[Source: ICSS] During a keynote speech on smart cities and the future of sport safety and security, Michael Hershman, Group CEO of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) highlighted the vital role that predictive technology will play in securing future major sport events and encouraged more host cities and nations to integrate smart data systems within their safety and security planning.

Speaking during the INTERPOL World 2017 conference – which brought together some of the world’s top law enforcement, government bodies, academia and international security professionals from across the public and private security sector – the ICSS Group CEO acknowledged the growing and significant security challenges facing many major sport event hosts and gave several insights into emerging trends and technologies currently being developed that could help predict potential threats and safeguard host cities and nations in the future.

Michael Hershman, ICSS Group CEO, said: “The challenge of securing high-profile international sporting events has never been greater and the security threats now facing host cities and nations around the world are now hugely complex, sophisticated and organised.

“In order to combat and prevent growing threats like cybersecurity, terrorism and hooliganism, it is important that there is a step-change in future public and private security efforts and it is vital that we urgently look at how emerging smart technology can be proactively used to support and safeguard major sport events in the future.”

During his keynote speech, Hershman highlighted examples of how emerging artificial intelligence and predictive technology can help automate, accelerate and enhance the ability to predict potential security threats, as well as emphasising how smart data and analytics can be used to identify and forecast emerging trends and risks.

He said: “As part of the ICSS’s ongoing mission, we are committed to sharing our expertise to benefit sport and, alongside key partners and organisations around the world, are working to identify new and pioneering ways to help protect and safeguard sport.

“This is why, alongside several key partners, we are in the process of developing the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) – a comprehensive security resilience and predictive analysis platform designed to collect, integrate and analyse data to help event organizers, emergency services and law enforcement agencies predict potential threats and deliver safe and secure major events.

“As we have seen recently, technology that is used in the right way can play a pivotal role in protecting and securing large-scale major sporting events. At the ICSS, we believe strongly that there is now a clear need to help strengthen the smart data and security capabilities of major events and law enforcement agencies, as well as proactively enhance their situational awareness in the high-demanding security situations.”

Hershman concluded: “At a time where technology is playing an increasingly significant role in the lives of many people around the world, it is vital that we use it as a force for good and to enhance technical capabilities of those who secure and safeguard major international sport events.”

For more information on the ICSS and if you are interested in exploring how the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) can help secure your major event, please visit http://www.theicss.org or contact info@theicss.org

Atos, a leader in digital transformation, has been confirmed as the first Official Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships as a Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) provider.

The announcement follows the highly successful participation of both Atos and Glasgow 2018 in Host City 2016 Conference and Exhibition in November. Glasgow 2018 exhibited at Host City 2016, while Kulveer Ranger, ‎Vice President Strategy & Communications at Atos UK & I spoke on a panel discussion alongside Julian Ternisien, Head of Sports Rights, European Broadcasting Union - the broadcast partner of the European Championships.

Atos Group is also Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Glasgow 2018 is an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of Europe’s leading sporting competitions.

Excitement continues to build ahead of Glasgow 2018, which promises to be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar and will build on Scotland’s reputation for delivering world-class sporting and cultural events.

Starting in 2018, the European Championships will be staged every four years and will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon with a new Golf team event. The first edition will be held in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

Atos will provide the Timing, Scoring, Results and TV graphics service for Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics and Triathlon, as well as the TV graphics highlights package for all sports, providing a seamless viewing experience for a potential TV audience of over one billion across Europe.

Aileen Campbell MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “The 2018 European Championships provides Scotland with an exceptional opportunity to build on the success of hosting major events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup over recent years. It will help us to further enhance our reputation as a world class venue for international sporting events.”

Councillor Archie Graham OBE, Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow’s sporting reputation has never been higher thanks to our international sporting events programme. The European Championships will see us embark on the next stage of this proud sporting journey in partnership with Europe’s leading sports.

“Atos is a world leader when it comes to providing digital services for major sporting events and has shown time and time again that they can deliver on the global stage.

Their proven experience will put Glasgow 2018 in the best possible position to deliver a truly world-class event for athletes and spectators alike.”

Gavin Thomson, Senior Vice President, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and Big Data and Security UK&I at Atos said: “We are confident that the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will be a great success. Atos was delighted to play a leading role in Glasgow 2014 - an event seen as one of the best Commonwealth Games ever staged.”

Marta Sanfeliu Ribot, Chief Operating Officer, Major Events, Atos said: “We have delivered innovative IT solutions for the Olympic and Paralympic Games for more than 20 years and once again the digital transformation involved in bringing events like Glasgow 2018 to an increasingly sophisticated worldwide audience is a challenge we relish. Glasgow has an internationally acclaimed reputation for hosting major sporting events and this is another key opportunity to showcase the city, the athletes and the support sponsors involved.”

Scottish Triathlete Marc Austin, who staged a memorable performance at Strathclyde Country Park, during the 2014 Commonwealth Games said: “It is fantastic to see a world-renowned brand like Atos lend their name to the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and it confirms how highly regarded this event will be.

“The feeling of competing in front of a home crowd at the Commonwealth Games is something that will live with me forever and I’ll be working hard to gain that experience again at 2018. The addition of the Triathlon Age Group Championships will create a real carnival atmosphere at Strathclyde Country Park and everyone in the Triathlon community is looking forward to it.”

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

The event will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s track record of hosting major international events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2014 Ryder Cup and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

About the 2018 European Championships

1. The 2018 European Championships will be staged by the European Federations and the Host Cities of Glasgow and Berlin.

2. The Glasgow 2018 event will be held between 2nd and 12th August and the European Athletics Championships will be between 7th and 12th August in Berlin.

3. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the umbrella body for Europe free-to-air channels, will be the broadcast partner for the Championships. There is a potential television audience of around 1.03 billion for the event with many more viewers across multiple digital platforms.

4. Around 3,000 athletes will travel to Scotland as part of a total delegation of around 8,500 including officials, media and others. A further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

5. The European Aquatic Championships will take place at Glasgow's Tollcross International Swimming Centre, with diving taking place at Edinburgh's Royal Commonwealth Pool, synchronised swimming at Scotstoun Sports Campus and open water swimming being staged at Loch Lomond.

6. Four European Cycling Championships will be staged in Glasgow and its metropolitan area. Track, Road, Mountain Bike and BMX will attract 650 of Europe’s top names to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails, the streets of Glasgow and a new world championship and Olympic standard BMX track to be built in the Knightswood area of the city.

7. The European Golf Team Championships will take place at the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course in Perth & Kinross.

8. The European Artistic Gymnastics Men’s and Women’s Championships will be staged at The SSE Hydro, the venue for the 2015 FIG World Gymnastics Championships.

9. The European Championships for both Rowing and Triathlon will both be staged at Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire.

10.Berlin's Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

About Atos

Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is a leader in digital transformation with circa 100,000 employees in 72 countries and pro forma annual revenue of circa EUR 12 billion. Serving a global client base, the Group is the European leader in Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace and provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry.

With its cutting edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, the Group supports the digital transformation of its clients across different business sectors: Defence, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications, and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and is listed on the Euronext Paris market. Atos operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline.

Atos is the worldwide IT partner of the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee. The global company has provided IT solutions to the Olympic Games since 1992 and to the Paralympic Games since 2002. Atos was a crucial partner in the digital transformation of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and played a key role in the delivery of the Games Management and Information Systems to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

With a strong start to the new year, Smart City Networks, the leading event telecommunications and technology services provider for the convention industry, in the US, has announced a record number of contracts achieved at the close of 2016. Since early 2014, the company has been awarded 17 new contracts nationally, which are expected to generate a combined revenue of over US$285 million.

According to Martin A. Rubin, CEO of Smart City Holdings, the scope of the new venue contracts the company has added over the past three years encompasses 135 years of agreements, between initial terms and extension options.

“These contracts exemplify the sophistication and industry knowledge that Smart City brings is second to none,” said Rubin. “These numbers are a testament to the hard work and dedication the Smart City staff puts in every day to serve our local partners and community.”

The exclusive telecommunications and technology company for the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Smart City provides technology services to more than 3,000 conventions and meetings annually. Most recently Smart City served as the technology provider for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show—the world’s largest construction trade show—which was held in Orlando January 10-12, 2017, and is slated to return in 2018 as well. With new homes construction embracing the full impact of the Internet of Things, Smart City’s extensive wireless network infrastructure at the OCCC supported NAHB’s exhibitors in their demonstration of all things IoT in home of the future.

Founded over 30 years ago, Smart City Networks designs, installs and maintains data, voice, electrical and utility platforms, coupled with voice, video and data network engineering, security and monitoring for more than 35 convention and meeting facilities across the U.S., totalling over 17 million square feet of exhibit space.

SOURCE: Smart City Networks

HOST CITY: What kind of support do organisers need most to manage the huge numbers of press that come to a mega sports event?

Guido Bouw: A well organised event serves as a foundation for positive press coverage. Organisers must focus their attention on all of the different elements that can make or break an event.

From a media perspective, we’ve found journalists benefit greatly from fluid access to the various elements of a major event which enables them to focus on their jobs and deliver quality coverage of the event. This includes access to:

• The sports event and event venues
• Timely information around the event and its participants to support storytelling across multiple platforms including TV, print, online and social media
• Real-time communication of the event flow and logistics

At Gracenote Sports, we have worked at many international multisport events such as the Olympics and smaller single sport events. We offer solutions designed specifically to make life easier for the press, marketing departments and technology partners. This includes timely and accurate sports data and information for media professionals, as well as social media services to maximize exposure for events and drive fan engagement.

At our core, we help drive compelling stories. Whether it is comprehensive background information on the sports and athletes, unique Facts & Figures services or real-time feeds that provide updates, our primary objective is to help media do their jobs by getting them the right information in a timely manner for use in their coverage.

HOST CITY: Event organisers need to maximise good publicity. How can this be achieved?

Guido Bouw: Relevant and timely information is key. The more positive coverage you can generate about the event itself, the more visibility you can create for the host city or region.

News reporters want breaking news, but most other media are writing feature stories that require context – context on a particular competition, athlete or team. Gracenote Sports understands the time constraints that media are under while on editorial deadlines and have developed seamless data feeds to support more in-depth and thoughtful event coverage.

At Gracenote Sports we understand how to tell a good story. That is why we put a premium on distributing timely information to media that can spawn the next story angle or support an existing one. The richness and depth of our unrivalled global sports database, our deep experience working at sports events and expertise in delivering fact-checked information has made Gracenote Sports a trusted partner for many events and federations.

HOST CITY: And what can event organisers do to avoid negative press?

Guido Bouw: As mentioned earlier, a successful event is the foundation for positive press coverage. If the event itself is perceived to have external challenges, the coverage will likely mirror that sentiment. That is precisely why it is critical that organisers focus on the overall success of the event and a seamless experience for media. This includes the proper access required to generate positive news stories. Once event organisers understand that media can serve as the ultimate evangelists for an event, they understand that managing the media with white glove service is just as important as taking care of participating athletes.

They should be treated as a client with top clearance to important access points throughout the event. Minimising disruptions, actively managing their expectations and becoming a resource for information is key.

Additionally, we advise having a highly experienced “information team” on-hand that can effectively address media questions, mitigate issues and manage a potential crisis before it grows into a media storm.

HOST CITY: Major events are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the host city itself. What services are available to bring these kinds of stories to the fore?

Guido Bouw: Hosting a major sporting event can have a positive effect on the profile of the host city and, often times, the broader region. Based on this, it is important that organisers remember the important role media can play in showcasing the host city and plan accordingly.

At the most basic level, this means creating opportunities for media to experience the host city. Be sure to schedule media events at appropriate times and locations so journalists can easily attend. We’ve seen organisers enjoy great success hosting media events and ‘showcase events’ during big competitions in iconic locations. This strategy results in great visuals which can capture the beauty of the host city and result in additional exposure.

We also encourage our customers to create unique experiences that allow media to see the host city more intimately. We have had clients greet incoming media with welcome kits detailing “must-see” local attractions as well as invite key media on facilitated “city tours” to guide their experiences. 

HOST CITY: There is a vast amount of data and statistics that can be collected around a major event that would be of use to journalists. What sort of tools are there to make this information available?

Guido Bouw: At Gracenote Sports, we have mastered how to efficiently deliver the most accurate and timely information, including results and statistics, athlete information, flash quotes, press conference highlights, analytics and insights, to the media around the world. We’ve spent over 20 years refining our event and data offerings as well as diversifying the vehicles to distribute information to our customers spanning newsfeeds, APIs, widgets and newsletters.

At the heart of our global operations are the experienced professionals who live and breathe sports data. These individuals – avid sports fans themselves – spend countless hours mining our industry-leading database containing information on 4,500 of the world’s most popular sports leagues and competitions to develop content that adds context and relevance to our customers’ media coverage. In addition, our social media desk specializes in developing custom content around major sports events for popular platforms including Twitter and Facebook to driving direct engagement with fans.

HOST CITY: What can smaller or more niche events do to get in the media as much as possible?

Guido Bouw: This goes back to the first question. An event organiser of any scale should pay close attention to facilitating easy media access to the event. To reiterate, that is access to the event and relevant event venues, the dissemination of timely information around the event and its participants and real-time communication of the event flow and logistics.

The engagement with media shouldn’t begin when they get off of a plane in your city. The engagement should begin well before their arrival when you become a reliable source for relevant statistics, historical context and news coverage leading up to the event. Media are often looking for unique story angles about the history of the event and compelling stories behind the athletes. By serving as a resource to media leading up to, during and after a major sporting event, you can cultivate lasting relationships with journalists and ideally, emotional connections with the host city that could last a lifetime.

Using Ticketing3D’s virtual reality technology, Atlético Madrid has officially begun the move to their new stadium for the 2017-2018 season.

The relocation process began in June with club members applying online and requesting groups of up to 10 seats for family or friends at any location inside the stadium.

Through a 3D recreation of the new stadium, fans can experience the full panoramic view from the stands and every individual seat.

Although members cannot yet choose their exact seat, the club is assigning specific days and times for each group of members based on seniority between July 2016 and February 2017. This will be followed by a process that utilises a waiting list for non-members as well.

During just the first day of the virtual tour release, more than 25,000 fans visited the club’s web page to watch the video at https://nuevoestadiovirtualatleticodemadrid.com/.

Atletico Madrid’s current home ground, the Vicente Calderón stadium, has a capacity of 55,000. From the 2017/2018 season, the team will be playing in the rebuilt Estadio Olímpico de Madrid, also known as La Peineta, with a capacity of around 67,000 and a broader price range for tickets. Fans can see the different prices for each sector through Ticketing3D technology.

This new transfer process provided by Ticketing3D allows for a significantly faster and more efficient member-relocation process, in addition to offering an enhanced overall experience for the fans.

As well as hosting matches for the first team, the stadium will look to host the finals of national and European competitions.

The new stadium is designed to meet the highest standards of comfort, security and visibility. In order to access and enjoy the seats in the most satisfactory way, the distance between the rows has been increased.

More suitable accesses for disabled fans have also been set up. The location of the vomitoriums and the control of the traffic inside the stadium ensures the maximum safety for the spectators.

Ticketing3Ds clients also include Manchester City, Wembley Stadium, ATP Madrid Open, FC Barcelona, Liceu theatre and many more.

For more information visit http://ticketing3d.com/atleticomadrid

Sports Data Industry

The big reason for the fast development of the sports data industry is enabling technology, which creates opportunities to use live data during games and training. This was not possible in the past, when data was collected with papers and pencils. Videos are also used for post-match analysis.

This change is driven by three major forces:

1: Consumers

The under 30s spend significant time online daily. The age pyramid globally shows most of us belongs into this group. The same people are likely to spend the most amount of money on sports during coming years – and they are online. To attract the fast paced mobile world, the sports data must be online in real time. Sports Digitized is a must.

2: Technology development

Manual data capture has mostly led to three issues so far: inaccuracy, slow availability and lots of data being out of reach. Technology development is fast and enables new possibilities for Sports Digitized services.

3: Competition

Only those being globally recognised are making big money. One should win on continuous bases to build a recognised brand. Doing so requires knowledge of sport, players, coaching and sports development. The key word is analysis; analysis based on automatic data capture. Winning teams are constantly improving their analytics skills and equipment.

Data Driven Player Management

Data driven player management is about coaching and scouting, where traditional manoeuvers are enhanced with technology enabled analytics.

Fast developing technology gives opportunities for teams, federations and businesses to stand out. It is important to understand that there are several ways to operate with sports data and there is no single right solution. Every organisation must choose the best solutions for them.

The next big thing is to include data capture for off-field (and off-season) training as well – all in the same database as team training. Technology enabling this is already there; databases are built ready for those setting the trends. While hunting the big wins or developing the players, it is necessary to have all useful data available.

When a player enters an academy and develops further to join the main team, it would be useful to have data from training and games from the whole journey. Data capture can be started even before joining the academy. We call this data driven player management.

Coaching

Anyone who follows sports knows that gut feeling of momentum – which team has it, or did it just turn. The home team may be pushing hard but after couple of scoring opportunities missed, the game starts to slide slowly more often into the home defence zone. Something changed, we all know it, but we just not always see what it is and – boom, suddenly we are running behind.

As in sport, delivery companies must standardise their drivers’ performance. If drivers are slowly starting to slip below the company standard level of driving behaviour, it causes lost money for the company in terms of increased fuel and vehicle maintenance cost. So these companies monitor their drivers’ performance continuously in real time with intelligent tools.

Data capture and analysis enable these companies to develop their operations, ensure quality and enable better management based on facts. With the facts, management is focused on the right things carefully and quickly. Managing the fleet and drivers has become data driven.

In sports there are many studies and known facts about performance, but systems able to gather real-time data from all practices is rare. This is especially so in team sports. Teams turning their coaching into a data driven process are travelling the same path that has been done in many industries. Gather the data, analyse it in real time and coach and manage the team based on facts, not just gut feeling.

Scouting

Player scouts watch and talk to prospects and people working with them daily. They should have objective data from the players in and outside of their prospect list. They are looking for players and their performance information beyond the 200 games they see live every year.

They should have performance history with enhanced data points, not just games played with goals and assists. Most likely they will recognise players outside the original list. They should be able to reach the players they never saw, with objective data to enhance the scouting.

There are millions of talented football players globally. There are no means to reach even a small proportion of interesting players. Scouts should do everything in their power to enable teams or sponsors to finance data collection solutions globally. Supporting locals and finding the best talent for the best teams is enabled by Data Enhanced Player Scouting by AiScreen Sports Digitized.

For more information visit http://www.aiscreen.co/

An overwhelming majority of IT professionals in US cities expect to be hit by cyber attacks that could pose a threat to public safety, according to the results of a survey announced on Thursday.

The survey assessed cyber security challenges associated with smart city technologies. Respondents included more than 200 IT professionals working for state and local governments.

Eighty-eight percent of respondents said “yes” when asked if a cyber attack targeting critical city infrastructure posed a threat to public safety

And seventy-eight percent of respondents said a cyber attack against smart city services was likely in 2016.

The survey was conducted by Dimensional Research on behalf of Tripwire, a leading global provider of security and compliance solutions for enterprises and industrial organizations.

The smart city sector is growing rapidly, with revenues from global smart city technology revenue predicted by Navigant Research to reach US$36.8 billion in 2016.

But cyber security experts are concerned that these technologies are being implemented faster than the technology required to safeguard them.

“While smart cities offer great efficiencies for their citizens, the same internet connectivity that enables these efficiencies can be used to deliver physical damage to infrastructure and also cause loss of life if accessed by malicious actors,” said Rekha Shenoy, vice president and general manager of industrial cyber security for Belden, Tripwire’s parent company.

IT solutions are deployed by smart cities to manage utilities such as electricity grids and wastewater treatment as well as transport, surveillance and more.

The survey also found that eighty-one per cent believe a cyber attack targeting critical city infrastructure could cause physical damage.

Eighty-three of the respondents said they are worried about cyber attacks that target smart city transportation initiatives.

And just three per cent believed there would be no cyber attacks against smart city services this year.

“As we use more and more technology to innovate around the management of cities and their infrastructure, we also create new attack surfaces that can be exploited,” said Tim Erlin, director of IT security and risk strategy for Tripwire.

“Protecting public infrastructure from cyber and physical attacks is a key consideration in the evolution of smart city technologies. We need to build smart cities with cyber security in mind, not add it as an afterthought.”

Alisports (Alibaba Sports Group) has launched World Online Running Alliance (WORA) to tap into the growing popularity of road running through Apps, associations, events, sponsors and operators. The alliance seeks to unite running fans by integrating these five different elements. 

According to DaZhong Zhang, CEO of Alisports, WORA is both a ‘trend-setter and game-changer’.

Alisports has signed a contract with global sport and entertainment agency CSM, who will act as the global strategic partner of WORA. CSM says it will help bring more international events to China and assist WORA in becoming an international road running association.

Road running is growing in popularity in China. In 2015, 134 marathon and related events were registered with the Chinese Athletic Association, representing a 160 per cent growth on the previous year. 84 per cent of provinces held one or more of these events.

“It is this unquestioned popularity that Alisports is looking to seize upon through the implementation of WORA,” CSM says.

100 million running enthusiasts had already signed up in July and WORA’s ambition is to increase this by 50 per cent. Helping achieve this target are the group of members which includes running Apps like Codoon, The Joy Run, Ledongli Hupu Running, Tenmini, Run Again and iHeHa. 

WORA aims to deliver the most effective platform by attracting sponsors, funding and resources, through which it can provide more technical servers and operators. 

“All of this helps Alisports deliver on its long-term objective of making sports accessible and enjoyable for all,” says CSM.

A series of events called ‘WO.RUN’ (‘I Run’) began in July, aiming to integrate online and offline formats. More than 30 WO.RUN events are taking place across China, attended by 30 different Olympic champions including Ruolin Chen, Man Zhong and Liuyang Jiao. 

Runners are able to log their runs online, either from one of the official events or a run of their own, and by doing so will be rewarded with points. These points will translate into savings on purchases made on Alibaba, which is China’s largest online retailer and the owner of Alisports.
 

Once controlled by a powerful and small number of major players, media channels are now increasing exponentially and unregulated. The ability to create, publish and distribute content is now at everyone’s fingertips. In this new world order, how can a broadcaster retain influence and attract audiences?
“The reality is that it’s clearly a lot easier for sports federations and brands to have a direct-to-consumer relationship now,” Peter Hutton, CEO of Eurosport told Host City at World Football Forum.
“But we are in a lot of conversations with different federations and brands about how we can actually help them. Because with your own site, you are preaching to the converted; you speak to your established audience, your known database. And the problem with that is: how to you bridge a new audience?” 
The Professional Squash Association launched “SQUASHTV” on its own website in 2009 to broadcast its World Tour series of events directly to its fans. But in December 2015, the organisation went on to sign an agreement with Eurosport to host matches on Europlayer in order to reach more viewers across Europe. 
“We bought out their streaming rights because they had an established streaming platform that was doing very well. But their concern was how to promote that to a new audience.
“So I think there are ways where you can have the brand and database that a federation has, but you can put it under a wider umbrella and you can direct more people to it. And for me that’s one of the real challenges of a sport channel, in that you accept undeniably that more people are going to consume their media in different ways. But you’ve got the strong brand that people will direct themselves to.”
The Eurosport brand was established 30 years ago and Eurosport.com is now the most viewed sports website in Europe.
“People naturally see it as an area of trust where they come for sports results and information. And that’s a great start, but one of our challenges is to make it more a video-based site – and how to build a relationship with the federations where they can use that site to generate traffic for their own use as well.”
Pushing out short, engaging content on social media is one mechanism of driving traffic to a site – but the question is how then to convert these visitors into paying subscribers. 
“It’s very much part of the idea that sport is a stepping stone process where you get attracted by an idea, an individual or a story. And because you’re attracted to that first contact point, you then watch more and more of the long form of that sport, and then you potentially become a paid subscriber for that sport. But you need to have that engagement with the sport on a very emotional level to start with. 
“So if you can take people up that step-by-step route then I think that’s good for a sports business. A free web or social media presence is a really useful part of that as a tactic. We can really benefit from sports brands pushing out material that then directs people up the platform of experience towards the immersive paid TV or paid consumer experience.”
The role of the broadcaster has irrevocably changed with the rise of digital media. Not only can sports federations and brands publish their own content directly on their own sites and social media channels, but fans too can generate and share their own content using smartphones. 
“I think the reality of that disruption is something that you fight with every day. As a football fan I know that the moment there’s a goal anywhere in any game of significance anywhere in Europe that you can get that goal via Twitter, via different sites, you’ve got illegal streams up there – it’s there, you can’t knock it on the head and ignore the fact that it’s going to be there.”
While it can be possible to stop illegal recording and uploading, this is not necessarily worthwhile.
“You can have take-downs, but by the time you’ve taken it down the value has gone, because if I hear there’s been a goal in a game I want to see it straight away. Somebody will have filmed it off air from somewhere and put it on, it gets shared amongst their community of people and then it’s taken down later but it’s OK – I’ve seen it by that point.
“For us we don’t see a massive value in short clip rights to content because you just accept the fact that they are going to be viral, and therefore they are uncontrollable.”

Broadcasting Games and Championships
Every Olympic Games breaks new records for viewing figures to become the most watched event in the world. Broadcasting rights to the Olympic Games in Europe were traditionally owned and managed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) right up until London 2012. To broadcast the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Games, Europe’s national networks had to buy rights directly from the International Olympic Committee. 
In June 2015, Discovery was awarded the European broadcasting rights to the Olympic Games from 2018 to 2024 – and bought all its remaining shares in Eurosport.
In the meantime the EBU, in partnership with the cities of Glasgow and Berlin, launched its own multisport event format, the 2018 European Championships. Eurosport will work with the EBU on this event, which combines the European championships of several sports. 
“We are going to show it pan-European as well – so we are tied in with the EBU on the event. Traditionally, Eurosport was borne out of the EBU so it has a really close relationship there. Historically we have worked with the EBU on most of their events. And now in this new world of Eurosport being Discovery-owned, we have to find a place. Certainly that place includes cooperating in European Athletics and all the European championships.”
The boundary-free nature of the internet means that Eurosport’s drive to reach new audiences is not confined to Europe. 
“Eurosport.com traffic is genuinely worldwide. Clearly our focused markets are Europe and Asia but you know if you throw content out there it’s going to go anywhere.” 
Hutton cites the “Commissioner Cantona” series of videos recently broadcast on Eurosport.com as an intercontinental hit. “The last one got 15m views and it’s only been out there for five days and the number of views is still going up. And the views are everywhere. Once it becomes viral you know that you will just keep growing and growing for a really long time to come. 
“And it’s a brilliant learning experience to see that happen. The challenge is how to build it into your normal business and make sure it adds value back to you.”
 

A precision data logging system for track and field athletes that facilitates daily training diagnostics without costly technical installations – that's Polytan SmarTracks, the new addition to the Polytan product range. 
The system consists in the interplay of three components: magnetic timing gates built invisibly into the track; a waist-belt with sensor; and tried-and-tested analysis software. 
Not only can this special technology be used to record the movement data of several athletes simultaneously, its diagnostic capabilities also go far beyond simple time measurement. 
In conjunction with the fast and optimally cushioned Polytan synthetic sports surface, the sophisticated sensor technology lays the foundation for optimal training conditions in all performance classes, from school and recreational sports to elite sports. 
The technology has been developed by humotion, a company specialising in the capture and analysis of human movement data. The easy-to-operate data logging system is suitable for all outdoor synthetic surfaces from Polytan and can also be retrospectively incorporated into existing athletics facilities with ease. 
Its use in sports halls is currently in the development phase as components made of iron and steel may interfere with the magnetic field of timing gates in certain circumstances. The properties of the subsoil should also be tested prior to outdoor installation for the same reason. 
Compared with other time recording systems such as photoelectric sensors, GPS analysis and video analysis, the winning features of Polytan SmarTracks are low measuring tolerances, full protection against vandalism, a complete lack of dependence on weather conditions and no time-consuming setup and dismantling of technical equipment. 
Polytan provides "Professional", "Performance", "Basic", "Sprint" and "School" standard facility concepts in order to simplify training diagnostics, although individual training plans can of course also be taken into account. 
The Polytan SmarTracks solution gives clubs and organisations an opportunity to provide professional training conditions – and thus make their sports facilities more attractive to members and sponsors. The advantages for coaches and athletes are twofold: a comprehensive training analysis with a diagnostic procedure but without the need for a diagnostician, and the ability to compare their performance with that of other athletes in competition conditions. 
The movement data are captured by the timing gates in the ground and the sensor, which weighs just 24 g, worn on the body. Speed, step length, step frequency and jump height are recorded as well as running time. This is made possible by humotion's highly developed sensor technology with three-dimensional data capture, which actually consists of a number of intelligent individual sensors rather than a single one. 
Two round magnetic elements (600 mm long and 25 mm thick) are sunk into the ground at intervals of 1.0-1.30 m to form a timing gate. The upper end of the magnetic elements lies no more than 25 mm beneath the upper edge of the synthetic surface. One track needs two magnetic elements, two tracks need three, three tracks four and so on. Polytan recommends a minimum distance of 3 m between the photoelectric sensors in the running direction. 

Versatility in action
The first reference project with SmarTracks technology was implemented in Osnabrück in August 2008. A system on the site of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster has likewise been in daily use for a few years. 
Andreas Klose, who is a research associate at the Institute of Sport Sciences at WWU Münster, a physiotherapist and a high-jumper, says of his experience with the facility: “For me, Polytan SmarTracks has proven its worth in everyday use. The technology does not depend on the weather; it is versatile and can be activated in no time at all. The small and manageable sensor delivers all the data I need in order to diagnose performance as a basis for training recommendations. I also use the system to log my own performances." 
The third athletics facility with Polytan SmarTracks is due for completion at the training ground of the TSV GutsMuths Berlin 1861 e.V. sports club in early 2016. Like the one in Münster, it has magnetic timing gates built into the fast and optimally cushioned Polytan M sports surface. The fourth one is planned for Hamburg.

This article appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Host City magazine