Shorts: Genius Sports, Commonwealth Games, Hexagon Cup
UK-based Genius Sports have partnered with The European Volleyball Federation (CEV) to launch the CEV Champions League fantasy and match predictor.
The Champions League fantasy gives fans the opportunity to become the coach of their own team across the men’s and women’s competitions with fans picking a team of twelve players with a budget of 100 million.
The league match predictor will test fans’ knowledge, asking them to predict the outcome and winner for upcoming games.
Steven Burton, Chief Partnerships Officer of Genius Sports said, “The new CEV games will test fans’ knowledge while giving them a platform to compete with volleyball fans around the world.”
“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with CEV to deliver these bespoke new solutions, helping to elevate the premium competitions in European volleyball and building greater fan loyalty.”
George Black has been announced as the Chair of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Last week, the Scottish city was confirmed as the host for the 23rd edition of the Games, which will be delivered by the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Scotland.
Black was previously the Chief Executive of the Glasgow City Council from 2003 to 2014. During which time he led the city’s preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Additionally, he completed the negotiations for the Clyde Valley City Deal involving £1bn of capital investment from the UK and Scottish Governments.
“I am absolutely delighted to become the Chair of Glasgow 2026 and looking forward to driving the vision for Glasgow 2026 from concept to reality,” Black said.
“Glasgow 2026 is set to be a fantastic festival of sport, and whilst it will look and feel different to 2014, I have no doubt it will deliver world-class sporting action and fan experience with its own Glasgow twist.”
Hexagon Cup has renewed its free-to-air (FTA) broadcast rights partnership with UK-based media company DAZN.
The Streaming giant will offer live coverage of all matches throughout the competition across international markets excluding the US.
For the second year, DAZN will be the home of padel tournament, which begins on the 29th of January in Madrid.
Users will have live and on-demand access to both the qualifying rounds and the decisive phase of the Hexagon Cup.
The tournament includes the Kru Padel by Taktika team, which is backed by football legends Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, as well as the 10 Padel, which is led by F1 driver Pierre Gasly, and team AD/vantage, which is supported by tennis icon Andy Murray.
Astrid Thams, Commercial Managing Director of Hexagon, said, “DAZN is the most global platform for sports streaming, and this renewal agreement confirms that we continue to grow and work towards making this event an international benchmark. We are delighted to have DAZN broadcasting the tournament globally.”
Tim Godfrey, Strategic Advisor to Hexagon Cup, added, “DAZN was an outstanding partner for our inaugural event, demonstrating the power of their global platform and showcasing the Hexagon Cup’s innovative format to fans worldwide.
“Their commitment aligns perfectly with our vision to elevate the sport and connect with audiences across the globe. We’re thrilled to extend this partnership and continue growing the game together.”
Soul Padel has announced a partnership with Applied Nutrition, which last week completed its IPO for £350m, making it the UK’s only listed sports nutrition specialist.
As Soul Padel’s official hydration and nutrition partner, Applied Nutrition will provide top-tier products designed ‘to support the performance and well-being of players across the UK.’
Mark Hewlett, Founder of Soul Padel, commented, “We are delighted to be partnering with Tom and the team at Applied Nutrition. As two local businesses with our origins in the North West, we are aligned on our mission to improve access to sport and create a healthier nation. Soul Padel has ambitious growth plans, and having the support of Applied Nutrition as our hydration and nutrition partner is extremely encouraging.
“Padel’s growth will continue in the UK, and more and more people can now benefit from appropriate products to support their game and boost their overall health and wellbeing.”
Tom Ryder, CEO of Applied Nutrition, added, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Soul Padel, bringing our hydration and nutrition expertise to the fast-growing padel community. As an emerging sport, padel presents an exciting new market for Applied Nutrition, and we’ve been impressed by Soul Padel’s ambitious growth plans and commitment to the sport’s long-term success in both the UK and Australia. While we have more developments to share soon, we are eager to embark on this exciting collaboration.”
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