Monday, 14th March 2011

RIGHTS FEE & DISTRIBUTION

=>  Nimbus Sport has entered into a 6-year contract with the Indian Golf Union (IGU) that will see the broadcaster market the Indian Masters as well as the Indian Open. The Indian Masters, previously a US$2.5 million tournament, is now set to be revived this year after it was cancelled when title sponsors Emaar-MGF pulled out following its inaugural appearance on the European Tour calendar in 2008. Nimbus Sport will replace World Sport Group (WSG) as marketing partner of the Indian Open and has also acquired title rights of the Indian Classic, which it will develop into a premier international match-play event. Both WSG and IMG were bidding against Nimbus for the right to become tournament promoters.

=>  The Confederation of African Football will receive $137.45 mil in TV and marketing revenue from its competitions from 2011 to 2017. The figure is the minimum guarantee provided by Sportfive which handles the rights to six CAF competitions under a deal signed in 2007. Sportfive has pledged $46.8 mil for 4 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015). Until 2008, CAF earned $5.5 mil every two years from the sale of rights to the tournament. A 7-year agreement between Sportfive and CAF for the rights to the African Champions League and the African Confederation Cup is worth $71.4 mil until 2017. The agency will also pay $17 mil until 2015 for the rights to the African Nations Championship and $2.25 mil until 2016 for the African Youth Championship and the African Under-17 Championship. CAF said that it is in negotiations to sell TV rights for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in a deal that would be worth than $150,000 to each member association.

=>  Lega Calcio has opted against reallocating rights to the Serie A held by Dahlia TV, which folded last month. Dahlia held digital terrestrial rights for the matches of 8 Serie A teams and Lega Calcio has decided not to re-award the rights surrendered by Dahlia for the remainder of the 2010-11 season. Dahlia’s rights deal was worth €31.5 million ($43.4 million) per season, covering 2011-12 season. Lega Calcio will decide what steps to take regarding next season’s coverage at future league meetings.


BROADCAST

=>  The International Sepak Takraw Federation has agreed its first major broadcast deal for the sport's new international calendar. UFA Sports Asia and Wharf House signed a deal with Thailand's free-to-air broadcaster Channel 3. The agreement guarantees live prime-time coverage across Thailand and Myanmar for the next 3 seasons of the international calendar, kicking off in July with the ISTAF World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ISTAF said there will be at least 17 tournaments played during the length of the Channel 3 contract. Top 8 women's and 12 men's nations from the World Cup will qualify for the ISTAF Super Series, of which will have 4 tournaments running until April 2012. They will take place in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam (women only) and Iran (men only), before the Super Series Finals in June 2012.

=>  Apple has signed online broadcast deals with Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Basketball Association (NBA), enabling it to stream live sports through its Apple TV service. Apple has agreed terms to carry both MLB.TV and NBA League Pass, online sports subscription channels, on its new digital media receiver, revamped in Sep 2010 as a US$99 set-top box. Both services are backed by their respective leagues and offer broadcasts of live games and match highlights. MLB.TV and NBA League Pass will come at an extra cost on top of an Apple TV subscription; NBA League Pass costs US$65 for the rest of the season, while MLB.TV’s basic package is priced at US$20 per month or US$99 per year.

=>  Eurosport 2 has confirmed itself as one of Europe’s fastest growing pay-TV channels; it is now broadcasting to 50.4 mil homes in Europe, almost 25% up on the figure for Jan 2010. Launched in 2005, the channel is now available in 47 countries and in 16 languages and claims its growth is recognition of the quality programming and expert coverage of team and action sports. Eurosport 2 also claims that its national and regional offers in the UK, Nordics and Central & Eastern Europe are taking a prominent position in their respective markets. The news comes hot on the heels of its parent channel announcing in Jan 2011 that it had added 4 million viewers in 2010 and had a reach of 123 mil households across Europe.


EVENT

=>  The 2011 KIA X Games Asia (KXG), returns to Shanghai for its fifth consecutive year end April, highlighted with the biggest names in the sport, a new street course and a strong panel of sponsors back to support the "biggest action sports competition in Asia". Organised by ESPN STAR Sports’ Event Management and ESPN X Games, KXG will feature nearly 200 athletes from more than 30 countries competing in the action sports competition. KXG earned a global reputation with a significant increase in awareness about action sports in the region. The KIA X Games Asia 2011 will be broadcast live on ESPN STAR Sports’ networks across Asia as well as SMG’s Great Sports on 30 Apr – 2 May.