World Championship Air Race has announced a partnership with London-based Aurora Media Worldwide to develop the broadcast format for the World Championship Air Race (WCAR) Series which is scheduled to commence in Q1 2022.
Specialising in the development and production of live, premium global sports events such as Formula-E and Extreme-E, Aurora Media is recognised as a creator of innovative, formatted international live broadcasts, which are widely distributed around the world.
Lawrence Duffy, Managing Director of Aurora Media Worldwide said: “We are delighted to be asked to develop the Broadcast and Digital format and footprint of the World Championship Air Race. Consumption habits continue to rapidly change, but the excitement of the live moment is still at the heart of sport, and this pioneering series suits our skill set. The revolution in mobility is as much in the sky as it is on the ground. We look forward to showcasing the technology and competition to create a brand new suite of content.”
Willie Cruickshank, WCAR Race Series Director, said: “We need to re-imagine and evolve the established Air Race format as a sport that uses innovation and diversity to adapt to meet the expectations of different demographics and a sustainable future. While it is undoubtedly entertainment, WCAR is first and foremost a sport and we are delighted to have completed an agreement with Aurora Media Worldwide Ltd to develop the broadcast format for our inaugural race series which is scheduled to commence in early 2022.
Willie Cruickshank, WCAR Race Series Director, said: “The combination of unlimited content choice and availability of multiple media devices has changed the sports landscape, with younger demographics no longer tied to schedules and watching linear TV programmes. Our partnership with Aurora Media Worldwide will see World Championship Air Race move from a traditional TV experience to a Multi-Platform, Multi-Device experience to meet those expectations.
“Evolving technology allows live and non-live content to be captured, curated and shared on more screens than ever before so we are excited to be working with a truly world-class partner to bring our global community of fans an exceptional, authentic and interactive Air Race experience.”
ESPN and the NHL announced a seven-year deal, returning hockey to ESPN for the first time since 2004.
Included will be 25 regular-season games on ESPN or ABC, early-round playoff series and one conference final each year, four Stanley Cup Final series on ABC and more than 1,000 games per season streaming on ESPN+. ESPN+ and Hulu will be home to 75 ESPN-produced exclusive telecasts per season.
The deal also includes opening-night games, the NHL All-Star Game and Skills Challenge and other special events. The NHL’s out-of-market streaming package (NHL.TV) is also moving to ESPN+ as part of its subscription offerings.
International rights in Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe are also part of the deal, as are extensive highlight rights for ESPN’s digital platforms.
Executives from the NHL and The Walt Disney Company underscored the platform-rich offerings as a key part of the agreement.
“This agreement clearly underscores The Walt Disney Company’s leadership in the sports media landscape and serves as a blueprint for sports deals in the future,” Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of ESPN and sports content for Disney, said in a statement.
“We know the power of the NHL and are thrilled to welcome it back as a significant new pillar across our platforms, and we look forward to connecting more deeply and directly with some of the sports world’s most passionate fans.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also lauded the deal. “Not only will this groundbreaking, seven-year deal enable the NHL to benefit from the incomparable power, reach and influence of The Walt Disney Company and ABC/ESPN, it sets a new standard in delivering our game to the most passionate and tech-savvy fans in sports in the ways they now demand and on the platforms they use,” he said in a statement.
ESPN+ currently has more than 12 million subscribers. Hulu has 39.4 million.
The first NHL game on ESPN appeared on Dec. 19, 1979 — a little more than three months after the network premiered. ESPN continued to produce NHL content for the next nine years. After a hiatus, the network became the home for the NHL from 1992 to 2004.
The market leading brand for dedicated sim racing hardware, Fanatec, is set to partner with the Red Bull Racing Esports Team as they chase down more World Championships.
Fanatec will back the Bulls’ racing goals with a range of equipment specifically designed to hone the skills of the Team. Racing with cutting-edge Fanatec technology, Red Bull Racing’s Esports drivers will not only be perfectly equipped to take their racing to the next level, their feedback will also help to shape the development of future Fanatec products.
The state of the art Red Bull Racing Erena, based at the Red Bull Racing Technology Campus, features both Fanatec’s Podium & CSL Elite Racing Wheel F1 and pedals and acts as a training facility to bring through future Esports champions.
Oliver Hughes, Red Bull Racing Chief Marketing Officer, said: “2021 is set to be a big year for the Red Bull Racing Esports Team as we aim to defend our Championship titles. To do that successfully, our drivers will need to be at the top of their game, push the boundaries and train on the best equipment. Fanatec share the same passion for developing young talent and coming onboard will provide the Team with the tools they need to succeed.”
Fanatec Head of Esports, Robert Rossi, added: “Red Bull Racing Esports has proven to be an unstoppable force in sim racing, and our growing relationship with the Team builds on our past collaborations through the F1 Esports Pro Series and will bring important performance advantages to both parties. We’re excited to work closely together to assist these talented pro drivers in their journey.”
beIN Media Group, the global sports and entertainment broadcaster, and GAME Polo have agreed a deal which will see beIN SPORTS broadcast the highlights to the 2021 POLO RIDER CUP in 12 territories, including: the United States, Canada, Turkey, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, East Timor and Hong Kong.
The international competition will take place from 10 to 20 June 2021 in the prestigious grounds of the Polo Club of Chantilly, near Paris, France. Sanctioned by the Federation of International Polo, the 2021 POLO RIDER CUP will bring together, for the first time ever, the best polo clubs in the world, including the Polo Club de Chantilly (FRA), Hamburger Polo Club (GER), Dos Lunas Polo Club (SPA), Moscow Polo Club (RUS), Evviva Polo St. Moritz (SUI) and Düsseldorf Polo Club (GER).
Commenting on the announcement, Daniel Horlock, Acquisitions and Content Strategy Manager at beIN MEDIA GROUP said, “We are delighted to have secured the rights to broadcast the first POLO RIDER CUP in 12 countries of the beIN network. With teams competing from around the world in the 10-day tournament, the 2021 POLO RIDER CUP is unlike any other and another indication of the diverse range of sport we offer our subscribers.”
Olivier Godallier, President & Co-Founder of GAME Polo, comments: “The concept of the POLO RIDER CUP is to bring the polo sport outside of its traditional family and make it known to a wider audience. Having beIN on board to broadcast this first edition shows that polo has its rightful place alongside premium sports. Many thanks to beIN!”
LaLigaTV recently arrived on Amazon Prime Video Channels in a new UK distribution agreement. iSPORTCONNECT spoke with Keegan Pierce, LaLiga’s International Development head for the UK and Ireland to know more.
How will this agreement with Amazon help to benefit the reach of LaLigaTV within the UK?
This distribution agreement brings LaLigaTV to an increasingly popular platform for UK sports fans, which helps increase our overall visibility, with the channel also available via our UK and Ireland broadcast partners Premier Sports, on Sky and Virgin TV platforms, as well as their Premier Player streaming service.
“Every week the channel shows more than 25 hours of new studio programming which includes exclusive interviews, features from across the clubs, match analysis and clips, news and much more.”
This broad distribution, across major broadcasters and OTT services, is important for reaching a diverse audience in the UK who now have more ways than ever to consume football.
Does this differ strategically from previous agreements in the UK?
This is very much part of our existing strategy in the UK which is to create broad visibility for LaLigaTV and to interact directly with local fans. On top of the broadcast agreements we have also opened a new London office during the past year and created a dedicated social media presence for LaLigaTV in the UK; all of this has helped LaLiga become more consumer facing which as we continue to build a highly engaged local following.
Will there be any extra original / episodic content for fans to engage with away from live matches ?
LaLigaTV is a 24/7 channel which means viewers get the deepest possible view of Spanish football, in addition to all available live matches. Every week the channel shows more than 25 hours of new studio programming which includes exclusive interviews, features from across the clubs, match analysis and clips, news and much more. It is the UK’s only channel that is entirely dedicated to a top sports competition.
What digital innovative integrations should we expect to engage the fans during live matches ?
Our live match broadcasts feature innovations that are not available anywhere else and until recently were impossible to create in a live environment. These include real-time graphics on the pitch that show patterns of play, team formations or player heatmaps, to name a few. There are also brand-new camera shots provided by drone, 360° replays and pitch-side cameras that bring fans closer to the action than ever before.
We are also the only league to provide virtualised stands during matches, which have created a more familiar and engaging match atmosphere while fans have been unable to attend the stadiums. Our audiovisual team continues to invest in creating new innovations, not for the sake of innovating but because we see that it contributes to the storytelling of the match and improves the user experience.
LaLiga has grown as a consumer-facing brand in the UK over the past year. What would you attribute the success to ?
LaLigaTV has many of the qualities of a B2C channel in that it can be accessed through a standalone payment and offers programming that is completely dedicated to a single competition. Alongside our social media presence and other media outlets, for example the regular LaLiga column from Andrea Orlandi in the Evening Standard and appearances from pundits across multiple platforms, we are providing a detailed and daily supply of insights and content about the competition.
The response so far from fans has been very positive, which we put down to several factors, not least the quality of the channel and the football on show. But it’s also true to say that the UK has a special relationship with Spain: as a country it sends more visitors to Spain than anywhere else (nearly 18 million per year) while there is also a vibrant Spanish community here, particularly in London. These are all important links that can help engage consumers and we have incorporated this into our local strategy.
“New subscribers will not stay long unless your content offers real insight and depth that can create a more lasting connection.”
Establishing LaLiga’s London office is also an important part of our direct-to-consumer approach; LaLiga has been present in the UK for over 5 years but having the new space provides more of a focal point for clubs, fan groups, partners, media and other stakeholders to meet and build new relationships in this market.
What would you reckon the psychology of the sports subscriber is?
I think there are three driving factors: discoverability, price and quality of content. The UK is a good example of how diverse the sports broadcasting landscape has become, with myriad subscription services across broadcast and digital platforms. This is causing subscribers to become more selective about where they spend their money so getting their attention is key and pricing needs to be competitive. But new subscribers will not stay long unless your content offers real insight and depth that can create a more lasting connection. Ultimately, sports fans want to become experts, so there is a huge opportunity for rights holders to invest in specialist content that can help their subscribers to build this expertise.
Tell us about LaLigaTV, what it brings to the table and how it can be accessed?
LaLigaTV is a real football-lovers’ channel which brings something completely new to the market, in that it is a 24/7 channel dedicated entirely to a major football competition, offering all of the live matches coupled with extensive supporting programming. It is presented by many of the world’s top Spanish football experts who are well known in the UK, including Guillem Balagué, Albert Ferrer, Sid Lowe, Andrea Orlandi, Graham Hunter, Simon Hanley, Semra Hunter, Terry Gibson, Gaizka Mendieta and many more. For anyone with an interest in Spanish football, the channel provides All of LaLiga, All in one place.
LaLigaTV was launched in the UK market at the start of 2020 through our broadcast agreement with Premier Sports. Since then it has also been made available to customers of Sky TV (channel 435), Virgin TV (channel 554) and now Amazon Prime Video Channels, which represents a combined audience of millions. Across any of these platforms, it can be accessed as a standalone channel for just £6.99 per month.
Cazoo, the online car retailer has announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement to become an Official Partner of the EFL.
Cazoo will have exposure across all 72 EFL Clubs from next season, including significant match day LED and digital branding as well as branding across all of the EFL’s showpiece Wembley Finals, commencing at the Papa John’s Trophy Finals this weekend followed by the Carabao Cup and Sky Bet EFL finals.
With millions of people supporting EFL clubs and watching the Wembley Finals and before the outbreak of COVID-19 over 18 million fans attending matches across the three divisions each season, the partnership supports Cazoo’s growth plans and complements its existing relationships in football with Premier League sides Everton and Aston Villa.
Cazoo offers thousands of top-quality used cars on its website that it owns and has fully reconditioned and which are available for either delivery or collection in as little as 72 hours. Every Cazoo car comes with a full 7-day money back guarantee and a comprehensive 90-day warranty.
Cazoo is pioneering the shift to online car buying and, since its launch just over one year ago, has already delivered almost 20,000 cars to consumers across the UK who have embraced the selection, transparency and convenience of buying high quality used cars entirely online.
Alex Chesterman OBE, Founder & CEO of Cazoo said, “We are delighted to partner with the EFL who are at the heart of communities across the country. Our partnership with the EFL is a great addition to our other football partnerships with Aston Villa and Everton and we’re looking forward to delivering the best car buying experience to EFL fans across the country and continuing to build Cazoo into a household brand.”
Trevor Birch, EFL Chief Executive Officer, added: “It is testament to the appeal of our competitions and the unique strength of the EFL to deliver local activation on a national scale that despite the difficulties of the pandemic, an exciting and fast-growing brand like Cazoo has joined our portfolio of League partners.
“We’re looking forward to working with such an innovative company that already has a firm presence within football as we help them to meet their goals of becoming the best-known car retailer in the UK.”
Discovery has unveiled an enhanced marketing solutions offer for brand partners across its international markets that unites the company’s sports offering with its real life entertainment portfolio into a single proposition.
The move builds on the global launch of Discovery’s definitive real-life subscription streaming service, discovery+, in January.
For the first time, this gives brand partners the opportunity to access all of Discovery’s rich content, on all of its platforms, across every global market, through one central buying point. Clients can now connect with Discovery’s entire audience through any of its offerings, including its leading multi-sport brand Eurosport and passion verticals such as the Global Cycling Network (GCN).
As part of the redefined and integrated offer, Discovery has also reimagined its Creative Brand Solutions capability, within its marketing offer, to enhance content opportunities available to international client partners. Discovery’s creative studio is already delivering new creative content together with some of the world’s biggest brands, helping them to connect with their audiences at scale in a deeper and more meaningful way.
A suite of marketing solutions will be presented for brands to allow them to achieve engagement at scale across the widest portfolio of platforms including via digital content, social media, long and short-form content, product placement, sponsorship, and technology partnerships.
Mike Rich, Head of Sports Marketing Solutions, said: “Today is a monumental step for our sports offer as we fully unify our international marketing solutions and advertising-sales within the broader offering of the Discovery family. We believe this will further strengthen our market-leading proposition and help brands tell their stories at scale, supporting them to deliver against communications goals which positively impacts their business objectives.
“As we head towards back-to-back Olympic Games and deliver the international rollout of discovery+, our partners can now fully take advantage of an enhanced marketing solutions offer which connects sport to the most comprehensive range of real life categories, including home, adventure, travel, food, nature, environment and science. This not only offers more ways to inform, fascinate and inspire, but allows brands to call on us to engage both the most passionate and broadest audiences they want to target.”
Extreme E, the new electric off-road racing series, has agreed a partnership with biometric media testing platform MindProber in a bid to better understand how fans engage with their live coverage and put them at the centre of decision making as the series develops.
MindProber’s technology uses discreet, hand-held sensors to gather high-quality galvanic skin response signals (a neuroscientific measure of emotional engagement) from fans in their own home as they watch the races.
The resulting data delivers a completely implicit understanding of how fans engage with Extreme E racing and offers insight into how everything from camera angles and commentary to rules and technical regulations can be optimised for the ultimate fan experience.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer, Extreme E, said: “We are really excited to use Mindprober’s technology to better understand our fans. As a sport without spectators on site, our digital proposition is our key way of communicating so it’s imperative we get it right and provide the ultimate fan experience. I’m looking forward to seeing the data following our first X Prix in Saudi Arabia from 3- 4 April and what content best engages our audience.”
Joe Timson, Chief Revenue Officer, MindProber, said: “We’ve been following the development of the Extreme E series for some time and it’s hugely exciting for us to be involved with such an exciting and important new sport. The inherent excitement of the series format and the significance and importance of the underlying ethos makes Extreme E an ideal partner for MindProber both in terms of the business value our methodology can deliver and our shared values as a business. I can’t wait to see how things progress from here.”
Williams Racing and ZEISS, leader in optics and optoelectronics, today announce a new multi-year partnership, which sees ZEISS become an Official Supplier of the team ahead of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship.
The partnership will see ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions provide a range of equipment benefiting departments throughout the business including Wind Tunnel, Quality & Inspection and Prototype & Test. The installation of a new, class-leading Metrotom 1500 industrial computed tomography system at the factory in Grove will expand the team’s in-house capabilities and deliver greater insights into the quality and integrity of components, ensuring a precise, accurate and robust quality control process. With a continued commitment towards greater business efficiencies, ZEISS will play an integral part in this evolution.
In addition to world-class technology installation, Williams Racing stand to benefit from invaluable knowledge from industry leaders in metrology and ZEISS’ commitment to “Seeing Beyond” the challenges and demands of Formula One.
ZEISS will have branding in the Williams Racing trackside environment, featuring on the sponsor stacks in the garage and motorhome. As well as this, their logo will feature on the mirrors of the FW43B at the season opening Formula One Grand Prix in Bahrain.
Al Peasland, Head of Technical Partnerships and Innovation commented, “It’s with great pleasure that we can now welcome ZEISS as a Williams Racing Official Supplier in a year when ZEISS celebrates the 175th anniversary of pioneering technological advances in optics. Their passion for excellence, and presence as a global leader, will bring new metrology capabilities into the Williams team.
The competitive world of Formula One racing demands a continuous drive towards ever greater precision and quality. We’re excited to have ZEISS join us on this journey of transformation as we enter a new era for Williams Racing.”
Pedro Yanez, Head of Global Marketing ZEISS IQS commented, “We in ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions are thrilled about this new partnership with Williams Racing. Formula One is the highest class of automobile racing in the world. It is where the premier drivers compete with the most sophisticated technology and with the fastest cars in organized racing.
Therefore, it is also where the highest precision and quality standards are required. We in ZEISS are proud to support the Williams team to achieve such standards, with our state-of-the-art Industrial Quality Solutions. The future looks bright for the new era of Williams Racing, and they will count with our highest commitment to precision and quality on this journey of transformation and beyond.”
Veloce has strengthened its managerial team with the recruitment of Guido Hakkenberg and James Robinson, who bring with them a wealth of experience from the commercial side of motor racing – knowledge that will be invaluable in Veloce’s relentless march to the forefront of esports and Extreme E competition.
Both Hakkenberg and Robinson have established themselves as fixtures in the Formula 1 paddock over the last decade. Hakkenberg joins the team as Head of Partnerships for Veloce Esports, a position guaranteed to be fast-paced and constantly evolving. He arrives with an impressive commercial background following stints in business development and partnership roles at Black Book Motorsport and Manor Racing.
More recently, Guido has progressed through the ranks at Motorsport Network, holding the position of Partnership Development Director for the past year.
Robinson, meanwhile, cut his teeth in the Renault/Lotus Formula 1 ecosystem between 2006 and 2018 in a variety of different capacities.
In 2018, he joined Formula One Management (FOM) as Global Partnerships Director, a position he held until late 2020 when he founded Pace, a commercial agency representing the interests of brands and rights-holders in motorsport. He joins Veloce Racing as a Commercial Consultant.
Jack Clarke, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Veloce Esports and Veloce Racing, commented: “We’re really excited about our latest high-profile additions to the team. Guido and James have a tremendous amount of experience between them, a lot of which comes from time spent at the very highest levels of our industry.
“It’s safe to say that the pair’s arrival represents a significant boost to Veloce’s Partnerships division, and they will undoubtedly push the team forward during the inaugural season of Extreme E and what promises to be another record-breaking year for Veloce Esports.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time for Veloce as a brand, having recently announced Stéphane Sarrazin as our male driver in Extreme E and Squadsprint Season 3 on the Esports side. I have no doubt that 2021 is going to be a very big year for us.”
