The global conference and exhibition of cities and sports, business and cultural events is off to a flying start with 19 partners and sponsors already on board this year.
Launched in 2014, the annual Host City conference and exhibition is the first and largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events
EventScotland is Supporting Organiser for the 2017 event that is taking place in Glasgow on 28-29 November.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “EventScotland has a strong heritage with the Host City conference and exhibition and we are delighted to be supporting them to bring leading events professionals together for what promises to be an insightful and informative two days.
“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and Host City 2017 will really set the tone ahead of some amazing world-class events including the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, the 2019 European Athletics indoor Championships and the 2019 Solheim Cup.”
Host City is a unique event combining high-level panel discussions featuring renowned industry figures with an effective marketplace where cities of all sizes can meet with rights holders, event suppliers, event organisers and their procurement officials.
Host City 2017 is backed by
Supporting Organiser: EventScotland
Supporting Partners: Glasgow Convention Bureau and Glasgow 2018
Silver Sponsors: Aggreko, FarrPoint, Marsh and Red Bull Air Race
Branding Sponsors: Arena Group and De Boer
Host City 2017 also enjoys the support of Media Partners signed up so far, including: Exhibition World; fcbusiness; isportconnect; Major Events International; Orange Sports Forum; Sportcal; SportBusiness; World Academy of Sport; Yutang Sports.
“We are immensely grateful for the support of all the fantastic organisations that make Host City the great event it is today,” said Host City’s Editorial and Conference Director Ben Avison. “In particular we are delighted with the renewed support from Event Scotland as Supporting Organiser and Glasgow Convention Bureau and Glasgow 2018 as Supporting Partners.”
Many more sponsors and partners are set to join in the coming months.
To find out more about the opportunities visit www.hostcity.com or contact Adam Soroka on adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk or +44(0) 203 675 9531.
For information on the conference agenda or speaking opportunities contact ben.avison@hostcity.com
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Partners and sponsors are signing up for Host City 2017
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SportAccord Convention unveils plenary conference theme ‘marketing and sponsorship’ for #SAC2018 in Bangkok
SportAccord Convention has announced ‘Marketing and Sponsorship’ as the theme of the Plenary Conference following feedback from International Federations and delegates.
For sport and entertainment organisations, sponsors spend millions to build brand equity and it’s not just about eyeball exposure. The Plenary Conference will look at how to tap into the spirit of the sport by marketers who are sponsoring to leverage the enthusiasm and loyalty of sports fans, and transfer the fan’s passion to the brand as well as meet international sports federations expectations. Sessions will also focus on best practices to create and measure sponsorship activation. The 16th edition of the Convention in Bangkok, Thailand will take place from April 15-20, 2018.
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.
In addition to the two-day Plenary Conference, SportAccord Convention offers the ever popular City Forum which saw a packed conference hall at this year’s Convention in Aarhus, Denmark. The City Forum is designed to address the needs and concerns of cities and regions bidding for major international sporting events. It does this by bringing together cities, event organisers, sports commissions, host cities, development authorities, international sports federations, and commercial organisations to share their insights and proven advice as well as practical takeaways. The Forum’s aim is to help cities obtain and host world class sporting events.
“SportAccord Convention is flying again following its great success in Aarhus, Denmark. This included meetings with 15 cities interested in hosting future conventions from Asia, the USA, the Middle East and Europe. This confirms how relevant SportAccord Convention is for the international sports community.” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of SportAccord Convention.
The conference programme also includes LawAccord and offers the opportunity to examine the most pressing and relevant legal issues for the international sports movement and the cities that host them.
In addition, the MediaAccord conference enables international sports federations, media organisations and media experts to work together to share best practices and winning ways to capture fan engagement and build strong brands across all media platforms with the SAC2018 conference theme providing a strong focus.
Bangkok is the next destination and global sports gathering for SportAccord Convention 2018 and serves as an international hub for this region. A key opportunity for any organisation involved in the business of sport, Bangkok provides organisations with unique opportunities to deepen their relationships in this region, or use #SAC2018 as a springboard to kick-start their involvement and tap into the region with over 90% of the delegation being key decision-makers and in a position to take action. Organisations will have access to the Who’s Who in the world of sport and achieve many of their business goals in one location within days – the No. 1 key objective for delegates who attended SAC2017 in Aarhus, Denmark.
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Belt and Road Forum showcases Beijing as driver of international trade
At a time when many western nations are grappling with protectionism and calling into question long established trading agreements, China has welcomed world leaders to its capital city to herald the dawn of a series of new trading relationships.
The theme of the conference – the Belt and Road Initiative – positions China as the driver of economic development worldwide.
“More than 2,000 years ago, our ancestors, driven by a desire for friendship, opened the overland and maritime Silk Roads and thus started a great era of exchanges among civilizations,” president Xi Jinping told delegates at the welcome banquet.
“We gather here to renew the Silk Road spirit and discuss the Belt and Road development for international cooperation. This is both a continuation of our shared legacy and a right choice for the future.”
Much like the Olympic Games – of which Beijing is the first city ever to be hosting both the Winter and Summer editions – political and economic summits are a means of putting the host nation at the centre of the geopolitical landscape.
According to president Xi, China has now signed cooperation agreements with more than 68 countries and international organisations.
State owned banks are to invest another $40bn to boost infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing along the new silk road, which now extends beyond Africa and Eastern Europe to South America.
United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres told China Daily: “The Belt and Road Initiative has immense potential… It can promote effective access to markets and new opportunities… It is rooted in a shared vision for global development.”
Contrast this with the UK’s imminent separation from 27 nations of the European Union, or US president Donald Trump’s protectionist rhetoric. As one Beijinger told me today: “Oh, you are from Britain, leaving the EU… this must be bad for business!”
Business is certainly good in China. The reason for my visit was not actually to attend the Belt and Road Forum, but to speak with VIPs from the city about Host City Asia, which takes place in Beijing on 18 October 2017. The opportunities in this sector are as great for organisations from overseas as they are for China.
The sun shone throughout the Belt and Road Forum. While Host City cannot guarantee blue skies, even in the city’s favourite “golden month” of October, one thing is for certain – the sports and entertainment sectors here are booming rapidly and China is loving sharing the limelight.
Host City Asia takes place in Beijing on 18 October 2017. Beijing will host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019. -
Broadcasters and partners plan 2018 European Championships TV coverage
International broadcasters came together this week to meet with Eurovision Production Coordination (EPC), host cities Berlin and Glasgow, and the seven participating European Sports Federations for a world broadcaster briefing ahead of the inaugural multisport European Championships in August 2018.
The working session, complemented by site visits at some of the main event venues, is a major milestone in developing up to 300 hours of programming delivered to a potential worldwide audience of more than one billion people.
The European Championships is a major new multisport event taking place every four years, supported by Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters, which aggregates the existing senior continental championships of Athletics (European Athletics), Aquatics (LEN), Cycling (UEC), Gymnastics (UEG), Rowing (FISA), Triathlon (ETU), with a new Golf Team Championships (ET & LET) – all unified under a common brand.
EPC introduced its international signal production plans and gave an overview of the content, venue and network services to be offered to rights-holding broadcasters, including integrated digital solutions to support first- and second-screen programming.
With the meeting in Glasgow, the participating broadcasters visited some of the key venues including Glasgow’s Tollcross International Swimming Centre (Aquatics), Emirates Arena (Track Cycling at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), as well as Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire (Rowing and Triathlon).
In Berlin, the Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.
The venue tour also covered George Square and Glasgow Green, along with a visit to BBC Scotland’s facilities, where Eurovision Production Coordination will set up the Broadcast Operation Centre (BOC) during the event. A similar facility, the International Broadcaster Centre (IBC) will be in Berlin, next to the Olympic Stadium.
The three-day meeting also offered an opportunity for broadcasters to meet with the Glasgow and Berlin local organising committees and Federation representatives.
“As the Broadcast Partner and Host Broadcaster for the upcoming European Championships, we are pleased to see such strong interest coming from the broadcasting community for this milestone event,” said Stefan Kuerten, Director of EBU Sport. “We’ve received positive feedback from rights-holding broadcasters and will continue working with all parties to provide the overall production and technical solutions for broadcasters to showcase engaging content for audiences.”
Earlier this year, the seven European Federations, Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin, and the EBU agreed on a sports competition schedule that will run from Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 12 2018 with a compelling 10 days of television coverage starting Friday, August 3. -
Glasgow 2018 European Championships tickets on sale from June 14
Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – a brand new event on the global sporting calendar – will go on sale to the general public from Wednesday, June 14.
The on-sale date for the 84 sporting sessions across 12 venues was revealed via an interactive light show projected onto the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. The event will be inclusive and accessible, with tickets starting from just £10, and under-16s attending the cheapest sessions for just £5.
Fans who want to secure tickets to their preferred sports before the general sale date are urged to sign up for priority ticket access via the Glasgow 2018 website at www.glasgow2018.com/join-in-form while they still can.
A comprehensive online ticketing and destination marketing guide has also been released by Glasgow 2018 giving people the chance to identify which of the sessions they wish to see, with added information on dates and timings and venues across Scotland.
Glasgow 2018 is part of a brand new multi-sport event running between August 2-12 2018 which will combine the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon – plus a brand new Golf Team Championships – to create 11 days of exhilarating sporting action. At the same time Berlin will host the European Athletics Championships completing the line-up for the first edition of the European Championships.
More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete in Glasgow and Scotland during the Championships and attendances across all sports are expected to be in the region of 250,000. It will be the biggest sporting event held in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The sporting action will take place across 12 venues in Glasgow and Scotland including Glasgow’s SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (Diving), Strathclyde Country Park (Rowing and Triathlon) in North Lanarkshire and Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course (Golf) in Perth & Kinross.
A number of free events – including the Cycling Road Race through the streets of the city and beyond, Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Mountain Bike at Cathkin Braes – will also take place, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.
A vibrant cultural programme, with Glasgow’s George Square at its beating heart, will also run alongside the sporting action, bringing local communities across the country to life with a celebration of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. Themes from the national Year of Young People in 2018 will also run through the programme.
Glasgow 2018 Championships director Colin Hartley said: “The moment is coming. The European Championships promises to be one of the most memorable sporting and cultural events this country has ever experienced and we want as many people as possible to come to Glasgow and Scotland to join us on this historic journey.
“Our fair and competitive pricing structure, combined with a number of high-profile free events and an exciting cultural programme, will ensure that everyone feels part of this momentous occasion and can enjoy the sport and culture and also sample our fantastic tourism offer.
“Of course our crowds are internationally renowned as some of the most passionate and welcoming in the world and I have no doubts that the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will serve to strengthen that reputation to a global audience.
“We aim to put on a truly remarkable sporting event and, along with the athletes and the sports themselves, the fans will play an important role in ensuring the first ever European Championships is a success.”
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ICSS INSIGHT CEO tells World Football Forum: ‘Integrity vital for Chinese football to achieve long-term sustainable growth’
ICSS INSIGHT CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros delivered a keynote address at the World Football Forum and highlighted the vital role that integrity and good governance can play in helping organisations across China and the wider football world achieve long-term and sustainable economic growth.
Speaking during the World Football Forum – which took place in Changsha, China – Medeiros shared his 25 years’ of experience and expertise as a sports lawyer and senior executive within European and world football with senior leaders and investors from the Chinese and global football marketplace.
Medeiros said: “Football, in China and around the world, has experienced unprecedented growth and commercial success over recent years. Clubs and leagues have become global brands; competitions are now broadcasted around the world, international recruitment and players’ transfers have increased exponentially.
“Whilst this incredible success should be celebrated and applauded, history has shown that there can be a dark side to the beautiful game. Developing and enforcing strong integrity policies is vital for the future of football in China and worldwide, to ensure its long-term development, commercial success and people’s trust and passion.”
During the keynote speech, he highlighted China’s vision to develop 50,000 youth academies by 2025 as one example of the exciting ambition to grow football in the country, as well as encouraging clubs, leagues, sponsors, as well as other organisations working within Chinese football, to join forces to ensure the highest standards and best practice is followed within their integrity, good governance and compliance regulation frameworks.
As a former CEO of the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), Medeiros also proposed a 7-point “Game Plan” for the future of world football. These recommendations included:
1. Reform football’s governance, at a national and international level, with implementation of the highest standards in terms of democracy, transparency, accountability and meaningful stakeholder representation.
2. Implement club licensing systems throughout all professional competitions, at national and international level, including appropriate sporting, legal, infrastructural and financial requirements.
3. Implement best practice for youth development of young players, covering holistically all areas of the process, including recruitment, training, education and protection of minors.
4. Carry out a comprehensive regulatory reform on club ownership, as a matter of priority, with introduction of effective due diligence and independent supervision.
5. Establish a ‘clearing house’ system, both at national and international level, to ensure effective financial integrity of sport/related financial transactions, such as players’ transfers fees and agents commissions.
6. Regulate and discipline the sports betting market and enhance international cooperation mechanisms, to effectively prevent and combat illegal betting and ensure the necessary protection of consumers (in particular, minors), the integrity of sporting competitions and football’s own economic viability.
7. Support the mission of SIGA (Sport Integrity Global Alliance) and its reform agenda, including the implementation of its core principles and universal standards on good governance, financial integrity and sports betting integrity.
He added: “The threats to the integrity of sport are big, global and increasingly sophisticated. At the ICSS, we are committed to safeguarding sport and sharing our knowledge and expertise with organisations around the world. Only through a global, holistic and multi-stakeholder approach can the sporting industry safeguard its reputation and in positive role in today’s society and economy.”
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Arena Group supports HPower Group at the Royal Windsor Horse Show
Royal Windsor Horse Show organiser HPower Group called upon multiple Arena UK & Europe divisions to deliver 5,000m² of temporary structures complete with full interior fit-out, 3,689 seats throughout three Castle Arena tiered grandstands and event catering equipment.
Spurred on with the success of last year’s expansive additions to the equestrian show’s temporary infrastructure in honour of The Queen’s 90th Birthday BAFTA award-winning celebrations, HPower Group once again entrusted Arena Seating and Arena Structures to deliver and maintain the same level of high-quality hospitality and finish this year.
At the south end of the Castle Arena, two Members Enclosure viewing areas were installed by Arena Structures utilising the curved Arcus roofs to offer 250m² of premium sightlines. Situated behind, a multi-deck temporary Members Restaurant, provided 600m² of contemporary dining and hospitality restaurants and lounges.
Throughout the Royal site, an additional 800m² of Arcus structures played host to the Windsor Enclosure Bistro, Reception Structure, and the Royal Entrance Structure. Peaked roofed Aluhall temporary structures were home to the Stirrup Cup Kitchen, the Riders Lounge and the Members Kitchen.
Arena Seating’s project director Bradley Merchant and his 25-strong team installed three temporary covered grandstands offering unrivalled spectator views of equestrian entertainment in the main Castle Arena. The East Stand, under a 95m Arcus roof, comprised of 645 tiered dark blue clearview™ seats, 200 black VIP clearview™ seats, an integrated Royal Box accommodating 32 gold chairs for Her Majesty The Queen and dignitaries, as well as individual Stirrup Cup private boxes for invited guests. This year, the East Stand also incorporated tiered decks for VIP alfresco dining within the grandstand, to the left of the Queen’s Box and Royal Enclosure.
The West Stand consisted of 2,016 tiered tip-up seats offering spectator views of the equestrian action whilst the North Stand, also under an 35m Arcus roof, provided an additional 828 tiered seats with 45 wheelchair spaces and 45 helper spaces on Arena Deck, plus built-in commentary boxes and media desks. Arena Seating ensured event accessibility with ramps and staircases from the public car parks to pavement level and constructed four camera towers for elevated Castle Arena views for BBC live broadcasting coverage.
Merchant said: “It was key this year for HPower Group to keep building on the precedence set at last year’s royal celebrations, so it was our pleasure to work with the organisers once again, ensuring the high-profile show excels its reputation of consistently delivering world-class sporting event environments at the highest level.”
Nick Brooks-Ward, projector director, added: “We have worked with the Arena Group for many years, we use them because we can be assured that they will provide the high levels of service and quality of product that we expect for an event as prestigious as Royal Windsor Horse Show.”
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Exclusive: Hosting World Cup in China would boost football globally
Hosting the FIFA World Cup in China would bring benefits for football internationally and at home, even if the national team still has a long way to go to become strong team, according to Oceans Sports & Entertainment vice president Norman Liu.
“China has a big market in the world, in terms of the population of football fans,” he told Host City in Beijing. “So China could be the right destination for FIFA to promote the football sports worldwide.”
Liu has been in China’s sports industry for years, including working in the marketing department of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Organising Committee (BOCOG).
“Also in China we have so many companies that want to get involved in football and sports marketing. So commercially, China could be a great choice for world football.”
China hosted the Women’s World Cup in 1991 and 2007. The country also has experience of hosting the biggest events in the world, from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing and the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
At least 10 cities are required to host World Cup matches, with co-hosting within the scope of the bidding rules.
On 14 May, (South) Korean Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu told national press that he would support a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup with China and Japan. But at the FIFA Congress in Bahrain on 10 and 11 May, a rule was upheld that states continents must wait two editions before hosting the World Cup again. Asia has the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
So the soonest Asia could bid for the World Cup would be for 2034.
Earlier in the month Liu Xiaoming, China’s Ambassador to the UK, said hosting the World Cup is a “dream” for China beyond 2030.
Developing football in China
According to Norman Liu, hosting the FIFA World Cup would also help to develop the sport in China.
“Personally I saw there is a very big opportunity from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Before the event few people went to stadiums to watch their home side games. After that, so many sports fans went to stadiums to watch their local club.
“You could not imagine before the Olympic Games so many fans going to the stadium to cheer for the home club. After 2008, people would go to the stadium on match days, on the weekend and on weekdays. So, I think the mega event changed people’s behaviour to consume sports.
“But I think if China hosts the World Cup that could be very good opportunity to be developed further in China.”
Increased participation is another potential benefit and China is working to improve the standard of play in the country. The Chinese Football Association’s recently published 2020 action plan includes targets for developing football in China, such as for the men’s team to be in top 70 by 2020 – up from their current FIFA ranking of 81st – and for China to finish in top eight of 2019 Women’s World Cup.
However, the qualification of the national team is not a criteria for hosting.
“Although our national team’s performance still has a big space to improve, the Chinese society have the desire and interest to host a worldwide tournament in China,” said Liu.
“Personally, I think hosting the World Cup will help China to develop football in China. Chinese fans never gave up hopes on their national team performing more and more in international tournaments and we hope our national team can be better than before, to be a qualified host.”
In the meantime, there is still a possibility China can qualify for Russia 2018. “It’s a small chance.” -
Sky Sports wins BAFTA for coverage of The 145th Open at Royal Troon in Scotland
Sky Sports’ innovative coverage of The 145th Open at Royal Troon in July 2016 has earned them a BAFTA after being named best sports production during the awards ceremony in London.
The Sky Sports team won the award for best sports production for their enhanced coverage of the championships, including the thrilling climax when Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson were embroiled in a sensational final-day battle watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
The Open was named the winner ahead of BBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympics and the Six Nations clash between England and Wales, while the Paralympics on Channel 4 was also nominated.
Paul Bush OBE, EventScotland director of events, said: “This is a tremendous accolade, not only for the team at Sky Sports but for golf in general to have beaten off competition from so many top-class sporting productions. It is also a triumph for the stunning Ayrshire coastline which provided the perfect backdrop for the high-class drama that unfolded on the course.
“I’m especially delighted for our golf events executive Katy Mathieson, who was part of the Sky Sports team producing coverage from Royal Troon before joining EventScotland last year. We have a great relationship with Sky Sports through the world-class portfolio of golf events taking place in Scotland and we look forward to working with them on many more in the coming years.”
The EventScotland team work across Scotland’s extensive golf portfolio, which includes the men’s and ladies Scottish Opens at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire and the RICOH Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns in Fife among others this summer. The Open also returns to Scotland in 2018 at Carnoustie.
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Official signing ceremony for #SAC2018 takes place with host city Bangkok in Thailand
[Source: SportAccord Convention] SportAccord Convention is delighted to confirm the official signing ceremony took place today with Host City ‘Bangkok’ for the sixteenth edition of the Convention to be held from 15 – 20 April 2018.
The signing event was carried out at the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) building with Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention, H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, and H.E. Mrs. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand.
“Hosting the SportAccord Convention in Bangkok enables us to reach out to all the International Sport Federations and those organisations involved in the business of sport to share our sports tourism vision as well as enabling delegates to experience all that Thailand has to offer. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is a key driver in helping to promote Bangkok and Thailand as a sports dream destination and sports hub in Asean, and these are some of the reasons why the SportAccord Convention is an important event for us as the Host City.” said Mrs Kobkarn.
With state-of-the-art venues and a city brimming with opportunities and cultural gems, Bangkok is host to many world-class events, and in 2016 served as the gateway for over 30 million tourists who visited Thailand.
Commenting on Bangkok becoming the next Host City, Nis Hatt said, “SportAccord Convention is delighted for the Convention to come to Bangkok, Thailand, and our host should be commended for
their dedication and passion in bringing the Convention here, which in turn will support both the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in their future development goals. Hatt went on to say:
“We are already making good progress with preparations for next year’s Convention and I am confident we will be able to deliver a memorable event in Bangkok for our delegates.”
The overarching theme for the sixteenth edition of the SportAccord Convention will focus on marketing and sponsorship with further details being revealed once registration opens in June. The Convention will also see new initiatives including a 3-day sports festival where all International Federations along with their National Federations will be invited to take part. In addition, the event is being promoted as a ‘family affair’, thus making Thailand the vacation destination for delegates and their families in 2018.
Bangkok was announced as the next Host City during the spectacular SAC2017 Opening Ceremony in Aarhus, Denmark, this year’s European Capital of Culture.