Spanish soccer giant and UEFA Champions League winner Barcelona’s vice-president of finance, Javier Faus, has admitted that the English Premier League’s top clubs are ahead of the Catalan club in efforts to tap into the potentially lucrative Indian market.

Barcelona confirmed yesterday, June 7, that its leading officials will travel to India in September on a fact-finding mission in an attempt to build on other commercial links in Asia. The news comes as a continuation of the sides development in emerging markets after kicking off ‘Project China’, in partnership with main partner Nike, while the club sold its shirt sponsorship for the first time in its history to the Qatar Foundation late last year.

Faus told The Times of India: “The Spanish clubs are behind the English clubs when it comes to exposure in India and Asia. The reason is that in the last 20 years we have concentrated on Europe, Latin America and the US…But it’s changing now…We are now analysing our strategic plan on how to tackle the Indian market and the president of the club and I will probably travel to India in September. We plan to spend a week there understanding the market dynamics and setting up a strategy for our club in India for the next five years.

“You have to remember the English prominence in India for over 100 years. That’s exactly the same thing that happened with us in Latin America. That’s why we are so strong in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela, where the first team is Barcelona.”

He continued: “We understand that the Indian market is so important and we are trying to enter into the market even though we don’t have the special touch that the English clubs have. Taking into consideration the way Barca plays, and the stars we have, it is an advantage to enter the market, and we’ll definitely want to tap that potential.”

The NFL’s San Francisco 49ers have reached a radio broadcast agreement with 860 AM ESPN Deportes that will run through the 2018 season, the team announced Tuesday.

“We are pleased to partner with KTRB-AM 860 ESPN Deportes,” Director of Broadcasting Bob Sargent said in a statement. “This is a great way to provide 49ers programming, specifically live game coverage, to our Hispanic fan base. This agreement allows us to reach Spanish language audiences like never before.”

KTRB 680 is a 50,000 watt station that covers the entire Bay Area and reaches deep into Northern and Central California markets like Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and as far south as Merced.

Michael Sher, general manager, 860am ESPN Deportes Radio in the Bay Area, said: “The 49ers are a first class organization and are a high profile addition to our top notch sports line-up. Hispanic sports fans throughout Northern California are the big winners. Now they can enjoy all the action and excitement the 49ers and the NFL bring to the airwaves.”

American investment firm Colony Capital have confirmed the sale of a 70 per cent stake in Ligue 1 Orange soccer club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) to Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).

Colony will retain 30 per cent of the 95 per cent shareholding it purchased in PSG in 2006, but will concede control over the club’s affairs to QSI.

French daily newspaper Le Monde places the value of the deal between US$43.24m and $57.66m.

Sébastien Bazin, the chief executive of Colony Capital SAS, the group’s European division, said: “We met a lot of people who were interested in Paris Saint-Germain. It was necessary to choose one who was serious, ethical, responsible, credible, and also, one of great discretion. That’s why I speak of these new Qatari investors like a rare pearl. We didn’t have the right to make a mistake. What is certain is that next year’s budget, built together, is a budget which includes a commitment to development and to participating in the [transfer] market this summer.”

Robin Leproux, the president of PSG, added: “This is excellent news for the club. Sébastien has welcomed a prominent, powerful shareholder which is very invested in the development of sport. For the club, it’s an historic moment. I very much look forward to a club which has matured. So much has been invested that we can dream bigger. The whole of the Paris Saint-Germain team is very enthusiastic.”

ESPN UK has signed a new multi-year rights deal for German Bundesliga football until 2015

The majority Disney-owned ESPN has today announced a new deal with DFL Sports Enterprises, the body responsible for all domestic and international sales of commercial rights of the Bundesliga.

The three-season agreement means that live coverage of the Bundesliga will remain on ESPN in the UK and Ireland from next season up to 2014/15. The broadcaster has shown German football since 2009.

ESPN will have exclusive rights to televise games from the League live in the UK, as Bayern Munich attempt to wrestle back the Bundesliga title from Borussia Dortmund. It will also screen action from the German Supercup, as well as highlights packages and video on-demand.

“We’re very pleased to continue our successful partnership with ESPN in the UK and Ireland. ESPN has been an excellent and most reliable partner for years, not only in the UK but in several parts of the world, among others in Brazil and the US,” said Jörg Daubitzer, the managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises.

ESPN’s Jeroen Oerlemans added: “The Bundesliga is a fantastic league that features some of the best football in Europe and we’re very pleased to continue our relationship with them for another three seasons.

“UK football fans are among the most engaged and knowledgeable about the game. They appreciate top quality play, players and clubs, and keeping the Bundesliga as a key part of our schedule alongside other top football and a range of other sport serves those fans well.”

A sign of the times or a foolish statement. That was the question being asked yesterday after Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA), announced on social media network Twitter, that he had made an approach to takeover recently relegated English soccer club West Ham United.

The club’s owners were less than impressed by Fernandes’ announcement and have rejected the offer he made, despite David Sullivan and David Gold confirming that dropping out of the Premier League will cost US$65m and players will be sold.

Sullivan said in a statement on the club’s website: “He has announced this on Twitter and people can draw their own conclusions as to the seriousness of it from that. We are not looking to sell the club, but, as we have always said, we would love co-investors to join us in rebuilding West Ham United.”

The rejection and decision was made after Fernandes had Tweeted yesterday, June 1: “For all you West Ham fans an offer has gone to the present owners of West Ham. Now we have to respect the process. Let’s see if they accept.”

Fernandes, who is also manager of Formula One’s Team Lotus, has declined to comment on the decision thus far.

Die Bundesliga wird auch in den kommenden drei Spielzeiten über den Fernsehsender ESPN in Großbritannien und Irland zu sehen sein. Eine entsprechende Vertragsverlängerung für die Spielzeiten 2012/2013 bis 2014/2015 hat die Vermarktungstochter DFL Sports Enterprises jetzt mit dem Sender abgeschlossen.

Das Rechtepaket umfasst die Live-TV-Berichterstattung von Spielen der Bundesliga, viagra canada dem Supercup, unhealthy Freundschafts- und Relegationsspiele sowie eine wöchentliche Vorschau und Highlights-Sendung. Hinzu kommen die Rechte für Inhalte über Video-on-demand sowie Online- und Mobile-Plattformen.

ESPN wird pro Woche mindestens vier Bundesliga-Spiele live in HD übertragen. Über Online- und Mobile-Portale versorgt der Sender die Fans mit News, Informationen, Analysen und exklusiven Videos.

“Mit der Vereinbarung setzen wir die erfolgreiche Partnerschaft mit ESPN in Großbritannien und Irland fort. Seit vielen Jahren ist ESPN unser verlässlicher Partner in zahlreichen Regionen der Erde, darunter auch Brasilien und die USA”, sagt Jörg Daubitzer, Geschäftsführer der DFL Sports Enterprises.

“Die Bundesliga ist eine fantastische Liga, die zu den besten in Europa gehört. Die britischen Fußballfans wissen sehr viel über den Wettbewerb und engagieren sich stark für ihren Lieblingssport. Sie schätzen Spiele, Spieler und Clubs mit Top-Qualität und widmen der Bundesliga deshalb neben anderem Top-Fußball sehr viel Aufmerksamkeit”, sagt Jeroen Oerlemans, ESPN-Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa.

According to accountancy group Deloitte’s calculations, Swansea 4-2 victory over Reading in the English Championship soccer play-off final will see the Welsh side effectively win around £90m (US$129.6m) through promotion to the Premier League.

The amount is the biggest prize in domestic soccer and includes more than £40m ($57.6m) of higher broadcast income, gate receipts and commercial income next season.

Swansea will also get payments of up to £48m ($69.1m) if immediately relegated back to the Championship next term.

Paul Rawnsley, director of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: “In financial terms, the Championship play-off final offers the winning club the most substantial prize in world football.

“Promotion offers an unparalleled, and potentially one-off, opportunity to strengthen the foundations of a club for years to come, through sound investment in long-term infrastructure, in addition to the expected player acquisitions in the short term.”

ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s No. 1 sports content provider, today announced that it has reached a multi-year broadcast rights agreement for exclusive coverage of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) in India.

The first edition of this T20 league will be played in August 2012.

The multi-year deal includes a minimum of 24 T20 matches per season. The first edition of the SLPL will see seven provisional teams compete for the coveted trophy as well as a qualifier berth to the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) to be held later this year. The SLPL will feature 42 international players participating from seven countries. STAR Cricket, STAR Sports and ESPN will broadcast all the matches live and exclusive in India starting on 11 August 2012.

ESPN STAR Sports’ broadcast rights agreement also includes live coverage of the SLPL in the territories of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Nepal, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand

These rights, in addition to the existing T20 leagues from Australia, England and Bangladesh and along with CLT20 and ICC WT20 make ESS the undisputed leaders in this coveted cricket format.

Speaking on the occasion, Peter Hutton, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, said, “We are delighted to be able to telecast the live matches of the SLPL in India and throughout the region. It is an excellent addition to STAR Cricket’s remarkable catalogue of content in the next year, headlined by India’s home series against Pakistan, England and New Zealand, the ICC World T20, the Champions League T20 and the ICC Champions trophy.

“Sri Lanka cricket becomes the 6th cricket body with whom we are working on the shortest form of the game. Our coverage of Australia’s Big Bash and the T20 leagues in England and Bangladesh have already shown our commitment to the format, and we look to further growing our live cricket content.”

The SLPL will see all leading international and domestic cricketers from Sri Lanka joining hands with talented U-21 players. The tournament has also attracted players from Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and West Indies.

According to UEFA Champions League sponsors Mastercard, the winners of tomorrow’s final, May 28, between Manchester United and Barcelona, will receive a record US$178m.

The report, put forward by Professor Simon Chadwick of the sport business unit at Coventry University, says that the losing club in the final is still set to gain $103.9m. The final match alone is now worth an estimated $525.25m, a rise of $24.9m on last year and an increase from when the two sides met in the 2009 final, of $84m.

Due to the English capitals staging of the game at Wembley, London is expected to benefit to the tune of $74m as fans spend money at the stadium, on accommodation, and on food and drink.

The report says the estimation that this year’s final will break all economic records was in large part down to the two finalists.

Chadwick stated: “While the UEFA Champions League is a strong brand in its own right, the nature and strength of the brand is clearly heavily influenced by its constituent parts – the participating clubs.

“This year’s UEFA Champions League final has the perfect ingredients to drive economic activity – Europe’s two biggest clubs playing in a city such as London.”

Melita has secured the exclusive TV rights for The FA Cup, find the Community Shield  as well as the broadcasting of home friendly and qualifier matches for the English national team until 2014.

As from August 2012, anesthetist Melita will be broadcasting some 60 matches from The FA Cup, as well as the prestigious Community Shield. These matches will be broadcast as part of the Melita Sports package including simultaneous broadcast in High Definition.

“These great sporting events will join the other events in our portfolio such as the UEFA Europa League, and Bundesliga. We know that the English national team has a great following in Malta and we wanted to ensure that the Maltese TV viewers get access to these events,” said Michael Darmanin, Director of Business Services and Marketing at Melita.  

“These events also complement our wider sports offering with extensive coverage of local sports on Malta Stars, UEFA Champions League on TVM, US sports on ESPN HD as well athletics, tennis and more on Eurosport HD, motor sports on Motors TV, fishing and sailing on Caccia e Pesca and Nautical channel respectively and so much more”, 

Mark Shannon, Head of Broadcast at The FA, added: “The Football Association is delighted to announce a new partnership in Malta with Melita. We are very aware of how popular and well supported both the English National team and The FA Cup are in the country. We are very much looking forward to working with Melita to further enhance both this support and The FA’s competitions, in the years to come.”