[Source: EventScotland] EventScotland and Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during a meeting between the two organisations at Host City 2019.

The sixth Host City Conference and Exhibition was the ideal place for the signing of the agreement as 300 representatives from some of the world’s leading event cities, destination marketing organisations, cross-sector rightsholders, organising committees and suppliers gathered together for two days. The conference and exhibition included plenary presentations, panels, VIP dialogues and workshops on how to attract, bid for and host secure and engaging events with positive long-term legacies. The MOU will see EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, and TEQ work in collaboration over the next three years, sharing information and insights into the securing and delivering of major sporting, cultural and business events.

It will also build on the strong relationship both Scotland and Queensland developed during their respective hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and 2018 as both organisations look to build meaningful social and economic impacts for their country and region through event tourism.

Areas of collaboration outlined in the MOU include information sharing, event bidding and prospecting, impact measurement, delivery capability, and strategy development.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events and our reputation as a world-leader in event delivery has seen us secure and deliver some of the world’s biggest events, including The 2019 Solheim Cup and the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023.

“Events play a key role in our society by helping to bring strong social and economic benefits to the whole country. We are delighted to be signing this MOU with TEQ that will allow both organisations to flourish through the regular sharing of knowledge and insights into this incredibly dynamic and exciting industry.”

TEQ CEO Leanne Coddington said the partnership would prove beneficial to both parties.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard over the past decade to build Australia’s most diverse events calendar that sees unique events held in Australia’s best destinations from the Gold Coast to Cape York and the Outback,” Ms Coddington said.

“Events not only drive visitors to Queensland but also contribute strongly to the economy in their own right, whether they be large-scale sporting events, business events, cultural events or community events.

“We look forward to collaborating with EventScotland in the coming years as we continue to build the value of the It’s Live! in Queensland calendar.”

The signing of the MOU also comes at an exciting time as recruitment for key positions to oversee and deliver the 2023 Cycling World Championships will shortly commence.

Paul Bush added: “It has been an exciting year for the events industry, especially for us here in Scotland. During my opening keynote address on day one of Host City 2019 I touched on the impact of three aspects on the events landscape this year – the growth of women’s sport and women’s events; contingency planning; and audience engagement.

“Unlike any other year I believe we have seen the tectonic plates of the world sporting events shift, collide and indeed, totally reshape. We have seen record crowds and TV audiences for major international events including The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles and the Women’s World Cup in France.

“We’ve also seen pay parity and equality and diversity continue to be topical subjects and while we’ve seen great strides in the last 12 months, there is still much work to be done within the equality and diversity agenda as sport still lags society.  As an events industry we can and should take a lead whether its gender balance, LGBTQ, BAME or disabled representation; providing the platform for all people from the field of play right up to the boardroom.

“The year has also raised a number of interesting scenarios within the area of contingency planning. While some organisers like the Cricket World Cup got it spot on, others did not, and it is an area we need to focus our minds and give further consideration to ensure we are not left wanting.

“We have also seen a seismic change in audience and fan engagement, with some events like World Athletics Championships failing to ignite the interest of locals, leaving stadiums unfilled while others like the Women’s Netball World Cup in Liverpool and England women’s football team’s recent match against Germany playing to sell-out crowds.

“With the world changing at a rate of knots, as an industry we need to respond at the same pace to the many variables that now exist.”

300 delegates and 30 exhibitors from all around the world gathered in Glasgow over two days to hear a range of high-profile speakers from the fields of sport, culture, business and medicine deliver discussion and debate around the theme “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-Create”.

Speakers tackled a vast array of different topics including the drive for sustainability, community engagement, creating partnerships, addressing equality imbalance and adapting events to meet the needs of the digital era.

In her keynote address, Dame Louise Martin DBE, President, of the Commonwealth Games Federation, underlined how vital it has become for different parties to co-create and reformulate to deliver the best events possible.

She said: “Now more than ever, it is essential for rights holders and federations to collaborate with host city partners and stakeholders to develop sustainable, impactful, world-class and community-relevant events that engage and benefit the widest possible audience.

“I feel extremely optimistic about the future of Commonwealth Sport. There is still much to be done but we are very confident, although never complacent, about the positive impact and huge success that can be derived from Birmingham 2022 and beyond.

“The three pillars of this conference – Innovate, Reformulate, Cocreate – map almost exactly to three of our four strategic objectives. The one not covered is our final pillar in the strategic plan: our collective impact. That fundamentally drives our vision.

“Let’s make sure we widen the conversation beyond delivery and collaboration to our wider purpose. Let’s think not just about our models but our meaning.”

One of the best examples of co-creation in event planning was the 2018 European Championships co-hosted by Berlin and Glasgow.

Stefan Kuerten, Executive Director at Eurovision Sport, gave some insight into the process.

He said: “We had to do something for European sport. There was a risk in a few sports of the level of interest in their European Championships going down. So we put seven of them together to create a new event.

“We looked at cities that might be interested and two stood out: Glasgow and Berlin. They both had the same complaints and questions about sharing the event. But they understood that sharing was better as it helped reduce the cost. Both cities discovered that one plus one didn’t make two but three.”

Sven Bossu, Head of Innovation, ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology), revealed that planning medical events also requires co-operation with others and the need to engage with the local community.

He explained: “Our yearly congress welcomes 6500 people for four days. But we had to ask if it was having a positive impact on patients in that region. And the answer was no. We couldn’t end our annual congress, but we wanted to reinvent the process for selecting a host city.

“Of course, we wanted it have all the functional things we needed for a conference. But we also wanted to integrate a project that could be shaped and managed to have an impact on cancer patients in that region.”

Emily Blitz, Director of Conferences of the International AIDS Society, added: “Ours is a scientific conference. But because of the nature of HIV it goes beyond scientists to the people most affected.

“At our conference we also have an exhibition and programme that’s open to the local community. It means we can leave a little bit of the experience behind. It makes it more of a global village where research meets the real world.”

Frederik Nemeth, Chief Financial Officer of the Roskilde Festival Group, revealed how events must start to reflect the wishes of a more climate-conscious younger audience or pay the ultimate price.

He said: “The average person coming to our festival is 24 years old and they want to change the world and have no carbon emissions.

“And if we don’t fix that problem the festival will close within the next 10 years. The people won’t come to our event. So we need to address that issue.”

Mandy Keegan, Director of Media Operations at Expo 2020 Dubai, underscored the importance of varying an event’s focus for each of its target markets.

She said: “The biggest issue facing major events today is how you engage with such a wide variety of people around the world. At Expo 2020 Dubai we have so many things happening over the six months of the event. We need to tell our story to so many different types of people. We’re expecting 150000 visitors every day and we need to make it relevant to all of them.”

Markus Stenger, Managing Director of DFB EURO 2024, spoke about the important of co-creating the tournament in conjunction with different parties.

He said: “Everyone is aware that Germany is able to host big major events with infrastructure. But if we want to be successful, we have to deliver more. We’ve really focused on talking to stakeholders but also on listening. What are their demands, hopes and issues? We want to make it a tournament that brings out the best in everyone with transparency, integrity and sustainability.”

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, opened the conference with a keynote speech on his key takeaways from the world of sport in 2019.

He said: “Pay parity for me remains a topical subject in the events world. While tennis may have parity, the majority of other areas in our industry do not. At a recent men’s golf event in the USA the winner earned $1.5m. On the same weekend, at a European women’s tour event the winner got 23,000 Euros. Even here at the home of golf we have some work to do.

“All events require contingency planning but 2019 for me has raised a number of interesting scenarios that should require further consideration. The destruction and tragic loss of life caused by Typhoon Hagibis during the Rugby World Cup left many wanting, exposed and acting in haste.

“In my personal view, it lacked a detailed contingency plan that the event, sport, athletes, media, and supporters should have been afforded.”

Ian Reid, chief executive of the organising committee, spoke about the need to make the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games relevant to the area’s demographics.

He said: “We worked closely with the Federation to create a product that we hope will resonate with the people of the West Midlands. We are really focusing on youth, as Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe.

“So, our sports programme will have beach volleyball and three-on-three basketball, while we want to introduce city centre hubs that work around that with DJs and live site programmes to resonate with a demographic that perhaps hasn’t always engaged with the Commonwealth’s sports programme in the past.”

Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, chief executive of Glasgow Life, also emphasised the need to take local communities with you on the journey that is event planning.

She said: “In the next couple of weeks Glasgow will be awarded the accolade of the world’s top city for festivals and events. And it’s out already that we will be European Capital of Sport in 2023. That’s recognition of Glasgow seeing culture, sport and events as a way to regenerate the city.

“But I think this conference has to be aware of the very real challenges facing cities like Glasgow which is pressures on public funding for other priorities such as social care and education. The losers will often be the kinds of services like the ones we are delivering.”

David Lappartient, President, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) spoke about the need to co-create to deliver the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.

“Having strong partnerships is fundamental. If you want to be a huge success everyone has to be on board. And we have been working together with Glasgow to really co-create this.

“Cycling has reacted well to this new vision. We have disciplines that are totally different. But all of them use a bicycle and they are proud to be part of the same event.”

David de Behr, Head of Sales at Aggreko Event Services, spoke about the possibility of co-creating events that provide sustainability solution.

“The Solheim Cup was a huge success and that will change dynamics in the future. Do you bring events together to be sustainable? Could you have the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup at the same time and venue? Men’s and Women’s World Cup also? That is something to think about if you want to be sustainable.”

Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the Association of Winter Olympic International Federations (AIOWF), said: “From the context of co-creation in the six FIS ski and snowboard disciplines which are on the Olympic Winter Games programme, they have diverse characteristics and wide range of cities, resorts and venues.

“Co-creation and partnerships are different depending on locations. So the model can’t be one size fits all. You have to find different ways of working together to achieve successful events. That's the key.”

Sir Craig Reedie GBE, Member of the International Olympic Committee, gave a heart-warming answer to the question of legacy definition.

“At London 2012, we rebuilt a scene of industrial devastation and turned it into a magical venue. Figures produced six months ago showed that within the six boroughs surrounding the London Stadium since the end of the Olympic Games there have been 125,000 new jobs. I don’t know what the definition of legacy is but that’s pretty high in my book.

“And there is supposed to be another 135,000 more jobs planned by 2030. So, I’m sure when the IOC get their minds around that they’ll be happy with that.”

Scott Jameson, GL events UK managing director, commented: “This partnership was the natural progression of the two organisations working together to deliver major events including the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. We’ve always held SoldOut in high regard and are delighted to be able to share news of this development.

“Teaming up with SoldOut means we can offer major event organisers the best possible combination of skills, capability and experience, adding outstanding value to global events.”

Thomas Staunton, CEO at SoldOut, added: “SoldOut and GL events UK are complimentary events power-houses, both experts in their own fields.

“SO GL combines both companies’ impressive heritage, experience and successful track record; leading to the very best in communication, shared project management, local knowledge and delivery, event planning and implementation, along with a grass roots commitment to community and event legacy.”

GL events UK is a supplier of temporary structures, tiered and grandstand seating, and stadium construction, providing complete temporary infrastructure and overlay solutions for the world’s best events. SoldOut is a full-service agency, designing and delivering memorable event experiences throughout Australia and overseas.

The Host City Conference & Exhibition, Glasgow, 26-27 November, brings major stakeholders together to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the major event hosting industry.

Around 300 delegates heard high-profile figures, including David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Sir Craig Reedie GBE of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Ian Reid, CEO of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, outline their vision around the theme “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-Create” on the first day of the conference.

In his keynote address, Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, spoke about the three topics that he felt had left their mark on the events landscape this year: the growth of women’s sport, contingency planning and audience engagement.

He said: “The Women’s World Cup in France had 1.12bn TV viewers with an average audience of 8.1m for the final. Megan Rapinoe, the USA star, shone a light on equal pay, equality and diversity issues in sport.

“Are the Tectonic plates of world sporting event shifting, colliding or being totally reshaped? In my humble opinion the answer to all three is ‘yes’.

“The events industry can and should take the lead on gender balance, LGBTQ, BAME and disabled representation to provide that platform for more people, from the field of play to the boardroom.”

Speaking on the opening panel of the conference, Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, chief executive of Glasgow Life, said that event planners need to keep working with and consulting with their local communities.

She said: “Our watchword has always been 'engage' and that underpins the whole approach in Glasgow. That is crucial to our future success. And that includes not only with event organisers, but also with decision-makers, influencers, politicians and our communities. 

"It’s usually taxpayers’ money that pays for a lot that we deliver. So if they don’t see the relevance, embrace it, volunteer at events, or be inspired to take up sport then in times of increased pressure on spending of public funds there will be a big question mark over how relevant we can continue to be.”

Ian Reid echoed that sentiment as the organisers reach out to find out what their local community wants from a Commonwealth Games.

He said: “We are really focusing on youth as Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe. So our sports programme will have beach volleyball and three-on-three basketball, while we want to introduce city centre hubs that work around that with DJs and live site programmes to resonate with a demographic that perhaps hasn’t always engaged with the Commonwealth’s sports programme in the past.”

Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the Association of Winter Olympic International Federations (AIOWF) said: “From the context of co-creation in the six FIS ski and snowboard disciplines which are on the Olympic Winter Games programme, they have diverse characteristics and wide range of cities, resorts and venues. Co-creation and partnerships are different depending on locations. Some events take place in important capital cities.

“For example the next Winter Olympics is in Beijing. But we also have important events at small mountain resorts where there are more people organising them than live there. So the model can’t be one size fits all. You have to find different ways of working together to achieve successful events. That's the key.”

David Lappartient delivered insight into co-creating the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, the first to include all cycling disciplines competing together.

He said: “Having strong partnerships is fundamental. If you want to be a huge success everyone has to be on board. And we have been working together with Glasgow to really co-create this.

“Cycling has reacted well to this new vision. We have disciplines that are totally different. But all of them use a bicycle and they are proud to be part of the same event.”

Sir Craig Reedie GBE spoke about the London 2012 Olympic Games and the legacy that it left behind.

He said: “Figures produced six months ago showed that within the six boroughs surrounding the London Stadium since the end of the Olympic Games there have been 125,000 new jobs. I don’t know what the definition of legacy is but that’s pretty high in my book.”

At London 2012 Paralympics, Steven Hawking stated, “We are all different, there is no such thing as a standard or run-of-the-mill human being, but we all share the same human spirit”. What is important is that we all have the ability to create; to use this stage to show the world that regardless of difference, there is always something you can succeed at.

How is this relevant to Host City? I’m talking about the purple pound. This is the spend by disabled people and their families in the UK, which is a mind-blowing GBP 249 billion per year. To put this into perspective, the GDP of the entire New Zealand economy in 2017 was GBP 160 billion. The UK events sector is worth GBP 42.3 billion, so a failure to tap into this disability market is an opportunity missed.

Rick Hansen, a Canadian Paralympian said “my disability is that I cannot use my legs. My handicap is your negative perception of that disability, and thus of me”.

So, I’m here to change negative perceptions of me and my disability. My company helps your business tap into the purple pound by ensuring that you build environments in which people with different abilities can thrive, and by improving the appeal and accessibility of your products and services to customers with disabilities.

We advise how to make your events accessible; how to make your events appeal to the purple market; and finally, how to tap into the creativity of that group to help improve your events.

As a London 2012 Games Maker, I was part of the generation inspired. To paraphrase Stephen Hawking, I used my ability to create, to inspire difference. Let Enabling Abilities help inspire us purple people – and think how your business could expand if you tapped into this as yet untapped market.

This “lightning talk” was delivered at Host City 2018 in Glasgow in November 2018. Thomas Williams is speaking on the panel “Titanic Disasters and Herculean Feats” at Host City 2019 in Glasgow on 26-27 November

Queensland’s calendar of activities features events of all genres from professional to mass participation sport, to arts and culture, music festivals and business events, across the length and breadth of the Australian state. Like Glasgow in 2014, Queensland’s Gold Coast hosted a highly successful Commonwealth Games in 2018.

As Gold Partner, TEQ will send a delegation to Host City 2019 led by CEO Leanne Coddington, who is giving a keynote Destination Showcase address.
She said: “We are very excited to partner with Host City and look forward to reconnecting with old and establishing new relationships with a range of entities across the conference and exhibition.

“Host City will provide us a great opportunity to share experiences, thoughts and learnings with industry leaders from around the world, while also showcasing what makes Queensland a great destination for successful major events, whether sporting, cultural or business events.”

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director at Host City, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tourism and Events Queensland as a Gold Partner of Host City 2019, and particularly pleased to welcome Leanne Coddington as a keynote speaker. Tourism and Event Queensland’s focus on all kinds of events – sports, business and cultural – is an ideal match for Host City’s network.”

TEQ is a member of the International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), with which Host City enjoys a Strategic Partnership.
Host City is delivered in partnership with EventScotland, its primary Supporting Partner.

Read Host City’s exclusive interview with Leanne Coddington here and in the next issue of Host City magazine.

About Tourism and Events Queensland
As the Queensland Government’s lead tourism marketing, experience development and major events agency, Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) identifies, attracts, develops and promotes major events that drive visitors to Queensland, contribute to the Queensland economy, raise the profile of Queensland and generate community pride.

Working strategically with event owners, rights holders and promoters, TEQ’s focus centres largely on growing the number of visitors from outside of Queensland to events on the calendar.

TEQ works closely with regional tourism organisations and local councils to assist event owners better connect with and promote tourism experiences, dining, entertainment and transportation to optimise the event experience of visitors.
https://teq.queensland.com/

As we celebrate our partnership with Host City 2019, we look forward to sharing with those attending the conference our insights into the broader impacts that the public, private and third sectors are seeking, achieving, measuring and communicating from hosting some of the world’s largest and highest profile events.

Through our extensive work with rights holders and hosts, running procurement processes, negotiating optimum commercial deals, leading event bids and advising hosts on how to build a tailored event calendar, we have developed unique insights and carried out in-depth research into how to improve host partnerships that work for all stakeholders. That is to say, partnerships where host, rights holder and all other stakeholders are able to achieve their short and long-term objectives through a well-delivered event.

We have also witnessed first-hand how the major events landscape is changing as rights holders embrace new technologies and consumer trends whilst hosts seek events that speak to wider city and national priorities. This is impacting the way that hosts are evaluating opportunities and measuring impact.

At Host City 2019, we will share more about how we will be building on this insight as we utilise The Sports Consultancy’s extensive network of hosts and rights holders to research current and future trends in event hosting. This research will bring together data in a new way to benefit rights holders and hosts in their future hosting relationships.

Global trends

We have gathered and analysed the data on how global trends are affecting the major events industry. Urbanisation and demographic shifts, ageing populations and increasing inequality are affecting the design and content of cities as governments prioritise inclusion and welfare. Global talent is more mobile, meaning that cities are competing to attract and retain it. Attracting new businesses and inward investment are increasingly important in a competitive and connected international marketplace. Climate change is a growing concern resulting in a rising focus on sustainability, as well as an increased scrutiny on public spending. Technology is also a significant factor in how cities are changing, working towards being ‘smarter’ and demonstrating their innovation credentials.

All of these macro trends are impacting the initiatives that governments choose to invest in and how they seek to use events to benefit their economies and populations. We are seeing a shift in objectives as event investment is less outward focused and gradually more targeted towards providing for existing citizens. This means a reduced focus on tourism and visitation and more of a focus on social impact, community cohesion and building a city with a great quality of life.

However, economic impact is still the primary measure of success in many cases (for the time being at least) as new priorities are not supported by our ability across the industry to measure social impact in a way that can justify substantial public sector expenditure. Developing effective measurement approaches for social and community impacts is a priority for hosts. A number of rights holders have recognised this and are investing in detailed social impact studies of their largest events, along with measuring economic and media impacts. We will share further insights into impact measurement in Glasgow in November.

Consumer behaviour

Further trends specific to the sports and entertainment industries are impacting rights holders. This is affecting the events that they are taking to market and how those events are positioned to engage and entertain the public.

Consumers are following more sports less avidly and sports events compete with an array of leisure and entertainment properties and activities. Digital media is an increasingly popular form of consumption of events, competing even with live attendance. More niche events and sports have a new avenue to market through over-the-top (OTT) coverage. Whilst this may lead to reduced live audiences it provides more opportunities to reach a younger audience. However, content demand is changing and events have to be creative in how they build awareness and generate engagement.

Finding the right hosts

For rights holders, finding the right hosts that understand their ambitions and can enhance their offering as aligned partners, is increasingly important. Rights holders are being more targeted geographically, but are also becoming more open to changing their hosting models to ensure the benefits are there for hosts and to open up their events to new territories and emerging markets. Our host procurement processes are incorporating new approaches to allow flexibility and build the most effective partnerships, while protecting interests on both sides of the hosting relationship.

This is balanced by a need to ensure that premium events are contributing to rights holder finances, particularly for International Federations where flagship events can support the organisation for multiple years. This may need to be accompanied in future with a greater appetite from the rights holder to share risk and, therefore, reward.

We look forward to sharing further insight in the build up to Host City 2019 and offering those attending the conference, unique insights from our work and research, into the ever-evolving relationship between rights holders and host cities and the solutions we are creating and applying for our clients. We also look forward to learning more from hosts and rights holders about their evolving challenges and the solutions they are employing to combat them.

John Langford, COO, AEG Europe

“I’m delighted to be joining the Host City conference in Glasgow this year. This is a great opportunity to share my thoughts on the industry and meet fellow representatives of sports, business and cultural events from across the globe. I look forward to discussing the challenges of hosting major event at our venues as well as discovering new opportunities and learning from industry leaders.

“There are a number of important considerations venue planners should bear in mind to maximise commercial opportunities around entertainment facilities.

“Firstly: know your market. Understanding consumer needs allows venues to match their capabilities with the expectations of customers. Providing a product and service that customers want is the foundation upon which volume and margins can be maximised.

“Secondly: flexibility. Entertainment venues cater for multiple different audiences. Every night, our arenas see a different crowd from the night before. Facilities need to be able to flex from champagne at Andrea Bocelli to burgers and beer at ZZ Top – and everything else you can imagine in between.

“Thirdly: adaptability. Customer expectations change over time, particularly as new generations spend more in the entertainment sector. Flexibility in spaces, premium experiences, food and beverage options, access and add-ons all mean that venues need to adapt quickly to market changes.”

David Tunnicliffe, Commercial Director, GL events UK

“Host City will bring together excellent people for open, frank discussions that will allow us to share experience and best practice. The event combines a formal daytime structure with a more relaxed evening format, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity to network with new and existing contacts.

“Are venue owners fully informed of the opportunities available to them in terms of temporary infrastructure? Yes and no – this really depends on the venue, as well as the culture and approach of its team. General awareness can be an issue; while some venues can be so focused on their permanent USPs, or under so much pressure to deliver prices-per-head, that they overlook the many exciting creative possibilities presented to them by temporary infrastructure.

“Other venues – Hampton Court Palace is an excellent example, frequently innovate; enhancing and adapting their offering with temporary infrastructure and overlay.

“At GL events we’re no stranger to all kinds of requests and the possibilities for venues are endless. We’ve created entire temporary venues to support refurbishment works, as well as creating everything from additional kitchens to ballrooms, reception spaces and exhibitions on behalf of all kinds of venue. Temporary swimming pools, ice-rinks, cinemas… working with venues is a great opportunity for event infrastructure suppliers to showcase their creativity.”

Ken Scott, Head of Inspectorate, Sports Ground Safety Authority

“A pressing concern for organisers is what we call ‘Zone Ex’ – the area outside the stadium that spectators must pass through when arriving or leaving an event. Stadium and event operators can no longer think about the stadium in isolation. When considering safety, the sum of all parts is critical to creating as safe an environment as possible for everyone at the ground.

“We’re looking forward to attending Host City 2019 to discuss this and other safety issues with colleagues from across Europe.”

Cyril De Greve Managing Director, European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA)

“We’re expecting more and more from stadium management today. Besides a range of new threats (terror, drones, cyberattacks, etc.), it is not only delivering a safe and secure event; people are looking for unforgettable experiences. Training staff to deliver these experiences is definitely a challenge, as well as the demand for a more multifunctional use of the venues.

“Our aim at Host City 2019 is to share knowledge, expertise and exchange best practice with all delegates linked to the stadium industry.”

Host City 2019 takes place in Glasgow on 26-27 November, organised with support from EventScotland. For more information visit www.hostcity.com

Host City: IOC president Thomas Bach recently praised your leadership of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), particularly in relation to good governance. How would you describe your leadership priorities in this area?

Marisol Casado: Any self-respecting organization should be judged by its governance policies, its commitment to operational transparency and the way that it is run and operates, both in the long and short-term.

My priorities are to ensure that the entire triathlon family adheres to that commitment and that ITU as an organization serves our athletes and National Federations fairly, openly and justly, so that we can rightfully expect the same consideration from them. It is our duty as a world governing body to set the example.

Thomas Bach was absolutely correct when he said at our recent Congress that you can be 99 per cent solid in how you are run, but if that 1 per cent lets you down, then that is what you will be remembered by. We strive for good governance across the board and have found that as a positive habit and a priority to share and to follow with our members, it is contagious.

Host City: How do you see recent and future progress in the prominence of women in sport and sports administration?

Marisol Casado: This is an ongoing battle, but one that continues to provide new examples of thriving individuals to show we are on the right track and have every reason to be optimistic about the future.

If you look back just 20 years you can see how much progress has been made towards gender equity, even though there is of course still much work to be done. But I am proud to say that our sport can certainly be held up as an example of this effort, where men and women share equal prize money, prominence and every drop of the spotlight.

The fact that Tokyo 2020 will bring us to the brink of gender equality both in terms of the overall athletes and officials’ ratios is testament to the effectiveness of the IOC Agenda 2020.

Host City: As a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris 2024, what are your expectations of these Games?

Marisol Casado: Paris is one of the world’s great cities and will provide the kind of Olympic and Paralympic venues that have an innate wow factor and that, coupled with an expert LOC looking to innovate and engage more than ever, will see it undoubtedly deliver a truly great Games. During our Coordination Commission visit in June we saw first-hand the commitment to a sustainable Games that will bring the people together both for mass-participation events and the legacy projects that will benefit France and the French public for years to come.

Host City: How is the ITU leading the way and innovating to ensure the continued rise in popularity of triathlon – both for participants and fans?

Marisol Casado: ITU seeks out and works with incredible local organising committees (LOCs) all around the world to stage events that are not only able to bring the very best out of the elite athletes but that, in many cases, are also opened up to the public to take part in, through Age-Group races and family events.

This mass participation aspect has always been an integral part of this sport; that it demands a high level of endurance and determination, but that it also manages to not be overly intimidating to those coming new to it.

The fact that we are a relatively young sport also helps and we reflect that as a dynamic, forward-thinking organization working effectively with incredible partners to promote and govern a growing, aspirational sport.

It is also filled with amazing role models. From the World Series to World Cups and beyond, their incredible achievements and the manner of their performances have always brought them closer to the fans and been a source of encouragement to newcomers. That means our development of the TriathlonLIVE streaming platform and huge social media presence can be backed up by not just their big-race performances but honest, revealing interviews and features that really convey their personalities.

We all do what we do for the love of triathlon, so the hard work never feels too much like hard work. I think that is important.

Host City: We are delighted you will be speaking at Host City 2019, with the conference theme “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-create”. What are your expectations of this important gathering?

Marisol Casado: Thank you, I’m very happy to be able to attend and honoured to have been asked to speak at the event. ITU is privileged to have worked with some incredible host cities over the past thirty years as triathlon’s world governing body, delivering iconic race venues all around the world.

Now, with our TriathlonLIVE platform showing more races than ever to ever-growing audiences in tandem with ITU social media channels, those host cities are also able to reach vast new horizons, so I think it is important that these kinds of opportunities are made explicit.

The benefits for cities are rich and varied, from engaging the population in healthy pursuits and the positive association and inspiration of hosting world-class sports, to boosts for tourism, infrastructure and experience. We have seen time and time again that working closely with cities brings enormous mutual benefits and that is the message that I hope will be underpinning the conference.

Marisol Casado is speaking at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, taking place in Glasgow on 26-27 November

Host City 2019, the largest meeting of sports, business and cultural events, is delighted to welcome the European Broadcasting Union (EBU – the world’s leading alliance of public service media) and the European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA) as Strategic Partners.

In addition to joining Host City’s Strategic Partnership programme, the EBU is also supporting as Silver Sponsor and exhibitor.

Host City takes place in Glasgow on 26-27^th November, with 300 participants, 30 exhibitors and 50 speakers set to join.

Stefan Kürten, Executive Director Eurovision Sport said: “As the broadcast partner for many of the biggest sport events in Europe, the European Broadcasting Union delighted to be partnering with Host City.

“The conference offers a great and unique opportunity to share knowledge and exchange best practice with the wide range of industry experts involved in staging major events around the globe. In particular, we look forward to steering the debate on digital strategy, partnerships and technology in sport, through a focused workshop featuring experts across the sport broadcast spectrum.”

Stefan Kürten is speaking at Host City 2019 on 26^th November.

Also new to the Strategic Partnership Programme is the European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA).

Cyril de Greve, Managing Director of ESSMA said: “ESSMA is pleased to take part in Host City 2019 and join the conference as Strategic Partner, while co-producing a workshop. Our aim is to share knowledge, expertise and exchanging best practice with all delegates linked to the stadium industry.”

The Host City Strategic Partner Programme brings together the world’s leading associations representing stakeholders in major sports, business and cultural events. The EBU and ESSMA join the International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) and the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) as Strategic Partners to support the development of Host City.

Strategic partners have opportunities to:

• co-produce the event agenda
• enlist new members
• increase access to the event for all stakeholders in major events
• consolidate the major event hosting community around this unique focal point
• run AGMs / other member meetings in venue space provided by Host City
• run a workshop

The EBU workshop on 27^th November will involve presentations followed by Q&A and discussion, on the themes of “How to build a better digital strategy through partnerships” and “Technology to reduce the footprint of major events”.

The EBU workshop will be chaired by a Eurovision Sport Representative, with invited speakers representing a member broadcaster, a city, a federation, Eurovision Services and technical partners.

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director of Host City said: “The success of the Strategic Partnership programme is great news for the Host City community. We are delighted to welcome  the world leading organisations EBU and ESSMA to join IAEH, AGES and ESA in building this unique platform for all stakeholders in staging the world’s greatest events.

“We are particularly grateful to the EBU for their further support as Silver Sponsors.”

About Host City

Host City Conference & Exhibition brings together cities and sports, business and cultural events for two full days of unrivalled insight, networking, workshops and business on 26-27 November at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow.

This is where representatives of host destinations, federations and other rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world meet to discover opportunities and discuss the challenges of major event hosting. Participants are encouraged to use Host City as a platform to develop, workshop and announce new events, partnerships and formats.

www.hostcity.com

About the EBU

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media (PSM). They have 116 member organizations in 56 countries and have an additional 34 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. Their Members operate over 2,000 television, radio and online channels and services, and offer a wealth of content across other platforms. Together they reach an audience of more than one billion people around the world, broadcasting in more than 160 languages. The EBU operates Eurovision and Euroradio services.

www.ebu.ch

About ESSMA

ESSMA, the European Stadium & Safety Management Association, offers a platform to stadium professionals where they can share, learn and discuss topics related to ESSMA’s areas of expertise: Development & Construction, Operations & Ticketing, Sustainability & SMART, Safety & Security, Fan Experience & Hospitality and Pitch Management. ESSMA was founded in 1996 by former president Lionel Dreksler.

ESSMA is built around 3 pillars: Business Intelligence, Events and Strategic Support.

www.essma.eu