Sports Business

17Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Man Utd and Marriott Hotels unveil the ‘Seat of Dreams’ at the Theatre of Dreams 

Manchester United and Marriott Hotels have unveiled the “Seat of Dreams” - a new concept that will be launched at the club’s Old Trafford stadium. United’s Premier League clash against rivals Liverpool on Sunday 20 October will see the Seat of Dreams used for the first time. This unique matchday experience allows supporters to watch the action from a coveted vantage point in the ground while also enjoying special perks such as complimentary food and drinks, early entry to the stadium, and the opportunity to meet Man Utd legends. The new addition at the Theatre of Dreams will be awarded to four fans at random through a complimentary upgrade to their existing match ticket. Official hotel partner The debut of the Seat of Dreams concept also marks the kick-off of a larger relationship be...

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12Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Clarity Sports is launched after recruitment of 17 Thomas Cook Sport staff

Clarity has launched a new sports travel division - Clarity Sports - after recruiting the entire Thomas Cook Sports team travel management team. Within 48 hours of the collapse of Thomas Cook on 23 September, Manchester-based business travel firm Clarity stepped in and employed the Thomas Cook Sport staff. The new division was then created.  Pat McDonagh, CEO of Clarity, said: “Players, fans and officials of multiple teams across football, rugby and cricket have all been left in a very difficult situation following the demise of Thomas Cook Sport.  “The logistics of moving sports teams from game to game is a complex operation and because we were already working with many of these clubs, we were able to move quickly to offer jobs to those impacted by the Thomas Cook situation. They quick...

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12Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

2021 World Athletics Championships: an ‘unparalleled opportunity’ to showcase Oregon

Following the conclusion of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, the countdown is now on to the next edition of the event which takes place for the first time in the United States.  The 2021 World Athletics Championships will be held from 6-15 August in Eugene, Oregon - better known as “TrackTown USA”. Hayward Field at the University of Oregon will welcome thousands of athletics fans and nearly 2,000 competitors from more than 200 countries for one of the biggest sporting events in 2021. Oregon governor Kate Brown said: “We could not be prouder to bring the World Championships to the United States for the first time ever, and it is only fitting that TrackTown USA serve as the host.  “Oregon is a running mecca, and we are excited to bring the globe’s elite athletes...

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29Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Event focus: FIBO Southeast Asia 2020 | Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Southeast Asia, one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, will be the next destination for the FIBO global fitness event series. With exhibitions already in Cologne (Germany), China, Mexico, Africa and the United States, FIBO Southeast Asia (FIBO SEA) is the new addition to the portfolio. Organised by Reed Exhibitions Singapore in collaboration with Reed Exhibitions Deutschland, FIBO SEA will take place in Singapore from 24-26 September 2020 at the iconic Marina Bay Sands. FIBO SEA will bring together brands, manufacturers, distributors, licensors, intermediaries, buyers and trainers from the Southeast Asia and international fitness industry. Highlights from the event will include:  Business matchmaking Trade show Keynote speakers FIBO academy Innovation The trade show w...

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25Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Sport and adventure tourism a major focus at TTG Travel Experience in Italy

This year's TTG Travel Experience in Italy will have a new major addition - the Be Active exhibition focusing on adventure, sport and wellness. Taking place from 9-11 October at the Rimini Exhibition Centre, and organised by the Italian Exhibition Group, the 56th edition of the B2B expo runs simultaneously with the SIA Hospitality Design and Sun Beach & Outdoor Style events. Be Active According to figures released by CST, in 2016 18.6% of foreign tourists stated that sport was the motivation for travelling to Italy.  The Be Active section will be dedicated wholly to active tourism and designed to promote and develop active holidays. Exhibitors will include specialist tour operators, major sports events, Italian and international destinations, accommodation facilities and serv...

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1Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Event focus: 2019 African Sports Tourism Week Ghana

Ghana’s capital city Accra will host the 2019 edition of African Sports Tourism Week.  Taking place from 19-20 September the event will feature the African Sports Tourism Summit & Olympic Roundtable, African Sports Destination Awards, African Sports Holiday Exhibition and pre-event tours. Deji Ajomale-McWord, president of African Sports Tourism Week, said: “Our goal is to increase the gross domestic products of African nations, through better delivered sporting events and sports holidays.  “Sports can only be best commodified through experiences that only hospitality and tourism can tailor. We will be moving to different African nations, year in year out, conduct the marriage of sports and tourism, and watch over their romance to ensure it produces offspring of socioeconom...

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29Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Houston named host city of TEAMS ’20 Conference & Expo

The TEAMS ’20 Conference & Expo will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from 19-22 October 2020. It is the second time that the Texan city has hosted the major sports business event. Houston first hosted TEAMS in 2004. Timothy Schneider, founder of the TEAMS Conference, said Houston was the “perfect” choice. “Houston’s outstanding facilities and world-class reputation for hosting sporting events make it a natural choice for event organisers,” he said. Janis Burke, chief executive officer of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA), added: “Houston has become a major player on the national sports scene having hosted two Super Bowls, two Final Fours and three NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals since the TEAMS Conference was last held here in 2004. ...

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29Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Tottenham stadium to host International Sports Convention 2020

[2020 ISC is postponed and will now be held in 2021] Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s £1bn stadium opened in early April to much fanfare with the north London club playing their first domestic and European matches at their new home. Following a season-and-a-half of being tenants at Wembley Stadium – and after many delays – Premier League side Spurs finally got the go-ahead to return home to N17. Opening its doors on 3 April with an EPL clash against Crystal Palace, the 62,062-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is now the largest club ground in London. It will also host NFL fixtures and become a major hub for events and entertainment. With the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium now fully open it’s a welcome addition to London’s sports business venue list. Along with other major grounds such ...

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28Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Rwanda tourism industry gets boost from Arsenal FC shirt sponsorship 

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has revealed that the Visit Rwanda shirt sponsorship of Arsenal Football Club has been worth £36m in brand value in its first year.  A three-year partnership reportedly worth £30m was agreed in May 2018 for Visit Rwanda to become the Premier League club’s shirt sleeve sponsor and official tourism partner.  SportsProMedia.com reports that the deal has given Rwanda a 5% tourism boost in visitors from the UK and has already recouped the initial £30m investment, according to analytics from Nielsen, Blinkfire Analytics and Hall and Partners.  RDB chief tourism officer Belise Kariza said: “Before the signing of the partnership, 71% of the millions of Arsenal fans globally did not think of Rwanda as a tourist destination, at the end of the first year of the p...

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1Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Event focus: China Sports Culture Expo & China Sports Tourism Expo

The Chinese city of Guangzhou will host two major sports business exhibitions concurrently in November this year. China Sports Culture Expo and the China Sports Tourism Expo (CSCTE 2019) will take place at the Poly World Trade Center from 28-30 November and cover a total exhibition space of 46,000 sqm. More than 160,000 delegates are expected to attend the two expos over the three days as well as 400 brands and 600 media outlets. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, so the theme for the expos will be a “new start for sports development” in the country. CSCTE 2019 will also promote the integrated development of sports culture and sports tourism in China. The China Sports Culture Expo will be hosted by the General Administra...

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1Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Active London 2019: innovation on the agenda for London Sport event

The 2019 Active London event organised by London Sport will explore innovation in physical activity and sport in the UK capital. Taking place at 30 Euston Square on 10 September, Active London’s morning schedule will see keynote speeches focused on international innovation and national innovation followed by a panel discussion on local innovation. In the afternoon there will be breakout sessions focused on: city-based innovation, community-based innovation, innovation driven by technology, and insight-led innovation. In a media release London Sport said: “Bringing together expertise from across the country and around the world, Active London will offer a comprehensive starting point for delegates to explore both inspirational and practical approaches.  “As well as plentiful networking ...

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26Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

2019 Leaders Week London: agenda revealed for sport business summit

This year’s Leaders Week London will be held from 7-10 October and will feature specialist sports forums, an awards night and after dark events. The highlight of Leaders Week in the UK capital will be the two-day Sport Business Summit on 8-9 October at Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby union. The agenda and speaker list for the summit has been revealed and the industry experts for 2019 include: John Skipper, executive chairman, DAZN Denise Barrett-Baxendale, CEO, Everton Rick Welts, president, Golden State Warriors Meredith Starkey, chief marketing officer, Carolina Panthers Yousef Al-Obaidly, CEO, beIN Media Group The summit will have three stages - headline, tech and innovation, and marketing - and there will also be masterclasses, an esports forum and a tech s...

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17Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

The Open 2019: 237,750 attend golf major at Royal Portrush

The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland will see a crowd of 237,750 attend the golf major in July - a record for a championship held outside of St Andrews in Scotland.  Organisers of the British golf major have announced that this year’s attendance will beat the 237,000 who went to St Andrews in 2015 and the 235,000 at Royal Birkdale in 2017.  The attendance at St Andrews in 2000 - 239,000 - remains the highest with Royal Portrush now in second place. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said: “This is a huge week not just for The Open but for golf as well. We are making history with a record attendance for a Championship staged outside of St Andrews and the levels of excitement among fans this week have been phenomenal. “I said last year that big time sport ne...

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17Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race partners with ATPI Sports Events

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has announced a sports travel partnership with ATPI Sports Events.  ATPI will arrange travel for the Clipper Race staff between each stopover and also provide a dedicated travel desk for Clipper Race crew and supporters throughout the event, which starts in London in September.  The biennial Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will see more than 700 international crew from 45 nations take part in one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges.  The 2019-20 circumnavigation is made up of eight legs and has stopovers in 16 destinations around the world. Starting from London on 1 September 2019, the route will take the fleet of 11 stripped-out racing yachts to host ports including Punta del Este, Cape Town, Fremantle, the Whitsundays, ...

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16Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business

Blog: Lewis Hamilton was right – the 2019 F1 British GP scheduling was bad

Sunday 14 July 2019 will go down as one of the greatest days in British sporting history. England won the Cricket World Cup in memorable fashion against New Zealand at Lord’s, Novak Djokovic came through a five-set epic against Roger Federer at Wimbledon and the European Tour’s Scottish Open title was secured by Austrian golfer Bernd Wiesberger.   Also on the agenda was the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone - a major UK sporting event that arguably took a back seat to the dramatic cricket and Wimbledon finals.  More than 140,000 fans attended the 2019 British GP but for world champion Lewis Hamilton he felt that this year’s scheduling of the race denied sports fans the chance to embrace F1’s biggest race because of the TV competition with the cricket and tennis.  Speaking ahe...

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5Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Airbnb sport report: four events in 2019 to generate $62m in host earnings

An Airbnb sport impact report has revealed that major events continue to be a key driver for reservation numbers and host earnings. Since launching in 2008 the hospitality service giant has grown to more than six million listings worldwide and there have been more than 500 million guest arrivals.  The contribution of sport and major events have been crucial for the company’s growth. According to data published in the study - Sports and Airbnb: A Winning Combination - 44% of hosts welcomed guests who were travelling for a sporting event. In the United Kingdom the figure rises to 54% while in the United States it increases to 55%.  In 2016 80,000 guest arrivals for the Rio Olympic Games booked with an Airbnb host. While in 2018 for the Fifa World Cup finals hosts in Russia welco...

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4Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Event focus: Active London 2019

The Active London conference returns in 2019 and will be held at a new venue. Taking place at 30 Euston Square on 10 September, the event organised by London Sport will be dedicated to the future of physical activity and sport in the nation’s capital. Lorna Leach, London Sport’s strategic relationship manager, said: “This year’s event will bring together a huge number of the strands of work that London Sport and many of our partners have explored over the past 12 months.  “Innovation in physical activity is taking place in a huge number of areas, not only from a technology perspective, but in disciplines ranging from urban planning and regeneration to social integration and community development.  “We look forward to bringing together some of the most exciting and creative developments...

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21Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Premier League Football Forum to feature at Leaders Shanghai summit

The Premier League Football Forum will be the major highlight of the second day of the Leaders Sport Business Summit in Shanghai. Held at The Kerry Hotel in Pudong from 18-19 July, the Leaders summit in the Chinese city will welcome 300 delegates and focus on innovation in sport, entertainment and media. Leaders has partnered with the Premier League and the UK Department for International Trade to create the forum on 19 July. English football top-flight executives, clubs and partners will take to the stage. Premier League in Asia This year’s Premier League Asia Trophy will see Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers play in Nanjing and Shanghai from 17-20 July. The Leaders Premier League Football Forum will be held a day before the final of t...

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21Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

ISC 2020 partners with the Financial Times for London event

The International Sports Convention (ISC) and the Financial Times (FT) have announced a global partnership for the ISC 2020 event in London. Taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from 17-18 June, the event will see 1500 delegates and 150 speakers attend nine sports industry conferences over two days. ISC and the FT will collaborate on a number of initiatives, including editorial, content, media and marketing. The partnership will provide insight, editorial and commentary throughout the 12-months build-up leading to the event in London. The comprehensive partnership will ensure significant participation from political, business, FMCG and financial industries mixing with the business of sport. Nigel Fletcher, CEO of ISC, said: “The partnership with the FT reflects a stro...

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20Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

UNWTO and Barça Innovation Hub launch sports tourism start-up competition

The 1st UNWTO Sports Tourism Start-up Competition has been launched by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with the Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB). With the support of the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), the initiative is designed to identify projects and innovations that can transform the sports tourism sector in the near future. Competition organisers are seeking entries from start-ups that have disruptive ideas focused on solving real needs and addressing knowledge gaps in the growing sports tourism sector. In all, 20 start-ups will be shortlisted by a panel of international experts and industry stakeholders. The panel will then select five semi-finalists who will all be invited to Barcelona to pitch their ideas to sports experts, government representatives,...

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