SportAccord Convention 2017, which took place in this year’s European Capital of Culture, Aarhus, Denmark from April 2-7, was billed as a runaway success.

With more than 1,600 delegates in attendance representing 71 nationalities, including 100 International Sport Federations and Associate Members, the 15th edition attracted key decision-makers from the world of sport.

With sport being the fastest growing sector in the entertainment industry, the six-day Convention included a full conference programme focused on ‘Innovation in Action’. This included the Plenary keynote from Michael Evans, President of Alibaba Group, City Day, MediaAccord and LawAccord, as well as a sell-out exhibition with 66 booths representing some of the international federations, cities and many industry sectors.

SportAccord Convention also received a royal visitor with Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark and heir apparent to the throne who visited the exhibition, as well as legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel who greeted delegates on the Sport Event Denmark stand.

This year saw 135 cities and regions attend the SportAccord Convention who brought more than 300 delegates between them, including the 2024 bid cities who delivered introductory presentations at the ASOIF General Assembly.

Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of SportAccord Convention and ASOIF said: “SportAccord Convention is flying again. Following a difficult transition period, the SportAccord Convention in Aarhus has been a great success with special thanks to our hosts, Sport Event Denmark and the City of Aarhus.

“In the last few days, we have also had meetings with 15 cities interested in hosting future conventions from Asia, the United States of America, the Middle East and Europe. This confirms how relevant SportAccord Convention is for the international sports community.”

The glittering opening ceremony organised by this year’s Convention hosts was attended by more than 850 delegates. Held in the Musikhuset, the event featured culture, music and the performing arts, as well as speeches from the presidents of SportAccord Convention and the International Olympic Committee, and the Mayor of Aarhus.

The 16th edition of the SportAccord Convention was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn and will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from April 15-20, 2018 and H.E. Mrs. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand’s Minister for Tourism and Sports was also in attendance with her delegation.

The closing event took place in the iconic art museum of ARoS where hundreds of guests enjoyed panoramic rainbow views of the city, exclusive access to the new exhibition ‘The Past’, and cocktails and tapas accompanied by live music.

Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, a long-term gold partner and this year, co-host of the SportAccord Convention, said: “Playing co-host to SportAccord Convention together with the City of Aarhus has been a privilege and honour, and we hope and believe that all delegates have enjoyed our hospitality and experienced the beautiful City of Aarhus. Thanks to SportAccord Convention for giving us the opportunity, and we look forward to catching up with the world of sport in Bangkok next year.”

Glasgow will become the first city in the world to simultaneously stage four Olympic-discipline cycling championships within its boundaries following a host city agreement (HCA) between the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and the Union of European Cycling (UEC).

The European Championships is a new multi-sport event that will see the continent’s leading athletes compete for career-defining moments of glory at world-class venues throughout Scotland. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin. It will combine the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon along with a new golf team championships at the famous PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

Glasgow is host city for all events with the exception of athletics, which takes place in Berlin. Around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland during the Championships while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

An action packed 11-day sports schedule will begin on August 2, 2018 with 10 days of television coverage providing a seamless viewing experience for a potential TV audience of more than one billion across Europe.

The four individual European Cycling Championships for road, track, BMX and mountain biking will all take place in Glasgow attracting 650 of Europe’s top cycling names to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at the Emirates Arena, the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails, the streets of Glasgow and a new world championship and Olympic-standard BMX track to be built in the Knightswood area of the city.

The HCA with the Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC) pledges to deliver an event that elevates the status of European cyclist in all disciplines as they compete for the status of European champion.

David Lappartient, president of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme, said: “For the first time ever in cycling, four major European Championships will take place in the same city and will last two weeks. This is a historic moment for European cycling enabling us to forge ahead with our development programme.

“The city of Glasgow has always loved the bike and is an ideal venue for combining the tradition of Road and Track cycling with the modernity of BMX and Mountain Bike, in a setting that will be particularly appreciated by all fans and experienced cyclists.

“We are looking forward to this experience with great enthusiasm in the knowledge that these 2018 European Championships promise to be a great success.”

British Cycling’s cycling director, Jonny Clay, said: “It’s fantastic to have the European Championships coming to British soil. With the 2014 Commonwealth Games , a national road race championships, and two rounds of the track world cup all hosted in Glasgow, the city’s appetite for cycling knows no bounds and the Championships will no doubt draw the crowds from across Britain.”  

Glasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome hosted the opening round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup last November and the city also staged events for road, track and mountain biking during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2018 will see a major BMX event come to the city for the first time ever and the new track at Knightswood will leave a lasting legacy for the sport in Scotland.

Glasgow 2018 Championships director Colin Hartley said: “Cycling has historically attracted wide support in Scotland and we are delighted to be bringing four different disciplines to Glasgow 2018.

“With cycling events spread across the city and competition on the streets and roads of Glasgow and surrounding areas, we hope to give as many people as possible the chance to see sporting history being created.

“Moreover the creation of a world-class Olympic standard BMX venue in Knightswood will provide a long-standing legacy for the sport beyond the Championships.”

SportAccord Convention is delighted to welcome the return of Sport Event Denmark as a Gold Partner and Co-Host for the 15th edition of the SportAccord Convention taking place in Aarhus, Denmark from 2-7 April 2017.

Sport Event Denmark is the national Danish sporting event organisation, established and supported by the Danish Government. Its main objective is to help develop and promote sport, to attract and host major international sporting events and congresses.

Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, said: “It is a unique situation for Sport Event Denmark to welcome SportAccord Convention and all the delegates to Denmark as co-host as well as being Gold Partner once again. We will take the advantage to walk-the-talk in terms of hosting, not only in terms of the Convention but also in terms of the many major international sporting events that are in the pipeline. From the Opening of the Convention until the Closing Event in the ARoS Museum, we will do our utmost to demonstrate why Danes are some of the happiest people in the world and to share how the Danish ‘hygge’ can be translated into an international setting.”

To experience this in action, Sport Event Denmark will be found at the Danish Booth (no. 90) where delegates can take part in an interactive competition with the chance of winning a range of daily prizes including Beoplay H7 – Premium wireless over-ear headphones. Delegates are also invited to join the Danish team for Happy Hour from 16:30 to 17:30 daily from Tuesday 4 to 6 April inclusively, to sip and “exbeerience” one of the most famous beers in the world – Carlsberg.

Commenting on the partnership, Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention, said: “It is always a pleasure to have Sport Event Denmark onboard as a Gold Partner and particularly this year as Co-Hosts with the City of Aarhus. Their enthusiasm, passion and contribution in putting this event together has been instrumental in helping to make the 15th edition of SportAccord Convention a special one in this year’s European Capital of Culture, Aarhus Denmark, and we would like to offer our sincerest thanks.”

Around 2,000 delegates register and attend the SportAccord Convention to network and discuss the business of sport with over ninety percent (90%) of the delegation being key decision-makers and in a position to take action. The majority of delegates, partners and exhibitors return each year, ensuring the Convention is part of their business strategy.

SportAccord Convention is pleased to confirm its Bronze Partners for the 15th edition of the Convention taking place from 2-7 April 2017 in Aarhus, Denmark, a city passionate about sport with a strong cultural vibe and offering friendly hospitality – the Hygge way.

Taking place in this year’s European Capital of Culture, the SportAccord Convention Bronze Partners include:

•    European Championships Glasgow 2018
•    FIBA (International Basketball Federation)
•    Finnish Olympic Committee
•    Mexico City Sports Institute
•    Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
•    Melbourne - Visit Victoria

Held in a different city every year, the SportAccord Convention 6-day event is a unique opportunity for key decision-makers from sport and industry to meet, network, and strategically shape global, regional and national agendas, and is attended by up to 1,500 delegates.

Commenting on this year’s Bronze Partners, Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We’re delighted to welcome our Bronze Partners for the 15th edition of SportAccord Convention and appreciate the support, commitment and value they bring to delegates. This year’s Bronze Partners demonstrate how the Convention provides the perfect platform for organisations to network and discuss the business of sport from all corners of the globe.”

As part of the Official Schedule, SportAccord Convention will host a 3-day Exhibition as well as a Conference including: the Plenary, City-to-City, City Forum, LawAccord and MediaAccord at this prestigious global gathering. Other features include the Speakers’ Corner, Opening Ceremony, as well as Closing Event to be hosted at the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum.

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