Industry Shorts: Fa, The Oval, Decathlon, Esl
The FA has appointed James Kendall as its new Director of Football Development.
Kendall will join the FA from Portas Consulting, an international management consultancy that focuses on sport and physical activity. He has also worked for Harlequins FC, Volvo and Sky.
During his time at Portas, Kendall has led a range of projects alongside The FA, including a review of grassroots football in England and the design of a new operating model for County Football Associations. He will take up his new role in September.
Surrey County Cricket Club has announced it has already achieved 90% of its target to eliminate all single-use plastic at The Oval.
The club said it has reached the goal a year ahead of its commitment to be completely plastic-free by introducing imaginative recycling initiatives.
All alcoholic drinks are being served in reusable glasses and glassware, with hot drinks served in compostable cups and plastic straws and cutlery replaced with paper and wood counterparts. Surrey said The Oval would become the first stadium of its kind to eliminate all single-use plastic.
The MCC, owner of Lord’s Cricket Ground, was Highly Commended in the Social and Sustainable Development Award at the BT Sport Industry Awards 2019 for reducing single-use plastic.
Research by sports equipment and clothing retailer Decathlon has found that just 7% of the UK is cycling to work.
A survey of more than 7,600 people also found that more than one in four people (26%) feel it is too dangerous to take the bike to work. 21% said they were too scared to cycle the roads to work.
Meanwhile, 21% also said the distance to their place of work is too far to travel on bike, with 17% admitting that they don’t even own a bike.
Electrical goods retailer Euronics International has signed a sponsorship deal with the ESL esports company.
The partnership will focus on the ESL One tournament in Hamburg this October, and also covers national leagues in key markets including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
In-store activations will launch across all markets and around events. Euronics International will receive branding around venues, players, fans and across all digital platforms.
