football - Host City

Messi signs with Expo 2020 as Global Ambassador

Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Expo 2020, with soccer superstar Lionel Messi (Image Credit: Supplied / Dubai Media Office)

Multi-award-winning footballer, Lionel Messi has today been announced as the first Global Ambassador for Dubai’s World Expo, taking on an international role as a champion for Expo 2020 Dubai.

Messi, who yesterday won the coveted Ballon D’Or for a record fifth time, is one of the most widely known footballers in the world. With over 80 million followers on social media, and recognition levels above 85%, by international survey respondents, he is one of the most influential players in modern football.

“Expos are all about focusing attention on issues of global interest and global concern to help imagine a better future,” said Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Expo 2020. “What better way to do this than by recruiting allies among people who are already working towards better future outcomes?”

Expo 2020 is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. Under the theme ‘Connecting Minds Creating the Future’, the international event aims to bring together hundreds of countries and millions of people to celebrate human ingenuity.

“Lionel Messi’s performances on the football pitch bring people together, and as a result his influence reaches far beyond it. He is the ideal person to be our first global ambassador. He overcame youthful health challenges to achieve his dreams of international excellence through hard work; making him an inspiration. He is perfectly placed to reach out to young people around the world, bringing them together to join us as we work towards hosting our World Expo in 2020 ” H.E. Al Hashimy explained.

Expo 2020 Global Ambassadors will be recruited from leading figures in the sports, arts, music, culture and media, as well as international thought leaders in the fields of architecture & design, science & technology, business, economics, education, philanthropy and sustainability.

Ambassadors will travel the world, talking to stakeholders to explore connections between their work and that of Expo 2020, along with potential opportunities for collaboration and engagement.

The organisers of Expo 2020 Dubai will be making further ambassadorial appointments over the coming months.

Source: https://expo2020dubai.ae

 

China’s giant sports investments

China’s economic growth may have cooled down from its double digit rates of recent years but the country’s sports sector is powering ahead, both at home and abroad, with sports identified as a key area of economic development for the coming ten years. 

 

Investing at home

Beijing is set to invest USB 1.5bn in hosting the Olympic Games in 2022, but this is a tiny fraction of the total domestic investments into sport China is set to make over the next decade. 

China’s national plans for investing in sport are unprecedented.  According to the General Administration of Sports (GAS), the sector in China is set to expand to US$1tr by 2025 – more than the value of the entire global sports industry at present.

While this goal may sound unrealistic, recent figures support such a projection. The GAS says China's sports sector grew by US$55bn in 2012 to reach US$170bn in 2013. Official estimates suggest that China's sports sector will expand by US$62bn in 2015. And by 2020, the sports sector is expected to reach US$456bn.

To achieve this sustained growth in sports, the government has recently issued 50 documents setting out a series of measures, focusing on tax incentives, land security, specialized funds, technology and research and development. 

 

China outbound

It’s not just on home turf where China’s ambitions lie. With international reserves far outweighing any other nation, China is investing far and wide – and focusing on sports properties.

In a process dubbed “stadium diplomacy”, China has built and financed the construction of 37 venues in Africa, five in Asia (including Syria), eight in the Caribbean, six in the South Pacific and one in Central America (Costa Rica).

And over the last two years, Chinese investors and firms have bought into football clubs in England, France, the Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Republic. 

In December 2015 it was announced that a consortium of Chinese investors – CMC (China Media Capital) Holdings and CITIC Capital – was to acquire a 13 per cent stake in City Football Group (CFG)

CFG, the holding company of Manchester City, Melbourne City and New York City football clubs that is wholly owned by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), is valued at approximately US$3bn. 

CMC Holdings and CITIC Capital’s investment of US$400m in City Football Group demonstrates just how highly China values the power of investing in football overseas. 

For football clubs, the opportunity of Chinese investment brings access into China’s rapidly growing sports sector. The Chinese market is a crucial target for global football brands to grow their fan base, not only because of the sheer size of the market but because of the growing interest in football there.

"The deal will create an unprecedented platform for the growth of CFG clubs and companies in China and internationally, borne out of CFG's ability to provide a wealth of industry expertise and resources to the rapidly developing Chinese football industry,” Manchester City said in a statement.

"The capital from the share acquisition will be used by City Football Group to fund its China growth, further CFG international business expansion opportunities and further develop CFG infrastructure assets."

China Media Capital, a public equity and venture capital firm investing in sectors including culture, technology, media and entertainment, also secured the US$1.3bn broadcast rights for the Chinese football league in 2014.

 

World Cup hosting hopes

It’s not just state-owned investors that are capitalising on the global football industry – Chinese private enterprises are also getting in on the act. 

Since 2012, Huawei has signed sponsorship agreements with Spain’s Professional Football League (LFP) and club side Atlético Madrid, the Russian national soccer team, German clubs Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04, Premier League side Arsenal FC, French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax, among others.

And in December 2015, FIFA announced China’s Alibaba E-Auto as sponsor of the FIFA Club World Cup – the first new sponsor signed by FIFA in two years. 

"We are delighted to welcome Alibaba E-Auto as Presenting Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup and are excited to be working closely with them to embark on a journey to reach fans across the world,” said FIFA Marketing Director Thierry Weil. 

“We also hope to benefit from their innovation, and are looking forward to seeing what they can bring to the FIFA Club World Cup over the next eight years.”

The “internet car” brand is owned by Alibaba Group and operated with Shanghai Automotive Industry Cooperation (SAIC).

Daniel Zhang, Alibaba Group CEO said: “Sports is at the intersection of Alibaba Group’s strategic themes of health and happiness, and we look forward to adding new value for participants and consumers in the sports sector through data-driven Internet technology. 

“Partnering with a major sporting event with a global audience such as FIFA Club World Cup is also an important part of Alibaba Group’s globalisation strategy for connecting China to the world.”

The partnership is also seen as a means of increase China’s stature within FIFA. 

China is not yet a major force when it comes to playing football. The country has only qualified for the FIFA World Cup once, in 2002, and it currently sits at 84th position in the world ranking. 

But it is hoped that all this investment into sports will help raise the standard of the game in China. And while the country isn’t yet among the best at playing the game, it certainly has a strong track record of hosting major events and a bid to host the World Cup would be welcomed by FIFA.

The host of the 2026 World Cup is due to be elected at the FIFA Congress in Kuala Lumpur in May 2017. For the first time, all FIFA’s 209 member associations will have a vote, instead of just the Executive Committee members. 

The bidding process has not officially begun and bids are unlikely to be announced until the dust begins to settle on FIFA’s process of transition. 

FIFA dropped its policy of continental rotation in the bidding phase for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and the organisation decided not to vote on reintroducing the policy at its Congress in 2015. 

If the policy were to be reintroduced, China would be out of the picture until 2030 – assuming Qatar retains its right to host the 2022 World Cup. 

But as things stand, a bid from China for the 2026 World Cup is possible and would be strong competition to a bid from the USA. With the coming years set to be a time of renewal for FIFA, taking its flagship event into the world’s largest growth area would no doubt be an appealing prospect for the world’s football leaders. 

This article first appeared in the Winter issue of Host City magazine. Register here.

Soccerex confirms event partnerships

Barclays and Heineken will be giving an in depth insight into their sports sponsorship strategy at this year’s Soccerex Global Convention

Ahead of the Soccerex Global Convention 2015, Soccerex has confirmed the final line up of event partners and supporters. Brands such as Qatar’s leading communications company Ooredoo, market leader in enterprise application software SAP and  leading international media like Eurosport have all signed up for the three day football business event. 

The Soccerex Football Festival – 5th - 6th September, the Old Granada Studios– will take place in partnership with Marketing Manchester and with the support of Global Games, Football Freestyle Federation, Urban Cage Soccer and UK Footgolf Association.

The Soccerex Global Convention then kicks off at Manchester Central Convention Complex on 7th September with programmes of conference content, exhibition stands and networking activities over the next three days. The Convention is held in partnership with Marketing Manchester and with the support of international event host partner The Asian Football Development Project (Asian Forum). 

Other event partners include global insurance experts, Lockton, and leading sports broadcaster talkSPORT as well as FIFA Master Alumni who will be the academic supporter to the Convention. Major Events International (MEI) will be the commercial supporter of the event.

The Convention is staged with the institutional support of LaLiga, The Football League, French Football Federation, Ligue de Football Professionnel and the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) and can count on the support of international legal experts Pinsent Masons, logistics specialists DB Schenker International, leading global hoteliers, Radisson, world’s leader in visual communications Getty Images, Sports PR, communications and sponsorship activation consultancy Macesport, production distribution company Boulder Creek International, leading international law firm Maples and Calder, LawInSport, industry’s leading international sports business and financial advisory firms APC Sports Consulting Limited , Mobile Media Content, Red Touch Media USA, UK Trade & Investment, Qatar Stars League, Qatar Football association and Football Medical Association.

The Convention will consist of a number of top companies giving in depth insights into the business  of football with the likes of Matchvision, Pro Soccer Development, Solive, Tifosy, Social Chain and Triple IT all having presentation slots for what is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading football business event.

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie commented: “We are very proud to work with our host partners Marketing Manchester and all the different event partners and supporters of the Global Convention. We are very grateful for their immense support, without which we would not be able to deliver the events we do”.

The Soccerex Global Convention kicks off with the Football Festival on 5-6th September, with the conference starting on Monday 7th September. A packed international exhibition and a programme of networking and social events such as the half time networking lounge sponsored by bottoms up beer, social evenings sponsored by Prestige Hospitality, official sales agent for the UEFA Euro 2016 Hospitality programme and the VIP dinner sponsored by Global W Mexico. Another networking social event is “SoccerMatch” which is the platform for the football industry to share ideas, discover new contacts and do business and is sponsored by Yuuzoo. The CSO Zone is playing a bigger part in this year’s Convention and will be sponsored by Terres Des Hommes.

For full information about Soccerex please visit www.soccerex.com/global // call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 // email enquiry@soccerex.com

 

MLS commissioner Don Garber to address Soccerex Global Convention

Sponsorship of MLS clubs have grown in recent years (Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock.com)

Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber is to speak at the Soccerex Global Convention 2015, which takes place at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, 7th-9th September. 

Garber will discuss MLS’ journey from its launch as a 10-club league in 1996 to one of the fastest developing leagues, attracting global stars such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Villa and Kaka.

Garber will also provide insight on the league’s international sponsorship and broadcasting deals, including a new multi-million dollar deal with Sky.

With MLS leading the way in respect to fan engagement, Garber will highlight the importance of digital media as a vehicle for connecting with soccer fans globally and the commercial benefits of being at the forefront of enhancing match day experience.

Garber has turned the league’s fortunes around since taking on the role of commissioner in 1999, bringing it out of a threatening period of financial underperformance and into one of stability and growth. 

Under Garber’s guidance, the league has expanded to 23 teams across America and Canada, and is well on the way to achieving its goal of 24 teams by 2020, with new franchises awarded to Atlanta and Minnesota. 

In 2015, Soccerex enters its 20th year and MLS celebrates its 20th anniversary. 

“As we begin the countdown to our 20th anniversary, it is only fitting that Don and MLS are involved in the year they celebrate the same milestone,” said Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie.

“Both our organisations have enjoyed significant growth during this period and I congratulate Don on the fantastic job he and his team have done in creating such a dynamic and forward thinking league. 

“Don’s insight into MLS’s expansion plans will prove fascinating; I am delighted he has agreed to part of this year’s event and his involvement is indicative of the top level right’s holders that will be featuring in this year’s programme.”

The Global Convention will consist of a thought provoking conference programme packed with business insight, alongside a market-leading international exhibition and extensive networking. A programme of social events completes the schedule for what is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading football business event.

For more information on Soccerex please visit http://www.soccerex.com/events/global-convention/2015, call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 or email enquiry@soccerex.com

AFC partners with ICSS to keep football safe

AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and ICSS president Mohammed Hanzab signed the MoU after the AFC Congress

The Asian Football Confederation and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) on Friday signed a wide-ranging partnership agreement to strengthen safety and security in Asian football.

The agreement will strengthen existing safety and security regulations, develop training programmes and help assess safety and security within the AFC Member Associations.

The partnership agreement was signed by the presidents of the two organisations after the AFC Congress in Bahrain. 

“Safety and security is a top priority for the AFC, a basic requirement for any football match to take place. The AFC does everything within its powers to protect players, officials, coaches and spectators across Asia,” said Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who was reelected as AFC president on Thursday.

The ICSS is at the forefront of safeguarding sport and this agreement is a significant step forward in enhancing safety and security practices within the AFC and our Member Associations.”

ICSS president Mohammed Hanzab said: “As sport and major events continue to increase in size and complexity, I would encourage other football associations and confederations to show the same proactive leadership as the AFC in sport safety and security to confront the new threats that sport now faces.

“This partnership with the AFC represents a significant milestone for the ICSS and builds on our growing portfolio with various sports organisations and other major events rights-holders around the world.

“As one of the fastest growing and most diverse football regions in the world, Asia is an important platform for the ICSS to showcase our expertise, as well as providing us with a unique opportunity to work on some of the world’s largest major sport events and venues.”

As part of the agreement, the ICSS and AFC will develop safety and security regulations within the framework of FIFA international guidelines. 

The partners will also deliver training programmes educate security officers within AFC Member Associations, including ‘Train the Trainer’ programmes.

They will also develop key requirements for the security design of sport infrastructure, security operations for clubs and international matches and tournaments taking place in AFC Member Associations

The growth of a professional network of security personnel will be supported, to ensure the appointment of qualified staff for clubs, international matches and tournaments.

Current safety and security documentation and reporting tools for clubs, international matches and tournaments taking place within the AFC will be reviewed.

ICSS will also provide safety and security assessments in collaboration with or on behalf of the AFC.

 

Soccerex postpones Asian Forum to 3 and 4 May

L-R: Osvaldo Ardiles, HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Duncan Revie and Sunando Dhar

The date of the Soccerex Asian Forum has changed from the 14 to 15 April to the 3 and 4 May, the organisers announced today.

The change was made after the decision by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) to bring forward their congress to April.

“The aim of the Soccerex Asian Forum is to promote the development of football and football business in Asia, through providing a platform for the whole world of football to gather in Jordan. The rescheduling of the CONCACAF Congress meant that it would be very difficult for many of the decision makers from this important region, and the industry worldwide, to attend the Asian Forum,” said Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie.

“We have long enjoyed a good working relationship with CONCACAF and were delighted to welcome a significant CONCACAF delegation, led by President Jeffrey Webb, to two of our events in 2014.

“With this in mind, following discussion with our partners, we have taken the decision to move the Asian Forum to the new dates of the 3 and 4 May 2015. 

“The event will still be held at the same fantastic location on the banks of the Dead Sea and will continue to be hosted in conjunction with the Asian Football Development Project”.

Soccerex Asian Forum will now start just two days after the AFC Congress in Bahrain draws to a close. The close proximity of the Congress in both date and location – Jordan is just a short flight from Bahrain – means that a significant AFC presence is expected at the Asian Forum.

For more information contact Soccerex on +44 208 987 5522 or enquiry@soccerex.com

 

Security threats grow but football does not learn enough – ICSS

Helmut Spahn, director general of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS)

New security threats are emerging, but football is failing to take on board the experiences of other major events.

To tackle this growing problem, international standards are needed to train and educate sport safety and major event security managers, according to Helmut Spahn, director general of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS)

“Training and educating those who look after our safety and security in sport is a major responsibility for any major event organiser or sport venue operator. However, at the moment, it is clear that many clubs, leagues and associations do not provide enough opportunities for their safety and security managers to learn from other sports and major events,” he told delegates at the European Stadium and Safety Management Association (ESSMA) Summit.

To encourage the development of an international standard in training and educating within the sport safety and security management industry, the ICSS has developed the first International Advanced Studies Programme on Sport Safety and Security Management with SRH University Heidelberg.

“With many new and emerging threats now facing sport, as good practice the ICSS would encourage clubs, leagues and associations across all sports to enrol on courses like this and provide more opportunities for their safety and security workforce to learn about emerging trends and techniques developing within the industry.”

The ESSMA Summit, hosted in Munich on 27th and 28th January 2015, was supported by the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), European Club Association (ECA) and the ICSS. 

The conference attracted delegates from FC Barcelona, FIFA, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid CF, Arsenal FC, Wembley, Manchester United, Liga de Futbol Profesional, ACF Fiorentina, AS Monaco FC and Dallas Cowboys.

“The challenge of securing major sport events and international venues has never been greater and once again the ICSS has added considerable knowledge and experience to the event, as well as their cutting-edge expertise in sport safety and security. This has been of enormous benefit to our members,” said Dimitri Huygen, managing director of ESSMA.

“The ICSS is continuing to play an important and active role in leading the development of the sport safety and security industry. On behalf of ESSMA, I look forward to continuing our work with the ICSS, as well as other organisations including the ECA and EPFL.”

Arena Seating chosen for English FA’s national centre

St. Georges Park will gain a new modular seating system capable of hosting diverse events

A modular solution from Arena Seating – part of global event supply company Arena Group – has been selected for St George's Park, the English FA’s national football centre. 

Five uncovered demountable grandstands, consisting of four tiers each, will be located along a covered, elevated walkway overlooking the elite training pitch and reconfigured as required by the venue’s event programme. 

Speaking at Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, Dave Withey, Arena UK & Europe’s sales and marketing director, said: “It will essentially be a permanent installation to begin with, but the modular nature of the system means that the grandstands can quickly and easily be reconfigured and moved elsewhere when needed; such as the indoor Futsal hall or any of the 12 outdoor pitches. 

“St George’s Park hosts a variety of different events, in various locations across the site, so the ability to do this was a vital part of the FA’s brief. They can then be moved back to the elite training pitch, negating the need for any additional storage facilities.” 

 The grandstands will be installed on the 15th October by six crew in a single day. Arena Seating will train St George’s Park on how to reconfigure and extend the grandstand for larger events, using Arena’s rental stock.

“There is no need for permanent construction work, making it extremely cost effective,” said Withey. “This is achieved without compromising on spectator comfort and viewing angles, which is very important for a world class facility like this.” 

St George’s Park, based in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, is the preparation ground for all of the England national football teams and home to the FA’s coaching and development work. 

Arena Group is exhibiting at Soccerex Global Convention at stand 219. The company will also be exhibiting at HOST CITY: BID TO WIN conference, which takes place in London on 28th October 2014. For more information visit www.bidtowin-hostcity.net

Indian Super League to be launched in Manchester

I-League CEO Sunando Dhar

Plans for the eagerly anticipated Indian Super League (ISL) and the 2017 U17 FIFA World Cup will be officially presented to the global football industry at the Soccerex Global Convention, held in Manchester on 6-10 September, after the confirmation that a senior Indian delegation will be attending.

The session will begin with Kushal Das, General Secretary of the All India Football Federation, delivering a standalone keynote speech, outlining the explosion of the game in India. 

The panel, moderated by Sukhvinder Singh, will see I-League CEO Sunando Dhar, STAR Sports India President Nitin Kukreja, Delhi Dynamos Owner Sameer Manchanda, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Director Rajpal Singh and DSK Group Executive Director Shirish Kulkarni  presenting the latest developments behind the two projects and the multiple business opportunities associated within Indian football, culminating in the release of the combined FICCI-AIFF-Libero Sports knowledge report. 

Managed by IMG-Reliance, the ISL has attracted investment from India’s biggest companies and celebrities, with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, DEN Network, PVP, John Abraham and Ranbir Kapoor becoming team owners, as well as partnerships with leading European giants such as Atlético Madrid and AFC Fiorentina.  

The 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the first global football tournament hosted by “football’s sleeping giant” and will play a crucial role in developing youth football in India. With FIFA earmarking a potential  US$38m investment for the tournament, there are numerous business opportunities for suppliers from across the football spectrum, to engage with the key decision makers from the AIFF to learn about the multiple commercial opportunities the tournament will create. 

Das and the Indian delegation join a growing list of international industry leaders who will be speaking at the Global Convention including FIFA President Joseph Blatter, four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, FIFA Vice-President Jim Boyce, La Liga President Javier Tebas, RFU CEO Ian Ritchie and England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. 

The Convention kicks off with the Football Festival on 6-7 September, with the Conference starting on Monday 8 September. A major international exhibition and a programme of networking and social events complete the schedule for this world leading football business event.

Source: Soccerex. For more information about Soccerex please visit http://www.soccerex.com/global // call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 // email enquiry@soccerex.com

 

Football League partners with Soccerex

Duncan Revie, CEO of Soccerex, pictured at a press conference in Jordan in March

Soccerex and the Football League have signed a memorandum of understanding, committing to work together to make sure that football continues to develop across the League. 

The agreement gives the Sky Bet Football League a major role at the Soccerex Global Convention, which takes place from 6-10 September in Manchester. 

The Football League, the oldest competition in world football, today encompasses the three top divisions immediately below the Premiership. 

Addressing issues such as club ownership, finance and betting, the League and Soccerex will work together to make sure that senior representatives from every one of the 72 Football League clubs attend the event. The League will also have a significant presence within the exhibition and play an integral part of the conference programme. 

“Networking and knowledge sharing is an extremely valuable component for our development and Soccerex is the best football business event for this,” said Shaun Harvey, CEO of the Football League. 

“We will be working closely with them to ensure a strong turnout from our club members so they can make most of the important opportunities that Soccerex presents.”

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said: “Having grown up amidst the excitement and success of the Football League with my dad at Leeds United and Manchester City, I have witnessed what this institution has done for our sport. Signing this MoU signals our intent to work with the best in the business and we look forward to welcoming all of the 72 clubs to Manchester.”

The Football League join an growing roster of names lining up for the Convention that already includes FIFA President Joseph Blatter, FIFA Vice-President Jim Boyce, British Olympic Association Chairman Lord Coe, RFU CEO Ian Ritchie and England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

The Convention kicks off with the Football Festival on 6-7th September with the conference starting on Monday 8th September.

For more information please visit http://www.soccerex.com/global or email enquiry@soccerex.com

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