Friday, 27th July 2007

THIS WEEK

Sun, 15th Jul 2007
DTM 2007: Race Day – Zandvoort, The Netherlands
BTCC 2007: Race Day – Snetterton, UK


INFO BOX

LA Galaxy
* The Galaxy was among the 10 founding members of the league that kicked off in 1996.
* The team plays its home matches at The Home Depot Center, which has a 27,000 capacity.
* The Galaxy has been crowned league champion twice, in 2002 and 2005.
* In 2007, David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy after a four season spell at Real Madrid.
Source: Infostrada Databox, Jul 2007

Rugby World Cup
* The 2007 Rugby [Union] World Cup will be the sixth edition of the competition.
* Australia (1991, 1999) is the only country to have won the Rugby World Cup more than once.
* New Zealand (1987), South Africa (1995) and England (2003) are the other winners.
* The last three World Cup finals have all been lost by the team scoring first.
* Australia’s 142-0 victory against Namibia in 2003 is the biggest World Cup victory.
Source: Infostrada Databox, Jul 2007


SPORTS SHORTS

* The Red Bull Air Race series is to be screened on China’s CCTV-5, which will show 11 episodes of the race series after agreeing a contract with IMG Media, exclusive worldwide agent of television rights for the series. The deal increases the television households around the world where the series can be seen from an estimated 425 million to over 625 million. Since its appointment in 2006, IMG Media has signed deals with the likes of RTL and Channel 4, commercial broadcasters in Germany and the UK respectively, the USA’s Fox Sports Network and the Asian cable channel AXN. Source: Sportcal, 26th Jul 2007

* The Philippines is encouraging new wireless services to enter the market by allocating more frequencies for broadband. The National Telecommunications Commission has reallocated the band 410-430 MHz on the radio spectrum for broadband wireless access, effective end-August. The band can accommodate four broadband companies, Lucio M. Espinosa, Jr., NTC chief of staff said. Broadband services providers see this as a positive move. New players will have "a broader range [of frequencies] to choose from," said a top official of a leading wireless services company. Source: Telecom Asia, 26th Jul 2007

* Malaysian pay-TV firm Astro All Asia Networks Bhd expects to launch its Indian operations this year and the unit is expected to break even from 2012, the company said on Thursday. India had 71 million television homes in 2006, and is forecast to become the top pay television market in Asia-Pacific by 2015, according to estimates by Media Partners Asia. Astro's biggest shareholder is Malaysian billionaire tycoon Ananda Krishnan, who also has businesses in gaming, power, mobile phones and leisure. Source: Reuters India, 26th Jul 2007

* With the consultation document on regulation for Headend In The Sky (HITS) out (Media News 25th Jul 2007), the Indian government is turning its attention to the regulation of IPTV. Regulator, TRAI, released the HITS document on July 24, aimed at creating a regulatory framework for satellite-delivered digital cable television. HITS services are yet to start, but IPTV already has, despite a similar lack of regulation. Now the Indian government is reported to have formed an inter-ministerial group, comprising telecoms, IT and broadcasting officials to formulate policy and framework for services. Source: Rapid TV News, 26th Jul 2007

* Manchester United is aggressively expanding its marketing capabilities in Asia, revealing that digital media will form a key component of efforts to build a more enduring brand. Speaking to Media on the club’s Asian tour, commercial director Lee Daley said that, currently, the club only had one rep in Asia - Hong Kong-based marketing manager Rob James. In addition to expanding capabilities in key markets of Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia and Singapore, Daley pointed out that online and mobile media would be used extensively to enable the club to leverage its 50 million fans in Asia. Daley’s comments come after the club unveiled new local-language Man Utd websites in Korea, Japan and China. Source: Brand Republic, 24th Jul 2007

* German commercial broadcaster, ProSieben, has secured a package of rights for the home matches of Bayern Munich in the Uefa Cup. Bayern are hoping to net €10 million ($13.7 million) from selling the broadcast rights for the club’s home games in the Uefa Cup before the quarter-final phase, when the rights are sold centrally. The 2007-08 season will be the first time in 11 years that Bayern will not take part in the top-tier Uefa Champions League, a competition they won in 2001. Source: Sportcal, 26th Jul 2007

* Flying Aces, with the support of the FAI, is filming a series of major world air sports championships in 2007 in what will be the first television series dedicated to a full range of international air sports. AirSports World will be a 13-part series, showcasing FAI’s major championships in each air sport in 2007. Sports include aerobatics, skydiving, hot air ballooning, gliding, aeromodelling, hang gliding, para-skiing, paramotor flying and air racing. The series will also report world-record attempts, athletes, personalities and lifestyles; and rounding up the latest air sports news. Source: Sports e-Media, 26th Jul 2007

* ESPN, MediaFLO USA and Verizon Wireless have teamed for the delivery of the first mobile TV channel dedicated to action sports, EXPN, on Verizon’s V CAST Mobile TV, complementing X Games coverage. EXPN will carry exclusive mobile coverage of competitions, behind-the-scenes action and commentary from X-Games 13. The new mobile TV channel will be available for the duration of X Games 13. The new dedicated channel will feature live coverage of events provided by ESPN for eight hours each day from August 2 through August 5. Source: Worldscreen, 26th Jul 2007

* Virgin Media has created a new all-access sports portal that will include match clips from the English Premier League and second-tier Football League. Virgin Media and Setanta have joined forces to launch the virginmedia.com/sport, offering short highlights of all matches from the EPL, Coca-Cola C’ship, League 1 and League 2. The portal will offer 5-min highlights of games for free which can be watched on-demand for up to a week. Additional broadband programming, produced by Premium TV will also be available. Source: Sportcal, 26th Jul 2007

* The San Jose Earthquakes are to return to Major League Soccer in 2008, giving the league 14 teams. MLS commissioner Don Garber anounnced the move which also gives the MLS three teams in California, joining the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, both based at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. Source: Sport Business, 26th Jul 2007

* Spain will commit €105 million towards organising the America’s Cup 2009 after Valencia was yesterday confirmed as the host for the second successive time. The America’s Cup will take place between May and July of 2009, with two pre-regattas in 2008, one held in Valencia in July and the other at another location in autumn. Valencia was the choice of Swiss team Alinghi, the winner of the last two America’s Cups, which was encouraged by the investment in regeneration in the Spanish city and the fact that 6 million members of the public visited the racing venues. Source: Sportcal, Sport Business, 26th Jul 2007


MORE NEWS

India/General: Cricket League Targets More International Stars

Organisers of the breakaway Indian Cricket League are stepping up their search for overseas talent as the controversial project gathers pace. An initial Twenty20 competition, comprising six teams from India's major cities, is being organised by the Essel Group, owners of Zee Television, despite opposition from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Each side can include four overseas players and the biggest name signed so far is former West Indies captain Brian Lara. Experienced Australian stars Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath are also being linked with the competition.

The league will avoid recruiting players with international commitments, meaning it is likely to rely on veterans and lesser-known foreign players. Dean Jones, the former Australian player who is the ICL operations manager, said: ‘By mid-August we would have signed all those we want for the league. We will only be targeting players who will not be involved with their national teams during October-November. We do not want any player to break his existing national contract. Only those free will come to us.’ Source: Sportcal, 26th Jul 2007

Global/New Media: Internet TV Advertising Revenue Set to Hit $10bn by 2011

Ad revenues for internet television channels could reach $10 billion worldwide by 2011. Media information and consultancy group, Understanding & Solutions, claims that internet television advertising will equate to 18% of the projected overall internet advertising market of $57 billion. Findings reveal that internet television is enjoying a ‘gold rush’ as television broadcasters, cable networks and television content producers try to leverage their content online, joining existing proponents of ‘Web TV’ such as Joost, Vudu and Babelgum, the video streaming and download sites.

U&S described the level of penetration already achieved by internet video as ‘mind-blowing’ and online video is set to grow at a rate of around 200% a year. U&S estimates more than 20 billion videos being streamed across the internet each month worldwide. The media industry now faces the challenge of harnessing the power of video and developing revenue through sponsorship, advertising, subscription and paid-for business models.

U&S said internet television would challenge the traditional broadcast industry through rights distribution, on-demand content versus linear broadcast and the generation of advertising revenues. The competitive structure of the market will be under threat as new ‘Webcasters’ compete with conventional broadcast channels for audiences and advertiser money.

These latest predictions follows Sportcal.com’s own finding (Media News, 24th Jul 2007) that sports websites worldwide could be attracting $2 billion a year in advertising revenues by 2009, if current trends for the growth of the online advertising sector and the growth of sports coverage online continue. Source: Sportcal, Silicon Republic, 26th Jul 2007