The search is on to find more than 3,000 volunteers who will be the welcoming face of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of the continent’s leading sport.

Applications have officially opened with volunteers set to play an essential role in the experience offered to athletes, officials, media and spectators as they visit Glasgow and Scotland next year. Volunteers will support a wide range of functions from Spectator Services and Accreditation, to Transport and Media and much more.

The Glasgow 2018 Volunteer Programme was launched at Glasgow’s iconic Kelvin Hall, which recently reopened following a £35 million redevelopment. The launch event was attended a team of Glasgow 2018 Volunteering Champions and Still Game star Sanjeev Kohli, who has been named as an official Volunteering Ambassador.

Thousands of people over the age of 16 are expected to express an interest in joining the volunteer team in what will be one of the most ambitious and inclusive volunteering programmes ever undertaken in Scotland, with the Glasgow 2018 volunteers set to be right at the heart of the inaugural European Championships.

Glasgow 2018 is committed to ensuring that the Volunteer Programme is open to all, building on the success of previous programmes delivered in the city including the Host City Volunteers and the Homeless World Cup. Full support will be given to those wanting to be part of the team regardless of their experience or current circumstances.    

Glasgow 2018 Championships Director Colin Hartley said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships promises to be a memorable event for the whole city and our volunteers will be at its heart. From assisting elite athletes at venues to providing a friendly and welcoming face to the thousands of visitors arriving during Championships time, the volunteers will play an absolutely vital role in ensuring Glasgow 2018 is a success.

“Glaswegians are renowned for their generosity and friendliness and these are valued which we aim to reflect in our volunteers. This will be one of the most inclusive volunteer programmes ever delivered so we want to hear from everyone regardless of their previous experience or current circumstances. There is a real opportunity for you to play your part in sporting history by applying to become a Glasgow 2018 volunteer.”

To be staged every four years, the 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 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

This partnership will create a new event on the world stage elevating the status of European Champions and attracting a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms. Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.

Applications will remain open up until July 31, 2017.

SportAccord Convention is delighted to announce Discover Los Angeles will be the exclusive Global Partner at its 15th edition of the Convention, taking place from 2–7 April 2017 in this year’s European Capital of Culture, Aarhus in Denmark.

Since its founding on September 4, 1781, Los Angeles has grown into a dynamic metropolis with its eye on the future, while preserving its extraordinary cultural heritage. LA is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, making it a truly global city. From San Pedro to the San Fernando Valley, LA is home to 211 sites that are on the National Register of Historic Places. As the entertainment capital of the world and its rich legacy of sport, Los Angeles has a long history when it comes to culture and sport.

Discover Los Angeles President & CEO Ernest Wooden Jr. said, “An epicentre of the sports and entertainment universe, Los Angeles is committed to delivering championship calibre sporting events on the world’s greatest stage. We are excited to be the Global Partner of the SportAccord Convention for the first time and look forward to showcasing L.A.’s unparalleled culture of creativity, innovation and entertainment.”

Held in a different city each year, the annual SportAccord Convention is a unique opportunity for key decision-makers from sport and industry to meet, network and strategically shape global, regional and national agendas. A 6-day event with 1500 delegates expected to attend, organisations can take advantage of the many opportunities offered at the world’s premier and most exclusive annual event focused on the business of sport.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We are delighted to welcome Discover Los Angeles onboard as the Global Partner for the SportAccord Convention. A diverse city, its rich cultural heritage makes Los Angeles one of the ‘go-to’ destinations, and delegates will have every opportunity to connect and discover more during the Convention.”

The Discover Los Angeles team will be found at Stand 37.

Arena Group played a major part in the success of this year’s Cheltenham Festival by supplying event infrastructure to the world-famous race meeting held from March 14-17.

Attracting 250,000 visitors, The Jockey Club’s world-renowned event saw five Arena UK and Europe companies work in tandem to deliver more than 20,000sqm of VIP level facilities overlooking the racecourse, including the world’s longest temporary triple deck structure.

Grahame Muir, Arena Group UK & Europe CEO, said: “In the first year of our new three-year multi-venue Jockey Club contract, we were keener than ever to deliver an even higher level of finish than last year. I am incredibly proud of what our teams delivered and it was pleasing to see all divisions having a part of play.

“Significant investment was made into even more of our cantilevered balconies, providing unencumbered views and increasing valuable hospitality floor space. Additionally a new staircase design was introduced.”

Arena RIM Scaffolding were first on site, with project coordinator Darren Simpson bringing the team’s event engineering expertise to install the all important sub-structures, which involved more than 400 tonnes of scaffolding material, and create level, solid foundations across the undulating course for the Structures team to build on.

Arena Structures Ben Sly project managed the 13-week installation of 20,000sqm of temporary event environments. More than 190 linear metres of triple-decked private suites and exclusive restaurants are provided for Jockey Club clients and guests.

The structures incorporated kitchen, bathroom and rear access facilities on all levels, along with Tote betting booths, phone charge points and cash machines.

Arena’s bespoke Moet & Chandon Champagne covered bar and mezzanine was a constantly popular facility throughout the Festival.

Spaceworks provided 5,000 dining chairs and 500 banqueting tables, set up throughout Arena’s facility. In addition, Well Dressed Tables provided 10,000 covers including crockery, cutlery and glassware across all hospitality areas on the site.

Arena Seating provided its award winning Clearview seating product along with terracing within the Guinness stand, providing fantastic views across the finishing line.

Communities across Glasgow and Scotland are set to come alive in the summer of 2018 as part of a vibrant Cultural Festival being developed to run alongside the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of the continent’s leading sports.

Glasgow’s iconic George Square will be the beating heart of the activities, bringing the city centre to life as a creative hub showcasing the very best of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. The city’s renowned Merchant City Festival, will also become an integral part of the celebrations in the summer of 2018.

The Men’s and Women’s Road Race events at Glasgow 2018 will also pass through George Square, providing a stunning backdrop for one of the key sporting moments during the Championships and further enhancing the city centre activation plans.

Glasgow will also work in close collaboration with 2018 European Championships co-host Berlin to highlight the considerable creative expertise of both cities in a ground-breaking cultural partnership. At the same time Glasgow will also work with partner Local Authorities ensuring that communities across the country are part of the celebrations.  

To be staged every four years, the 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 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

This partnership will create a new event on the world stage elevating the status of European Champions and attracting a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms. Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.

Staged alongside the elite sporting competition (2–12 August 2018), the action-packed programme of cultural activities will capitalise on Glasgow and Scotland’s international reputation for creative and artistic excellence and secure the cultural legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games across four key themes:

·        2018 The Year of Young People

·        Movement, physical activity and sport

·        Cultural collaborations with host Local Authorities, Berlin and Europe

·        The 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Rennie Mackintosh

The cultural programme will work across all platforms including theatre, dance, music, digital, comedy and visual arts performances, bringing communities to life alongside the 11 days of world-class sporting action.

The announcement coincides with the “500 Days To Go” milestone with further information on how arts organisations and local communities can become part of the cultural celebrations to be confirmed over the coming months.

A similar programme of activities was delivered by the city during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, ensuring that non-sports fans were part of the overall event experience and organisers are committed to ensuring the same is the case during the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships are a direct legacy of Scotland hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup. The Cultural Festival secures the legacy further and ensures Scotland continues to be recognised as a global leader in the delivery of sporting and cultural events. EventScotland is proud to be part of the team helping deliver the Championships that will once again show Scotland as the perfect stage for events.”

Dr Bridget McConnell, Chair of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships Board, said: “Glasgow is Scotland’s sporting, creative and cultural powerhouse and we know how to celebrate in style. During the Glasgow 2018 European Championships the city and nation will, once again, come alive with a fantastic celebration of our finest artistic talents. We’re counting down the days until Glasgow shines once more on a global stage.”

Glasgow 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.

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s reputation for hosting world-class sporting and cultural events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, Radio 1’s Big Weekend and the MTV European Music Awards. Pre-registration for priority access to tickets currently available at www.glasgow2018.com for a limited time.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

Source: Glasgow 2018

Independent specialist in telecoms and information technology FarrPoint has been appointed by Glasgow City Council to advise on the internet connectivity and telecommunications networks for the forthcoming Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together the continent’s leading sporting competitions
The technology consultants will ensure that the best solutions are chosen and implemented to provide the event with vital wired and wireless Internet services, telephony and broadcast connectivity.
FarrPoint has expertise in specialist broadband, infrastructure and telecommunications networks, having worked across the UK on connectivity projects with both the private and public sectors including previous work on several major international sporting events.
FarrPoint CEO, Andrew Muir, said: “It is essential that events such as the European Championships have the right technology in place from the outset. The network needs to meet the demands and stresses that will be put on it by a large number of diverse users. The correct infrastructure and connectivity is vital in ensuring that the event runs smoothly and meets the expectations of not only the organisers and competitors but the public and the media too. We are delighted to have been appointed to advise on the project.”
As one of the world’s top five sporting cities Glasgow is known across the globe for hosting major international sporting events. It will take the next step on its proud sporting journey in the summer of 2018 when around 3,000 athletes compete in the Championships in front of a potential TV audience of up to 1.03 billion.
The partnership with FarrPoint, who have a proven track record for delivering large-scale projects, will ensure that a robust technology solution is in place to meet the demands of everyone involved in the Championships.
Glasgow 2018 will be staged in August 2018 as part of the inaugural European Championships with athletes competing in six events across Scotland – cycling, aquatics, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon. A further 1500 will compete in Berlin, which will host the athletics part of the event.  
FarrPoint is an independent consultancy based in Edinburgh advising organisations throughout the UK on telecoms, IT and technology.

Events have the power to inspire and change people’s lives in a number of different ways. They can generate economic growth, international and domestic profile as well as a wide range of social and cultural benefits for their hosts, both through their immediate impact and through any subsequent legacy or long term development.

Measuring and reporting the impact of an event are fundamental when evaluating the success of an event, and is vital for any future planning.

Recognising the importance for the need for a good evaluation tool for the UK events industry, partner organisations worked together to develop eventIMPACTS.

Launched in 2010, the online toolkit comprises of key guidance and good practice principles to help event organisers improve their evaluation of the outcomes – attendance, economic, environmental, social and media impacts - associated with staging sporting and cultural events. It caters for events of all sizes and categorises impacts into groups based on their potential complexity and cost to measure.

eventIMPACTS was created out of the belief that no event should be staged without an accompanying commitment to measure its success against the objectives initially set and since its launch it has proven itself to be a leading resource for the events industry. Through the use of the tool, consistent evaluation methods, measures and impact assessments provide the ability to model event outcomes and make better forecasts, which in turn improve the industry.

However, just like events must evolve and respond to customers’ needs and changes in technology, so too must the way they evaluate them. Recognising this need, eventIMPACTS has further been developed and now includes updated guidelines relating to social and media impacts. The new guidelines now allow organisers to measure how events positively impact peoples’ behaviour and quantify exposure across a range of media platforms.

These additional resources will allow event organisers to measure social impacts in areas of satisfaction, identity and image, participation and volunteering and skills. Advice on how to measure the media impacts has been extended to include volume of coverage, engagement and tone and value.

These improvements mean organisers across the UK are now better equipped to calculate the overall impact of their events and we know they agree. A survey on the new resources has revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback from the events industry. In particular, it was widely agreed that eventIMPACTS provides a clear structure for assessing the benefits from events.

The co-founder of FOCUS Wales Festival, Neal Thompson, said “eventIMPACTS is now easier to use and reveals much more information on the actual overall contribution our events make. It is such an important resource for highlighting how integral events are, both to the economy and society itself in the UK as a whole.”

The positive response from the industry shows the toolkit fulfils a need in the market and is helping ensure event organisers can see if they achieve the level of impact they desire from their event. 

Just as advances in technology will continue to impact on event delivery, so too will it impact what we measure. Going forward, eventIMPACTS will continue to evolve with the changes within the industry, technology and society, to ensure it continues to be a tool that allows best practice.

To see the toolkit and find out more, visit www.eventimpacts.com

[Source: SportAccord Convention] SportAccord Convention is delighted to confirm that Michael Evans, President of the Alibaba Group will be the Keynote for this year’s Plenary Conference, Innovation in Action at the 15^th edition, to be held at the Aarhus Convention Center, Denmark from 2 – 7 April 2017.

The Keynote will begin on Wednesday, 5 April at 09:10 to 09:40 and take the format of a Fireside Chat with David Eades, Anchor and Journalist, BBC World. The session is entitled: Open Sesame: Unlocking the rich potential of new sporting horizons, and using innovation to drive sport to a new level of entertainment and fan engagement.

When Sydney hosted the Olympic Games in 2000, Alibaba was a Chinese start-up and not quite a year old. Fast forward 18 years and Alibaba has now grown into the world’s largest online and mobile commerce company. Alibaba is now expanding into media, entertainment and sport, recently forging an historic long-term partnership with the IOC through 2028, using technological innovation and know-how to contribute to the Olympic Movement.

As President, Michael Evans is responsible for leading and executing Alibaba Group’s international growth strategy. Commenting on Alibaba’s involvement in the SportAccord Convention, Evans said:

“We’re delighted to be taking part in the SportAccord Convention as this gives us an opportunity to   share some of the key insights and innovative approach Alibaba is taking when it comes to sport and entertainment, the growth of the digital and mobile market, as well as the exciting potential of the Chinese market for sport.”

Panel sessions and case studies following the Keynote will include:

• Plenary Panel Session entitled: Innovation – A permanent change revolution, or an opportunity to reset your sport?
• Innovation in the Business of Sport
• IF Innovation in Action – International Orienteering Federation
• Future Sports – Drone Racing

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We’re delighted Alibaba will open the Plenary Conference focused on Innovation in Action. With the increasing significance of sport in China in terms of fan engagement and business growth, there are significant opportunities to be had by everyone. Alibaba’s meteoric rise will most certainly have some bearing on what we hear during the Keynote.”

SportAccord Convention is the world’s premier and most exclusive annual event at the service of sport. It is focused on driving positive change internationally and dedicated to engaging and connecting; international sports federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities, press and media, businesses and other organisations involved in the development of sport.

The Convention is host to annual general meetings of governing bodies, and once again, will welcome a delegation from the International Olympic Committee. The 6-day Convention includes the Plenary Conference, City Forum, LawAccord, MediaAccord, the Exhibition, as well as the Opening Ceremony and Closing Event.

An impressive speaker line-up and record turnout will mark the third annual event of the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) from March 19-21 in Basel, Switzerland.

AGES, based in Switzerland, was formed in 2014 to become the label for quality for temporary and demountable infrastructure works for major events. The interest in its annual event proves that AGES is paving the way to becoming the platform and global representative of event builders.

A number of recognised personalities of the industry will attend and speak at the event. Attendees includes Marco Balich, producer of many Olympic ceremonies, and David Grevemberg, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Meanwhile representatives of large event organisers such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the World Expo 2020 in Dubai will speak to the executives of the member and associate member companies.

“I am encouraged by the development,” said Daniel Cordey, chairman of AGES. “Organisers of large events start using our services and our membership grows. In fact, it has tripled in just three years and become more global, representing all kinds of works categories and services.”

At the General Assembly Meeting the members will decide about the elaboration of a new Guide. This Guide shall provide comprehensive information for event organisers, building authorities and governmental bodies to assist throughout the delivery process of temporary infrastructure (overlays).

This advisory document will contain general (part one) and technical information (part two) and support the stakeholders in achieving a cost-effective and professional handling of overlays for any type of event.

The event also offers presentations from the AGES partners EY Group and SOS Global, who will report about the work done in the thematic working groups, presenting a logistic guide and new contract templates to be used by the members.

Gleneagles, the world-renowned luxury hotel, has been unveiled as an Official Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that will see Gleneagles make golfing history as host of the first ever European Golf Team Championships.

The news comes a week after the announcement of Atos as Glasgow 2018’s first Official Supporter.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

The European Golf Team Championships is the only new event being staged as part of Glasgow 2018 and will take place at the famous Jack Nicklaus-designed Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course – the same venue that hosted Europe’s memorable victory over the USA in the 2014 Ryder Cup.

The Championships promise to be a game changing moment for golf, with Europe’s elite men and women set to compete together for the first time. It is backed by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour and will include a men’s and women’s event along with a ground-breaking mixed competition.  

Host Venue and Official Supporter Gleneagles is home to some of the best golf facilities in the world including three championship courses and the PGA National Golf Academy. Gleneagles is a former long-standing European Tour and Ladies European Tour venue and has unrivalled experience of hosting international events such as The Ryder Cup.

The European Golf Team Championships will also build on Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for major events such as The Open, Scottish Open and Women’s British Open as well as major one-off events like The Ryder Cup and The Solheim Cup.

Aileen Campbell MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “Gleneagles has staged many prestigious golf tournaments through its history and was the home to what many regard as the best Ryder Cup ever in 2014. In 2018 Gleneagles will be the magnificent setting for European Championships and will see elite men and women golfers compete together for the first time. 

“In 2014 the Ryder Cup players spoke about the top class facilities, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd and left with good memories and we know it will be the same for those taking part in the inaugural European Championships in 2018.”

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The European Championships will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar, set to be played out in front of a potential television audience of up to one billion people.

“Gleneagles is a world leader when it comes to golf and we are delighted that they will play such a crucial role in the delivery of the new European Golf Team Championships, which will be a real first for world sport.

“Glasgow is the gateway to Scotland and partnerships such as this with Gleneagles will help us bring one million more people to the city as part of Glasgow’s Tourism and Visitor Plan to 2023.”

Bernard Murphy, Gleneagles’ Managing Director, said: “We’re proud to be associated with what will be a ground-breaking moment in sporting history. The event will build on Gleneagles’ long history of raising the bar in golf and breaking cultural boundaries in sport – including the first match between British and American professionals in 1921.

“We look forward to continuing that tradition at the European Golf Team Championships, when Europe’s leading men and women compete together for the first time, in what will be a real historic moment for the sport.

“We are therefore delighted to be announced as an Official Supporter of Glasgow 2018, and look forward to delivering an inspiring event that will strengthen Gleneagles’ reputation as one of the foremost golfing venues in the world.”

Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000 with registration for priority access to tickets currently available at www.glasgow2018.com for all sports including golf.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

Eventbrite, the ticketing and event technology platform which powers more than two million events each year, has acquired Ticketscript, one of Europe’s largest self-service ticketing providers.

The acquisition positions Eventbrite as Europe’s third largest ticketing platform, and expands the company’s global prominence as a leading live music event technology partner.

In 2016, Ticketscript and Eventbrite’s combined European operations processed more than 35 million tickets worth more than €500 million for nearly one million events. Following the acquisition, around a quarter (23 per cent) of Eventbrite’s global employees will work in Europe.

Founded in 2006, Ticketscript is headquartered in Amsterdam and is active in five European countries: the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium.

Frans Jonker, CEO of Ticketscript, who will join Eventbrite as GM for continental Europe, said: “We have been building significant market presence in Europe for 10 years, with a focus on self-service ticketing for music events. We share Eventbrite’s passion for allowing event organisers to control their event marketing and ticketing, whilst retaining their end customer data.

“Joining forces with Eventbrite will no doubt help further accelerate the digital transformation of the European live experience industry.”

Eventbrite processed 150 million tickets for more than 600,000 event organisers in 180 countries last year. Founded in San Francisco in 2006, Eventbrite opened its first international presence in London in 2011, and maintains offices in eight countries on four continents. The company’s other European operations are in Ireland, Germany, and most recently the Netherlands.

Julia Hartz, CEO and Co-Founder of Eventbrite, said: “This acquisition supercharges Eventbrite’s footprint in Europe and brings 10 additional years of traction in the music space and experience in European markets to our business. It perfectly aligns with our strategic vision to become the world’s leading marketplace for live experiences, and adds significant assets and technical power to our platform.

“We are looking forward to this new partnership combining the best solutions from both companies, and bringing them to our customers around the world.”