Why Tokyo Will Host The Greatest Olympic Games Ever

After Madrid had been knocked out of the running in the first round, it was between Istanbul or Tokyo to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tokyo were announced as winners. Here are 5 reasons why Tokyo will host the Greatest Olympics to date.

1. Transport links

The Japanese previously built a network of elevated expressways throughout Tokyo in preparation for the 1964 Olympics. This means most traffic passes above, rather than through, the city. A large and efficient network of subways and railways further reduces the number of cars at ground level. The result is clean air and a great environment for cyclists, pedestrians and joggers. With 13 subway lines and more than 100 surface routes run by Japan Railways and other private companies, Tokyo’s railway system seems like it was designed to win world records. With Tokyo expected to welcome more than 8 million tourists in 2020 the running of transport links will be key to the success of the Games and already having a well established system in place gives Japan time to make any necessary changes without them needing to start the process from scratch.

2. Previous success

The major advantage that Tokyo has on Istanbul and Madrid is their previous job as host in 1964. Various reports have described those Games as a rousing success, and Tokyo is one of the few cities to keep a majority of the venues from 1964. The strength of this year’s bid is Tokyo’s Heritage Zone, which includes three of the venues used in 1964, including the venue for swimming. The stadium used for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for track and field, will be completely remodeled into a sleek and stylish venue that is likely to be one of the iconic venues of the Games. In addition, since the 1964 games, Asia has also shown that they are capable of hosting majorly successful sporting competitions such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2008 Olympics, held in South Korea/Japan & Beijing respectively.

3. Economics

Hosting the 2020 Olympics could spark positive economic effects of more than $40 billion and create more than 150,000 jobs in Japan. In 1964 Tokyo did not gain many capital benefits from hosting the games and those benefits are likely to be limited this time around also. However the upgrading of Tokyo’s infrastructure leading into the 1964 games had big economic benefits that far outweighed the nations huge $3 billion ($10 billion today) spend on the games, equivalent to the country’s total budget that year. Tokyo enjoys the largest GDP of any city in the world with $4.5 bn (USD) funds for the Games and full financial government support.

4. Innovation

Tokyo is the world’s most forward-thinking city – in business and fashion as well as innovation and technology : a city that helps to shape how the entire world lives. The Olympic Stadium will use geothermal energy and will be cooled using recycled rainwater. Equipped with a sliding roof, the Tokyo National Olympic Stadium has a flexible design that will ensure that the building will not be obsolete when the international sporting event comes to a close and the stadium should be ready in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

5. Culture

Japan’s  national sense of civic unity and very low crime rates make it one of the world’s safest nations. This, along with a strong Games security plan, would ensure  that the Tokyo 2020 Games are a safe and secure celebration. The culture and traditions of Japan are unique, and have inspired countless art forms and practices around the world. At the same time, Tokyo is a city like no other, from ancient shrines and parks to the excitement of “electric-city” downtown, with traditional practices and respect sitting harmoniously with innovation and high technology.

If you want to read more into Tokyo’s plans you can view their Candidate Bid File below

Tokyo 2020 Candidate File Part 1/3

Tokyo 2020 Candidate File Part 2/3

Tokyo 2020 Candidate File Part 3/3

What do you think? Would you have chosen Madrid or Istanbul instead?

Comment below!

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

Will England Win The 2022 FIFA World Cup? Goal Setting & Motivation

Shortly prior to England’s World Cup Qualifier vs Moldova, Greg Dyke (the new Chairman of the FA) sets the England Football Team a target they have not achieved in 47 years, to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2020.

For a national side that has only ever won 1 World Cup (1966) and never won the Euro’s tournament, are these targets realistic? Will they inspire England to glory or will the added pressure be too much?

Let’s start with looking at England’s last 7 results –

England 5 – 0 Moldova

England 3 v 2 Scotland

Brazil 2 v 2 England

England 1 v 1 Republic of Ireland

Montenegro 1 v 1 England

San Marino 0 v 8 England

England 2 v 1 Brazil

W – 4   D – 3   L – 0

For one moment, forget the past and concentrate on the now, this is how we are able to set good targets. The fact is that England haven’t lost in 2013 and have only conceded on average 1 goal per game and scored just over 3 per game (Yes, including the result against San Marino), these are some very promising statistics for England supporters.

WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION UEFA – GROUP H – FULL TABLE

	Team	Pl	W	D	L	GF	GA	+/-	Pts
1	England	7	4	3	0	25	3	22	15
2	Montenegro	8	4	3	1	15	8	7	15
3	Ukraine	7	4	2	1	19	4	15	14
4	Poland	7	2	4	1	13	8	5	10
5	Moldova	8	1	2	5	4	15	-11	5
6	San Marino	7	0	0	7	0	38	-38	0

Despite it being closely contested at the top of the table England’s statistics really do stand out with only 3 goals conceded in 7 games. I feel many England fans may be disappointed with the draws against Ukraine, Poland and Montenegro but ensuring that England don’t lose to their closest opposition will be advantageous to them.

So we’ve established that right now England are doing pretty damn well…however let’s adhere to the SMART goal setting principle to see whether we can expect England to win the 2022 World Cup.

SMART – Goal Setting

Specific – I’ll admit that at least Greg Dyke hasn’t gone into this half hearted – there is no question that he says the aim is to reach the Euro 2020 semi-finals and win the World Cup in 2022.

Measurable – Of course this target can be tracked by seeing what stage of the tournament the team reach.

Achievable – Winning the World Cup is possible. However only 8 nations have ever won the competition but maybe more importantly…it’s only achievable if you qualify! England have had one of the easier qualification groups for the 2014 World Cup but if they find themselves against some more formidable opposition then they may struggle to get through the group stages. Even now there are people questioning whether England will make it through to Rio 2014.

Realistic – Can we expect England to win the 2022 World Cup? – The answer is No. Expectation to win has only lead to England’s downfall, the expectations the media set on players competing for their clubs compared to their countries is far less which is why we see English talent flurry in the Premier League but not at Wembley. The reason I don’t expect England to win the 2022 World Cup is because the national team have not made the semi-finals of a major tournament since 1996, therefore how can we expect them to make the jump from 2nd round/ quarter-finals to finals and trophies?

Time – To win a World Cup 8/9 years from now is too soon to expect that kind of transformation. What would be more effective for the national team would be to have regularly publicized short term targets that they can work towards and build on so that given time England can put themselves in a position of competing for a major tournament. Why not aim for a quarter-final/semi-final in Rio, assess how England perform and formulate a new goal for Euro 2016.

To summarize, I’m glad someone is showing some ambition for the national team and setting goals for them to work towards, however it’s equally as important to manage performance as it is to measure it and to have a variety of short, medium and long term goals, that work harmoniously to further the performance of English football.

What goals would you set England and why?

Comment below!

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

How Do You Value A Footballer? Bale, Suarez, Ronaldo & Neymar

In 1904 Alf Common was the first player sold for four figures. Fast-forward 109 years later and there is talk of the first ever nine figure transfer with the possibility of Gareth Bale joining Real Madrid.

So it made me wonder how we calculate the value of a footballer and whether these figures are based on ability. potential or other factors.

The first point to establish is that value isn`t a fixed number. Value is based on a variety of factors which will influence whether this figure rises or falls.

In the case of Gareth Bale let’s compare a similar acquisition Madrid made a few years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo. Gareth Bale is only 24 which gives him time to build on his reputation and settle into a new culture – Ronaldo was the same age when he moved to Madrid in 2009.

Both are athletic, exciting, fast paced footballers who bring not only entertainment value but tremendous talent.

For those same reasons they are marketing giants who continue the tradition of the Galactico`s with big names who will generate revenue through shirt sales, sponsorship, TV and a generation of increased interest worldwide.

However Bale has had his fair share of injuries early on his career compared to Ronaldo and has not sustained anywhere near the same success (3 Premier League Titles, 1 Champions League and 1 FA Cup).

So why Bale? Why not Rooney?  Or even Suarez…and why £100 million.

The answer…Barcelona. Neymar. Tradition.

Real are under real pressure to deliver a Marquee signing after Spanish Rivals FC Barcelona secured the siging of Neymar for around £50 million and after his performance at the Confederations Cup he looks to be a big threat to Real Madrid in the upcoming season, both domestically and in European competition.

£100 million may seem alot for Bale but he fits into the tradition of Real Madrid to have a team full of superstars that build on the brand. Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez aren’t the type of characters that will necessarily appeal to supporters in Madrid despite them being proven footballers compared to Bale.

In any other circumstances Bale would be worth no more than £50 million, however the price is inflated because Madrid need to make a statement of intent imminently, there is no other suitable player on the market and they need to continue their Galactico tradition.

But moving back to the original question of ‘How do you value a footballer?’

The formula of a young player, who shows promising/proven talent, with a history of few or no injuries will increase their value compared to an unlikeable, injury prone, inconsistent footballer.

However each player will bring different value to a team and so will be valued both emotionally and monetarily different. For example Michael Carrick may be valued at £20 million to Manchester United because he is there most solid Central Midfield Player and a core part of their team whereas Barcelona may have four stronger players in the same position than Carrick. Therefore they will not value him in the same way as Manchester United do in terms of money or in what value he can provide on the pitch (i.e. assists and goals).

All of this may seem a lot to take in, but to summarise, there is not one value a footballer can have on the market, it will vary and therefore some teams will pay over the odds to secure their services. However there are a number of generic factors that are used to assess how to value a player, for example length of playing career, number of injuries and performance on the pitch.

Let me know your thoughts? What would you value Bale at and why?

Comment below!

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

Tottenham Should Bale For £85 Million Sum

To summarise just how much Gareth Bale is worth he is more valuable than the entire squads of Swansea, Southampton, Norwich, West Ham, Reading, West Brom, Wigan, QPR, Stoke and Sunderland.

Are Real Madrid paying for his current value or his potential value when you read the £85 Million World Record bid?

When it come’s to buying the World’s best footballers it’s not always what they can do on the pitch which determines their price tag but a variety of other factors. Just like Brand Beckham effect, the arrival of Gareth Bale at the Bernabeau would send shirt sales rocketing, increased media interest and the eyes of the footballing world to the spanish league to see the likes of Neymar, Bale and Ronaldo in the same league competing in El Classico.

So £85 million is on the table…it’s time for Spurs to make the next move, but what should they do?

Despite Bale single handedly nearly guiding Tottenham to Champions League football last season they should 100% sell Gareth Bale.

This bid from Real Madrid will only be a worthwhile investment if Bale can live up to the hype in La Liga for 4/5 seasons as Ronaldo has…from Cristiano’s success the club have re-couped the money from the £80 million they gave Manchester United for his services and it’s the same for Bale. It’s a big risk that Real Madrid are taking as some of their previous signings have not lived up to expectations (such as Luka Modric or Kaka) and it may take time for Bale to settle into a new lifestyle in the spanish capital.

Tottenham also have a higher win percentage without Gareth Bale in the side than with him in it. It would be much better for Andre Villas Boas to invest this money into players who can strengthen the team in several areas to improve the teams dynamic rather than relying on one man to Bale them out…

Last season you could have bought Robin Van Persie, Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke and still have had a spare 22 million for the same price for what Real Madrid want Gareth Bale.

And is Gareth Bale really that outstanding compared to other Barclays Premier League stars?

Gareth Bale vs. Eden Hazard: 2012-13 EPL Season

	Appearances	Goals	Assists	Shots Per Match	Key Passes Per Match	Passes Per Match	Pass Percentage	Average Match Rating
Gareth Bale	33	21	4	5	2.3	34.3	78.5	7.89
Eden Hazard	34	9	11	1.9	1.9	44.8	85.2	7.3

My advice to Spurs is to cash in and invest wisely, it’s time for Bale to move on and have a crack at the whip at regular European football, Real Madrid are taking a big risk with Bale but they’re looking to re-create what they have done with Cristiano Ronaldo and make Bale a Galactico superstar.

Do you think Tottenham should accept the offer? Comment below!

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

 

The Highest Paid Sporting Events In The World

Manchester United won around £61 million for winning the 2012/2013 Premier League title.

But compared to the Playoff Championship final between Crystal Palace and Watford the figure is dwarfed by the £90 million that Crystal Palace are set to make after a Kevin Phillips penalty sends them into the Premier League.

So I decided to take a look at just how much the winner receives in other sports!

Single Event/Tournament

FA Cup – $2.6 million – Current winners Wigan beat Manchester City to lift the FA Cup in 2013, unfortunately they were also relegated from the Premier League a couple of weeks later, but still receive £48 million in parachute payments.

The Indy 500 – $2.6 million – For the 12th time of asking Tony Kanaan finally emerged victorious in 2013 after leading in 8 of his previous 11 tries.

The Breeder’s Cup Classic – $2.7 million – Fort Larned took the win in 2012, the final time was an excellent 2:00.11, with Fort Larned paying $20.80 to win after being the 5-1 co-second choice in the line.

The Japan Cup – $3.13 million – Gentildonna was the winning horse in 2012, after a battle with Orfevre which came down to the wire.

ICC Cricket World Cup – $4 million – India were the last side to win the competition in 2011 after being Sri Lanka by 6 wickets.

NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup – $5.8 million – In 2012, Brad Keselowski beat fellow American Greg Biffle with Jimmie Johnson in third.

The Dubai World Cup Night – $6 million – Animal Kingdom stunned even his owners with his remarkable victory by two lengths over late running Red Cadeaux in the world’s richest race.

The World Series – $7.9 million – The San Francisco Giants clinched their second World Series title in three years as a 4-3 win at Detroit Tigers sealed a 4-0 sweep back in 2012.

The Super Bowl – $8.5 million – To find out more about the Super Bowl and who won read my other post by clicking here

World Series of Poker – $8.9 million – Greg Merson emerged with the title before dawn in Las Vegas after a session that proved a showcase for his skills amid the unpredictability of tournament no-limit Texas Hold `em.

UEFA Europa League – $9 million – Chelsea clinched victory over Benfica in 2012 with a 2-1 win in Amsterdam.

FedEx Cup – $10 million – Brandt Snedeker followed in the footsteps of Bill Haas, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh to become the 5th different winner of the cup in 2012.

FIFA World Cup – $31 million – Spain defeated the Netherlands in extra time with a late goal from Andres Iniesta in 2010.

UEFA European Football Championships – $33 million – Spain added to their World Cup triumph by beating Italy by a convincing 4-0 scoreline in Euro 2012.

UEFA Champions League – $43.4 million – In 2013, Bayern Munich saw off German rivals Borussia Dortmund to claim their 5th European Cup/ UEFA Champions League.

Do you think money in sport has gone too far? Or do these professionals deserve this amount of money?

Let me know what you think by commenting below.

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

Neymar Signs Mega Barcelona Deal

One of footballs worst kept secrets was revealed today, Brazilian star Neymar will sign a 5 year contract with FC Barcelona.

Neymar has lit up Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A with Santos since he was just 17 years old back in 2009 and this year was named SportsPro Magazine’s most marketable athlete in the world.

At 19 he won the 2011 South American footballer of the year and won it again the following year.

Many just don’t get why there is so much hype around this guy when he has not proved himself on the world stage, the majority question how he can be the most marketable athlete in the world when he is still relatively unknown compared to the likes of Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt and Tiger Woods.

Here are the reasons why Neymars value is set to soar over the next few years.

1. The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil – Neymar has been the key figure and ambassador for Brazil’s World Cup next year and all the buzz is around Brazil’s chances of winning the competition they have craved since victory in 2002. The hopes of the nation rest on this young boy’s shoulders and having a year at Barcelona will be good preparation for the star to shine once the World Cup starts.

2. Penning a deal with Barcelona – It’s not rocket science to think that if the worlds most marketable athlete is joining one of the worlds most marketable sports teams then his value will probably shoot up. There is the potential for record shirt sales from the club and more likelihood of success with someone to help Lionel Messi in the goal-scoring department.

3. He has character – Compared to Lionel Messi he has yet to show the same levels of talent and establish himself in World Football as proven at the top level, but what Neymar has over the Argentine is a sense of charisma and character, you often see Neymar joking around and more open that Messi’s arguably shy, reserved character and from a marketing perspective it makes much more sense to take advantage of Neymars marketing potential over these next few years.

4. Exposure- His move to Barcelona is going to give Neymar more chances to show his skills and talents to a greater audience who can appreciate him and if he can make valuable contributions there is huge potential to contest for World Player of the Year and enhance his reputation and publicity even further, although he might have to steal a few goals from his team-mate Lionel Messi to have much chance of that happening.

Let’s hope he does better than he does at Table Tennis!

How do you think Neymar will do? Will he be a success at Barcelona?

Comment to leave your thoughts.

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

UEFA Champions League Final 2013 Pictures – Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

20 UEFA Champions League Final Facts – Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund

In build up to the UEFA Champions League Final here are some facts you probably didn’t know about the tournament.

1. This will be the first all German final in the competition’s history.

2. Both of these teams are the only German teams to have won the cup previously.

3.The expected worldwide audience is set to beat the Super Bowl with 220 million people watching.

4. UEFA expects to generate £1.1 Billion in commercial revenue.

5. Brands will pay as much as £250,000 to advertise on ITV during the Champions League Final slot.

6. Watch out for Jaguars attempts to use dual screen technology activity to promote the brand.

Speaking of ads check out this funny advert Heineken have done below.

7. Tickets range from £60-£330.

8. Bayern Munich’s Sporting Director, Matthias Sammer, was the captain of the Borussia Dortmund team that won the Champions League Final in 1997.

9. Borussia Dortmund have won all their Champions League home fixtures during the Group and Knockout phases, and they are the home team in the final.

10. The winners will receive €10.5 million and the runners up are awarded €6.5 million.

11. Dortmund had 500,000 applications for their allocation of tickets.

12. The 2013 final will be the seventh time Wembley stadium has hosted the final.

13. Dortmund manager, Jurgen Klopp wrote his dissertation on walking.

To see more of Jurgen Klopp’s great character, watch the video below.

14. Bayern Munich have never won a Champions League Final in 90 minutes.

15. Bayern have the chance to become the first German team to win the treble.

16. Six of the 10 goals Bayern Munich have conceded in the competition this season have been scored in the final 15 minutes of their fixtures.

17. Bayern Munich have scored the most headers in the competition this year.

18. Bayern have not conceded a goal in the competition since the group stages.

19. Robert Lewandowski is Dortmund’s top scorer with 10 and Thomas Muller is Bayern’s with 8.

20. Neven Subotic (133) and Mats Hummels (106) have made more clearances than any other players in the Champions League this year.

Who do you think will win this years final? Comment below with your guess!

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

Benteke & Begovic – Player Power

Benteke. “If Aston Villa say I must stay, I won’t necessarily accept that. I do not in any way want to feel I didn’t get the most out of my career. I try to get everything.”

Begovic. “I want to start preparing on July 10, with all the players of Liverpool.”

Christian Benteke has three years left at Aston Villa and Liverpool have made no announcement thus far confirming any deal with Asmir Begovic.

These kind of comments really do highlight the increase in player power over the last decade, whether it be wages, transfer deals or sponsorship deals. In a way, I can see where Benteke is coming from, he’s practically single handedly saved Aston Villa from relegation in the Barclays Premier League this season and there is nothing wrong in wanting to further your career and move to another club.

However what can Benteke do if Aston Villa say he has to say? What if the club don’t get the transfer fee they want and feel that they need to keep the Belgian for next season?

In my view, a player should honour their contract unless they and the club agree otherwise. But if Villa choose to keep Benteke he is too good of a player to shove into the reserves and he will still be Villa’s top man. And this is what I mean by player power.

Benteke’s comments highlight his desire to leave the club and I’m fairly confident that if the right bid comes in then he will be on his way out of Villa Park this Summer, which is what Benteke wants.

But on the other hand if Benteke has to stay at Aston Villa he will still be the focal point of the club on the pitch because he is that good! Look at the case of Carlos Tevez at Manchester City and Wayne Rooney at Manchester United, they made remarks and took actions whereby many thought they would never play for the club again but their talents were too much to miss. Therefore the worst case scenario for Benteke is that he has to stay at Villa, have another 20+ goal season and attract even bigger clubs next year whilst earning a probably pay rise from his current wages of £20,000 per week to around £50,000. Which isn’t exactly bad for him either.

From Villa’s point of view, they don’t want a player who doesn’t want to play for the club. Yet they still want to keep players of that calibre or alternatively invest in other players from Benteke’s transfer fee.

It just goes to show that Benteke’s comments have put the ball firmly in his grasp and that he will most likely be able to dictate this transfer now.

As for Begovic, his comments are equally shocking and disrespectful. Wait till something has been agreed until you shout about your move to Liverpool. What if it doesn’t happen now? What would that say about his commitment to Stoke?

It’s poor from his management team for starters but on a personal level it shows an utter lack of respect for Stoke who are in a time of rebuilding regardless with the departure of Tony Pulis.

Where do you stand with player loyalty? What do you make of these actions? and would you keep Benteke at your club after these comments?

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake

Innovative Ways To Improve Office Culture – Nike/Adidas/Asics

I recently read an article recommended to me about Seattle’s newest carbon neutral office space known as the Bullitt Center. This building encourages staff to take the stairs through it’s compelling design and other features are helping to boost staff morale and the long term productivity of it’s employees. You can read more about it here http://www.psfk.com/2013/04/office-stairs-excercise.html

But it made me wonder what other organisations do to improve the workplace and increase working productivity.

Adidas – Teamwork

What you see above is goal-like mesh netting separating spaces and perforated walls which give Adidas that sporting office environment much related to the products they produce. This type of office inspires the kind of creativity that adidas needs to keep up with their competitors.

Nike – Variety

This office in London has won awards for the most innovative office interior in the world! There are a variety of settings which staff can work in within the offices from, small spaces, to more larger group settings and even a cafe.

Asics – Everything

This office in Australia is a really unique environment to work in, with a gym, mini football field, table tennis court, running track, Japanese garden and luxury lounge I expect employees may even be there on days off!

So there are three examples of sports organisations who have moulded their environment to foster a better working atmosphere for their employees but it’s important to realize many different factors which contribute to efficient work and take a look at some unique examples too.

Natural light – Improves employees health and encourages creativity

Office urban zoning – Different spaces for various needs improves space and provides employee choice.

Use colour – Yellow triggers creativity, red symbolises passion, blue is used to calm and orange encourages communication.

Add some plants – Reduces stress and enhance productivity by 12%.

Now for some unconventional approaches:-

A nap room – James Maas, a sleep expert who created the idea of power naps recommends employees nap for 15-minutes when they feel sluggish to restore a sense of vitality to the workday.

And even Treadmill desks – Why the sudden interest in incorporating walking into the workplace? “Walking has been shown clinically to prevent or mitigate the nation’s leading diseases including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even some forms of cancer,” states Steve Bordley, President of TrekDesk. “It has been shown as an effective measure in promoting weight loss, disease prevention, improving mental and physical health and significantly decreasing the need for medical care.” – http://trekdesk.com/costfinancial/265-improving-employee-health-with-treadmill-desks

Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)

@JakeEOxby

@SportsBizJake