extreme E and Little Dot Studios created an exclusive 90-minute production which captured 360,000 views on Extreme E’s TikTok account during the debut weekend giving an a behind-the-scenes look at the personalities involved in this innovative sport for purpose series.

For the forthcoming Ocean X Prix in Senegal this weekend, the parties will be building on this already proven format but with the bonus addition of the weekend’s final races also being made available live on TikTok on Sunday May 30 at 15:00-17:00 (BST) in markets such as Russia, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Morocco, Kuwait, Tunisia, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Mauritania and Bahrain.

Additionally, the ‘behind-the-scenes’ live-streams, which proved to be so successful at the Desert X Prix opener in Saudi, will also be live from Lac Rose on:

Saturday 29 May 18:00 – 19:00 (BST) for EU/MENA audiences
Sunday 30 May 00:00-01:00 (BST) Behind the Scenes livestream for US/Canada audiences.
Sunday 30 May 21:00-21:45 (BST) Behind the Scenes livestream for Spain/Mexico/Latin America audiences (in Spanish).

TikTok users can access Extreme E content through the official handle @extremeelive and through TikTok’s Discover page in the participating regions.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “The viewing numbers from our first event – the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia – were beyond phenomenal and I’m so thrilled that we were able to reach so many people with our unique championship broadcast. TikTok is massive, and we know that over 60 per cent of its audience are ‘Gen Z’ers’ – the age group that is most concerned about the climate crisis – so to be able to fully engage with them like this is brilliant for our sport for purpose series.

“It’s fantastic that we can now add live streaming in addition to the races and behind-the-scenes coverage from our Ocean X Prix. This is an absolute gamechanger for our sport and I can’t wait to share Extreme E’s thrilling action and the stories of our championship from Senegal this weekend.”

Yannis Ioannidis, Global Business Development and Strategic Content Partnerships at TikTok said: “We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with Extreme E to include live-streaming of the final races as shown on TV in the agreed countries. TikTok Live is the ultimate destination for exciting live-streaming content and this new partnership with Extreme E will give our mobile-native community of users access to premium racing content for the first time ever.”

MotoGP Extends Facebook Partnership For One-Year

MotoGP will continue in partnership with Facebook in 2021, with a new one-year deal extending an exclusive collaboration that began last season. Original MotoGP content therefore continues to be available on Facebook Watch, available worldwide, giving fans of the sport another way to enjoy top quality MotoGP content.

The videos on Facebook Watch, between three and seven minutes in length, are produced by MotoGP™ with riders and teams from across all three classes. From special interviews to behind-the-scenes content, compilations, highlights and incredible archive footage from three decades of competition, fans can continue to enjoy hundreds of videos on Facebook Watch thanks to this contract extension.

Facebook is a key platform for MotoGP™’s global fanbase, with nearly 14 million fans already following the sport on the site. It was also the sport’s strongest social media platform in terms of videos generated and minutes watched in 2020. With this contract extension, MotoGP™ continues creating a breadth of high-quality content in order to continue growing its fan base both on the platform and around the world, targeting new audiences as well as giving existing fans even more access to the sport they love.

Jerry Newman, Director of Sports Partnerships – EMEA at Facebook: “Fans on Facebook are seeking out MotoGP content and connecting with one another to extend their love of the sport beyond the track. In continuing this partnership, we’re looking forward to seeing even more exclusive interviews, highlights and behind-the-scenes clips being made available to this community, as we deepen the social interaction between riders, teams and fans in innovative new ways.”

Manel Arroyo, Chief Commercial Officer at Dorna Sports: “We are very happy to continue this important partnership with Facebook, which was a global first in motorsport when it began last year. MotoGP is committed to connecting to and engaging with our fans and giving them new ways to enjoy and interact with our content, making Facebook a perfect partner for our sport. It’s also a fantastic way to connect with new audiences, showing them the best of MotoGP with exclusive, showstopping content.”

Broadcasting Women’s Football On Traditional And Digital Platforms Represents A Significant Growth Opportunity, Says FIFA Report

As part of its overall vision to globalise football and accelerate the growth of women’s football, FIFA has published a landmark report on the development and professionalisation of the elite women’s football landscape around the world.

Speaking on the report, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President said: “Boosting the development and growth of women’s football – on and off the pitch – is a key commitment and top priority for FIFA. As the interest continues to increase, we must focus on developing an in-depth understanding of the elite women’s football landscape. This document has been developed with the aim of supporting our women’s football stakeholders to better understand this landscape and to maximise its big potential.

“By working together, and embracing the challenges and exciting opportunities that lie ahead, I strongly believe we can bring women’s football to more people around the world and make it truly global.”

The FIFA Benchmarking Report: Women’s Football provides important insights into several key areas of the elite women’s game including sporting, finance, fan engagement, player related matters and COVID-19. The information comes from a survey completed by a selection of 30 of the top tier women’s football leagues from around the world and 282 of their respective clubs.

Key findings include:

For leagues in which 80% or more participating clubs have a girls’ youth structure, the average national-team ranking is 13, compared to a ranking of 28 for all other leagues.
Leagues with both a club licensing system and financial controls have a higher proportion of clubs that are profitable or break even (36% v. 32%) and a higher average club revenue (USD 0.9m v. USD 0.3m).
In 65% of leagues surveyed, teams with the highest qualified coaches outperformed other teams, underlining the importance of coach education and development in the women’s game.
Clubs with better access to a higher number and quality of facilities outperform other clubs in their league: 50% of teams with access to a set standard of a higher number and quality of facilities were league champions in the last five years, compared with only 23% for all other clubs.
Broadcasting women’s football on traditional and digital platforms represents a significant growth opportunity with broadcast income currently accounting for an average of 6% of revenue for clubs and 18% of revenue for leagues that were surveyed.
Teams offering a season ticket had higher average league attendances (1,400 v 1,000) and earned higher revenue (USD 0.8m v. USD 0.3m)
Clubs with a written strategy for women’s football tend to have higher average club revenue (USD 0.6m v. USD 0.3m), more facilities available to the first team and higher match attendances (1,400 v. 700)
Leagues that negotiate broadcast rights exclusively for the women’s league generate, on average, USD 0.7m revenue from broadcast compared with only USD 0.1m for other leagues that do not.
72% of clubs reported that they negotiate some of their sponsorship contracts for the women’s team only. On average, these clubs achieved a higher total revenue and sponsorship revenue.
The clubs that generate the highest revenue (in excess of USD 1m) raise over half of it through sponsorship, compared to less than a third for clubs averaging revenue of less than USD 1m.

Sarai Bareman, FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer, added: “Whilst many clubs and leagues continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19 on football, this report provides key insights into the reality of the women’s game, as well as the many opportunities and challenges, on and off the pitch for players, clubs and leagues around the world.

“It is paramount, as we look to the future of our game and take decisions that will impact generations to come, that we base these decisions on a clear understanding of where we are. This means generating insights to show what is working well in the current context. This report is an important document to support the decision making process of the stakeholders involved in the game.

Whilst the progress already made and FIFA’s commitment to the women’s game is clear, more can still be done across football to maximize the exciting opportunities on the horizon and ensure a strong and sustainable ecosystem for the whole of women’s football.”