Knowing your customer is essential for any business, whether that’s a sports or entertainment organisation staying attuned to the feelings of fans or a media organisation understanding the mindset of its viewers, readers and listeners.

In the digital age, customer data has grown exponentially. But who owns the most data? The retailer is the first port of call for most customers, so online retailers are sitting on a massive digital resource that has the potential to expand the reach of any content-producing organisation – particularly when sports and entertainment is increasingly distributed globally via a single channel: the internet.

The agreement between the International Olympic Committee and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is a perfect example of a partnership between an organisation dedicated to world-class content and another dedicated to reaching customers, in the world’s biggest and fastest growing market.

The deal, announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos and negotiated by Shankai Sports and Michael Payne, who set up the IOC’s TOP sponsorship programme in the 1980s, is highly innovative. In joining as the latest TOP Sponsor, Alibaba is said to be providing around US$1bn of financial support to the IOC over the next six Olympic Games. Alibaba becomes the IOC’s official provider of Cloud and e-commerce services as well as partnering with the IOC’s online Olympic Channel.

The sponsorship deal is said to have been conducted independently of Alisports, which already partners with a number of other sports organisations to deliver sports directly to fans via Alibaba’s own online channels.

Retailers are traditionally not producers of content, but they are starting to occupying this space. Amazon is already distributing online television direct to its customers – and if the e-commerce giants do start to launch their own sports events, the pressure on traditional sports organisations to assert the authenticity and integrity of their own properties will get even more intense.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – SportAccord Convention has announced first details of the Plenary Conference programme ‘Innovation in Action’ taking place in this year’s European Capital of Culture, Aarhus, Denmark from 2–7 April 2017.

SportAccord Convention is the world’s premier and most exclusive annual event at the service of sport. Held in a different city each year, the Convention takes place over six days and is focused on driving positive change internationally and dedicated to engaging and connecting; international sports federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities, press and media, and organisations involved in the business of sport.

“We have a great event lined up for delegates at this special 15^th anniversary edition of the SportAccord Convention and we’ll see a number of speakers make their debut at the Plenary Conference,” said Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord Convention. “Innovation is at the hub of any successful organisation and this year’s conference programme will enable delegates to explore and experience the innovative ways business leaders are making decisive decisions to keep their organisations ahead of the game and in the hearts and minds of fans.”

Day 1 will kick-off with a keynote to address why organisations must innovate to remain relevant. This will follow with a conference session examining whether innovation is a permanent change revolution or an opportunity for organisations to reset their sport. Other sessions will focus on the business of sport and includes how one English Premier League football club opened the door to innovation, to build loyalty and grow support, as well as commercial success. A panel will consider the risks of moving too fast for fans, balanced against the dangers of getting caught in the wake of other, faster moving clubs, sports and competitions. Delegates will also hear how some International Sports Federations have used innovation to great effect in their sport discipline.

Day 2 will begin with a presentation from Tokyo 2020 on their plans for hosting the next Games and why it will be the most futuristic sporting event to date. Panel sessions will examine whether technology is a friend or foe when it comes to dictating the direction of sport and how organisations can embrace beneficial technological change and meet generational expectations without losing the very essence of sport. A technology health-check for the sports movement will also provide updates on key developments in the areas of digital and social media, wearable devices, 3-D and VR content, drones, and more, with experts who can share the latest technology, best practice and answer questions.

The Convention provides organisations involved in the development and business of sport with a unique opportunity to meet and network on a global scale 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. With over seventy percent (70%) of exhibitor space sold, and just under two weeks to go until the delegate pass is due to rise to CHF 2,500 on 6 February, organisations can become involved at SportAccord Convention as a delegate, exhibitor or sponsor and register at www.sportaccordconvention.com

Source: SportAccord Convention

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – SportAccord Convention has announced its Silver Partners for the 15^th edition of the Convention taking place from 2 - 7 April 2017 in the Scandinavian Center Aarhus, Denmark. This year’s Silver Partners include:

• Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance – created through a partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission, CSTA has over 400 members including 142 municipalities and 200+ national and regional sport organisations, as well as product and service suppliers. One of its key objectives is to market Canada internationally as a preferred sport tourism destination.
• Edmonton Events – established as a strategic partnership between the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism, is focused on attracting major events to the region. Edmonton Events provides a single point of contact, offering services and expertise from event inception, bidding and marketing, to operations and legacy.
• EventScotland – part of VisitScotland, and building on Scotland’s reputation as a major events destination, its refreshed vision is aimed at making Scotland ‘The Perfect Stage’ for events.
• Malaysia Major Events – a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, MME was established to promote, facilitate and stage international events as the venue of choice for the region.

Welcoming on-board this year’s Silver Partners, Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We’re delighted to welcome our Silver Partners to this year’s special edition. As regional event and hospitality experts and hosts, they are well aware of the benefits and exposure SportAccord Convention provides them as a host city.” Hatt went on to say, “With Aarhus being the European Capital of Culture for 2017, this setting enables all our partners and exhibitors to really shine and take advantage of the opportunities and interest surrounding our event and the Host City.”

Aarhus, the city that never sleeps, has a monumental year ahead with a cultural programme to keep everybody entertained. Filled with museums, and iconic buildings like ARoS offering panoramic ‘rainbow’ views, or the stunning new waterside library ‘Dokk1’, an ambitious project which successfully manages to marry two Danish cultural traditions - being accessible to all generations and social classes, as well as being functional within a beautiful design. The bustling streets are packed with independent shops, cafes and restaurants, where Aarhus (and the surrounding area) also hold the prestigious title of European Region of Gastronomy 2017.

Over one thousand organisations attend the SportAccord Convention to network and discuss the business of sport. With just under one week to go before the delegate pass rises to CHF 2,500, and the exhibition proving as popular as ever with 85% of booths now sold, organisations still considering whether to become involved should take action and register as a delegate or secure a booth at www.sportaccordconvention.com. For those who would like to go the extra mile and benefit from this unique opportunity, a couple of Bronze partnership opportunities remain.

SportAccord Convention is host to annual general meetings of governing bodies as well as bid cities, and once again, will welcome a delegation from the International Olympic Committee.

The SportAccord Convention official schedule will also include a plenary conference, City Forum, LawAccord and MediaAccord and this year’s overarching theme is ‘Innovation in Action’. These sessions are intended for International Federations and organisations who want to get up to speed with the latest thinking, as well as hear the news and views of sporting leaders from around the globe.

To become a delegate or exhibitor at SportAccord Convention register at: www.sportaccordconvention.com

Source: SportAccord Convention

[Source: SIGA] A series of high profile delegates, headed by European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen, today called for active and sustainable sports governance reform at the inaugural SIGA Sport Integrity Forum.

The Forum was held in the historic Chartered Accountants’ Hall – the headquarters of SIGA member, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Representatives from over 100 organisations from the international sports community attended, with high profile delegates from sport (international federations, clubs, leagues, national governing bodies and regional confederations), government, international and regional organisations, civil society and the commercial and professional services sectors.

Hansen began the high-profile Forum with a keynote address in which he described the corruption and doping scandals seen across a number of sports in recent years as “betrayals of sport’s values and of the trust of millions of people, young and old.”

Read Host City’s exclusive interview with Svein Arne Hansen here

He went on to highlight the significant progress that has been made both by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and European Athletics in integrity and good governance. Hansen concluded: “I see SIGA as being from the sport movement and that it and European Athletics have common interests. Therefore, I want to wish you all the best with your project and I hope to work with you in the future.”

Hansen also took advantage of his address to reveal that he is asking that in future “we will store the doping control sample for any European record for a minimum of 10 years to allow for retesting when technology improves.”

The Forum’s three panel discussions on good governance in sport, financial integrity and sports betting integrity featured prominent and influential leaders from the world of sport, united in their belief that all of sport’s stakeholders should work in partnership to bring about real and lasting reform.

The debate was geared towards identifying solutions to the problems sport currently faces and the role SIGA can play in supporting organisations implement reform. Speakers included Lars-Christer Olsson (Chairman, EPFL), Nick Bitel (Chair, Sport England), Kimberley Morris (General Manager, FIFA TMS) and Thierry Pujol (CEO, Française des Jeux) among others.

Speaking after the Forum, the SIGA Council said: “The first ever SIGA Sport Integrity Forum has been a great success and a significant step forward. We enjoyed three panels of very high quality with excellent interventions from the audience. But this Forum would not have been such a success without the contribution and efforts of everyone involved. SIGA as an organisation is completely reliant on the expertise and contribution of its members. We are built on the principles of collaboration and partnership as we recognise that real change is only possible if we work together.

“The panel discussions today highlighted the scale of the work that is ahead of us but they also reinforced the need for an organisation like SIGA to act as a bridge and bring together like-minded organisations from across the sports industry. SIGA is here to stay and we are committed to bringing about real change. Today we have shown that we can talk the talk but now we must walk the talk.”

The Forum was concluded by Chairman of the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, and Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) President Brian Lewis who expressed their support for SIGA and called on sports organisations to adopt SIGA’s Universal Standards.

Read Host City’s exclusive interview with Svein Arne Hansen here

• Glasgow’s preparations for the 2018 European Championships are “impressive”
• No programming overlaps between sports will be accepted in evenings
• Hopes for another outdoor athletics event in Glasgow in the future
• Russia “not missed” from athletics until it “follows the rules”
• IAAF expected to follow European Athletics’ lead in investigating the credibility of historical records
• Two or three potential host cities for 2022 European Championships to be shortlisted on 7th February
• Sports must bring top athletes to the 2018 European Championships to stay on the programme for 2022
• Further sports may be considered for 2022, particularly those popular in the host city

HOST CITY: The 2018 European Championships is taking place in two cities simultaneously, Berlin and Glasgow. How will live audiences in the cities how will they feel like they are at the same event?

Svein Arne Hansen: They will feel it very well. It is a really good programme that brings all the sports together and this is the same for Glasgow and Berlin.

I am very used to this; I come from a winter sports nation, Norway. Every weekend in the winter, different sports go on throughout the whole day in different places in Europe, but the guys sitting in front of the television don’t really care where it is.

My understanding is, and I feel from the meetings we have had, that Glasgow and Berlin are working very well together and hard together to make this a big success. 

HOST CITY: In terms of the European Championships brand, what is being done to make sure that it’s experienced as a single brand?

Svein Arne Hansen: That is what we are working on the final layout now, that is one of the things we will discuss on 7 February and for sure later this year. Because we have to look alike and be the same.

For example, we will have a medal table that will be combined between the two places. Victory ceremonies will be exactly the same in the two places. We are working to have it look as much as the same.

But we must not lose the characteristics of athletics. And I’m sure that the other sports don’t want to lose the characteristics of their sports. I will not be a very popular person if we sold away athletics!

In the future this championship will probably be in one place. But for the moment we are happy to have two such interesting host cities.

I am impressed by Glasgow and the way they are really taking all the sports on board. And of course Glasgow organised the Commonwealth Games in 2014, which was a huge success. Athletics will also come back to Glasgow with the European Indoor Athletics Championships in 2019.

For the moment we are working to try to integrate the two cities so it’s a lookalike for the people sitting in Switzerland, in Norway or here.

HOST CITY: How challenging is it to schedule without programming clashes?

Svein Arne Hansen: It is challenging in one way, but also we have gone into this because we don’t want anything to overlap over the afternoon/evening sessions. That’s a must from European Athletics; that we have no other interference from 6.15PM to 9PM from other sports in those days.

This is a 10-day event we are not accepting any overlap at those times from day one. We have to look after our sport. We are about to solve that now so I don’t think that will be a problem.

The scheduling is going very well. I don’t know how official this is yet, but we are coming out with a very good schedule for each sport and every sport should be recognised.

That’s what we are going to discuss the final layout of the timetable at our next meeting.

HOST CITY: What is your feeling about how the people of Glasgow reacted, responded and embraced the Commonwealth Games in 2014?

Svein Arne Hansen: You see now the fantastic interest there was for that Commonwealth Games. The athletics there was very good. There’s unbelievable interest for athletics in Great Britain.

I really hope in the future some time we can come back with an outdoor event in the summer in Glasgow. I am very impressed by Glasgow, the people, the city and the effort they are doing.

They are always willing to find solutions. They are innovative, are open for ideas, because we have to make changes to our sport.

As IOC President Thomas Bach said a year ago, “you have to change or somebody will change you”. Glasgow is really on to it and taking on this big job with several sports all together and it’s a really massive effort. We are very impressed.

HOST CITY: Athletics has clearly had a difficult time recently and you have been very vocal about the need to clean the sport and its administration.

Svein Arne Hansen: We have difficulties. We have the Russian problem with the state-sponsored doping, which is unbelievable, at least for me, that something like that can happen.

But we saw the fantastic championships in Amsterdam this summer, which sold out the five days and not a single person asked “why are the Russians not here?”. Not a single one asked me that.

It was the same with the Olympics in Rio. OK, they were not there, but nobody really missed them because they had not been following the rules that everybody else has to follow.

HOST CITY: What do you think Russian Athletics thinks about this?

Svein Arne Hansen: They are starting to think along the same lines because they know that they have to change otherwise they will not be coming back.

HOST CITY: And you have established a taskforce to look into the integrity of athletics by investigating European records.

Svein Arne Hansen: Yes, we have put on a group to work on that and it was amazing, the reaction on social media.

This is a very difficult task. The taskforce now has until September/October to come back with proposals we will bring forward to the IAAF.

It’s a challenge, of course. People will feel offended but if we don’t do that, people will say you can’t just let it go on. You have to look into it. Of course some people will be hurt by this, but you can’t make an omelette without breaking the eggs.

HOST CITY: Your suggestion is that the IAAF might follow your lead?

Svein Arne Hansen: I hope so. We will take this decision about European records, but I am sure the IAAF will follow. We have talked to them already and they have been very supportive of this and put one of their best people on the taskforce. So that’s a good sign.

HOST CITY: Another thing that put the IAAF under the spotlight is the host city process for the World Championships.

Svein Arne Hansen: I was not around [on the IAAF Council] then then so I don’t know too much about that. I have heard the same rumours.

HOST CITY: There is an ongoing host city selection process for the 2022 European Championships. Presumably that host will be announced at your board meeting in November?

Svein Arne Hansen: Yes. That’s what we hope.

HOST CITY: Remind me what bids you have on the table?

Svein Arne Hansen: We have a lot, but I can’t say any more. There will probably be a statement after our board meeting on February 7. We plan to come out with participants for the final round. We are looking for two or three cities to be shortlisted.

We also have made a very tough selection for the sports. If they don’t bring their best people to the Championships in 2018 in Glasgow they will not unfortunately be a part of 2022.

We know all the best athletes will be in Berlin. Swimming are saying the same and they know that all the best swimmers will be in Glasgow, all the sports in Glasgow must also come with their best. Glasgow is not investing so much money to have a second-class Championships.

HOST CITY: But all of the seven sports will remain for 2022?

Svein Arne Hansen: It looks like it. But as I said they must bring their best people. It’s also important that they include a sport that is popular for the host city.

HOST CITY: So that suggests there might be some changes?

Svein Arne Hansen: Yes, there might. But we will see. First we have to organise 2018.

[Source: EOC] The European Olympic Committees (EOC) on 26^th January held its first meeting of the year, with IOC President Thomas Bach in attendance. The meeting’s key outcome was the appointment of Spyros Capralos as Chair of the EOC Coordination Commission for the second edition of the European Games in 2019 in Minsk, Belarus.

EOC Acting President Janez Kocijančič opened the day’s proceedings in Lausanne by welcoming President Bach and thanking him for his guidance of the Olympic Movement throughout 2016. President Bach then gave an update on the IOC’s latest activities, especially in the area of anti-doping, and answered questions from Executive Committee members.

EOC Acting President Janez Kocijančič said: “It was a great honour to have IOC President Bach attend our first meeting of 2017 in the Olympic capital. President Bach provided a full update on all current key issues from across the Olympic Movement and, in response, the EOC Executive Committee expressed our unanimous support for the IOC’s handling of the completed McLaren Report concerning doping in Russia.

“The IOC’s approach on this matter – which was consistent with its approach towards Russia’s participation in the Olympic Games in Rio – respects the rule of law in a fair and objective way and the EOC fully supports this.”

Following President Bach’s departure, the Executive Committee received reports from Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, Treasurer Kikis Lazarides, and European Games Senior Consultant Pierce O’Callaghan.

Capralos’s appointment as Coordination Commission Chair for Minsk 2019 was then confirmed by unanimous approval from Executive Committee members. Capralos, the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, is taking on the same role he occupied from 2013-2015 for the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.

On Capralos’s appointment, Kocijančič said: “Spyros’s chairing of the Baku 2015 Coordination Commission was very impressive and we are delighted that he is able to continue in this role for Minsk 2019. We are very excited that preparations for the second European Games are gathering speed in Minsk.”

The first Coordination Commission visit to Minsk is expected in the spring.

EOC Coordination Commission Chair for Minsk 2019, Spyros Capralos, said: “I am very happy to be taking on this responsibility once again. The Coordination Commission has a vital role to play in shaping the final concept of the European Games and my work starts with immediate effect. My commission members will make sure that the EOC’s experience of delivering Baku 2015 is passed on to the Minsk 2019 European Games Organising Committee in the best possible way.”

The Executive Committee also received positive progress updates about the upcoming Winter European Youth Olympic Festival in Erzurum, Turkey, which is taking place from 11-18 February.

EOC Acting President Kocijančič praised the Turkish Olympic Committee and the Erzurum 2017 Organising Committee for their hard work in staging the event just two years after agreeing that Erzurum would host the event in 2017 rather than in 2019, as had been originally agreed.

[SOURCE: IOC] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba Group on 19^th January jointly announced a long-term partnership through 2028. Joining The Olympic Partner (TOP) worldwide sponsorship programme, Alibaba will become the official “Cloud Services” and “E-Commerce Platform Services” Partner, as well as a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel.

The partnership was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with IOC President Thomas Bach, Alibaba Group Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma and Alibaba Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang.

Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, said: “In this new digital world, Alibaba is uniquely positioned to help the IOC achieve a variety of key objectives outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, while positively shaping the future of the Olympic Movement. This is a ground-breaking, innovative alliance, and will help drive efficiencies in the organisation of the Olympic Games through 2028, whilst also supporting the global development of digital opportunities including the Olympic Channel.”

“Alibaba’s partnership with the IOC is built on a foundation of shared values and a common vision for connecting the world and enriching people’s lives,” said Jack Ma, Founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group. “We are proud to support Olympic Agenda 2020, using our innovations and technologies to help evolve the Olympic Games for the digital era.”

Through this partnership, Alibaba’s contributions to the Olympic Movement will include:

Best-in-class cloud computing infrastructure and cloud services to help the Olympic Games operate more efficiently, effectively and securely, including supporting big data analytics requirements;

The creation of a global e-commerce platform for Olympic stakeholders to engage and connect with fans seeking official Olympic licensed products manufactured by the Olympic parties’ official licensees, and selected sports products, on a worldwide basis; and

Leveraging Alibaba’s leading digital media technologies and know-how to develop and customise the Olympic Channel for a Chinese audience.

“Alibaba is proud to empower the International Olympic Committee in a game-changing digital transformation, while moving another step closer toward our goal to serve 2 billion consumers,” said Daniel Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group. “We will leverage our experience in serving a young user base to help connect more young people to the Olympic Movement, helping to strengthen our brand through this historic partnership.”

Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chair, said: “We are delighted to be working in the long term with Alibaba for the benefit of the Olympic Movement. This strategic partnership underlines the global appeal of the Olympic values and opens an exciting new chapter in this digital age.”

Alibaba is the first company to make a long-term commitment to the IOC through 2028 and the first Chinese company to commit to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Alibaba will support the organisers of each edition of the Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement around the world. These rights will include advertising and promotional use of Olympic marks and imagery from the Olympic Games as well as marks from the National Olympic Committees.

Alibaba’s global activation rights will include the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the Olympic and Olympic Winter Games in 2024, 2026 and 2028 in cities yet to be selected by the IOC.

With a strong start to the new year, Smart City Networks, the leading event telecommunications and technology services provider for the convention industry, in the US, has announced a record number of contracts achieved at the close of 2016. Since early 2014, the company has been awarded 17 new contracts nationally, which are expected to generate a combined revenue of over US$285 million.

According to Martin A. Rubin, CEO of Smart City Holdings, the scope of the new venue contracts the company has added over the past three years encompasses 135 years of agreements, between initial terms and extension options.

“These contracts exemplify the sophistication and industry knowledge that Smart City brings is second to none,” said Rubin. “These numbers are a testament to the hard work and dedication the Smart City staff puts in every day to serve our local partners and community.”

The exclusive telecommunications and technology company for the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Smart City provides technology services to more than 3,000 conventions and meetings annually. Most recently Smart City served as the technology provider for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show—the world’s largest construction trade show—which was held in Orlando January 10-12, 2017, and is slated to return in 2018 as well. With new homes construction embracing the full impact of the Internet of Things, Smart City’s extensive wireless network infrastructure at the OCCC supported NAHB’s exhibitors in their demonstration of all things IoT in home of the future.

Founded over 30 years ago, Smart City Networks designs, installs and maintains data, voice, electrical and utility platforms, coupled with voice, video and data network engineering, security and monitoring for more than 35 convention and meeting facilities across the U.S., totalling over 17 million square feet of exhibit space.

SOURCE: Smart City Networks

HOST CITY: What kind of support do organisers need most to manage the huge numbers of press that come to a mega sports event?

Guido Bouw: A well organised event serves as a foundation for positive press coverage. Organisers must focus their attention on all of the different elements that can make or break an event.

From a media perspective, we’ve found journalists benefit greatly from fluid access to the various elements of a major event which enables them to focus on their jobs and deliver quality coverage of the event. This includes access to:

• The sports event and event venues
• Timely information around the event and its participants to support storytelling across multiple platforms including TV, print, online and social media
• Real-time communication of the event flow and logistics

At Gracenote Sports, we have worked at many international multisport events such as the Olympics and smaller single sport events. We offer solutions designed specifically to make life easier for the press, marketing departments and technology partners. This includes timely and accurate sports data and information for media professionals, as well as social media services to maximize exposure for events and drive fan engagement.

At our core, we help drive compelling stories. Whether it is comprehensive background information on the sports and athletes, unique Facts & Figures services or real-time feeds that provide updates, our primary objective is to help media do their jobs by getting them the right information in a timely manner for use in their coverage.

HOST CITY: Event organisers need to maximise good publicity. How can this be achieved?

Guido Bouw: Relevant and timely information is key. The more positive coverage you can generate about the event itself, the more visibility you can create for the host city or region.

News reporters want breaking news, but most other media are writing feature stories that require context – context on a particular competition, athlete or team. Gracenote Sports understands the time constraints that media are under while on editorial deadlines and have developed seamless data feeds to support more in-depth and thoughtful event coverage.

At Gracenote Sports we understand how to tell a good story. That is why we put a premium on distributing timely information to media that can spawn the next story angle or support an existing one. The richness and depth of our unrivalled global sports database, our deep experience working at sports events and expertise in delivering fact-checked information has made Gracenote Sports a trusted partner for many events and federations.

HOST CITY: And what can event organisers do to avoid negative press?

Guido Bouw: As mentioned earlier, a successful event is the foundation for positive press coverage. If the event itself is perceived to have external challenges, the coverage will likely mirror that sentiment. That is precisely why it is critical that organisers focus on the overall success of the event and a seamless experience for media. This includes the proper access required to generate positive news stories. Once event organisers understand that media can serve as the ultimate evangelists for an event, they understand that managing the media with white glove service is just as important as taking care of participating athletes.

They should be treated as a client with top clearance to important access points throughout the event. Minimising disruptions, actively managing their expectations and becoming a resource for information is key.

Additionally, we advise having a highly experienced “information team” on-hand that can effectively address media questions, mitigate issues and manage a potential crisis before it grows into a media storm.

HOST CITY: Major events are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the host city itself. What services are available to bring these kinds of stories to the fore?

Guido Bouw: Hosting a major sporting event can have a positive effect on the profile of the host city and, often times, the broader region. Based on this, it is important that organisers remember the important role media can play in showcasing the host city and plan accordingly.

At the most basic level, this means creating opportunities for media to experience the host city. Be sure to schedule media events at appropriate times and locations so journalists can easily attend. We’ve seen organisers enjoy great success hosting media events and ‘showcase events’ during big competitions in iconic locations. This strategy results in great visuals which can capture the beauty of the host city and result in additional exposure.

We also encourage our customers to create unique experiences that allow media to see the host city more intimately. We have had clients greet incoming media with welcome kits detailing “must-see” local attractions as well as invite key media on facilitated “city tours” to guide their experiences. 

HOST CITY: There is a vast amount of data and statistics that can be collected around a major event that would be of use to journalists. What sort of tools are there to make this information available?

Guido Bouw: At Gracenote Sports, we have mastered how to efficiently deliver the most accurate and timely information, including results and statistics, athlete information, flash quotes, press conference highlights, analytics and insights, to the media around the world. We’ve spent over 20 years refining our event and data offerings as well as diversifying the vehicles to distribute information to our customers spanning newsfeeds, APIs, widgets and newsletters.

At the heart of our global operations are the experienced professionals who live and breathe sports data. These individuals – avid sports fans themselves – spend countless hours mining our industry-leading database containing information on 4,500 of the world’s most popular sports leagues and competitions to develop content that adds context and relevance to our customers’ media coverage. In addition, our social media desk specializes in developing custom content around major sports events for popular platforms including Twitter and Facebook to driving direct engagement with fans.

HOST CITY: What can smaller or more niche events do to get in the media as much as possible?

Guido Bouw: This goes back to the first question. An event organiser of any scale should pay close attention to facilitating easy media access to the event. To reiterate, that is access to the event and relevant event venues, the dissemination of timely information around the event and its participants and real-time communication of the event flow and logistics.

The engagement with media shouldn’t begin when they get off of a plane in your city. The engagement should begin well before their arrival when you become a reliable source for relevant statistics, historical context and news coverage leading up to the event. Media are often looking for unique story angles about the history of the event and compelling stories behind the athletes. By serving as a resource to media leading up to, during and after a major sporting event, you can cultivate lasting relationships with journalists and ideally, emotional connections with the host city that could last a lifetime.

With millions of global spectators, and thousands on location, organisers and hosts of major sporting events are under constant pressure to deliver a successful event on time, on budget and to the highest possible quality.

There is also usually common ground shared between events – from health and safety requirements to energy supply, media management and coordinating local infrastructure. Inevitably, however, the diversity of modern major events means there are always specific challenges to overcome.

In those circumstances, suppliers have to be at their most innovative to satisfy an event’s needs.

Aggreko has been supplying power to major event organisers and hosts for decades and we have encountered our fair share of complexities along the way.

Two of our most consistent strategic requirements are to plan ahead in order to meet high capacity demand (for example during opening ceremonies or at peak viewing times); and being prepared for unexpected power disruptions, particularly if we are working closely with a local electricity grid.

Two increasingly frequent criteria are managing space constraints and reducing noise pollution – these are particular concerns for events in city locations.

Noise levels are now addressed in the very early stages of planning a major event, typically because of the risk of disrupting athletes or performers. In multi-venue events, each location could come with local issues, requiring an organiser to prevent disruption to residents nearby. Every event is different; each requires detailed planning from layout and installation to maintenance and project management.

Some events even promote their community spirit – the city of Glasgow adopted the slogan “people make Glasgow” in the lead up to and during the XX Commonwealth Games, which made it imperative for suppliers like us to ensure the Games worked for residents. No doubt the same will be true when we supply our power solutions for the Gold Coast Games in 2018. Yes, it’s important that the actual events are a success, but it is equally important that our equipment does not interfere with the sound and quality of the production, which includes the customer experience in and around venues.

There are several proven strategies for minimising noise emissions linked to power generation at events. Driving them all has to be a focus on energy efficiency, as an efficient use of power allows us to reduce the actual number and size of generators in situ. When space is limited or your equipment is likely to be close to the action, being efficient can really help to reduce noise emissions.

Noise barriers are another great way to minimise disruption for city centre events, reducing noise levels in areas overlooked by residents and businesses. Under typical installation conditions, our Generator Set Enclosure Barrier, for example, can reduce noise levels by 90% (10dB) for residents on the 6th floor of an overlooking building and by 84% (8dB) on the ground floor.   

Golf events like The Ryder Cup are a particular challenge. Not only are they typically set on courses some distance from mainstream infrastructure, but also they require a discreet audience and an even quieter built environment, even at the most critical moments of excitement. As a result, we take further steps to reduce noise during Ryder Cups, as doing so is critical to the event’s integrity and success. At Hazeltine earlier this year we provided 24MW of power to the event using our innovative “Super Silent” generators that produce very low noise emissions (48-55dBA at 50 feet).

Athletes, spectators and local people’s demands must be front of mind at all time, both for organisers and suppliers, in order to protect an event’s reputation. With future investment at stake, a smooth (and quiet) operation is crucial.