The Sports Business And Fast Track Combine Forces In Scotland

CSM Sport & Entertainment (CSM), a division of Chime Communications, has integrated Glasgow-based The Sports Business and Fast Track, to form Fast Track Scotland. The Sports Business was acquired by Chime in 2008 and has operated alongside sister companies within CSM.

Andy Westlake, CEO of Fast Track said: “With the eyes of the sporting world focusing so much on Scotland in the coming years we felt it was an important time to strengthen the connection between our Scottish colleagues and the rest of our business. We’re looking forward to working much more actively with Alan Ferguson and the team in Glasgow and providing our experience, including indepth London 2012 activities,  alongside their already considerable local knowledge.”

Alan Ferguson, Managing Director of Fast Track Scotland explained: “We are offering a national and international service embedded in Scotland, with local knowledge and skills being supported by expertise from our colleagues in London and around the globe.  The sports market in Scotland can now be better served by Fast Track and our CSM partners – Essentially, iLUKA and ICON.”

The Scottish office of Fast Track houses a base for all CSM companies as Scotland prepares to host major international events next year; Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2014 Ryder Cup. Glasgow is bidding for the Youth Olympics in 2018 and the Scottish FA considering an application for candidate city status of football’s Euro 2020 Championships.

CSM is the fourth largest sports and entertainment group in the world and is now chaired by Sebastian Coe.  Speaking at the launch of Fast Track in Scotland at Hampden this week Lord Coe outlined the growing influence of CSM and the group’s vision: “Wherever in the world we operate, CSM offers 'local expertise, international experience' and we are perfectly positioned in Scotland to deliver on that promise.  Scotland hosts the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in 2014, and the sporting calendar for the rest of the decade offers