G13 Sports Bulletin - 22/03/2024
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.
SPORTS INDUSTRY NEWS ROUND-UP
The recent week in the realm of sports has been nothing short of thrilling, highlighted by significant commercial deals and noteworthy advancements in stadium infrastructure. In Rugby Union, Ireland clinched their fifth Six Nations title in 11 years, with captain Peter O'Mahony's potential farewell stirring emotions among fans. Over in golf, Scottie Scheffler triumphed in the prestigious Players Championship, overcoming a neck injury to successfully defend his title and make history. Additionally, international football made a comeback this week, with Wales and the Republic of Ireland initiating their European Championship Qualifying knockout rounds.
Events
·??????? UK Sport aims to host its first FIFA Women's World Cup in the 2030s, marking a significant addition to its list of major event hosting targets.
·??????? The target list includes 70 events across 32 sports between 2024 and 2040, with ambitions for hosting the Women's World Cup alongside other major championships like World Athletics and men's Rugby World Cup.
·??????? UK Sport acknowledges the growing interest and participation in women's sports and emphasises the importance of choosing the right time considering wider international relations factors.
·??????? Malaysia has been offered ￡100 million to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria, Australia withdrew as the host.
·??????? The offer from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) includes financial support for local delivery and legacy planning.
·??????? The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) received a formal invitation from the CGF last month and has started discussions with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia regarding the possibility of hosting the event.
·??????? Lima has won the bid to host the 2027 Pan American Games, securing 28 out of 52 votes against competition from Asunción. This comes after Barranquilla, Colombia, was stripped of hosting rights due to contract breaches.
·??????? The Peruvian Olympic Committee aims to leverage the event to position itself for a bid for the Summer Youth Olympic Games, allocating significant funds for infrastructure improvements.
·??????? Panam Sports president Neven Ilic congratulated Lima on its achievement and expressed confidence in their ability to repeat or surpass the success of the 2019 Pan American Games, emphasising the importance of Paraguay's hosting of the Junior Pan American Games in 2025.
Commercial
·??????? The European sports sponsorship market reached a record high of €21.98 billion in 2023, showing improvement from the previous year's total of €20.69 billion.
·??????? The non-sport sector also experienced growth, reaching €8.88 billion in 2023, a 6.2% increase from the previous year.
·??????? Overall, Europe's sponsorship market grew by 6.2% year-over-year to a total value of €30.86 billion, surpassing the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. Germany remains the largest sponsorship market, while Iceland and Poland were the fastest-growing markets in 2023.
·??????? Sony has partnered with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) as a founding partner, signing a multi-year agreement to collaborate on initiatives aimed at broadening the appeal of competitive gaming.
·??????? The partnership includes various divisions of Sony, with Sony Pictures Entertainment creating a documentary series showcasing Esports World Cup players and games, Sony Interactive Entertainment exploring opportunities to support creators and talent in Saudi Arabia, and Sony Music Entertainment producing the music anthem for the 2024 Esports World Cup.
·??????? The Esports World Cup, introduced in October, highlights Saudi Arabia's growing involvement in competitive gaming and will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, with teams competing across multiple game genres, including Dota 2, PUBG, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege.
·??????? Vitality has replaced LV= Insurance as the title sponsor of the County Championship in a new three-year deal with the ECB, extending its partnership until December 2026.
·??????? The partnership also includes Vitality continuing as the title sponsor of men’s and women’s international T20s and the T20 Blast, while also becoming the official wellness partner of The Hundred and England home Test matches.
·??????? The ECB and Vitality aim to promote healthy and active lifestyles through their partnership, inspiring more people to engage in cricket and lead healthier lives.
Women's Sport
·??????? Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, the family office of Lauren and Arthur Leichtman, is purchasing the San Diego Wave, a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise, from billionaire Ron Burkle.
·??????? The deal is valued at a record-breaking $113 million and is structured as a phased transaction.
·??????? Levine Leichtman will pay an initial $35 million for a 35% stake in the club, followed by a $78 million payment for the remaining 65% stake after the 2024 season, which values the Wave at $120 million.
·??????? ?The 2023 Wimbledon women’s semi-finals and finals topped all women’s sports events in ad engagement, according to a report from EDO.
·??????? Wimbledon was notably 53% more effective in generating consumer engagement compared to the primetime average and slightly surpassed the US Open's final four women’s games in effectiveness.
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·??????? New Balance emerged as the top advertiser in terms of engagement, being 303% more effective than the average women’s sports advertiser, while WNBA playoffs and college basketball games featuring Caitlin Clark also demonstrated significant effectiveness in driving ad engagement.
·?????? The cumulative attendance for the 2023/24 Women's Super League (WSL) season has surpassed the previous record, reaching 717,721 with six rounds of games still remaining.
·?????? A significant crowd of 32,970 spectators witnessed Chelsea's 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, contributing to the overall attendance milestone.
·?????? Arsenal's matches at the Emirates Stadium set new attendance records, with over 60,000 tickets sold for each of their last two home league games, showcasing a notable increase in interest and support for women's football.
Stadiums & Venues
·??????? President Juanma Moreno of the Regional Government of Andalucía has outlined plans for the redevelopment of Estadio de la Cartuja and Estadio La Rosaleda as host venues for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
·??????? The €20 million investment in Estadio de la Cartuja aims to increase its capacity to 75,000 seats, transforming it into Spain's "national stadium" akin to Wembley Stadium or the Stade de France.
·??????? Plans for Estadio La Rosaleda include a revamp to accommodate up to 45,000 fans, featuring covered stands, an underground car park, and new green spaces, with an estimated cost exceeding €70 million.
·??????? A consortium led by Tarik Oualalou Architecte, in collaboration with Populous, has won the design competition for the Grand Stade de Casablanca, intended to be a key venue for the 2030 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
·??????? The stadium, located in Benslimane, will have a capacity of 115,000 seats and is estimated to cost between MAD4.5bn and MAD5bn. It will be part of Morocco's efforts to enhance its football infrastructure ahead of hosting major tournaments.
·??????? Morocco plans to upgrade six existing stadiums to meet FIFA standards by 2028, with a budget of MAD9.5bn allocated for upgrades between 2023 and 2025, followed by further upgrades from 2025 to 2028.
·??????? Sir Jim Ratcliffe, shareholder of Manchester United, envisions a 100,000-capacity stadium for the club, rivaling renowned venues like the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu and Spotify Camp Nou.
·??????? Ratcliffe emphasises the need for a stadium befitting United's stature as one of the world's top football clubs, proposing either a refurbishment of Old Trafford or the construction of a completely new, state-of-the-art facility.
·??????? United has appointed a taskforce, chaired by Lord Sebastian Coe, to explore options for the redevelopment of Old Trafford and the surrounding area, aiming to create a "world-class" football stadium capable of hosting international events and providing economic benefits to the region.
Technology
·??????? The NCAA has updated the official March Madness Live app to include support for vertical video and Apple Vision Pro device ahead of the tournament.
·??????? Users can stream all 67 March Madness games through the app, which serves as both a streaming platform and second screen destination.
·??????? The app's new 'swipeable' feed will feature short-form video content including highlights, archive footage, and behind-the-scenes snippets, resembling popular social media formats like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels.
·??????? Manchester City has announced plans to make the City Football Academy and Joie Stadium one of the largest producers of renewable energy in world football.
·??????? The reigning Premier League champions revealed it is seeking planning approval from Manchester City Council for the installation of 10,887 solar panels which will generate up to 4.39 MWh of renewable energy every year.
·??????? More than 3,000 panels will be located on the roof of the 7,000-capacity Joie Stadium, which is home to Manchester City Women, while a further 3,942 will be located on the roofs of other facilities on site such as the First Team and Academy Building.
·??????? DAZN has secured exclusive rights to provide live PGA Tour coverage and additional content in multiple countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Southeast Asia.
·??????? The agreement includes DAZN offering the PGA Tour Pass as a standalone subscription in both regions, featuring four live and exclusive feeds.
·??????? Additionally, DAZN will roll out a dedicated PGA Tour FAST channel as part of its freemium service globally, excluding select regions, showcasing the company's aim to become a comprehensive digital sports destination.
Global 13 Sporting Moment of the Week
Wolves 2-3 Coventry City:
Championship side Coventry City are into the FA Cup semi-finals after one of the most mind-boggling finishes seen in the competition for many seasons. Coventry were ahead by a single goal as late as the 83rd minute, when chaos ensued. First Wolves got a two-goal salvo to look like they had stolen victory, before the visitors hit back and scored twice themselves to make the last four.
Global 13 Round-Up
This week, our team had the opportunity to attend the International Sports Convention at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was an enriching experience to hear from industry leaders and connect with fellow sports enthusiasts. On the field, Olivia's Wigan Warriors secured a significant victory over the Salford Red Devils, while Eddie's Clapham Rovers emerged victorious against Parklife FC. Additionally, Max had the pleasure of witnessing his beloved Coventry FC's historic FA Cup quarter-final win, securing them a coveted spot at Wembley.