• News - Essentially aims for World Cup sales kick
• News - Financial services sector rules sponsorship waves
• Input - Facing the worst - Cancellation insurance and risk management
• Analysis - Big banks make the biggest deals
• Shout - CAN RUGBY RETAIN WORLD CUP PASSION?
• Britdata - RWC – Sponsor cut through in the UK
• Seven Days - News round-up

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Essentially aims for World Cup sales kick

The Essentially Group of sports marketing companies will launch its new brand identity on Monday on the back of a Rugby World Cup that should provide a major boost to forward sales.

The Alternative Investment Market–listed company is rolling five agencies into a new business that it claims will make Essentially one of the top five sports marketing agencies in the UK.

And according to chief executive, Bart Campbell, the timing of the launch – and the move of its four London-based agencies into new 14th floor offices on London’s Albert Embankment - could not be better.

“The Rugby World Cup has stimulated a lot of activity around players and sponsorship - and it’s not just a spike of activity for three months. The benefits are in forward selling across a number of properties, including the Lions Tour of South Africa in 2009 and the Fan Village format.”

Financial services sector rules sponsorship waves

The financial services sector has leapt into a clear lead in terms of both the number of sponsorship deals and the value of sponsorship expenditure in the UK, according to a new report published this week.

In 2000, the sector was third behind the motor and alcohol industries but a series of major deals has put banking and insurance firmly into first place, the report says. Financial services now accounts for 15 per cent of all deals, but in terms of value, it represents 22 per cent of the entire sponsorship cake.

Part one of a three-part report, ‘Driving Business Through Sport 2007’, is published by International Marketing Reports and values the UK sports sponsorship industry at £839 million. Report author, Simon Rines, says that the findings suggest a pan-European pattern is now emerging.

Facing the worst - Cancellation insurance and risk management

This weekend’s rare double-header of major rugby and F1 action will be eagerly awaited in the UK. But how do organisers and commercial stakeholders in sporting events like these handle the possibility of cancellation?

With major events from the Olympic Games downwards running as businesses the need for contingency plans are imperative. BritSport Weekly asked two risk management and cancellation insurance experts to explain the principles behind event coverage.

Lennox Batten, sports specialist at broker Marsh, explains how good risk management helps to place the appropriate cancellation insurance policies.

Big banks make the biggest deals

There is only one career now recommended by parents for sons and daughters who want to make big bucks. And that’s banking. Law? Too much like hard work. Medicine? Forget about it.

Banking is now so far out in front in terms of salaries and bonuses, it’s perhaps not surprising that financial services dominate the UK sponsorship market too. Of course, it’s more the high street type banks that are making the big B to C sponsorship plays. But, like the traders on the global markets, they are making massive profits all the same.

As ‘Driving Business Through Sport 2007’ reports, in the UK market the major financial services companies are associated with prime sporting properties: Barclays (Premier League), Norwich Union (athletics), Lloyds TSB (National Olympic partner 2012), AIG (Manchester United), Royal Bank of Scotland (Six Nations/Williams F1) and Santander (McLaren).

CAN RUGBY RETAIN WORLD CUP PASSION?

Jonathan Castleman, group director, Consulting, Fast Track, reviews the impact of England’s success at the Rugby World Cup and asks whether the ‘pointy ball game’ can retain a place in the hearts of sports fans.

As if you needed reminding, the sixth Rugby World Cup comes to a close this weekend as England attempt to create history and become the first team ever to retain the trophy.

It seems that there are precious few souls within these shores who are unaware of the 80 minutes of rugby that will take place at the Stade de France on Saturday night.

We have watched almost in disbelief, transfixed, flabbergasted and absorbed in equal measure as England’s underdog story has developed over recent weeks. Over 14 million of us watched the semi-final on ITV at home at the weekend, millions more in pubs up and down the country; a record for a sporting event this year is virtually guaranteed when South Africa and England clash on Saturday night.

RWC – Sponsor cut through in the UK

As England have raised the bar on each performance towards this Saturday’s 2007 IRB Rugby World Cup final so general interest has increased in the UK.

Television viewing has grown from 2.3 million (USA group game) to 9.7 million (12 million peak) for the France semi-final - and that’s not counting the millions around the country watching in pubs, bars and clubs.

But has this heightened interest impacted on sponsor cut through for the global partners? Results from Sports Marketing Surveys’ UK Sponsatrak survey, indicates that from the six global partners and six official sponsors, it is the well-known brands that are making an impact in the UK.

News round-up

Media
The 21-year relationship between BBC Sport and The Masters will continue for another three year after the public broadcaster inked a new deal with Augusta National Golf Club up to and including 2010. The agreement includes live television, radio and additional online rights.

Setanta and Virgin Media have appointed Geoff Hill as editor-in-chief of the soon-to-launch Setanta Sports News channel, produced by ITN. Hill will set the daily sports news agenda for the 24-hour news channel and heads a new team of nearly 60 people.

The FA has appointed deltatre media to work on the relaunch of its website, TheFA.com. The appointment was part of a comprehensive pitch to find a digital agency, led by the FA's head of marketing, Simon Freedman. The deltatre media team will be led by managing director, Paul Bristow.