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INSIDE THIS ISSUE The challenge facing

the next OF THE SPORT MEANS FOR THE COMMERCIAL FUTURE FUTURE THE COMMERCIAL MEANS FOR WHAT RUGBY 2019 2019 CUP JAPAN WHAT

adventure

Rugby’s Asian Asian Rugby’s

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August/September | Issue no. 254

Rugby World Cup

5 World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper talks to Kevin Roberts about his hopes for the impact of RWC 2019 10 Dual award of 2015 and 2019 World Cups helped mitigate Japan risks 14 Developing a licensing programme for Japan 2019 18 What will the World Cup mean for rugby in Asia? 23 takes slow and steady approach Media 5 28 The challenge facing the next Premier League chief executive: media-rights growth has stalled

Sponsorship & licensing

37 Minor League Baseball seeks to move national sales to “biggest levels in the market” 44 Football clubs have woken up to the of FIFA and Pro Evo 76 Beko and Barça raise the bar with ‘Eat Like A Pro’ campaign

28 41 MLB aims to ‘democratize’ esports with inclusive push around Home Run Derby VR game Event Hosting

55 looks to Olympics to promote technology and spark event hosting resurgence Women’s Sport

60 “Women’s football is about so much more than what happens the pitch” | Fifa’s Sarai Bareman 37 Retail

72 PGA Tour Superstore revolutionizes sports retail sector as Home Depot of Stadia

78 Bucks get aggressive to avoid second-year letdown at Fiserv Forum Management

80 Wizards seek to break the industry mould, find wins with new leadership structure 55 60

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 3 Editor

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4 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness State of the Union World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper tells Kevin Roberts about his hopes for the impact and legacy of the showpiece 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, at the tail end of a year when plans for a global Nations Championship foundered on the rocks of resistance from the sport’s established nations.

(David Rogers/Getty Images)

Kevin Roberts According to Gosper, the former in . Now we are expecting a 40 senior advertising executive who took million domestic television audience for here’s a huge image on the over as chief executive of what was the opening game in September.” wall of Brett Gosper’s then the International Rugby Board These are interesting times for rugby office of what he describes as seven years ago, the upset created “a union, and for Gosper as he looks ahead “possibly the most significant little bit of folklore” and helped pique to his second World Cup at the helm. Ttry in Rugby World Cup history”. the interest of those who had never In his seven years he has overseen the It shows Japan’s Karne Hesketh previously been hooked on rugby. rebrand of the governing body as World scoring the last minute try that earned It not only gave a boost to a 2015 Rugby, seen debut as his team an historic victory over former tournament in which hosts had an Olympic sport, run a commercially world champions South in the failed to inspire, but drove a massive and successful World Cup in England – 2015 Rugby World Cup. To say the result immediate spike in interest in Japan, which with France is the sport’s biggest was a shock hardly does justice to the helping set the stage for this year’s first TV market – and had the organisation’s scale of the achievement. But it also had Asian World Cup. plans to grow the game around the world an impact way beyond the field of play “We saw a huge uplift in Japanese stopped in their tracks by some of the and the record books. The result lit a TV audiences as a result,” says Gosper. senior members of the rugby club. fuse that Gosper expects will detonate “They went from around 1.5 million for Rugby has played a central role in an explosion of local passion when the previous game to 25 million on free- Gosper’s life. He played for Japan, as hosts, get the 2019 Rugby to-air TV for their game against and Victoria back in and was World Cup underway against in – five million higher than the previous selected for the national U21 side. When Tokyo on September 20. record, for the final his advertising career took him to

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 5 6 RUGBY WORLD CUP formed inthemedia. You aware are very yousayWhat isheard andopinionsare tois thepublicdimension therole. is amore maverick environment. todifferent agency, anadvertising which and voluminousthatiscertainly with youto reach decisionsiscomplex ofpeopleyouhavethe number to bring around that.the sensitivities politics around theelected and members withinthesportandlayer fervour of are thenationalpolitics, foreseen always surprises,”hesays. havecareer are comeinhandybutthere major sport? bodyofa ofthegoverning environment traditionally staidandmore conservative to worldofadvertising mercurial the andsomewhat the entrepreneurial worldwide board. ofthecompany’s and amember was chief executive (EMEA) for McCann World by his appointment Rugby, he aheadof andLondonwhere, inParis,working forleadingagencies for theFrench Barbarians. at Racing ClubdeFrance andturnedout he played –and wasplayer oftheyear– www.sportbusiness.com | “The other major thing I discovered majorthingIdiscovered “The other “The reliance oncommitteesand “Two thingsthatImay nothave “Some oftheskillsfrom myprevious wasthetransition from So how A stellar saw career advertising him @SportBusiness “Other Asian countriesare Asian “Other creating a global calendar thatworks creating aglobalcalendar ClubRugby]. [European Professional clubandcountrythe ECPR between wasfriction there of thecurve.Then Ifeelwereally gotahead subject where like correctly addressing concussion,a with player andissues welfare concerns explains. wehadto “UnderBernard deal issues,”Gosper are facingdifferent they captain BillBeaumont. England former Lapasset andnow firsttheFrenchmanpresidents; Bernard isamajorlayerthere ofemotion.” andwhere fan-centric which isvery useful context intheworldofrugby, decision-making, quite itprovides a and, whileyoucan’tletthatruleyour handle onthecourtofpublicopinion do andsay. you of thepublicandfansineverything Cup as their own andusingCup astheirown that topromote thegame at home.” appropriating thisWorld “Under Bill our focus has been onthe “Under Billour focus hasbeen have stylesand “They different very two under hasalsoserved Gosper “ hashelpedgivemea

(€543m/$602m). payment reported to becloseto £500m ofthebusinesswith an upfront cent per Formula –whichmadeabidfor 30 One CVC of CapitalPartners owner –former discussions withprivate equityfirm complicated theSixNations’ by ongoing nations. rugby emerging matches andincreased exposure for would have created more meaningful divisions. This,arguedWorld Rugby, two promotion andrelegation between nations to create aworldleaguewith and (Southern Sanzaar Hemisphere) including the(European) SixNations the planwasto roll upa bundleofrights Wanda-owned Infront, sportsagency abandoned inJuly. interests oftheworldgame’was designed to promote ‘thebroader bodiesinsport.governing of thepressures facingthisandother nations thatstandsoutasanexample the specificinterests ofestablished with World Rugby’s objectiveswith the desire to thegameinkeeping grow a competitivestructure thatcanmarry inabilitytorugby’s on findconsensus Championship.” theplansforaNationsand developing The issuewas,to say theleast, Backed from the investment by World Rugby’s planforamodel And inthisWorld Cupyearitis RUGBY WORLD CUP

Victorious players perform the Haka to after the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final against Australia (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Though that deal had not been a way as we would have done [if the On the legacy front, the World Rugby concluded at the time of writing, it Championship concept had been Impact Beyond programme reached its remains on the cards and – while realised] because we had a very big target of achieving a million new players various other reasons have been tabled backer.” across Asia by May this year, with some for failing to buy into the World Rugby For the time being at least, the focus 200,000 of them in schools in the vision of the future – it is likely the remains on the Rugby World Cup as Japanese host cities. prospects of a major upfront payment the major driver of global attention But, says Gosper, the impact is not and enhanced future revenues driven for the sport and as the engine for restricted to Japan. by a proven and highly active investor development. “Other Asian countries are played their part. “We will continue to develop the appropriating this World Cup as their “At the end of the day they [the Six Rugby World Cup brand and business own and using that to promote the game Nations and Sanzaar] made calls in the to ensure we can continue to invest in at home. The context of a World Cup in interests of their organisations,” says these areas. It is probably a good thing an Asian time zone projects an affinity Gosper. It’s with more than a of that the World Cup falls now so we can with the local markets and shows this understatement that he describes the get on with that.” is not just an event for European and outcome as “a disappointment”. Gosper is hugely excited about the Commonwealth markets,” he says. “We generated a significant uplift in prospects for Japan 2019, both during “Commercially, rugby is quite reliant values over a 12-year period, negating the competition itself and its legacy. on the French and UK broadcast the need to sell off equity in any “The culture in Japan is different of markets, although in recent times that property in the rugby world. course but that’s all part of going to a has been diluted by the rising power “That’s not to say in the future new country. This is the biggest event of the Japanese market. This time the something may not happen. We the country has hosted for 17 years and Japanese market doesn’t sit far behind are hopeful that even if the CVC there is massive excitement. We are them and it is our job to sustain that arrangement moves forward there will pretty sure of a sell-out and 80 per cent after the World Cup. be a return to a discussion of the merits of the country is aware the World Cup is “The Asian context is important of some of what we were proposing,” happening,” he says. so that when people from the USA, he says. “We’ve not seen ticket demand like , et cetera see a World In the meantime, a back-up plan is this for any World Cup. People from Cup in Japan, it creates a global aura being formulated. around the world are saying this is my that confirms it as a global event and a “It’s being looked at right now with trip of a lifetime and a great reason to valuable global property.” the aim of ensuring high levels of visit Japan. The immediate future of the competition between Tier 2s and with “If Japan performs above Rugby World Cup seems assured. Tier 1s. Of course, we don’t have the expectations it will be brilliant and they Commercially, Japan 2019 is likely to money to finance these in as significant seem to be heading in that direction.” outperform initial expectations and

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 7 8 RUGBY WORLD CUP be pushingthrough thenextthreshold. invest inthegamegoingforward. We’ll togive usupliftandcertainty beableto the bidprocess, whichwasrequired to New 2011,whichwas £80m. Zealand compared to England2015(£160m),and to produce asurplusof£370m, France asaWorld Cuphostisforecast of thecompetition. becauseofthetrack record government riskto That’salow the government. the promises have to by beunderwritten with thehospitalityandthoserevenue along tiers sponsorship andsupplier we auctioned-offthesecondary France because,inthebidprocess, explains. surplus,”Gosper will produce alower andthat is thatthecostsare higher we willpassthoserevenues. Theissue record windfallforthegame.Butinfact, ofEngland2015,whichwasa level thecommercial under cent be 20-25per in 2023. stronghold ofFrance to lookforward to isthereturn to thatthere beyond the www.sportbusiness.com | Ren-G, mascotsforthe 2019RugbyWorld Cup,pose forphotographs atthe officialmascotunveilingin Tokyo onJanuary 26, 2018( “That’s down to“That’s down themethodologyof factoring“Without inbroadcast, “We in ofrevenues are confident “We always forecast thatJapan would @SportBusiness Rugby isinastrong situationwith shape. “It’s to notdown me but World thesportisingood believes Gosper are commercial.” they which thedecisionsare asstrategic as isanappetitethere forthatapproach, in Idothink comfort ofEnglandwithAsia. the following That wasthecasewhen more likely to getastrategic approach. bids. youputtwoupare When put oneortwoWorld Cupsupfor complexity ofamulti-nationapproach. bid, despite theadded acknowledging doesn’t ruleoutajointUS- andGosper land ofpromise forrugby onFrancesettled 2023? fresh hostoncethedusthas another WorldWill Rugby take apunton imposing high-riskinfrastructure costs.” travellershigh-spending without high-earning, weeksandattracts seven in economicactivity. It goesonfor event. Japan willgenerate some$2.97bn risk alow good aboutunderwriting togenerates governments feel allows Reflecting on seven yearsincharge, Reflecting onseven interesting“What’s you iswhether a considered The UShaslongbeen aboutthenexttimearound?What “The economicactivitytheRWC and thefans.” Z oursponsors by something demanded critical partofthesportandthatis a andthevaluesremain a movement the sport–World Rugbyismore of IRB may have separated been from rugby. Maybe inthepublic’smind asthevoiceofbrandis clearlyseen character-building sport. World Rugby and wehave asa positioned rugby ethos ofthegame. the thatdoesn’tundermine ensure didn’t have butwe’veworked hard to does create pressures theamateur game hesays.preserved,” “Professionalism built.been has the spiritonwhichbrand rugby thesportretainsof theprofessional era, more thantwodecadessincethedawn player welfare issues.” and weare makinggoodprogress on ofthesportacross theglobe developer toconnection isproving beaterrific Olympic is great forthefuture. Our invested backinto thesportwhich wave revenue commercial withmoney strong leadership. Thegameisona “Our off-field“Our discipline hasevolved, hasbeen “The ethosofrugby Equally importantishisbeliefthat, Koki Nagahama/Getty Images ) continues its international expansion with the opening of its Asia office

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Visit sportbusiness.com 10 RUGBY WORLD CUP W figure was comprised of £140m in figure wascomprised of£140min in2011. Therecord-breaking Zealand Rugby, some£120mmore thanNew forWorld revenues in commercial roughly £265m(€289m/$322m) indicates the2015tournament generated sizeable yardstick. SportBusinessdata body witha thegoverning provided preceding Rugby World CupinEngland question oftimebefore wecame.” 112million,itreally wasjusta with over territory than any part other of the world, gotmore fansasa the world,andAsia’s not thefourth-biggestplaying basein markets, it’sgotthethird, if butgiven from traditionala departure rugby . “Japantells SportBusinessReview was Tom officer chief commercial Hill thesport,”Worldin developing Rugby’s usual suspectsifyou’re trulyinterested pedigree. rugby favourable time-zonebutwithagreater hostinalessthan another Zealand, in2011,losingouttofor theevent New hosting aspirations. Japan hadalsobid continued to thecountry’s overlook be neglectingitsglobalmissionifit thatitwould the obstacles,believing programme.the localcommercial potential to limitdomesticinterest and weakness ofthehostteam hadthe British markets, whilethecomparative competition inthelucrative French and media-rightssalesforthe undermine unfavourable timezonethreatened to to gamble.The betakingacommercial World Cupto Japan, itwasperceived Ben Cronin together with 2019 rights to 2015 and 2023 events World Rugby bundled some media www.sportbusiness.com | Dual awardof 2015and 2019World Cups helped mitigaterisksof hosting inJapan To the increase thechallenge, “You can’tkeep goingaround the bodychoseto The governing ignore voted to award the2019 atthetime, as itwasknown International RugbyBoard Worldhen Rugby, orthe @SportBusiness World Rugbychiefcommercial officer Tom Hill how well we thought it would go with wellwe thoughtitwouldgowith how programmes. come from itshospitalityandlicensing due to 2015 figure, withmore revenues Japan 2019isontrack to surpassthe sales. £50mcomingfrom hospitality remaining withthe revenues, and merchandise £10minlicensing sponsorship revenue, media-rights income,around £65min value since 2015 increased more than tenfold in Japanese mediarightshave “Originally we were cautious about cautiousabout wewere “Originally Contrary to expectations,Hill says supplier categories for £18m out 2019 official sponsor and Japanese agencyDentsubought the case.” hasn’t been but thatcertainly the timezone, for sponsorsas2015,given potentially itwouldn’tbeasattractive are up.revenues We thinking were than2015.Sponsorship sales are better are up.Broadcast revenues Ticket says. anticipated,” thanwe’dever growth he more positiveintermsbut it’sbeen of regards to andbroadcasting, commercial “Commercial revenues are up. are up. revenues “Commercial

RUGBY WORLD CUP Dual award those with TF1 in France and ITV in the significantly from 2015 to 2019,” says Hill credits the decision to announce UK. Hill. “The Japanese realised they were the hosts for the 2015 and 2019 The decision to host the event in capable and able, and they knew the tournaments at the same time, and in Japan – combined with the country’s tournament was coming to Japan, and some cases package the media rights surprise victory over in the therefore the broadcasters wanted to to the 2019 event with either the 2015 2015 tournament – has helped deliver secure those rights.” or 2023 tournaments, for helping to a more than tenfold increase in the Hill says he would like to reduce overcome broadcaster misgivings about value of the Japanese domestic rights. World Rugby’s overreliance on a small the first Rugby World Cup in Asia. Japanese agency Dentsu paid roughly number of media markets. He says he “I think partners would prefer to have £1.3m (€1.6m/$2m at the time) for the was disappointed by the performance of much greater visibility of the long-term, 2015 tournament but this increased to the rights in Australia, which served to so a number of our broadcast deals were £16.1m (€18.1m/$20m) for 2019, making offset some of the gains made in Japan. dual deals, including 2019 and 2023,” he Japan the third-most valuable broadcast SportBusiness Media data indicates says. market for this year’s event. Fox Sports and Network Ten paid just The bundling strategy looks to have “That infamous game against South £10.8m for the 2019 rights, compared paid particular dividends in France, Africa in Brighton was effectively the with the £37.3m Fox Sports and Nine where broadcaster TF1 is thought to most valuable game in rugby’s history paid for the combined rights to the 2011 have overpaid in acquiring the rights because the broadcast rights jumped and 2015 tournaments, sold when the to Japan 2019 for £41.9m in order to secure an option for the rights to the tournament in France in 2023. In the UK, ITV paid a combined £100m for the rights to the 2019 and 2023 tournaments, allocating roughly £40m to the Japanese event. “People appreciate that once they’re in and they’ve secured the rights, they don’t want to let them go, because they know they’re so popular that someone else will take them. You can’t sort of flit in and out of being a partner or a broadcaster because you’re going to struggle to secure rights again in the future,” says Hill.

The 80/20 rule (Koki Nagahama/Getty Images) Global Rugby World Cup television rights are sold by Rugby World Cup Limited, the tournament organisers. COMMERCIAL REVENUES, REVENUES, RUGBY WORLD RUGBY CUP 2015 RWCL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of World Rugby and is advised on its media-rights sales by the IMG agency. After RWCL and IMG agree on a sales ospitalit strategy for a respective market, IMG sales negotiates with local broadcasters and £50m drafts licensed media agreements. icensin RWCL remains the signatory to all £10m deals. £265m “It all ends up being about oercial eia rihts relationships,” says Hill. “They [IMG] reenue £140m have better relationships with some ponship broadcasters and we have better reenue relationships with others, but together £65m we get it done.” Eighty per cent of the Rugby World Cup’s media revenues come from just 20 per cent of the 207 territories in which it is shown. The biggest deals are Source:Source: SportBusiness SportBusiness data

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 11 12 RUGBY WORLD CUP previously partnered with events like withevents partnered previously Broadcast Services. Thecompanyhas IMG Media’s withHost jointventure International Games Broadcast Services, to through itsbroadcast partners World aworldfeed Rugby provides well intheshorter format. and theUSteam beginning to perform schedule forthe2020Tokyo Olympics partofthe change, withRugby Sevens Series. Butthisratio might Sevens from theHSBCWorld cent per Rugby from thefifteen-man World Cupand15 ofitsrevenues cent earns about85per markets. itstands,World As Rugby appealing to broadcasters insome more mightprove rugby or women’s althoughHillgrowth, says Rugby Sevens US forthenextwave ofmedia-rights organisation islookingto andthe Asia its mostsignificantmediamarkets. 2019 willgenerate around £142mfrom estimates Japan SportBusiness Review 2015, 2019and2023into account, between the splitofmediarevenues Australian team better. wasperforming market wasmore competitiveandthe www.sportbusiness.com | The yearwillbethefirsttime Like manyarights-holder, the Taking World Rugby’s allocationsfor @SportBusiness “You goingaround can’tkeep Tom Hill |chiefcommercial officer, World Partners, having dealswith renewed World Rugby’squotaofsixWorldwide Cup. rightstoworldwide partner theWorld of also includesthesaleanddelivery which stretches backto theearly1990s, IMG’s relationship withWorld Rugby, Sponsorship sales highlighted,” he says. of play thatyou wouldn’twantto be angleoranarea youadifferent shows and you’re notcringingorwincingif works andwhatit’sgoingto looklike and quality. “You it exactlyhow know control, continuity willensure the move consistent Hill says broadcast coverage. toGames, helpingthem more provide GamesandtheWinterthe Asian Asian the sport.” indeveloping truly interested the usualsuspectsifyou’re Rugby The agency has succeeded in filling hassucceededinfilling The agency agency Dentsu and its partner theJapan anditspartner Dentsu agency to the2019tournament to Japanese sponsorshiprights Supplier and Official Sponsor Official second- andthird-tier World Rugby opted to sellallofits Dentsu rightsbuy-out bidding. with France, SouthAfricaandIreland to return to timezone aEurope-friendly stage, thetournament wasguaranteed announcedattherenewal had notbeen the nextedition.Although2023host protected they ensure theirpositionfor toprepared pay the25-per-cent upliftto for 2019.It wasthoughtthebrands were theirWorldwiderenew Partner rights £10and£11mto paidbetween then andSociététhat LandRover Générale SportBusinessSponsorshipindicatedby World CupinEngland.A2017report £7.5mbetween and£9mforthe2015 going rate foraWorldwide was partner onsponsorexpectations.delivering 2011 demonstrates is thattheproperty from alsorenewals the majoritywere after the2015event. Hill says thefact Mastercard, Société andDHL Générale , Heineken, LandRover, understands the understands SportBusiness Review (Toru Hanai/GettyImages ) RUGBY WORLD CUP RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 SPONSORS

Value between £9m and £11m

HITO Canon Toto Secom Taisho Pharmaceutical Mitsubishi Estate NEC

Gilbert Tudor Toppan Printing Canterbury NTT Docomo EY

Japanese newspaper conglomerate Suntory Holdings Limited Aggreko

*Official Partners & Official Supplier sponsorship rights sold to Dentsu and JRFU for £18m

Rugby Football Union for £18m to help local organising committees are better by nine companies: Gilbert, Tudor, the organiser with the running costs placed to sell to existing supporters of Toppan Printing, Canterbury, NTT for the event. One well-placed source rugby in their respective markets. It Docomo, EY, a conglomerate of said the agency was likely to make a also makes the event a more appealing newspaper companies, Suntory significant margin on its acquisition commercial proposition to putative Holdings Limited and Aggreko. These given that it was asking for substantial hosts, who have previously complained deals are a combination of cash and increases on the £2m to £3m World about the difficulties in making money value-in-kind commitments. Rugby was charging for the Official from the event. The supplier Gilbert’s deal, for instance, Sponsor rights in the previous cycle. Union has argued that the only way has sponsorship, licensing and SportBusiness Review understands for a local organising committee to product supply elements. These deals Canon, an official sponsor in 2015, was monetise the World Cup was through were estimated to be worth between dismayed to learn Dentsu was asking for cutting costs, while £500,000 and £2m in 2015, although the three times the amount commanded by threatened to boycott the 2015 World ratio between cash and value-in-kind the last event. Cup after it made a £6.6m loss hosting varied significantly from one deal to the The governing body has given no it in 2011. One of its complaints at the next. It is unknown how much Dentsu indication it is dissatisfied with the time was that a union was not allowed is asking for the packages this time. rights buy-out model, having opted for a to mention its sponsors during a World All of the top-tier Worldwide Partner similar approach in 2023. SportBusiness Cup because of conflicts with the rights expire at the end of this World Review understands one of the principal tournament’s backers. Cup, which leaves Hill to end with a reasons France secured the tournament The Official Sponsor roster for 2019 sales pitch for the event in France. was its ability to guarantee certain is made up exclusively of Japanese “If there is a brand that wants to get revenue streams, including those for the companies. Communications company involved for 2023, now is their time Official Sponsor and Official Supplier HITO filled the seventh slot out of eight to say they’re interested,” he says. rights. in the category when it signed a deal “Previously there have been dual or Sources say the approach makes in early August to sit alongside Canon, quad deals and the rights have been commercial sense given that these Toto, Secom, Taisho Pharmaceutical, tied up. Obviously, France is a very categories have tended to attract Mitsubishi Estate and NEC. attractive market for all of the current regional sponsorship budgets and The Official Supplier tier is filled partners.” Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 13 14 RUGBY WORLD CUP I the licensing revenues generated revenues by the licensing the 2019programme hassurpassed atIMG,says licensing vice-president, of thetournament, Andreo, Mickael World Rugby brand. Rugby U20Championshipandthe the Women’s Rugby World Cup,World the 2023World CupinFrance, aswell and deal thatincludedthisyear’sevent its globalmaster in2017, licensee ina Cup inJapan. forthisyear’sRugby Worldmerchandise Ben Cronin 2023 RugbyWorld Cups licensee forboth the 2019 and IMG has been appointedmaster www.sportbusiness.com | Ice cream and Kimekomi dolls | Developing Ice creamand Kimekomi dolls |Developing a licensing programme fortheRWC With amonthtoWith goto thestart World as Rugby appointed theagency produce anddistribute products and toand 21globallicensees design, contracts with25Japanese licensees saysMG Licensing ithassecured @SportBusiness as minimum guarantee per cent of predicted revenues Licensees have to pay60-70 was thefootball World Cupin2002.” before,” hesays. “The lastmajorevent inJapan wasnever because rugby that are notusedto doingthoseevents had, wasreally to withlicensees engage licensees. first beganapproaching prospective IMG when culture forsportslicensing waslessofathe countrymeantthere says in thelackofmajorsportsevents character market, licensing Andreo revenues. licensing generated around £10m(€11m/$12m)in the2015event understands Review cent. 30per SportBusiness 2015 figure by IMG’stargetistolicensee. exceed the Elite wasthemaster SportsProperties the 2015World CupinEngland,when “The challenge andthesuccesswe “The challenge Although Japan hasastrong

the tournament venues the tournament venues on-site retail stores in12 of Legends appointed to run two programs to theone managehere, globally. say “Iwould even thatwe have companies World Rugby workswith Japanese from the differ licensees the market, Andreo says someofthe exceed theminimumguarantee. takeRugby then onsalesthat aroyalty products to store. IMGandWorld inbringingthelicensed engaged toplan. Thisserves keep thelicensee predictedthe revenues inthebusiness calculated asroughly 60-70 of cent per foraminimumguaranteelicensee asksthe theagency its requirements, in question.Ifthebusinessplanmeets detailed businessplanforthecategory toasks theprospective partner write a IMG Before workingwithalicensee, Business plan Because oftheidiosyncrasies of (Koki Nagahama/GettyImages

) RUGBY WORLD CUP in Japan and the one in the rest of the the US and the on-site business in the Although the licensing programme world,” he explains. US is a bit more mature,” says Andreo of does not account for a significant share Globally, 60-70 per cent of World the company. of Rugby World Cup revenues, Andreo Rugby’s licensees are in apparel In addition to the licensed product thinks it has an important role to play categories. Traditional licensed range, the megastore and the online in marketing rugby to a wider audience. products such as keyrings, magnets, stores will also sell most of the jerseys of IMG is working with the governing body footwear and glassware make up most the 20 competing unions. In some cases, to build a customer database and create of the remainder of its licensed product IMG has agreed deals with the union more continuity in its marketing efforts offering. But in Japan, IMG has also to produce a whole range of apparel from one tournament to the next. engaged with food licensees, including and accessories which bear the Rugby “It’s more about how you spread an ice cream brand, a confectionery World Cup logo and the union logo. Sales the message. How do you control your company and a cookie partner in revenues for these products are divided brand?” says Andreo. “How do you make addition to the more customary apparel equally between World Rugby and the sure you can speak to a target audience licensees. union in question. that is not core fans and go a bit further The dual approach is also reflected Next to this, World Rugby has an to make sure we can gather more for the in its e-commerce strategy. Japanese unbranded apparel offer which only sport of rugby in general? company – and World Cup Official carries the logos. “You have core fans that are spread Sponsor – Hito runs the Rugby World World Rugby’s official apparel provider over the world and you need to be able Cup online store in Japan, while Canterbury also has a strong online to address them. How do you do that Sportfolio runs the global online store. presence in Japan and all of the big with the licensing program? It’s clearly rugby markets and is also licensed to through the online store and the real On-site retail sell the co-branded products. strategy behind that.” IMG appointed US agency Legends, to Outside of the core apparel products IMG has had an office in Japan for operate on-site retail stores in 12 of the and the food categories, there are 25 years and has worked in various tournament venues and selected fan additional lines based on local Japanese capacities with the Rugby World Cup zones. The company will also operate 73 products such as traditional Jimbaori since the early 1990s. The agency has official merchandise stores across Japan, coats and Kimekomi dolls. “We try developed licensing programmes for the centrepiece of which is a 1,000 to make sure the local customers can Pepsi, , Pink Panther, Aston square metre megastore in the engage with the programme and also Martin, NFL, Juventus FC, Uefa Euro district of Tokyo, which sells the entire that fans that travel to Japan could 2020, Tetris, Li Na, The Simpsons, Sesame licensed product range. come back with a product that they Street and National Geographic in Japan “They do things in a in a big way in wouldn’t find in Europe,” says Andreo. and the wider Asia region. Z

Clockwise from top left: A range of toys based on the World Cup mascot Ren-; branded traditional Jimbaori coats; wafers, cookies and dumplings

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 15 Tokyo time for

The 2019 in Tokyo will not only be the showcase event of the year in the sport; it will also provide a perfect launchpad for athletes, officials and fans ahead of the 2020 . INTERNATIONAL JUDO FEDERATION JUDO INTERNATIONAL In association with the

(IJF)

ith less than a year to go many great videos and, after a vote, the strong feeling of the sport returning to before the Tokyo 2020 winners – 10 in total – were invited to its roots, even as it expands its horizons Olympic Games, there is attend the competition to see it live further than ever before. no doubt that the 2019 from the venue and to have access to “There is a strong tradition of judo WWorld Judo Championships is an event the athletes. in Japan and a strong tradition of that has captured the imagination of the “We will launch another one for organising events,” the IJF’s media public in Japan and beyond. Tokyo 2020. It is fantastic to see how coordinator, Pedro Lasuen, says. “The Several weeks before the start of the many people have participated, their professionalism of the organising August 25-31 event, the International imagination and creativity.” committee and the regular exchanges Judo Federation revealed that all that we have with the All Japan Judo premium seats had sold out, with the Engaged audience Federation (AJJF) and the Kodokan in rate of sales suggesting ultimately a Throw to Tokyo underlines how Japan guarantees that everything will be complete sell-out across all categories. the IJF is determined to maximise ready for the World Championships. Meanwhile interest from around the the opportunity to use the World “The teams in place are very world has been increasing ahead of the Championships as a launchpad for professional and absolutely ready to World Championships. various initiatives that will roll on organise an event of the scale of the The International Judo Federation’s seamlessly to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. World Championships. The extra innovative ‘Throw to Tokyo’ initiative With judo’s two biggest showcase motivation comes also from the fact led to more than 1,000 entries from competitions taking place just months that the event will be an extraordinary across the globe. “It was a really apart in Tokyo, the IJF has a unique rehearsal for next year’s Olympic successful competition,” the IJF’s chief opportunity to leverage the sport’s Games.” media and marketing officer, Vlad historic links with Japan and its capital. Marinescu, says. Judo was founded in Tokyo by Jigoro Practical tests “All judo fans were asked to send in Kano back in 1882 and the sport’s debut The World Championships will act as a video with a nice, funny, technical at the Olympics came when the city the ideal test event for the Olympics, as or spectacular ippon. We received so hosted the Games in 1964. There is a well as the year’s biggest judo event in

16 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with the INTERNATIONAL JUDO FEDERATION 17 (IJF) The striking new mats will provide Olympic in the heart of the are “We Championships judo, the World “In “Competition is immense across every point of view. It’s a massive step step a massive It’s every of view. point offer judo and we want to for forward what is best for our fans.” platform for the sport’s an appropriate Lasuen, to According competitors. top of competitions the multi-year schedule up to building byintroduced the IJF, Championships, as this year’s World well as next year’s Olympics, has helped are ensure that judo’s best athletes to higher than standards performing to ever before. with eventsqualification process, taking “The place every month,” Lasuen says. Championships represent the World but we have flagship event of the IJF, Prix,many Grands Slams and a Grand the that will maintain Masters World momentum. so there is happeningare every year, to on the athletes a lot of pressure maintain their performance. and there potential are all categories champions everywhere. it That is why is so special, because all of them must be at their very best level every year, Z without exception.” The IJF’s official supplier, Taishan Taishan The IJF’s official supplier, is something new – an evolution,”“It also the first time, we are “For to ensure and its organising the IJF to partnerscommittee can work towards continuously improving all aspects of judo’s biggest events. Innovations a numberThe IJF has also introduced enhance of innovations in order to partnership with the the spectacle. In the sport’s global governing body AJJF, announced in March a new that set of for the tatami colours would be used competition mats in Tokyo. , the has produced new and tatami – with a blue inside area – that the IJF hopes outside area red viewer-friendly be more will prove to both at the venue and for spectators remotely. watching sports must “All Marinescu says. change and improve, and judo is not best to trying our are We an exception. appealing. our sport more make system, a 360° replay introducing see meaning that fans will be able to project This all angles. the action from involves implementing 110 synchronised from offer replays cameras in order to This year’s showpiece will take showpieceThis year’s will take the IJF’s media and Nicolas Messner, with the IJF, together “The AJJF, and information will be shared “All use the World The opportunity to will be looking at everything,” “We it also depends on all “However, will also judge the success of “We A detailed review of the World place at , the venueplace at Nippon Budokan, to judo’s introduction that hosted years ago, and the the Olympics 55 same stage the sport’s that will 2020 Games. competition at the Tokyo director, programme for Peace Judo for “The venue is perfectly suited says: before a judo event few and, in the days only Championships, we are the World sure make to working on small details which we everything will run smoothly, know will be the case. organise to been working non-stop have Championships. the best ever World The IJF is in constant contact with organising Championships the World as well as the Olympiccommittee, Games organising committee. be identify to what needs analysed to improved or changed. The arena will its final stages of alterations then enter the World for the Olympics after Championships.” for the Championships as a rehearsal beyond Olympics, though, extends sales and arena logistics. ticket “Of course, the success of says. Messner will depend Championships the World on the level of competition, which is be extremely high. to guaranteed the aspects of the organisation, from airport, where delegations will be the competition arena welcomed, to itself. Championships on the the World received have media coverage. We numberan impressive of media applications, which showsaccreditation that judo is a significant focus for media the world.” organisations across place Championships will take following of the event, the conclusion encompassing of perspectives, a variety its own right. its own right. 18 RUGBY WORLD CUP A broadcaster’s managingdirector, Asia, analysis, highlightsandspecialfeatures. with – whichwillsupportlivecoverage dedicated channel–beINSportsRugby All 48matches willbeavailable ona Timor-Leste andSingapore. Laos, , Philippines, , for Cambodia,, , picked upWorld Cupbroadcasting rights why, inJuly, Pacific beIN Sports Asia ‘interested’ inthesport–Asia. who says interested’ are ‘very they or Kelvin Tan Karne HeskethofJapanscoresthewinningtryduring2015RugbyW will it have onthefanbaseand playerbase across the , aswell as the game’s commercial prospects? The bestrugbyplayers on the planet are heading to Japanforthefirst AsianRugby World Cup, butwhatimpact www.sportbusiness.com | What willtheRugbyWorld CupinJapanmean for the sport intheregion? for thesport According to Mike Kerr, the BeIN are goingbigonthecompetition. are amongthereasons Those numbers fans – defined as a person fans –definedasaperson 112millionrugby were there SportsinAugust Nielsen 2018, ccording to from areport @SportBusiness almost the same time zone will see a almost thesame timezonewillseea on-year participantgrowth. sport andbuildonrelatively small year- maximum opportunityto promote the the World of amoment Cuprepresents Asia.” fuel theappetite ofunder-served fansin infuture to offering expand ourrugby for thesport,andwewillbelookingto time.Itperfect willbeagame-changer globally,”. Kerr tells SportBusinessReview have content investing inrugby been butwe acquisitionforAsia, major rugby to backthathunch. corporate isputting money investment sport intheregion andthecompany’s the competitioncouldkickstart “Having theWorld Cupinwhatis For theSingapore too, “The World Cup iscomingatthe “The RugbyWorld Cupisourfirst orld CupPool BmatchbetweenSouthAfricaandJapan( the team willfoldnextyear. and Australia on aregular basis,though teams from SouthAfrica,New Zealand whichhaverepresentative, mettop the ,Japan’s Rugby Super shared hostingdutieswithTokyo for with thisJapan team. Thecitystate want to see,”headds. exciting tournament, which iswhatweall it willhelpmake itamore successfuland cause. “IfJapan dowellthatcan’thurtas similar results thistimewouldhelpthe South Africaatthe2015editionand atSingapore Rugby.partnerships and headofcommercial Danapal, more peopleinterested,” says Douglas anditwilljustgetalot of visibilityhere tournament, itwillgivethesportalot inthe lot more Singapore fansengaged Singapore has a special connection Singapore hasaspecialconnection Japan famouslydefeated powerhouse Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images ) RUGBY WORLD CUP “We’ve had a long relationship with Asian attendees will form a large part most of the tournament with marketing What will the Rugby World Cup in Japan mean Japan that we have built over the years,” of the crowd at RWC 2019. As such, activities that include consumer flyaway says Danapal. “We had the Sunwolves for the influence of the ‘f-factor’ – friends, contests, on-ground live screening the past four years. This helped Japan family, followers and fans – will unlock parties, partnerships with affinity groups for the sport in the region? build a high-level competition for their growth for rugby like never before. and more. players and this helped our programs “While rugby is not at the level of and helped us to get our community to “We will be looking to expand football in Asia, we take a long-term view understand that you have to pay to watch on expansion,” says Kerr. top level rugby.” our rugby offering in future As well as growing fanbases there has An economic impact study undertaken to fuel the appetite of under- been a push to use the World Cup to earlier this year estimated that there served fans in Asia.” increase the player pool in the region, could be a total tournament output of something vital to improving standards around $3.6bn (€3.2bn). It remains to be Mike Kerr | managing director, Asia, beIN and increasing the chances of other Asian seen if the rest of Asia can share in the Sports Asia Pacific nations qualifying for the Rugby World riches with the host nation. “There is no Cup. direct revenue boost but indirectly there “The Rugby World Cup being based could be with fund-raising events and “We are in the business of sports, and in Japan has opened people’s eyes to the partnerships with global rugby partners. we are continuously looking to expand opportunity Asia has to offer with its We can also take advantage of teams and our offering. We believe there is a gap huge population,” president personalities passing through en route to in the sports content offering here Aga Hussain tells SportBusiness Review. Japan,” Danapal says. and rugby is one sport that deserves “Our ‘Asia 1 Million’ program BeIN Sports is looking forward to the wider coverage. Through our extensive surpassed its target on new players 2019 edition breaking viewing records distribution on different platforms we introduced to the game in just three for the Rugby World Cup. believe we are optimised to help rights years,” he says. “With kick-off times optimised for owners increase their fanbase.” “With a year-on-year multiplying Asian fans, we are anticipating this Naturally the broadcaster hopes that fanbase and the existence of established to be the most-watched Rugby World the money will follow on the heels of [rugby-related] CSR initiatives, there is Cup in the region,” says Kerr. “Also, the impact created by the World Cup. enormous potential for any investor. Asia since Japan is only a few hours away, There are a number of plans to make the has six per cent of the world’s youth.” Z

Fiji celebrate after winning the final against France on day three of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong SevensHannah ( Peters/Getty Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 19 Why bookmakers should fine-tune their advertising tactics In association with SPORTRADAR

mong the flurry of transfer The involvement of sponsors 32red. deals digitally as well as utilising rumours and club tours to com in Wayne Rooney’s transfer from the latest AI and Machine Learning far flung destinations in the Minnesota United to Derby County technology to properly tailor their pursuit of new territories and also generated plenty of discussion but, marketing efforts. Afanbases, one of the standout talking regardless of which side of the fence you When we speak to operators about points of football’s close was come down on, it’s irrefutable that the ad:s – our holistic marketing solution Paddy Power’s ‘unsponsoring’ of several goalposts have shifted when it comes to for bookmakers – these are key aspects UK football club shirts. gaming sponsorship and football. we highlight because they are what will The topic of football clubs and Many operators should now be help companies stand out in what is their reliance on gambling sponsors questioning whether they’re getting clearly now a saturated marketplace. is nothing new but the bookmaker’s enough bang for their buck with shirt More than half the teams across the campaign, which split opinion both sponsorships and what else can be done Premier League and the Championship inside and outside the industry, put the to supplement their marketing spend. now have betting companies as their issue front and centre once again. Apart from the negative publicity that shirt sponsors, forcing organisations “As a sponsor, we know our place, and can accompany clubs and their betting to come up with all-encompassing, it’s not on your shirt,” Paddy Power’s sponsorships, it’s vital operators aren’t strategic plans if they are to maximise managing director, Victor Corcoran said just blinded by the lure and razzmatazz their investment and convert audiences when it was confirmed that the now of seeing their logo on the front of a into revenue. infamous Huddersfield Town kit launch football shirt. Instead, sponsors have to Whether it’s clients such as Real had been a hoax. be smart and ensure they’re activating Mallorca and Sporting in Gijon in

20 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with SPORTRADAR 21 , Felix Geyr Sportradar of Sports Media, Managing Director Director Managing Being able to back up your glitzy, back up your glitzy, Being able to fact, rather than it being a case of In However, new opportunities are However, better the chance to bringing emerging, bigger target spend as well as make previously unchartered moves into territory. football shirt deal with eye-catching to data-driven marketing targeted, improve your advertising efficiency appeal to is something that should and sizes. bookies of all shapes money will always shirts, saving saving for the majority be the slogan of choice Z of operators. A recent BCG market evaluation A recent BCG market around The debate sponsorships Front-of-shirt By analysing both behavioural By analysing both behavioural prospect Throwto in the ability in the thick of the action, in the thick of the action, of a primary in front as it puts their brand right right as it puts their brand choice for betting operators choice for betting operators will always be a popular will always be a popular target market.” showed gaming revenue the gross with €30 billion, be around globally to be bolstered to that expected by the US $4bn from by a 2022. Around market of that is spent by quarter on marketing operators and advertising meaning targeting and increased efficiency can help bring substantial savings. betting advertising – and much how much is too - will run and run, as will the wider discussion social responsibility around While and gambling. move has Power’s Paddy those fires stoked undoubtedly need not start again, operators scratch. from been, and will always have remain, estate. prime real dramatically alter the way betting the way alter dramatically both advertise themselves to operators new and existing customers. insights and conversion data as well adjust as using Machine Learning to fully can bookmakers bidding strategies, time. in real optimise their campaigns and customers potential and retarget the opportunity to have bookmakers improvedrastically their marketing improve their spend and ultimately line. bottom “Football shirt sponsorship shirt sponsorship “Football It is why football shirt sponsorship football shirt sponsorship is why It slogan, Power’s Paddy to contrast In a crowded, diverseIn and While financial backing 32red.com’s Both social and digital advertising With the use of industry and user data, target advertising to Being able to will always be a popular choice for be a popular choice will always bettingputs their as it operators right in the thick of the action, brand of a primary target market. in front have may Power what Paddy However, for many highlighted inadvertently bookies is the importance of activating jerseys. from partnerships away do still see their place many operators of a shirt but as being on the front that to add want to also increasingly presence digitally or in . bookmakers marketplace, international should be leveragingsocial, digital as well as potential and broadcast other opportunities such as physical and advertising if perimeter enjoy on their big returns they to are investment. may arrival at Pridefor Rooney’s Park much too not necessarily be mirrored add weight to elsewhere and is likely Football’ Modern ‘Against the to attentionbandwagon, it has captured gained new subscribers. and most likely connect more offer the chance to closely with fans globally and also bring engage with opportunities to more Digital matchdays. from users away is also more and social marketing tangible measurable, conducive to whenresults it comes advertising another where area we efficiency, a role. believe ad:s can play advertisingprogrammatic is designed with the aim of efficiency in mind. sports users based on the content, in can they interested are and teams or Enyimba in Nigeria,Spain or Enyimba the global football as a vehicle impact of using for advertising is undeniable. Different countries and continents will have whennuanced relationships it comes to betting but the beautiful on the sport gambling has been to game’s proclivity decades in the making. 17-20 SEPTEMBER 2019 Olympia London

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For more information, please visit www.sbcevents.com RUGBY WORLD CUP Hopes of hosting a Rugby World Cup in the US rise with Major League Rugby plans

United States planning a bid to Strategic partnerships with USA MLR and World Rugby are host either the 2027 or 2031 Rugby and AEG Rugby aim to developing the US domestic game Rugby World Cup tournaments expand commercial efforts for future tournaments

Bob Williams

head of an expected bid by the to host the 2027 or 2031 Rugby World Cup – and a desire by global Agoverning body World Rugby to tap into the North American market – Major League Rugby is seeking a sustainable approach to ensure it has its own long- term staying power and can play a role in helping to secure the major tournament. MLR is specifically looking to avoid the mistakes made by its short-lived predecessor, the Professional Rugby Organization (Pro Rugby), which began play in April 2016 but ceased (Major League Rugby) operations just nine months later amid reported financial problems and a is a single-entity league, with no a 17-game package for six MLR series of clashes between owner Doug promotion or relegation. Expansion teams, including Austin, Glendale, Schoninger and national governing body fees have reportedly increased from , , and USA Rugby. approximately $500,000 (€449,000) to . Meanwhile, a partnership Established in 2017, MLR officially $4m now. with subscription streaming service kicked off in April 2018 with seven Attendances have been sluggish and RugbyPass in the 2019 season gave teams – Austin Elite, Glendale Raptors have varied according to the local market. the league access to an international (), Houston SaberCats, New Crowds averaged around 2,000 per audience via delayed full replays of Orleans Gold, Legion, match in 2019, but a capacity attendance selected games, highlights, player and of 6,000 for the MLR championship interviews and other features. () – which competed in game between hosts MLR – whose headquarters are in Salt regular-season matches before a four- and Seattle Seawolves in June offers the Lake City, Utah – has three league-wide team playoff. league optimism for the future. commercial partnerships: Ram Rugby Two more teams were added for the In multi-year partnerships, MLR (official ball partner), XBlades (official 2019 season – has signed a 13-game linear broadcast apparel partner), and a sponsorship deal and Arrows – and the league deal with CBS Sports Network and an with British-based luxury apparel brand will expand to 12 teams in 2020 with 18-game digital deal with ESPN’s direct- Barbour, its lone non-endemic partner. the addition of to-consumer platform ESPN+. CBS is With teams having an annual (), Old Glory DC (Washington reportedly not paying a rights fee for salary of $450,000 – compared to DC) and Rugby ATL (). To help the deal that puts select games on cable $9.06m (£7m) in England’s Gallagher with travel costs and to help build local channel CBS Sports Network. However, Premiership – interest from international rivalries, MLR is switching to two six- it gave the league significant national stars has been understandably quiet thus team conferences next season. exposure when the main CBS broadcast far. But Rugby United New York (RUNY) A team is scheduled to join network aired this year’s championship pulled off a significant coup by signing in 2021, while there are talks with a game, gaining an audience of around France centre Mathieu Bastareaud prospective ownership group in Los 510,000. for the 2020 season, when he will join Angeles. The goal is to reach 16 teams. On a regional level, AT&T Sports another big name, former England Like , MLR Networks has the linear rights to fullback .

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 23 24 RUGBY WORLD CUP foundation than we were three yearsfoundation thanwewere elsewe’re justonabettereverything ourmediadealsandI thinkbetween existence] andsecondyearplaying, and aims.its commercial “organisedanddisciplined”in remain and hasreasserted theleague’sneedto hislong-termis stickingby approach activities fortheleague.ButHowes the planning, expansion andother whichoversees the Board ofGovernors, interest inrugby. fan thestrong overseas resembles thatmore closely expansive growth whowantmore rapid and owners, amongsometeamin hisleadership reported murmuringsofdiscontent team Real SaltLake have –there been chiefexecutive– theformer ofMLS Howes Dean commissioner made under Despite butsteady theslow progress Building astrong foundation Top 14clubStadeFrançais. directorthe former ofFrench general Arnald, from Pierre minority investment GloryDC, Old whileRUNYsecured a Rugby Union hasa30-per-cent stake in international investors, too. TheScottish fornextseason. with SanDiego of theyearSteffon Armitagehassigned www.sportbusiness.com | MAJOR LEAGUERUGBYTEAMSINTHE2020SEASON MAJOR LEAGUERUGBYTEAMSINTHE2020SEASON “We justfinishedourthird year[in MLR team allhave owners seats on MLR hasattracted someinterest from European player former Elsewhere, Seawolves Seawolves Seattle Seattle San Diego San Diego Legion Legion @SportBusiness Glendale Glendale Glendale Raptors Raptors Warriors Warriors Utah Utah Austin Elite Austin Elite namely: growing theavailablenamely: growing domestic Howes hasspecificlong-term goals, Rugby, AEGRugby withUSA Strategic partnerships offset thosecosts,”says Howes. to withsponsorpartners money enough whilebefore youstartmaking a little andittakes startofthis[process] very isworthwhile. “We’reinvestment atthe production costs.own Buthesays the Networks, astheleagueispaying forits deals withCBS,ESPNandAT&T Sports from itsbroadcast making anymoney for2020. partners commercial withpotentialmultiple conversations sponsors.in new Buthesays heisin “a longway to go”inregards to bringing that takes time.” We’re butitisaheavy there lift getting player contracts andthingslike that. are youdoingintermshow ofmanaging bringingtoand whatare they thetable, thatyouare bringingin partners new set upasasingleentity, whoare the and contractually. allofthisworksadministrativelyhow a longway to goonjust tightening up professional sportsteam. We stillhave have to to learnhow ofa beowners sothey owners are new owners “Our . ago,” Howestells SportBusinessReview Rugby Rugby Howes admitsthatMLRisnot According to Howes,theleaguehas are you “The real foundationishow Nola Gold Nola Gold Rugby ATL Rugby ATL SaberCats SaberCats Houston Houston Old Glory Old Glory Old combination isagreat fit.” ofactivationsothat more robust level ofnationalvisibilityanda a highlevel with abrand becausewecanprovide Rugby andMLRto have aconversation retail brand. some core markets wouldappealto a are buildingupfanbasesin they where activation soforusto withMLR partner retail spaceatleast,wantsomelocal partner. Lotsofthesebigbrands, inthe alotmore tocan offer anational-level landscape are thefactthatcombinedwe director, tells us. Griffin,USAMark Rugby’scommercial and explore opportunitiestogether,” us to have conversations commercial relationship willbemutuallybeneficial. marketing initiatives. for international duty, andshared nationalteamUS men’s players welfare andsafety, therelease of initiativessuchasplayerit covers forlong-termframework collaboration, with USA Rugby. Establishinga league hasforgedastrategic partnership media andsponsorshipdeals. thevalueof least 5,000;andimproving increasing average to attendances at player pool;expandingto 16teams; DC DC Toronto Arrows “It makes itmore appealing forUSA onesinthecommercial “The obvious “It upalotofopportunitiesfor opens USA this Rugbyalsobelieves To helpMLRreach its aims,the Rugby United Rugby United New England New England New York New York Free Jacks Free Jacks RUGBY WORLD CUP The league has also created a commercial arm – Rugby United Marketing – as a separate legal entity, with team owners as its board members and controlling voice. Its aim is to negotiate future commercial deals and potentially sell equity in the league to outside investors. MLR is also working with AEG Rugby – a subsidiary of sports and entertainment conglomerate AEG – to help grow in the content and facility space.

New York team lost $1.4m in first season At the club level, RUNY’s majority owner James Kennedy, who is also the chief executive of New York-based construction company Murphy Kennedy Group, offers a number of revealing insights into the realities of running an MLR team. RUNY played its first season at MCU Park in Coney Island, also the home of -affiliated Minor League RUNY’s erstwhile home in Coney Island (Major League Rugby) Baseball team Cyclones. But Kennedy is searching for a new venue such as England, Australia, New Zealand Merchandise revenue has been healthy, for next season after struggling with and France. High-school and middle- he says. attendances at the Brooklyn venue. school visits, which proved popular with “I am trying to find merchandisers, In addition, the team made a loss children, were also started “way too designers that will push the boundaries of $1.4m in its first season, having late” he adds. on merchandise and try and have some recouped just $1.6m of a total operating RUNY’s ticket sales were “very ” fun with it and get away from typical budget of $3m. for the majority of games, Kennedy sports and rugby apparel and move “Overall it isn’t that bad and we admits. The team was aiming for 2,000 into new areas, driven by the New York did spend some bad money as well,” fans a game at MCU Park, but achieved brand.” Kennedy tells SportBusiness Review. “In 1,500-1,600 for its better-sold games. Kennedy is also engaged in talks to my heart it’s three years [to break even] Kennedy says the team made a “massive play an official MLR game overseas. but with my head it’s five years.” mistake” by not engaging in ticket sales RUNY has a number of corporate On the team’s financial struggles, until Christmas 2018, just a month sponsors, including Motion PT Group, Kennedy concedes he made a number of before its inaugural game. Bawnmore Irish Beef Jerky, Hospital for mistakes as a new owner in professional Going forward, Kennedy is targeting Special Surgery and Elastoplast. sports. “We selected the wrong venue. I venues in New Jersey and upstate New “The sponsors are all upscaling next think everybody would agree with that. York for next season, which could season, which is fantastic, and we’re But at the same time, it was the only include playing at multiple stadiums in going to announce soon some blue-chip actual venue available in the city. Maybe the tri-state area. [company] sponsors,” Kennedy says. I wrongly thought it was important to Despite the financial losses, next The team has struggled to gain a be actually in the city in the first year,” season the team’s budget will rise to meaningful media presence in the Kennedy admits. $4.5m. “$1m of that will go to facilities crowded New York sporting landscape “We also made mistakes on where we and player welfare and some better – despite local broadcast deals with spent some of the money on marketing. player housing,” he says. “We’re already SportsNet New York (SNY), NBC We spent wisely on a [] spending the most in the league, but a Sports Washington and NBC Sports subway campaign but we didn’t spend lot of that is reflected in doing the cost +. But Bastareaud is likely wisely on the social media spend,” he of business in New York. to help the cause. says. “It’s a statement of intent [that he Kennedy adds that the team did not Bastareaud signing ‘a statement joined the club], it draws attention engage aggressively enough with expat of intent’ to MLR, it attracts other players and communities, who come from countries For all the teething troubles, Kennedy there’s been massive reach-out since with a strong rugby union background has seen reason for optimism. Bastareaud [signed],” Kennedy says. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 25 Getty Images’ Michael Regan tells Kevin Roberts why sport photography Stills life is more important than ever In association with GETTY IMAGES

n an age when video is omnipresent, and to convey the personalities and photographic archives while every player it may come as something of a emotion of the sport’s major characters has their own social media channel and surprise to learn the art of sports have won him admirers wherever the wants great images for it. photography is not simply alive but game is followed. “Today photographers are not simply Iwell and truly kicking, and playing an During his career he has seen shooting to capture an image for the enhanced role in sport’s commercial massive changes in the world of sports next day’s papers. We are photographing ecosystem. photography. Technology has changed, to create assets that can be monetised. In fact, says Getty Images’ senior cameras themselves have changed, and “Professional photography will always football photographer Michael Regan, so has the speed with which images stand out. Nothing gets a story out there “still photography has never been more can be delivered to end users. That, quicker or more effectively than a good important”. in turn, has created new demand for picture. It freezes time and the very Regan, who started his career with a the output and new relationships with simplicity of a still picture somehow photographic agency in his home town stakeholders, including players and makes it more compelling,” he says. of Leicester, has been with Getty Images athletes themselves. The job itself has also changed. 10 years, during which time he has “People are more receptive to “It’s no longer about going to a game covered thousands of games across the photography than ever,” Regan says. and getting the single best shot for world for clients including Fifa, Uefa, “There was a time in football when the tomorrow’s papers. The demand from the Football Association and its England industry seemed to want photographers clients means that it’s about the best teams and the Premier League. to back away. But times have changed, shot from the last three minutes,” Regan His portfolio is a joy for any football and social media has been one of the explains. lover, from the director’s box to the driving forces. It has contributed to a “I am not just covering the match cheap seats. His ability to capture greater demand for photography than but the entire event. I’m on the moments that tell a story, to crystallise ever before because rights-holders out for interesting shots in and around the drama of a split-second’s action have come to realise the value of their the stadium ahead of kick-off and they

26 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness GETTY IMAGES In association with GETTY

(Michael Regan/Getty Images) appear as part of the build-up coverage “Over last 10 or 15 years, rights-holders capturing their personalities. on media websites around the world. have realised they need a legacy of “We did player shots for Fifa ahead of “We are shooting and transmitting content. In 30- or 40-years’ time they will the World Cup in Russia and decided we pictures that feed the appetite created have high-quality content usable across had to make the best use of the players by constantly updated match coverage all formats that can be passed on to their time and encourage them to express on media, club and league websites sponsors, partners and licensees. It gives themselves. They were brilliant and as well as social media channels. The them more of an asset,” Regan explains. we had them in some fantastic poses entire business has changed. Technology “The content we shoot works for which said something about them as has meant that pictures have a shorter editorial use as well of course. We individuals. even lifespan than ever before.” are putting it on our platforms and broke through a background screen for While providing photography for generating revenue which comes back to the shot with us. The players like doing media organisations still accounts for the rights-holders.” it and they love the shots for their social around 35 per cent of Getty Images’ But in a changed environment, the media output. revenues from sport, the client-focused brief from many rights-holders has been “Football has led the way in this side of the business continues to develop extended. For example, Getty creates the respect, but now other rights-holders are quickly and has grown ten-fold in the photographic record of every player in seeing what has been achieved and are past decade. the Premier League in home and away going the same way,” he says. The company employs some 120 colours ahead of every season, shots Sponsors too are increasingly sports photographers worldwide and which will be used by broadcasters, appreciating the power of photography roughly the same number of freelances. media and Panini stickers. in new ways. “It used to be that they just In addition to Fifa, Uefa and the Premier That might seem like fairly mundane wanted a shot of their board during a League it lists the International Olympic work, but Regan and his colleagues game but now it’s about the whole event Committee and the NBA among its high- have seized on the limited time with and capturing it for social media,” Regan profile clients. the players to develop new ways of explains. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 27 28 MEDIA E The challenge facing the next EPL chief The challenge facing thenextEPLchief revealed the extent revealed SportBusiness Media of globalmedia-rightssales. difficult by the results of the latest cycle hunt may have more madeeven been BBC’s TimDavie –backed away, that andthe Susanna Dinnage Discovery’s And after twofavoured candidates – goingtowas probably never beeasy. a yearagohewasstepping down, Scudamore, whoannouncedover chief executive. surprisingly difficultsearch foranew tasked withwhathasturnedinto a tournament buthead-huntingfirms Trophyin theleague’sAsia showcase Reynolds. Not up-and-comingtalents Frank Dunne the markethas already peaked confirm theviewofexperts: EPL globalrightssales appear to www.sportbusiness.com | executive: media-rights growth hasstalled Recent analysisconducted by Replacing theoutgoingRichard Spencer StuartwithRussellSpencer tactical substitution,replacing Leaguemadea Premier thissummer,arlier theEnglish @SportBusiness cent. season,or35perup from £1.079bn per sterling wasto season, £1.457bnper international increase expressed in times theleaguecameto market. The 70 by thelasttwogrown cent per The valueofdomesticliverights had of liverights,to £1.548bn season. per inthevalue cent thedrop of9.6per by largely Thiswasdriven 2019-22 cycle. tocent, season,inthe £1.686bn per season inthe2019-20to 2021-22cycle. 2016-17 to 2018-19cycle £3.143bnper (€3.174bn/$3.538bn) seasoninthe per from £2.907bn cent, was eightper and international mediarights, for theleague,includingdomestic the market. as someoneoncesaid,youcan’tbuck objectofthemarket.immovable And, Leaguehashitthe of thePremier to whichtheonce unstoppable force was dueto weak pound growth in international income About halfof the league’s 35% Domestic revenue dropped 7.8 revenue Domestic per growth cycle-on-cycle Overall next rightscycle approach maybeneeded in the It is thought a radical new whole andiscomfortably themost forthemarketis thebellwether asa League is thattheEnglishPremier it: “Thesignificanceofthesenumbers agency,of footballattheOctagon puts else? mean foreveryone whatdoes thatmedia-rights growth, Leagueisstrugglingfor if thePremier putmore brutally,Or closeto flat. And would have cent. around twoper been European Union. the UK’s June 2016vote to leave the ofsterlingdepreciation inthewake of wasduetohalf ofthatgrowth the compensated forthedomesticdrop, fact: whileinternational growth Spain, , andFrance. Germany comfortably outofreach ofitsrivalsin It leavescycle. theEnglishleague of earning$10bn-plusinathree-year As PhilCarling,As managingdirector thesterlingWithout dip,growth maskanimportantBut thenumbers Most sportsbodiescanonlydream (Dan Istitene/GettyImages ) MEDIA sophisticated in terms of its approach been praying the big tech and social piracy and is cutting its spending on and development. The key issue is media companies will spark the next rights. In sub-Saharan Africa, the league the decline of the subscription-based platform wars that drive up values. But rights-holder SuperSport is facing a pay-TV model, which is being eroded there were no international bids from major regulatory squeeze that could by piracy and digital alternatives, Amazon, which dipped its toe gently hit the broadcaster’s investments in especially in the under-35 demographic. into the domestic rights market with a rights. And in France, a period of fierce The EPL broadcast machine has been handful of matches. Facebook agreed competition in the market has been wholly reliant on the success of this deals in Thailand and Vietnam that replaced by a more collusive culture. model.” fell through after unforeseen problems The other market with a big deal is Carling is not alone in seeing emerged when negotiating the long- the US, where the league sold its rights difficulties ahead. Consultant Phil form agreements. And that was it. for six seasons to NBC in 2016. Here, Lines, who headed up the league’s 2. Five markets account for almost there are arguably more grounds for international rights sales division for half of global revenues and in four of optimism. With the US co-hosting eight years, from 2002 to 2010, argues those markets – , sub-Saharan the 2026 Fifa World Cup, and the all- that monster deals in China and the US Africa, the Middle East and North conquering women’s national team also help hide a worrying underlying Africa and France – there are strong hogging the headlines on and off the trend. reasons to doubt whether the league pitch, the signs for future growth are “If they had to negotiate deals now can continue to grow. positive. in the US and China, they wouldn’t get In China, the league struck at 3. The Asian rights boom is over. The the same value,” he says. “I think those the perfect time, with the market expanding Asian market has been one two deals distort the current picture. overheating, but that moment has of the biggest drivers of growth for the The figures seem to show a little dip passed. In Mena, league rights-holder league over the last two decades, but on domestic but it’s still going well on beIN Media Group is being crippled by in the new cycle four of the five biggest international, but I don’t think that’s the way sports media rights are heading. The deals in China and the US were ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE DOMESTIC RIGHTS, 2013 TO 2022 (£ PER SEASON) done at the height of the rights market, 2,000 probably the peak – around 2015-2016 – but I don’t think deals will be repeated 1,828m 1,685.8m at that level.” 1,500 He adds: “If I were a club, I wouldn’t be going out setting record transfer fees. If the TV rights peaked in 2016 and 1,000 1,006m the transfer prices are still going up, that’s a problem isn’t it?” And while a weak pound helps boost 500 the sterling numbers, it is not – overall – a blessing for the league’s 20 member clubs. They still have to buy many of 0 2013-14 to 2015-16 2016-17 to 2018-19 2019-20 to 2021-22 their players in euros and pay salaries Source: SportBusiness Media Rights Tracker that are competitive with those in other economies. In recent weeks, the pound has slumped to a 28-month low ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS, 2013 TO 2022 ($ PER SEASON) against the dollar and the Euro as a result of growing expectation that the 2,000 UK – under new prime minister Boris 1,899.3m Johnson – will exit the EU in October 1,700m without a negotiated withdrawal 1,500 agreement. 1,181.2m Other concerns 1,000 There are other concerns for the league when surveying global markets ahead 500 of a next round of sales, from 2022-23 onwards. 1. The FAANGs didn’t bite. With pay- 0 television markets maturing in many 2013-14 to 2015-16 2016-17 to 2018-19 2019-20 to 2021-22 parts of the world, rights-holders have Source: SportBusiness Media Rights Tracker

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 29 30 MEDIA there couldbe more pressurethere to gofor any increase inthe domesticmarket so dollars. isunlikely Ithinkthere to be continue to themost gowithwhooffers stayIf they trueto will form,they butwejustdon’tknow.be extreme, to-consumer Thatwould globalservice. needtothey direct- launchtheirown can seetheway thisisgoinganddecide is appointed. mightthinkthey “They take chiefexecutive shapeuntilanew A rights. some successinitsdistributionofSerie negotiate withbroadcasters –with platformwhilecontinuingtoOTT twin-track approach –launchingan usingthis hasbeen The IMGagency value from traditional broadcasters. have they where struggledto secure leastforthe‘darkmarkets’at very optionintheirarmoury, OTT consumer essential to have some kind of direct-to- onwards. strategy from 2022-23on anOTT toconsultants Alvarez &Marsal advise November 2018,theleaguebrought in in exclusively SportBusinessReview by reported forsometime.As OTT withtelcorenewal SingTel. inits cent 30per fall invalueofover traditional broadcast deal,despite a got coldfeetanddecidedto gofora one market –Singapore –buttheclubs platformin to OTT launchingits own closethiscycle The leaguecamevery New thinking and Japan cent). (34.5per SouthKorea cent), (50 per (43 cent) per Kong (a51.5-per-cent drop), Thailand inHongcame intheregion. Thesewere percentage drops anywhere in the world www.sportbusiness.com | Japan Thailand, Laos,Cambodia Hong Kong Caribbean Territory TOP FIVE % DECREASES FOR EPL IN 2019-20 2021-22 CYCLE TO IN EPL FOR % DECREASES FIVE TOP For Lines,afuture strategy will not it consider now rights-holders Other lookingintoThe leaguehasbeen @SportBusiness DAZN SpoTV TruVisions PCCW Caribbean PremierSports Buyer “The good news for the EPL fortheEPL “The goodnews Sky’s latest results suggestNow TV out oftheirfavourite sport content. to them allows fact Skynow dipin and the portfolio, helpedby flexible OTT tomore open more buildingtheirown becomethe riskisthatsubscribers more. lesspackagedcontent, With oflesscontentfor subscribers costing subscription costs. rights, whileatthesametimeraising portfolioof inabroader investment has resulted backonits inSky cutting rightscycles previous rights feesover EPL market, theincrease infootball League stillleadingtheway”. elite sportscontent, withthePremier for era be pivotalindefiningthenew rights fees”. “in markets scaletops audience where see thereturn offree-to-air coverage of platforms,heargues,andmay even involve workingacross acombination platform notcontent.” Consequently, isoneof theproblem thebest.strong; inmanypeople’sview is thatitsintrinsicproduct remains fans. fortheEPL “The goodnews anydeclineininterestcaused by among are notfor theleague,itschallenges dollarsoverseas.” the bigger one ofplatformnotcontent.” Octagon remains strong...theremains is problem is that its intrinsic product is thatitsintrinsicproduct managing director of football, Phil Carling|managingdirector offootball, This hascreated the doublewhammy Taking theUK asthemostmature willbecritical.“It will The nextcycle strategyA new wouldprobably Carling pointsoutthat,fortunately Source: SportBusiness MediaRights Source:Tracker SportBusiness -34.5 -42.9 -50 -51.5 -61.5 % Decrease would seem towould seem beover. Z itsbid. lowering EPL forSkyto becometoo aggressive in is too muchvaluewrapped upinthe rights feesinthemediumterm. There content shouldholdupSky’s elsewhere Thethreat oftaking EPLservice. foranyEPLOTT partner the perfect distribution potential wouldmake it the EPL,andAmazon’smarketing and willhelpinform EPLservice its own service. OTT own is thethreat, orpartiallaunch,ofits that leave theEPL? answer Theobvious FAANGs are notinterested, does where exits theacquisitionmarket, andthe relationship.the subscriber ButifBT baseanditscontrol ofsubscriber bothitslong-term erode further content onAmazon,asthatwould margin onsellingthird-party channels. itcanmakebillions ontheEPLwhen a strategic to benefit Amazoninspending will alsotake. It ishard to seeany others. Thisistheroute the FAANGs onbehalfof andsubscriptionTV OTT time into acontent gateway, offering content. BTislikely to over evolve distributingthird-partyfar cheaper itisbidding uptherightsvaluewhen that strategically itmakes nosense sports content, are beginningto realise have dippedtheir leginthewellof traditional telcos suchasBT, who way.competition inanother The subscription modelswillimpact sells thoserights. pressure onthewayputting theEPL match-by-match approach, ultimately could continueto toward evolve a game, theway Skysellstherights multiples more thansay, anEverton Uniteda Man gameisworthmany term, butifthedatademonstrates themedium its rightscollectivelyover rights. TheEPLwillcontinueto sell as anannualpackageorportfolioof ormatches,sport asevents than rather weekly Now purchases startvaluing TV pressure onsubscriptions,dailyor term? Apartfrom long-term downward long-term base. subscriber isstartingtogrowth cannibaliseitsown But thedays ofthemegaincrease intheUKwith Amazon’s experience Sky islikely to resist sellingits This disruptionoftraditional doesthismeanforthelongWhat

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For more information and to purchase the report visit: www.sportbusiness.com/uefa-club-competitions-report/ Euroleague ’s great leaps forward

Changes to the format of the top-tier EuroLeague – and the joint venture with IMG – has unleashed growth in every aspect of the business, especially media and sponsorship. EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL EUROLEAGUE In association with

(Aitor Arrizabalaga/EB via Getty Images)

uroleague Basketball has been In 2015-16, the Turkish Airlines The competition has massively the pinnacle of European club EuroLeague changed format, from a increased revenue in both core basketball for almost 20 years. tournament comprised of a group stage and development markets, but has Since its inception in 2000, it followed by a knockout phase, to a particularly thrived in Spain, Greece Ehas allowed the clubs the opportunity round-robin league followed by post- and Turkey – markets in which other to become stakeholders in their own season . The positive response premium properties have struggled. success, but it’s over the past three from fans and commercial partners Television and live audiences are both seasons that the competition has truly has made it the second-fastest growing growing. Overall attendance-per-match come into its own. top-tier sports property in the world, has grown by about 10 per cent across all Since the 2015-16 season, when according to research by SportBusiness. EuroLeague Licensed clubs – those with Euroleague Basketball agreed a joint This is visible in all areas of the a permanent place in the competition venture partnership with IMG, the business – media, sponsorship, live – since the joint venture began. Thanks competition’s commercial growth has events and hospitality – but the change to the change of format, each club is exploded. Overall revenue has more seen across media and sponsorship playing a significantly greater number than doubled, growing by 2.3x in three has been transformative from both a of EuroLeague fixtures per season, years. revenue and an audience perspective. boosting revenue for the clubs.

32 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL 33 ) Boris Streubel/Getty Images Along with revenue,Along with audiences are On Euroleague the digital side, growthThe rapid sponsorship of the also growing. Cumulatively, 1.3 billion Cumulatively, also growing. on the competition people watched during 2018-19, and a furthertelevision about or read 1.8 billion either watched The combined 3.1 billionthe EuroLeague. cumulative viewershipis eight per cent higher than in the 2016-17 season. 900 amassed almost Basketball all social across million impressions and had a platforms during 2018-19 Uefa than the engagementgreater rate Champions League, Premier League, LaLiga and the NBA. Sponsorship growth now has 26 Basketball Euroleague partners spanningdifferent marketing insurance, food and beverage, IT, motoring, tourism, banking, , Since the creation and collectibles. travel of the joint venture with IMG and the launch of the new league format, doubled. almost revenuehas sponsorship is due to programme and marketing a more adopting main factors: three from data-driven switching approach; based one a platform-based offering to on targeting specific demographics; According to Nielsen research, to According “Our been has sales process about compete in the next two seasons of in the next compete alongside fellowEuroLeague wildcard which Munich, FC Bayern team via in last season’s EuroLeague played domestic qualification. very are 1.6 million people in France with the in the EuroLeague, interested Germany. in million two to rising number of these consumerThe profile is very wealthier and younger thaninteresting: major sports.that of most competing number of generalThere is a far greater who fans in each country basketball become Euroleaguecould potentially foundationfans, providing an excellent upon in the two territories. build to show Euroleague the value of trying to Xavier for different partners,” says of Bidault, commercial director research done “We’ve IMG. at basketball about what fans think about our clubs, what they think about the Euroleague, how they as part of value Euroleague subscription, how their pay-television for pay it influences their decision to When in we’re subscription packages. different we can go to the sales process, ‘this is what we feel is partners and say, the value of the property’.” Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball president and chief executive officer ( Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Turkish broadcaster beIN Sports broadcaster Turkish “I think that the fact that we have also being struck deals are Lucrative “Our of is that the change opinion 18 to The competition expands has enjoyed the excellent performancehas enjoyed the excellent clubs over the past four of Turkish popularity seasons, and Euroleague’s surge in the country is showing no signs clubs have of slowing down. Turkish in the final for the past four appeared seasons. a little fared probably bit better than other properties is the consequence of in the country,” the growth of basketball the last five years, “In says. Bertomeu has been the country where Turkey has been growing in the most basketball significant way.” such as France, in development markets where partner broadcast RMC Sport covers by the ASVEL, every game played by backed team to ASVEL is guaranteed football club. Media growth The biggest driver of revenue for over the past Basketball Euroleague years has beenthree media rights – particularly via new deals in Spain, The deal in and . Turkey Greece, platform DAZN Spain with streaming Basketball Euroleague has cemented property in the country, as a top-tier while consecutive renewals with Greek have Nova broadcaster pay-television each time. increases strong brought the format was fundamental,” says was fundamental,”the format says president and Basketball Euroleague Bertomeu. officer Jordi chief executive “The joint venture at least of the was without the same importance, but been it would have change of the format improved a new, tell very difficult to our partners.” to story of several in 2019-20 – the first teams planned for the expansions territorial With expansion across coming years. under already Europe way western on the horizon, and a UK franchise become is set to Basketball Euroleague premium sports property every across the continent. across major market 34 In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL had the right And expertise. that’s where those accounts,butmostofall service tohad more resources, more manpower structure –astructure that a different to weneeded thosepartners, service on thenationalscale,andto beable both onthepan-European scaleand expertise. and bringinginstaffwiththerelevant “We have awidevarietyofsponsors, to dothat,execute onasaleanddeliver change,” Rosa-Medina says. “To beable themostimportant That hasbeen platform modelto model. demographics the way wesoldsponsorshipfrom a andlicensing.partnerships Basketball’s director senior ofcorporate says Jose LuisRosa-Medina, Euroleague avery,we’ve seen importantshift.” very “On a conceptual level, we changed level, aconceptual “On (TF-Images/Getty Images ) Real andPanathinaikos.” without watching asinglematch between the draw. We couldhave fiveyears spent if theclubsare lucky, getin orwhothey knockout system, it’salways aboutseeing business,” says Bertomeu. the “With we have the successfulingrowing been season. competing every atleastthree Spanishteamsensuring Vitoria-Gasteiz allpossessLicences, andKIROLBETBaskonia year.each andevery Real Madrid, the competitionwillbestrong inSpain that streaming platform’sconfidence DAZNby from 2019-20isdueto the duration oftheirinvestments. inincreasing thescaleand confident broadcasters andbrands to feel the competition.Thishasenabled guaranteeing theirparticipationin EuroLeague clubsheld10-yearlicences, From 2016-17to 2018-19,11ofthe16 stability.upon Euroleague’s new-found sponsorship programmes isallbuilt The expansionofmediaand A stableplatformforexpansion that tailored packageto ourpartners.” andwegive that specificdemographic, with programsand relevant thatengage games relevant the platforms,chosen basketball player, right?We’ve created from a25-year-oldconsume differently A40-year-oldengage. womanisgoingto lookingto were they the demographic aspacewithin respective client every platforms don’tbecomecluttered. itsmarketing it canagree whileensuring ofpartnerships expansion inthenumber ups. Itthecontinued hasalsoenabled international brands orlocalstart- to inanyway them possible–bethey bringing abrand’s desired demographic farmore effectively,partnerships Euroleague Basketball its service people.” different and knowledge needed different we departments, different between accurate activationandintegration “This has been the main reason why themainreason why “This hasbeen The 50-per-cent feeincrease paid Rosa-Medina adds:“We’re giving approach hashelped This new In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL 35

) Francesco Richieri/ (Francesco EB via Getty Images to a higher standard of basketball and a higher of basketball standard to invest clubs to for potential greater simultaneously in their communities, down the top from growing basketball in every the grassroots as well as from Z market. major European The Euroleague Basketball Business Basketball The Euroleague believe it is absolutely “We Euroleague speed up this process, To the maximum Clubs that exceed vision is of Basketball’s Euroleague financial practises, boost revenue-financial practises, social and increase earning potential media presence, other among things. was attended by Summit, held in July, than 90 business professionals more and the EuroLeague clubs across from second-tier competitions. EuroCup The event their share helped clubs commercial and spread success stories knowledge the family of throughout clubs, and furthered philosophy the only are stakeholders that EuroLeague Off the court, they rivals on the court. achieve business partnersare looking to revenuethe same goals – increased and eventual profitability. grow to help the clubs fundamental to their business activities,” Bertomeu help the clubs to trying to “We’re says. develop commercially by establishing with the and sharing best practices clubs and acting as consultancy services for them. BOCS helps them selling tickets, around with strategy optimizing the revenues on game days, packaging sponsorship digital strategy, – all these different verticals of the BOCS is not working for us business. but working for the clubs.” strengthen is continuing to Basketball Play Stability Fair its Financial Shareholder contributions Regulations. were capped at 65 per cent during 2018- to reduced 19, and this will be gradually 40 per cent by 2022-23. shareholder contribution will face a penalty of between 10 per cent and 180 per cent of the overspend, depending on the severity of the violation. Commercial partnerships prevent inflated to will be evaluated valuations of deals involving the of shareholders. outside interests a competition that spans the entirety parity with increased of Europe, of successful, profitable the result clubs with solid business foundations. business conditions will lead Improved The Business Operations and Because this match-up is guaranteed is guaranteed match-up Because this This stability is also attractive open in a franchise to Negotiations biggest media The UK is Europe’s “Our main priority in the UK at Club Services department (BOCS) Club Services department (BOCS) helping clubs reform to is dedicated Standing on their own two feet As centralised revenues growing are is now Euroleague consistently, focus on helping its beginning to the competition’s into clubs integrate and advice and provide tools ecosystem that can boost their revenues. every can the EuroLeague season, broadcasters offer a stable package to audiences reach looking to and brands and genders. of all ages Europe across franchise and future for investors guarantee to The opportunity owners. makes participation in EuroLeague city in a major European owning a team an enticing prospect. been ongoing for years, and the UK have different to the competition is talking the UK and other from investors while evaluating where this markets will be based and whenfranchise it will created Any team join the EuroLeague. the into in London will slot straight in play not and will likely EuroLeague the country’s domestic league. for a and the potential market, is huge. Nielsen team basketball has suggests that basketball research than higher participation rates and that 2.1 million people and rugby, in a UK in the UK would be interested in EuroLeague. playing team in this moment a team is creating “This is Bertomeu. London,” says focused in this where more we are moment, not closing doors. but we are could be believe Manchester We are destination. We another interesting with together conducting our research help us in Nielsen and other partners to taking the right decision and establish a wherefranchise we believe will be more of the financial and successful in terms conditions.” market Gain a competitive edge in your career

OHIO UNIVERSITY Josh Keiles, vice-president of business development at the National Sports Forum, is one of many sports industry executives to benefit from the renowned student and alumni network of Ohio University’s PMSA.

n an industry built on connections, Competitive advantage Ohio University’s Professional “The ability to take a look at the Ohio Master of Sports Administration University directory at any given time – (PMSA) student and alumni network and feel very confident that if you reach Iserves as an outstanding launchpad for out to someone in there, they’re more In association with executives seeking to take their career than likely going to get back to you to the next level, according to Josh and give you some time to connect – is Keiles, one of the industry’s rising stars. something that you can never take for In 2018, three years after graduating granted, but you should absolutely take with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia advantage of,” Keiles adds. University, and having secured a firm Keiles believes that the PMSA has foothold in the sports industry by rising taught him the value of mentorship in through the ranks to lead the National professional development – and how Sports Forum’s business development it goes hand-in-hand with continuing department, Keiles was looking for a education. competitive edge. Moreover, in an ever-expanding Like many ambitious professionals industry, being able to broaden horizons Josh Keiles who are already working in the sector, beyond a specific area of focus to Ohio University’s PMSA provided an in the industry. In addition, online encompass other knowledge strands is enticing opportunity. resources are readily available, offering increasingly important. an adaptable solution to students based “I’d say the biggest thing that the Strong relationships remotely or on the move in their day-to- programme has helped with is exposing “During my two years with the NSF, day job. students to different areas within sports I’d been privy to the power of the Ohio The collaborative nature of the business that they may not be familiar University network and also been able programme, with alumni encouraged to with,” he says. “For me, in my role at the to develop some strong relationships support students, ensures that valuable NSF, I focus on sponsorship, marketing, with school faculty and alumni, several face-to-face connections are also revenue generation and so on, but I’m of whom are on the NSF Steering established. not necessarily exposed to as much Committee,” Keiles says. Scheduled in-person residencies, for in operations and logistics, facilities, “I had long considered some type of example, bring together students four sports law, analytics and other areas. post-secondary education. However, times each year to provide outstanding This programme helps to ‘even out’ that I was at the point in my career where networking opportunities for like- base of knowledge across the industry.” I was getting in a nice groove in my minded peers, as well as a vital learning Keiles is convinced that the PMSA professional life and the idea of taking experience. will continue to provide the foundations time off to focus solely on school “You’d be hard-pressed to find that will help him to progress further in seemed more and more unrealistic the a school that does as much to help the sports sector. longer that I went in my career.” facilitate connections between students “Moving forward in my career, I think The flexibility of the programme is and alumni,” Keiles adds. this will serve me well. Ultimately, I’d a particular attraction for students, “Throughout the programme, the like to wind up on the agency side, many of whom have been working in the administration and alumni do such a where I could work with various brands sports business for several years. great job drilling in the importance of on developing their strategy for sports For example, course leaders make giving back to those who came through sponsorships. But I would be okay doing a conscious effort to shift the bulk of the programme before them. anything that allows me to continue the workload away from months and “As a result, it winds up being very to develop relationships across the semesters in which a student already easy to connect with and meet alumni at industry, because at the end of the day, has significant work commitments every turn. relationships are what it’s all about!” Z

36 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness SPONSORSHIP MiLB seeks to drive sponsorship to “biggest levels in the market”

Affiliated Minor League Baseball Ongoing alliance with tech company Copa de la Diversión is a key element leagues have added more than a ISM Connect is bringing smart of MiLB’s outreach to the Hispanic dozen new sponsors since 2016 displays to MiLB ballparks market, driving its revenue up

After more than three years of steady growth building a national sales operation, the affiliated minor leagues of baseball have growing ambitions

Eric Fisher David Wright, MiLB chief commercial partnership with MLB. and marketing officer. “We have big That development led to the live inor League Baseball’s ideas of where we want to go, and we streaming of what is now most minor- national sponsorship are well positioned to get there. There’s league games, and more critically, effort, which began in been a level of education out in the advanced the “Power Of One” notion earnest just a few seasons market that we’ve had to go through. repeatedly championed by MiLB Mago as a self-described “white space” in But now we’re getting past that and president Pat O’Conner and helped the North American sports sponsorship we’re hitting our stride.” instruct local club owners on the landscape, is now big-game hunting. Such ambition, however, is still a untapped commercial opportunities Flush from several seasons of steady rather unlikely story for a property existing beyond their individual markets growth picking up more than a dozen obviously not at the top level to create new shared revenue. new corporate partners – in many cases competitively in their sport, but also That success gave way to the regional brands looking for their own one historically existing as a loose introduction of Project Brand, the national presence – in categories such federation of locally-oriented clubs. formal name of MiLB’s national as snack foods, airlines, and power That prior inward focus, as well as the marketing and sales effort, in late 2012. tools, baseball’s affiliated minors lack of a regular presence on national But even with that expanded mindset, now have their sights set squarely TV, for many years made it difficult it wasn’t until Wright’s arrival to MiLB on top-tier sponsorship sectors such for MiLB to construct a meaningful in early 2016 that corporate sales truly as soft drinks, financial services, national sponsorship business. But began to escalate. and telecommunications, as well as change first began to foment in 2008 A former senior executive with Major international opportunities. with the pooling of the 160 affiliated League Soccer and its commercial arm “We believe we can play at some of clubs’ digital rights to create the Soccer United Marketing, Wright landed the biggest levels in the market,” says Baseball Internet Rights Co. (BIRCO) in deals with agricultural machinery

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 37 38 SPONSORSHIP companies such asAllegiantAir, power with thatalso brought alignments MiLB the startofaflurrydealmaking for based market research firm.It wouldbe according tooverall, IRI,aChicago- thanthepotatofar higher chipcategory salesincreases, double-digit percentage well forus.” value-based brand. It’s worked certainly ourselves inthemarketplace asafamily, to expandourgeography andposition us LeagueBaseballhasallowed Minor with through 2021.“Butourpartnership logo, and the deal was last year extended feature theMiLB around theUSnow Pringles.owned Uncle Ray’s chipbags Pepsico’s Frito-Lay andtheKellogg’s- rival chipbrands includegiantssuchas and marketing for Uncle Ray’s, whose says LoriRader, ofsales vice-president largebrands inourcategory,”very sports sponsorshipmarket. inthe activepurchasers been previously sponsorship. brand had But neither Uncle Ray’s haddabbledinmotorsports alignedwiththePGATourhad been and , headquarters. St.of arrivingatMiLB’s Petersburg, ofweeks chip brand, withinamatter -based, regionally-focused potato giant John andUncle Ray’s, Deere a meaningful boostsinbothattendanceandmerchandise sales The CopadelaDiversión,akeyelementofMinorLeagueBaseball’ www.sportbusiness.com | Uncle Ray’s wouldgoonto post “We are competingagainstsome toPrior deals,John theMiLB Deere @SportBusiness teams intheUnited States andCanada, 1901, theorganisation operates 160 historical Existingsince roots asMiLB. the USholdssamekindofscale and instature. growing andisalsoquickly of theiroperations League, andistightlylinked to therest operates minorleague,theG itsown Basketball inparticular Association USsports.in manyother TheNational ofcompetition the minorleaguelevel professional leaguesexistat Organised set offactors A particular make usuniquelyus,”Wright says. more intolean even theattributes that dealmaking. to to move initscorporate level ahigher demonstrated isseeking success,MiLB ideas,andthethree-plus yearsof new deviate from tradition inthenameof technology, amarked willingnessto clubs,Wrightand itsmember says. forMiLB growth” substantial revenue hasresultedof agreements in“very disclosed, butcollectivelytheset others. Guardian Protection, amongmany Bush’s, andsecuritysolutionsprovider tool maker Echo Inc., baked beans brand But no other minor league property in minorleagueproperty But noother “We have now abigopportunityto Now, armedwithadvancing digital Financial terms have notbeen s outreachto Hispanicaudiences,hasdriven than simplyplacing a“Los”infront of and localengagement more authenticity forselectedidentities gamesthatoffer Hispanic-themed nicknamesandvisual clubsusingtemporaryhalf ofMiLB significantly for2019,involvesnearly campaign. Theeffort,expanded “It’sbroader Fun to beaFan” marketing ofits a Hispanic-themed element (Funthe CopadelaDiversión Cup), The organisationlastyearintroduced outreach acore tenet ofitsoperations. two yearsto make Hispanic audience foundation onwhichto build.” usanincredible Thatprovides MiLB. also hasapositiveimpression of hasastory.Everybody Andeverybody connection,orsomethingelse. personal sometypeof attended, game they itbethefirst of somesort,whether LeagueBaseballstoryhas aMinor marketplace,” Wright says. “Everybody optioninUSsports.most family-friendly thebestvalueand asproviding surveys hasroutinely toppedproperty variousfan brand. The overall ofMiLB’s component hasbecomeafundamental offerings, promotional campaignsandfood formore extreme with apropensity figure caneasilysurpass$200. acomparable familycost leagues, where of thepriceschargedinUSmajor $70,concessions isbelow afraction gamewithtickets,MiLB parking, and cost forafamilyoffourto a attend family entertainment. Theaverage is itsheavy affordable focusproviding draw, brand imagegenerally, andMiLB’s 2026.million by goal to raise thatannualfigure to 50 League Baseball,withanorganisational exceptpro sportsproperty forMajor year, farmore than anyAmerican to draw about42millionpeopleper Butcollectively,level. combines MiLB prospects to beableto play attheMLB with aprimarygoalofhelpinggroom and often thanthat, muchsmaller than100,000residents,with fewer league competition. inmajororminor pro league,either American anyother reach unrivaledby ofgeographic market alevel offering MiLB has also sought over thepast hasalsosoughtover MiLB are twoconstantsinthe “There That relative affordability, along A key to element thatattendance ofthoseteamsMany existincities SPONSORSHIP delivery, social media, and mobile-based content. The engagement with Octagon, relative to MiLB’s history, represents a new push by the affiliated minors to create a long-term, systemic, and research-driven vision. “We’re trying to get a much better understanding of our entire portfolio and what our opportunities are,” Wright says. “The brands are pushing us to be better, which we welcome, and part of that is coming to market with a much more comprehensive and organised set of offerings.” In the coming months. MiLB also expects to seek out an increasing presence in the gambling space, similar to the fast-growing collection of official data partnerships and sponsorships struck by US major leagues since last their existing monikers. digital marketing, and sponsor year’s US Supreme Court ruling to allow The dedicated Copa games last year integrations. US states to legalise sports wagering. generated a 12.6-per-cent attendance Allegiant Air has signed as the title O’Conner, on deck to remain MiLB jump compared to their calendar sponsor of the newly-created media president for a fourth term, says he equivalents in 2017, and a 24-per-cent network, which this year involves more remains keenly concerned about higher average attendance compared than 300 smart displays at nearly 30 protecting minor league players, to non-Copa games in 2018. Robust ballparks, with many more planned for umpires and scorers from falling prey merchandise sales around the Copa subsequent seasons. to game fixing, particularly given the push also helped fuel MiLB to an “Already, we’ve built the only smart lower pay scales at that level. MiLB has organisation record $73.9m in retail network of fan engagement technology, leaned heavily on its MLB counterparts merchandise sales in 2018. And Echo developed and published captivating for webinar content and guidance Tools has since signed on to be the content, and added a new dimension to helping to instruct its personnel on official outdoor power tool of the the fan experience,” says Kent Heyman, organisation rules around gambling, ongoing campaign. ISM Connect’s chief executive. most notably a blanket ban around “The inclusivity piece has been MiLB, meanwhile, is also working betting on baseball. critical to who we are and where we’re with Octagon, the global sports and But those issues will not stop MiLB going, and it’s a core value for us,” entertainment agency, to develop an from also seeking to commercialise Wright says. “Our ballparks need to look overarching media and content strategy certain components around legal sports like each of their communities.” that takes full advantage of ongoing US wagering. media trends that are showing rapid “I fully expect that we’ll do a data deal Future views growth for over-the-top digital video in this space,” O’Conner says. Z With traditional media distribution never going to be a primary element for MiLB, the organisation is now seeking to invent new forms of content exposure for itself and its corporate partners. MiLB last year struck a deal with ISM Connect, in which the - based venue technology company will spent at least $15m – and likely much more – to develop and install a network of video display screens at participating team ballparks. Those screens, operating as a more nimble version of a fixed digital billboard, will include a series of Minor League Baseball’s alliance with venue technology company ISM Connect has brought a series of smart displays interactive experiences, team content, to ballparks

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Buy your VIP pass using the promo code SBSPECIAL and save! www.allthatmatters.asia | #MATTERS19 ESPORTS MLB aims to ‘democratise’ esports with inclusive push of Home Run Derby VR

MLB has already staged three formal League has drawn audiences from Game has represented a key success competitions around virtual home-run numerous demographics for its story for frequently debated virtual hitting competitions esports events reality technology

Primed to swing at the 2019 Home Run Derby Virtual Reality Championship

leagues and venues. ’ Madden Championship Eric Fisher There was nothing near the $30m Series, based around the Madden NFL (€27m) prize pool doled out last game franchise, the baseball esports he scene inside Major weekend for the competitions are not stand-alone League Baseball’s Play Ball finals at the USTA events. Rather, they are held adjacent to Park, the fan festival held in National Center, with winners real-world events such as the All-Star conjunction with the annual instead getting a MLB All-Star Game Game and Little League World Series. TAll-Star Game, looked at first glance merchandise prize pack, a Tiffany-made And unlike the heavy strategy and much like many other esports event. trophy, and tickets to the All-Star Game PC-based gameplay often dominating Staged inside Cleveland, Ohio’s events. the first-person-shooter titles common Huntington Convention Center at Unlike the National Basketball in many esports events, HRD VR is a the booth for the league’s Home Run Association’s NBA 2K League based simple and intuitive yet immersive grip- Derby Virtual Reality (HRD VR) game, on the series’ simulation-based video it-and-rip-it home run-hitting contest, there was a live video production being game title, NBA 2K, there are no city- or where players use a bat and streamed on , an enthused team-based franchises for baseball’s try to hit as many simulated homers in-person crowd growing toward the HRD VR competitions. HRD VR players as possible within the given time. tournament finals, and plenty of heated are not elite professional talent, but Compared to many other sports video competition throughout, including a instead come from all walks of life and game titles, not to mention those in walk-off home run to clinch the title. often veer far from the college-aged other game genres, HRD VR is heavy on But that is essentially where the male demographic currently dominating direct player agency and relies far less similarities to most esports competitions esports at large by drawing heavily from on artificial intelligence. end, particularly those staged or hosted women and children. Such is MLB’s esports business by other major US stick-and-ball sports Unlike most esports events like strategy, as it seeks to be much more

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 41 42 ESPORTS sports broadcasting. it hasasadistributionavenue forlive more successfulinagamingcontext than far mediaformathasproven immersive inwhichthe an industry-widetrend to extending avirtualreality version, participants andMLBballparks. featured avatars ofreal-life Derby consumer-oriented videogamethat in2013,a debuted Home Run Derby competition atall.Theleagueoriginally was notaboutesportsororganised MLB’s originalpathtoward esports Organic growth esports.” see HRDVRasaway to democratise foritsesportsstrategy.person “We andtheleague’spoint of gamesandVR, Jamie vice-president Leece,MLBsenior opportunity,”and widestgrowth says the market inaway that hasthelargest sources. existingrevenue also serve ultimately and audience reach afarwider that, leagueexecutives can they believe doing space.Andby path intheemerging elite-oriented thanforgeitsown rather existingtentpolehelp feedother events inclusive andparticipatory andalso www.sportbusiness.com | influencers ‘Shelfy’and ‘Fuzzy’ (MaureenMacGregor/MLB) Realitycompetitionstreamed liveon A production ofaHomeRunDerbyVirtual Twitch andhostedbyMLBNetworkNHL Networkbroadcaster Jackie Redmondalongside That title was then expanded in 2017 expandedin2017 That titlewasthen “We want to make sure we are entering @SportBusiness into HRDVR. hits –allcriticaldatathatwasinfused launch angleanddistancetraveled for advanced metrics including exit velocity, of aseries Baseball games,provides League used inactualMLBandMinor title RBIBaseball.TheStatcast data, flagship games, whichincludestheother stadium into theleague’s suite ofvideo MLBteam’s ofevery realistic renderings real-world Statcast technology and theincreasing integrationby ofMLB’s walks oflife.It oureyes.” really opened folks, girls, people older from all different “Moms, and dads,kidsofallages,boys for Leeceandhiscolleagues. assomethingofalightbulbspark serving swath, awidedemographic and drew times to play extended twohours beyond world game. that fanscanplay areal- whileattending 19MLBballpark-basednow deployments London, andstarted thefirstofwhatis fanfestivalin the MLBBattlegrounds at that year’sAll-StarGameinMiami, ofHRDVRat non-competitive versions introduced fanengagement-based, Those initialforays alsoboosted were “We goteverybody, really,” Leecesaid. wait At someofthoseinitialevents, The leaguethatyearto great success vice-president ofesportsforEnginevice-president says Jamie VR,” King, executiveDerby and inclusivityaboutHome Run Island, New York. anine-year-oldwas wonby from Staten than12,andthecompetitionyounger all were inthatfirstevent semi-finalists thefour sportsfandomoverall, general formsofesports,nottoother mention marked from divergence demographic bracket-style competition. squared offina whothen 32 scorers, yieldedasetofthetop qualifiers open ofof formalcompetition.Aseries prior yearandestablishedtworounds the cage-stylesetupfrom batting of planningtheleagueexpandedits Washington DC, after where months came atlastyear’sAll-StarGamein into Andthatstep acompetitivearena. element product andfanexperience from strictlyaconsumerfrom moving accelerates ourpathacross theboard.” Soitfuels HRDVR,andviceversa. games wedoonother development portfolio,”Leecesays.entire “The across theof whatwedoisabenefit “There’s suchaneasyaccessibility“There’s thegame’sAnd againshowing hadtoStill, there beafirststep iteration, improvement “Every every ESPORTS Shop, the Bruin Sports Capital-owned experiential marketing agency. King and Leece previously worked together at Take-Two Interactive, and Engine Shop has helped MLB develop and stage the HRD VR competitions and corresponding live productions. “There’s been research that suggests that at much as 70 per cent of video game players consider themselves competitive players. Not competitive in the sense that they’re going to be professional and this is going to be a career, but still competitive against others. So there’s a huge audience out there that can still be directly engaged in and around esports, and this is a property that can be really appealing to that audience. There are really no barriers to entry to playing this game,” King says. That ease, in turn, makes HRD VR and its related competitions a key element of the league’s broader goal to attract new fans, in part to stem an ongoing attendance decline, and like every other sports property to lower its average fan age. “We see this connecting beyond baseball,” Leece says. “We want to help remain our audience of who we are in part through this game, but we also want to grow awareness of the sport more generally.”

Markers for success draw on US television for all of 2018. Also critical for the league is building That initial HRD VR competition in MLB will be returning with the HRD up the storytelling around each Washington drew more than 120,000 VR competition and a companion tournament and focusing heavily on the concurrent viewers on Twitch, good video production to the Little League backstories of the competitors, even enough for the top live streaming World Series in August in Williamsport, if they are children and don’t yet have video on the popular site at the Pennsylvania. There are also continued much of a backstory. This particular time. This year’s event in Cleveland, international ambitions, both for HRD portion is where Engine Shop has been Ohio, drew a total of 617,000 unique VR and the league at large, and there most heavily engaged with MLB. viewers, again ranked as the top live will be fan experience booths for the “What makes for good esports for the streaming video on Twitch. The peak game this fall at a baseball road show observer is when there is a narrative concurrent number for Cleveland planned for this fall in China that you can follow and interest in the was about 85,000 viewers, showing a may ultimately lead toward formal outcome,” Leece says. “These are the drop from Washington, but MLB still competitions outside of the US. elements where we have been really found improvement across a variety of The league has not released financial focused.” engagement measures. results from the HRD VR efforts to Leece also promises that HRD VR Additional data from Nielsen showed date. But in these early stages, the will not be baseball’s only foray into MLB’s competition at last year’s Little immediate push for MLB remains less esports. But further entries will follow League World Series, which was held about on-site financial profits and along the same core principles of roughly a month after the All-Star more about growing fan engagement accessibility and inclusion. Game event in Washington, drew a and participation, and also supporting “There will be other esports total viewership of 362,000 on ESPN, existing efforts such as the larger events experiences from us beyond HRD VR,” representing the third-largest esports the gaming tournaments are part of. he says. “You can count on that.” Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 43 44 LICENSING W Callum McCarthy licensing landscape realism has transformed the Game publishers’obsession with www.sportbusiness.com | young livesinways thatmusicandfilm are shapingmillionsof experiences industry. gaming immersive Enjoyable, games are amulti-billion-dollar real-life counterpart, footballvideo game, meaningthatmuchlike its invested hundreds ofhoursinto the estimated fivemillionstrong. wasan series EvolutionSoccer Pro 2018, whiletheplayer baseforKonami’s had 45millionuniqueplayers during age of25.TheEASportsFIFA franchise the the real thingamongpeopleunder sports have becomejustaspopular Football clubs have wokenupto the power of FIFA and Over halfofthose players haveOver recreations ofreal-life virtual fully understand, to generations from older hile difficultformany @SportBusiness business ismessylowerdown are taking advantage, licensing While elite clubs and leagues license intellectuallicense property, andmany hundreds ofmillions ofdollarsto world’s mostfamoussportingarenas. thefeelingofplayingand provide the – to play like theworld’s bestplayers like to beaprofessional sportssuperstar playersoffer achanceto feelwhatit’s sport itself. Asportsgamemustalso todown anaccurate recreation ofthe purely successisnolonger commercial eachyear. person hours per for hundreds, sometimesthousandsof opportunity to ‘reach the unreachables’ FIFA the andPESgiverights-holders the 50millionactiveplayers across lookingfor– been platform they’ve leagues andteams themarketing achieve. can nolonger In to order spend dothis,publishers For achieving thegame publishers, sports This cultural shifthasgiven realising potential clubs, butprevents leagues from Decentralisation favours the top massively reduced itsmarket share. historic failure to has investinlicensing rivalled FIFA inthesalescharts,butits thepastdecade. PESonce over leader has madeFIFA theundisputed market programme expansion ofitslicensing to exclusive contracts. Thecontinual and leagues,often down tyingthem withclubs andpartnerships on licensing consistently more thanKonami spent For thepast25 years,EASportshas Big business totransferrable thereal world. are incredibly strong, anddirectly forms ofplayers, clubs andleagues youngpeopleandthedigital between so realistic thatthebondsdevelop a result, footballgameshave become more millionsto digitallyrecreate it. As Well-placed sources say EASports LICENSING spends between $100m (€90m) and version of England’s top-tier league – prominent clubs and leagues rely on $150m on partnerships and licensing which will be based on the FIFA game the zeal of game publishers to appear in each year, plus a large royalty fee to Fifa until at least the end of 2024-25. football video games, and many don’t for the use of its name. spends Aside from its licensing and royalties appear at all. considerably less – between $30m and deal with world football governing body “You can’t always do a league- $40m on licensing and partnerships. Fifa, EA’s partnership with the Premier wide deal where everybody steps in EA Sports’ lead partner deal with League is its most important and most line,” says Peter Moore, now chief the English Premier League, from expensive partnership. It is also one of executive of Liverpool Football Club 2019-20 to 2024-25, is understood to its most straightforward. but formerly president of EA Sports. be worth well in excess of $30m per “Football deals are a little bit different season. The partnership began over “This market is muddy and (to American sports), and so there’s two decades ago as a simple licensing been instances where they’re a little bit deal but has now expanded to include non-linear. It basically more challenging to get them done, but patches on referee and assistant referee depends on each country.” I wouldn’t characterise any of them as uniforms, sponsorship of in-broadcast awkward. They’re just not as simple.” Jonas Lygaard | senior brand director, stat overlays and LED time in Premier It is fair to say Moore is being Konami League stadiums. charitable. One EA Sports employee The partnership continues to tells SportBusiness Review: “We had a include a licensing deal covering all 20 situation where we asked the teams, the Premier League clubs, but the amount Complex business players, the league: who has rights to the of IP included in that licensing deal EA Sports’ deal with the Premier League player names and likenesses? And they has exponentially increased since the is unique in that all the intellectual all said they did. Our legal department original deal struck in the mid-90s. property it could ever want from the couldn’t believe it.” EA’s new deal includes the right to league can be secured in a single deal. For US sports, this licensing process have every Premier League club’s name, Premier League clubs agree to sell all is simple: a single publisher agrees an kit, crest, and stadium in its FIFA series. their video game licensing rights as a exclusive deal with the league and the All 20 Premier League stadiums appear collective, with virtually no intellectual players’ union, thus receiving every piece in painstaking detail, and each Premier property excluded. The is of intellectual property it could possibly League team has its anthems and songs also organised in a similar fashion, with need to recreate the authentic experience recorded live at a stadium so that their only its stadiums excluded from its of an NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL game. appearance in the game is authentic. collective licensing deal. But to create the level of universal The deal also includes exclusive rights Most other leagues and competitions authenticity needed to garner sales to the ePremier League – the esports are far more difficult to pin down. Many in the tens of millions, football game

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 45 46 LICENSING and likenesses prevented theGerman players’ imagerights. toconfederation Brazilian license theBrazilian football enabling due to ofanagreement thenon-renewal fake players ofFIFA onthe2018version A andeachindividualItalian club. LegaSerie with thenationalfederation, clubsrequires deals their constituent Italianlicensing clubcompetitionsand of thisisinItalian football,where agencies. example The mostprominent often and involving middlemen for aleaguecanbeanarduous process, branded footballbootsandballs. suchas use branded sportsequipment player associations;aswelldealsto and hundreds ofclubs,leagues,agencies individual andcollectivedealswith mustacquire rightsin publishers www.sportbusiness.com | Similar problems with playerSimilar problems names Brazil’s nationalteam wasfilledwith rights Completing asetoflicensing @SportBusiness “In some countries, where “In somecountries,where Jonas Lygaard |seniorbrand director, there is no centralised league league isnocentralised there Konami needs tobesignedindividually.” structure, every single club singleclub structure, every has managedto secure dealswith before arrivingat Konami. Lygaard having worked atEAforfiveyears workingonfootball games, experience director atKonami, has hadyearsof player nation. of every from amember sell nameandlikeness rightsonbehalf players’ union, whichhasamandate to theinternational ofFIFPro, full member games. For countrywasa years,neither football appearing inPESandother and Dutch nationalteams from Jonas Lygaard, brand senior an individualimage rightsdealwith marketing material. rights andtherightto accessplayers for EAacquired collectiveimage Liverpool, LED spaceanddigitalactivations with from League.Aside with thePremier inFIFALiverpool 20viaitspartnership tohad already received alicence put Football ofLiverpool partner Club. It EA Sportsistheofficialvideogame with thatplayer. individual imagerightsdealisrequired kit. Ifaplayer isto appearalone,an displaying multipleplayers intheirclub by clubandexploitthem a certain collective imagerightsto players from with aleague. does notacquire theserightsviadeals club orwiththeindividualplayer. It withtheir need aspecificagreement promotional context –itmusteither – usingtheirreal-life imageina exploit theimagerightsofplayers image rights. For afootballgameto or thenationalfederation. clubs, theleaguetheirclubbelongsto, individual players their themselves, likenesses the heldby are either with theunion,player namesand orhasaspecialarrangement FIFPro of acountryisnotmember where player namesandlikenesses. In cases In holdsrightsto mostcases,FIFPro Who ownswhat? club individually.” is why weneededgooutandsigneach anythingelsebesidesthat.not own That structure andthetrophy, do butthey tournament logo,thecompetition, property. holdrightsto They A theSerie any rightsto theclubs’intellectual theleaguedoesn’thold set upwhere the primeexampleofadecentralised Lygaarddecentralised,” says. “Italy is or centralised their rights–either have they country andhow structured linear. oneach It basicallydepends complete. The dealshave taken ayearto over recently, adealwiththeleagueitself. upcoming eFootball PES2020and,most AclubforKonami’s singleSerie every After thisdealwasstruck, EA signed For example: from 2019-20to 2021-22, canacquire A gamepublisher Player likenesses to are different “This market ismuddyandnon- LICENSING Liverpool defender , who license a club or a league – is a constant those stripes for monochrome blocks will appear on the cover of the FIFA 20 headache for the publishers. separated by a single salmon pink stripe; Champions Edition. The deal with the “It adds this extra layer of complexity and now, this. Premier League licenses the club in the in these conversations,” says Lygaard, Because clubs agree licensing game; the deal with Liverpool enabled who is trying to limit Konami’s use of deals on an individual basis, Juventus EA to use Liverpool players in marketing agencies to acquire licensing rights. had the freedom to sign exclusively material; and the deal with Van Dijk “In some countries, where there with whichever company it wanted. Its enabled him to appear on the cover. is no centralised league structure, exclusive deal with Konami was agreed Without EA’s club partnership, however, every single club needs to be signed last summer, prior to the finalisation of Van Dijk would not have been able to individually. There is a massive amount Ronaldo’s transfer. wear his Liverpool kit on the cover. of work required to secure smaller clubs The partnership includes Juventus’s In countries where professional in specific countries. And for that, right exclusive video-game licensing rights. football leagues are separate now we are we are outsourcing that to This means the club is only authorised commercial entities, acquiring licences some agencies.” to appear in PES only for the next three to have official leagues and clubs appear Whether centralised or not, clubs seasons. From 2019-20 to 2021-22, in a game is generally a simpler task. Of and leagues hold distinct sets of Juventus’s name, kit, logo and stadium Europe’s top-five leagues, only Italy’s licensing rights. This has given clubs the will not appear in FIFA; in its place will Serie A has not collectivised its video opportunity to strike deals with either appear ‘Piemonte Calcio’. It will be the game licensing rights. EA or Konami, regardless of the deals only Italian Serie A club that does not In South American countries, it is far completed by the league they belong appear in the game. more common for top-tier leagues to to. Some clubs are braver than others – Konami will also become Juventus’s be operated by the football federation deciding to agree exclusive deals with Official Video Game Partner, replacing in that country. This generally makes Konami and not appear in FIFA. Cygames. Cygames is understood to licensing clubs and leagues a much more have paid between €5m and €6m per difficult task, as the federation’s ability Decentralisation and competition season during its deal, and it’s thought to collectively bargain relies on clubs When Juventus agreed its exclusive Konami will be paying a similar amount. continually voting to do so. partnership with Konami, the club The deal is a huge coup for Konami, In many cases, the federations and added to the long list of brave decisions but Juventus and its other sponsors the clubs give their video-game licensing it has taken over the past three years. will lose reach to as many as 45 million rights to agencies without too much Signing Cristiano Ronaldo for €100m; young people for the next three seasons. thought. Figuring out which agencies changing the club’s crest to an angular It will also be unable to compete in any have the rights they need – and whether ‘J’ based on the club’s famous black- form of FIFA esports. those rights will be enough to fully and-white stripes; promptly ditching The Konami deal represents a big risk

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 47 48 LICENSING “Football ismore thanjust Andreas Jung|chiefmarketingofficer, own ground.” own every second weekend inyour secondweekend every Bayern Munich a gametakingplaceinthe stadium every weekend or weekend stadium every constant race to themosttrue- provide aresult, FIFA As level. andPESare ina appreciateand gamers onasimilar stadiums issomethingthatexecutives in thegame.” incredible pictures andyouwillseethat made mixed They zone,everywhere. stands, theplayers inthetunnel, thepitch,all thepartsofarena: the of time–more thanaweek–scanning Munich from Japan alot spent andthey Munich. “TheKonami team travelled to Jung, chiefmarketing atBayern officer of-the-art says cameras,” Andreas can getaccessto.” stadium thatthey angleofevery of every take“They’ll hundreds ofphotographs detailed inthegame,”says Moore. wanted theirstadium to bemeticulously be granted accessbecausetheclub stadium intheworldand,ofcourse, andgotodigital cameras football every world –thejobIalways wanted –with recreations oftheirhomestadiums. this, andespeciallywiththefaithful production. games near-identical to TV ahigh-level the matchday onboth experience players, kitsandstadiumshave made The near-perfect digitalrecreations of bothEAandKonami. by realism offered of and more impressed withthelevel advanced, clubshave become more technologyAs andvideogameshave Clubs feelthepower across bothgames. clubs to splittheirmarketing efforts landscape–isenabling complex licensing Konamibetween andEA–aswellthe necessarily have to take. Thecompetition Europe’s elite, didn’t asit’sariskthey apartfrom for theclubandsetsthem www.sportbusiness.com | This reverence ofclubs’home This reverence special,state- are usingvery “They thattravel are crews “There the Clubs have with inlove fallen @SportBusiness – something he believes is increasingly – somethinghe believes to reach bothFIFA andPES’s audiences the valueofpartnership. Konami onanexclusive basis,boosting homestadiumtoits AllianzArena Bayern decidedto license deal withEA, included intheleague-widelicensing Because Bundesligastadiumsare not withKonami.specific clubpartnership of theBundesliga’sdealwithEAanda 20 andeFootball PES2020,bothaspart Bayern Munich willappear inbothFIFA Spreading thelove singlepieceofIP.every doesn’t have to beblanketed across to andthatexclusivity thepublishers, intellectual hasvalue own they property have singlepieceof realised thatevery to-life possible.Top experience clubs Jung took fulladvantageoftheability Professionel’s dealwithKonami,Professionel’s aswell PES 2020viatheLiguede Football season. It willappearoneFootball that willappearinbothgamesthis Munich onceinalifetime.” the opportunityto make theirway to somanymore donothaveArena, to thematch attend intheAllianz only 75,000 spectators have thechance players day. every Andifyouseethat favourite team andwiththeirfavourite withtheir their supportandengage waysnew andopportunities to give fans around theglobeare lookingfor ground,” hesays.in yourown “The weekend secondweekend orevery taking placeinthestadiumevery ever-more global. important asBayern’s fanbasebecomes Paris Saint-Germain club isanother “Football ismore thanjustagame LICENSING working at EA, Moore believes that the difference in demographic between FIFA and PES is negligible and is thus comfortable with appearing on EA’s game exclusively. Speaking about the game’s demographics, Moore says: “What you’ve got between Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA is deep-rooted likes and dislikes – classic video game fanboyism.” He continued: “What FIFA has done well is provided a level of authenticity through its licences over the last 10-15 years that has separated the two games.” As much as the top clubs have woken up to new possibilities, the fact that video-game licensing is a nine-figure industry is a minor miracle. Marc Aubanel, who worked as an executive producer for EA for over 13 years from 1993 to 2006, remembers how it all began. “When we first started licensing, none of this was commoditised. There was no player union where we could collectively license an entire league. I don’t think any of us were expecting it to be so legally complex. So for us, we were wondering…how can they work like this? This business doesn’t even make sense! They can’t license collectively! It was a real shocker. But I think our persistence helped to build the modern licensing infrastructure for soccer in Europe – all because of the video game.” Along with the modernisation of as FIFA 20 via the LFP’s licensing deal “I think our persistence helped licensing, video games have provided with EA. However, the club has had an football with an entirely new way to individual partnership with EA for the to build the modern licensing bring young people into the sport. past three seasons and has renewed for infrastructure for soccer in Millions of children are spending more another five seasons from 2019-20. Europe.” time playing video games than playing PSG has made video games a key or watching sport, and games like FIFA part of its marketing strategy, from Marc Aubanel | former executive producer, and PES are ensuring many of them activations in the game to an esports EA Sports remain interested in football as they presence across multiple games and enter adulthood. continents. “If I look at my eight-year-old son, “The partnership includes licensing including the initial Jordan launch last who two years ago started to be a rights to Paris Saint-Germain IP and the year and our recent home kit launch.” superfan of football, the reason why he’s collective use of our players, but also such a big fan of football now is because a broad range of sponsorship rights, Licences make the difference he played FIFA.” says Ralf Reichert, co- including extensive digital rights,” says Liverpool recently gave up their chief executive of esports tournament Marc Armstrong, chief partnerships partnership with Konami and have organiser ESL. “He had watched it on officer at PSG. “EA Sports also work gone back to EA. The club was TV and had been to the stadium, but the with us to produce high-quality partnered with EA from 2013-14 to real hook was playing the video game. ‘game-inspired’ content to promote 2015-16, before signing a partnership Any sport federation, or anyone who key events for the club, such as player deal with Konami from 2016-17 to 2018- owns a sport: if you don’t have a video announcements or major kit launches, 19. Having had extensive experience game, you’re toast.” Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 49 LALIGA #SupportYourLeague fights ECA/Uefa proposals that threaten domestic football

In association with European Leagues, the organisation that unites 36 professional leagues, is joining with an increasing number of football leaders to battle plans they believe would have a devastating impact on football across the continent.

omentum is building against plans to overhaul the Uefa Champions League as a semi-closed Mcompetition from 2024, with European Leagues, its members and other stakeholders, including clubs and fan organisations, leading the fight against the dramatic changes. The proposals by the European Club Association (ECA) and Uefa, European football’s governing body, include the creation of a promotion- and-relegation system between three Uefa Club Competitions (UCCs) – the Champions League, Europa League and a third-tier competition, which would be introduced from the 2021- 22 season. Crucially, the semi-closed access to the Champions League, proposed to begin in 2024, would kill the long-held principle of qualification through domestic leagues and threaten to relegate domestic football to an irrelevancy, according to critics. Uefa and the ECA, a body that represents many of Europe’s biggest clubs, argue that the new structure (LaLiga) would offer greater commercial certainty to clubs participating regularly The level of opposition has forced fans and leagues across Europe are in UCCs. advocates of the overhaul to go back adding their voices to the debate over However, an increasing number to the drawing board, with Uefa the future of the UCC structure. of critics, from leagues and clubs all postponing a planned September The European Leagues organisation, across Europe, claim that the changes meeting with ECA and European which represents more than 900 clubs would widen the gap between the Leagues as it continues to receive from 36 professional football leagues richest clubs and the rest, leading to feedback from across Europe. European and associations, is leading the defence a harmful imbalance in income and Leagues, with the support of its allies, of what it believes is the competitive uncompetitive domestic leagues. believe their own proposals would integrity of domestic competitions They believe European football would safeguard the future of club football on across the continent. become more elitist, instead of for the continent. This has positioned the organisation everyone, and destroy the dreams for against UCC proposals that are clubs – outside a small group – of ever ‘Unacceptable’ plans endorsed by Uefa and the ECA. advancing to the Champions League. An increasing number of football clubs, “The vast majority of European clubs

50 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with LALIGA 51 Colombo adds: “The discussed Colombo adds: “The opposition comes from Strong Leagues’ efforts to fact, European In and predictability of matches and of matches and predictability of which drive the passion competitions football fans,” he says. and by Uefa concept presented by the ECA would have supported small, all for consequences unacceptable and in Europe medium and big leagues in should therefore not be implemented this form.” including Europe, leagues around English in the LaLiga, and the 20 teams a joint Premier adopted League also changes, as stance against the proposed the Bundesliga. Italian did all clubs from LFP clubs have Serie A clubs and French halt to of a measure in favour also voted the proposals. and enhance the competitive protect league competitions balance across the across support from drawn have continent, the top not only from in leagues The professional leagues. , , , Israel, Latvia, , the Czech Republic, even and – and Russia non- tier English leagues such as the top and Lega ProEFL and Italian and issued resolutions already – have the proposals. rejecting statements European Leagues has concernsEuropean about that the changes Colombo says development adds that “interest, He that Colombo says Additionally, of innovations in football, including evolving Colombo says. UCCs,” these must be under the “However, contribute condition that any changes the growth football as of professional to a verya whole and not just for few.” several aspects of the proposals. club European would close access to many clubs from competitions for many leagues – thereby on the trampling whereby“essence of our football system, based on theirclubs qualify for UCCs performance in domestic competitions”. from and growth” would be shifted competitions. international domestic to devalue argues that this would He vast and the domestic tournaments the increased majority of clubs due to in and matchdays number of matches well as calendar, congested an already as an enlarged in competition structure the value of that would increase Europe at the tournaments the continent-wide expense of domestic leagues. a wider gap the changes would lead to rest clubs and the between the elite have This would many leagues. across a negative impact on the “excitement “European Leagues is in favour Leagues is in favour “European “The current proposals are supported supported “The current are proposals do understand clubs that these “We In favour of innovation of In favour Leagues Colombo insists that European and structures new strategies is open to the continent’s club when it comes to alterations such However, competitions. be for the good of the whole to have football community. by a very small group of elite clubs. This clubs. by a very of elite small group clubs is composed of a of elite group few some from clubs giant European dominant clubs big leagues plus those win their respective that consistently in a fewdomestic championships medium and small countries. level. grow at international more aim to the responsibility we have Nevertheless, defend and protect domestic football to the financial and sporting development including those of all clubs in Europe, regularly clubs who do not participate competition and all those in European clubs with no chance at all of qualifying for UCCs.” believe ideas and principle,” in our Leagues’ deputy the European says Colombo, general Alberto secretary the who is also the man behind campaign. #SupportYourLeague 52 In association with LALIGA the oppositionistowards thecurrent consolidated andgeographically wide strong,striking visuallessonof“how club football. ofEuropean sustainable development and fansavoiceabouttheirideasforthe updated constantly, givingleagues,clubs andbe “living platform”thatwillevolve and societyasawhole. plays ofthesport inthedevelopment recognise thekey role domesticfootball decision-makers to and understand calling onfootball’sstakeholders and #SUPPORTYOURLEAGUE campaign, website willbeakey inthe driver ofantipathy towardslevel theplans. platform to thewidespread underline European Leagueshaslaunchedavisual speak outagainsttheproposals, important.been Uefachampioned by andtheECAhas ofoppositiontodepth theproposals club footballatstake, illustrating the thefutureWith direction ofEuropean SupportYourLeague.com table. approach to onthe whatiscurrently distribution. It isthedirect opposite ofrevenue model andareview changes to theoutdated coefficient competition. Thatrequires significant help to reach thetop ofEuropean level changesare broughtbefore in. new achanceto shouldbegiven they settle for European competitions,soIthink just implemented accesschanges new are nottheimmediate priority. Uefa has majority tell usthatstructural changes JT: We listen to clubsandthevast football isnecessary? in thestructureofEuropean club Do youacceptthatsomechange Q&A: Javier Tebas, president,LaLiga Animated a maps willalsoprovide According to Colombo,itwillbea The SupportYourLeague.com As clubs, fans and leagues increasingly But inthelong-term, clubsneedmore of revenue forChampionsLeagueclubs.of revenue avoidingthemselves, anyconcentration theclubs three UCCsandbetween the incomebetween centralised equitable distributionratio of organisation’s distributionplans. from his European clubswouldbenefit in whichthe“vastmajority”of distributionfrom 2021. adapt revenue 2024andideasto future ofUCCsbeyond proposals forthe European Leagues’own The platformwillalsohelpto push Fresh proposals proposals for2024onwards.”current the majority ofprofessional clubsby domestic European leaguesandthevast of UCCsandthethreats posedto abouttheimpactfulevolution partners broadcasters commercial andother associations, press andmedia, players, domesticleagues,national stakeholders, suchasfans,clubs, educate allfootball andengage proposal”, Colombosays. will encourage more and morewill encourage teams to and, duetocalendars thewealthgap, yet more fixture congestionto domestic theChampionsLeague adds beneath be terminal forsomeclubsandleagues. standing, creating awealthgapthatcould domestic European leaguestatusover to theseelite clubsprioritisingtheir domestic leagues. It lead willinevitably and willdraw away investment from is closedto allbuttheelite clubs few Champions Leaguecompetitionthat leagues. We are talkingabouta JT: Theproposals wouldkilldomestic discussion? proposed changescurrentlyunder On whatgrounds doyouopposethe Secondly, Uefa’s clubcoefficient Firstly, wouldbeamore there three areas Colombo underlines “This project isaimedto inform, Creating twoexpandedcompetitions the players, thefansandclubs.” of football–forthegoodgame, thecompetitivebalance and strengthen majority ofEuropean clubsto defend all nationalassociationsandthevast in theinterest ofalldomesticleagues, competition. competitive balanceinleague main goalisto andprotect enhance body.from theEuropean governing distribution the imbalanceofrevenue competitions relatively quicklydueto dominantindomestic overwhelmingly canbecome leaguescurrently in smaller Colombo, whohighlighted teams how Europe are to beprotected, according to long-term interests ofclubsacross This step ifthe wouldbe“imperative” particular to non-participatingclubs. solidarity payments to clubs,andin for asubstantialincrease inthe clubs –wouldbescrapped. favours thebigger, more established distribution,andtherefore for revenue historic results years from previous ranking – which takes into consideration but the very topbut thevery clubs. offootballwithin all the development wealthgapwould affect again. Thatnew maximum of3.5:1since2013,shoot up which wehave reduced from 13:1to a biggestandsmallestclubs, between JT: We wouldsee theratio ofwealth have onfootballinSpain? proposals from UefaandtheECA If adopted,whatimpactwouldthe European competition. limited visibilityandrestricted accessto leaguesthatalready havesmaller but particularlyforsomeofEurope’s anything else.Thisisbadforallleagues, prioritise European competitionover “European Leagues believes thatitis “European Leaguesbelieves Colombo adds:“European Leagues’ Thirdly, European Leaguesiscalling We have similarproposals have seen In association with

very damaging effects in other sports. In cycling for example, the decision by the UCI to create the ProTour has meant that an exclusive group of 20 top teams LALIGA has access to the best competitions and others have been left to starve. The number of Spanish teams competing in the Tour de France is down to one, meaning all others no longer have access to good funding or sponsorship, which threatens their existence.

Specifically, what would be the economic impact and who would suffer most? JT: We conducted a study with KPMG to assess this. Spanish football’s contribution to national GDP would decrease from 1.37 per cent to 0.925 per cent after just one year of the new model and 50,000 football-related jobs could be lost. This is the real cost to Spanish football and the effect would be the same in any other league. Communities and livelihoods are built around national football competitions all across Europe. This is what we’re working to protect. (LaLiga)

How do you assess the potential teams that create the same emotion as developed a strong proposal that would cultural impact? After all, LaLiga is a local derby. You can’t just erase this improve revenue distribution from part of the nation’s heritage. mentality, so I think fans would quickly European competitions among smaller JT: Football is part of Spanish identity find the concept of a European league leagues. This is the type of reform we and is one of the first things people unappealing. should be discussing. associate with the country. It is a huge part of our tourism industry, which What are the next steps for LaLiga What is ’s vision for the future increases as we give visibility to clubs and other bodies and organisations? of European club football? on the world stage. Weakening domestic JT: Looking at EU competition laws, JT: We want the highest levels football would threaten local industries it seems pretty clear that these types of European competition to be across the country and devastate part of of changes would counter their rules. accessible to all, so that more clubs this cultural identity. But right now, we need open and can experience those rare and exciting transparent dialogue between Uefa, moments. Supported by strong and How would the changes affect fans the ECA and all clubs, not just the few competitive domestic leagues, we want – and how would the fans react? that are represented by the ECA. There to see tight championship races with JT: I think one of the key emotions is opposition to these proposals from many different names winning titles would be boredom. European nights all corners of Europe, from clubs of all and therefore qualifying for Europe. are special for fans because of their sizes, and these concerns need to be We want to see Spanish champions, rarity. If they are more commonplace, heard. of course, but under a better revenue the picture changes. Part of the We need to talk about economic distribution model whereby the experience of being a European football distribution: how much does Uefa success of one club benefits the league fan is sharing a local rivalry with expect to collect from this competition from which they came. That creates friends, family or colleagues. There and how would it distribute that a continuous cycle of strengthening are no rivalries between European money? European Leagues has football at a domestic level. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 53 1075774622, Matthias Hangst

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[email protected] EVENTS Tokyo 2020 aims to drive technological innovation as it prepares to host Games

Tokyo illustrates the city’s resurgence Innovations such as driverless taxis Despite initial setbacks in the lead up as an event-hosting destination with are expected to be in widespread use to the Games, the city hopes to create the Olympic and Paralympic Games during the Games a long-lasting post-event legacy

Work continues on the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Bradley Rial At this year’s SportAccord on the prudence tallies not only with the Gold Coast, members of the Association ideals of the International Olympic ven by the rollercoaster of Summer Olympic International Committee’s Agenda 2020 efficiency standards of the Olympic and Federations queued up to complain guidelines, but is also entirely Paralympic Games, Tokyo’s about perceived issues relating to understandable in the context of preparations for sport’s biggest transport and athlete accommodation, intense levels of public scrutiny Eshowpiece in 2020 have been unusually with many expressing concerns about of government spending, with the tumultuous. the depth of Games budget cuts. national economy edging towards Rarely has a Games host had to Organisers, though, argue it would be recovery after having been relatively contend with such a multitude of issues, ridiculous to claim that Tokyo is doing stagnant for nearly three decades. from accusations of plagiarism that things on the cheap as it prepares for not The most conspicuous example of forced a redesign of the official logo back only the Olympic and Paralympic Games, long-term planning over short-term in 2015 through to the administrative but also the numerous test events extravagance is the new National upheaval earlier this year when Japan’s ahead of next year’s showpiece and the Stadium, originally slated as a venue for Olympics Minister and the head of the prospect of legacy events post-2020. both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the Japanese Olympic Committee left their The approach, they say, is with an 2020 Olympics. roles under a cloud. eye on sustainability, whilst shining a Following a public outcry over However, of greater interest to the spotlight on Tokyo’s many strengths, escalating costs, Prime Minister Shinzō international federations invested in including its status as the home of state- Abe announced in 2015 that the original Tokyo 2020 has been a well-documented of-the-art technology and an arguably design by Zaha Hadid would be scrapped. drive to lower costs, leading to a under-sold connection with nature. The replacement design by Kengo substantially revised venue plan. It should also be remembered that Kuma is smaller in capacity and

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 55 56 EVENTS straight, the landscape had changed. straight, thelandscape hadchanged. for the2020Games hadentered thefinal inthesecondround. Madrid third, ninevotes behindsecond-placed expectation. Thecityfinisheda distant than Games, itwasinhoperather andParalympichost the2016Olympic which Japan co-hosted withSouthKorea. matches duringthe2002Fifa World Cup, Championships. 2011 FIGArtisticGymnastics World IAAF World Championships andthe ontwooccasions–the1991 events hostedonly ever flagshipglobal Games-related income, Tokyo has – whichreceive thelargestsliceof aquatics, athleticsandgymnastics unremarkable. hostis record asamajorsportsevent million inhabitants–Tokyo’s track populous locations–withnearly14 world’s mostspectacularand global sportingspotlight. nature ofthecityduringitsspellin of Tokyo’s plansto the true showcase The symbolismisanimportantpart Turnaround design. thantheprevious cheaper cent (€1.12bn/$1.25bn), itisalsoabout40per facility after theGames. At¥154bn tomuch easier into convert alegacy and more modularseating, makingit footprint, withnoretractable roof www.sportbusiness.com | But by thetimebidding contest But by TokyoWhen entered therace to missedoutonhosting The cityeven In theIOC’s‘Group A’ sportsof Despite itsstatusasoneofthe @SportBusiness million jobs. ¥32.3tn across Japan, creating some1.94 totalling economicbenefits will deliver foundthat the Games Government theTokyo by a survey Metropolitan isvital. unwelcome financialburden partofthis,avoidingsecured. As an a key focus sincethehostingrightswere 2020hasbeen beyond for majorevents Tokyo andtransform thecity’sappetite Using the Games to reinvigorate parts of Discover tomorrow winning example,Rio.” than,torather and picktheobvious why anyonewouldwantto go there toanswer why itwanted to host,and wasacompelling for abidinthatera, winning bid. must-havesand alltheother fora support plan,strong government venue anyone doubted thatTokyo hadagreat was theneedfora‘why?’ Idon’tthink the2016bid] lesson learned[following hesays:resurgence, “Thebiggestsingle 2020-related projects. ofTokyois workingonanumber business, LookUp Communications, spanning the2012to 2024 editions. His Gamesbids Olympic winning summer head withIstanbul. comfortablyinahead-to- prevailed then the Spanishcapitalinfirstround and intoMadrid a16-pointadvantageover The cityflippedthatnine-vote deficitto Whilst costshaveWhilst trimmed, been itlacked,“What whichwascrucial Reflecting onthereasons forTokyo’s Nick Varley worked on four successive Matt Roberts/Getty Images (Matt Roberts/Getty ) Matt Roberts/Getty Images (Matt Roberts/Getty unnecessary new venues.”unnecessary new thatto clearitprefers has madeitvery more distributed planastheIOC venue to have to getusedto thatideaofa usedto.they’re Butallsportsare going oftheactionthan from thecentre –are more distant example, cycling andsave efficiencies improve money. to rethink inawholesale way –to tryto andopportunity city hadtheimperative 2020strategy,IOC’s Agenda andsothe victory coincidedwiththeriseof withTokyobig difference wasthatits Varley andimprove,” evolve says. “The changesastheplans through venue ¥150bn,tothe Gamesbudgetby ¥1.35tn. than 30,000aspartofeffortsto reduce capacity ofTokyo more by 2020venues announcedtowere reduce thetotal match,opening fixtures. amongother Ajinomotosmaller Stadiumwillhostthe the tournament final,whileTokyo’s Fifa World Cupfinal,willstep into stage World Cup. and tournament budgetfortheRugby ticketingimpact” ontheoverall capacity wouldhavethe move a“significant bodystatingatthetimethat governing disappointed”,“extremely withthe design, forexample,leftWorld Rugby drawing board fortheNational Stadium inthepresent.bring challenges It appearsto bepaying in dividends “It does meanthatsomesports–for singlewinningbidgoes “Every Additionally, 2017, inDecember plans Stadium,hostofthe2002 The decisionto goback to the However, planningforthefuture can ) EVENTS

(Matt Roberts/Getty Images) (Toru Hanai/Getty Images) terms of delivery, with all eight of the Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda cameras will be mounted on their new Tokyo 2020 venues on schedule for resigned amid bribery and corruption foreheads so they can recognise when completion and the IOC Coordination allegations linked to the Tokyo 2020 people are nearby. Commission having praised the progress bid. Less than a month later, Japan’s Driverless taxis are also expected to on its most recent visit in July. Olympics Minister Yoshitaka Sakurada be in widespread use when the Games Work on the Musashino Forest resigned after making a series of begin. Sports Plaza finished nearly two years controversial remarks, to be replaced by “The technology utilised at the Games ago, while the archery, and Shun’ichi Suzuki. will be deployed after they are over in canoe slalom venues opened recently. “The allegations will erode trust in various ways for the benefit of society Construction work at the Aquatics the organisations involved in the bid, and will represent one of the Games’ Centre is 75 per cent complete, while and in the awarding process, which legacies,” Takaya says. the Gymnastics Centre and Ariake may impact future bids,” says Iain With Tokyo as the primary driver, Arena, which will host Edmondson, director at Legacy Delivery Japan’s role in supporting the Olympic and wheelchair basketball, will open and the former head of major events movement has also been underlined. next July. About 90 per cent of at London & Partners. “However, the Of the 13 official worldwide Olympic accommodation facilities for the Games product of the sport itself is so powerful partners, three are from Japan, have been finished. that I don’t think it will stop the Games including Bridgestone, which has its Concerns have been raised in some being a success.” headquarters in Tokyo, while 13 of the quarters that the city will not be able Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa 15 gold partners for the Games also have to accommodate all of the Games’ Takaya adds: “All host cities face their head office in the Japanese capital. visitors after a study by the Mizuho common goals in the lead-up to Olympic The IOC confirmed in June that the Research Institute claimed there and Paralympic Games, such as budgets, Games had already generated record could be a shortfall of 14,000 hotel timelines and event locations. However, domestic sponsorship revenue of more rooms, even though capacity in the we are enjoying overcoming these than $3bn – almost three times more city will have rocketed from 30,000 in challenges and we are on track to deliver than any previous edition. 2017 to 170,000 next year following a the most innovative Games in history.” In another example of Tokyo 2020’s construction boom. efforts to innovate, a Waterfront City However, Tokyo 2020 points out that Breaking records concept will transform an area around there are about 300,000 rooms when Central to these plans to confirm Tokyo Bay into a “sophisticated urban the neighbouring Kanagawa, Chiba Tokyo’s reputation as a world-leading environment”. Pollution levels will be and Saitama prefectures are taken into hotbed of innovation is Tokyo 2020’s reduced by enforcement measures that account. robot programme, under which four ensure only fuel-efficient passenger cars different types of machines will be will be allowed in the city. Upheaval deployed to help spectators, athletes To boost the visitor experience Political support for the Games has been and officials at venues. further, an army of 110,000 volunteers consistent from those in power, although The robots will display human-like will be on duty during the Games, with there has been a degree of turbulence in movements such as hand-shaking, Edmondson noting that the authorities terms of sports governance. waving and a variety of facial have invested in the success stories of In March, Japanese Olympic expressions, while facial-recognition London 2012’s volunteer programme,

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 57 58 EVENTS from 2021to thisyear. 2025earlier ATPhost theseason-ending Finals the citylostoutto Turin inabidto datingbacktoin Asia, 1970, although longest-running ATP Tour tournament isthe event Championships 500Series Cup opener. Stadium –thesite for the Rugby World FC Tokyo, whichplays attheAjinomoto Tokyo’s top-tier J1Leaguefootball club, competition. internationalflagship quadrennial Baseball SoftballConfederation’s theWorldyear duringthePremier12, edition, Tokyo willstagegamesthis respectively. For thesecondconsecutive and 45,000-capacityTokyo Dome 38,000-seat Yomiuri Giants–compete atthe franchises –Yakult and Swallows ishugelypopularinTokyo.year absence, to programme after theOlympic a12- Baseball, whichlike softballisreturning Diverse offering baseball andsoftball. and theFukushima prefecture willstage prefectures willhostfootballmatches affected, andIbaraki whiletheMiyagi will bedisplayed inareas thatwere Japan earthquake. Flame TheOlympic devastatedwere the2011Great East by launchedtobeen supportareas that yearson. seven benefits which continuesto community deliver www.sportbusiness.com | (Atsushi Tomura/GettyImages Tokyo PGATour willalso hostanew Meanwhile theJapan Tennis Open includes offering The city’sdiverse The city’stwoprofessional baseball Various Gamesprojects have also ) @SportBusiness to asa result ofthe continuefurther intourismgrowth anditisexpected “sustainable projects”. the needforcityto establish Jakarta. alongsideSingapore and esports series, destinations forthepromotion’s new announcedasoneofthefirst recently Championshipmartialartsevents, One withTokyo,prevalent, aregular hostof test forTokyo event 2020. Cup Final, asanofficial which served the UIPMModern Pentathlon World a Fina World Cupmeetand Championship.Zozo already committed to competingatthe WoodsTiger andRory McIlroy having golf tournament later thisyear, with “I know Japan“I know huge isexperiencing Looking forward, Edmonsonstresses Non-Olympic sportsare also thisyearhave events included Other say, ‘Iwantto Z begoing there’.” going to make situpand anyorganiser nextare both year andtheOlympics bureaucracy. mired in –albeitsomewhat any event staging andstrong localsupportacross interms of andefficiency effectiveness of thesamelevel thatcanoffer Asia anymajorworldcityin sure there’s lie.I’mnot opportunities andbenefits visited,ever the andthat’swhere Japaneseother cities. championships inTokyo of oranumber and successto their world deliver to buildontheTokyo 2020experience sportsthatwillwant examples ofother a priority. willbemultiple there Then Fifa Women’s World Cupin2023willbe champions [in2011],Ialsoimaginethe Stadium. Olympic wish listinthenew Championships 2025willbehighonthe he says. “I’msure theWorld Athletics inadecadeormore ofhosting,”usher hostcitiesandtryto Olympic other IAAF World AthleticsChampionships. targetingthe andLondonby the footsteps hosts Olympics offormer engagement.” both fortourism andcommunity opportunity presented theGames, by commissions to capitalise onthe cities have sports established new forvisitorsbarrier many andIknow thelanguage focus onovercoming Games,” hesays. isaparticular “There “I thinktheRugby World Cupthis “Tokyo islike cityI’ve noother Japan’s“Given successas previous themodelof “I’m sure itwillfollow Varley expectsthecity to in follow Matt Roberts/Getty Images (Matt Roberts/Getty ) LET’S MAKE YOUR EVENT MEMORABLE IN .

EventsInEdmonton.com 60 WOMEN’S SPORT I Adam Nelson organisation plans to use the success of the tournament to grow thewomen’s game. speaks to Fifa’sSportBusiness chief women’s football officer aboutthe 2019 Women’s World Cup, andhowthe www.sportbusiness.com | numbers are abitskewednumbers becausethis a comparisonexercise to Canada,the final countwehit1.16million.If youdo at leastonemilliontickets sold,andat their perspective. football beingplayed hasreally changed thisWomen’show World Cupandthe keen footballinthepast, onwomen’s some ofthosewhomaybe so weren’t speaking to alotofmymalecolleagues, out formethemostinthatrespect is, beautiful to watch. The thing that stands last edition[2015inCanada].Anditwas somuchsincethe game hasimproved football onthepitch. ofthe Thelevel strong insomesurprisingmarkets. wasincredible, really viewership TV The andengagement. digital following France, butalsoonlineinterms ofthe the stadiums,around thehostcitiesin itwasincredible –in fan engagement, away allmyexpectations. In terms of was established,anditcompletely blew footballdivision since thewomen’s since I’vetaken upthisrole atFifa and It wasthefirstWorld Cup I’doverseen Fifa’s pre-tournament expectations? Cup inFrance measureupagainst How didthe2019Women’s World footballaround theworld. women’s to from thatevent develop further is hopingto themomentum leverage reflections onFrance she andhearhow officer, to Sarai Bareman, gether football body’schiefwomen’s governing spoke to the SportBusinessReview andonthepitch.both commercially game, ofthewomen’s the growth 32 teams, asitcontinuesto focuson Sarai Bareman |“Women’s football isabout much more thanwhathappenson thepitch” In concrete terms, targeting wewere The highlightformewasactuallythe by expandingthenexteditiontoby Women’s World CupinFrance thesuccessof2019 follow n July, Fifa confirmeditwould @SportBusiness Bareman speaksduringtheinaugural FifaWomen’s Football ConventioninParis earlierthisyear( away forthe from double-headers double count. matches,double-header wasa sothere majority ofthosetickets soldwere was more than1.3million,butavast headers. In Canadatheattendance away we’vemoved where from double- is actuallythefirstWomen’s World Cup I advocated thatweshouldmove really positive.The average attendance the matches, itwasalsoreally highand uptoshowing thestadiumto watch participation andpeopleactually me personally. In terms ofaudience really importantandreally pleasingto was attendance ofaudience levels abletowe were stillmaintainhigh Women’s World Cup, soseeingthat Fifa viaGettyImages ) WOMEN’S SPORT was 75 per cent of capacity. than the National and in turn participation and raising On the broadcast side, we were fixture that was on that same the profile of our players, is to get aiming for a billion viewers globally. afternoon. That must have been more eyeballs on the game. And free- That was to build on the 750 million pleasing. to-air is the best way to do that. The we were able to reach in 2015. We are It’s massive. Particularly coming from engagement in the UK was one of the still finalising some of the numbers that region – NRL is massive, so to see a standout success stories of this World from certain territories, but we have stat like that is amazing. I think England Cup, and it showed a clear benefit of definitely exceeded the one billion as well was impressive; England v USA making football available free-to-air, on mark. I know that in 24 of the territories recorded in excess of 8.8 million on the major channels. It has a big, big impact we had already had 850 million viewers BBC, in a country where the previous in terms of popularity, viewership and across all platforms even before the high [for a women’s football match] was just creating that buzz – the same kind final, so that was a good indication. just short of 2.8 million. We saw similar of buzz you would see linked to major In Brazil we saw some incredible things in France when they played the men’s competitions we saw this summer figures. For the France v Brazil match, USA. Their record previously was 4.1 linked to the Women’s World Cup. we had more than 35 million viewers million and we were able to exceed 11.5 Performance obviously has a big part to in Brazil. I think Italy for me was a million for that game. The figures have play in it, but the fact that anyone and standout. The previous high in terms of been great. For me, the comparison everyone could watch it on free-to-air viewership there for a women’s football from those previous records has shown also made a big difference. match was 468,000, and for their match that when the big broadcasters invest versus Brazil we went just over 7.3 and actually show it, there is a big How are you working to ensure the million. It’s a football country. They audience out there that is willing to fans you picked up this year stay love it, and we may have benefited from consume it. engaged with the women’s game the men’s team maybe not performing throughout the next four-year cycle? so well in recent times. I think that it’s Is that a strategy you’ll continue to I think you’ve touched on what is indeed quite a lovely story, how the women’s pursue? Would you eschew higher the biggest challenge for us now. We team has really carried the pride of the media-rights fees in order to ensure have the momentum, we have this high nation, and that’s evident through those the Women’s World Cup remains level of interest, so how do we sustain viewership numbers. on free-to-air television in as many that across the World Cup cycle? Our territories as possible? president [Gianni Infantino] has spoken Italy’s game against the Matildas One of the best things we can do to about introducing new competitions drew a bigger audience in Australia increase the popularity of the game, at international level, including a

Italy and Australia were two of the biggest media markets for the 2019 Women’s World Cup (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 61 62 WOMEN’S SPORT I think it’s incredible that women’s I thinkit’sincredible thatwomen’s globally. happening that hasbeen And empowerment forwomen’s movement pay: allthesethings are partofabigger equality, gender empowerment, equal around thegame,around women’s You thatcome seetheconversations onthepitch.more thanwhathappens Women’s footballisaboutsomuch football. campaigns forwomen’s specific communicationandmarketing make abigimpact. able to attheWorld engage Cup,will sport infront ofthosefansthatwewere models –andto continueto keep the to –andtherefore seen asrole beseen more opportunitiesforourplayers to be tocompetitions atthehighestlevel give Introducing in SouthAmerica. new in regions like Africa,thePacific, and you compare itto particularly themen, when low are very the highestlevel players, theopportunitiesto play at competitions landscapeforfemale youlookatthe when At themoment, Ithinkthatwillbekey.for women. Club World CupandaWorld League www.sportbusiness.com | forwomen’sBareman ishopingto createmoreopportunities footballersinterritories likeAfrica( In addition,wehave to lookat @SportBusiness game isquite to different thetraditional market are typicallyconsumingthe well. Ithinkwedidamazingly area where platforms. Andthat formewasanother wehave offollowers number onour andthe increasing digitalengagement push to [duringtheWorld Cup]was football. 13.7 millionwhoare playing organised wehavethe moment, approximately higher.those participationnumbers At particularly importanttimeto drive girls playing it’sa 2026.Andnow by want to and get60millionwomen to game.We whatwedoonthemen’s marketing campaignsthatare different specificcommunicationand very outside thebox. We needto lookat competitions to keep thatengagement. themajor between that wecanleverage that’s somethingthatisreally important Ithink role modelsforthatmovement. players and really becomeproponents that,andour football canembody The way thatour fansandthetarget Something thatwegave amassive And forthatweneedto think Craig Mercer/MB Media/GettyImages game as it evolves sothatwecanadapt game asitevolves the that, seethatdata,andfollow important thatwe’re ableto capture landscape. It’s soquickly, evolving it’s able to monitor football thewomen’s I thinkso,yes. But it’salsoaboutbeing demographic? younger andmoredigitally-engaged the men’s, becauseyou’retargeting a to thewomen’simportant game than Is thatdigitalaudienceeven more online. asthevideosremain grow the lastcount,andthisiscontinuingto World Cupbeganare at200millionby sincetheWomen’smillion. Videoviews to cent, 25per across platforms]by 2.2 official Women’s World Cupchannels able to [to increase ourfollowers Fifa’s across allofourplatforms. We were more than1.2billioncontent views side interms We ofengagement. had alsocomingoutofthedigital numbers abletoand wewere seesomeawesome smart phoneandusingmobiledevices, mucharound their consume isvery from 12through to 15,the way they model. We thatyounggirls,aged know ) WOMEN’S SPORT accordingly. The men’s game is, you could argue, saturated in terms of global viewership and popularity. It’s the biggest sport in the world. The women’s game in comparison is still relatively young and continually growing. And I think these kinds of numbers that come out of the big competitions are important for us to track because it also shows us, over time, how the women’s game is evolving.

We’ve now had confirmation that the Fifa Council has approved the expansion of the 2023 World Cup to 32 teams, bringing it in line with the men’s tournament. What impact do you hope that will have? Obviously having more teams participating will engage more countries. It’ll make a big difference in terms of participation. So right now, when you look at the number of teams that are participating in the qualifying pathway for the Women’s World Cup and you compare that to the qualifying pathway for the men’s game, the numbers are very low, and there are many reasons for that. But I would say that increasing the number of slots that are available for teams to compete in at Megan Rapinoe and her USA teammates lift the 2019 Women’s World Cup trophy (Marc Atkins/Getty Images) the World Cup level will have a really positive impact in that respect. “The engagement in the UK particularly from new participants, in I can give you an example: in Africa, the women’s game. It’s important that 24 out of the 54 African nations entered was one of the success stories we support the FFF to be able to engage into the qualifying pathway for the of this World Cup; it showed and retain that new level of interest that Women’s World Cup, as opposed to a clear benefit of making the Women’s World Cup has generated. 53 out of 54 who did the qualification We have programmes like the Fifa process for the men’s World Cup. football available free-to-air.” Forward programme, our flagship Offering more opportunities to play development programme, which is in a World Cup will hopefully reduce how we offer the member associations that disparity. I think creating new The legacy for us is really important. money to grow football in their own playing opportunities like the World Within France we’ve invested more countries. We’ll put a big focus on League, introducing a Women’s Club than €1m into legacy programmes that communicating with the member World Cup, having a real focus on the we’ve been working on with the French associations now, post-World Cup, on grassroots level and improving the Football Federation for the past two looking at ways that they can invest domestic leagues in combination with years. That’s something that we’ve their Fifa Forward funds into the expanding the World Cup, those things been doing very directly as a women’s women’s game. combined will definitely help to make football division together with the FFF. We are launching also a football for an impact. But even if you just look at it Fifa will also make a contribution of schools programme, to increase the on its own, the 32-team World Cup will €3m toward level of kids playing football; for me, have a direct impact just on the number an ongoing legacy programme to the the big focus here is obviously on young of countries competing and playing FFF now that the Women’s World Cup girls. These are all programmes that are football. has finished. ongoing for Fifa. What we do now, with It’s about leveraging the momentum the momentum of the Women’s World Do you have specific methods for that hosting a mega event will have Cup, is we double down on our efforts measuring the legacy of the 2019 in that country. There’s going to to encourage our members to invest in World Cup, in France and beyond? be increasing amounts of interest, women’s and girl’s football. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 63 FIBA

The Transformation of the Fiba Basketball World Cup In association with The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 is set to thrill a global audience and help build a new generation of fans thanks to a strategy built on positive partnerships

he Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 is set to change the way TWO STRONG STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS the world views basketball’s premier international Tcompetition and provide a boost to the sport itself. This transformation is being driven in large part by a sophisticated, long-term marketing and media strategy designed to maximise commercial and fan engagement worldwide. The competition, being played out across eight Chinese cities from August 31 to September 15, features 32 FIBA Media and national teams for the first time. The Marketing Services extended line-up is one of the results of a new-style qualifying competition that ensured every team played home and away, in a move designed both to build engagement with fans and the brand of the tournament itself. This ground-breaking edition of the World Cup is the fruit of an extensive and exhaustive process of rediscovery Media, a joint venture “committed to Thomas Klooz– brought the resource and reinvention which began some years increasing the value of the basketball fan and expertise of two of the world’s most ago, under the late secretary general experience” and delivering “maximum experienced and successful commercial Patrick Baumann, and is seamlessly exposure, on multiple platforms, sports organisation into the team, all carried through under the leadership of providing fans with unprecedented sharing the same vision. . access to content”. The moves created the stability From the outset the objective has The agreement, which also includes required to focus on the long-term been clear: to create a competition Fiba properties such as the Women’s rather than immediate gains, and the which would give basketball a World Cup, sees the partnership taking media and marketing programmes for championship in the top tier of world on production, sales and distribution the 2019 edition for the World Cup sports properties, and to use the related to Fiba media rights for four provide a plethora of evidence of the locomotive of passion for national World Cup cycles through to 2033. success of the programme to date. teams to drive fan awareness and In a parallel deal, Fiba and the Wanda- This special feature looks at the engagement around the world. owned Infront agency created a joint way effective marketing and media The foundations for the commercial venture – Fiba Marketing – to handle programmes are powering the Fiba success of the current World Cup strategic marketing aspects, including Basketball World Cup 2019 toward were laid with two highly significant sponsorship sales and management. its goals and how the enthusiastic agreements, both announced in 2016. With these two agreements, Fiba’s engagement of Global and National In the first, Fiba teamed up with what Media and Marketing Services – led by brand partners are playing a key role in is now the DAZN Group to create Fiba its director general Frank Leenders and the transformation.

64 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with FIBA 65 ) (FIBA “In this business a very important “In of that this group “I am delighted “These workshops were not just from China, the United States, Europe Europe States, China, the United from whose status and global and Japan event that of the reflects nature itself. thing about partners is not simply that are a fee but that the brands they pay that adds something to of a stature the event and that they focused on are maximise the benefits of activating to their involvement. partners remains so deeply engaged. held two highly successful have We sponsors’ workshops, each attended by than 150 people. At the workshops more to they showed their determination which in impactful ways, activate a win-win. creates about providing information; they the partnersinspired and put them on As of this and their a result their toes. the most make to own determination reached of the opportunities we have a level of partner engagement and

“Marketing has been game a real “Marketing results “This business is about Frank Leenders Frank and activation that is and activation that is unprecedented in the world unprecedented in the world of partner engagement of FIBA.” of event partners, event sponsors and event suppliers delivered of as a result programme, the domestic sponsorship for support the level of corporate global showcase has basketball’s newreached heights. said changer in business terms,” Leenders. made transformative and we have The success is not simply developments. a bigger of partners group about having but lies in the kind of partners they are. welcomed major corporations have We “We have reached a level have reached “We

he marketing programme programme he marketing World powering the 2019 Fiba Cup has had a “transformative impact” on the propertyand

Delivered by Fiba Marketing, a co- Delivered Marketing, by Fiba is the exclusive Marketing Fiba Cup World Basketball the Fiba For China has unique expertise inInfront and three With nine Global Partners How partnersHow game changers become operative and the venture between Fiba agencyInfront that runs until 2033, the has delivered a significant programme in revenuesincrease while ramping-up the elevate visibility and engagement to a new level. property to commercial rights partner for the main comprehensive provides and events Fiba initiatives and services in marketing sponsorship sales, marketing, strategic account management, commercial event and venue management, hospitality, merchandising and licensing and David Marketing of Fiba Head branding. Nivelle manages the partnership day- to-day. Management Committee 2019, a Joint and Marketing was set up between Fiba organise and operate China to Infront a comprehensive domestic commercial including sponsorship sales program, and the licensing Infront program. as advisors to China also worked the Local Organising on Committee sales and the development ticketing and management of a global hospitality the first of its kind around programme, in China. basketball in the host country and builtbasketball to game the take helping byreputation its a new level during its 13-year partnership Association,with the Chinese Basketball local knowledge, its professional through global network and richextensive experience. international Global Suppliers at the time of signed along with an additional cadre writing, the sport, according to Frank Leenders, Frank to the sport, according and Media general of Fiba director Services. Marketing T 66 In association with FIBA with them towith them andcreate identify and working support thepartners brand. and objectivesofthepartner opportunities according to theneeds packages to thecreation ofbespoke awaymove from thesaleofstandard Fibaby Marketing. It hasinvolveda a significantchangeinstrategy driven asaresult of achieved success hasbeen millions ofbottles.” in manyways includingbranding on partner, whichispromoting theevent through to Ganten, theofficialwater to raise theprofile oftheWorld Cup, athleteand thoseofitsown ambassadors brand presence itsown has leveraged the officialteam uniforms,andwhich interest withthehigh-profile launchof a long-term thatcreated partner huge gofromacross Nike, theboard. They really thoughtfulandcreative activations with thesebrands. keep, goodcompany andweare invery thecompanyyou life, youare judgedby world ofFiba. activation thatisunprecedented inthe “It’s aboutdoingwhatwecanto According to themarketing Leenders, “We have anamazingrange of seen say“They that,inbusinessand top players level whosepositivemedia accessto inproviding instrumental Basketball World Cup2019andhasbeen opportunities presented theFiba by thegameworldwide. role ingrowing itsdeterminationunderscores to play a DNA withFiba anditspartnership Nike isabrand withbasketball inits Nike –HarnessingPlayerPower Cup. contributed to thesuccessofWorld activationswhichhavethe partner positions uswellforfuture editions.” the Fiba Basketball World Cupand reflects thetrulyglobalnature of brands.or American Thatinitself onChinese thanrelying entirely rather we hadacollectionofglobalpartners theirobjectives,”hesaid. achieve individualisation. We wantto helpthem agooddealof hasbeen there opportunities. allourpartners With The brand has embraced the The brand hasembraced Here isasnapshotofsome “We alsofeltitwasimportantthat

Global partner WandaGlobal partner teamed upwith Wanda’s LittleChampions country attheWorld Cup. team basketball their andrepresenting media abouttheimportanceofnational Tunisian starSalahMejri, to talkto the , Maverick’s andtheDallas Joe Ingles ofAustralia, bothfrom the including, Rudy ofFrance Gobert and Lebron James players wasjoinedby from around theworld.Thelegendary player countries representing talent, to anextensive line-upofitstop NBA competition. spokesmenand influential forthe across China,andactingaspowerful Ming, makingpublicappearances Global AmbassadorsalongwithYao since beingannouncedasWorld Cup NowitzkiDirk have played key roles togeneral, level. anew Cup, andnationalteam basketball in hashelpedpromotepresence theWorld Nike alsofacilitated interview access Nike athletes Kobe Bryantand In association with

Fiba to launch ‘Little Champions’, a to maximise impact and visibility, were Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 programme designed to inspire the next unique to each host city and attracted with the launch of a range of official generation of kids by giving them the not only fans and media but high profile products including the outstanding unique opportunity to step onto the guests from Fiba, Tissot, the Chinese TCL 8K QLED TV, which uses Artificial FIBA court during the World Cup and join Basketball Association, the Local Intelligence to enhance the sports their idols as player escorts before every Organization Committee, the Local experience for fans. game. Wanda recruited more than 1,000 Organizing Committee for each host The range was launched at the 2018 youngsters from around China for the city, together with provincial and local IFA in : the world’s leading trade programme. government officials and special guests. show for consumer electronics and The launch event saw the Fiba home appliances. The company has World Cup Trophy taken to Danzhai added to its line-up by launching the in Guizhou province, where it was official Fiba Basketball World Cup unveiled by 36 Little Champions 2019 fridge, washing machine and air joined by Burton Shipley, president conditioner. of Fiba Oceania and chairman of the TCL – Unveiling a New Sports TV The products, which are available Coordination Committee of the Fiba Experience in some 30,000 stores worldwide, are Basketball World Cup 2019, Xu Minfeng, TCL, one of the world’s biggest shipped and sold in specially branded vice-president of the Chinese Basketball consumer electronics brands, packaging featuring the World Cup logo. Association and former NBA star celebrated its partnership with the TCL has been supporting the Stephon Marbury. Danzhai had been of China’s poorest counties before Wanda instigated a programme of tourism-led development and investment that has helped the county climb out of poverty two years ahead of schedule.

Tissot – Keeping Perfect Time Official Timekeeper Tissot ushered in the Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 with a nationwide roadshow across China, getting underway in Guangzhou in late July before rolling-out to , Nanjing and Beijing. The brand provided fans with the chance to get up close and personal with the sport through a series of 1 on 1 and 3x3 challenges that had a special edition World Cup themed Tissot watch as the prize for the finalists in each challenge. Tissot also played a major role in promoting the World Cup with a series of ceremonies to inaugurate Countdown Clocks in each host city, starting 365 days from tip-off and making a major contribution to creating a sense of excitement and anticipation as tip off day neared. The launch events, held in city centres

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 67 68 In association with FIBA including quizzes inwhichfans acted asafocalpointforactivities machinethat a 2.8-metre tallvending nationwide. promote inWanda theevent Malls China, andteamed upwithWanda to cities in capitalsandother provincial storesin grocery in more than23 club Juventus, hasrunpromotions Australian andItalian soccer Open includingtennis’sglobal sportsevents Basketball World Cuppartnership. toChina andbeyond supportitsFiba Ganten makingasplashacross hasbeen water leadingmineral Asia’s brand Cup Refreshed Ganten –KeepingtheFibaWorld 92 games. Trophy foreachofthetournament’s thePlayerand present oftheGame national team andthe CBAleague. theChinamen’s and haspartnered ofbasketballdevelopment since2009

The promotion includeddesigning The brand, whichalsopartners For theWorld Cup,TCL will name

Dr JamesDr Naismith –setofffrom Beijing named after theinventor ofbasketball, World CupTrophy Tour. ofthefirstFiba partner presenting around basketball’s as showcase a majorrole increating globalbuzz playedRussian Aeroflot flagcarrier Trophy to theWorld Aeroflot –High-flierstakethe supplied with bottled water.supplied withbottled campaign –whoserole isto keep players Angels –selected through asocial media be represented asquadofWater by iQIYI andTiktok. channels includingTencent, Youku, internet mediapromotion across World Cup,aswellawide-ranging the channelscovering of ChineseTV and product displays inthestudios commercials through TV partnership balls and,ofcourse,Ganten water. World officialMolten Cupmerchandise, questionstoanswered winprizesof The Tour saw theNaismith Trophy – At theWorld CupitselfGanten will Ganten isalsosupportingits May andJune. injustthree weeksacross engagements discussion withmore than462 million ofsocialmediadebatelevels and visit thecities. world thegreat should reasons why they campaign askingfansto share withthe celebrities, Tencent ran anonline World Cuphost cities. played akey role inpromoting the CitySupportersinnovative programme Social mediagiantTencent Sports’ Cities Supporting Basketballby Tencent –Supporting all Fiba’s digital platforms. Flying Moments willbefeatured across action from thecompetition.Best celebration ofthemostspectacular ‘BestFlyingMoments’,presenting a whichincludes Global partnership, toworking withAeroflot promote its ambassador Kobe Bryanthasbeen citiesin24countries.33 different on May takingin journey 24onanepic The programme created tremendous Working with eightChinese Basketball andWorld legend Cup In association with

Licensing and retail – setting new standards FIBA

rom T-shirts to game jerseys for precious metals, stamps and the official online store operated by and technology to fashion, the commemorative coins, a key category in Tencent Sport, from fan shops at Beijing Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 the Chinese market. airport and more than 100 points of sale brand is featured on a wide Products are widely available through at each of the eight World cup arenas, in Frange of merchandise and collectibles fan zones and fan houses in each city. designed to delight fans and keep the “The licensing programme Specific products will be available event front of mind. from specialist retail points including The licensed merchandise and is complex, sophisticated jewellery from China Gold, stamps from retail operation is the biggest, most and critical to the success branches of China Post and precious adventurous and sophisticated ever metal products from the Bank of devised by Fiba and is a clear indication of the event.” Communications. of the determination to elevate the David Nivelle Outside China, licensed products are World Cup into the elite group of global available on Amazon Prime. sports properties. From the outset the goal was to ‘up the game’ on merchandising to create a programme that will not only drive local and global revenues but help position the FIBA Basketball World Cup brand as fresh and truly innovative. Fiba, in collaboration with Infront China, has joined forces with Promotional Partners Worldwide and Beijing Sinocraft Culture Development Co to develop a range of merchandise that celebrates this pivotal event. The programme includes products in a range of categories including apparel, headwear, toys and games, plush, fan items, souvenirs, accessories, stationery, homeware, luggage, books and precious metal – particularly important in the domestic Chinese market. “The licensing programme is complex, sophisticated and critical to the success of the event,” explains head of Fiba Marketing David Nivelle. “Branded merchandise helps raise the visibility of the event and provides fans with cherished souvenirs of some of their greatest shared moments.” Hong Kong-based PPW has been appointed as Global Master Licensee and has exclusive rights to sub-license, produce and sell official licensed products as well as manage retail operations. BSDC is exclusive licensing agent

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 69 70 In association with FIBA T Taking theBasketballWorld Cupto a Media was established through a 17-year partnership running fromMedia wasestablished through 2017to a 17-yearpartnership 2033.” “It will be the firstBasketball World Cupsince Spainhosted the 2014editionand thereforethe first sinceFiba to Stimpson. basketball inChina,according coverage “continuity” of ensuring agreements with Fiba Media, withthelong-term years into nine-yearpartnerships specialist staffto supporttheprocess. andwillalsosupply operations effectivelymanagingtheproduction by Fiba Media control hasretained overall and thehostbroadcast services provide internationalby production teams to internet giant Tencent willbejoined sporting World Cup thisyear.” thananyother bebigger will therefore has hosted and inmultipleprovinces Media managing director Paul Stimpson. of content done,”says we’veever Fiba biggest production anddistribution “From itwillbethe ourperspective, Bigger andbetter company DAZN. bodyandsportsmedia global governing basketball’s between the jointventure Fiba by devised Media,that hasbeen is reflected themeticulousstrategy by the world’smostpopulouscountry. status asthemostpopularteam sportin opportunity to buildon basketball’s FIBAanunprecedentedoffering 69-year history, Chinaisthehost, flagship international tournament. multi-platform availability ofthesport’s global audience “We wantlong-term onboard partners andTencentBoth CCTV are two State-owned and broadcaster CCTV China “This isthebiggestsingleevent anditsreach The scaleoftheevent For thefirsttimeincompetition’s coverage, presentation and presentation coverage, momentous changeinthe World Cupwillmarka his year’sFiba Basketball Academy platform,” Stimpsonexplains.Academy and utilised theonlineFIBATV everyone Workshopsvarious Production with for Fiba formanyyearsandwehave had international covering basketball events sites. atthree other producing coverage from France, Israel andLatviawillbe locations,whileteamsin twoother one, Spanishteams willtake thelead will spearheadproduction inanother teams andTencent fortwoofthearenas hired from variouscountries.been dotted across thecountryhavevenues teams host fortheeightdifferent territories worldwide,theproduction whoare basedindifferent members, Basketball World Cup. cosmopolitan production effortatthe also helpusto it,”headds. improve cangetusedto so they ourproduct and “All ofthedirectors have been production willprovide CCTV Whilst from thetechnicalAside crew However, itwillbeatruly the referees will wearmicrophonesthe referees during breaks intheplay. introductions andstatisticalinsights tovisual identity create strikingteam reality graphics, usingthetournament’s will besupplemented augmented- by technology.Spidercam contest, and withultra-slow-motion ateach willbe25cameras onward, there Fromat eachvenue. thequarter-finals super-slow-motion filmingtechnology, includingarail-cam and 20 cameras, tocloser before. theaction thanever willtake The livecoverage viewers oftheaction Heart also created in-house. intheoutput,withgraphics consistency production teams willensure forthedifferent running order For thefirsttimeattournament, From thecoverage thesemi-finals, gameswillfeaturePreliminary-round Fiba Media’s second-by-second Frank Leenders In association with

that will be opened up to viewers when Content plans Meanwhile WSC Sports, an they head to the review table to check Moreover, Fiba Media has produced – established partner of Fiba Media, will an incident. and will continue to produce through provide an automated clip-creation

“These are all innovations for the the duration of the tournament – service through its artificial intelligence FIBA FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 and additional content in support of the technology, creating short-form footage we will be introducing camera angles live coverage. that can be shared with partners, that have not been seen in basketball “The actual content used in a influencers and national federations. coverage before,” Stimpson says. live game production probably only “However, we will only use accounts for about 20 per cent of the Global coverage technology that has been tested by us, total content produced for a game ,” Some of sport’s biggest broadcasters either to produce content that has been Stimpson adds. are slated to offer in-depth coverage available to us internally or used during “Live coverage is still king, but we of the tournament via linear and OTT coverage of tournaments like last year’s have content such as team profiles, platforms, including ESPN in the US, Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup interviews, clips, stories and a Mediaset and DAZN in Spain, Canal Plus in Spain.” documentary programme about the in France, Magenta Sports in Germany With the support of a team of history of the World Cup to supplement and Fox Sports in Australia. production specialists provided by it. During the event, we will produce More than 60 media partners have Fiba, two host feeds will be available to even more content, not only to review signed up to provide coverage of the rights-holders. games but also to preview the next event to at least 160 countries, while Alongside the standard world feed, round of contests. Fiba Media’s own Livebasketball.tv which will begin 10 minutes before PROJECTS,“We’re also PLANNING taking AND that DEVELOPMENT content and platform will offer subscription-based the start of each gameThis and role offerinvolves a being the principalslicing link for itthe into Basketball different Champions segments League project to push as well as takingcoverage responsibility in territories for that are not standard opening sequenceoverseeing including the technical aspects ofit the out FIBA on Media Fiba’s Archive social and mediathe review channels. of future data/tracking covered tools that canby existingfurther rights deals. Prices enhance the FIBA Media activities. an introduction to the host city and We will have influencers in China, to access the platform’s coverage will the national anthems, there will be a including videographers and the likes of vary, depending on the market. ‘Super Feed’ – a new initiative for the our ambassadors Kobe Bryant and Dirk The breadth and depth of the tournament. Nowitzki, who will produce content on- media coverage strategy for the Fiba The Super Feed will be available from site to be shared across both FIBA’s own Basketball World Cup 2019 has led forty-five minutes before the start of social media channels as well as third to lofty expectations in relation to each contest and will cover aspects of70+ party partners2,500+ and publishersPROJECTS, around PLANNING 1,500+ ANDviewing DEVELOPMENT figures all around the world. the game-day experience suchBROADCAST as team PARTNERStheThis world” role involvesGAMES being PRODUCED, the principal link for the BasketballPIECES OF Champions ADDITIONALChina onLeague its projectown, aswill well deliver as taking responsibilityrecord for overseeing theDISTRIBUTED technical aspects AND of the FIBA Media ArchiveCONTENT and the review of future data/tracking tools that can further arrival, the warm-ups, as well as replays Any Fiba Media-curatedBROADCAST free-to-viewenhance producedthe FIBA Mediabreakingeach year activities. audiences. that are not available on the world feed, contentby that the FIBA is released Broadcast Partnerson social media, “We’re talking multiples in comparison offering an additional layer of support such as footage of the teams arriving at with Spain in 2014,” Stimpson adds. for broadcasters. an arena, will be used as a signpost for “When Fiba has staged an Asian Both feeds will show live coverage, live coverage in territories where rights Championship in China before, seven of with eight separate two-person teams deals are in place. However, broadcast the top-rated programmes on CCTV that stationed at each arena to provide partners with the appropriate rights may year were games from the tournament English-language commentary of all simulcast coverage70+ on their own social2,500+ featuring the home nation.1,500+ There will be PROJECTS,PROJECTS,PROJECTS, PLANNING PLANNINGPLANNING AND ANDAND DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTBROADCAST PARTNERS GAMES PRODUCED, PIECES OF ADDITIONAL 92 games. 25+ channels. 20+ DISTRIBUTED2,000+an enormousAND audienceCONTENT in China alone.” Z PRODUCTION AND LIVE COMMENTATORS HOURS OF ThisThisThis role rolerole involves involvesinvolves being beingbeing the thethe principal principalprincipal link linklink for forfor the thethe Basketball BasketballBasketball Champions ChampionsChampions League LeagueLeague project projectproject as asas well wellwell as asas taking takingtaking responsibility responsibilityresponsibility for forfor BROADCAST produced each year GRAPHICS COMPANIES used each year SATELLITE SPACE overseeingoverseeingoverseeing the thethe technical technicaltechnical aspects aspectsaspects of ofof the thethe FIBA FIBAFIBA Media MediaMedia Archive ArchiveArchive and andand the thethe review reviewreview of ofof future futurefuture data/tracking data/trackingdata/tracking tools toolstools that thatthat can cancan further furtherfurtherby the FIBA Broadcast Partners appointed booked per year enhanceenhanceenhance the thethe FIBA FIBAFIBA Media MediaMedia activities. activities.activities.

70+70+ 2,500+2,500+60+ 1,500+20+1,500+25+ 20+800 2,000+ BROADCASTBROADCASTBROADCAST PARTNERS PARTNERSPARTNERS GAMESGAMESON-SITE PRODUCED, PRODUCED, MEDIA BROADCASTPIECESPIECESPIECESPRODUCTION OF OFOF ADDITIONAL QUALITY ADDITIONALADDITIONAL AND LIVELIVE COMMENTATORS GAMES PER YEAR HOURS OF DISTRIBUTEDDISTRIBUTEDOPS MANAGERS AND AND REPORTSGRAPHICS MADECONTENTCONTENTCONTENT COMPANIES ON EVERY onused livebasketball.tv each year SATELLITE SPACE appointedBROADCASTBROADCASTBROADCAST per year FIBAproducedproducedproduced EVENTappointed each GAME eacheach year yearyear (FIBA’s OTT platform) booked per year bybyby the thethe FIBA FIBAFIBA Broadcast BroadcastBroadcast Partners PartnersPartners

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 71

DIGITAL60+ MARKETING 20+ 800 660+ON-SITE MILLION MEDIA REACH BROADCAST QUALITY LIVE GAMES PER YEAR 25+25+ 20+20+ 10+ BILLIONOPS2,000+2,000+ MANAGERS IMPRESSIONS REPORTS MADE ON EVERY on livebasketball.tv PRODUCTIONPRODUCTIONPRODUCTION AND ANDAND LIVELIVELIVE COMMENTATORS COMMENTATORSCOMMENTATORS 560+ MILLIONappointedHOURSHOURS VIDEO per OF yearOF VIEWS FIBA EVENT GAME (FIBA’s OTT platform) GRAPHICSGRAPHICS COMPANIES COMPANIES usedusedused each eacheach year yearyear through broadcasters,SATELLITESATELLITESATELLITE publishers, SPACE SPACESPACE influencers appointedappointedappointed and livebasketball.tvbookedbookedbooked per perper year yearyear

DIGITAL MARKETING 660+ MILLION REACH 60+60+ 20+20+ 800800 10+ BILLION IMPRESSIONS ON-SITEON-SITE MEDIA MEDIA BROADCASTBROADCASTBROADCAST QUALITY QUALITYQUALITY LIVELIVELIVE GAMES GAMESGAMES PER PERPER YEAR YEARYEAR 560+ MILLION VIDEO VIEWS OPSOPS MANAGERS MANAGERS REPORTSREPORTSREPORTS MADE MADEMADE ON ONON EVERY EVERYEVERY ononon livebasketball.tv livebasketball.tvlivebasketball.tv through broadcasters, publishers, influencers appointedappointedappointed per perper year yearyear FIBAFIBAFIBA EVENT EVENTEVENT GAME GAMEGAME (FIBA’s(FIBA’s(FIBA’s OTT OTTOTT platform) platform)platform) and livebasketball.tv

DIGITALDIGITAL MARKETING MARKETING 660+660+660+ MILLION MILLION REACH REACH 10+10+10+ BILLION BILLIONBILLION IMPRESSIONS IMPRESSIONSIMPRESSIONS 560+560+560+ MILLION MILLIONMILLION VIDEO VIDEOVIDEO VIEWS VIEWSVIEWS throughthroughthrough broadcasters, broadcasters,broadcasters, publishers, publishers,publishers, influencers influencersinfluencers andandand livebasketball.tv livebasketball.tvlivebasketball.tv 72 RETAIL G Bob Williams to 41 locations in 16 states expanded from 10 stores in2010 AMB Group-owned chainhas www.sportbusiness.com | Mountain. TotalOutfitters, Hockey andGander Sports Chalet,MCSports,Eastern including SportsAuthority, Golfsmith, intofallen years bankruptcy inrecent of USsportinggoodschainshave companies suchasFanatics, anumber e-commerce of Amazonandother United States. brick-and-mortar retail industryinthe become arare successstory inthe AMB Group andthePGATour to PGA Tour Superstore revolutionises sports retail sector asHomeDepot of golf Following thespectacularrise between majorityownerbetween itspartnershiphas leveraged chain PGATour Superstore andapparelolf equipment @SportBusiness its rivals have gone bankrupt enabled thecompany to thrive as Experiential retailapproach has Superstore lastyear, exceeding the million customers visited thePGA Tour cent.more than300per More than7.5 the pastdecadesaleshave by grown whileover cent, of14per sales growth internationally into Canada. in three yearstimeandeventually The goalisto expandto 60locations Austin () (). andDenver Florida), twoinBoston (), including Sarasota andPlantation(both stores have already in 2019, opened stores across 16states atpresent. Six Group took thecompany–to over 41 ArthurBlank’s co-founder AMB Depot Home from 10locationsin2010–when has expandedatarapid rate, growing In 2018,thecompanyposted overall By contrast, thePGATour Superstore proved mutually beneficial minority owner PGA Tour has with Multi-faceted partnership after thefirstround oftheOasis Delray Beach,Florida,immediately from thestore putter buy anew in O’Mearachampion Mark decidedto MastersChampions, former andOpen the startofthisyear’sPGATour at After strugglingwithhisputting are fansofthePGATour Superstore. Braintree. branch intheBostonnew suburbof full twodays aheadofthelaunch to Forbes, upa oneindividualshowed the new store in Austin, while, according waited inlineforthedoorsto at open thisyearalmost600customersearlier PGA Tour tournaments. total at attendance But itisnotjustcasualplayers who Such istheinterest that intheretailer

(PGA Tour Superstore) RETAIL Championship in nearby Boca Raton. associates, you can’t build that online. household income, which tends to be After buying a Odyssey White Hot The experiences inside the store and the higher in the golfing community. putter for $108 (€97), O’Meara quickly services we offer are so different. “It’s great if there’s a PGA Tour returned to form and won the Cologuard “The distribution model [of golf event [nearby], but they tend to move Classic three weeks later at Omni Tucson retail] helps because there are some around so we don’t hone in on that,” National, his first victory in over eight manufacturers who don’t want to ship says Sullivan, who is also chairman of years on the senior golf tour. to Amazon because if someone buys a the National Golf Federation’s board of “I hadn’t been in there [PGA Tour golf club and it doesn’t fit properly for directors. Superstore] in forever. There were like them and they play badly with it, then it The company has also gleaned 10,000 putters. It was like a kid going to hurts that brand. We get that benefit on some opportunity from the 2017 Disneyland. I started grabbing them all,” that side,” Sullivan says. bankruptcy of Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies O’Meara, 62, recalled in April. But Sullivan is still quick to point ‘R’ Us, buying a number of that out the key separation between the chain’s stores at auction – including Adapting the Home Depot model PGA Superstore and its Home Depot in , and Boston The PGA Tour Superstore is operated connections. “It’s the technology inside – and converting them into PGA Tour by Golf & Tennis Pro Shop, a subsidiary our stores that differentiates us – even Superstore locations. of AMB Group, which also owns the more so than at Home Depot,” he says. “We spent a long time last year in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the National “When you come in, we’ll be able to auctions competing against a lot of Football League’s and measure your distance, your ball speed, retailers in the US trying to pick off Major League Soccer team Atlanta your launch angle…all those things that these leases. We got some good deals, United. Founded in 2004, Golf & Tennis are important to your personal game… some inexpensive leases, so that helps Pro Shop was fully taken over by AMB in the shaft weight, the types of shaft…so the business model,” Sullivan says. 2010. The Group had been an investor we can really hone in on what you are In regards to expansion, Sullivan says for four years. looking for. We can really fine-tune that “there is no limit on capital” but the The retailer offers in-house custom and no one else really can. company is wary of over-expansion in club fittings and repairs, along with “Think of all the sporting goods order to keep the customer experience lessons from certified teaching businesses that [collapsed] recently, at a high level. professionals. Other attractions include they didn’t allow that level of customer “We have to be very sensitive to practice hitting bays, high-tech swing service inside of their stores and that’s the human resources capital, not the simulators, putting greens and chipping what we do and that’s what makes us financial capital, so we have to make areas. Merchandise includes clubs, different,” he says. sure we have well-trained people which accessories, footwear, and a wide variety In terms of choosing new store is the most important part of our of apparel for men, women and juniors. locations, a number of factors go into business,” he says. Last year, at all of its stores – which consideration. Namely, the the amount Despite its rapid growth, the PGA range in size from 25,000-60,000 square of golf courses in a 15-20 mile radius Tour Superstore has so far captured feet – associates conducted more than and specific demographics such as just 10 per cent of the market share in 100,000 custom club fittings, gave about 50,000 golf lessons, and re- gripped more than 750,000 clubs. Much of the PGA Tour Superstore’s success lies in the same operating strategy that has made home improvement chain Home Depot a dominant player in that retail category: a wide assortment of products, well- trained staff, and a commitment to a high-end customer experience. But it is the added experiential, interactive component that makes the golf retailer stand out from the crowd. “The experience that people have inside the four walls of our stores is so important. It’s transactional in most other businesses…it’s a relationship in our business,” Dick Sullivan, PGA Tour Superstore’s president and chief executive, tells SportBusiness Review. “The trust factor that we build with our (PGA Tour Superstore)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 73 74 RETAIL a 50-yearrelationship withthePGA long-term equity. Soweestablished name offthebuilding, weneededthat five yearsandrenegotiate ortake the and wedidn’twantto wake upin Tim Finchem whowascommissioner with thePGATour. Atthat timeitwas that wehadalong-term relationship the firstthingswedidwasmake sure the companybackin2010,oneof says. Arthur[Blank]acquired “When PGA Tour. until2060withthe a 50-yearlicense success liesinitsname,having secured keyAnother factor intheretailer’s withPGA Key partnership Tour Sullivan says. upsideforus,” istremendous there retailers. Goods andsomeindependent goods chainssuchasDick’s Sporting the US,aswellatleadingsporting approximately 15,000golfcoursesover apparel purchases takingplaceatthe ofgolf-related cent per and equipment golfretail industry,the overall with50 www.sportbusiness.com | “The brand iscriticalto us,”Sullivan white istremendous “There space, @SportBusiness “The experience thatpeople “The experience executive, PGA Tour Superstore our stores issoimportant.” have insidethefourwallsof Dick Sullivan |presidentandchief it’s critical and there are somanyit’s criticalandthere what thatbrand standsfor. We think to onthatpromise interms deliver of responsibility aswellis atremendous the PGATour isatthetop butthere Sullivan adds. youthinkofgolf, “When pressures,and logocomeswithcertain the PGATour’s business,”hesays. want allofourcustomers to thinkit’s Arthur wouldsay thesamething. We it’s notArthurBlank’s business. And itthathelooksatashisbusiness, love about ourPGATour Superstores. AndI opportunities,alwaysgrowth talks Jaycommissioner] Monahan. relationship with[currenttremendous a had.Andit’sbeen ever that they’ve Tour, whichisthelongestlicense Incorporating thePGATour name “Jay, he when talks to the media about relationships sowecanactivate allover tofor them extend thesponsorship at theirstores. “We canbeanoutlet Tour’s officialsponsorsto activate the PGATour Superstore the allows both ofus.” integrated it’sawin-winfor properly up together, wetryto dothat. Ifit’s Sullivan says. wecanjoin “Wherever at ways to ourbusiness,” helpgrow look of Arthur–it’scriticalasthey second biggestequitypositionoutside haveposition they have –they the relationship.licensee theequity With interests together soit’snotjusta andwehavepartners long-term via theofficialPGATour website. site, e-commerce whichcanbereached extends to thePGATour Superstore’s in thecompany. also Thepartnership thegame.” grow best, butit’snotthecase.We’re to here mightthinkit’sonlyforthebeginners that peoplemightbeintimidated, that positives withit. Theonlynegativeis In a mutually-beneficial partnership, In partnership, amutually-beneficial “It’s goodbecauseweare truly The PGATour isalsoaminorityowner RETAIL

PGA Tour’s swing analysis technology (PGA Tour Superstore) the country, 365 days a year. It’s like we properties in the portfolio. events and things like that,” he says. have 41 stadiums if you look at it that “Culturally, we meet every month PGA Tour Superstore’s experiential way,” Sullivan says. as a management group and we share strategy also expands on a wider The PGA Tour, for its part, is eager best practices, whether it’s in human customer-first philosophy at AMB to share in PGA Tour Superstore’s resources, IT, finance…those functional Group. “The associates feel like there is success. “We are extremely proud of areas cross over the entire business so purpose with our businesses, meaning the success of PGA Tour Superstores, we get smarter with the more resources it’s not just coming to do a job but that especially given the challenging retail we have,” says Sullivan, who was there is a higher calling,” Sullivan says. market in which other brick and mortar previously chief marketing officer for To further expose the brand, the PGA golf retailers are experiencing declining both Home Depot and the Falcons. Tour Superstore also has a marketing sales,” Len Brown, the PGA Tour’s More directly, the PGA Tour partnership with the NBCUniversal- chief legal officer and executive vice- Superstore has multiple swing owned Golf Channel. In 2015, the president, licensing and merchandising, simulators installed inside Mercedes- retailer announced a multi-year deal tells SportBusiness Review. Benz Stadium as well as hole-in-one with the channel, which includes “They realised early on that coupling competitions at every major event, in programming opportunities – such as the PGA Tour brand with a truly which winners can win a Mercedes car. new product spotlights and special experiential shopping environment, “We take advantage of all 70,000-plus features on custom fitting and other fun for golfers and non-golfers alike, fans who are coming in and we’ve had game-improvement services – and a supported by superior customer service a number of national sporting events strategic media buy. would be the winning combination from which we’re getting fans from The content is produced from it’s proven to be, and we continue to across the entire country and they are the PGA Tour Superstore’s Orlando collaborate with them to make it as getting to see our product. Wherever location, which is less than a mile from authentic as possible,” Brown says. we can, we try to blend in,” says Golf Channel’s world headquarters. Sullivan. “We believe that we should be the Benefits of belonging to AMB Group “Every fan in the Atlanta area if they voice of golf retail and they’ve allowed The PGA Tour Superstore benefits from are a Falcons or United season-ticket us to do that at different times of being in the AMB Group by being able to holder they will have opportunities to get the year, such as Father’s Day and learn best business practices from other loyalty programs and be invited to special Christmas,” Sullivan says. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 75 76 SPONSORSHIP ‘Eat LikeAPro’ campaign B Rory Squires investigate why thecampaign to tacklechildhood obesity worldwide hasenjoyed spectacular results. ‘Eat Like APro’ won the Individual or Award at the2019 BTTeam Partnership Industry Awards. We Sport www.sportbusiness.com | faceted initiative,itwasrecognised channel, multi-platform andmulti- wellbeing.their physical andemotional youngsters andimprove eathealthier tosupporting aglobalmovement help raising awareness oftheissue,whilst was establishedwiththeaimof worldwide,thecampaign worsening activations. creative marketing strategies and in anindustrypacked withincreasingly Beko and Barcelona raise thebarwith Such wastheimpactofmulti- amongchildren obesitylevels With believe set a new benchmark benchmark setanew believe campaign,whichmany Pro’ ground withthe‘EatLike A eko andBarcelona broke new @SportBusiness children’s charityUnicefchildren’s since2006. withinternationalprofile partnership of theclub,whichhashadahigh- andtraining partner global mainpartner four-season extension in2018. expandingthrough a relationship then in2014,withthe as officialpartners thetwopartiesfirstlinkedwhen up electronics brand thatbegan consumer giant andthedomesticappliance term theLaLiga between understanding from along- The campaignemerged Success story Industry Awards 2019. Partnership Award attheBTSport with theIndividual orTeam “A key to success wasidentifying Under theextension, Beko becamea 2025 more than70 millionchildren trajectorythe current continues,by a vividcontext for‘EatLike If APro’. worldwideprovided of obesitylevels come inthefuture.” key to thesuccesssofarwithmore to media to amplifyourstory, hasproved ofdigitalandsocial unlock thepower This, alongsideourdetermination to Barcelona andUnicef onthiscampaign. inspired usto collaborate with important. very childhood obesityproved Unicef forthefirstprogrammes on Beko’s Arçelik. “Partnering owner with Yalım Uzun, chiefmarketing of officer alongside FCBarcelona,” says Zeynep tothe rightpartner tacklethismission Alarming statistics about the growth Alarming statisticsaboutthegrowth “It’s the shared valuesthatreally

(Beko ) SPONSORSHIP worldwide will be overweight or obese. consumption habits of consumers whilst Madrid, Beko swapped out its logo But a May 2019 survey across 18 ensuring the technology would enable us from the players’ shirts and 3D pitch countries and involving more than 13,500 to track the usage,” Uzun adds. mats to give #EatLikeAPro worldwide children found that 80 per cent would visibility instead. eat healthier if they knew their heroes Other activations included ‘Football v did too, providing further evidence about Food’ videos featuring Piqué. the influence of role models. Barcelona’s chief commercial “The Barça team can help us officer Xavier Asensi adds: “We loved the message in an effort to drive working together on the Football v meaningful change,” Uzun says. “At Beko, Food activation in particular – Beko we are committed to addressing the issue presented the idea to us very early of childhood obesity and wellbeing for all in their creative process, allowing future generations.” us to collaborate closely and get Establishing a solid team behind the Gerard Piqué truly excited about his scenes was also vital when it came to ambassador role in the project.” executing the initiative, according to Arçelik chief marketing officer Zeynep Yalım Uzun Unicef’s global corporate partnership Uzun. manager, Annabelle McDougall, adds: “The campaign was led by the Beko “Insights show Twitter is a key social “Unicef is closely involved in the global brand management team with platform for sport and for fans following #EatLikeAPro campaign and we are lead agency McCann Worldwide,” Uzun live sport. , being more visual, delighted with the worldwide response says. “However, key senior stakeholders was also chosen as fans want to show to the Football v Food activation on all were involved before activation, their support in different ways. of the partners’ channels” including all C-suite. “We were able to share videos of key Beko is now looking to build on the “A cross-functional team including Barcelona players, including Gerard success of Eat Like A Pro – and not just brand, digital, product and PR Piqué – who is our Global ‘Eat Like A with Barcelona, or even just football. was created to ensure all the key Pro’ ambassador – eating like a pro and “We have recently added new partners, touchpoints were covered and motivating their fans and followers to including the League of Legends integration of the campaign was join the movement.” European Championship, and we successful as a 360-degree campaign.” With the full force of the club, the became the title partner of Fenerbahçe Barça Foundation, Unicef and Beko basketball,” Uzun adds. Social impact behind the initiative, social media “Our new partnerships are also being As part of the initiative, Beko donated helped to take the campaign to a global united under ‘Eat Like A Pro’, enabling €1 to Unicef for each social post made audience, with activations across all key us to extend to new audiences with the by a member of the public using the channels, including Facebook, Twitter, same overlying consistent message to #EatLikeAPro tag, raising €1m in 11 Instagram and YouTube reaching 406 inspire families around the globe whilst days and benefiting more than 500,000 cities in 167 countries. continuing to activate our partnership children. Additionally, during the May 2018 ‘El with Barcelona under the same “The channels selected were based on Clásico’ between Barcelona and Real umbrella.” Z

Beko & FC Barcelona - Eat Like A Pro wins the Individual or Team Partnership Award at the BT Sport Industry Awards 2019

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 77 78 STADIA T Eric Fisher ticket options seating options andmulti-year Moves includeseries of new www.sportbusiness.com | sharp increase innon-basketball events. for more multi-yearticket sales,anda areas,of more apush rail accessviewing seatingareas, aninstallation premium new ofseveral with thedevelopment building a sophomore slumpinthenew developments. ticketing andevent enhancements, extensive ofseatingadditions, series city, intheWisconsin arena withan Fiserv Forum, downtown itsnew second-year letdown at Fiserv Forumsecond-year letdown atFiserv getaggressiveto avoid The moves are also a keyThe moves part of the The NBAteam isseekingto fightoff the secondseasonat letdowna revenue for tryingtofervently avoid he Milwaukee Bucks is @SportBusiness its current market Milwaukee beyond theconfinesof Activity attempts to move for whichtheteam seekinga isnow outdoor plazasurrounding thebuilding the30-acre District, itself andtheDeer programming ofbothFiserv Forum leaning more into thenon-basketball sales-based efforts,theBucksare also thatasmuchwecould.” circumvent out toward a24-monthplanto tryto of theBucks. “For us,wereally looked saysin growth,” Peter Feigin, president you look toward in Year 2 is a bit of a dip and alltheexcitement. Sousuallywhat building anew from leveraging revenue] market intheNBA. which isthefourth-smallestmedia limitations oftheMilwaukee market, toBucks’ ongoingattempt outstripthe Beyond the sweep offacility-and thesweep Beyond gain[in suchanincremental “There’s in 2020 Democratic NationalConvention Building is set to host the beyond 100 intheupcomingyear.beyond The the teamheld, anumber plansto grow tenant atFiserv Forum, have been basketball, majorsports theother University the BucksandMarquette the Rapper andtheJonas Brothers. includingJohnevents Mayer, Chance Grande andMetallica, withupcoming JustinKillers, Timberlake, Ariana thus faratFiserv Forum includethe Minneapolis. artistsperforming Major travelas they Chicagoand between majortouring by skipped over artists the Milwaukee market thatisoften for –asizabledevelopment concerts have there of operation, 28 been corporate naming-rights sponsor. Sixty-one events intotalSixty-one events outsideof firstyear thearena’s During (Milwaukee Bucks ) STADIA Deer District, in addition to serving as But Feigin says the club is still seeking thought of originally.” a key locale for fan gatherings before to walk a fine line between capitalising The Bucks are also actively marketing and during Bucks games, has also been a upon the current run of on-court to new and existing season-ticket regular site for community events such success and not completely relying on holders’ two- and three-year packages, as farmer’s markets, yoga and Zumba it financially. The multi-year sales push something not widely done in the classes, holiday festivals, nighttime around its tickets, both for premium industry for non-premium tickets. movies, and beer festivals. and non-premium seating, feeds directly Roughly 1,300 of the team’s current “We had the vision from the into that. season-ticket base of 10,500 full-season beginning that it was a market beyond “What we wanted to do is use the equivalents have accepted the multi- ripe for activation. We just had to team performance as a cherry on top, year offers, which carry a five-per-cent create attractive content,” says Feigin, an accelerant on top of an an incredible discount from single-year pricing. who envisioned the club as a content foundation,” Feigin says. In addition to the new arena company from the origination of Fiserv projects, the Bucks are also widening Forum. “In a very short period of time, New areas, new events their view toward additional premier Fiserv Forum has become one of the The off-season construction this non-basketball events. The building top arenas in for ticket summer at Fiserv Forum is certainly a is already set to play host to first- and sales.” marked departure from last year’s large- second-round games in the 2022 scale efforts to finish the building itself. NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Leveraging, but not depending But around the building, several smaller a schedule stop in the Big 3, and it has on the team efforts are underway to further enhance bid on hosting an NCAA Frozen Four The August 2018 opening of Fiserv the venue. tournament in college . Fiserv Forum, a $524m (€472m) building Among the projects: the creation of a Forum’s predecessor building, the BMO relying roughly half on public funds, new 300-seat section in the building’s Harris Bradley Center, was the site of timed up with an acceleration in the upper level, a new 15-seat luxury suite three prior Frozen Four events. multi-year rebuilding of the Bucks that includes club seating for all arena Perhaps most dramatically, Fiserv themselves. After ending the 2013-14 events, the creation of a new loge table Forum will also be the site for the 2020 season as the worst team in the NBA, section with eight all-inclusive tables Democratic National Convention next winning just 15 of 82 games, the Bucks priced between $20,000 and $38,000 summer, a key event in next year’s US steadily grew into a playoff team in the per season, the addition of more than presidential election cycle. ensuing half-decade. two-dozen floor seats, and the new “We’re looking for the biggest A key focal point in that rebuild was standing rail access areas. problem you could possibly have, Giannis Antetokounmpo, a 6’11” power “We spent the first six months which is winning the NBA title in June forward nicknamed “the Greek Freak” in our new home really exploring and having to flip over the building due to a rare combination of size, opportunistic square feet, watching the right away to the Democratic National wingspan, quickness, and ball-handing critical paths of people, and pivoting Convention in July,” Feigin says. “And ability. Antetokounmpo arrived a rookie from there,” Feigin says. “We used that event is just another huge feather during that awful 2013-14 season and that as an opportunity to see where we in our cap, a phenomenal feat for a ultimately became one of the league’s could monetise in places that we hadn’t market our size.” Z most dynamic personalities, a perennial All-Star, and during this past season, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. The Bucks during the debut year of Fiserv Arena won a league-best 60 games, the team’s highest total since 1981, and advanced to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals before succumbing to eventual league champion Toronto. The success of Antetokounmpo individually and the team collectively allowed the Bucks to post 37 regular season sellouts during the inaugural season at Fiserv Forum, and an average attendance percentage of 101.5 per cent of listed capacity when also including standing-room tickets, a figure that was second best in the NBA last season. The team is again the among the favorites The Deer District outside Fiserv Forum has been a key gathering spot before and during Milwaukee Bucks games, vying for the 2019-2020 NBA title. and also the site of a wide variety of local community events (Milwaukee Bucks)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 79 80 MANAGEMENT A Washington Wizardsowner Ted Leonsis(RobCarr/GettyImages) installed a three-pronged leadership installed athree-pronged leadership structures, Leonsishas management Baseball in2002. League transformed Major Moneyball at aUSpro sportsteam sincethebook out thebiggestfront officemakeover & Entertainment, may have carried organisationMonumentalparent Sports andchairman of And inturn,Ted ofthe Leonsis, owner joke. Butit’sreal, andquite serious. the front officeofaNBAteam… Rick Snider approaches initsmanagement basketball fornewideas and NBA team looksoutside www.sportbusiness.com | Washington Wizards aimto breakthe mould withnewleadership structure Eschewing traditional teamEschewing It sounds like thebeginning ofa basketball coachwalkinto team doctor, andacollege team, aEuropean soccer chiefforanNFL personnel @SportBusiness opportunities. andpost-basketballliteracy career off-court areas suchasfinancial potential” anddelvinginpartinto Basketball, onefocusedon“player forMonumentaldepartment andengagement development athleteIII, whowillleadanew basketball coachJohn Thompson Georgetown Universitymen’s for Monumental Basketball. chief ofathlete care and performance Basketball, Medina, andDaniel named forMonumental officer operations designatedBrown, chiefplanningand andresponsibility withSashi power Tommy issharingleadership Sheppard executive manager general andnew team inwhichlongtime Wizards that shares responsibility three-pronged leadership team Owner Ted Leonsis installed a The trio will be joined by formerThe triowillbejoinedby plan connected” to the club’s visionand Agents and players now feel “more fans wanted after oflosing aseries thanangry Ernie Grunfeldfar longer manager Wizardsgeneral beleaguered basketball team. He stayed with necessarily lookingto his reinvent structure quicklyoreasily, andwasn’t Jr. builtaHallof Fame career. John hisfather school where Thompson years asheadcoachatGeorgetown, the Washington-area sports,having 13 spent 76ers. Thompsonisafixture in care forWizards rivalthePhiladelphia ofathleteyear stintasvice-president Barcelona inmedicalroles before atwo- FC power with European soccer Browns. AndMedina adecade spent fortheCleveland of footballoperations executivewas previously vice-president Leonsis didnotcometo thenew A longtimesportsattorney, Brown MANAGEMENT seasons and early playoff flameouts, team and allow a general manager to the Wizards. Because he acquired the finally dismissing him in April after 16 just focus on basketball? ’s Washington mostly lackluster seasons. And Leonsis “In sports, teams have become the Capitals first in 1999, more than a himself freely admits that had there size and scale of Fortune 500 and decade before he gained control of the been more winning, there wouldn’t have 1000 companies. Multi-billion dollar Wizards, and that team has enjoyed far been any radical change in approach. enterprises, hundreds of employees. Yet more competitive success, Leonsis’ own But a perfect storm of misfortune the decision-making, certainly at the image has been more tied to hockey that dropped the Wizards to a 32-50 Wizards and most other NBA teams, than basketball. record in 2018-19, the club’s worst was anti to how big companies were “Every agent and player that I’ve record in six years, prompted Leonsis to making decisions. For the most part, the talked to say the more they see [team surprise everyone by bringing in senior decisions were made by the top person officials], the more connected they feel personnel carrying little or no prior and he or she would say, ‘I got it’.” to what our vision and ultimate plan is,” NBA experience. Leonsis says. Leonsis says. Collaboratively, the trio of new hires Brown’s role as chief planning will also be charged with creating a and operations officer for all the series of cross-platform approaches for Monumental basketball teams is easily the entire portfolio of basketball teams the least traditional compared to under the Monumental Sports umbrella: typical team management structures. the WNBA , the His areas of responsibility related G-League Capital City Go-Go, and to the basketball operations include Wizards District Gaming of the NBA technology, finance, communications, 2K League, as well as the Wizards security, research, and player themselves. engagement. Brown described his The structure in some ways role as bringing “together all of our resembles the broad responsibility resources…to innovate and find held by Stan Kasten in the 1990s and Leonsis concedes frustration over synergies and opportunities across all of early , when he simultaneously the local Washington-area media’s our basketball properties.” ran the , , call for a quickly-named successor to That may sound like a bunch of and Atlanta Thrashers. But Leonsis is Grunfeld. He insisted on a methodical empty management talk. But it speaks focusing on a much less singular and process before announcing the changes directly to Leonsis’ desire for new more collective approach. in late July. voices and ideas, which in turn is the “To expect one person to be master “People were calling the process whole point of the team’s dramatic of all of that, I think that day is past,” ‘driftless’, ‘meandering’, ” Leonsis says. leadership makeover. Leonsis says he Leonsis told SportBusiness Review. “When you do succession planning was particularly attracted to Brown’s “There are very few unicorns out or turnaround in a big company, it technology experience and strategic there. It’s not just Bill Belichick [with can take 12 to 24 months. Imagine a thinking. But as a Georgetown the NFL’s ]. It’s bank president goes to another bank University graduate, Leonsis jokes that [owner] Robert Kraft, [] president and asks to interview a vice- he “won’t hold [Brown’s] Harvard Law Tom Brady, and the culture. It’s too big president for a job. You meet with them School degree against him”. to just have a single decision maker.” for two hours and have enough kismet “What do great organisations do?” After dismissing Grunfeld, Leonsis to invite them back. And then a second Leonsis asks. “It’s pretty simple. You spent nearly three months talking to interview goes for a couple of hours and get the most diverse, smartest people more than 50 people in not only the you offer them a job. That would never, you can find and unleash their intellect... NBA, but other US sports leagues ever happen in business.” We can deeply fortify ourselves, and including the NFL and various leagues in The research led Leonsis in have deep basketball knowledge. European soccer. Sheppard’s elevation part to conclude that the scope of Let’s celebrate diversity and it’s not from assistant general manager responsibilities for running an NBA about skin color and gender. It’s about following that research period on the team fundamentally needed to be split different experiences and different surface looked like a standard internal into multiple people. ideas. That’s what I was craving. promotion. But in reality, it came with “I didn’t want to go the traditional “The league’s teams now are being the arrival of other department heads route and find the one person and filled with executives leading basketball with equal voices and shared power. say, ‘Here, replicate what we’ve been operations that came from business. “As I went deep into the process, I doing and you do what the last person Why can’t we do both? Can’t we started to feel maybe the traditional was doing.’ It was better to break the make big investments and go deep in way just reinforces what has been responsibilities up a different way and basketball and bring in people who…are happening,” Leonsis says. “What was add to the talent pool,” he says. really, really smart and can add value?” the risk of a tried-and-true method Leonsis also concluded that he Leonsis says. where you build a senior [management] ought be more personally involved in The appointment of Medina(Elsa/Getty and Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 81 82 MANAGEMENT as usual [following the free agency thefree agency as usual[following many others. Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, among stars suchasKevin Kyrie Durant, Irving, involving marquee movement agent saw thissummer NBA thatearlier free also arriveamidadramatically-altered decisions.”information, better success andgaffesare, andadjust. More We have sustainabledata,see where to up. besuccessful,successwillshow says.Sheppard “Ifyoudoallthethings onthefloor,move hydration levels,” players how they liftweights,how approach to practice, nutritionallevels, of hisbusinesscareer. analytics datingbackto theearliest days area, despite of embrace Leonsis’own optimisedinthis properly had notbeen . ButtheWizards release ofMoneyball player particularlysincethe personnel, analytics inmanaginganddeveloping have theheavy rapidly embraced useof as pro teams inallthemajorsports USsportsindustry,across theentire analytics. concept Thisishardly anew a heightened onplayer emphasis structure alsoisdesignedto have as distraction free aspossible.” togetherreal timeandallreport andbe says.Sheppard workin “It letseveryone executive input. But hesays hewelcomes theadditional onefrom thepriorstructure.resembles life altered hisrole most themost,given of acentury, standsto have hisworking foraquarteryears andtheNBAoverall players feelaboutyoulookafter them.” soccer…It’s allabouttrustandhow in to proven This hasbeen everyone. Medina says. “Howthecoachlistens health, andnon-competitionlifestyles. particular focusonnutrition,mental including theesportsfranchise, witha of Monumental’s basketball teams, Medina’s all effortswillencompass one ofthemostpressing concerns. ofgameslosttonumber injuryis inwhichreducing the wide trend meanwhile, reflect asportsindustry- the heightened focusonplayer health, www.sportbusiness.com | “If you were thinking it was business thinking itwasbusiness “If youwere The Monumental changes leadership “We’re tryingto besmarter to our leadership The Wizards’new “This minimisesheadaches,” withtheWizards for17 Sheppard, “It’s allaboutcommunication,” @SportBusiness contend with,butitssister Monumental have often-lackluster itsown history to unforgiving test. Not onlydoestheteam structure willbean thenew under Leonsis says. this leaguejustbecauseoftheinjuries,” becoming somuchmore importantin is team] Depth anddepth. stars [per it’s like itusedto be.Now it’stwoall- Now youlookaround theleague,and we needthree max[salary]players… allchasingwasthat This notionwewere spread. of it. ismore evenly Thetalent somegoodnessthatcameout there’s summer. itscares While alotofpeople, on collaboration andtheprocess. Now we’re goingto bealotmore focused outcomes.managing [before] wasby behind,” Leonsissays. “Theway Iwas market], youwouldhave leftfar been Judging success fortheWizards “The NBAwasaradical changethis way,” hesays. Z willbetweaksalongthe I’m sure there ifit’sthefinalrightanswer; don’t know it willhelpateachteam’s level. one-of-a-kind, valuablesetofassets and horizontally andvertically. It willbea we’re investing of thosewell,now franchises.growing Ifwecandoboth and NBA2Klike professional, they’re leagueandMysticsthe developmental andtreat inshared services deeper basketball andmuch thanwewere “We’re goingto in gomuchdeeper will soonpay sizabledividends. G-League, andNBA2KLeagueteams WNBA, resources across hisNBA, NHL contender. aperennial Cupandremains Stanley franchise, theCapitals,won2018 “We broke bit;I themouldalittle “We’re notdone yet,”Leonsissays. theshared But Leonsisbelieves ADV MBA 2019_210x265.pdf 1 26/6/19 12:03

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K HOSTING WINNERS

Everyone’s a winner when hosting events in Denmark. Volunteers, spectators, businesses and politicians all come together to empower your world class event. Everyone plays on your team to take it to a higher level.

When you place your event in Denmark, you’re bringing it to a vibrant atmosphere served by a wealth of trust-worthy and experienced partners. Together we’ll make your event a winner.