Southampton FC Renews Partnership With Coingaming Group

Southampton Football Club has agreed to extend its partnership with the Coingaming Group as Main Club Partner for a further three years in a deal that will see their brand, Sportsbet.io continue as the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor.

The deal is the biggest sponsorship agreement in the club’s history and also includes the option for the club to be paid certain performance-based bonuses in Bitcoin at the end of each season, allowing the club the opportunity to take advantage of the new, high-growth currency if it feels it will bring significant future benefits.

This partnership will allow Sportsbet.io to continue to build on the strong relationship it has built with the club and its supporters in the last year. Since becoming Main Club Partner in August 2020, when they stepped in at short notice to take over the front-of-shirt sponsorship, they have worked tirelessly with the club to create a positive impact in the local community and highlight the importance of safe betting – a duty they take extremely seriously. This work has included their ‘Listen To The Saint In You’ campaign that was launched during Safer Gambling Week, linking up with a number of Saints players to encourage fans to consider the risks before placing a bet.

They have also played a key role in the club’s launch of the Positive Impact Pledge, which enabled start-ups and entrepreneurs to apply for grants to help launch their businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most recently Sportsbet.io also donated their shirt sponsorship to the Saints Foundation for the Premier League match against Burnley to help drive awareness of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts as they aim to raise vital funds lost due to the pandemic. This gesture alone helped the Foundation raise thousands of pounds on the day, a figure that was topped up by Sportsbet.io, who very generously donated an additional £10k.

Southampton Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Thomas commented: “The team at Sportsbet.io have built a successful business by challenging convention and disrupting the market, but in a responsible way, and their approach to our partnership with them has been no different.

“In a short timeframe they’ve proven to be innovative, forward thinking and extremely supportive of the club, our fans and the wider community, and we’ve welcomed the opportunity to develop and promote safe gambling messages together. As such they have become valued partners and we look forward to the next chapter together”

CEO of the Coingaming Group Maarja Pärt, added: “Our first season as Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner has already exceeded all expectations. We’ve been inspired by the passion of the club and its fans, and it was an easy decision for us to extend our partnership with the Saints for another three years.

“From the beginning, Southampton have been a perfect match for the fun, fast and fair way we do things at Sportsbet.io. We can’t wait to continue this journey with the Saints, and we’ll be doing everything we can to support the team and its community into the future.

Wasps Extends Official Partnership With Vodafone Until 2024

Wasps have announced an agreement with Vodafone, one of the world’s leading technology communications companies, to extend their Official Partnership until the end of season 2023/24.

Vodafone and Wasps have enjoyed a successful partnership since the start of the 2019/20 season. The extension of the agreement will see the Vodafone brand continue to feature on the front of the Men’s and Women’s rugby shirts, as well as on the dresses of the Club’s netball team. 

“This new long-term agreement demonstrates the strength of our relationship. The last twelve months have been extremely challenging for so many of us, which is why the support Vodafone have given the Club has been priceless, and underlines just how much we both value this partnership. 

“Everyone at the Club is extremely proud to wear the Vodafone name on our kits and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Vodafone team over the coming years,” commented Adam Benson, Wasps Chief Commercial Officer. 

The partnership also reflects Vodafone and Wasps’ shared commitment to promote the role that technology can play in sports and business.

In 2019, Vodafone unveiled its Vodafone Business Lounge at the Ricoh Arena, an innovation space designed for businesses in the West Midlands to experience the latest emerging technologies including 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT) and high-speed fibre.

Vodafone also conducted the world’s first 5G haptic rugby tackle at its Reinvent conference in 2019. Whilst wearing a haptic suit, Wasps’Centre Juan De Jongh, who was at the Sky Garden in London, was able to feel a physical tackle made by teammate Will Rowlands who was at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Wasps also installed a Vodafone Heat Detection camera at its training ground to help safeguard staff and players as they returned to training following the outbreak of COVID-19. 

The announcement comes at a significant time for Vodafone as the company continues to invest in the West Midlands to support the development of new products and services as part of its deployment of 5G in the region. 

“We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Wasps for a further three years,” said Anne Sheehan, Business Director, Vodafone UK. “The pandemic has brought so many challenges, and the drive and tenacity Wasps have shown has been remarkable. 

“This partnership continues on our promise to invest in the West Midlands region. We can’t wait to unveil new and exciting case studies bringing 5G and IoT to life, demonstrating the key role these technologies will play in transforming the worlds of sport and business. We look forward to welcoming businesses back to the Vodafone Business Lounge at the Ricoh Arena soon.”

Plans For Stadiums To Re-Commence Soon, Says IAEH Survey

The International Association of Event Hosts has published the results of a survey conducted to understand the impacts of the pandemic on members’ events in 2021.

IAEH members in Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Middle East, Europe and North America participated in the survey. The results show that the impacts and responses differ according to geographic location.

· Most host organisations are expecting and planning to return to major events in 2021

o Two thirds of members responding currently have cancelled or postponed events no later than September 2021, and only 17% currently have cancelled or postponed events in 2022.

· Plans for ‘stadium’ events to re-commence

o Two thirds of host organisations have already or are planning to allow’ stadium’ events in 2021.

o In Australia and New Zealand ‘stadium’ events have either already re-commenced or are planned to re-commence with full capacity in April 2021.

o In Asia, Europe and North America, 25% have plans for ‘stadium’ events to re-commence with full capacity but only late in 2021 or in 2022.

o 24% of all respondents have no current plan date for ‘stadium’ events to re-commence. The majority of these are in Europe.

· Restrictions

o For members hosting ‘stadium’ events with restrictions, the limits that apply are of no more than 50% capacity.

o Some members also reported that restrictions are being imposed according to social distancing rules rather than percentage of capacity.

· Measures adopted to support the events industry

o The majority of host organisations have actively put in place measures to support the events industry. 50% of organisations reported event-specific initiatives in addition to general national government support.

o Measures are similar across regions including mainly financial aid such as wage subsidy, interest free loans, tax relief, emergency funding, and reimbursement packages.

o Members rated the effectiveness of these measures were higher in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Middle East (7 out of 10) than in Europe and North America (5.5 out of 10).

· Guidance for staging major events varies across the world

o 50% of members responding are using external resources – some based on resources from the World Health Organisation, others based on national or regional advice.

o 25% of members responding don’t yet have any guidance in place for major events to go ahead.

The survey was completed by 24 IAEH member organisations between 8th and 29th March 2021. A similar survey was conducted by the IAEH in May 2020. Comparing the results, a significant difference is on planning for ‘stadium’ events to re-commence.

In 2020, the level of uncertainty was much higher and the large majority (80%) of host organisations reported that there was no planning date for ‘stadium’ events with an audience to re-commence. Whereas in 2021, 76% answered that there is a plan date, with specific restrictions or full capacity.

The support measures also developed significantly since May 2020 and now the majority of host organisations have actively put in place measures to support the events industry.

Revealing The Winners Of The 2021 UK Sponsorship Awards

Earlier this week the 2021 UK Sponsorship Awards took place digitally, here is a recap of the winners on the night.

Paddy Power Save Our Shirt, entered by Octagon, was named as Sponsorship of the Year 2020 at the 2020/2021 edition of UK Sponsorship Awards, delivered digitally. The ingenious campaign also walked away with four category awards and a highly commended prize in the new 2020 Vision category. The Winner of the 2020 Vision category, created to celebrate sponsorship craft, was Hyundai, for Forward Thinking Drama on ITV (entered by Innocean UK and Havas Media UK).

Also celebrating was M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, named as the Large Consultancy of the Year for 2020/21. The Medium to Boutique Consultancy category was clinched for the first time by Ear to the Ground, while the Consultancy Innovation Award went to Bright Partnerships.

Other winners on the night included O2 Wear The Rose, which won the one-off Best World Cup Sponsorship of 2019 category. The ‘Champions of Sponsorship’ programme saw three names inducted into the UKSA Hall Of Fame: Virgin Media’s Gill Bennett, Everfi (UK)’s Nick Fuller and FA director of the professional women’s game Kelly Simmons.

The 2020/21 edition of the UKSA Awards consisted of two elements. Firstly, its traditional categories – which would have been unveiled at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square last Spring if it weren’t for the onset of Covid-19. Secondly, a new set of categories entitled Rising To The Challenge, designed to recognise work that has overcome the crisis – through creativity, innovation, agility, grit and determination.

Winners in the first segment included Boots and Barclays, both of which earned recognition for their work with women’s sport. In a year where issues such as inclusion and sustainability came to the fore, other winners that captured the zeitgeist included Hennessy, Nespresso and Mind.

Big brands that triumphed in the 2020 categories included Mitsubishi, DHL, Axa and PayPal. However there was also recognition for niche brands such as Hillarys Blinds and Maldon Salt, which won in two categories. As in previous years, the range of winners showcased how sponsorship can be a potent communications platform for businesses across a wide array of sectors. As always, financial services was well-represented, with BNP Paribas and Deloitte among the winners. Marriott Bonvoy had a great night, winning two categories, while there was also success for Aldi, Cunard, Never Fully Dressed and Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In addition to the above, eight awards were handed out in the Rising To The Challenge section of the Awards. All of these campaigns related to work that was activated amid the Coronavirus crisis. Winners included Bauer Media, Carlsberg, Hummel, Versus Arthritis and Virgin Money. Continuing a good night for sponsors of women’s sport, the Škoda V-Women’s Tour 2020, entered by Fuse, came out on top in the Sports Partnerships & Projects category. There was also good news for LNER, winner of the Best Team Collaboration and Contribution Award in this section.

Commenting on the event, UK Sponsorship Awards founder and organiser Rosemary Sarginson said: “We were very disappointed not to be able to meet our friends in the industry in person at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square, but we are proud to provide a showcase for such a remarkable range of work. Despite everything that the current pandemic has thrown at the industry, brands, rights holders, agencies, arts institutions and community-facing organisations have all continued to deliver work of the highest calibre. I’d like to congratulate all of our winners and finalists – and I hope we will be able to catch up properly at UKSA-backed events in 2021/22.”

LaLiga And Santander Renew Agreement Until 2024

 LaLiga and Banco Santander have renewed their collaboration agreement for a further two years, with the option to extend for a further year until 2023-24, continuing a strategic relationship for both entities that began in 2016.

With this renewal, Banco Santander once again demonstrates its confidence in LaLiga to continue growing, giving its name to the entity’s two competitions: LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank. 

Within the agreement, both organisations will continue to expand the brand of Spain throughout the world and share the positive values ​​associated with sport and football in particular, while demonstrating continuity, commitment and hope during this difficult time.

Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga and Rami Aboukhair, CEO of Santander Spain, agreed on the significance of the agreement, especially considering the current pandemic, and noted the renewal of this collaboration between two such important organisations is an endorsement and validation of the work that has been carried out so far.

“This agreement is fundamental for us,” Tebas said. “At this time, being able to continue counting on our main sponsor, Banco Santander, is the affirmation that we are on the right path. Banco Santander is a leading company in its sector that has decided to choose LaLiga as its main partner in the world of sports, which is a source of infinite pride to us.”

Rami Aboukhair added:  “We are very proud to continue providing our name to the best league in the world, LaLiga Santander. Football reflects the brand of Spain and the matches bring friends and family together. This represents values with which all of us who work at Banco Santander feel very connected, such as effort, teamwork or commitment.”

As well as continuing to be the official sponsor of LaLiga, the agreement with Banco Santander goes further. Banco Santander will remain the sponsor of LaLiga Genuine Santander, the professional league created for players with intellectual disabilities, as well as LaLiga Promises, the global competition for under 12s. In addition, Banco Santander is the main sponsor of the official FIFA 21 competition in Spain: eLaLiga Santander.

During the pandemic and despite the fact that football competitions had to be suspended for a time, LaLiga and Banco Santander joined forces to continue providing entertainment to fans by launching #LaLigaSantanderFest, an online festival through hundreds of artists and footballers came together to raise funds to fight Covid-19.

The LaLiga and Banco Santander pairing is a strategic union for both entities that will allow the expansion of the brand of Spain throughout the world.

“We’ve Had Over 140 Million Households Watch The Event”

European Cricket League’s CEO Roger Feiner is a former Director of Broadcasting at FIFA, the world governing body for football. As an eminent broadcast professional, Feiner has also held key positions as MD at Teleclub Sport and VP of MySport, Europe’s leading sports content platforms. iSPORTCONNECT spoke with him to find out more about the league’s operations.

How did the ECL manage to get its broadcasting off the ground?

My background has been basically all TV but I’m also a media lawyer, so I brought a production company to Switzerland that was in media tech and that was brought by NEP. I spoke with NEP about ECL and wanted them onboard as they produce cricket all over the world, so to get us going they flew in experts and helped us with proper production.

Now, after 18 months, I can say with confidence that I have learnt the nuances of broadcasting cricket!

What improvements have been made to the ECL as it has developed?

The only way to grow cricket in Europe is by live-streaming it, because there is no way in the world that brands like Mercedes, to use an example, is going to sponsor the German national cricket team, unless people are actually watching the German national cricket team.

We followed what we refer to as the ‘Digital Silk Road’ to get the perspective of people in parts of the world where cricket is already extremely popular and we’ve bolstered our social media presence through this as well.

Is it difficult to find sponsors?

I think initially we had a status where people did not know about us. I’ve been in the media and sport business for many, many years now, but what we do is surprising and doesn’t actually fade into this traditional system of sports and being a commercial partner in sports.

We can build the bridge between Asia, especially India, of course, and Europe. I think Europe is still a very traditional region. We can build that bridge together. When we started ECL, it was only on for three days, but even during these three days we reached so many households. We have beaten a world record by producing cricket on a daily basis for 180 days, we know we can sell the product as it’s a huge platform where brands can gain visibility.

What kind of numbers are you gaining from the broadcasts and where are most of your viewers from?

The main communities are coming from India and Australia at the moment, which was expected.

As per the numbers, 60%-70% are coming from there. ECL is our big event and then we have national events which are more like series, but for ECL we’ve had over 140 million households watch the event. We also have around 500,000 viewers from the UK which is a good number too.

Genius Sports Group Rebrands Before Going Public

Genius Sports Group, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that the business’ full portfolio of solutions will exist under a single brand, Genius Sports.

The move to a single brand reflects the rapid convergence of Genius Sports’ capabilities in sports technology, live data, video and betting products to power connected fan experiences.

Its Betgenius and Genius Sports Media brands have been discontinued with the company’s solutions and product development sitting under Sportstech, Video, Sportsbook and Media & Engagement moving forward.

A vibrant new brand identity reinforces the company’s position as a leader and innovator in sports technology and data.

Mark Locke, Chief Executive Officer of Genius Sports, said: “As we enter a new era as a public company on the NYSE, the time is right to consolidate our offering under the single Genius Sports brand. This unified approach will help strengthen our value proposition, serve our partners’ needs and articulate our vision of creating personalized fan experiences via the convergence of sports, betting, advertising and streaming.”

“For more than 20 years, we have never been afraid to walk our own path and our new branding will create a distinct position for us in the market.”

Genius Sports is expected to shortly complete its merger with NYSE-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) dMY Technology Group II and subsequently trade on the NYSE under the symbol “GENI”.

Ascot Racecourse To Cool Off With Unilever Ice Cream

Ascot Racecourse announced a new relationship with Unilever for 2021 which will see a range of exciting Unilever brands and products on site across Royal Ascot.

As part of the relationship, Ascot Racecourse is proud to announce that Magnum Ice Cream will be the ‘Official Ice Cream of Royal Ascot’.

For the first time Magnum will be bringing its iconic Magnum Dipping Bar to Ascot Racecourse, inviting racegoers to experience true craft and indulgence at Royal Ascot in 2021.

Guests will be able to enjoy a specially crafted ‘Royal Ascot’ Magnum ice cream design or choose to personalise their own bespoke Magnum with a selection of carefully curated toppings.

As well as creating unforgettable experiences, Ascot Racecourse is fully committed to keeping its guests safe and the on-site experience will be operated in a Covid-secure way.

The relationship with Unilever will extend to work with Lifebuoy Hand Sanitiser – the World’s No 1 antibacterial soap brand* – to provide hand sanitiser stations across the site.

In addition, The Vegetarian Butcher will be on site with plant-based proteins for meat lovers to enjoy. Also, Hellmann’s condiments will be stocked throughout the site and offered across all concessions.

Alastair Warwick, Managing Director at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We are excited to announce our new relationship with Unilever and look forward to working alongside some of their brands to enhance the experience on-site for our customers as they return in 2021.”

Hazel Detsiny, Vice President Away from Home Channels, UK and Ireland at Unilever, said: “Providing guests with a unique and premium experience is all part of the magic of Royal Ascot and we’re thrilled that Magnum is the Official Ice Cream supplier. As the Official Ice Cream of Royal Ascot, Magnum will give guests the chance to design their own, unique Magnum at the iconic Magnum Dipping Bar.”

SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 To Take Place In Russia

SportAccord has confirmed new dates for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021, with sport’s most influential global gathering now set to take place from 7-12 November 2021 in Ekaterinburg, Russia at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo.

The decision to push back the dates for the World Sport & Business Summit to November was taken by the SportAccord Executive Committee. SportAccord is in close dialogue with its partners in Ekaterinburg, the Sverdlovsk Oblast region, and the Russian Federation. This move will provide greater safety and certainty to attendees in the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic but certainly to allow the greatest impact for our hosts.

“We are immensely grateful for the collaborative support of our friends in Ekaterinburg, the Sverdlovsk Region and the Russian Federation,” said Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord and GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations).

“As always, the wellbeing of our delegates is our priority, and we believe that moving SportAccord to later in the year will give those wishing to attend the event more time to put in place the necessary plans.”

“We look forward to welcoming the world of sport to Ekaterinburg in November for what will be a game-changing gathering to signal a major step forward in the recovery of sport and society as we look to the future, beyond the pandemic.”

Williams Racing Signs Streaming Analytics Company As Official Supplier

Williams Racing has signed a new Official Supplier, KX, a global leader in real-time streaming analytics.

The agreement will see KX implement a total analytics solution, combining real-time analytics, a time-series database, complex event processing, machine learning and data visualisation tools in one platform. This will significantly enhance the analytical capabilities of Williams Racing, supporting the continuous development and improvement of the FW43B on track and wider operational performance.

Whether on the track, in the garage or at the factory, the ability to capture and analyse data in real-time is a critical requirement for Formula One teams. The KX platform gives Williams Racing a single point of access to all data regardless of system, format and location. Designed to be highly scalable, it will simultaneously reduce data capture and reporting times while increasing analytical performance.

Built on kdb+ – the world’s fastest time-series database – the KX platform excels at enabling the near instantaneous analysis of real-time and historic data. It is expected to deliver significant efficiency and utilization benefits right across the team – from maximising regulation wind tunnel testing time to reducing labour intensive tasks.

Tim Hunt, Commercial and Marketing Director for Williams Racing, said: “KX share a similar passion to Williams, one of ambition and success. As we continue to progress as a team, we are delighted to announce this partnership with KX, casting a spotlight on real-time streaming analytics. The agreement will see the team continue to develop both on and off the track by improving our analytical capabilities. We look forward to working with KX throughout the 2021 season and beyond.”

Seamus Keating, CEO of KX, added: “Williams Racing is one of Formula One’s most iconic names and we’re delighted to be working with them at the beginning of a new chapter in their history. Like racing cars, KX is built for speed and efficiency.

From our early days working with financial institutions to solve complex data challenges at ultra-low latency, we have since expanded into other industries where the need for the real-time capture and analysis of data is a critical differentiator. Motorsports is known as an industry where milliseconds can make all the difference and we are excited to see what we can achieve together.”