Wednesday, 17th January 2007

IS IT OR ISN’T IT? – The Hot Debate on Brand Becks

Beckham Will Remove 'Stigma' From MLS - Nicol

Liverpool great Steve Nicol believes David Beckham’s signing for LA Galaxy will make it easier for all Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs to recruit players. The former Anfield and Scotland star, who has guided the New England Revolution to the runners-up spot in MLS for the past two years, claimed he had always struggled to bring in quality players from Europe because of the “stigma” attached to the sport in America.

“It’s a great move for the League, every which way you want to look at it,” said Nicol. “I think the one thing it’s done has got rid of the stigma. Ever since Pele and (Franz) Beckenbauer and all those other guys came over here, it put a stigma on our League. Not only among journalists but among players."

He added: “Quite frankly that stigma should have been gone a long time ago but Beckham coming while he’s still at the top of his game – it’s only a few months ago that he was captain of England at a World Cup - will help. What it will do is encourage other players to come here, and not at 34 or 36 when they’re past it.” Beckham’s move though, has seen Nicol being transformed from a struggling recruiter into a coach in demand from across the Atlantic.

He said: “In the past, players have said to me: ‘I’ll come and play for you but in a couple of years when I’m done at my club’. But now, ever since Beckham’s announcement, I’ve had players on the phone, I’ve had agents on the phone wanting to come and play in MLS. Before Beckham signed his contract they’d never have dreamed of coming.” That leaves Nicol with a new problem. “Now we’ve just got to try to find more money for them all,” he joked. “Beckham is a one-off, nobody’s going to generate the interest that he has. But that’s fine, it’s a step forward.” Football Insider, 16th January 2007

Beckham a Short-Term Step in Right Direction

The news that mega-star David Beckham has joined the Los Angeles Galaxy with a contract reportedly worth $50 million over five years -- with another $200 million in endorsement and merchandising opportunities also included in the deal--is generally being cheered at the highest levels of professional soccer in the United States, not to mention at the tattooed lad's favorite local brokerage house.

But no one is quite ready to say that Beckham's presence on a Major League Soccer roster is likely to push the league into must-see status on television in this country for years to come. After all, at 31, Beckham is mostly on the downhill slide of his career (he hasn't even started for Real Madrid this season), and he's not the sort of goal-scoring machine that likely would capture the fancy of the American sports public.

The signing of Beckham last week also was accompanied by the same sort of hyperbole that filled the airwaves when Pele enlisted as an American soccer savior 30 years ago. Tim Lieweke, president of the company that owns the Galaxy, insisted in a news conference last week to announce the signing that, "David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete ever had on a sport globally. He is truly the only individual that can build the bridge between soccer in America and the rest of the world."

Kevin Payne, president of D.C. United, was a tad more realistic. He, too, believes that attendance and TV ratings on ABC/ESPN, the league's network and cable partner, likely will improve whenever Beckham is on the air or in a stadium, but that "it's still going to take time for a domestic league to get to the point where we're competing with football, baseball or basketball. I also believe we were already heading in that direction."

"Let's face it. Beckham is a global icon, a rare athlete who completely transcends his sport and becomes a celebrity athlete. I can only think of one other athlete today in the same category, and that's Tiger Woods.” But the league does allow every team one exception to its $400,000 top salary cap figure and Payne said "some teams may try to make a big splash, but I don't think you're going to see that very much. We're not going down that road this year. Our philosophy is team first, not a single player. We're not going to sacrifice that concept.

A far more realistic view on Beckham's signing -- along with the Hollywood arrival of his celebrity wife, Victoria, formerly Posh of the Spice Girls -- was expressed last week by TV soccer broadcaster Ray Hudson. "Comparing this to Pele's signing is obscene and ridiculous," Hudson told the Miami Herald. "He's a teen idol, a David Cassidy, A one-trick pony on the field, over-rated, manufactured like his wife?You can't blame the league. It had reached a plateau and had gotten stale. They needed a spark to start the bonfire, and Beckham's going to do that. But what happens when the splash is over?" Leonard Shapiro comments of Washington Post, 16th January 2007


INFO DIGEST

Info Box – World Superbikes Championship 2007
(Start Number, Rider, Nationality, Team)
1 Troy Corser (AUS) Alstare Suzuki
3 Norrick Abe (JPN) Yamaha France
4 Alex Barros (BRA) Klaffi Honda
7 Pierfrancesco Chili (ITA) Honda D.F.X. Treme
8 Ivan Clementi (ITA) Ducati Pedercini
9 Chris Walker (GBR) PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse
10 Fonsi Nieto (ESP) PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse
11 Ruben Xaus (ESP) Ducati Sterilgarda – Berik
13 Vittorio Iannuzzo (ITA) Suzuki Italia
15 Fabien Foret (FRA) Alstare Suzuki
16 Sébastien Gimbert (FRA) Yamaha France
18 Craig Jones (GBR) Foggy Petronas
19 Lucio Pedercini (ITA) Ducati Pedercini
20 Marco Borciani (ITA) Ducati Sterilgarda – Berik
21 Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati Xerox
31 Karl Muggeridge (AUS) Ten Kate Honda
38 Shinichi Nakatomi (JPN) Yamaha France
41 Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Yamaha Italia
44 Roberto Rolfo (ITA) Ducati SC Caracchi
52 James Toseland (GBR) Ten Kate Honda
55 Regis Laconi (FRA) PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse
57 Lorenzo Lanzi (ITA) Ducati Xerox
71 Yukio Kagayama (JPN) Alstare Suzuki
76 Max Neukirchner (GER) Ducati Pedercini
84 Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Honda D.F.X. Treme
88 Andrew Pitt (AUS) Yamaha Italia
99 Steve Martin (AUS) Foggy Petronas
116 Franco Battaini (ITA) Kawasaki Bertocchi
Source: Eurosport


SPORTS SHORTS

* The Professional Squash Association, the men’s players organisation, has announced what it says is its largest ever multi-year agreement, which guarantees the hosting of a top event in Kuwait for the next three years. The Kuwait Open has been elevated to Super Series Platinum status in 2007 and 2008 and will offer prize money of $172,500 and the Gulf state will stage the 2009 World Open Championship, which will have a record fund of $250,000. This year's Kuwait Open takes place from April 7 to 11. Source: Sportcal, 16th January 2007

* Malaysia's Sultan Azlan Shah and Tan Sri P Alagendra have retained their posts as president and secretary respectively of the Asian Hockey Federation for a fourth term. Sultan Azlan Shah won the seat unopposed while Alagendra kept his after defeating former Pakistan Hockey Association secretary Syed Mudasar Asghar by 34 votes to 10. The elections took place at the AHF congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Source: Sportcal, 16th January 2007

* Meanwhile, India is planning to invite Pakistan and several other leading hockey nations to a tournament in Chennai in September. The tournament would feature between four and six teams, but awaits approval from the AHF. Pakistan, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, China, Bangladesh and Singapore will all be invited to take part and Australia and New Zealand could also feature if it becomes an Asia-Oceania event. Source: Sportcal, 16th January 2007

* India could host a grand prix in Delhi as early as 2009. Leading businessman Vijay Mallya said after signing a sponsorship agreement between his Kingfisher Airlines and Formula One’s Toyota team that he was confident the sport would come to the sub-continent. Formula One said last year that they was in negotiations with a regional government in India to build a racetrack. Formula One is keen to expand further in Asia. South Korea has already been promised a grand prix for 2010. Source: Sport Business, 16th January 2007

* German pay and free-to-air broadcasters Premiere, Arena, RTL, ARD and Sat 1 are to bid for the TV rights for Formula One. Despite the retirement of Michael Schumacher the rights are still very in demand. Pay-broadcaster Premiere is said to be bidding for all rights. The competition should mean Formula One Management will earn more from the 2008 season than the €125 million it gets at present. RTL is paying €80 million a year with Premiere and DSF making up the remainder. Source: Sport Business, Sportcal, EUFootball.biz, 16th January 2007

* Spanish cycling’s Vuelta a Murcia is in danger of being called off, with organisers yet to secure the necessary funding from the sale of broadcasting rights. The event is to take place from March 7 to 11 and is the subject of negotiations with Spanish public-service broadcaster TVE. The absence of a television deal has left the organisers with a €120,000 deficit and unable to begin on works required for the race. Source: Sportcal, 16th January 2007

* France's Canal Plus has completed testing of its football 'goal-detector' system and it will now be deployed for coverage of Ligue 1 Orange (sponsor) matches on Sundays. The system, dubbed 'But (goal) Finish', uses two sets of high-definition cameras and special software to determine if the ball has crossed the line. Source: Football Insider, 16th January 2007

* London will stage a National Football League (NFL) regular-season game this year - the first time the League will play such a match outside of North America. NFL owners voted in October to play up to two games outside the United States every year for the next five years, with one game in 2007, and on Tuesday it was announced that London will have the first clash. “There is great interest in the NFL around the world,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “This is what our international fans, media partners, and sponsors want.” Sports Media, Sportcal, 16th January 2007


MORE NEWS

Singapore/Broadcaster: SingTel’s Highly Defined TV Plans Taking Shape

Media companies Mega Media and VOOM are to supply High Definition (HD) content for SingTel’s Pay TV service when its IPTV service is launched commercially later this year. Mega Media, in partnership with Rainbow Media’s VOOM HD Networks, will provide SingTel with a suite of HD channels with content catered to local audience needs. Programming will include documentary, travel, music, arts, fashion and lifestyle shows.

Content will also include the first made-by-Singapore HD channel, called Sling HD, which centers around computer gaming and extreme sports. “HD is set to be the next wave for consumers and SingTel wants to shape the Singapore market with HD programming and HD content,” Quek Peck Leng, SingTel’s executive vice president of consumer said.

“The collaboration with Mega Media and its partners will help differentiate us when we launch our IPTV service later this year. Our customers can look forward to quality HD content as well as on-demand HD programmes so that they can watch what they want whenever they want.” Source: Marketing Singapore, Digital Media, Worldscreen, Indian Television, 16th January 2007

India/Broadcaster: Neo Sports Challenges Trai Ruling

The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal today asked Trai to explain the basis of its decision to slash the bouquet prices of Neo Sports and Neo Sports Plus channels, on which the channels had filed an appeal. The channels' contentions were on several grounds, especially that "sports" cannot be treated as a "genre" for fixing of price.

The channels said there were huge differentials between the pricing of sports channels, and that these differentials stem from the rights to cricket properties. Neo Sports presented its case saying that it had rights of almost two-third of the assured cricketing properties involving India, till 2010. These properties have a tremendous revenue generating potential and also have to be bought at massive prices, hence the higher prices, the channels argued.

Trai had argued earlier that fixing of prices for channels of the same "genre", which is one of the key factors as per the Trai principal Tariff Order's clause 3, does not allow Neo Sports and Neo Sports Plus to fix their prices higher than those fixed for channels of the same genre of sports, like Star Sports and ESPN. Based on these arguments Trai had ordered a slashing of prices of the two Nimbus channels to the levels of Star Sports and ESPN.

While Nimbus has questioned the authority of Trai to fix the price, it has also pointed out to the tribunal that the price of sports channels range from Rs 10 for Zee Sports, to Rs 42.50 for ESPN, with Ten Sports at Rs 14 falling in between. This shows a 400 per cent difference in pricing for channels of the same genre: sports, which, Nimbus has contended, goes against Trai's own argument, which is the basis of the decision to slash Nimbus' pricing.

MSOs and cable operators refused comment, since the matter has become sub-judice. Roop Sharma, president of Cable Operators Federation of India, which had in the first instance filed the case against Nimbus originally, said they would respond to the notice when the time comes. Source: Indian Television, 16th January 2007

Elsewhere/General: Corinthians Considers Split From MSI

Corinthians is considering a split from financial backer Media Sports Investment (MSI). In 2004, Corinthians signed a 10-year deal with MSI and the deal saw the arrival of several high profile players - including Carlos Tevez, Roger, Javier Mascherano and Carlos Alberto - in multi-million dollar deals. However, relations have turned sour in recent months.

MSI is said to be in financial trouble, and there has been a dispute with the club over striker Nilmar, who was forced to leave a pre-season training camp in Jarinu on Thursday after problems arose in his loan deal from Ligue 1 Orange (sponsor) champion Olympique Lyonnais. Lyon has d emanded Nilmar returns to Europe, claiming MSI has failed to pay an €8 million fee which is outstanding.

The likes of Tevez, Mascherano, and Carlos Alberto have left the club and Corinthians is unhappy with the way MSI is acting. In the wake of the problems, Adauto has now told Radio Jovem Pam that the club is considering cancelling its deal with the group. Source: Football Insider, 16th January 2007

Elsewhere/General: Glasgow Proposes Return of Two Sports for 2014 Games

Judo and triathlon will be added to the programme of Commonwealth Games sports in 2014 if Glasgow is awarded the event. The bid organisers today announced the 17 sports that would form part of a games held in the Scottish city. Glasgow is competing against Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, and Halifax in Canada for the right to host the event.

Triathlon was a highlight of the 2006 games in Melbourne, but it missed the cut for the next event in New Delhi in 2010. Judo will be a popular choice as Scotland won 10 judo medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, but it was dropped in 2006 and will not feature in 2010 either. Of the sports included in the programme for the 2010 games, only archery and tennis would not be contested in 2014 if Glasgow's bid is successful.

Starting in New Delhi, the Commonwealth Games will consist of 17 sports, one more than last year's edition, including 10 core sports. Seven sports are chosen by the host country. The 10 compulsory sports are aquatics (swimming and diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, field hockey, lawn bowls, netball (women only), rugby sevens (men only), squash and weightlifting.

Final bid documents must be submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation by May 9 and the host city for the 2014 games will be decided in Sri Lanka on November 9. Source Sportcal, 16th January 2007


ARTICLES, COMMENTS & OPINIONS

Mobile Content Industry Remains Desperate for Viewers

What’s holding up the explosion of the mobile phone content and advertising business? The lack of interested viewers, said panelists at the second annual NATPE Mobile conference here. Currently, 20% of all mobile users have video-enabled devices, but less than 10% have actually used video access, said David Poltrack, chief research officer of CBS Corp. " The bad news is the low percent of people using it, but the good news is that we have all these people with new video opportunities. All we have to do is get them to start using it."

Two things can drive users to mobile content, said Poltrack: short-form creative content related to existing programming -- not just YouTube home movies -- and local content that will deliver a sense of immediacy, such as the news and weather that is already huge among the small mobile video community now.

What needs to happen for users to quickly expand from less than one-tenth to one-third of all mobile use is for a major content provider to take the initiative, just as Apple and Verizon paved the way for broadband video. While technology is no longer a barrier to consumers' entry into the mobile market, deciding on a solid business model is. Video-on-demand works best for news and weather, while a subscription model has paid off thus far for MySpace.

The mobile conference preceded the year's biggest syndicated TV conference by one day, and it was important for someone to address the worry of the diminishing role of TV in the imminent move to mobile. Gary Carter, chief creative officer of U.K.-based FremantleMedia, summed it up in his dramatic closing keynote speech: "We should be careful that when we mourn the so-called death of television we are only mourning our own loss of power as a media elite. We're not living through the death of television for the simple reason that this is not about television.”

"Technological development is a story which runs through history, and part of that story is the rise and rise and rise of what we call media," he said. "This will affect us in a very deep and very profound way." Source: Ad Age, Broadcasting & Cable, 16th January 2007