Formula E Agrees Broadcast Partnership With TVRI

Formula E has announced a new media partnership with Indonesian public broadcaster TVRI, to show all races of the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

TVRI, Indonesia’s popular destination for news and local interest programming, has become Formula E’s latest media partner, committing to show all races in Season 7 across linear and digital channels, following the broadcast of the Rome E-Prix last weekend.

All live programming will have bespoke studio presentation and commentary in Bahasa tailored to appeal to local market audiences. The partnership with TVRI will introduce new viewers to Formula E, allowing the sport to grow its fanbase in a key territory.


Aarti Dabas, Chief Media Officer of Formula E said: “We are excited to have TVRI joining our line-up of media partners. Indonesia is an important market for us and a key territory where we want to grow our audience reach and engagement. To have TVRI’s expansive reach across linear and digital channels, covering all our races with localised presenting and commentary, will offer Indonesians across all parts of the country easy access to our live races and highlights.”



Pipiet Irianto, Program and News Affairs Director of TVRI said: “At TVRI we are very happy to be joining forces with Formula E once again to broadcast this exciting next generation sport. In Indonesia, there is a lot of interest in the shift to electric vehicles. For us to be using our platform to give local audiences more insight into this transition while also entertaining them with edge-of-seat sporting action is an irresistible combination.”
Audiences can plug in and follow the

VfL Wolfsburg To Become Official Kit Sponsor Of Chattanooga FC From 2022

VfL Wolfsburg to become the official kit sponsor of the US third division side / Chattanooga FC women’s team from 2022 onwards / Support for youth programs as well as player development and coaching education.

The cooperation agreement concluded in 2017 between VfL Wolfsburg and Chattanooga FC (CFC) will be expanded and will include further specifications. Among other things, the German Bundesliga team will be the official sponsor of the 2021 away kit for the men’s team currently playing in the US third division NISA and based out of the Volkswagen production site in Tennessee. As a result, Chattanooga FC will take to the pitch at away stadiums with the VfL logo on their chest. In addition to this new model of kit sponsorship, which is unprecedented anywhere in the world, the expanded partnership will focus on two key areas: From 2022 onwards, there will be a Chattanooga FC women’s team once again and the Bundesliga club from Lower Saxony will also be supporting Chattanooga FC in its youth programs, player development and coaching education.


As of next year (2022), the unique club from Chattanooga that is owned by its supporters from around the world, will once again send a female team out on to the pitch. VfL Wolfsburg will not only support the return of the women’s team, which left the game in 2018, but will also play an active role in strategic planning and the development of further collaborations. In addition, in close cooperation with the Chattanooga FC Academy and the Chattanooga FC, the German Bundesliga club will pass on its experience in promoting young talents, training coaches and developing players.


“We have a longstanding partnership with Chattanooga FC, which we are now taking to the next level,” said VfL Managing Director Michael Meeske, who is pleased about the steps agreed between the sides. “With this unique activation at an important Volkswagen location, we want to make our contribution to providing sustainable support to the local community. Our logo on the chest of the away jerseys symbolizes the fact that we will increasingly share our values and stance with the club in the future and not only support it through know-how transfer in promoting youth development, but also take an holistic approach together to drive this into a true partnership and in the course of this, also bring women’s football back to Chattanooga.”

For VfL Sporting Director Marcel Schäfer, who ended his playing career in the USA in 2018 at the Tampa Bay Rowdies and knows US football very well, the expanded cooperation with the club in Chattanooga which is a partner city of Wolfsburg, is something very special and something really close to his heart: “In my opinion, Chattanooga FC is absolutely unique and a true one-off. The club is owned by its fans, which resonates with me in a special way. I have been there several times myself and was always impressed and inspired by the vibrancy and energy of this club and city. I am pleased that we can support this extraordinary club with our commitment to further expand its soccer offerings.”

McLaren Extends Cyber Security Partnership With Darktrace

McLaren Racing has announced an extended and enhanced multi-year partnership with Darktrace, as the Official AI Cyber Security Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 and Arrow McLaren SP teams, marking the introduction of the world’s leading cyber-AI company to INDYCAR.

Darktrace’s Cyber AI autonomously detects, investigates and responds to fast-moving cyber-threats in real time across diverse digital environments, including cloud-based software and email. The technology is used by McLaren’s technology and security teams to help defend against advanced cyber-threats. The partnership empowers McLaren to gain complete visibility across its entire digital infrastructure. 

From IoT sensors on each race car to the Edge Compute and factory connectivity that fuels operations, the McLaren F1 and INDYCAR teams are situated in fast-moving worlds and Darktrace’s addition ensures that cyber-threats can be automatically blocked at a speed and scale beyond human capabilities. 

As part of the partnership, from the 2021 season the Darktrace brand will continue to be carried on the rear wings of the McLaren Formula 1 MCL35M race cars, pit wall and the McLaren F1 driver race suits of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. 

Additionally, Darktrace will be carried on the chassis sides of the Arrow McLaren SP race cars, No.5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and No.7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. 
 

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “Extending our partnership with Darktrace is a great boost for the team as we begin the 2021 season. Darktrace is a critical partner for McLaren Racing with its world-leading cyber-AI integral to securing our data and digital infrastructure in support of our progress on and off the track.

“We are delighted to be extending this partnership and introducing Darktrace to INDYCAR with Arrow McLaren SP.”

Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace, said: “I am very pleased to continue our partnership as the Official AI Cyber Security Partner to both McLaren teams across both Formula 1 and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. As we enter a new era of cyber-threats, it’s more important than ever to build resilient digital infrastructures, employing self-learning technology capable of interrupting emerging security incidents in the seconds that count.”

iSportConnect Founder Sree Varma Joins The Jury Of FanXP Innovation Challenge

Once again, a prestigious jury has been selected for the 2021 version of the FanXP Innovation Challenge, the biggest basketball startup competition in the world which is inviting entries now.

With the aim of offering fans the best experience possible, the FanXP Innovation Challenge – staged in collaboration with N3XT Sports – challenges the latest generation of tech startups to join the sports fan revolution with creative and unique ideas.

A vastly experienced six-person jury has been selected to ensure expertise and insight in the judging of the entries, which can be submitted until 30 April at https://fanxp.euroleague.net

The jury is: Mathieu Lacome (Head of Research and Innovation at Paris Saint-Germain); Didac Lee (Galdana Ventures Co-Founder and former Board Member and Head of Digital at FC Barcelona); Jasmine Robinson (General Partner at Causeway Media Operations); Susanne Timosci (Global Lead Key Account at Bundesliga); Sree Varma (iSportconnect Founder & CEO); Luis Vicente (Group CEO at Eleven Sports).

Lacome believes the event will be beneficial for everybody involved, saying: “The FanXP participation will be a massive boost for the startups, providing visibility, introduction to the relevant stakeholders, and insights about the needs and challenges of the clubs.”

Timosci echoed that view, adding: “Startup competitions such as this one are a great opportunity for startups to get exposure, get closer to the sports ecosystem and be in direct contact with the decision makers.”

Varma is excited to see the ideas presented, noting: “I joined the FanXP Innovation Challenge as a jury member because I love seeing the new creations and new ideas that are constantly popping up. It’s always amazing to see what the ‘next big thing’ could be.”

Any startup with a minimum viable product may apply to take part, and all applicants will receive free registration to attend the FanXP Virtual Pitch Competition.

N3XT Sports, a strategic consulting firm specialized in digital transformation, innovation, data, and investment strategy, will provide continuous advisory support throughout the FanXP Innovation Challenge.

Visit https://fanxp.euroleague.net/ to apply or contact fanxp@euroleague.net for more information.

Japan’s B League Appoints Genius Sports As Exclusive International Streaming Partner

The B.LEAGUE, the national governing body of professional basketball in Japan, has selected Genius Sports as its Exclusive International Streaming and Data Partner for Betting.

Under this multi-year partnership, Genius and the B.LEAGUE have agreed to provide Japanese basketball fans, administrators, coaches and players with access to live data and video insights from over 1,000 games a season from the top two divisions, B1 and B2.

FIBA LiveStats, a leading live data collection tool in world basketball, will capture advanced play-by-play statistics on every B1 and B2 game, helping to power box scores, shot charts and data-driven analytics tools. The B.LEAGUE’s official data will also supply their broadcast and media partners with fast and accurate statistics to enhance the fan experience across multiple platforms.

Genius’ award-winning live streaming solution GeniusLive will help the B.LEAGUE to broadcast its B2 games. By automating streaming production and distribution through AI, GeniusLive enables sports to extend their reach and attract new fans around the world.

Genius has been granted the exclusive rights to capture, manage and distribute the B.LEAGUE’s official data and video content to its global network of regulated sportsbook partners. Its Bet Monitoring System and model rules and regulations will help to safeguard Japanese basketball from the threats of match-fixing and betting-related corruption.

To help protect the value and integrity of its official data, the B.LEAGUE and Genius have launched a new rights enforcement program, removing unauthorized data collectors from B1 and B2 games.

Shinji Shimada, Chairman B.LEAGUE, said: “We are delighted to partner with Genius Sports and with the technology they provide, will be able to enhance fans’ experience across digital platforms worldwide, while providing new insights to coaches and players and raising the integrity of our league.”

Thomas Klingebiel, Commercial Director, APAC of Genius Sports, said: “Amidst the huge challenges that sports have faced over the last 12 months, rights holders are looking for innovative platforms to reconnect with fans and generate new revenue streams. Together, FIBA LiveStats and GeniusLive will enable the B.LEAGUE to control its live data and video content, transforming how audiences around the world interact with every play.

“We’re thrilled to be working in partnership with one of the premier basketball leagues in Asia and look forward to facilitating the next stage of their digital transformation.”

Matchroom Launches An OTT Mobile App

Matchroom has expanded the Matchroom Live streaming service with the launch of dedicated mobile apps.

The native iOS and Android apps, developed by OTT agency StreamAMG, are available to download via the App Store and Google Play.

Matchroom Live is a global multi-sport OTT service, launched in May 2020 to provide a single destination for the sport promoter’s diverse portfolio of events across 12 sports. 

The platform hosts live events for territories outside of existing broadcast agreements, as well as on demand content spanning over 40 years of Matchroom’s archive for free to users worldwide.

Matchroom has also rolled out a new subscription option for live events broadcast on the platform alongside the new apps. Fans can now enjoy access to all live events available in their territory for a single monthly fee, starting with the Betfred World Snooker Championships kicking off on Saturday 17th April. 

The new native apps are customised to showcase Matchroom’s unique multi-sport offering, giving fans a fast and intuitive experience across every sport and serving content tailored to the user’s territory. Built on StreamAMG’s specialist StreamPlay frontend OTT framework, the apps also offer premium features including the QuadPlay view, that displays up to four live events at once, and the ability to cast to a market-leading array of connected devices.

Barry Hearn OBE, Chairman of Matchroom commented: “We’re delighted to expand Matchroom Live with the launch of new mobile apps. The service has been a great success so far and we’re looking forward to working with StreamAMG to bring our events to even more fans around the world.”


Hugo Sharman, Chief Executive Officer at StreamAMG added: “Matchroom Live is a unique project, and we’re proud to be working with Matchroom to realise their vision for the service. We’re excited to launch new iOS and Android apps to make it easier than ever for fans to enjoy the incredible array of live and on demand content available on the platform.”

Dan Gilbert Acquires Gordon Gund’s Shares In Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has acquired the remaining minority share of Cleveland Cavaliers owned by former majority owner Gordon Gund.

In a statement, the team said: “Gordon will remain part of the Cavaliers family and we thank him greatly for his leadership, dedication and long-standing support of the franchise.”

Gilbert bought the team from the Gund family in 2005 for $375 million dollars. Under his ownership, the Cavaliers have played in five NBA Finals and won a championship in 2016. Gund and his family had owned the team for 22 years after acquiring it from controversial owner Ted Stepien.

“In 1983, Gordon Gund, along with his brother George, acquired majority ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the time, Gordon and George said: ‘The job now is to establish credibility with the fans. We believe the way to accomplish that is to build a contending team just as soon as possible.’

They did just that and, in the process, saved the team and NBA basketball in Northeast Ohio. The team returned to playoff action quickly in 1985 and the legendary teams of the early 90′s with Daugherty, Nance, Price and Williams would capture the well-earned admiration and love of a community and fans,” the team said.

Professional Triathletes Organisation Signs Engage Digital Partner As Services Partner

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has appointed award-winning agency Engage Digital Partners (EDP) as its Strategic Digital Advisor & Services Partner.

The new multi-year deal will focus on digital activation, audience growth, sponsorship sales and activation. The partnership will help connect and maximise the converging worlds of brands and rights owners in an integrated approach to sponsorship and content.

EDP’s brief will provide Advisory & Content Services for Sponsor Sales and Commercial Activation, Digital & Social Media Design & Production and support with Audience Engagement & Content Marketing to create and leverage the excitement, rivalry, drama and personalities of the sport of triathlon to attract a wider fan base.

EDP will work alongside the PTO’s internal commercial, marketing and digital teams on content creation and strategy, community management, audience growth and syndication whilst creating meaningful content storytelling propositions for sponsors to activate against. This integrated approach will be supported with in-depth real-time analytics and data dashboards to inform decision making.

In appointing EDP – an award-winning agency that is partnered with major global federations and rights owners such as Real Madrid, Chelsea FC, Major League Baseball and the International Cricket Council, but is also proven in launching challenger brands in the digital space – the PTO has signalled its ambition to broaden the profile of triathlon.

Tim Godfrey, Chief Marketing Officer of the PTO, stated: “Gregg and his team at Engage are perfectly positioned to help the PTO with their unique mix of expertise across content, digital and marketing with big sporting brands such as Formula 1, Real Madrid, ICC and Major League Baseball. Bringing this level of experience to Pro Triathlon is core to the remit of the PTO. We look forward to working with them as we build up towards the The Collins Cup in August.”

Gregg Oldfield, CEO Engage Digital Partners, stated: “In many ways the Engage model is built for the new breed of rights owners like the PTO, delivering strategy, advice and scalable hands on resource at the point they need it, all supported with a global capability, bringing fresh concepts to existing and new brands all looking for more digital solutions and answers in a post-COVID world.”

NFL Names Cisco As Official Technology Partner

The National Football League and Cisco , a leader in enterprise networking and security have announced a new multi-year partnership naming Cisco an Official Technology Partner of the NFL.

Central to this partnership, Cisco will use its industry-leading expertise to jointly develop a Connected League platform with the NFL, unifying the league on a singular foundation of connectivity with greater speed, intelligence, and security.

“We are excited to have Cisco as an official partner of the NFL. We have relied on Cisco for many years now and it is a natural fit that they now have become our partner,” said Michelle McKenna, NFL Chief Information Officer. 

“In an increasingly digital world, speed, reliability and security are paramount to our success and we welcome the leadership Cisco will bring to the NFL for these key aspects and more.”

“The NFL shares our view that a connected world offers incredible opportunity, and we are excited to become an Official Technology Partner of the league,” said Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO at Cisco. “When Cisco started its journey in sports and entertainment years ago, we knew the right technology would reshape the fan experience, and with this partnership, we are continuing our progress toward creating a more dynamic future.”

In 2008, Cisco introduced the idea of a single converged network supporting the future of connectivity for a venue. Fast forward to today and Cisco’s view remains the same regarding a single unified, intent-based networking architecture, but instead of being building-centric, it is focused on developing a league-wide infrastructure to support gameday operations such as security and digital signage solutions.

Currently, every NFL stadium’s replay control room is built on Cisco technology and connected back to the Art McNally Gameday Central in New York City via a Cisco network. In addition, nearly all of the league’s Official Partners and two-thirds of NFL stadiums rely on Cisco technology, including SoFi Stadium and State Farm Stadium, sites of the next two Super Bowls.

“We have deep experience in this field creating innovative solutions that have enabled the sports industry to deliver superior fan experiences, streamline business operations, and drive incremental revenue,” said Brian Eaton, Director of Global Sponsorship, Cisco. “We look forward to working with the NFL to implement a platform that will bring significant value to the entire league ecosystem.”

Golden State Warriors Appoints Brandon Schneider As President And COO

The Golden State Warriors have named Brandon Schneider President and Chief Operating Officer.

Schneider, who will report to Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob and Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber, will transition into his new role on July 1, 2021. Schneider will replace Rick Welts, who announced last week that he will step down from his current position at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Schneider, 41, is currently in his 19th season with the Warriors and spent the last three seasons (2018-21) as the team’s Chief Revenue Officer, responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the organization’s sales and activation efforts at Chase Center. In this role, he oversaw all ticket sales and service efforts, corporate partnerships, marketing and digital strategy, and philanthropic efforts through the Warriors Community Foundation. Additionally, Schneider oversaw the Santa Cruz Warriors operations.

“We’re thrilled to announce Brandon’s appointment as President and COO,” said Joe Lacob, Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO. “During his 19 years with the Warriors, he has established a proven track record across several different job functions and, most importantly, has done so in any situation, regardless of the team’s on-court success. In recent years, his ability to oversee multiple departments that have achieved never-seen-before results has been nothing short of amazing. Brandon is one of the bright, young executives in our industry and I anticipate a smooth transition from Rick.”

“We’re excited that Brandon will lead our talented group of employees into the next generation from a business operations perspective,” said Peter Guber, Warriors Co-Executive Chairman. “His input and contributions have been critical in everything we’ve accomplished in recent years—from the building of Chase Center to its extensive sales and suites programs—and we look forward to benefitting from his vision, leadership and institutional knowledge in the future. The fact that he’s a Bay Area native who has spent nearly his entire life in Northern California, including nearly two decades with the Warriors, is an added benefit.”

“I’m extremely grateful for this incredible opportunity with this amazing organization,” said Schneider. “For a young Bay Area kid who attended his first Warriors game with his dad in 1987—a quadruple overtime affair at that—to be in this position with this group of great people from top to bottom is unimaginable. I’m especially appreciative of Rick Welts for his friendship, mentorship, and guidance over the last decade, and of course Joe Lacob and Peter Guber for believing in me and enabling this franchise to prosper through their vision and unwavering commitment.”

Under Schneider’s leadership, the Warriors launched a series of innovative ticket sales and service initiatives, including the launch of Suite Exchange, an industry-first suite resale platform. During Schneider’s tenure, the Warriors’ season ticket base grew to a capped-out level of 12,000 seats, and he spearheaded a successful renewal strategy that has resulted in a 90-percent plus season ticket renewal rate in each of the past seven seasons. The Warriors launched a Priority Wait List for season tickets prior to the 2013-14 season, which has grown to more than 40,000 members. His guidance has helped the Warriors to a 377-game sellout streak through the end of the 2019-20 season.

Schneider’s direction of the team’s corporate partnerships strategy set various league records as the team was the first franchise in NBA history to break the $100 million barrier in partnership revenue in a single season (2019-20), opening Chase Center with 13 founding level partners, including naming rights partner JPMorgan Chase. The Warriors Community Foundation’s philanthropic efforts have continued to escalate throughout his tenure, with the team having granted over $22 million in impact since the Foundation’s inception in 2012. Additionally, with Schneider’s oversight, the Santa Cruz Warriors were named NBA G League Franchise of the Year in 2017-18.

Schneider originally joined the Warriors in 2002 as a season ticket account executive. Following a series of promotions, Schneider was named the team’s Director of Ticket Sales in 2006 and Executive Director of Ticket Sales in 2008 before a promotion to Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service in 2010. After three years in that role, Schneider was named Group Vice President, Ticket Sales and Service. Schneider then spent three years (2015-2018) as the team’s Senior Vice President of Business Development before his promotion to Chief Revenue Officer in March 2018.

During his tenure with the Warriors, the organization has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including being named “Franchise of the Decade” among all professional sports teams by Sports Business Journal in 2019. Additionally, the Warriors became the first professional team to win Sports Business Journal’s “Sports Team of the Year” award on multiple occasions (2014 and 2016). Schneider was named to Sports Business Journal’s Power Players list in 2018 after being named to the publication’s Forty Under 40 list in 2017. These honors followed Schneider’s inclusion on Forty Under 40 lists by Diablo Magazine in 2015 and the San Francisco Business Times in 2016.

Schneider was heavily involved with the completion of the Warriors’ state-of-the-art new arena, Chase Center, in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, which opened its doors in September 2019. A year after its opening, Chase Center was named Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal and has received numerous distinctions and industry awards.