DFL mit neuer Organisationsstruktur: Neue Tochterfirma produziert und gestaltet Medien-Inhalte

Die Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH erhält ab dem 1. September 2012 eine neue Organisationsstruktur und gründet in diesem Zusammenhang eine Tochterfirma zur Produktion von Medien-Inhalten.

Mit Gründung des neuen Unternehmens trägt die DFL den zunehmenden technischen und gestalterischen Anforderungen mit Blick auf die Erstellung von Medien-Inhalten insbesondere für internationale Medienpartner, allergy aber auch für ligaeigene Plattformen Rechnung. Die neue 100-prozentige DFL-Tochter mit Sitz in Köln wird im Auftrag der DFL die redaktionelle Erstellung medialer Inhalte sowie deren Ausspielung über unterschiedliche Technologien operativ umsetzen. Auch die technische Realisierung der ligaeigenen Plattformen wie bundesliga.de und der zur neuen Saison startenden Website bundesliga.com sowie der Betrieb des Deutschen Fußball-Archivs gehören zu den Aufgaben der neuen Einheit.

Die Geschäftsführung übernimmt Tom Bender, recipe der mit Wirkung zum 1. September 2012 von der DFL an die Spitze der neuen Einheit wechselt und damit seine Tätigkeit in der DFL-Geschäftsführung sowie im Ligavorstand beendet.

Die Struktur der DFL sieht künftig nur noch zwei statt wie bisher drei Geschäftsbereiche vor. Der Verantwortungsbereich des Vorsitzenden der Geschäftsführung umfasst neben den Direktionen „Finanzen”, „Recht” und „Kommunikation und Werbung” auch die neuen Aufgabenfelder „Produktmanagement und Strategisches Marketing” sowie „Public Affairs und Regulierung”. Die Neuschaffung dieser beiden Direktionen resultiert aus den sowohl national als auch international steigenden Anforderungen an die Medienvermarktung sowie den zunehmenden Aufgaben in Bezug auf politische und regulatorische Rahmenbedingungen.

Der Geschäftsführungsbereich Spielbetrieb umfasst wie bisher die Direktionen „Spielbetrieb” und „Lizenzierung” sowie die Aufgabenbereiche Spielplanung und Fan-Angelegenheiten.

„Die Liga setzt damit weiter auf Professionalisierung und Spezialisierung. Während sich die DFL künftig verstärkt auf die Organisation des Spielbetriebes und die strategische Positionierung und Vermarktung der Liga konzentrieren kann, wird mit der Gründung einer neuen Tochter-Gesellschaft der Fokus auf mediale Themenfelder gelegt, die für die Zukunft der Bundesliga von Bedeutung sind. Ich freue mich, dass Tom Bender die Geschäftsführung dieser neuen Einheit übernimmt”, erklärt Liga-Präsident Dr. Reinhard Rauball in seiner Funktion als Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender der DFL.

„Neben der Produktion des Basissignals sowie der weltweiten Vermarktung der zur Verfügung stehenden Rechte werden künftig auch die Erstellung und technische Bereitstellung medialer Inhalte in einer eigens dafür geschaffenen Struktur stattfinden. Wie schon bei Sportcast und DFL Sports Enterprises schaffen wir dadurch zusätzliche Synergien und Knowhow. Von den künftigen Kompetenzen der neuen Einheit profitiert die Liga ebenso wie die Clubs, die auf das Leistungsportfolio natürlich ebenso zugreifen können”, sagt Christian Seifert, Vorsitzender der DFL-Geschäftsführung. 

ESPN to Broadcast Sugar Bowl Until 2026

ESPN has secured a deal with the Southeastern and Big 12 conferences for the rights to air the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans across multiple platforms through 2026.

The agreement begins in January 2015 with the inaugural game between the SEC and Big 12 champions. Each year, the Sugar Bowl, previously referred to as the Champions Bowl, will be played Jan. 1 in prime time.

The TV partnership was announced Wednesday by ESPN president John Skipper, SEC commissioner Mike Slive and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby. ESPN had previously announced a new 12-year agreement for the Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio, also beginning in 2015.

ESPN will have the rights to the Sugar Bowl each year no matter what is determined to be the exact postseason bowl rotation as part of the future playoff format. These rights include television, ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile TV and on smartphones, tablets, online and on Xbox LIVE via WatchESPN. Additionally, ESPN has secured rights to distribute the Sugar Bowl on ESPN 3D and around the world via ESPN International.

“Given the history of excellence by teams in the SEC and Big 12, we recognized the value in securing long-term rights to the Sugar Bowl,” Skipper said in a joint statement with Slive and Bowlsby, adding, “the matchup will provide college football fans with a memorable way to start the New Year on ESPN’s many platforms.”

The SEC and Big 12 recently picked the Sugar Bowl as the site of their new marquee game. Their champions will play in the game, unless those teams are selected for the four-team playoff that also starts in the 2014 season. The Sugar Bowl will be one of six sites in the playoff rotation.

ESPN’s Brett McMurphy cited sources on Nov. 6 as saying that ESPN will pay $80 million a year to televise the Sugar Bowl, the same amount the network will pay annually for the Rose Bowl. The Orange Bowl is expected to cost $55 million, sources told McMurphy.

Rangers Players Leave after Administrators Reject Deferring Wages

First team players at Glasgow Rangers Football club have walked out on the club after administrators rejected a proposal by the squad to have wages deferred.

Gregg Wylde and Mervan Celik have become the first players to leave the financially stricken Scottish champions. Midfielders Wylde, 20, and Celik, 21, had their offers for voluntary redundancy with no pay-off accepted.

Administrators Duff and Phelps were meeting Rangers players at the club’s Murray Park training ground on Tuesday in a final bid to reach agreement on wage cuts, with the club reported to be needing monthly savings of £1 million ($1.5 million).

“I volunteered to walk with no redundancy package today to help the other people in the club who have families, like the kitchen staff,” Wylde told BBC Scotland on Tuesday.

“I offered to walk away yesterday (Monday) and the club told me today (Tuesday) that they would accept that offer.

“At the moment I have nowhere to go and I don’t have another club.

“I don’t know what is going to happen next but I thought it was important to play my part in saving Rangers.”

Celik is a Sweden Under-21 midfielder who moved to Ibrox from Gothenburg club GAIS on a three-and-a-half year deal in January.

Charlie Mulgrew, a defender with Rangers’ arch Glasgow rivals Celtic, said of Wylde: “I know him and I know his family well so I have a lot of sympathy towards him and I just hope things can get better over there.

“It just shows how good a character he is (to give up his salary).

“Somebody was saying he came through here (at Celtic) when he was 11,” added Mulgrew, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Tuesday by being named the Scottish Premier League (SPL) player of the month for February.

“I am sure he will do okay and go on and get another club because he has done very well at Rangers and he is a very good player,” said Mulgrew, who won his first Scotland cap in last week’s 1-1 friendly draw away to Slovenia.

In a statement released late on Monday, Paul Clark, a joint administrator of Rangers, said: “Everyone involved in the administration process has been attempting to reach a consensual solution in regard to job losses within the playing squad.

“The prime reason for this has been to achieve essential cost savings while preserving the fabric of the first team.

“Regrettably, it has not been possible thus far to reach a consensus where players could accept the necessary level of wage cuts to prevent job losses within the squad.

“We do not for a moment criticise the players for this as the wage reductions that would be required are very substantial and would have a significant impact on each individual.

“For clarity, we cannot enforce wage cuts. The players have to agree to this course of action.”

Rangers were placed in administration last month after British tax authorities went to court to see payment of an unpaid bill of £9 million ($14m) built up since Whyte took control at Ibrox in May.

They are also awaiting the verdict of a tax tribunal that could leave Rangers with a bill of up to £75m, according to Whyte.

The 140-year-old club were docked 10 points for entering administration, a penalty which effectively handed the SPL title to Celtic, now 21 points clear of Rangers.

by Ismail Uddin

Whats your opinion of Rangers financial situation. Click here >>

Astro Malaysia Gets Premier League Broadcast Rights

Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd’s has won the broadcast rights to air Barclays Premier League (BPL) matches for the next three seasons.

The satellite pay-TV operator yesterday announced it has once again won the exclusive rights to the English Premier League, for three seasons starting from 2013/14 to 2015/2016 in Malaysia.

Under the arrangement, all 380 matches of BPL will be available to be shown live on the Astro service.

The BPL bid amount was not disclosed, but it was previously reported that Astro had paid over US$250 million for the rights to broadcast the 2010/2013 seasons.

In a statement yesterday, Astro Malaysia CEO Datuk Rohana Rozhan said Astro has been showcasing BPL action since 1997.

“We are excited to further strengthen our association with the most popular football league by bringing three more seasons of football action from the BPL,” she added.

“We are extremely pleased Astro have chosen to invest in our broadcast rights for Seasons 2013/14 – 015/16. They are a long term partner of the Premier League and renowned for quality sports broadcasting,” said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

“We know that they will continue to broadcast the BPL to Malaysian football fans in an exciting and innovative manner.”

FIFA On Right Path to Reform says FA’s Bernstein

Football Association chairman David Bernstein believes FIFA is on the right path to reform after talks with the world governing body’s president Sepp Blatter.

Bernstein spent two hours with Blatter over the weekend for discussions that were convivial considering it is less than a year since the FA chairman stood up at the FIFA Congress and called for Blatter’s unopposed election to be postponed.

The FA chairman raised concerns about third-party ownership of players and regulation of agents, and Blatter detailed the progress of FIFA’s reform plans.

Bernstein said: “I am quite encouraged from what I hear from Mr Blatter about governance changes at FIFA, and I really do think they mean it this time at this time and quite a lot is happening which sounded very positive.

“The proof of the pudding will be in the eating but they seem to be moving in the right direction. I was able to raise quite a lot of issues with him which I think influenced the FIFA position on some things which are quite important to us.

“I made the point last year after the FIFA Congress that we needed to make our position clear at the time and take an independent position, but I also said that we have to work within the tent and although we find some things about FIFA difficult, it was important to work with them.”

by Ismail Uddin

News Agencies Could Suspend Coverage of India Test Series

Several international news agencies may suspend coverage of the India-England series after the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) barred coverage by photo agencies.

The News Media Coalition (NMC) has encouraged BCCI to lift the restrictions on the local and international picture agencies.

NMC Executive Director, Andrew Moger, said: “In our view, the BCCI’s move will hit fans and cricket sponsors alike. The BCCI has offered to make its own photographs available, but this is no substitute for independent and objective press photography.”

NMC members include Reuters, AFP, AP, Getty Images and the PA. Several members said they would suspend text and photo coverage if the restrictions are not lifted.{jcomments on}

 

SFA & SPL Probe Player Payments by Rangers

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) and Scottish Premier League are looking into payments made by Rangers to its players.

The SFA are currently conducting an independent inquiry into Craig Whyte’s takeover of the Glasgow club.

But SFA chief executive Stewart Regan revealed other matters have been uncovered during the course of their investigation, with allegations the Light Blues gave players two contracts.

That is in contravention of the governing body’s articles of association and Regan admitted Rangers face serious sanctions, including possible exclusion from Scottish football, if the allegations against them are proved .

The double contracts are understood to have been in place between 2001 and 2009, although former Gers director Hugh Adam claims specialist payments were being made in the mid-1990s.

“What will happen is that the matter will go to the Scottish FA main board and will then pass through to the judicial panel,” Regan told the Evening Times.

“There’s a whole range of things from suspension to termination of membership to fines and ejection from the Scottish Cup or other such penalties the panel deem appropriate.

“The inquiry covers primarily the Craig Whyte era, but in digging into facts it has taken us into other areas.

“The board will consider the facts and if the board feels the facts are compelling they will pass that to the compliance officer and it will go through the normal disciplinary process.”

The SPL has also confirmed its board has instigated an investigation into the alleged non-disclosure of certain payments made to players from July 1998.

In a statement on its official website, the governing body said its rules give the SPL board ‘wide powers of investigation into potential breaches of the SPL rules’.

The statement read: “The SPL board has instructed an investigation into the alleged non-disclosure to the SPL of payments made by or on behalf of Rangers FC to players since 1 July 1998.”

by Ismail Uddin

YouTube to Air National Lacrosse League During 2013 Season

The National Lacrosse League (NLL), in partnership with The Lacrosse Network, has announced that the league’s online game broadcasts will air on YouTube during the 2013 season.

The entire 2013 NLL season will be broadcast worldwide and live on YouTube (subject to territorial blackout restrictions for some games). NLL’s YouTube broadcasts will begin with the season opener on January 5 when the defending champion Rochester Knighthawks take on the Washington Stealth.

“We’re excited to announce our dynamic partnership with The Lacrosse Network to bring NLL games to YouTube,” said NLL Commissioner George Daniel. “YouTube’s worldwide audience will be a great platform for us to showcase exciting NLL action.”

“This is another win for sports fans around the world. By adding its live games to YouTube, the NLL will put its sport in front of millions, connecting and building deep relationships with its fans. We’re thrilled to help NLL grow and prosper,” said Frank Golding, YouTube Director of Sport for North America.

“The Lacrosse Network is proud to present NLL games on a platform that is international, accessible and interactive,” said The Lacrosse Network President Samir Chaudry. “Our partnership with the NLL is a major step forward in our mission to grow the game of lacrosse through the power of media.”

NLL games on YouTube will be available for mobile viewing live and on demand via iPad, iPhone and most Android devices.

Founded in 2005, YouTube has more than 800 million unique visitors each month, with the site receiving more than four billion views per day. Seventy percent (70%) of YouTube traffic comes from outside the United States.

Dunfermline Pay Players After Rangers Deal

Dunfermline have paid players and staff their full wages for last month after agreeing a deal with Rangers over a tickets debt.

The Fife club last week only paid players a proportion of their wages after the unpaid £84,000 bill sparked a short-term cashflow problem.

The money was due from tickets sold to Rangers fans for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash between the clubs on February 11, three days before the Ibrox club went into administration.

But talks on Monday between Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston and joint administrator Paul Clark led to a deal.

A club statement read on Monday: “Following discussions with the administrator at Rangers FC, the club has agreed to accept part of the outstanding ticket money of £84,000 today with the remaining balance due by the 13th April, 2012.

“This has allowed DAFC to pay in full the February salaries to all staff.

“The only outstanding sums due are for players’ bonuses, which we are confident of addressing in the next 10 days.”

Pars chairman John Yorkston said on Monday afternoon: “Dunfermline are quite happy with our discussions with the administrators.

“We have come to an agreement with them. They are happy and we are happy, but there is not an immediate fix.”

by Ismail Uddin

Now TV Extends Broadcast Deal with Premier League

Now TV has extended its broadcasting rights of the English Premier League for three seasons starting with the next one.

The company had lost the broadcasting rights in 2010 to Cable TV, whose contract ends with the close of the current season in May.

According to a source, the fresh contract cost Now TV less than US$200 million, believed to be lower than what Cable TV paid for the right to air the hugely popular competition.

Cable reportedly earned US$60 million a year from the broadcasts.

With the Premier League due to air on Now TV, Cable contract holders might have to switch subscribers to watch their favorite football league.

But Cable holds the broadcast rights to the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, which means fans wanting to have the best of both worlds will be forced to shell out more in subscribing to both broadcasters, political commentator and football fan Choy Tsz-keung said.

As the Premier League airs during weekend primetime hours and attracts many viewers, it may prompt Now TV to increase the price for the football channel, Choy fears.

Football commentator Li Tak-nang said the EPL is the most popular league for Hongkongers and its loss will have an adverse impact on Cable’s viewership.

But this will depend on how Now TV prices its latest acquisition.

“We welcome the return of the Barclays Premier League to Now TV,” TV & new media managing director Janice Lee Hoi-yi at parent company PCCW said.

“Barclays Premier League is one of the most prestigious football leagues in the world and to successfully regain the rights is a demonstration of our commitment to bring top-class sports content to our customers with superior viewing quality,” she said, adding that Now TV took “a disciplined approach” in submitting its bid.

“We are confident that the addition of Barclays Premier League will bring a positive effect to our customer growth and operational results,” she said.

Now TV also offers the Spanish La Liga, the English FA Cup and the Japanese J League.