www.sportbusiness.com 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 ? At M We place experience at the heart of everything we do and celebrate transforming voices to conversations. Let us show you where this can lead. Through experiences, we create extraordinary relationships. We are brave, adventurous and award-winning. www.M-is.com t: +44 (0) 20 8232 7000 CONTENTS 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 Legalized US sports betting creates robust Six questions facing the US sports betting industry 44 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 Mixed fortunes for Australian rights-holders amid 29 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 Worldview | London Kevin Roberts, Editorial Director [email protected] WORLDVIEW | LONDON | WORLDVIEW After Covid, sport will be back. And it will be celebrated like never before. t’s now more than a month since the and death. I can assure you, it’s much both the lifeblood and the raw product world’s theatres of dreams began to more serious than that.” It’s not, nor is of the sports industry. go dark. any other sport. He was right on both counts. Without What started as a trickle of Football journalist Henry Winter events there’s nothing to sell tickets to, Icancellations and postponements captured the mood in an article for nothing to point a camera at, nowhere became a flood until, inevitably, the the Times: “It is patently wrong to for brands to display their messages and year’s marquee events – including the keep chasing a ball and pursuing the nowhere to impress clients over a glass Tokyo Olympic Games and Uefa Euro broadcasters’ billions when the illness of champagne with a great view of the 2020 – were canned. invades the sport and the country.” action. Covid-19 is a silent killer and sports So here we are. There is no live sport That’s the direct hit the sports sector events run completely contrary to the and the business of sport is facing up to has taken. And as days have become social isolation measures introduced to a whole new reality. weeks our SportBusiness 24 news combat its spread. I once worked with Nigel Rushman, service has reported from London, New With thousands dying around the head of the eponymous company, on a York and Singapore on the impact of world, Covid-19 gives the lie to that series of conferences focused on event the shutdown on leagues, broadcasters, over-used Bill Shankly quote: “Some management and all that goes with it. agencies, and right along the supply people think football is a matter of life He was fond of describing events as chain to the catering companies, 4 www.sportbusiness.com | @SportBusiness WORLDVIEW | LONDON | WORLDVIEW 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. [email protected] analysis and opinion – in written form That’s something to bear in mind Head of Media Sales and now on video – about the ways when planning for the future as well as [email protected] + 44 (0) 2072 654182 in which the industry is responding trying to navigate an uncertain present. to Covid-19, our content hub at And be assured that, in our own way, www.sportbusiness.com sportbusiness.com remains more than SportBusiness will be working to Published by: ever the go-to destination for insight support the industry we serve in these SportBusiness, a division of SBG Companies Ltd, Park House, 116 Park and knowledge sharing. tough times as well as the better ones Street, London, W1K 6AF We’re all suffering from the that await. 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ISSN 1757-5346. @SportBusiness | www.sportbusiness.com 5 Worldview | New York Eric Fisher, US Editor [email protected] Global pandemic requires leaning WORLDVIEW | NEW YORK NEW | WORLDVIEW on sports in a different way t seems a sure bet that, even them together in shared experience – is baseball will be back,” said Rob decades from now, we’re all going is the very thing that can’t be done.