[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Board of the Global Esports Federation confirmed its flagship event, the Global Esports Games(GEG),will be held for the first time in December 2021. The annual GEG will be hosted in December each year, featuring multi-title esports competitions, capped by world-class Opening and Closing Ceremonies, GEFcon – a thought-leadership convention, and GEFestival – a dynamic celebration of the inclusive esports culture, highlighting music, art, technology, fashion, food and more.

“The Global Esports Games serves as a platform to showcase the world’s best athletes, players, industry partners, brands, innovations and the responsible use of technology in esports,” said Chris Chan, President, Global Esports Federation. “In parallel, the GEF will stage GEFcon – a multi-platform conferencing showcase for dialogue on responsible gaming, technological advancement and shared learning – bringing people together for the celebration of esports.”

The GEF has received an unprecedented response following its global call for expressions of interest to host the Global Esports Games. Member Federations from 20 countries will attend an Applicant Briefing session on Friday, October 30, 2020, led by GEF Board Member, Lorenzo Giorgetti, as Chair of the GEF Selection Committee. The briefing will provide the applicants with detailed information on the opportunities, requirements and the selection process.

The Board of the GEF has confirmed that a Coordination Commission will be established to oversee the planning, preparation and staging of the Global Esports Games. Four-time Olympian and acclaimed global business and sports leader, Angela Ruggiero (USA), will head the Commission together with Senior Advisor to the GEF Board and Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Luzeng Song (China),as Co-chairs of the Commission. The experienced duo will lead a team of Members of the GEF Board, experts and advisors, adding their distinguished leadership experience to the planning, preparation and staging of the GEG.

“I look forward to ensuring that esports athletes have the optimal conditions to shine. I am particularly interested in the vast potential and diverse opportunities esports can offer the world,” said Angela Ruggiero, Co-Chair, Coordination Commission, Global Esports Federation. “I believe esports is delivering in new ways, leveraging on technology that can appeal to younger audiences and fans across the world. The Global Esports Games will be an exciting new frontier for the convergence of esports and traditional sports.”

As esports continues to advance on the global stage, the Global Esports Games is positioned to reset the bar and offer a new level for athletes and players and the entire esports community. Song Luzeng brings with him close to 40 years of experience in the Olympic movement and will contribute to the complex task of overseeing the successful preparations and staging of the Global Esports Games.

The Global Esports Games is an unprecedented multi-title esports event of a global scale to combine the gaming, performance, education, and business aspects of esports onto one international stage. The GEG paves the way for the future of esports – convening some of the best-known names in esports globally, elevating the credibility, legitimacy and prestige of esports.

[Source: SailGP, October 22, 2020] Following the announcement of its Race for the Future purpose-led agenda aimed at accelerating change to a cleaner and more inclusive future, SailGP today rolled out its first major diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. The global championship has launched an extensive program to fast-track the training and development of female athletes for participation in SailGP.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We acknowledge that there is work to be done in order to make our organization and this sport more inclusive, and we are fully committed to addressing the need to accelerate change. As we have quickly progressed to become the pinnacle global league for the sport, it has also become abundantly clear that this opportunity should be afforded to as wide a group of athletes as possible.

“Fast, foiling boats – including our F50 catamarans – are now rightfully at the center of high-performance sail racing, however, the majority of that racing has been predominantly male-driven, resulting in an experience gap among genders. All genders can, and should, be equal in this sport, and we must therefore provide the opportunity necessary to close that gap. It is imperative that we break existing boundaries in the sport to create a more inclusive environment overall.”

SailGP’s immediate focus is the advancement of gender equity and racial diversity, with the longer-term goal to ensure the league is more accessible for all underrepresented groups.

To guide the process, SailGP has been working with diversity and inclusion consultancy the Clear Company throughout the last four months, while also establishing two working committees. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee – which includes 75 percent membership from underrepresented groups – is driving the holistic inclusion of women and racially diverse individuals across the organization, while the Women’s Committee – made up of a cross-section of internal and external expertise, including more than 80 percent women – is supporting the initial female athlete integration process.

In early November, SailGP will host the first in a series of women’s invitational camps that will eventually be conducted in each team market – Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States – to engage with female athletes who meet the league’s overall selection criteria.

From there, 16 women will be invited to participate in SailGP’s pre-season training camp early next year. Ultimately, at least one female athlete will be selected to train and be immersed within each team for Season 2, which is set to begin in April 2021.

The first season of the gender equity initiative will serve as a pilot program, and will include regular evaluation and adjustments to ensure a successful integration process. Overall, the program will aim to train top female sailors to be competitive in the positions of helm, flight controller or wing trimmer onboard the F50 race boats.

SailGP Women’s Committee member Carolijn Brouwer, a three-time Olympian who has also competed in The Ocean Race three times and been named World Sailor of the year twice, said: “This is a big step forward for women in professional sailing. SailGP is accelerating the inclusion and creating the opportunity for high-performance female sailors to compete alongside their male peers in the world's most advanced sailing league. This type of initiative will allow us to achieve true gender equity in the future.”

A dedicated women’s program manager, to be in place by January 2021, will oversee this initiative.

Additional focus will be placed on creating a more racially diverse profile for SailGP – and ultimately the sport – beginning at the grassroots and junior levels. The league will work in partnership with World Sailing, National Sailing Federations, and local sailing clubs and programs to provide opportunities to young people from a variety of backgrounds through its community outreach program, SailGP Inspire.

Gender-balanced from its inception, SailGP Inspire will provide an important pathway for young female sailors to receive training, coaching and competitive racing in WASZP foiling boats. In addition, SailGP Inspire will now add focus to offering additional entry points to both recreational and competitive sailing for racially and socioeconomically diverse youth.

Further information on the relaunch of SailGP Inspire will be announced by the end of the year.

World Sailing Head of Sustainability Dan Reading said: "We commend SailGP, the first signatory of our Special Event Sustainability Charter, for taking a leadership role in sustainable development. We look forward to working with the championship to close the participation gap among underrepresented groups and engage with a wider demographic working with the World Sailing Trust."

Additional information regarding SailGP’s diversity strategy, including internal policies and procedures aimed at cultivating an equitable and inclusive culture, can be found here.

[Source: Commonwealth Games Federation] The BBC has signed up to be the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The deal means the corporation will broadcast Birmingham 2022 events on television and radio and provide online coverage for the home nations, offering unparalleled coverage of the UK’s largest sporting event since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The BBC has a long and proud association with the Commonwealth Games which dates back to 1954. With the longstanding history between the BBC and the Games, the organisation will bring an unrivalled experience of covering Birmingham 2022.

The deal marks a particularly significant moment as 2022 coincides with the BBC’s own centenary celebrations. The partnership also reinforces the BBC’s longstanding connection with Birmingham and the Midlands, as one of the oldest regional arms of the broadcaster.

The announcement comes on the day that Birmingham 2022 unveiled the Games’ medal event programme, confirming that the competition will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.

In addition, Birmingham 2022 will host the largest ever integrated para sport programme, as well as a record number of mixed events including diving, swimming relays and para-athletics relays.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “I am delighted that the BBC has taken up the domestic rights for the Commonwealth Games.

I believe this deal represents a huge vote of confidence in Birmingham as well as the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement.

We anticipate some of the world's highest profile athletes will compete at Birmingham, which will be an historic event for women’s sport, with more medals for women than men.

The BBC has demonstrated a huge commitment to women’s sport and with 2022 marking their centenary, I am delighted they are partnering again with Commonwealth Sport to help us generate huge levels of excitement and anticipation in the lead up to one of the biggest sporting events the UK has ever have hosted.

I am thrilled that the BBC will once again connect millions of viewers to the drama and excitement of the Commonwealth Games, bringing their world class production and analysis to homes and handsets across the UK.”

Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, said: “In a year when many major sport events have been postponed, this is welcome news for sports fans.

We are delighted to be broadcasting the Commonwealth Games.”

Birmingham 2022 CEO Ian Reid said: “This is a significant moment for Birmingham 2022 and we are very proud to be working with the BBC as the Domestic Broadcast Rights Holder for the Games.

The BBC’s record in covering major sports events is truly outstanding and we can’t wait to work with them on our edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Birmingham 2022 is the biggest sporting event to be staged in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the BBC is the perfect broadcaster to showcase our 19 sports and 8 para sports, the majority of which will be held in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands, ensuring that the city and the region will be truly centre stage in 2022.”

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: "This is another significant step towards the successful delivery of Birmingham 2022. It will be a fantastic year of culture and national celebration as we enjoy the Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and Festival UK.

“I am delighted that the BBC will continue its long-standing heritage of broadcasting the Games, and I look forward to watching every moment of the action.”

Taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August 2023, the Championships is set to be the biggest single cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event, for the first time.

The Championships is more than just an event and will celebrate the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our everyday lives, whether it’s physical and mental health benefits, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.

Underpinned by four key policy drivers - participation, transport, tourism and economy - the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland moving forward.

Trudy’s strong background and experience working on complex large-scale major events, designed to support government ambitions to deliver social and economic change, makes her the ideal person for the job.

Currently the Head of Event Management at Visit Victoria, Trudy will bring a wealth of event experience to the position having spent more than 20 years leading, planning and delivering major events in Australia and around the world, working with government’s, local organising committees, event hosts and international and national sports federations in the process.

In particular, her work on cycling events spans over twelve years and includes senior roles at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships, the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships as well as Cycling Australia. 

More recently she has spent over seven years working for one of the world’s leading events acquisition groups, Victorian Major Events Company (VMEC), now Visit Victoria, and was  pivotal in the establishment of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in 2015, now the opening one-day race on the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour calendars.

Trudy also has a strong cultural events background, taking over the reins of the all-night festival ‘White Night Melbourne’ in 2017 and overseeing the creation of supporting regional White Night events.

As CEO of the Championships, Trudy will have overall executive responsibility for the planning and delivery of the event. She will report directly to the Chair of Championships Board and will manage all the senior management positions including the Director of Sport, Director of Operations and Director of Commercial, Marketing and Communications currently being recruited. Trudy will take up her position on 26 October 2020 and will relocate to Glasgow with her family from Melbourne, Australia.

Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “On behalf of all the partners, I would like to congratulate Trudy on her appointment as CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and we look forward to welcoming her to Scotland very soon. This is another key milestone on our journey to the Championships and concludes a global search, much of which was undertaken at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Trudy’s vast event experience, particularly in delivering both UCI and mass participation cycling events, makes her the ideal candidate to establish and lead the Championships team. We have a bold ambition to use the event as a catalyst for significant change and progress in Scotland, by continuing to transform the nation and make cycling part of people’s normal, everyday lives and Trudy is the right person to help us achieve this.”

Trudy Lindblade said: “Playing a leading role in such an innovative and unique event will be a wonderful opportunity. This is particularly so as the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be the single biggest global cycling event to date, and one that has transformational change at its core bringing longer term benefits to Scotland through the areas of health, transport, education, sustainability and tourism.

“I look forward to working with all Event Partners as well as local towns and regions to showcase Scotland’s world class event delivery and tourism credentials to the world through the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”

Trudy’s appointment follows last week’s announcement of the five Non-Executive Directors and one Co-opted member to join the Championships Board of Directors. 

Rupert Dickinson, Alexandra Innes, David Hornby, Nick Peel and Susan Ahern have all taken up their roles as Non-Executive Directors on the Board, while five-times BMX and Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, will also be joining the Board this month as a Co-Opted Board Member.

On 8-9 December, Host City Conference and Exhibition goes virtual with the continued support of hosts EventScotland and Glasgow Life, tackling the 2020 conference theme “The Big Restart: Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age.”

Now in its 7th year, Host City is firmly established as the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. The new virtual platform, hosted in Glasgow, brings together 1,000 event owners, hosts and organisers for two full days of unrivalled insight, exhibition, workshops, networking and business.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland said:

“I’m delighted that Host City is set to transfer the ethos and core values of its well established event into a new virtual format, enabling attendees from across the globe the chance to learn, share knowledge, and reflect on both the challenges and opportunities which the pandemic has brought with it.”

“There is no doubt these are hugely challenging times with uncertainty still on the horizon, however our industry has shown on many occasions that it is resilient and has great capacity and capability to adapt to any situation. This year’s conference, hosted once again from Glasgow in Scotland, will be more important than ever and will play a key role in keeping us all connected as we navigate through the new normal.”

Dr Bridget McConnell, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life said:

“This has been a year like no other for the industries working with cities to deliver events which support their communities, economic growth and tourism. The Host City conference is always a vital opportunity to learn and to grow and to share recent experience and best practice and this year will be vital for those industries and the recovery plans of cities everywhere. Glasgow is proud that Host City has chosen us as its base for the sixth time and look forward to the conference in December.”

Other speakers confirmed to speak at Host City 2020 include: Sir Craig Reedie GBE, Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC); Danuta Dmowska-Andrzejuk, Minister of Sports and Tourism, Poland; Fanta Diallo, Director of Sports, Youth and Community, City of Dakar; Ian Reid, CEO, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee; Emily Blitz, President Director, Conferences, International AIDS Society; Sven Bossu, CEO, International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC); Federico Addiechi, Head of Sustainability and Environment, FIFA and many more to be announced over the coming 2-3 weeks.

The 2020 conference theme covers 5 pillars: Covid Recovery; Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance; Digital Acceleration; Future Cities; and Partnerships.

Host City’s Conference Director Ben Avison said: “As this most challenging of years reaches a close, we are making Host City even greater and more accessible than ever for the international community of all stakeholders in major events. We look forward to sharing world-leading views on how to build a better future for the events sector.”

1,000 attendees can access main stage content and an exhibition area for free. Paying delegates will also be able to gain access to meetings, structured networking and interactive workshops focused on the key functional areas of event hosting, such as: infrastructure, mobility, security and safety, culture and ceremonies, technology, impact, sponsorship, games services, procurement, sustainability and engagement.

Host City is where representatives of host destinations, federations and rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world connect to discover opportunities and discuss major event hosting at this uniquely challenging moment in history.

Host City 2020 Conference and Exhibition is being supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, and Glasgow Life.

Host City also works in strategic partnership with the International Association of Event Hosts, the Association of Global Event Suppliers, the International Association of Convention Centres and European Sponsorship Association.

To view the latest agenda, speaker biographies and sponsor information, go to www.hostcity.com

Register today for free!

For sponsorship enquires contact adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk

For speaking opportunities contact ben.avison@hostcity.com