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THE GAME HAS CHANGED HOW THE BUSINESS OF SPORT IS ADAPTING TO LIFE UNDER LOCKDOWN

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

“Stop broadcasting, start F1’s virtual grands prix Eni Aluko, building a truly Georgiou targeting further interacting.” The digital – a silver lining in professional culture at growth for Eurosport response to the crisis dark times Aston Villa Women Events after UCI tie-up How is sport adopting immersive/virtual realities to engage with Gen Y and Gen Zs ?

Will live streaming and mixed-realities attract different types of spectators ?

Will bidding cities take a new hosting approach to address climate change ?

Will older stadia be capable of delivering the infrastructure needed for new technology ?

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April | Issue no. 260

10 16 38

46 55

Worldview Sponsorship

After Covid, sport will be back. 38 Formula 1 could have up to seven different regional 5 betting sponsors, says ISG 6 Global pandemic requires leaning on sports in a different way Sports Betting 7 Covid-19, globalisation and its limits Six questions facing the US sports betting industry 44 Legalized US sports betting creates robust 8 opportunities for agencies

Covid-19 Development 10 The importance of digital engagement during the lockdown 46 Eni Aluko | Women’s sport is a great vehicle to tackle 14 Duty of care considerations take priority as sports seeks social issues legal advice 16 US sports leagues eye potential return Events Dainton: “Instead of a draw ceremony we had an 20 55 Georgiou targeting further growth for Eurosport Events emergency meeting” after announcing UCI tie-up 29 Mixed fortunes for Australian rights-holders amid Barcelona shifts focus as Olympic legacy lives on Covid-19 crisis 65 34 Exeter City’s turbulent past equips it to cope with pandemic Governance Interview 59 Sun Yang’s downfall highlights China’s failure to develop individual stars 18 Interview with Octagon’s John Shea

Esports Venues 26 Formula One’s virtual grands prix are a silver lining 61 Hail to the new stadium? Redskins’ long search for new during dark times facility taking many detours

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 3 4 4

WORLDVIEW | LONDON I After Covid, sport willbeback.AndAfter Covid, sport it people think football is a matter oflife people thinkfootball isamatter over-used BillShanklyquote: “Some givesthelietoworld, Covid-19 that combat itsspread. social isolationmeasures introduced to runcompletelyevents contrary to the canned. 2020 –were Tokyo GamesandUefa Olympic Euro –includingthe year’s marquee events became aflooduntil,inevitably, the cancellations andpostponements Worldview |London www.sportbusiness.com | will becelebrated likenever before. Kevin Roberts, Editorial DirectorKevin Roberts, With thousandsdyingaroundWith the andsports killer isasilent Covid-19 go dark. world’s theatres ofdreams beganto more thanamonthsincethe t’s now What startedWhat asatrickle of @SportBusiness management and allthatgoeswithit.management focusedon event ofconferences series company,head oftheeponymous on a reality.a wholenew and thebusinessofsportisfacing upto invades thesportandcountry.” broadcasters’ theillness billionswhen keep chasing aballandpursuingthe the Times:“It is patently wrong to captured themoodinanarticlefor sport.any other thanthat.”more serious It’s not,noris and death.Icanassure you,it’smuch He was fond of describing events as He wasfondofdescribing events I onceworked withNigelRushman, isnolivesport weare. There So here Football journalist Henry Winter [email protected] chain to thecatering companies, and rightalongthesupply agencies, the shutdown onleagues,broadcasters, York andSingapore ontheimpactof hasreportedservice from London,New weeks ourSportBusiness24news has taken. Andasdays have become action. ofthe of champagnewithagreat view to aglass nowhere over impress clients for brands to display theirmessages and nothing to at,nowhere pointacamera nothingto there’s events selltickets to, of thesportsindustry. both thelifebloodandraw product That’s thedirect hitthesportssector He was rightonbothcounts. Without WORLDVIEW |LONDON security companies, travel operators, uncertainty caused by something we programme printers, merchandise can’t see, and which experts are still suppliers and vendors. The list goes on. only beginning to understand, but with Without events there is no sports China reporting falling rates of infection Editor business and, as the crisis has evolved we are slowly getting a better idea of the Ben Cronin through predictable phases, it has likely longevity of the pandemic and we [email protected] + 44 (0)20 7265 4232 been painful to report a news cycle understand that the sports sector faces a Deputy Editor that has seen cancellations lead to the hiatus and not the final curtain. Adam Nelson restructuring of financial agreements What has been underscored in recent [email protected] + 44 (0)20 7265 4234 and the laying-off of staff. weeks is the importance of the role of US Editor But in these changed times we have sport in the lives of many millions of Eric Fisher also seen the sports sector begin to people around the world. It’s not just [email protected] think in new ways. While there can about being at the game or watching on Asia Editor Kelvin Tan be no substitute for live events, we television. It is about sport’s role in our [email protected] have seen some tremendous examples lives 24/7. Head of Content of creative thinking as clubs, leagues Richard Welbirg It’s about how sport injects [email protected] and individual athletes have turned to excitement as we share drama and + 44 (0)20 7265 4233 digital and social media to maintain the jeopardy, it’s about how it fuels Editorial Director Kevin Roberts connection to fans and stakeholders. the most passionate conversation [email protected] We have seen new esports and debate and provides an instant Senior Designer competitions created to keep connection between us. Alex Smith engagement alive and we have seen The absence of sport leaves a [email protected] Designer sports organisations reach out to their gaping hole in society and while the Jacklin Kuneva communities to provide comfort and current hiatus is the inevitable result [email protected] assistance to those most in need of it as of something we can’t control, it’s a Production and Distribution Manager Craig Young their lives are turned upside down. safe bet that its absence is making the [email protected] SportBusiness has been part of the public’s heart fonder by the day. Commercial Director sports sector for close to a quarter of Sport will be back. And when it is, it [email protected] a century and we aim to play our part will be celebrated like never before as a + 44 (0) 2072 654183 to support the industry at this time of mark of a return to normal life for the Subscription/Information Sales Max Frew/Scott Longhurst/ crisis. public and for all those who work in Laurence Burton By providing a source of news, sport. 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@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 5 6 WORLDVIEW | NEW YORK I of sport – uplifting people by bringingof sport–uplifting peopleby propertiesone ofthemost powerful tough, unprecedented situation,where oftheongoing pandemic. severity intogalvanizing publicattention the this timeplayed role in aprominent sportsSeptember 11terrorist attacks, natural disaster orsomethinglike the acharitable funds,asitdoesfollowing relief, staginggamesandraising providingsociety outofatragedy by stress onmedicalsystems.extreme cases,and ofCovid-19 rising numbers ofstay-at-homesocietal news orders, the sportsindustry, plusbroader layoffs andwagereductions around series of postponements, cancellations, endless aseemingly decision, it’sbeen prompting theNBA’s rapid suspension tested inturn positiveforCovid-19, for allofsociety. as asomethingoflinedemarcation to hasseemed arenas, an empty serve gamesorplay certain suspend in them around thesportsindustrythatday, to ofannouncements series a growing calls to practice socialdistancing. beginning to heed thethen-growing already athome manyofuswere given particularly exciting recollection, pandemic. indefinitely due to theCovid-19 its2019-20seasonhad suspended National Basketball Association www.sportbusiness.com | Global pandemicrequiresleaning Worldview |New York on sports inadifferentway on sports Eric Fisher, USEditor That makes foranunbelievably And instead ofsportshelpingto lead Since Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert But theNBA’s whichfollowed move, courseitlikelyOf won’tbea March 11, when weheard the 11,when March onto wewere where remember decades from now, we’re allgoing asure betthat,event seems @SportBusiness “There are“There already ofa reports – onethathasinmany internally andexternally. that asacrucialrallying pointboth on thatanticipated future, anduse have already begunto focusstrongly recovery, manyindustry executives societal fortheoverall be abellwether againwillundoubtedlysporting events control. things actuallyinanyofourdirect fewer are certainly situation, there a direct parallel, andinthishorrific not isobviously a globalpandemic reaching thatelevated state. mental being trite, indeedreference butthey to overused are now thepointof tohelp thatperformance occur. effortlessness to and their movement, a heightened state ofcalm,create an intended to on-fieldscenario reach onanimagining andfocusingsenses to deeply peakperformance, achieve used variousvisualizationtechniques way. different sports inavery thingthatcan’tbedone. is thevery together –them inshared experience connected.” lesscutthroatconsiderate, and pockets grown kinder, more kinder, pockets grown deeply changedsportsbusiness deeply in somewaysactuallymore “The one thing I know forsure“The onething I know live thatattending But given asportsbusinessduring Operating Phrases like ‘being inthezone’ Top athletes formanyyearshave requires leaningonSo thatnow [email protected] Z again. Z it’sgameonhopeful future when onthatfocusing allofourattention apply,they acritical purpose willserve ideas, to whatever partoftheindustry outofallthat.”emerge teams. “We’ve hadalotofgreat ideas operates apairofminorleaguebaseball of Fast Forward SportsGroup, which calendar,” saidKen Babby, founder normally are atthispointinthe things particularly becauseofwhere had theopportunityto dootherwise, discuss thingsthatwewouldn’thave usto ofdialogueandallowed level upanew this situationhasopened piecesofthebusiness, analyze different having remotely, withtheability to actually more connected. into homes,insomeways eachother’s bringingusdirectly video-conferencing communicative, andthanksinpartto moreconsiderate, lesscutthroat, in manypockets kinder, grown more financialpressuregrowing hasstill and difficulties ofphysical separation withthecurrent business thateven changedsportsbusiness–a a deeply of widespread reports already been haveof workingfrom home,there all stripesseekto master thenuances is thelaw of ofthe landandemployees pandemic.” in thiscountryfrom thisparticular be partoftherecovery, thehealing safe to play, we’llbeback…We will ESPN interview. it’s “Whenever commissioner, inawidelyviewed LeagueBaseball Major Manfred, is baseballwillbeback,”saidRob Everybody’s collectionsof greatEverybody’s we’vebeen “The dailyconversations In themeantime,associaldistancing

WORLDVIEW |SINGAPORE

Worldview | Singapore

Kevin McCullagh, Senior Analyst Asia [email protected] Covid-19, globalisation and its limits

he last couple of months have been a reminder of something often easy to forget: that despite our globalised, Tinternet-connected world, the physical distances between countries and people really matter. That connectedness allowed Covid-19 to spread with breath-taking speed. The distances seemed to prevent comprehension of what was happening. From Asia, many watched Europe and America’s sluggish responses to the Covid-19 outbreak with incredulity. Did they not see what had happened in or, in business terms, their potential more compliant Asian populations. I China? Everyone did, of course, but for as customers. In the sports industry, argued that the differences wouldn’t most China is still a distant land. What all the major international properties be great, once the danger became clear happens there couldn’t happen here… know by now that having X million and people started dying. It appears my At the start of this month, Inter fans – however that is defined – in colleagues’ cross-cultural understanding Milan chairman Steven Zhang launched overseas markets does not automatically was stronger than mine. a blistering attack on Italian football translate into Y million dollars of The source material is sobering, but authorities for continuing to play despite revenue. there are potentially lessons from this growing numbers of Covid-19 cases in Building sports businesses in overseas worth bearing in mind for the sports the country. markets is usually a slow, expensive sector. Many sports organisations and At the time, his alarm sounded shrill process, requiring specialist local businesses are engaged in selling their and perhaps unnecessary – the case knowledge and partners, and with each wares and messages overseas. count in Italy was still relatively low and market needing careful research and How well do they actually know China seemed somewhat alone in terms nurturing. Even then, luck, such as the places they are trying to sell to of the large numbers of cases and deaths. the emergence of a local star, is often or communicate with? What do they But for Zhang, the crisis had already hit needed to really move the needle in know about the people and culture? home and the danger was clear. For most terms of audience interest and revenue. Do they have staff from these places Italians and other Europeans, it was a I moved to Singapore six months ago. in their organisations that can help distant problem. It’s a very ‘Westernised’ place, as far as them understand? If they don’t have Media, ideas, trends, memes, and – Asia goes. Some jokingly dismiss the fact the resources internally to understand unfortunately – diseases, can travel the that it’s even ‘Asian’ at all. But scratch the target market, are there external planet with astonishing speed today. beneath the surface of the recognisable resources that can help, like consultants But we can often barely explain why. shopping brands, the English language, and agents? Without bridging the gap Most people in Italy don’t understand or and other Western features, and there in understanding, success in overseas know much about people in China. Just are profound cultural and societal markets could be elusive or fleeting. because you laughed at Gangnam Style differences between here and where I The Covid-19 crisis has shown us how doesn’t make you an authority on Korea. moved from in the UK. connected we are to other parts of the It’s possible to share interests As the Covid-19 crisis grew in Europe, world, and simultaneously that there and passions – including sporting Asian colleagues commented that it are yawning gaps in our understanding passions – with people on the other would be more difficult to convince of other lands and peoples. It’s perhaps side of the planet and still not really European populations to submit to a useful reminder of the limits of our understand their cultures, backgrounds movement controls than it would be knowledge and abilities. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 7 8 INSIDE TRACK U Six questions facing the US sports Six questionsfacingtheUSsports www.sportbusiness.com | sports betting. ofUS thegrowth actually dampen fees andtaxation,theseactions may if states aggressive intheir are overly their massivecashshortfalls. Finally, relatively insignificantcompared to may revenues besports betting Also, forsomestates, thepotential to aboutassembling). healthconcerns term (ormay beout-of-session, due inthenear-more pressing matters legislatures willbeconsumedwith Perhaps mostimportantly, manystate factors are other there to consider. to date.land-based sportsbetting statescertain whichhave onlylegalised mobile platformscouldaccelerate in need forsocialdistancing, to themove thepotentialrevenues. Also,given seek additionaltaxandlicensing legalisation ofsportsbetting, asstates could propel afaster pathto the Cash shortfallsfacingmanystates betting across the US? accelerate thelegalisation ofsports Will the current crisisultimately less clear. are far theanswers fairly obvious, resume. Althoughthequestionsare sector, onceprofessional sports the key questionsfacingthebetting executives are beginningto consider andcustomers,employees some health andsafetyoftheirfamilies, space are correctly focusedonthe professionalsoutbreak. inthe While betting industry Inside track Chris Russo,chiefexecutive, Fifth Generation Sports While thishypothesisWhile hasmerit, crises created theCovid-19 by current medical and economic dramatically impacted the by hasbeen S sportsbetting @SportBusiness

operators are globalenterprises, the assistance. Also, sincemanybetting to willreceive government whichthey canrebound orthedegreeproperties quicklythese casinois notclearhow that operate land-basedcasinos. It companies faced by thechallenges by poker may have anadvantage. such ashorseracing oronlinecasino/ companies withalternative products conglomerates andthoselarge betting tend to such, bebestpositioned. As streamsgenerate revenue diversified companies thatare wellcapitalisedand In difficult economictimes,those resume play? will be best positioned, oncesports What types ofbetting companies days ofdailyfantasy advertising. intheearlysaturation, aswasseen issignificantriskinover-stream, there toolkey engagement andrevenue new crises. Moreover, isa whilebetting thecurrentthat caneffectivelyweather healthy,generally vibrant businesses the majorUSsportsleaguesare initiatives. products andmarketing betting new of deployment could seekaspeedier to someteam boostrevenues, owners relatedand other initiatives. In order in-gamebroadcastbetting, promotion, regarding localteam activities,in-arena arange ofpolicies developing betting, managed theroll-out ofUSsports Major US sports leagues have prudently betting? aggressive deploymentofsports leagues lead to amoreby sports Will economic challenges faced However, thisanalysisiscomplicated apossibility, thisiscertainly While

Also, to theextent thatinvestments tendscapital investment to decline. activity andprivate equity/venture M&A aneconomicdownturn, During be negativelyaffected? betting acquisition activityinsports Will investment andmerger-and- markets.in importantnew todollars inorder establishthemselves “forced” to additionalmarketing spend operators maythese betting be Finally, ifstate legalisation accelerates, competitors weakened thecrisis. by toin order gainmarket share from operators may chooseto heavily spend once sportsresume. In addition,some opportunity to customers, secure new among sportsbettors asanimportant mayothers the“pent-up view demand” approach,adopt thisconservative acquisition (e.g. CPA deals). customeron performance-based operators couldincrease theirfocus of sponsorshipsandmediadeals, be impacted. For example,instead the typesofmarketing dealscould Also, theeconomicdownturn. given about theirmarketing expenditures, operators willbemore cautiousbetting wisdomsuggeststhatConventional approach to marketing? Will betting operators change their ecosystem. sports betting thedynamicnature ofthe given trends, maytalent ultimately outweighmacro- strategies, resources, andmanagement of thesebusinesses. many factors indetermining thehealth intheUSmayenvironment beoneof While someoperatorsWhile willlikely Finally, individualcompany INSIDE TRACK are made, they are often focused Sports betting was not broadly legal While questions regarding the on shoring up existing portfolio in the US during past economic crises, sports betting industry pale in companies versus investing in new so there is no direct, historical data comparison to the more important companies or sectors. As such, regarding consumer behavior. However, and imminent medical crisis, there the sports betting industry could it is reasonable to assume that a loss of will be a time when fans celebrate experience lower deal volume in the jobs and disposable income among fans the return of professional sports and coming year(s). could reduce expenditures on sports the opportunity to wager. Like all On the other hand, the potential betting. During the Great Recession, industries, sports betting is operating need for scale and financial stability certain types of gambling activities in uncharted waters, as it relates to could result in a number of M&A were negatively impacted (e.g. trips to the current macro-conditions. This consolidation transactions. Also, given casinos). uncertainty is compounded by the that sports betting has significant Other gambling activities appear nascent nature of the US sports betting growth potential, it may be the one area to be more recession resistant (e.g. marketplace. that continues to receive substantial state lotteries). More broadly, the Nevertheless, there will surely be investment dollars, even when investors major sports leagues that drive US significant opportunities for those exhibit extreme caution overall. While sports betting appear to be recession- companies that best address the there will likely be a period of pause and resistant, based on the 2008 – 2012 key questions and optimise their reflection over the next few months, it experience. Given the loyalty and operations with thoughtful strategy is possible that robust deal-making in passion of sports fans, it is possible and effective execution. Z sports betting could return sometime that game viewership and sports during the second half of 2020. betting could become an important Fifth Generation Sports is a diversion for American consumers, sports consulting firm focused on the Will US sports fans embrace betting, even when vacations and other forms intersection of sports, technology, and despite economic hardships? of entertainment are sacrificed. digital media.

(Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Image)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 9 10 COVID-19 – DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT ‘Stop interacting’ broadcasting, | start F The importance ofdigitalengagement The importance Adam Nelson content, butmayneedto go further the gap with humorous andarchival Rights-holders are attempting to fill www.sportbusiness.com | Charlie Beall, consulting partner at Charlie Beall,consulting partner uniform andconsistent calendar,” says avery by football, becauseit’sgoverned secure across sportandespeciallyin fallingsilent. cycle ofthefootball news scenario the alien particular are having to rapidly adjustto is unprecedented, footballclubsin indefinitely,cancelled orsuspended most majorsportingcompetitions whichhasseen pandemic, Covid-19 starved oflivesportingaction. continue to content provide to fans to can they thinkcreatively about how andteamsholders have already begun tournament forfootball clubs,rights- UltimateQuaranTeam global esports “Digital engagement isusuallyquite engagement “Digital aspectofthe almostevery While Leyton Orient hostingthe Leyton Orient Fifa itsarchives and opening to series Virtual Grand Prix rom Formula 1launchinga @SportBusiness place even duringisolation Twitch allowfanengagement to take and streaming platforms like Esports and qualityofsocial mediaoutput. for bothquantity increasing demand of theirdealsthrough digitalcontent, tobe attempting getsomeofthevalue inaccessible orinvisible,are goingto fees fortherightsto assetsthatare now that clubsponsors,whohave paidhuge ordinated effortchallenging. locationsoftendifferent makingco- partiesisolatingin and withrelevant into activatingcreatively atshortnotice, an agency. Now, clubsare beingforced often with support from abrand and of along-term planned activation, of creative content, itisusuallypart with.” fans engaged tothem beposting aboutandkeeping notsomethingfor there’s time when in alotofways. really a never There’s analysis. The schedulelooksafter itself preview, match then then coverage, a match days, few every soyou’re doing League.“You Seven digital agency have Complicating that further isthefact Complicating thatfurther ateamWhen doesputoutapiece content content in engaging with fans and providing Players need to take an active role sports gives our audience?’,” sayssports givesour audience?’,” thatthing canwe replace how about, ‘whatkindoffuncanwe have, Connect Four Twitter. over playedLeverkusen outagameof team Hull sideBayer CityandGerman while lastweekend Englishfootball have thepastweek, goneviral over noise, withcrowd overlaid and bowls, sport.behind by Videosofmarbleracing thevoidleft focused onsimplyreplacing obligations.”commercial you’ll alsoneedto useto fulfilyour are thesameones And thoselevers of creative executive and engagement. foryoutothere thinkaboutinterms oflevers number are onlyacertain there thestructure“Without ofthecalendar, do youkeep says fansengaged,” Beall. brands happy,commercial andhow now, doyoukeep abouthow those “It’s ofreckoning aperiod right Boom inarchival content “So at the moment it’s just been it’sjustbeen “So atthemoment At thisearlystage,content has (Getty Images ) COVID-19 – DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Niall Coen, chief executive of Snack execution around the use of the assets “So instead of just rewatching an old Media, sports digital publishers and that people do still have access to.” match on ESPN Gold, you could stream fan engagement experts. “It plays to Where the real value could lie, Beall a classic game and have a player who that community role sport plays, just suggests, is in utilising this time to forge played in it providing commentary, bringing people together and providing closer connections with audiences, talking about big moments, answering a focal point. But that won’t last long, turning to emerging platforms questions that the fans are asking at some point it is going to have to such as Twitch to facilitate direct directly in the live chat section,” Beall move into providing content that both communication between players and says. Streams can be packaged with engages fans more deeply, and is able fans. “It’s a time to stop broadcasting pre- and mid-roll advertising, but there to offer something sponsors can latch and start interacting,” he says. “Teams is nothing to prevent content creators on to.” and rights-holders who go that extra “branding their videos, giving shout- Archival content has provided one mile to foster a community, keep outs to sponsors, having a studio set-up such avenue. Fifa is allowing fans to people’s spirits up – people will be where you can see partners’ logos”. access over 30 full matches from past grateful for that in the long-run.” He adds: “It’s never going to replace World Cups, the French Football League Twitch has traditionally been the assets sponsors purchased as has opened its archives to broadcasters, associated with esports and video part of a match day, but if you can and individual clubs have been churning games, but its hook – allowing imagine giving fans the chance to out highlights compilations – usually direct, real-time interaction between directly interact with a star player, I reserved for notable anniversaries or the broadcasters and audiences – has begun think there’s potentially a lot of value downtime of an international weekend – to be adopted for sports already, with in that for brands. You also have to at an ever-faster rate. the NFL using it to provide alternative consider the fact that if you’re doing live Elliot Richardson, founder and Thursday Night Football coverage, and programming on Twitch or YouTube, president of the club-owned digital is something that is easily translatable the sweet spot is an hour and a half, publishing company Dugout, which across media. two hours. That’s a lot more exposure specialises in the production of archival for a brand than a 30-second social content, says he expects an extra 70 “The problem is that everyone media clip, you can build far longer million video views via the platform in is doing it...Every single sports engagement times for a brand.” March than February, largely as a result Coen cautions, on that front, that of the shutdown. network is relying on re-runs.” there is a balance to be struck between “We’re seeing massively increased Charlie Beall | consulting partner, Seven fulfilling sponsor obligations and demand,” he tells SportBusiness. “If League keeping fans engaged and entertained. publishers were taking 10 videos a day “Fans know when they’re being before, they’re now taking 20 to 30. marketed to and they know when We’re seeing newspapers and other something is organic,” he says. “If online outlets taking far more content something is obviously just being to make up for the shortfall they’re done to help give a sponsor some of seeing elsewhere. Because of the their value back at this time, that’s not relationship we have with the clubs, we going to be engaging content and could are able to meet that demand.” backfire. It’s important to make sure you’re creating content fans want to Stop broadcasting, start interacting engage with first and foremost, and then Beall feels that while nostalgia content you can think about how it fits into your can help maintain engagement in the sponsor’s strategy.” short-term, it is unlikely to hold fans’ Rupert Pratt, director of sales interest over a period of weeks and marketing at Snack Media, agrees that months, while its commercial potential active player involvement is going to is also limited. “The problem is that form a central part of how clubs can be everyone is doing it,” he says. “Every creative. “I’m not seeing a huge amount single sports network is relying on from the players at the moment, apart re-runs, every social media account is from a few isolated examples,” he says. posting throwbacks, so how engaging “If I was a club right now, I’d be looking is that going to be? You’ve got a across the inventory that I can still use, population hungry for sports content and I’d be looking at what access I can but, with no live matches available, get to the players and start thinking you’re competing more than ever with about creating more creative content Netflix and with video games. I think with them remotely. It doesn’t even the success stories during this period have to be explicitly football-related; are going to come down to creative Hull City/ Twitter in fact, I’d say that the best examples

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 11 12 COVID-19 – DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT that engagement across platformsand that engagement to player orclubto club,generating somethinggoesfrom playerwhere Icanseeasituation with oneperson. quickly becomeglobalafter startingoff the icebucket orthedabcan challenge viral nature. Smallbutcreative ideaslike limitedclub normallyhasvery accessto. contractedthey’re the assetsthateven stillcontractedThey’re assetsand sponsors tryto make themostofthat? canclubsand on theirhands–how theseguyshavesuddenly gottime restricted accessto players, but right now,” hesays. “You mighthave thinkingabout is whateverybody’s to tryanddothingsdifferently, which going ondoescreate anopportunity oftheword, butwhat’s loosest sense a way thatmightworkforsponsors. for clubsto usetheiravailable assetsin toward apotential area ofopportunity from theplayer, says itpoints butPratt useofsocialmedia an ad-hoc,personal Again,thiswas in hisnativeArgentina. atraditional food making empanadas, more interestingly, avideoofhimself his fitnessregime whileinisolationand, taking to Instagram to of postareview early exampleto inthisregard, follow might wellnotbe.” www.sportbusiness.com | Paulo Dybala/Instagram “The benefit ofsocialmediaisits “The benefit “I usetheword ‘opportunity’inthe Juventus forward Paulo setan Dybala @SportBusiness “Fans being they’re when know unique, andshouldtryto avoid sinking aswholly should nottreat thisperiod ittakeswhen offagain.” sure it’sinthebestconditionpossible but wecanstillusethistimeto make reflect. Now isgrounded, thataeroplane inwhichto notalotofdowntime there’s to thingsimmediately happen, asthey mid-air’, becauseyou’re tryingto react in use fordigitalis‘fixinganaeroplane now,” says Beall.“Theanalogyweusually wecantrytopast andhow recreate that hasspiked theirengagement inthe where workingwithclubsto moment, see coming weeks. can reappropriate thoseideas forthe and forclubsto they workouthow which hasworked wellinthepast, of non-matchday-related content to take stock andreflect onthekinds anopportunity alsooffers This period Time forreflection a great thingforcreativity.” becausetimeis rights-holders, between when somethingisorganic.” when marketed to and they know know marketed toandthey Niall Coen |chiefexecutive,SnackMedia Beall alsosuggeststhatclubs “We’re doinga lotofauditingatthe Stephen Curry/Instagram after all,iswhatsportfor.” Z withabreak. That, them and provide grateful forpeoplethattryandentertain situation inwhichpeoplewillbevery respectful, butthisisarapidly-evolving willbesympatheticand coursethey “Of ofwhat’sgoingon,”hesays.seriousness tone.about adoptingareverential alsoshouldn’tworrytoothey much topartners avoid any“majorgaffes”, consult withtheirPRteams and agency andplayersrights-holders alike should much-debated. says Coen thatwhile to play intheongoingcrisishasbeen broach thesubjectandwhatpartithas forit.”stronger keep thatgoing, you’re goingto beeven abitdifferently,audiences andthen withyour andengage audiences new you canusethisopportunityto build it’s abitofwasted opportunity. If thingsgobacktomonths when normal, like Twitch drop itafter andthen two he says. that isalready partoftheirplanning,” reach acommunity platform helpsthem people to a thinkaboutwhether bandwagon-jumping andencourage strategy. “Iwould cautionagainst fit into partofanexistinglong-term resources into anythingthat doesn’t “I think everyone understands the understands “I thinkeveryone sportshould The questionofhow “If youstartinvestinginto aplatform SOCCER 2,500 DEALS, 78 CLUBS, 4 TOP LEAGUES, 1 DIGITAL PLATFORM

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Web: www.sportbusiness.com/soccerpro Email: [email protected] Call: +44 (0)20 7265 4100 14 COVID-19 – LEGAL U Ben Cronin demand for advice Legal firmsseeing unprecedented www.sportbusiness.com | governments hasonlyincreased the governments localandnational different by offered and theoften-conflicting guidance response. decideonanappropriatehelp them their exposure to thecrisisandto stakeholders to inorder understand withsports running dailysurgeries sporting events. caused thewidespread cancellationof advice after outbreak theCovid-19 Teams lineupinfront ofanemptystadiumaheadtheSerieAmatchbetweenParma andSPAL atStadioEnnio Tardini. Health and duty ofcare considerations area priority as sports seekCovid-19 legaladvice priority assports But the global scope of the problem But theglobalscopeofproblem UKlawOne practice saidithasbeen unprecedented for demand are dealingwithan they in thesportsindustrysay K law firmsactingforclients @SportBusiness force majeure Rights-owners ‘anxiously checking’ owners andsportsbusinesseshaveowners both at CharlesRussell Speechlys. “Event Couchman, headofthesportspractice explainsNicconsiderations,” contractual oreven considerations anystrict legalorliability priority over are oftenconsiderations taking postpone orcancelevents. to take indecisionsto precedence public healthemergency, have tended adopting arespectful tone inwhatisa together with theimportanceof of care obligationsto fansandathletes, saidduty of theoutbreak, oneexpert conscious ofthefinancialimplications organisations. complexity ofthesituationforsports “The politicalandhealth are leaguesandfederations While definitions (Gabriele Maltinti/GettyImages) approach in crisis counsel collaborative Legal experts away. straight of non-delivery repercussions thanconfront the rather crisis evolves, of theirrightsobligationswhile the tofor them delay theperformance isthatitpreferable the consensus allows.the calendar Atthisstage, outright,where than cancellingthem favoured rather postponing events haveso faristhatrights-holders anybroad-brush advice. offer of thecrisis,alsomake to itdangerous stakeholders, nature and theevolving facedby problems the vastlydiffering the top He oftheiragenda.” addsthat athletes andfans,whichhave to beat legal obligationsto staff,contractors, moral andlegaldutiesofcare andother The one pattern toThe onepattern have emerged COVID-19 – LEGAL – COVID-19 Media, advertising and entertainment against an adversarial response to the Infantino personally in a statement and lawyer Nick Breen, senior associate with crisis given its human dimension. The has commended Conmebol for agreeing London-based legal practice Reed Smith, changing picture and the possibility to move the Copa América. says stakeholders will be “anxiously governments will create emergency laws In contrast, tennis stakeholders have checking” the force majeure provisions to deal with the problem, or compensate accused the French tennis federation in contracts that govern liability in industries affected by it, also ought to (FFT) of acting unilaterally and the event of failure to fulfil rights dissuade anyone from going on the legal appearing to protect its own interests obligations. offensive straight away. in postponing the French Open to “The basic concept is that a party to a September. contract will not be liable for a delay in Responsible Breen suspects that it will be easier performance or non-performance of its “In one sense they [rights-holders] to ‘recast’ sponsorship rights to obligations where such delay or failure is ought to be applauded for taking compensate brands but that broadcast caused by a force majeure event,” he says. responsible actions, irrespective of what agreements would prove trickier to He suggests that the most their contractual arrangements might adapt. sophisticated sports promoters and or might not lead them to be doing,” There is already evidence of sponsors will carefully detail what says Couchman. However, he predicted sponsorship agencies trying to provide constitutes a force majeure and add industry cash flow problems will alternative inventory and assets to help contractual provisions for pandemics. inevitably create friction further down brands gain a return on their sports But these clauses are often overlooked the line. investments in the absence of live or omitted completely by other rights- “It will be interesting to see whether content. holders. In countries with common law the stakeholders in sports do dig deep Joel Seymour-Hyde, head of Octagon legal systems – such as the UK, the US, and cooperate in a pragmatic way to UK, tells SportBusiness: “The biggest Germany and Australia – Breen says achieve solutions,” he says. “Sport is question we are asking at the moment the law will be likely to look for specific built on long-term mutual relationships, as a business is: How can we solve our reference to epidemics or diseases so trying to protect yourself at all costs client’s problems and create different in force majeure provisions to relieve has the potential to create an inverse opportunities? The simple one is: if we organisers of any liability for failure to effect in the long-run as people work have assets that we were creating for a deliver an event. out who’s behaved in the right way and live or experiential purpose, can they be “Any party that wants to try and who hasn’t. The sports world is very repurposed for a digital ecosystem?” rely on a force majeure provision is small and hugely interdependent.” There is a suggestion that either going to have to hope that their Uefa and Fifa have already been broadcasters will not want to provision already covers an appropriate commended for putting their turf war to damage long-term relationships with or analogous position, such as one side in working together to rejig the rights-holders and jeopardise future epidemics,” he says. “Or they are going international match calendar now that negotiations by taking an adversarial to have to hope that their force majeure the Euros have been postponed until approach, although some parties might provision provides for the consequence next year. Uefa president Aleksander take advantage of the crisis to exit of that epidemic, for example actions Čeferin thanked Fifa president Gianni unfavourable deals early. Z or instructions given by government agencies to stop sporting bodies from holding events.” Breen suggests the reason a handful of rights-holders have resisted postponing or cancelling sporting events until the last-minute is because they were waiting for governments to explicitly prohibit such activities, thereby indemnifying them against non-delivery. “The party wishing to rely on a [force majeure] clause will also need to show that they cannot perform their obligations because of the circumstances that are beyond their control. They also need to demonstrate that no reasonable steps could have been taken to avoid the force majeure event,” he says. However, all the legal experts spoken to by SportBusiness recommended Nic Couchman, head of the sports practice at Charles Russell Speechlys.

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 15 16 COVID-19 – US LEAGUES I Eric Fisher Dodger Stadiumonwhatwassupposedto beMajorLeagueBaseball’s openingday, nowpostponeddueto theCovid-19 pandemic( for 2020-21 to be unaffected; MLB focuses onplaying‘as many regular-season gamesaspossible’ in2020. though Draft goesonline;NHLandNBA seek timetoNFL has ‘luxury’ of September start, conclude 2019-20 seasons, intend www.sportbusiness.com | equation when it’s essentially nothing it’s essentially equation when tryingto resembles pandemic solvethat however, theongoingCovid-19 equation are known. variables inthemetaphoricalalgebra parameters. Most, ifnotall, ofthe known confines ofthoseandother trying to hitthosegoalswithinthe existence. households andbudgetaryresources in victories, seatsto sell,television ofgamesandpotentialnumbers business goalsto reach, andfinite arethat existatitscore. certain There US sports leagueseyepotentialreturn US sports from pandemic,butwithfewknowndetails For manyUSsportsproperties, From of it’slargelyamatter there, of thebusinessandfanpassion nature theemotional given even league canmirror amathequation, n someways, asports operating @SportBusiness guidelines that will allow each property eachproperty guidelines thatwill allow after another, seekingto create setsof plan working ononecontingency executivesand other are feverishly safely forallconcerned. and whattheconditionswillbe to doso despite thatcouldbe when notknowing the groundwork forapotential return, isstilltryingtosports properties lay ascanbe.” seriousness uncertainty, andwithaboutasmuch this isrightinthewheelhouseofthat But wedon’tlike And theunknown. –andhave. mucheverything with pretty sport.almost anyanother “We candeal thatcouldeasilyapplytocomment Patpresident O’Conner, makinga saysunknown,” LeagueBaseball Minor but unsolvedx’s. Within each league, schedulers eachleague,schedulers Within That said,eachofthemajorUS “Baseball guysdon’tlike the event. of thousands fans –into avirtual the city’sfamedStripdrawing hundreds Vegas withamassiveextravaganza along –whichwas planned forLas 2020 Draft inthemiddle ofitsoffseason. hitting with thepublichealthcrisiscurrently season notstartinguntilSeptember, relative luxuryofitsregularthe current forafull2020season,andhas preparing among thevarioussportsleagues. planning worknonethelesscontinues casesintheworld.But Covid-19 the countrywithmostreported hard upagainsttheUSbecoming situation. uncertain officialstofrom government thismost arrives ofcertainty some semblance to asquicklypossibleonce move But the NFL is already converting its But theNFLisalready converting The National Football Leagueis isbattling That desire forcertainty Mario Tama/GettyImages ) COVID-19 – US LEAGUES The league is also considering shifting some point in May, we’ll be gearing back entire 2020 season and is evaluating all some offseason player workouts and up,” Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner, options,” the league said. other functions into a similar remote told ESPN. Both the National Basketball format, and already did the same with “I think the goal would be to get as Association and National Hockey its recent Annual Meeting for owners. many regular-season games as possible League, which need to finish the tail “Our planning, our expectation is and think creatively about how we can ends of their 2019-20 regular seasons fully directed at playing a full season accomplish that goal.” and begin playoffs, have similarly and starting on schedule,” says Jeff In the meantime, MLB has struck eyed several potential late spring and Pash, NFL executive vice-president and a vital deal with the MLB Players summer possibilities to return to general counsel. “Just as we did in 2019. Association covering a wide range of play, both with and without fans in Am I certain? I’m not certain I’ll be here pandemic-related logistics, including attendance, and staging games well tomorrow, but I’m planning on it.” player payments in the interim, service beyond the normal June endings for The NFL’s 2020 plans even include time accrual for players, and revenue- their seasons. maintaining previously-booked sharing components. Of course, all is still conjecture at this international games set for England and An important part of that agreement point. Mexico. is for both sides to maintain an open “The form and format of resumption- “I expect that international games will mind and open dialogue about potential of-play scenarios will depend entirely on be part of our schedule for this year,” schedule scenarios, and both sides are what transpires between now and when Pash adds. “We’re optimistic, just as we considering more radical ideas that we are permitted and able to resume expect conditions in the United States will also take that sport well beyond its – and ultimately, on timing and taking to permit playing a full season...that normal timeframes, with neutral-site into account logistical constraints,” will be the case for our international postseason games potentially in the mix. the NHL said. “We are going to have to partners as well.” “We would play as long as we be flexible and react to events as they Major League Baseball, which saw its possibly could,” said Tony Clark, unfold.” Spring Training cut short and the start MLBPA executive director. “Obviously, But at least in the case of the NHL, of the 2020 regular season delayed, is the weather becomes a challenge the one thing has already been made clear, following Centers for Disease Control later you get in the calendar year, but or at least as clear as it can: the league and Prevention guidance recommending we would do our best to play as many does not see the ongoing crisis as a against staging any large public [games] as possible, regardless of when threat to playing a full, uninterrupted gatherings until at least mid-May, as are we start.” 2020-21 season. many other US sports properties. Major League Soccer, meanwhile, is “We do not anticipate a scenario in From there, MLB is eyeing several similarly looking at a potential staging our resumption of play format that resumption scenarios for not long after of its championship game, the MLS would endanger or interfere with the that point, though will take heed of Cup, in December, and also possibly in a league’s ability to stage and execute the advice from public health officials. neutral, warm-weather site. 2020-21 NHL season in its entirety,” the “My optimistic outlook is that at “MLS remains focused on playing the league said. Z

An empty NHL arena; the league is similarly on lockdown indefinitely (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 17 18 INTERVIEW W MGM, aswell divisionsinmedia Budweiser,of America, Mastercard and top-tier corporate brands suchasBank sports industry. upon the pandemic ongoing Covid-19 ontheimpactof thebroad view has aparticularlysponsorship, Octagon global sportsandentertainment Eric Fisher, USEditor industryto full activity. current public health crisis, and plan ahead for the return of the sports SportBusiness www.sportbusiness.com | John Shea,globalpresidentofmarketingandevents forOctagonWorldwide Octagon’s JohnShea: The pent-updemand from aconsumerstandpointwillbethere Holding relationships with client $3bn (€2.8bn)inannual more thaninfluencing roleand aprominent ith aglobalfootprint talks to the globalpresidentofmarketing and events forOctagon Worldwide as he looks to work through @SportBusiness the industrymight ableto resurface. andwhenpublic healthcrisis, andhow SportBusiness ontheeffectsof 22 countries. He spoke recently with 50officesin spread over employees more thanathousand oversees now Worldwide, forOctagon events and to ofmarketing globalpresident and veteran, waspromoted late lastyear the majorsportsleaguesthemselves. inthebusinessbesides others few by inthespaceenjoyedbreadth anddepth hasa theagency management, event consulting, athlete and representation, John Shea,alongtimeagency able to establishandkeep upwithwork work from home or remotely. Sowe’re Technology usto islargelyallowing do we’re good.We’re workingthrough it. extended families. andlarge, Soby base,theirwell-being oftheiremployee onthehealth,safety,foremost and organisationisfocused firstandevery are uncharted waters forallofus. So as wellcanbeexpected. These are holdingupaboutbase andclients Relatively speaking, ouremployee what are youdoingto stayactive? you andyourteam are doing,and The obvious firstquestion ishow INTERVIEW that is consistent with what we’d be to speak to their customers in archival or documentary content? doing in the office. meaningful and authentic ways, and More broadly, is there a brand history will have told us that sports opportunity in the immediate-term, The best guidance we have in the and entertainment are places where or is that really in poor taste? US currently is not to have crowds people want to spend their time for I think there are opportunities. upward of 50 people for the next enjoyment, for entertainment, for Pursuing those opportunities has to eight weeks. Amid this and all the escapism. It’s where their passions be done in a tasteful and meaningful uncertainty, how are you able to really lie. So I think brands, companies, way. People are still looking for things operate and conduct business? corporations will want to be able to with an enjoyment factor. They need What kind of timing template are serve their customers in meaningful and want a distraction from many you working from? ways as we come out of this. Some will of the realities that we all face. So if We’re using those CDC guidelines to go slow. Others will be positioned to go done tastefully, if done authentically, the best extent possible. It’s a phrase more assertively. But the opportunity and perhaps done in a manner to I’ve been using frequently, really in all to speak to fans as things come back help the situation, I think there are discussions. But we’re helping clients will be paramount. We’re all really opportunities. It’s about finding that minimise and mitigate initial risks, looking forward to a really big cultural right message for the right audience. help manage their assets, programs, moment when that time comes. The budgets, and then prepare for the pent-up demand from a consumer As you map out the next 10-to-40 eventual return, whatever that is. standpoint will be there, and brands days, what is at the top of your Different properties and different will act with interest and responsibility. priority list? clients have different time periods. I’m probably looking more at 10 hours So we’re trying to ask the hard “Businesses will recognise that than 10 days or 10 weeks. But it comes questions of one another and each back to understanding our clients’ other, recognise there are really very peoples’ passions for sports businesses. What do they need to do? few certainties at the moment, and do and entertainment are likely to How are they being impacted? From our best to present flexible plans and there, it’s about planning for the short- solutions so that when things do come remain very consistent.” term, with no live games happening back, clients can act appropriately, and things on hiatus, what assets can swiftly, and authentically, recognising be redeployed? And then it’s about that we really don’t know what the moving toward a fuller relaunch. Each outcome of all this will be in the end, There is a potential glut of sports client, each brand, each situation is what the impact will be to peoples’ events in the late summer and fall, different. But it’s about managing the families, livelihoods, and so forth. So with spring events played at the upside as well as the downside and planning for the unknown obviously is same time as events that already looking forward to an eventual return almost impossible, so you try to plan occur at those times of year. Is that and some level of ‘normalcy’, if I can for a number of scenarios and see how a potential problem, particularly for use such a word. things play out over time. your corporate clients? How do you view that? Given your global scope, are there What is your sense of brands’ We’re going to look at it, and our best practices in your world from marketing budgets within clients are going to look at it, as Europe or elsewhere than be sports? Certainly there’s going an opportunity. Yes, there will be a applied to the US, or vice-versa? to be a retreat in spending in the potential for an abundance, or an We have internally rallied a global immediate-term, but what do you overabundance, of activities. But I working group across our senior see corporate behaviour looking think each league, each property will be management, looking to identify best like in the aggregate? creating and looking for opportunities practices, and right now maybe more It’s going to vary. Different businesses, for their partners to engage in so to identify a consistent approach to different sectors will be hit more meaningful ways. We talk a lot about helping our employees to understand harshly than others. But ultimately, what the value-add is. So it’ll be about the implications of what’s going on I think businesses will recognise how can our clients enhance the fan and how one market might relate to that peoples’ passions for sports and experience. another. We’re using technology and entertainment are likely to remain very So I definitely look at it as an time zones and people in different consistent. And that in the interests opportunity rather than any burden. markets to help each other to learn. of serving their customers and fans, I I don’t know if there’s any one key believe spending will follow that trend As we go through the depths of element or learning. But we are in a and opportunity. What that looks like the crisis, is there an opportunity global taskforce meeting daily to learn on a percentage basis, I wouldn’t even for your clients to get behind from one another, to collaborate, to speculate. things like esports, other virtual share information, and to help inform But businesses are going to want events, backing the distribution of our people and our clients. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 19 20 COVID-19 – FEDERATIONS S often usingtheword ‘solidarity’. from Germany, ThomasWeikert, he’s guys. itis. president That’sjusthow Our I usethesewords quite alotwiththe lot about‘compromise’ and‘sacrifice’. World Table Tennis. plansandthelaunch of commercial time, weare pushingforward withour ‘wait andsee’approach. projections, whilewetake bitofa alittle back abitonsomeofthegrowth drastic measures...We’re justscaling we’llhaveback up,then to take more ofJuneend picking that, if thingsaren’t measure, withadatea prudent ofthe in anormal2020.We’ve donethatas planningtowe were goforward with thingsthat some ofthelessessential approach...Whereprudent welookat our financesandbudgets. We took a about 10days agoand re-looked at rankings. to post-Olympics affectseedingsand beingpostponed theseevents how financial effectsofpostponingevents, the are qualificationfortheOlympics, startingtothat are now comeinto play fast-evolving crisissituation.Thethings sportshavein other insucha been and attheITTF think anyofushere by-day andhour-by-hour, andIdon’t It’s day- asituationthat’sevolving We’re muchlearningonthespot. very to the pandemic? been respondingHow hasthe ITTF exclusively to Kevin McCullagh. on hisorganisation.Here hespeaks dealing withtheeffectsofCovid-19 www.sportbusiness.com | Kevin McCullagh takesa closer lookfrom the perspective oftheInternational SportBusiness Table Tennis Federation. with many eventsThe Covid-19 being postponed or cancelled. pandemichashadaprofound impact onthe world ofsport, we hadanemergencymeeting” Dainton |“Insteadofadraw ceremony The firsthalfof2020isgoingto bea However, duringthisdifficult even We meeting calledamanagement busy yearaheadofhim Tennis Federation hasa of theInternational Table teve Dainton, chiefexecutive TWITTER @SportBusiness was alotofpressure onus. there Then international there andsuddenly news becamebigger.news It wasbecoming signals, butastheday onthe went wetriedtoconference, givepositive toconfident goahead.We hadthepress thatdayconference to say wewere forus’. not goodnews from Busan.Isaidto theguys,‘Thisis coronavirus. Thatisabout100km away wasanoutbreak ofthe there of Daegu startednews to break thatinthecity Itof March. wasonthatday thatthe originallyscheduledfor22towere 29 the World Championships, which having aninspectionto for prepare Busan around February 21.We were A wholebunchofourteam in were South Korea. Tennis ChampionshipsinBusan, until June ofthe World Team Table Tell us aboutthe postponement some sacrifice.Butlet’skeep solidarity. needs to willbe compromise. There quite nicelyatthe moment. Everyone We actuallyhaving were apress I thinkthesethree words fittogether Steve Dainton, chiefexecutive,International Table Tennis Federation little bit longer and support [the event] andsupport[theevent] bitlonger little have –they longer to stay andwait a add somecosts,suchashaving stafffor than cancelling. It justmeansthatwe course, postponingismuchsmoother tryingtowhat] we’vebeen do. Of of mostsports. From our side[that’s [Postponement theapproach has]been cancelling them? postponing events, asopposed to been favouringHas the ITTF for us. toughout. apretty one Sothat’sbeen [NATO bombingofYugoslavia] broke the andthen be heldin1999Serbia, itwasduetoChampionships waswhen to postponeorchangetheWorld that weget. Thelasttimewehad themostinterestevent, worldwide themost-viewed– themostrevenue, event. meeting to discuss postponingthe day, uphaving weended anemergency of having adraw thenext ceremony detected.Busan hadbeen And,instead thatthefirstcaseortwoinwas news That’s our biggest event oftheyear That’s ourbiggestevent COVID-19 –FEDERATIONS a little bit longer. The financial cost is of restrictions Qatar has put on Korea times, potentially it can help us to have relatively minimal with postponement. recently. a more favourable outcome at the end. If it starts to come to cancellations that We also helped source 600,000 face- Helping our international friends from will be a different story. masks that were donated to Wuhan. countries that are more affected – I Whilst it’s a costly exercise at the think that’s the best thing that we can There have been some reports moment, I think that due to the good do at the moment as an international of increased TV and online video will and good spirit in these difficult federation. Z consumption of sport. Have you seen this? It’s clear that TV numbers are up massively...We were just tracking the numbers of a recent event we had in Hungary – the Hungarian Open, part of our World Tour. It is not normally in the top 10 in terms of TV viewership, but suddenly it’s having three-to-four times the usual numbers. Without even having the China team play, it’s having huge numbers in China. If that’s a positive or not, I’m not sure. But in terms of TV viewership, it’s definitely way, way up. We have our Qatar Open this week, and it will be very interesting to see if the numbers increase for that as well.

“Everyone needs to compromise. There will be some sacrifice. But let’s keep solidarity.” Steve Dainton | chief executive, International Table Tennis Federation

The ITTF’s media-rights partners in China are state broadcaster CCTV and streaming platform Zhibo. Have there been any other positives for the ITTF amid the crisis? If you look at our website, there’s a video about how we helped the Chinese team. I think it’s a pretty nice story...We worked hard to find a place for them. It happened to be in Qatar because the Qatar Open was happening, and there are good sports facilities there. The Chinese team has now spent a month there. We worked to make sure they had a solution – we didn’t want them to get stuck in China and find it difficult to travel to events – including, hopefully, our World Championships and then the Olympic Games. We’re now in same light trying to help our Korean friends...They’re not (VCG/Getty Images) able to go to the Qatar Open because

TWITTER@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 21 Queensland ambitions built on enduring innovation

Queensland is building a persuasive proposition as a potential Olympic host on the back of its reputation as an endurance sports hub, outstanding infrastructure and an innovative approach to partnerships and events. TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND EVENTS AND TOURISM In association with

(David Spencer Photography)

(Jason O’Brien/Getty Images)

n December, Queensland Premier global audience, the state’s credentials Coast to the Gold Coast and returning Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed as a major sports destination were to Brisbane in 2020. that the proposal to host the 2032 already recognised worldwide. Michael McDonald, the PGA Games would progress to the next of Australia and European Tour’s Istage of the process. Collaborations commercial director for Australasia, The Games would not only feature Over the years, Queensland has highlights the positive working Brisbane, but also Sunshine Coast and developed fruitful partnerships with relationship with Tourism and Events Gold Coast, which hosted the 2018 international federations, national Queensland (TEQ) as key to the success Commonwealth Games to great acclaim, associations, promoters and properties, of the tournament’s growth. TEQ is as well as some key regional centres, with such collaborations focusing on the the Queensland Government’s lead incorporating state-of-the-art sporting goal of enhancing the appeal of events marketing, destination and experience facilities and destinations from across for participants, officials, spectators, development and major events agency. the state. commercial partners and members of “Queensland offers excellent While the 2018 Commonwealth the media. infrastructure, a wonderful climate Games on the Gold Coast – swiftly One event that has elevated the and world-class golf facilities to host followed by the success of the fan experience is the Australian PGA an event such as the Australian PGA SportAccord World Sport & Business Championship, which has taken place Championship,” McDonald says. Summit 2019 in the same city – proved in Southeast Queensland since 2000, “TEQ not only supports our vision Queensland’s hosting capabilities to a shifting from Brisbane to the Sunshine for the tournament but plays an active

22 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with

role in assisting to deliver an innovative Championships as part of a joint until you’re there that really make a sporting event. With TEQ, we aspire initiative in January. The contests took difference to the atmosphere and ease to engage fans with first-of-its-kind place at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, of running an event”. He includes in this experiences by creating new on-course hailed by Baldock as one of several list, as examples, the proximity of the TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND precincts that celebrate the city we host world-class facilities on offer. facilities to each other, accommodation in, and will engage new and existing fans Similarly, Volleyball Australia has options and the helpful and relaxed of all demographics to our great game.” enjoyed positive collaborations with the nature of the people. McDonald refers to the Soniq state on various events. Million Dollar Hole, an initiative for “TEQ genuinely enters their State of endurance professionals and amateurs that grew relationship with an event owner as a The local appetite for sport is fuelled with the support of TEQ from a humble partner and invests time and effort into by Queensland’s outdoor lifestyle and secondary hospitality and activation understanding the event and owning natural assets, which allow a series zone to one of the championship’s most the outcome,” Volleyball Australia chief of endurance events to take place in popular features, including multiple executive Andrew Dee says. “As a result, stunning destinations across the state. marquees and a beach club precinct conversations about challenges and In 2017, an online survey was with live DJs and music. opportunities are always constructive commissioned by TEQ to explore what “This level of cohesion elevated the with a sense of mutual ownership. motivates endurance athletes and to fun and fresh tone TEQ has helped “TEQ understands that moving gauge their impression of Queensland as us establish,” McDonald adds. “TEQ events from one location to another a host of endurance events, in order to has also made the Australian PGA can be challenging in the first year and give the state a greater understanding of Championship a sought-after event provides the benefit of their experience a key target market. for our players by creating unique and and network to smooth out any bumps. The results found that an tailored tourism experiences for them TEQ is also committed to adding overwhelming majority of respondents and their families. economic value to the events for the rated Queensland’s welcoming and “Many athletes take part in these relevant region by finding new markets inclusive nature, atmosphere and coordinated tourism activities, which and growing the event over time.” climate, whilst the opportunity to are integrated into the broadcast Whilst acknowledging the “obvious” compete in a bucket-list destination and coverage and promoted to millions benefits of staging events in Queensland enjoy a holiday after the event whilst of viewers around the world. The – such as the climate, attractions and spending quality time with family and additional benefit is that these ‘bucket facilities – Dee says that some of the friends were also raised. list’ experiences are shared with friends most important factors are “some of the As an undisputed ‘state of endurance’, and loved ones back home, and they intangible things you don’t know about Queensland stages numerous such assist with future player procurement and takes our players’ tournament experience to another level.”

Event-friendly authorities According to Grant Baldock, director of Beyond the Break Consulting, which works for Water Polo Australia, Queensland also offers appealing recreational activities and “event- friendly government authorities” that can help to enhance the event experience. “TEQ is always looking at adding value to events and looking at how our event can be more engaging to participants and spectators,” says Baldock, who highlights the example of how the USA v Australia test series took place in conjunction with the 2020 Australian Youth Water Polo (Tourism and Events Queensland)

23 TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND EVENTS AND TOURISM In association with Mixed Team Relay during the Triathlon at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games The Australian PGA Championship in Gold Coast (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

events every year, including Ironman on our Gold Coast Marathon suggests at the velodrome after having been triathlon and the Gold Coast Marathon. that the enthusiastic support from secured by the Queensland Government Cam Hart, chief executive of locals is a major influencer in choosing via TEQ in partnership with Brisbane Event Management Queensland, our event over others.” City Council via Brisbane Marketing and which operates the annual marathon, Cycling Australia. says: “Queensland offers an ideal Infrastructure “The Anna Meares Velodrome has environment in which to deliver world- Queensland’s natural scenery, which been a perfect venue for events hosted class endurance events. provides a perfect platform for in Brisbane from a UCI World Cup, “An abundance of fine weather, world- sporting events in the great outdoors, UCI Para-cycling events and National famous holiday destinations as host is complemented by state-of-the-art Championships,” says Kipp Kaufmann, cities, flat scenic courses and a mature sporting infrastructure. general manager of sport at Cycling and experienced major events industry Aside from Gold Coast’s impressive Australia. “The venue has allowed us to means Queensland sets the benchmark line-up of facilities following the attract and deliver these events to the that other event destinations around the Commonwealth Games, recent upgrades highest international level. world are striving to reach.” and new facility projects across the state “Queensland is the perfect place for According to Hart, the locals also have ensured Queensland’s reputation an event. From world-class venues, understand how major endurance as a golden destination for arena and highly trained volunteers and perfect events can deliver significant stadium-based sports is renowned year-round weather, any event can be social and economic benefits to worldwide. successfully hosted in Queensland. communities, with the 2019 edition The Anna Meares Velodrome – named Local and state governments are also of the marathon having injected some after the most decorated female track highly knowledgeable and supportive A$32.5m (€18.2m.$19.9m) into the local cyclist of all time and opened ahead of of hosting events which helps us to economy and generated more than the 2018 Games – is one such venue in deliver highly successful events in 114,000 visitor nights. Brisbane. Queensland.” “They love to come out to cheer on To demonstrate the post-event In fact, the state’s sporting visitors from around the world as they legacy following the Games, last year, infrastructure has been widely participate at our events,” Hart says. the International Cycling Union (UCI) respected for many years, offering the “Feedback from international visitors Track Cycling World Cup took place likes of the 42,000-seat Gabba, the

24 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND

(David Spencer Photography)

52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium, the sports-hungry public in Queensland. in delivering elite sporting occasions 27,400-seat Cbus Super Stadium, the “Queensland has been a long- across the state. 25,000-capacity Metricon Stadium, the standing host of rugby Test matches “Rugby Australia has had a long- Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, with many rugby fans in that market,” term relationship with TEQ and we are which holds 48,500 spectators, the Rugby Australia’s general manager very appreciative of their supportive Sleeman Sports Complex, Queensland of commercial partnerships, Peter approach in promoting our events and Tennis Centre and the Brisbane Sciberras, says. rugby in general,” Sciberras adds. Entertainment Centre. “There are excellent facilities for Test “We always look forward to kicking The most recent addition to the matches in many parts of Queensland, off our international season at Suncorp landscape – the 25,000-capacity and this allows us to take elite level Stadium, a ground where the Wallabies Queensland Country Bank Stadium, rugby to the rugby community and fans have had the most success in recent which opened in March 2020 – will in those parts. years, and taking major events to bring international rugby union back to “Test matches predominantly take the market including Bledisloe Cup North Queensland for the first time in place in Brisbane, but we have world- matches. With a mix of great facilities 17 years on July 18. class options on the Gold Coast and and ideal weather for rugby during The Townsville venue will host an now Townsville where we will have a the winter months, Queensland is an historic match as the men’s national Test match double header featuring the excellent destination for fans.” team, the Wallabies, takes on Fiji. Wallabies and the Wallaroos against Whether those facilities welcome international opponents in July. back rugby sevens as an Olympic sport Engage “Rugby has also enjoyed the in 2032 remains to be seen, but it is The stadium is a joint project of the infrastructure of the Gold Coast area clear that Queensland’s ambitions Queensland Government, Australian prior to the Commonwealth Games, to stage sport’s biggest global event Government and Townsville City utilising the Robina complex for are being underpinned by solid Council and is supported by the international sevens tournaments and infrastructure, a natural platform and National Rugby League and North Test matches.” appetite for endurance sports and an Queensland Cowboys. For Rugby Like numerous other major sports innovative strategy that will continue Australia, the venue will provide a organisations, Rugby Australia has to drive the state’s impressive sporting further opportunity to engage with a benefited from the backing of TEQ outlook. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 25 26 ESPORTS I Callum McCarthy well on linear anddigital platforms GrandThe Bahrain Prix rated Virtual www.sportbusiness.com | cancelled outright. season looksincreasingly likely to be the globalnature ofF1meansits2020 and compounded existingproblems industry, crisishas theCovid-19 decade ormore. to capture youngimaginationsfora failing indication thatthesporthasbeen Italy –an andGermany such astheUK, inestablishedmarketsskew older even 24.Thepercentages are under cent per theageof55fans are over andjust14 ofF1 cent in2019,17per department Formula research Management’s One is fadingintherear-view mirror. Formula One’s grands prix virtual are asilverliningduringdarktimes For across thesports rights-holders According to statisticsreleased by crown jewel of an analogue world that ofananalogueworldthat jewel crown cansometimesfeellikeOne the digital, interactive content, Formula dominatedn asportsindustrynow by @SportBusiness boost F1youthfollowing could Temporary focusonesports cultivated on following alargeandloyal forMcLarenold driver F1whohas wasLandoNorris,show a20-year- Johnny Herbert. Butthestarof andSkySportspresenterex-F1 driver starLiam Payne Direction One and of high-qualityracing andchaoticfun. linear media producingpartners, a blend YouTube, Facebook andacross F1’s liveonTwitch,The race wasshown ontheofficialF12019videogame. other andcelebritiesrace each racing drivers –sawGrand Prix amixofprofessional thepostponedBahrain which replaced content.innovative the crisisinto anopportunityto create totraditional rights-holder have turned theonly fanbase.ButF1isperhaps older especially forasportthatappealsto a clouds couldhave linings, silver The race featured golfer IanPoulter,The race featured golfer – The Bahrain VirtualGrand Prix It isdifficultto such dark seehow Norris have been keyto making itwork Charismatic young drivers like Lando particular. Healotoftimesim spends protagonist forour sport,andesportsin and “Lando isafantastichero duringsuchaleanperiod: godsend Formula like 1,drivers Norris are a business initiativesandesports at stream oftherace. peak of104,229 forhispersonal viewers alone,attracted a inMarch followers George Russell. Verstappen,Max Albonand Alexander included phonecallswithF1drivers partythat held anonlineviewing narrative, allwhileNorriscentral across Twitch andbecametheevent’s AI.Thehashtag#LandoBotswept by game, leaving hiscarto becontrolled the race, Norris failedto connectto the video games. Twitch dueto ofmotorsport hislove For Julian Tan, headofdigital Norris, whogained150,000Twitch of Underlining thechaoticelement

ESPORTS racing across multiple different games the F1 2019 video game. the track. Some of them, like Lando, and it was so great to have him join us Tan is now working hard to ensure really enjoy sim racing. Others, when for the race, as it was with [F1 driver for more F1 drivers will be available to they’re not racing, they want to do Williams] Nicholas Latifi.” compete at the Vietnam Virtual Grand something else. All of us understand the Prix on April 5. opportunity we have here, but you just Putting it together have to do what makes strategic sense After the postponement of the Chinese “Everything you saw for the within your capabilities.” Grand Prix in February, Tan and his A big part of Tan’s job is now to win team began working toward replacing Bahrain VGP was put together round drivers that aren’t motivated to it with a virtual race. They initially over the course of five days.” take part. Norris’s rising star will be a anticipated that the Covid-19 crisis key part of his pitch. Julian Tan | head of digital business would be contained to China, giving initiatives and esports, F1 “It’s been beneficial for McLaren that the digital and esports team two Lando has been able to lean in as much months until the April 19 raceday to put as he has, and it’s obviously been very something together. “As it relates to driver participation, beneficial for Lando, too.” “We had come up with a proposition the timelines are very tight. The drivers for the Chinese Grand Prix, are based all over the world [causing A chance to shine approached all the teams and we were connection problems to the server The virtual race plugged the gap left by starting to work toward that. But that hosts the race] and some of them Bahrain’s postponement to a degree, then the situation deteriorated very don’t have racing simulator equipment, going some way to keeping F1’s media rapidly,” Tan says. “We had to mobilise so we will do the best we can in the and sponsorship partners satisfied. and tweak the concept we initially circumstances. We’re hopeful that for Every F1 broadcast and steaming had for China in a more scalable way. the next few Virtual Grands Prix, we’ll platform partners received rights to the Everything you saw for the Bahrain see a few more of their faces on the race at no extra cost, while the tracks Virtual Grand Prix was put together grid.” featured in game are exact replicas of over the course of five days.” In a perfect world, Tan would those in real life, offering sponsors Tan’s team worked day and night to have all 20 F1 drivers competing, but exposure at a time when other rights- organise the race. The real-world Bahrain understands this will likely be an holders cannot. Grand Prix was postponed on March 14, impossibility. Some drivers will be But the race’s popularity among six days before the first practice session unable to compete, while others simply young fans, both new and existing, has on March 20. The short notice switch to don’t want to. shown F1’s senior executives that video the Virtual Grand Prix left many drivers “I think this is quite challenging to games and esports can be central to unable to compete, either due to a lack navigate. As a professional athlete, the engaging under-25s. And during a time of equipment or a lack of familiarity with job first and foremost is to perform on almost all traditional sport has been

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 27 28 ESPORTS season grew 75season grew year-on-year, cent per akick-assdelivering product.” of justmakingsure thatyoufocuson anelement there’s process, andthen isanunderstanding process, there quite different.” but sim-racing andesportsare actually may esportsworks, how understand esports withinthisecosystem. Abrand specifictypeofsim racing isavery is ahugeindustryandit’sgrowing, but itcomestowhen simracing. Esports more familiarwithesports,particularly this autumn. whichissetto Series, 2020 Pro start aheadofthe start more conversations forTan advert astheperfect serving to sports like is F1.TheVirtual Grand Prix especially esportsthatreplicate real-life canbeapainfulprocess, properties Fanatec. manufacturer equipment logistics companyDHLandsim-racing New with Balanceandisalsopartnered sportswearcompany sponsored by title- –isnow Virtual Grands Prix –whichrunsseparateSeries to itsnew three yearsago,TheF1EsportsPro began in2017. After itsconcept proving esports sinceitsfirstofficialseries andbrands.partners just to itsfanbase, butalsoto media to ofitsesportnot sellthelegitimacy cancelled, F1isgrasping itsopportunity www.sportbusiness.com | Getty Images SeriesPro DraftMcLaren F1driverLandoNorris(centre)attheNewBalanceEsports inJuly2019( Viewership for the2019esports Viewership Tan aneducation continues:“There’s “Brands often needtimeto become Selling sponsorshipsaround esports Tan forF1 evangelising hasbeen ) @SportBusiness “Lando is a fantastic hero and “Lando isafantastichero Julian Tan| simulation games. thanmostsports experience believable F1 car, providing a more andimmersive that simulate theeffectsofdrivingan advanced racing wheelsandpedals required inreal life.Players use to excel similarto are very those chasm between thereal andvirtualischasm between similar tovery thereal world, andthat isapropositionesport is. thatis Ours the traditional definitionofwhat an widely, assomethingthattranscends I–lookatF1esports morecertainly of esports,butIthinkwe–well, gaming andthetraditional definition F1 esportsaswithinthecontext of games suchasFifa orNBA2K. especially inrelation to controller-based virtual counterpart –isoften oversold, real-life sportwillbecomefansofits hypothesis thatfanswatching a –the appealconcept The crossover Breaking downbarriers F1andsimracing fans.between appeal not leastbecauseofitscrossover ofyoungfans– kicking assintheeyes indicating thattheproduct isindeed esports inparticular.” initiatives and esports, F1 initiatives andesports, protagonist foroursport,and In F1 esports,theskillsrequired Tan says: “[People] tend to lookat head ofdigitalbusiness Bryn Lennon/ to feelgoodabout.” Z watch, to laugh alongwith.Something it’s purely forfun.It’s somethingto championship pointsbeingawarded, to liftpeople’sspirits. are no There ofthe day,a bitoffunattheend just all together,” Tan laughed.“It’s just product isn’tquite ‘on-brand’. ifthatentertainmentit most,even its bestto entertain weneed uswhen afeelingthatF1istryingGrands Prix; to humanelement deeply F1’sVirtual andratings. isaof revenue There opportunity extends theworld beyond duration. uncertain duringalockdownearn revenue of young people,aswellitsabilityto toon thesport’slastingrelevance couldhavepostponement hugebearing lean into esports duringtheseason’s executives,senior teams anddrivers esports gospel.Theextent to whichits opportunitytohas agolden preach its champion LucasdiGrassi. Reay Formula aswellformer Eworld Hunter-Indianapolis Ryan 500winner EnzoBonitodriver defeated three-time –esports – areal-life racing event world. In the2019Race ofChampions outsidethevirtual proven has been whowontherace. GuanyuZhou, driver Sports presenter Herbert; and Formula 2 Sky andcurrent ex-F1driver Gutiérrez; Vandoorne; Esteban ex-F1driver Formulaand current Stoffel Edriver and Latifi,butalsoincludedex-F1 required to take part. time immediately respected theskill F1 fanscomingto esportsforthefirst itslight-heartedenjoyed nature, while a success. Esportsandgamingfans such proved Bahrain VirtualGrand Prix esports isnosmallfactor inwhy the way to dothat.” an F1car. Esportsisareally important ball andplay –youcan’tjustjumpinto youcanpickupa sportswhere other the mostaccessiblesport. It’s notlike because ultimately, motorsport isn’t tobarriers oursportisreally important continuously beingblurred. “We like… were it let’sjustthrow However, Tan that understands Now, inthesedarkest oftimes,F1 Likewise, theskillofesportsdrivers NorrisThe race featured F1drivers F1 by ofrealism offered The sense “The abilityto the break down COVID-19 –AUSTRALIA Mixed fortunes for Australian rights-holders amid Covid-19 crisis

AFL and NRL shut down within a Australian cricket relatively lucky, with Bad timing for Rugby Australia, day of each other in March; slashed 2019-20 season close to completed forcing postponement of already- salaries 50% and 75% respectively before virus hit difficult domestic rights tender

The Australian Football League called a complete suspension in March, after playing a week infront of empty stands (Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Jason Dasey while its female equivalent, the AFLW, current season until late December if was cancelled midway through its finals’ necessary. League boss Peter V’Landys he Covid-19 pandemic has hit series. The following day, the National has warned that cancelling the season Australia’s major sports with Rugby League pressed the pause button would cause a financial crisis for the varying degrees of severity. after only two rounds. sport, including the loss of an estimated The country’s sports were in Both leagues have announced massive A$13m (€7.4m/$8.1m) of media rights Tmarkedly different positions when they wage cuts, with AFL salaries slashed at revenue for every round unplayed, and were shut down, depending on their least 50 per cent and NRL players facing A$500m in commercial revenue for the calendars and the financial health of a 75-per-cent cut. entire year. their businesses. The AFL won’t restart until June at On March 15, V’Landys pleaded for The two major football codes – the earliest, with the date to be reviewed help from the government, saying it Australian rules football and rugby at the end of April. The season will be must “assist us in this crisis because it league – had barely begun their 2020 cut from 22 games per team to 17. A is not our own doing”. Prime Minister seasons when they ground to a halt in proposal that games will be composed Scott Morrison, a fan of NRL team March. The Australian Football League of 16-minute, instead of 20-minute, Cronulla Sharks, brushed aside the plea. season was suspended on March 22 after quarters is under consideration. On March 30, the NRL announced its a week of matches in empty stadiums, The NRL is planning to extend the own rescue package. V’Landys and league

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 29 30 COVID-19 – AUSTRALIA most exposed during this summer’s most exposedduringthissummer’s toDue its calendar, cricket was the sport Cricket’s narrow miss up headoffice.” existence ofclubsthrough theircashed- continued to thevery underpin best-run sportinAustralia, andthey’ve looking after business,”Sticcasays. else,insteadblaming everyone ofsimply lostalotofcredibility by think they lookingforoutsidehelp.brat” by “I initially acted “almostlike aspoiled thantheNRL,whichhad much better thought theAFLhadhandledthings he Group, told SportBusinessReview Tribalsports marketing agency Sports July 1. targeting a20-weekseasonbeginningon of itsstaffonthree weeks’leave, andis cent more thanhalf,put95per budget by costs. TheNRLhasalsocutitsoperating October to theiroperational helpcover each –to Apriland bepaidbetween A$40m to the16clubs–aboutA$2.5m chief executive Todd pledged Greenberg www.sportbusiness.com | NRL chief executive Todd Greenbergat an NRL press conference onMarch 23 (Matt King/Getty Images) “AFL isnodoubtthebiggestand Lou Sticca,managingdirector of @SportBusiness “TV companiesmayseethisas “TV a hitch, including thefinalbetween 8,wascompletedMarch withbarely FebruaryCup, heldbetween 12and Cricket Council Women’s T20World was alsocancelled. inNewthree-game T20series Zealand Australia calleditoff. Thefollow-up 12–waspossiblebefore CricketMarch Cricketdoors attheSydney Ground on and New –played Zealand behindclosed international Australia between series one match ofthethree-match one-day stoppedpandemic play. season wascompleted thetime by majority ofthe2019-20international the leastimpacted The Covid-19. by buthasbeen bushfire emergency which were outofcontrol.”which were Sports Group Sports a wayofcuttingrightscosts, managing director,Lou Sticca|managing Tribal But the23-match International somecancellations. were There Only Telco and Optus free-to-air broadcaster February. RA rejected aA$40m-per-year in offer have turneditsbackonthesportafter with Fox Sports. Fox isunderstood to tofacing anend its25-yearpartnership to selltherightssincelastyearandis for2021onward. properties domestic Rugbyandother Super companies forthemediarights talkswithmedia has alsosuspended 14 after rounds. seven RugbyAustralia onMarch competition wassuspended activities.commercial terms oftheir match schedulesand interrupted times in atinconvenient and A-League footballseasonswere union Rugby rugby Both theSuper Bad timingforrugbyandfootball course ahead.” medicalteamown aswechartthe andourinfectious diseasesexperts agencies, government from relevant Cup. “We willcontinueto take advice plansfortheT20Worldcontingency saysseason,” Brown asked when about all possibleoutcomes forthe2020-21 stage 45matches. 16 nations,andsixAustralian states will to November willfeature 5.Theevent ICC T20World Cup,from October 18 onAustralianevent soilisthemen’s interviewsdeep-dive andbreaking news. platforms withclassicmatch videos, onitssocialanddigital fans engaged impact.”the financialandcommercial thecurve’,lesser society can‘flatten most industries,thefaster weasa restrictions have lifted. been with As untilquarantine commercially] cricket[of how willbeaffected . toldBrown SportBusinessReview CA’s headofcommunicationsAlex quarantine measures cameinto effect,” majority ofthe2019-20seasonwhen fortunate inthatwehadcompleted the of86,174. crowd enormous Cricket Ground, played before an Australia andIndia attheMelbourne Fox’s dealruns2016to current 2020. attempting The organisationhasbeen Rugbyclub The five-nationSuper “Cricket Australia isplanningfor The nextmajorinternational cricket CA’s digitalteam keeping hasbeen “We thefullanswer won’tknow “Cricket Australia isrelatively COVID-19 –AUSTRALIA

An empty ANZ Stadium. No events are bring held at the venue under coronavirus-related restrictions (Matt Blyth/Getty Images)

Network Ten are understood to be Also in football, a May 23rd ‘legends’ disaster to reset or recalibrate their among the media companies interested football match in Sydney aimed at sports businesses. Player wages and in acquiring the rights. But, ultimately, raising money for bushfire victims – the administrators’ salaries had blown out the lack of competition from Fox ‘#FootballForFires’ match – is being of all proportion, so that might change. means that RA is expected to see a drop postponed, according to organiser “Television companies may also see in its media rights income in the next Sticca. The game was to feature retired this as a way of cutting TV rights costs, cycle. international stars including Didier which were also way out of control.” Football’s A-League, which also Drogba, Park Ji-sung and Dwight Yorke, Sticca thinks Australia’s less high- has a media rights deal with Fox, is alongside local stars like Mark Bosnich profile sports, who have had to fight almost as precariously placed as rugby and John Aloisi. the hardest for their position in recent union. The league was due to finish “It’s unfortunate, but we will years, may weather the storm better its 2019-20 season a little more than a reschedule the #FootballForFires game than the bigger properties. “Sports like month after it was suspended on March for later in the year,” Sticca says. He has A-League football and NBL [basketball], 24. Like rugby union, the A-League also pushed back his annual Money in which have traditionally struggled has experienced dwindling television Sport conference in Brisbane from April hand-to-mouth, could be best placed audiences. Fox recently trimmed staff in to September 8-9. to survive comfortably…Both have seen its football department and appears to massive grassroots growth, while their have lost some enthusiasm for the sport. From the ashes bigger competitors have concentrated Fox’s media rights deal with Football The more forward-looking in the on their top-end games. Federation Australia is worth an average Australian sports industry are already “Everyone in the Australian sports of A$58m per season over the six considering how the landscape will look industry is hurting right now,” Sticca seasons from 2017-18 to 2022-23. The after the pandemic passes. says. “But like all downturns, some of us deal covers rights for the A-League, He expects several stakeholders will come out stronger, while others will women’s W-League, and home national to take the opportunity to reduce sit there and wait for someone else to team friendlies. costs: “I think everyone will use this solve their issues.” Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 31 GeniusLive creating new streaming GENIUS SPORTS GENIUS opportunities for world basketball

Genius Sports commercial director Sean Conroy on what rights-holders stand to gain from the automated production solution, and how it builds on the firm’s data and integrity expertise.

Genius Sports recently launched

In association with In association your first basketball streaming solution. What motivated you to enter this space? Through our partnership with FIBA, we have been working alongside basketball leagues and federations around the world for over 15 years. These partnerships have centred on enabling FIBA’s members to control and maximise the value of their live statistics from courtside collection through to the digital fan experience. Our basketball partners had been calling for us to enter the streaming (Marc Atkins /Getty Images) space, recognising the difference it could make to their fan engagement strategies, performance analysis tools and potential new revenues. The key for us was being able to launch a reliable and high-quality solution that could be rolled out to basketball leagues and federations at every level. Especially at challenging times like these, being a trusted

partner to sport is a core part of Genius Sports commercial partnerships director Sean Conroy Genius Sports’ ethos and we wanted to remove the onerous hardware Every modern basketball league wants their games to fans around the world. and production costs that prevent to be able to control and distribute their GeniusLive is AI-powered software many basketball rights-holders from live data and video content through one that can be run off any mobile camera showcasing their competitions to ecosystem. This principle was central system, including smartphones. Our the world. to our move into streaming, so that partners can forego the need for We developed and launched our we could provide all levels of world expensive hardware or the cost of in- automated production solution basketball with the greatest amount venue camera crews and personnel by GeniusLive toward the end of last of flexibility possible, meaning they automatically tracking, panning and year and are now enabling leagues and can power everything from third party zooming with every play. federations across Europe, Asia and coaching tools to highlights clipping Latin America to launch their first live applications using their core assets. Genius Sports announced an streaming solutions. A huge wave of streaming innovation extension of your historic FIBA in recent years means that now partnership last summer. What does Did you notice a gap in this regardless of their size, resources, this partnership entail? increasingly competitive market to location or existing tech infrastructure, Our partnership with FIBA has been launch GeniusLive? any league or federation can stream central to the history of Genius Sports.

32 www.sportbusiness.com | TWITTER@SportBusiness In association with

Since 2004, we’ve worked alongside making the feeds suitable for distribution facing sizeable challenges with Covid-19 the world governing body to equip its to betting operators, providing a valuable at the moment, but when live sport members with best-in-class digital and new revenue stream for FIBA members. returns so will the demand to bet on data technologies that underpin their game results, player markets and more. GENIUS SPORTS operations. Genius Sports has separate betting Leagues such as the NBA, EuroLeague We announced a long-term extension engagement partnerships with the and many more have realised they of this agreement in July 2019 with the likes of the NBA & Euroleague – can either ignore betting on their remit from secretary general Andreas what benefits do these provide to competitions and hope for the best. Or Zagklis to “continue the joint efforts in the leagues? they can proactively invest in official creating innovative tools and make sure In the last three years, we’ve seen data and integrity products that create that our sport is even more attractive to a global trend of sports electing to new revenues, provide a competitive fans around the world.” proactively engage with the betting outlet for new and existing fans and The innovative tools we’ve developed industry. This is being driven by several protect the transparency of their games. together, such as FIBA Organizer factors, including the spread of legalised Sports and licensed betting and FIBA LiveStats, have helped betting in major markets such as the US operators can benefit from each other’s establish basketball as one of the most and Brazil and the subsequent strategies solutions, and Genius Sports sits right technologically advanced sports. At of the major leagues. at the intersection between the two every level and in over 150 countries But the most important change is industries. This means we can help worldwide, FIBA’s members will that sports at all levels are waking up to basketball leagues and federations continue to be provided with these the fact that, whether they engage with commercialise their live data and video core solutions at no cost to run their betting or not, wagering will still happen content while implementing a robust competitions, engage their fans and on their competitions. integrity programme to combat match- expand their global profile. Obviously, the betting industry is fixing. Z

How have the tools provided to FIBA members evolved over time? Our partnership with FIBA began way back in 2004 when, by chance, FIBA observed an early version of our competition management technology (later FIBA Organizer) in action at a tournament in Fiji. At a time when spreadsheets and paper-based systems were still used across world sport, FIBA instantly saw this digital tool would be invaluable in transforming how their members managed their games, players and officials. Team and player statistics have always been essential to all levels of basketball and, four years later, FIBA requested the development of an intuitive data collection system that could be operated courtside. Since launching in 2008, FIBA LiveStats has been adopted by more than 200 leagues and federations and is now used at more than 100,000 games a year. We have rolled out seven versions of this solution over the last decade, adding new data points such as shot locations, simplifying the workflows for statisticians to capture the data and Genius Sports chief executive Mark Locke (left) and FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis

TWITTER@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 33 34 COVID-19 E football, asmatchday isvitalfor revenue ofEnglish second, third andfourthtiers to could bedevastating clubsinthe ofthe2019-20 season postponement andthe indefinite outbreak ofCovid-19 forthelatestare preparing test. The 2000s, Tagg andthetrustherepresents Exeter’s fightforsurvivalinthe90sand ago. was akey partofthe acquisition17years chairmanJulianclub andcurrent Tagg to beliquidated. the Thetruststillowns saving theteam aweekbefore itwasdue £20,000 to acquire theclubanditsdebts, Callum McCarthy due to postponement ofseason vulnerable withoutmatchday income EFL League Two club Exeter City left www.sportbusiness.com | From left to right:Julian Tagg, chairman, ExeterCity;WilfWalsh, chief executive, Carpetright;and Nick Hawker, chairman,ExeterCity Trust Board. (Cameron Geran/PPAUK) Lower-league football |ExeterCity’s turbulent past equipsitto cope withCovid-19 crisis Having been on the front lines of Having onthefront linesof been City Supporters Trust paid its way around a crisis. xeter CityFootball Clubknows In September 2003,Exeter @SportBusiness to us,we’llpay We itnow’. neededit, so it, itwas:‘No get theinvoicein problem, weneeded ofoccasions,when number brought payments any forward. On inareally goodposition,thatthey were survival. a primaryreason fortheclub’scontinued regards thecompanyas in Englishprofessional football.Tagg longest-running relationship commercial club andairlinelasted for17years–the sponsor. The relationship between liquidation. againstadministration and long battle 5afterFlybe, collapsedonMarch itsown closest businesspartner, Britishairline The club’sfront-of-shirt sponsorand keeping afloat. them Covid-19 crisis Flybe, collapsedatbeginning of Club’s sponsor, front-of-shirt “There were occasions, when Flybe Flybe occasions,when were “There more thanjusta Flybe hadbeen Exeter’s still. plightcouldbeharder

we would work to be prepared, but there we wouldworkto butthere beprepared, andquietly problems were see thatthere oftime,”Taggperiod said.“You could that account whatwereceived over youtake when not aconsideration into whichis smallamountattheend, very Flybe, justasithaddonewiththem. Exeter madethedecisionto stickwith designing athird kitinFlybecolours. main standatSt. James Park andeven could, rolling innamingrightsto the activated inanyway thepartnership they repay thatfaith,Tagg andthetrust teetered ontheedgeofexistence. To invested it intheclubatatimewhen good asitwasatthebeginning.” wasjustas The relationship attheend didthatforusrightuntilthedeath. they and longevity to club’s reputation for loyalty New dealwithCarpetrightdue “[The amountFlybepaid]wasavery,“[The theairlinebegantoWhen failin2017, Flybe, anExeter-based company,

COVID-19 was never a point where we wouldn’t sad day for us,” Tagg said. “But fortune loans, it is now able to trade normally. stick by them.” favours the brave…and the trust model is Tagg and Walsh’s understanding of He continued: “And you know what? a brave one, there’s no doubt about that.” financial difficulties means that Exeter That’s the nature of the club. The nature Two weeks after Flybe went bankrupt, and Carpetright have an immediate of our club is not to penny pinch, or to Exeter announced it had struck a three- kinship. suck the next one dry, and the next one. year deal with UK floor coverings and Tagg and the trust’s personal That’s not what we set out to do in 2003 beds provider Carpetright, which will commitment to commercial and it’s stood us in good stead. A lot of expire at the end of the 2022-23 season. relationships has benefitted Exeter since good people stood beside us then, and The company’s chief executive, Wilf they took over in 2003, and Tagg believes still do now.” Walsh, is an Exeter City season-ticket the club’s latest sponsorship deal shows holder and has seen first-hand the club’s that continues to be true. A little help from your friends loyalty to its partners. “I’m certainly not saying we’re better Exeter’s unwavering commitment to “I can’t tell you how lucky we feel at than anybody else or trying to single us Flybe could have landed them in serious this point,” Tagg said. “Of course, the out as something special. But I just think financial trouble after the company’s harder I work the luckier I get! He is a that’s the right approach to people and demise. While earning nothing from supporter and a season-ticket holder. business. The [Supporters] Trust has that matchday revenue and having no front- But whether he was or he wasn’t, we’ll be same ethos, and it works in my opinion. of-shirt sponsor, the club would have had doing everything we can to maximise the That’s why so many people like working to consider making redundancies across opportunities.” with it and for it.” the board. “The way I used to work with Flybe: With the football season suspended If you can give me something, great. It’s EFL relief package indefinitely, finding a new front-of-shirt not a favour or something that has to be With Carpetright in their corner, prior sponsor would have proved impossible given back later. It worked both ways: If experience of managing a long-term for most other clubs. But the way in they wanted something that I could give, financial crisis and a club philosophy which Exeter worked with the airline they could have it with goodwill. We will geared toward sustainability rather than didn’t go unnoticed. The club’s loyalty do exactly the same with Carpetright, as growth, Exeter City know they might be and contribution to the partnership we do with all our sponsors.” better equipped to handle the current proved incredibly attractive for other Carpetright is recovering from its own crisis than some other English Football companies, especially those local to the financial difficulties. The company was League clubs. club. rescued in November 2019 and though it “It wasn’t that long ago when, had we “The end of Flybe was a very, very is in the process of paying off emergency not had money coming in on a Saturday,

The two sides make their way out for the start of the match during the Sky Bet League Two match between Exeter City and Stevenage at St James Park (Harry Trump/Getty Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 35 36 COVID-19 the EFL has done to look at different the EFLhasdone to lookatdifferent theamountofwork behind thescenes, many occasions,butfrom whatI’ve seen on criticalof them action: “I’vebeen £120,000, shoulditbenecessary. can take outaninterest-free loanofupto have received £164,000from theEFLand toare entitled aloanof£183,000. clubsreceived £250,000and League One interest-free loansupto £584,000,while received £800,000andcanapplyfor LeagueTwo.and fourth-tier LeagueOne Championship, third-tier – available to clubsinthesecond-tier payments and£22m ininterest-free loans £28m inforwarded broadcast rights the EFLhasmadeatotal of£50m– incomparisontoperhaps, manyothers.” well-placed, butreasonably well-placed, cautious thanmanyclubs. We’re not slightlymore meant we’veprobably been ways.so manydifferent That’sprobably desperate anduncomfortablethatwas,in dire, thatsituationandhow remember are stillpeopleattheclubthat “There Friday,”wages thefollowing Tagg said. we wouldn’thave ableto been pay Board. (Cameron Geran/PPAUK) From left to right:Julian Tagg, chairman, ExeterCity;WilfWalsh, chief executive, Carpetright; Matt Taylor, manager, ExeterCity; and Nick Hawker, chairman, Exeter City Trust www.sportbusiness.com | Tagg withtheEFL’s ishappy swift ofLeagueTwo, Exeter amember As Championship clubshave each For clubsingreater needthanExeter, @SportBusiness “It wasn’tthatlongagowhen, Julian Tagg| the following Friday.”the following have been abletopaywageshave been coming had wenotmoney in onaSaturday, wewouldn’t financial lossfor players. he While guidelines forclubs andalleviating union, shouldbemore activeinsetting Footballers theUKplayers’ Association, after thecrisis. permanently that wageswillbelowered Palios chairman Mark expressing ahope to take a10-per-cent pay cut,with haveRovers already asked theirplayers summer. clubTranmere LeagueOne if theUK’s crisis lastsinto Covid-19 the cuts andlayoffs couldbecomethenorm help clubssurviveintheshort-term, pay and capableatthispoint.” stretched feelable therisk asfarthey interms sensible they’ve very ofhow exceptional. been have Ithinkthey been oftimehas variousperiods over happen andplanforwhatmight scenarios Tagg theProfessional believes But whiletheEFL’s relief packagewill chairman, Exeter City exceptional relationship.” Z Tagg said.“Ithinkthisisgoing to bean us atadifficulttimefortheindustry,” some faithin showed because they’ve we’ll doexactlythesameforCarpetright bloody hard to did,and they ensure in acrisis. Exeter to friend are theperfect callupon that withFlybeshowed partnership design.Thelong-term ofitwasby plenty footing. Part to ofthatisdown luck,but to onrelatively good putthemselves bankrupt, Exeter have worked wonders detrimental.” difficultand without itbeingextremely will benobodythatescapesfrom this of clubsthatstartto struggle.There along theway, willbeanynumber there two months,orayear. point Atevery that’saftercope. Whether twoweeks, reality isthatsomewillnotbeableto the short- to medium-term, butthe will be.We canatleastcopewithitin incredibly vulnerable. Football League,aswelltheirstaff,are thatclubsacross theEnglish knows cuts andredundancies justyet,Tagg doesn’t foresee Exeter resorting to pay “Flybe gotvaluebecauseweworked aLeagueTwoAs clubthatnearlywent “You longthestorm how don’tknow Innovative activations from the world's biggest brands in sport Sponsorship Works 2019

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For more information on how to get this report visit: www.sportbusiness.com/sponsorship-works-2019 or email [email protected] 38 SPONSORSHIP D Ben Cronin www.sportbusiness.com | or $20m per year.or $20mper from 2020to 2024,worthabout $100m, sponsorship anddatarights betting tofive-year agreement market F1’s regional dealsto make areturn onits seektonow strike ofadditional aseries technologies,virtual advertising will (€7.2m) season. per the dealto beworthatleast$8m brokered ISG.SportBusinessreports by in afive-yeardeal(from 2020to 2024) region, sponsorfortheAsia first betting 188Bet wasannouncedastheseries’ Interregionalpartner SportsGroup. rights the sport’sglobaldataandbetting sponsorship deals allows for regional betting Digital Replacement technology The ISGagency, whichspecialisesin brand In onlinebetting early March, Formula 1couldhave upto seven different regional bettingsponsors,saysISG Schmeichel (right)atthelaunchofbrand’s withthemotorsport. bettingpartnership Formula andtechnicaldirector 1managingdirector RossBrawn ofmotorsports (centre),withformerF1driverPaul diResta(left)and188Bet brand ambassadorPeter betting sponsors,according tobetting regionalup to different seven Formulacould allow 1to have technologyigital advertising @SportBusiness customers overseas. or staticpitchside to advertising target brands often take outshirtsponsorships betting League,where English Premier like compared withproperties the effective sponsorshipproposition he argues,willmake F1amore cost- The abilityto regional partnerships, offer Targeted to signaworldwidesponsorshipdeal. and have thebudgetorinclination bookmakersis thatfew operate globally sponsorupuntilnow abetting attract saysBuckley thereason F1hasfailedto for thefirsttime. F1to brands has allowed targetbetting visible indefinedbroadcast territories, on trackside positionssoitisonly sponsor branding to besuperimposed whichallows technology (DRT), opportunities targeted and cost-effective branding ISG says regionaldealsoffer more ISG non-executive director Chris The companysays digital replacement deals intheseregions. these markets andsellregional betting digitaloverlays foreachof different means itisalready ableto create andonetoAmericas Europe. This regional feeds:oneto oneto Asia, the threeIt different provides currently sponsorship categories more effectively. 2004 itto hasenabled its segment in-housein production operations and justpay forthat.” actuallyinterestedthe region they’re in cantarget they with virtualadvertising territories thatitgetsbroadcast in.But notinterestedthey’re inmostofthe alotofwastagebecause world. There’s the allover whichisshown advertising haveexample, currently to take physical to for orAsia, targetLatinAmerica who wantto League usethePremier in specificmarkets,” he says. “Brands Americas feeds in Asia, Europe and the F1 currentlyableto differentiate F1’s decisionto take itsbroadcast brands alltend to“Betting bestrong

SPONSORSHIP “It’s contemplated that we would now be allocated to betting brands to 188Bet focuses on Asia have European, Asian and Americas promote F1 Play, the sport’s free-to-play Having previously targeted the partnerships initially, but we could look predictor game, during the 2019 season. European market with sponsorship to explore more and be more targeted,” F1’s favoured DRT provider is Vizrt, a deals in horseracing and with Premier Luke Drake, head of commercial Norwegian company that has developed League clubs Liverpool, Manchester partnership accounts at F1, says. an unobtrusive solution that does not City, Chelsea, and Everton, 188Bet Beyond this, Buckley suggests the require additional lenses to be put on closed its UK and Irish operations in sport could have separate betting cameras. 2019 to concentrate on its core Asia partnerships in Mena, Africa and As reported by SportBusiness, ISG business. It believes the reach and Australasia and also create split feeds pays Formula One Management for the popularity of F1 will help it to build its allowing for separate deals in North feeds as part of its deal. The amount of brand in the region. America and Latin America. He says trackside inventory available to 188Bet For this reason, the principle focus for the job of providing digital overlay in Asia, and other brands in the rest of 188Bet in the F1 deal is a combination of capabilities to seven regional betting the world, depends on the size of each the digital overlay trackside advertising partners would be costly and present circuit. For smaller tracks, two or three and static trackside adverts visible in more of a technical challenge, although positions will be available for branding. Asia. The deal also gives the company these obstacles are surmountable. For larger circuits, four or five positions the exclusive rights to the F1 Play “Formula 1 have the technical will be available. predictor game in Asia to offer fans a expertise coming out of their ears, but Any further regional betting deals greater range of gaming options. equally there’s no point activating those could be structured along the same lines Access to F1’s live betting data is feeds until we’re confident the fifth, sixth as the 188Bet deal, though F1 says it not thought to have been an important and seventh regions are ready to go,” wishes to offer a degree of flexibility. element of the deal as this is made says Buckley. “You got to have a betting available to all bookmakers on a non- partner that’s ready and willing to pay “With virtual advertising they exclusive basis anyway. what it would be necessary for us to do “There’s a pool of rights across that. It’s not cheap to do another feed.” can target the region they’re hospitality, some on-site event ISG and the F1 broadcast production actually interested in.” activation rights,” says Drake. “The unit spent last year perfecting the digital Chris Buckley | non-executive director, main spear of the rights is definitely overlay technology. The two parties Interregional Sports Group going to be the broadcast rights, the used the trackside positions that will digital overlay. That includes some 2D

Ross Brawn and 188Bet UK representative Tom Earl.

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 39 40 SPONSORSHIP would use a regional partnership withF1 would usearegional partnership bookmakers, asisthecasewith188Bet, deal. Thecompanyanticipates most striking apan-regional North America some USstates, itfrom willnotprevent gambling continuesto bebannedin regulations intheUS,andfact that thepatchwork betting ofdifferent bookmaker advertising. broadcast inChinafeaturingperimeter League andLaLigagamesare often For instance, EnglishPremier deliberately targeted atlocalaudiences. itisnot provided in sportscoverage, appearing advertising about betting banned are thoughtto besanguine isin mostmarkets betting where through F1’span-Asia feed.Regulators bevisibleinthecountrynevertheless branding will188Bet’s digitallyoverlaid isillegalinChina,butregion. Betting strongest market forbookmakers inthe hastendedSoutheast Asia to bethe Betting bans we’re usingnow.” exactlywhatinventoryso weknow the seasoninanticipationforapartner, we hadonbroadcast forthewholeof which isthesoftgamelastyear really importantpartofitisF1Play, static graphics, andIthinkwhatisa www.sportbusiness.com | From leftto right:ChrisBuckley,RossBrawn, and188BetUKrepresentatives Tom EarlandEugenia Jones. For thesame reason, ISGisconfident @SportBusiness “Europe isstrong forF1 TV audience isEurope.” audience TV According to Drake, theabilityto Personalisation market willexplode.” about North becausethat America, talking everybody’s now about Asia, ten wastalking yearsago,everybody talking about. Five yearsago,maybe is istheonethateveryone Americas the isEurope. Andthen audience TV such amature market, theirbiggest strong forF1particularly, becauseit’s without adoubt,”hesays. “Europe is brands to other encourage signup. predicts thedealactivationwill Buckley marketbetting intheworldand ISGhasstartedAsia, withthebiggest also helpto placate regulators. promotions, somethingthatwill betting to call-to-action controversial present than for brand buildingpurposesrather Interregional Sports Group Interregional Sports Chris Buckley|non-executivedirector, particularly, becauseit’ssuch a mature market,theirbiggest “Asia isthestrongest market, In agreeing thedealwith188Betin way andsettherightstrategies out.” Z thingsintheright we cancommercialise be, themore optionsitgivesusandthen brand isimportant. associated withtheIPofFormula 1 what wesellourselveson,andbeing Ithinkthat’s ismeaningful. presence exclusive andyour clubofpartners You’readvertising: aspartofan there value comesfrom sponsorshipover us,” hesays. the “Ithinkthat’swhere 1 wantto have anassociationwith that wantto getinvolvedwithFormula of eachindividualviewer. differentiated based onthepreferences purchase andmessagingis advertising inventory becomes aprogrammatic tracksidefrom thepointwhere viewers. Drake says F1isalongway is willingto fordifferent provide themotorsportof personalisation andtheISGagreement. partnerships need to regional betting new service the digitalcapabilitiesremains the new For now, however, for themaindriver useintheirmessaging.languages they who wouldlike to beselectiveaboutthe interest ofF1’sexistingglobalsponsors, regions hasalsopiquedthe different differentiate messagesfor advertising “But Ithinkthemore capablewecan “I thinkit’simportantthatthebrands are alsolimitsonthelevels There A new report from SportBusiness

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The report contains data on: • Gameday – travel, stadium amenities, ticket prices, TV coverage comparison • Sponsorship – brand recognition, impact of poor behavior • Media – consumption, platform adoption, subscribers, pirate streaming • Fan engagement – social media, promotions, ticket upgrades • The power of athletes – why fans follow • Betting – sponsorship, how many bet, integrity

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New look Sportel Miami delivers for the trade

arch’s new-look Sportel Javier Tebas and Ray Warren, president organisers to look back in satisfaction Miami proved a success for of NBS Universal Telemundo. at the response to its new initiatives. buyers, sellers and other The conference was timed and “We pride ourselves on listening stakeholders from across designed to enable participants to to and working with our community Mthe sports media and technology sector. focus on a series of discussions of and we know the industry is very According to organisers it succeeded in the major issues shaping the sector competitive and ever-changing,” said its objective of delivering more content, and to take advantage of structured Sportel chief executive Laurent Puons. more networking and more buyers. networking opportunities before “For this reason, I will continue to The event saw the introduction of a getting down to deal-making when the provide the Sportel community with sold-out conference day featuring big market opened the following day. the best opportunities to do business,” name speakers including Matchroom Additionally, a series of invitation- he added, announcing that next year’s Sports group managing director Eddie only ‘Buyers’ Breakfasts’ helped spring market would be a three-day Hearn, Golden Boy chief executive encourage participation and boost the event, with two market days preceded Oscar De La Hoya, LaLiga president number of buyers present, enabling by a conference.

42 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with SPORTEL

Puons praised how the intimate business and delegates having back-to- first for the spring event. format of the Miami event offers back 30-minute meetings throughout “Buyers are always a high priority different but complementary benefits the three-day event.” at Sportel conventions, with clients to its bigger brother, Sportel Monaco, The factor which unites both the requesting to meet more buyers at our which will take place this year from spring and autumn events is the focus spring events and our two-day series October 26-28. on innovation to meet the needs of a of invitation only ‘Buyers Breakfasts’ Ahead of Sportel Miami, he said: continually changing industry. during the convention was designed “Delegates have more time per meeting “We were delighted so many of the to facilitate interaction between select to develop business relationships Sportel community have welcomed buyers and sellers of sports media with the key established and emerging this new initiative and engaged with us content and new technologies that stakeholders from across the Americas as speakers, sponsors or signed up to raise the bar for the industry. We and globally. In contrast, Sportel attend and network. This new format believe these two new additions could Monaco is much larger and very fast of back-to-back sessions with no trade become a footprint at future events,” paced, with the mission of maximizing floor in parallel on the same day was a he said. Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 43 44 SPORTS BETTING T helping leagues oversee theirdatahelping leagues oversee activate, mediarightsmanagement gainleagueandteamthey rightsand brands as majorbetting representing be inasponsorshipadvisorycontext entertainment it agencies. Whether onthemajor sportsandbetting theimpactoflegal sportshas been category. ofthismajornew with theopening historicallylandscape hasbeen altered providers. The entire sports sponsorship sportsbooksanddata sports properties, deals have major struck between been early-participating USstates. of Dozens around thenation. created ofbusiness activity afrenzy Eric Fisher span theentire value chain Possibilities for agency involvement www.sportbusiness.com | opportunities foragencies opportunities Legalized US sports bettingcreates robust Legalized USsports A less-discusseddevelopment Billions ofdollarshave betin been regarding sports wagering regarding sportswagering states to make rules theirown individual ruling allowing Court’s2018 he USSupreme @SportBusiness National Basketball was Association withthe landmark 2018agreement includeMGM,whose The firm’sclients global mediarightsconsultingdivision. andheadoftheagency’s president vice- senior Octagon’s Cohen, Dan way says thiscanbecommercialized,” Baseball’s All-StarGame. League suchasMajor events jewel to partofindustry beafundamental suchasMGM activation, aidingclients work delvesheavily into event related forthemselves. partnerships also meandirectly strikingbetting- tennis itcan many oftheirown events, andoperates whichowns Octagon, businesses. aseismicshifttorepresents their betting arrival ofwidespread American are findingthe agencies personalities, context media forbetting-focused representationrights, orinatalent elsewhere are being applied stateside Key lessons learned in Europe and “We’re which thisfrom every allover sponsorshipadvisory The agencies’ suchas inthecaseofagencies Or of commercial, who oversees theunit. who oversees of commercial, vice-president Sports senior Lagardère really worldwide,”says BobBrennfleck, bandwidth, notjustintheUS,but us opportunitiesacross ourentire within itsoperations. practice a specializedsportsbetting process ofarebranding, has created andisinthe a sizableUSpresence and Entertainment, whichcarries says.Cohen is lotsforusto doandbeapartof,” to betouchpoints Sothere everywhere. strategy.sports betting are going There that isn’ttryingto figure outtheir own ways, isnotaleagueoutthere andthere the spacefrom avarietyofdifferent this country. Money istryingto getinto isgoingtopoint ofwhatbetting bein partner.betting US leaguedesignated an officialsports the firstmajorsportsdealinwhicha creates a temporary hurdle The patchwork of US state regulations “Betting asacategory“Betting really gives Sports Lagardère Paris-based agency “We’re really stilljustatthetipping (Ethan Miller/GettyImages ) SPORTS BETTING Lessons learned It’s expected more US sports everything in between. That situation Lagardère, like several others, is leaning properties will follow the lead of MLS and presents a challenge for how agencies on its existing international offices and allow sports betting brands into some of conduct their deal-making in the space. relationships to help guide its activities their most high-profile inventory, with Many national and league-level deals in the US. Since sports wagering and agencies playing a key role. are struck an omnibus basis with new the commercial activity built on it has “There is immense opportunity here states folded in after the fact as they been a fixture of sports in Europe for in the US, and the world is seeing that come online with sports betting. But decades, it provides a handy roadmap to the US is open for business in this area,” the state-by-state approach still creates guide activities in America. Brennfleck says. “And the interesting many variances when it comes to local And the number one lesson learned thing is that this is still really an activations, particularly when it comes about sports betting from outside the immature market. We’re still just at the to event management. US, say the agencies? Watch for over- beginning of all this.” “It’s basic math,” Brennfleck says. commercialization, as more is definitely “There are some high-population states not always better. Regulation hurdles like California and Florida, states “What we certainly want to avoid Because the US is still in the early with a very high potential customer in this space is over-saturation,” days of legal sports betting, there base, that haven’t come online yet Brennfleck says. “The market can’t remains a disparate patchwork of state [with gambling]. When they do, it necessarily protect itself from itself. So regulations, with different jurisdictions will represent watershed moments, you need governance along the way. And varying widely between fully legalized and help get us more to a point we need to have smart limitations and betting with an active mobile where it will truly look like a national protections so that you know the right component to nothing at all, and marketplace.” Z things to do and can protect yourself and help protect the industry. We have certainly seen the backlash when things have gone too far.”

Brokerage As betting brands have increased their sponsorship spend globally over the past five years, sponsorship sales advisory in this space has commensurately increased in importance for agencies. Industry giant CAA Sports, for example, recently helped Premier League club Manchester City strike its training kit sponsorship deal with Marathonbet. The deal is just one of several gambling-related pacts CAA has agreed NBA betting tips on a bettor’s booth at the Harrington Raceway and Casino. Delaware was the first state to launch on behalf of property clients and will legal sports betting after the Supreme Court decision lifted a 25-year old federal ban (Mark Makela/Getty Images) in part serve a template for future American opportunities. Many more such deals, brokered in part by agencies, are expected stateside as Major League Soccer last year significantly loosened its restrictions around both jersey and stadium naming- rights sponsorships to allow betting and liquor brands to participate. MLS was the first major US sports property to allow such deals, but is unlikely to be the last. “The legalization of sports betting and just the changing landscape of social mores…we felt that now was an appropriate time to make some adjustments,” said Carter Ladd, MLS MGM Resorts, the first mover among betting operators post-legalization, leaned on Octagon to aid with strategy and vice-president of business development. activation. The agency is one of several to mine opportunities from legal US betting (Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images)

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 45 46 DEVELOPMENT I Kevin Roberts for Aston VillaWomen director been appointedassporting Former professional footballer has www.sportbusiness.com | barnstorming seasonwasdueto make whosechampions elect Liverpool, League focusedonPremier attention long. how for whoknows offthegrid gameswent and women’s across thecountryasbothmen’s the lightsgooutonfootballgrounds a darkday ofillfortune,Friday 13thsaw 13th March. Eni Aluko as she is unveiled as the sporting director ofAstonEni Alukoassheisunveiledthesporting VillaWomen. (Neville Williams/Aston VillaFCviaGettyImages vehicle to tacklesocialissues Eni Aluko|Women’s isagreat sport Then andsince,muchoftheThen as Marked thesuperstitious by down professional footballwasFriday ofannounced thesuspension the (English)Football Association ironic thatthedayt’s somewhat @SportBusiness both a social and commercial level to promote thewomen’s game–on Aluko aims to useher time in the role only recently takenonly recently uptherole following sporting director EniAluko, whohad toa particularlycruelblow theclub’s during theseason. hadalready defeatedthey fourtimes who clear oftheirnearest challengers, drawing theother. six points were They in theFA Women’s Championship, Women hadwon13offourteen games breakthrough season. to becomeofwhatpromised to be their record leftto were onwhatwas ponder teamanother withanear-impeccable Birmingham, England’ssecondcity, claiming thetitleaformality. Butin The suspension musthaveThe suspension seemed AstonAhead ofthesuspension, Villa ) growing sports properties growing sports women’s footballis one of the fastest Appointment comes at atimewhen opportunity. appear committed to investinginthe are hangingonto, andVilla’sowners of thesharpestmindsinsector chaos isoneofthepositivesthat some from theCovid-19 weemerge when of asurgeininterest sport inwomen’s Theexpectedin general. continuation sport footballandwomen’s women’s says alotaboutthechangingfaceof the heartofanhistoric footballclub Aluko’s decisionto take upajobat muster asSportBusiness content. But director mightnotnormally pass duties after asaplayer. retirement her astintofmedia a break whichfollowed Now ofasporting theappointment DEVELOPMENT So, the views of a woman who played football is both a defence mechanism the cost of men’s teams. international football 102 times for against negative PR and realisation of “Then there’s the fact that if you England, played top-level professional an opportunity to engage more deeply don’t have a women’s team there can football in the United States, in England across a wider fanbase. But, she says, be PR damage. We have seen that with with Chelsea, and in Italy with Juventus new thinking is needed if mistakes of Manchester United and Dortmund and, are certainly worth paying attention to. the past are to be avoided. until recently with Real Madrid which Aluko, who qualified as a lawyer “A lot of clubs are now realising didn’t have a women’s team. during her playing career and became that the fanbase is more complex than “Beyond that, one of the things the unofficial lawyer to the England simply males between 10 and 60. It which brands and corporates want is to women’s team in their contract very much includes women and there is advance social objectives, whether that’s negotiations with the Football now an expectation from brands that, diversity, the gender pay gap, or general Association, has an insider take on as their consumers include women, wellbeing. Women’s sport is a great women’s football which few can equal. there’s a demand for female role vehicle to tackle those social issues. Now she is focused on the Villa models,” she said. “So, from Villa’s perspective one of Women’s project being driven by the main reasons for its focus on the the team led by club chief executive “...as their consumers include women’ s game is being able to have a Christian Purslow. And, she says, women, there’s a demand for women’s team which can engage with despite the inevitable stresses and the community in different ways and the current situation, she has enjoyed female role models.” advance social objectives.” the start. Eni Aluko | sporting director, While the global success of the last “Being new to the role, my first weeks Aston Villa Women Fifa Women’s World Cup is widely were an incredible education about agreed to have elevated the status of and decision-making on everything from interest in women’s football in many player recruitment and contracts, to “Girls football is now one of the markets, there is also a consensus that stadium share agreements, deciding fastest growing – if not the fastest there is work to be done to give the operationally where and when the growing – sports and I think club European club game a leg-up to the next players train, working on what the executives and owners are realising that level. fitness programme looks like and it helps, not just from a PR perspective Aluko sees it as a circular issue in speaking to education partners. but a fan engagement perspective – to need of a circular solution and an “I am not working in isolation as have professional women’s teams. They injection of fresh thinking. the role also requires me to sit at the also know that the cost of running “In terms of attendance clubs need centre of the club and really tap into the women’s teams is minimal compared to to do more research into who the fans different areas of operation. “ Exactly what she has become central to is a project with very specific KPIs. First, to take Villa Women out of the second-tier FA Women’s Championship; second, to become an established Women’s Super League club, capable of challenging the giants of Manchester City and Chelsea for honours; and third, competing regularly in the Uefa Women’s Champions League – something which should become increasingly achievable when the number of English clubs to qualify increases from two to three. And in doing so the progress of the team will help advance women’s football and opportunities for women in the game. By creating new heroes and role models it aims to build a new and engaged fanbase which itself creates new commercial opportunities, while enhancing the TV product and helping drive rights fees. According to Aluko, the heightened (Harriet Lander – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) focus of big brand clubs in women’s

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 47 48 DEVELOPMENT (Filippo Alfero –JuventusFC/JuventusFCviaGettyImages Eni AlukoduringtheItalianSupercup matchbetweenJuventusWomen andFiorentinaWomen. get-go.” isindeficitfrom the fan engagement those decisionshave made,our been goingtoaren’t come.Andbecause watchingbeen theclubfor20years whohave ofcoursethosemen then game sideofamen’s on anhoureither game example, ifyouputawomen’s football.Formade forwomen’s the yearswatching game. themen’s into have thehabitsthey over developed want to seeusplay doesthatfit andhow dothey want,when fans are, whatthey isbeingabletochallenge say whothe thatjustdon’tland.The perspective have made from amarketing been football.Alotofassumptions women’s outacross andthatbroadens are men you’ll seethat75 ofmyfans cent per it isfamilies. thanjustassuming gamerather women’s out whoisinterested inwatching the needto game.They men’s really find fanbaseforthe are aspartofthewider www.sportbusiness.com | She sees increasing attendance as as She seesincreasing attendance “A lotofbaddecisionshave been socialmedia “Looking atmyown @SportBusiness ) “A lotofbaddecisionshave in empty stadiums.in empty We need to figure want isto thing they games beshowing Thelast isnotthere. if theattendance ultimately willalways there beanissue attendances. figures includetheBigGameBonus has anaverage ofjust3,867. These for Bristol City. Manchester Even City 1,200 Hotspurs’ 8,614toover a little 20 season)ranges from Tottenham 2019- League (forthesuspended intheFAattendance Women’s Super thattheaveragethe reality remains playedderbies atclubs’mainstadiums, some eye-catching turnoutsatlocal issignificant.but thechallenge Despite andrevenue of interest, engagement the key to establishingavirtuous circle Aston VillaWomen been made for women’s madeforwomen’s been football.” sporting director,Eni Aluko|sporting “Broadcasters want to get involved but

said. she get somuchgame timeasothers,” top three orfourclubsbutwhomay not who may to begoodenough play forthe to to becompetitiveenough pay players teams asother pulling power sowehave in theFAWSL. We don’thave thesame is commensurate to teams thatofother Champions Leaguefootball.Thebudget to keep usto usupandallow aimfor for promotion to theWSL andthen to objectives. her achieve to thatitisenough confident her enable game,sheisclearly in thewomen’s on thebudgetfuellingVilla’sambitions which have inthatcountry.” apresence Germany, Imightstartlookingatbrands connects withourplayer recruitment. it(ourrelationship withbrands) and how canwealignthatwithbrands and how figure outwhatAston Villastandsfor tospace anditsdown peoplelike meto be approached. Now weare inourown footballhaswaitedpast, women’s to align withclubsisimportant. In the propose to brands theopportunityto theworldisgoing.because thatiswhere thingto isaclever do empowerment To businessand getbehindfemale group ofinnovators intheworld. are thefastestfact thatwomen growing campaign, whichisbuiltaround the partoftheir‘IFundjust been Women’ women. those objectivesandwantto investin whoalsowantto partners with engage with brands whodothat(share) and objectives wecanalignwithandengage their socialvaluesandaspirations. relationships withbrands whichshare commercial anddevelop identities own teamswomen’s cancarveouttheir success.commercial Shestresses that the leagueto game.” thewomen’s getsdistributed(revenue) throughout paythen more fortherightsandthat around it,”Alukoengagement said. football sothatwecanbuildmore fan peopleexpecttowhere watch women’s that bitoutandcarveaday ordays “My role isto gettheteam prepared AlukoWhile isn’taboutto gopublic “If Iwanted to recruit aplayer from “To beableto recognise that and “I amanadidasambassadorandhave “We needto withthesocial identify Creativity, shesays, isthekey to “Ultimately thebroadcasters will DEVELOPMENT “Christian Purslow has put us in a continued growth of women’s football the level of certain physical attributes position to offer competitive salaries and excitement over unlocking its such as speed and strength”. and from then on it is down to the commercial potential, one recent Aluko, who has played in the US players.” incident has reminded us that there are system and against the national team It is often said that being a still hurdles to overcome. on many occasions, says she was professional athlete is not simply about Legal papers prepared for the US disappointed to read what she describes being paid to perform, but about a Soccer Federation, designed to defend as “shocking comments” which recently state of mind. And Aluko is determined it against its own women’s national led to the resignation of USSF president that her Aston Villa players should team players who are claiming pay Carlos Cordeiro. benefit from an end-to-end professional discrimination, revealed attitudes which “I don’t understand why this is even a experience which goes beyond the many hoped were a thing of the past. case,” she said. training and playing environment. Despite the fact that the US women’s “The women’s team are bringing in “Birmingham has some of the best team is the most successful in history more money than the men’s team, they universities in the country and I am and commercially outperforms its male are the most successful national team in trying to build partnerships that would equivalent, the papers claimed that: the world. I don’t understand why it is a allow us to educate players,” she said. “(The women’s team players) do not fight and although I do think it will settle “I want to be able to be in a position perform equal work requiring equal skill now, it has been damaging for US soccer. where younger players, who might [and] effort” to the men because “the “The players are probably have an offer to go to the USA on a overall soccer-playing ability required disillusioned right now. After all, what scholarship, can think twice about doing to compete at the senior men’s national does it mean to wear the shirt if you that because we are in a position to give team level is materially influenced by feel so disrespected? We are just talking them support for education for now and about equality and accepting that the in the future.” “I am trying to build women are in a much better commercial She’s also committed to bringing partnerships that would place than the men’s team. more girls into football and says that the “Change always takes a while but Villa academy is key to the process of allow us to educate players.” this really needs to happen. If that’s the recruiting talent and keeping girls in the Eni Aluko | sporting director, US’ take (on the issue) you ask yourself game. Aston Villa Women whether that’s also the take of other “When you start a professional federations.” Z women’s team, playing in the locality, it creates an aspiration. Then you must have a pathway, engaging with the girls and making them feel part of the Villa women’s community. “What does (that pathway) look like for a young girl who starts at Villa when she is 10 and wants to end up in the first team? How are we going to support her and make her aspiration real? We have to make sure youngsters can be part of it and meet the players and see them train,” she said. “There are a lot of barriers to entry and a lot of research on why they drop out at 16. We need to be empowering young girls and women and make them realise they can do anything in sport and maximise their education alongside football. “My football career has informed a lot of the decisions I have had to make. It helps that I have just come out of the game. I played abroad, balanced working and playing. America was an intense professional environment. I have had so many different experiences that allow me to understand the players.” (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) For all the expectation over the

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 49 Euroleague Basketball: At the forefront of innovation in sport for 20 years

The FANXP startup competition – the latest in a series of such events run by Euroleague Basketball – is a

EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL EUROLEAGUE perfect example of how the rights-holder is continually trying to tech-up and evolve all aspects of its business. In association with

n 2000, Euroleague Basketball That attitude exists throughout across the league. All of them were made launched a ground-breaking Euroleague Basketball, all the way to to deliver the best possible basketball international competition with Euroleague Basketball president and experience to EuroLeague fans. a never-seen-before structure. chief executive, Jordi Bertomeu. “There’s no time to relax at IOwned and managed by the clubs, the “Every time we launched a major Euroleague Basketball,” adds Roser EuroLeague’s model allowed for agile change in EuroLeague, even before it Queraltó, Euroleague Basketball’s chief decision-making and quick adaptation. went live, we were already thinking business officer. “The moment you Over the past two decades, the about what was next,” Bertomeu says. think everything is surprisingly quiet, innovative spark that brought “The moment we find ourselves in a suddenly someone comes up with a EuroLeague into existence has matured comfort zone, thinking that we cannot new idea, a new project or a new way of into a multi-faceted commitment do any better? That will probably be the doing things, and the madness starts all to growth and new thinking. The moment we are no longer good managers over again.” competition has changed its format, for this league.” This commitment to constant rules and its access criteria on numerous Changes have always been made with evolution means Euroleague Basketball occasions, adapting to new realities and a clear direction in mind, building upon understands the importance of readying itself for whatever the future previous ones to raise standards, increase innovation to meeting and exceeding the may hold. quality and promote competitiveness expectations of fans.

50 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL 51 “I’ve been in the sports industry show Euroleague were able to “We particularly liked Lundgren Högbom guarantees While winning the contest for 15 years and my background is in for 15 years and my background The world and sponsorship. marketing digital solutions and is moving toward and I thought that if we technology don’t offer something for that world, he says. be left behind,” going to we’re something innovative and different, which they can use as a pilot and scale it.” up if they like the fan-facing element of the product: won “Several have companies could tight, and the competition was really be intuitive. You but the decision has to could see how edisn.ai can be utilised differentfrom As a casual perspectives. be able to I would love to spectator, see who the and immediately watch and see information about are players them.” A competition unlike others When resumes sport professional the Covid-19 pandemic, Edisn. after ai will begin developing a pilot project test to Basketball, with Euroleague capabilities in a real-life the product’s could develop This project setting. into partnership, as it has done a longer-term Euroleague with previous entrants to innovation contests. Basketball work with the rights- the chance to Alex it is not a prerequisite. holder, Kristjansson, senior director Ferrer and communication at of marketing explains that Basketball, Euroleague every Basketball finalist in a Euroleague All 10 finalists received private private All 10 finalists received Edisn.ai offers fans an enriched The company’s co-founder and solutions and mass participation games. solutions and mass participation Euroleague sessions with mentoring and jury executives Basketball members, networking opportunities, meet coaching and the chance to pitch only one However, investors. potential could win the competition. Edisn.ai takes the prize fan engagementEdisn.ai, an Indian platform that uses AI-powered player create to technology recognition and overlays broadcast interactive monetisation options, won the jury’s first prize. The judges approval and took were product’s with the impressed but they were technology, core particularly enamoured by its ability to simultaneously serve the needs of fans and rights-holders. viewing experience by providing video player that display game-esque overlays information and stats, as well as several options for monetisation built-in rights-holders incorporate that could partnerships and betting with brands companies. is a Ashok Karanth, chief executive, who has sold sports industry veteran campaigns rights and run marketing Premierfor Indian League franchises and stadia. As of an eight-man the head Karanth’s running the company, team understanding fan-engagement of both and rights-holders’ shone through needs be a and provedin the product to winning combination. Luis Vicente, chief executive at chief executive Luis Vicente, Eleven Sports research Stina Lundgren Högbom, managerand outreach at the School of Economics’s Stockholm Centre for Sports and Business founder and chief Varma, Sree of iSportConnect executive Didac Lee, co-founder of venture capital fund Galdana Ventures. The finalists included companies Euroleague Basketball’s 2020 FANXP 2020 FANXP Basketball’s Euroleague example The competition is the latest from away 2020, that focus shifted In the Eighty-four startups applied to • • • • pitching a range of products and of products a range pitching fan engagementsolutions, from second- virtual reality, platforms to arena concessions screen technology, innovation challenge, Barcelona’s at 10 startups compete saw Gallery, Roca with project pilot a run to chance the for The challenge was to the rights-holder. improve the experience of EuroLeague fans at home, on the go, or in the arena. wider Basketball’s of Euroleague innovation in sport. commitment to – a partnership Last year’s SACkathon between and software Euroleague – challenged data company SAP and present stories create scientists to winning new insights about what makes basketball. the arenas and armchairs of the court to and beyond.Europe in the hope of winning 2020 FANXP develop fan- their an opportunity to at a EuroLeague focused product and event, with 10 finalists selected of jury then judged by a four-person sports industry and financing experts comprising: FANXP: Investing in innovation Investing FANXP: other up with forms keep sport to For rights-holdersof entertainment, must invest time, money and energy into fans innovations that improve the way Euroleague consume their product. inventive one of the most Basketball, the world, sports competitions in do just that. continues to 52 In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL case, we’re getting insightsthatwould case, we’re getting from thecompetitionorganiser. In this interestBut wealsowantagenuine nature andofcoursewewantto win. competitions, weare competitiveby welookatstartup “When YBVR. of virtual-reality streaming company Ernesto García Sánchez,co-founder to beunlike says others,” several Víctor sportbusinessfigures.influential their product withinvestors and executives and the chanceto discuss one-to-one given were mentoring by enter. Eachstartup’srepresentatives Euroleague Basketball thatmadethem the chanceofapilotproject with lasting relationships forthefuture.” the startupswejusthave andbuild seen year, we’llgetto domore pilotswith editions,” heexplains. “Hopefully, this finalistsinthosetwo startups thatwere business relationship withtwoofthe ina ofpilotsandare now a number weran challenges, our innovation to whatitcando. show contestinnovation hasanopportunity “I’ve foundthisstartupcompetition For thestartups,itwasn’tjust “After thefirsttwoeditionsof ‘Best Pitch’.” again, untilitfinallygotto us winning helped uschangethepitch again and pitch inother happen contests. They to off,andthatusuallydoesn’t show great pointers onwhatto pitch, what Nextconsultancy] Sports. gave They us the peopleat[sportstechnology with Euroleague Basketball and viavideoconferencing gothere, even Euroleague executives!” Gantzsays. leave. In thiscase,we’re hanging outwith contest, youarrive, youpitch andyou delighted withthe experience. competition. Regardless, Gantzwas closetobrought Seatserve winningthe Gantz wonthe‘BestPitch’ award and solutionsstartupSeatserve, and beverage chief technology forstadiumfood officer the more. As yielded allthisandalittle valuable thantheprizeitself.” competition. That’ssometimesmore judges andthemediasurrounding the just Euroleague Basketball butalsothe normally beimpossibleto get. “The mentoring started before we “Usually yougoto when apitch For EyalGantz,thecompetition “We’re ableto getclosewithnot of peopleatEuroleague clubs,while individual executives teams orentire some capacity. Someare mentoring Basketball mentoring staff are now in Basketball staff.” our mentors from theEuroleague together thiscompetitionandinvolved more organisedway. That’swhy weput thatina wecouldidentify and how ourbusiness,could helpusimprove thetechnologyidentify that outthere wecouldworktoreimagine how comfortable!” executive, weget pushes usalotwhen says. “And Jordi Bertomeu, ourchief – to notbetoo comfortable,”Ferrer waysand lookfornew ofdoingthings andfans.both itsbusinesspartners andfeltby in sport,changeswillbeseen toward integratingattitude technology takingaradical thatby believes holder throughout itsbusiness. Therights- tocommitment innovation accelerating ofEuroleague Basketball’selement The FANXP isjustone challenge Taking responsibility Around athird ofallEuroleague He continues:“We decidedto “We’ve always triedto stay curious In association with EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL 53 Companies like edisn.ai can help Companies like FANXP competitions like Likewise, about this competition “What I like really this, that get a platform like “To ours because they help a lot in creating out to these communities, reaching them and getting out there our content where they – aren’t are allowing us to our consumers data from get and to monetising it in a serious way.” and the Basketball Euroleague better understand teams EuroLeague of the individual fan: thethe desires to they like the teams they like; players for; watch to how long they tend watch; and which partner they brands could be in. interested Euroleague bring those companies to innovative and allow strong, Basketball be formed. partnerships to thing is that it’s almost a guaranteed will look at least two or that Euroleague companies out of the 10 finalists, three in some and that it will tangibly result says. Karanth kind of project,” implement an idea, it’s allows you to If the a once in a lifetime opportunity. partnership will take works, Euroleague Z of millions of fans.” tens you to Euroleague Basketball believes the Basketball Euroleague the access to have would love to “We not there we’re right “Unfortunately, Taking the initiative Taking understands Basketball Euroleague delivering a to that data is the key rich, personalised fan experience. By understanding fans on an individual level, the sports industry can begin to that meets and exceeds deliver content their expectations – expectations built on the personalised experiences and music offered in the film, television industries. most effective method of doing this is initiatives and partnershipsthrough of rather via social than its own making, and networking. media marketing be would love to We data of our fans. with them without communicate able to and in a very personalisedintermediaries hope we can “We says. Ferrer way,” collect be able to to build the right tools want to We act on that. that data and to that data effectively and have monitor personaliseda much more relationship with our fans. but the some steps taken We’ve now. partnerssocial networks – who are of Most of this mentoring is focused is focused of this mentoring Most our focus on the way “Increasing We is an example of this. “FANXP others are involved in mentoring others involved in mentoring are as those businesses such external involved in FANXP. improving the fan experience toward in the EuroLeague when watching Ferrer arena, at home and on the go. renewed this focus has galvanised says the entire company. we engage with our fans has changed of the company as a whole the culture and instilled an entrepreneurial spirit Basketball,” Euroleague throughout smaller “Because we are in he says. size and our ownership is structure agile, it’s a littlemore try new easier to new things and change things, test the NBA Being a giant like direction. has advantages, but being a little smaller advantages that we also has big build on.” want to by get inspired these want to really startups and bring something into don’t see it as a marketing action. We platform and it’s not just about doing about It’s learning something. things.” ADV MBA 2019_210x265.pdf 1 26/6/19 12:03

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K EVENTS Georgiou targeting further growth for Eurosport Events after announcing UCI tie-up

Broadcaster’s events arm confirmed Rapid expansion will see doubling Now in ‘unique position’ to work as first partnership outside motorsport of events in portfolio over the next commercial promoter alongside in March two years major rights-holders

Andrew Georgiou, Eurosport president, at the press conference to announce Eurosport Events’ tie-up with the UCI. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Adam Nelson the International Motorcycling revenue streams. Eurosport Events Federation’s (FIM) Speedway Grand quickly took a place of prominence in n March, Eurosport Events Prix World Championship, adding Georgiou’s future thinking. announced a partnership with to the stable of motorcycling events the International Cycling Union it already runs, including the FIM Eurosport’s unique offering (UCI) that will see it become the Endurance World Championship. “I’d just come into Discovery and Icommercial promoter for the new Track This rapid expansion – which will lead started to look at all the pieces that we Cycling World League. to a doubling of events on the annual have within the group, trying to figure It is Eurosport Events’ first contract Eurosport Events slate over the next out what our competitive advantage outside of the world of motorsport, two years, from 30 in 2019 to over 60 is,” Georgiou explains to SportBusiness where it has worked exclusively since in 2021 – was precipitated by the arrival Review. its foundation as the pan-European of Andrew Georgiou as president of the “I’ve got a background in events, I’ve broadcaster’s events promotion arm in wider Eurosport group in July last year. seen that the value in events is massive. 2005. The announcement came shortly Georgiou, formerly chief executive of As I looked across the Discovery after Eurosport Events revealed it was Lagardère Sports and Entertainment, network, I could see that Eurosport set to launch a new all-electric racing arrived at Eurosport at a time when Events sits in a position where we end series, Pure ETCR, later this year. the Discovery-owned broadcaster up being a really unique partner to the In December 2019, Eurosport was assessing its place in the market, sports and federations we work with.” Events won a tender to take over pivoting toward a digital and streaming That unique position is achieved by the commercial operation of future and seeking to diversify its Eurosport Events’ ability to control the

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 55 56 EVENTS centre ofournetwork,andyousaid, centre we’re to prepared make,” Georgiousays. we canormake that theinvestments afford to take thekindoffinancialrisks can’t becausethey ontheirown, achieve quality, can’t thatmostfederations inthewayon events wantto. they’d resourced” andlackingtheabilityto put under-who are “underfunded, withmore sportingfederations events, and agreater ofmid-level proliferation has ledto longer” “thelong tailgetting years direction oftheindustryinrecent would turnto the Eurosport Events, calendar” oftheevents end “premium unlikely atthe thatrights-holders strong positiontoThat’s avery bein.” broadcast promotions, sublicensing. production, TV implementation, event control, chain ofproduction –calendar isthatwecancontrol theentire Events the uniquesellingpointofEurosport many promoters onthemarket, but are in2005,claims:“There inception as headofthedivisionsinceits around theworld. agreements Europe anditssublicensing channelsin both through itsown andbroadcast coverage, management through to rights commercial andorganisation on-ground delivery ecosystem –fromentire ofanevent www.sportbusiness.com | ( Georgiou withUCIpresident David Lappartient “If you put a federation into“If youputafederation the “We candothingsto to alevel, a Georgioufeelsthatitis While François Ribeiro, whohasserved @SportBusiness ) Eurosport only twoglobalworldchampionship the automotive industry, was butthere [forEurosport] was revenue advertising at thetime,biggestsector of theEurosport umbrella.Europe under and wanted to dosomethingsimilarin was doingintheUSwithXGames, the time“waslookingatwhatESPN withinEurosport, whichat revenues” to secure long-term IPs to diversify from thestart,“thewholeideawas strategy.Events’ Ribeiro explainsthat that alltogether.” is oneofthosekey thatpull ingredients andEurosport Events those ingredients, to besuccessful.No oneelsehasgotall youwouldneedinorder the ingredients is theonlymediaplatformthathasall yoursport?’,Iwouldsaygrow Discovery to‘what isitthatyouneedinorder events.” broadcast, wecanhelpto create those forusto outthere aren’t if theevents have weneedto anaudience and serve, atamassscale.We oftheirown events tothe abilityofrights-holders puton at theway themarket ischanging, at hesays.revenues,” “It’s aboutlooking range ofrights-holders. work withawider toattempts itshorizonsand broaden begun to step upEurosport Events’ JBPerette president Discovery by –has “We motorsports identified because, partofEurosport This haslongbeen “Its notjustaboutdiversifying That iswhy Georgiou–encouraged despite beingamajor broadcast draw a high-profile, year-round series, aslacking seen particular haslongbeen in key andtrack cycling verticals, operators from across thesport. sponsorsandvenue with advertisers, well asstrong existingrelationships broadcasts, bothroad andtrack, as inproducing cycling experience and GCNbothhave significant organisation anddistribution.Eurosport aspectoftheleague’s for almostevery Cycling Network, willberesponsible digitalchannelGlobal Discovery’s thedivision,together with cycles, eight yearsandtakingintwoOlympic ability.Eurosport Events’ Running for in reflects theUCI’sconfidence series format to appealto fans. newer sport andintroducing asimplifiednew Games”inthe theOlympic between cycling, addressing the“lackofnarrative the World Leagueisto track “revitalise” intentionsof Eurosport Events’ with motorsport fansinthemid-’00s. One saysaudience, Ribeiro, comparable to anunder-served –are presently cycling Cycling fans–particularlyoftrack forEurosport Events.as anextmove madesense That explainswhy cycling Cycling a‘keyvertical’ World Rally Championship.” in motor racing: Formula andthe One Cycling formsoneofEurosport’s The dealstruckto promote the EVENTS

Eurosport Events is aiming to “revitalise” track cycling (Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto via Getty Images) during the Olympics. With Discovery at the World Championships.” to expand in the future, he does outline holding Olympic rights across Europe The UCI, he says, “saw in Eurosport motorsport, winter sport, golf and and Eurosport the rights to the UCI Events a perfect partner because we tennis as Eurosport’s “key verticals”, World Championships, the new Track have the ability to take over a property, which would appear to be the most Cycling World League represents a way find individual event promoters locally likely areas of potential expansion. The for Eurosport to direct the narrative and, at the central level, keep the UCI partnership is a toe in the water throughout the Olympic cycle. calendar definition, the TV production, outside Eurosport Events’ comfort “We started looking into this two the media distribution, the promotion, zone, and will, Georgiou hopes, help to years ago, when Discovery president the marketing, the sponsorship. The present a calling card to other rights- JB Perette said we should look to move UCI shares our vision to bring track holders to demonstrate the “unique Eurosport Events to reinforce the cycling to the next level, and that’s proposition that we’ve created.” strong cycling vertical that we have,” why we’ve signed a long-term contract Eurosport Events’ niche within the says Ribeiro. “We sat down with the beyond the Los Angeles Olympics.” wider group is, he believes, “only going UCI and understood that one of the The Track Cycling World League’s to grow in importance” as it continues main properties in their portfolio was format has been devised by Eurosport to expand its reach. track cycling – it’s their biggest Olympic Events in collaboration with the UCI, “I’m looking at Eurosport Events category, delivers very high audience and is built from the bottom-up to be and I’m thinking, ‘how do we double ratings – but there was not consistency a fast-paced, engaging TV product. No down on this?’,” Georgiou says. “How in the sport. team, pursuit or endurance disciplines do we use this as the centre of our “There was scope for Eurosport will be included, with Ribeiro describing relationship with federations, to help Events to improve the storytelling of them as “sometimes hard to understand drive new IP and new events, and grow track cycling. We found that the there even for cycling fans”, while each event these things throughout our network was a lack of narrative in between two will last a maximum of two-and-a-half- over a long period? And I think that Summer Olympics. Track cycling is very, hours, “so that when we go on air, it is once we demonstrate properly what very strong – really a pillar property of easy to be very dynamic, very compact, we are able to do, then I think it’s a the Olympic Games every four years. very easy to follow and very engaging more interesting proposition for rights- It delivers very high audience very for the viewership.” holders to say ‘right, how do we tap high ratings, it’s a great atmosphere into that capability moving forward?’ on events. It’s truly global; you have Events increasingly important So there is real focus, a real intent, and Europe, Asia, Americas involved in the to Eurosport there will be the opportunity for real sport. But you only hear about track While Georgiou declines to comment investments for the right projects with cycling at the Olympics and once a year on where Eurosport Events may look the right vision.” Z

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 57 Introducing a new report from

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For more information and to purchase the report visit: https://sprt.bz/GMR2019 email: [email protected] or call: +44 (0) 2072 654100 GOVERNANCE Sun Yang’s downfall highlights China’s failure to develop individual stars

When the Court of Arbitration for Sport handed an eight-year ban to the six-time Olympic medallist Sun Yang, the Chinese sport hierarchy lost its most valuable individual star. Zhang Dan reports.

Sun Yang after competing in the Men’s 200m Freestyle Final of the Fina Champions Swim Series 2020 in Beijing. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Zhang Dan Yang’s fall from grace for an obvious between the two nations, the prospect reason. As the first Chinese male of trailing Japan at the Olympics would hen the Court of athlete to win a gold medal in Olympic be a stiff blow to Chinese pride. Arbitration for Sport swimming, the 28-year-old would be But for the Chinese sports hierarchy, handed an eight-year ban one of China’s surest hopes – for at the biggest ramification is the loss of its to the six-time Olympic least two medals – at the upcoming most valuable individual star. Wmedallist Sun Yang earlier this year, for Olympic Games in Tokyo. Since 2012, when 110-meter hurdler failure to cooperate with doping sample “The outlook for China in the Liu Xiang crumbled out of the London collection, there was an uproar on 2020 Tokyo Olympics is already Olympics, Sun Yang has been the male Chinese social media. bleak enough. It is hardly possible to lead of Chinese sports. Forbes China Millions sent spiteful curses against defend a place in the top-three on the estimated his commercial value at Western double standards and urged medal board,” says Dr Lingling Liu, CNY30m (€3.9m/$4.3m) in 2013, and the Chinese national hero to appeal. managing director of China Sports Titan Sports at CNY69m in 2017. In “China will never accept this,” vowed Business Consulting. “The ban of Sun early 2019, ESPN ranked him as the an angry post on Weibo. “Sun Yang’s Yang almost wipes out any possibility. 43rd highest-paid athlete worldwide. rivals in Australia, Korea, Japan, United China’s best hope is to reach for fifth States, and UK are only to cheer their position but it will lag behind the host Sun’s difficult image wins in Tokyo Olympics in guilt.” country Japan.” Despite this, Sun Yang holds no deals Chinese people refuse to see Sun Given the nationalist resentment with the world’s top-tier brands. His

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 59 60 GOVERNANCE swimmer whorefused toswimmer standwith told Horton, Mack anAustralian nationalism inresponse: in2019he and publiclyhumiliatingcompetitors. driving, disputes sponsor presentation includingdrinka stringofincidents Trimetazidine in2014,hehastrailed on-the-wrist banfortesting positivefor topimage. On ofhisthree-month slap- incompetent interpreter. andanequallySwimming Association lawyer appointed theChinese by loss ofthecaseto theincompetent posted onsocialmedia to attribute the adds theTencent source. simply impossibleto workwiththem,” theagencies.decision madeby It is changing, andshequestionedevery – ishisdefactoagent. Normal Province University inZhejiang ofHangzhou with thePEDepartment playervolleyball aprofessor and now in 2017. struck ashort-lived dealwithSun agent unnamed source atTencent, which being difficultto workwith,”says an forand peoplearound himare known 361°.“SunYangapparel manufacturer biggest dealiswithChinesesports www.sportbusiness.com | secretarygeneral ofArbitration MatthieuReebarrivesto forSport Court readthesentenceoncaseofSun Yang formissing adrugtest.(Fabrice Coffrini/AFPviaGettyImages) He hasoften tapped Chinese Sun haslongcarriedapoorpublic ban,YangUpon oftheCAS thenews constantly“Her decisionswere Sun’s mother, Yang –aformer Ming @SportBusiness systems thegreatest achieved success. strayed furthest from the Chinese sports disheartening conclusions:thosewho gold in2004. player, andLiuXiang, whowonOlympic Houstonthe former Rockets basketball tennis grand slamwinner, Yao Ming, century, namelyLiNa, thetwo-time topother Chineseathletes ofthe21st him. replace talentedcall forthanother athlete to It willnotbeeasyforChinesesportto But whocomesnext? topreparedness abandonSunYang. was understood asTeam China’s Hisof thegovernment. opinion acted asthenon-officialspokesman Hu, through hisfeistysocialposts,has glory andhumiliationofourcountry”. Yang shouldnotbelinked withthe opinion that“theissuesfacingSun thePeople’sunder , posted his Daily the GlobalTimes,apoliticaltabloid Hu verdict, Xijin,chiefeditorCAS of thedaygiving uponhim.On ofthe tight-lippedbeen anyinfractions. over China.” In return, Chinesemediahas to respect me,butyoumustrespect Championships: “You donothave him onthepodiumatFina World But thecomparisonleadsto Sun isoften compared withthree are signsthestateBut there is relations. You nameit.” Z public, media,andgovernment medicalandhealth,legal matters, competitions, finances,businesses, says. research, “Thoseare scientific him thanswimmingformedals,”he network to look after issues for other Yang, needsto there beaprofessional stimulants. reactions toemotional external collective unconsciousness,and complacency,is plaguedby bigotry, thattheChinasportssystemlaments atWenzhou expert Olympic University, Yang’s Jiandong, crisis,professor Yi an individuals. In hisreflection to Sun to andsustainworld-class develop system hasmismanageditsstrategies the Chinesesportsadministrative events. Winter2022 Olympic Gamesinskiing naturalised to Chinaatthe represent Gu,16,whowas Eileen American-born China to play intheLPGATour, and Feng Shanshan,30,thefirstplayer from are atopposite oftheircareers: ends side,twocontenders thewomen’s On primes.but bothare pasttheircareer basketballer Jianlian are contenders, Yi tennis player Jike Zhang andex-NBA can step straight into Sun’sshoes. Table “For atop athlete astalented asSun It fordebate isopen whether None ofTeam stars China’sother VENUES Hail to the new stadium? Redskins’ long search for new facility taking many detours

Many fans wish to return to the fabled Three different jurisdictions have Lease for the NFL team’s current RFK site that sits empty along the shown middling ability and interest in Maryland home, FedEx Field, runs out Anacostia River helping construct a new stadium in 2027

FedEx Field, current home of the NFL’s Washington Redskins. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Rick Snider to help forge relationships. Hail To late has been lukewarm by each over The Redskins, the team’s beloved fight hosting the team. he Washington Redskins were song, was a key part of the region’s The District appears all but out after once the sole unifying factor soundtrack. But the good old days are failing to gain long-term control over its in a US capital all too well gone, just as the team is looking to find only potential site, the old grounds of known for polarisation. the successor facility to FedEx Field, RFK Stadium. TDemocrats talked football with which now after a generation of use is Virginia is considering two sports Republicans. Maryland, Virginia, and quickly falling out of date amid more wagering bills to support a new District of Columbia residents all modern NFL facilities. stadium should any major professional bonded over the football team’s success And shockingly, an NFL team with team relocate to the state. But the that included three Super Bowl victories that trio of championships and three commonwealth has no suitable stadium from 1983-92, at the time cementing the political jurisdictions to play off each site in Northern Virginia near the city. Redskins as one of the National Football other – assets many other teams seeking Maryland statehouse leaders, League’s iconic franchises. help on a new facility would love to have meanwhile, recently listened to The civic goodwill spilled over – faces a decidedly uphill climb for its Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s bid for into the Maryland suburbs when the next venue. a sports betting operator’s license in Redskins in 1997 moved from RFK Just a few years after all three local exchange for remaining in Landover, not Stadium in the District to Landover and jurisdictions eagerly competed for the a surprising move given how prevalent what would be known as FedEx Field. team’s next stadium – expected to open legal sports wagering has become in the The Redskins were always a in 2027 when the current FedEx Field last two years. But no sports gambling conversational icebreaker, and a way lease agreement expires – response of bill in that state has been submitted.

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 61 62 VENUES fabled RFKsite along thatsitsempty fansachetoSentimental return to the Changing dynamics theRedskins.by team, yearsoflocaldominance ending theregion’s mostpopularsports now League Baseballchampionsin2019,are thecrosstownshowed Nationals, Major gone. 200,000 namesisentirely the team onceboasted to beinexcess of Aseasonticketatmosphere. waitinglist both, inturncreating anoften grim cheap tickets ontheresale market, or visitingfansfeastingon by or overrun half-emptybeen forRedskins games, has cratered. FedEx Field hasoften support andinterest intheRedskins hisleadership. the .500markunder with twovictories, andis51gamesunder team hasmadejustfivepostseasons –allatFedEx Snyder under Field –the crowns. Bowl InSuper 21yearssince with fiveNFCChampionshipsandthree the Redskins madetheplayoffs 13times, 1999purchase, seasons before Snyder’s Washington’s eastern border. In 21 of RFKStadium,whichliesnear their glorydays andsustainedsuccess hungry, andalone. favourite cold, guestisnow dinner www.sportbusiness.com | has becomeoneofthe mostunpopularownersinUSteamsports Washington RedskinsownerDanSnyder, whohasheldtheclub since1999,butamidlongstretchesofon-field losing And a recent WashingtonAnd arecent Post poll thelosseshaveAs mounted, fan The Redskins have longmarketed Essentially, one-time everybody’s @SportBusiness “Stadiums do seem tocause “Stadiums doseem called home very likelycalled homevery isn’thappening, once into they andwhere theDistrict Jersey thathegreatly admired. now-departed GiantsStadiuminNew aknockoffprogress onessentially of the car atmidfield,watching construction hislastday inhis spent alivesitting inSeptember 1997.opened Cooke died fivemonthsbefore FedEx Field Ironically, venue. inhisown money he stadiumtothe city-owned earnbigger Cooke, predecessor, Snyder’s onlyleft andJoeAllen Gibbs. coachesGeorgewith gleefulfansunder landofstandsthatbouncedlegendary turn the56,000-seatbandbox into a Texas Rangers,leaving theRedskins to departed after 1971to becomethe and theRedskins. TheSenators Senators LeagueBaseball ofMajor built in1961forboththeWashington nation’s firstmulti-usestadiumwas east oftheUSCapitol building. The the AnacostiaRiver, twomilesdue Victor Matheson |economicsprofessor, but thoseeffectsare limited.” College oftheHoly Cross some neighbourhoodeffects, But aRedskins storybook return back Former Jack Redskins owner Kent two decades went by between 1998 and between by two decadeswent afterstadiums inthe US hasslowed major league ofnew development Redskins. andtheup behindthecauseofSnyder taxes. haslined Butnosuchleadership largely through increased business ago into financingNationals Park, 15years councilmembers armed fellow mayor Barry, Marion strong- essentially late District Councilmanandformer ethics violations. Evans,alongwiththe Councilman Jack alleged Evansover resignation ofDistrictthe recent politicaladvocate,a powerful following manipulate says. usanymore,” Krepp is youhave to talkto us. You can’t shiny rocks. frustration Theunderlying and pay theRedskins millionsto come? housing. Whywould wegiveaway land stadium’s border. “We needaffordable onthe 2,500residents representing Neighborhood Commissioner anAdvisory back,” says Krepp, Denise facility wasforced uponthem. the unheard ofin1961when power havereturn, andnow harnessedpolitical are resolute blockingtheRedskins’ over toneighbourhood adjacent RFKStadium alternate plansforthe190-acre site. in 2038hasinstead brought several ending property federally-controlled failure to extend thecity’sleaseon the deal withtheRedskins. Buttherecent the market for50years. and hockey thantheRedskins whoruled withbaseball more inlove seems now Redskins teams andthenation’scapital oflosing long gone.Addinageneration includinginterest$1bn when costs,are Nationals Park to thetuneofmore than facility, didacross town asthey for ofapro sports financing theentirety more thanayear’stime. stadiumrazed inalittle see thebeloved bidsthatshould demolition reviewing exterior. iscurrently TheDistrict deck’swhile rustringsalongtheupper withweeds parking lotsare overgrown and foravarietyofreasons. At thesametime,industry-wide Furthermore, theRedskinslack now as “The cityusestheseproperties Redskins are] notcoming “[The Meanwhile, ina residents longwaited leaders District fora The days politicians ofDistrict Nearly 23yearslater, RFKStadium’s VENUES 2017 with more than a hundred new venues opening. Since then, the National Basketball Association added the Milwaukee Bucks’ Fiserv Forum in 2018 and the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center in 2019. The NFL will open two stadiums this year – SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California for the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the Raiders. Major League Baseball has the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field opening next month. Instead, retrofitting and expanding current facilities with nearby developments has been increasingly in vogue, such as what the San Francisco Giants are now doing at Mission Rock. As those trends continue to manifest themselves, large-scale public financing of new stadiums is no longer failed to happen. Indeed, Cooke even Maryland for many months also automatic, says Victor Matheson, an briefly considered moving the team to seemed out of the Redskins stadium economics professor at the College of Los Angeles before finally succeeding on chase after a recent failed land swap for the Holy Cross. his fourth try at an old dairy farm just federal land just 14 miles from FedEx “Between 1992-2007, we had this inside the Maryland beltway, but several Field that’s close to the Virginia and massive wave of new stadiums,” he miles outside the city. Washington borders. Legislators in the says. “Huge amounts of monies were Maryland capital of Annapolis now are spent and two thirds were public “This is an opportunity [for largely more politically and emotionally money and one third private sources. aligned with the Redskins’ regional In 2008 was the great recession. People Snyder] to rebrand himself rival, the Baltimore Ravens, who have started looking and saying ‘Why are with this new stadium.” enjoyed far more on-field success, and we spending hundreds of millions whose owner, Steve Biscotti, is largely of dollars for billionaire owners and John Boyd | principal, The Boyd Company low-profile, but not reviled like Snyder millionaire players when laying off among fans. teachers and firefighters?’ The funding And there’s also Maryland’s pending stream has inverted. One third of bill to invest $375m in the state’s stadiums since the great recession As Snyder retraces many of Cooke’s two thoroughbred racing tracks that [of 2008] has been funded by public steps, there has been a recent and could largely serve to represent that sources and two thirds are private. significant executive shift within the jurisdiction’s public-sector investment “Stadiums do seem to cause some team. Snyder recently fired team in sports for the time being. neighbourhood effects, but those president Bruce Allen, who was his lead But lady luck may have suddenly effects are limited and disappear a half stadium negotiator with politicians, become Snyder’s ally. A Maryland sports kilometer from stadium. We very rarely leaving the owner himself, at least for wagering bill hasn’t been filed, but is see citywide effects so you’re pouring a now, to run point on the new facility considered inevitable following the lot of money at the expense of the city… talks. sweeping growth of betting after the There’s no reason to be extorted here,” Allen was considered close to Virginia 2018 US Supreme Court ruling allowing Matheson says. leaders, given his brother, George Allen, states to forge their own rules in this was the governor there from 1994-98. area. Owner echoes But Virginia seems unwilling to invest Maryland legislators are weighing Ironically, Snyder is largely following in a stadium, after spending $573m whether to have a state referendum the long, winding path that frustrated to attract Amazon’s new East Coast in November regarding betting. In Cooke for nearly a decade, and also took headquarters. the meantime, Snyder sweetened his that owner across multiple jurisdictions. At best, the commonwealth’s latest position by reportedly offering to use The previous owner held press bill will help any potential team build minority-owned businesses and build conferences announcing plans to build a its stadium through sports wagering his new stadium near his current one stadium in Virginia and Maryland after profits rather than taxes. But it remains without significant state subsidies. failing to gain a new venue next to RFK uncertain whether the measure will pass, FedEx Field was geographically Stadium. All of those lauded venues also or if it does, generate sufficient funds. isolated when opening in 1997. It’s

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 63 64 VENUES www.sportbusiness.com | Snyder. To rebrand himselfandwork in sportshave maligned like been says.stadium,” Boyd “Few owners to rebrand himselfwiththisnew that. stadiumcouldreverse new saysduring hisownership. ButBoyd a after amassingthat142-193-1record rating ishistorically amongfans low spokesman. approval Theowner’s his stadiumplansthrough ateam art forcorporate events.” office space.Thiscouldbestate-of-the- future ismixed-use, including ClassA site locations. “Thestadiumofthe of Princeton, New Jersey, consultson John Company whoseTheBoyd Boyd, thepublicgood,”sayscase ofserving andmixeddevelopment useto make the ofeconomic frontier asanew viewed York, andNew England. Newsuch asPhiladelphia,Pittsburgh, have yearsinmarkets doneinrecent facility, muchlike NFLteams several to stadiumadjacent a new thecurrent That’s thekey sellingpointto building edge. onthenorthern development potentialbut stilloffers commercial housingononeside, by bordered now Fans sitinthestandsatFedExField.( “This isanopportunity[forSnyder] declinedtoSnyder on comment isstadiumsare “The nationaltrend @SportBusiness Patrick McDermott/GettyImages to NFLhistorical in norms are now discussed withstate legislators. FedEx Field, was whileadomedvenue 65,000 seats,roughly 17,000 than fewer facilityofnearly a desire forasmaller has indicated on socialmedia.Snyder widespread mocking quickly engendered thefacility,moat encircling avisualthat leaked sketch a lastyearthatshowed sought-after stadiumare scant,asideone says. Boyd once inageneration,” are projects like thisonethatcomealong enormous. Abigpartoftheirresumes the clock.Thepoliticalstakes forthisare Alsobrooks. Alot of executives are on Prince George’s County Executive Angela [Larry] Governor [Maryland] Hogan and But thisisanawesome opportunityfor Milwaukee district. withabeer Vegas withAllegiantStadium],andin Park] in[Las inAtlanta, theRaiders analogous to what wesaw with[Truist mixed-use developmentcutting-edge stadiumasawould positionthisnew in exchange license for thebetting exception dealsare donetoday, inhow without publicfinancing, whichisthe with thelegislature to doastadium Such downgraded facilities compared Such downgraded ontheRedskins’ visionforthe Details Snyder.“The worldislookingatDan ) little longer to longer go.little andthewaitcontinues. anywhere, nosigneddeal hasbeen push. Butthere legislative because ofVirginia’ssudden more quickly mightmove Maryland gaming bill,andtheteam’s history there. itspotential a weakpulse,given sports trained dailyfornearly50yearsstillhas International Airport where the team has bid inadistantsuburbnearDulles legislation beapproved. shouldmore thandoableever makes license itlookperhapsbetting toa window venues. other Asports onthesamesiteremain after missing appearsto bestbetnow Snyder’s is secondaryto findingalocation. game issecondary.” It’s aboutbarsandexperiences. The asidewatchingexperience thegame. of whatIcandoduringthefour-hour radically designed different. They’re says. isso “Thestadiumexperience Boydthan monetisingtheexperience,” Angeles willhave acapacity of70,240. 65,000, whiletheSoFi StadiuminLos favour, asAllegiantStadiumwillseat Somehow, pathstillhasa Snyder’s Yet, nothing is decided.Virginia’s For now, though,theexperience “It’s lessto ofseats dowithnumber Z EVENTS Barcelona shifts focus as Olympic legacy lives on

Barcelona’s blueprint for Olympic legacy is widely respected. But how is the city’s approach evolving nearly three decades after the transformational Games? Bradley Rial reports.

FC Barcelona’s Espai Barça project is the most significant current sports construction project in the city. (Rubén BCN)

Bradley Rial Olympics’ game-changing credentials, the men’s ATP Tour. Barcelona takes some beating. “Barcelona City Council doesn’t seek n a sporting context, Barcelona the success of one single edition, but is synonymous with the famous Blueprint rather wants to ensure that these events Blaugrana of its most successful However, the city’s focus since 1992 can be put on year after year,” says football club and the 1992 Olympic has not been on attracting the mega- Escudé, who adds that “economic return IGames, which proved transformational events that its infrastructure was and the positive effect on the Barcelona for the city and are still seen as a built to accommodate. Instead, as brand” are always key considerations of benchmark to which other hosts aspire. explained by Barcelona City Council’s whether to submit a bid. With the Games acting as the sports commissioner, David Escudé, “The main target of these events are catalyst, the city revamped its transport, smaller, annual events have provided a city residents, who enjoy seeing the telecommunications and even sewage sustainable post-Games legacy. world’s leading sportspeople in their systems, whilst the previously run-down “Barcelona wants to ensure that these city, and they also generate enthusiasm, harbour was converted into a plush sporting events are not one-off events, especially among young people, which $2.4bn (€2.2bn) waterfront development. but are repeated, without closing the helps to promote sport and its values. Unemployment halved in the six door to any other events that may be of These events are also a magnet for years prior to the Games, despite special interest to the city, provided that sports tourists.” broader economic challenges in Spain they adapt to the criteria the city has and across Europe. Whereas tourism set out in terms of environmental and Paradigm shift accounted for less than two per cent of economic sustainability,” Escudé says. While many cities will stage a series of the city’s pre-Olympics GDP, the figure Examples of such events include smaller sporting events to work their increased to 12 per cent in the afterglow the Barcelona Marathon, Barcelona way up to consideration as a potential of the Games and has remained fairly Triathlon, the International Equestrian host of a major multi-sport spectacle consistent ever since. Visitor numbers Federation’s (FEI) Jumping Nations like the Olympics, Barcelona’s approach roughly doubled decade-on-decade from Cup Final and the Barcelona Open has been the exact opposite. 1990 to 2010. As a blueprint for the tennis tournament, which forms part of The Games were used to establish

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 65 66 EVENTS place.” isactuallytaking theevent risks when the thefewer organisation oftheevent, inthe more municipalinvolvement rightfrom theword go.the event The andeconomicviabilityof management economies. andemerging powerhouses in thehandsofworld’seconomic Nowadays, are majorsportingevents because thecostisprohibitive. organise majorworldchampionships, choosetoworld citiesnolonger Escudé says. “BigEuropean oreven haschangedalot,” sporting events Federation (Fiba) World Cup. and the2014International Basketball World Men’s HandballChampionship likepart ofSpain-wideevents the2013 city, have butthey more commonlybeen occasions have stilltaken placeinthe one-offsporting Major sporting scene. creating awide-ranging,events, vibrant gone onto handlesmaller, lesscostly accommodation options–thathave transport linksand improved by a networkoffacilities–backed up www.sportbusiness.com | The openingceremony ofthe1992OlympicGamesinBarcelona (GettyImages) “You alsohave to guarantee thegood “The paradigm ofbiginternational @SportBusiness “The more municipal practice of sport to ensure that for social, practice ofsportto thatforsocial, ensure accesstoobjective isuniversal the of 2023. strategy thatwillextend untiltheend sporting forabroader and residents, sporting stakeholders, organisations fine-tuning proposals, withinputfrom policy.and growth must belinked to thecity’seconomic and thecitycouncilinsiststhatsport roadmap, the municipalgovernment’s mandate. Thisstrategy isinlinewith atthestartofafour-yeargovernment thecity inBarcelona issetoutby events organisation of the event, the organisation oftheevent, Barcelona CityCouncil fewer therisks.”fewer involvement inthe involvement sports commissioner,David Escudé |sports “Barcelona City Council’s political “Barcelona CityCouncil’spolitical The citycouncilisintheprocess of The politicalstrategy fororganising taken after,” down Escudésays. than usingtemporary facilitiesthatare become anassetforthecity, rather sporting facilitiesthat,after theevent, the constructionofnew, permanent continue to thisday. sporting infrastructure improvements avoided the‘white tag, elephant’ and host cities,Gamesfacilitieshave Unlikecentre. Olympic somanyother reduced traffic congestioninthecity ring-road thatsignificantly and anew spreading facilitiesacross Barcelona for theGames,withafocusinstead on asevidence. in placenow ‘Sport forAll’programmes thatare still pointingtolegacy”, youth-focused Barcelona 1992wasa“modelofOlympic onhow Committee publishedareport Last year, theInternational Olympic Facilities in thecity,” Escudésays. reasons nobodyisleftunableto dosport economic, physical orpsychological The most significant current sportsThe mostsignificantcurrent “Barcelona CityCouncilprioritises Park wasnoOlympic There created EVENTS

Barcelona’s 18,000-seat Palau Sant Jordi was home to matches during Spain’s hosting of the 2013 Men’s Handball World Championship (Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images) construction project in the city – the “Barcelona is an international sporting events and practice sessions. ongoing Espai Barça project – is not “Barcelona has a huge network of costing the city council at all, under benchmark in terms of the good sports facilities and installations, the terms of an agreement struck management of the legacy of ranging from the local neighbourhood with the club in 2016. At a cost of at the 1992 Olympic Games.” facilities to the major Olympic ones. least €685m, FC Barcelona’s various Involvement in sport in the city is on arenas and facilities will be revamped David Escudé | sports commissioner, the increase at all life stages, from into some of the most technologically Barcelona City Council birth to old age, so the city council advanced in world sport, with the must guarantee that city residents have capacity of the already cavernous Camp spaces where they can do sport.” Nou increased to 105,000. venue. The 18,000-seat Palau Sant Although Barcelona has favoured The city’s other Primera División Jordi indoor arena also stages various more manageable competitions over football club, RCD Espanyol, moved concerts and gatherings, aside from mega-events in recent years, a potential just over a decade ago to the acclaimed sport, while there are plans to convert bid for the 2030 winter Olympic Games 40,000-seat RCDE Stadium from the Palau Municipal d’Esports, is under consideration. the 60,000-capacity Estadi Olímpic situated in the northern municipality In 2017, the city opted against de Montjuïc, which served as the of Badalona, into a more prominent a bid for the 2026 Games, which centrepiece of the 1992 Games sporting hub. were eventually awarded to Milan and the 2010 European Athletics “Barcelona is an international and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, Championships. benchmark in terms of the good after deciding that it did not have One of the priorities in the current management of the legacy of the 1992 enough time to develop a winning four-year strategic cycle is to boost Olympic Games,” Escudé explains. proposition. At the time, with Spain the amount of sport that takes place “All the Olympic installations are still struggling to recover from the global at the Estadi Olímpic to complement in a good state of repair and operate financial downturn of the late 2000s, numerous cultural events at the perfectly, and they don’t just host Barcelona’s deputy mayor Jaume

@SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 67 68 EVENTS with bothwrestling to their ensure andtheregion ofCatalonia, government raised tensions theSpanish between Games,the1992event Barcelona Olympic Nationalism, Spanish Identityandthe in Freedom forCatalonia?Catalan credentials.Olympic in thebackground despite thecity’s However, politicalcomplicationslurk Political climate hosting the2030Winter Olympics. Japan andSaltLake CityintheUSabout was intalkswithBarcelona, Sapporo in of thisyear, theIOCconfirmedthatit revisited.ambitions were In January ongoing coronavirus outbreak –Olympic economicfall-outofthe inevitable –albeitbefore theunknown improved but inthewholecountry”. circumstances, notonlyinBarcelona socialandeconomic“the current Collboni saidthedecisionreflected www.sportbusiness.com | As authorJohnAs Hargreaves argued After Spain’seconomicoutlookfinally @SportBusiness “freeze”. was crucialorsuchaproposal would said late lastyear that“politicalunity” Juanvice-president Antonio Samaranch –SpanishIOC Pyrenees with thenearby on thetable–possiblyinapartnership standstill. transport interchanges brought to a the heightofunrest, withmajor Sporting contests postponedat were protests were there across Barcelona. – government thecentral by approved –onenever referendum independence role inorganisingthe2017Catalan Courtlastyearfortheir Supreme sentenced Spain’s were by leaders years.recent relations have in strained further been toboth identities berepresented, but compromise wasfound,allowing anuncomfortable stage. In theevent, wasrepresented identity ontheworld Whether such matters canbe suchmatters Whether theprospectWith ofthe2030Games nineindependence When Protesters taketo thestreetsofBarcelona onOctober 17,2019.( sporting events ofanysize.Z sporting events make itacredible destinationfor infrastructure andtrack record, which couldargueagainstthecity’s few in direction forthecity. However, achange represent would certainly sports.”different Games andtheworldchampionshipsof likemajor sportsevents theOlympic inorganisingandmanaging expertise sporting ones. We have our alsoproven andespecially forevents, enthusiasm andmostofallpassion experience, are acitywiththecapacity, knowledge, Escudésays.big sportingevents,” “We has invited andwelcomedalltypesof after nearlythree decades. remarkably, isstillaliveandkicking which, oftheOlympics on thelegacy continuingto by underpinned build sporting strategy forthecityis However,seen. forEscudé,asuccessful to resolved remains sufficiently be An officialtiltatthewinter Olympics “Barcelona hasalways acitythat been Jeff JMitchell/GettyImages ) 1196997452, Alex Davidson 1200165290, Matthias Hangst

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