Shorts: Talksport, Aeltc, Cheltenham Festival
UK sports radio station talkSPORT, part of the News UK group, is extending its brand into live events for the first time with the launch of the talkSPORT Fan Zone and Tavern for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Located in Waterloo, London, the talkSPORT Fan Zone will feature a 1000-capacity bar and match viewing area with 25+ big screens alongside the talkSPORT Tavern VIP area and outside broadcast hub.
Organised in partnership with News Live, News UK’s events business,the talkSPORT Fan Zone and Tavern will also offer a range of sponsorship activation opportunities for brands.
As well as headline sponsorship branding there will also be activation opportunities for specific vertical markets such as drinks, gaming or bookmakers.
Lee Clayton, Head of talkSPORT, said, “The move into live events is a big shift for us but one that makes the most of the unique fan community that we’ve built both on air and online. We’re the largest sports radio station in the world and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is the biggest celebration of football in the world – this is a unique opportunity to create something new and dynamic to celebrate that.
“talkSPORT listeners will be able to join our on-air talent to live through every moment of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 together in a dedicated venue with all the facilities that a dedicated footie fan could ask for.”
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), organiser of The Championships, Wimbledon, has announced the appointment of Usama Al-Qassab to the role of Marketing and Commercial Director.
Al-Qassab was most recently Vice President Marketing (Disney+) EMEA for The Walt Disney Corporation, following a stint at Sony PlayStation as Vice President Marketing EMEA and Australasia.
He will lead a newly integrated marketing, communications and commercial team at the AELTC, following a strategic move to combine its marketing, communications, brand, broadcast, official suppliers, retail, hospitality and ticketing teams into one single department.
Usama Al-Qassab commented, “I am delighted to have joined the team here at the All England Club this week. There’s no doubt that Wimbledon is one of sport’s most iconic and revered brands and I look forward to playing my part in driving forward an ambitious strategy to maximise the opportunities presented by The Championships.”
UK commercial horse racing organisation The Jockey Club has announced that, after completing an ‘extensive consultation and analysis into the best future format’ of The Cheltenham Festival, the event will continue to be staged in March over four days.
Over the last six months The Jockey Club has engaged with thousands of stakeholders, including racehorse owners, trainers, jockeys, racing staff, Jockey Club colleagues, loyal racing fans, broadcasters, the local community and commercial partners, to gather views and ideas about the future of one of the UK’s biggest horse racing events, including the potential to extend to a fifth day from March 2024.
However, due to the potential impact on the racing surface and the uncertain economic environment, the decision has been made to retain the festival over a four-day period from 2023.
