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The Ocean Race Europe: Genoa, Italy, will host event finale in June
Events, Sports Business

The Ocean Race Europe: Genoa, Italy, will host event finale in June

Organisers of The Ocean Race Europe have confirmed that the inaugural edition of the sailing event will finish in Genoa in June this year.  The historic Italian maritime city (Genova in Italian) is already the home of The Grand Finale - the finish of the next edition of the round-the-world race in 2022-23. Now, Genoa will also host The Ocean Race Europe.  Richard Brisius, race chairman, said: “In The Ocean Race Europe we are realising a dream of many - a race between European cities with engaged fans and athletes achieving the extraordinary while driving change for a healthier planet.  “We understand the importance of teamwork, and collectively we back the EU work for Green Transition, digitalisation and unity. Our friends and partners in Genova also really understand the va...
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: iconic surfing event cancelled for 2021 – will return in 2022
Events, Sports Business

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: iconic surfing event cancelled for 2021 – will return in 2022

World Surf League (WSL) has announced that the 2021 edition of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach has been cancelled for 2021 but will return in 2022 after a new three-year deal was agreed with partners Rip Curl and the Victorian Government in Australia.  The WSL was unable to secure a pre-approved bubble in Victoria ahead of the event, leaving significant risk attached to sudden public health measures in reaction to Covid-19 such as lockdowns, state border restrictions, and event cancellations. The WSL respects and understands the decision of the Victorian Government in this challenging time. Andrew Stark, WSL Asia Pacific general manager, said: “It was an extremely difficult decision to cancel one of the most iconic events on the Championship Tour.  “However, we are genuinely ex...
Women’s cricket in England prepares for a ‘truly memorable summer’
Events, Sports Business

Women’s cricket in England prepares for a ‘truly memorable summer’

Women’s cricket in England is set for a “new era” this summer with the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy returning to the schedule alongside the new Women’s Regional T20 tournament.  The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the fixtures for the summer and there will be 56 matches played across both tournaments.  The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy will begin on 29 May with each of the eight teams to play each other once in the group stage. The final is to be held on 25 September. The Women’s Regional T20 will start on 26 June with the eight teams split into two groups of four. Each team will play three home and three away matches during the group stage before Finals Day on 5 September.  Clare Connor, ECB managing director of women’s cricket, said: “This promises to be a trul...
LaLiga Exhibition: Spanish football to be showcased on world tour
Sports Business, Stadiums & Venues

LaLiga Exhibition: Spanish football to be showcased on world tour

LaLiga will later this year launch LaLiga Exhibition - an interactive and immersive experience showcasing Spanish football’s top division and its clubs.  The exhibition will travel around the world, beginning in Latin America in the second half of 2021. The launch marks the next step in LaLiga’s commitment to support its clubs in their international expansion and to bring the competition closer to fans. Fans will have access to two experiential areas at LaLiga Exhibition. The first is a free access area, with no time limits, where they can enjoy a range of different games plus a hospitality area. The second is a closed tour, with specific time slots for each group of visitors, where they can experience the clubs’ changing rooms, the tunnel leading to the pitch, the pressroom and int...
2021 Sports ETA Annual Symposium rescheduled to October
Sports Business

2021 Sports ETA Annual Symposium rescheduled to October

Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry in the United States, has confirmed that its three major spring events - Women’s Summit, Facilities Summit, and Annual Symposium - will now be rescheduled for the autumn.   The Sports ETA Annual Symposium will take place in Birmingham, Alabama from 25-29 October 2021. While the Women’s Summit and Facilities Summit will be delivered as live events in Birmingham, adjacent to the Annual Symposium. Schedule, details, and registration information will be announced in due course. Al Kidd, president and CEO of Sports ETA, said: “By co-hosting these three annual events, we can continue to deliver networking opportunities and educational programming for our membership while being sensitive to travel and budget expen...
Scottish Golf Tourism Week’s next edition will now be held in autumn
Scotland, Sports Business

Scottish Golf Tourism Week’s next edition will now be held in autumn

The staging of the 5th Scottish Golf Tourism Week, which was rearranged from November to this spring, has now been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.  Organised by PSP Media Group, the event had originally been scheduled to take place at Fairmont St Andrews from 5-11 November 2020, but was then postponed to 31 March-1 April 2021. However, the recent developments and subsequent announcements early in 2021 relating to the pandemic’s continued impact has led to the cancellation of the rescheduled event. Organisers will now focus their efforts and work in tandem with partners VisitScotland on the return of Scottish Golf Tourism Week later this year with the 2021 event taking place as normal in the autumn. Dates will be announced in due course. Tom Lovering, PSP Media commer...
#ILOVEUNITED: Man Utd to host global live virtual fan event for Chelsea clash
Events, Sports Business

#ILOVEUNITED: Man Utd to host global live virtual fan event for Chelsea clash

#ILOVEUNITED, Manchester United’s live virtual fan event, is going global for the Premier League fixture against Chelsea on 28 February and it will have a huge focus on the USA.  The latest edition of the event - which will be streamed worldwide across United’s website, app, MUTV channel, Facebook and YouTube platforms - will feature bespoke content aimed at the club’s fanbase in the US and include exclusive behind-the-scenes access and insight into the first team. The 90-minute pre-match programme will be hosted by MUTV presenter Mark Sullivan, who will be joined at Old Trafford by co-host and NFL legend Osi Umenyiora, and live from Los Angeles by Lord of The Rings actor Dominic Monaghan. Both lifelong fans of the club, they will be sharing their best United memories and pre-match ...
Sailing: 17 events in 2021 World Match Racing Tour season
Events, Guides

Sailing: 17 events in 2021 World Match Racing Tour season

Seventeen events in 11 countries have been confirmed for sailing’s World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) 2021 world championship. The season will start in Szczecin, Poland, at the end of April and finish with the inaugural WMRT Final in Shenzhen, China, in December.  James Pleasance, WMRT executive director, said: “Last year was challenging for all international sports. We were very fortunate to be able to award the WMRT championship in Bermuda in October due to the fantastic efforts of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. We are very hopeful 2021 will allow for a full tour season however, understandably, organisers and sailors are cautious of ongoing restrictions, which is why we have set the tour schedule not to start before the end of April.” As with last year, the 2021 WMRT season wil...
Beijing 2022: IOC marks one-year countdown to next Winter Olympics
Events, Sports Business

Beijing 2022: IOC marks one-year countdown to next Winter Olympics

To mark one year until the start of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has shone the spotlight on the athletes preparing for next year’s games.   Formally inviting the National Olympic Committees (NOC) and their winter sports athletes to participate in the 2022 mega-event, IOC president Thomas Bach said: “One year from now, Beijing will write history as the first city ever to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games. These games will connect the Chinese people with the world.  “Having seen how China is overcoming the coronavirus crisis, we are very confident that our Chinese hosts will ensure safe and secure Olympic Games in full cooperation with the IOC. “Every time that I have visited China, I am so impressed by the ...
Sport Liverpool board is created to oversee major events push
Sports Business

Sport Liverpool board is created to oversee major events push

Liverpool is famous for its music, history and culture, but for many visitors it is sport and in particular football that is the real heartbeat of the north-west English city.   Home to two Premier League clubs, major stadia and arenas, Liverpool’s standing as a sporting destination has grown with events such as the Grand National horse race at Aintree and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series. Liverpool will also host Rugby League World Cup 2021 fixtures at Anfield and the M&S Bank Arena while next year the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will be held in the city.  Major sporting events are such a key driver for business and tourism that the city’s destination marketing organisation, Marketing Liverpool, has recently launched the Sport Liverpool board.  Ch...
European Tour golf 2021 schedule: tournaments, majors and big events
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

European Tour golf 2021 schedule: tournaments, majors and big events

After a stop-start year in 2020, the European Tour is looking forward to an action-packed 2021 for men’s golf.  Announcing the 2021 calendar, the European Tour confirmed a minimum of 42 tournaments in 24 countries and 18 returning tournaments which were postponed or cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.  As well as the regular Race to Dubai events, the 2021 season will also include four Rolex Series tournaments, the four majors, WGCs, Olympics and Ryder Cup. The 2021 campaign will conclude with the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from 18-21 November. Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, said: “There is no question that the challenge of reshaping our 2020 season in many ways informed our approach to 2021. One of the key learnings ...
What is Europe’s oldest marathon?
Events, Sports Travel

What is Europe’s oldest marathon?

I suspect the majority of even seasoned marathon runners would think London, Paris or Berlin to be the oldest marathon in Europe, making the answer even more intriguing. In fact Slovakia’s second largest city Kosice holds this accolade; so how did this come about? Ramy James Salameh finds out... In 2024 the Kosice Peace Marathon will celebrate its 100th anniversary, a milestone that Cassovians are extremely proud of. The marathon is the headline act for a city where sport is part of the very fabric and feeds into a truly diverse range of sporting experiences. The International Peace Marathon was inaugurated in 1924 and really is the torch bearer for sport in this fascinating city, and has given rise to many more sporting activities, clubs and titles. Kosice was awarded the status of...
February 2021 sports events: what’s on the month’s sporting calendar?
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

February 2021 sports events: what’s on the month’s sporting calendar?

The sporting year ramps up in February with many major sports events on the calendar. They don’t come much bigger than the NFL Super Bowl which takes place on Sunday 7 February at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. See an event guide to Super Bowl LV here. Other major sporting events in the second month of 2021 include the Australian Open tennis grand slam in Melbourne, the Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar and the opening three rounds of the Six Nations rugby union championship.  Here we look at the big sporting events taking place in February 2021. Main image credit: raymondjamesstadium.com Related articles 2021 UK and global major sports events: month-by-month calendar2021 sports business events and conferencesSix Nations 2021: fixtures, venues and times...
February 2021 sports business industry events and conferences
Events, Sports Business

February 2021 sports business industry events and conferences

With the Covid-19 pandemic still affecting meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), virtually all sports business industry events in early 2021 will be held online.  February kicks off with the Golf Industry Show, Global Sports Week and ISPO Munich taking place in the first week of the month.  Other #SportsBiz events in February include the National Sports Forum Virtual Winter Summit, Women in Sport Digital Conference and fourth Japan Sports Week.  Related articles February 2021 sports events: what’s on the month’s sporting calendar?Sports business 2021 calendar: industry events and conferences2021 sports events calendar: month-by-month guideSport + Travel Magazine: sign up for the free monthly digital publication February 2021 sports busines...
A guide to… NFL Super Bowl LV
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

A guide to… NFL Super Bowl LV

A sports event guide to... NFL SUPER BOWL LV Tampa Bay in Florida will have the sporting world’s spotlight shining on it when the NFL’s showpiece event, the Super Bowl, is held at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday 7 February. Home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the stadium usually has a capacity of 65,890. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the attendance has been limited to only 22,000 spectators. Of the 22,000, the NFL says 7,500 will be vaccinated health care workers who are invited as guests to “thank and honour them for their continued extraordinary service during the pandemic”. After the completion of the NFC and AFC conference championship matches, it’s the Buccaneers and reigning champions Kansas City Chiefs who will play in Super Bowl LV. Tom Brady’s Bucs will be aiming to wi...
PGA Tour 2021 tournaments and majors: a ‘super season’ for golf fans
Guides

PGA Tour 2021 tournaments and majors: a ‘super season’ for golf fans

The PGA Tour's 2020-2021 “super season” will includes 50 official FedExCup tournaments and 14 events that were postponed or cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The schedule features the most tournaments since 1975 (51) and three events postponed in 2020 – the US Open, Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, and the Masters Tournament – were played in the autumn portion of the 2020-21 season and feature again in their traditional dates during the 2021 calendar year. With the postponement of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, the men’s Olympic golf competition will take place from 29 July to 1 August 2021, as a standalone event for the first time. “We are excited to present the full 2020-21 PGA Tour schedule - a ‘super season’ of 50 fully sponsored eve...
Blog: how to reach fans with ‘experiential’ sports marketing
Sports Business

Blog: how to reach fans with ‘experiential’ sports marketing

During the MICE expo IBTM World Virtual 2020, Sports Tourism Media had the chance to listen to an interesting presentation by Juli Ferré Nadal, principal of Thinking Heads Sports. The talk focused on building a distinctive and exciting brand experience in the context of a sport event; establishing an emotional connection with fans and potential customers; and to assess how digital fits into an 'experiential' sports marketing campaign.  During the Covid-19 pandemic and various lockdowns in 2020, one area which left a big hole in our lives was when elite sports competitions were cancelled and there was no chance to be a spectator in a stadium or even to view on TV. We all came to realise just how important sport is and its ability to generate much emotion. When the English Premier Le...
Dominican Republic golf travel guide: best golf courses and resorts
Guides, Holidays & Trips

Dominican Republic golf travel guide: best golf courses and resorts

With 30 top-class golf courses the Dominican Republic is regularly dubbed the “golfing capital of Latin America and the Caribbean”.   Some of the industry’s top architects and designers - including Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr, Gary Player and Tom Fazio - have built golf courses in the Caribbean nation. Named Latin America and the Caribbean golf destination of the year by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) in 2019, the Dominican Republic welcomes more than 200,000 golf tourists every year. Golf tourism and events generate an economic impact of almost €300m (£251m) on an annual basis.  While the courses are open year-round, the best time to play is from December to March when the weather is a little cooler and less humid. There is a benefit to playing in...
Great Lakes USA golf guide | Ryder Cup 2021
Guides, Sports Travel

Great Lakes USA golf guide | Ryder Cup 2021

The Great Lakes USA will once again host golf’s biggest event, the Ryder Cup, with the biennial competition taking place from 24-26 September 2021 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. This is the fourth time since 2004 that the Ryder Cup has been held in the Great Lakes region, which consists of the states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio.  In 2016, the Ryder Cup was held at Hazeltine Golf Club in Minnesota, which hosts it again in 2028. Medinah, Illinois was the destination in 2012 and in 2004 Oaklands Hills in Michigan hosted the event.   Wisconsin golf guide The 2021 Ryder Cup is expected to be one of the largest sporting events ever hosted in the state of Wisconsin and Whistling Straits is the first public course in a generation to host the golfin...
A sports travel guide to… London
Guides, London, Sports Travel

A sports travel guide to… London

A sports travel guide to... LONDON London, a three-time host of the summer Olympics, is one of the world’s top sporting cities. The English capital is home to many teams, a tennis grand slam as well as the national stadiums for football and rugby union. In 2021 Wembley Stadium will host five games in the Uefa European Championship. Here in this one-page guide we look at London’s sporting highlights, facilities and the things to see and do for sports fans. London’s professional teams, venues and major events Football teams Premier LeagueArsenalChelseaCrystal PalaceFulhamTottenham HotspurWatfordWest Ham UnitedEnglish Football LeagueBrentfordMillwallQPRAFC WimbledonCharlton AthleticLeyton Orient Cricket, rugby and b...

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