Industry Shorts: Bt Sport, Puma, Castore
BT Sport has celebrated the return of the Champions League with a new activation involving Rio Ferdinand and presenter James Richardson.
To celebrate European football’s return, and the launch of the broadcaster’s Club 2020 Daily programme, the pair set off from BT’s Stratford location through east London in an ice cream truck to serve refreshments on the hottest day of the year so far.
Puma has appointed Ben Hughes, as General Manager, UK, Ireland and Benelux (UKIB).
Since 2014, Hughes has been the brand’s Head of Sales, UKIB, and will replace Paul Spener, who has become Puma’s Regional Sales Director, Europe.
Hughes joined Puma in 2008 as Key Account Executive for JD Sports before he took on various Teamhead roles covering Performance & Sportstyle.
Former Marseille Head of Partnerships and Chelsea First Team Commercial Manager, Pascal Lafitte, has joined UK sportswear brand Castore as Head of Team Partnerships, Commercial and Marketing.
Lafitte will begin his new role in October, and will oversee partnerships for the brand, which has announced a number of new deals in sport.
As well as a new range of clothing with former tennis world number one Andy Murray, Castore is also the Official Kit and Retail Partner of Scottish Premiership side Rangers and also the Official Team Kit and Merchandise Provider to the West Indies cricket team.
Realtime update and streaming app LiveScore has announced an expanded set of free-to-air live streaming rights for the 2020/21 football season.
An earlier agreement with Premier Sports saw the app bring live coverage of the climax to the Serie A season. That will be extended to take in 306 live matches from the league next season, while Premier Sports will continue to broadcast every game as part of its existing offering.
The expanded agreement will also see LiveScore present matches from a host of other competitions, including the top leagues in Portugal, Holland and China, with live games from the Coupe de France, the Copa Libertadores, FIFA World Cup qualifiers and Champions League qualification rounds also featuring..
The EFL have confirmed that League Two side Macclesfield Town have been deducted six points – a total which will see them relegated to the National League.
The Arbitration Panel confirmed the punishment, which relates to the club failing to pay a number of players on the payment dates due in March 2020, as well as ‘failing to act with utmost good faith in respect of matters with the EFL’, and for breaching an ‘order, requirement, direction or instruction of the league’.
A two-point suspended sanction was handed out in June and, in addition, a four point deduction, which was originally suspended, have now been applied by the league.
Formula E has launched an open talent call in a bid to unearth the next generation of young presenters as part of its #PositivelyCharged initiative.
Launched today on the United Nations’ International Youth Day, the all-electric single-seater motorsport series says entries are open to anyone aged 18 to 24 as long as they can audition in English and are a resident of the UK, France or Germany.
Finalists will receive mentorship and professional media training to support their professional goals, while the winner will earn a paid position joining the existing Formula E on-air and online presenter team for the first race of Season 7.
