23rd EASM Conference: "Sport Management in the Digital Age" – Aviva Stadium, September 2015 – Call for Workshops

Jan 20, 2015

The 23rd EASM Conference will be held in the impressive Aviva Stadium in Dublin from 9 to 12 September 2015. This year has been designed as a forward-thinking, interactive event centred on the provocative theme of Sport Management in the Digital Age, which reflects the reality of a fast-paced interconnected world, where professional and global communities are linked at the touch of a button, where live sporting events are streamed to our mobile phones and where teams and athletes can interact instantly with their fans irrespective of location. For the sports manager, the brave new digital world poses questions about what sport is and how it is accessed, offers opportunities to engage fans in exciting new ways and reveals challenges to accessing consumers in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Conference Theme

The conference theme is Sport Management in the Digital Age, and below are some recommended themes and topic areas:

• Digital/social media sports marketing
• Social media policies for athletes
• Web 2.0 in sport management teaching and learning
• Intellectual property rights in a connected global community
• Professional skills in a digital environment
• Evaluating sponsorships through online interactivity
• Gamification and fan engagement
• Sporting events and digital legacies
• Sports management and elearning
• Digital networking for sport management professionals
• Consequences for grassroots sports and participation in an online world
• Managing online sports experiences
• Value-adding through online experiences

Papers that correspond to the usual EASM themes will also be considered

Call for Workshops

EASM invites sport management scholars to organise workshops on various sub-themes of sport management at the 23nd EASM Conference, and encourages particularly, but not solely, workshop proposals that connect to the conference theme of “Sport Management in the Digital Age”

The Workshops aim to encourage a profound discussion and close cooperation between participants on a particular subtheme (i.e. a specific focus within a more general topic). If successful, workshops can channel their work into special issues in ESMQ or other journals or edited books.

For more information on how to submit workshop proposals, please visit the EASM 2015 website. Please note that the first call for papers will open in early December 2014.

Further Information

Please see the conference website www.easm2015.com for regular updates of follow us on Twitter.

For information on the programme please contact the Conference Chair, Dr Tara Magdalinski

For information on accommodation, social programme and registration please contact:
Mai Olden, Conference Partners Ltd,
Tel: + 353 1 296 8688

World’s longest ocean race calls on Leinster adventurers to take on 40,000 mile global voyage

Jan 20, 2015

The world’s longest ocean race is calling for more people from Leinster to take on the challenge of a lifetime and achieve something extraordinary in the Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race.

Race organisers will host a talk at the National Yacht Club in Dublin on Saturday 31 January alongside former local race alumni Conor O’Byrne from County Meath who will talk to potential future crew about his personal experience on the global challenge, also known as one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges.

Conor O’Byrne, a 40 year old Garda from County Meath was one of seventeen Irish crew took part in the Clipper 2013-14 Race, many of whom had no previous sailing experience.  Conor circumnavigated the globe on the Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht and spent more than eleven months at sea crossing Mother Nature’s toughest oceans.

Throughout his adventure, Conor was instrumental in the rescue of a crew member who had gone overboard and experienced the euphoria of winning the race into Lough Foyle in front of a home crowd.

Conor says: “For about 20 years I had a desire to sail around the world to test myself against elements of nature.  With the Clipper Race, I feel I have more than achieved my goal!  I have had experiences which will last with me a lifetime.  Experiences that only a few will understand or ever get the chance to live through. It was a huge decision to sign up, but one I will never regret.”

Now in its nineteenth year, the Clipper Race, which was founded by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world in 1968/9 is unique. It is the only event where people from all walks of life, regardless of previous sailing experience, can race around the world under sail.

The Clipper 2015-16 Race will start on Sunday, 31 August 2015 from the South of England, returning almost a year later after completing eight challenging race legs which will take crew across six continents and many of the world’s most remote oceans.

80 per cent of crew places are now filled but there are still places available on most legs. Crew can sign up to complete either the full circumnavigation or individual legs, and all training is provided in the overall cost.

Each of the fleet of 12 yachts is sponsored by a company, city, region or country around the world and is led by a professional skipper. Derry-Londonderry will be represented for the third consecutive time in the biennial event. The former 2013 City of Culture will host and enter a yacht in the race in the next edition, following the success of its campaign skippered by local man Sean McCarter last year.

Clipper Race recruiter and circumnavigator in the 2009-10 race, Della Parsons says: “I can’t wait to get out there and meet more people that want to be part of this unique challenge and join the elite group of ocean racers.

“More and more people are looking for something different these days, something extraordinary that will really push their limits and test the boundaries of what they thought they were capable of. It’s my job to make them aware that it’s here.”

For those wishing to find out about the race, former Clipper Race crew members and race recruiter Della Parsons will be talking on the following dates:

Saturday 31 January – Dublin – National Yacht Club, 10.30pm
Monday 2 February – Cork – Royal Cork Yacht Club, 6.30pm
Wednesday 4 February – Galway – Harbour Hotel, 6.30pm

To RSVP attendance please email dparsons@clipper-ventures.com.

Federation of Irish Sport publish Annual Review 2014

Dec 18, 2014

A New Year, A New Sporting Resolution: Federation of Irish Sport Calls for New National Strategy & Funding Initiatives for Sport

• Measures Include Changes to Tax Reliefs for Sporting Bodies and to Betting Tax

• Bernard Brogan, Federation President, Makes Call as Annual Review Highlights Wide-Ranging Contribution Made by Sport and Key 2014 Achievements

• Almost half now participate in sport, while sector supports 40,000 in jobs, contributes 2.4% to GDP and stimulates €2.55 billion in household and overseas tourism spending

A PDF copy of the Annual Review is available HERE.

As the New Year fast approaches, the Federation of Irish Sport has today called on the Government to make some beneficial New Year sporting resolutions to extend the tax relief for sporting bodies beyond capital projects to include day-to-day spending, as well as to allocate a portion of betting tax receipts for the development of all sports and not just horse and greyhound racing as is the case currently. The calls were made as the Federation, the representative association for National Governing Bodies of Sport, published its Sixth Annual Review of Irish Sport, highlighting the huge sporting contribution Ireland’s National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships have made to Irish life during 2014.

The Federation strongly believes that the measures put forward, in addition to the development of a cross-government National Sports Strategy, would serve to significantly enhance the sustainability of sporting activities in Ireland and to copper-fasten the contribution sport makes to community life, public health, the economy, and to Ireland’s reputation at home and abroad.

Brogan Calls for New Funding Initiatives

While welcoming recent Government commitments in relation to the funding of sport, Bernard Brogan, President of the Federation of Irish Sport and Dublin GAA star, is urging a number of new funding initiatives that would future-proof its viability:
“It is clear that sustained Government investment in Irish Sport is paying off with 47.2 per cent of Irish people now participating in sport¹, up from 30.8 per cent in 2008². The increase in participation rates has been reflected in the success of Irish athletes on the international stage—across all sports at all levels—with Irish athletes having so far won a total of 241 medals between 2011 and 2014³, compared with just 65 medals from 2007 to 2010⁴.

“However, while it is welcome that the level of funding for the Irish Sports Council has been maintained at €42.5 million and an additional €1 million has been allocated for preparations for the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016—and we acknowledge the efforts of Ministers Donohoe and Ring in this regard—this is from a point where there has been a 27 per cent reduction in funding levels since 2008. It is clear that more can be done to sustain the sector in supporting people’s health and well-being, in enhancing our social fabric and in growing our economy. That is why the Federation is today calling on the Government to give serious consideration to affording tax relief to the day-to-day spending of sporting bodies, beyond capital spending as pertains now, as well as including all sports—and not just horse and greyhound racing—in the allocation of development funding from betting taxes.”

Need for National Sports Strategy

Sarah O’Connor, Chief Executive, Federation of Irish Sport, believes a masterplan for sport is critical for its future development:

“Irish sport supports 40,000 jobs in the economy⁵, contributes 2.4 per cent to GDP⁶ and stimulates €1.9 billion in household spending⁷ and €650 million in overseas tourism spending⁸. It is the single biggest contributor to active citizenship with almost 500,000 adults volunteering in sport each year⁹, with the economic value of this voluntary workforce estimated at €1.3 billion¹⁰. Almost nine in ten Irish people believe that sport has a positive impact on the country’s reputation¹¹. It also has a huge effect in combating the significant public health challenges posed by obesity with 89 per cent of highly active people more likely to report both their weight and diet as healthy¹².

“Sport plays such a huge part in the development of our society and we need to maximise its true potential for everyone’s benefit. It is only when there is an All-of-Government commitment and approach to sport that its rich and varied dividend can be maximised. That’s why sport needs new and strategic thinking and this can best be achieved through the development of a cross-Government National Sports Strategy.”

2014 Federation Key Sporting Highlights

The role of Ireland’s National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships are critical to the future of sport and the Federation’s Annual Review sets out just some of the returns that these organisations have made on the Government monies invested in them. Among the 2014 achievements were:

National and International Sporting Achievements

• Rory McIIroy won the British Open and United States PGA golf championships
• 30 medals were won by Irish boxers in European competitions in 2014 in addition to Katie Taylor’s fifth World Championship Title
• Ireland’s Women’s Rugby Team become the first Irish team to beat the All Blacks while the men secured the RBS 6 Nations Title for only the second time
• The Football Association of Ireland secured the Euro 2020 Championship matches for Dublin
• 1,500 athletes took part in the Special Olympics World Games, supported by 3,000 volunteers
• The Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golfing Union won their bid to host the International Golf Federation’s World Amateur Team Championships to be staged in Carton House, Co. Kildare, in 2018, which will see more than 500 golfers compete from 80 countries
• 20,000 United States visitors attended the Croke Park Classic between the University of Central Florida and Penn State generating €30 million for the Irish economy

Sporting Body Achievements

• Athletics Ireland’s female-to-male membership ratio is now 55:45 following the success of its Fit4Life initiative targeting female participation
• Badminton Ireland’s Shuttle Time initiative resulted in 50,000 children now playing badminton in schools while, separately, 32 new badminton clubs were established
• Swim Ireland’s inaugural Swim for a Mile event saw 1,200 people take part
• Triathlon Ireland’s races during 2014 saw 50,000 participants get involved
• Cycling Ireland’s membership increased by 21 per cent
• The Irish Wheelchair Association’s sport programmes saw a 10 per cent increase in participation rates
• Canoe Ireland’s International Liffey Descent was a great success with 800 participants taking part, including many visitors from overseas
• The GAA’s Féile na nGael and Féile na nÓg festivals saw 15,000 children take part in 977 games over two weekends
• A record 1,100 women took part in the Ladies Gaelic Football’s Annual Gaelic4Mothers Blitz
• 1,800 students from 127 teams took part in eight Student Sport Ireland leagues

Community Initiative Achievements

• 2,500 cyclists took part in Cork Sports Partnership’s Rebel Tour
• 1,620 children took part in Fingal Sport Partnership’s Primary School Athletics Final
• 3,000 people took part in Kerry Sport Partnership’s Let’s Get Kerry Walking
• 2,300 children took part in the University of Limerick’s Sports Kids Run for Fun
• 400 women took part in Monaghan Sport Partnership’s try an activity programme for those over 50
• The Tour of Sligo cycle race generated €450,000 for the local economy
• 500,000 people took part in recreational ice skating
• Participation in water-skiing and wakeboarding increased from 3,000 to 8,500

The Annual Review is available HERE

References

¹ Irish Sports Monitor Annual Report 2013: http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Irish-Sports-Monitor-Annual-Report-2013/

² Irish Sports Monitor Annual Report 2013: http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Irish-Sports-Monitor-Annual-Report-2013/

³ Irish Sports Council, 2014

⁴ Irish Sports Council, 2014

⁵ Economic Impact of Sport, Irish Sports Council/Indecon, 2010 http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Economic_Impact_of_Sport_2010_/

⁶ Economic Impact of Sport, Irish Sports Council/Indecon, 2010 http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Economic_Impact_of_Sport_2010_/

⁷ Economic Impact of Sport, Irish Sports Council/Indecon, 2010 http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Economic_Impact_of_Sport_2010_/

⁸ Failte Ireland, 2014- Activity product usage among overseas visitors in 2013 http://www.failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/3_Research_Insights/1_Sectoral_SurveysReports/Activity_product_usage_among_overseas_visitors_2013.pdf?ext=.pdf

⁹ Irish Sports Monitor Annual Report 2013: http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Irish-Sports-Monitor-Annual-Report-2013/

¹⁰ Irish Sports Monitor Annual Report 2013: http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Irish-Sports-Monitor-Annual-Report-2013/

¹¹ Pembroke Communications, Sports Sentiment Index, 2012 http://lifeandfitnessmag.ie/the-2012-pembroke-communications-sports-sentiment-index/

¹² Irish Sports Monitor Annual Report 2013: http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Research/Irish-Sports-Monitor-Annual-Report-2013/

Minister Ring Announces Additional Funding for Sport

Dec 11, 2014

The Federation of Irish Sport welcomes the news announced today (Thursday 11/12/14) by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring TD, for further funding to sporting bodies and organisations as part of the Supplementary Estimate 2014.

The Estimate provides for funding in a number of areas that will support both our athletes at home and as they travel abroad to compete on the world stage.

They include:

• €1 million for equipment for National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs).

• €1 million towards the preparation programmes for high performance athletes for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

• €80,000 towards the development of a headquarters for the Special Olympics within the National Sports Campus complex.

Minister Ring noted: ‘My Department has been working closely with the Irish Sports Council to finalise a list of NGBs who can avail of funding this year.  While details are still being finalised, it is envisaged that this funding will support both elite performance and participation – two key elements of our approach to investment in sport in Ireland.  I am pleased that we have secured an extra €1 million in 2014 for this equipment and know the NGBs involved will put the money to very good use’.

“Provision is also being made for additional funds to assist our athletes who are preparing for the Olympics in Rio in 2016. €1 million euro in funding, which will be used for preparation programmes for high performance athletes, will support our Olympian hopefuls in their endeavours as they strive for personal bests and for the honour of representing their country at the highest level.

“As part of stimulus funding announced by Government, €80,000 will go towards the development of a headquarters for the Special Olympics within the National Sports Campus complex. These projects are in addition to other stimulus projects announced last year which included the National Indoor Arena and a new round of Sports Capital funding, all of which are progressing well.

CARA National Inclusion Awards is Now Open for Applications

Dec 10, 2014

Have you heard about the National Inclusion Awards? Do you provide opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport, physical activity and physical education? If so…. Check this out!

The CARA Adapted Physical Activity Centre is pleased to welcome applications for our 2015 National Inclusion Awards. The awards recognise organisations who provide accessible and inclusive community sport and recreation opportunities for people with disabilities.

Why apply? The winning organisations will be showcased as an example of excellence in the area of the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport, physical activity and physical education and will receive national recognition. It creates a positive inclusive public image of your organisation.

Winning this award may assist with leveraging for funding/grants to enable development of programmes or facilities in your organisation for people with disabilities Your organisation will benefit from the feedback provided in terms of receiving guidance for future improvements and developments Where to next: Its simple.

To find out more simply click here  to complete a quick preliminary application form. Following review, successful applicants will be selected to go forward to the 2nd phase of application. If you would like to find out further information in relation to the awards please contact Linda Raymond/Niamh Daffy at 0667145646 or email cara@ittralee.ie