ITV

Category: Sports

  • Ten Sports to air Darts World Championships

    Ten Sports to air Darts World Championships

    MUMBAI: Ten Sports will have coverage of the darts PDC World Championships from Purfleet, England this weekend.The sports broadcaster’s coverage begins with the quarter- finals at 6:30 pm on 29 December followed by the semi-finals on the 30th and the final on 1 January.

    The early rounds, the channel says, have seen some of the big names showing dominance while some of the others have been knocked out. Most notable of these was world number one Colin Lloyd who saw his challenge evaporate after a stunning fight-back by Raymond van Barneveld in their second round clash.

  • Archery sees a surge in TV viewership

    Archery sees a surge in TV viewership

    MUMBAI: The International Archery Federation (FITA) has announced that due to the Meteksan Archery World Cup and the Field World Championships an estimated 900 million people watched Archery on television in 2006.

    Fita has produced and distributed through the EBU newscast and 26 or 52 minutes highlights on each event, i.e. the four World Cup stages, the World Cup Final at the Mayapan pyramids and the Field World Championships in Göteborg. The Final was also broadcast live.

    The main TV channels that showed archery include ESPN Star Asia, Eurosport, Fox International, Sport+, Zee Sport, RAI, RTR Russia, TRT or CCTV.

    The global cumulative audience is calculated so far in 2006:
    – With news coverage : 565 million viewers
    – With live, highlights or features : 324 million viewers
    – Total :889 million viewers

    With the year-end programming, the audience should reach 900 million.

    This has been a successful come-back for Archery on television with the success of the new World Cup. Fita has set up its own Fita TV with the company HTR in Geneva for the live, the highlights and the newscast, which have reached about 100 territories. Moreover, Gillette World Sport, Sports Unlimited and Trans World Sport have broadcast feature stories on each event. The archery TV images were most watched in Asia and Europe, especially in India, China, Russia, Italy, Turkey and France, says Fita.

  • Zonemedia to take on management of Extreme Sports Channel

    Zonemedia to take on management of Extreme Sports Channel

    MUMBAI: Global media firm Chellomedia has consolidated its multi-territory thematic channel business by transferring the Extreme Sports Channel to Zonemedia (formerly Zone Vision Networks).

    Zonemedia has over the years consolidated its reputation for launching and delivering thematic channels and the move is seen as a natural progression for the well established channel. Its channel Reality TV is distributed in India by Zee Turner.

    The Extreme Sports Channel will continue to excite viewers with action, from surfing to skateboarding, snowboarding to BMX, and Moto X to mountain biking. Zonemedia says that its acquisitions team is committed to continued investment in high end programming.

    It is anticipated that the move will see Zonemedia enhance the channel’s international brand profile by offering cross promotional opportunities through its other channels and further drive audience market share. The transfer, which takes operational effect immediately, will also offer day to day efficiencies.

    One of the world’s most recognized television brands, the Extreme Sports Channel will keep its current name and identity. The transfer will complement Zonemedia’s existing portfolio of highly successful thematic channels

  • NBC Universal sees growth in interactive TV

    NBC Universal sees growth in interactive TV

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBC Universal says that its television networks had a strong year in interactive television.

    40 iTV programmes or events were launched across 12 business units, and generated over 130 million web votes and SMS messages.

    The wide variety of iTV features ranged from choosing the Lucky Case for the chance to win $10,000 on NBC’s game show Deal or No Deal to single-screen synchronous interaction with Bravo’s Top Chef to in-show text alerts from the characters of USA Network’s The 4400.

    NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, Digital Content and Cross-Network Strategy president Jeff Gaspin says, “We need to find ways to engage consumers like never before. These interactive applications give us insight into our viewers’ behaviour and offer them opportunities to connect with their favorite programming.”

    NBC Universal director, iTV product development Jon Dakss says, “ITV is a huge area of growth for the company. It has significantly changed television viewing habits, making it a much more hands-on experience. Viewers are clearly responding in record numbers, and we are excited to launch a number of new interactive features in the coming year.”

    This year, NBCU says that it achieved several milestones in the iTV universe. The company launched seven single-screen iTV applications, more than any media company in the US, reaching millions of viewers. In addition, NBCU’s interactive programmes, like Deal or No Deal and Bravo’s Project Runway received over 100 million web votes and 30 million SMS messages. In February, NBC became the first U.S. network to deploy the same single-screen iTV application to multiple digital platforms simultaneously during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

    Moreover NBCU’s success in the iTV space has translated into several sponsorship opportunities. Bravo’s Top Chef and Sears Kenmore PRO accomplished three firsts for a US network programme by deploying the first sponsored 1-screen enhanced TV element over a digital cable network, the first 1-screen enhanced TV element for a show across multiple digital cable systems simultaneously, and the first sponsored cross-carrier video message to a cell phone. In Bravo’s first season of Top Chef single-screen interactivity that was made available to Time Warner Cable digital subscribers culminated in a peak of 30 per cent viewer participation.

    NBCU’s iTV department is part of a new NBC Universal division known as the Technology Growth Center, which continues to grow as NBCU’s digital efforts expand. The iTV team has made two new hires further bolstering its team. Andy Castin joins from ABC/Disney as a Senior iTV Technical Producer, working with NBC’s Sports and News divisions. Elena Ritchie from Motricity (formerly GoldPocket Wireless) also joins the group as an iTV Technical Producer and will focus on iTV initiatives for NBC’s entertainment properties.

  • Uefa in global licensing deal with Warner

    Uefa in global licensing deal with Warner

    MUMBAI: Just a few weeks after unveiling the new brand identity for the Uefa Champions League for the next three seasons, Uefa has announced plans for a new worldwide multi-category licensing programme in association with Warner Bros Consumer Products.

    A report on Uefa’s site states that the licensed products will support and reflect the image and values of the Uefa Champions League, and will further help to promote the global approach of the competition through their availability via a wide range of distribution channels. The product collections will be comprehensive and will include: watches, eyewear, stationery, writing instruments, travel goods, gifts and men’s accessories.

    Warner Bros Consumer Products has been appointed to manage the licensing programme on a worldwide basis. The first product collection is expected for the coming spring in time for the build-up to the UEFA Champions League final in Athens in May.

    Uefa marketing and media rights director Philippe Le Floc’h says, “The retail roll-out will include an online component to allow fans across the globe to access the new range. With the launch of the new UEFA Champions League identity this season, we were keen to utilise opportunities to maximise the brand visibility.

    “Extending the Uefa Champions League experience into a selective range of quality products that are widely available will bring the Uefa Champions League closer to the fans. We are therefore very happy to be working in collaboration with a partner as experienced in licensing and distribution as Warner Bros Consumer Products.”

    Warner Bros Consumer Products in Europe senior VP, GM Pilar Zulueta says, “This is fantastic news for Warner Bros Consumer Products and UEFA. The UEFA Champions League is one of the most prestigious and recognisable sporting brands in the world and we are confident the range of licensed products will also reflect the prestige and quality of the competition. It is our intention to take a selective licensing approach and to focus on developing the appropriate level of retail distribution and visibility to support the new brand identity.”

  • Social video network for cricket CrickeM launched

    Social video network for cricket CrickeM launched

    MUMBAI: CrickeM, which positions itself as the World’s first social video network for Cricket has been launched.

    A community network that is intended to motivate people to watch, share opinions, special moments and videos on Cricket, CrickeM is a place for people to engage in new ways with video by sharing, commenting on, and viewing videos CrickeM is a way to meet Cricket lovers, reconnect with old friends, share your experiences, upload video, discuss & debate, rate and predict. The registration is free for all.

    CrickeM co-founder Sashi Chimala says, “The YouTube of India in the making, CrickeM will be a platform for the Maniacs of Cricket. CrickeM gives a new channel to express and find public opinion on Cricket. It complements the current available channels like News Papers and TV.

    “It is a participative channel where anyone with a PC or a Mobile can now express and share their opinions with the rest of the world. Have an advice to India’s captain. Say it on CrickeM TV. People have always had something to say. Now there is a way to say it through www.crickem.com.

    “We have already had a warm and overwhelming response of over 3000 requests for the registration invites. We look forward to atleast ONE million videos being uploaded before the first ball is bowled at the World cup. Reliance is our official broadband sponsor for the launch”.

    On registration, an invite is sent from the site and the network grows by a personal invitation from existing members.

    With three different distinct sections like the Clubs, Videos, Blogs, the site has everything that one would look for in a network site. People can share important experiences in cricket as and where they happen—breaking news can be uploaded immediately from the net or from a mobile, cricket fans can share footage, gully cricket, quirky videos, serious content can be captured and viewed across the globe instantly. The site will soon be accessible through mobile phones.

  • Olympic Council of Asia extends Dentsu’s exclusive worldwide marketing & broadcasting rights to 2014

    Olympic Council of Asia extends Dentsu’s exclusive worldwide marketing & broadcasting rights to 2014

    MUMBAI: Dentsu and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), governing body of the Asian Games, have inked an agreement under which Dentsu will maintain its position as the exclusive worldwide marketing and broadcasting rights agent for the 16th Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, China, and the 17th Asian Games in 2014.

    Dentsu is the sole marketing and broadcasting rights agent for the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, which currently is the closing stages and is said to have attracted extensive television coverage. Total broadcast time for the event will exceed 3,000 hours around the world, and the cumulative television audience is expected to be 5.1 billion people.

    Speaking about Dentsu’s efforts for the event OCA said that it is “the best marketing the Asian Games has ever had.”

    Dentsu plans to begin marketing activities for the 16th Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, China, and the 17th Asian Games in 2014 as soon as the current Asian Games have concluded, informs an official release.

    For the 17th Asian Games in 2014, two cities are bidding to host the 17th Asian Games 2014, New Delhi, India and Incheon, South Korea. The host city is due to be selected at the General Assembly of the OCA in 2008.

  • NBA renews and expands agreement with Intelsat for International distribution

    NBA renews and expands agreement with Intelsat for International distribution

    MUMBAI: Intelsat has announced that it has renewed and expanded its agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) for international distribution of the league’s games.

    The NBA distribution network will now include full-time and upgraded Intelsat capacity in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

    NBA games and NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network will be backhauled from New York and transmitted from three of Intelsat’s teleports to four satellites in its global fleet; the IS-901 and IS-907 for Europe and the Middle East, the IS-805 for Latin America and the IS-902 for Asia. The NBA programming carried on this network will be received and re-transmitted by rightsholders and pay-tv networks around the world, asserts an official release.

    NBA Entertainment senior vice president operations and technology Steve Hellmuth said, “Clear and reliable transmissions are crucial to bringing live game coverage and the latest NBA news and information to our millions of fans. Using Intelsat enables us to get all our domestic and international distribution services easily, from one place, and with the highest quality possible.”

    “Intelsat is at the forefront of sports programming distribution; our capability to transmit content anywhere, via satellite, fiber or both is what sets us apart from other operators. Top-level professional sports programming such as the NBA is in global demand, and Intelsat is an ideal partner for programmers looking to tap new audiences with their content,” added Intelsat senior vice president Americas sales Kurt Riegelman.

    Intelsat also transmits NBA live game coverage in both standard and high definition from most game venues to the NBA Entertainment headquarters in Secaucus, N.J., using its terrestrial fiber network in the United States.

  • ESPN Star wins ICC global telecast rights

    ESPN Star wins ICC global telecast rights

    MUMBAI: In what was virtually a come-from-behind victory, ESPN Star Sports has walked away with the audio-visual rights for International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted events for the next eight years from late 2007 to 2015.

    A statement issued by the ICC announcing the winner said, “The decision was a unanimous one, taken by the ICC Board in Dubai on Saturday, and the ICC will now seek to reach final agreement with ESPN STAR Sports.”

    The ICC statement was silent on what the “final figure on the agreement” was, other than to say that it was “significantly in excess of the ICC’s previous commercial deal The previous agreement with the Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), included sponsorship rights as well as the audio-visual component and was worth $550 million for the years 2000 to 2007.

    ESS, which had only made a territory bid covering the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East in the first round, upped the ante in the second and final round of tenders on Thursday, putting in a global bid and beating out Harish Thawani’s Nimbus, as well as separate tenders made by Zee and its recent acquisition Ten Sports. Ten Sports’ bid was made in partnership with sports marketing agency Infront.

    As far as how the bids stacked up in the end, ESS’ winning punt was $ 1.1 billion, well ahead of Nimbus bid of $ 900 million, sources in Dubai close to the developments have told Indiantelevision.com. As for Zee and Ten Sports, their bids were in the region of $ 850 million and $ 825 million respectively.

    A point of note is that other than Nimbus, all the bidders had upped their tender values in the second round. ESS, as already mentioned, hadn’t even put in a global bid in the earlier round. Zee’s earlier bid was reportedly $ 620 million, while in the case of Ten Sports-Infront, it was said to be $ 750 million.

    Included in the eight-year period of the ICC rights ESS has acquired are 18 ICC tournaments with two World Cups, in Asia (2011) and Australasia (2015), and a minimum of three Champions Trophy tournaments.

    Also included are the first two Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa (2007) and England (2009), the latter taking place in the ICC’s centenary year.

    Then there are Cricket World Cup qualifiers, four ICC U/19 Cricket World Cups, and, for the first time, the Women’s Cricket World Cup, with two tournaments scheduled for 2009 (Australia) and 2013 (India) in the eight-year timeframe.

    ESS managing director Jamie Davis said,“This acquisition affirms our commitment to the Indian subcontinent and the world and we are absolutely delighted to bring the exciting lineup of ICC Events to millions of cricket fans globally.”

    IS Bindra, the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and India’s representative at the meeting, said: “This deal is good for the game and it shows cricket is growing.”
    One aspect that comes out of all this is that Sony Entertainment Television India, the incumbent ICC rights holder for the Indian subcontinent, has closed the chapter on its sports telecast ambitions, at least for the foreseeable future.

    As for ESPN Star, it has now reasserted its dominance of the sports broadcast arena, particularly in India in what has become a three sports network market – ESS, Zee Sports-Ten Sports and Nimbus’ Neo Sports.

  • Unprecedented worldwide audience for Euro 2008

    Unprecedented worldwide audience for Euro 2008

    MUMBAI: Uefa Euro 2008 will have unprecedented television coverage around the world after Uefa announced it had agreed the sale of broadcast rights to key territories outside of Europe, including the United States and Asia.

    “We will have coverage of the European Championship which we have never had before,” said Uefa chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson as he announced the deal yesterday.

    As already reported, ESPN Star Sports has won exclusive broadcast and internet rights for the Indian subcontinent for the tournament, the most prestigious in the football calendar after the World Cup.

    Explaining Uefa’s strategy, Olsson said that after putting the broadcast rights to tender, the European governing body had decided to enter into direct negotiations with broadcasters in certain strategic territories in light of the quality of offers received. “We invited in August to tender for the rights for the European Championship outside Europe and we got some very positive proposals from some individual markets,” said Olsson. “We decided to make direct contracts in certain territories – the United States, India, the Middle East, North Africa and Hong Kong.”

    The territories covered by the sale and the broadcasters involved are as follows:

    ESPN has been granted the rights for North America, including pay rights in Latin America. The deal guarantees extensive coverage of Euro 2008 on the ESPN network including two games on ABC.

    ESS has been appointed for the Indian subcontinent, including sub-licensing to terrestrial networks. The structure of the agreement provides a unique platform for the promotion of Euro 2008 in a region encompassing a global population of up to 1.3 billion people.

    Al Jazeera was granted the rights for the Middle East and North Africa. The agreement will ensure a wide coverage of the competition in this region, where most of the 350 million people are huge football fans and that has close links with European football.

    PCCW has been selected in Hong Kong. PCCW’s NOW TV is a cutting-edge broadcaster that runs the largest IPTV operation in the world. This agreement will put Uefa and Euro 2008 at the forefront of technology convergence with a fully integrated distribution on IPTV and mobile.

    To complement this network of broadcasters, Uefa has appointed SportFive to represent the media rights to Euro 2008 in all the remaining markets outside Europe. This is a natural extension of the current agency agreement between Uefa and SportFive for the European territories, and will ensure a consistent distribution of the broadcast rights worldwide

    Philippe Le Floc’h, director of marketing and media rights at Uefa, said: “We are delighted by the outcome of the process and are convinced that these new partnerships will lead to the most comprehensive and wide-reaching promotional platform ever for Uefa European Football Championship in territories ex-Europe. We are looking forward to developing a direct relationship with the broadcasters and to further deepen the collaboration with Sportfive.”