Dublin-headquartered sports and entertainment consultancy ONSIDE today announced the expansion of the firm’s international operations through the acquisition of Bayridge Sports and appointment of Jon Long as its Managing Director - UK and Middle East.
Jon Long, Managing Director – UK and Middle East, ONSIDE
The appointment, combined with additional investment into new ‘first in market’ research solutions and an expanded workforce in the UK and Ireland, will enable ONSIDE to broaden the reach and impact of its industry leading intelligence and advisory services.
ONSIDE Founder and Chief Executive, John Trainor, said: “It has been a tough 24 months for the sports and entertainment sector but our regular industry and consumer research gives us lots of reasons to feel positive about our role in the recovery story and the confidence to expand our footprint. The commercial models of rights holders are changing and the marketing priorities of brands are evolving. In this context we have seen increasing demand for our unique combination of exceptional intelligence, practical advice and commercial support. This next phase of our growth will enable us to support a wider portfolio of clients.”
ONSIDE’s new Managing Director - UK and Middle East - Jon Long, said: “ONSIDE provides a service level to brands and rights holders that is unique in the market. It is a privilege to deepen my place in a team that I see having a real commercial impact on clients and the industry on a daily basis. This is a natural next step in a partnership that has seen John and I deliver on projects with major organisations in Europe, the Middle East and North America over the past 18 months.”
Initial ONSIDE international clients include British Triathlon, England Hockey, Cricket West Indies, Extreme International, Podium Analytics, talent such as world champion snooker player Judd Trump and the new London-based immersive media and entertainment business, Outernet.
Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Johnny Grave said: “ONSIDE’s intelligence, advice and support played a pivotal role in us developing a strategic and commercially attractive bid and winning proposal to bring the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to the West Indies and USA in 2024.”
New ONSIDE solutions coming to market in 2022 include a Quarterly Sponsorship Review that the agency has been building throughout 2021 and that will provide unique insights on the UK public’s relationship with sponsors. The new study found Nike and Coca-Cola topping the sponsor impact charts in sport among the 7 in 10 UK adults affected by brand investment in sponsorship in 2021. Other brands identified by the ONSIDE study as standing out from more than 100 sponsors admired by the UK public in 2021 included adidas, Barclays and Betfred.
