Event Bidding - Host City

Global Sports Week Paris to take place at the Eiffel Tower

Tour Eiffel illuminee depuis Champs de Mars © E.Li

Global Sports Week Paris to take place at the Eiffel Tower

Landmark Paris venue will host hybrid event from February 1-5 2021

 

[Source: Global Sports Week] The Eiffel Tower has been announced as the main venue for Global Sports Week in 2021.

The world’s most famous landmark will provide the stage for the Paris event, which is returning after the success of its inaugural edition at the Louvre in February 2020.

The new venue was revealed as part of an event marking 50 days to go to the 2021 edition, which will take place from February 1-5.

Organised under the high patronage of Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and with the additional patronage of UNESCO, Global Sports Week brings together leaders and change-makers from sport, business and society.

The forum is billed as the ‘rendez-vous of the year’ for the world sports economy, with the 2021 edition taking the theme of “reinvention in action.”

Organisers have embraced the concept by introducing a new, multi-country connected format for 2021. It includes a mix of physical and digital events in Paris and five other future Olympic host cities: Tokyo, Beijing, Milan, Dakar and Los Angeles.

Access for delegates will be mainly online, with speakers and high-profile guests linked live from iconic studio settings.

Paris will remain the event’s epicentre, with the Eiffel Tower venue promising a spectacular backdrop for speakers and digital participants alike.

The main event studio will be set-up in the Salon Gustave Eiffel, suspended 57 metres above ground at the heart of the Eiffel Tower structure.

The venue offers unobstructed views of Paris and its world-famous skyline, with transparent facades providing an inside look at the iconic Eiffel engineering.

 

A strong partnership with the City of Paris

Use of the space has been facilitated as part of an agreement with the City of Paris, which builds on support provided by the Mayor to Global Sports Week in its first year.

The partnership reflects a shared ambition to promote France’s international attractiveness and the country’s global leadership in sport as it looks forward to hosting the Rugby World Cup 2023 and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Pierre Rabadan, Paris Deputy Mayor in charge of sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said:  “As the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games approach, Paris is proud to be the capital of sport. We are delighted to have hosted and to continue to host sporting events that resonate worldwide and to help spread sporting values around the world.”

Jean-François Martins, Chairman of the Eiffel Tower Operating Company said: “The Eiffel Tower is a monument that symbolises Paris and France like no other, and yet it also belongs to the world.

“We’re delighted that the Salon Gustave Eiffel will provide the stage for Global Sports Week, which seeks to connect a worldwide audience and be a platform for positive change.”

Lucien Boyer, Co-Founder and President of Global Sports Week, said: “The Eiffel Tower is a landmark venue for a landmark event, and a statement of our global ambition.

“Now, more than ever, multilateral forums such as Global Sports Week are crucial, because multilateral action will be needed to seize the full opportunity of this new era in sport and society.”

 

Fresh, diverse and premium content

More than 10,000 sports leaders, cultural changemakers, athletes, activists and emerging talents are expected to participate across Global Sports Week, whose programme will feature talks, debates, pitch contests, exclusive screenings, sports demonstrations and behind-the-scenes venue tours.

Alongside the main Arena content channel, the new Global Sports Week digital platform includes access to intelligent networking tools as well as a Village channel offering partner workshops, activations and private professional masterclasses.

Global Sports Week Paris will take place between February 1 and 5 2021. Paid ticket holders will also benefit from on-demand access to Global Sports Week content as well as other exclusive experiences and networking opportunities year-round as part of an annual subscription to the new GSW Club.

Inaugural Global Esports Games set for December 2021

[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Board of the Global Esports Federation confirmed its flagship event, the Global Esports Games(GEG),will be held for the first time in December 2021. The annual GEG will be hosted in December each year, featuring multi-title esports competitions, capped by world-class Opening and Closing Ceremonies, GEFcon – a thought-leadership convention, and GEFestival – a dynamic celebration of the inclusive esports culture, highlighting music, art, technology, fashion, food and more.

“The Global Esports Games serves as a platform to showcase the world’s best athletes, players, industry partners, brands, innovations and the responsible use of technology in esports,” said Chris Chan, President, Global Esports Federation. “In parallel, the GEF will stage GEFcon – a multi-platform conferencing showcase for dialogue on responsible gaming, technological advancement and shared learning – bringing people together for the celebration of esports.”

The GEF has received an unprecedented response following its global call for expressions of interest to host the Global Esports Games. Member Federations from 20 countries will attend an Applicant Briefing session on Friday, October 30, 2020, led by GEF Board Member, Lorenzo Giorgetti, as Chair of the GEF Selection Committee. The briefing will provide the applicants with detailed information on the opportunities, requirements and the selection process.

The Board of the GEF has confirmed that a Coordination Commission will be established to oversee the planning, preparation and staging of the Global Esports Games. Four-time Olympian and acclaimed global business and sports leader, Angela Ruggiero (USA), will head the Commission together with Senior Advisor to the GEF Board and Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Luzeng Song (China),as Co-chairs of the Commission. The experienced duo will lead a team of Members of the GEF Board, experts and advisors, adding their distinguished leadership experience to the planning, preparation and staging of the GEG.

“I look forward to ensuring that esports athletes have the optimal conditions to shine. I am particularly interested in the vast potential and diverse opportunities esports can offer the world,” said Angela Ruggiero, Co-Chair, Coordination Commission, Global Esports Federation. “I believe esports is delivering in new ways, leveraging on technology that can appeal to younger audiences and fans across the world. The Global Esports Games will be an exciting new frontier for the convergence of esports and traditional sports.”

As esports continues to advance on the global stage, the Global Esports Games is positioned to reset the bar and offer a new level for athletes and players and the entire esports community. Song Luzeng brings with him close to 40 years of experience in the Olympic movement and will contribute to the complex task of overseeing the successful preparations and staging of the Global Esports Games.

The Global Esports Games is an unprecedented multi-title esports event of a global scale to combine the gaming, performance, education, and business aspects of esports onto one international stage. The GEG paves the way for the future of esports – convening some of the best-known names in esports globally, elevating the credibility, legitimacy and prestige of esports.

SailGP launches Race for the Future

[Source: SailGP, October 8, 2020] With a sense of purpose that goes beyond entertainment, SailGP will use its global platform to accelerate change to a cleaner and more inclusive future via a newly launched initiative: Race for the Future.

SailGP – the sport’s pinnacle league featuring the world’s fastest sail racing – will set a new standard as the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, while delivering actions and innovations that advance the global adoption of clean energy. Underpinning the plan is a diversification of the league, with the goal of immediately progressing gender and racial inclusivity.

Having postponed its second season events due to the pandemic, SailGP is building on the foundations set in year one when it launched a gender-balanced youth and community outreach program – SailGP Inspire – and set the initial goal of winning the race to zero carbon.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We have a responsibility and a purpose that goes beyond our compelling entertainment proposition. Sustainable development is paramount to the world’s future, and through SailGP, we have a unique platform to accelerate change. Race for the Future takes us from intention to action, with a real ability to effect environmental and social transformation within and outside of the sport.

“Having a zero-carbon footprint and a diverse staff is not enough; we’ve challenged ourselves to think bigger and broader. These issues go beyond SailGP, beyond the sport and beyond the industry, and we will strongly advocate for the critical adoption of clean energy, while serving as champions of inclusivity.”

 

RACE FOR THE FUTURE, PART 1: ENVIRONMENTAL

Setting the New Standard
SailGP is the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, going beyond a net zero carbon footprint in all business and event operations. To be climate positive, SailGP will both drastically reduce its carbon output and invest in projects to eliminate more than the remaining emissions, ultimately creating an environmental benefit.

SailGP Sustainability Director Dr. Susie Tomson said: “We are facing a global climate emergency that requires aggressive action. We have to take decisive and ground-breaking measures, leading by example not only in sailing but across the marine and sports industries. Through technology and innovation, we will be able to reduce our impact, and will utilize our events, network, partners and fans to showcase and inspire change.”

In setting a new standard for clean event delivery, SailGP will track and verify its carbon emissions through a partnership with One Carbon World, a global resource partner of the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative.

Three of SailGP’s primary activity areas – on the water, onshore and in cities – have been identified to reduce the league’s carbon footprint. In each area, SailGP is partnering with like-minded and innovative companies to fully transition to clean energy solutions.

The remaining carbon that cannot be eliminated will be offset through One Carbon World and via the advancement of pioneering blue carbon projects, helping to maintain or restore critical carbon-sequestering shoreline ecosystems around the world. Blue carbon projects will be delivered through a partnership with Worldview International Foundation, starting with planting mangroves to contribute to the charity’s ambitious goal of planting a billion trees and mitigating 500 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

 

On-Water
SailGP’s F50 race boats are one of the best showcases of clean energy in the world – they harness the power of the wind, traveling at 3-4 times its speed.

A key project to ensure both the race and support boats are powered by nature is reducing the carbon impact of the support boats – necessary to safely manage SailGP racing. Working in partnership with ePropulsion, a leading innovator of portable electric outboard boat motors, SailGP will transition 11 boats to ePropulsion motors for the start of Season 2.

SailGP has also partnered with Evoy, an innovative Norwegian company providing high-output electric propulsion systems for boats, to find a solution for the electrification of the league’s high-speed chase boats. Through a ‘pilot partnership,’ an initial boat will be upgraded to test at the first European event in Season 2 and, if successful, a plan will be implemented to transition the remainder of the boats to electric engines.

The overall goal is to have a fully electric support boat fleet by 2025 – removing the equivalent of 175 cars from the road – and helping to lead a clean energy revolution in the marine industry.

 

Onshore
On the shore, SailGP is shifting from technologies based on fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable power by 2025. At the core of the project will be temporary event power supplied by generators using clean fuel.

Though the race boats are inherently powered by nature, they require batteries to run the electronics and store power during racing, so it is essential that once onshore, these are recharged using clean energy. To meet the goal of the race boats being fully powered by nature, a new mobile off-grid solar solution was implemented in Season 1, working in partnership with Tesla and using a Tesla Powerwall system. SailGP will work to expand the initiative to power additional elements of its technical boat operations, including the electric outboard motors that will be used by the support boat fleet.

Another key onshore project is looking at the circularity in the production of the race boats. A partnership with ELG Carbon Fibre – the world’s first carbon fiber recovery plant based in the UK – will allow waste carbon fiber from the F50s to be recycled and reintroduced into the manufacturing process for the evolution of the race boat in future seasons, ensuring a responsible and reduced carbon manufacturing process. This will be a vital step in addressing the issue of global carbon consumption and raising awareness of closed loop recycling within the marine industry and beyond.

 

In Cities
Another new development for 2021, each of the eight national teams competing in SailGP will race with purpose. Every team will sign a Race for the Future charitable partner in their market, not only offering valuable commercial space on the boat to raise awareness for the partners’ causes, but also to secure funding for their partner through race results. The teams will work with their partners on projects that align with SailGP’s sustainability efforts.

New Zealand SailGP Team co-CEO Blair Tuke said: “SailGP’s global platform is a massive opportunity to accelerate change and shine the light on key issues facing our environment. Our partner Live Ocean will help raise awareness for the protection and restoration of our oceans, which are one of our best defenses against climate change. It’s really exciting that as a league we can bring focus on the urgent need for change using Race for the Future.”

 

Accelerating Change
SailGP will deliver actions and innovations that accelerate the global adoption of clean energy by investing in clean technology, serving as a collaborative innovation lab and inspiring action.

Clean Tech
SailGP will invest in clean technology solutions through both SailGP’s own research and design capabilities, and with the creation of a start-up investment fund. The aim will be to develop, test and bring to market new sustainable innovations that have broader applicability beyond the marine industry, as well as allow the league to reinvest in projects that nurture and protect the environment where SailGP races.

The first project is with E1 – the new electric powerboat series that was launched last month. SailGP is engineering and developing the initial race boat concept, which will allow the league to continue its push toward sustainable innovation and help drive forward the electrification of the marine industry.

Innovation Lab
The global championship will serve as an innovation lab and bring together partners, stakeholders, thought leaders and change makers to collaborate and facilitate advances in clean tech innovations. SailGP events will become the ultimate showcase, and through demonstrations, forums and interactive sessions, bring together innovators to shape the future of clean technology and marine sustainability.

 

Inspire Action
From grassroots youth programs to consumer campaigns, SailGP will look to inspire action among its audiences, partners and fans. Using its global events, social, digital and broadcast platforms, SailGP will create clean energy advocates of the future. In addition, 10,000 young people will be educated about sustainability through SailGP Inspire in event host cities.

ROCKWOOL Group CEO Jens Birgersson said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business at ROCKWOOL Group, and SailGP provides us a global platform to raise awareness, showcase sustainable solutions and share our optimism around today’s sustainability challenges, especially in urban environments. We believe that a more sustainable future is possible, and that, together, we can accelerate change, drive innovation, and inspire current and future generations to take action.”

Race for the Future, Part 2 will be released on October 22 with details regarding female athlete inclusion in the league for Season 2, as well as robust initiatives to fully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion in every part of the business.

Imola wins bid to host rescheduled 2020 UCI Road World Championships

[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that it has awarded the organisation of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola. The world-renowned Italian city and its region Emilia-Romagna will host the event from 24 to 27 September.

The awarding of this event follows the cancellation on 12 August of the Aigle-Martigny 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Switzerland, which meant the UCI needed to find a new organiser very quickly.

The competition programme for the UCI Worlds has been adapted in view of the current world health situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic: only the races (road race and time trial) in the Elite categories will be contested this year. Indeed, the majority of the top athletes in the Elite Men and Women categories are already in Europe, as opposed to their younger counterparts (Juniors and Under 23) whose national delegations, in a significant number of cases, will not be able to travel to Italy due to travel restrictions imposed in numerous countries. Limiting the programme to the Elite categories means a large majority of young athletes will not to be unfairly prevented from having the possibility to participate in the competitions.

Although the start and finish of all the events will take place on the Imola automobile racing circuit, the routes proposed by the organising committee stand out due to their extremely challenging character: the men’s road race will be 259.2km with a total of nearly 5000m of climbing, while the length of the women’s race will be 144km with a cumulated 2750m of ascension. The circuit (28.8km) will be the same for the men (9 laps) and women (5 laps) and will include two difficult climbs (3km in total with an average gradient of 10% and sections reaching 14%). These characteristics will offer the riders a profile comparable to that of Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland) which will suit the punchers and climbers and should produce exciting and lively races.

The time trial circuit (to be covered once by both men and women), fairly flat, will measure 32km with 200m altitude difference, suiting the strongest specialists of the race against the clock.

A city situated some 40 kilometres from Bologna, Imola hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 1968, the year that saw victories go to the Italian Vittorio Adorni and the Netherlands’ Keetie van Oosten-Hage. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari has also been the theatre of several Giro d’Italia stage finishes. The organising committee of the Imola 2020 UCI Road World Championships can therefore benefit from extensive experience in the organisation of international events and world-class facilities.

 

2020 UCI Road World Championships Programme:

-      Thursday 24 September: Women Elite individual time trial

-      Friday 25 September: Men Elite individual time trial

-      Saturday 26 September: Women Elite road race

-      Sunday 27 September: Men Elite road race.

UCI President David Lappartient declared: “I congratulate the Imola organising committee for the excellent quality of its bidding file which it succeeded in producing in a short lapse of time. I would also like to thank the three other candidates Peccioli (Italy), Alba Adriatica (Italy) and the Haute-Saône (France) who also sent solid files to the UCI. It was not an easy choice, but it goes to show that even in this difficult period that we are going through, the UCI World Championships are still very attractive for cities and their regions.

“Although the award of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola is excellent news, my thoughts also go to the Aigle-Martigny organising committee whom I sincerely thank for its commitment and the quality of our collaboration over the last two years.

“The award of the UCI Road World Championships in Italy this year is of great symbolic value for the UCI: in a country that suffered enormously from the Covid-19 pandemic but was able to confront it effectively and with courage, the staging of our leading annual event will, in its own way, be a sign of a return to normal in a region where the health situation is now under control.

“I am convinced that the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola will allow us all, despite the difficult current situation, to witness a great sporting festival. I invite you all to follow this event in Italy, true cycling territory, on one of the most challenging circuits in the history of the UCI Road World Championships. I look forward to watching these races which promise to be m

SportAccord opens Host City Application Process for World Sport & Business Summit and Regional SportAccord

[Source: SportAccord] Cities interested in hosting the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering in 2022 or  subsequent editions have been invited to submit a Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit.

The inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America took place in December last year in Fort Lauderdale, USA, and those interested in hosting future editions in any year through to 2023 can complete a Bid City Application Form.  Applications will be considered to host a dedicated Regional SportAccord for Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, as well as Pan America.

Each Bid City Application Form should be submitted along with a formal Letter of Commitment that has been signed on behalf of the prospective host city.

Information about who attends both events, as well as hotel accommodation requirements, short- and long-term hosting benefits, the financial commitments and hosting terms, and the bidding and selection processes can be found by accessing the City Application Information Packages for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit here and Regional SportAccord here.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, first held in 2003, is the only global sports business gathering attended by all international sport federations and their affiliated umbrella organisations, as well as organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, plus experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With more than 1,500 key decision-makers representing at least 1,000 different organisations and over 150 cities and regions in attendance, the six-day event in March, April or May each year features high-level meetings, a conference programme split into multiple sector-specific ‘streams’, a bustling exhibition and numerous social events for delegates.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, says: “We have already received numerous expressions of interest regarding future editions of both of these industry-leading events from prospective host cities from across the globe. We are focusing on the future with great optimism, with the highly anticipated World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg serving as a significant signpost, and we look forward to receiving formal applications in the coming weeks and months for events that will support a bright new chapter for the international sports movement.”

Regional SportAccord was launched in order to bring together international sport federations and organisations involved in the business of sport for a specific region, with the 2019 Regional SportAccord Pan America event attended by international sport federations, cities and ministries, rights-holders and industry experts. Designed to welcome more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries representing at least 200 different organisations, Regional SportAccord, held over three days, also showcases a two-day conference programme and an extensive sports industry exhibition.

Every Bid City Application will be presented to the SportAccord Executive Committee for review, and each city will receive feedback in due course.

Click here to check out the City Application Information Package and here to access the Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit.

For Regional SportAccord, the City Application Information Package can be accessed here and the Bid City Application Form can be found here.

For any questions regarding the Bid City Application Process, please contact SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt by email at nis.hatt@sportaccord.sport or by phone at +41 79 126 62 28.

For organisations interested in experiencing the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg, Russia can contact SportAccord to discuss by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport.

You can also follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and FacebookYouTube and Flickr.

Badminton restarts in Denmark with three major international events

[Source: Badminton Denmark] Denmark is going to host three big badminton events when the international Championships and World Tour-tournaments restart after Covid-19. Besides the fact that Denmark is going to host the world championships for men’s and women’s national teams, TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup, and DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR, Badminton Denmark has also been given the task to host another major badminton event.

Since March where the All England was played, in which Viktor Axelsen came out victorious in the men’s singles category, the international top badminton calendar has been cleared due to the Covid-19 situation. But from October 3 to October 25, there will once again be badminton tournaments and championships to look forward to. But in a whole new way and on Danish soil.

The TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup will be held as scheduled from October 3 to October 11 in Aarhus, Denmark. The world championships will then be followed up by the World Tour Super 750-tournament DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR in Odense, Denmark, which will take place from the October 13-18. In the following week from October 20-25, the city of Odense will be hosting another big international tournament as the Super 750-tournament French Open will be moved to Denmark and hosted as Denmark Open II.

This is due to the fact that by Denmark holding all three events, the players and their teams don’t have to cross more borders than most necessary, but also because The Badminton World Federation, BWF, considers Denmark to be able to hold all three events safely.

“We are very pleased about the fact that Denmark is going to be the place where international top badminton restarts after the Covid-19,” Bo Jensen, Director of Badminton Denmark says.

“It is history. It is huge that we are going to host both the Thomas & Uber Cup in Aarhus and two times Denmark Open in Odense. We have been working for a long time to create guidelines and recommendations together with authorities, BWF, and our partners so that we could be able to hold these three big events healthily and responsibly. We are doing everything we can to minimize the risk of infection for the players, audience, judges, volunteers, and others involved.”

Some of those initiatives that will help minimize the risk of infection will be by making different colour zones so that different groups will be separated the most. Badminton Denmark will also make area divisions for the audience, unidirectional walkways, place sanitizer everywhere as well as making temperature scanning’s before entering the hall

Furthermore, will everyone in the green colour zone (players, judges, official, tournament management, etc.) be Covid-19 tested continuously throughout the three weeks. Badminton Denmark collaborates with KMD for the purpose and has also bought test kits and two machines for test development, which will make us able to test key actors and get the result within 20 minutes.

In addition to this, general recommendations from the authorities and guidelines will be complied with. All audience will before these events receive practical information about this. For example, concerning toilet facilities, purchase of food, traffic information, and recommendations concerning mouthpieces and the stop-infection-app.

“We have been given a unique and historical opportunity to become the first European country to host the Thomas & Uber Cup and to hold two World Tour tournaments in a row,” says Jensen. “It will take a huge effort from my staff to lift this task. It is a task that we are very humble towards and we wish to do our absolute best to solve it at the highest level as possible so that our audience can feel safe at these events. Therefore, we introduce several initiatives, which will help all of us to enjoy world-class badminton.”

BWF’s Secretary General, Thomas Lund, is pleased about the fact that months of work soon will bear fruit at respectively Ceres Park & Arena, Aarhus, and Odense Idrætshal, Odense.

“Managing travel logistics between different territories where different entry and safety restrictions apply has been the biggest challenge. Therefore, an adjusted tournament calendar was developed. We look forward to the return of international badminton and we thank all parties and participants involved in the planning process,” he says.

Exactly how many spectators which will be able to watch the TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup and DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR-tournaments depends on the political negotiations, which are going on these days. Badminton Denmark will send out more information this when the political parties have a conclusion.

Major event hosts and the ‘new normal’

[Source: IAEH] During the 2020 IAEH AGM, held virtually on 8th July, members discussed how the 'new normal' is going to look like for major event hosts.

The discussions happened in 5 breakout rooms moderated by IAEH directors. The conversations were around how members expect the processes of bidding for and hosting major events to change after the pandemic. The IAEH offered members the opportunity to speak and share insights aiming to understand how the Association can help members address the challenges imposed by COVID-19 in the short-term future.

The key points below summarise the discussions.

 

→ Focus on domestic events

Members see a change in focus towards building the industry with local, domestic/national before moving to regional/international events. In addition to that, members also see value in promoting hybrid events in the short-term future to be able to engage international audiences.

 

→ Sharing financial risk

Members expect a movement towards a more equal approach to sharing the financial risk between rights holders and host destinations. There is also a need to review the current contracts which may reflect in the way these contracts will be made in the future.

 

→ Bespoke approach

It is necessary to take a bespoke approach to events and conduct case-by-case analysis in order to find the right applicable solution to COVID-19 imposed challenges for each specific event.

 

→ Protect what you have

When it comes to bidding and hosting, members are focused on events they have already committed to host and on delivering those events in the best way possible considering the current restrictions – “It’s all about protecting what you have”.

 

→ Percentage budget cut

The percentage cut in members budget for the following 12 months varies between 0 and 65%. Some members reported that there may be an increase in budget to help comply with new COVID-19 imposed regulations and stimulate economic recovery.

 

→ Milestone payments

Members see milestone payment systems as a potential solution to dealing with bidding and hosting fees moving forward.

 

→ Information sharing is key

Members are highly interested in training, information sharing and interaction with other IAEH members, especially on ‘new normal functioning’ e.g. best practice on health protocols for events and digital event impact measurement.

 

 → Shift in priorities

Residents’ sentiments and community value are rising up in members’ priorities when bidding for and hosting an event.

SailGP – going faster than the wind

Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE (Photo: Global Sports Week Paris)

SailGP was launched just last year, but already the event is moving as fast as the catamarans that fly through the waters of its growing number of host cities.

From the off, SailGP co-founder and Oracle CTO Larry Ellison made a decision that he wanted to go to great cities. SailGP co-founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE tells Host City: “That was the right move. We needed to establish ourselves in our first year, so we went to San Francisco, Sydney, New York, Cowes – which is an iconic sailing venue – and Marseilles. These are iconic cities with great waterfronts. You are showing the city in a way that doesn’t normally get shown.”

After a successful opening season, SailGP commissioned Deloitte to do an economic impact study. “We looked at the data and we returned an average of USD 23m per event last year, which is a great starting point. That’s creating value.”

With this information, the event owner started to attract prospective hosts. “We approached them last year to go there; and now it’s a different story. we’ve got venues approaching us”

Two new nations have already joined the programme: Denmark and Spain. “Spain’s exciting because Spanish is widely spoken, and also they are going through a purple patch in their Olympic sailing programme, with a huge pool of talent. So we know that team will be very competitive almost from the word go.

“We are also looking to partner with venues that fit with our sustainability messaging too. Copenhagen is fantastic in that regard. They have a huge focus on clean energy, and where we are racing you are going to see some wind farms right there.

“Sailing is powered by nature. Our boats can go three or four times faster than the wind, as strange as that sounds! If you sent out a helium balloon, one of our boats would be get there at least two and a half times faster.”

SailGP aims to link each venue with a team, with a single team per nation. “There are a lot of logistical challenges we need to solve to do that, but I can confidently say that we’ll get to eight teams very quickly.”

“Beyond that we are going to have to address some hurdles. If I look way ahead, which might be five years’ time, I can see the potential to have two groups – let’s say we get 12 franchises, two groups of six with a grand final at the end where the top teams of each group meet each other.”

The fact that the teams are national is important to the appeal of the event. “We’ve got to build national pride in these teams and a following. For a start off we’ve made a commercial decision, which some may say us a compromise, that we are not selling a title to any of the teams. We could get money if we sold a title, but the affiliation with the country is the main thing.”

“If you look at events like the Olympics, people follow them and they may not even know of any of the athletes – they just want their country to win. That’s an association you can create. Our branding is very much focussed around that.

Another key motivating factor for audiences is personality. “If we can get one personality in each country that becomes well known as a personality – the Ben Ainslie type connection – then we’re winning, were giving people a reason to connect.”

This exclusive Host City interview was conducted at Global Sports Week Paris in February 2020

The Ocean Race reveals 2021-22 route

(Photo copyright: The Ocean Race)

[Source: The Ocean Race] The next edition of The Ocean Race, scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain in October 2021, will visit 10 international cities, including the start port and the Grand Finale finish in Genoa, Italy in the summer of 2022.

For the first time, The Ocean Race is now open to the high-tech, foiling IMOCA 60 class, in addition to the one-design VO65 boats that provided record-breaking performance and such close, compelling racing in the 2017-18 edition of the race – the closest Race of all-time.

“As we open up the design and innovation elements of the race again with the IMOCA class, confirming the race route for our teams has taken on an added importance as the designers look to optimise performance for the conditions,” said Johan Salén, the Managing Director of The Ocean Race.

“This route is more compact at 38,000 nautical miles and with two less stopovers compared with the last race but it includes two significant Southern Ocean legs, where crews on both the IMOCA 60s and the VO65s will have an opportunity to add their stories to the legend of this race.”

The Race Route for The Ocean Race 2021-22:

Alicante, Spain - Race Start

*Cabo Verde

Cape Town, South Africa

*Shenzhen, China

Auckland, New Zealand

Itajaí, Brazil

Newport, RI, USA

Aarhus, Denmark

The Hague, Netherlands

*Genoa, Italy - The Grand Finale

(* indicates a new host city)

“This new race route respects our heritage as an event that crosses the world’s oceans, leaving the great capes of the southern hemisphere to port, and diving into the Southern Ocean on the approach to the iconic Cape Horn,” said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race.

“With seven returning stopovers and three new host cities, there is a good balance between stability and exploration, as the route will take us through the Java Sea, near Indonesia, for the first time.

“As ever, The Ocean Race appeals to athletes and teams who want to compete against the best in the world and add their name to the list of the legends of our sport who have defined their careers by taking on this incredible challenge.”

One of those sailors is Carolijn Brouwer (NED), who became one of the first women to win The Ocean Race as part of the victorious Dongfeng Race Team in the last race. In the 2021-22 edition, all race teams, in both classes, will be required to have female crew members.

“To lift The Ocean Race trophy with Dongfeng Race Team in 2017-18 was a dream come true for myself and the team, and it’s an honour to be counted amongst so many legends of the sport as a winner of this amazing race,” Brouwer said.

“The 2021-22 race course keeps the Southern Ocean at the heart of the race, and the new foiling IMOCA boats plus the returning VO65s means more epic racing and great human stories.”

The introduction of the IMOCA fleet into The Ocean Race presents a new opportunity for sailors to race in the world’s most challenging and competitive fully-crewed event.

Paul Meilhat, the winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum and the current leader of the IMOCA sailor rankings, is among those looking to make the transition.

“The Ocean Race is one of the most global events in sport, and the racecourse for 2021-22 underlines why it is so special – with some of the best offshore sailing conditions around, and a massive commercial reach touching six continents,” he said.

“It has long been my dream to compete in The Ocean Race and test myself against the best sailors in one of the most challenging races in the sport.”

This edition of The Ocean Race is also reaching beyond sport - with the support of Premier Partner 11th Hour Racing and Race Partner Bluewater, sustainability initiatives have been embraced into all aspects of The Ocean Race.

Building on a legacy from the last edition, The Ocean Race 2021-22 will feature a new series of The Ocean Race Summits (the first took place in Genoa, Italy in September of 2019), an expanded version of its award-winning learning curriculum for schools, and a robust science and data programme. Additionally, all race teams will be required to use renewable sources to generate a proportion of the energy used on board in both the IMOCA and VO65 fleets.

The 2021-22 edition of The Ocean Race is scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain in October of 2021 and stopover dates will be confirmed in due course.

The organisers of The Ocean Race look forward to the start of the race in 18 months and are fully committed to holding a successful event. Given the uncertainties related to the current coronavirus pandemic race organisers are in ongoing conversations with medical experts and authorities and following their advice. As always, the health, safety and well-being of The Ocean Race family and all race stakeholders is a top priority.

Read Host City’s exclusive interview with Race Chairman Richard Brisius here.

Series of Olympic qualifiers demonstrates Jordan’s sporting ambitions

[Source: Jordan Olympic Committee] The Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) and its National Federations, the leading organisations committed to the development and growth of sport in the Kingdom, hosted the Tokyo 2020 Western Asia Table Tennis qualifier on 24-26 February, followed by the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier (3-11 March) and the Tokyo 2020 Asian taekwondo qualifier (10-12 April).

“We are honoured and excited to be welcoming hundreds of the world’s best athletes to Jordan over the next few months. Hosting a series of Tokyo 2020 qualifying events not only underlines Jordan’s sporting ambitions, it also demonstrates that the Kingdom has the experience to host world-class international sports events,” said Nasser Majali, Secretary General of the JOC and CEO of the Local Organising Committee for the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier.

“On behalf of the Jordan Olympic Committee, I would like to wish all athletes, coaches and officials travelling to Amman the very best of luck in their events.”

By hosting these major Olympic qualifiers, the JOC continues to inspire the next young generation of athletes at grassroots and elite levels, which is a key pillar of Jordan’s National Strategy for Sport.

The events will see up to 500 athletes from over 45 countries travel to Jordan’s capital.

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