G13 Sports Bulletin 09/02/24
.Welcome to the latest edition of the Global13 Sports Bulletin, where our team of sports experts have collected the biggest news stories effecting the sports industry. The bulletin will review emerging trends, major announcements, and sporting achievements, as well as providing you with insights into what our team at Global13 is getting up to in the world of sport.
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SPORTS INDUSTRY NEWS ROUND-UP
It has been an extremely busy fortnight in the sporting world, both the African Cup of Nations and Asian Cup are reaching there climax. In the African Cup of Nations both Nigeria, and Ivory Coast progressed through their semi-finals to set up an exciting final this Sunday, whilst in the Asian Cup Jordan will face Qatar on Saturday in a historic final.
The six nations commenced last weekend with England winning their first game 27-24 vs Italy. Elsewhere, England’s test series out in India is currently tied at 1-1 after two tests, England won the first test by 28 runs, and India won the second by 106 runs.
Events
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·?????? The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the final set to take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home to the NFL teams the New York Giants and New York Jets.
·?????? Mexico City's Aztec Stadium will kick off the tournament, marking the third time it hosts the opening match.
·?????? Other notable venues include the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with the third-place play-off scheduled for Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
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·?????? Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2024 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) women’s championship, marking the first 11-a-side women’s soccer tournament in the country, with eight teams participating including Saudi Arabia's women's national team.
·?????? Additionally, discussions are underway for Saudi Arabia to host the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup finals, showcasing the nation's increasing involvement in international sports events.
·?????? The Gulf state will also host the '6 Kings Slam' exhibition tennis competition, featuring top male players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, as part of the Riyadh Season cultural festival.
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·?????? Fresh doubts have arisen regarding the planned redevelopment of The Gabba stadium in Brisbane ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games, as the Australian Olympic Committee suggests exploring alternative solutions rather than rebuilding the venue.
·?????? The Queensland Government has initiated a 60-day review led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, focusing on cost-effectiveness and community benefits.
·?????? Amidst concerns over escalating costs and community opposition, the AOC and other stakeholders are advocating for more creative solutions that align with the IOC's preference for utilising existing or temporary facilities, with the review's findings expected to be released in March.
Commercial
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·?????? Juventus, one of Italy's premier football clubs, has announced Zondacrypto as their new sleeve sponsor, replacing Bitget.
·?????? The partnership extends beyond branding at Allianz Stadium during home matches to include Zondacrypto as the club's official crypto exchange partner.
·?????? Juventus' managing director, Francesco Calvo, expressed excitement about the collaboration, emphasizing Zondacrypto's status as a leading company in the cryptocurrency sector and highlighting the club's commitment to innovative partnerships for mutual success.
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·?????? Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments is in exclusive negotiations to invest approximately €250 million in a new cycling league, beating out competitors like CVC Capital Partners.
·?????? The league aims to create a more sustainable circuit for cycling and increase teams' share of race revenues, with top European outfits such as Ineos Grenadiers and Visma-Lease a Bike already on board.
·?????? SRJ's CEO, Danny Townsend, emphasized the fund's desire to be transformative in its sports investments, targeting sports with untapped potential and rich histories that can resonate with the Saudi population, following their initial investment in the Professional Fighters League.
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·?????? The BBC has secured a three-year deal with Rugby League Commercial to broadcast 15 live Super League games per season, marking the first time the competition will air on the BBC.
·?????? The agreement also includes coverage of the World Club Challenge and Challenge Cup matches, providing increased visibility for Rugby League through free-to-air television.
·?????? This deal replaces the previous arrangement with Channel 4, while Sky Sports continues its comprehensive coverage of the Super League through a combination of channels and streaming services.
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Women’s Sport
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·?????? The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is implementing a radical restructuring of the domestic women's cricket game, introducing a three-tier structure and changing the ownership model.
·?????? Eight existing hubs will be restructured as tier one clubs, with first-class counties and the MCC invited to bid for ownership, governance, and operation.
·?????? While aiming to align the women's game with the men's and foster a sense of togetherness, the ECB will continue to provide funding and invest significantly to ensure the long-term sustainability and commercial growth of women's cricket.
·?????? In 2023, a record-breaking 46.7 million people in the UK watched women’s sport on linear TV, marking a significant increase from previous years.
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·?????? Additionally, digital platforms experienced substantial growth, with millions streaming events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup and engaging on social media platforms like TikTok, where views surged dramatically for leagues such as the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Six Nations.
·?????? Moreover, live attendance at women’s sports events also saw an uptick, with 2.6 million people attending in 2023 compared to 2.1 million in 2022, reflecting a broader trend of increasing interest and support for women’s sports across various platforms and in-person experiences.
·?????? Ally Financials’ partnership with the USGA as the presenting sponsor of the US Women’s Open signifies a significant investment in women's golf, aligning with its broader commitment to support women's sports.
·?????? The multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal not only boosts the prize money for the US Women’s Open to a record-breaking $12 million but also establishes Ally as the official retail banking partner for both the men’s and women’s US Open events.
·?????? By expanding its presence in golf and partnering with prestigious organizations like the USGA, Ally aims to engage a diverse audience while furthering its goal of equalizing media spend across women's and men's sports by 2027.
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Stadiums & Venues
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·????? British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder of Ineos, aims to establish a "Wembley of the North" by advocating for a new state-of-the-art stadium for Manchester United.
·????? ?Ratcliffe's ￡1.03 billion investment deal with United's owners, the Glazer family, includes plans for substantial initial investment in Old Trafford, with discussions underway with local officials regarding the stadium's future.
·????? Options for redevelopment include expanding the current stadium or constructing a new venue with a potential capacity of over 100,000, along with additional amenities to create a comprehensive destination venue.
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·?????? The Quebec government has announced a C$870 million investment to replace the roof of Montreal's Olympic Stadium over the next four years.
·?????? The new roof aims to enhance the stadium's capabilities, with projections suggesting a boost in annual economic benefits and increased event capacity, aiming to double the number of paying visitors.
·?????? This decision marks a significant step towards revitalizing the stadium, positioning it as a key venue for various events and generating substantial economic returns for the province.
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·?????? Heart of Midlothian Football Club has opened the UK's first club-owned and operated hotel within a football stadium, situated at Tynecastle Park in Edinburgh.
·?????? The hotel features 25 individually styled guest rooms, including family, executive, and accessible options, with amenities such as en-suite marble finish shower rooms and HD plasma screens offering views of the pitch or city skyline.
·?????? Hearts aim to attract both local supporters and international visitors, emphasizing the unique experience of staying within the iconic stadium while supporting the club's vision of self-sustainability and community growth.
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Technology
·?????? The NFL has launched a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Super Bowl experience on Roblox in collaboration with Gamefam, offering players a 'SpongeBob Simulator' and access to pre-game prediction games.
·?????? This initiative, part of the NFL's strategy to engage younger audiences, coincides with the creation of a children's-focused alternate broadcast of the Super Bowl, dubbed the 'Nickcast', by Nickelodeon, the NFL's parent company.
·?????? Ed Kiang, the NFL's vice president of video gaming, emphasized the league's commitment to leveraging metaverse gaming to reach new audiences and enhance fan engagement, building on the success of previous Roblox collaborations.
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·?????? The NBA and MLB have both debuted immersive reality applications for Apple's new Vision Pro headsets, marking a significant step forward in sports technology.
·?????? The NBA's updated app allows simultaneous streams of up to five matches and plans further enhancements, while MLB promises unprecedented customization with a dedicated version for VisionOS, offering users a virtual ballpark experience and enhanced data visualizations.
·?????? Additionally, the PGA Tour has joined in, providing an experience that overlays stats and feeds over 3D renders of real courses powered by live shot tracking data, showcasing the potential of Apple's innovative spatial computing technology in revolutionizing sports viewing experiences.
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·?????? The PGA Tour has launched PGA Tour Vision, the first spatial computing application for professional golf on the Apple Vision Pro headset, offering fans immersive experiences with real-time data and video content overlayed onto their field of vision.
·?????? The app, developed by Quintar, provides a combination of 2D and 3D elements, including key tournament details and live coverage from CBS and Paramount+.
·?????? Additionally, LIV Golf, in partnership with PMY, is leveraging Google Cloud's technology, including Vertex AI, to enhance broadcast and digital fan engagement features, with plans for a Golf Companion App in 2024 featuring 3D aerial overviews and AI-powered customised competition recaps.
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Global13 Sporting Moment of the Week
Kelechi Iheanacho secured Nigeria's spot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final with a decisive penalty in a 4-2 shootout victory over South Africa. The game ended 1-1 after normal time, marked by a controversial VAR decision disallowing a Victor Osimhen goal for Nigeria and awarding a penalty to South Africa, which Teboho Mokoena converted. Nigeria will look to win their 4th AFCON title on Sunday evening in the hotly anticipated final against Ivory Coast.
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Global13 Sports Round up
Last weekend, Project Associate Eddie managed to get himself on the score sheet with a header in a 2-1 victory against Wandsworth, well done Eddie!
Business Executive, Olivia, continues her intense pre-season schedule ahead of the upcoming season Olivia received her shirt for the season and will wear number 28!
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