Thursday, 12th April 2007

HEADLINES OF THE DAY

Michael Pena’s Wish Comes True

Michael Pena’s wish came true today when he got to play Raw GM for the day. With the help of Mick Foley, Michael fielded requests for everything from matches to raises. In the end, Michael announced that the main event at Backlash would be John Cena, Edge, Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels in a Four Way Match for the WWE Championship.

Michael’s visit was arranged through WWE’s partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he and his family met all the Superstars at Raw. His mother, younger brother Kyle, age six, older brother Charlie, age 13 and his 15-year-old sister Jennifer joined him. Michael has been busy all day, but has enjoyed every minute of it.

“It’s bigger than I thought,” said Michael. “Today I’ve gotten to meet almost all the Superstars. It was very cool hanging out with Mick Foley.” Before going out to make his big announcement in front of a sold-out Bridgeport, Conn., crowd, Michael said he was both excited and nervous. Afterward, he took some time out of his busy night to speak with WWE.com.

“It was very fun and at the same time scary, because you never know what the reaction of the crowd is going to be,” said Michael, who received a great reaction from the audience. “It was exciting.” Source: WWE Official, 9th April 2007

Colombia Quits Race for 2014 World Cup

Colombia withdrew from the race to host the 2014 soccer World Cup, opening the way for Brazil to stage the sport's biggest tournament. The Colombian Football Federation decided to pull out even as President Alvaro Uribe vowed to provide the necessary funds for the project, Luis Bedoya, the association's president, said it had sent a letter to FIFA announcing the decision.

It's the second time Colombia has decided against staging the tournament. Colombia was scheduled to hold the 1986 World Cup but then-President Belisario Betancur said the government couldn't afford the cost of upgrading facilities, which was estimated at $50 million. Mexico held the tournament instead.

FIFA said the World Cup will take place in South America in 2014 as it rotates the event around the world. The host country will be announced by November 2007. The last World Cup in South America was in Argentina in 1978. The 2010 edition will be in South Africa, the first time in that continent. Officials from Brazil and Colombia have said their countries face challenges building or developing stadiums to meet FIFA's requirements. Brazil, which staged the 1950 final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana arena, needs 12 new venues. Only two soccer stadiums in Colombia hold more than 40,000 people. Source: Bloomberg, Reuters, 11th April 2007


WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

China Seeks to 'Limit Game Hours'

The Chinese government has clamped down on the amount of time youngsters can spend playing online games. Under-18s who play for more than three consecutive hours a day will have limits imposed on the amount of points they can score, the agency reported. Online game companies based in China have been given three months to install the so-called anti-addiction software. It is part of an on-going attempt to limit how long people are online.

A recent report from the China National Children's Centre said that 13% of under-18s who used the web were addicted to online gaming. Online gaming is hugely popular in China. Beijing-based analyst firm CCID Consulting estimates that there are 17.8 million fee-paying gamers in China, about 20% of which are under 20 years old. A farther 10% are younger than 16. Source: Ken Radio, 11th April 2007


SPORTS SHORTS

* Guinness World Records (GWR) has become the latest company to supply content for Joost, the broadband TV being established by the founders of the Skype internet telephony business. GWR will be providing 35 hours of original programming to Joost, joining the likes of Viacom, Endemol, Off the Fence and Alliance Atlantis, which are already among those taking part in the service's beta-testing. Source: C21 Media, 11th April 2007

* Chinese search engine Sohu.com is threatening to sue Google after the California-based search engine apologized for using data from Sohu for its new internet tool for inputting Chinese characters. On April 4, Google launched its new Chinese input method editor software called Guge Pinyin. It was found to be surprisingly similar to Sougou Pinyin, which was released by Sohu.com in June 2006. Sohu.com said it had started patent applications for the key technologies before it released its Sougou Pinyin in 2006, but has yet to receive a patent for the technology. Source: China Economic Review, 12th April 2007

* Plans are being finalised for cricket’s second Afro-Asian Cup, a series of one-day international matches between representative sides from Africa and Asia. Nimbus Sport International, holder of commercial rights to the Afro-Asian Cup, is still dedicated to the concept and will seek broadcasters and sponsors for this year’s series in India. The Afro-Asian Cup series is likely to be shown in India by Neo Sports. The third Afro-Asian Cup will take place in Kenya in 2008. Source: Sportcal, Exchange4Media, 11th April 2007

* Tianjin in northern China is to bid to host the East Asian Games in 2013. The city will host matches at this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup and will be the venue for a series of preliminary matches of Beijing Olympic Games’ soccer competition. Chinese Taipei and Mongolia have also expressed an interest in hosting the games. The East Asian Games Association is due to choose the host in June. Hong Kong will host the games in 2009. Source: Sportcal, 11th April 2007

* The Australian Football League signed a five-year international TV rights deal with Setanta. The channel will carry three live AFL matches as well as a highlights programme in the US, Canada and the UK. Last year, only one live game a week was broadcast. AFL chief commercial officer Gillon McLachlan says the league's new international deal will give overseas viewers unprecedented access. The deal completes the AFL’s TV rights deals. It had previously agreed deals for free-to-air TV, pay-TV, radio, internet and mobile coverage in Australia. Source: Sport Business, 11th April 2007

* Fox Soccer Channel acquired the exclusive English-language TV rights for the United Soccer League matches and all USL League championship games. The deal covers Friday night matches, until the 2009 season. A 27-game schedule is projected for each year. The deal also includes the broadband and mobile rights for USL on FSC matches. USL broadcasts also will be available on Fox Soccer Channel sister networks Fox Sports en Español, Fox Sports World Canada and Fox Sports Middle East/Africa. Source: Sport Business, Sportcal, 11th April 2007

* EPL clubs are expecting a cash influx of about GBP 2.3 billion next season from a television rights, and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan wants that money to be more evenly distributed among the clubs. Leading clubs that are shown more often on television are expected to get a bigger share of the money. "I go along with the top four getting more money, but there should be better incentives for the rest. The likes of us, Bolton, Blackburn and Charlton all have to drop prices to get extra people in, so if they want proper competition they have to even out the payments. Source: EUFootball.biz, 11th April 2007

* US College sports programs earned a total $4.2 billion in revenue in 2005-2006, with one operation - the University of Arizona men's basketball team--raking in a profit of $12.5 million on $16.6 million total revenue. In 2003, CBS signed an 11-year, $6 billion contract to broadcast NCAA games. While a relative newcomer to the game, women's college basketball is swiftly ascending the ranks, with revenues of $77 million in 2005-2006. Source: Media Post, 11th April 2007

* Eurosport will show over 100 hours live of the French Open 2007 tennis tournament from May 27-June 10. Eurosport’s coverage will have access to five feeds at Roland Garros during the 15 days of the tournament in Paris. Former star Mats Wilander has been signed up to host a new daily live show, Game, Set & Mats, starting at about 20:30 after the last live match. On Monday, Eurosport launched a new 15-minute weekly magazine entitled Road To Roland Garros. Source: Sports Media, 11th April 2007

* An invitation to tender for the European rights for tennis’ French Open at Roland Garros for four years was launched today by the French tennis federation. The tender covers audiovisual broadcast and distribution rights for the French Open from 2008 to 2011 throughout Europe, excluding France. The contract is presently with the European Broadcasting Union. The EBU’s three-year deal, which is thought to be worth about €8 million ($10.7 million) a year, expires after this year’s tournament. Source: Sportcal, 11th April 2007

* The number of commercial mobile TV broadcast networks will grow from 9 in 2006 to 13 in 2007, reports In-Stat. The unavailability of spectrum is the largest barrier to launch of more services, particularly in Europe. Over the next 10 years, as spectrum is made more available, as when analogue TV signals are shut off, more mobile TV broadcast services will launch. Another issue limiting the market is small numbers of enabled handsets available. In-Stat predicts Mobile TV broadcast subscribers will reach 125 million worldwide in 2011. Source: Advanced Television, 11th April 2007

* Ad-funded mobile service Blyk goes live in the UK this week, changing the face of mobile — at least for youthful users. Blyk delivers free mobile phone service for young consumers in return for them interacting with relevant brand advertising. For advertisers, Blyk offers a medium to run highly targeted and fully measurable advertising by using multiple creative ad formats. Blyk will initially offer mobile services in the UK, before expanding to other European countries. The service is scheduled for commercial launch in mid 2007. Source: Content Futures, Official Press Release, 11th April 2007


MORE NEWS

India/General: Cricket League a New Innings for Indian Sports

Subash Chandra's Indian Cricket League, scheduled to start in September, could potentially revolutionise the stoic Indian sports industry. It may spawn more leagues, freeing players from the fiefdom of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Players may be traded - for instance a Sachin representing Birla's Bihar Boys today and Mittal's Mumbai XI tomorrow. Teams may be sold for a bounty and private equity firms and bankers willing to finance team buyouts. It may spark a new era in sports branding and marketing. Welcome to the new cricketing era!

Team buyouts in sports are quite common in the US and Europe. In 2005, the English Premier League generated over $2.5 billion, National Basketball Association $3.2 billion, National Hockey League (NHL)-$1.8 billion and NFL- $5.2 billion through hawking TV and radio rights, sponsorships and ticket revenues. Rich league teams also build their own infrastructure.

If successful, cricket leagues can give the much needed boost to domestic cricket infrastructure by building world class pitches. Cricket leagues may start their own broadcast channel or sell broadcast rights. NFL for instance has launched its own cable-TV channel. Teams also have their own radio channels.

With corporate rallying behind various leagues, BCCI's monopoly over Indian cricket may well end if the government starts choosing best players from different leagues to form a national team. ICL has shot off a letter to BCCI to work in tandem and share players. BCCI's Niranjan Shah told ET: "We are thinking on it. A decision is yet to be taken." Source: The Economic Times on Agencyfaqs, 11th April 2007

Elsewhere/Rights: Globo Extends TV Rights Deal for State Soccer League

Brazilian broadcasting giant, TV Globo, has extended its contract for the media rights of the Rio de Janeiro state soccer league to cover the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. Globo will pay an estimated R$37 million ($18.2 million) a year for the rights and also increased the fee it is due to pay for the 2008 season from the R$18 million that it earlier agreed to pay.

The Rio de Janeiro league, or Campeonato Carioca, is the second most important state championship in Brazil, behind the Campeonato Paulista (Sao Paulo state league). The Rio de Janeiro state soccer federation reached agreement to extend the deal with Globo despite rival broadcaster Record making a bigger offer, reported to be worth R$135 million over three years.

Last year, Record decided to stop sub-licensing television rights from Globo, and the two broadcasters have been waging a ferocious war over sports rights. Globo acquired the rights for the Fifa World Cups of 2010 and 2014, even though Record claims to have outbid its rival, but Record acquired the rights for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Record has also lost out in the battle for the rights of both of the main state soccer leagues, after Globo paid R$180 million for the rights for the Paulista league for three years. The state leagues in Brazil run from February to May, and are followed by the national league (Campeonato Brasileiro). Source: Sportcal, 11th April 2007

Elsewhere/Business: Motor Sport Series Falls Prey to Agency Swoop

IMG said that it had acquired UK-based promoter BSI Speedway, and with it the rights to promote the sport’s two top annual series, the FIM World Individual Speedway Grand Prix Series and FIM Speedway World Cup. BSI’s existing management team of chief executive John Postlethwaite and managing director Paul Bellamy are to be retained, taking up new roles with IMG immediately.

The Grand Prix Series is an 11-race series for individual riders taking place between April and October each year, while the World Cup is a national teams competition taking place over a weekend in July. IMG plans to develop further the two series, especially the Grand Prix series, which BSI has expanded from six to 11 races a year since taking it over seven years ago.

Races in the series are presently held mainly in northern and eastern Europe, but IMG believes that it can develop the sport outside Europe. Other areas for possible expansion include Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. IMG is already active with motor sport in Australia including the Gold Coast Indy 300, which stages a race of the US Champ Car series and the domestic V8 Supercar series.

IMG’s new foray into motor sports follows the news last autumn that rival agency Sportfive had agreed a deal to market the television and sponsorship rights of the World Rally Championship.

Sports agencies’ involvement in motor sports has not always run smoothly. Earlier, Octagon, the sports marketing arm of advertising giant Interpublic, was forced to divest itself of properties including the World Superbike Championship, the Brands Hatch group of racing circuits and the staging rights for Formula 1’s British Grand Prix, after Interpublic said that it would no longer support the losses of Octagon’s motor sports division. But IMG was quick to distance itself from Octagon’s experience, arguing that IMG’s investment was on a smaller scale and much less risky. Source: Sportcal, 11th April 2007

Elsewhere/General: Calzaghe v Taylor Can Happen in September

Frank Warren has revealed that a proposed July date is NOT set in stone for his man Joe Calzaghe and it will not be allowed to scupper a proposed fight with middleweight boss Jermain Taylor. Warren was also keen to clarify the situation regarding his offer to Mogens Palle, Danish promoter of biggest rival to Calzaghe at 168lbs, Mikkel Kessler. Palle stated that he would accept a 50-50 all revenue split for the fight to take place.

Palle goaded Warren today with barbed comments to which Warren responded, “I made a cash offer to Palle for Kessler to fight Joe which included letting him (Palle) have the Scandinavian and German TV rights. The TV rights alone must be worth a minimum of $3 million, maybe even $4 million. But I was told Kessler would not be available to fight in July. Palle came back and said it would have to be 50/50 but that can't happen.” Source: British Boxing, 11th April 2007


ARTICLES, COMMENTS & OPINIONS

The Wonder Years: Looking Back At 20 Seasons of WSBK

A World Championship based upon the motorcycles we can all buy from our local dealer is a no brainer. That's exactly what we want to see, guys fighting it out on track with the same bikes we ride. Isn't it?

In reality the World Superbike Championship hasn't always had things its own way. There have been high points, the series was probably more popular in the UK than the then 500cc GP series during the 90s. This was mainly due to the fact that GPs were dominated by an Australian guy whereas Carl Fogarty was Mr. Superbike incarnate with his meat and potatoes Englishness. No doubt GPs had a better following in Australia around that time as Doohan did the same in GPs as Fogarty did in WSB.

The lows in the life of the championship have come for various reasons. In the early years the series was beset with financial woes as it struggled to take root in a world where GP had been king for 30 years. In later years, politics again threatened the health of the only world class production based race series as the manufacturers once again focused their efforts on the new MotoGP phenomena.

A feature of World Superbikes politicking is the long running problem of cubes. Pick any time over the last 20 years and you'll find someone unhappy with the cubic capacity of their engine. For years, twins could be bigger than fours. With fours being pegged to 750 while twins thundered along with full one liter mills. In 2004 the playing field was leveled in order to entice the Japanese manufacturers back to the grid. Ducati don't like this as they claim they have to spend too much money to keep their little 1000cc twin competitive with the big 1000cc fours and want to be able to up the ante next year with a big bore 1098 V Twin.

Playing a card previously used successfully by Honda the Italian factory have threatened to abandon World Superbike racing in 2008 if things don't go their way on that ruling. Ducati has been synonymous with Superbikes since the start and the organizers know it would be a disaster to lose them at a time when MotoGP is so popular with the fans.

Close racing and equally matched machines is what draws the crowds to watch racing. Personalities help of course, which is why each country will seize upon their own home grown hero the minute he gets a front row start. Colin Edwards and the Bostrom brothers had a lot to do with the size of the party at Laguna Seca earlier this century. We've already discussed the effect Fogarty had on WSB's popularity in the UK. Visit Philip Island on race weekend and you'll also realize how big a star Bayliss is in his own country.

Being a relatively modern championship it has been caught on television. Millions of race fans have witnessed spectacular racing over the 20 years. It's never been a sport for softies, fairing bashing is the name of the game in WSB. The sister series, The World Supersport Championship, is an even bloodier arena and it feeds many riders into Superbikes. You can't call the racing tame, stars like Nori Haga with spectacular riding styles an unbreakable will to win have delivered some of the most spectacular and physical motorcycle racing you're ever likely to see.

Sitting at home watching the action is denying yourself though, you need to actually attend a World Superbike meeting to get the full effect. The series is capable of generating a tremendous atmosphere, especially when it visits some of the most historic circuits in the world, such as Monza, in Italy, Assen in the Netherlands and of course Brands Hatch and Donington in England. In Britain the popularity of Superbike racing has seen record ticket sales with claims of 100,000 crowds becoming almost normal in the early 2000s. The size of the size of the crowds couldn't be denied, especially to those jammed a few miles away on a choked motorway trying to get there before the first race.

SBK have good news for those who don't manage free themselves from out of the traffic jams that seem to follow the series to almost every country, they have two races! MotoGP has the fastest bikes and, as long as they have Valentino, there's no arguing they also have the best rider in racing. However, they only have one race! WSB's two race format is brilliant. It means you get stuff like heroic racers returning from a pounding in the first race after highside at turn five to win a race. Riders like Troy Bayliss and Carl Fogarty have shown their grit by literally bouncing back from race one injuries to win the second race. Broken wrists or ribs don't stop these people from winning.

Grudge matches also get a second airing! Sometimes this gets a bit too much for the riders, all that pressure, all that emotion! Riders robbed of a championship win have been known to seek out their nemesis in order to take things a step further. Frankie Chili took a spill that robbed him of the world title chance while dueling at Assen in 1998 with the British toughie Carl Fogarty. The Italian then famously appeared in his bathrobe after the race to swing a punch at the bemused Brit. Aaron Slight also lost out to Fogarty that season, but he took his vexations out on Neil Hodgson who rode shotgun for Foggy to deny the Kiwi his chance of the coveted World Superbike crown.

There hasn't been a public fight in WSB for a while though and it seems Tire wars are also history in WSBK. It's difficult to see them ever coming back given the almost universal approval for the control tire rule. There was no doubt that Michelin had got a long way ahead of the pack in the Superbike technology race. Pirelli took a long time to get the lap times back looking respectable. As a control tire manufacturer they might not have been first choice, especially given Michelin's dominance when the ruling which was introduced for the 2004 season. However, the series is essentially an Italian one. It is owned by Flammini Group Sport with Paolo Flammini heading up a mainly Italian staff. In this context it should be no surprise that Italy's biggest tire brand should get the contract.

With 20 years behind it the series now has to face the challenge of the future. There's at least one rival series that would like to see it buried. Manufacturers are only too aware of the financial cost of competing in two different but hard fought series. Add the cost of the 125s, the 250s, the Supersports and Superstocks, and then all the big local Superbike championships and costs are getting out of hand.

It might then seem logical that some kind of distillation of all this racing needs to take place. The 500cc series became MotoGP because two-stroke engines were pretty much irrelevant to today's motorcycle market. Might it then be only a matter of time before someone replaces the present set up with a single three part championship with Supersport, Superbike and MotoGP races all on one fantastic weekend?

It might be a fantastical scenario, and one that will never arrive without some pretty thorny issues and areas of vested interest being wrestled with. However, the Flamminis have recently made it plain that they'll always entertain ideas for 'partnerships'. This might or might not be construed to mean they are willing to sell. But there's always the chance that Dorna will do the clever thing and put their hands very deep into their pockets and finally pull out enough cash to buy out the upstart new series that's been dogging them for the past 20 years. Glen Lesanto Features on Superbike Planet, 10th April 2007