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Wimbledon gassed up a ride with Jaguar for another five years. The All England Lawn Tennis Club renewed its partnership with Jaguar UK to serve as the Official Car of annual event. Jaguar will not only supply a fleet of vehicles to support event operations, but will partner to “unearth the stories behind the iconic British sporting event.” 2021 will see the launch of Jaguar’s “Unmatched Experiences” campaign as it looks to showcase Wimbledon’s protagonists, intricacies and traditions through unique perspectives.
PROGRAMMING
Opening with ratings highlights. FOX Sports saw is coverage of NASCAR All-Star Weekend deliver an average of 2,735,000 viewers to the broadcast channel, according to Nielsen, up 31% over 2020 numbers, and up 12% over 2019. Meanwhile, the NASCAR Xfinity Series race form Texas delivered 957,000 viewers, up 26%.
FOX’s coverage of the Westminster Dog Show notched 2,479,000 viewers for Day 2, as Wasabi the Pekingese took home the title of Best in Show. The ranks as the most-watched Kennel Club Dog Show telecast since 2016 and is up 127% over 2020.
Finally, FOX Sports also scored with the Bassmaster Classic. The competition drew 448,000 viewers on Saturday on FOX, marking its inaugural airing of the event, and ranking as the most-watch telecast for the series since 2010, according to Nielsen.
Around the dial, ESPN is reporting that Sunday Night Baseball continues to see growth this season, with viewership up 31% over the 2020 full season average. The franchise is averaging 1,616,000 viewers this season, which is also up 7% from 2019 through week 11.
ESPN also boasts that this spring saw the NCAA Women’s Final Four, NCAA Gymnastics, NCAA Women’s Volleyball, NCAA Women’s College Cup and the NCAA Women’s College World Series all lay claim to increases in viewership over their 2019 championship counterparts, some even reaching record audiences. This year’s Women’s College World Series NCAA Softball Championship was the most-viewed ever, averaging 1,203,000 viewers, up 10% over the 2019 WCWS. The three-game Championship Series between No. 1 Oklahoma and No.10 Florida State averaged 1,840,000 viewers, up 15% over the 2019 Championship Series. The 2021 Women’s NCAA Gymnastics Championship Final on ABC was the most-viewed gymnastics championship on ESPN networks ever, averaging 808,000 viewers up 510% over the 2019 final on ESPNU.
Tennis Channel’s coverage of the 2021 French Open led to the most-watched match in network history. The men’s singles semifinal between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on Friday generated 511,000 viewers on the channel, for Nielsen Live+SD data. This surpassed the previous most-watched match, a 2019 Australian Open contest between Roger Federer – another future Hall of Famer – and Taylor Fritz, which led to 448,000 viewers. Three other French Open matches this year ranked among Tennis Channel’s top 20 of all time.
The WNBA is Vegas bound with the league announcing that AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021 will be played July 14 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The 17th WNBA All-Star Game will be broadcast live by ESPN at 7p. As part of the league’s 25th season celebrations, the WNBA will also honor the gold-medal winning 1996 US Olympic Women’s Basketball Team with a special presentation during the game highlighting the impact the team had on women’s sports and the role it played in launching the WNBA.
Olympic gold medalists Vince Carter, Kara Lawson and Candace Parker are joining the NBC Olympics team as basketball analysts in Tokyo this summer. Joining Carter, Lawson, and Parker in Tokyo will be NBC Olympics veteran Bob Fitzgerald (play-by-play). In addition, Tokyo Olympic basketball will be called from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Connecticut by Kate Scott (NBC Olympics debut, play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (second NBC Olympics assignment, analyst) and Monica McNutt (NBC Olympics debut, analyst).
Major League Baseball and Peacock today announced that the Phillies/Giants three-game series on June 18, 19 and 20 will be presented on Peacock nationwide, exclusive to Peacock in the Philadelphia and Bay Area home markets. The weekend series on Peacock combines the announcing teams of both historic franchises together in one broadcast for a unique presentation that includes Jon Miller (Giants) will serve as play-by-play announcer, alongside analysts Mike Krukow (Giants), John Kruk (Phillies), and Jimmy Rollins (Phillies) live from Oracle Park. The live coverage will also include special features and guest contributors. Additionally, Peacock will deliver comprehensive pregame coverage leading up to each game.
beIN MEDIA GROUP locked in the exclusive broadcast rights to the women’s racing circuit W Series in the United States and in 24 countries in the Middle East & North Africa. W Series will form a key part of beIN’s women’s sports portfolio and will take place from June 26- Oct. 30 with the first of eight races set to take place in Austria.
In other deal news, Karate Combat and CBS Sports announced a television agreement for the upcoming third season of programming from the promotion. Programming kicks in with the season premiere on July 1 with the twelve-episode Karate Combat: Season Three airing weekly on CBS Sports Network.
NBC Sports is gearing up for its portion of the 2021 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series this weekend with NASCAR’s return to Nashville at Nashville Superspeedway. Over three days, NBC Sports will present more than 12 hours of practice, qualifying and race coverage for Cup and Xfinity Series on NBCSN. Coverage will get underway at Nashville Superspeedway with the final practice session Saturday at 2p on NBCSN. Coverage on Sunday gets underway with qualifying at 11a. Brad Paisley and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will serve as hosts of pre-race coverage on Sunday from the Peacock Pit Box on pit road. In addition to hosting pre-race coverage, Paisley’s new song, City of Music, based on the city of Nashville, will be featured during race coverage throughout the weekend.
The AVP revealed the dates and locations for the 2021 AVP Pro tour season, kicking off after the Summer Games in Atlanta from Aug. 13,15, followed by the Manhattan Beach Open (August 20-22) and Chicago (September 3-5).
Lightweight World Champion Teofimo Lopez tested positive for symptomatic COVID-19 ahead of his defense against George Kambosos, so the fight has now been rescheduled for August 14 at a location to be determined. Presented by Triller Fight Club, the PPV was set to run on Saturday.
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Measurement & Data Virtual Conference
SESSION SPOTLIGHT: Reimagining Measurement of Sports Sponsorships with Deterministic Broadcast TV Data
Today at 12:15pm, learn how MVP is leveraging TiVo’s broadcast TV data to enhance their measurement capabilities and offer brands, properties and agencies 360-degree coverage of their premium sports sponsorships, from evaluating Super Bowl spend and beyond.
REGISTER TO JOIN THE EVENT >
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SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
Verizon signed on for a multi-year partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become the title sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series race on the IMS road course starting this August. The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard will make motorsports history on Aug. 15, when the NASCAR Cup Series will compete for the first time on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit at IMS. “Verizon has been a terrific, longtime partner of IMS, and this mutually beneficial relationship is reaching a new level at the Speedway through the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard,” said IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “Verizon’s 5G technology has enabled IMS to become one of the most connected sports facilities in America, so we’re proud to see the world-class Verizon name on this year’s historic Cup Series race and beyond.”
AT&T, the Official 5G Wireless Network Partner of the NBA and presenting partner of the NBA Conference Finals, is lining up AT&T 5G Courtside Concerts. The four-part concert series will feature two-time Grammy nominated Cordae, rising star CHIKA, and hip-hop staples 2 Chainz and Big Sean as they each perform a “unique, multi-dimensional set.” The AT&T 5G Courtside Concerts takes place in a modular virtual environment and each performance will be brought to life with visuals, graphics and animations influenced by each performer,” showcasing the flare and vibe of each artists’ style.” The four performances will be highlighted on either TNT and ESPN’s broadcast coverage of the NBA Conference Finals.
The Professional Fighters League announced the renewal of its partnership with the Air Force Reserve. PFL will introduce a custom broadcast feature on ESPN – “Air Force Prep Point” – which will give a look into the warmup room pre-fight as the athletes prepare for their moment in the cage. Additionally, Air Force Reserve logos will be featured in and around the cage, and the partnership will include an integrated mix of assets including national broadcast, social and digital amplification.
Corona is launching #BirdiesForPremier, a program that will award fans with six-packs of Corona Premier* for every birdie made throughout the U.S. Open Championship, running June 17-20. Corona will acknowledge when a golfer has a premier moment on the course and makes a birdie by sharing a tweet from its official Twitter account and golf fans of legal drinking age can either reply to the tweet or share their own using #BirdiesForPremier and #Sweepstakes for a chance to receive Corona Premier in celebration of the moment.
The NFL Players Association and social media activation partner Opendorse released the latest NFLPA Influencer Hot List for the 2021-22 season, which evaluates the social media activity of NFL players January 4-June 1, 2021. Top three in overall total engagement were Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes II, and Russell Wilson. For the top growth rate Trey Lance led the pack, followed by Zach Wilson and Taylor Heinicke.
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
The American Flag Football League and LSports, specializing in the delivery of real-time sports data solutions, announced an exclusive data distribution partnership valued at $6 million. The five-year agreement sees LSports receive exclusive rights to the distribution of the league’s official data. LSports will generate live statistics and odds for all AFFL games beginning with the start of the 2022 season.
The WTA and ATP announced an agreement with TopCourt, which sees the digital tennis learning platform become the first official tennis e-learning platform of the ATP Tour and WTA Tour. Through the partnership, content from various TopCourt players will be featured on the ATP and WTA’s digital platforms, highlighting TopCourt ambassadors on the tours’ rankings pages.
GLORY unveiled a multi-year partnership with global streaming provider, Endeavor Streaming. GLORY fans around the world will be able to watch live PPV events via the new streaming platform, starting with GLORY 78 on July 17. “This exciting partnership will bring a new, premium streaming experience to market for combat fans. GLORY has been a leader in the industry for years and this new offering will enable the business to reach a wider audience globally, while also providing their dedicated fans with a single branded destination to consume live events and content,” said Charles Mellilo, SVP at Endeavor Streaming.
FOX MLB analyst David “Big Papi” Ortiz will join the FOX Bet team for the remainder of the 2021 season, offering his insight for the highly anticipated MLB All-Star game, and postseason this fall. FOX Bet Super 6, a free-to-play app will offer the “Win Big Papi’s Money” contest on Saturday, posing six questions pertaining to what will transpire in innings 7, 8 and 9 of a given baseball game.
ESPORTS
Team Liquid and Verizon entered into a multi-year partnership. Through the deal—which includes category exclusivity across telecommunications, 5G wireless and network services, wired and wireless internet, and wired and wireless telephone service—Verizon will become Liquid’s Official 5G Partner and be featured across Team Liquid’s pro athlete jerseys. The partners will also work together on new technology aimed at advancing Liquid’s business efforts and fan offerings. Verizon will also help install several 5G-powered streaming pods at the organization’s North American training facility and the duo will support each other across several community endeavors.
WME signed on a slate of esports and gaming stars for representation in all areas. Talent includes YouTuber and Twitch streamer Cloakzy, G4 host and content creator Gina Darling, YouTube personality Tiko, TikTok star Luvanthony, Atlanta FaZe coach James Crowder, Call of Duty player Clayster, and content creator ZooMaa, per THR.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and Players’ Tribune co-founder Jaymee Messler announced Gaming Society, described as a gamification and content company that will “amplify fan engagement using games, betting, athlete integration and immersive social experiences.” “We believe Gaming Society’s role in the sports betting space can bring fans and athletes together by creating a more inclusive environment,” says Garnett. “Our goal is to provide the information and guidance to make people better bettors and we are creating a new platform that will put professional athletes at the forefront of innovation in the betting category. Nobody appreciates ‘the game’ and competition more than professional athletes, and we believe our voices should be instrumental in introducing fans to the betting space.”
WWE will search for the next generation of Superstars and host a multi-day talent tryout in Las Vegas as part of SummerSlam Week. The tryouts will give elite male and female athletes and performers the opportunity to showcase their abilities with the goal of being selected to begin training at the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
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Measurement & Data Virtual Conference
SESSION SPOTLIGHT: A Kaleidoscope for Cross-Platform Measurement
DISQO will present the latest data on cross-platform usage, how well existing technologies are measuring ad effectiveness, and the mutant research that results from not having a cross-platform view of ad exposure.
Hear how marketers can revisit classical techniques with a modern methodological twist to get a complete understanding of advertising impact everywhere.
JOIN US – TODAY AT 3PM
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On this Day
1995: Salt Lake City is awarded the XIX Winter Olympics in 2002.
IN THE KNOW
What movie character falsified the home address in his license renewal to Wrigley Field? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
What number did the Orioles retire to honor Earl Weaver? Answer: #4. Kudos: Michael Dittelman-Dedicated Sports Marketing/NY; Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NY; John Lappas-Playfly Home Team Sports/NY; Denis Barry-CBS Sales/NY; Robert Tombs-effectv/Bloomfield; Art Salisch-Nielsen/NJ; Willy Gibson-WTG Sports/Columbus; Larry Gallo, Jr.-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/Chapel Hill; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE >>
MARATHON VENTURES/EAST COAST/REMOTE: Responsible for generating revenue and achieving sales targets and maintaining and developing our direct response account business. Analyze sales data, execute strategies for revenue growth, build relationships with existing accounts and consistently develop new business. Established relationships required. Full info HERE (6/30)
SVP, PRICING & PLANNING
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
NYC. NY
Manages the execution of the pricing and planning function for all media and digital platforms.15 years progressive and related Ad Sales, Pricing & Planning and/or Operations experience. BA Degree in Communications, Advertising/Marketing, Business Admin, Finance or related field required. Full info HERE (6/27)
DIRECTOR, PROGRAM STRATEGY
JUKIN MEDIA
LOS ANGELES, CA
Oversees programming and on-air promo strategy and scheduling. Rapidly growing team that is at the center of the fastest growing area of the Streaming TV market. 8+ years in television or digital programming strategy required, in addition to a deep understanding and passion of television, streaming tv and digital content landscape. Full info HERE (6/26)
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY >>
KHQ INC./SPOKANE, WA: Collaborate with, and support engineering departments at all stations and work with vendors to research, acquire, and maintain broadcast equipment. Work with chief engineers and the master control supervisor to comply with all FCC regulations; work with chief engineers to develop capital and expense budgets. Full info HERE (6/26)
SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER >>
NESN/WATERTOWN MA: Format, edit and line produce a weekly 30-minute kids baseball show, NESN Clubhouse, throughout the Red Sox Season. Produces, writes and edits multi-shoot features and edits, writes and formats long-form interview, and documentary shows. 5 or more years of experience in sports television at a regional or national level required. Full info HERE (6/25)
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, PRESIDENT & CEO
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
LA, CA
Manages the day-to-day operations of the office of the President & CEO. All matters pertaining to the CEO including discrete handling of confidential and sensitive information. Undergraduate Degree or 4 years of equivalent executive administrative experience, preferably with Entertainment Industry and an expert level using MS Office Suite and building PowerPoint decks. Full info HERE (6/25)
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
NYC, NY
Manages the day-to-day administrative work of the Business & Legal Affairs team, with focused support for the EVP, General Counsel. This position serves as a key coordinator for the Business & Legal Affairs team, as well as a key coordinator between the Crown Media Business & Legal Affairs team and the Hallmark Legal team. Full info HERE (6/25)
COORDINATOR, PARTNERSHIP MARKETING (ASSETS)
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
LA, CA
Responsible for the execution and management of promotional materials utilizing image and video assets for merchandising of programming content across all Hallmark’s programming channels. Adobe Suite skills (Photoshop & InDesign) and a minimum of 2 years of experience in entertainment is required, cable preferred. Full info HERE (6/25)
SR. PRODUCT MANAGER-OTT/WEB, PANTAYA
HEMISPHERE MEDIA GROUP INC.
SANTA MONICA, CA
Design technology, content, customer service and marketing teams to deliver a best-in-class streaming experience across multiple device platforms. Own the user experience, feature set and AB testing for engagement campaigns. 2-4+ years’ experience designing, launching, and maintaining digital D2C products required. Full info HERE (6/24)
SALES PLANNER >>
MARATHON VENTURES LLC/NY, NJ, CT, REMOTE: Primary point of contact for our media partners, effectively anticipating and solving problems. Review client orders for accuracy and resolve discrepancies and reconcile logs and reports. Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Full info HERE (6/24)
CAMPAIGN MANAGER – NATIONAL >>
AMPERSAND/NYC, NY: Input and transmit all new orders for the National business. Facilitate communication amongst stakeholders regarding order details, copy and traffic and collaborate with MVPD contacts on order confirmation and campaign activation to ensure all platforms are live. BS/BA Degree required. Full info HERE (6/23)
SALES ASSISTANT >>
REELZ/NYC, NY: Maintain agency accounts including upfront and scatter order entry, campaign changes, and product allocations. Assist Account Executives and work closely with the Director of Inventory Control. Bachelor’s Degree required. Proficient in Excel & PowerPoint. Full info HERE (6/23)
SR. SALES PLANNER >>
REELZ/NYC, NY: Create/revise upfront/scatter media plans, account stewardship & serve as agency liaison. Should be comfortable presenting and cultivating agency relationships. A min. 5 yrs ad sales exp. Strong written and verbal communication skills, strong media math skills. Proficient in Wide Orbit, MS Suite. Full info HERE (6/23)
DIRECTOR GROWTH MARKETING-CONSUMER MARKETING
A+E NETWORKS
NYC, NY
Data-driven digital marketer needed to acquire and retain viewers for the A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime apps. Own strategy and implementation for retention tactics including email, push notifications, and digital video house ads. Requires 7-10 years of experience, product marketing experience is a plus. Full info HERE (6/22)
LOCAL ACCOUNT MANAGER >>
AMPERSAND/LOS ANGELES, CA: Assist Account Directors with preparation of sales proposals, and work across functional groups such as MVPD’s, Partners, Research, etc. to assist in the creation of client proposals, presentations, and Media Plans. 2-3 years advertising related experience and thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Full info HERE (6/22)
DIGITAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER >>
AMPERSAND/NYC, NY: Review and validate online insertion orders (IO) and obtain all creative materials from Sales and/or Advertisers. Process and transmit all digital orders through Ampersand applications and streamline communication to publishers. Knowledge of ad-serving and verification vendors and Bachelor’s degree required. Full info HERE (6/21)
SALES ASSISTANT
UP ENTERTAINMENT
NYC/NY
Maintain agency accounts including upfront and scatter order entry, inventory moves, and product allocations and Electronic Data Interchange. Assist Account Executives, Sales Planner and Pricing Inventory and compile information for Sales team. B.A. in Communications or equivalent required. Full info HERE (6/21)
PAID SOCIAL ANALYST >>
WARNERMEDIA/NYC or LA or ATLANTA or CHICAGO-currently REMOTE: Implement, plan, and measure paid social media campaigns for sponsored content across the WarnerMedia portfolio. Develop audience insights and analyze campaign performance. 1+ years working experience in paid social, digital marketing or social insights required. Full info HERE (6/19)
SVP, COMMUNICATIONS
OWN
WEST HOLLYWOOD
Design, lead, and manage all internal and external communication for the OWN brand. Work directly with talent, creatives, and more. Must have 15 years exp in comms/PR preferably with media (tv/streaming) exp. Full info HERE (6/19)
SR. MANAGER, PUBLICITY >>
PBS/ARLINGTON, VA: Develop and implement publicity campaigns for PBS primetime programs and digital initiatives. 6+ years exp in communications, publicity, and/or journalism. Broadcast/TV exp strongly preferred. Full info HERE (6/19)
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & REGIONAL MANAGER >>
NEXSTAR/IRVING, TX: Direct oversight of several markets and will report directly to the President of Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. Provide daily management and guidance of multiple General Managers and responsible for the achievement and growth of their assigned markets. Min. of 10 yrs in television management and sales required. Full info HERE (6/18)
QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN – BROADCAST
A+E NETWORKS
STAMFORD
Bilingual Spanish Technician needed for the QC of AETN programs prior to Broadcast. Evaluate show and movie master files for technical quality, Standards & Practices, grammar, spelling and closed caption accuracy so AETN content meets network standards and air critical deadlines. Requires 2+ years of related experience and ability to read waveform/vector and audio scopes. Full info HERE (6/18)
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