Qatar 2022: How can brands navigate the most political World Cup ever? September 20, 2022 While the location of this year’s Qatar 2022 World Cup makes it the most controversial yet, it is still a huge global moment that fans across the world will want to engage with, and brands be a part of. This is the first time a men’s football World Cup has been held in what is [...]
Per Mertesacker: Arsenal academy boss on his 11-year friendship with Mikel Arteta, producing the next Bukayo Saka and new docuseries Inside Hale End September 6, 2022 It was one of their worst ever defeats, but the recent histories of Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and the club’s Hale End academy would look very different had Arsene Wenger’s team not lost 8-2 at Manchester United in August 2011. That setback prompted a transfer deadline-day trolley dash for five new signings, the most [...]
Rematch: Meet the Secret Cinema for sport recreating the Rumble in the Jungle August 30, 2022 Founder Richard Ayers and investor Trevor Beattie tell Frank Dalleres about Rematch, the immersive sporting experience bringing the Rumble in the Jungle to London in early 2023. Imagine for a moment that you could attend any sporting event of the past. What would you choose? The 1966 World Cup final? Botham’s Ashes? Serena’s first Grand [...]
England’s outgoing Commonwealth chief still sees future for Games August 24, 2022 Team England’s outgoing chief executive insists there is a future for the Commonwealth Games despite debate surrounding where a multi-sport tournament rooted in Britain’s former Empire sits in the 21st century. Paul Blanchard is preparing to leave his position at the head of the team who hosted this year’s competition in Birmingham games after seven [...]
Ed Warner: Value of hosting sport found in hearts and minds as well as spreadsheets August 18, 2022 Just what does constitute a sport? Breaking – otherwise known as breakdancing – will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. So how about singing with a dose of choreographed body-poppery? The unlikely combination of Vladimir Putin and Sam Ryder is bringing Eurovision to the United Kingdom in 2023. Seven cities – cut from 20 – are [...]
Ryan Howsam: Why Staysure boss bought Legends Tour and how it can be profitable August 17, 2022 Sports sponsorship usually follows a playbook – Brand X pays to be associated with Team Y or Competition Z – but Ryan Howsam, founder of insurer Staysure, has ripped it up with golf’s Legends Tour. Howsam, a keen golfer in his youth who played off a scratch handicap, got involved with the circuit formerly known [...]
A green and gold decade: Australia prepares for spell as host of sport’s biggest events August 15, 2022 The sun-kissed nation of Australia is about to embark on a decade-long installation as the centre for world sport. Although it was beaten by Qatar to the rights to stage the men’s football World Cup later this year, the country is set to co-host the women’s equivalent as well as Rugby World Cups, a second [...]
Track and Field at Commonwealths shows British Athletics there’s no more excuses August 8, 2022 At the weekend 30,000 fans crammed into Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium for a Saturday evening session of athletics. On show were British superstars Keely Hodgkinson, Laura Muir and Zharnel Hughes. But the loudest cheer of the night was for Rosefelo Siosi from the Solomon Islands. The 25-year-old long-distance runner came last in the 5,000m – by [...]
Crypto firms spend £1.9bn on sports sponsorships as they rack up advertising expenditure August 5, 2022 Crypto companies have spent $2.4bn (£1.9bn) globally over the last year and a half on sports sponsorships as they splurge on marketing. Major crypto firms have signed deals with big athletes, sporting franchises, and leagues as they seek to rival the marketing prowess of non-crypto brands, according to Bloomberg. Crypto exchange Binance has signed with [...]
Gambling sponsors back on the up in sport despite continued threat of a ban, study finds August 4, 2022 Gambling sponsorship in English sport is back on the rise despite the threat of a potential ban, according to a new study. The number of betting companies with front-of-shirt sponsorship deals at leading clubs appeared to be in terminal decline just a year ago, having plummeted 48 per cent from 2019 to 2021. Premier League [...]