[Source: Glasgow 2018] A fund of up to £750,000 has opened to artists, arts organisations and groups who want to apply to be part of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships’ cultural festival.

Festival 2018 is part of the biggest sporting event hosted in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Co-hosted with Berlin, Glasgow 2018 is multi-sport event to be staged from 2 to 12 August 2018. It brings together the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships. Berlin will host Athletics.

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete in 12 venues across Scotland including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, North Lanarkshire and Perth & Kinross.

The Festival 2018 Fund aims to deliver a programme of broad cultural expression ranging from grassroots initiatives to large scale international projects to involve talent from across Scotland and deliver a programme with something for everyone.

Applications are invited from all art-forms including music, visual art, theatre, dance, film, literature and performance to showcase the best of Scotland’s cultural offer. Glasgow’s George Square and the Merchant City Festival will be at the heart of Festival 2018 alongside communities close to the venue areas.

The fund opened on Tuesday 25 July 2017 and closes on 6 September 2017. Applications can be made at www.glasgow2018.com/festival2018/fund. Applications will be considered in terms of quality and impact and how they reflect the European context and Glasgow’s close collaboration with co-host Berlin, the 2018 Year of Young People and the way in which arts and culture can reference and link to sport through physical movement.

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is delivered in partnership with several leading European sports federations with support from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The European Championships 2018 Cultural Festival offers an excellent platform to strengthen connections both at home and internationally. Scotland has a reputation for being a vibrant and culturally-rich nation and everyone here for the Championships will be able to sample some of this for themselves.

“As we look towards 2018 and the Year of Young People, there will also be a programme of events and activities celebrating Scotland’s many unique qualities as a great place to grow up and mark our young people’s important contribution to society. This Festival Fund will help to create new and valuable experiences for visitors and those who live here and I’m delighted to welcome this important part of the European Championships 2018.”

Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken said: “Festival 2018 will showcase and celebrate the very best of Glaswegian and Scottish culture.

“Our city has the greatest concentration of creative industries in Scotland, with more than 5,000 people employed in the cultural sector directly and more than 25,000 employed in the arts and creative industries more widely.

“This fund reflects our commitment to that sector and will help deliver a programme of activities at Glasgow’s iconic George Square; the Merchant City Festival, and many more venues across the city next year.”

Tickets for sporting events are now on sale and can be purchased from www.glasgow2018.com/tickets. Tickets are being sold on a first come first served basis, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment. 

[Source: SportAccord Convention] Sport Event Denmark, the national Danish sporting event organisation for Denmark, is the first Gold Partner to sign-up for the sixteenth edition of the SportAccord Convention due to take place in Bangkok, Thailand from 15 – 20 April 2018 at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.

Sport Event Denmark helps to develop and promote sport worldwide, and hosts major international sports events and congresses in Denmark, including SportAccord Convention this year in the City of Aarhus – the European Capital of Culture 2017.

“After being co-host and Gold Partner of SportAccord Convention earlier this year, we are delighted to be a Gold Partner once again and very much looking forward to April next year. I am convinced that our friends in Thailand will host a truly fantastic Convention in the great city of Bangkok. The SportAccord Convention has made tremendous progress over the years and is the leading and must-attend sports business convention globally.” said Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

Sport Event Denmark always host a busy and vibrant booth where Peter Schmeichel dropped by during SAC2017 to meet and chat to delegates. At SAC2018, the Sport Event Denmark team will be found at Booth (no. 70) where delegates are always given a warm welcome and guaranteed to be entertained.

Commenting on the partnership, Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We are delighted to have Sport Event Denmark as Gold Partners again this year. Their loyalty and support is never underestimated and Sport Event Denmark helped to deliver an outstanding 2017 Convention in Aarhus, Denmark. We very much look forward to working with them again for the SportAccord Convention in Bangkok.”

With exclusive access to the key decision-makers in sport including all the International Federations present, around 1,500 delegates will attend the SportAccord Convention and take advantage of the networking opportunities provided across the Official Schedule including social events, a 3-day exhibition and conference programme and some of the official meetings taking place. Conference programmes already available include the always popular CityAccord and LawAccord.

[Source: Lagardère Sports and Entertainment] The Commonwealth Games Federation has unveiled an innovative new Games delivery model that will transform the impact and value of hosting the Commonwealth Games through the launch of a pioneering new partnership with Lagardère Sports, one of the world’s leading media, sports and entertainment agencies.

The CGF and Lagardère Sports have launched “CGF Partnerships”, a ground-breaking new partnership that will bring together both organisations under a new entity whose core focus is on improving the support for host nations and cities to enhance the overall value of hosting the Games. In particular, the Partnership will provide support to hosts through a new event delivery model; while also developing new long-term commercial strategies and further strengthening community relations in host cities.

The new joint venture – majority-controlled by the Commonwealth Games Federation – will be led by Lord Robert Smith of Kelvin, former Glasgow 2014 Chairman, who has been appointed as the first-ever CGF Partnerships Chair. In the first instance, CGF Partnerships has been contracted to support the delivery of the next three major Commonwealth Games cycles up to 2030, but with a view to the new partnership delivery model being the foundation behind all the CGF’s major sporting events in the future.

The Commonwealth Games has recently seen a huge wave of enthusiasm and interest from countries across the Commonwealth, with Australia, Canada, England and Malaysia all continuing to develop proposals for the renewed hosting opportunity of the 2022 Games. The Commonwealth Movement was also welcomed in carnival style in the Caribbean on Tuesday night as the VIth Commonwealth Youth Games burst into life at the Opening Ceremony in the Bahamas.

A key priority for CGF Partnerships is to reduce the cost and maximise the value of the Games for hosts. This will be achieved through an innovative new Games delivery model that will see dedicated CGF Partnerships delivery teams fully integrated with host city teams, providing enhanced support, knowledge and expertise on the delivery of the Games. Access to this embedded CGF Partnership resource will help improve efficiencies and event management throughout the entire life cycle of the Games – enabling Organising Committees to get off-the-ground faster and minimising set-up costs (in areas such as technology and sales); while also ensuring know-how, intelligence and experience is carried forward from Games to Games.

In addition, CGF Partnerships will develop new and long-term commercial revenue streams for host cities, Commonwealth Games Associations and the CGF through new sponsorship, broadcast and digital rights opportunities. While another key area of focus for the Partnership will be further strengthening the engagement between potential host cities and their communities to help expand the number and variety of bids across the Commonwealth.

Welcoming the announcement, CGF President Louise Martin CBE said:

“CGF Partnerships is a historic step-change in our organisation’s focus from oversight of quadrennial Games to a standout, values-driven movement striving to connect citizens and communities through sport.

“We passionately believe there is enormous untapped potential in the successful and sustainable delivery of our major sporting events – for athletes, for teams, for host cities, for organisers, for partners, for fans. This transformative new partnership builds on what makes us truly special: inspiring, impactful and inclusive sport with a purpose.”

Former Glasgow 2014 Chairman and newly-appointed Chair of CGF Partnerships Lord Robert Smith of Kelvin said:

“The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was a truly memorable example of the power and potential of one Games in one City and I was honoured and proud to play my part in it as Chairman of the Organising Committee. I was delighted to be asked to pick up the Games baton once again and I am very pleased to support the CGF and its partners to deliver on its next phase of ambitious development and growth.”

Welcoming the launch of the Partnership, Lagardère Sports and Entertainment CEO, Andrew Georgiou, said:

“In recent years the CGF has been ahead of the game in modernising its thinking and approach to delivering major events. Our partnership with the Federation, through CGF Partnerships, is a continuation of that work and a formalisation of our valued relationship with the CGF which goes back many years.

“Through CGF Partnerships we aim to set the template and tone for how major sporting events, across all sports and geographies, should be delivered in the future – namely in a cost-efficient, sustainable but engaging and entertaining way. 

“It’s a hugely exciting time to be involved with the Commonwealth Games.”

[Source: ICSS] During a keynote speech on smart cities and the future of sport safety and security, Michael Hershman, Group CEO of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) highlighted the vital role that predictive technology will play in securing future major sport events and encouraged more host cities and nations to integrate smart data systems within their safety and security planning.

Speaking during the INTERPOL World 2017 conference – which brought together some of the world’s top law enforcement, government bodies, academia and international security professionals from across the public and private security sector – the ICSS Group CEO acknowledged the growing and significant security challenges facing many major sport event hosts and gave several insights into emerging trends and technologies currently being developed that could help predict potential threats and safeguard host cities and nations in the future.

Michael Hershman, ICSS Group CEO, said: “The challenge of securing high-profile international sporting events has never been greater and the security threats now facing host cities and nations around the world are now hugely complex, sophisticated and organised.

“In order to combat and prevent growing threats like cybersecurity, terrorism and hooliganism, it is important that there is a step-change in future public and private security efforts and it is vital that we urgently look at how emerging smart technology can be proactively used to support and safeguard major sport events in the future.”

During his keynote speech, Hershman highlighted examples of how emerging artificial intelligence and predictive technology can help automate, accelerate and enhance the ability to predict potential security threats, as well as emphasising how smart data and analytics can be used to identify and forecast emerging trends and risks.

He said: “As part of the ICSS’s ongoing mission, we are committed to sharing our expertise to benefit sport and, alongside key partners and organisations around the world, are working to identify new and pioneering ways to help protect and safeguard sport.

“This is why, alongside several key partners, we are in the process of developing the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) – a comprehensive security resilience and predictive analysis platform designed to collect, integrate and analyse data to help event organizers, emergency services and law enforcement agencies predict potential threats and deliver safe and secure major events.

“As we have seen recently, technology that is used in the right way can play a pivotal role in protecting and securing large-scale major sporting events. At the ICSS, we believe strongly that there is now a clear need to help strengthen the smart data and security capabilities of major events and law enforcement agencies, as well as proactively enhance their situational awareness in the high-demanding security situations.”

Hershman concluded: “At a time where technology is playing an increasingly significant role in the lives of many people around the world, it is vital that we use it as a force for good and to enhance technical capabilities of those who secure and safeguard major international sport events.”

For more information on the ICSS and if you are interested in exploring how the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) can help secure your major event, please visit http://www.theicss.org or contact info@theicss.org

“In my role as President of the Ligue Européenne de Natation, it has been a pleasure to enjoy two excellent major aquatics events so far this summer – the European Diving Championships in Kiev, Ukraine, and the European Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel. And still to come is the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“It was fantastic to see Kiev host an elite European Championships in Aquatics for the first time. The event was a great success, with sold-out sessions and a great atmosphere.

“Of course, our diving continental showcase will be staged next year within the European Aquatics Championships – part of the Glasgow 2018 multisport European Championships. While co-chairing the most recent Glasgow-Berlin 2018 European Championships Board meeting in June, it was reassuring to hear from the Glasgow organisers that ticket sales are going very well for all sports – not least for our aquatics events.

“Indeed, one of the key objectives for LEN is to develop our disciplines such as swimming, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and diving by reaching out to as wide an audience as possible. Thus it was great to learn that there is such an appetite to watch these disciplines when they take place at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Scotstoun Sports Campus, Loch Lomond and Royal Commonwealth Pool.

“Of course, each stakeholder has some of their own individual objectives, but there is an overriding common vision that we all share: the European Championships as a new generation multisport event for European sports that will be an 11-day celebration staged every four years with a super-charging effect on our participating sports and our athletes.

“Together we are creating a must-watch and must-attend experience that elevates the Champions of Europe. We aspire to unite our sports, the public, athletes, nations; to be diverse in showcasing our sports and demonstrate that being a European Champion is a fantastic achievement; to inspire the next generation of champions and encourage the public to get involved in sport; and to continue the rich tradition of our sports so they have a long-lasting, positive impact on the sporting world-stage.

“In short, it is the ultimate multi-sport event to promote our sports on the continent.

“During our recent aquatics events, I have been speaking with our Member Federations about what a special event the European Championships will be for the athletes, and I have been reassured by the positive response of the aquatics family.

“It is our job to work with the athletes who will be competing in Glasgow to ensure they are aware of the enormity of the event. Now that the Championships are starting to be recognised, I am sure many of our European participants in Budapest will be endorsing the European Championships and giving it their full support.

“Indeed, there are so many special qualities connected to the European Championships. We must remind our sports men and women (important to say we have an almost equal gender split!) that between the participating sports – aquatics, athletics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon – there are 450 years of history surrounding our respective European Championships. We need to remind them also that to be the best at something out of a continental population of 750 million people is a pretty special achievement!

“Their achievements will be celebrated not only by the fans attending the events in Glasgow and Berlin but also by those watching on television. Our seven major sports have joined forces based on their existing power to attract broadcast viewers which will be further enhanced by packaging them together.

“One of the most important benefits for our sports is that we will benefit from an enhanced offer from our Broadcast Partner, the European Broadcasting Union – up to 1.3 billion television viewers, with many more viewers across multiple digital platforms.

“With one year to go approaching, we are all working hard to promote the inaugural event in Glasgow and Berlin – two of the most iconic sporting and cultural cities in Europe. The European Federations, the Host Cities, and the EBU are fully focused on achieving collective success, pushing the ground-breaking concept and educating everyone within our own communities and beyond.

“We aim to create an awareness and engagement amongst sports and main eventers across Europe – and we see the enormous power of social media as presenting the biggest opportunity to engage these audiences. We want everyone to share in 'The Moment' – our tagline that celebrates an event that will be the defining moment for European Champions for 2018 and beyond."

Paolo Barelli, LEN (Ligue Européenne de Natation) President and co-chair of the 2018 European Championships Board

[Source: 2018 European Championships]

The International Triathlon Union has extended its partnership with SEL Sport & Events Logistics (SEL) to serve not only as the global logistics partner for ITU but also the travel solutions partner, offering “360 degrees” services.

“We are delighted to further develop our relationship with SEL, which has proven itself to be delivering and adding value to ITU to the highest standards”, said Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member.

“We are thrilled that a company such as SEL Logistics, which has more than 25 years of experience in major events, will be delivering not only the logistic services they’ve been providing for more than a year, but will also take care of all ITU travel solutions as an international sporting federation with multiple events across the world.

“The delivery of our branding elements from race to race all over the world, and the travels of all ITU staff, Technical Officials, and Executive Board are now centralised and organised to the best quality standards.”

SEL Sport & Events Logistics will now provide logistics and freight forwarding for the ITU to all World Triathlon Series (WTS) events in 2017 and extend this service to all 15 World Cups, Paratriathlon World Series and Paratriathlon World Cups.

And as part of its “360 degrees” services, SEL will implement its travel solutions to centralise workloads and increase productivity around the available resources.

“Triathlon is a sport for all – for all ages, for all levels of competition – truly global. So for us to have the opportunity to support ITU in its quest to broaden its reach, we are excited said Pier Bottero, Chief Executive at SEL.

“We shall always endeavour to optimise solutions and services for ITU, and all stakeholders.”

ITU and SEL said they will continue to develop the partnership towards 2020 and beyond as they seek to improve efficiency for LOCs, athletes and fan experiences at ITU events worldwide.

[Source: SIGA] The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) today announced a stellar line-up of global sport experts for the upcoming SIGA Sport Integrity Forum in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 July.

The second edition of the Forum will bring together more than 100 leaders from the world of sport, government, finance, business and civil society to address the most pressing governance and integrity issues facing the sports industry.

Following the huge success of the first ever Sport Integrity Forum in London earlier this year, this edition will feature lively, interactive and highly-informed panel discussions from the following influencers and experts:

Cindy McCain - Founder, the McCain Institute

Michael Robichaud - Senior Vice President, Global Sponsorships, MasterCard

David Luna - Senior Director, US State Department / Chairman, OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade

Hans Erik Tuijt - Director, Global Sponsorships, Heineken

Michael Hershman - Group CEO, ICSS

AG Burnett - Chairman, Nevada Gaming Authority

Brian Lewis - President, Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC)

Pedro Machado - Partner, PwC

Joao Paulo Almeida - Director General, National Olympic Committee of Portugal

Densign White - CEO, International Mix Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF)

Ian Smith - Commissioner, eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC)

The SIGA Council said:

“Following our first ever Forum earlier this year, it is clear that urgent reform and collaboration is needed more than ever to tackle the serious governance and integrity issues facing sport. There is a huge amount of work to be done. And it is for this very reason that we are again bringing together high-profile, leading experts to collaborate and share intelligence, new innovations and solutions to benefit the entire global sports movement.”

Additional panellists and keynote speakers will be added to the highly influential line-up that will highlight the issues and challenges ahead, sparking lively cutting-edge discussions on the following five big themes:

Good Governance in Sport: From Rhetoric to Effective Reforms;

Following the Money! The Pathway into Financial Integrity in Sport;

Sports Betting Integrity: Global Solutions to Global Threats;

Youth Development and Protection of Minors in Sport; and

Sports Business, Brand Value and Reputation.

The SIGA General Assembly will take place the day after the Forum at Palácio Foz, Lisbon, Portugal on 27 July.

The owners, organisers and hosts of major events need to keep talking and Host City conferences are playing a crucial role in this process, according to Sir Craig Reedie CBE, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and former Vice President of the International Olympic Committee.

The fourth Host City conference and exhibition – Host City 2017 – takes place in Glasgow on 28 and 29 November. The first Host City Asia conference takes place in Beijing on 18 October.

Sir Craig Reedie said: “Host City is a really good conference involving cities that want to host events. Anything that can be done to put sport and cities together at an early stage is a good idea and I look forward to this happening in Glasgow and Beijing.

“The Glasgow event is getting bigger and bigger each year – that shows that there is a need for it.

“I expect Host City Asia in Beijing will show what a different market is like. China is full of large cities and there are lots of options within the country. For sports that are big in China – badminton for example – there is always a bidder for a major event.

“So, it will be interesting to see what lessons are learned from the Host City event in Beijing; because in the rest of the world it’s a question of encouraging cities to bid.

“Communication is vital in both the bidding phases and the delivery phase. The IOC appear to be looking at changing the Winter Games bidding process going forward, to make that process more comprehensive and start even earlier.

“On occasions costs ended up to be too high and that was the really limiting factor in terms of new bids. The IOC has to understand this and do something about it, to sit down with the cities who are interested well in advance and find out if we can work together.”

Event rights holders including international federations, national Olympic committees, bidding and organising committees comprise a substantial and growing part of the Host City audience.

Sir Craig Reedie has immense experience leading all these types of organisations, from bringing badminton into the Olympic Programme and presiding over the sport’s international federation to chairing the British Olympic Association and the London 2012 bidding and organising committees. Until 2016 he was Vice President of the International Olympic Committee and is currently President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

A full transcript of the interview with Sir Craig Reedie will be published in the Autumn issue of Host City magazine.

For more information about Host City visit www.hostcity.com

On 28 to 30 June the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission met with the organising committee of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) to visit venues and discuss hosting plans.

The IOC gave a very positive appraisal of Tokyo’s budget, Games infrastructure and ability to reach new audiences.

Budget efficiencies

Earlier this year, Tokyo responded to pressure to minimise the cost of hosting the Games by reducing the budget from US$18.1bn to $12.9bn, comprising US$5.6bn for the organising committee and further expenditure by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese National Government.

During meetings with the Coordination Commission, these organisations affirmed their commitment to work with the IOC to find further opportunities to reduce cost. The Coordination Commission also noted Tokyo’s 2020’s ability to generate revenue.

“Planning is going extremely well; it is exceptionally detailed and precise; and Tokyo’s commercial programme is remarkable,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates. “We do not have any concerns about this.

“We continue to work with the Organising Committee, led by President Mori, and all of the local stakeholders to ensure that the Games are a force for good. We encourage our Japanese friends to engage with young people and inspire their citizens, while also identifying additional efficiencies to reduce the overall Games budget.”

New audiences

The IOC said in a statement the Coordination Commission was “impressed with the Japanese host city’s plans to bring the Games to new audiences.”

These efforts include projects to engage the whole country in the build up to the Games and a renewed focus on gender balance, youth and urban events in the sports programme.

“The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will not only inspire the world during 16 days of competition but will bring new audiences to the Games and their values in the lead-up”, said Coates.

“With the support of Tokyo 2020, we recently added 15 events to the Olympic programme, delivering greater gender equality and more of an urban and youth focus, while reducing the overall number of participants. Our discussions this week have highlighted several ways in which this significant step forward will benefit the athletes and allow Tokyo to involve people who might not necessarily have been interested in the Games before.

“The ongoing work on an urban feel in the waterfront zone, pre-Games engagement activities, and Tokyo 2020’s athletes first focus means that we leave Tokyo excited about what the future holds for these Olympic Games.”

Ways of involving Japanese citizens in preparing for the Games include donating old electronic devices to be used to create medals, and participating in a nationwide flag tour.

Games infrastructure

At the Olympic Village, the Coordination Commission members were briefed on the “uniquely Japanese experience” that the athletes will receive in 2020.

The IOC noted that planning and construction for the National Stadium are proceeding on budget and on track for completion in November 2019. At 72,400 sq m, this is Tokyo 2020’s largest competition venue construction project, set to have 3,000 workers on site at the height of construction.

The IOC said “Tokyo 2020 has been able to benefit significantly from the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020. This is reflected not only in the modernisation of the Olympic programme, but also in the ability to help it to invest as efficiently as possible in the organisation of the Games, such as the approximately USD 2.2 billion of savings from the revised construction budget.”

The itinerary included a stop at the downtown Aomi Sports Cluster, where by sport climbing, skateboarding, and Paralympic Football 5-a-side athletes hoping to compete in Tokyo 2020 expressed their excitement at being a part of the Games.

“It was my first visit to the venue site for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” said IFSC Climbing World Championship bronze medallist Akiyo Noguchi. “Today’s visit made me feel that this is becoming a reality, and I am now totally determined. I would love to climb the wall right here three years from now.”

“I have never taken part in a skateboarding contest in a venue this size – the audiences are going to be huge,” said 15 year-old skateboarder Nishimura. “I think it will be a good opportunity to show everyone what kind of sport skateboarding is. I am looking forward to it.”

Responsibility to athletes

Other areas of Games preparations discussed included services to athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, the media and spectators; marketing; and the Paralympic Games.

“We had very productive discussions at the Coordination Commission meetings this week,” said Yoshiro Mori, President of the Tokyo Organising Committee. “I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to the members of the Commission for their valuable advice.

“The young rising athletes who came to meet us on Wednesday at the Aomi Sports Cluster, where their sports events will take place in three years, told us with such excitement about their dreams and expectations for Tokyo 2020. It reminded me of all the other young athletes around the world who are working very hard towards their dreams. I felt once again the importance of my responsibility to them. We will continue to strive to deliver successful Olympic Games, and display the value of sports to the world.”

[Source: Glasgow 2018] Scottish businesses account for 70 per cent of registrations for future procurement opportunities through the Glasgow 2018 European Championships with more than 538 registrations to date.

During the next few months, a further 17 tendering contracts each with a value of over £50,000 will be available to businesses who have registered with www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk, covering a range of services including ground transport, media operations, audio visual systems and sports equipment.

The number of businesses already registered on www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk for future opportunities include 386 Scottish companies classed as micro or small buwsinesses and 127 Glasgow-based businesses.

The multi-sport event has already awarded nine procurement opportunities covering a total value of £16,500,000.

To be staged every four years, the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships. The first edition will be held in August 2018, between 2 and 12 August, in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin. Tickets are now on sale at www.glasgow2018.com

Glasgow 2018 European Championships have been working the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) to maximise opportunities for businesses in the city and Scotland. SDP works closely with suppliers to get them tender ready so they have the best possible chance of winning contracts by offering free information, support and information events.

Minister for Public Health and Sport Aileen Campbell said: “This new multi-sport event is the next big thing on the events calendar for Glasgow and Scotland following the best ever Commonwealth Games in 2014.

“Scotland’s visitor economy is worth £11 billion. Staging the 2018 European Championships aligns perfectly with and builds upon Scotland’s national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage.

“We are committed to ensuring this major event provides opportunities for businesses in Glasgow and across Scotland by opening up new audiences and markets.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is already providing big opportunities for businesses in the city and across Scotland – and that will continue over the next year and right up until the start of the event.

“Staging Glasgow 2018 will also undoubtedly boost the city’s global profile as a visitor destination, at a time when almost 30,000 people are employed in tourism and related industries. In 2014, the Commonwealth Games helped attract 2.7 million visitors to Glasgow, generating £687 million for the local economy.”

Sponsorship opportunities that will give businesses the right to associate with the event and receive a rights and benefits package are available. Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can find out more by visiting www.glasgow2018.com or contacting the sponsorship team at info@europeanchampionships.com

For more information about Supplier Development Programme (SDP), please visit https://www.sdpscotland.co.uk

[Source: Glasgow 2018]