Badminton Extends Global Reach Through Media Partnership -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR) The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced they will be giving exclusive rights to all media distribution and sponsorship at BWF major events to Wanda through its subsidiary Infront Sports & Media.

"Wanda will leverage the Infront network to increase commercial returns across the board. This agreement encompasses the full breadth of our expertise and therefore allows the BWF to draw on many benefits. It will enable the BWF to optimise along the entire value chain from media and marketing sales, to TV production, digital content and client and event servicing. All services from one central source allow for many advantages and a strong foundation for growth and success." states president & CEO of Wanda Sports Holding Philippe Blatter.

This will be the first time BWF has worked with one single partner for both media and sponsorship rights.

After noticing the sport's growing popularity as seen at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games - nine of the fifteen medals won at the Games went to different countries - BWF thought it best to seize the opportunity to attract global markets through partnering with Infront.

"One of our key objectives is to boost badminton’s entertainment profile. We want to engage and excite our fans more and this union with Infront is a clear step in that direction. Their reputation precedes them and we look forward to Infront sprinkling their sports-marketing stardust across the badminton landscape – and helping our sport to shine even brighter," BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer said in a statement.

Until 2025, Infront will provide support to television and production operations as well as marketing initiatives to reach the sports 500 million fans globally.

World Rugby Partners with Toshiba Medical

Toshiba Medical was recently named the official event partner for the 2016 World Rugby ConfEx.

Per their agreement, the company will act as a exclusive partner contributing to the medical segment of the conference.As part of the ConfEx physicians and medical experts will have the opportunity discuss the latest in medical developments and share knowledge on best practices.

Toshiba Medical plans to engage with medical professionals during the ConfEx by providing products and solutions to support their efforts to preserve the health and well-being of rugby's athletes.

"To have a globally-recognized company like Toshiba Medical involved is fantastic, and I would like to thank them for their support of this year’s World Rugby ConfEx. Our Medical Commission Conference is an invaluable forum that drives thinking around player welfare and medical advancements, while sharing and considering information from the wider sporting and medical environment and we welcome Toshiba Medical’s input to the discussion." World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper said in a statement.

The World Rugby ConfEx will be held at the Hilton London Metropole from Nov. 14-15 seeking to bring together the global rugby community to share knowledge and forge connections.

Replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Catches Fire

Olympic TOP sponsor Samsung may not have solved the issue with its new smartphone that was recalled after several of the original versions of the Galaxy Note 7 caught fire.

More than 50 percent of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones under recall have already been exchanged in the United States after the replacement phones were made available.

Samsung also says that more than 90 percent of Galaxy Note 7 users have opted into the exchange program.

However, one of the replacements reportedly caught fire in the U.S. while on a Southwest Airlines plane, raising more questions about the contentious device.

The incident led to the airline evacuating 75 passengers from the flight in Louisville, Kentucky.

In the U.S., all defective devices sold before Sep.15 can be replaced with a new phone through theNote 7 Exchange Program. The replacement phones were made available on Sep. 21.

Click here to check your eligibility for a new Galaxy Note 7.

There have been no issues with the Galaxy s7 Edge, the smartphone Samsung designed to coincide with the Olympics.

All Olympic athletes, IOC Members and sports leaders were distributed a special edition of the Galaxy s7 along with the newly designed Icon Gear X and fully integrated wireless Bluetooth headset designed to track athletic activity during the Rio 2016 Games.

Written by Courtney Colquitt and Kevin Nutley

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