World Class Sports Host 2010

WORLD CLASS SPORTS HOSTS The SportBusiness Guide to the World’s Greatest Sporting Destinations

Your Sport - Our Passion In Denmark we are passionate about hosting international sports events. We have the experience and the partners to stage a successful event.

We recognize the importance of adding value to an event and its owner, and we always strive to do our utmost to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders. Your Sport - Our passion.

CONTENTS 05 Introduction Celebrating 2010: a year of sporting events that will forever be remembered

08 The Big Debate How will the sports bidding and hosting environment change in the decade ahead?

06 Melbourne’s Main Man Brendan McClements outlines the success of Melbourne as a sporting destination

10

Public Funding of Sport Cash may be king, but sport has much to gain from the broader support of government

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World Class Sports Hosts Basel, Singapore, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Sport Event Denmark, Düsseldorf, Aero GP, Leipzig, Manchester, Québec City, Richmond, Scotland, World Match Racing Tour

Editor

Editorial Director

Published by:

World Class Sports Hosts is published

Matt Cutler

Kevin Roberts

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annually © SBG Companies Ltd 2010. All rights

Contributors

Publishing Director

Phil Savage

Phil Savage

David Walmsley Design Charlie Thomas

International Business Director Stuart Lewis Media Sales

Production Manager

Cyril Dujacquier

Craig Young

Charlie Dixon

Production Assistant Laura Head

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The The The The The

A worldclass city for events Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia, its economic and cultural centre, and in many ways the perfect place for large sporting events. Add the fact that most Scandinavians are positively sports crazy, and you quickly realise that no sporting event is too big for the Capital of Scandinavia.

Event Stockholm makes it easy for you Together with our network of competent partners, we offer event organisers highly informed, accessible help and advice, with no costs whatsoever. Let us help you plan for your next upcoming event in Stockholm – The city where events come alive! www.eventstockholm.se

Welcome

to the second edition

of World Class Sports Hosts, in which some of the leading destinations for sport showcase their facilities, experience and passion for hosting events.

As each year passes, new cities and regions join the list of those investing in sport. They do so to achieve policy objectives, such as improving quality of life and attracting international tourists, but above all because someone has had the

vision to make it happen.

In the course of putting this supplement together it has been our privilege to meet and talk to dozens of special individuals without whom a town, city or country would simply be like any other. Through their inspirational leadership, however, they have in many cases written their name into the history of sport.

We are delighted to feature some of those individuals within these pages, and in particular to get a birds-eye view of Melbourne, the two-time winner of the SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City award. Brendan McClements, CEO of Victorian Major Events, gives some salutatory advice for aspiring hosts.

Since the first issue of World Class Sports Hosts last year, a multitude of Championships, Tours and Games have been held plus, of course, two of the very biggest quadrennials: the Winter Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. Many decisions have also been taken about future hosts and several new events have been created and staged.

In such a dynamic environment it is no surprise that the thinking and practice of sports hosts is changing too. SportBusiness’ very own David Walmsley reflects this change in his piece on the contribution of government to sport. He explores the broader role that public authorities can play in hosting elite sport and argues that it is not just cash that counts, but the creative engagement of local organisers.

I hope you enjoy learning more about some of the genuine World Class Sports Hosts, whether you are a federation wanting to stage an event or a destination looking at what it takes to attract them.

Happy reading.

Phil Savage, Publishing Director, SportBusiness Group

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MELBOURNE’S MAIN MAN BRENDAN MCCLEMENTS, CEO OF VICTORIA MAJOR EVENTS COMPANY, OUTLINES THE SUCCESSES OF MELBOURNE AS A SPORTING DESTINATION AND EXPLAINS HOW NONSPORTING EVENTS ARE POSING SERIOUS COMPETITION TO sports RIGHTS HOLDERS. Ever since the city of Melbourne hosted the Olympic Games back in 1956, the state Capital of Victoria has built a reputation as one of the best places on earth to stage major sports events.

It’s a city, with a population of four million, that hosts a Grand Slam tennis championship, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, one of the world’s most important and prestigious horseracing festivals and a huge number of additional domestic professional sports events.

In the Melbourne Cricket Ground it has one of the world’s truly iconic sports venues, but the MCG - historic but entirely refurbished - has been joined by a host of other modern facilities and stadia that make the city a plug-in-andplay destination for tournaments and multi-sports events.

Hardly surprising then that Melbourne has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards including the title of SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City three times in a row (2006, 2008 and 2010).

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It is a title that was not easily earned.

Melbourne’s pre-eminence as a host city for major sports events is the result of deliberate planning and investment, and a sophisticated understanding of the financial and social benefits that come from events which attract big-spending visitors from both Australia and around the world, in addition to providing a platform for marketing tourist and inward investment opportunities.

In fact, it can be argued that Melbourne’s image as a thriving, worldclass city is founded on its reputation as a sporting hub.

The Victorian Major Events Company (VMEC) is the body responsible for this and the man at the helm is CEO Brendan McClements, who took the reins in 2007.

Now in its 25th year, VMEC has scored some notable goals for the city and for sport. When Melbourne hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2006 the city was widely credited with giving the property a new life, such was the enthusiasm it generated. The city and

its residents also warmly welcomed a number of the less glamorous teams in the 2003 Rugby World Cup and Melbourne and its venues are, of course, a key part of Australia’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

But while sports events provide the most high-profile evidence of the VMEC’s success, sport’s rights owners would do well to remember that they aren’t always the only show in town.

McClements says the ferocious competition between cities to host major events is not confined to sport and as the sector becomes more sophisticated, other attractions are competing seriously for city budgets.

“Not all sports rights holders seem to realise that they have competition. Our job is to deliver certain outcomes and the potential to do that does not reside exclusively with sport,” he said.

“Mass participation events could be the most significantly affected in this way.

The 2009 World Masters Games [rowing] in Sydney required AU$16million

Sports events are really just one of a multitude of choices and opportunities and the fact is that there’s currently an under-supply of premium, ‘Blue Chip’ global sports events.

of public money but major cultural exhibitions are capable of delivering more visitors over a longer time frame.”

McClements points to the globetrotting ‘Titanic’ exhibition and other blockbuster displays such as ‘Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs’ as examples.

“Titanic attracted between 400,000 and 500,000 in the cities which hosted it and we would anticipate that 15 to 20 per cent of visitors for that exhibition will be from outside the state,” he says.

“Sports events are really just one of a multitude of choices and opportunities and the fact is that there is currently an under-supply of premium, ‘Blue Chip’ global sports events. That means hosting fees tend to go through the roof.”

That’s always likely to be the case in a competitive market and the sector has been affected by the emergence of Asian nations and, in particular, Gulf States and their ‘money-no-object’ approach to attracting major events.

“That sort of competition should be welcomed, particularly by the rights holders, for whom they are welcome additions to the landscape. The point is that they need to be able to carefully assess the points of comparison between cities and their strengths and weaknesses,” says McClements.

“Melbourne is a premium brand and competes on value and not just price so we remain confident in our offer.

“We are also part of Asia and Asia is a massive and growing force. That is an

economic reality and it is a reality that is getting a number of sports to think about how they engage with the region. For rights holders the Asian opportunity is very real. In fact Asia is fast becoming a major battleground for sports rights.”

So against this background of fierce competition, what advice does the experienced McClements have for those thinking about throwing their hats into the ring?

“The first thing is to ensure that, whether you are part of a democracy or not, you have full and total political support and commitment,” he says.

“Unless you can be sure of that it will be difficult to succeed.

“It’s also imperative to have the clearest understanding of your competitive strength. You need to know what makes your different and how to match the needs of various sports.”

But, says McClements, it’s ultimately people who make the difference: “There’s always a lot of focus on the hardware side of things - the stadia, facilities and infrastructure. But in many ways those things are easy. It is just a case of money and funding for construction.

“The software - that is the people - is the more difficult part. Major events are not simple undertakings and they are about more than a stadium. All the many ingredients are individually complicated and have to be highly integrated. That may not be immediately apparent but it is having the ability to deliver events which really counts.”

He is quick to point out that VMEC is not an event organiser: “We are not a ‘command and control’ organisation, our role is about connectivity and people.

It’s about having the connectivity with and confidence in the police and other services which will be involved in events.”

Victoria has been staging major events for more than 100 years and media reports of a potential bid for another summer Olympic Games suggests the state retains it appetite.

McClements says that VMEC is upbeat about the future and that its strength lies in a multi-faceted brand.

“Our slogan is ‘Love Every Piece of Victoria’ and sports events are a part of the whole experience. The more you look into Victoria the more you find,” he says.

“Above all Melbourne itself is a ‘doing’ city and not just a ‘seeing’ city. People come here because they want to get actively involved in experiences and that works well for us.

“In Melbourne there is no loss of appetite for events, we are committed and interested across the spectrum.

“And while sports federations tend to be to be more structured and formalised in their processes for choosing hosts, we seek not to be formulaic. We don’t want to operate by numbers on a grid.”

All of which should be good news for the UCI Road World Championships and golf’s Presidents Cup, both of which are heading down to Victoria during 2011, adding to its packed programme of international and domestic events.

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Peter Mann, Chairman, pmplegacy

THE SportBusiness DEBATE “Whilst the financial return for events rights holders will remain a pivotal consideration, corporate social responsibility will become increasingly important.”

The process of bidding and hosting major sporting events will, due to increased competition and global economics, become increasingly sophisticated and require higher levels of professionalism, starting with establishing a strong rationale for the bid against clearly identified sporting, economic and social objectives. Countries will recognise the importance of having a clear events strategy in place to demonstrate their commitment, experience and expertise.

We will continue to see new continents and cities competing in the events arena, encouraged by the 2010 South Africa World Cup and of course Brazil’s hosting of the big two: the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. Geo-political aspirations, linked to national brand-building and profileraising on the world stage, will also be key incentives as more and more countries recognise the potential of sport, tourism and major events as key drivers for economic growth and social cohesion.

New events will continue to emerge and the success of the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore will encourage large and small nations alike to embrace these opportunities. We may also see a European Games in the major events calendar, opening up yet more opportunities for smaller cities, whilst alerting established rights holders that they need to keep refreshing and enhancing existing events.

Technological advances in climate control will open up new markets and venues, and equally exciting is the advance in digital media engagement programmes, such as those used

by Singapore 2010 to engage with the youth of the world.

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“How will the sports bidding and hosting environment change in the decade ahead and what forces will drive that change?”

Major sports events have never been more important.

In an age when only the most dramatic of soap opera cliff-hangers or talent show finales come close to delivering the same massive television audiences, sport enjoys a unique place in the hearts of entire nations.

That’s because sport’s mega-events tend to attract an audience which extends well beyond the regular hardcore fanbase. Audiences for major world championships and the Olympic Games tend to cross gender and socioeconomic divides.

In many cases these events have come to rival key social and religious festivals. Look at any supermarket around World Cup time and the event overlays all retail activity in much the same way Christmas does. In fact, the people responsible for the licensing programme for the London 2012 Olympics are talking about it as a year when Christmas comes twice.

The global passion for major sports events presents the cities and countries which host them with a range of opportunities to bask in the global limelight, to launch social projects and to update facilities and infrastructure. The key issue is legacy for the sport and for the host.

And then of course there are the bragging rights. The Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was more than a celebration of sporting spirit: it was intended as a clear signal to the watching world that China has arrived as a major force in 21st century trade, commerce and politics, and wasn’t about to fade away any time soon.

Such is the value attached to hosting events that the competition between bidders becomes fiercer by the year and individual campaigns cost tens – if not hundreds – of millions and are conducted with the intensity and sophistication of a political election.

But there are those who continue to question whether the money spent on attracting and staging events really pays dividends, and the downturn in the global economy raises doubts as to whether the current ferocity of bidding competition can be maintained indefinitely.

So how will bidding and hosting develops in the years ahead? Who will be the powerful new entrants to the market place, how will competition from entertainment and cultural events impact the market, what role will technology play and how will the expectations of host cities and countries change?

We asked an expert panel for their views.

Nigel Rushman, Founder, Rushmans

Jasper Perry, UK Director, TSE Consulting

“Climate need not be a major “Their willingness to host major obstacle to hosting events - after all, events will continue to grow with the technology applies not only to the focus on building their brands outdoor stadiums but to Fan Parks on the international scene.” and other associated facilities.”

Kevin Roberts, Editorial Director, SportBusiness Group

“There is considerable public disquiet about the sums invested in mounting a bid for a major sports event, particularly if the bid is unsuccessful.”

The bidding and hosting sector continues to evolve with almost every major Games or tournament awarded, and all the indications are that evolution will accelerate over the coming decade.

Every bid teaches us something and every bid adds something to the mix. It is a situation which must delight the governing

During the next decade the demand to host major sporting events within mature markets such as the US and Europe may decrease, leading to change within the sports bidding and hosting environment.

There are three reasons for this. Firstly, the financial crisis means it is now more difficult to justify investment in events when cuts are

I have it on good authority that bidding to host the Olympic Games is likely to cost upwards of $100m - and that’s only the official figure. It is a huge amount of money and one which could be used to achieve a lot if invested in developing grassroots sports and providing sports equipment for schools. Just think, if five bidding cities each spend $100m - that’s half a

bodies whose sports ultimately benefit.

The Qatar bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup provides a perfect example of this evolution. I am proud to have worked on the bid and to have been a part of its development and delivery.

While the bid is exceptional in its own right, it is likely to have a long-lasting impact for many other potential bidding nations and for the level of competition in the bidding for major events.

Until now, the issue of climate has appeared to be an insurmountable problem for potential host cities in nations in hot regions including the Gulf. Governing bodies set relatively small windows for their events and the two biggest of all – the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup – have slots at the height of the Northern Hemisphere summer when temperatures in the Gulf and elsewhere have always made it impossible to entertain the idea of outdoor sporting competition.

But the investment made by Qatar in developing a new generation of carbon-neutral cooling technologies means this no longer need be the case. This is a technical revolution which has massive implications. From here onwards climate need not be a major obstacle to hosting events – after all, the technology applies not only to outdoor stadiums but to Fan Parks and other associated facilities. That will liberate many other nations to make bids safe in the knowledge that they will have to be judged on their merits rather than on climatic circumstances.

being made elsewhere. Secondly, there’s a feeling in the mature market that they’ve been there, done that and are looking for something new. Finally, issues around measuring return on event investment have yet to be resolved.

This will provide the opportunity for new markets to emerge, which is already happening in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Their willingness to host major events will continue to grow with the focus on building their brands on the international scene.

With rights holders developing their sports and creating different formats, the number of events on offer is increasing. This will allow this emerging market to mature more quickly, allowing these cities and nations to climb the ladder to host the most prestigious events sooner. But it will also mean that there will be fewer host options for the rights holders to choose from.

So what is the solution? The main question is how rights holders keep the cities and nations interested. Firstly they must clearly identify what the needs of the host are and then ensure the event adjusts to the needs of the host. Rights holders also need to move away from a city focus towards a more regional approach. Why can the Olympics or Commonwealth Games only be hosted in the one city? It makes far more sense for a region to host the event (especially for multi-sports events) as more funds can be accessed and the benefits can be distributed wider.

If this approach is not adopted then the number of viable options for hosts in the future will decrease.

billion which might be invested elsewhere.

There is considerable public disquiet about the sums invested in mounting a bid for a major sports event, particularly if the bid is unsuccessful. The public is less likely to swallow the line about the benefits which accrue simply from bidding, and when the public are also funding bids through their taxes, the situation may become untenable.

None of this can be lost on world sport’s major governing bodies. On one hand, they have raised sustainability and sports legacy issues close to the top of their agendas while presiding over what many people believe to be a colossal waste of cash.

There is another issue of course - that of perceived fairness. The way things stand at the moment, the bids which are able to throw most money at a campaign certainly increase their chances of success. They can spend most on consultants, presentations, promo films, exhibition space and the promotional detritus of a bid. This has to restrict the range of bidders and hand the advantage to those wealthy nations where spending decisions are not subject to the rigorous scrutiny of a parliamentary system.

So maybe the next 10 years will see a rationalisation of the bidding process led by governing bodies that take a holistic approach to their events portfolio, and are prepared to do more than be impressed by money. I am not for one moment suggesting that the skilled consultants who devise and implement bid campaigns are not worthy of their fees. But there has to be a case for regulation.

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PUBLIC FUNDING

Public Authorities and the Funding of Sport Much has been made of the amounts paid by city, regional and national governments to attract and host major events. but cash is just one part of the picture. David Walmsley, author of new SportBusiness report Sport and the Role of Government, finds that whilst cash may be king, sport has much to gain from the broad support of government.

Sport is increasingly seen as an effective tool of public policy and can take a wide variety of formats.

Whilst much local authority work takes place well away from the glow of major events, many will use high-profile activities as a catalyst to achieve their wider community objectives. Indeed, there are some who recommend that broader public policy goals can only be served by a combination of strategic and grassroots approaches.

Policy success can be reinforced through work with high-profile elite athletes who will often come with a major event. The city of Manchester uses star athletes to activate its major events programme in this way and additionally leading international coaches deliver master classes.

Grassroots activation may differ widely, according to the needs of communities, 10 WORL D CL ASS Sports Hosts

but many cities recognise the lead role that major events and elite sport can play in making progress.

Approaches to public sector involvement in event staging centre on two main issues: l The scope and sophistication of the public authority’s hosting policy; and l The extent of its involvement in the delivery of the event.

The public sector hosting policy spectrum is an extremely broad one, ranging from local health organisations organising an annual fun run to sporting cities like Melbourne, Manchester and Singapore (the latter hosted 700 events during 2009 alone).

At the top end, in Australia, for example, the State of Victoria allocated AUS$55 million per year to fund major events between 2006-07 and 2010-11, and

then topped this up with an additional AUS$34.2 million over the final three years of that period in recognition of the rising cost of winning hosting rights.

Manchester, in contrast, has a budget of little over £1 million a year and has consequently adopted a different approach by developing alternative events of its own. In 2009, this strategy brought double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt to a public 150-metre race in the city centre following a mass participation running event, in addition to a Europe versus USA swimming meet dubbed ‘The Duel in the Pool’.

The City Council’s Head of Leisure, Eamonn O’Rourke, says of this tactic: “A year ago we began to feel that accredited events were pricing themselves out of our market. We wouldn’t have bid for the world swimming championships against Dubai,

for example. I’m not sure whether that has changed but we won’t be driven by the events market.

“Usain Bolt in May and the Duel in the Pool in December were manufactured events but we still received world recognition for them. I am a fan of accredited events but if they are out of your range, manufactured events can be as good.”

The partnership approach When choosing to host, local capability and willingness to become involved is a big determinant of the events a city can attract as some events require more of a hands-on approach than others. Here again there are alternatives to direct involvement which make a partnership approach one that still has significant value to sport.

Emerging economies such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, which operate on a central model, are most likely to be attracted by a hands-on approach. The also typically have the resources to manage it effectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, the

city of Gothenburg has an approach based around its surrounding region’s network of volunteer sports clubs. The expertise of these clubs is enaged to run the competition side of events while the city handles promotion and accommodation.

Manchester and Melbourne sit in between the two extremes, willing to act as operators but also receptive to events driven by property owners.

Manchester tends to have a more strategic role in the process. The City Council’s Eamonn O’Rourke says: “With the British National Squash Championships we have an events team and we want to make sure it delivers on all its objectives.

“But with the Manchester Run, [events agency] Nova International drives that. We deal with the road closures and the health and safety but we don’t have any event staff on it.

“The direction of travel is to get out of operation. There are enough event operators out there; our job should be strategy and procurement and to focus on legacy.”

A retreat from the direct delivery role recasts the public sector as an enabler of

sport rather than a provider of it in itself. This approach is already common in Germany, where the public authorities promote sports participation through clubs, which are the primary vehicle for delivering policy.

Other opportunities An absence of direct funding to stage sporting events can leave the door open to other opportunities. The training of community members in programme delivery, for example, can enable them to become self-sustaining, while public authorities can also provide a wide range of logistical support to event operators.

Support of this nature can be extended further if public authorities think more widely about what they have to offer.

“Our relationships with police and health authorities are assets,” says O-Rourke. “We can close Deansgate at four weeks’ notice.

It’s all about the ability to think and deliver outside the box.”

Although some sports events require a fee or tariff from potential hosts, it is much more common for public money WO RLD C LASS Sports Hosts 11

PUBLIC FUNDING

“US cities simply don’t have money to spend on new venues. We have passed through the era of public support.” to be ploughed into staging facilities.

Appetite for this type of investment varies depending on the type of events being staged and the availability and condition of existing venues.

A lasting legacy All the talk these days is of legacy so it will be no surprise that public investment of this kind will have at least two objectives: to stage events and to provide facilities for local communities to participate in sport when the circus has left town.

Access to investment of this nature depends on how successful one is in persuading authorities that there is both a viable legacy use and that this use meets the needs of the community.

Trends towards alternative and more informal settings for sports like running and cycling can make this a challenge. Evidence shows that participation of this nature can make a valuable contribution to public health, particularly as so-called “hard to reach” groups are more likely to be found in non-formal sports settings.

Public investment in spectator sports stadia tends to carry a far higher price tag than investment in participation facilities, particularly at the major and mega event level. Even a regional championship in a 12 WORL D CL ASS Sports Hosts

second-tier sport can require a host to dig deep in its pockets.

These sums are dwarfed by the levels of subsidy that are provided for professional teams’ stadium developments in the USA. Many observers, however, believe the high water mark for such investments has now passed. NASC Executive Director Don Schumacher says: “Ten or 15 years ago it was very common to see cities or counties providing new venues for professional teams. That is uncommon today.

“The number of new major league pro venues built recently with public funds has decreased dramatically. The truth is US cities simply don’t have money to spend on new venues and voters are currently unlikely to approve stadium-financing tax rises. We have passed through the era of public support.”

There are still many sports societies that believe in the value of spectator sport facilities, but Schumacher says in the USA the focus has shifted towards mass participation facilities that will both benefit the local community and stage amateur tournaments which attract teams and athletes from out of town.

Whilst the considerations above may see governments refusing to fund venues directly, a wider understanding of their

role should encourage would-be promoters and developers to look again at what help can be obtained. This help can be vital in bringing a development to fruition but it may require another look at issues beyond simply the venue itself.

Impact on the community Most public authorities will control where and what type of buildings are approved for development. In the case of a major sporting arena, the footprint of the development is likely to attract considerable scrutiny. The capital costs may also rely on a mix of revenues to service the end-goal of having sport as just one of several activities in a broader leisure and retail setting.

Each of these uses will have an impact on a community and require planning consents and permissions. Indeed, a large development will often stall without the requisite political will to drive it. Local priorities, for example, may mean that the ideal out-of-town location becomes impossible if permissions and grants are attached to developments that are regenerating a city centre.

A major stadium project will raise considerations of transport and road links, and these are all easier to accommodate if the overall plan dovetails with a city’s needs.

Sports Tourism: Strategies for Successful Development

For more information or to order contact: T: +44 207 954 3481 E: adam.barker@sportbusiness.com www.sportbusiness.com/reports

Basel

St. Jakob-Park

A city that will win your heart Basel is situated in the Germanspeaking part of Switzerland, on the border with Germany and France. This unique location is one of the reasons why the citizens of Basel are so frequently credited with being highly cosmopolitan.

The two world trade fairs, Art Basel and BASELWORLD, have played a significant part in ensuring that the city is filled with an international atmosphere. At the same time, tradition and history are highly valued here, and the inhabitants feel a strong attachment to Basel.

The local football club, FC Basel, is a clear example of the strong attachment felt.

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Its fans are always steadfastly behind their team, whether in a national tournament or at international level, which has put this city on the Rhine firmly on the map as a footballing stronghold. It is therefore no surprise that the local residents still harbour happy memories of the summer when the UEFA Euro 2008 competition was held there.

Basel’s enthusiasm for other sports, however, is unbounded. The city is particularly proud of the tennis star Roger Federer, who was born and grew up in the area. Every autumn his appearance is anticipated at the Swiss Indoors tournament, the biggest sporting event in Switzerland. A new

highlight in the sporting calendar will be held for the first time this year in the form of the ‘BaselHead’, an international rowing regatta.

Mass-participation sports are also popular in Basel. Many residents enjoy one particular kind of leisure activity during the summer months: swimming in the river Rhine.

For runners, the city has something just as special to offer: in September 2010, the first ‘Run to the Beat Basel’ marathon was held.

This idea started in London and combines running with music. During the Christmas season, thousands will also take to the streets for the Basel City Run, which is routed through the city centre.

facilities St. Jakob-Park With 38,500 seats, Basel’s St. Jakob-Park is the largest football stadium in Switzerland and is home ground of reigning cup holder and Swiss champion, FC Basel 1893. In 2008 the capacity was increased to 42,500 for UEFA Euro 2008 where St. Jakob-Park was the venue for six matches, including the opening game.

The stadium was designed by the Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, a firm which has since achieved worldwide eminence with projects such as the Allianz Arena in Munich and the Olympic Stadium in Beijing.

St. Jakob-Arena The ice stadium of St. Jakob-Arena, home stadium of EHC Basel Sharks, has a capacity of up to 8,000. The 60-by-30 metre ice rink is not just a venue for ice-hockey matches, but is also available for figure skating and can be used for a great variety of sporting and other events.

Both St. Jakob-Park and the St. Jakob-Arena are operated by Basel United AG, the company that co-ordinates, organises and supports events of all types and guarantees that they run smoothly, from the planning stage through to the implementation.

In addition to these two event venues, Basel United AG also manages the Pantheon Basel vintage car museum and the Schänzli equestrian centre, two localities that can also be used to stage a highly diverse range of events.

St. Jakobshalle The St. Jakobshalle indoor stadium, situated right next to St. Jakob-Park and the St. Jakob-Arena, offers a variety of premises totaling 22,000-metres-squared for many different types of event. The centre-piece is its great hall measuring 2,800 metressquared, whose versatility means that it can be completely

St. Jakob-Arena

transformed within a very short time. It is used as the Centre Court for the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament, a boxing arena for World Championship Boxing, a riding arena for the CSI Basel show jumping competition, an ice rink for the Ice Hockey World Championship and a racetrack for the Freestyle Motocross World Championships Night of the Jumps.

Measuring 70-by-40 metres, it has capacity for up to 9,000 spectators, according to its hall plan. The ancillary halls are somewhat smaller, measuring 42-by-25 metres and 48-by-36 metres respectively, and each can seat up to 1,500 people for a variety of mid-scale events. They may also be used as additional premises for major events.

St. Jakobshalle is owned by the City of Basel. Event organisers can benefit from a multi-functional infrastructure and a team dedicated to their individual requirements.

Events In addition to the regular Super League and Swiss Cup football matches, Basel’s St. Jakob-Park, the home of FC Basel 1893, has been increasingly used for international matches of the Swiss national team, including qualifying games for the European Cup and World Cup. UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches are also frequently held at St. Jakob-Park, thanks to the success of the home team FC Basel 1893. The highlight for the city, however, was Euro 2008, when Basel was the main venue for Switzerland when the country co-hosted the competition with Austria.

Even though the local ice-hockey team EHC Basel Sharks is not currently in the top-tier of the domestic Swiss league, there is still plenty of enthusiasm for the sport in Basel. The Skoda Cup, for example, has already been held several times in the St. Jakob-Arena and Basel has been hosting the Summer Ice Hockey Tournament, with top international teams, since 2009. St. Jakobshalle was also the venue for the Ice Hockey World Championship when the city co-hosted the event with Zurich in 1998.

In 2006 Basel was the venue for the European Curling Championships, which were likewise held in the St. Jakob-Arena.

The city is currently looking forward to the next highlight in the curling calendar when, in 2012, Basel’s St. Jakobshalle will host the matches of the Men’s World Curling Championships.

Other major sporting events in Basel have included the start of the Gigathlon - a multi-sport event where competitors cycle, run, swim, and skate - in 2007, the Wrestling Extreme Rampage in 2009 at the St. Jakob-Arena, the European Handball Championships in 2006 and the World Boxing Championships in 2007. The latter both took place at the St. Jakobshalle.

Returning sports events enjoy a particularly high status such as the CSI Basel show jumping competition, the Wilson Badminton Swiss Open, the Women’s Top Volley International, World Cup fencing tournaments, the Motocross Series Night of the Jumps and, of course, the Swiss Indoors ATP World Tour 500.

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 15

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Basel

St. Jakobshalle indoor stadium

THE CITY AS EVENT PARTNER The City of Basel’s External Affairs and Marketing Department has an event services unit that provides free and unbureaucratic assistance and a wide range of services to help ensure that an event held in Basel runs smoothly and successfully.

The event services unit acts as a central point of contact for event organisers

CONTACTS For events at St. Jakob-Park or the St. Jakob-Arena: Basel United AG Birsstrasse 320 Postfach CH-4020 Basel Tel: +41 (0)61 375 12 22 Fax: +41(0)61 375 12 23 info@baselunited.ch www.baselunited.ch For events in St. Jakobshalle:

16 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

and helps them with planning and implementation.

As a “one-stop-shop” it provides an essential point of liaison with authorities and administrators. It assists event organisers with cantonal approval procedures (cantons are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland),

government services and scheduling.

This is done by liaising with contacts in the main institutions, carrying out welcoming campaigns and creating communication platforms.

Event organisers will always benefit from the Department’s many years of experience and broad and diverse network of contacts.

St. Jakobshalle Basel Brüglingerstrasse 19-21 CH-4052 Basel Tel: +41 (0)61 317 82 22 Fax: +41(0)61 317 82 82 event-services@stjakobshalle.ch www.stjakobshalle.ch

CH-4001 Basel Tel: +41 (0)61 267 40 91 Fax: +41(0)61 267 40 88 marcel.meier@bs.ch www.basel.ch

For comprehensive assistance with planning an event in Basel: Department of Presidential Affairs of the Canton of Basel-Stadt External Affairs and Marketing Marktplatz 30a

For hotel bookings and tourism inquiries: Basel Tourism Aeschenvorstadt 36 CH-4010 Basel Tel: +41 (0)61 268 68 68 Fax: +41(0)61 268 68 70 info@basel.com www.basel.com

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Welcome to Basel.

A pocket-sized metropolis.

Basel’s central location, first-class transport links and good infrastructure are what make this city such a popular destination for event organisers and visitors alike. Furthermore Basel offers accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets: from top-class establishments to a youth hostel and from ultra-modern designer hotels to cosy guesthouses. No matter the reason for your trip to Basel, we highly recommend extending your stay. Whether you’re interested in the amazing array of cultural offerings or simply wish to get better acquainted with the Basel way of life, one thing’s for sure: this city leaves no desire unfulfilled!

Basel Tourism Aeschenvorstadt 36, CH-4010 Basel, Phone +41 (0)61 268 68 68, Fax +41 (0)61 268 68 70, info@basel.com, www.basel.com

singapore

The Marina Bay Street Circuit

Igniting Opportunities, Accelerating Returns With a business-friendly government, an open economy and a deep commitment to sporting development, Singapore is transforming the game in Asia.

Over the past five years, the Sporting Singapore brand has developed a rare diversity in its sports products, from new sport-specific, high-participation launches such as OCBC Cycle Singapore, to elite youth events such as the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), and big-money headliners such as Formula One. “Our population is only five million people,” says Oon Jin Teik, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Sports Council (SSC). “But far from being a niche player, we have a diverse record in sports development, with a proven ability in hosting international marquee events and launching new local ones.”

18 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

From an original list of 2,000 cities, Singapore was ranked second, behind only to Melbourne, in the SportBusiness ‘Ultimate Sports Cities’ Awards 2010. Singapore outscored veteran sport cities such as Sydney, London, Shanghai and New York off the back of its expanding track record in hosting innovative and efficient events, and a strong government support for sport.

The Singapore 2010 YOG, which opened with tremendous fanfare on August 14, was testament to Singapore’s overwhelming ability to get the job done.

Some 20,000 local and international volunteers complemented the work by an

estimated 500 full-staff, drawn primarily from agencies such as the SSC, the Ministry for Community Development Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, and several other government bodies.

The success of a major event such as the YOG confirms the city’s ability to mobilise people and resources. Sporting Singapore is committed to developing integrated, selfsustaining sports eco-systems. For the SSC, a sense of legacy underpins every initiative.

As the lead government agency tasked with developing a sports culture across the nation, the SSC’s mandate covers sports

participation, excellence and industry. This deliver a successful AYG - which involved holistic approach helps ensure continuity in a record-breaking sprint to the finish line strategic planning and the consistent, timely from the Games’ first approval in November delivery of product.

2008 to the opening of the Games on June The government’s long-term 29, 2009 - proved prescient for the YOC in commitment to sports took its current form August 2010. in 2001, with a comprehensive framework At the other end of the spectrum, the to develop sports in the country. Not only Singtel Singapore Grand Prix positions would it add diversity to the economy, it the city as an innovator-host of high-value would produce benefits for the people sports tourism events. Not only did the - higher fitness levels, improved health first night race in the history of Formula and richer social activities - as well as One add to the thrills for spectators along international ties and friendships. the circuit, the timing of the start made When Mr Oon was first appointed it possible for the race to be broadcast chief executive officer of the SSC in 2004, live in Europe and North America at a he brought to the government statutory reasonable hour. With improvements to the board a wealth experience from both the circuit ongoing and a festival atmosphere corporate and elite athletics world. He guaranteed every year, the 2009 and 2010 brought a much-needed focus on growing Grands Prix generated more praise. self-sustainability in the sporting sector In addition to the Singapore Youth through corporate sponsors and partners.

Olympic Games (see next page), other major And at the same time, he increased the events this year included SPORTELAsia - the SSC’s focus on professional services for leading international sports convention athletes and greater professional training for television and new media. This March, for the national sports associations.

SPORTELAsia brought together international Further driving future momentum will sports broadcasting networks, new media be the upcoming Singapore Sports Hub providers, programming and content and Changi Motorsports Hub. Both ‘megasuppliers, sports federations and media. projects’ will reinforce Singapore’s sports Singapore was voted number one choice development across all three operating lines, for the 2010 edition by clients who attended in addition to strengthening Singapore’s the previous edition in 2008 in Shanghai: role as a leading sports city in the region.

“Singapore was definitely the city to go Highlights of the Sporting Singapore to,” said SPORTEL Chief Executive Officer, calendar over the past five years include: the David Tomatis. With its strategic location, 117th Session of the International Olympic immigration agreements and excellent Committee, the Standard Chartered Marathon connectivity by air, Singapore has truly Singapore (with 60,000 registered people become “a hub for business”. in 2010), golf events the Lexus Cup and Through its relationships with Singapore Barclays Open, the inaugural other government boards, such as Aviva Ironman 70.3 in 2007, badminton’s the Singapore Tourism Board and the Aviva Open Singapore, the first FINA World Swimming Coaches Conference in 2009, 2010 Highlights the inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG) Singapore in 2009, the first night street race l OCBC Cycle Singapore in the history of Formula One in 2008 and l SPORTELAsia the inaugural OCBC Cycle Singapore in 2009. l Aviva Ironman 70.3 The AYG was the first region-wide, l Changi Motorsports Hub multi-sport Games organised by Singapore, l Soccerex 2010 and it was put together in an amazing eight l Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games months. Held over nine days, the AYG l Formula One Singapore Grand Prix featured nine sports and 90 events, with some 1,300 athletes and officials coming to l Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore Singapore to take part. Singapore’s ability to

Economic Development Board, the SSC can enhance corporate reconnaissance visits to the country by providing advice and information and arranging introductions.

“The support we got from SSC and the Singapore Tourism Board was very helpful,” added Mr Tomatis.

And even with the lingering effects of the economic downturn, Singapore’s strengths remain firmly in place. The city is well-recognised as a high-performance training hub, with sports associations from all over the world leveraging on its world-class training facilities and conducive training environment.

In the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, many international teams came to Singapore for training, including the American and Australian Olympic swimming teams and the water polo teams from Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Greece and Russia.

From a business perspective, the city-state is easily accessible from Europe and Asia, is a test market for companies experimenting with new products and services and is a platform for Western companies to become acquainted with Asian markets.

Singapore has a well-developed transportation and telecommunications infrastructure. It has a prosperous, educated, English-speaking middle-class. It has a transparent governance system that respects intellectual copyright and promotes original research and development.

The city-state also has a bank of existing community facilities to provide easy access to sports for the average Singaporean. The SSC alone has 19 stadiums, 16 sports halls and 24 swimming complexes. Add the sports facilities from the private sector, schools and other government bodies, and the opportunity to play and enjoy sports grows exponentially.

Everything forecast by the Committee on Sporting Singapore in 2001 is being realised by the SSC and its partners as the country enters the second decade of the new millennium. Change rarely occurs at the speed of light, but Sporting Singapore is gaining momentum as it continues to transform the game.

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 19

singapore

Youth Olympic Games Closing Ceremony

YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES: A LASTING LEGACY C

BRANDING For two weeks this year, Singapore was broadcast to the world, beginning with the spectacular Opening Ceremony on August 14. Singapore is ensured a place in the history books as the city that hosted the world’s first Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Only two other cities share this rare privilege: Athens, Greece (host of the first ever summer Olympics) and Chamonix, France (which held the first winter Olympics).

Singapore will be remembered as the city that ‘dared to dream’ yet again. In 2008, Formula One’s Singtel Singapore Grand Prix was the first night race on the circuit. Two years later, Singapore 2010 impressed the world. Thousands of international athletes, coaches, sports officials and media experienced the buzz of cosmopolitan Singapore and the warmth and hospitality of Singaporeans. They also took away with them the message that Singapore is a vibrant Asian hub for sports events.

Sports Council (SSC) sports facilities used for Singapore 2010 will be remembered in history as the official Singapore 2010 venues. Additionally, Singapore will also have a Youth Olympic Park and a Youth Olympic Museum to commemorate Singapore’s hosting of the first-ever YOG.

SPORTS CULTURE Singapore 2010 helped create a greater awareness and appreciation for the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect within a new generation of elite athletes.

The culture and education programming at the Games helped the young Olympians from around the world learn more about each other, discover what they had in common and respect their differences.

Singapore 2010 was also a platform to get more young people in the greater community interested in sports, as participants and spectators.

SPORTING EXCELLENCE FACILITIES The sporting fraternity and general public will enjoy upgraded sports facilities and equipment at Singapore 2010 venues.

There are also a few new facilities, such as the shooting range at the Sports School, the Tampines Bike Park and the Riding School at the Turf Club. Singapore 20 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

Over the past two years Singapore saw an unprecedented co-operation between the Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports (MYCS), Ministry of Education (MOE) and SSC to integrate sports and cultural programmes and initiatives.

This degree of co-operation bodes well for Singapore’s efforts to raise sports

participation and create sporting champions.

Strong school sports programmes are a critical linchpin in ensuring Singapore has a sustainable pipeline of elite athletes in the future. MOE, MCYS and SSC - through the Youth Sports Development Committee have been looking at policy and programme issues to develop a seamless pathway for athlete development.

SPORTING CAPABILITIES Hosting Singapore 2010 provided many opportunities for Singapore’s sporting fraternity to expand its organising capabilities and knowledge, develop its sporting outreach frameworks and enhance its sporting facilities. Event management companies, sports media and sports entertainment companies all gained valuable experience as a result of their work on Singapore 2010.

The city’s sporting development capabilities also grew. In preparation for Singapore 2010, for example, three new National Sports Associations (NSAs) were formed: wrestling, handball and modern pentathlon. These NSAs will promote the development of their respective sports beyond 2010.

The improvement in Singapore’s overall capabilities in sport will add support to the government’s agenda to make Singapore a great place to work, live and play.

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Artiste impression of the Singapore Sports Hub. The premier land and water sports centre with fully integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle programming will be opening its doors in April 2014.

Sporting Singapore ... the birthplace of the Youth Olympic Games and Asian Youth Games ... the home of the only Formula 1 night street race circuit ... the centre for sports business ... the future sports-entertainment-leisure capital of Asia

Singapore Sports Council I 230 Stadium Boulevard Singapore 397799 I www.ssc.gov.sg I ssc_sportsbusiness@ssc.gov.sg

clipper

Uniquely Singapore, supported by Keppel Corporation

A UNIQUE GLOBAL EVENT THE CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD YACHT RACE, ESTABLISHED 15 YEARS AGO BY YACHTING LEGEND SIR ROBIN KNOX-JOHNSTON, IS NOW IN ITS EIGHTH EDITION AND HAS BECOME A GLOBAL PHENOMENON. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race creates a unique opportunity for its sponsors and host cities on a world stage. Each of ten identical stripped down 68-foot ocean racing yachts owned by race organisers Clipper Ventures plc is sponsored by an international city, region or country and branded to showcase their destinations on a 40,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe. The race visits 15 ports on six continents over eleven months.

Over the last 15 years Clipper has evolved into the leader in its field, and become much more than a very special yacht race, by positioning its major international participants as world-class brands within an elite roll-call. In the last edition of the biennial race, the 2009-10 edition of which 22 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

has just finished, the roll-call included California, Cape Breton Island - Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, Jamaica Lightening Bolt, Qingdao, Spirit of Australia, Team Finland, Uniquely Singapore, Cork - Ireland, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and Hull & Humber from the UK. The 2009-10 race also had global media coverage through print, radio, TV, and online which is expected to have delivered a potential world-wide audience in excess of half a billion.

Another attraction for many sponsors is that the boats are not crewed by an obscure elite, but by ‘people like you’ - ordinary people doing extraordinary things, living their dream.

This creates local heroes from all walks of life as they represent their destination on what

some would say has become the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ as they take on the elements powered only by nature, and using the skills learned in an intense and comprehensive pre-race training programme. One city coined it ‘The People’s Race’ which has captured the imagination of spectators and media audiences around the world.

So the Clipper Race not only brings the world to its host cities, but it also takes many of them to the world on a highlyeffective global expo to boost trade and tourism alongside cultural promotions and building international relations. It is built on the vision of a yachting legend who became the first person to sail around the world solo non-stop in 1968-69: Sir Robin

Knox-Johnston CBE. Sir Robin is one of the most experienced yachtsmen on the planet with international awards too numerous to mention; he is passionate about the race and how it works so well for its sponsors and host cities.

“When we created the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 15 years ago, I recognised the huge potential to build something very special, in fact unique: a global platform that not only brought together crew members from many different nationalities and walks of life, but also united likeminded international destinations with a common desire to grow trade, tourism and cultural exchange through the sport of sailing,” said Sir Robin.

“As trading nations, states, regions and cities, our sponsors recognise the role the seas have played in generating trade routes over the centuries, inspiring merchants, travellers and cultural exploration. We’re called the Clipper Race because we initially followed the traditional trade routes sailed by the early Clipper ships.

“Today I look back with pride at what our sponsors and host cities have been able to achieve, and I know we can be even more successful in the years ahead by sharing what we have learned and encouraging everyone to take full advantage of the opportunities this event creates.”

So what are those opportunities? Let’s start with hosting the race. Not all yacht sponsors are on the race route, but many are. Other key locations on the race track become hosts not only to benefit from the opportunity to create business and investment links with visiting boat sponsors, but also to use the Clipper Race as a focal point for a wide range of attractions that can create a great festival atmosphere and pull in the crowds.

The arrival of 10 ocean racing yachts

SPONSOR BENEFITS The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is unique and the benefits of sponsoring a yacht and hosting the event are unrivalled in terms of their comprehensive reach and influence with target audiences. These are: consumers, business, government and media; building relationships, boosting

150,000 people at the 09-10 race start

and the Clipper entourage is a spectacle to behold - making a big impact visually and emotionally, creating massive consumer and corporate facing opportunities, as well as driving a significant economic impact.

A great case-study is Hull in the United Kingdom, which hosted the race start and finish in Clipper 11-12. A UK government regional development agency sponsored an entry in a two-race deal as a way of using a major maritime event to drive local economic impact, alongside raising the profile of yacht entry Hull & Humber, representing the UK’s largest ports complex on a world stage.

Independent evaluations of the events in Hull around the race start in September 2009 identified that 150,000 visitors generated an economic impact of

trade, investment and tourism, creating meaningful economic impact around major events and brand building on a global scale. There are also significant cultural dimensions and powerful public and social engagement opportunities.

Overseas activations can be a key part of sponsor-driven benefits which have

£9.3 million. The social and economic analysis also revealed that the average spend on accommodation was £120; average spend per person per day on transport, food, drink, attractions and shopping was £41.96; and 99.5 per cent of those surveyed would return for similar events.

Hosts on the race route enjoy similar opportunities and many see an economic impact well into seven figures, but this is only part of the story. Activating alongside their yachts in key international markets at ports of call around the world delivers huge benefits for sponsors. Overseas activities have included trade delegations, conferences, cultural performances, receptions, dinners, consumer promotions, media events and VIP guest sails. Clipper

included trade delegations, conferences, cultural performances, dinners, media events and VIP guest sails.

Global media and internet audiences have continued to grow and are projected to exceed half a billion people by the time an international television documentary series has aired around the world.

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 23

clipper

The fleet in front of New York City

reports that the last race delivered one of the busiest and most successful sponsor activation programmes in the history of the race, creating tangible results including three international trade agreements.

The years 2011 and 2012 will see the eighth edition of the phenomenon that has become ‘Clipper’ - when the power to promote places and do business will be greater than ever with the race route extending to 40,000 miles with the addition of New Zealand and Eastern Australia. This makes Clipper the world’s longest round the world yacht race.

Clipper says its sponsors have the opportunity to build on their experience and global brand awareness to reach more people and make a greater impact than ever before - joining the ranks of major trading economies such as those in Asia, like Singapore and Qingdao in China, who are

CONTACTS Clipper Ventures was created to manage the race and build a portfolio of complementary activities which include corporate sailing events, training and youth development.

The company is also rights owner and

24 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

participating for the fourth consecutive time for one simple reason: it works.

The whole business dimension of the race has grown exponentially in recent years with Clipper opening doors to senior government officials and business leaders in a way that no other international event has mastered in the same way. This is a unique dimension that is now being developed even further in Clipper 11-12 with a dedicated team guiding sponsors to maximise their return through pro-active and innovative activation in relevant international markets.

The other great thing about the Clipper Race - and voiced by many sponsors - is the huge opportunity for public engagement at so many levels: building the character of crews and pride in home ports in a way that is difficult to capture on paper, but powerful to experience. For those businesses committed to Corporate Social Responsibility

(CSR) programmes there are so many ways to get involved, whether through civic support or by developing local community and schools programmes, and even overseas initiatives. A number of cities have used the race to support and develop young people facing difficult challenges in their early lives.

Sir Robin adds: “For the crews, the Clipper Race changes lives. For sponsors, I believe we make an equally dramatic impact: changing fortunes, stimulating trade and tourism, promoting cultural insight, building confidence and creating pride and prosperity.

In the current economic climate our horizons need to be global to take advantage of trading opportunities in developing and growing markets and to attract inward investment.

Innovative approaches are required to be more competitive and demonstrate value for money in driving real economic impact: The Clipper Race delivers that.”

operator of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race, the professional solo round the world race that takes place every four years.

To express interest in yacht sponsorship and hosting the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race contact Jonathan Levy, who

recently joined Clipper Ventures as Director of Business Development after spending the last five years working with sponsors and hosts in the UK and Canada.

Email: jlevy@clipper-ventures.com, telephone: +44 (0)2392 526000

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is unique. Crews from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds put themselves forward for one of the toughest challenges known to man.

Ten identical boats, owned and operated by Clipper Ventures are backed by global destinations. Together, they sail an 11 month long 40,000 mile race track, visiting key cities in major markets on six continents.

And in doing so, the eyes of the world are upon them. The 09-10 Clipper race delivered a cumulative audience in excess of 450 million (and that’s before the global TV series has even aired). But while the returns are reassuringly high, the investment is not.

www.clipperroundtheworld.com

It’s why cities like Singapore and Qingdao are coming back again and again. They use the Clipper Race as an effective marketing tool because they know it’s a powerful way to showcase their trade, tourism and cultural messages to a worldwide audience.

And when the fleet calls, it is a real crowd pleaser with the potential to drive significant visitor spend and economic impact.

So don’t miss the boat – the eighth edition of the Clipper race starts in August 2011. To discover more about becoming part of this unique global event, the benefits of sponsoring a yacht and hosting the race, contact: Jonathan Levy on +44 (0) 2392 526000 or e-mail jlevy@clipper-ventures.com

SPORT EVENT denmark

UCI World Road Cycling Championships 2011 will be in Copenhagen

HOSTING WINNERS LARS LUNDOV, SPORT EVENT DENMARK CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EXPLAINS HOW A SMALL COUNTRY HAS GREAT AMBITIONS IN TERMS OF WORLD-CLASS SPORTS EVENTS. Denmark is passionate about hosting international sports competitions, and has both the experience and the partners to deliver a successful event. The country recognises the importance of adding value to an event and its owner, and Sport Event Denmark strives to do its utmost to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders.

DELIVERING QUALITY When it comes to staging events, Denmark has identified three parameters which are necessary for both the host city and the sports organisation concerned: a strategic approach, strong government support and 26 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

close co-operation between the international federation, the national federation, the host city and Sport Event Denmark.

Denmark’s commitment to sport is such that support begins at the very top level of government and all Denmark’s major cities are focused on providing the highest level of service and value.

Denmark is extremely realistic about its capabilities and wants to be certain that it is able to deliver exactly what it promises, and then add a little more. Denmark is ideally suited to stage large and mid-sized events rather than mega-events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. There is a variety of indoor and outdoor events, as well as international meetings, that can benefit from Denmark’s unique approach.

CONTACT US Sport Event Denmark, the Danish national sports event organisation, was established by the government and the national Olympic Committee of Denmark with the main objective of attracting and hosting major international sports events and sports congresses.

Contact: Broendby Stadion 20 DK-2605 Broendby Tel: +45 43262100 info@sporteventdenmark.com www.sporteventdenmark.com

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT Being small is often an advantage. Events staged in Denmark benefit from a nearly perfect infrastructure and short distances between facilities and different cities. Added to that, Copenhagen Airport is one of the best in the world.

Danes also have a long-standing reputation as strong and effective event managers and due to its multi-lingual, serviceminded society there are always is enough committed volunteers to help ensure the success for events.

The great number of Denmark’s international contacts worldwide who believe the country is an outstanding event host puts it in a much stronger position today than only a couple of years ago. Last year’s ‘Danish Year of Sport’ - which saw more than 50 international sports events in addition to many significant marketing activities and international networking - certainly delivered value for money.

Naturally Denmark hopes that the steps it has taken in recent years will attract even more major events to the country in the years ahead. Among others, Denmark is bidding for the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships for all Olympic Classes and the 2013 BWF World Badminton Championships.

These major events will benefit not only Denmark but the federations and owners responsible for delivering and upgrading.

Denmark will once again get a chance to demonstrate its knowhow in staging major events and the close co-operation and

“Like the IOC we don’t want to take risks with our big events. We want to have someone who has a proven record that they can deliver a good event and Denmark for sure has.”

Göran Petersson, IOC member and President, International Sailing Federation interaction between the three vital key partners for sports events in Denmark: the national Danish sports federation, the host city and Sport Event Denmark. Right in the centre is the event and the event owner but together all the stakeholders produce ‘Sports Events Made in Denmark’.

EVENTS During the past few years more than 250 international sports events have been secured for Denmark, including: l UCI World Road Cycling Championships l FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships l WTF World Taekwondo Championships l FILA World Wrestling Championships l UEFA European Under-21 Championship l IOC 121st Session and XIII Olympic Congress

Your Sport - Our Passion

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 27

Düsseldorf

FIS Cross-Country World Cup at the Rhine promenade

Getting to the heart of Olympic sports DÜSSELDORF HAS TRANSFORMED ITSELF INTO A SPORTING CITY WITH EXCELLENT PROSPECTS. CHRISTINA BEGALE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SPORTAGENTUR DÜSSELDORF, EXPLAINS JUST HOW THE CITY HAS HANDLED THE METAMORPHOSIS. In the middle of Central Europe, Düsseldorf’s big heart beats for Olympic sports. Having hosted world championships, world cups, Grand Prix and Olympic qualifying events, Düsseldorf - dubbed the ‘city of sports’ - has become an international brand name synonymous with the biggest events.

The capital of Germany’s North RhineWestphalia (NRW) state has worked hard for this excellent reputation. The metropolis on the Rhine, boasting 587,000 inhabitants, has been investing heavily in sports and boasts world-class facilities. Since 2000, 28 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

€140 million has been channelled into competition days - was a big success as well sporting infrastructures. At its centre is as the PSD Bank Meeting, nominated as the the sportAgentur Düsseldorf GmbH: a third best indoor meeting in the world. municipal enterprise unique in Germany, The athleticism of the NRW capital designed to ensure optimal marketing and - with over 112,000 athletes in over 400 positioning of sports and take care of the sports clubs - is tremendous, and due to perfect planning and delivery of events as an outstanding infrastructure, Düsseldorf well as their effective public promotion. provides everything required for a Numerous national and international prosperous implementation of major events. associations have seen the proof they needed This led Dr. Thomas Bach, International to be convinced. The organisation of the Olympic Commitee Vice President and annual FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup, President of the Deutsche Olympischer attracting up to 350,000 spectators to the Sportbund (German Olympic Association Rhine embankment, is highly praised by the - DOSB), into honouring Düsseldorf as one international skiing association. sport’s finest host cities through his words: In 2010 the premiere of the Judo “120 cities in Germany want to be a city of Grand Prix Düsseldorf - sold out on both sports, Düsseldorf is one!”

Events

facilities

Düsseldorf’s reputation for hosting the biggest sports

OF COURSE, any city that wants to stage great events needs great venues. Düsseldorf meets this criterion. Modern stadia such as the ESPRIT arena hold up to 66,000 spectators, while the ISS Dome can accommodate 13,400. Both are complimented by an excellent transport infrastructure - an international airport, motorways and train connections - not to mention a generous amount of hotels, vital ingredients required for any sporting occasion.

And Düsseldorf’s attraction is not only for athletes; sports administrators are flocking too. The DOSB held its general meeting - attended by around 450 participants - at the Düsseldorf Hilton Hotel in December 2009. The German football association, DFB, also held its annual meeting in the city earlier that year.

Staging such events, which bring the dignitaries from behind the scenes to the city of Düsseldorf, gives administrators firsthand experience of what the city can provide, and is something sportAgentur is keen to further promote and facilitate.

For many, the ESPRIT arena will be best known for hosting German national football team matches and events staged by the DFB. And these are just a few of the facilities Düsseldorf has to offer; ideal for spectators, decision-makers and athletes alike.

Düsseldorf is full of charm and character; a metropolis which is popular with both its residents and its many visitors. The multicultural destination of NRW is home to people from some 180 countries, while the state capital’s catchment area houses around 11 million inhabitants within a 200 kilometre radius.

and the most exciting action is growing. Numerous top-class events attract hundreds of thousands of spectators to the city every year.

With 400,000 fans along the route, the METRO Group Marathon is always a crowd puller. So too is the FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup: the annual event, staged in December, attracts up to 350,000 onlookers to the Rhine embankment every year, making it the world’s best-attended winter sports event.

In 2010 the successful presentations of the German touring car championships are followed by the Race of Champions with Formula One’s Michael Schumacher racing in front of 50,000 fans in the ESPRIT arena. In the same venue Wladimir Klitschko defended his heavyweight boxing belts against Eddie Chambers.

The Tennis World Team Cup that has been fascinating around 75,000 tennis fans every year since 1978 and is successfully established on the sporting calendar alongside the International Athletics’ PSD Bank Meeting and the ladies’ international amateur golf championships at Düsseldorf Golf Club.

Meanwhile, the world’s best judo experts will compete for the Grand Prix at the Philipshalle from 2010 to 2012. Table-tennis has long had a strong position in the city and 5,500 fans turned out to watch German star Timo Boll win a contest as part of the 2010 Liebherr Europe Top 12 tournament.

All that, plus the very best in football, hockey and basketball has made Düsseldorf become the “city of sports”.

07 – 08 Febr

uary 2011

19 – 20

Febr uar

y 2011

11 Febr uary 20

11

sportAgentur Düsseldorf GmbH, Arena-Str. 1, K6, 2nd Floor, 40474 Düsseldorf, Germany, Phone: +49 (0)211/15 98 16 22, Email: info@sportstadt-duesseldorf.de

www.sportstadt-duesseldorf.de WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 29

AERO GP

Al Ain Aerobatic Show

Leading the new trend in destination marketing Aero GP is a revolutionary multi-discipline competition in motorsport. Each Aero GP event is comprised of three primary activities, which all count towards the Aero GP Championship points.

The first is ‘Air Racing’: up to eight aircraft all race together in a short circuit at speeds of 400kph just a few metres above the ground.

Next is ‘Air Combat’ where pilots take to the skies in an attempt to outmanoeuvre each other in a battle for air supremacy. Finally there is ‘Barnstorming’ where pilots compete in various stunts and skill tests from aerobatics to target bombing.

Following five years of steady growth, Aero GP is looking at an ambitious expansion plan to promote the sport on a global platform.

For the first time Aero GP has an official 30 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

Request for Proposal process in place and is currently in discussions with numerous venues around the world.

Aero GP is an example of how destinations can communicate their message in a way that is particularly relevant to that venue in the current modern times. In this current climate

CONTACT Aero GP would like to speak to venues, cities and event promoters about this exciting opportunity. If you have any questions, or would like more information please give Aero GP a call on +44 207 4391520 or email them at host@flyingaces.co.uk www.flyingaces.co.uk

there is a trend towards more innovative and cost effective events and Aero GP has three main philosophies to meet this criteria: l The host destination of an Aero GP should get the most benefit of any partner l Return on investment is ahead of the cost curve because Aero GP is a rapidly growing sport l Aero GP shapes its event around your destination, maximising the imagery and overall impact Air sports in general are growing across the world with many millions of people taking part in one form or another. It is a huge unexplored sporting platform which offers venues the opportunity to host events using the city or famous landmarks as a backdrop to the action.

BENEFITS

company background

The Aero GP offers many benefits, both tangible and intangible,

Aero GP was created in 2001 by Jeff Zaltman, who later formed

to the host and its partners: l Naming rights - the host location will be able to name the event l Global media exposure - the Aero GP TV programme reaches 300 million people in over 50 countries l Develop future tourism - economic benefits to the host location’s economy including in-bound tourism for the event itself and additional tourism visits for future years triggered by international TV exposure l Numerous income opportunities - the host will have numerous commercial rights to leverage or to sell. These could include hospitality and catering concessions. Ticket sales are also possible if the host decides not to have a free event, or if tickets to prime viewing positions are sold

the company Flying Aces to develop the unique new concept into a mainstream sport.

The Aero GP launched in 2005 with its first official competition, which was broadcast on TV in more than 100 countries.

Flying Aces is an owner, manager and creator of global media rights connected to top level aviation sports. The company is involved in the organisation and promotion of sports events as well as television production and new media distribution. Flying Aces has a long-standing media partnership with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for all air sports.

Based in London, Flying Aces was founded in 2004 and has successfully run and managed numerous top level aviation events, including: l Seven major Aero GP’s in five different countries l The 2009 World Aerobatic Championships, held at Silverstone International Race Circuit in the UK l The Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2010 held in Abu Dhabi

STAND OUT EVENT There is no other form of air racing that takes place around the world which can compare to Aero GP. An Aero GP event combines the best of Formula One, air shows and extreme sports and without any required investment in infrastructure.

Hosts will also, by association, be seen to share the qualities of Aero GP. These qualities have been identified by research and include ‘exciting’, ‘sport’, ‘contemporary’, ‘dynamic’, ‘action-packed’, ‘pioneering’ and ‘thrilling’.

Flying Aces exclusively owns all of the media rights associated with Aero GP, enabling host regions or cities to fully utilise the associated benefits of holding an Aero GP. Flying Aces fully cooperate with hosts to ensure all requirements are delivered above and beyond what is expected.

Add your venue to the Aero GP GlobAl ChAmPionshiP

Contact Aero GP email: host@flyingaces.co.uk or call: +44 207 4391520

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 31

Leipzig

The Leipzig skyline © LTM Bader

A city for sport yesterday, today and tomorrow Leipzig is a city set for, and with a history in, sport. The German gymnastics movement, the German Cycling Federation (BDR created in 1884), the German Football Federation (DFB created in 1900) and the reunion of the German Football Associations 1990 are just some examples reflecting the sports heritage of the city.

Athletes from Leipzig have won more than 150 medals for Germany in modern Olympic Games. A sporting tradition is also reflected through numerous research centres, such as the Institute for Applied Training Sciences (IAT) and the faculty of Sports Sciences at the University of Leipzig (former DHfK).

Additionally there are the sport development centres in Leipzig: state-of-theart training facilities and the ‘Elite School of Sports’ are the foundation for Leipzig’s sport development and resultant success. The centres provide the best training conditions for both 32 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

athletes and their coaches. So far the faculty of Sports Sciences has welcomed more than 120 nations, all of whom have learnt to appreciate and cherish the cultural city of Leipzig.

The University of Leipzig, established in 1409, is not only the second oldest university in the country, but is also the home of 25,000 students. The green city Leipzig is also becoming a new oasis for the young people and families with the establishment of the Lake District: 11 new lakes offer leisure activities including watersports, golf, cycling and walking.

The 1 kilometre-square heart of the dynamic, cultural and economic capital can be distinguished with its very unique Art Nouveau-style and its typical green houses blended with modern architecture. Sports venues are within this artistic setting and include the new Neue Messe exhibition centre, ARENA Leipzig and Red Bull Arena.

CONTACT US Stadt Leipzig Amt für Sport Am Sportforum 3 04105 Leipzig www.leipzig.de Kerstin Kirmes, Chief officer Tel: +49 341 123 94 00 kerstin.kirmes@leipzig.de Robert Mayer, Coordinator, Major sport events Tel: +49 341 123 94 30 robert.mayer@leipzig.de Tourist office www.ltm-leipzig.de

events

Facilities

SELECTED ONE-TIME EVENTS

Most of the sports venues are located 1.5 kilometre from the very centre of the city where the Sportforum stands. These conform to the highest standards of international sports event hosting. The 7,000-capacity Leipzig Arena has a track record of hosting sports events since 2002 and is the perfect example of a multi-functional arena. The Red Bull Arena became the largest football stadium in Leipzig when it was completed in 2003 with a capacity of 45,000 seats. It was the host of the 2005 Confederations Cup and of the FIFA World Championships in 2006.

In the surroundings of the Sportforum, the Nordlange is an outstanding training centre and completes the sporting infrastructure around the Sportforum. In the south of Leipzig, the Kanupark Markkleeberg conforms to Olympic requirements and will host the 2011 and 2012 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup. The multi-functional Neue Messe Leipzig can host a diverse range of sporting events and has been home to the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping or the FIFA World Championships since 2002. The Congress Center next to the Neue Messe offers 23 multi-functional meeting rooms, with a capacity of 7,000, and is the perfect location to host sports conferences.

With its perfect location right at the heart of Europe, Leipzig is very easy to access either by air with a 24-hour airport, by rail with the central station or by road on the motorway. Leipzig offers nationally and internationally excellent connections and can gather very large crowds of visitors.

2002

2003 2005

2006 2007

2008

2009

2010

Internationales Deutsches Turnfest (Gymnastics) FIVB Volleyball World Championships Women IHF Hockey Indoor World Championships FIFA Confederations Cup FIFA World Championships 2006 Final Round Draw FIE Fencing World Championships UIPM World Cup Modern Pentathlon FIFA World Championships FITA Archery World Championships DLV German Indoor Championships Athletics IHF Olympic Qualification Tournament Women Handball UIPM World Championships Modern Pentathlon DLV German Indoor Championships Athletics EFC Fencing European Championships ECA Junior & U23 Canoe Slalom European Championships

ANNUAL EVENTS Leipzig Marathon LE-Athletics Indoor Meeting Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Wrestling Grand Prix of Germany FIE Fencing World Cup

(to 2007) (to 2010)

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 33

manchester

Michael Phelps at the Duel in the Pool

A World Leader in Sport Home to two of the most famous clubs in world football and with an enviable record of hosting major events, Manchester is a city synonymous with sport that continues to build on its reputation as a world class host.

As a legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the city boasts an impressive range of world-class facilities, playing no small part in receiving the 2008 Sport City Award at the Sports Event Management Awards.

In the past year the city has hosted major events such as the British Gas Duel in the Pool, Co-operative World Netball Series, FIL World Lacrosse Championships and the David Haye vs John Ruiz World Heavyweight Fight, whilst the annual Bupa Great Manchester Run & Great CityGames go from strength to strength.

Manchester’s events strategy, established in 2007, outlines the commitment to 34 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

maximising the benefits for its residents, businesses and visitors through the staging of world-class sports events. This strategy ensures that all events contain a strong legacy aspect. Recent examples of this include the FIL World Lacrosse Championships, which

CONTACT To find out more, contact the city’s Sports Events Team.

Telephone: +44 (0)161 953 2795 Email: events@manchester.gov.uk Web: www.manchesterworldsport.com www.manchester.gov.uk

brought in over 3,000 children to play in the pre-event Community Lacrosse Festival, and the Duel in the Pool, where swimming stars Rebecca Adlington and Aaron Peirsol delivered coaching sessions to local swimmers and coaches the day after the event.

Manchester is well-placed to play a leading role in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics, which has been the catalyst for a golden decade of sporting opportunities.

Manchester will host Olympic football and World Cup rugby, and if England’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in either 2018 or 2022 is successful, both of the city’s major football stadia are earmarked for matches.

Events

facilities

In addition to regular Premier League and Champions League

Less than two miles from the city centre, Sportcity is the

football, Manchester hosts a wide selection of world class sport.

Below is a small selection of recent events that have taken place in Manchester, plus a selection of events to come.

largest concentration of sporting venues in Europe, attracting over 4.5 million visitors a year. The complex comprises the 48,000-capacity City of Manchester Stadium, the 6,500-seat Manchester Regional Arena and the National Squash Centre, as well as the famed National Cycling Centre, the Manchester Tennis Centre and the English Institute of Sport’s north-west base.

Manchester United’s 76,000-capacity Old Trafford Stadium is one the world’s iconic football grounds. Nearby Old Trafford Cricket Ground is currently undergoing ambitious redevelopment work due for completion in 2012.

The MEN Arena and Manchester Central Convention Complex provide city-centre solutions for events and conferences, while the University of Manchester’s Armitage Centre has the capacity to deliver events and host large numbers of visitors on site at the nearby Fallowfield campus, as demonstrated at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships in July.

Manchester Aquatics Centre played host to Swimming Australia’s preparations for the FINA World Championships in Rome in 2009, a partnership that will see the Australians return to the city in 2012 and 2014.

Building on the city’s status as the home of British Cycling, a brand new 2,000-seat National Indoor BMX Centre at Sportcity is scheduled to open in 2011. Along with the existing velodrome, the new £24 million complex will form the National Cycling Centre, incorporating new cycle-ways and footpaths in the surrounding area.

Selected Major Events since 2008 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships 2008 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2008 UEFA Cup Final 2008, 2009, 2010 Bupa Great Manchester Run 2008, 2009, 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup 2008, 2010 UCI Track World Cup Classic 2009 Co-operative World Netball Series 2009 British Gas Duel in the Pool 2010 Soccerex European Forum 2010 David Haye vs John Ruiz, World Heavyweight Boxing 2010 2nd Npower Test Match, England v Bangladesh 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships Selected Future Events 2010 David Haye vs Audley Harrison, World Heavyweight Boxing 2011 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classic 2011 Soccerex European Forum 2011 Bupa Great Manchester Run & Great CityGames 2012 Olympic Games - Football 2013 Rugby League World Cup 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup

Manchester is the world’s leading sport city, renowned for staging record-breaking, heart-stopping international sporting events.

From our world class sports stadia to the city’s streets, Manchester has created a unique and innovative events programme.

Manchester has it all. To check out the full sports programme visit www.manchesterworldsport.com

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 35

québec CITY

Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec - Robert Greffard, Ville de Québec

A World Class Sports Destination Régis Labeaume, mayor of Québec City, believes he knows the secret of why Québec City has become such a successful destination on the world’s sporting map.

“The Québec City region and its people have decades of experience and know-how in hosting, organising and delivering successful events,” says Labeaume. “Today, their commitment to continuing to do so is stronger than ever. Top-level infrastructures and sports facilities, competent and versatile specialists, and an armada of enthusiastic volunteers are key ingredients that help make these events a success.”

36 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

There’s little doubt in any local’s mind that Québec City is a world-class destination, and it’s an opinion that has been verified by readers of the prestigious US magazine Condé Nast Traveler, which in 2009 ranked Québec the sixth-best destination in the Americas and twelfth best destination worldwide.

Québec’s accommodation capacity and quality are second to none, as are the facilities on offer for competitors, spectators and administrators.

The Québec City Convention Centre was given the acclaimed APEX Award for

Best Convention Centre by the International Association of Congress Centres in 2006, a decade after its opening.

There’s a rich 400 years of history in the city. Old Québec’s architecture and narrow, winding streets give current Québec City a unique charm.

An unparalleled quality and variety of restaurants has also put Québec City on the gourmet map. Outdoor enthusiasts too are always impressed to find nature at their doorstep with a wide variety of activities and breathtaking scenery on offer across all seasons of the year.

Events

facilities

PAST AND PRESENT UCI World Mountain Bike World Cup Yearly since 1991 FIS Snowboard World Cup Yearly since 1996 Red Bull Crashed Ice Yearly since 2006 ISU Grand Prix - Skate Canada International 2002 & 2007 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup 2003 & 2007 IIHF World Championship 2008 FIG World Tumbling & Trampoline Championships 2008 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships 2010

Québec City plays host to many national and international

FUTURE Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Part of the official UCI Protour calendar) SportAccord International Convention FIS Snowboard World Championships

2010 - 2014 2012 2013

CONTACT US Denis Paquet Sport Events Development Manager Major Events Bureau City of Québec Tel: 418-641-6411, ext. 2423 denis.paquet@ville.quebec.qc.ca

Hélène Pomerleau Director, Meetings and Incentive Travel Québec City Tourism Tel: 418-641-6654, ext. 5445 helene.pomerleau@ quebecregion.com

events across the region. Surrounded by mountains, lakes and rivers, the city and its outskirts offer picturesque scenery which presents the ideal setting for sporting events.

Typically, winter sports have put Québec City on the map. Its downhill facilities allow it to host FIS Alpine races in downhill, giant slalom Super G and slalom.

An Olympic-standard half-pipe hosts many different snowboard competitions. Every year, the city itself transforms into an awesome and extreme course as it hosts the Red Bull Crashed Ice race - the downhill skating event that takes place in an urban environment.

These are but some of what Québec City can offer - but there’s more to Québec City than just world-class winter events. A C$85 million expansion of the sports complex at Laval University is well underway. This new development will add a 50 metre ten-lane pool and a new 3500-seater basketball and volleyball auditorium to the existing facilities. Along with other projects that are being studied at this time, it all adds up to making Québec City ideal for a vast array of sports events.

And with Québec’s natural, breathtaking scenery - it bills itself to tourists as the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts who want to experience a healthy lifestyle. So too is it the ideal backdrop for TV coverage of the biggest events in the sports world.

quebecregion.com/sports

Québec City, Canada:

Robert Greffard / Ville de Québec

World Class for Sports Québec City Region boasts a winning combination of top-notch sports facilities and hosting experience. From state-of-the-art stadia and sports centres to international calibre ski resorts, Québec City takes gold when it comes to planning the perfect sports event.

Beautiful Québec City has hosted a string of national and international events involving just about everything from cycling and mountain biking to speed skating, ice hockey and snowboarding.

Contact us today and let us turn your sports event into a triumph!

Jeff Bough

Hockey Canada

Ian Highlands

quebecregion.com/sports

A Québec City Tourism advertisement.

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 37

Richmond

Richmond Olympic Oval

A PREMIER SPORT DESINATION ON CANADA’S PACIFIC COAST More than just superb venues and all the services you need for an elite sporting event, the City of Richmond on Canada’s Pacific Coast is committed to being an outstanding sport hosting partner with a flair for always exceeding expectations.

The fourth largest city in British Columbia, Richmond is internationally noted for its healthy lifestyles, natural beauty and multicultural diversity.

Situated on a chain of islands in the mouth of the beautiful Fraser River, Richmond has proudly preserved its natural beauty, while growing into a busy economic hub with outstanding dining, shopping and business services. Truly cosmopolitan, Richmond has the highest percentage of immigrants of any city in Canada: more than 50 per cent of Richmond’s residents were born outside of Canada.

Centrally located in the Metro Vancouver region, Richmond boasts outstanding transportation connections. It is home to 38 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

Vancouver International Airport (YVR), one of the busiest and most popular airports in the world.

CONTACT US The Richmond Sport Hosting Office provides a wide variety of services including bid development support, sport hosting grants and much more. To learn more about Richmond, British Columbia, contact Mike Romas (Manager, Sport Hosting) on mromas@richmond.ca or 604-247-4923.

Alternatively, visit our website at www.richmond.ca/sporthosting

But what really sets Richmond apart is its people. It’s why International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge specifically thanked Richmond for its role in helping to stage the 2010 Winter Olympic Games during both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies - a remarkable honour for a city not slated to host a competition venue when Vancouver was awarded the Games in 2003. The IOC recognised the passion and flair with which Richmond embraced the Games. Canada’s national daily newspaper, The Globe and Mail, summarised it best, noting: “In many ways, Richmond is a textbook example of how you take advantage of the Olympics when they are coming to your area.”

Events

facilities

In February, 2010, the world discovered the City of Richmond.

Outstanding sport venues like the Richmond Olympic Oval, superior international and local transportation connections and a diversified hotel base of more than 4,500 rooms are the foundation of Richmond as a premier centre for sport hosting.

An entrepreneurial spirit, a spark for innovation, a passion for sport and a committed and experienced volunteer base provide Richmond with the edge as the best host for your event.

Last, but not least, Richmond’s multicultural diversity ensures that athletes, officials and spectators from all backgrounds and cultures feel at home here.

While the Oval’s multi-faceted design makes it a lure for both summer and winter events, it’s only a part of what Richmond offers event organisers. Other venues include one of North America’s largest all-weather turf complexes, two major ice centres, two aquatic centres, a martial arts centre, an indoor multi-sport field house, additional all weather turf fields and a 400-metre outdoor running track. The Richmond Curling Club and University of British Columbia’s rowing boathouse are also home to elite-level sport competition.

The new Canada Line rapid transit service conveniently links Richmond City Centre, YVR and downtown Vancouver. Richmond’s 25-plus hotels are clustered in the City Centre within easy walking distance of the Canada Line, the Richmond Olympic Oval and several other major sport venues. Richmond is also just 20 minutes by freeway from the US-Canada border.

More than 100,000 flocked to the Richmond Olympic Oval to watch speed skating in the premier venue of the Winter Olympic Games, while billions of television viewers around the world were inspired by the iconic venue on the shores of British Columbia’s beautiful Fraser River. Another half a million participants partied nightly in the Richmond O Zone, the largest official celebration site of the 2010 Games.

Richmond’s Olympic success is just one chapter in its sport hosting history. A passionate sport city, Richmond has hosted a wide variety of elite provincial, national and international competitions in both winter and summer sports. This September, international competitors returned to the Richmond Olympic Oval for the World Wheelchair Rugby Championships. Since opening in December, 2008, the extraordinarily multi-faceted Oval has already hosted elite level competitions in badminton, table tennis, fencing, speed skating, basketball, taekwondo and wheelchair basketball in addition to wheelchair rugby. Provincial and national sport organisations have established centres of excellence for volleyball, table tennis and ice hockey at the Oval, with more agreements pending.

The popular annual Richmond International Midget Hockey Tournament, 2004 World Junior Badminton Championships, 2009 World Single Distance speed skating championships and 2009 BC Seniors Games are just some of the major sport events recently held in Richmond.

A new star in the Asia Pacific Richmond is ready to take on the world The City of Richmond on Canada’s Pacific Coast can fulfil your sport hosting needs.

Superb venues like the Richmond Olympic Oval and North America’s largest all-weather turf complex, outstanding transportation connections, a full array of accommodation choices and an experienced volunteer base can help make your event a success.

The starting line is www.richmond.ca/sporthosting

Sport Hosting | City of Richmond | 604-276-4923 | mromas@richmond.ca

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 39

scotland

Teppei Tajima at the O’Neill Coldwater Classic

CREATING A PERFECT STAGE FOR WORLD CLASS EVENTS EventScotland’s vision is, for the period until 2020, to develop a portfolio of events that delivers impact and international profile for the country and establishes Scotland as the perfect stage for domestic and international sporting events. Looking at the impressive portfolio that has been built up over the past few years and what Scotland has coming up on the calendar, it appears EventScotland is well on its way.

Scotland has developed a reputation as a leading nation within the international events industry and this success is down to individuals and partnerships across the country working together. EventScotland works closely with the local authorities to support their events and help engage the community.

40 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

Initiatives such as Business Club Scotland, which EventScotland helped set up, provide networking opportunities for Scottish companies to engage further with events and create a bigger economic impact for a larger sector of Scottish industries.

One main focus for EventScotland is around golf, considered to be the national sport. Already known as ‘The Home of Golf’, Scotland is certainly not resting on its laurels as other nations strive to reach a similar acclaim. Driving ahead with major golfing events - which include The Open Championship, RICOH Women’s British Open and the 2014 Ryder Cup - ensures that local fans continue to enjoy the best competition on their doorstep and that Scotland draws in attention and visitors from far and wide.

CONTACT EventScotland is the national events agency and is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events, EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors.

For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org

Events

facilities

Looking ahead, 2014 certainly has a couple of standout events,

Scotland has a wealth of venues that can stage events,

namely the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

Around these two landmarks spins a web of other national and international events covering culture and sport that are equally important for the country with the impacts they generate.

A few of the highlights for 2010 include The Open Championship, World Pipe Band Championships, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and the GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships. EventScotland funds not only a broad portfolio of events but covers a broad geographic spectrum.

Events supported outside the two main cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow account for 56 per cent of the funding allocation, and 60 per cent of events are held outside the summer window of May to August. This helps sustain the tourism and events industry in the quieter months each year.

The drive continues with the EventScotland team constantly exploring new event options and helping existing events grow and adapt to reach their full potential.

Future events already confirmed in the coming years include the RICOH Women’s British Open in 2011, the Tour of Britain, which returns to Scotland next year, and the Word Youth Netball Championships that is coming to Glasgow in 2013.

Through this multitude of diverse and captivating events, Scotland can truly be portrayed as the perfect stage.

from World Cross Country Championships to Olympic-standard sailing competitions. Glasgow will develop some top-class venues over the next few years ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Velodrome, part of the National Indoor Sports Arena; the extension of Tollcross Park swimming pool; and the SECC new arena will further boost for the scope for bringing major sports events to town.

Scotland also has some wonderful natural and built environments that have hosted spectacular events and will continue to do so. In September 2010, Holyrood Park in Edinburgh welcomed the GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships. The challenging route around the iconic Arthurs Seat created a wonderful backdrop for an event that reached a global audience.

Strathclyde Country Park in Lanarkshire will be the venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games triathlon and also the 2011 International Children’s Games. It already holds several major events on the water including the British Gas Great Scottish Swim, and The British Rowing Championships. Further north, Fort William attracted more than 18,000 spectators in June for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup: EventScotland has supported the event since 2003 and it generates a large economic impact for the local area.

The event portfolio reaches Scotland’s extremities with O’Neill Coldwater Classic taking place in Thurso East. It brings the town global media exposure and positions it as one of the best coldwater surfing destinations in the world.

ES3288 World class Sports Ad:Layout 1 10/09/2010 16:53 Page 1

Scotland

The Perfect Stage EventScotland is working hard to establish Scotland as the perfect stage for world class events. With a wealth of both natural and built environments ready to host events from running to rowing, mountain biking to wind surfing, Scotland has both the ability and the expertise to bring any world class event to its shores.

To find out more about EventScotland and what we do, visit EventScotland.org

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 41

world match racing tour

St. Moritz Match Race 2009

World Match Racing Tour One World Series. one World Championship. With the America’s Cup now in catamarans, the ISAF World Match Racing Tour is the jewel in the crown of match racing and hot property for potential host venues around the world.

It’s an exciting time to be involved in the leading international professional sailing series - the World Match Racing Tour. A new CEO, the appointment of a sales director and the introduction of a global PR campaign have all shown a clear statement of intent by Malaysian entrepreneur Patrick Lim since he bought the series in October 2009.

With TV coverage in 183 countries, the world’s best skippers and a well-established nine event World Championship series spread across three continents, the World Match Racing Tour is already one of the premier events of the sailing world, but it is the potential for growth that has caught the commercial eye of Lim. “Our business model is based on delivering the highest level of international sports competition,” he said. “We take the excitement of match racing and ensure we 42 WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts

have the world’s best sailors competing in better venues with better boats. That is the product that will engage non-core fans to the sport of sailing which is fundamental to the future expansion of the Tour.”

THE WMRT The Tour’s calendar already boasts an impressive international footprint with match cups in France, Germany, Korea, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Bermuda and Malaysia. Although the series is already global, the Tour management has an ambitious expansion programme with the goal of doubling in size by 2015.

The balance of the Tour currently sits in Europe with just two events in the Far East and one in Bermuda and development plans will focus on achieving a balanced growth in the US, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.

With Patrick Lim’s experience in Formula One, the Tour’s commercial plan draws parallels in Bernie Ecclestone’s successfullymasterminded franchise structure. “I’m not a sailor myself, I’m a real estate developer,” adds Lim, “however I have always enjoyed working with sports and I have friends in Formula One so I’ve been able to study their processes and structure. It’s one of the things that gave us the confidence to become the custodians of the WMRT.” Looking at the World Match Racing Tour’s credentials, one thing stands out - the series is in good company. As one of only three sailing events sanctioned by the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) with ‘Special Event’ status, it sits at the sport’s top table alongside the prestigious and world famous America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race.

There are many reasons that set the

series apart from other sailing events, including the fact is has a TV audience reach of 2.1 billion, has events around the world and consistently attracts the very best skippers - America’s Cup legends Russell Coutts, Ed Baird, Dean Barker and Peter Gilmour have all honed their skills in the Tour. However, perhaps the biggest factor in making the Tour so special is the unique essence of match racing. The spectacle of one-on-one, close-to-shore-based viewing, heated, combative sailing between passionate and highly-skilled sailors from different nations, each using identical boats is a mouth-watering sporting cocktail.

The potential to pull in vast crowds, attract inward investment and boost tourism by staging such a show is an inviting proposition and one that has caught the interest of multiple potential host cities with interest in bringing the Tour to their shores.

The example of the Monsoon Cup, the Tour’s glittering finale in Malaysia - which in just five years has established itself as the second-biggest sporting event in Malaysia behind the country’s Formula One Grand Prix - has shown would be hosts a glimpse of the huge benefits that can stem from hosting a WMRT event.

EVENT IMPACT So what impact does a WMRT event have when the show comes to town? Kuala Terengganu is a fishing port that sits in the northern region of Malaysia. But for its boat-making history, the region would be little known. Once a year however, at the end of November, the world’s spotlight is cast on the small coastal town as it plays host to the Monsoon Cup - the World Match Racing Championship deciding round.

The event has become the blueprint, not just for other WMRT events, but for

Monsoon Cup, Kuala Terengganu in 2009

best practice for any city or region wanting to use a sports event as a tourism and development driver. The figures speak for themselves: The 2009 Monsoon Cup attracted 101,794 spectators to the area, created 1,722 jobs in the region whilst reports show airport passenger arrivals increased from 300,000 a year to four million in the space of just five years.

In terms of infrastructure, a sports stadium and two brand-new hotels have been built in the state since the arrival of the Monsoon Cup. Of course, the lure to host a WMRT event is also influenced by the media platform it creates, something the Monsoon Cup, its promoters and the WMRT have heavily leveraged across not just specialist sailing media, but news broadcast and lifestyle titles.

In 2009, the print media value alone was worth MYR100 million which helped to give the event a media return on investment of 26:1. Overall, the Monsoon Cup has shown a 30 per cent increase in ROI year-on-year. Lim said: “Kuala Terengganu lacked recognition

Why sponsors love sailing The sport of sailing has always attracted strong support from corporate sponsors who see it as a clean, ethical sport that has many values attributable to successful business practice - strategy, teamwork, communication, focus, delivery, excellence. In addition to delivering a brand savvy, upscale audience of decision makers and influencers with whom to engage via successful activation of VIP experiential marketing

in the international tourism market and has many monsoons. However, it also has a beautiful coastal area and instead of thinking negatively, we capitalised on that.”

An event with a profile like The Monsoon Cup has the capacity to attract investment at every level, which, in addition to the desire to win, is an inviting incentive for the teams or individuals to compete.

The current ISAF Match Racing World champion, Adam Minoprio, made his name at The Monsoon Cup and believes the event’s stature played no small part: “The Monsoon Cup allowed us to compete with the best teams in the world for the first time. That was the point at which we really got noticed both by our sponsors and by Team New Zealand because our team suddenly had an international profile.”

For Terengganu it has been a tourismbased exercise on building awareness for a region that is wracked by the monsoon.

Rather than closing down the city over the three month monsoon period, the city is now saying we are open for business all year round.

and hospitality, it delivers a very credible CSR platform and above all real scope to deliver measurable ROI and ROO. As the Tour grows it will give even greater opportunity for brands to achieve their business objectives in key strategic territories and make it an even more attractive proposition for potential commercial partners.

For further information contact Matthew Strachan, Sales Director, on 020 7396 5562 or matthewstrachan@wmrt.com

WORLD CLASS Sports Hosts 43

Ultimate Sports Cities 2010 Gain winning strategies from the world’s leading sports destinations

For more information or to order contact: T: +44 207 954 3481 E: adam.barker@sportbusiness.com www.sportbusiness.com/reports