Inspection Tour Gives Thumbs-up for 2010 Stadiums

It wasn't quite around the world in 80 days, but an inspection tour delegation of over 50 operational experts from FIFA and South Africa's 2010 Organising Committee this week travelled 4,000 kilometres to six cities in six days to run the rule over the country's World Cup stadiums.

World Cup Hospitality Packages In High Demand

Sales of corporate hospitality packages for the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament are surpassing all expectations - especially those costing companies up to $1.5m.

Rio Wins 2016 Games; Chicago Shocked By Early Exit

Rio today won the right to host the 2016 Olympics, following a first-round vote that eliminated Chicago, a second-round vote that eliminated Tokyo, and a final vote that eliminated Madrid. The victory gives South America its first Olympic Games and offers the IOC a chance to expose an entire continent to the Olympic ideals. It also shows that the IOC is confident that Brazil not only can execute the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, but can keep the marketplace uncluttered enough for sponsors to derive value from associating with the 2016 Olympics.

FIFA and Authorities Crack Down on Illegal World Cup Ticket Sales

As the excitement surrounding the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ gains momentum, tickets have been in high demand all over the world. While genuine tickets are sold online exclusively via the official website FIFA.com, unscrupulous individuals are taking advantage of the great appeal of this event by trying to use the internet to sell tickets they do not possess. A special team from FIFA’s Legal Affairs Division is working closely with international authorities to monitor the internet for such illegal offers and to take action to combat them.

SportsMark Client Omega Extends Deal with IOC to Remain Official Timekeeper of Olympics

The IOC today announced an extension of its partnership with Omega through '20 in which Omega will continue as the official timekeeper of the Olympics. Omega has had a deal with the IOC since the '32 L.A. Games, and by the time the latest extension is completed, the IOC-Omega relationship will have been in place for 29 Olympiads (IOC). Omega's consumer Web site features a countdown to the '10 Vancouver Games as well as Vancouver countdown desktop downloads (THE DAILY).

Around the World in 225 Days

FIFA and The Coca-Cola Company today unveiled the route of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola. World football's greatest prize is set to embark on its longest ever global tour, with FIFA and The Coca-Cola Company taking the real solid-gold trophy to 86 countries during a 225-day journey and allowing thousands of fans to enjoy a rare close-up view of the authentic FIFA World Cup Trophy. The trophy will travel 134,017 kilometres (83,274 miles) and visit every nation in Africa to give African fans the once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their picture taken with the trophy.

SportsMark Named a Top Event Planning Company

Special Events Magazine names SportsMark among the top event planning companies in the country. Read the article here.

SportsMark & Radiate Featured in Event Marketer Agency Roundtable

The experiential space is changing, accelerating—evolving. In an effort to make sure you’re getting as much information as possible, we are heading out into the agency side of the landscape for several regularly scheduled roundtable discussions. Folks, your agencies are living the realm of the experience, too, and if you listen to them, you’ll learn something. In this first roundtable, we dive into the Radiate Group, Omnicom’s own collective of experiential partners. Take a look at the shift away from the big shiny idea and into the bigger-shinier strategy. Check out the ties to digital. And ROI is now requisite—and attainable.

SportsMark Announces Director of Business Development, Europe

SportsMark is pleased to announce the addition of Joanna Olszowska as Director, Business Development in SportsMark’s London office.

Event Marketer’s It List Recognizes SportsMark for the 6th Year

SportsMark is excited to be included in Event Marketer Magazine’s top 100 agencies list for the 6^th straight year. Thank you to all our terrific clients and exceptional staff who made this possible.

To view Event Marketer’s It List, please visit: http://www.eventmarketer.com/templates/Event_Marketer_Magazine/media/1_EMList.pdf

SportsMark Announces Promotions

It is with great pleasure that SportsMark announces the promotions of Mariana Alvaro to Senior Director, Information Technology, and Patrick Dawson to Director, Production & Design.

SportsMark Takes it to the Hoop in Detroit

March Madness has been in full swing here at SportsMark.  Our strategic consulting and account management teams, as well as our creative services group, managed programs and produced special events for The Hartford and CBS Television around the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games.

Univision Unveils Unprecedented 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Coverage in HD

At its Los Angeles Partnership Forum last night, Univision Communications Inc. announced broadcast of all 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ games in High Definition (HD) across Univision Network, TeleFutura, the Univision and TeleFutura Station Group and on Video On Demand (VOD).  

Omega Selects SportsMark as Vancouver 2010 Agency

We are proud to announce that TOP Sponsor Omega has selected SportsMark to be their hospitality management agency for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. Omega, the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, will be hosting multiple waves of international guests over the course of the Olympic period.  Leveraging the best of what the 2010 Games has to offer, these VIP guests will be able to take advantage of the city and mountain events in this combined Vancouver/Whistler program.

2010 FIFA World Cup™: Major 2010 Transport Milestone Reached

A significant milestone has been reached in the provision of reliable transport services for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the signing of a major memorandum of understanding (MOU) between some of the tournament's key transport role-players.

2010 FIFA World Cup™ Ticket & Hospitality Packages Available

We are only a few months away from the one-year out mark to the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, and despite an expected global slowdown in sales, interest and sales of tickets and hospitality are very strong. 

SportsMark Selected as Sports Business Award Finalist

SportsMark is thrilled to be recognized again as a finalist for the Sports Event Marketing Firm of the Year award presented by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. SportsMark won in the same category last year at the inaugural Sports Business Awards. The Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports.

SportsMark Opens London & Johannesburg Offices

As part of SportsMark’s preparations for our client programs at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and the London 2012 Olympic Games, we have opened offices in both London and Johannesburg.  These offices will help service our clients’ event requirements and enable us to work effectively in the local markets and time zone.  SportsMark veteran Walt Dobrowolski is Managing Director of SportsMark Europe, and is based in London.

2010 FIFA World Cup™: Tickets - The countdown begins

Every four years, the world's top 32 teams come together to contest the FIFA World Cup™ finals. The tournament's big kick-off on 11 June 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa is still quite a few months away, but for fans of the world's biggest single sporting event there is another important date on the horizon: the start of the first ticket sales phase on 20 February 2009.

2010 FIFA World Cup™: Confidence High among South Africans

With just under 500 days to go until kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, optimism surrounding South Africa's role as host of the world's premier football competition appears to be riding at a high level in the nation. Market research commissioned by FIFA suggests that three out of every four people believe that South Africa will be ready by the time the event starts on 11 June 2010.

SportsMark Announces Promotions

With great pleasure, we would like to announce the promotions of two of SportsMark’s senior managers on the operations team: Walter Dobrowolski and Willie Rodriguez.

Willie Rodriguez Named SportsMark’s Great Performer for 2008

The 2008 SportsMark Great Performer Award was presented to Willie Rodriguez, Vice President, Events and Hospitality. This award, which is given annually and is voted on by our peers at SportsMark, nominates employees for their exceptional commitment to quality, customer service, and dedication.

Throughout 2008, Willie demonstrated tireless efforts and exemplary leadership skills. He has given tirelessly over the years to all of his colleagues. Please join us in recognizing Willie for a job well done and for another tremendous year!

SportsMark’s Headquarters Office Has Moved

As of December 1, 2008, SportsMark’s global headquarters has moved to:

781 Lincoln Avenue
Suite 380
San Rafael, CA 94901
USA

Phone: +1.415.461.5801 (same as before)
Fax: +1.415.461.5804 (same as before)

Direct employee phone numbers also remain the same.

Please update your files to reflect our new address, which is located just a few miles
from our previous location.

2010 FIFA World Cup™: Commercial Hospitality Packages Approach Record Sales

The commercial hospitality programme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ has already hit record-setting levels with over USD 115 million worth of sales, and it is rapidly becoming the most successful hospitality programme in FIFA World Cup™ history.

SportsMark Hires Olympic Operations Director in Vancouver

SportsMark is pleased to announce that Pete Moore has joined our Vancouver office as Director, Olympic Operations.  An experienced event marketing professional, Pete has managed Olympic hospitality programs and operations since the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.  As SportsMark’s Director, Olympic Operations, Pete will manage our Vancouver-based account managers, in addition to playing a key role in overseeing our overall Olympic operations planning for our sponsor clients.