Industry Shorts: Uefa, Fortnite, Statsports
UEFA has partnered with Epic Games to include UEFA EURO 2020 in Fortnite.
The Fortnite UEFA EURO 2020 Cup will take place on 16th and 17th June, and will see the tournament included in Fortnite’s Battle Royale and Creative Modes.
Over the course of two days, players will compete across two rounds where they will earn points. The top-performing players will be able to earn prize money as well as in-game rewards.
Grassroots initiative Rising Ballers FC – which is comprised of unsigned football talent aged 16-21 – has appointed STATSports as its Official Technical Partner.
The organisation provides opportunities to aspiring professionals who aren’t signed to football clubs. In partnership with STATSports, the GPS sport tracking system will supply Rising Ballers FC with the Apex Coach Series, to monitor training load and match day performance.
The deal will run until the end of 2021 with a view to extend to 2022 and will see STATSports’ products feature on Rising Ballers’ Unsigned YouTube series, detailing the teams competitive league games and the squad’s journey to sign deals with professional clubs.
A group of top swimmers have come together to launch the International Swimmers’ Alliance, an independent organisation established with the aim of providing an ‘independent global voice’ for athletes in the sport.
The non-profit organisation aims to ‘engage in positive dialogue’ with the IOC and swimming’s governing body, FINA, with the coal of collaborating ‘but at the same time hold those accountable’ when athletes feel bodies are not acting in the best interest of the athletes.
The Alliance’s stated objectives include promoting the advancement of swimmers and the sport; improving and maintaining relations with all governing bodies and event organisers; improving economic conditions of swimmers; and developing enterprises aimed at expanding benefits for the Alliance and its members.
England Athletics has appointed the consultancy SB Partnerships (SBP) to lead the search for its first Official Sustainability Partner.
SBP will lead the search having secured sustainability-led partnerships between brands and rights holders with clients including caytoo, Be Military Fit, The Race Around, and the Leyton Sailing Team since its foundation in the autumn of 2020.
The consultancy has recently appointed former CSM Sport & Entertainment executive Dylan Williams as Head of Sponsorship Sales, who brings experience working with the British & Irish Lions, the European Tour, and The Ocean Race, while the organisation is led by Founder and Director, Sam Baring, who previously held senior positions at The Rugby Players’ Association, Ascot Racecourse, and the AOK Events Group.
Digital rugby publisher RugbyPass has acquired Sports Analytics – a rugby performance data and analytics company that allows coaches, players, and teams to maximise their performance.
The organisation was cited as being instrumental in guiding The Bulls to their first Currie Cup win in 15 years, and has worked with the likes of The Cheetahs, Stormers and Rugby Europe using proprietary data capture and visualisation techniques to feed their analytics platform, which allows coaches to analyse performance and make informed decisions on training, tactics and talent investment.
Newly-promoted Premier League side Watford have appointed Levy UK + Ireland as its new catering and hospitality partner.
The ten-year deal will begin with season 2021/22 and will see Levy – part of the Compass Group – deliver food and beverages on matchday, as well as managing Vicarage Road’s conference and events operations.
During the season supporters will be able to use Watford FC’s official app to pre-order, with technology options inside the ground. The partnership will also see Hornets’ fans benefit from Levy’s partnership with street food catering network KERB, allowing the sampling of a variety of dishes as well as new locally-sourced beverages.
