Industry Shorts: Nba, Ascot, Warks CCC
The NBA has revealed plans to launch the Basketball Africa League in partnership with FIBA, the sport’s global governing body.
The 12-team league is expected to begin in January 2020, with the support of former US President Barack Obama as a “hands-on” ambassador.
The project will mark the league’s first direct investment in a non-North American operation.
Warwickshire County Cricket Club has appointed Paul Farbrace as its new Sport Director to have lead responsibility for its men’s and women’s senior teams and the performance pathway.
Farbrace has been Assistant Coach of the England Men’s team since 2014. He will take up his new position with Warwickshire in March following the International T20 series with West Indies in the Caribbean.
Farbrace takes over as Sport Director from Ashley Giles, who left the Bears in January to take on the role of Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket.
Ascot Racecourse has announced two new international media rights deals which allow the respective parties the exclusive right to show live racing coverage, for betting purposes as well as into Licensed Betting Offices within their territories.
At The Races (ATR) has been awarded international pari-mutuel betting rights across the world, excluding the UK, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Australia, while SIS has been awarded international fixed odds betting rights in the same territories.
Both deals will run from 1st March 2019 to 31st December 2021 and cover Royal Ascot and all other fixtures held at the racecourse except British Champions Day.
Network My Club has agreed a new partnership with Reading Football Club.
The collaboration will see the launch of the Network Royals Business Club, which will present opportunities for businesess to network at the Madejski Stadium, helping Reading Football Club to engage with the local business community and showcase its venue as an event facility.
The agreement adds to Network My Club’s portfolio which includes Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Surrey County Cricket Club, Portsmouth Football Club, Hampshire Cricket and The Goodwood Estate.
The company was founded by Bradley Hatchett, a 2017 Sport Industry NextGen Leader.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and PUMA have announced a multiyear partnership that will make the international sports brand an official marketing partner of the NBA.
It follows PUMA’s re-entry to the basketball market in October 2018 with the launch of the brand’s first signature shoe – the Clyde Court Disrupt. PUMA plans to roll out more variations of basketball sneakers throughout 2019.
