Host City: What are the rights holders of major congresses looking for from host cities – what are the most important requirements?

Carola van der Hoeff: If you look across the whole world, bidding cities and countries are so different in terms of what they can offer.

The financial support they get from the city, province or country is an important issue.

The cost of the venue is an important aspect, also the price of general things like food and drink, and travel from the airport to the hotels to downtown.

We also look at safety, especially for our participants.

What is especially important for us is to make sure we have a member association in that country, to make sure we have a connection. Without a member association we will never go to that country.

Host City: That’s very similar to major sports and cultural events, where security and robust backing from the hosting authorities are both crucial.

Carola van der Hoeff: We also realise that in Europe there are some cities that can support financially, while there are others that just don’t have this in place. But that does not necessarily mean we will not decide to go there, because there may be other benefits.

For example, Amsterdam is very attractive for participants – it’s easy to reach. And we know that in Europe we have a higher number of participants – that’s based on historical data. So, it’s not just about finance, but it can play a big role.

Host City: What impact does hosting a major scientific congress have on the city?

Carola van der Hoeff: For the city, it’s like a business. Congress participants bring a lot of money, in terms of hotel stays and dinners.

We have 3,500 participants over four to five days in the city; so that gives a lot of exposure.

We also know that legacy is an important item for associations at the moment: what can we do for the city and the country in the specific sector that we are in, i.e. pharmacy.

We have our World Congress this year in Glasgow. If you look at Glasgow it’s important that local people understand what pharmacists can do for them – not only dispensing medicines but also providing advice.

Host City: How would you describe your experience of working with Glasgow as a host city?

Carola van der Hoeff: For the past couple of years, we have been working with the Glasgow Convention Bureau and the support they have been giving us exceeds all expectations.

Their expertise and professional way of working make it very easy to work in Glasgow and to organise our event.

Host City: How far ahead do you have host cities lined up after Glasgow 2018?

Carola van der Hoeff: We are just deciding now on the host for 2021 and about to open the bid process for 2022. We have a bid document that people can get form us.

But for us, it’s very important that if a city wants to bid for a congress they have to engage with our member organisation in their country. For example, for Glasgow we are working with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in the UK, in London.

Host City: Do you have any advice for destinations interested in bidding for 2022?

Carola van der Hoeff: The best advice is always to contact the national association to get a bit more knowledge about the congress and to discuss the requirements. Every congress has specific requirements; it’s important to get to know your client.

Host City: It sounds very much like it’s something that develops through dialogue, which is interesting because it’s the new approach that the IOC is taking for the Olympic Games; they are shaping their bidding process as an invitation and a conversation, rather than simply a submission of a bid document.

Carola van der Hoeff: Yes, for me that’s very important too. I think it’s a good way forward, because it is so important to know what the event is about and to be very clear about what you are bidding for.

Carola van der Hoeff is Chief Operating Officer and Congress Director at International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the global federation gathering 140 national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. She is responsible for overseeing the organisation's daily operations and enhancing internal processes to help the non-profit grow and fulfil its mission. Before joining FIP, she worked for more than 16 years as a Professional Congress Organiser.

The FIP World Congress 2018 takes place on 2 to 6 September in Glasgow. 

Carola van der Hoeff is speaking at Host City 2018, the largest meeting of sports, business and cultural events, on 20 to 21 November 2018, also in Glasgow.

An unprecedented list of UK and International major sports events organisations will be sending senior representatives to Liverpool in June to share their plans, opportunities and challenges with commercial companies and learn from suppliers about what they can offer to help deliver these iconic events being planned out to 2024.

Over 27^th – 28^th June, Major Events International (MEI) will be delivering a multi-sector, business of sport Summit as part of the International Business Festival. This unique format will include representatives from the Pan American Games, Cricket and Rugby League World Cups, Invictus Games and other competition organisers at Olympic Games level. All of these agencies have key roles in shaping procurement for technology & fan engagement, temporary overlay, safety & security and a wide range of event services – all of which are key themes of the MEI Summit. They will also benefit from input made by senior representatives from the recent Rio 2016 Olympics, Commonwealth Games Gold Coast and European Games in Baku.

With UK hosting the Cricket World Cup 2019, Rugby League World Cup 2021, the Commonwealth Games 2022, and with significant investment in UK Venues and over 700 UK annual festivals, there will be plenty of content for those who are also interested in UK opportunities.

The key to this event is networking. There will be commercial companies attending looking for partners from Australia, USA, Brazil, Japan, China and India where significant events and growth in sport is catching the attention of a world-wide audience. The format focuses on identifying opportunities, collaborative relationships and knowledge exchange through workshops, panels and an opportunity to interact socially as part of an Awards Dinner at Liverpool Football Club.

There is no other multi-sector forum where such a range of organisations meet to brief opportunities and build relationships over 2 full days without the need to travel to each international or UK host City.

There are only a few days left to register your interest in attending this unique, invitation only, event of 120 attendees so please register your interest now

Call the MEI team on +44 (0) 20 7073 2661, or send an email to enquiries@majoreventsint.com or go to the MEI Summit website at https://www.majoreventssummit.com or register at www.internationalbusinessfestival.com

The fifth Host City conference and exhibition, Host City 2018, takes place in Glasgow on 20 to 21 November.

The theme of Host City 2018, “The Future of Major Events” was announced and discussed at SportAccord 2018 by Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland and Sir Craig Reedie CBE, IOC member and President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

In conversation with Ben Avison, Host City’s Editorial and Conference Director, the VIP speakers discussed what lies ahead for major events sector and gave a taste of items on the agenda for Host City 2018: the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

The discussion took place at Speakers Corner at 12:00 on Tuesday 17 April.

Looking ahead to the discussion, Paul Bush OBE, who leads EventScotland as part of his role as VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We’re at an interesting juncture in the hosting and delivery of major events. The rapidly changing way audiences are engaging with events through the advancements in technology as well as the social and economic impacts on the host country makes the future of major events a hot topic for discussion.

“Major events can create an impact like no other. Articulating their special DNA and how they can provide a 360-degree perspective across sport, culture, health, education and tourism is something I look forward to discussing with the industry during the Speakers Corner session and in great depth at this year’s Host City conference in Glasgow. By continuing to evolve and innovate, the future of major events will continue to be a positive one.”

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director said: “Host City always addresses the primary concerns of the major events hosting sector and this year’s theme, ‘The Future of Major Events’ is no exception.

“Across the world, demographics, economics and geopolitics are all changing in tandem with revolutions in technology that are transforming the landscape forever. Rights holders, hosts and organisers must all stay ahead of the game to ensure their major events are engaging and beneficial for future generations, and Host City conference and exhibition provides the ideal setting for this.”

After the VIP dialogue, attendees had the opportunity to share their thoughts and discuss how they can get involved in Host City 2018.

Host City speaker Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF) also looked ahead to Host City 2018, saying: "Stakeholders of major events all have the same goal to have highly successful events and consequently it is essential to connect and collaborate to fulfil these to the best extent. The platform offered by Host City assists to facilitate the process and also learn more about each other's diverse needs".

About Host City

Host City is the media and event of choice for cities, rights holders, organising committees and suppliers in their quest for best practice on hosting major events of all kinds.

First launched in 2003 as a bilingual magazine for the organisers of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Host City now serves all stakeholders in international sports, business, cultural and events through magazines, website, conferences and exhibition.

Now in its fourth year of growth, Host City conference and exhibition is firmly established as the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, renowned for the highest level of speakers, content and networking. Host City 2017 recorded its greatest participation more than 50 city representatives, 30 event owners, 20 organising committees, 15 media and two hundred delegates. Host City will be returning to Glasgow in November 2018 with a greatly increased exhibition.

The first Host City Asia event takes place in Beijing at the end of May 2018, bringing international event owners and Asian hosts together for high level discussion and networking.

Host City is the Official Event Development Partner of SportAccord 2018.

For more information contact ben.avison@hostcity.com (+44 7876 682072)

For information and industry news, visit www.hostcity.com

Follow Host City on Twitter @Host_City

EventScotland

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.

EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.

[Source: SportAccord] It is the first time SportAccord will take place in Thailand providing a prestigious platform, as well as easy-access for Thai organisations and those in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, to become involved in the business of sport and take advantage of the many opportunities the event has to offer.

SportAccord is the only annual sports business event attended by all the international sports federations within GAISF, and provides unique access to numerous networking events and high-profile attendees throughout the week. These include around 1,500 delegates representing industry, cities/regions, legal and health teams, inventors, sports sponsors, providers and rights holders, subject matter experts, as well as newsmakers, to name a few.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord said: “Final preparations are well underway ahead of SportAccord in April. We have just returned from another series of very successful coordination meetings with the Thai Ministry and their teams in Bangkok. There is a lot of focused and dedicated work going on behind the scenes to ensure that the next SportAccord will be an outstanding success for everyone involved.”

Hatt went on to say: “If you have not already done so, I would encourage anyone involved in the business of sport, to register and take part.”

Speaking of the great honour in hosting SportAccord, Col. Ruj of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) revealed to news channels: “Thailand has gained confidence from SportAccord. This also comes from the hard work undertaken by the Thai team over the last 6 months, with a bit left to do over the next 2 months to achieve where we would like to be.”

As part of the Official Schedule, SportAccord will host well over 20 networking events, a 3-day Exhibition as well as an extensive Conference programme to include: the Summit (Plenary), CityAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord.

Other key features include: Speakers’ Corner, the Thai Pavilion, the Opening Ceremony and Closing Event.

Organisations looking for opportunities to increase their visibility at the World Sport & Business Summit can become an Exhibitor or Partner by contacting the sales team: sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 (0)79 126 08 42.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #sportaccord, as well as LinkedIn and on Facebook.

[Source: SportAccord Convention] SportAccord will be held from 15 – 20 April 2018 at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre, Thailand.

“We have an amazing SportAccord lined up for 2018, across the conference, the exhibition and the many programmes and events that comprise SportAccord, said Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord.

“Attendees will have the opportunity to experience many new elements this year, most notably the new HealthAccord conference stream, additional events, hospitality and networking areas, as well as the unique Thai Pavilion. We’re looking forward to hosting the most prestigious annual sports business event for sport and industry, towards creating a better future for the global sports community and citizens worldwide.”

This year’s SportAccord Summit (Plenary) is focused on "Uniting A Global Audience: Marketing and Sponsorship for the Future." Continuing the theme of ‘sponsorship and marketing’ throughout the conference programme, speakers will be representing organisations across the entire sports business landscape including industry, international sports federations, cities and regions, as well as legal and medical experts. Confirmed speakers include:

• Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand
• Adolfo Bara, Managing Director Sales & Marketing, La Liga
• Caroline Baxter Tresise, International Consultant, Social and Human Resources, UNESCO
• Charmaine Crooks C.M. Olympic Medalist, President, NGU Consultants
• Craig Howe, CEO & Founder, Rebel Ventures
• David Eades, Journalist and Anchor, BBC World
• David Simon, President, Los Angeles Sports Council
• Frederique Reynertz, Director of Legal and Business Affairs Department, IAAF
• Giles D. Morgan, Independent Advisor and Former Global Head of Sponsorship & Events, HSBC Holdings PLC
• Guy Port, Managing Director Asia, Nielsen Sports
• Hayden Opie, Senior Fellow (Melbourne Law Masters), University of Melbourne
• James Pearce, Sports Broadcaster, BBC
• Jeff Benz, CEDS, JAMS Mediator and Arbitrator and former General Counsel of the United States Olympic Committee
• Kim Andersen, President, World Sailing
• Laurie Cavan, GM Parks, Recreation & Culture, City of Surrey, BC, Canada
• Margo Mountjoy, Chair, ASOIF Medical + Scientific Consultative Group, IOC Medical + Scientific Commission-Games Group FINA Bureau
• Matteo Vitello, Business Relations Manager, Technogym SPA
• Matthieu Reeb, Secretary General, Court of Arbitration for Sport
• Melanie Duparc, Coordinator, Smart Cities & Sport
• Michael Lenard, Vice President, ICAS
• Prof. Fabio Pigozzi, President, FIMS (International Federation of Sports Medicine) & Member of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission – Medical and Scientific Group
• Stephen Townley, Chairman, Active Rights Management Ltd
• Thomas Lund, Secretary General, Badminton World Federation
• Troy Pugmire, Managing Director, Gramercy Global Media

The SportAccord 2018 conference programme comprises five key streams including: The Summit, CityAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord. The conference programme, exhibition, networking and cultural events can be attended by delegates who register at www.sportaccord.com.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #sportaccord, as well as LinkedIn and on Facebook.

The SportAccord Convention World Sport & Business Summit for sporting leaders today confirmed its new brand name ‘SportAccord’ and unveiled a vibrant new logo. Following in the footsteps of SportAccord, the International Federation (IF) Forum also shared its refreshing new logo, proudly displaying its stylish new colours in similar fashion.

SportAccord and the IF Forum are now part of the renamed legal entity ‘GAISF Services and Events Association’ formerly known as SportAccord Convention. The alignment of names and the new visual identity provides the opportunity to set the scene for future activities of GAISF Services and Events Association. The new structure creates a platform which will continue to serve the needs of the global sports community, the international sports federations and their stakeholders while embracing and creating exciting new opportunities.

SportAccord stakeholders include: GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations), and AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations).

 SportAccord and GAISF President Patrick Baumann said: “The new brand identity represents an exciting time for SportAccord and one of opportunity – as the name reflects our organisation’s heritage while allowing for a fresh vibrant look that symbolises its bright future.”

The new logo design was created by José Miguel Tortajada Aguilar, an international award-winning Barcelona designer whose accolades were achieved as a result of his work for many well-known brands.

His colourful and striking design complements the logo created for GAISF and makes a powerful impact – the prime purpose of any logo. Designer José Miguel Tortajada Aguilar explained his aim was to create a design which is memorable and practical, ensuring the logo is fit for purpose across any medium or platform. Delegates can look forward to experiencing the new visual identity at the upcoming SportAccord 2018 taking place in Bangkok (15-20 April 2018).

[Source: SportAccord Convention] With twelve weeks until the SportAccord Convention takes place at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre, Thailand from 15 – 20 April 2018, 77% of exhibition floor space has already been snapped up for the upcoming event. The only annual sports business convention where all the international sport federations (IFs) are guaranteed to attend. Exhibitors include international sport federations, organising committees, cities and regions and make up over seventy-five percent of total exhibitors providing organisations involved in the business of sport ample opportunity to connect with these industries.

Joining SportAccord Convention 2018 as an exhibitor for the seventh time, Andrew Gettig, VP of International - Connor Sport Court said, “It is important for us to continue the momentum gained in Aarhus and previous editions, and position our company at the heart of the SportAccord Convention. We truly believe in its value and see the Convention as a unique platform that allows us to connect with the leaders of Olympic and non-Olympic sport movement, organising committees and host cities in one easy to navigate place.”

International sport federations, cities, and businesses interested in attending can book an exhibition booth online or discuss their requirements and options with the sales team.

The venue layout for SportAccord Convention 2018 has been designed to optimise networking opportunities for both exhibitors and delegates with access to the conference auditorium and official meeting rooms via the exhibition area which are all on one level. Exhibitors will also have access to the SAC networking mobile app to contact delegates, arrange meetings, and keep up-to-date with the latest news at the SportAccord Convention.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “The SportAccord Convention prides itself on providing an event that meets the needs of our partners, exhibitors, and delegates. This year’s exhibition promises to deliver that with dynamic feature area zones, a larger SAC Café including the Speakers Corner and an easy to access conference auditorium, only minutes away from the exhibition.”

The exhibition area will feature an all-new ‘Relaxing Zone’ for delegates which will incorporate a surprise element guaranteed to rejuvenate delegates. In addition, the exhibition area will also provide a touch of Thai culture with its special ‘Thai Pavilion’ which will include a variety of local Thai attractions.

Hatt went on to say: “Combine this opportunity to connect with sporting business leaders and the optimised exhibition layout, I am not surprised that our community has once again embraced the SportAccord Convention and that over 2/3’s of the exhibition floor space is already reserved.”

‘Enhanced’ booths remain the ‘go-to’ booth for SportAccord Convention with a variety of sizes and configurations still available. Entry-level booths will start at 6m² and include 4 delegate passes (increasing with booth size), graphics, TV, chairs, table, information counter, Wi-Fi, power, lights and carpet).

Registration for SportAccord Convention 2018 is in full-swing and organisations are encouraged to secure their delegate passes at CHF 2,500. Many delegates and organisations have already committed to attend the SportAccord Convention 2018 and passes are selling out.

The SportAccord Convention World Sport & Business Summit provides a unique platform for leaders from international federations, cities, and industry to meet and discuss the business of sport. The annual 6-day summit also includes an extensive Conference programme and is host to all the Stakeholder General Assemblies attended by their Members. The SportAccord Convention also offers many other social and networking opportunities as part of its Official Schedule.

Host City: What are the main challenges and opportunities facing the sports broadcasting sector right now and how is SPORTELMonaco addressing these questions?

Laurent Puons: The main issue the industry faces these days is that the world is becoming smaller for everybody. Broadcasting is not only a territorial effort, but with new technologies that enable broadcasting and streaming via internet and social media, territorial and legal matters have become a major headache for rights owners. Broadcasters are facing more and more competition from OTT providers and classic broadcasters must face the reality of extinction, although many still don’t believe it.

The fact is however that audiences worldwide demand variety and freedom of choice. This, for the sport industry is of course a great development and opportunity! The more fans can be rounded up across the globe to see just one sports event, the greater the opportunity to build brand, event and merchandise deals in multiple territories globally.

It’s impossible to cram all issues into one conference, there is simply not enough time to address all at once, but during SPORTELMonaco we can definitively address issues such as OTT, social media and new developments in Asia, which will lead up to our next spring convention SPORTELAsia 2018, in Singapore.

Host City: SPORTELMonaco is now described as “The World Sports Marketing & Media Convention”, reflecting a wider remit than the traditional focus on broadcasting. Why have you changed focus in this way?

Laurent Puons: We haven’t changed our focus, rather evolved “with” the industry, as more and more technologies appear every year that enable events, productions and broadcasters to deliver more sports content to viewers and fans on a massive variety of platforms and change the content business significantly. Also this part of the industry is a lot more influenced by marketing objectives of agencies, federations and brands. In result it is of course a necessary and natural progression of SPORTEL to provide these business opportunities to our community. No other event, but SPORTEL can realistically provide this wide variety.

3/ How can SPORTELMonaco help rights holders to find new ways to reach audiences?

Laurent Puons: For close to 30 years, SPORTEL has always been part of the industry development. Our team knows the industry personally, which is why we never address them as clients but our “community”. We have open and direct dialogues, built on years of trust and know how, understand which companies do what and know what will happen before most in the industry do. This gives us the advantage to prepare and build real business opportunities for the community.

SPORTEL truly is on the frontline of the industry and together with international decision makers we are in the position to see the future of our industry and react accordingly.

[Source: SportAccord] Making choices can be tricky when it comes to selecting which events to attend for organisations involved in the business of sport. With so much to consider, as well as Asia-Pacific set to overtake Europe in sponsorship spend, organisations who want to ensure they make the most from their investments, should register and become involved in the SportAccord Convention 2018 to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Why? SportAccord Convention is the only global sports business event guaranteed to have all the international sports federations present. Delegates can rest assured they will have access to 109 Members and Associate Member organisations, as well as 7 Observers, during the world sport and business summit.

SportAccord Convention offers a unique and exclusive networking environment, placing stakeholders in the perfect position to meet the key decision-makers in sport. Here are some compelling reasons for anyone who has a vested interest in sport, to invest and become an exhibitor at the 16^th edition in Bangkok, Thailand.

• APAC is becoming the hottest global market with sponsorship growth expected to reach record levels
• Nearly 40% of confirmed exhibitors are international sports federations who are actively looking to engage
• Over 30% of exhibitors are cities and regions - just under half of these organisations are partners too
• Every sport needs equipment manufacturers to operate an event
• 43% of the exhibition floor space has been reserved already – booths are being snapped-up quickly
• Exhibition booths always sell-out well in advance of the Convention
• For the first time, all delegates will pass through the exhibition area to access the conference auditorium and meeting rooms
• The SAC Café is larger than ever and located within the exhibition zone with many great locations for delegates to network and take in the experience
• Top speakers are signing-up for the #SAC2018 conference programme with the highly topical theme - Uniting a Global Audience: Marketing & Sponsorship for the Future

Commenting on the reasons why The World Games 2021 Birmingham (TWG 2021 BHM) and Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) have secured an exhibition booth (No. 113), Steve Mistrot, Sport Director, TWG 2021 BHM said:

“SportAccord Convention provides opportunities to develop relationships with the IWGA Member Federations. Partnering with GBCVB this year as Exhibitors provides valuable visibility for both organizations:

“For TWG 2021 BHM, a branded space to meet with IWGA Member Federations; for GBCVB, visibility to market Birmingham as a viable host for future events.”

Entry-level booths for SportAccord Convention will start at 6m² and include 4 delegate passes (increasing with booth size), graphics, TV, furniture, information counter, Wi-Fi, power, lights and carpet. Visit the website for further information including the Official Schedule or to register, and become an exhibitor, partner or delegate.

[Source: SportAccord Convention] Recognised as one of the most influential sports business leaders in Los Angeles having played a significant role in bids for almost every major sporting event that has been brought to the region in the last three decades, David Simon, President of the Lost Angeles Sports Council will co-chair CityAccord and City-to-City at the SportAccord Convention in Bangkok, Thailand from 15 – 20 April 2018.

In 1984 LA was the first Olympic Games ever to generate an operating surplus (US$235 million) and the region is eager to repeat this economic achievement in 2028. So how do cities go about selecting the right events and turning them into an outstanding success?

“Making relationships a priority - this year’s theme for CityAccord - is one of the pillars of success when it comes to bidding for and hosting major events. However, in order to achieve great success, selecting the right events is also key and requires clear thinking.

“As a city you need to look at your specific community and determine what is achievable based on your resources: human, financial and physical. Once you've identified these critical factors, forging strong relationships with event stakeholders will help you achieve your vision and deliver successful results. Cities and stakeholders will be able to examine these elements and more during CityAccord.” commented David Simon.

A popular day at SportAccord Convention, CityAccord will take place on Tuesday 17 April 2018 from 14:00 at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre. Aimed at cities, regions, sponsors, international sport federations, organising committees and industry, delegates are encouraged to register.

Giles Morgan, HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship & Events of HSBC – Global Financial Organisation, will take part in the CityAccord Interactive Q&A entitled: “How do sponsors determine which sports and events to partner with?” where delegates will have the opportunity to ask sponsors about their approach and choices.

“It is a most timely question and one that will no doubt elicit a wide variety of responses. One thing is for sure – the sponsorship landscape is changing and it’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved. In short, we want our customers and our four key sports – golf, rugby, tennis and cycling – to thrive. We believe the way to achieve this is to invest in our sports through innovation, grass roots, entertainment and much more; by doing this we add value to the sports we sponsor and at the same time deliver spectacular brand experiences for our customers.”    

Melanie Duparc Co-ordinator of Smart Cities & Sport Network - an Official Supporter of SportAccord Convention, will also co-chair CityAccord and City-to-City.

Further information can be found on the webpage CityAccord. Watch highlights from last year’s successful #SAC2017 City Day including comments from Melanie Duparc of Smart Cities & Sport, Ben Avison of Host City, as well as the #SAC2017 Convention City Co-Host, Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark. Registration for #SAC2018 is open.