NHL Network is gearing up promotion for the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game with the launch of a sweepstakes that gives fans a chance to win a trip for two to the 2019 NHL All-Star Weekend in San Jose, including hotel, travel, tickets and a meet-and-greet with NHL Network on-air personalities. Every day through Jan. 7, NHL Network will reveal a code word on the air that fans can enter online for a chance to win.
ASICS launched an expanded activation in their partnership with the charity Right To Play, looking to help change the lives of refugee children in Lebanon. Every $10 donation made to Right To Play supports a child’s play for 10 weeks. This year, to mark the 100th anniversary of Kihachiro Onitsuka, ASICS’ founder, the brand donated $100,000 to Right To Play with the aim to “support refugee children and youth in engaging in play and sport, making for a healthier and stronger generation that can develop life skills and build peaceful communities.”
PGA TOUR LIVE is rolling to NBC Sports Gold, with the PGA TOUR’s direct-to-consumer subscription video service poised for upgrades and offering its most robust service so far, now with four days of live coverage from 27 PGA TOUR events, new 10-minute “Speed Round” recaps for Featured Groups players, expansive VOD content, and integrated scoring and statistics. It is also available on double the number of supported platforms vs. 2018. Overall, the platform will offer 870 hours of live featured groups coverage in 2019, more than doubling last year’s tally.
Intel and Turner Sports announced plans to bring back exclusive virtual reality broadcasts this season via the NBA on TNT VR app. The app takes fans onto the virtual set of Turner Sports’ Inside the NBA, where they can access live game action, full-game replays, highlights and more with coverage that includes a weekly marquee game, NBA All-Star Weekend, a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup, TNT’s extensive 2019 NBA Playoffs coverage, and TNT’s exclusive presentation of the 2019 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Stephanie Ready and Richard “Rip” Hamilton will serve as commentators throughout the season, and begins Dec. 27 with the Celtics/Rockets matchup.
Speaking of the NBA, NBA All-Star Voting 2019 presented by Google will tip off on Christmas Day ahead of five Christmas Day matchups across ABC and ESPN before wrapping up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 21. Fans will be able to vote by searching on Google, through the Google Assistant and via the NBA App and NBA.com. TNT will reveal the NBA All-Star Game starters, including the two captains, on Jan. 24.
The Professional Fighters League is partnering with SportsMEDIA Technology for an exclusive, long-term technology alliance that will see SMT provide the league with proprietary technology that will measure real-time MMA fighter performance analytics along with biometric and positional data for fans. Starting in 2019, SMT will help power the PFL’s vision of the first-ever SmartCage, tracking measurements including: speed (mph) of punches and kicks, power ratings, heart rate tracking, energy exerted and more.
Allied Esports continues to think global, announcing the formation of the world’s first esports venue affiliate program, titled the Allied Esports Property Network and designed for global partners interested in participating in Allied Esports’ global event programming, and licensing Allied Esports’ design, development and operations knowledge for their own esports venues. The network will look to offer members access to Allied Esports’ global platform of events and content production, providing participants and viewers with integrated experiences both in-person and online. Allied Esports also announced a multi-year agreement with Fortress Esports Pty Ltd, a new gaming, esports and entertainment venue enterprise in Australia that will include exclusive rights to esports venue development in Australia and New Zealand. The first Fortress Esports venue to be part of the Allied Esports Property Network is expected to open in Melbourne in 2019.
NASCAR and iRacing celebrate season ten of the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series in 2019 with a prize pool boost of $100,000, up more than a 500% increase from the previous year. The 2019 season kicks off on February 12 at Daytona International Speedway and runs through October with the series champion receiving his or her championship trophy and check on stage during pre-race ceremonies at the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. All 18 rounds of the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series will be broadcast live on the iRacing eSports Network as well as on www.iRacing.com and www.nascar.com.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment and the Washington Capitals ae set to host to an official NHL Esports Activation, the Chel Classic – a 3v3, best-of-five showcase series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 19 at Capital One Arena. Players will be selected to represent the Caps in the Capitals Esports Faceoff – qualifying online tournaments slated for Jan. 12, 19, 26 and Feb. 2. The final eight participants will then challenge each other at an in-person, double-elimination tournament Feb. 22 for a shot at one of the coveted final three roster spots and a chance to take home part of a $10,000 prize purse.
Buffalo/Syracuse on ESPN2 at 8p.
