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College Sports to Be One of the Best Media Investments in 2024, per Big Chalk

Big Chalk

Many industry watchers believe issues like conference realignment, the Transfer Portal, and NIL will damage the long-term value of college sports as a media asset. New consumer research from Big Chalk, a marketing analytics company, shows these fears to be unfounded. On the contrary, growth in consumer engagement with college sports may never be higher than in 2024. “College sports are undergoing drastic and rapid changes,” said Rick Miller, Big Chalk’s Marketing Effectiveness Practice Lead. “We wondered if consumers would react poorly to these changes and begin to tune college sports out. Nothing could be further from the truth.” Big Chalk surveyed nearly 2,000 U.S. consumers regarding their viewership levels across college sports in general, with specific questions about college football. The data indicate fans will increase viewership from an average of about 11 games per viewer in 2023 to 13 games in 2024 – an uptick of almost 17%. To see if storm clouds are gathering on the horizon, Big Chalk also gathered net sentiment scores for NIL, the Transfer Portal, and conference realignment – but despite rumblings from some pundits, these issues are not driving fans away from the product. Perhaps one of the more eye-opening findings from the research is the level of influence college sports provides its sponsor brands. “More than 13% of respondents say they prioritize college sports sponsor brands during their purchase process,” said Miller, “and another 30% say brand sponsorship positively influences their purchase decision, even if it doesn’t automatically make the brand a shopper’s number-one priority.” Some college football sponsors continued to see double-digit unaided brand awareness weeks after the football season ended. “Perceptions of College Sports 2024: What CMOs and Media Strategists Need to Know” is the first of a two-part release of Big Chalk’s research. It is available for free download at: https://dust.bigchalk.co/perceptionsofcollegesports About Big Chalk Big Chalk is a marketing analytics and outsourcing company that specializes in CPG companies and similar consumer-facing brands. Big Chalk’s blend of consumer marketing experts and data scientists provide the tools and consulting services that brands of all sizes need to grow sales and build connections with their customers. Contact Details Big Chalk Cristina Itze +1 847-957-1861 cristina.itze@bigchalk.co Company Website https://www.bigchalk.co

February 22, 2024 12:59 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Sui Reveals Initial Wave of Speakers, Famed Venue for First Annual Basecamp Event

Sui

The joint organizers behind the first annual global Sui conference, Sui Basecamp, today announced the initial wave of confirmed speakers for the Parisian event taking place on April 10 and 11, 2024. Sui Basecamp is a celebration of the developers and entrepreneurs building on Sui, the innovative Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform, and will feature speakers and thought leaders from all over the world and throughout the greater Web3 ecosystem. Sui Basecamp’s initial wave of speakers includes: Arianna Simpson, General Partner at a16z Balaji S. Srinivasan, Angel Investor, Tech Founder and author of The Network State Meltem Demirors, Aspiring Cult Leader Evan Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Mysten Labs and Original Contributor to Sui Nikola Plecas, Global Head of Product GTM and Product Commercialization at Visa Crypto Rachel Conlan, Chief Marketing Officer at Binance Sam Blackshear, Chief Technology Officer at Mysten Labs and Creator of Move Vincent Chok, Chief Executive Officer of First Digital Trust Logan Jastremski, Managing Partner at Frictionless Capital Adeniyi Abiodun, Chief Product Officer of Mysten Labs Benoît Pellevoizin, Head of Marketing and Communications at CoinShares France Robert Knight, Features Writer at Cointelegraph Greg Siourounis, Managing Director of Sui Foundation Hosted by Mysten Labs and Sui Foundation, Sui Basecamp will take place at two select venues – the first day and opening night party, Sui Soiree, will be at Pavillon Cambon Capucines, the former headquarters of Crédit Foncier de France, before attendees migrate to Pavillon Vendôme for the second day’s festivities. Both locations are adjacent to Paris Blockchain Week’s main event. Early bird tickets, at the discounted prices of $99 USD, are available today through March 1. Ticket prices will remain discounted, at $149 USD, from March 2 through 31, then increase to the full price of $299 from April 1 until the event. Registration is now open at https://sui.io/basecamp. About Sui Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the bottom up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications with unrivaled speed at low cost. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform on which creators and developers can build amazing, user-friendly experiences. Learn more: https://sui.io About Mysten Labs Mysten Labs is a team of leading distributed systems, programming languages, and cryptography experts whose founders were senior executives and lead architects of pioneering blockchain projects. The mission of Mysten Labs is to create foundational infrastructure for web3. Learn more: https://mystenlabs.com Sui Foundation The Sui Foundation is an independent organization that is dedicated to the advancement and adoption of Sui. The Sui Foundation supports the Sui community and its projects that enable individuals and creators to have unprecedented ownership over their data and content. Contact Details Sui Sui Foundation media@sui.io

February 22, 2024 11:13 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Immunic reports successful 2023 and prepares for key 2025 milestones

Immunic Inc

Immunic Inc CEO Dr Daniel Vitt joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion following what he described as a successful 2023. Outlining the company's achievements, Dr Vitt noted the company strengthened its balance sheet by raising up to $240 million. The first tranche of the three tranche private placement is expected to extend the company's cash runway into the third quarter of 2025, beyond important clinical readouts for its Phase 2 study in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), known as the CALLIPER study, with results anticipated in April 2025. Clinically, Immunic achieved positive results across its portfolio, including its Vidofludimus calcium and IMU-856. Dr Vitt said vidofludimus calcium showed promising phase 2 interim results in 2023, including a significant reduction in NfL biomarkers in patients with progressive MS, indicating its potential as a unique treatment option. IMU-856, targeting gastrointestinal disorders, demonstrated effectiveness in improving gut function in celiac disease patients, with results published in spring 2023. Looking ahead to 2024, he said the focus is on preparing for the CALLIPER study readout in April 2025 and exploring further studies for IMU-856 in additional indications. The company continues discussions with potential pharmaceutical partners for its programs. Contact Details Proactive North America Proactive North America +1 604-688-8158 NA-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:59 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Greatland Gold discusses updated Havieron resource and reserve estimate from JV partner Newmont

Greatland Gold PLC

Greatland Gold (AIM:GGP) managing director Shaun Day joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss an updated Reserve and Resource for the Havieron gold-copper project released by joint venture partner Newmont. Newmont’s update includes 4.9 million gold equivalent ounces in the Indicated Mineral Resource category, closely aligning with Greatland Gold's estimate of 5 million ounces. Day discussed the differences in reporting standards between Greatland's JORC code and Newmont's SK-1300, and the resulting differences between Greatland’s and Newmont’s reserve and resource estimates. Greatland Gold remains highly confident in its Mineral Resource estimate of 8.4 million gold equivalent ounces and will continue to report under JORC. Greatland Gold PLC is a mining development and exploration company focused primarily on precious and base metals. The company’s flagship asset is the world-class Havieron gold-copper project in the Paterson Province of Western Australia, discovered by Greatland and presently under development in a joint venture with Newmont. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:50 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Great Southern Copper expands Especularita project with two new properties

Great Southern Copper PLC

Great Southern Copper PLC (LSE:GSCU) chief executive Sam Garrett tells Proactive's Stephen Gunnion that the company has expanded its Especularita project in Chile through two new option agreements, enhancing the project's exploration prospects. These agreements incorporate the Cerro Negro and Artemisa properties, adjacent to Great Southern Copper's existing concessions, into the Especularita project. This expansion is part of the company's long-term strategy to explore for porphyry copper systems, with the properties adding significant potential due to their location relative to a known lithocap, which is indicative of porphyry copper deposits. Cerro Negro, previously mined by Antofagasta, has shown evidence of high-grade copper and silver at the base of an open pit, suggesting the potential for porphyry copper at depth. No significant exploration outside the mine's immediate area has been documented, but signs of oxide copper along strike to the south suggest unexplored potential. Artemisa, adjacent to the company's Victoria and Lita prospects, complements ongoing exploration efforts, with plans for drilling in the near future. The next steps include reviewing historical data and preparing for sampling and drilling on the newly acquired properties within the next 12 months. The company is also awaiting assay results from its Teresita and Abundante scout RC drilling programme, aimed at testing new targets for copper and gold mineralization. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:48 AM Eastern Standard Time

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S&U PLC navigates economic and regulatory challenges, eyes future growth

S & U PLC

S&U PLC chairman Anthony Coombs delved into the company's trading statement for the 12 months ended 31 January 2024 in an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion. Despite a challenging year due to a number of headwinds facing the sector, the motor and property finance group remained resilient, with improving prospects. Coombs attributed the past year's to the cost of living increase and heightened regulatory activities by the Financial Conduct Authority, aimed at protecting customers under economic pressure. This regulatory environment created headwinds for S&U, slightly impacting its results. Consequently, pre-tax profits are expected to be 10 to 15% below analysts' consensus. However, Coombs said the flow of new business into both of S&U's sectors—motor and property finance—is robust, with the company facing challenges in collections due to regulatory scrutiny. S&U's diverse business model, including its Advantage motor finance and Aspen bridging loan business, has helped it navigate pressures. Aspen, in particular, saw cumulative repayments increase by more than 50%, benefiting from high demand in the SME sector for development and refurbishment loans—a demand not fully met by traditional banks. This diversification is expected to aid in the company's recovery, especially as economic conditions improve. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:46 AM Eastern Standard Time

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MP Evans CEO outlines ambitious ESG journey; discusses 2023 report highlights

MP Evans Group PLC

MP Evans Group PLC Matthew Coulson discusses the company's 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, which encompasses data and progress spanning from 2021 to 2023. In an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion, Coulson said the report is a testament to the company's commitment to sustainability and transparency within its Indonesian palm oil operations. A significant highlight from the report is MP Evans' ongoing efforts towards carbon reduction, a journey bolstered by the internalisation of their production processes. With six palm oil mills now under their management, the company has enhanced its production efficiency, directly contributing to its carbon footprint reduction. Coulson shared the company's ambitious goal of achieving net-zero status by 2050, alongside setting interim targets for 2030 to monitor and ensure progress towards this long-term objective. The importance of ESG disclosure, as Coulson notes, stems from the growing interest of stakeholders, including shareholders, in sustainable practices. This transparency not only meets regulatory requirements but also exceeds them, reinforcing MP Evans Group's role as a responsible entity in the industry. Community engagement forms a critical aspect of the company's ESG efforts. With over 12,000 employees in Indonesia and a broader community living on their estates, Coulson said MP Evans is dedicated to improving living standards through high-quality housing, healthcare, education, and recreational facilities. Additionally, the company extends its sustainability ethos to its network of independent suppliers and smallholders, ensuring that they too can meet their sustainability goals. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Coinsilium and LC Lite forge strategic partnership to revolutionize trade finance

Coinsilium Group Ltd

Coinsilium Limited CEO Eddy Travia and LC Lite CEO Jean-Charles (JC) Devin join Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with details of an agreement between the two companies. Founded in 2018, LC Lite specializes in trade finance through permission tokens on a private blockchain, aiming to create a new ecosystem within the trade finance industry by digitizing receivable financing. Travia told Proactive that Coinsilium will provide LC Lite with strategic advisory services ahead of an upcoming token launch, marking an interest in the intersection between digital assets and the real-world economy. This partnership focuses on the tokenisation of real-world assets, a promising sector in the Web3 space. Coinsilium aims to leverage its network in the crypto market to assist LC Lite with its token model and tokenomics, particularly in decentralizing the space around real-world assets. Devin said LC Lite's objectives through this partnership include launching a token by the end of the year, integrating the value chain of asset management in a vertically integrated model, and bridging real-world and digital assets. This aims to generate yields and capital appreciation for investors while providing financing to suppliers, bringing real-world assets into the DeFi and crypto world. Travia also touched on the current crypto market sentiment, with significant improvements noted in the prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and the anticipation of further opportunities due to regulatory developments and the upcoming Bitcoin halving. Contact Details Proactive UK Proactive UK +44 20 7989 0813 UKEditorial@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:36 AM Eastern Standard Time

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H&T Group secures £25 million of new financing for expansion; acquires Maxcroft Securities

H&T Group PLC

H&T Group PLC CEO Chris Gillespie joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with news that the UK's largest pawnbroker has secured £25 million in additional finance from Pricoa Private Capital, part of PGIM Inc. He said funding provides substantial financial headroom for the company's future growth, including the expansion of its pledge book and investment in its store estate. Gillespie highlighted the current high demand for small-sum credit amidst constrained supply, indicating strong lending volumes and growth opportunities for the company. Additionally, H&T Group announced the acquisition of assets from Maxcroft Securities, an Essex-based pawnbroking business catering to a different demographic, typically lending larger sums to business professionals. This acquisition is expected to complement H&T's existing portfolio and offer opportunities for further expansion within its customer base. Gillespie emphasised the potential for growth and the company's strategic plans for controlled expansion and leveraging the additional financial headroom for 2024 and beyond. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 22, 2024 10:31 AM Eastern Standard Time

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