Dubai to stage first Host Cities summit

Sport leaders from around the world will gather for the first time to discuss the hot topic of emerging nations hosting the world’s biggest sporting events.

Host Cities presented by Emirates Airline, under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council for Dubai Government and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, will take place in Dubai on December 4 and 5.

The subject of emerging nations hosting major sports events for the first time is at the top of the sporting agenda following Russia and Qatar’s successful FIFA Football World Cup bids for 2018 and 2022 respectively.

Elsewhere, the emerging cities of Doha, Istanbul and Baku in Azerbaijan are locked in a five-way bid for the 2020 Olympic Games along with Madrid and Tokyo, with the host being announced in September next year.

Representatives from golf’s European Tour, the US Tennis Association, the International Cricket Council and Emirates Airline - whose sport sponsorship portfolio includes the FIFA World Cup, DP World Tour Championship Dubai, IRB Rugby World Cup, the Dubai World Cup and numerous professional football clubs - will be among those supporting the event.

The event is being organised by Streamline Marketing Group specialists in launching landmark live events such as the recent Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman Emirates Airline and Group, said: “Emirates has been a major supporter of global sports for many years.

“The breadth of our sports sponsorships spans many disciplines and covers numerous continents. We have long recognised the benefit of investing in sponsorship and have witnessed firsthand the staggering changes that holding a worldwide sporting event can imbue on the host country.”

“In our role as official airline for many worldwide sporting events we have gained an innate understanding of the commitment that it takes to win the rights to host an internationally recognised event and we look forward to imparting this knowledge during Host Cities later this year.”

Dr. Ahmed Saad Al Sharif, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, said: “Dubai is always looking at various ways and means to position itself as a global destination for a variety of sporting events.”

“This event will further strengthen the pulling power of Dubai, the UAE and the Gulf region.

“Dubai has fast become a destination of choice for some of the biggest and most important sporting and tourism events in the world and this summit will further consolidate its position as a sporting capital of the Middle East.”

The UAE’s development can be seen in sport through the hosting of events such as the Dubai World Cup, Formula 1 at Yas Marina Circuit, FIFA Club World Cup football, Pakistan international cricket and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

Richard Hills, golf’s European Ryder Cup Director, said of the summit:  “Dubai and the Gulf region have been key in the global growth and development of The European Tour from the inaugural Dubai Desert Classic in 1989 up to the present day with Dubai hosting the climax of the season-long Race to Dubai - the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates - for the fourth consecutive season in November.

“We are delighted to be involved and look forward to outlining The Ryder Cup 2018 bidding process and sharing our experiences with other sporting bodies.”

Lew Sherr, Chief Revenue Officer at the US Tennis Association, will be attending Host Cities and said: “There is little that can rival major sporting events in galvanising entire communities and impacting local economies.”

“The US Open annually breaks through New York’s hyper-competitive marketplace and energises sports fans, the business elite and members of the media. Host Cities Summit is the perfect place to learn how to leverage sporting events to benefit your community.”

The two-day event will involve a conference featuring high profile speakers from former host cities and organising committees, panel-led case study explanations, practical workshops and informal networking and learning opportunities for prospective hosts.

The summit will aid potential host cities by offering them an opportunity to develop their understanding of what it take to be a host nation, and work as a base for sporting administrators, brands and broadcasters to seek out new hosts and partners. 

International Cricket Council’s head of commercial operations, Campbell Jamieson, said: “The short and long-term benefits for cities in hosting major sporting events are well recognised.

“The successful staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in 13 cities across Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka clearly demonstrates that delivering world class sporting events is no longer the preserve of countries in North America or Europe.

“However, just as each sport has unique qualities and attributes, staging each major sports event requires a unique approach and cannot be undertaken without risks.

“This summit will enable officials from international sporting federations and cities from emerging markets to meet and exchange ideas that will help identify and reduce those risks.”

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