Leading sports media company MP & Silva have announced they will distribute the global media rights for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for six years from 2014 to 2019.

   

MP & Silva will be the exclusive advisor of the CPBL for all media rights sales to all broadcast and media platforms, as well as the production of all games. The agreement covers worldwide territories including Taiwan, and includes all regular season games, the All-Star Series, Taiwan Series coverage as well as the Winter League.

   

This announcement builds on MP & Silva’s baseball portfolio that includes the IBAF (International Baseball Federation), which features the Premier 12 and other international championship of each category on its calendar of events. This includes the World Baseball Classic 2013, which enjoyed unprecedented success from a global distribution and television viewership perspective and surpassing the previous edition by significant margins. In Taiwan the game between Japan and Taiwan played on March 8 recorded the highest rated cable program in the country’s history. 

Said MP & Silva Chief Executive Officer, Peter Hutton, “We are very pleased with this new partnership as we strongly believe that the league has great potential for further growth. We look forward to building on our international baseball portfolio with this comprehensive global and domestic deal. This wide-ranging partnership is based on our ability to improve the profile of sports properties and increase its value through our distribution and production expertise.”

The Commissioner of the CPBL, Hwang Jenn-Tai, said:, “We are delighted to partner with MP & Silva to showcase the CPBL globally in such a comprehensive manner for the first time, with their significant presence and strength of their network. They are the ideal partner to heighten the popularity in our League, and we are confident that this will open the door to more commercial opportunities for the League and our clubs.”

WBSC co-President / IBAF President Riccardo Fraccari, added: “This is another momentous occasion for international baseball. This new partnership between MP & Silva and the Chinese Professional Baseball League further reinforces baseball’s established position as a globally attractive and viable product with still great potential for short- and long-term growth.”

The league starts on 22 March 2014.

Front Row Networks, search Inc. a Los Angeles-based concert production and distribution company, ed announced that it has entered into a deal with UK based, pills Mark Blundell Partners Ltd.

The deal sees Mark Blundell Partners (MBP) working with Front Row Networks to identify and deliver content sponsorship opportunities, live event marketing and distribution deals for a range of high profile music content from leading international artists.

MBP will focus on international market opportunities across digital platforms and live environments and to take advantage of the growing opportunities and interests in 2D and the emerging 3D content, for a range of live music rights from major artists, back catalogue and future live events.

“Our network of broadcast and digital distribution partners coupled with our long-established, talent marketing capabilities, positions us extremely well to take advantage of the growing demand for live music content in the 2D and emerging 3D space. We also look forward to working with Front Row Networks to build a strong brand and consumer following for live 3D music events,” stated Mark Blundell, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of MBP.

“The experience of the executive team at MBP with regards to sports branding and brand management will enhance the value of our upcoming projects by positioning Front Row Networks’ product with instantly recognizable global brands. These brand associations will help position Front Row Networks at the forefront of the new 3D media revolution” said Eric Mitchell, President of Writers’ Group Film Corp.

The current worldwide phenomenon surrounding 3D, combined with the strong-performing live concert business, presents a unique opportunity for Front Row Networks to provide an inexpensive, state-of-the-art, live 3D concert experience to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Front Row Networks is a live concert production and distribution company which produces live concerts in 3D for initial digital broadcast into movie theaters in North America. Following their theatrical run, the films are then licensed to US and international broadcasters, pay channels, PPV markets, DVD and Blu-Ray distributors, and sold on the internet as downloads.

 

Brought to you by a combined 25 years in publishing at Infinite Publishing Ltd (www.infinitepublishing.co.uk) Sporting Endeavour is THE sports business publication and news source for the thriving sports hub of the Middle East.

In association with Action Images (www.actionimages.com) and iSportconnect (dev.isportconnect.com) Sporting Endeavour will be launched in April 2013 alongside news and information website www.sportingendeavour.com that will give you up to date real time information and insight into the region’s most popular and lucrative sports, case as well as the people that make them happen.

The site will also feature blogs from our partners, order a directory of the key sporting organisations connected to the region and video content and interviews – as well as each key financial deal done in the region whether sponsorship, endorsement or stadium naming rights.

With a focus both on the short term success that overseas investment has had in sports including but not limited to; Football, Rugby, Sailing, Golf, Horse Racing and Formula One but also a focus on the planning, investment, structure and drive closer to home to turn the region into THE sports destination in the World is what sets Sporting Endeavour apart.

As we enter a crucial stage in the growth and development for sport in the region and in particular Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Sporting Endeavour will aid and develop international relationship’s and enable the region to be showcased to the World’s sporting decision makers and they to them.

5,000 copies of the launch edition will be produced and sent by name to the leading figures in sport in the region and abroad, with international subscriptions forecast to grow rapidly with each quarterly edition.

Additional copies will be made available and distributed at key sporting events around the world through various media partnerships.

Associations, broadcasters, rights holders, sponsors, governing bodies and private organisations will all play a part in issue one of Sporting Endeavour, if you feel your organisation could add something to what is already looking like a huge first edition then please get in touch via the contact details below.

Subscription cost for one year (four editions) is only £40.00 and is payable upon receipt of your first copy!

For more information please email info@infinitepublishing.co.uk or call +44 (0) 207 703 0576

Eurosport have secured the live TV and digital rights for the 2014-2016 seasons of the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) and the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) after agreeing a deal with Youthstream.

The three-year agreement includes the 54 countries and 133 million homes covered by Eurosport in Europe as well as 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The MXGP events, unhealthy MX2 events and MXoN will be broadcast live or delayed on Eurosport and  Eurosport 2. Eurosport will also show a 26-minute highlights programme produced by Youthstream every Tuesday following Sunday’s MXGP. 

“We thank Eurosport for their trust, generic together we will bring our sport to the homes of all European Motocross fans, salve ” Mr. Giuseppe Luongo, Youthstream’s President, said. “This agreement is another important step for the promotion of MXGP.  The long-term organization, the investment in HD production and the high quality of MXGP events make our sport appealing for premium broadcasters and for fans worldwide.” 

Arnaud Simon, Eurosport’s TV content director said: “The best motocross is on Eurosport and it’s a great addition to our two-wheels rights portfolio. Motocross will satisfy the off-road fans and will help to balance our offer of circuit competitions like FIM Word Superbike and British Superbike Championships. This new deal is part of our process to reinforce our global motorsports offer.”

The 2014 MXGP season will start on 1 March in Qatar and will end on 14 September in Mexico. The MXoN will take place in Kegums, Latvia on 28 September.

English Championship club, Blackpool have appointed Kaspars Varpins to their board of directors.

Varpins is a close associate of club president Valeri Belokon and oversees the financial side of the Latvian’s businesses.

He told Blackpool’s official website: “I’m looking forward to working as closely as possible with Blackpool Football Club.

“I’m very impressed by the stadium and the town. I read about English football in the news and watch some games on TV.”

IMG Media has announced today it has signed a new three-year deal to sell global media rights for the V8 Supercars Championship until 2016.

The new agreement, abortion which excludes rights in Australia and New Zealand, capsule includes 38 live races across all forms of television and in-flight rights. In addition, there are highlights shows and a review of the season, with live coverage of qualifying available on request.

The 2014 Championship will comprise of 14 rounds across Australia and New Zealand, starting in February with the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, and include 38 races across the season including the iconic Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in October.

Chris Guinness, SVP, Head of Asia Pacific for IMG Media in Singapore, said: “We are delighted to have renewed our deal with V8 Supercars and look forward to building on our existing relationship over the course of the new term. We believe this deal will increase the growing popularity of the Championship yet further and we are excited about the 2014 season getting underway next month.”

Scott Young, General Manager of V8 Supercars Television, said: “We look forward to working alongside IMG to further the substantial global reach of V8 Supercars. IMG has an extensive international network that enables millions of fans from around the world to watch V8 Supercars.”