Two sources close to the process said that the Asian Football Confederation has lined up a new eight-year deal with a sports marketing agency owned by French media group Lagardère without offering it to a formal tender, according to Patrick Johnston of REUTERS. The sources said that the marketing agreement with World Sports Group, re-named Lagardère Sports last month in a re-brand by the French group, replaces an existing $1B deal which still had "more than four years to run." The sources added that the new contract "overwrites the master rights agreement" signed in '09 with former AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam. Bin Hammam was banned from football for life by FIFA in '12. Lagardère COO Andrew Georgiou said that he was confident of a new deal. Georgiou: "We have had negotiations and expect to renew the contract." Lagardère Sports activities include among others marketing rights management, athlete management and brand consulting. The sources close to the process said that the AFC would receive a "significant financial increase" on the '09 deal but did not specify how much. The AFC declined to say whether a deal had been agreed with Lagardère Sports (REUTERS, 10/20).
