The European Athletics Executive Board has invited Göteborg in Sweden, the region of Silesia in Poland, and Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to proceed with bidding for the 2024 European Athletics Championships. 

The seven-man board made the decision based on their review of an Evaluation Panel’s report and discussions with the prospective bidders.

“An important topic of the individual discussions was the presentation by each bidder on the overall concept of their project for the event focusing on the key aspects of event organisation,” European Athletics said in a statement.

The next stage in this revised bidding process is for the Member Federations and bidding destinations to sign a bid undertaking by March 2019. The submission deadline for the full bidding application is in June 2019.

The pool is set to be reduced further still at that stage. “The goal is to select the two strongest bids, based on the strategic, financial and operational evaluation criteria,” said European Athletics.

The bids will then be presented to the European Athletics Council in April 2020 to decide on where to allocate the hosting rights.

This Council comprises European Athletics President and three Vice Presidents and 13 other elected members, plus the CEO of European Athletics and IAAF President.

All future European Athletics Championships that take place in Summer Olympic years will follow this new process. “This new strategy focuses on individual discussions and a continuous interactive evaluation from the first step of a bidding process between the bidders and European Athletics in order to achieve a common goal of delivering a successful event,” said European Athletics.

The next European Athletics Championships will take place in Paris on 26-30 August 2020, after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Bids for the following European Athletics Championships will take a different route, as it falls outside of a Summer Olympic Year and forms part of the multi-sport European Championships.

The second European Championships takes place in the summer of 2022. For information about bidding, visit https://www.europeanchampionships.com/become-host-city

[Source: EventScotland] Edinburgh is set to host the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s (IFSC) European Championships 2019 for Lead and Speed after being awarded the Championships by the international governing body.

The Scottish capital was successful in securing the event, which is held biennially, following a joint bid by EventScotland, City of Edinburgh Council, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), Mountaineering Scotland and in conjunction Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA):Ratho, Europe’s largest indoor climbing arena.

Wolfgang Wabel, IFSC European Council President, said: “Edinburgh put on a fantastic show of climbing and paraclimbing in 2017, and we are confident the organising team will continue the proud legacy at the IFSC European Championships for Lead and Speed in 2019.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “This is a great result following all the work that has gone into securing a second successive climbing event for Edinburgh after the success of the World Cup at EICA:Ratho in September 2017. Scotland is the perfect stage and EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of international climbing to the Scottish capital.

“This is an exciting time for the sport and Ratho is the ideal platform for people to see climbing first-hand ahead of its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.”

Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “As Europe’s largest indoor climbing arena, Edinburgh’s EICA is the perfect venue for the European Championships! We’re looking forward to welcoming this high-profile event to the city – it will provide local people with the opportunity to see some of the continent’s best mountaineers in action, while also broadcasting Scotland’s Capital to sports channels and climbing fans all over the world.”

Zoe Spriggins, BMC Competitions Programme Manager, said: “The British Mountaineering Council is proud to be able to assist Edinburgh in hosting this event. It will not only be a highly exciting competition in its own right, but is also the last chance to see our GB athletes competing on home soil ahead of Tokyo 2020.”

Jamie Smith, ClimbScotland Team Leader, said: “Mountaineering Scotland are excited to welcome the IFSC European Championships to Scotland this year. It is great to see our National Centre being host to the competition which will see some of Europe’s top climbers battle it out over the two days of competition. This event is a great opportunity to inspire our next generation of young climbers as well as helping raise the profile of the sport nationally. This is an exciting time for climbing now being an Olympic sport and Tokyo 2020 just around the corner.”

Lindsay Renwick, Head of Customer Operations (West) at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We’re delighted that Europe’s largest climbing arena is once again able to show off our world class climbing facilities at EICA:Ratho, following the success of the IFSC World Cup and Paraclimbing World Cup in September 2017.”

The European Championships will take place from 5 – 6^th October 2019 and will be a chance to see some of the best climbers in Europe compete ahead of the sport’s debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It also follows the successful delivery of the IFSC World Cup when EICA:Ratho took centre stage for the fifth World cup in Lead and Speed of 2017. The sold-out event attracted more than 1,200 spectators, athletes and coaches.

Twenty-five million people climb regularly worldwide and there has been a rapid rise in popularity of climbing worldwide, a sport that draws diverse climbers from rural and mountain as well as urban areas.

[Source: SportAccord] The 3-day event will enable international sports federations to gather with key players and stakeholders from the Pan American region to further develop their sport. The event will run from 10-12 December 2019 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, USA.

Stacy Ritter, President and CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau said:

“It is a privilege and honor to be the host destination of the inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America conference to be held on the sunny shores of Greater Fort Lauderdale.

“It is an invaluable opportunity to provide an educational platform for the Americas continent with a business, professional, governmental and altruistic interest in how Olympic and non-Olympic sports function at the international level; while providing marketing opportunities to the future growth of sports in the Americas.”

Regional SportAccord Pan America is aimed at cities and regions, sports commissions, as well as industry sectors involved in marketing and sponsorship, media rights, finance, education and sports equipment manufacturers to name a few – represented at the highest levels.

Speaking about the new regional event, Francesco Ricci Bitti, Executive Committee Member of SportAccord and President of ASOIF said:

“The Regional SportAccord will bring a variety of prominent leaders in the world of sport together to form a platform that will enable Pan American delegates to gain a global perspective from the Olympic and non-Olympic movement.”

“Regional SportAccord provides the ideal platform to exchange practical ideas and helps to shape the future of sport. Being able to discuss challenges with leading experts, meet and network with key players, have direct access to conference presenters and get a deeper understanding of the trends that will affect sport in the years to come - all under one roof.”

Regional SportAccord Pan America will stage a conference and 2-day exhibition and host a variety of social events giving delegates many occasions to network and build relationships in one location.

Exclusive commercial partnerships are available for organisations who want to raise their visibility and presence at this inaugural event.

Stephan Fox, President of the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) and Vice President of GAISF said:

“The concept is a fantastic opportunity for international sports federations to grow their sport at national and grassroots levels, in regions that they may not be familiar with.

“This high-level gathering helps the international sports federations to link-up with key-players in Pan America who want to further develop the business of sport in the region and host international events. This is an exciting time for sport and these ambitions provide new opportunities and experiences for the sports community and Pan American citizens.”

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to announce Beijing, capital of the People’s Republic of China, as Host City for the 18^th edition of SportAccord which is set to take place from 19 – 24 April 2020. One of the six ancient cities in China, Beijing is the nation’s economic, political and cultural centre. It serves as the main transportation hub for Northern China with frequent flights and an excellent infrastructure, making it easy for delegates to reach Beijing.

Mr. Chen Jining, Mayor of Beijing and Executive President of Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games said: “Hosting the 2020 SportAccord Convention will promote the sports development in Beijing and China at large, further Beijing’s exchanges and cooperation with the international sports community, boost the preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and contribute to the development of world sports.

“SportAccord shows its trust for my city by hosting 2020 SportAccord Convention in Beijing. We will fully explore the strengths of the city and deepen cooperation with the SportAccord and International Sports Federations to ensure the Convention is a fruitful event.”

With many high-profile events on the horizon such as the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Beijing is the perfect host city for SportAccord at this time.

Returning to China, Francesco Ricci Bitti, Executive Committee Member of SportAccord commented: “Coming back to Beijing after a period of 12 years is a very exciting prospect for SportAccord and the international sports federations. The global sports landscape has experienced extraordinary change since 2007. Technologies and social media have helped to transform the business of sport and it has never been easier to reach billions of fans – in seconds.”

According to a recent Mintel Report (4 July 2018), China’s sports participation market is fast-growing and estimated to have reached RMB 109.8 billion in 2017, with a year-on-year growth rate of 14.2%. The market is forecast to reach RMB 207.5 billion in 2022.

Ricci Bitti went on to say: “Consumer interest for sport in China continues to grow rapidly. Needless to say, the commercial opportunities in every channel are vast – for stakeholders, fan engagement, media and much more. Hosting SportAccord 2020 in Beijing could not come at a better time.”

A 6-day event, the World Sport & Business Summit is the leading platform for key decision-makers in sport and industry to meet, network and strategically shape global, regional and national agendas.

SportAccord is also host to annual general meetings of key governing bodies including ASOIF, AOIWF, ARISF, AIMS, and GAISF providing unique opportunities for delegates.

SportAccord comprises: a 3-day exhibition; a varied conference programme to include the Summit, CityAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord; a Sports Festival; and over 20 key social events, which form part of the SportAccord Official Programme.

As the 2018 season draws to a close, the focus is already shifting toward improvements for the 2019 season. Since Liberty Media acquired Formula 1 in January 2017, the long-term vision has been clear: to unleash the greatest racing spectacle on the planet.

Formula 1 is in constant perpetual motion of creating, sustaining and retaining major global sporting events, with 21 different host countries across five continents vying to create the most unique race weekend experience for fans.

With a yearly cumulative TV audience of 1.8 billion people, Formula 1 has 506 million global fans and an average race attendance of 200,000 people, creating multiple layers of cultural and economic benefits for a host city. Whilst complimenting the local and national tourism strategy, other benefits include global visibility, positive economic uplift, contributions toward tourism and job creation.

Economic impact

Hosting a Formula 1 race boosts the economy of a host city and country by stimulating consumer spending and creating new opportunities in the secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy.

The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix held at The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) has contributed substantially toward the local economy, with total economic impact to the Austin Metro area between 2012 and 2015 valued at $2.8bn.

Similarly, a recent study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku created $277.3m of increased economic value in 2016 and 2017.

Increased visibility

With live broadcast to over 200 territories worldwide, Formula 1 excites fans and creates over 635 hours of broadcast footage. A host city is positively positioned in front of a global audience, showcasing them as a destination for major sporting and entertainment events.

Through destination branding, the Mexican Grand Prix has generated over $5.5bn MXN global media exposure and $885m MXN of media value of the Mexico logo.

Tourism

With over 200,000 attendees per race and on average 53 per cent coming from abroad, hosting a Formula 1 race induces tourism and opens up a city to new audiences. Mexico City experienced a 12 per cent increase in hotel occupancy in 4 and 5 star hotels during the Grand Prix and on average the weekend spend per guest is £1,600 (excluding tickets). Since their first Grand Prix in 2008, Singapore has hosted more than 450,000 international visitors, who have contributed around $1.4 billion in incremental tourism receipts.

Job creation

Returning year after year, Formula 1 increases both annual and seasonal employment, whilst creating new jobs across a number of industries. When the Grand Prix heads to Montreal an additional 640 jobs in the Quebec region are created and COTA’s annual activities and operations combined to support 9,100 jobs in the Austin region representing $306 million in annual payroll for Austin-area workers.

Formula 1 is a sport with unique heritage and a proven track record of creating economic benefit and we are excited to be hosting our 1,000^th race next year.

Chloe Targett-Adams, Global Director of Promoters and Business Relations at Formula 1 is speaking at Host City 2018 in Glasgow on 20-21 November

After two successive Olympic bidding contests in which the number of cities in the race fell to just two, the head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) says hard work is needed to make it more appealing to host the Games.

The IOC’s 2022 and 2024 bid races were blighted with cities dropping out – some due to defeats in referendums – resulting in Beijing beating Almaty to win hosting rights for the Winter Olympics and the double awarding of the next two summer Games to Paris and Los Angeles.

Ricci Bitti acknowledged the growing problems in perceptions of Olympic Games costs and a that there is a “trend” for taxpayers’ to withdraw from the prospect of paying the millions and billions of dollars perceived to be necessary to bid for and stage the IOC’s showpiece.

“People don’t get it immediately with a big event. They prefer that public authorities invest in something else,” he said.

“So we have to do a big effort in communication. I joke that we have a very rich product in the Olympic Games – that no one wants. We have to work on that.

“There are three big factors to try to solve this problem. To change the bid procedures… and the IOC is working very hard on that, to work and interact in the invitation phase. Secondly, the vision to reduce the cost of the Games. The president of the IOC has given a target to reduce $1bn in the cost of the summer games, $500,000 for winter.

“The third one is not on the table at the moment but should be in the near future – to monitor the size of the Games. I was in Gold Coast at the Commonwealth Games and you see that the size is more manageable.

“I think the model of the Games has to be considered very soon because the Olympics is getting very big.”

But this will be some way off, following the increase in the number of sports from 28 to 33 for the Tokyo Olympics. While the IOC continues to revamp the Olympic bidding concept, Ricci Bitti and ASOIF are getting down to the business of helping 2020 Games organisers deliver successful sports competitions.

This article, based on an exclusive interview by Host City at SportAccord Convention in Bangkok, was first published in the Summer edition of Host City magazine. 

[Source: IOC] The IOC Executive Board (EB) today made the decision to propose Senegal as host for the 4^th Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2022. The host will be elected by the IOC Session in Buenos Aires. This proposal is based on the report of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission, chaired by IOC Vice-President Uğur Erdener, who said:

“The IOC was fortunate to have four quality partners representing the African continent in the YOG 2022 Host Selection Process. All four candidates have the capability of delivering successful Youth Olympic Games and offer many opportunities:

• Botswana, the smallest of the four candidate countries, proposed a compelling project based in the capital Gaborone that would help achieve the country’s long-term vision for young people and sport.
• Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, proposed a very solid and compact project in the capital Abuja, a project also fully aligned with the national sports and youth strategy.
• Tunisia presented a robust project involving Tunis, La Soukra, Radès and the seaside tourist resort of Yasmine-Hammamet. The project’s vision is in line with the government’s goal to empower young people.”

In taking its decision, the IOC EB recognised that Senegal offers a strong project and the greatest opportunities at this moment in time.

The candidature is centred on three locations: the capital city, Dakar; the new city of Diamniadio; and the coastal resort of Saly. Senegal’s project is tied in with the West African country’s overarching development strategy, notably the national government’s “Emerging Senegal’’ plan, which envisions major economic and infrastructure improvements.

IOC President Thomas Bach said, “It is time for Africa…Africa is the home of many successful and prominent Olympic athletes. Africa is a continent of youth. That is why we want to take the Youth Olympic Games 2022 to Africa and to Senegal. They have offered a project based on a strong vision for youth and sport. There are many opportunities, and we will endeavour to deliver together, as part of a strong partnership, visionary, responsible and inspiring Youth Games”.

In PyeongChang, the IOC Session in February this year unanimously decided that the next edition of the Youth Olympic Games in 2022 would be awarded to the African continent.

The process has been collaborative, and the IOC was impressed by the quality and thoroughness of each party’s submissions. The IOC would like to particularly praise the level of involvement and positive response of all four NOCs and the public authorities concerned.

The Youth Olympic Games 2022 in Africa will make history as the first Olympic event on the continent. The Host Selection Process was shorter than previous processes, and reduced cost and complexity for the Interested/Candidate Parties.

Considering the unifying power of the Games, the IOC is pleased to count on the four parties, which all promised to endorse the decision of the IOC and pledged full support to the selected host.

Following the IOC Session’s endorsement and the signing of the Host Contract in Buenos Aires, Senegal will enter a Co-construction phase with the IOC to build the detailed Senegal 2022 Edition Plan.

The IOC Session will convene on 8-9 October 2018 in Buenos Aires.

SPORTEL is proud to announce that SPORTELAsia 2019 will be held in the vibrant city of Macau from the 5th to 7th of March 2019 at the luxurious JW Marriott Hotel.

Known as the "Vegas of China", the city is the ideal location for the international SPORTEL Community to come together for business and develop opportunities with new key stakeholders across important Far East Markets.

Mr Laurent Puons, SPORTEL CEO, stated:

"We are very excited about this edition of SPORTEL because this event has not been held in the Far East since SPORTELAsia 2014 in Shanghai. The global sports industry and its Asian markets have drastically evolved since 2014 and I believe this is one of the main reasons our community have chosen Macau as its preferred destination for SPORTELAsia 2019."

SportAccord today announced that the Gold Coast located in Queensland, Australia as its next Host City when the sporting business community gathers for the 17th edition of the World Sport & Business Summit taking place from 5-10 May 2019 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Gold Coast has set the scene for blockbuster movies and many world-class sporting events including the recent 2018 Commonwealth Games. With this, it is no surprise Queensland’s most charismatic city has been drawing visitors for more than 50 years. The Gold Coast offers an array of top hotels and expansive resorts set along more than a dozen golden sand beaches. The Gold Coast has something for everyone, from dedicated sport enthusiasts to easy-going families and sophisticated foodies. 

Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said:

“This event will bring 1500 representatives from up to 100 countries, representing 500 different international sports federations, rights holders, organising committees, businesses and other sporting organisations to the Gold Coast.

“This is the most significant meeting of international sport representatives held every year and securing it for the Gold Coast shows the world that we have one of the foremost major events destinations on the planet.  

“Hosting SportAccord gives us unprecedented access to key decision makers and provides the opportunity to showcase our capabilities first hand. 

“The success of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games proved we have everything required to host large-scale, international sporting events. As a result of the Games we have a range of newly-built and upgraded world-class sporting venues.

“Hosting SportAccord is the next step in securing major international events for the city and our state which will bring benefits to Queensland for years to come.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the city was the perfect host for the major international convention. 

“This is a great demonstration of the partnership we have built with the State over the past years.

“Having SportAccord in our city will turbo charge the opportunities for the Gold Coast to further activate our sporting arenas, as well as our sports science and training facilities. 

“This is post-Games legacy in action and I can’t wait to welcome SportAccord.”

Last year’s SportAccord gathering was hailed as an event to remember for delegates during a week of top-level networking, meetings, conferences, new initiatives and business in Bangkok, Thailand. 
The event’s President Patrick Baumann underlined SportAccord’s credentials as ‘the most productive meeting place for stakeholders in world sport.’
Looking ahead to SportAccord 2019, Patrick Baumann, President of SportAccord and GAISF said:

“It is a pleasure to bring the SportAccord to the Gold Coast of Australia and I would like to thank the Government of Queensland for hosting SportAccord 2019. The 17th edition of SportAccord will be a special one, as it will help mark the one-year anniversary of the delivery of a successful Commonwealth Games and will provide the chance for our delegates to embrace all the qualities and opportunities the Gold Coast and Queensland has to offer.” 

Mr. Baumann went on to say: “It is a unique opportunity for the whole Oceania sports community to meet, interact and mingle with all international sports leaders in a focused and efficient way.”

Organisations looking to become industry partners or send a delegation to SportAccord 2019 can read and watch highlights in The Review magazine. These include the SportAccord Keynote Zarah Al-Kudcy from Formula 1 discussing cultural change through diversity and openness; the incredible success story of LaLiga shared by Grégory Bolle, Head of Global Sponsorship and Sales; and Queensland’s Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development, and the Commonwealth Games, Honourable Kate Jones who talked about ‘Making Relationships a Priority’ during the Closing Keynote Address at the CityAccord conference.

SportAccord is also host to the annual general assemblies and official meetings for the event stakeholders, with representation from all the GAISF international sports federations, associates and observers in attendance.
 

Host City: What are the expected benefits of hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 in Baltimore?

Terry Hasseltine: To show off Baltimore in the brightest light featuring a world cup soccer event would be invaluable for the city of Baltimore. Local residents would see just how special Charm City is and its capabilities of hosting an event of this magnitude. Restaurants would be booming with local as well as out of town visitors wanting to stay close to all the action, from the FIFA Fan Fest to all the other events that will take place in the Inner Harbor and its surrounding areas. Soccer fanatics across the globe will realize that with Baltimore’s rich history, fine arts scene, as well as sports culture and exciting nightlife, this is “The Baltimore you’re missing.”

Host City: Is Maryland looking to bid for other major international events, and why?

Terry Hasseltine: Maryland is continuously looking for international event opportunities to grow national and international awareness for our state and major cities. With four international airports in close proximity, major highways and the Amtrak, Maryland is easily accessible for all to travel. It is also important to us to have visitors and tourists travel here and experience Maryland for themselves. Within a short drive, one can visit our nation’s capital, the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean and much more.

Host City: How important is it to host national sports events, e.g. NCAA tournaments, MLS?

Terry Hasseltine: Very important. From 2019-2022, the NCAA DI (and DIII for 2021) Women’s Lacrosse Championships will be held at Johns Hopkins University as well as Towson University. This draws fans, parents and family from around the nation to our state for several days. We want to create a positive and impactful experience for all to make visitors want to come back each year we host the event.

Host City: What part does hosting major non-sports events play in Maryland’s economic development strategy?

Terry Hasseltine: Hosting non-sports events plays a huge role in Maryland’s economic development strategy. Events such as Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, attracting over 350,000+ attendees over three days draws a significant number of visitors to Baltimore and its surrounding areas. Air Force Service Shows that highlight the Blue Angels and others are large tourism draws for military. Several food and beverage festivals are taking place through downtown Baltimore, Annapolis and other cities that tourists and visitors travel to from out-of-state. This means generated hotel revenue, tourists in our local shops and restaurants, as well as exploring the area positively, making them want to come back in the future.

Host City: How important is it for you to learn from other cities about best practice in hosting major events?

Terry Hasseltine: It is crucial to explore other cities’ major events in order to make our events throughout the state successful. Attending and playing a role in another city’s event can give us the behind-the-scenes knowledge and first-hand experiences for what is successful and what is not, dependent on the area, for our events. The best way to learn is through experiences and conversations with other destinations and venues, which is an important tool we use when attracting major events to Baltimore and the State of Maryland.