Patron Technology has rebranded to Leap Event Technology, stating the move better reflects the company’s vision of empowering event organisers to elevate and transform how their attendees experience events through technology and data insights.
Leap’s suite of unified solutions include ticketing products like ShowClix, GrowTix, and Ticketleap; performing arts CRM PatronManager; entertainment marketing solution Fan Interactive; and mobile app software Greencopper. The Leap branding will eventually extend across and replace the sub-brands in the coming months.
“Our mission is to empower our clients to expand and elevate how attendees experience events,” said Marc Jenkins, CEO of Leap. “Transforming Patron Technology into Leap Event Technology signifies a huge step in advancing that mission.
“Our unified approach, enabling organisers to manage events from start to finish with just one technology vendor, also means that valuable data is no longer being left uncaptured. Leap, as a company, represents an elevation of the overall event experience by capturing and acting on this data, all in one place.”
Michael Marty, president of Leap Event Technology, added: “We’ve spent the last several years acquiring companies and building out an unmatched tech solution fit for the world’s best events.
“Shifting the focus from the individual sub-brands and unifying everything we offer under this new Leap branding makes the scope of what we bring to the table more apparent.”
Virtual advertising will debut in Ligue 1 from the 2023-24 season under a partnership signed between the LFP Media arm of the Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP) and sports marketing agency ISG/TGI Sport.
From the new season, several Ligue 1 matches will be broadcast in different territories with a virtual feed allowing the messages of advertisers to be modified according to the territory from which these matches are watched.
ISG/TGI Sport will produce these streams in at least three territories per match, excluding France, and will market part of the new inventory created to its portfolio of advertisers. ISG/TGI Sport will integrate and operate the Supponor AIR technology from its production centre in Milan.
The deal comes after the LFP this month announced record attendance figures for Ligue 1 across the 2022-23 season. Benjamin Morel, managing director of LFP Media, said: “Thanks to the know-how of ISG/TGI Sport, the partners of the Ligue and the clubs will be able to adapt their messages according to the territory where the matches are broadcast.
“This is an important step in our international development strategy and our ability to generate new revenue outside our borders.”
Google has furthered its ties with the English Football Association (FA) through a new long-term deal that makes its consumer electronics brand, Pixel, the governing body’s official mobile phone and earbuds partner.
Under the wide-ranging partnership, focused on the women’s game, Pixel and the FA will look to co-develop new experiences, leveraging Google’s AI-powered technology with the promise of enhancing fan’s experiences in Wembley Stadium and at home. The FA holds an existing partnership with Google Cloud.
With the 2023 Wimbledon Championships due to commence in earnest on Monday, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has further enhanced the grand slam’s digital fan experience by launching an offering on online gaming platform Fortnite.
‘Race to Wimbledon’ – presented in partnership with American Express, official payment partner of the Championships – will challenge users to run, drive, parkour and fly past London landmarks to make it to Centre Court in the fastest time.
As well as on all the usual devices, Race to Wimbledon will be available to play on-site throughout the Championships at the American Express Fan Experience in the Southern Village. As part of the experience, players are challenged to beat the time of American Express ambassador, former British men’s No.1 Andy Murray, and post their time to social media.
Entry into Fortnite is part of Wimbledon’s ongoing expansion into the digital sphere, with the goal of evolving the heritage brand beyond traditional expectations. Chris Clements, digital products lead at the AELTC, said: “The magic of Wimbledon has reached many generations of fans in every corner of the world.
“With changes in the way people consume content and interact with sports events, it is important that we find new ways to reach them and convey what makes Wimbledon so special. We believe this range of initiatives, including Race to Wimbledon, will help us achieve this ambition.”
The Fortnite announcement is accompanied by an array of digital experiences for Wimbledon fans that have been released ahead of this year’s edition of the grand slam. These include new features on its Roblox experience, WimbleWorld; a new gamified tennis app, Wimbledon Smash; and a collaboration with leading mobile game Tennis Clash.
