Tuesday, 13th May 2008

SPORT SHORTS

* The International Olympic Committee has invited tenders for the broadcast and exhibition rights for all territories, within Europe, for the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The IOC will assess bids on their ability to meet the highest standards in broadcast quality, their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience across different media platforms, their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement, as well as on the financial offer. The IOC will consider bids from any organisation, which can guarantee full exploitation of the rights on either on a multi-territory or country-by-country basis. Organisations interested in acquiring the rights have been asked by the IOC to submit bids on 1 July. Sportbusiness.com, televisionpoint.com, 12th May 2008

* The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering shorter term contract periods for its television rights deals. According to ‘The News’, the PCB may chose to sell its rights for a two to three year period, rather than for the traditional five years, in a bid to maximise profits. The issue of television rights is set to be discussed at this week's PCB’s Governing Board meeting, where it is likely that the PCB will ask for expressions of interest from media groups in the first week of September – before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy. Sport Business, 12th May 2008

* The Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced the inauguration of the Purple Cap. The Purple Cap will be awarded to the bowler with the most cumulative wickets to his name on each day of the season, and will be worn by that bowler in the field. At the end of the season, the holder of the Purple Cap will win the honour of being called the Winner of the Purple Cap 2008 and will receive recognition on the final day. In the event of a tie at any given time, the holder will be determined by superior economy rate. Earlier the IPL had announced the Orange Cap which will recognise the best performer with the bat. Indiantelevision.com, 12th May 2008

* India’s Tata Communications said it has partnered with US-based Sonus to build network to offer phone calls over the Internet globally. Tata Communications' customer base includes more than 1,500 global carriers, 600 mobile operators, 10,000 enterprises, over 5,00,000 broadband and Internet subscribers and around 300 Wi-Fi public hotspots all of which demand the highest level of quality and reliability. Tata will work with Sonus services team to facilitate the migration from its legacy network onto the new IP-based network initial deployment cities include Newark, New Jersey, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Ontario, Los Angeles, California, London, Madrid, Frankfurt and Singapore. The Hindu Business Line, 12th May 2008

* The Bali chapter of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPID) has issued a recommendation asking for a temporary ban on dozens of media outlets on the island due to their failure to complete administrative requirements. Head of the commission's Bali chapter Komang Suarsana said Friday the recommendation had been sent to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) in Jakarta. If the KPI accepts the recommendation the KPID will immediately enforce that recommendation, he said. The recommendation identified three television stations -- Jimbarwana TV, SAM TV and ANTV -- and 60 radio stations across the island. All are allegedly operating without proper administrative documents and licenses. The Jakarta Post, 12th May 2008

* Singapore Telecommunications, together with its associate companies, has inked a deal to bring Apple’s iPhone to Singapore, India, Australia and the Philippines later this year. SingTel says that it will be rolling out the iPhone in Singapore, while Bharti Airtel will be offering the device in India, Globe Telecom in the Philippines and Optus in Australia. SingTel owns Optus and stakes in Bharti and Globe. World Screen, Rapid TV News, 12th May 2008

* Virgin Mobile USA and South Korea's SK Telecom, which controls US mobile service Helio, are in talks on a deal, says a Reuters report, said. Recent blog reports said the talks have included scenarios such as SK Telecom buying Virgin Mobile USA, which had a market value of about $170 million, and combining it with Helio. Under one scenario that has been discussed, SK Telecom would buy out Virgin Mobile USA and do a cash infusion; then Virgin Mobile would buy Helio in an all-stock transaction, moconews.net said in a blog post. The source told Reuters it was too soon to say how a deal would be structured, whether it would involve a merger of the US entities, or a purchase of Virgin by SK, or other possibilities. Both Virgin Mobile USA, part owned by Virgin and Sprint Nextel, and Helio rent space on Sprint's wireless network to target young cell phone users. telecomasia.net, 13th May 2008

* Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed the French Grand Prix will be held at Magny-Cours for the last time this year, although hopeful that the race could return to a new circuit in Paris in 2010. Ecclestone told French sports daily L’Equipe that there would be a French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours in 2008 but not in 2009. French prime minister Francois Fillon has mentioned possibility of a Grand Prix in Paris or just outside but that would not necessarily be for 2009, rather for 2010. Magny-Cours circuit has struggled with low attendances, in part because of poor access and insufficient accommodation. The French Grand Prix could be dropped from the calendar in 2009 unless a new venue is available by then, but Ecclestone is hopeful of eventually staging a race in the French capital. He said: ‘I would really love a French Grand Prix in the streets of Paris.’ This year’s French Grand Prix is on June 22. Sportcal.com, 12th May 2008

* Manchester United have reported a net loss of $113.4 million for the last financial year. United yesterday secured the Premier League title for the second season running, but are still meeting the costs of Malcolm Glazer’s takeover in 2005. Revenues at United rose by 21% in the year to June 30, 2007, but the team owes $1.5 billion to creditors, including $109 million in transfer fee instalments on players signed by manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The period in question included a refinancing of the debts accrued during the takeover. The club owes $296 million to hedge funds at an interest rate of 14.2%, but is set to benefit from increased television revenue from domestic and European competitions. Sportcal.com, 12th May 2008

* The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality is the first of the five host cities to unveil its 2010 FIFA World Cup city website as per FIFA stipulations. The site contains information such as a map of the city, how long it takes one to reach a specific destination, a list of accredited hospitality businesses in the area and various other important activities within the city. This is aimed at helping visitors to the city during the soccer event. The website, which took four months to develop, is expected to receive more than 50 million visitors in the run-up to the tournament. "As in professional websites, this one will not remain static but grow over time," said Acting Executive Mayor Bicks Ndoni. Soccer Investor, 12th May 2008

* A new magazine targeted at Muay Thai fighters and enthusiasts will be launched in Oceania next month. World MuayThai Magazine, which will be the official magazine for both the Oceania Muay Thai Federation and World Muay Thai Council, is targeted at the 18-40-year-old demographic. Initially, 10,000 copies will be distributed by mail to professional and amateur athletes, professional trainers, promoters and sports fans with a majority of the circulation aimed at the Oceania continent, as well as Thailand. The magazine will also circulate by print and online e-magazine to Asia, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Africa. It will also be available in some news agencies in Australia and New Zealand. Sports Media, 12th May 2008


MORE NEWS

Asia/General: Asian Formula International Open Leg Rings Down the Curtain

NARCAR International Racing Development Co., a sports event operator in China, announced that at yesterday in Sepang Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Asian Formula International Open Competition ended its Malaysia round of racing, becoming the first domestic formula-racing event held abroad. The event was independently initiated and operated by China and all the formula racing cars have home-owned intellectual property rights, making the event the first formula sport born in China.

The Asian Formula International Open Competition is positioned to be a continental event upon approval of the General Administration of Sports of China and the Federation of Automobile Sports ofChina. Each year, the event will be staged in Asia with formula cars provided by Geely Holding Group of China. The racing cars' 1.8-liter engines JL4G18 are independently designed and manufactured by Geely. On the Beijing International Auto Show in April 2008, Geely showcased a higher-level formula-racing car equipped with its latest 3.5-liter V6 engines and 6-gear semi-automatic transmission.

Asian Formula International Open Competition was formally launched in Oct. 2006 and seven competitions were staged in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities in 2006 and 2007, respectively. On April 13, 2008, the Zhuhai race of 2008 successfully came to a close. Thus far, 10 teams have participated in the event with a total of 20 players and yearly applicants exceeding one hundred.

According to the Federation of Automobile Sports of China, the Asian Formula International Open Competition is the only high-level formula racing inChina, making it a significant milestone inChina's auto sports history. The improvement of auto manufacturing inChina has also played a positive role in guaranteeing the normal operations of the event and serves as a solid foundation for the ventures into the international arena. News Blaze, 12th May 2008


ARTICLES, COMMENTS, INTERVIEWS & OPINIONS

Mobile Operators Must Evolve or Die

Mobile operators in more mature markets will need to adopt radical new business models over the next five years if they are to protect their profit margins, analysts have warned.
Researchers at telecoms.com parent, Informa Telecoms & Media, said that while mobile operators in emerging markets will continue to enjoy strong revenue growth in the short to medium term as they fulfil strong demand for basic connectivity, even they will have to embrace new ways of running their businesses when growth inevitably slows.

"For the last ten years mobile operators have been building strategies, platforms and services for the delivery of new non-voice services which, they hope will compensate for the inevitable decline in voice revenues," said Mark Newman, chief research officer at Informa. "But it's been tough going and non-SMS data revenues have been disappointing," he said.
Newman said the situation has improved over the last year or two with many operators reporting year on year revenue growth of 30-40 per cent or more in non-SMS data services. But he warns that the nature of the non-voice mobile is on the cusp of radical change.

In its latest report, 'Future Mobile Operator Business Models: Broadband, Partnerships, Wholesale and Mobile 2.0', Informa notes that the focus is moving away from a limited number of services provided by the operator to internet access and operators' non-SMS data revenue base is in the process of shifting from services to basic access. The services users are beginning to use on their mobiles are provided by internet players rather than mobile operators.

As such, the analyst expects that mobile operators can look forward to a period of growth in mobile broadband connectivity. But to capitalise on this opportunity, operators need to invest heavily in new high-capacity networks, effectively marking a transition to becoming ISPs. To avoid the fate of fixed-network ISPs, mobile operators will then either need to partner with internet firms and share revenues and/or develop a smart-pipe strategy. This involves 'exposing' different parts of their networks to third party service providers and monetising access to them.

Advertising is touted as a lucrative new revenue stream which would complement an internet access strategy but Informa does not believe that it will translate into a significant operator revenue stream within the next five years. In its report, the analyst said that at the same time as they pursue this strategy mobile operators will need to continue to seek ways to reduce opex levels. Lower handset subsidies, outsourcing and network sharing; all offer huge scope for lowering opex levels, as does the migration to all-IP infrastructures. Telecoms.com, 12 May 2008