Organizers of April’s Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) World Track Championships are "upbeat they will secure at least" HK$7M ($902,000) in commercial sponsorship after a local TV station "agreed to air Hong Kong’s first-ever cycling world event for free," according to Chan Kin-wa of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Hong Kong Cycling Association Chair Leung Hung-tak said that his organization "only received the good news on Friday after making repeated requests" to the UCI to allow for free TV coverage. He said, "We need free television to cover the event as this is a prerequisite made by many of our potential sponsors because they want to promote their products to a bigger audience. But the UCI wanted the television station to pay a huge broadcasting fee. That’s why we had to write to them [UCI] to express our concern. We don't know how much the TV deal is worth but we're really happy the problem has been resolved so that we can start approaching all our potential sponsors to secure the required funding to organize the event." Leung said that organizers budgeted HK$15M ($1.9M) for the April 12-16 event to be held at the Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O. Leung: "Discussions with the potential sponsors have just started or will start soon but now they know there will be offered free television coverage, chances of attracting commercial sponsorship will be much higher" (SCMP, 2/4).
