Industry Shorts: Crouch, Isg, Birmingham 2022…

Former Sport Minister Tracey Crouch MP has described Richard Scudamore’s decision to step down as Chief Executive of the Premier League as the most significant sport industry moment of 2018.

In an exclusive interview with Sport Industry Group, which has been published today, the Kent MP said: “I think that was the start of wholesale change in football [leadership].

“The wave of departures we’ve seen this year creates an exciting opportunity for the sport industry – football especially.

“The industry hasn’t actually changed very much in terms of personnel, or the type of people at the top. It’s a chance to breathe some fresh life into football in particular.”

Crouch was commenting in response to being asked for her Industry Choice selections – part of a campaign running alongside the BT Sport Industry Awards 2019. 

In a wide-ranging interview, she also praised the impact of the Sports Governance Code on the way sport is currently delivered in the UK, saying: “I genuinely think that in the 3.5 years I was in Sport, it’s changed enormously and a large part of that is due to changes in the Sports Governance Code.

“There’s still a huge amount of modernisation needed within sport, but in terms of getting time limits in, in terms of getting 30% of all boards to be female, these are huge changes that have quite a material impact.
Everyone uses The FA as the example, probably because it had the furthest distance to travel, but through Greg (Dyke) and Martin (Glenn), it struggled and has really embraced those reforms.

“You’ve seen a real shift in those cultural attitudes and we’re starting to see a knock-on effect in terms of what’s happening on the pitch and everything else. I think the Sports Governance Code has fundamentally changed the way sport is delivered.”

Read the interview in full here.

London-based Interregional Sports Group (ISG), which specialises in regionalising broadcast strategies, has acquired rights for virtual perimeter and virtual goal-side advertising at LaLiga Spanish football matches.

The deal with the Mediapro agency will run for three seasons, through to the end of the 2021/22 campaign, allowing ISG to offer advertising to brands that can target specific markets.

The package of 53 games will all feature Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid with geo-targeted broadcast feeds being distributed around the world.

ISG will work with partner agencies Lagardère Sports and Entertainment and Sportseen to distribute the rights.

London has been confirmed as the new host of the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships after the International Paralympic Committee stripped Malaysia of the right to stage the event earlier this year.

The rearranged championships will take place at the London Aquatics Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where the London 2012 Paralympic Games swimming competitions took place. The event will run from 9th-15th September.

It will be the second time the event has taken place in the UK following the 2015 edition in Glasgow.

Malaysia was removed as the championships’ host nation after failing to provide the IPC with the necessary guarantees that Israeli swimmers could participate without interference.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has appointed Martin Green to the role of Chief Creative Officer.

Green, who served as Head of Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will be responsible for the official opening and closing ceremonies at the Games in 2022, as well as the wider cultural programme.

Green will also oversee the Queen’s Baton Relay and will also steer the event’s production teams on how the sports should be presented in the venues to maximise the spectator experience.

Green said: “Ever since working on last year’s ‘Go the Distance’ handover celebration, part of the Gold Coast 2018 closing ceremony, I knew I just had to be involved in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. I was blown away by the local performers who took part, as they were so talented and enthusiastic and I loved the way that the people in Birmingham and the region embraced the handover event.”