Communities in the North West of England have been taking a bit of a hammering of late. Over a scorching bank holiday weekend, a high magnitude tremor from Cuadrilla’s fracking operations shook the Lancashire city of Preston.

The English Football League (EFL)’s office in Preston might have been closed at the time, but EFL Executive Chair Debbie Jevans CBE* has been working tirelessly over the bank holiday to deal with a different kind of shock – the possible departure of two clubs from the nearby towns of Bolton and Bury from League One due to crises in their ownership.

Jevans has granted both Bolton Wanderers and Bury FC an extension of until 5PM on Tuesday to finalise their takeovers. Both teams have had to cancel or postpone matches due to their financial crises.

While the EFL will not want to lose teams from the league, neither does it want to postpone any more matches. It is hoped that both clubs will manage to complete their sales by close of business today, despite the fact that Bolton’s negotiations with Football Ventures collapsed over the weekend.

Meanwhile, a potential buyer for Bury has emerged in the shape of C&N Sporting Risk.

Jevans told BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday Morning that the company has “demonstrated to us enough source of funding.

"There was enough credible information before the board to allow this extension till Tuesday, but in doing that, no more games have to be postponed."

Responding to C&N Sporting Risk’s reported disappointment that the extension was not longer as its legal adviser was unavailable until Wednesday, Jevans suggested he could “give advice on the phone and by email."

"There is enough time, if all parties want to do a deal by then," she said.  "We've got many examples where clubs have changed hands in a very short period of time and we see no reason why this can't happen by Tuesday.

In a country where power and opportunities continue to be drawn towards major cities, towns like Bolton and Bury need focal points like football clubs.

Lisa Nandy is MP of nearby Wigan and co-founder of Centre for Towns. “Sport is basically the glue that holds the community together,” she told Politico. “If you go to any part of the borough you’ll find grassroots community sports clubs. You’ve got every single generation there — grandparents, parents, aunties, uncles, kids, the works… It’s a big source of pride. It’s part of our history, part of our culture, part of our identity.”

Bolton, Bury, Wigan and Preston all voted for Brexit. Perhaps for towns like these to have the future they deserve, they need more leaders like Debbie Jevans who are prepared to forsake their holidays, address audiences and help to conclude negotiations successfully – before the tremors get any worse.

*Debbie Jevans CBE is speaking at Host City 2019 in Glasgow on 26-27 November. 

More organisers and owners of the greatest events in the world are joining the world class speaker line up of Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

They tackle a hard-hitting agenda with topics including sustainability, disruption, gender equality, creating impact, procurement, readiness, fan engagement, titanic disasters and herculean achievements.

New speaker confirmations include IOC Members:

Marisol Casado, President, International Triathlon Union (ITU) and IOC Member

Sir Craig Reedie GBE, President, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and IOC Member

organising/bid committee leaders:

Claude Atcher, CEO, Rugby World Cup France 2023

Markus Stenger, Managing Director, DFB EURO 2024

Roberto Daneo, Coordinator of Milan-Cortina 2026 Candidature File and Games Operations Expert

rights holders of sports, esports, business and cultural events:  

Debbie Jevans CBE, Executive Chair, English Football League

Russell Samuel, VP, Marketing and Creative, Viacom Velocity

Alban Dechelotte, Head of Sponsorships and Business Development EU Esports, Riot Games

Kate Sadleir, General Manager, Women’s Rugby, World Rugby

Michael D'hulst, co-founder and CEO, Super League Triathlon

Signe Lopdrup, CEO, Roskilde Festival Group (or representative)

in addition to world leading experts and service providers:

David de Behr, Head of Sales, Aggreko Event Services

Ken Scott, Head of Inspectorate, Sports Ground Safety Authority

Jonathan Gray, Senior Partner, Global Head of Sport and Major Events, Control Risks

David Tunnicliffe, Commercial Director, GL events UK

They join a line-up of great speakers already announced including leaders of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Expo 2020 Dubai, several International Federations and event hosts, with more organising committees to be announced.

Host City is delivered with support from EventScotland, its primary Supporting Partner.

Exhibition stands and delegate passes are selling fast, so register today!

To sponsor or exhibit contact adam.soroka@hostcity.com

For speaking and other enquiries contact ben.avison@hostcity.com

About Host City

Host City Expo & Conference brings together cities and sports, business and cultural events for two full days of unrivalled insight, networking, workshops and business on 26-27 November at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow.

This is where representatives of host destinations, federations and other rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world meet to discover opportunities and discuss the challenges of major event hosting. Participants are encouraged to use Host City as a platform to develop, workshop and announce new events, partnerships and formats.

This year’s Strategic Partners include the International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES), the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) and European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA).

Host City is delivered with support from EventScotland, its primary Supporting Partner.

www.hostcity.com

Host City: The sports events market is crowded with a busy calendar – what were the challenges in launching Super League Triathlon and what is it that makes Super League Triathlon stand out?

Michael D’hulst: We have developed a unique product, a game changing reinvention of triathlon, and Super League appeals to the modern-day consumer in that it is very action packed, entertaining, accessible, green and sustainable, so we tick a lot of boxes.

We are also less disruptive than many other triathlons because of our small footprint.

All we need to operate an event is an 800-metre loop and that can be done in the middle of a city or even using bike ways because we need so little in the way of road closures.

We have a proven concept which we have won awards for and we can deliver these amazing entertainment and sporting events while showcasing our host cities. We always integrate with them and ensure we are not disruptive.

Though we are always mindful of a busy sporting calendar, because of our unique product we don’t consider it too much beyond arranging around the availability of our athletes and broadcast schedules.

Host City: How many visitors and participants do you typically get at Super League Triathlon events – what’s the demographic?

Michael D’hulst: Our demographic is the typical one of triathlon in terms of ABC1 – but there is one very important difference in that our audience is younger.

There is already a clear trend that fans of Super League Triathlon are a lot younger than, for example, Ironman. We see that in our social media too and help to drive that through our innovative presentation.

Our demographic is very valuable to an event host as they have a higher propensity to spend.

We are also engaging a good percentage of the population of our hosts.

On Jersey, an island of 100,000 people, we get 20,000 people coming to the events.

In 2020 we are looking to grow into bigger cities and we see attendance growing exponentially as a result.

Host City: How is the action shared to viewers that aren’t able to attend in person – what are the viewing figures and on which platforms?

Michael D’hulst: One of the major drawing cards for Super League Triathlon is that we invest a lot in creating free content, live broadcasting, streaming and on our social media platforms.

The biggest audience is in France but there is significant growth around continental Europe.

Our social media numbers have also grown exponentially event by event. If we continue the growth trends we have seen so far we expect a reach of 42 million across Facebook and Instagram for our next event.

In terms of impressions combined across those platforms, we are estimating 65 million plus.

We work with 104 broadcasters to reach 1.16 billion households and our last event in Singapore had 520 hours of broadcast time. We have seen these numbers grow event by event.

Host City: How else do destinations benefit from hosting Super League Triathlon?

Michael D’hulst: We focus on several elements.

Having a direct economic impact is always important to a destination.
Then the media value we drive and the emphasis we have on leveraging television and social media, distributing behind the scenes and destination content in the build-up to a race, pushing out news features, live streaming, highlights, post-produced documentary etc.

But, arguably, the intangible factors are even more important. We are speaking about a very interesting demographic, whose lives and priorities are aligned with the host cities we are targeting.

We have our professional athletes under contract and that means we can utilise them as we create a whole outreach programme that builds into communities and we customise to what the host venue wants.

For example, they may want to showcase their sustainability efforts to the world and promote healthy living – perhaps like Jersey’s ocean culture – or maybe like Singapore leveraging our expertise to help create a high-performance culture because they have Olympic medal dreams.

We will also take our athletes into schools, local communities and businesses.

We customise how we leverage what we bring to the table with our athletes and brand, to make that work for our hosts and also ensure there is a legacy that continues year-round.

At the event itself, it’s more than just the professional racing as we build out corporate hospitality with direct access to pros, participation events for amateurs of all abilities to encourage people to participate in our wonderful sport and a Fan Zone with an emphasis on being family friendly.

Host City: What are the main criteria you look for in a host destination?

Michael D’hulst: There needs to be shared values and an alignment with the demographic and the sport. For example, an emphasis on an outdoor and healthy lifestyle, a focus on sustainability, and also innovation.

Television is a big part of what we do so we look for scenic and iconic spots that people see on television and think ‘wow’, and our venues only require an 800-metre loop.

Host City: I am sure many destinations would jump at the chance to host Super League Triathlon – what’s the process of bidding to host an event?

Michael D’hulst: We are arranging a calendar typically a minimum of 12 months in advance.

We are looking at our 2021 calendar at the moment and we have a Championship Series that runs August-November.

We need to be responsible as well and to look after the athletes and their movements around the world.

It typically all starts with an expression of interest from a host city and then we have a conversation as to how we make that work. The formal selection decisions for 2021 will be made in summer 2020.

Host City: How would you sum up 2019 for Super League Triathlon so far and what are your expectations of 2020?

Michael D’hulst: It was always the case that 2019 was going to be a challenging season because of the upcoming Olympics. Triathlon is an Olympic sport and, understandably, a key goal for many of our athletes, and we fully respect that.

We consulted with them and decided to run two Championship Series events in 2019 but to use this ‘Olympic pause’ to prepare and work closely with our host venues to deliver what will be by far our biggest and best season yet with many more events in 2020.

We have some very exciting times ahead.

Super League Triathlon CEO Michael D’hulst is speaking at Host City 2019 in Glasgow on 26-27 November

A major event brings together players from many industries. It is a temporary city, a microcosm of society, that requires power, transport, infrastructure, lighting, project management and so on – many of which are provided by private companies on short term contracts. Coordinating this is inevitably more complex than for a permanent economy with an established supply chain for its services.

Considering the sheer amount of products, services and equipment required to stage a major event like an Olympic Games or a major festival, you would think that it would be easy for any number of suppliers to get involved.

Sadly though, not everyone knows how to access these major event procurement opportunities.

What are the barriers to getting involved in major event projects?

Firstly, when it comes to a mega event like the Olympic Games, they generally involve a large proportion of public funding. This means organisers are under great pressure from the public, amplified by the press, to demonstrate how funds are being distributed.

This can result in protectionism, incentivising domestic companies and making the procurement process less attractive to overseas providers. Or some processes can result in projects being contracted to the lowest bidder rather than the best solution provider.

In other cases, there can be a lack of transparency. Half of the stadiums used for the FIFA 2014 World Cup have come under scrutiny for alleged irregularities and bribery, with officials having been accused of accepting bribes in exchange for contracts.

Other barriers to contract opportunities come from within. A company may simply not have enough contacts or experience in the major events sectors, or the confidence to gain those contacts. While there is not a lot a private company can do about how procurement processes are run, there is a lot that can be done to raise your profile and gain confidence.

Top tips for smaller suppliers

1. Promote your activities through the media. Talk about your event successes at every opportunity – be active and build up a following on social media, engage in conversations, become known in your field.

2. Get involved in events of all sizes. It’s not all about the Olympic Games. Annual festivals and smaller local events provide constant earning opportunities and are easier to establish long-term relationships with.

3. Get Networking. Come to the best events in the sector where you get face to face with buyers. Events like Host City and the Event Production Show are all about the business of hosting major events.

4. Join an association. These can offer great advice and support from other members and confer quality status on their members. For example, Host City 2019’s Strategic Partners are the leading international associations in the event hosting supply chain.

5. Always believe in your soul. You are gold!

Super League Triathlon (SLT) is gearing up for the start of its 2019 Championship Series as the eyes of the multisport world turn to Jersey.

The Channel Island is one of the original SLT venues and has been further improved for this year’s event on September 28-29 to deliver one of triathlon’s most thrilling race weekends that will be watched around the globe.

Super League has reinvented the swim-bike-run format to produce short, sharp and hugely engaging races that are made for broadcast and a modern-day global sporting audience.

Jersey and SLT have formed a winning partnership as part of Super League’s ongoing collaborative efforts to recognise the uniqueness of all venues and provide value to the wider community who buy into the hosting.

It all starts with a desire to be part of the community, ensuring there is not widespread disruption to the host city and creating an amphitheatre feel around an 800-metre loop, so spectators are up close and personal with the action.

Also key to Jersey or any host city is a guarantee of world’s best athletes who are committed to not only achieving their sporting potential but also engaging in Super League’s extensive outreach programme.

The athletes spend the days building up to the weekend of racing in local schools and communities, providing role models to inspire health and wellness, social integration and diversity, and when the event goes live Jersey is seen across the world as a lifestyle destination.

And that’s all before you consider a few of the numbers. Nielsen Sports report that a Super League race is picked up by 104 broadcasters reaching 1.16 billion households with a media value of nearly £14 million.

There has also been huge growth in Super League’s digital footprint with an expectation that global reach from an event will grow to 42 million in 2019.

Super League remains focussed on delivering direct economic benefits to a host city – with Jersey estimated at around £1m last year – while also providing the intangible advantages that come via being associated with a globally recognised and game changing sports brand that aims to fit seamlessly into the local community and its culture.

Super League Triathlon has 2019 races planned in Jersey on September 28-29 and Malta on October 19-20. For more information visit superleaguetriathlon.com

[Source: Super League Triathlon] 

Michael D’Hulst, CEO of Super League Triathlon, is speaking at Host City 2019 in Glasgow on 26-27 November, under the conference theme “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-create”

Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS) updated Host City about developments in China immediately following meetings with the IOC Coordination Commission and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games Organising Committee.

“The drive and commitment in China is unparalleled, not just to organise outstanding Games, but to develop winter sports as a mainstream sporting activity, recreation and industry,” she told Host City.

China’s winter sports push has led to a major expansion of sports facilities, with 742 ski resorts and 596 ice rinks by the end of 2018, according to an IOC statement. The Beijing 2022 Organising Committee has cited a 16 per cent year-on-year growth of the winter sports industry in China to USD 53.6 billion in 2018, creating 1.5 million jobs to date.

The number of events being hosted is growing accordingly, with 8.15 million people taking part in 4,401 district level, municipal and national level winter sports events in Beijing alone during the 2018-2019 season.

“Beijing 2022 is delivering on its vision to engage 300 million people in winter sports, and we can see real benefits resulting from the various actions that are being undertaken across the country,” IOC Coordination Commission Chair Juan Antonio Samaranch said. “We have heard about some impressive developments that exemplify the vision for winter sports in China in terms of mass participation, elite sport and tourism. This progress is very encouraging for the long-term future of winter sport, both in China and internationally.”

The first test event for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup (Downhill & Super G), taking place on 15 and 16 February 2020, as part of a programme of 19 Olympic test events and 5 Paralympic test events. A local organising committee called “Experience Beijing” has been formed for the test events, with venue teams already moving to the Yanqing region and working closely with the FIS to host a successful competition.

Zhang Jiandong, Vice-Mayor of Beijing and Executive Vice-President of Beijing 2022, said that, with the first test event scheduled for February 2020, Games preparations had entered a new phase, with the focus shifting to operational readiness, and that the Organising Committee would step up work in all areas. “We will work closely with the relevant government offices to promote winter sports and attract more people, especially young people, to take part,” he added.

Strategic cooperation with Sina Sports

The IOC Coordination Commission visit to Beijing was immediately preceded by the signing of a strategic cooperation between FIS and Sina Sports for the promotion of snow sports in China.

“Our new partnership with Sina Sports complements the Get Into Snow Sports (GISS)-China programme focusing on beginner level,” Sarah Lewis told Host City.

The partners will also cooperate on the Sina Alpine Ski Cup mass participation skiing competition series in China, which will be officially endorsed by FIS. A “FIS Destination” will also be installed on Sina’s Weibo media platform, one of the biggest social media platforms in China, featuring coverage of FIS events and promoting FIS activities in China such as Get Into Snow Sports.

The Sina Alpine Ski Cup, created and initiated two years ago by Sina Sports, has quickly become the largest mass participation ski event in China. It will be the first such Alpine Skiing series to receive official FIS endorsement and will its organisation will be supported by the Chinese Ski Association. FIS anticipates the event will quadruple in size for the upcoming season.

The Get Into Snow Sports (GISS)-China grass roots beginner courses are being executed through FIS’s educational entity, FIS Academy, and in partnership with the Chinese Ski Association to complement their recreational and ski instructor programmes.

The FIS media channels on Weibo will feature various coverage of FIS events, promoted by Sina Sports alongside the Sina Alpine Ski Cup.

The reach and track record of Sina Sports is evidenced by sports events that they have already developed with 3x3 basketball and futsal.

“Sina Sports is delighted to be entering into this cooperation with FIS and receiving the first-ever mass participation skiing event endorsement from FIS. We are proud to support FIS initiatives in China, including official competition events as well as the Get Into Snow Sports (GISS)-China program, in order to jointly promote winter sports in anticipation of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics”, said Sam Li, Head of International Business Strategy for Sina Sports.

Sarah Lewis OBE is speaking at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, on 26-27 November in Glasgow

[Source: IOC] The Beijing 2022 ticketing programme will harness Alibaba’s technological and data expertise, ensuring a fully digitally enabled ticketing programme and modern user experience that allows fans to purchase and redistribute tickets securely. The OCOG will be responsible for the overall planning and delivery of the ticketing programme.

The appointment of Alibaba has been made with the objective of securing a single provider to deliver ticketing services and operations over several Games editions, reducing costs and the complexity of hosting the Games in line with Olympic Agenda 2020’s recommendations on efficient turnkey solutions. As a result, OCOGs will benefit from the opportunity to have a continuity of service through the provision of established systems and delivery experience, alleviating the need to design, engineer and deliver a solution for each individual Games edition.

Timo Lumme, Managing Director, IOC Television and Marketing Services, said: “The ticketing solutions provided will drive further innovation at the Olympic Games, enhance the spectator experience and reduce costs for organisers, delivering on the commitments made by Olympic Agenda 2020.”

Chris Tung, Alibaba’s Chief Marketing Officer, added: “We are proud to extend our partnership with the Olympic Games, beyond e-commerce and cloud, by supporting the Beijing 2022 ticketing programme. We look forward to leveraging our technology to help provide streamlined, digitally-enabled ticket sales services to create a seamless ticketing experience for fans around the world.”

In addition to existing work with the IOC on the development of its digital strategy and ecosystem, Alibaba’s expertise in engaging Chinese consumers and ownership of Damai, one of China’s largest ticketing platforms, makes it perfectly positioned to become the Beijing 2022 Ticketing Systems and Services Provider.

The 109 events in seven Olympic winter sports will take place from 4 to 20 February 2022 in the three competition zones of central Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.

[Source: Glasgow City Council] Stunning images of Glasgow and Scotland were promoted to a TV audience of more than 1.4 billion during the staging of the hugely successful inaugural European Championships last summer.

The official evaluation of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships revealed the substantial national and international exposure enjoyed as the multi-sport mega event was broadcast on free-to-air channels across 43 European countries.

And with online and social media coverage included, the audience for the 12 sports across Glasgow and co-host Berlin, who staged the Athletics, reached a massive 2.9 billion in the key tourism and business market of Europe.

In total the media exposure for Glasgow and Scotland was worth more than £250 million in PR value as millions of sports fans enjoyed the 11 days of Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon.

Highlights included a massive 1.4 million viewers tuning in to watch British swimming hero Adam Peaty break his own world record in the 100m Breaststroke at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre. At the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome Scottish cyclist Katie Archibald’s silver medal win in the Individual Pursuit was watched by a staggering 2 million viewers.

Across the UK the BBC reported an average audience of more than 1 million with a total reach of 20 million, in excess of established events such as the Rugby Six Nations, and just below the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The BBC also reported that the event attracted a higher female and younger audience than many other sporting events.

Across Glasgow and Scotland more than 560,000 people, more than double the projected number, attended a sport session, a Festival 2018 offering or visited the hugely popular George Square and ‘GO LIVE! at The Green’ live sites. 

Final attendance figures show 137,000 tickets for sport were issued, packing each of the 12 venues with roaring crowds to support the new champions of Europe. More than 54,000 attended free sporting events such as the Cycling Road Race on the streets of the city, and the Open Water Swimming at the stunning Loch Lomond.

In total 97 per cent of spectators from Glasgow were proud that their city, renowned for the warm welcome of its residents, was hosting the mega event.

3,103 athletes representing 48 countries competed during Glasgow 2018. Russia topped the medal table, followed closely by Great Britain. The event included numerous memorable experiences with new European champions crowned in 187 medal events and two world records were broken in the Swimming.

The athletes were accompanied by 3,760 accredited officials and delegates. In addition to the value of the worldwide PR exposure for Glasgow and Scotland, an independent economic assessment showed significant amounts of expenditure from these visitors and participants in the event, as well as millions of pounds of contracts won for Scottish companies.

As a result of hosting the European Championships there was just over £34 million of additional spend in Glasgow and Scotland, and an estimated £24 million of contracts awarded to Scottish companies, with £8.5 million of those going to companies based in the Glasgow City Region.

Significant effort was made to create social and community benefits by the organisers. Team 2018, the 3,600 invaluable volunteers who were key to making the event such a success according to those surveyed, were a diverse workforce, exceeding targets for the number of Scottish and Glasgow residents (representing every local authority areas in the country), new volunteers, including significant numbers of people aged under 26.

Around 50 per cent of the volunteers said they we would do more volunteering as a result of taking part in Glasgow 2018. Another 17 countries were represented across Team 2018.

Continuing the delivery of sporting and cultural legacy created by the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, was also a key objective of the event. More than 20,000 people took the opportunity to try one of the sports across all Glasgow 2018 venues and approximately 30,000 people said they learned more about healthy lifestyles as a result of visiting ‘GO LIVE! at the Green.’

Alongside the sport, Festival 2018 was a world class cultural festival which created a vibrant live city experience, with 2,400 artists and performers contributing, alongside more than 5,600 voluntary and non-professional performers. In total more than 370,000 people visited a Festival or Live Site.

Minister for Sport, Joe FitzPatrick MSP, said: “The incredible broadcast numbers achieved by the Glasgow 2018 European Championships are great news, and mean people around the world had the chance to see Scotland demonstrating the nation’s ability to stage top-class sporting events.

“The competition will have far-reaching effects – not just in terms of showcasing our country and culture around the globe, but also in inspiring a whole new generation of athletes.

“The success exceeded our expectations and I congratulate all involved in this event.”

Councillor David MacDonald, depute leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Yet again I want to say thank you to the athletes, volunteers, spectators, media, officials and amazing home crowds.

“These final broadcast numbers illustrate only too clearly the massive benefit the staging of events bring to our city as we showcase what we have to offer to visitors and investors across Europe and beyond.”

[Source: Riot Games] Riot Games today reveals the economic impact the first League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Finals had on the host city of Rotterdam. In association with Burson Cohn & Wolfe Sports, the leading firm within host city partnerships, Riot Games developed a programme inspired by traditional sports structures that saw over 40 cities bid to host the first LEC Finals. Analysis of the LEC Spring Finals held at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam on April 13th and 14th shows impressive economic impact that outperforms other sports events of similar size and length, in hockey, soccer and basketball.

This economic impact analysis concludes that the LEC Spring Finals contributed €2,358,417 to the local economy of Rotterdam. The study combines personal on-site surveys with Riot Games' verified accounts and ticket-sale data from the event and found the average guest spent €52.6 per day and 87.13% of the event's guests were non-local visitors. Alongside the measurable impact, the study also found additional impacts such as the future potential of tourism with visitors stating they would be willing to travel long distances to visit the LEC. The Spring Finals hosted visitors from China, South Korea, Peru and 37.83% of international visitors stated they would consider moving to Rotterdam if the right job opportunity became available.

The Riot Games host city process, which was the first of its kind in esports, has been in development since 2018 and the high demand from host cities has resulted in Riot Games expanding their programme with cities being invited to bid two years in advance with applications for 2021 now open.   

"Esports is maturing. We're establishing processes based on long-standing sports to elevate the industry and to develop the ecosystem further," said Alban Dechelotte, Head of Business Development and Sponsorships for the LEC. "At the same time we're offering something traditional sports doesn't have, a younger tech-oriented audience, and this provides tremendous value for cities looking to attract a hard to reach demographic. Whilst the broadcast potential of esports means we're able to promote a city on an international scale. Streaming knows no borders."   

"We've assisted many sports rights holders in their host city partnerships, but the interest for esports is at a level we have never experienced before," said Ronnie Hansen, Director of Sports Practice for Burson Cohn & Wolfe Sports. "Our study shows an impressive economic impact, outperforming other sport events of similar size and lengths. The reason is very simple; the share of non-local guests is substantial and the spend from a young, well-educated demography is high."

"We were thrilled to host Riot Games in our venue (2016 for the EU LCS and 2019 for the LEC Spring Finals). Our indoor arena is made for big and exciting sporting events and is the perfect location in Rotterdam, and even in the Netherlands, for esports tournaments. Amazing atmosphere, great audience and we would love to host more esports events in the future!", according to CEO of Rotterdam Ahoy, Jolanda Jansen.

The LEC launched in January 2019 and quickly became the most viewed esport league in Europe with a 25% increase in average viewers per minute for the final weekend from 2018. The league has also signed a significant number of mainstream sponsors including Shell, Kia, Beko and Footlocker and the number continues to rise with more sponsors being revealed this Summer.  

The LEC Summer Finals heads to Athens on September 7th and 8th for more information please visit eu.lolesports.com.

The bidding process for 2020 is already closed by applications are open for 2021.To find out more about the host city bidding process please visit: https://bcw-sport.com/league-of-legends-host/

Alban Dechelotte is speaking at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. Register here

Air Race E plans to run a series of international electric air racing events, starting with the inaugural race in 2020, in an effort to facilitate the development and promotion of cleaner, faster and more technologically-advanced electric engines.

The series will be run by Air Race Events and led by world-leading air racing promoter Jeff Zaltman, the man behind the globally successful Air Race 1 series – the fuel-powered equivalent.

Applications are being received via a formal bidding process  through which a shortlist of cities will be determined by October 2019. A final decision on the selection of the first race venue is expected by December 2019.

“Air Race E is the ideal catalyst for engineering teams to test cutting-edge electric propulsion technology, under the rigours of a proven racing format, while also providing high quality entertainment for international visitors and global TV audiences. We look forward to reviewing the host city bids and working with the successful destination to create a truly historic event,” said Zaltman.

Previous Air Race 1 events run by the company have attracted visitors and media from around the world, reaching an audience of over 1.3 billion people in 127 countries and a reach of more than 4.2 million on social media alone. Zaltman said the potential for Air Race E will be even higher, with support from industry leaders like Airbus, recently announced as the Official Founding Partner of Air Race E, providing industry insight and research to participating teams as they build their electric race aircraft.

Air Race E notes that a suitable airport would be a critical factor in the viability of a city’s bid.

For more information on becoming a host city go to https://airracee.com/content/host-cities/ or email info@airracee.com.

About Air Race E

Air Race E will become the world’s first all-electric airplane race when it launches its inaugural series of international races in 2020. Run by Air Race Events and led by world-leading air racing promoter Jeff Zaltman, the man behind the globally successful Air Race 1 World Cup, the race is set to revolutionise air racing and pioneer innovations in electric aviation. Air Race E will see electric airplanes race directly against each other on a tight 5km circuit just 10m above the ground and at speeds faster than any land-based motorsport. The demand for speed, performance and power management under the rigors of a competitive race environment provide the perfect platform for the development and promotion of cleaner, faster and more technologically-advanced electric engines. The Light Aircraft Association (LAA), has committed its support in developing the technical regulations and providing design oversight for the sport, soon to be sanctioned by the Formula Air Racing Association (FARA) and its counter-part in France, the Association des Pilotes D'Avions de Formules (APAF).