SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
UFC detailed plans for the 8th Annual UFC International Fight Week, taking place in Las Vegas from July 3-7 and anchored by UFC 239, as well as the 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and a two-day, interactive UFC Fan Experience. The free two-day UFC Fan Experience will feature meet and greets, autograph sessions, and partner activations that provide unprecedented access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, Hall of Famers, and other UFC personalities.
The NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association joined Kraft Heinz to announce Calumet Colosseum in Calumet, Michigan as the winner of Kraft Hockeyville USA 2019. Calumet Colosseum will have the opportunity to host an NHL Pre-Season Game, will be awarded $150,000 in rink upgrades and will receive $10,000 worth of new equipment from the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund. “Community support is pivotal in this competition and Calumet Colosseum showed the passion and determination of a true champion,” said Magen Hanrahan, vice president of media and marketing services at Kraft Heinz. “Calumet Colosseum is an inspiration to local hockey communities across America, and we’re excited to celebrate with them later this year.”
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
NBCUniversal launched a “first-of-its-kind” content commerce platform with Golf Channel titled “Shop with GOLF.” The new e-commerce venture will look to offer shoppers with a new way to engage with their brands, shows, personalities, players, and network. The site launches with a selection of 30 brands, such as Linksoul, J. Lindeberg, Foray Golf, Criquet, and Rhone, as well as Bill Murray’s golf lifestyle brand, William Murray Golf, which also provides entertaining video content. Additional brands will also be joining the site over the course of its first month, including EleVen by Venus Williams. “We’re taking the next step in reimagining the commercial experience by reimagining the commerce experience. Our new Shop with GOLF platform combines the power of premium content and digital commerce to create a first-of-its-kind opportunity,” said Josh Feldman, Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing and Advertising Creative, NBCUniversal. “On this platform, golf fans can engage with their favorite content and brands like never before, while companies can reach their consumers at scale and drive impact.”
ESPORTS
ESPN debuted a weekly program, CEC: Countdown on Friday, leading into the first-ever ESPN Collegiate Esports Championship. The program will air on ESPN Esports’ Twitch, YouTube and Twitter as well as ESPN3 and will rotate hosts weekly. Week one featured Goldenboy and LeTigress on microphone duties.
Riot Games inked home and kitchen appliance brand Beko to serve as the newest partner for the League of Legends European Championship, where they will serve as the official domestic appliances supplier for the Spring Split and upcoming Summer Split. Activation will see the two orgs team up to create exclusive content designed to promote healthy eating.
Ubisoft announced plans for year two of the Rainbow Six US Nationals. The season begins April 6. The company posted that this year’s total prize pool has been raised to $156,000, with the winning team earning the title of Team USA 2019. Doubling down in 2019, the R6USN will have two broadcast days per week, highlighting the top four teams from each Conference. Western Conference teams will compete live on broadcast Tuesday evenings. The Eastern Conference teams will compete on Thursdays. Towards the end of the stage, the top four teams will play in a semifinal and final round, determining who will move on to the R6USN Finals in December.
The Boston Uprising announced today the bracket for the preliminary rounds of the Spring Collegiate Cup taking place online on April 6. The field features 11 teams from nine local New England schools including Becker College, Boston University, Champlain College, Emerson College, University of Massachusetts Amherst, New England College, Northeastern University, University of Rhode Island and Stonehill College.
INDUSTRY/ROSTER MOVES
FOX Sports announced that Dan Donnelly has been named Senior Vice President, Ad Sales Marketing. Donnelly will oversee the Sports Marketing division, creating opportunities for brands to be represented across all FOX Sports properties.
The XFL named Erik A. Moses, most recently Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Sports, Entertainment & Special Events for Events DC, as President of the XFL football team in DC. The DC XFL team will first take the field in February 2020 for its inaugural season and play its home games at Audi Field.
Eric Burak was tapped as Executive Producer at The Famous Group. Burak was previously Vice President, Digital at Bellator MMA and will now oversee current projects and develop new business while reporting to Executive Vice President, Andrew Isaacson.
THE MAIN EVENT
Cubs/Braves on ESPN at 7p.