Thursday, 12th May 2011

BROADCAST & RIGHTS DISTRIBUTION

=>  Metan Development Group and Fusion TV have entered into an exclusive partnership to bring action sports and adventure travel content to China.   The two will develop and distribute Fusion TV-branded online, mobile, IPTV and TV channels in China. The deal extends to Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia and Taiwan. Metan serves as the exclusive sales agent for Fusion's library, while Fusion is the exclusive content provider and co-production partner for Metan in the categories of action sports and adventure travel.

=>  One World Sports has secured exclusive N. American rights to the Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) in a deal with World Sport Group.  One World will broadcast weekly games on TV, broadband and mobile for the 16-team CSL, the highest level of pro football in China.  The acquisition of the CSL media rights follows its other recent broadcast deals for the Korean K-League, Japanese J. League, AFC Champions League, and the live broadcast of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 this past January.

NEW MEDIA

=>   The insatiable appetite for video from sources such as YouTube and Netflix is set to create a surge in global data traffic to more than 7 times the current rate.  ABI Research calculates that by end 2011, traffic will rocket by 50% CAGR to 60,000 Petabytes. Driving traffic will be increased usage of laptops, tablets and devices with screens larger than mobile handsets.  ABI predicts traffic generated by devices other than handsets will grow from about 65% of the total in 2011 to over three-quarters in the next five years.  Yet, operators will need to innovate to monetise this OTT online video explosion.  Operators should consider aligning pricing and data to suit usage patterns to ease help network congestion, compared to investments in infrastructure.

EVENTS

=>  The International Table Tennis Federation awarded Japan hosting rights to the 2014 World Team Championships and Japan Table Tennis Association has chosen the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo as the venue.  It will be the sixth time Japan has hosted table tennis world championships, the most recent event being the individual worlds in Yokohama in 2009.  The JTTA is using the event to "convince the international community" that the country is on the road to recovery after the March earthquake and tsunami that devastated the north-east of Japan.  In 2012, the World Team Table Tennis Championships will be in held in Germany and in 2013, the individual championships will be in France.

=>    Meanwhile, ITTF teamed up with Peace and Sport, the organisation campaigning for peace through sports, to launch 'Peace and Sport Table Tennis Tournament' in Qatar in Nov.  Based on 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy', the famous event that provided the catalyst for improved US-China relations in 1972, the aim of the cup is to encourage dialogue and good relations between nations.  The tournament will consist of men's and women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches.  Host nation Qatar will be joined by USA, Russia, Iran, Japan, India, China, South Korea, North Korea and Pakistan.  Key government officials from each country will be invited to attend the two-day tournament.

=>   Manchester Utd and Barcelona will renew their rivalry after the UEFA Champions League Final when they face each other in the United States this July as part of an exhibition soccer tournament title sponsored by Herbalife.  The firm is the official nutrition company of the 2011 Herbalife World Football Challenge, featuring Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid.  Co-organised by Major League Soccer and Creative Artists Agency, the HWFC will see the cream of European soccer take on MLS and Mexican Primera División clubs including Chicago Fire, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, Vancouver Whitecaps, Club América and Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

=>  The uncertainty surrounding Japan's participation in July's Copa America looks set to be resolved soon when the Japan Football Association confirms its withdrawal over player availability.  Costa Rica are believed to have been offered the vacancy, less than a month after the JFA said it would compete in Argentina after reaching agreement with the top-tier J-League.  Japan's participation in the tournament had been in doubt since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the north-east of the country.

BIZ & BITES

=>  The International Table Tennis Federation claimed it is now the 2^nd largest sports federation in the world following approval of 6 new members.  The new additions take to 215 the number of ITTF affiliated nations, 2 more than basketball's FIBA and 7 behind volleyball's FIVB.  The ITTF also claims to be the only international federation with 100% coverage in Oceania. 

=>  The Women’s International Squash Players’ Association has appointed chairman Ingrid Lofdahl-Bentzer as acting chief executive, with immediate effect.  The decision follows resignation of WISPA president Natalie Grainger who also held the position of principal.  Lofdahl-Bentzer joined the WISPA board in 2005.  She previously served as head of women's pro tennis at the International Tennis Federation and as advisor to the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament.  Grainger has quit her WISPA role to begin work on a project for Chelsea Piers New York, a multi-sports facility in Stamford, Connecticut.

=>  Skype has been acquired by Microsoft for US$8.5 billion in cash.  Skype will become a new business division of Microsoft and CEO Tony Bates will head the Microsoft Skype as president, reporting to Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer.  The Skype deal is touted as the biggest deal in the 36-year history of Microsoft, surpassing its purchase of AQuantive for about USD6 billion in 2007.  Skype debuted in 2003 and in September 2005, was bought by eBay for US$2.6 billion. In 2009, a majority stake was sold to an investor group for US$1.9 billion in cash and US$125 million note. eBay retained about a third.