[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to confirm its Silver Partners Edmonton Events, EventScotland and Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) for the 17^th edition of the World Sport & Business Summit set to take place from 5 – 10 May 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia, home to last year’s Commonwealth Games.

SportAccord brings together international sports federations, cities and regions, and top decision-makers from the global sports community. Over 50% of those attending use the World Sport & Business Summit platform to share breaking news, or drive sporting initiatives and key strategies.

With less than a month away before SportAccord begins, organisations who still want to be involved can take advantage of an exclusive offer (CHF 3,750) and experience the benefits of attending a high profile event. By applying code EO2019 (available for a limited time only) during registration, secures this investment. This includes a delegate pass, 5-nights accommodation and breakfast, not to mention the opportunity to meet and discuss future sporting opportunities and events with the Silver Partners.

EventScotland has a strong track record and international reputation for hosting major cultural, business and sporting events and has been a keen supporter and partner of SportAccord over the years. Through the work of EventScotland and partners, Scotland will host a number of world-class events in the coming years, including the 2019 Solheim Cup, Euro 2020 - also the 60^th anniversary of the European Championship competition – with Glasgow as one of the 12 host cities, and the recently secured inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. As in previous years, EventScotland are also sponsoring the official notepad used at SportAccord. Meet the EventScotland team at Stand 50.

Edmonton Events have also renewed their partnership with SportAccord and will sponsor the ‘Edmonton Events Zen Zone’ featuring a Reef within the Exhibition Hall, enabling delegates to take a few moments to relax from their busy schedules. Edmonton has a reputation for hosting a wide range of major events from the ITU World Triathlon Final and IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships, to extreme events like the FISE World Series and Red Bull Crashed Ice. A spirited city that loves sports and radiates culture, its sporting pulse is palpable to visitors and fans alike. Meet Edmonton Events at Stand 64.

Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) was set up in August 2009 to carry forward the Olympic spirit. Its organisation encourages the development of public welfare relating to the Olympic culture, education, sports, youth and citizen involvement, and conducts sport-related exchanges as part of the Olympic movement. Beijing will be host to SportAccord 2020, and BODA will become the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 18^th edition. BODA are sponsoring The Recharge Zone which features The Outback – this year’s destination theme for Tourism and Events Queensland. Meet BODA at Stand 54.

Commenting on the silver partnerships, Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord said:

“We are delighted to welcome the return of Edmonton Events and EventScotland as Silver Partners for the 17^th edition of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit and heartily appreciate their continued involvement, support and loyalty to the event.

“We are also honoured to welcome BODA onboard this year as a Silver Partner and look forward to working with them on the 18^th edition of SportAccord, scheduled to take place in Beijing from 19 – 24 April 2020.

“Our Silver Partners are exceptional and we wish them the very best for SportAccord in Gold Coast.”

SportAccord enables attendees to enjoy multiple networking events and access to 50+ conference sessions. The high-profile event gives organisations the opportunity to increase their visibility by becoming a Partner. Organisations can learn more about the unique benefits of becoming a partner via Daily Highlights and contact sales@sportaccord.sport to become involved.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #SA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is proud to announce H.E. Ban Ki-moon will deliver the Opening Welcome Address at the SportAccord Summit on Wednesday 8 May 2019 at 11.00hrs in Gold Coast Australia, as well as take part in the United Through Sports Youth Conference.

Former United Nations (UN) Secretary General and former South Korean Foreign Minister, championed the world’s vulnerable by putting sustainable development, climate change, and gender equality at the top of the UN agenda.

“I, as an Honorary president of 2019 Chungju World Martial Arts Masterships, a Chairperson of IOC Ethics Commission and the 8^th Secretary General of the United Nations, am very pleased to participate in 2019 SportAccord, which will be held in Gold Coast. Of 2019 SportAccord programs,

SportAccord Summit will be an important stage to share the knowledge and information on the topic of “The Future of Big Data and Analytics” among leaders in the sporting world. I hope all participants and colleagues of 2019 SportAccord endeavor to promote sport for development and peace in the world through the SportAccord Summit. Thank you!”

Sporting leaders and delegates represented at the highest levels will gather at the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit in Gold Coast for a week of networking and key meetings, and hear the latest from around 100 subject matter experts involved in this year’s conference programme.

Commenting on the participation of H. E. Ban Ki-moon, Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord said: “It is an absolute pleasure and honour to be welcoming His Excellency Mr Ban Ki-moon to the SportAccord Summit 2019. His vision, leadership and accomplishments over the years have made a significant impact around the world. His leadership continues to inspire as one of the world’s top global thinkers. We look forward with anticipation to hear what His Excellency will impart to the international sports community during his Welcome Address at this year’s SportAccord Summit in Gold Coast.”

Delegates can register and hear first-hand from a stellar line-up of Summit speakers and panellists, as well as take part in the newly formed interactive Summit Hub sessions planned for Day 2 of the SportAccord Summit. Each hub (5 in total) will be led by a Summit speaker, where attendees will be able to discuss the Summit conference sessions from Day 1 in more detail with peers.

H.E. Ban Ki-moon will also speak at this year’s United Through Youth Opening Conference taking place 7 May 2019 during SportAccord and forms part of the Sports Festival hosted by United Through Sports. The events embrace a number of key drivers which have become part of the DNA for United Through Sports. These comprise: inclusivity; unity in diversity; the future, our youth; non-discrimination; gender quality; providing opportunities for the youth via sport; building alliances to give back.

The Sports Festival was formed to make a real difference to the lives of countless children, giving them a chance to showcase their talents regardless of ability or life circumstances. This year’s Sports Festival is under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

With the full support of the IOC and the Queensland government, around 5,000 children from 170 schools are set to take part in the Sports Festival (7 – 10 May 2019). Children will have the opportunity to try as many sports as they wish (around 60 sports federations are involved including well-known athletes and celebrities). Morning programmes, a mix of promoting an active lifestyle and education, will be exclusively for the youth of Australia, and doors will be opened to the general public for the afternoon and evening sessions.

The Festival Opening Ceremony involves over 200 youth with a history-making performance planned. The ceremony promises to be an eye-opening, educational and action-packed extravaganza with many exclusives and ‘firsts’ being revealed from the moment the Sports Festival begins with the entire Opening Ceremony also performed in ‘sign’.

To benefit from these exclusive opportunities, organisations can register for SportAccord and take advantage of the full conference programme and all that the Sports Festival has to offer.

To become an Exhibitor or Partner contact the sales team: sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 612 3070. To register as a delegate and watch past SportAccord footage visit www.sportaccord.sport.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #SA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook.

Host City Asia kicked off with a series of VIP insights from the hosts of the next three Olympic Games: Tokyo, Beijing and Paris.

The number of cities attending Host City Asia has quadrupled since the launch event, with officials from major Chinese cities including Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Hangzhou, Anshan, Changzhou, Shanxi and Changchun. They were joined by many more hosts destinations from Japan, Australia and Oman to as far away as France, all sharing best practice.

The cities attending were also treated to finding out about how to host new urban events –like Nitro Circus, Red Bull Air Race and the FISE World Series – to esports and the immense AIPH World Horticultural Expo, which is attracting 16 million visitors to Beijing this year. Leading suppliers like Aggreko joined Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and other major event organising committees to examine how they can make event hosting more efficient together.

Yunchao GAO, Deputy Secretary General, Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) said: "The Olympic legacy is rooted in the Olympic Movement and is not simply the wealth of the Olympic host cities, but also the achievements and wealth of the entire human civilisation. Let us join hands to set an example of the ‘Dual Olympics’ legacy, propel the Olympic Movement and the sustainable development of the Olympic spirit and create a better future for all!"

Xiaochun ZHAO, Director-General of Shanxi Provincial Sports Bureau said “By holding the Second National Youth Games, a socially significant event, we can unite people's hearts, boost morale, promote spiritual civilization and improve the humanistic quality of the people. We can further promote the adjustment of industrial structure in the province.”

Zhenhua ZONG, Executive Deputy Director, Zhangjiakou City Economic Development Zone said: “The ice and snow industry is an ecological industry, a low-carbon industry and a sunrise industry. The Hebei Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government have made the development of ice and snow industry and sports the key priority the province.”

Hiromi KAWAMURA, PR Secretary at the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games said: “The Tokyo 2020 Games will deliver the most innovative Games and a positive revolution; not only in sport but also throughout various aspects of society; not only during the Games but also during the preparation and after the Games; not only in Tokyo but also across Japan and around the world.”

Yasunobu NISHIMURA, Deputy Director General of Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government said: “The legacy of the Games must be one that befits a mature society and is appropriate for a world-leading megalopolis that continues to grow sustainably. The Tokyo government will seize the opportunity of the 2020 Games to enhance urban functions from both tangible and intangible aspects, so that we grow into an even more attractive city.”

[Source: SportAccord] “Queensland is my home and I am proud of everything we do in the world of sport and all the other industries it touches.” This sentiment was shared by Natalie Cook OLY, five-time Olympian, Gold and Bronze Medallist for Beach Volleyball, Australia; and is a sentiment echoed by many Queenslanders and those who come to live there, when they talk about the vibrant Gold Coast, its spectacular surroundings and all that Queensland has to offer.

From miles of golden sandy beaches, to the Great Barrier Reef and waters teeming with marine life; to national parks and rainforests, the Outback, World Heritage sites, culinary delights and so much more; delegates will be spoilt for choice when they gather for the Gold Coast edition of SportAccord in Queensland, Australia (5-10 May 2019).

“So inspired by what we heard and saw, it didn’t take much persuading when the Host City team suggested bringing some of Queensland right into the heart of SportAccord.” said Carl Langdon, Exhibition Manager for SportAccord.

With this in mind, organisations who register for SportAccord will get a taste of what Queensland has to offer, with four stunning feature zones to be staged in the Exhibition Hall.

Right now, Queenslanders are celebrating the ‘Year of Outback Tourism’ and this theme will be adopted for the Recharging Zone. With its vibrant ochre-coloured sands, a well-known feature of the Outback, delegates will have the opportunity to network and hold meetings with their peers.

When it comes to relaxation, the Zen Zone represented by a Reef and sponsored by Edmonton Events, is likely to be a popular spot for delegates to kick-back, relax and soak up the atmosphere with peers.

Knowing what it takes to stage major cultural and sporting events, Doug McLean, Director of Edmonton Events and a SportAccord Silver Partner, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting SportAccord again through our partnership. As Canada’s top city at number 23 in Sportcal’s 2018 Global Sports Cities Index, we value the expertise we’ve gained and the connections we’ve developed, through attending SportAccord over the years. We are looking forward to yet another successful event in Gold Coast, Australia.”

This year’s Media Zone will become a lush Rainforest, where international sports federations and organisations can work with media to get their stories heard.

Gracenote Sports, a regular exhibitor at SportAccord commented: "SportAccord has given Gracenote Sports great opportunities to engage with our clients, partners and industry suppliers. We serve many international federations, media organizations and event organisers, so meeting them all in one place is very effective." said Guido Bouw, Managing Director.

“With an exciting cast of exhibitors raring to go, delegates will be in for a real treat as they go about their daily business at SportAccord. You can understand why Queensland’s moto is - beautiful one day, perfect the next.” enthused Malcolm Hardman, Business Development Manager, SportAccord.

Always a crowd-pleaser, this year’s SportAccord Café will bring Gold Coast’s beach scene into the thematic mix. Delegates will be able to enjoy refreshing drinks and eats at the ‘Beach Café’, or take a well-earned rest along the boardwalk. As Paul Yeomans, a CityAccord speaker and Managing Director for PMY Group fondly said: “See you on the Goldy!”

Speakers’ Corner, now a SportAccord regular will also be located in the Exhibition Hall. Organisations can take centre-stage and launch a product or service, share breaking news, or raise awareness around a cause close to their heart. Contact alexey.mikhailov@sportaccord.sport (+41 (0)21 612 30 79) to sign-up or for further details.

As part of Speakers’ Corner, ‘Sports Tech Start-up Showcase’ will be a new competition feature at the Gold Coast edition of SportAccord. This will be delivered by the Queensland Government in partnership with Austrade and the Australian Sports Technology Network. The competition will give 9 Australian start-ups the opportunity to pitch their product or service in the following categories: (1) Sports data and performance (2) Digital, media and business (3) Wearable and equipment.

The winner will be awarded a 90-day placement with Austrade Landing Pad of their choice (Berlin, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, San Francisco) valued at $25,000, helping the startup or scaleup to take their business global.

In just over a month (5-10 May 2019), SportAccord will welcome around 1,500 plus attendees to Gold Coast in Queensland. To take advantage of this opportunity and become an Exhibitor or Partner, or take part in Speakers’ Corner, contact sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 612 3070.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to confirm today, Natalie Cook, 5 times Olympian and Gold Medallist representing Australia in Beach Volleyball, will go under the microscope at HealthAccord (7 May 2019) and take part in this year’s Fireside Chat on Mental Health.

In implementing interventions to improve athlete health and performance, sport organisations often overlook the athlete’s mental health. Any coach and athlete will agree, that if the athlete is not well mentally, their performance outcomes will suffer.

Championing the cause for athlete mental health, Natalie Cook will discuss the importance of raising the visibility on a subject that touches the lives of so many, and share insights from her experiences.

“HealthAccord highlights the importance of mental health as a growing concern for our athletes during and post competitive years. It appears no one is immune and it is becoming more and more common to talk about it.

“In my early days as an athlete it was called mental toughness. Toughen up was the call! Now there are more and more calls to address mental health and support overall mental well-being.

“The athlete entourage can play an enormous role in this area but the athlete has to be willing to share, open up and be vulnerable. For an athlete to have a long career on and off the field, there are many factors at play. However, most of all, their sense of purpose, self-value/love and happiness are all so important.

“Let’s continue to shine the spotlight on the subject and hopefully it helps the athlete ecosystem find ways to make the mental health space a safe and happy space.”

To hear Natalie first-hand, organisations can register for SportAccord and attend all conference sessions, as well as the many networking opportunities offered within the Official Schedule during this World Sport & Business Summit.

Following her Fireside Chat, Natalie will join the mental health panel session and speak about the athlete’s perspective on the importance of a healthy ‘mental game’. Joining Natalie, panel experts will include Kathy Martin, Senior Director, Athlete Assistance, Women’s Tennis Association; Graziella Thake, CEO and Co-Founder, Optimisation Hub; Gearoid Towney, Founder & Director, Crossing the Line (CTL); and Dr Margo Mountjoy, FINA Sport Medicine (and HealthAccord Co-Chair). 

The panel will examine innovations, diagnosis and treatment, the links between mental health and activity levels, and the effects on performance and quality of life. They will also share practical tools and takeaways to help international federations tackle issues and break down barriers to treatment.

HealthAccord sessions will also cover: short-mid-long-term monitoring of athlete injuries; supplements and their effect on elite and recreational athletes; and the pros and cons of wearable sensors for athletes, international federations and manufacturers.

Commenting on the strong and topical conference programme for this year’s HealthAccord, Co-Chair Prof. Fabio Pigozzi, President, FIMS (International Federation of Sports Medicine) and Member of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission – Medical and Scientific Group said:

“Despite the well-known beneficial effects of exercise on mental illness, also athletes could be susceptible to mental health problems, during and post competitive years, although possibly at a lower prevalence than the general population.

“The good news is that mental illness could be more effectively treated if diagnosed early enough, and talking about it at every opportunity can make all the difference. There is a need, however, to develop athlete specific diagnostic tools and tailored treatments”.

SportAccord is the leading annual global gathering for sporting leaders involved in the business of sport and is set to take place from 5 – 10 May 2019 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, a city brimming with opportunities and home to last year’s XXI Commonwealth Games.

In addition to HealthAccord a full conference programme will take place involving 50+ sessions across the following conference streams: SportAccord Summit, LawAccord, CityAccord and MediaAccord.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to confirm its Principal Media Partners for SportAccord 2019 taking place from 5 – 10 May in Gold Coast, a vibrant coastal city located in Queensland Australia.

Selected as ‘principal’ media partners for their exceptional coverage, media reach and expertise, they will provide media and marketing support for SportAccord 2019.

iSportconnect is considered to be the world’s largest private sports business network. For the first time, iSportconnect has moved up a tier to a principal media partnership for SportAccord 2019, following their excellent television coverage at previous editions of SportAccord.

Sportcal has supported SportAccord since its inception in 2003. Sportcal is a world-leading market intelligence service, providing news, data, reports and insights into the competitive world of sport.

SportsPro is a leading sports business media company in print, digital and events. SportsPro delivers up-to-the-minute news, analysis, opinion and in-depth reports across multiple platforms.

Yutang Sports delivers sports market intelligence and sports marketing through their sports media outlet and sponsorship agency. Yutang Sports opens windows between the Chinese and international sports industry, and became the first Chinese media partnership for SportAccord.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord commented:

“SportAccord is delighted to have the support of our 4 principal media partners. The breadth of reporting they bring, together with the audiences they are connected to, helps to ensure SportAccord coverage reaches the farthest corners of the world.

“The tiered media partnership approach was introduced in 2016 and has seen wide-reaching results for SportAccord, its stakeholders, and organisations involved in the business of support. Stories are covered across multiple platforms including TV, radio, digital and print.

“We look forward to this year’s news coverage for Gold Coast.”

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit is taking place in Oceania for the first time in its history. Organisations can learn more about the unique benefits of attending SportAccord in Gold Coast by watching the video and register for SportAccord to become involved.

The Official Schedule enables attendees to enjoy multiple networking events, the popular 3-day Exhibition, access 50+ conference sessions, visit the Sports Festival and take part in cultural activities in Gold Coast.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #SA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook.

[Source: SportAccord} SportAccord, the leading annual global gathering for sporting leaders involved in the business of sport, today confirmed its MediaAccord conference programme: Media’s Ever Important Role and Contribution to Sport and Society, taking place on Thursday 9 May 2019 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

‘The rate of change in women’s sports is one of the most exciting trends in the sports industry,’ ran the headline in a recent Nielsen Sports Women’s Sports research report (2018) which covered 8 markets including Australia and New Zealand.

However, normalising sports for every woman and girl is still a big challenge for many countries around the world.

Jennah Wootten, General Manager Partnerships and Communications, Sport New Zealand said:

“Sport New Zealand is leading our sector’s response to a new central government strategy designed to empower women and girls to reach their potential through sport and active recreation.

“Like many other countries we have concerning underrepresentation of women and girls being physically active, occupying leadership roles and lagging behind men in terms of value and visibility.

“This new strategy has energised the sector and builds on recent successes such as securing the hosting rights for International Working Group on Women in Sport Conference 2022. It is an exciting time to be a female working in sport within New Zealand.”

During her MediaAccord case study, Jennah will share details of the new government strategy for New Zealand, its fresh initiatives and how the sport and recreation sector has responded to them, as well as the hardest obstacles to overcome in the future.

In the last few years, increasing numbers of professional leagues can now be found worldwide, and in Australia, women’s leagues such as the Rebel Women’s Big Bash and the Women’s Australian Rules Football League (AFLW), are attracting large audiences, stand-alone sponsorships and broadcast revenue.

While coverage of female athletes and women’s sport have increased considerably, there are still challenges for women working, or hoping to work, in sports media. What can be done to help create positive media guidelines with regard to gender equality in competition schedules and coverage?

What are some pro-active steps for ensuring better female representation within written, tv and photographer media circles? What is the media’s role in how female athletes are/should be portrayed? And, how can sports media best engage the public to promote a healthier, more active society?

A panel session discussing Women in Sport Media will address these challenges. Panellists taking part include: Clare Briegal, Chief Executive Officer, International Netball Federation; Belinda Clarke AO, Interim Executive General Manager Team Performance Cricket Australia; Tracey Holmes, Senior Reporter/Presenter, News Radio ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation); and Jennah Wootten.

This will follow with a debate on Major Event Bidding and Media and discuss how cities can get the public onboard with: Alain Mercier, Editor in Chief, Francs Jeux; Philip Pope, General Manager Communications, Queensland Rugby Union; Wayne Smith, Senior Sport Writer, The Australian.

MediaAccord will conclude with the Case Study: Brand Architecture and Social Media Monetisation for federations and athletes presented by Ben Parsons, Founder, Ministry of Sport & Playa Power.

In addition to MediaAccord moderated by James Pearce, Sports Broadcaster, BBC, a full conference programme will take place across the week with 4 additional conference streams: SportAccord Summit, LawAccord, CityAccord and HealthAccord.

Organisations can register for SportAccord and attend conference sessions as well as the many networking opportunities offered within the Official Schedule during the World Sport & Business Summit.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord has announced the first confirmed speakers for its Summit conference: The Future of Big Data and Analytics, taking place from 8 – 9 May 2019 at the Gold Coast Conference & Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord commented:

“We have a strong line-up of speakers for this year’s SportAccord Summit sharing their views and expertise on why big data and analytics matter to sport, with sessions covering key touchpoints such as teams, athletes, brands, manufacturers and of course - fans.

“This year’s Summit places fan engagement and experiences at the heart of the matter and looks at the ways technology, content, media and entertainment interconnect.

“As technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, blockchain and others start to go mainstream, fans will be able to take a much more active role and feel richer for the experience.”

Global leaders from across the sporting industry are among the first speakers (in session order) confirmed for this year’s SportAccord Summit, including:

• Deon Newman (Keynote), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Vice President of Strategy, IBM Asia Pacific
• Darren Birch, General Manager - Growth, Digital and Audiences, Australian Football League (AFL)
• Nick Hockley, Chief Executive Officer, ICC T20 World Cup Australia 2020
• Chris Nunn, Managing Director APAC, Futures Sport & Entertainment
• Luke Bould, CCO & CMO, Football Federation Australia
• Sally Hancock, Managing Partner, Y Sport
• Matt Kamienski, Vice President and Executive Director - Presidents Cup, PGA TOUR
• Andrew Reid, General Manager, TEG Analytics and TEG Insights
• Barbara Kendall, Vice President, International Surfing Association (ISA), Non-Executive Director of ARRIA
• Heinrich Zetlmayer, General Partner, Blockchain Valley Ventures (BVV)
• Stephen Smith, CEO & Founder, Kitman Labs
• Ian K. Partilla, Vice President - Head of Global Revenue, GumGum Sports 
• Natalie Cook, 5 x Olympian and Gold Medallist – Australia, Beach Volleyball 

Delegates will also have the opportunity to discuss the Summit topics further with speakers and panellists on Day 2 during the five Summit Hub Breakout track sessions:

• Big Data and Fan Engagement
• Marketing and Customer Behaviour
• Athlete/Player Performance via Wearable Technology, Big Data
• Application of AI for International Federation (IF), Event, & Sponsor Performance
• Blockchain Technology in Sport

 In addition to the SportAccord Summit, the full conference programme includes 4 other conference streams taking place across the week: LawAccord, CityAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord.

Delegates can register for SportAccord and attend conference sessions and the many networking opportunities offered within the Official Schedule.

To become an Exhibitor or Partner contact the sales team: sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 612 3070. To register as a delegate and watch past SportAccord footage visit www.sportaccord.sport.

Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #SA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook.

In the beginning, the event procurement process was nonexistent. Until, according to Harvey Goldsmith CBE, “A bunch of bean counters were brought in to say, hang on, can you evaluate the process? And then the procurement business started. This immediately knocked out smaller, innovative start-up companies who wouldn’t have a chance of getting into the procurement process.”

Legendary music promoter Goldsmith has staged countless major events – not least Live Aid – but procurement has not evolved much since this “big bang” moment when the process was first established.

“So, you would end up with the same two or three companies basically doing everything and unfortunately that’s pretty much true today,” he told delegates at the Event Production Show in London on 27 February.

“If you look at the companies that are out there producing major events, it’s the same companies. You’ll see the same people go from Olympics to the Millennium to New Year’s Eve at the Eye, to Rugby World Cup and Cricket World Cup – it’s a club of clubs!

“It’s unfair, it doesn’t let innovation in and it doesn’t let new creative ideas or people in, which is a problem. We need a procession of new people coming in.”

Goldsmith was joined on the panel by Simon Hughes, Vice President of the Business Visits and Events Partnership. “We don’t engage with people in procurement enough and they don’t engage with us enough. We need to have that conversation much more frequently," he said. "It does a huge amount of damage for startups and creativity, which are the key drivers for what you do.”

On the question of how innovative companies can get involved in major events, Goldsmith said: “You have to think in a different way. You’ve either got to team up with a company that is capable of jumping the hurdle of procurement, or package people together and come up with something that’s so different they have to take notice. It is a difficult issue today.”

One of the issues is the lack of a clearly defined route into a career in the live events industry. “The event entertainment business is a very insular industry, which strangely enough doesn’t encourage outsiders. There is no degree you can take to become a booking agent,” Goldsmith said.

“We are constantly asked how to break through into the business. The only way you can break through is to push yourself through. Before I did my first gig, I went into a shop I bought a little Vox amp to get backstage into gigs!

“The only companies that have got involved are the ones who have the confidence to push themselves through. You’ve got to have the confidence to find ways to get over the hurdles.”

Goldsmith said procurement processes do not favour UK companies. “As much I do believe that, as much as we have the best entertainment music talent in the UK, we also have the best behind-the-scenes talent by a long mile – so why do have to employ Americans and Australians to do our big events when there are companies in the UK and can do it better? The hurdles are different. It’s a very odd process and some terrible mistakes have taken place.”

He cited the London Olympic Stadium as an example of just such a mistake.

“One of the legacies of the Olympics is that there is a big stadium in Stratford that went through hell on wheels because of a complete, total, utter screw-up from the Mayor who did not knowing what he was talking about, to a current Mayor inheriting a bill of £200m more than should have been spent, and the most mismanaged process of operation I’ve ever seen in my life.

“There are lots of screw ups that go on and get buried. Everyone raves about the Silver Jubilee; if anyone cares to dig down deep enough and look at the economics you will find that financially they are disasters because they didn’t do the process properly and went to the same old teams.”

Financial disaster is one thing, but safety issues are quite another, and this is just one area where the sports and entertainment event sectors can learn from each other.

“We have seen the recent trial of those dreadful events in Sheffield,” said Goldsmith. “I remember many years ago doing my first ever concert at St James’ Park with Bruce Springsteen and refusing orders from the police, who were about to arrest me, to let the doors open, because I had walked around the exits and discovered that three quarters of them were padlocked.

“I went back to the management and said, why are these gates locked? They said, that’s what we do for a football match. I said, I don’t care what you do for football – there’s going to be 50,000 people standing outside this stadium until you unlock the gates. I can’t imagine what would have happened if there had been a problem there. But that’s what they used to do – their attitude for football was very different. 

“We have to have the same environment for sport as we do for entertainment, because they are visitor attractions and the same rules must apply.

“It’s quite strange because, until very recently sport events were looked upon as something was pure and sport-driven. What many sports forgot is that they are also entertainment, and if they are attracting a crowd, the same values go in sport as they do in music. There may be a band on stage – it’s no different from seeing your hero racing. You’ve got to give the customer the experience of high quality and therefore the rules we go by in entertainment remain the same.”

It’s not just sports and entertainment that can learn from one another; there needs to be more learning for business events, said Hughes.

“We had a decade of sport where we targeted specific major world sporting events and we were very successful at that. Perhaps we should be doing that more in the festival world, in the entertainment world and in the business events world – looking at the way UK sport has used major events as a vehicle for driving the UK into a competitive position and attracting new events to the UK.

“Let’s target the kind of things that we could bid to bring into the UK; or build on the events we are doing here and make them more international. Sports bids have been phenomenally well organized, that’s where there is great success and learning for bidding for other major international events.”

[Source: ASOIF] After almost 12 months’ work, the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) today launched its report on the “Future of Global Sport”. The document aggregates the views of thought leaders and decision-makers from sport, business and government. It addresses political, social, technological, legal and economic influences, all of which are impacting International Federation (IF) decision-making and the model under which sport will be managed going forward. It also provides a historical overview of the foundations that underpin organised sport as we know it today and delves into the challenges currently being faced. The report concludes by laying out a vision for the future of sport over the next 20 years including key recommendations for the IFs and for ASOIF itself.

ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said on the occasion of today’s launch: “ASOIF has invested significant resources in this project and we believe the results will help IFs to better understand, anticipate and react to the changes and trends confronting them. In fact, some of the outlined future scenarios may serve as a wake-up call. This report invites us all to challenge our thinking at ASOIF and encourage our members to challenge their own.”

Key findings of the Future of Global Sport report include:

• IFs must demonstrate an exemplary standard of governance in order to maintain the confidence of the media, governments, business and the public at large while also protecting the integrity of their sports;

• IFs will need to develop a more proactive, creative, commercially driven and collaborative mind set, re-evaluating their role and strategies in favour of increased partnership with the private sector;

• IFs will need to embrace “digital” in earnest, transforming their business models, organisational designs and operational cultures;

• Today’s sporting event model will evolve so that true partnerships entailing closer cooperation and balanced risk-sharing among and between stakeholders, including business and government agencies will be a requirement;

• Athletes with sufficient following are gaining influence in today’s disintermediated media landscape and will need to be offered greater incentives to compete in established events;

• In order to attract new people to participate in and consume their sports, IFs must adapt their strategies to a changing society and to how, in future, people will discover and consume content;

• If they adapt, IFs will remain widely accepted as unique bodies effectively capable of governing and administrating their sports on a worldwide basis as custodians of the rules, training of judges, managing the events calendar and coordinating and funding global development initiatives etc; and

• It will become increasingly important to have an effective “umbrella” organisation working to promote and defend the Olympic IFs’ collective common interests given the range of major common challenges that IFs share but can never be expected to address individually.

Following-up on these findings, the report concludes with a blueprint for IFs to adapt and take advantage of the opportunities presented by today’s disrupted and competitive sporting landscape. This consists of ten recommendations for IFs related to two equally important themes of governance and entrepreneurialism.

The report will also provide ASOIF with guidance and a basis for prioritisation, particularly in relation to its work on establishing a solid future role for IFs, as the involvement of both public authorities (governments) and private business interests in sport continues to grow.

Click here to read the full report.