ENGLAND WIN BID TO STAGE EUROPEAN TOUCH CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018

England beat off competition from both Germany and Portugal to secure hosting rights.

England Touch are delighted to have been informed our extensive bid to host the 2018 European Touch Championships has been successful.

The European Federation of Touch (EFT) announced earlier that England had beaten off competition from the Germany and Portugal to host the 9 division tournament in two years’ time.

Bids were assessed and scored against a matrix system, from criteria provided in the bid documentation.

Upon receiving the results, CEO of the association, Gregg Cropper, said:

[caption id="attachment_13837" align="alignleft" width="300"] This is fantastic news, and we are very excited to begin working on this project[/caption]

"We have clear, definitive motives as to why we bid to host ETC2018. We also have numerous aims and objectives, to ensure that hosting the event will translate into a lasting sporting legacy, not just for England, but also for all the participating nations. We will strive to leave a positive legacy and an undeniable mark on Touch history by staging the most memorable European Championships, ever.

To say we are experts in Touch is true, but England Touch is not just about Touch. We believe in the whole experience and everything that makes that experience unique, from the moment you pack your boots, to when you’re back home basking in the enjoyment. We’re continually striving to improve the experience of participating and ensuring our customers enjoy the moment, their games and tell others about our great sport too." 

Our commitment to grow the game Europe wide, attract more sponsors and put on the biggest and best event in the Northern Hemispheres history has clearly been recognised by the EFT.

England Touch have a long tradition of hosting successful and high quality tournaments both through its member clubs and through the association itself, including both local and national delivery from single to multiple day events.

2014>16 has seen a significant jump in the national delivery requirements as we combined our top two tiers of competition into one, which saw a minimum of 28 teams participate in the 4/5 rounds and required a minimum of 25 referees and 8 fields. The association facilitated and administered the running of a 3rd tier competition and introduced a University series too, with plans to grow each of these in the next 3 years too.

Co-author of the bid, Ken Pollard, ETA Development Manager quoted:

[caption id="attachment_1039" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nottingham has a strong reputation in delivering major sporting events, we will certainly be doing our part to continue this.[/caption]

"There has been a huge growth in Touch over the past years and being able to bring this international event to Nottingham will provide the ETA with an ideal opportunity to showcase the best of the sport and attract new people to the game. 

With high quality facilities and all the attractions associated with a modern, vibrant city, we are confident we will deliver a hugely successful tournament.

As part of our commitment to hosting, we will work with local media companies, including Notts TV and Confetti (linked to Nottingham Trent University) to live stream as many matches as possible. We will also look to produce a highlights reel and promo clips for future Touch events, creating unforgettable moments and a sense of pride and enthusiasm to represent your country in our sport."

PR and Marketing Manager, Julia Kang added: 

[caption id="attachment_1038" align="alignleft" width="300"] As a resident in Nottingham it will be wonderful for our local community and be invaluable in raising the profile of touch amongst schools and community groups.[/caption]

"The sport in England has risen Dramatically over the past few years and our dedication to the elite performance can be seen by our results in the recent European Championships. 

Hosting a competition of this magnitude will allow us to showcase what we are capable of and will be a driving force to help develop the game further in England as we pull in local community groups and raise the profile of touch at grass routes levels. 

As a resident in Nottingham it will be wonderful for our local committee and be invaluable in raising the profile of touch amongst schools and community groups. 

We will look to build the event locally, with local media and lots of digital content. With close links to the RFU in England (and many of our players participating in national initiatives like O2 Touch) we can engage a wide audience through all of the key platforms with the opportunity to expand this and engage the players in pre-event promotion that will generate wider awareness."

Luke Roberts, Commercial Partnerships & Sponsorship Manager, added: 

[caption id="attachment_29775" align="alignleft" width="300"] We are in discussion with numerous other potential suppliers and sponsors.[/caption]

"The 2018 European Championships provides England Touch with a fantastic opportunity to leverage the ever-growing popularity of the sport to form innovative partnerships with sponsors. Through these relationships, we aim to create fun, engaging and memorable experiences for teams and fans, as well as continuing to attract and inspire junior players.

We are in discussion with numerous other potential suppliers and sponsors. The 2018 European Championships would enable an attractive value proposition to share with prospective sponsors.It is important to ensure that there is clear synergy between sponsors and the event, so a methodical and brand-focused sales approach would be followed when recruiting sponsors"

Legacy

We will look to use this event as a springboard to drive participation in schools, inspiring them to choose our sport. England are currently running pilot school schemes in 4 large cities, looking to get Touch into the school games. We will look to bring the finalists of local / regional schools competitions to the event, be part of the opening ceremony and, depending on field availability, play a match. 

England has seen unparalleled growth in the number of people participating, at all levels in the past 18 months and the growth in the number of registered clubs and leagues is also on the rise. This event will all be part and parcel of our bigger picture of reaching our vision, which is: "To lead the development of Touch, to become England’s leading recreational activity"

Aims

England's successful bid for hosting the European Championships in 2018, will give a great platform for all of Europe preparing for the 2019 World Cup in Malaysia.

► Aim 1 – Deliver a fantastic tournament for all selected players, referees and volunteers across Europe

► Aim 2 – Provide EFT with a well managed, prepared and delivered tournament

► Aim 3 – Grow the junior player base across younger age groups in England - including referees.

► Aim 4 – Inspire junior players, referees and volunteers to commit to a lifetime of Touch participation. 

We look forward to welcome the rest of Europe to our country and enjoying this great event!