Industry Shorts: W Series, Etoro, Shimano

W Series has announced that it will move to a team-based championship from 2022, with the entry of a number of brands and businesses into the sport.

The series says the move will ‘manage both the uncertainties presented by the global pandemic and the on-boarding of new commercial and team partners’, while it has assigned 2021 as a transition year in which will see two drivers from the existing W Series stable assigned to each of the new team partners, with naming, car livery, and team overall branding kicking in from this year.

A ‘significant proportion’ of the grid for 2021 will comprise new team partners, according to W Series, with Bunker Racing, M. Forbes Motorsport, PUMA W Series Team, Racing X, Sirin Racing, and Veloce Racing all taking part. 

2019 Champion Jamie Chadwick will reprise her role for Veloce Racing, where she races in Extreme E.

Discovery and eToro have announced a new partnership which will see the social investment platform sponsor Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 coverage in Europe.

As part of a major awareness building campaign, the agreement encompasses more than 1,000 TV billboards and over 300 TV spots during the Olympic Games. These will be showcased across Eurosport’s channels and digital streams. The broadcaster says eToro placements will feature prominently around coverage of swimming, diving, athletics, and ‘team sports such as football’.

Eurosport will also give airtime to eToro in the three weeks prior to the Games, including placement around its exclusive Olympic content and formats at a time when it says engagement will be ‘heightened’ due to the summer schedule of live sport on the platform, including the Tour de France and several motorsport events.

Cycling brand Shimano has appointed M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Amsterdam, to activate their new multi-year partnership with Tour de France organiser ASO – which will see riders in its women’s and men’s races helped by Shimano’s neutral support throughout the race.

Shimano and ASO already had a partnership in place for the Vuelta A Espana, but have extended their collaboration to the Tour de France and classic such as Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and La Flèche Wallonne.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment will aim to maximise Shimano’s presence by bringing their iconic blue to the races this summer, alongside a series of activations to connect with cyclists. This week’s Tour de France Grand Départ will see the first Shimano Clubhouse fan activation at the official Le Tour Fan Park featuring a first-hand chance to see the Shimano Neutral Support car, a unique gallery of great Tour moments, a Zwift challenge, and a chance to look at some of the very best elite team bikes up close.

HSBC has committed to continuing its support for the WImbledon Foundation despite the absence of the Ticket resale Scheme The Championships this year.

The bank has supported the Ticket Resale Scheme since 2008, matching the funds raised from resold tickets to support local initiatives administered by the Wimbledon Foundation. 

Despite The Championships taking part in the UK government’s Events Research Programme – which will see a capacity beginning at 50% and rising to 100% for Finals weekend – the Ticket Resale Scheme has been paused for 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions.

HSBC, however, says it will continue its financial support with a ‘signficant’ donation to ensure that charities still receive funding. During the course of the partnership between the bank and the Wimbledon Foundation, the Ticket Resale Scheme has raised £3.6m, including £1.78m from HSBC.

Elite cycling events organiser SweetSpot has announced the 2021 Tour Series calendar, with three new host venues added for this August’s events.

Guisborough, Sunderland, and Castle Douglas will each host men’s and women’s races in a compact week-long Tour Series, with events taking place on Sunday 8th, Tuesday 10th, and Thursday 12th August, subject to final permissions. Highlights of all three rounds will again be broadcast on ITV4.

This will be the first time that the Tour Series has taken place outside of its traditional May date, with organisers SweetSpot working in collaboration with British Cycling, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Sunderland City Council and Dumfries & Galloway Council to stage the events in a new August calendar slot for 2021.

CBD brand Pureis Ultra Pure has unveiled Mike Tindall and Sir AP McCoy as brand ambassadors, alongside actress and TV personality Martine McCutcheon.

The brand was founded by businesswoman and Irish Dragons’ Den Star Lady Chanelle McCoy – the wife of Sir AP McCoy – and Co-Founder Caroline Glynn.