England legend Glenn Hoddle saved on set by rapid response sound man
October 29 – Former England manager Glenn Hoddle is “responding well” to treatment in hospital after having suffered a heart attack on Saturday.
Football Marketing
UEFA opens up Women’s Football sponsor categories for 2018-21 cycle
October 26 – UEFA has gone to market with a new set of sponsorship categories for its Women’s Football properties for the 2018-2021 cycle.
Spurs open biggest club shop in Europe and plan on getting a Stadium for Christmas
October 25 – Tottenham Hotspur have made a statement of intent with the opening of the largest club shop in Europe at their new stadium.
Arsenal launch AI ‘Robot Pires’ to boost fan engagement
October 25 – Arsenal have launched a new chat tool, powered by artificial intelligence and operating across social media channels including Facebook Messenger, Slack, Sky and Telegram, that will give supporters easy access to the latest news, fixtures, results, videos, player stats and ticket information.
End of era for host broadcasting as Tellier steps down at HBS
By David Owen
October 23 – Next month will bring the end of a football broadcasting era, with Francis Tellier set to step down as chief executive of Host Broadcast Services (HBS) after almost two decades.
Boost for SPFL as Betfred extends Scottish League Cup title sponsorship
October 22 – Bookmaker Betfred has agreed a one-year extension to its title sponsorship of the Scottish League Cup taking the company through to the end of the 2019/20 season.
Eleven Sports pressured to drop 3pm broadcasts in UK, but promises fight is not over
October 19 – Internet sports broadcaster Eleven Sports says it is reluctantly dropping screening European football matches in the UK on Saturday afternoons.
Alisports secures Happy Valley shirt for WESG qualifier as it drives esports profile
October 19 – Alisports, the sports arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has signed a deal with Happy Valley (HVAA), a Hong Kong first division club, to promote Alisports’ esports World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) event.
Man City go cashless with tappit for fan events in UK and Asia
October 18 – Manchester City have agreed a deal with cashless experts tappit, who becomes the Club’s Official Events Cashless Payments Partner.
Bookies looking for sponsorship edge could see boost for club shirt deals
By Paul Nicholson
October 17 – A self-imposed broadcast advertising ban by bookmakers on pre-9pm ads could drive UK betting sponsors and their marketing money back to clubs and drive up the value of premium shirt sponsorship positions.
Continental re-treads its Chinese FA national team sponsorship
October 17 – Germany’s Continental Tires has extended its sponsorship with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and its national teams.
UEFA steps in to mediate over Eleven’s breaking of English Saturday 3pm broadcast ban
October 16 – UEFA has diplomatically stepped into the debate over UK football’s traditional Saturday afternoon broadcast blackout being breached by saying it is in talks with the English and Spanish leagues following reports that online streaming service Eleven Sports is defying the rules.
Yes you Kan: UEFA quells Israeli political hysteria over right to broadcast in West Bank
By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – UEFA has firmly denied reports that it has banned Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, from televising qualifying games in the disputed occupied territories.
LFP expands Fiat sponsorship to include top two leagues as well as League Cup
October 12 – France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has expanded its deal with Italian car maker Fiat to include the sponsorship of the LFP’s Ligue 1 Conforama and Domino’s Ligue 2. Fiat has been a partner of the BKT League Cup for the past two seasons.
VfB Stuttgart take first Chinese steps with Guangzhou R&F
October 11 – Bundlesliga’s VfB Stuttgart is the latest German club to open up links in China, signing a five-year contract with the Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F to develop youth players and train coaches.