Tuesday, 22nd March 2011

RIGHTS FEE & DISTRIBUTION

=>  The IPL announced the media rights tender for IPL’s global internet, mobile and radio rights, along with TV rights in selected territories was won by a consortium led by Times Internet Limited for Rs 2.616 bil for 4 years from 2011-14. Multi Screen Media (MSM) and ESPN Star Sports also picked up tender documents, though bid amounts were not available. The bid process followed order of Supreme Court. The TV rights to the IPL for Indian subcontinent, which is held by MSM, along with certain territories, were not part of the tender. The IPL 2011 season starts on 8 April when reigning champions, Chennai Super Kings host the Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai.

=>  France is the latest to join UEFA’s plan to centralise broadcasting rights for qualifying matches for the European Championships and World Cup. The FFF accepted the proposal on the condition that it will earn at least as much as it does presently from sale of broadcasting rights for France matches to commercial network TF1, equivalent to €4.1 million ($5.7 million) per match. France, a crucial signatory, has prompted hope for a position to declare the required support of all 53 member associations ahead of the meeting of the Congress in Paris tomorrow. Last year, UEFA delivered projections that claimed that a central sale of TV and sponsorship rights would raise €1 bil gross revenues for its members and €900 mil net revenues over a 4-year period, an increase (in net terms) of over 60% on total revenues raised by individually-sold distribution.

=>  Brazilian broadcaster, Record, offered R$100 mil ($60 mil) per season in media rights fees to league giants, Flamengo and Corinthians, for 5 seasons from 2012 to 2016. Record made the offer to the two big clubs in a move intended to warn them – and the others - not to sign with rival, Globo, before considering all options. Record will file the offer in a registry office to make it official. Presently, Corinthians and Flamengo earn R$17.5 mil per season for their FTA rights. Pay-TV and PPV rights, plus bonuses and perimeter advertising, earn another R$8 to 10 mil per season. Signing with Record for R$100 million per season would more than triple their earnings. In Brazil, media rights to a match are owned by both home and away teams and both must give permission for the match to be broadcast.


EVENT

=>  The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has confirmed a deal with Smart Communications, worth US$1.8 mil over 10 years to aid the national team and start a local club championship, aiming to develop football in the country. The Filipino Premier League was discontinued after one season in 2008, but after the success of the national team in the AFF Suzuki Cup where they reached the semi-finals, league soccer faces a revival in the Philippines. The communications provider is already a major backer of tennis, boxing, basketball and boxing in the country. The league will feature teams from across the country and will commence this month through May.

=>  Meanwhile, fans of the Philippine Azkals football team complained the lack of live broadcast of their AFC Challenge Cup group match in Myanmar. ABS-CBN and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) tried but failed to get the permit from authorities to beam the matches live via satellite to the Philippines. Filipinos are accustomed to receiving live feeds of events but was left wondering about the tightly controlled media space in Myanmar by the military junta. Local media needs also to get government permission to beam broadcasts live, including the AFC Challenge Cup. Foreign media access into the country is restricted and internet is closely monitored, although connection is slow and unreliable, exacerbated by poor electric supply.

=>  India play Chinese Taipei in the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 Group B Qualifying match in Malaysia. The match kicks off at 7.30 PM (local time) will be played at the MBPJ Stadium. India has registered 23 players for the tournament. Chinese Taipei, Pakistan and Turkemnistan are other teams in the Group. India last met Chinese Taipei at home in two international friendlies in 2008 when they won one and drew the other. In the other match of the day Turkemnistan take on Pakistan at 4 PM (Local time).

=>  Confusion reigns over the 2011 Indian Open as a deal is yet to be signed between Indian Golf Union (which owns the Open) and the Asian Tour (who co-sanctions the event). The agreement between the AT and IGU lapsed last year, as did the agreement between World Sports Group and Asian Tour. However, IGU had signed a 3-year contract with Nimbus Sports which gives it the Tour Manager rights which throws up the question of whether the Indian Open is still valid within the Asian Tour. Asked about the capitation fee Nimbus is paying IGU, an unnamed official said that as of now it is ‘privileged’ information.

=>  OneAsia has launched its 13 stop golf schedule for 2011, adding three more tournaments to the 10 held last year. Formed in 2009 as a rival to the Asian Tour with just five events, the circuit delivered 10 events last year and will add at least three more in 2011, each with minimum prize money of $1 mil. Starting with the Indonesia PGA Championship at the Imperial Klub Golf, it will boast a prize purse of $180,000 to the winner. The Championship will aired on OneAsia's TV platform with live coverage for 4 hours a day on all four tournament days and broadcast to over 400 mil homes in more than 40 countries. Full coverage of OneAsia is on ESS, Jupiter Golf Network, SBS Golf Ch., Fox International, Network Ten, Sky Sports NZ, ESPN3 USA and ViaSat & Bloomberg TV, among others, in Europe.