Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) launches Collins Cup App for live and on-demand content and anncounces further broadcast deals

•  LIVE SECOND SCREEN DATA FEED WITH LIVE HEART RATE AND REAL TIME DATA TO COMPLEMENT APP
• HIGHLIGHTS DEALS ANNOUNCED IN CHINA, SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND, VIETNAM AND MALAYSIA
• THE COLLINS CUP WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN OVER 165 TERRITORIES IN DEALS STRUCK BY PTO AND IMG

LONDON, ENGLAND: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) today launched the Collins Cup player across web, IOS and Android and has revealed details around its live integrated data proposition.  The app which is available across IOS and Android on both smartphones and tablets will showcase The Collins Cup broadcast live* and on-demand where the question ‘Who Rules Triathlon?’ finally gets answered.

As well as the live broadcast, the player includes access to the PTOs premium content library including the newly launched Collins Cup Countdown shows hosted by Charlie Webster, with guest appearances from Collins Cup team captains. Beyond Human and Battle For Glory, two of the PTO’s flagship content offerings that go behind the scenes of the world’s greatest triathletes, are also available.

The Collins Cup player, which is now available to access via the Collins Cup website or to download across the Apple store and Google Play, will sit alongside an integrated live data feed which will be available on the day of the event on the 28th August. The data feed will incorporate real-time positional data, split times, photos and video and can be accessed via the PTO website here.

The PTO’s own Collins Cup OTT content offering sits alongside multiple live broadcaster deals that have already been arranged by the PTO and IMG including an exclusive live deal in Europe with Discovery Eurosport, beIN SPORT, FujiTV, Sky Sport New Zealand and Fox Sports Australia. The PTO has also secured deals for a 1hr highlights programme with BT Sport in the UK, Tencent in China, SuperSport in South Africa, Astro in Malaysia, 3BBTV and TrueVision in Thailand and VEION and FPT in Vietnam. Further broadcast deals in Singapore, Canada, USA and South America are to be announced in due course.

In total The Collins Cup will be distributed in more than 165 territories, with live commentary in 21 different languages, to a combined household reach of over 365 million.

Tim Godfrey, Chief Marketing Officer at PTO, said: “The Collins Cup is a watershed moment for the sport of triathlon so we wanted to showcase this moment live to as many people globally as possible. With the launch of The Collins Cup player and live data feed alongside groundbreaking broadcast deals brokered by us and our media rights partner IMG, this promises to be one of the most watched professional triathlon events ever. The best 36 triathletes from around the world going head to head in a brand new team format – you do not want to miss it!”.

Download and sign up FREE to watch live matches, exclusive content, live shows, replays, highlights, features and electric archive footage.

• Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.protriathletes.pto_app
• Apple:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/collins-cup/id1536985219
• Find out how to watch The Collins Cup in your country 

*Live broadcast globally available on The Collins Cup player, excluding in Europe where the live broadcast will be exclusively available on Eurosport 2, the Eurosport player and Discovery+ in selected markets.

COVID-19 Response. Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) pays athletes $2,500,000, inaugural Collins Cup moves to 2021

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced its response to COVID-19 by increasing its Year-End Annual Bonus Programme from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 and paying it all immediately based on the PTO World Rankings. The $500,000 increase would go to men and women athletes ranked 21-50, who previously would have been paid $5,000 each in a year-end bonus, but will now see that amount raised to $8,000, and men and women athletes ranked 51-100, who previously would have been paid $2,000 each in a year-end bonus, but will now see that amount raised to $5,000. Athletes will be paid based on their PTO World Ranking as of January 1 or March 15, whichever is higher.

During this period that the race schedule is disrupted, the top ten PTO World Ranked men and women athletes have committed to work together with the PTO to engage in appearances and online exhibitions and any revenue from these will be distributed to athletes ranked 20-100.

Rachel Joyce, Co-President of the PTO, commented, “The world finds itself in a difficult and almost unprecedented time. We appreciate that many people are struggling both physically and economically. For our athletes, like many others, the future is filled with uncertainty. With many races cancelled, the ability of our athletes to be able to race in the near future has been greatly reduced. The PTO has been looking for a way to support our athletes in this time of instability. We appreciate that many race operators and race directors are struggling with financial constraints and the PTO is fortunate to be in a position to be able to provide some support to our athletes. We hope that our response in paying athletes a total of $2,500,000 today will help them manage the immediate disruption they are experiencing. We are now looking to work with sponsors, governing bodies, race organisers and other groups in exploring additional opportunities to help alleviate the hardships that COVID-19 is causing to the triathlon community.”

Charles Adamo, Chairman of the PTO, stated that, “The actions taken by the PTO today are indicative of the way our athletes are viewed as valuable partners. Once events were being cancelled, the Crankstart Investments team immediately contacted us and wanted to find the best way to provide short-term support to the athletes. We will continue to monitor the ongoing impact and hope to be able to adopt additional programmes where athletes are not only supported, but also are able to provide support to others who may be struggling in this current environment. As an organisation, the PTO and its professional athletes will look to work with governing bodies, race directors, race organisers and our entire triathlon community to see how we are able to help.”

The PTO also has also announced that under the current circumstances, The Collins Cup, scheduled for May 30, will need to be postponed and will be rescheduled for 2021 at the x-bionic-sphere®. For THE CHAMPIONSHIP, scheduled for May 31, Challenge Family and the x-bionic-sphere are working closely with the local authorities to determine if the event should and can be rescheduled for a later 2020 date. Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, commented that, “Given the complex and innovative broadcast production we were going to deliver for The Collins Cup, it is just impossible to logistically have all the worldwide vendors and suppliers gearing-up in this uncertain environment and be able to hold The Collins Cup this year.”

• PTO Website

Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) Announces $2M Annual Bonus Programme, with Collins Cup whopping $4M purse

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that it has adopted a $2,000,000 Annual Bonus Programme pursuant to which athletes will be paid based on their PTO World Rankings at the end of 2020. The bonus amounts range from $100,000 for the PTO World No. 1 male and female athletes, to $10,000 for the PTO World No. 20 male and female athletes. In addition, male and female athletes ranked at the end of the year between 21-50 shall each be paid $5,000 and those ranked between 51-100 shall be paid $2,000.

Rachel Joyce, Co-President of the PTO commented, “We are very pleased to be able to adopt an annual bonus programme that rewards athletes for outstanding performances throughout the year. The triathlon season is a long one and just because an athlete might have an off race in a large event, doesn’t mean that their year’s performance should go unrewarded.”

The PTO World Rankings is a first-of-its-kind ranking technology to measure the greatest non-drafting professional triathletes. It is a worldwide benchmark of consistent excellence in triathlon. In addition to being the basis for the PTO Annual Bonus Programme, it is used to determine automatic qualification spots for The Collins Cup.

Tim O’Donnell, Co-President of the PTO, stated, “The adoption of the PTO Annual Bonus Plan, together with the $2,000,000 payments at The Collins Cup, means that so far in 2020 the PTO will be paying 200 professional triathletes $4,000,000. We believe that this demonstrates the value and benefits of professionals being unified in our own organization and we hope that this is just the beginning of the many ways the PTO can bring not only a voice but meaningful contributions to our sport.”



Editor‘s note:

Together with the $2,000,000 prize purse from inaugural Collins Cup a new dimension in sport of triathlon is opened with contributions from PTO‘s support network around Billionaire Mike Moritz, who likely want to build a platform from the NBA, NFL, NHL league’s blueprint in the U.S. with various shareholders from different group of interests.

Wanda Sports considering $1 billion sale of Ironman triathlon, Bloomberg reports

Wanda Sports Group Co., part of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin’s conglomerate, is considering selling the global Ironman triathlon business it bought in 2015 for est. USD 650 million. Wanda Sports Group Co. is working with an adviser and has held discussions with some private-equity buyers that expressed interest in the business according to unnamed sources. The company holds also other sports assets outside China like Infront Sports & Media AG and many more.

A deal could come after Wanda Sports declined to enter talks last year with The Professional Triathletes Organization, which was interested in acquiring the Ironman business. The organization said at the time that excessive leverage has hampered Wanda Sports’s ability to invest in Ironman operations. 

Wanda Sports shares have dropped about 63% in New York trading since their July 2019 debut, paring the company’s market value to about $409 million. With total debt at about $968 million, the company has an enterprise value of about $1.2 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. 

Read more on Bloomberg.

Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) Approaches Wanda Sports Renewing Interest In IRONMAN Acquisition and Expressing Willingness To Work With Other Potential Acquirers

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today released the following letter sent to the Board of Directors of Wanda Sports Group Company Limited on 3rd February 2020 advising the Board that the PTO has closed on its financial partnership with Crankstart Investments and renewing the PTO’s proposal to enter into discussions to acquire the Ironman® business.

3rd February 2020

Board of Directors
Wanda Sports Group Company Limited
Wanda Plaza
Tower B, 9th Floor
93 Jianguo Road Chaoyang District
Beijing, China
Attn: Mr. Hengming Yang–CEO

Andrew Messick
Chief Executive Officer
World Triathlon Corporation
407 W. Martin Luther King Blvd
Suite 100
Tampa, Florida 33607

Dear Members of the Board:

We are writing on behalf of the Professional Triathletes Organisation (the “PTO”) to advise you that we have closed on our partnership financing with Crankstart Investments. We again want to put forth our proposal to enter into discussions for the acquisition by the PTO of all of the assets of the Wanda Sports Group Company Limited (“WSG”) related to its worldwide triathlon and mass participation business (the “WTC Business”).

The PTO is prepared to consider an all-cash transaction or one in which the existing shareholders of WSG are able to participate in the growth of the WTC Business that the PTO is uniquely positioned to deliver. We strongly believe that it is only with the assistance of the PTO and its professional athletes that the WTC Business has the ability to stabilise and grow, and that without our cooperation the WTC Business would deteriorate.  We are happy to work with any other financially stable group who may be interested in acquiring the WTC Business, reducing its debt load and unleashing the value only the PTO and its professional athletes can deliver.

The PTO and North Point Advisors, our financial advisors, are prepared to begin discussions forthwith with your senior management and your financial advisors and to sign a customary confidentiality agreement in order to commence certain confirmatory due diligence.  In light of the significance of this proposal to your shareholders and the triathlon community, as well as the potential for selective disclosures, we will publicly release the text of this letter tomorrow morning.

We believe this proposal represents a unique opportunity to realise significant value for WSG shareholders and employees, and that the PTO can uniquely provide a healthy and growing environment for the WTC Business.

We hope that you and your Board share our enthusiasm and, consistent with applicable fiduciary duties, we look forward to a prompt and favourable reply.



Respectfully yours,



Charles D. Adamo
Chairman

Sam Renouf
Chief Executive Officer

Rachel Joyce
Co-President

Tim O’Donnell
Co-President

cc: David Jacquin
North Point Advisors
580 California Street
Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94104

Professional Triathletes Organisation Announces Financial Partner And $2,000,000 Collins Cup

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that it has partnered with Crankstart Investments, an investment vehicle for Michael Moritz, in establishing a platform for professional triathletes to begin to realise their goal of athlete self-determination. As a result of this partnership, the PTO is also announcing that The Collins Cup will be held from 29-30th May 2020 at the x-bionic® sphere, in Samorin, Slovakia, and there will be over $2,000,000 in prize money for the event.

Rachel Joyce, Co-President of the PTO, commented “This day has been long in coming and we are grateful to the great professional triathletes who have, through all their blood and sweat over many years, paved the way for this opportunity to materialise. The Collins Cup will be a true celebration of both the history and the future of the sport we love so much, and we look forward to hosting the event and engaging the entire triathlon community.”

Charles Adamo, Chairman of the PTO, stated that “The PTO has been working for a number of years to create an environment and structure where professional triathletes have a meaningful voice in the way the sport is operated and can contribute to its growth for the benefit of the entire triathlon community. We are very pleased to have teamed up with Crankstart Investments and Michael Moritz, who share our vision in the potential of the sport and the best means by which to see it grow and thrive.”

Under its partnership, the PTO and Crankstart Investments share equally in all profits generated by operations. Michael Moritz, Chairman of Crankstart Investments, commented “The spread of the internet, the rise in the number of media outlets thirsty for top-notch sporting content, combined with the latest production techniques now make it possible to bring to international audiences the extraordinary accomplishments of today’s highest performing athletes – the top forty male and female triathletes in the world. A major part of the attraction of the PTO is that, unlike every other sport, men and women compete for equal prize money and the athletes are co-owners of the business. This means that all participants will share, on an equal footing, in the PTO’s collective success – a recipe that is a mainstay of the Silicon Valley investment model.”

Tim O’Donnell, Co-President of the PTO, commented “We are very pleased to be able to provide professional triathletes with the platform to put on display their tremendous athletic performances and make a difference in our sport. We are grateful for the confidence that Crankstart Investments and Michael Moritz have placed in us, and we appreciate that with this confidence comes great responsibility. As co-owners in this partnership, the PTO and its professional members are committed to not only making it a success, but also to being a contributor to the growth of the sport and the wider triathlon community. While arranging the investment, we were working behind the scenes and over 100 professional triathletes have become members of the PTO, including all of the top 35 men and top 35 women in the PTO World Rankings. Now that we have been able to make this announcement, we can invite all licenced professionals to become PTO Members. There are no costs or membership fees involved and any professional can find out more information by e-mailing us at membership[AT]protriathletes.org.”

North Point Advisors has acted as exclusive placement agent for the Professional Triathletes Organisation.

• Website Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)
• Website Collins Cup

Professional Triathletes Organisation Announces The Inaugural Collins Cup With $2,000,000 Prize Purse

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that the inaugural Collins Cup will be held on 29–30th May 2020 at the extraordinary x-bionic® sphere in Samorin, Western Slovakia and will have a prize purse of over $2,000,000. It will bring together the greatest professional triathletes in the world in a team competition to do battle to see who dominates the sport.

USA vs. INTERNATIONSALS vs. EUROPE

Modelled after golf’s Ryder Cup, The Collins Cup is a competition among USA, Europe and the Internationals. Each team will consist of 12 professional triathletes, six men and six women. Eight athletes, four men and four women, will earn a place on their respective teams by way of the PTO World Rankings™ System and the remaining four athletes, two men and two women, will be selected by the non-athlete PTO Board Members with advice from Team Captains.

The Team Captains for The Collins Cup 2020 are:

USA
Mark Allen
Karen Smyers

INTERNATIONALS
Craig Alexander
Simon Whitfield
Erin Baker
Lisa Bentley

EUROPE
Normann Stadler
Chrissie Wellington

An athlete from each team will battle against one another in an individual race of three, so there will be 12 separate race matches, each staggered 10 minutes apart. Athletes will be awarded points for their team based on performances in their respective race match and the team with the most overall points from the 12 race matches will claim the spoils of The Collins Cup and bragging rights as the most dominant force in the sport. The team that finishes last will receive The Broke Spoke Trophy. Click here to view “How It Works”

Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, commented, “The format of USA vs Europe vs Internationals will add a whole new level of competition and pure excitement for triathlon. By adopting a proven format like the Ryder Cup with its nationalistic intensity, and having a points system that creates drama throughout the race, The Collins Cup is designed to be a compelling live TV event that appeals not only to the fans of endurance sports, but also to the general sports enthusiast.”

Tim O’Donnell, Co-President of the PTO, commented, “We could not be more thrilled with the first Collins Cup being hosted at x-bionic® sphere in Samorin. The primary mission of the PTO is to celebrate the sport of triathlon. The Collins Cup, by bringing together legendary team captains to lead today’s top triathletes in a battle to see which region dominates the sport of triathlon, will not only be a riveting competition, but will serve as a platform for professionals and fans alike to celebrate our sport.”

Zibi Szlufcik, Chairman of CHALLENGEFAMILY, commented, “We are delighted to be working with the PTO to host the inaugural Collins Cup at the extraordinary x-bionic® sphere in Samorin, Western Slovakia. The spectacular venue could not be more perfect for the PTO’s inaugural event and the weekend promises to be a triathlon celebration unlike any other.”

Mario Hoffman, owner of x-bionic® sphere stated “It is a great honour for Slovakia, Šamorín and x-bionic® sphere to host such a magnificent event. I can say for the whole team that we are thrilled to be a part of history and we are ready to help with our knowledge and vast experience in organizing huge international sports events.”

• Website Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)
• Website Collins Cup

Professional Triathletes Organisation Announces Selection Of Dave Scott As The Athleta Emeritus Honouree For Inaugural Collins Cup

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that it has selected Dave Scott as the Athleta Emeritus Honouree for the inaugural Collins Cup. The Collins Cup is a Ryder Cup style triathlon event in which teams from the USA, Europe and the Internationals do battle to see who rules the world of triathlon. The Collins Cup is the flagship event for the Professional Triathletes Organisation, an association representing professional triathletes with a mission to celebrate the sport of triathlon.

The PTO has determined that each year the The Collins Cup race will honour an individual who has distinguished themselves in the sport of triathlon by recognising them as the Athleta Emeritus Honouree. For the inaugural Collins Cup, it has been decided that there would be no better person upon whom to bestow this honour than Dave Scott.

Tim O’Donnell, President of the PTO, commented “While we are deeply indebted to all the tremendous triathletes whose blood and sweat over many decades has paved the way for the PTO and The Collins Cup to become a reality, Dave was truly the progenitor of professional triathlon. In 1980, when, in his first IRONMAN® championship race in Hawaii, he cut nearly two hours off the previous record, he established standards of performance that would forever drive all triathletes, amateur and professional, to challenge limits thought impossible.  It is only fitting that the inaugural Collins Cup, the first ever event owned and operated by professional triathletes, pay tribute to Dave.”

It is nearly impossible to list all of Dave Scott’s accomplishments. The six-time IRONMAN® World Champion is known by the nickname “The Man” for his intense training regimens and his unrelenting race performances that created a record number of wins. Dave Scott is the Roger Bannister, Pele, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Jack Nicklaus of triathlon. His performances transcended what was ever thought possible.  On a full distance course, he was the first athlete to go under 11 hours, under 10:30, under 10:00, under 9:30, under 9:00 and under 8:30. He also was the first to go under 3:00 hours for the IRONMAN® marathon, the first under 2:55 and the first under 2:50.  He has spent a lifetime defining triathlon first as an athlete, then as a coach, including coaching European Collins Cup Captain, Chrissie Wellington.

Dave commented, “It is truly an honour to be named by the PTO as the Athleta Emeritus Honouree for the inaugural Collins Cup. I am thrilled to see the PTO come together. It has been 40 years in the making and I am very pleased to see today’s generation of professionals have their own organisation and a voice in the sport.  Given the $2,000,000 prize purse at The Collins Cup, I am very tempted to come out of retirement and attempt to qualify for the event myself.”

The Collins Cup is a unique new broadcast-friendly triathlon race which brings together the world’s greatest triathletes in a team competition to do battle to see who dominates the sport. Modelled on golf’s Ryder Cup, the format of USA vs. Europe vs. the Internationals will add a whole new level of competition and pure excitement to triathlon. The PTO will host the inaugural Collins Cup at the extraordinary x-bionic® sphere in Samorin, Western Slovakia on 29-30th May 2020.

• Website Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)
• Website Collins Cup

Professional Triathletes Organisation Approaches Wanda Sports Board Proposing to Enter Into Discussions to Acquire IRONMAN® Business

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) today released the following letter sent to the Board of Directors of Wanda Sports Group Company Limited on 20th September 2019 proposing to enter into discussions to acquire its IRONMAN® business. One of their main goals is to get a fair share of revenues Ironman generates for all professional triathletes, similar to the models the big sports in the doemestic USA have implemented in the past.

20TH September 2019

Board of Directors

Wanda Sports Group Company Limited

Wanda Plaza

Tower B, 9th Floor

93 Jianguo Road Chaoyang District

Beijing, China

Attn: Mr. Hengming Yang–CEO

Andrew Messick

Chief Executive Officer

World Triathlon Corporation

3407 W. Martin Luther King Blvd, Suite 100

Tampa, FL 33607

Dear Members of the Board:

We are writing on behalf of the Professional Triathletes Organisation (the “PTO”) to make a proposal to enter into discussions for the acquisition by the PTO of all of the assets of the Wanda Sports Group Company Limited (“WSG”) related to its worldwide triathlon and mass participation business (the “WTC Triathlon-MP Business”).

The PTO is prepared to consider an all-cash transaction or one in which the existing shareholders of WSG are able to participate in the growth of the WTC Triathlon-MP Business that the PTO is uniquely positioned to deliver. Professional triathletes, age groupers and the triathlon community have for years watched the decline of our sport with dismay as the dedicated executives and passionate employees of the WTC Triathlon-MP Business have been hampered by an excessive debt load and pressures to deliver unrealistic short-term results to financial investors. There are reasons why world class professional sports like the NFL and MLB have debt limits imposed on ownership entities as excessive debt levels limit needed investment and often cause exploitive customer pricing and a decline in standards that sadly have been present, through no fault of the hard-working operating management, in the WTC Triathlon-MP  Business for years.  We believe the market has recognised this reality as the results of the WSG IPO have proved to be well below expectations.

We have appointed North Point Advisors as our financial advisor, and they have reviewed the public information filed in the WSG F-1 Registration Statement and subsequent 6-K filings. The PTO and North Point Advisors are prepared to begin discussions forthwith with your senior management and your financial advisors and sign any NDA related agreement required in order to commence certain confirmatory due diligence.  In light of the significance of this proposal to your shareholders and the triathlon community, as well as the potential for selective disclosures, we will publicly release the text of this letter Monday morning.

We believe this proposal represents an opportunity to realise significant value for WSG shareholders and employees, and that the PTO can uniquely provide a healthy and growing environment for the WTC Triathlon-MP Business.

We hope that you and your Board share our enthusiasm, and we look forward to a prompt and favourable reply.

Respectfully yours,

/s/ Charles Adamo

Charles D. Adamo

Chairman

/s/ Sam Renouf

Sam Renouf

Chief Executive Officer

/s/ Rachel Joyce

Rachel Joyce

Athlete Director

/s/ Dylan McNiece

Dylan McNeice

Athlete Director

cc: David Jacquin

North Point Advisors

580 California Street, Suite 200

San Francisco, CA 94104

Contacts:

Sam Renouf

Chief Executive Officer

Professional Triathletes Organisation

Sam Renouf

David Jacquin

Managing Director

North Point Advisors

About The Professional Triathletes Organisation

The Professional Triathletes Organisation is a not-for-profit entity representing the body of professional triathletes and seeks to showcase the passion, talents, determination, struggles and achievements of the dedicated professionals who strive to realise the highest levels of the sport and inspire all those who participate in triathlon, from seasoned age groupers to newbies. 

About North Point Advisors

North Point Advisors is a leading independent investment bank focused on providing financial advice on mergers and acquisitions and raising institutional capital to meet the growth objectives of its clients. Since its founding in 2004, North Point Advisors has advised on more than 160 transactions representing world class brands in over $25 billion of transaction value. Its industries of focus include consumer, wellness, and healthcare, and it has one of the largest and most experienced consumer M&A teams on Wall Street, completing transactions with leading brands such as Starbucks, Jimmy John’s, Kosta Browne Winery, Landry’s, Golden Nugget Casinos, Massage Envy, and Peanuts by Schulz.