Thursday, 5th May 2011

RIGHTS FEES


=>  The Belgian Pro League has proposed the sale of non-exclusive live rights for the Jupiler Pro League from next season. Pro League is preparing to launch a domestic broadcast rights tender amidst threats by 5 clubs to sell their rights separately. Exclusive live rights to the Belgian league are currently held by Belgacom, which pays €45.7 mil ($67.8 mil) /season. The 5 clubs initially announced they would sell their own rights after a vote in December to return to a format of an 18-team league, with no playoffs, was overturned. Four clubs dubbed the ‘G4’ - Anderlecht, Club Brugge, KAA Gent and KRC Genk - succeeded in reversing the decision through a second vote after talks with smaller clubs. The G4 clubs were keen to maintain more high-profile matches in a 16-team league (with playoffs) to boost their TV rights income.


BROADCAST & RIGHTS DISTRIBUTION

=>  DFL Sports Enterprises has invited bids for broadcast rights to the 1. Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga in selected countries in Europe and Asia for the period from 2012/13 to 2014/15. The list includes Belgium, France, the Netherlands and various South-east Asian territories amongst others. In 2008, Sportsman Media Group agreed a deal to distribute Bundesliga broadcast rights for the current rights cycle in southern Europe and the Asia-Pacific, while Sportfive, picked up Belgium, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Japan and Korea. DFL Sports Enterprises has set a deadline of May 30 for bids for the rights in question. Sportsman’s current package for Asia-Pacific includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

=>  Filipino pay-TV, Solar Sports, have won broadcast rights to the inaugural Sepaktakraw World Cup. In a deal brokered by UFA Sports Asia, Solar will screen live coverage and highlights from the 2011 ISTAF Sepaktakraw World Cup in Malaysia from 21 to 24 Jul. Solar reaches more than 2 mil households, and have previously broadcast coverage of Euro 2008, the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Vancouver 2010 winter Games and fights involving Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.

=>  New Zealand’s MediaWorks have won radio rights to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Broadcast rights to the tournament, taking place in NZ between 9 Sep and 23 Oct 2011, were granted by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL). Coverage of games from the seventh quadrennial Rugby World Cup will be broadcast across MediaWorks-owned stations RadioLive and LiveSport. New Zealand’s TV rights to the 2011 Rugby World Cup are sold to Sky Network Television, Maori TV, TVNZ and Mediaworks TV (TV3).

=>  One World Sports secured exclusive N. American broadcast rights to South Korea’s K-League. The deal with the World Sport Group, covers a ‘Game of the Week’ during every round of the 2011 K-League’s 30-week season. The K-League, which in Feb announced Hyundai Oilbank as its title sponsor, is in its 29th season. In recent years, the league has produced a number of notable players such as Bolton Wanderers winger Lee Chung-Yong, Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng and Monaco striker Park Chu-Young.


EVENTS

=>  The Professional Squash Association has confirmed nine events that will comprise the top tier PSA World Series calendar for 2011. Additionally, there is PSA's annual premier World Open, in its 33rd edition, which will take place in Rotterdam from 30 Oct to 6 Nov. The PSA World Series features events with prize-funds upwards of $ 115,000, represent the pinnacle of the men's game and are the main focus of the PSA's global TV coverage. The events form a series throughout the year that will produce eight players who will compete in the PSA World Series Finals. PSA CEO Alex Gough said: “This year's TV output and distribution will be the best yet and we are all looking forward to the players battling it out for this year's PSA World Series title."

=>  Badminton World Federation has clarified its new clothing regulations for women players to wear a skirt is applicable only to Level 1 to 3 tournaments. BWF deputy president Paisan Rangsikitpho said several players have welcomed the rule and understand the intention behind it. However, he explained that it was necessary to make it a mandatory rule as the sport becomes more professional. BWF have taken important and positive steps to raise the profile of women in Badminton, including equal prize money, standardized 21-point rally system and equal male and female participation across all events. The clothing regulation is another BWF initiative to raise the profile of women’s badminton.

=>  French Ligue 1 look set to be spread out kick-off times across the weekend in future, with one match on Friday evening, as part of the domestic broadcast rights tender that is set to be issued soon. The LFP has been drawing up procedures for the tender for rights from 2012/13 onwards, and the plans include up to 7 kick-off times per week, compared with 4 currently. The Friday evening game would follow on from a game from the second-tier Ligue 2, while the 2pm Sunday match is said to have been inspired by England’s Premier League as the LFP aims to further enhance its appeal with broadcasters and fans in Asia. A poll by the LFP also found that French soccer fans would prefer to watch matches on Friday evenings as opposed to Sundays.


BIZ & BITES

=>  WPP and IMG Worldwide have partnered to collaborate in offering products licensing and merchandising services. WPP and IMG will establish a joint team and share resources to offer and provide licensing services to clients from WPP’s portfolio of agencies. Executives from the WPP-IMG partnership will meet with advertisers expressing interest in developing brand licensing programs or who have potential to do so. The new WPP venture is an additive to IMG Licensing's existing operations and the latter will continue to serve existing and new clients without change.

=>  The Hong Kong Jockey Club started a TV series in 2003 to raise awareness of lesser-known charitable causes and community works. Aiming to connect community to the club, it started this year’s campaign last week on TVB Jade. It planned 10 episodes this year, each covering a different area of focus such as environment, health, sports programmes and city development. The HKJC will implement print media advertorials, air adapted versions on cable TV and commercial radio in order to reach a wider audience. The club donates an average of HK$1 bil annually and is committed to making itself consumer-centric and cost-effective. In the past the club has also sponsored a series to educate the public on the dangers of illegal gambling.

=>  Less than two weeks after such denying suggestions by the franchise owner, News Corp officially revealed it is to explore buying into Formula One. News Corp is looking into early stage exploration of creating a consortium with a view to formulating a long‐term plan for the development of F1. Investment house, EXOR, is controlled by Fiat owners the Agnelli Family, says that it and News Corp will approach potential minority partners and key stakeholders in the sport. In its statement, EXOR conceded that its work with News Corp carried no guarantees of actions that “will lead to an approach to Formula One’s current owners.”