Wednesday, 4th July 2007

YESTERDAY’S RESULTS

Source: AP report on The Star MY, 4th Jul 2007
Peru advanced to the Copa America quarterfinals in dramatic fashion by coming from behind twice - once with a man down - to draw Bolivia 2-2 on Tuesday. After both sides traded goals, a driving shot by Jhasmany Campos put Bolivia ahead 2-1 in first half injury time. The score remained unchanged until Claudio Pizzaro - following the expulsion of substitute Jhoel Herrera in the 78th minute - headed in a Juan Carlos Marino free kick with five minutes remaining. Bolivia could have reached the last eight with a victory, but was eliminated in group play for the fourth consecutive time in the South America championship.

Source: via Astro Supersport, 4th Jul 2007
Venezuela 0 - Uruguay 0


THIS WEEK

Wed, 4th Jul 2007
Copa America 2007: Group B - Mexico v Chile, Barcelona
Copa America 2007: Group B - Brazil v Ecuador, Barcelona

Thu, 5th Jul 2007
Copa America 2007: Group C - USA v Colombia, Barquisimeto
Copa America 2007: Group C - Argentina v Paraguay, Barquisimeto

Sat, 7th Jul 2007
Masters Football: Central Masters
Copa America 2007: Quarter-final 1, Maracaibo
Copa America 2007: Quarter-final 2, San Cristobal

Sun, 8th Jul 2007
AVP Crocs Tour: Seaside Heights Open, Final Day
Copa America 2007: Quarter-final 3, Maturin
Copa America 2007: Quarter-final 4, Barquisimeto


DID YOU KNOW…?

The Hong Kong Jockey Club issued an apology Tuesday after several people were injured in a stampede sparked by a give-away at the season's final meet on Monday. Two women and an elderly man received treatment at hospital after being knocked to the ground by race-goers trying to push their way to a souvenir counter to grab miniature jockey silks.

The club began handing out the gifts to betting account customers on a first-come, first-served basis shortly before the first race of special meet at Shatin to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong reverting to China's sovereignty on Monday. It was forced to abandon the give-away when hundreds of people began pushing forward, knocking others to the ground and helping themselves to the gifts. Hong Kong people are known for their enthusiasm in queuing for give-aways and collectibles. Source: Earth Times, 3rd Jul 2007


INFO BOX

Stats – Mobile
Source: Info IQ, 2nd Jul 2007

* 149.5 million mobile subscribers in India
* 32 million mobile video users in China in 2008
* 500 million cell phone accounts in China
* 51% of mobile users interested in mobile TV
* 520 million mobile users in China by year-end 2007
* Mobile gaming in Asia-Pacific to reach $18.8 billion by 2011


SPORTS SHORTS

* Mediapro is set to sign a deal for the TV rights of 21 Spanish football clubs for five years from the 2009-10 season. The deal is reportedly valued at €500 million and would give Mediapro control over the TV rights of nearly all the Spanish football league’s top clubs. Mediapro has already acquired the TV rights for Athletic Bilbao and Real Zaragoza as well as rights to the league matches of Barcelona and Real Madrid in deals worth more than €1 billion. Source: Sport Business, Sportcal, Advanced Television, 3rd Jul 2007

* Public service broadcaster, France Télévisions, wants to retain the weekly highlights rights for the French Ligue 1 from the 2008-09 season. France Télévisions this year acquired the highlights rights for the 2007-08 season for around €25 million ($34.1 million), rights that had been held since 1977 by commercial broadcaster, TF1. TF1, which paid an estimated €18 million a year for French league highlights rights under the previous contract, is believed to have offered only €14 million for the rights in 2007-08. Source: Sportcal, 3rd Jul 2007

* The French Tennis Federation (FFT) signed a deal with the EBU for pan-European rights of the French Open outside of France worth €56 million from 2008-2011. The deal is worth €14 million a year, a huge 69% increase on the present deal that expired after this year’s tournament. It also represents an increase in terrestrial coverage for the tournament from 490 hours, up from 120 hours. This deal confirms the international growth of the French Open tournament. Source: Sport Business, Sportcal, 3rd Jul 2007

* The BBC could be forced to pay more to televise Wimbledon when the deal comes up for renewal in 2009. The present four-year agreement is worth an estimated £50 million ($101 million) but there is a perception at the Lawn Tennis Association and among government figures that this undervalues the event. The BBC benefits from a long relationship with the All England Club and the fact that Wimbledon is a ‘listed event’, although its status is subject to a review in 2008. Source: Sportcal, 3rd Jul 2007

* The America’s Cup has a potential worldwide audience of about 100 million viewers. According Caroline Hunt, head of production at America's Cup Management said the race is carried live in 17 different countries or regions, including Eurosport in Asia. However, Team BMW Oracle’s blog explained that the figure of 100 million is relatively low because the race is being shown on a number of niche channels in the largest markets. Source: Sport Business, 3rd Jul 2007

* US Major League Soccer club, LA Galaxy, which will soon welcome David Beckham to its squad, have announced that they will take on Australian A-League outfit Sydney FC in a friendly in November. The match will take place at the 80,000-capacity Telstra Stadium on November 27 and television coverage will be provided by Network Ten. The match is organised by Football Federation Australia to coincide with the Asian Football Confederation Awards in Sydney. Source: Sportcal, Daily Telegraph AU, 3rd Jul 2007


MORE NEWS

Macau/Hong Kong/New Media: Highest Telecom Penetration in the World

Research and Markets has released its '2007 Asia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Hong Kong and Macau'. The reports says in Macau, while fixed lines reached a saturation point at a little over 35% teledensity a few years ago, the mobile market now has a penetration rate of 137%, making it the most highly penetrated mobile market in the world.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong is one of the most sophisticated and dynamic telecommunications markets in the world, supporting a high penetration of mobile phones and telephone services. At the start of 2007, the territory had over 3.8 million fixed telephone lines, a teledensity of around 54% – among the highest fixed line penetrations in Asia and the world.

And while the fixed-line market has been levelling off, the mobile market has continued to rise. According to Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) data, by April 2007 there were 9.3 million mobile subscribers in Hong Kong, representing a mobile penetration of 135%.

Digitalised since 1995, Hong Kong has been wired with 400,000 km of optical fibre and the territory’s extensive broadband network covers the vast majority of households and provides the basis for a wide range of existing and future telecommunications services. As a result, the number of broadband subscribers in Hong Kong has jumped in recent years, with subscriber base expected to hit two million by end-2007. Source: Digital Media Asia, 3rd Jul 2007

Asia/General: European Tour Stands Accused of 'Colonising Asia'

Golf’s Asian Tour has today accused its European counterpart of trying to ‘colonise’ the continent after the announcement of a new event in South Korea next March. The €2-million ($2.7-million) Ballantine’s Championship will take place at the Pinx Club on the island of Jeju, South Korea from March 13 to 16 and is the second tournament to be organised in the region in recent weeks without the sanctioning of the Asian Tour.

In a statement, Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said: ‘The European Tour continues to proceed on its expansion programme to colonise Asia with the announcement of a Korean event today without the official involvement of the Asian Tour. ‘This represents the European Tour’s blatant disregard towards the Asian Tour, which is the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia.’

Last month, the Asian Tour criticised the European Tour’s plans for an Indian Masters tournament in New Delhi next February, which it has organised in partnership with the Indian Golf Union, describing the move as ‘clearly unethical’ and accusing it of having ‘an invasive position on Asia.’ Han today warned that the Asian Tour would table a motion at the meeting of the International Federation of PGA Tours during the British Open in Scotland this month as it believes that the European Tour has ‘stepped out of its boundary.’

The European Tour had no comment to make on today’s Asian Tour statement. Parallel Media Group, the UK-based sports agency which is promoting the new Korean tournament, has signed up global whisky brand Ballantine’s as title sponsor for the next three years. PMG, a long-time supporter of golf, will receive a fee against tournament staging costs and the right to source secondary sponsors for the event. Television coverage will be provided by Korean broadcaster SBS and distributed internationally by European Tour Productions. Source: Sportcal, Channel News Asia, 3rd Jul 2007