Merry Christmas From Sport Industry Group
With Santa making the final checks before his sleigh pulls onto the runway, sportindustry.biz takes a look at a few of the highlights of 2015. The normal news service will resume on Monday 4th January.
ON THE PITCH
Saint Nic isn’t the only one sacking in December, as Jose Mourinho lost out on the Chelsea job just seven months after winning the Premier League title. Currently top of the tree? Pre-season relegation favourites Leicester City, with their own festive star in the form of ex non-league striker Jamie Vardy, now the holder of the title for scoring in the most consecutive Premier League games.
Records were also broken on the court this year as Great Britain claimed its first Davis Cup since 1936. Andy Murray beat Belgium’s David Goffin on clay in the final match to bring the trophy home in the final, remaining undefeated in the competition to secure his 11th Davis Cup point of the year.
From winning one of the largest trophies in sport (the Davis Cup weighs more than Andy Murray) to one of the smallest, as the England team regained the Ashes with a 3-2 series win over Australia in the summer, which saw batsman Joe Root go to number one in the ICC rankings.
Very good of the Aussie lads to come across for a drink and enjoy whats been a great series #rumbleintheashes pic.twitter.com/ebheQtsNr8
— Joe Root (@root66) August 23, 2015
Lewis Hamilton continued Mercedes’ Formula One dominance with a third drivers’ title, tying up the championship at the United States Grand Prix with three races to go. It wasn’t all plain sailing for Hamilton as his relationship with teammate Nico Rosberg continued to show strain, with the German admitting it was “complicated”.
Thank you to these brilliant guys for an amazing year, couldn’t have done it without you! #BestTeam @mercedesamgf1 pic.twitter.com/FVAstkgtPn
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 29, 2015
In UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, it was victory for the Home Nations as all but one – sorry Scotland – made the tournament in France. England, who won all of their games, will now have to face Wales in the group stages of the competition.
Meanwhile, England’s women are proving it is possible to break through the group stages, taking third place at the World Cup behind USA and Japan.
England fans…RT if you’re staying up late – and are planning a lie-in for the #Lionesses http://t.co/I2SrEvlR7M pic.twitter.com/NHJUrZG9vG
— England (@england) July 1, 2015
England hosted a Rugby World Cup tournament that broke nearly every record going – from ticket sales to commercial revenue, and television audiences to social media interaction – unfortunately the same could not be said for the hosts on the pitch, but All Blacks Richie McCaw and Dan Carter signed off legendary careers with the sport’s ultimate prize at Twickenham.
25 million Japan TV viewers for Samoa v Japan. A world record for domestic rugby anywhere, smashing TF1 France record of 2007.#RWC2015
— Brett Gosper (@brettgosper) October 5, 2015
Talking of legends, is there a more apt title for 20-time Champion Jockey AP McCoy, who retired from horseracing in April, to be presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award at the BT Sport Industry Awards just two weeks later.
Athletics had a remarkable year, just a year out from the Olympic Games in Rio, as Mo Farah won the ‘triple double’ with 5,000m and 10,000m gold at the World Championships in Beijing; Jessica Ennis-Hill returned after a first child to claim a second world title; Greg Rutherford became the fifth British athlete to become Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion at the same time after taking gold in the long jump.
Elsewhere, cyclist Lizzie Armistead became only the fourth British woman to claim the rainbow stripes in a sprint finish in Richmond; Chris Froome dominated the Tour de France for a second time; swimmer Adam Peaty took three golds at the World Championships – breaking the world records for the 50m and 100m breaststroke; Max Whitlock took world champions gold in the pommel horse, the first British man to do so, and a certain Tyson Fury became heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Wladimir Klitschko.
MOVING HOUSE
Moving house is becoming a growing trend in the capital, as West Ham United prepare to finally move into their new home, the Olympic Stadium, in 2016. Tottenham Hotspur were also granted permission to upgrade White Hart Lane and Chelsea has submitted a planning application to remodel Stamford Bridge. It means the sides will be without a home at the same time, leaving both with a rivalry off the pitch as the teams look to call Wembley Stadium home.
Stadium Update: We can announce that Haringey Council’s Planning Sub Committee has approved the Club’s new stadium proposals.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 17, 2015
Speaking of Wembley, The National Football League (NFL) furthered the UK’s interest in the sport, with three games taking place at the home of football. 2015, however, was also the year that saw the NFL push its UK interests to another level as new agreements will see annual NFL games at Wembley, Twickenham and eventually Tottenham Hotspurs’ new ground until 2020.
BUSINESS AND MEDIA
More records fell off the pitch, as adidas kicked off its £750m deal to become Manchester United’s kit manufacturers for the next ten years. It came after Nike ended its £23.5m a season association with the club, with adidas swooping in to pay the Red Devils a record-breaking £75m a season.
Home or away, we’re always United. The new @adidasUK away kit. http://t.co/2LVYFdP2ma #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/irtGTMJNfS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 11, 2015
Sky Sports won the exclusive rights to The Open Championship, ending six decades of free-to-air coverage. Reports suggested Sky committed around £10m per year, an increase on the BBC’s offering.
The BBC also decided to cut-ties with Formula One’s television coverage, ending its deal, due to expire in 2018. Channel 4 announced it would be taking over terrestrial rights and would not show adverts during live racing.
Early on in the year, Sky and BT broke the bank to sign new Premier League domestic TV deals. The Premier League will now share a massive £5.136bn windfall from 2016 to 2019. Of seven packages auctioned, Sky took five and BT took the last two.
BT Sport also welcomed the UEFA Champions League to the channel. The broadcaster bought the rights in 2013 at a cost of £897m and will show all 350 fixtures each season.
SPORT INDUSTRY GROUP
Recognise these faces? Worth remembering. Meet the Leaders at #SINextGen: A Celebration https://t.co/W7oGbdlVNO pic.twitter.com/lh9IXLh6PE
— Sport Industry Group (@SportIndustry) December 17, 2015
2015 saw the launch of Sport Industry NextGen, in partnership with Barclays, with 28 Leaders chosen from the industry’s young professionals. Join them for Sport Industry NextGen: A Celebration on Wednesday 27th January 2016 at Village Underground in Shoreditch.
All the entries are now in for the BT Sport Industry Awards 2016, which showcases some of the best work the industry has to offer. The Official Shortlist will be announced on the 5th February 2016 and tables can be booked now, find out more here.
There’s some people even @AP_McCoy wants a picture with. Well assisted by official photographer @clarebalding #BTSIA pic.twitter.com/wRUAurZCxc
— Sport Industry Group (@SportIndustry) May 1, 2015
Leading marketing expert David Wheldon, UCI’s Brian Cookson, and international cricketer Kevin Pietersen were just some of the names involved in this year’s Sport Industry Breakfast Club. Memberships for next year are available now, full information can be found here.
Sport Industry Private Dining Club celebrated another successful year, as the invitation-only members club for senior business leaders welcomed after-dinner speakers including Ashes hero Graeme Swann, Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood, and Olympic gold medallists Lizzy Yarnold and Mark Hunter.
Everyone at the Sport Industry Group would like to offer you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you again in 2016 for another fantastic year.
