On 8-9 December, Host City Conference and Exhibition goes virtual with the continued support of hosts EventScotland and Glasgow Life, tackling the 2020 conference theme “The Big Restart: Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age.”
Now in its 7th year, Host City is firmly established as the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. The new virtual platform, hosted in Glasgow, brings together 1,000 event owners, hosts and organisers for two full days of unrivalled insight, exhibition, workshops, networking and business.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland said:
“I’m delighted that Host City is set to transfer the ethos and core values of its well established event into a new virtual format, enabling attendees from across the globe the chance to learn, share knowledge, and reflect on both the challenges and opportunities which the pandemic has brought with it.”
“There is no doubt these are hugely challenging times with uncertainty still on the horizon, however our industry has shown on many occasions that it is resilient and has great capacity and capability to adapt to any situation. This year’s conference, hosted once again from Glasgow in Scotland, will be more important than ever and will play a key role in keeping us all connected as we navigate through the new normal.”
Dr Bridget McConnell, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life said:
“This has been a year like no other for the industries working with cities to deliver events which support their communities, economic growth and tourism. The Host City conference is always a vital opportunity to learn and to grow and to share recent experience and best practice and this year will be vital for those industries and the recovery plans of cities everywhere. Glasgow is proud that Host City has chosen us as its base for the sixth time and look forward to the conference in December.”
Other speakers confirmed to speak at Host City 2020 include: Sir Craig Reedie GBE, Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC); Danuta Dmowska-Andrzejuk, Minister of Sports and Tourism, Poland; Fanta Diallo, Director of Sports, Youth and Community, City of Dakar; Ian Reid, CEO, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee; Emily Blitz, President Director, Conferences, International AIDS Society; Sven Bossu, CEO, International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC); Federico Addiechi, Head of Sustainability and Environment, FIFA and many more to be announced over the coming 2-3 weeks.
The 2020 conference theme covers 5 pillars: Covid Recovery; Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance; Digital Acceleration; Future Cities; and Partnerships.
Host City’s Conference Director Ben Avison said: “As this most challenging of years reaches a close, we are making Host City even greater and more accessible than ever for the international community of all stakeholders in major events. We look forward to sharing world-leading views on how to build a better future for the events sector.”
1,000 attendees can access main stage content and an exhibition area for free. Paying delegates will also be able to gain access to meetings, structured networking and interactive workshops focused on the key functional areas of event hosting, such as: infrastructure, mobility, security and safety, culture and ceremonies, technology, impact, sponsorship, games services, procurement, sustainability and engagement.
Host City is where representatives of host destinations, federations and rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world connect to discover opportunities and discuss major event hosting at this uniquely challenging moment in history.
Host City 2020 Conference and Exhibition is being supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, and Glasgow Life.
Host City also works in strategic partnership with the International Association of Event Hosts, the Association of Global Event Suppliers, the International Association of Convention Centres and European Sponsorship Association.
To view the latest agenda, speaker biographies and sponsor information, go to www.hostcity.com
Register today for free!
For sponsorship enquires contact adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk
For speaking opportunities contact ben.avison@hostcity.com
Blog
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Host City 2020 drives event industry’s “Big Restart” on 8-9 December
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Imola wins bid to host rescheduled 2020 UCI Road World Championships
[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that it has awarded the organisation of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola. The world-renowned Italian city and its region Emilia-Romagna will host the event from 24 to 27 September.
The awarding of this event follows the cancellation on 12 August of the Aigle-Martigny 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Switzerland, which meant the UCI needed to find a new organiser very quickly.
The competition programme for the UCI Worlds has been adapted in view of the current world health situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic: only the races (road race and time trial) in the Elite categories will be contested this year. Indeed, the majority of the top athletes in the Elite Men and Women categories are already in Europe, as opposed to their younger counterparts (Juniors and Under 23) whose national delegations, in a significant number of cases, will not be able to travel to Italy due to travel restrictions imposed in numerous countries. Limiting the programme to the Elite categories means a large majority of young athletes will not to be unfairly prevented from having the possibility to participate in the competitions.
Although the start and finish of all the events will take place on the Imola automobile racing circuit, the routes proposed by the organising committee stand out due to their extremely challenging character: the men’s road race will be 259.2km with a total of nearly 5000m of climbing, while the length of the women’s race will be 144km with a cumulated 2750m of ascension. The circuit (28.8km) will be the same for the men (9 laps) and women (5 laps) and will include two difficult climbs (3km in total with an average gradient of 10% and sections reaching 14%). These characteristics will offer the riders a profile comparable to that of Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland) which will suit the punchers and climbers and should produce exciting and lively races.
The time trial circuit (to be covered once by both men and women), fairly flat, will measure 32km with 200m altitude difference, suiting the strongest specialists of the race against the clock.
A city situated some 40 kilometres from Bologna, Imola hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 1968, the year that saw victories go to the Italian Vittorio Adorni and the Netherlands’ Keetie van Oosten-Hage. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari has also been the theatre of several Giro d’Italia stage finishes. The organising committee of the Imola 2020 UCI Road World Championships can therefore benefit from extensive experience in the organisation of international events and world-class facilities.
2020 UCI Road World Championships Programme:
– Thursday 24 September: Women Elite individual time trial
– Friday 25 September: Men Elite individual time trial
– Saturday 26 September: Women Elite road race
– Sunday 27 September: Men Elite road race.
UCI President David Lappartient declared: “I congratulate the Imola organising committee for the excellent quality of its bidding file which it succeeded in producing in a short lapse of time. I would also like to thank the three other candidates Peccioli (Italy), Alba Adriatica (Italy) and the Haute-Saône (France) who also sent solid files to the UCI. It was not an easy choice, but it goes to show that even in this difficult period that we are going through, the UCI World Championships are still very attractive for cities and their regions.
“Although the award of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola is excellent news, my thoughts also go to the Aigle-Martigny organising committee whom I sincerely thank for its commitment and the quality of our collaboration over the last two years.
“The award of the UCI Road World Championships in Italy this year is of great symbolic value for the UCI: in a country that suffered enormously from the Covid-19 pandemic but was able to confront it effectively and with courage, the staging of our leading annual event will, in its own way, be a sign of a return to normal in a region where the health situation is now under control.
“I am convinced that the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola will allow us all, despite the difficult current situation, to witness a great sporting festival. I invite you all to follow this event in Italy, true cycling territory, on one of the most challenging circuits in the history of the UCI Road World Championships. I look forward to watching these races which promise to be m -
IF Forum 2020 to Adopt Fully Virtual Format
The International Federation (IF) Forum, the annual event that brings together leaders from across the global sporting community, will be hosted by SportAccord in a fully virtual format next month.
In light of the challenges in relation to international travel and in-person gatherings in the context of the pandemic, the decision to switch to a fully virtual format was taken in order to give delegates sufficient time to adjust their plans ahead of the event in November.
With preparations having already focused on optimising the experience for virtual attendees as part of what was initially planned to be a ‘hybrid’ gathering, SportAccord is committed to delivering an outstanding experience for all participants, connecting the sporting world via technology, with all of the sessions streamed live online.
SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli said: “The SportAccord team has worked incredibly hard to facilitate a solution that would allow the IF Forum to be held in a hybrid format as intended but, due to the evolving situation, this is no longer appropriate.”
“While we will not gather together in-person this year, the strong programme and line-up of contributors means that the IF Forum will be a vital signpost for the global sports movement as the dust settles on a turbulent 2020 and thoughts turn to a brighter future.”
“All of sport’s custodians and decision-makers have an important part to play in coming together to inspire positive change whilst safeguarding against future challenges, and the IF Forum 2020 will serve as an essential starting point.”
Experts will discuss strategies to drive the recovery of sport following the Covid-19 pandemic whilst establishing game plans that sports leaders can put in place to mitigate challenges that may arise from possible unforeseen disruptions in the future.
Topics that will be debated will include crisis management, scenario planning, how to limit risk from a legal and financial perspective, law-related commercial considerations for IFs and how to stay connected and reassure athletes, fans and stakeholders in times of adversity.
The invitation-only IF Forum 2020 will bring together more than 200 leaders from over 100 International Sport Federations, with delegates, speakers and exclusive Official IF Forum Partners discussing best practices.
For further information about the IF Forum, click here or download the brochure here, and follow #IFFORUM2020 on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.
For media enquiries, please contact: media@sportaccord.sport. -
2023 UCI Cycling World Championships appoint CEO
Taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August 2023, the Championships is set to be the biggest single cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event, for the first time.
The Championships is more than just an event and will celebrate the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our everyday lives, whether it’s physical and mental health benefits, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.
Underpinned by four key policy drivers – participation, transport, tourism and economy – the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland moving forward.
Trudy’s strong background and experience working on complex large-scale major events, designed to support government ambitions to deliver social and economic change, makes her the ideal person for the job.
Currently the Head of Event Management at Visit Victoria, Trudy will bring a wealth of event experience to the position having spent more than 20 years leading, planning and delivering major events in Australia and around the world, working with government’s, local organising committees, event hosts and international and national sports federations in the process.
In particular, her work on cycling events spans over twelve years and includes senior roles at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships, the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships as well as Cycling Australia.
More recently she has spent over seven years working for one of the world’s leading events acquisition groups, Victorian Major Events Company (VMEC), now Visit Victoria, and was pivotal in the establishment of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in 2015, now the opening one-day race on the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women’s WorldTour calendars.
Trudy also has a strong cultural events background, taking over the reins of the all-night festival ‘White Night Melbourne’ in 2017 and overseeing the creation of supporting regional White Night events.
As CEO of the Championships, Trudy will have overall executive responsibility for the planning and delivery of the event. She will report directly to the Chair of Championships Board and will manage all the senior management positions including the Director of Sport, Director of Operations and Director of Commercial, Marketing and Communications currently being recruited. Trudy will take up her position on 26 October 2020 and will relocate to Glasgow with her family from Melbourne, Australia.
Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “On behalf of all the partners, I would like to congratulate Trudy on her appointment as CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and we look forward to welcoming her to Scotland very soon. This is another key milestone on our journey to the Championships and concludes a global search, much of which was undertaken at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Trudy’s vast event experience, particularly in delivering both UCI and mass participation cycling events, makes her the ideal candidate to establish and lead the Championships team. We have a bold ambition to use the event as a catalyst for significant change and progress in Scotland, by continuing to transform the nation and make cycling part of people’s normal, everyday lives and Trudy is the right person to help us achieve this.”
Trudy Lindblade said: “Playing a leading role in such an innovative and unique event will be a wonderful opportunity. This is particularly so as the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be the single biggest global cycling event to date, and one that has transformational change at its core bringing longer term benefits to Scotland through the areas of health, transport, education, sustainability and tourism.
“I look forward to working with all Event Partners as well as local towns and regions to showcase Scotland’s world class event delivery and tourism credentials to the world through the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”
Trudy’s appointment follows last week’s announcement of the five Non-Executive Directors and one Co-opted member to join the Championships Board of Directors.
Rupert Dickinson, Alexandra Innes, David Hornby, Nick Peel and Susan Ahern have all taken up their roles as Non-Executive Directors on the Board, while five-times BMX and Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, will also be joining the Board this month as a Co-Opted Board Member. -
SAS supports British Rowing beyond Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
[Source: British Rowing] British Rowing is delighted to announce that analytics leader SAS will continue to provide its world-leading analytics solutions to British Rowing until December 2021 through the rearranged Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer.
SAS will work with British Rowing to develop powerful data solutions across the business including the GB Rowing Team, as well as investing in grassroots rowing. Since becoming the Official Analytics Partner of British Rowing in 2014, SAS has helped British Rowing maximise the use of data to inform decisions across the whole organisation.
Commenting on the extension of the partnership, Andy Parkinson, British Rowing CEO said: “In challenging times for the sport, it’s fantastic that SAS has agreed to continue its support beyond the Olympics and Paralympics next year. Through this partnership, we’ve been able to significantly accelerate our understanding of our data and build infrastructure that is now helping us make decisions and optimise our long-term strategy.”
Charles Senabulya, VP & Country Manager, SAS UK & Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to continue our support for British Rowing in what are extremely challenging times for all organisations. Coaches and athletes have had to adapt, just like businesses, to remote training away from the water and communicating virtually rather than face-to-face. On a positive note the postponement of the Olympics and Paralympics until next year at least gives British Rowing more time to use analytics to uncover important insights from performance data.
Through the partnership, SAS’ advanced analytics software and consultancy are being used across broad areas of the business including membership analysis, competition ranking algorithms (the SAS Ranking Points Index) and performance data analysis. In recent years, significant progress has been made in building data-led models of performance data, helping British Rowing better understand the precise factors that can influence and affect an individual’s performance.
Nick Scott, Head of Performance Support explained how the partnership is helping the GB Rowing Team: “Rowing is an incredibly data-rich sport, but just having lots of data does not mean you will automatically find the next competitive advantage. With this latest SAS project, we are using advanced analytics to link and interrogate never before combined data sources to do two things – confirm what has made us successful in the past and find novel ways of optimising our training for the future.” -
BBC confirmed as UK broadcaster for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
[Source: Commonwealth Games Federation] The BBC has signed up to be the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The deal means the corporation will broadcast Birmingham 2022 events on television and radio and provide online coverage for the home nations, offering unparalleled coverage of the UK’s largest sporting event since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The BBC has a long and proud association with the Commonwealth Games which dates back to 1954. With the longstanding history between the BBC and the Games, the organisation will bring an unrivalled experience of covering Birmingham 2022.
The deal marks a particularly significant moment as 2022 coincides with the BBC’s own centenary celebrations. The partnership also reinforces the BBC’s longstanding connection with Birmingham and the Midlands, as one of the oldest regional arms of the broadcaster.
The announcement comes on the day that Birmingham 2022 unveiled the Games’ medal event programme, confirming that the competition will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.
In addition, Birmingham 2022 will host the largest ever integrated para sport programme, as well as a record number of mixed events including diving, swimming relays and para-athletics relays.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022.
Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “I am delighted that the BBC has taken up the domestic rights for the Commonwealth Games.
I believe this deal represents a huge vote of confidence in Birmingham as well as the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement.
We anticipate some of the world’s highest profile athletes will compete at Birmingham, which will be an historic event for women’s sport, with more medals for women than men.
The BBC has demonstrated a huge commitment to women’s sport and with 2022 marking their centenary, I am delighted they are partnering again with Commonwealth Sport to help us generate huge levels of excitement and anticipation in the lead up to one of the biggest sporting events the UK has ever have hosted.
I am thrilled that the BBC will once again connect millions of viewers to the drama and excitement of the Commonwealth Games, bringing their world class production and analysis to homes and handsets across the UK.”
Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, said: “In a year when many major sport events have been postponed, this is welcome news for sports fans.
We are delighted to be broadcasting the Commonwealth Games.”
Birmingham 2022 CEO Ian Reid said: “This is a significant moment for Birmingham 2022 and we are very proud to be working with the BBC as the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Games.
The BBC’s record in covering major sports events is truly outstanding and we can’t wait to work with them on our edition of the Commonwealth Games.
Birmingham 2022 is the biggest sporting event to be staged in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the BBC is the perfect broadcaster to showcase our 19 sports and 8 para sports, the majority of which will be held in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands, ensuring that the city and the region will be truly centre stage in 2022.”
Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “This is another significant step towards the successful delivery of Birmingham 2022. It will be a fantastic year of culture and national celebration as we enjoy the Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and Festival UK.
“I am delighted that the BBC will continue its long-standing heritage of broadcasting the Games, and I look forward to watching every moment of the action.” -
Sports Innovation Lab joins Global Esports Federation as Global Supporter for content strategy
[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Global Esports Federation announces the appointment of Sports Innovation Lab as Global Supporter, aimed at further enhancing the GEF’s mission to promote the credibility, legitimacy and prestige of esports. Through this global partnership, Sports Innovation Lab will develop the GEF’s global events portfolio, including the landmark GEFcon – the Global Esports Federation’s convention, thought-leadership and dialogue platform.
“We are proud to welcome Sports Innovation Lab as our Global Supporter in an effort to deepen our involvement with the stakeholders in esports, including fans worldwide on one global, inclusive platform,” said Chris Chan, President, Global Esports Federation.
“As the world’s convening platform for the esports ecosystem, engagement with players and athletes, as well as fans is paramount,” said HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Head of GEF’s Focus Group on Culture and Board Member, Global Esports Federation. “We continue to work towards elevating esports in the global arena, encouraging greater inclusion, interaction and participation within the world’s esports community,”
Sports Innovation Lab inspires brands to create breakthrough fan experiences through data-driven technology insights and industry-leading research – putting ground-breaking research into practice and ultimately providing exponential value to the end customer (the Fluid Fan).
“Sports Innovation Lab is honored to be named as a Global Supporter of the Global Esports Federation. We look forward to applying to the esports space and this partnership with the GEF the expertise and insights we’ve gained from our experiences in working with world-class organizations like the NFL and others,” said Angela Ruggiero, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sports Innovation Lab.
“Together, we will create and scale breakthrough fan experiences for esports globally to benefit the entire esports ecosystem.”
Sports Innovation Lab is co-founded by Angela Ruggiero, a global sports leader and Olympic Gold Medallist, advocate, entrepreneur, and advisor; and Josh Walker, former VP of Research at Forrester Research and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at General Catalyst. Learn more about Sports Innovation Lab at www.sportsilab.com. -
SailGP launches Race for the Future
[Source: SailGP, October 8, 2020] With a sense of purpose that goes beyond entertainment, SailGP will use its global platform to accelerate change to a cleaner and more inclusive future via a newly launched initiative: Race for the Future.
SailGP – the sport’s pinnacle league featuring the world’s fastest sail racing – will set a new standard as the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, while delivering actions and innovations that advance the global adoption of clean energy. Underpinning the plan is a diversification of the league, with the goal of immediately progressing gender and racial inclusivity.
Having postponed its second season events due to the pandemic, SailGP is building on the foundations set in year one when it launched a gender-balanced youth and community outreach program – SailGP Inspire – and set the initial goal of winning the race to zero carbon.
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We have a responsibility and a purpose that goes beyond our compelling entertainment proposition. Sustainable development is paramount to the world’s future, and through SailGP, we have a unique platform to accelerate change. Race for the Future takes us from intention to action, with a real ability to effect environmental and social transformation within and outside of the sport.
“Having a zero-carbon footprint and a diverse staff is not enough; we’ve challenged ourselves to think bigger and broader. These issues go beyond SailGP, beyond the sport and beyond the industry, and we will strongly advocate for the critical adoption of clean energy, while serving as champions of inclusivity.”
RACE FOR THE FUTURE, PART 1: ENVIRONMENTAL
Setting the New Standard
SailGP is the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, going beyond a net zero carbon footprint in all business and event operations. To be climate positive, SailGP will both drastically reduce its carbon output and invest in projects to eliminate more than the remaining emissions, ultimately creating an environmental benefit.
SailGP Sustainability Director Dr. Susie Tomson said: “We are facing a global climate emergency that requires aggressive action. We have to take decisive and ground-breaking measures, leading by example not only in sailing but across the marine and sports industries. Through technology and innovation, we will be able to reduce our impact, and will utilize our events, network, partners and fans to showcase and inspire change.”
In setting a new standard for clean event delivery, SailGP will track and verify its carbon emissions through a partnership with One Carbon World, a global resource partner of the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative.
Three of SailGP’s primary activity areas – on the water, onshore and in cities – have been identified to reduce the league’s carbon footprint. In each area, SailGP is partnering with like-minded and innovative companies to fully transition to clean energy solutions.
The remaining carbon that cannot be eliminated will be offset through One Carbon World and via the advancement of pioneering blue carbon projects, helping to maintain or restore critical carbon-sequestering shoreline ecosystems around the world. Blue carbon projects will be delivered through a partnership with Worldview International Foundation, starting with planting mangroves to contribute to the charity’s ambitious goal of planting a billion trees and mitigating 500 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.
On-Water
SailGP’s F50 race boats are one of the best showcases of clean energy in the world – they harness the power of the wind, traveling at 3-4 times its speed.
A key project to ensure both the race and support boats are powered by nature is reducing the carbon impact of the support boats – necessary to safely manage SailGP racing. Working in partnership with ePropulsion, a leading innovator of portable electric outboard boat motors, SailGP will transition 11 boats to ePropulsion motors for the start of Season 2.
SailGP has also partnered with Evoy, an innovative Norwegian company providing high-output electric propulsion systems for boats, to find a solution for the electrification of the league’s high-speed chase boats. Through a ‘pilot partnership,’ an initial boat will be upgraded to test at the first European event in Season 2 and, if successful, a plan will be implemented to transition the remainder of the boats to electric engines.
The overall goal is to have a fully electric support boat fleet by 2025 – removing the equivalent of 175 cars from the road – and helping to lead a clean energy revolution in the marine industry.
Onshore
On the shore, SailGP is shifting from technologies based on fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable power by 2025. At the core of the project will be temporary event power supplied by generators using clean fuel.
Though the race boats are inherently powered by nature, they require batteries to run the electronics and store power during racing, so it is essential that once onshore, these are recharged using clean energy. To meet the goal of the race boats being fully powered by nature, a new mobile off-grid solar solution was implemented in Season 1, working in partnership with Tesla and using a Tesla Powerwall system. SailGP will work to expand the initiative to power additional elements of its technical boat operations, including the electric outboard motors that will be used by the support boat fleet.
Another key onshore project is looking at the circularity in the production of the race boats. A partnership with ELG Carbon Fibre – the world’s first carbon fiber recovery plant based in the UK – will allow waste carbon fiber from the F50s to be recycled and reintroduced into the manufacturing process for the evolution of the race boat in future seasons, ensuring a responsible and reduced carbon manufacturing process. This will be a vital step in addressing the issue of global carbon consumption and raising awareness of closed loop recycling within the marine industry and beyond.
In Cities
Another new development for 2021, each of the eight national teams competing in SailGP will race with purpose. Every team will sign a Race for the Future charitable partner in their market, not only offering valuable commercial space on the boat to raise awareness for the partners’ causes, but also to secure funding for their partner through race results. The teams will work with their partners on projects that align with SailGP’s sustainability efforts.
New Zealand SailGP Team co-CEO Blair Tuke said: “SailGP’s global platform is a massive opportunity to accelerate change and shine the light on key issues facing our environment. Our partner Live Ocean will help raise awareness for the protection and restoration of our oceans, which are one of our best defenses against climate change. It’s really exciting that as a league we can bring focus on the urgent need for change using Race for the Future.”
Accelerating Change
SailGP will deliver actions and innovations that accelerate the global adoption of clean energy by investing in clean technology, serving as a collaborative innovation lab and inspiring action.
Clean Tech
SailGP will invest in clean technology solutions through both SailGP’s own research and design capabilities, and with the creation of a start-up investment fund. The aim will be to develop, test and bring to market new sustainable innovations that have broader applicability beyond the marine industry, as well as allow the league to reinvest in projects that nurture and protect the environment where SailGP races.
The first project is with E1 – the new electric powerboat series that was launched last month. SailGP is engineering and developing the initial race boat concept, which will allow the league to continue its push toward sustainable innovation and help drive forward the electrification of the marine industry.
Innovation Lab
The global championship will serve as an innovation lab and bring together partners, stakeholders, thought leaders and change makers to collaborate and facilitate advances in clean tech innovations. SailGP events will become the ultimate showcase, and through demonstrations, forums and interactive sessions, bring together innovators to shape the future of clean technology and marine sustainability.
Inspire Action
From grassroots youth programs to consumer campaigns, SailGP will look to inspire action among its audiences, partners and fans. Using its global events, social, digital and broadcast platforms, SailGP will create clean energy advocates of the future. In addition, 10,000 young people will be educated about sustainability through SailGP Inspire in event host cities.
ROCKWOOL Group CEO Jens Birgersson said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business at ROCKWOOL Group, and SailGP provides us a global platform to raise awareness, showcase sustainable solutions and share our optimism around today’s sustainability challenges, especially in urban environments. We believe that a more sustainable future is possible, and that, together, we can accelerate change, drive innovation, and inspire current and future generations to take action.”
Race for the Future, Part 2 will be released on October 22 with details regarding female athlete inclusion in the league for Season 2, as well as robust initiatives to fully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion in every part of the business. -
Sports Bureau of Macau SAR Government extends SportAccord Gold Partnership
[Source: SportAccord] The Sports Bureau of Macau SAR Government has renewed its long-running Gold Partner status at SportAccord’s World Sport & Business Summit for the 2021 edition of the international sports movement’s most influential global gathering in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government has an established presence at SportAccord’s flagship annual gathering, having supported the event since the 2008 edition in Athens, Greece.
As a Gold Partner once again next year, the Sports Bureau will be provided with a prestigious platform for connecting with sport’s most influential decision-makers who will come together for a week of high-level meetings, engaging conferences and a bustling exhibition, from 23-28 May 2021.
The Sports Bureau seeks to promote sport at all levels with athletes and citizens alike. It focuses on creating the necessary conditions for the development of sport and plays an active role between sports associations, as well as encouraging citizens to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, said: “The Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government’s unwavering support illustrates the organisation’s commitment, not only to SportAccord and the World Sport & Business Summit, but also to staying at the forefront of the international sporting community’s minds with their continued involvement and support.”
Pun Weng Kun, President of the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government added: “We are honoured to return again as one of the Gold Partners for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg. We look forward to enhancing Macau’s profile as an active sport city, making contributions to the positive growth and development in the global sport industry and being a significant part of the success of the event.”
The annual World Sport & Business Summit is a six-day event attended by leaders of the global sports community. As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord also brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.
The conference programme will feature six streams – CityAccord, HealthAccord, LawAccord, MediaAccord, the SportAccord Summit, and the new InvestAccord – with numerous influential speakers set to offer unmissable insights into a variety of vital areas in sport.
Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg.
Situated on the banks on the Iset River, Ekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth-largest city by population, and is a hotspot for tourism and business, as well as sport, as the home to numerous professional teams.
Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2021 exhibition space.
You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr. -
WHO’s Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to Deliver IF Forum 2020 Keynote Address
[Source: SportAccord] Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), will be a Keynote Speaker at the fully virtual International Federation (IF) Forum 2020 next month, SportAccord has confirmed.
Dr. Tedros, who has been a prominent figure in the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic, will deliver a Keynote Address on the theme of the conference – ‘How Sport and Society Can Emerge Stronger from a Global Crisis’.
Having been elected to serve a five-year term at the helm by WHO Member States in 2017, Dr. Tedros is globally recognised as a health scholar, researcher and diplomat with first-hand experience in research, operations and leadership in emergency responses to epidemics.
The Keynote Address will follow a Welcome Address by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and an Opening Address by Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord.
Dr Tedros said: “Sport plays a vital role in our closely connected global community, bringing joy, teamwork, peace and ways to promote the physical and mental health for people of all walks of life.”
“But like many other areas of life, COVID-19 has also turned the sporting world upside down, forcing to us to find new ways to enable people to participate in their favourite sports, while keeping them safe in the process. WHO has been working closely with sporting federations during these challenging times to assess the risks associated with COVID-19 to protect the health of players, staff and fans. We will continue working with you to bring sports back on line safely for all.”
Dr. Chiulli added: “We are very excited to be welcoming Dr. Tedros to the IF Forum. He has played an incredibly important role in the global Covid-19 challenge presented to all of us – including the international sports movement – and we are delighted that he will join us virtually to provide unmissable insights into the role sport can play in helping to drive the broader recovery of society as we hope to move on from the turbulence of this year.”
All of the IF Forum sessions will be streamed online, with SportAccord having adopted a fully virtual format for the event due to ongoing challenges in relation to international travel and in-person gatherings in the context of the pandemic.
More than 30 expert speakers have been lined up to participate in the conference programme. During the packed conference schedule, a range of experts will discuss strategies to drive the recovery of sport following the pandemic whilst establishing game plans that sports leaders can put in place to mitigate challenges that may arise from possible unforeseen disruptions in the future.
Topics that will be debated will include crisis management, scenario planning, how to limit risk from a legal and financial perspective, law-related commercial considerations for IFs and how to stay connected and reassure athletes, fans and stakeholders in times of adversity.
The invitation-only IF Forum 2020 will bring together more than 200 leaders from over 125 International Sports Federations, with delegates, and speakers.
For further information about the IF Forum, click here or download the brochure here, and follow #IFFORUM2020 on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.