FIFA announced today that it has “finished its bumper week of World Cup business with broadcast deals worth $1.85 billion for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments,” according to Graham Dunbar of the AP. The deals include “an estimated $1.2 billion from United States broadcast right sales to Fox, Telemundo and Futbol de Primera Radio.” FIFA said that it also “sold rights to SBS in Australia, Bell Media in Canada and IMC across the Caribbean.” Bell Media, which includes CTV, TSN and RDS, "took rights to soccer's biggest asset away from incumbent holder public broadcaster CBC.” FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said, "FIFA is delighted with the progress of our media rights sales to date which, coming amid austere economic times, more than confirm the strength and appeal of our competitions." Dunbar notes the deals also “confirm the lure and enduring value of FIFA's signature event after a year of financial and election scandals and negative headlines” (AP, 10/27). BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Tariq Panja reports FIFA has hired Switzerland-based Infront Sports & Media AG "to sell rights in China and India among other Asian countries” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 10/27).
DONE DEALS: Bell Media as part of its deal with FIFA will broadcast World Cup coverage in both English and French, with the English language coverage on CTV, TSN, TSN2, TSN Radio, TSN.ca and TSN Mobile TV. French language coverage will air on RDS, RDS2, RDS.ca, and RDS Mobile TV. CTV President of Sports & Exec VP/Programming Phil King said, “This is a historic day for Bell Media and sports broadcasting in Canada.” The deal also includes rights to the '15 Women's World Cup, which is being held in Canada (TSN). Meanwhile, SBS securing the World Cup rights in Australia continues its stretch of broadcasting “every World Cup since 1990.” SBS broadcasted the ’10 men’s World Cup “on free-to-air in standard definition, high definition and 3D, aired it in 11 languages on SBS Radio and streamed it live online and in cinemas.” SBS Head of Sport Ken Shipp said, "We can only build on this in future years and expand into new areas including using our World Game app" (THEAUSTRALIAN.com.au, 10/27).
