On The Front Foot Issue 15

ON THE FRONT FOOT APRIL 2021 ISSUE FIFTEEN

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SAINTS LAUNCH HALO EFFECT SUSSEX CRICKETS NEW MENTAL HEALTH HUB THE FORMATION OF A NEW ELECTRIC RACING SERIES

MARK

MY FOCUS IS ON WINNING

CUBAN

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CONTENTS Mark Cuban: “My Focus is on winning” Saints launch the Halo Effect The formation of a new electric car series Iconic performance venue for a ‘new generation of fans’ Switching to a new financial software The changing face of sports sponsorship in a post-pandemic world How Leicester Tigers provide added-value for commercial partners The impact of ISA changes on the sports sector 5G’s forecasted revolution of sports broadcasting Diversification key to Chicago Bulls’ digital growth The state of play in the us gambling market Geoff Thomas saddles up to raise £1m for blood cancer Private jet flights surge on health fears Explore Sussex Cricket’s new mental health hub The ever-changing responsibilities of a sports agent What athletes need to know about real estate Jay Bothroyds rise playing in Japan Job Vacancies PSN Directory

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MARK CUBAN

“MY FOCUS IS ON WINNING”: MARK CUBAN, THE MAVERICK ENTREPRENEUR Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, spoke to Premier Sports Network about his passion for sport, challenges of ownership, philosophies of leadership and the adoption of Cryptocurrency.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the biggest sports leagues in the world, with franchise values averaging US$2.2 billion in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Forbes value table, with figures ranging from US$1.3 billion (Memphis Grizzlies) all the way to US$5 billion (New York Knicks).

However, it is the team whose worth puts them in ninth place, the Dallas Mavericks, valued at US$2.45 billion that, as their ‘maverick’ 4 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

name suggests, have placed more value on a winning strategy and player care over commercial aspects, which has seen them triumph on and off the court, nonetheless.

“We really don’t work on global branding. My focus is on winning,” said the Mavericks’ ambitious owner Mark Cuban.

Having purchased a majority investment in the franchise in 2000, Mark oversaw an impressive turnaround in fortunes for the Mavericks, who in the 20 years prior to his investment, had only won 40 per cent of their games with a play-off record of 21-32 and in

the 10 years that followed from the year 2000, the team won 69 per cent of their regular season games and reached the play-offs in each season, except for one.

“I’ve always been big on basketball for as long as I can remember. I was a season ticket holder for years. When the opportunity to buy the team came along, I jumped on it,” said Mark, when asked about his motivations for investing.

“Winning is hard in the NBA. There are 29 other teams trying to end your season.

There is no template for success,” he added

Upon his purchase of the stake in the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA found itself reeling from the difficulties in marketing itself in a postMichael Jordan era and Mark vocalised his opinions and ideas on what he believed would help the league continue on its upward curve into the 21st century, following its success throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.

With his priorities set solely on a winning mentality and providing the necessary care for his players to go on and succeed, Mark has gone on to become one of the most influential owners in the ➡

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 5

MARK CUBAN

“My job is to put every player and employee in a position to succeed. I’m going to do all I can to make that happen.” league and has driven the sport into a modern marketing era that has seen continued growth throughout the US and an invested interest from global audiences too.

Taking a backfoot on commercialisation, Mark has defined a new ownership strategy, which has seen them go from a team that was never taken seriously to world champions, resulting in their franchise worth skyrocketing.

Things were not always so easy for the Maverick’s owner in the early years of his career, which he has spoken openly about previously. In the past, he revealed having to sleep on the floor of a three-bedroom Dallas apartment with six other people and there was a time when he was unable to make the US$200 minimum to open up a bank account.

Having worked as a software salesman after moving to Dallas in 1982, Mark decided to start his own consulting business and his first technology company became a big success, having eventually 6 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

sold it for US$6 million. He would later go on to form Broadcast.com, which after being made public in 1998 and its stock prices settled at US$200, Yahoo brought out the business for US$6 billion.

Mark’s rags to riches story would go on to allow him to channel his journey into the standards he still holds to this day, with regards to not just owning the Mavericks but in everyday life too.

“I know what it’s like to be broke and I didn’t like it. That always motivates me to stay ahead and to be considerate of others who are going through what I did.”

Player care has become one of the shifting focuses for the Dallas Mavericks, much like the whole NBA, but this was

always a priority for Mark, who invested money into things that players would directly benefit from, including a new team plane, DVD players and TV’s in each of the players’ stalls in the locker room.

On this, Mark said: “My job is to put every player and employee in a position to

succeed. I’m going to do all I can to make that happen.”

Perhaps what optimises Mark’s dedication to providing athlete care can be shown when last year, the Maverick’s owner picked up former NBA player Delonte West from a gas station after concerning photos and video emerged

“She is continuously finding new ways to empower those that need it, and we are always here to be a part of it, learn from her and help.”

Mark On Cynt Marshall

suggesting that West was struggling through a difficult period, as had been widely known after his retirement from the sport.

The former Dallas Maverick’s player was brought to a hotel

by Mark before he offered to pay for his rehabilitation treatment and get him back on the right path.

Moreover, in the last year with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the 62-yearold has taken it upon himself, alongside the franchise, to speak out on racial injustices that still grip society even today and for that, he gives credit to the Maverick’s Chief Executive Officer, Cynt Marshall.

“She has such an amazing connection to minority ethnic communities and the issues that they face. She is continuously finding new ways to empower those that need it, and we are always here to be a part of it, learn from her and help.

“What makes the NBA different than other sports is that I think we enable our players to be themselves.

Some leagues want their athletes to conform to a certain approach. One that appeases their customers.

“The NBA encourages our players to do what is important to them and make every effort to enact the change they seek.”

True to form, the outspoken and radica owner of the Dallas Mavericks has taken a unique step to be involved in the world of cryptocurrency by declaring that the franchise now “accept all forms of cryptocurrency payments” and has chosen to specifically speak out on Dogecoin for the “PR value”, after recent increases in value occurred from publicity boosts

by Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk and American rapper Snoop Dogg.

Mav’s Fans for Life, the Mavericks’ member club, will be allowed to use the payment

to purchase tickets and merchandise online, having already accepted Bitcoin as a method of payment for almost two years, further highlighting the non-conformist but successful approach to the running of an NBA outfit.

Away from basketball, Cuban takes a keen interest in rugby, a sport very popular across Europe and Australasia and is beginning to grow in popularity in the US, through the Major League Rugby (MLR) competition.

“Rugby is still a secondary sport here in the USA. It’s unfortunate because it’s my

second favourite sport after basketball. I still watch rugby 15s whenever I can,” confessed Mark.

“Fortunately, rugby is finally getting investors to try to build the development side in high schools and at the pro level with MLR. I think MLR has a real chance and is better organised and financed than its predecessors.”

Mark Cuban’s journey through the sports industry has been well decorated, having been able to bring about success for his team, as well as himself. His exploration of the ownership dynamic looks sure to be continuing into the future, where he will be determined to secure more wins for the Maverick’s with player care and motivation at the forefront. ◆

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SUSTAINABILITY

SAINTS LAUNCH THE HALO EFFECT David Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Southampton FC speaks about the launch of the club’s sustainability strategy, the Halo Effect, a commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for the club, fans and community.

In the midst of a year of uncertainty, Southampton FC have announced a number of new initiatives, partnerships and additions to benefit the club, its fans and the wider community as it strives towards a sustainable future.

The Saints secured promotion for their second stint in the English Premier League in 2012, having first been a founding member of the division in 1992 and since being back in the Premier League, the club has transformed to be a modern, forward thinking organisation, and with that has come the recent formation of a sustainability strategy, dubbed 'The Halo Effect'.

The Halo Effect…

An initiative with a dual meaning, first inspired by the crest and club’s heritage, alongside the combined positive impact that the initiatives will have on people and the planet, The Halo Effect has become the representative of the values that Southampton now hold.

“We have a clear club strategy at Saints that we call ‘The Southampton Way’, which has at its heart our

one banner to define how Saints approach all-things sustainability, which led to The Halo Effect concept that we launched in January 2021.

“We’ve been delighted with the response so far, but for us it is very much the first step in a series of commitments that we will be focusing on over the coming years.”

mission ‘For everybody, every day to turn our potential into excellence’,” stated David Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Southampton FC. “This purpose is what makes us unique and what unifies everyone connected to the club. It’s our core ‘Values’ (Respect, Unity, Aspiration, Innovation and Discipline) and ‘Commitments’ (We support our community, We play the right way, We develop talent, We’re forward thinking and We never stop) which form the foundations of The Southampton Way and help guide everything we do each day.

“It's important to us to genuinely live and breathe our strategy and it isn’t just a nice set of words that get

confined to the bottom drawer and dusted off once a year for review, but given our focus on the future it became clear that we needed to define the club’s position regarding corporate sustainability.

“This work commenced two years ago, and we wanted to take a holistic approach to how we behave as a club overall and to lead by example in all aspects of corporate behaviour. This involved a lot of initial groundwork that culminated in us evolving our overall club strategy to place sustainability at the heart of our operating model.

“Only after these foundations were in place were we in a position to package all our initiatives together under

The Four Key Areas of Focus…

“As part of our social responsibility to the city which supports us, we’re committed to leading by example to help make Southampton a cleaner, more equal and more sustainable place to live now and for future generations,” David continued.

“We also know that the club operating responsibly is of real importance for our fans, partners, customers, staff and the wider community, so it felt appropriate to ensure these groups were all represented strongly within our overall sustainability model.

“As a result, we have four key areas of focus and responsibility, from our commitments to protect our planet (Environmental Responsibility), to how we operate as a business and ➡ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 9

SUSTAINABILITY how we treat everyone connected to the club fairly (Corporate Responsibility), to how we contribute, give back and add value to our community (Social Responsibility) and finally the commitments we are making to treat our fans fairly and equally (Fan Responsibility).”

Measuring The Halo Effect’s success…

The club has set a lead target for each strategy, although behind each is a number of detailed initiatives and a variety of different measures and targets that they are aiming to reach over the coming years.

“In order for The Halo Effect to feel truly unique to the club, we wanted to develop one lead project, that we refer to as a ‘Halo Initiative’, for each strategy that becomes the focus of our communications moving forward,” David explained.

“For example, our lead target for our ‘Environmental Responsibility’ pillar is for the club to become carbon neutral by 2030, and we have plans in place to manage waste, control our resources and enhance bio-diversity within our sites to work towards this long-term goal.

“However, our ‘Halo Initiative’ in this space is the ‘Home Grown Scheme’ which combines our commitment to protecting our planet (through carbon offsetting) with our commitment to developing young footballers through our academy.

“For every academy graduate who makes their 1st Team debut, the club will plant 250 trees. Based on an average of 3 academy 1st Team debuts each season,

Encouraging Entrepreneurialism through the Positive Impact Pledge…

Under their ‘Corporate Responsibility’, strategy, Southampton’s ‘Halo Initiative’ saw the creation of the ‘Positive Impact Pledge’, whereby the club welcomed applications from potential challenger brands of the future, where they could potentially be supported by a £20,000 tax free grant and business advice and guidance to help the small business or start-up take the next step on their journey.

“Creating positive impact has long been one of the leading principles behind our successful commercial partnerships, whereby we bring ‘challenger brand’ thinking to everything we do, challenging the norm, punching above our weight and out-think the competition to deliver maximum value back to our partners,” said David.

“This season alone we’ve already had 5 academy graduates make their First-Team debuts, resulting in 1,250 trees being purchased and soon to be planted in Southampton, with a further 1,250 trees being preserved in the Amazon Rain Forest as part of our partnership with Carbon Footprint and their ‘tree buddy’ system.” over the next 4 years we anticipate planting 3,000 trees which in turn will offset 3,000 tonnes of Southampton FC’s carbon emissions.

“This season alone we’ve already had 5 academy graduates make their First-Team debuts, resulting in 1,250 trees being planted in Southampton, with a further 1,250 trees being preserved in the Amazon Rain Forest as part of our partnership with Carbon Footprint and their ‘tree buddy’ system.

“Following all the work undertaken and the launch of The Halo Effect, we’ve leapt up the Sport Positive Premier League Sustainability rankings to sixth place, up from 18th last season, although our our clear challenge will be to ensure we maintain this position over the coming years."

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“We’ve been delighted with the response to the Positive Impact Pledge and received fantastic applications from over 50 businesses. We recently held an online event with all the applicants where we revealed the shortlist of six companies who are through to the final round, which we hope to hold in person in the summer with presentations to our panel of judges before announcing the winner.”

International club partners…

Aside from The Halo Effect, Southampton have been growing their list of international club partners, with the most recent addition being Ghanaian Premier League side Asante Kotoko.

“As a Club with a track record of success in developing footballers, we’ve developed a Commercial Football Development

model that is an authentic and highquality programme that can add value to international partners. We’ve created a sustainable model for our partners who can engage with high-quality staff from the famed Staplewood Training Ground, and this is the foundations of our success.

“To date we have partners in; USA, Canada, Bahrain, Australia & Africa with a growing pipeline of interest expanding into new territories.

“The Premier League has a phenomenal global audience and reach so developing new partnerships in new territories is a real positive addition to the club’s strategic model.

“Ultimately, optimising the value of the club’s player development reputation creates new business opportunities and is a real example of what we stand for as a club; to turn Potential into Excellence.”

The new official Southampton FC club app…

A busy 2021 for the Saints continued with the launch of their official club app following the successful transformation of their ecommerce platforms in 2020.

“The launch of the app enables us to provide a truly mobile-first experience for supporters wishing to engage with and consume our content, and we’re already seeing the power that publishing news and interviews married with features such as notifications and alerts can have on enabling us to bypass social algorithms and deliver content directly to our fans.

“Once we’re able to host supporters back at St. Mary’s, the app will also provide a number of opportunities to enhance the in-stadium fan experience, as the app will work as a digital ticket to access the stadium, it will facilitate orders for food and beverage, and receive personalised offers and incentives exclusive to those attending a matchday.”

It is evident that Southampton FC are keen to cement a sustainable future with a refreshing outlook on the goings on off the pitch, in the pursuit of aiding not only the club but its local community and the planet in an effective and forwardthinking manner. ◆

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SUSTAINABILITY

EXTREME E: THE FORMATION OF A NEW ELECTRIC RACING SERIES Extreme E’s five-race global voyage, spanning four continents, will highlight the impact of climate change and human activity on some of the world’s most remote locations, while promoting sustainability and the adoption of electric vehicles to help protect the planet. Extreme E’s Sporting Manager, Guy Nicholls, previews the electric racing series ahead of its inaugural season.

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The growth and popularity of the electric racing arm of motorsport is set to be boosted further after the opening Extreme E season takes place in 2021.

Established in 2018, by Formula E co-founder Alejandro Agag and two-time Champ Car champion Gil de Ferran, the electric off-road racing series will experience its first taste of the unique tracks it will be competing on this year, starting in April 2021.

Joining the team in 2020 ahead of the all-important first season is Sporting Manager Guy Nicholls, who boasts a career in motorsport spanning three decades managing projects and operations in championships across a range of diverse disciplines. Extreme E is not the first new series that Guy has worked on, having been a part of the senior management team at A1 Grand Prix and was championship coordinator at Lamborghini’s racing venture at the Super Trofeo series.

However, it was time for Guy to turn his hand towards a different form of motor racing and offer his experience and knowledge for the brand new series.

“It was a fortunate coincidence that Extreme E was looking for a Sporting Manager and one of the people assisting them in their search, who I happen to know, was chatting to another friend and ex-colleague of mine who acted as Race Director for the

Lamborghini championship I was coordinator for,” explained Guy on how he found himself in his new role.

“I’ve worked on two brand new championships from conception to reality, A1 Grand Prix and Lamborghini Super Trofeo, and as challenging as a new championship is to put together from scratch, they are also hugely rewarding when it all comes together.

“With the names of the teams and drivers involved in Extreme E, with its collection of multiple World Champions across different motorsport disciplines, who would turn such an opportunity down?”

The Sporting Manager or Sports Director role has become one of particular interest across the modern sporting landscape as they look to develop their respective entities and it feels all the more important in the formation of a new sport entirely.

“I’m the day to day contact for the teams and on any given day this could include working through administrative details from them or sitting on a video call making presentations to them for elements such as a race weekend schedule or matters relating to our Sporting and Supplementary Regulations that govern our Series.

“I am also the link to the ASN’s (local motorsport governing body) in each of the territories we race in to coordinate marshals, ➡ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 13

SUSTAINABILITY

stewards, officials, safety and medical plans and also work closely with our permanent officials such as our Race Director and Technical Director.

“As I said before, it’s an extremely exciting opportunity to develop a new championship with its own rules, regulations, identity, brand and values, which I’ve now done twice, and it is very rewarding to see the creative ideas come to fruition.

“A blank canvas without the constraints, rules, regulations and methods of previously tried and tested seasons hanging over you, allows you a myriad of options and avenues to explore.”

One of Extreme E’s biggest goals is to raise awareness around one of the biggest threats that the world is facing in regards to the global environment and climate change. The launch of the racing series comes at a time where new research continues to inform us of the climate crisis we face.

“Sport is a powerful and crucial platform for driving change, with 24 out of 25 most popular broadcasts ever having been about sport,” started Guy. “We hope that by using sport to showcase these environments that are all suffering at the hands of climate change, we will be able to raise global awareness of the issues and inspire change.

“Not only that, the series will demonstrate the performance and capabilities of cuttingedge electric SUVs racing across these harsh terrains in formidable conditions, and these technologies will filter through to the consumer market.

“SUVs were chosen as the series vehicle as they are the 14 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

world’s most popular consumer type of consumer car, but also the most polluting. With transport equating to approximately 30 percent of global emissions, it is crucial we showcase the power and abilities of electric vehicles and look to accelerate their adoption.

“In addition, Extreme E will also work closely with its Scientific Committee of experts in each region to raise global awareness and education for the specific issues each environment faces, such as rising carbon emissions, melting ice caps, deforestation, desertification, droughts, plastic pollution and rising sea levels, and go on to leave a long-lasting positive impact through its Legacy Programmes.

“Each of Extreme E’s race locations were selected to focus on a different environmental issue. In Saudi Arabia the series will highlight desertification, rising sea levels in Senegal, the melting ice cap in Greenland, deforestation in Brazil and glacial recession in Patagonia.”

The founder of the Extreme E racing series, Alejandro Agag, has prior experience in finding an electric motorsport, when he founded Formula E in 2012, before its own inaugural season in 2014.

“We are a sister series to Formula E and we share the same visionary leader. Our two sports have a common ambition to fight climate change, accelerate the transition to electric mobility and use our platforms to catalyse positive change for generations to come,” Guy continued.

“We are distinctly different but complementary meaning each

benefits from amplifying the other. Both series are all-electric motorsports, with Formula E operating the open-wheel singleseater FIA world championship, competing in iconic international city centres, while Extreme E is a radical rally-raid showcasing the abilities of electric SUVs against the backdrop of remote ecosystems.

“Some of our employees came from Formula E and we are able to draw upon their experiences, partcularly in relation to the development and management of the electric technology and safety surrounding its use.”

The brand new motorsport is offering other unique qualities that will make it stand out against its other compatriots – both men and women will be competing alongside one another and it will not be competed in front of a live, ticketed audience, something that Guy feels strengthens Extreme E position.

“Extreme E is a brand new

Competitors in the races include teams set up by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, as well as Jenson Button, who is set to drive himself for his own team.

“Of course having three Formula 1 World Champions involved is wonderful for the Series, but lets not forget that most of our drivers are national champions or world champions in their respective disciplines,” Guy explained.

“From World Rally Champions to National Motorcross Champions and World Rallycross Champions to National Rally Champions and a W Series Champion to boot. The quality of both male and female drivers and the diversity of their racing backgrounds is an exciting mix and for Extreme E to have enticed such a high quality crop of drivers, despite never having turned a wheel, is an amazing achievement.”

What with it being a first

“Extreme E is a brand new concept and whilst it is a sport, it has been developed to be very much a media product, which as of the time of writing, will be televised by more than 40 different broadcast partners, reaching over 160 different countries.

Extreme E drivers: Catie Munnings, Jenson Button and Carlos Sainz

concept and whilst it is a sport, it has been developed to be very much a media product, which as of the time of writing, will be televised by more than 40 different broadcast partners, reaching over 160 different countries.

“Huge efforts from our broadcast and technical partners will ensure that those watching have an exceptional experience without having to be there. Due to the remote locations of our races, having an on site audience was never a realistic option and the business model reflects this.

“One of Extreme E’s values is to offer equal opportunities for male and female drivers to compete on a equal basis, with both having equal influence on the outcome of a race. Women’s place in motorsport has been growing for many years and Extreme E is very keen to help with that continued growth.”

season for Extreme E, it cannot be helped but to be curious about what the future of the motorsport will look like, something that Guy himself is looking forward to.

“From a sporting side, I believe my goals are probably the same as most of my colleagues and that is to get to the end of the season having delivered a safe and exciting season of sporting entertaininment but as a company, our ambition would also be to start to see the benefits of the environmental work we are conducting with our scientists that is as much a part of Extreme E’s values as the racing.

“Like any new product, you want to deliver something that is sustainable and creates enough demand to ensure it has a long shelf life but Alejandro is an ambitious man, so who knows how, where and what we might be racing in years to come.” ◆ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 15

ESPORTS

OVERACTIVE MEDIA PLANS TO BUILD ICONIC PERFORMANCE VENUE FOR ‘NEW GENERATION OF FANS’ Following the confirmation of OverActive Media’s highly anticipated US$500m entertainment and music venue, President and CEO Chris Overholt shares his vision to make Toronto and Canada ‘a destination of choice’ for the global esports and gaming industry.

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Esports has become one of the biggest sports sectors in recent years, with many sources projecting that the esports ecosystem is on track to surpass US$1 billion in revenue for the first time by the end of 2021 and US$1.8 billion by 2022. Currently, the North American market is the second largest in the world, behind only the Asia-Pacific region.

Based in Canada, OverActive Media, the parent company of Toronto Defiant, Toronto Ultra, and MAD Lians, has announced plans to build a 7,000-seat esports and entertainment venue at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada that promises to be an unparalleled experience for fans and performance artists alike.

The venue, projected to be completed in 2025, is set to include a ‘theatre-style entertainment venue and hotel complex,’ that plans to host

200+ events a year, whilst also becoming the new ‘home’ of the company’s Call of Duty League and Overwatch League franchises.

Chris Overholt, President and CEO of OverActive Media has found himself a part of the sports industry for many years, where he has primarily operated within the traditional sporting landscape across a range of disciplines, including the likes of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Toronto Raptors, National Football League (NFL) team the Miami Dolphins and the Canadian Olympic Committee, to name but a few, before manoeuvring into the esports scene.

“I was compelled by a couple of things. I would say first and foremost the ownership group I am attached to and partnered with here,” started Chris, when asked about his motivations to switch from traditional sport to the esports industry.

“It’s a pretty impressive group of individuals,

led by the Kimel family who are principle investors and are an incredible success story here in Canada. Sheldon Pollack, our chairman, I’ve known for many years and have worked with him previously, has an excellent reputation in this country.

These are the sort of people you are going to want to be attached to generally in your career.

He added: “Perhaps as compelling was a conversation I started having with Activision Blizzard in 2016. I was approached in that time after the Rio Olympics about getting involved and I was just so struck by all of it, the capacity, the potential, the scale and so when asked whether I would be interested in getting involved with Toronto and the potential acquisition of an Overwatch franchise, it just didn’t feel like something I wanted to miss.”

A global esports and entertainment company, OverActive Media has gone on to become one of the leading names in the industry having

successfully acquired teams and participation in top esports leagues.

“We set out in Autumn 2018 with the bold ambition of setting up the Madison Square Garden of esports at our core.

“Our first task was to see if we could secure the Overwatch franchise in Toronto and we were successful in doing that and now we have managed to build a holding of assets of franchise teams in what we believe to be the biggest and most important esports leagues in the world; Call of Duty – the Toronto Ultra franchise and the Overwatch franchise – the Toronto Defiant franchise and then in Europe, we play the European League of Legends under our MAD Lions brand and in Counter Strike as part of a league we partially own with other team organisations called Flashpoint.

“Our intention was to create the premier esports offering in the world and we knew to do that, we were going to need to be bold in our ambition.

“I think so far we have managed to do that. We ➡

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ESPORTS

are the only organisation in the world today that owns franchise positions in each one of those four leagues, and we are really bullish on the business model that they represent. One that shares revenue with us and that allows us to sit inside the enterprise value of those leagues as they grow and develop.”

OverActive Media’s next move involves building a 7,200-seater esports and entertainment venue, which will serve as the home of the Toronto Ultra and Toronto Defiant, which is set to cost US$500 million.

“It is a performance venue and at the heart of its business model is the ability to attract and deliver a premium experience for acts and all of its fans that come to our venue,” Chris explained.

“It will be the convenient home to our two esports teams

here in Toronto – the Ultra and the Defiant – but the business model is about us taking a step in the direction of being the Madison Square Garden.

“To be dimensional like that as a business, we need to be in the venue business and we set out from early days stating that if we could find the right piece of land, if we could get their ahead of

with premium entertainment acts but will also be home to corporate opportunities, launch events around product, gala dinners and award shows and anything you can imagine that a 7,200-capacity arena could hold.

“Now one of the best entertainment markets in North America [Toronto], if not the world, this is what this

on a new perspective as we start talking to bigger brands who are not only thinking that they’re interested in the esports space but certainly see the potential of up to 1.2 million fans rolling through a venue like that in our future.

“It has certainly put us on an accelerated curve just in these last few weeks and it’s very exciting to be a part of.”

A part of esports’ strength came to fruition in the last 12 months with the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, which shut down traditional sports across the world, leaving their fans to look at new markets for entertainment. The gaming industry boomed throughout the various lockdowns and with it, came an added interest in esports as it exploited its digital platform where it could be played and viewed from home.

“We have statistics here in Canada that say 77 per cent of the millennial audience claim that esports is their sport of choice over traditional sports, which could also be largely true across the world.”

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others in the market who have looked at it in the past, then it would be a business model opportunity for us that would not only be about our esports teams but first and foremost driven by a leadership position that we could enjoy in the entertainment space.

“Our model contemplates a total of 180 to 200 nights per year out of the gate and starts

venue can be for this city and this country and built with a posture around technology and a delivery that will be second to none in the world and in that way, we believe that over time, it can be a magnet and hub for global esports competitions.

“Already I can say that our partnership and marketing conversations have taken

“It will be the convenient home to our two esports teams here in Toronto – the Ultra and the Defiant – but the business model is about us taking a step in the direction of being the Madison Square Garden.”

“Whatever curve this industry was on, it has certainly been accelerated in the last couple of years after COVID-19,” said Chris. “We’re all living and in some cases, working from home and so in that context, it’s a captured audience and an opportunity what with it being digital in its orientation.

“Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Valve, etc. who are all attached to these leagues, pivoted quickly and effectively so all the leagues we were due to be playing in last year, did not miss a beat. We continued playing and just carried on.

“To give an example of esports’ growth during COVID-19, League of Legends, which has been around for a very long time and is arguably the biggest esport in the world, saw its audience grow by over 75 per cent and they’re on track to be growing again.

“We have statistics here in Canada that say 77 per cent of the millennial audience claim that esports is their sport of choice over traditional sports, which could also be largely true across the world.”

Even today, esports has its doubters from within the industry who feel that it hasn’t got the capability to reach its full potential in the way that it has been forecast to do so, which Chris could not disagree with more.

“Anybody who thinks this is a faze is talking to themselves,” he exclaimed.

“This has been a reality for a number of years and like many things in our lives, when it finally hits the mainstream, we all think its brand new, but this has been an industry that’s been developing for between 10 and 20 years, depending on how you define it, and now some big names in the industry

are taking an interest in it from the traditional sports world.

“As I said before, this business is maturing at such a level, that our audiences are growing at rates which are eclipsing that of the NBA back in the 90s and now we’re living in a world where there are no NBA teams worth less than US$2 billion. Being a digital platform and with the marketing partnerships valuing near US$1 billion globally, this is only up and to the right.

“For anybody hearing about this for the first time, welcome, and watch this thing go. It’s going to be massive. I’m confident that this industry is going to be a next level experience for everybody that’s invested in it and we truly believe that we are building a multi-billion enterprise here every day.” ◆

Main images: The new Toronto venue.

Above: OverActive Media’s President and CEO, Chris Overholt

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 19

FINANCE

Switching to a new financial software: Six steps to guarantee success When moving to a new financial system, planning a seamless changeover or ‘cutover’ between your old and new system becomes a key component for success, and can have a significant effect on user adoption and speed of return on investment.

You can invest in modern, stateof-the art technology, but without your essential and accurate data, the system may not provide more of a headache than added value.

So how do you plan for this crucial activity effectively?

Here we have a look at the six key areas to consider when performing a financial cutover.

Addressing these areas will set you well on the way to achieving a successful financial software implementation.

Restructuring the Chart of Accounts (CoA) Moving to a new system is often a great opportunity to take stock of your existing Chart of Accounts, clean up old and inactive accounts, and restructure to get the most out of your new financial solution.

For example, a modern platform should offer dynamic and multiple segmentation options, therefore negating the need for unnecessary accounts just to be able to report on what you need to. You can start planning this activity very early in the process, with just a basic understanding 20 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

of the new platform. The closer you keep in touch with your partner the better throughout this process.

Single Entity vs.

Multiple Entities If – as is the case with most venue and sport businesses - you have multiple operating entities, your planning may need to include additional factors, such as your existing set up.

Are you currently on multiple financial or disparate financial systems (for example, if you have a retail or conference arm at your venue or club using a different system from the parent company)?

Do any of your entities have separate CoA or any statutory needs for such?

Does your new system support a single platform and single consistent CoA for consolidation and reporting?

Planning to bring over data in an integrated, consistent manner across all your entities is essential depending on your project goals and objectives. Again, an experienced partner will guide you through this.

Closed vs. Open Transactions To go live with your new system, the most straightforward approach to a financial cutover is to only bring in opening balances and your open transactions. Closing off as many transactions as you can in your legacy system helps limit the number of open transactions to be migrated. The simpler the data, the easier the changeover. If your organisation has specific business needs to bring in closed transactions details for a certain period in the past, then assess the impact of this with your partner early, to make sure your implementation plan has adequate budget and time factored in to support this requirement.

Historical Transactions vs. Trial Balances Another key consideration is how much historical data there is to migrate from your legacy system to your new system. While the idea of having an exhaustive data history in your new system can be attractive and comforting, there are a few factors worth

considering: budget, timescale and complexity.

Do you have a tight timeline and budget to go live on the new system?

Will you still have access to your legacy financial instance for historical reports?

Do you have an option to store your historical details in a separate system or a database?

Discuss these issues with your software partner – you may wish to consider bringing in monthly trial balances for the past couple of years, for comparative reports, rather than detailed historical transactions.

Currency Exchange and Consolidation If the retail or any other part of the organisation is currently operating internationally, recording multiple types of foreign currency exchange rates can create a myriad of requirements from a financial system.

Ensure that the system you select offers the continual update of exchange rates that is crucial to maintaining proper books that can have the appropriate foreign tax rates applied during financial closing.

‘Go Live’ Timing Choosing the optimal time to go live is the final crucial aspect to consider, particularly with sporting seasonal peaks and troughs of activity. The first day of a month or quarter or year can often seem like the logical choice, but that means closing books in your old system at the last day of the previous year or quarter, which isn’t always practical. Assess your business and choose a timing that works strategically and practically for you and your team. An experienced partner will work with you to agree a detailed project plan to achieve the target date.

Understand your current close process and what a cutover will mean for your users and operations and ensure these are factored into the plan for a seamless and successful transition.

By considering these steps, you will have increased peace of mind knowing that your organisation is following tried and tested best practices. At Eureka Solutions – with customers including Juddemonte Farms, The Ageas Bowl, St Andrews Links Trust, Derby County Football Club and Powerleague Fives –

we pride ourselves on sharing learnings and best practice from the hundreds of successful transitions we have implemented for our customers, moving them from legacy systems to futureproof technology and managed by our experienced project management and implementation teams.

A well planned and well-timed financial cutover will allow you to focus on getting the most out of your new system straight away, speeding up ROI and user adoption and allowing you to focus on business growth and strategy. ◆ If you would like more information about moving organisations seamlessly from legacy systems, or about Eureka's tried and tested project management and approach, contact Senior Solution Consultant Alan Miles on +44 (0)13 5558 1960 or at alan.miles@ eurekasolutions.co.uk. Alternatively, visit: www.eurekasolutions.co.uk

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 21

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SPONSORSHIP

THE CHANGING FACE OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIP IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD With the global rights market looking to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ricardo Fort draws on his experiences with advice for how rightsholders can collaborate to identify a mix of assets that fit the sponsors objective and the importance of investment into sports sponsorship.

The impact of the pandemic has been vast, with almost every activity associated with sport affected in some way. In addition to the break in play, brands and rights holders have also had to adapt and embrace their digital platforms and identify new ways to connect with their customers in the absence of physical events. However, as a result we have seen rights holders produce some amazing content that will long be remembered beyond the pandemic.

“The rightsholders were forced to adapt quickly to the limitations the pandemic imposed upon them because of the absence of the events. The need to deliver value to their partners pushed them to develop creative alternatives,” began Ricardo.

“So, they created a lot of digital content intending to keep fans interested during that period of time when live sports were not happening. Many of them did a very good job, such as the IOC with the Olympic channel and FIFA showing

historical matches. A lot of organisations were already producing content, but the pandemic accelerated the volume and the quality of the work.

“The same thing happened with athletes. In general, they increased their presence in our lives in the last year because they were just more active on social media, teaching and sharing new

things and engaging at a level we haven’t seen before. All of that created a lot of new content that brands were able to use to keep their marketing alive and fresh during a time when live events weren’t happening.

“The dependency that most brands have had for live events, was a problem.

One of the lessons of the last year is that we learnt how to think different.

Hopefully there will be a time soon where we will have both of these alternatives – still able to do something related to live events and the legacy work on the digital content production. The next few years in sports marketing will be more interesting because we will have more tools to play with.”

While the delivery of sponsorship activity evolves, Ricardo doesn’t believe that the way in which deals are valued and the measurement of success will change after the pandemic.

“Brands investing in sports must focus on how much their investments are impacting their business growth. After all, this is the only thing that matters at the end of the day,” he explains. ➡ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 23

SPONSORSHIP

“It doesn’t really matter how remembered you are or how much your brand was associated with the event, how great your advertising was – if the business is not growing then that investment is worthless.

“Many marketers are distracted by the passion for sports and end up doing things that are great for the sport and for the partner, forgetting that they work for a business that has very specific objectives.

“When I was working for Coca-Cola, I always had it clear in my mind that my job was to sell beverages. When I was working for Visa, my job was to get the banks that work with Visa to issue more cards and the cardholders to use their card more often – not how successful the competition was going to be. That shouldn’t change regardless of the pandemic.

As Coca-Cola’s Vice President of Global Sports Partnership, Ricardo oversaw one of the largest sports and entertainment sponsorship portfolios in the entire industry including large-scale alignments with the International Olympic Committee, FIFA and Major League Baseball, to name 24 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

“Many marketers are distracted by the passion for sports and end up doing things that are great for the sport and for the partner, forgetting that they work for a business that has very specific objectives.” a few. Drawing on his experiences, Fort highlights what rightsholders can do to improve relationships with their partners.

“The first thing, which is not an easy task, is to understand what matters to the companies. How the companies speak, how they invest, how they are going to grow, and which areas are important for them. Then, looking inside their own organisation and coming up with ideas,

tools and projects that can allow the partners to do what they need to do.

“For example, I was watching the Adidas board presenting online the results for last year. When you hear their CEO speaking, you clearly understand what they are trying to do for their business: Which are the areas they are trying to grow, which are the cities that are going to invest and how they look at their company. You can find the same information for pretty much any company.

“Good rightsholders should be watching Adidas’ annual results presentation, taking notes and thinking ‘If they are saying they need to grow in that part of the world, what do I have to offer there?

Can I bring my events there? Can I use my athletes and my other assets in that region that will allow them [the brand] accomplish that?

“A good rightsholder is competent in what they do, and always looking for ways to help their to their partners and thinking ‘how can I help them do what they want to do?’

“They do it by being informed, paying attention to what is happening at the

partner’s business, constantly and proactively communicating with the partners, and not just collecting a cheque.”

Companies in all fields are turning to sport to drive awareness of their own products, with increasingly impressive results. Sports sponsorships wield transformative power that is capable of driving exponential growth in brand awareness and affinity.

“If you look at the most valuable brands in the world and how much they invest in sport, you see a strong correlation. This is no coincidence,” Ricardo emphasises.

“Being associated with things that people care about makes them more relevant, more consumed and more valuable.

Over and over again, you see brands that come from nothing and thanks to their investment in sport they become global powerhouses.

“When Visa signed up to become an IOC Olympic sponsor in 1988, Visa was a much smaller brand and by no means a leader in the payment services category. The Olympic Games have been one of their major engines to turn the Company into the global leader they are today.

Coca-Cola has been doing this for over a century. First with the objective to expand to new territories, then to build awareness and lately to drive engagement. If you are a global brand involved with global events, that gives you a fantastic platform to tell stories to a lot of people at the same time.

“In all these events that drive global interest, brands have the opportunity to create scalable programmes that all the countries in their network can implement, so that is also a very effective way of marketing. That’s a smart way to invest and why so many big companies do it.”

Ricardo has now made the decision to move on from Coca-Cola, his dream job since a young age, to set up his own consultancy firm ‘Sport by Fort’ in order to help investors, sponsors, rightsholders, and athletes to build the right sports partnership.

A veteran global sports marketer with prior positions at Visa, Groupe Danone, Kellogg’s and Unilever across three different continents, Fort has a good understanding of what sponsors need and what rightsholders should do to be more effective.

“Having worked with so many sporting organizations and seeing them excel in different areas of their businesses, I have developed a good understanding of what are the things that make a rightsholder operate better for their partners. I know how to help them improve in their commercial strategy and sponsorship sales,” Ricardo humbly explained.

“I am confident I can help them package rights better than most people because I have seen so many that have worked and so many that haven’t. My goal is to use all the experience I have had with global companies to help other big companies to sign better deals when they are looking to get involved with sports, but also to work with the rightsholders to be more effective in how they approach partners.

“There are also a few other areas of personal interest to me. The two most exciting ones today are the investors, mostly in North America, looking at assets like clubs and media rights and the sports tech start-ups working to scale-up their businesses.” ◆ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 25

SPONSORSHIP

HOW LEICESTER TIGERS PROVIDE ADDED-VALUE FOR COMMERCAL PARTNERS Adam Sandham, Partnerships Business Development Manager at Leicester Tigers, shares an insight into the club’s innovative approach and added value for commercial partners.

The historic Leicester Tigers have become a stalwart of English rugby union, with a number of impressive records and achievements that hold them up as one of the best teams in operation throughout the Premiership Rugby era.

Their success on the pitch has led to effective commercial growth and with their forward-thinking ideas around positive relationships between themselves and their commercial partners, it can only be seen that this continues to flourish long into the future.

What association do you seek to make between Leicester Tigers and the sponsor?

As a club, we are all about our proud history and exciting future so when we are working with a partner we really want to transfer that over to them.

At the moment, 26 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

we are all about the journey; obviously we have been going through a bit of a difficult time during Covid and beforehand on and off the pitch, we have now brought in Steven Borthwick as Head Coach and Aled Walters as Head of Physical Performance. We’ve brought these people in because we are going through a new journey led by Andrea Pinchen, who became CEO in May 2020.”

What makes Rugby and Leicester Tigers attractive to a sponsor?

We don’t really call them sponsors as such because it is a partnership, we work together to deliver specific objectives relevant to the specific brand and their challenges. Every partner we work with

has a goal and has to benefit from this relationship and we strive to do that effectively, which is testament to why our average partnership last 5 to 6 years as proof we continually deliver, season after season.

We are a very commercially (forward) thinking club. When working with partners we sit down with them and drill down why is it you want to achieve these goals and how we can work together, acting as that natural extension of their marketing department.

We try to work with our partners as close as possible to monitor what they are doing, what is working and what isn’t. It’s a difficult time for everybody and you’ve got to get that messaging across.

An example of how we have done this is through one of their longest partnerships with Leicester based national brand, Mattioli Woods. One of their biggest objectives is to meet people to build connections, which in the world of coronavirus is very difficult. So, what we did is sat down with them and formulated a virtual plan to enable introductions.

We found there was still an appetite across the Midlands for business professionals to connect with one and other, however, everyone seemed Zoomed out. What we decided was to utalise a virtual platform that enabled virtual networking tables and couple this with the Leicester Tigers Business Club. After reviewing the events so far, we found it to be a great success!

Through using Leicester tigers and this business networking opportunity to draw fans in for Mattioli Woods, they were able to build report and network because as soon as this all finishes, when people are allowed to meet again, they are on the front foot already and are able to get out there and connect.

What role do you think sponsors can play in rebuilding the live sports experience both at home and in stadiums?

They’ll be key, acknowledging that the supporter experience and sponsorship world is going to be very different. There is going to be a lot more emphasis on human touchpoints and

Leicester Tigers have created a ‘pop-up’ marketing support division to assist their commercial partners through the COVID-19 pandemic, and now beyond. Known as Tigers Help & Expertise (THE) Hub, the new division effectively acts as an in-house agency, providing support for club partners to dial in as they need it across areas including design, creative, sponsorship activation and sales.

brands being able to create those touchpoints on a matchday and through virtual experiences outside of those at the stadium.

What people are starting to act on is the wider fanbase to target fans on a matchday, to get them involved even when they are not at the stadium.

The pandemic has allowed us to be able to sit down and take a moment to really think about what we are doing and where we want to go. Sometimes you can often get lost within a season.

However, a real positive is that it allowed us to become more innovative in

creating new commercial opportunities and thinking more digitally, one thing this pandemic has done is speed the digital age up by something like six years.

How do you judge the return on investment for both parties?

It’s all about talking to each other. When we meet partners, we want to drill down on what their objectives are and the metrics of success that apply to each objective because, ultimately, that allows us to monitor it much easier and provides clarity between both

partner and Club around expectations.

It’s very important to keep working with partners and speaking to ask ‘Is this working?’

And if it’s not, let’s try something different.

For us, having that open conversation with companies and flexibility as a club if things aren’t working, really goes down well. We know that we are in this partnership together and we want to achieve as much for them as they do for us because ultimately, that leads to a positive long-term relationship. ◆

“We have held lots of conversations with our partners about how we can support each other through a challenging time, especially those partners who’s resource has been halved or more potentially, and how we are here to help,” explains Adam.

“When we have partners come on board, not all brands are fortunate enough to have big marketing teams, some only have a small team and don’t have time to put aside for this stuff. So, we give them access to our videographers, graphic designers and marketers – whether it’s to do with Leicester Tigers or wider capabilities across their whole business.”

Adam asserts that THE Hub will continue to assist partners in various ways over the coming months, including helping to activate other partnerships in the brand’s portfolio or providing design services for the production of annual corporate brochures.

“A prime example is Toyo Tires, our Tyre partner. If they haven’t got time to create the artwork they want on a news release for their wider business, they can send us a design brief and we create it as if an agency would. It cuts out that middleman and some brands don’t have that money to use an agency.

“It has added big value to our partnerships, even the bigger brands that we work with as well. What we’ve realised is you can never have too many hands and some companies may unfortunately have people on furlough so they might not be up to the normal numbers of staff. This gives them the support they need, and we want to add value in ways we never have before.

“The pandemic has brought us closer to our partners and, by offering this wider support mechanism as they continue to support us, this will be great for the long-term development of the club, our staff and future partnerships.” ◆ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 27

ACCOUNTING & TAX

Changing International Standards on Auditing and its impact on the sport sector Two significant changes to the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) are now in place for year ends from 31 December 2020 onwards. Greater scrutiny, expectations and fines on audit firms means more work and resources are now necessary to complete an audit, and that could affect your bottom line. Tom Wilson, partner at haysmacintyre, covers the key changes and how to prepare for them.

Early in 2020, I wrote an article on the regulatory audit environment and its potential importance. A relatively dry subject but also an important one for Finance Directors working in the sector. The reason why I am revisiting this topic is because two significant changes to the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) are now in place for year ends from 31 December 2020 onwards.

Why should you be concerned about this?

Simple economics: greater scrutiny, expectations and fines on firms means more work and resources are now necessary to complete an audit. There are several areas under particular scrutiny by regulators, but the key areas under reform are going concern and the auditing of key judgements and estimates.

28 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

Auditing standard on going concern (ISA 570) Auditors have had a head start in this area over the last twelve months, and the impact the pandemic has had on income streams and sustainability figure strongly in these assessments. Whilst we have been producing detailed cashflow forecasts with sensitivity to show how the organisation will be able to pay its debts, auditors must demonstrate an organisation’s ability to remain viable in a post-pandemic world. This requirement is more intensive for auditors and more onerous for company directors. There will be less room for the audit partner to use their judgment as ISA 570 requires auditors to provide a robust challenge to the assumption of going concern. On top of this, soft guarantees of funding of budget shortfalls are unlikely to meet the standard of proof. In the instances where there are fewer certain guarantees, there are likely to be more instances of emphasis of matter paragraphs in audit reports.

While the burden of challenge rests with the auditors, it is vital for organisations to be prepared: and documentation of what Finance Directors have done to review the going concern assumption will be required. This is particularly important as we begin to exit the pandemic.

Auditing Standard on accounting estimates and key judgements (ISA 540).

Whilst this standard is not new, this revision is significantly more prescriptive, itemising several new areas auditors must cover. The key changes concern: risk assessments of all significant areas of judgements and estimates within a set of financial statements, assessments of relevant controls surrounding estimates, and the completion of one of three procedures – review of post year end outcomes, review an entity’s calculation or reperformance of the calculation, and corroborate that calculation. There are specific references in the standard to evidencing professional scepticism

“In advance of your year end, it is recommended that you review your accounting estimates and judgements and ensure you can explain how they have been valued for your financial statements.” challenging bias, meaning auditors must prove that they’ve challenged your judgements.

Why is this important?

It will lead to a fresh look at very subjective areas of financial statements and challenge of historic practices. It will raise the bar to satisfy your audit partner that your policy’s regarding estimated areas of the financial statements are correct. Therefore, your financial statements could be impacted, which may also include commercial consequences. If you are an organisation who is impacted by financial fair play rules, it may also impact your adherence.

One example of an estimate which may be challenged is the amortisation of player contracts, and more specifically, residual value rules. This area of the accounting standard has always been there, even prior to FRS 102, but is rarely used. The reason why is due to the difficulty in substantiating the residual value. There

is some logic to using the residual value rules for player amortisation, however justifying what that residual value is will be challenging, especially for certain time periods (particularly in the Bosman era).

These valuations are a key focus of the audit regulator and therefore detailed and evidenced valuations of all players on the registration register will be necessary for the accounts to be signed off. Reviewing your book values for impairment and your overall policy may be worthwhile to consider.

Asset valuations will also be scrutinised carefully: property valuations, for example, are open to a number of different estimation and valuation techniques. If you hold investment property, it is likely external valuations will be necessary to corroborate your figures in the financial statements, which could impact bottom line profit.

Secondly, valuation of other assets such as intangibles and goodwill could be scrutinised further through impairment

reviews to prove their valuation. Again, any write-offs will impact profit and loss.

Finally, stock or debtor provisions or provisions for liabilities will come under this standard and justifications will be needed to ensure appropriate valuation of these.

In advance of your year end, it is recommended that you review your accounting estimates and judgements and ensure you can explain how they have been valued for your financial statements.

It is worth documenting why you use the methodology you do. Where necessary, consider the need for external valuations or impairment reviews of certain assets.

Ultimately, what seems like two small changes to an obscure auditing standard could have definitive, measurable impact on your financial position if they are not considered in time for your annual audit. ◆ For more information contact Tom Wilson at twilson@haysmacintyre.com or visit www.haysmacintyre.com OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 29

BROADCASTING

5G’S FORECASTED REVOLUTION OF SPORTS BROADCASTING Matt Stagg, Director of Mobile Strategy at BT Sport, details how the future trillion-dollar network is set to transform the way fans engage with and view sport.

Technology bares the power of being able to offer innovation across almost every industry and sports is no different to that. It allows us to know whether a ball has crossed the goal line, it can track the real-life data of athletes when they are competing and has allowed us to enjoy sport from the comfort of our home.

It is the latter, sports broadcasting, that is seeing some of the greatest advancements that could lead to a

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revolutionised viewing experience for those who wish to engage with it.

The rolling out of 5G networks across the country is signalling new and unprecedented opportunities for those who believe they can exploit its potential – and its potential is mind-blowing.

5G, appears to be different that any of its 3G and 4G predecessors, following Intel’s 5G Economics of Entertainment Report, that forecasts it could bring US$1.3 trillion in new revenues for the media and entertainment industry by 2028, adding that by 2025, 57 per cent

of global wireless media revenues will be generated using the technology.

“It’s the sheer scale of it,” started Matt.

“With 4G, it allowed for streaming and better browsing but 5G will impact not just the way our fans can consume it, there’s lots of changes there, but it will totally revolutionise the way we make content.

“When you look at some of the lower tiered sports, we’re already remotely producing them and many we would produce over bonded 4G, but that does not provide a guaranteed service level

“It’s one large network designed for streaming and browsing but what broadcasting needs is uplink. At grounds nowadays, we’re finding there’s lots of people doing personal broadcasts, updating social media and file sizes are a lot bigger due to the quality of phone cameras, which also uses the uplink and could cause congestion.

“Therefore, 5G is going to enable us to have different ways of configuring that uplink so that its broadcast suitable. To put it simply, we will have a dedicated network or ‘slice of a network’ just for broadcasting and totally separate from

anything that the consumers are using, which will make it much more reliable for us as a broadcaster.”

5G will also enable BT Sport to make use of technologies that will benefit from the far greater capacity that the dedicated network provides, most notably, untethered cameras.

“These camera’s will bring so many benefits, one of them being that you will be able to take four cameras to an event and make it look like an eightcamera production because they won’t be restricted by cables and being in a fixed location,” affirmed Matt.

“In larger stadiums, we will be able to use these untethered cameras alongside the fixed cameras that they allow for, giving us total freedom of movement and allow us to capture the action from almost every angle.

“Then, it allows us to look at really immersive experiences both in and out of the home, whether that be on the move or in-stadium. That’s when we start to look at different technologies which are going to allow us to provide a unique experience, tailored to the preferences of the fan. Some fans might want to watch one full screen, another might want to watch multiple camera angles, someone else might want stats.

“We’re very uniquely placed as a broadcaster, as the only one in the UK who has the technology for capture, a mobile network, a studio, our media broadcasting arm, access to multiple high-end devices and access to the customer and with this, we can really do some innovative things and BT Sport is now an incubator for these new technologies that could be one day used across the industry.”

Last year, in the midst of a pandemic which meant that fans were kept away from sports venues, BT Sport began to roll out what was some of the first innovations as part of their new broadcasting offering, the ‘Matchday Experience’, made available through the BT Sport app.

Its features included, ‘Watch ➡ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 31

BROADCASTING

Together’ – allowing fans to enjoy live sport with friends and family from another household; 360-degree advanced viewing of the action; an Augmented Reality (AR) stadium experience for fans to feel a part of the action themselves; AR team line-ups, formations and stats; and ‘Manager Mode’ – for fans to pull live graphics, stats, player names, speeds and positions to gain a tactical viewpoint.

“When the pandemic emerged, we realised this is something we can give back to fans who cannot go the ground and cannot watch it with friends and family and it’s such a social experience that we thought we could offer,” Matt explained.

“At the same time though, 5G enabled devices were being launched so it helped us to be able to do more with the Matchday Experience, like the manager mode, augmented reality and being able to look around the pitch.

“We’ve had a really good response from fans and it’s always good when a new technology comes along, and it means more than it just being about the technology. We’ve had people saying that they haven’t been able to watch sport with their Dad since the pandemic and we’ve been able to offer a solution to that problem.”

Maximising the sports and broadcast capability across BT Group from BT Sport to EE and its Technology teams, BT is also exploring how holographic technology might be used in sports broadcast “We’re exploring the traditional viewing experience of watching the sport, with a holographic image in front of you to view the action. It means that people with different preferences can watch a sport to

“We’re really excited to show it off and let people see that this isn’t something of science fiction anymore.

As with anything that is going to break the norm, there are those who are questioning whether it will be welcomed, with scarring memories lingering for many who witnessed the failed take-off of 3D sports broadcasting earlier in the last decade.

“The biggest reason that 3D technology didn’t work in sports broadcasting is because sport is a social experience and

There are also traditionalists who won’t want to see anything taken away from the experience of going to watch the sport live and Matt respects this viewpoint and instead is looking to offer something for them too.

“The number one priority for a sports fan is to be at the live event. And ultimately, what we’re saying is, if you cannot be at the event then there is different ways of doing it.

“We are looking to offer our broadcasting services to those at live sports too by augmenting them.

Many fans could be against that but again it’s an individual’s choice.

“Enhancing experiences in a football match is not a new thing though.

My Dad used to take a radio with him to listen to the commentary and people now are looking online at stats and other elements that you don’t get from watching a live game.

“If you want to get some additional information that adds value to what you’re doing, then that’s something we’ll offer. It’s all about adding options to increase engagement and take the fan closer to the heart of the sport but at their pace and through their choice.”

Matt Stagg alongside his team at BT Sport are certainly optimistic about the future of sports broadcasting and what 5G can offer to them in being able to change the way they deliver sport to their audiences but how fans are able to interact and get closer even closer to the action. ◆

“Enhancing experiences in a football match is not a new thing though. My Dad used to take a radio with him to listen to the commentary and people now are looking online at stats and other elements that you don’t get from watching a live game. ” their own liking and that’s what makes it really exciting.

“It will of course be editorially led because we never want to lose the story of the sport, but fans will be able to pick and choose how they personally want to make the most of that and get their own experience of the sport.

“Our holographic technology is set to be demoed through a range of sports, such as AR immersive sports fan experiences with features including multi-camera video streams, immersive high-resolution 360-degree video and real time visual statistics. and riders can be tracked by viewers and visualised on a 3D track.

“The boxing will be a volumetric video AR experience, with real-time video holograms that can be watched on the viewers coffee table!

32 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

having to sit there with glasses on, with no other option than to focus on the TV, took away a lot of the positive experience you get from watching sport – and the image didn’t look that much better anyway,” Matt explained.

“However, the biggest difference is that we are always exploring ways of scaling this as a technology. Technology providers aren’t going to provide the relevant devices just so sports broadcasters can show a holographic boxing match but if it can be used to help out with, for example, homeschooling and having a teacher appear in your house, or to use at a GP surgery or having medical professionals able to look over someone from an ambulance before they arrive at the hospital, then it gives us the greatest chance of being able to scale it for our own purposes.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Diversification key to Chicago Bulls' digital growth Luka Dukich, Director of Content for the Chicago Bulls, shares why being adaptable is key for digital success and the importance of diversification to reach new audiences as well as sharing his predictions for trends in sports and social media for 2021.

The Chicago Bulls have 3.8 million Instagram followers and 4.2 million Twitter followers. More than 18 million people like the Bulls on Facebook and over 100,000 people subscribe to the Bulls’ YouTube page. Across all social platforms, the team has a combined following of 28 million.

For a team with such a massive global reach, the Bulls can’t afford to take their digital strategy lightly.

“Anywhere our fans are engaging and having conversations is important to us,” states Luka. “So the ‘traditional’ social platforms of Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are obviously important, but we’ve also deep dived into some of the other places our fans have had conversations – Reddit, Facebook Fan Groups, TikTok. “Even within these platforms there are multiple ways to engage – it’s not just @ ChicagoBulls, it’s also our players’ presence, influential fans’ pages, the characters in the ‘Bulls universe’ like Benny the Bull and the Luvabulls. Everybody communicates differently on each of these platforms, and we think it’s important for the Bulls to be a part of each of these in a natural way.

The Michael Jordan and Chicago Bullsfocused documentary also paid dividends for the Bulls’ digital team, which leveraged 34 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

their social media reach to tap into the hype surrounding the series. The Bulls have seen growth not only on the team’s main accounts but also on Bulls Archive – the NBA’s first team archive-focused social media account.

Having lived in a corner of the Chicago Bulls offices at the United Center, the account has offered the opportunity to share some of the thousands of undeveloped photos from the Bulls’ finest years: Dennis Rodman posing off-the-court alongside Hulk Hogan, Scottie Pippen in mid-game action and footage of Michael Jordan as the centrepiece of the Bull’s championship runs in the 1990’s.

“There are all these photos no one’s ever seen of the championship Bulls,” Dukich said. “The stuff you see on Bulls Archive is not stuff that you can go on Getty and find or just do a quick google search. This is really stuff that a lot of people have not seen before, and that was definitely part of the inspiration for the account.”

The debut of ‘The Last Dance’ has helped Bulls Archive to almost triple its Instagram following. As of March 23, 2021, it currently has 93k followers, up from 32k at the beginning of April 2020.

Luka explains that in the digital world,➡

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 35

SOCIAL MEDIA

there is always a new opportunity for growth and that it is important to always be learning and never get complacent.

“It’s both the most exciting and scariest part of this business. What is trending, interesting or cool now is completely different from what was trending 2-3 years ago and is completely different from where we’ll be 2-3 years from now. 2 years ago, nobody knew much about TikTok, and now TikTok is arguably the biggest culture driver of all the social media platforms. The biggest culture driver in 2023 might not even exist right now.

“You have to remain flexible and build a strategy and values that can translate across mediums, and not build for the mediums themselves.”

people are always going to follow @BullsArchive than @ChicagoBulls, but maybe the audience following our Archive page is super engaged. That’s how we’ll know if we’re successful, so it totally depends on the objective here.”

Over the last 12 months, sports organisations have had to find new tools to effectively engage with fans and reach new markets in the absence of live events.

“Social media isn’t really about being “funny on Twitter” anymore. Social media is an integral part of sports organisations from a business perspective, from a revenue driving perspective, from a public relations perspective.

“It’s a direct connection between the clubs and their fans, wherever their fans may be. Many people who are fans of the team don’t live in Chicago.

Some of them might never come to a game live. 70 per cent of the Bulls following on social media comes from outside the United States.

“Social media is how you reach these fans, and it’s by now a completely integral part of what any sports club does.”

“Honestly, social media is a vital part of our business,” Luka reiterates. “It’s a way to break news, have dialogue with your fans, tell the stories of your club and players in a unique way. It’s public relations, marketing, community relations rolled up into one. It’s hard to overstate how impactful digital platforms can be.”

“Social media is how you reach these fans, and it’s by now a completely integral part of what any sports club does.”

When it comes to tracking the quality of social output, Luka emphasises that this totally depends on what you’re looking to accomplish. “Obviously, raw numbers of ‘traditional’ counting stats (video views, impressions, engagements) are always going to be a big factor.

“As we have started to diversify what we do on social platforms by building ‘secondary’ accounts that aren’t just @ChicagoBulls (Benny the Bull, our Bulls Archive history TW/IG, a page for our community efforts), we look at engagement rate per followers. Less 36 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

The pace of technology can be quite intimidating. It seems as soon as you get one initiative implemented, three more are added to the queue. So how do you keep up and predict trends?

“Man, I wish I could predict trends in social media!” exclaims Luka. “Half the fun is how unpredictable everything is.

Two months ago, how many people could tell you what an NFT was? The only thing we know is that social media and sports are married together for the long haul.

“I love how everything changes, how every day is different. How what we were doing even just a year ago is so different from what we’re doing today.

You’re always learning, you never know anything, and there’s no real playbook.

It’s challenging, demanding and you always need to be looking forward. You can never be content, and that’s a truly exciting thing.

“One prediction for the next couple of years is a desire to go back to more ‘raw’, unfiltered content. Traditional platforms like Instagram are so clean and processed and produced now, that I think there’s a real appetite to just see something as it is. It’s kind of the fun of why TikTok originally exploded – it was just people with a phone, making stuff in their daily lives with the camera on their mobile phone and doing some easy inapp editing. It was a low barrier of entry to be creative – you didn’t need a whole production crew and a makeup artist and a budget to make something that a lot of people enjoy. It’s kind of the ethos of the Dispo app, right? Just raw photos. There’s always going to be a desire for something raw, something real.” ◆

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GAMBLING

THE STATE OF PLAY IN THE US SPORTS GAMBLING MARKET

Nicole-Robyn Caldwell, International Sales Manager at Because We Can Media, the leading digital marketing agency for sportsbook, gambling, and Esports clients worldwide, previews the US sports gambling market for 2021.

In 2018, U.S. states secured the power to legalise sports betting. Approaching three years on from that historical ruling, what is the situation in the country’s multi-billion-dollar betting market and how influential will gambling be in shaping the U.S. sporting industry?

What is the current situation with U.S. sports gambling?

“Until 2018, Nevada was the only state allowed to offer sports betting, legally.

At the start of 2020; 14 states legalised and launched sports betting. Some states allow sports betting online and at physical sites; some do not allow online wagering; others permit sports betting only at specific casinos. However, COVID-19 has had an unfortunate effect on the mobile betting opening up in states, as most legislation sessions were delayed, cancelled, or postponed indefinitely.

“Sports betting is currently legal in over two-dozen states and this is positioned

38 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

to increase as the year progresses and delayed legislation has been resumed. As a result of the pandemic’s impact, with many states struggling after Covid-19, they are likely to need to reap the benefit from gambling institutions’ taxes.

“Legislation is likely to open up again for online gambling. For example, previously, legalised gambling in Texas

What opportunities are there to market U.S. sports gambling? How influential will gambling be in shaping U.S. sports earnings?

“The one thing that sets the sports industry apart from any other, is the fans.

Sports play a hugely important role in society globally, uniting people from all backgrounds with one common interest

“Sports betting is currently legal in over twodozen states and this is positioned to increase as the year progresses and delayed legislation has been resumed” would have been impossible for the highly conservative state. The Texas Legislature only meets every two years, and a lot has changed since they last met in 2019. Many of their neighbouring states have changed legislation, putting pressure on Texas to do the same. If successful, Texas will be the largest sports betting market in the U.S.”

and shaping memories with sporting moments from a young age. During the pandemic, many have seen sports as a welcome distraction and this has largely been reflected in the uplift in global sports betting. In 2020, the global sports betting industry reached a market size of $203 billion and sports betting revenue

in the U.S. alone is predicted to grow as much as £8 billion by 2025.

“When the pandemic hit, sports teams and events had to quickly pivot amid the absence of live sports to limit the spread of COVID-19. From fake crowd noise to cardboard cut-outs and virtual fans via Zoom, innovation has been the key driver for fan engagement and sustainable commercial success. According to Reuters, Covid-related revenue losses for the four major North American sports leagues - the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB - is estimated to be about $12 billion, a 30% drop from the entire last season before the pandemic.

“Now, as teams slowly begin to open up their stadiums and arenas to fans again, the question looms - when is it safe to do so, and will fans return? In a post-pandemic world, 2021 promises to be even more disruptive and game-changing as our minds shift to adjusting from the “New Normal” to the “New Different.”

“Without a doubt, there will be plenty of pent-up demand for sports spectating.

In recent history, fans have roared back to the stands following disasters like 9/11.

While many people have suffered extreme financial hardship during the pandemic, others have banked their disposable income over the past year.”

What has been done by those looking to thrive in the market and how will this engage fans?

“Many sports leagues and teams have seen the opportunities and lucrative deals linked with sports betting and partnerships. Such as the NBA, which currently holds more than 20 sports betting partnerships with gambling companies, a number that is only set to rise.

“Additionally, Bally’s Corporation, a leading U.S. provider of land-based gaming and interactive entertainment, has been designated as an Authorized Gaming Operator of NHL, NBA, and now the MLB. “This gives Bally’s access to team marks, logos, and data, which it intends to incorporate across its growing portfolio of sports betting products. The firm will also combine these assets with innovative content created for fans. Sports teams and gambling brands both benefit from

the partnership of sharing data and driving fan engagement, and we expect this trend to continue across the market throughout 2021.

“BWCM works with the biggest names in the sportsbooks, gambling, and Esports industry, globally. We know how to reach the most engaged and enthusiastic sports fans on an international scale on a daily basis. With years of experience in the market, we understand the challenges faced by the sports industry and how to implement robust marketing and performance strategies best to encourage the sports industry, as a whole, to grow at the same rate as sports betting revenue.

“This year will be consequential for the sporting calendar. We believe that the state-by-state opening up of U.S. gambling legislation will be crucial for communications between sporting teams and their fans. As a digital marketing agency, we are fully prepared to ensure these communications are efficient and effective for all parties across all platforms.” ◆ For more information visit www.becausewecanmedia.com OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 39

THE TOUR 21

THE TOUR 21

GEOFF THOMAS SADDLES UP TO RAISE £1M FOR BLOOD CANCER The Tour de France is known as the highlight of the international cycling calendar, but in recent years it is has also played an important role in the battle against blood cancer. www.thetour21.com | www.cureleukaemia.co.uk Geoff Thomas, former England footballer, blood cancer survivor and Patron of national charity Cure Leukaemia, has taken on the entire race route of the Tour de France ahead of the professional’s four times previously and raised millions for the charity - the first of which Geoff extraordinarily completed just months after completing cancer treatment in 2005.

Only a year into his retirement, having represented Crystal Palace, Wolves and Nottingham Forest at club level during his 20-year career, Geoff was initially diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia

and told he only had three months left to live in 2003.

But, thanks to treatment from Cure Leukaemia’s CoFounder Professor Charlie Craddock CBE and a stem cell transplant from his sister Kay, Geoff went into remission in January 2005 and turned his mind to supporting the doctors and nurses that helped save his life.

“The Tour de France is an iconic event. Even if you don’t know much about cycling, you know what the Tour is,” Geoff begins.

“When I was thinking about how I could say thank you to the doctors and nurses that would grab people’s attention, I thought the Tour would be a good option.

“Suddenly I was a former footballer and cancer

40 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

survivor who was taking on this epic challenge…and it was epic!

“Completing it in 2005 was a big achievement for me but also a trigger. Firstly, I had beaten the cancer and it proved that people were listening to our message and it was a great event for us to beat the drum loudly to tell people what we were doing.”

Geoff was used to demanding a lot from his body physically throughout his career in football but cycling an event like the Tour de France was unlike anything he had experienced before, both physically and mentally.

“As John Barnes once said, football can be 90 minutes of pure hell but in 2005 when I did it for the first time, some days I was ➡

JOOLZE DYMOND

“Suddenly I was a former footballer and cancer survivor who was taking on this epic challenge… and it was epic!"

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 41

on the saddle for up to 16 hours and my legs were still weak from all the treatment and it was and still is the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” he said.

“Just when you think it can’t get any worse, you’ll turn a corner, and it will be even steeper, or the temperature drops, and it starts snowing.

There’s always something trying to stop you from what you want to do and that’s why I enjoy doing it still because I love watching people break through the barriers that they set themselves and they’ve probably gone way beyond what they thought they could achieve. That’s what happened to me in 2005 and its great to watch people live these experiences that they will never forget.

“Somebody once said to me: you’ll get off and walk at some points because of how tough it is, and I took that as a personal challenge.

“When you take up something like this, you want to do it properly and respect the challenge and do as much as you can to fulfil what you want to do.

“My mental toughness will always come from the people I’ve met during my battle.

DAVE HAYWARD

THE TOUR 21

and Geoff described the help he has received during and after his battle with cancer.

“Crystal Palace have been a massive support. Our main sponsor is a former director of the club, Stephen Browett, who runs Farr Vintners, and

means an awful lot. I keep going back to them asking if they can support us one last time and they do because they’re not only helping me but they’re helping thousands of others people who are out there, fighting blood cancer.”

In 2015, after cycling the Tour de France circuit once again, Geoff and his team were able to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds that was leveraged by Cure Leukaemia to be worth £10 million in potentially lifesaving drugs for blood cancer patients.

The team made up of 11 individuals helped to raise the funds and were joined

by Lance Armstrong for two of the stages, someone who Geoff drew inspiration from after reading his book which laid out the American’s own personal battle with cancer.

“As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to thank everybody who helped me get through that period of my life and Lance was one of them. I know what he did was wrong, and I know that people had strong views about me meeting him at the time, but it was more important for me to say thank

“My mental toughness will always come from the people I’ve met during my battle.

People who are sadly not with us anymore because they weren’t as lucky as I was.”

CURE LEUKAEMIA

People who are sadly not with us anymore because they weren’t as lucky as I was.”

The footballing world is well documented in offering support and helping to tackle the issues that we face today,

42 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

it wouldn’t be going ahead if it wasn’t for them,” Geoff proclaimed.

“Football’s always been there. The messages I’ve received from supporters have always been there and that

you to everybody who helped me get through.

“We spoke about charity and about himself and I wanted to thank him in the only way I knew I could and that was to invite him for a couple of days during my 10th anniversary year of surviving cancer.”

Labelled ‘The Tour 21’, this year’s event will be Geoff’s fifth and final Tour de France challenge, having originally looked to do it last year before being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cure Leukaemia have also become the Tour’s first official charity partner in the UK, something that Geoff is incredibly proud to see.

“It’s amazing really because the charity is small compared to the bigger charities out there. The impact it’s had in the clinical world in fighting blood cancer is huge,” he explained.

“The charity was set up at a similar time to when I was diagnosed back in 2003 and they’ve been growing ever since. The work and the messages that have been getting out there has been of great benefit to patients.

“If we keep working hard, hopefully we can keep on funding more trials and fund more success stories. The Tour is massive, you cannot

SAM BAGNALL Bike: Ribble, Goggles: Panda Optics JOOLZE DYMOND

SAM BAGNALL JOOLZE DYMOND

DAVE HAYWARD DAVE HAYWARD Geoff with his Wife, Julie and youngest daughter, Georgia after completing the Tour in 2017.

get away from that. With it being cancelled last year, it was impossible to fill that gap and so we need to keep working hard over the next couple years to make sure to keep improving on what we’re doing.

“This time around, it is just about going out with a bang and building a legacy for this event in future years. Bigger and better.

We’re on our way for doing that already having 25 people signed up to take on the challenge this year and others already registering for 2022 and 2023. Our target is to raise £1 million, and we’ve always had that target but never reached it, but I think we’re going to be able to get there this time and hopefully go way beyond that.”

Twenty-five amateur cyclists, led

by Geoff Thomas, will ride all 21

stages of the Tour de France, one week ahead of the professionals from June 19 – July 11, 2021. They aim to raise a minimum of £1 million for Cure Leukaemia.

All funds from this event will be invested directly into the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) network which Cure Leukaemia began funding from January 2020.

Every penny donated to the team will directly help save lives across the UK and hasten global progress towards finding effective treatments for all forms of blood cancer. ◆ For more information visit www.thetour21.com or www.cureleukaemia.co.uk.

Alternatively, email thetour21@ cureleukaemia.co.uk OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 43

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While commercial airlines are having a slow recovery, private aircraft charter has seen a surge in business from new customers, including entire sports teams to individuals.

Mitch Broadstock, Senior Business Development Manager at air charter specialist ACC Aviation, spoke with Premier Sports Network to share an insight into why charter flight bookings are soaring and answer some frequently asked questions.

The air charter industry is seeing a rapid rebound from the coronavirus crisis, as sports teams, tour operators and individuals, who had never flown privately, seek to avoid the health concerns that come with commercial flying.

How will private aircraft charter be affected post-pandemic?

We are already seeing an increased demand for private charter flights due to the safer, more efficient travel environment and level of itinerary control our clients experience when chartering a private aircraft with us.

Given the challenges around air travel during the pandemic, what are the benefits of chartering aircraft?

Whilst there are likely going to be issues with a limited scheduled flight service when air travel returns, we are also seeing more of our clients asking about safer, more efficient air travel that reduces potential exposure to Covid-19 touch points and avoids long queues and wait times.

By chartering a private aircraft and utilising smaller private terminals you avoid busy public terminals and public 44 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

areas, reducing human crossover, the chance of Covid-19 surface transfer and the size of your travel bubble. Passengers also benefit from their own private cabin space, so no chance of sharing facilities or being sat amongst strangers.

Increased sanitisation in private terminals and private aircraft are now standard and carried out regularly throughout the day. At your request, the crew can be Covid tested prior to flying and will wear masks and gloves.

We are also hearing about last-minute changes to scheduled flight times, as well as passenger rejection at check-in.

With private charter, all permissions and permits to travel are secured prior to departure.

On top of these additional benefits of chartering a private aircraft during the pandemic, it’s also worth mentioning the staple benefits of flying privately. The

luxury of choosing the closest airport at both ends of your trip, along with the date and time you would like to fly, allows you complete control of your travel schedule, maximising the time you have at your chosen destination.

Typically, you will arrive 20-30 mins before you’re airborne, with the captain greeting you and loading your baggage into the hold, and the experience is equally seamless on your return.

Compare that that with the 2-3 hours normally taken when flying scheduled, not to mention the recent reports of 90-minute passport queues combining several arriving scheduled flights, and organisations and individuals with essential air travel needs are quickly realising the advantages and peace of mind that private aircraft charter provides.

Should private aviation be part of my post-pandemic plan and why?

Definitely. For all the reasons I’ve already mentioned! We will happily provide a free, no-obligation quote for any proposed trips you have. Even if you’re just interested in finding out what the cost is, we would love to assist.

Are private aircraft safer than commercial airlines in regard to COVID-19?

When you factor in the reduced potential crossover with 100s of other passengers outside your bubble by avoiding highly congested public spaces and shared cabin space, I would have to say yes

What types of aircraft do you have in your fleet?

We are a pure broker, so we do not own any aircraft. This means we have access to thousands of fully vetted and certified aircraft through multiple trusted partner operators, allowing us to charter you anything from a helicopter, light, mid-size or heavy jet, right through to a full range of commercial jets, seating anything from 20 – to 380+, at the very best price the market has to offer. We will never force you into an unsuitably sized aircraft that is not right for a particular trip just because we own it.

Where are your aircraft based?

Everywhere! We have a global footprint with offices in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each location has built trusted relationships with multiple aircraft operators in their respective corners of the world, allowing you access to the very best aircraft around.

With limited scheduled flight availability, what is your call out time for last minute flights?

It’s driven by aircraft availability on the client’s chosen route. If the stars are aligned, our dedicated rapid response team have been known to get passengers in the air within 2-3 hours of a request.

This happened on more than one occasion repatriating clients from ski resorts in March and April last year, when the first lockdown was announced. One thing we can guarantee is that we will aim to respond to your request within 30 minutes!

“Private aircraft come in all shapes and sizes, from two seats up to 19 seats. After that, we can start looking at larger commercial aircraft of 20 seats and up.”

How feasible is private aircraft charter for individuals on short trips? How about larger groups for vacations?

Private aircraft come in all shapes and sizes, from two seats up to 19 seats.

After that, we can start looking at larger commercial aircraft of 20 seats and up.

We also have access to aircraft that have been stripped out and have had economy seating replaced with 50 VIP business class seats or even lounges, bedrooms and bathrooms.

Our current client base is incredibly diverse, ranging from High-Net-Worth Individuals, government officials, Royalty, professional athletes and senior corporates through to professional sports teams, blue chip business groups and some of the world’s largest travel management companies.

Do you charge peak period pricing or holiday rates for charter trips?

No, we don’t. As one of the world’s leading providers of air charter services,

we work the entire market and put forward the safest, most suitable and cost-effective aircraft options available for you to choose.

Do you have safety records and ratings of the private jet operator?

Yes, we do and these are available on request. Rest assured that all operators we work with are fully vetted by ACC Aviation for safety and service quality and certified by their country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Do you have 24/7 phone support?

Yes, we do, our 24/7 operations team are based out of our UK Headquarters in Reigate, Surrey.

How is payment handled?

Smoothly and efficiently via frictionless bank transfer prior to the flight.

What is the catering policy?

Catering will be quoted as part of the charter and will vary depending on the flight duration, time of day and aircraft size. The larger aircraft have kitchens so almost anything can be prepared. You are not limited to the operator’s menu - if you have any specific requests like fresh sushi or a specific type of champagne, we can explore any option for you! ◆ For more information contact Mitch Broadstock at mitch.broadstock@ accaviation.com or visit www.accaviation.com OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 45

MENTAL HEALTH

EXPLORE SUSSEX CRICKET’S NEW MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING HUB Sussex Cricket have become the first professional sports club in the World to launch their own mental health and wellbeing platform for the community. Chief Executive Officer, Rob Andrew, explains how the free, online resource is designed to help anyone that needs hope and support through the power of shared experiences.

The coronavirus pandemic has left the world reeling from its impact and just one of those areas is the effect it has had on an already existential crisis facing all four corners of the globe.

In England, the stats paint a grim picture of mental health amongst its population, with one in four people experiencing a mental health problem of some kind each year. In the past 12 months, strict measures to fight the battle against COVID-19 have included lockdowns and isolations away from the outside world, which in turn is expected to have had a knockon effect on mental health.

46 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

However, in these difficult times, sport has offered a relief to many and going that extra step has been Sussex CCC, who have announced their Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, becoming the first sports club in the world to do so.

“It is a free, online resource designed to help users find hope and support through the power of shared, lived experiences,” started Rob Andrew, CEO of Sussex CCC. “At the heart of the mobile-

optimised platform is the ‘Champions Cinema’, an ever-growing collection of thousands of videos of 60 seconds or less where people from the Sussex Cricket community and beyond share their experiences that can help with our mental health and wellbeing.

“Contributors include Sussex Cricket players and staff – including Sarah Taylor, who helped launch the platform, club cricketers, experts from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as well as individuals from a whole host of backgrounds and

life experiences. The Sussex Cricket Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub is completely free to use by anybody with an internet connection and requires no registration, ensuring complete anonymity for users.”

In the face of an expected rise in mental health problems amongst the community, Andrew explained the purpose for forming the Hub and the reach he hoped it would have.

“The club wanted to use its standing and reach in the community to make a difference during and beyond the pandemic. We are so well supported by our community and we wanted to offer support back at such a challenging time for everyone. ➡

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 47

MENTAL HEALTH

“People’s mental health and wellbeing was identified by a working group, chaired by Sussex Cricket president, Sir Rod Aldridge, as likely to be an area hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and one where the club could help with an innovative platform that could be accessed by our extensive network of over 3,500 members, 182 affiliated cricket clubs, tens of thousands of supporters who attend matches each year, thousands more people encountered through community programmes and corporate partnerships, over 400,000 followers on social media and more than 850,000 unique website visitors each year.”

Having been the first sports club in the world to create a Hub in this way, Sussex had to work on this innovative idea and ensure that it was effective in its purpose without being able to see how others had successfully managed to do so.

“You never know if something is going to work, but we felt we had a duty to offer support to our community at a difficult time. We are very aware of the role we play as a club in so many people’s lives and so we felt that we would be in a strong position to provide support in this way,” Rob continued.

“Listening to people – often people you can relate to through a love of cricket – talk about their own experiences, plays such a big part in demystifying mental health and removing any taboo around the subject or worry that you’re alone in experiencing these issues. That is at the centre of the hub and is what makes it such an effective and powerful tool.

“Visitor numbers to the hub have been

“People are pleased to see a club like ours using its position in the community to try and help people at an incredibly difficult time. That in itself widens the discussion of mental health and wellbeing beyond the hub, which hopefully shows it is playing a useful role.”

Sussex CCC weren’t alone in forming the Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub. The club called upon the Sussex Partner NHS Foundation Trust to offer further clarity on the issue that they were looking to aid.

“Having the NHS on board added a huge amount of credibility to the hub,” Rob explained. “Two of their experts, Dr Emma Smith and Liz Holland were also part of our media launch and conveyed with great clarity and authority exactly how the hub could help people.

“It was a great example of how a professional sports club and a local NHS trust can co-operate and work together in conveying a really powerful message to the community they both serve in a way they couldn’t perhaps do on their own.

“It was just fantastic, at a time when they were under so much pressure, that the leadership and communications teams at Sussex Partnership NHS Trust saw the long-term value in supporting a project like this. It was a great credit to the people involved in working for our NHS and the way they think and operate.”

Having only launched in January, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub is still only in its infancy and Rob was keen to explain that it will be sure to grow and continue to expand its reach amongst the cricket community and beyond.

“It’s a constantly evolving platform

“You never know if something is going to work, but we felt we had a duty to offer support to our community at a difficult time. We are very aware of the role we play as a club in so many people’s lives and so we felt that we would be in a strong position to provide support in this way.” really encouraging. In fact, the page has been the second most visited news page since the start of the year. It highlights how important something like this is right now, but also that people are seeing it as a useful tool.

“As I mentioned before, people who are using the site are then wanting to contribute themselves, which is as positive feedback as it is possible to get, I believe. The response from people on social media – not just from our community but from far beyond as well – has been overwhelmingly positive.

48 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

and videos and links to resources will be being added all the time. Something we’re seeing happen and hope will gather momentum is that people using the hub to get help or support are then asking to contribute their own experiences to help others, which is fantastic.

“Of course, the more people using the hub seeing people they can identify with, the better it is as a resource. The better it is as a tool to help people; the more people will want to contribute. In this way, the hub is continually growing and improving.”

Perhaps an overlooked development in sport throughout the coronavirus pandemic has been the mental health impact on its athletes. Looking specifically towards cricket, where many players have been forced into isolation ‘bubbles’ and have faced lengthy spells away from home as the calendar kickstarted again last year, many players have cited struggling with their own mental health, further conveying the importance of Sussex’s new hub.

“A number of players were really keen to record videos for the hub, so I think they see how it can help. County cricketers haven’t had the same level of isolation that international cricketers have had – although those playing in overseas T20 tournaments have spent plenty of time on their own in hotel quarantine – but they’re as susceptible to mental health issues as we all are.

“Now more than ever, we’ve got to pay particular attention to the emotional wellbeing of our players and staff. It has been a rough ride for the whole of society, with the tragic loss of life, isolation, furlough, economic uncertainty and uncertainty in general, so as a club we have a duty of care to our people and our wider community. I think the hub is one way in which we’re showing we take this duty seriously.”

Sussex CCC’s innovation will be sure to have inspired teams from within cricket

and the wider sporting landscape, as they continue to search for ways in which they can help and support their community now, as the country continues to suffer from the repercussions of the pandemic and beyond.

“It has definitely caught people’s attention and it has been mentioned to me by other counties and organisations as a really positive and helpful thing for a professional sports club to be doing,” said Rob. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing more clubs do similar things to help with supporters’ wellbeing.

“Sports clubs play such a big role in so many people’s lives, therefore they have the ability to reach and positively impact people’s lives in a way very few other organisations do.”

“I think it is widely recognised that physical wellbeing can help your mental health. Taking part in physical exercise is a very important part of everyday life, and if this is as part of a sport, then so much the better. Sport not only provides the essential physical exercise but also a support network provided by colleagues.” ◆ The Sussex Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub is open to everyone, not just those involved with the club and its local community. If you would like to access the material, anonymously contribute or see the fantastic work that the club is doing to help those in need during these difficult times, visit www.sussexcricket.frog.net OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 49

PLAYER REPRESENTATION

THE EVER-CHANGING RESPONSIBILITIES OF A SPORTS AGENT IN ST THE 21 CENTURY Octagon’s Rory Rebbeck, Client Manager at the company, offers an insight into one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment agencies, with 38 years of experience in marketing, sponsorship and talent representation in the player care division.

Talent representatives and sports agents have become an increasingly important asset to athletes from a number of disciplines as they look to make their name both inside and outside of a sporting context, through marketing and sponsorship opportunities.

Octagon is just one of those agencies.

With their vision to have “a people-first mentality”, it confirms that they are committed to respecting, treating and being able to work with every athlete they come across and strive to be proactive in creating the best possible opportunities for those that they care for.

“The traditional sports agent role has changed dramatically in recent years,” stated Rory Rebbeck, Client Manager at Octagon. “As late as the 1990’s, footballers had not embraced the idea of having an agent. The only one out there, as Brian Clough infamously stated, was 007.

“Then players started to realise that family, close relatives and friends acting on their behalf in club talks were being offered unfair deals. Cue the rise of the agent.

50 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

“A good agent will go further than just identifying and negotiating a club or endorsement deal but offer career management, critical analysis and development plans, PR and marketing support, and generating new revenue through strategic marketing and image rights plans. They can play the role of a

can go as far as extending a player’s career through positive nutrition, physical and psychological training programs, in turn helping add years on to an athlete’s projected career lifespan.

38 years within the talent agency space is testament to Octagon’s effectiveness and strategy in caring for athletes now

“Playing careers don’t last forever, so being prepared for what lies ahead post-sport is integral and an area we focus on greatly, setting up and aligning a client’s passions to a postcareer transition, that is smooth and strategic.” lawyer, a social media advisor, a wealth manager, day-to-day life coach and therapist.

“As a colleague once told me: you even play the role of a fireman putting out fires through crisis management. And it doesn’t end there. A really good agent

and looking ahead to towards the end of their careers. Rory believes this is down to their ability “to consider the unexpected, provide learning experiences at the appropriate time and build a players profile so they are ready for whatever lies ahead.”

He added: “Our aim is to provide the right environment to allow the athlete to let their talent do the talking. To minimise time and distractions as best as we can, secure the best people around them and build for the future.

“We have to consider the unexpected, provide learning experiences at the appropriate time and build their profile so they are ready for whatever lies ahead. For example, an emerging 17-year-old player who has been training with the first team needs to be ready for the next step as that jump can be incredibly daunting and filled with huge pressure on and off field.

“As we see it, we start working with players on the understanding that they’ll be the best in the world, and simply adjust accordingly as their career progresses and importantly, as it transitions into retirement.

“Playing careers don’t last forever, so being prepared for what lies ahead postsport is integral and an area we focus on greatly, setting up and aligning a client’s passions to a post-career transition, that is smooth and strategic.

“Take Daniel Sturridge, who during his career has set up numerous successful off the field endeavours, including a record label and food brand amongst other things.

“At the end of the day, we can’t predict the future and the route to success is seldom a straight upwards trajectory line, but we can dedicate the best and brightest minds to help talent make strong moves in uncertain times and set, achieve and exceed new goals.”

Moreover, longevity in the industry also comes from adaptation as the

sporting landscape continues to evolve and develop, which has led to Octagon exploring deeper avenues into a variety of sports, particularly football.

“We have a long and successful history in the industry but are always looking to stay ahead of the curve,” Rory explained.

“We’re proud to represent many of the greatest names across sports, including the current NBA, WNBA, and NHL MVPs, the most-decorated Olympian & Gymnast of all-time, as well as the current Brazil No. 9.

“In the past 3 years, we have been making a conscious effort to grow our Division in the UK and across Europe.

Our values and principles will remain the same, and our focus will continue to be placed on quality over quantity and identifying those unique players ➡ OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 51

PLAYER REPRESENTATION

with a story who will value the role and difference we can make on their careers.

Rory defines Octagon as unlike any other sport agency as it doesn’t focus on just one sport. Having been built over four decades, its sporting portfolio spans across the likes of: football, tennis, golf, cricket and rugby to American football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, and the Olympics.

“As we see it, our experience and expertise mean that wherever your career progresses, we will not be practicing with our clients or learning as we go along,” Rory continued.

“Instead, all that experience means we can do what’s right and, in a world where very few aspiring athletes actually

make it, that small difference could make all the difference.

“If an agent is responsible for 1 per cent of your career, do you really want to leave that to someone inexperienced?

You wouldn’t take this cavalier approach if you were having a heart transplant.

Radcliffe who changed her ‘working week’ to an 8 day-week instead of 7, in turn gaining an extra day of training over her competition. Or Muhammed Ali who used to start counting sit-ups when he started to feel the pain.

“All these marginal gains we can pass on to the next generation and help educate them of how natural ability isn’t enough. You need the full-package, and through our network of elite athletes, we can use our experience and learnings to help the next generation reach similar heights or at least maximise their potential.” ◆

“You wouldn’t take this cavalier approach if you were having a heart transplant. You would want the best heart surgeon in the business, not somebody having a go for the first time. So why not have the same attitude towards your agent?”

52 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

You would want the best heart surgeon in the business, not somebody having a go for the first time. So why not have the same attitude towards your agent?

“In addition, having athletes in different sports means we can all learn from each other and our clients can too. Take Paula

Visit: https://www.octagon.com/talent/ soccerfootball or follow octagon.soccer on Instragam.

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PROPERTY

What athletes need to know about real estate Many professional athletes come into their wealth at an early age but may not be prepared to manage such a sudden, large influx of earnings.

Connecting athletes with trusted advisors is imperative to ensure that these individuals are able to make their wealth last throughout their lifetimes – not just at the peak of their careers.

Professional athletes often find themselves in a position to purchase sizable real estate assets at a young age. Whether it be buying or leasing homes, their real estate needs tend to be career specific and benefit from having the expertise of a broker with a sports and entertainment client base.

Alexander McLean, Head of Sports Desk at Knight Frank. For more information email alexander.mclean@ knightfrank.com, call +44 (0)20 3811 1762 or visit www.knightfrank.com’

Knight Frank is one of the few estate agents with a dedicated sports desk, led by Alexander McLean who spoke to Premier Sports Network about supporting professional athletes in their residence search.

What are some of the most common challenges faced in purchasing property, and how does Knight Frank remove this challenge for buyers?

Finance is often an issue as lenders cannot provide athletes with a traditional form of mortgage due to the length of their careers. We have a team that specialises in assisting 54 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

clients with bespoke mortgage facilities ensuring they get the most competitive rates.

Why should a professional athlete choose a sportspecific real estate agent?

We have an extensive research department which provides leading market knowledge and forecasts, this enables us to give clear and concise advice to a client when they are searching for a property.

Given the short time and warning sports professionals are given to relocate, how does Knight Frank overcome this to successfully assist professionals to move in a short time frame?

Due to the nature of our business we have teams that can assist with a quick turnaround whether it is management or progressing a tenancy agreement. An example of this was in the last transfer window a player viewed a property late on Friday and moved in on the Monday.

This usually takes 5 working

days to ensure the property is prepared and paperwork can be completed.

Can you provide best practice advice for sports stars and professional staff who are required to up and move to a new location?

Relocation often means that Athletes need to move quickly therefore break clauses are imperative, these are often tenant only which provides them with greater security within their tenancy as well as flexibility in case they need to relocate.

Why should a professional athlete choose a sportspecific real estate agent Our Home Solutions team is made up of Move Consultants who work with our clients to ensure your move is as smooth and stress-free as possible. We provide a variety of services and work with you to guarantee a seamless approach, supported by our experienced service providers.

PROPERTY: CANNES, FRANCE. FOR SALE WITH KNIGHT FRANK. ASKING PRICE €4,900,000

What are the USP’s of Knight Frank?

Knight Frank are the largest privately owned property firm in the world, we have 488 offices in 57 territories and more than 22,000+ people. We operate in locations where our clients need us to be, we provide a worldwide service that’s locally expert and globally informed.

In regard to professional athletes, we offer a single point of contact for all of their property requirements. We do not charge for our sales or rental search service, this is a complimentary services.

Is there a short case study to evidence the fantastic work of Knight Frank connecting people to property?

We have assisted many players with relocating, an example of our 360 service. We were introduced to a player when they first relocated to a club, we found them a property to rent for a year, once they had settled we sourced a property for them to purchase and they are now looking to buy a home abroad.◆

PROPERTY: KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND. FOR SALE WITH KNIGHT FRANK. GUIDE PRICE £10,500,000

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 55

RELOCATION

GLOBE TROTTER JAY BOTHROYD’S RISE TO

BECOMING THE J-LEAGUE’S MOST SUCCESSFUL ENGLISHMAN Jay Bothroyd, the 38-year-old forward for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, reveals how he made his name in the Japanese top flight football league and surpassed the reputation of fellow countryman Gary Lineker.

There are many challenges a player can face when switching clubs and Jay Bothroyd’s experience was one that footballers know all too well when he moved to a different country.

It requires you to adapt quickly to a different atmosphere and culture, both inside and outside of the sports setting.

Bothroyd’s international transfer was one only two English players have ever made when he touched down in Japan. After residing in the country since 2015, the 38-year-old striker is known as the most successful Englishman ever in the J. League, having experienced greater fortunes than former England international Gary Lineker, at Júbilo Iwata and his current side, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.

“Coming to Japan, it was very difficult at first,” started Jay. “There’s lot of cultural differences and even on the pitch it is quite different. In England for example, you can influence referees when you shout at them. In Japan, if you do that, decisions go the opposite way.

“Those are some of the things I had to learn to adjust to and 56 | OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021

I am still learning today, but definitely at the beginning it was very difficult to understand that process but day by day you learn, and you learn from experiences.”

A part of the player care measures at football clubs include helping international players to settle into the new environment and this was something that Jay experienced upon his arrival into the country, although he acknowledged that clubs often let him settle in on his own terms.

“I am not fluent in Japanese; they don’t expect you to learn it as they understand it is a very difficult language so any international player that comes to Japan, no matter how long you’ve played in the country, has a translator with them at all times.

“Apart from a translator, clubs do not really offer you much help, you must find your own way around. It can be difficult for some people but for myself, I didn’t have any home sickness, my wife was there so that was my comfort and I had football too, which is also my comfort.

Everything in between you work out.”

Unlike Jay, many have found it difficult in the past to

settle into their new surroundings. The aforementioned Gary Lineker for example, as well as Fernando Torres, who only managed to score two goals over two seasons.

“There are some players who embrace the culture and do well and there are some who don’t,” said Jay. “A lot of the foreign players that come to Japan are Brazilian and there is pretty much two or three Brazilians in each team, so European players are the minority out here. It is difficult for certain people to adjust, for myself it has been pretty easy.

“If I were to give advice to anyone who wanted to come over here it would be you really need to embrace the culture, if you do that, you are prepared to do things their way then you are going to enjoy it, but if you are going to try and change them and make them do it your way, it is not going to work out for you.

“For me it was a great honour to come here and an honour to have goal scoring and appearance records. I would like to see more English players here as it is a very talented league.”

Despite having achieved a lot in his career and having played for a number of top clubs, Jay is still driven to win and is pursuing further success down the line.

“I still want to win a title, especially in Japan,” he revealed. “I think I will be remembered in the J-League but to really cement your place in the Japanese history books would be to win a title.” ◆

OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 57

Job Vacancies To discover more sports job vacancies visit www.premiersportsnetwork.com/jobs If you have a vacancy you would like to promote, please contact enquires@premiersportsnetwork.com Partner Developmemt Coordinator Tottenham Hotspur FC Location: London, UK Salary: Competitive Closing date: 24 April 2021

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We’re always looking for innovative partners who align with our values in the global sports industry. To get in touch, please email enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com or call +44 (0)20 3983 8562 OTFF ISSUE 15 ★ APRIL 2021 | 59

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