SoccerexPro Issue 03

Issue 3

Issue 3

www.soccerex.com | www.sportspromedia.com

BRAZIL’S WORLD CUP A complete commercial guide to a carnival of football MANAGING THE STARS OF THE GLOBAL STAGE

JÉRÔME VALCKE GIVES THE FIFA PERSPECTIVE

AUSTRALIA AND THE US IN A NEW WORLD ORDER

INSIDE ISSUE 3 6

EDITOR’S LETTER

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A WORD FROM THE CEO

10 THE BIG PICTURE - Real clinch La Décima - All change for Europe’s managers - Gallery: Soccerex Asian Forum

16 ENDGAME On 12th June, should everything finally go to plan, perhaps the biggest sporting event of all time will begin at the Arena de São Paulo. Getting Brazil ready for its first Fifa World Cup in 64 years has hardly been easy.

As the wait for the tournament moved from a matter of months to a matter of weeks, Fifa secretary general Jérôme Valcke gave his take on the experience.

26 THE WORLD CUP: A COMPLETE COMMERCIAL GUIDE 31 days. 64 games. 32 teams. 736 players.

600,000 international visitors. 12 stadiums in 12 cities with three million tickets sold. One winner. And an awful lot of money.

34 CENTRE CIRCLE STAGE No other event produces the same level of sustained, focused interest as the Fifa World Cup and for brands sponsoring football’s leading stars, that is a compelling proposition.

Yet as some of those managing the interests of Neymar and Wayne Rooney explain, it pays to have the bigger picture in mind.

SOCCEREXPRO | 3

42 ALL ON THE LINE History will be made this summer as goal-line technology is used in open play for the first time at a Fifa World Cup. The world governing body sprung something of a surprise in April 2013 when it awarded the contract for the tournament to GoalControl, looking past better-known companies like Sony’s Hawk-Eye. Managing director Dirk Broichhausen reveals what put the German company over the line.

46 AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD The 2014 Fifa World Cup will be followed in the years ahead by events in Australia and the US that are stark evidence of the changed landscape in the game.

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50 SURE FOOTING Civil unrest, crime and questions about infrastructure are marking the build-up to the 2014 Fifa World Cup. Companies like SNTV, which will be sending a large team to Brazil this summer, have spent the last two years taking the necessary precautions.

53 THE UPDATE - The Score: Uefa plays fair - Continent-by-continent news and insights - Signings: the biggest football investments

70 REPLAY Brazil 1-2 Uruguay A look back at Brazil’s last World Cup on home soil and the defeat that came to be known as ‘the Maracanazo’, or the Maracana blow.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

STICKING TOGETHER

T

o some it would have seemed like the ultimate World Cup nightmare. The prospect of years of anticipation, of saving and planning and plotting careful strategies, coming to naught. Panic on the streets of Rio de Janeiro and a spokesperson moved to issue a hastily drafted statement of caution. “Panini can state that the city of Rio de Janeiro is well supplied and there is

for sale.�

In April, thieves in Brazil made off with a delivery van containing 300,000

Cup album, triggering a brief frisson of local alarm and international ripples of intrigue. It is hard not to read The Great Sticker Robbery of 2014 – there was a similar, smaller incident before South Africa 2010 – as a rich little parable about football’s biggest tournament.

Calls of “got, got, need� ring out across playgrounds around the world, as well as in Brazil, and may even have been heard in the SoccerexPro

collection ritual is central to the World Cup experience – a way of learning

about the teams and venues and, perhaps more importantly, creating a link to early memories of what may be sport’s greatest event. The album dates back to 1970 and today, produced under strict licence by Panini, has come to represent all that the tournament encompasses.

Not all of it would delight the tournament’s paymasters: the grumbles when a coveted ‘shiny’ sticker is revealed to bear not a star player, but a sponsor, are unmistakeable.

The protests that have followed the last year of preparations have been a reminder that the 2014 World Cup of 2014 will be many things to many people. It will be the inspiration for a lifelong obsession; the culmination of a lifetime’s ambition; an expensive corporate folly; an opportunity for larceny; a moral outrage or a nation’s grand rebirth; an excuse for a bet or a beer with friends, or just to grab a ball and

it will even be cause to change the channel or seek the comfort of a good book.

This is Brazil’s time. Whether the Seleção win or lose, the weeks ahead could yet

than the extraordinary events of 64 years ago. But it is also an occasion which

brings the world together like little else – in surprise, in scorn, in joy or despair.

That, ultimately, is what has drawn so many people and, as the pages ahead will testify, so many companies to it.

The waiting is almost over, the talking never will be. Whatever the World Cup is, we’ll experience it together.

Eoin Connolly Editor

SoccerexPro magazine is a joint venture between Soccerex and SportsPro Media.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Cushnan EDITOR Eoin Connolly econnolly@sportspromedia.com ART DIRECTOR Daniel Brown CONTRIBUTORS James Emmett, Michael Long, Ian McPherson, Oliver Millerchip BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Bobby Hare bhare@sportspromedia.com BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER YĂŠwandĂŠ ArulĂŠba

6 | www.soccerex.com

PHOTOGRAPHIC AGENCIES Action Images Press Association MANAGING DIRECTOR Nick Meacham SOCCEREX MARKETING DIRECTOR David Wright SPONSORSHIP & PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR Paul Brighten SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER TO THE COO Philip Gegan MARKETING EXECUTIVE Jamie Barr

SportsPro Media Ltd 5 Prescot Street, London E1 8PA, UK Tel: +44 (0) 207 549 3250 Email: info@sportspromedia.com Web: www.sportspromedia.com (SportsPro Media Ltd is part of the Henley Media Group Ltd www.henleymediagroup.com)

Soccerex Power Road Studios 114 Power Road London W4 5PY UK Tel: +44 (0) 208 742 7100 www.soccerex.com

NOTICE: SoccerexPro magazine is published quarterly. Printed in the EU. EDITORIAL COPYRIGHT: The contents of this magazine, both words and statistics, are strictly copyright and the intellectual property of SoccerexPro. Copying or reproduction may only be carried out with written permission of the publishers, which will normally not be withheld on payment of a fee. Article reprints: Most articles published in SoccerexPro magazine are available as reprints by prior arrangement from the publishers. Normal minimum print run for reprints is 400 copies, although larger and smaller runs are possible. Please contact us at: info@sportspromedia.com

JOHAN CRUYFF INSTITUTE

Memo Ochoa, student of the Johan Cruyff Institute, explains why he is studying the Postgraduate Diploma in Football Business. siness.

I

know that at some point my days as a football player will come me to an end, and I will have to take ke on life from another perspective. I have always liked the idea of being prepared epared for life beyond the football field,, not only at a personal level but at a professional ssional level as well. Learning what surrounds ounds the practice of football inspired me.

And the tasks and responsibilities es at the management level, from the general eral president to the technical director, have always interested me.

I would like to continue in the world of football once my career as an active footballer is over. My plan is to be linked to football, either as a coach or manager.

I decided to study this online postgraduate diploma in order to be better prepared and face my future outside the field.

The business side of football I like the idea of managing a team from an economic perspective, and to see the growth and development of its players.

Transfer is also an issue that I have always liked; knowing how to manage it and the steps you have to take. Above all, I am interested in manager’s tasks, since it is a complete different world from the one on the field.

Memo Ochoa, goalkeeper for the Mexican National Football Team

During the last fifteen years, the Johan Cruyff Institute has given

more than 5,500 athletes, former athletes, sport managers and people with a strong passion for sport the opportunity to pursue a career in the sports industry through education in sports management, sports marketing and the business of football.

Do you think former professional footballers with an academic qualification in management are more valuable to football clubs?

Without a doubt I would say it is true.

I think it is logical because it has that double added value: knowing the situation and behavior on the field is an advantage when you have to make decisions off the field. Moreover, when a club wants to set up their board of directors, they will prefer someone qualified from the world

of football, rather than someone without any studies.

What are you learning about the industry thanks to this program?

The different perspectives you have to consider when making decisions regarding sports. You have to manage sport, business and marketing issues, in order to reach the desired goals. This means that you have to manage various football ideas and concepts at a time, that all have to be taken seriously and all have added value.

Turn your PASSION

for FOOTBALL

into a PROFESSION Education in Football Business

campus@cruy nstitute.org www.cruy nstitute.org

A WORD FROM THE CEO

DAYS OF SUMMER

D

ear friends from the football family, Now is a time of change in football as the spotlight shifts from the domestic action which has drawn to a close – as I write Real Madrid have just won the Uefa Champions League and QPR have earned promotion through the Football League Championship play-offs – to the international stage and the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

There will be countless column inches devoted to the tournament in the coming weeks and I could happily bore you with my thoughts on who is going to win but I would rather focus here on some of the other transitions that will be taking place this summer. Firstly, the transition between old and new seasons, as clubs – many under new management – begin to plan for the next campaign by establishing their domestic and, where relevant, continental ambitions before setting about building their playing resources to help achieve them. Commercial ambitions are also developed at this time, with many clubs using pre-season tours to visit new markets and engage new audiences.

There is also the transition we will see after Brazil as Uefa Euro 2016 in France and the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia will come into sharper focus, and these territories will become even greater hotbeds of football business opportunity.

At Soccerex, we are undergoing a

8 | www.soccerex.com

transition of our own: from the Soccerex Asian Forum, which took place in Jordan in May, to focusing on the Soccerex Global Convention, which returns to Manchester, the football club capital of ! " Forum in Jordan was a huge success and I would like to extend my deepest thanks to HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, whose vision made the event possible, and of course to the many international sponsors, exhibitors and delegates who attended.

But now it is all about Manchester and about to helping facilitate the transitions the industry is currently experiencing.

As the world’s biggest and most unique

#

the season, the Global Convention will provide a platform for clubs to build for future success by allowing them to engage with colleagues from around the globe, share best practice and meet the leading industry suppliers. The event will also provide a showcase for the 30 or so major international tournaments which are set to be staged over the next four years and the different elements of their planning, delivery and legacy.

For clubs, federations, LOCs – in fact anyone involved in football – the Global Convention is your chance to make sure your future goals become a reality.

So as those off the pitch look forward to a busy summer of planning and preparations, I will sign off by relenting

to the football fan in me and joining the millions around the world looking forward to the World Cup in Brazil. I hope we get to see a fantastic tournament characterised by fair play and exciting football – the jogo bonito we all associate with Brazil – and good luck to all the nations involved.

Make sure you enjoy your football – it’s the most important thing.

I hope to see you at a Soccerex event soon – and look out for a new event, in a beautiful new location, which we will be launching shortly!

Love & kisses.

Airton Risk Management - Winning the World Cup Group

Team

A

Brazil Croatia Mexico Cameroon Spain Holland Chile Australia Colombia Greece Côte d’Ivoire Japan Uruguay Costa Rica England Italy Switzerland Ecuador France Honduras Argentina Bosnia & Herzegovina Iran Nigeria Germany Portugal Ghana USA Belgium Algeria Russia Korea Republic

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Group Winner

Group 2nd

Reach Quarters

Reach Semis

Reach Final

Winner

91% 10% 10% 4% 69% 31% 23% 2% 63% 15% 26% 22% 42% 2% 36% 46% 33% 23% 67% 4% 95% 14% 3% 11% 78% 31% 8% 8% 69% 5% 37% 15%

19% 44% 44% 19% 36% 45% 34% 9% 32% 24% 36% 34% 40% 7% 39% 40% 43% 36% 35% 12% 20% 50% 15% 41% 32% 50% 22% 22% 32% 15% 48% 30%

85% 15% 15% 5% 69% 34% 26% 3% 49% 12% 22% 18% 50% 3% 43% 55% 29% 21% 61% 4% 91% 25% 5% 17% 93% 48% 13% 13% 52% 4% 29% 11%

66% 6% 6% 1% 50% 19% 13% 1% 18% 3% 7% 5% 20% 0.5% 18% 23% 9% 7% 29% 1% 61% 7% 1% 4% 58% 23% 4% 4% 27% 1% 11% 3%

45% 2% 2% 0.4% 28.6% 9% 5.9% 0.3% 8.3% 0.8% 2.2% 1.7% 9.3% 0.1% 8% 10.5% 2.8% 1.9% 11.9% 0.2% 35.7% 2.1% 0.3% 1.4% 31.5% 9.1% 1.4% 1.4% 12.8% 0.2% 3.6% 0.9%

29.4% 0.6% 0.6% 0.1% 15.8% 3.7% 2.3% 0.1% 3.5% 0.2% 0.7% 0.5% 3.8% 0.1% 3.1% 4.3% 0.8% 0.5% 5.2% 0.1% 19.6% 0.6% 0.1% 0.3% 18.7% 3.5% 0.4% 0.4% 5.5% 0.1% 1.1% 0.2%

BRAZIL HAVE A 29.4% CHANCE OF WINNING THE WORLD CUP. COSTA RICA HAVE A 0.1% CHANCE. WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S CHANCES? We at Airton Risk Management, have assessed the probabilities around this summer’s World Cup and concluded that the business end of the tournament will be contested by Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain, with Brazil beating Argentina in the final on July 13th.

The bad news for European football fans is that no European team has ever won the World Cup in South America and our probabilities suggest that this record is unlikely to change in Brazil 2014. However with an all-Spanish Champions’ League final in 2014 who is to say that Spain can’t defy the odds and retain the trophy?

The above table shows the probability of each team’s performance at the World Cup, courtesy of our world class Paddy Power sports traders. Having spoken to our chief football analyst, Portugal could be the team to defy their probability, driven by the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo.

Paddy Power’s sports risk management division, Airton Risk Management, offers its clients the ability to hedge their financial risk associated with sporting events. So if you are a sponsor, association, kit manufacturer or retailer, Airton Risk can make the World Cup less stressful for you.

Take England for example. If winning the World Cup triggered a £10 million player bonus payout, based on the probability of 3.1% for them to win the World Cup, England would only have to invest £310k with Airton Risk to take that £10m risk off the table.

We can also offer money back promotions to clients who want to offer headline grabbing offers to their customers. For example, “Buy a TV and if England win the World Cup get your money back”. Hedging with Airton Risk ensures that your potential losses are covered so you can drive top line revenue whilst protecting bottom line profits.

What we can do for you: 1. We can assess the probability of most major sporting events and as a result we can help you manage your financial risks related to on-field performance 2. We can help you eliminate these risks for a fraction of the cost If you would like to know more about how we can help or indeed want to challenge us on our probabilities please do not hesitate to contact us on the numbers below Rod O’Callaghan: Tel: +353 1 902 1309 - Email: rod.ocallaghan@airtonrisk.com David Lyons: Tel: +353 1 902 1303 - Email: david.lyons@airtonrisk.com Tim O’Mahony: Tel: +353 1 902 1722 - Email: tim.omahony@paddypower.com

www.airtonrisk.com

THE BIG PICTURE

REAL CLINCH LA DÉCIMA

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C

arlo Ancelotti became only the second manager in history to win the European Cup or Uefa Champions League three times as Real Madrid finally secured La Décima, their coveted tenth European title, on 24th May. Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz was the venue for the competition’s first one-city final, a local derby between Real and local rivals Atlético Madrid – recently crowned

3

as Spanish champions. It was the less glamorous side that led for much of the game through Diego Godín’s goal in the 36th minute.

Red and white ribbons were being tied to the cup when Sergio Ramos (1) rose to meet a 94th-minute corner and deny Atleti an unlikely double. Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive player, put Real ahead in the 20th minute of extra time before late goals from

Marcelo and Fifa Ballon D’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed a 4-1 win.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas lifted the trophy (2) for Real to end a 12-year wait for club football’s biggest prize.

Atletico’s first final in 40 years ended on a sour note (3) and they still await their first European title. After Madrid had taken over the Portuguese capital, it would be the turn of Real’s fans to enjoy the reign in Spain (4).

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SOCCEREXPRO | 11

THE BIG PICTURE

ALL CHANGE FOR EUROPE’S MANAGERS

A

s ever, the end of the European football season brought a swathe of managerial changes. This time around, three of the continent’s biggest clubs were involved.

Less than 12 months after signing a six-year deal with the then English champions, David Moyes found himself surplus to requirements at Manchester United. The Scotsman’s fate was sealed in April when his failure to secure Uefa Champions League football was confirmed. Moyes’ replacement will be the current Dutch national team coach Louis van Gaal (1).

FC Barcelona, who have dominated European football for much of the past decade, responded to a trophyless year by replacing Tata Martino with former player Luís Enrique (2). The Catalan giants also mourned the loss of former coach Tito Villanova (3), who succumbed to cancer on 25th April at the age of 45. Villanova won La Liga in 2012/13, his sole season in charge.

Scottish champions Celtic will also be seeking a new figure at the helm. Neil Lennon (4), who won three league titles as a manager after a decorated playing career, stepped down in May.

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2

3

4

SOCCEREXPRO | 13

THE BIG PICTURE SOCCEREX GALLERY

SOCCEREX ASIAN FORUM

O

Asian Football Development Project, on 13th and 14th May. Jordan Football Association president HRH Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein led a

Dentsu Sports Asia’s Kunihito Morimura

Nasser Al Khater gave an update on Qatar’s progress towards the 2022 Fifa World Cup

Tim Vine of the Premier League

Fifa’s Moya Dodd and Winston Lee of the FAS

ver 800 delegates made the trip to the Dead Sea for Jordan’s first Soccerex Asian Forum, supported by the

Delegates pack the King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre 14 | www.soccerex.com

distinguished group of guests from over 50 countries, discussing the future development of the game in Asia and throughout the world.

HRH Prince Ali opens the event

Jordan national team manager Hossam Hasan meets the press

Qatar FA president Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Thani (right)

Mark Falvo of FFA and AFC Asian Cup 2015

US Soccer president Sunil Gulati

Ossie Ardiles, Louis Saha and Bryan Robson preview the Fifa World Cup

Prince Ali makes a presentation to Louis Saha

Galatasaray board member Ebru Köksal in a panel discussion

Alfonso Bara of Spain’s LFP SOCCEREXPRO | 15

ENDGAME On 12th June, should everything ďŹ nally go to plan, perhaps the biggest sporting event of all time will begin at the Arena de SĂŁo Paulo. Getting Brazil ready for its ďŹ rst Fifa World Cup in 64 years has hardly been easy.

As the wait for the tournament moved from a matter of months to a matter of weeks, Eoin Connolly got in touch with Fifa secretary general JĂŠrĂ´me Valcke to ask for his take on the experience.

Call it the seven-year itch.

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Preparations for the Fifa World Cup in Brazil have been eventful, to say the least. How conďŹ dent are you at this stage that the tournament will go to plan?

We entered the exclusive period of use

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stadium in SĂŁo Paulo. We still have some work to do, outside of the stadium in the surroundings.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to work with the cities and states, because they are responsible for these areas. We will do our homework, installing all our systems in the stadiums. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an important part of the structure of a World Cup. You feel that the competition is coming, so there is an excitement.

In the meantime, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to test everything and making sure itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working.

We have very important games in Brazil. First the opening game between Brazil and Croatia, then the following day Spain against the Netherlands, which %)')

England against Italy with a high level

# ')) per cent of the stadium is used â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a high level of hospitality, high level of media *

# + sure we will be perfectly ready.

What have the biggest challenges been?

Staging a World Cup in Brazil, a country with the size of a continent, is not easy.

Our challenge is to deal with logistically complicated distances and travels in a vast territory like Brazil. /5 <

install the necessary IT&T infrastructure,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot fail in these ďŹ rst ďŹ ve days. The pressure is there to make sure we will be perfectly ready.â&#x20AC;?

SOCCEREXPRO | 17

mainly to ensure the media can broadcast images of the 64 matches to billions of people across the world. We are all working at full speed: Fifa, the LOC /

< cities and the federal government. What counts in the end is that everything will be in place for kick-off. It is just an extra challenge for the operational teams.

How has organising a World Cup in a country as large and diverse as Brazil complicated matters?

The organisation of the Fifa World Cup is always a challenge regardless of the country where the event takes place. We did face challenges in South Africa and Germany, just to mention the two most recent examples.

The size of Brazil obviously makes

= with the weather in June and July: while in ( > ?)

in Curitiba and Porto Alegre temperatures can be close to zero degrees in the morning. And we also had to look into the # @

like these, added to the long distances, made it more challenging to prepare the match schedule. In addition, and unlike as in some of the previous World Cups, fans in Brazil cannot watch two matches on the same day.

Has there been anything youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve regretted or that you believe should have been approached differently?

As for previous Fifa World Cups, @ D there is always room for improvement.

Once the World Cup is over weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discuss with all the key stakeholders of the previous two editions in South Africa and Brazil, as well as the two future hosts, Russia and Qatar, to analyse what aspects can be improved for future events.

At times, you have been very ďŹ rm, even publicly, with the local organisers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; notoriously, you were quoted saying legislators stalling over the World Cup Bill in 2012 needed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;get a kick up the backsideâ&#x20AC;?.

Are you satisďŹ ed with the way your relationship with the local organising committee and the national government has progressed?

We may have had a rough start but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very pleased to work in partnership 18 | www.soccerex.com

Valcke has been critical of organisers but is â&#x20AC;&#x153;very pleasedâ&#x20AC;? to work with the likes of Aldo Rebelo

with Minister Aldo Rebelo and Deputy Minister LuĂ­s Fernandes. They understand the importance of the World Cup and the

V X " LOC, who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoy working with world champions and football legends like Ronaldo and Bebeto?

Much of the criticism around the last World Cup in South Africa was that the tournament itself had become too distant and monolithic, and that there was not enough interaction with the local community or economy.

Is this something you recognise and is it something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve aimed to address this time?

I strongly disagree as in South Africa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just like we are doing in Brazil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we always made sure we would engage the community and we did our best to keep the local traditions. For example, we worked with the local community so that they could sell their handicrafts inside the commercial restriction area.

In Brazil, we included some typical foods in the menu of the concessions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like < in Belo Horizonte, bolo in Recife, and so on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and also have an <2 showcasing in Salvador. + @ #

makes each Fifa World Cup unique. And * %)') *

organise the Football for Hope Festival in a disadvantaged area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this time in Caju in Rio, with its community. Since the beginning it has been our priority to make sure the community is engaged and excited to join forces.

How much of a complicating factor have the mass protests in Brazil been in the past year?

We fully respect peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to express themselves and to protest as long as it is in a peaceful manner and as long as the rights of everybody â&#x20AC;&#x201C; protestors * condemn any form of violence.

For the World Cup, a detailed security

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Has the fact that the tournament is being held in a country that will host the Olympics immediately afterwards helped or hindered your progress?

The World Cup in Brazil involves 12 host cities and states in addition to the federal government, while the Olympics occur basically in one city. We have to deal with different legislations from city to city, state to state. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think we would have had less challenges had Rio not been chosen to host the 2016 Olympics.

The World Cup has become a target for Brazilians protesting about general public spending policy

plan built on models used at previous World Cups will be in place. It involves private and public security authorities to ensure the safety of fans, players, media and our stakeholders. This approach worked very well during the Confederations Cup. I trust the job being done by the Brazilian Government in partnership with the LOC. At the same time, I understand most of the people are mentioning the World Cup because of the visibility it has. Also, because the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media have their eyes on Brazil. But the extremely high demand for tickets and the number of people wanting to volunteer show the real interest in the World Cup. With about three million tickets available for the 12 stadiums, the requests are at least ten times more than the inventory we have.

Also, more than 150,000 people registered for the volunteer programme, which is twice as many as South Africa and three times the number we had in Germany.

15,000 volunteers will be selected.

Do you sympathise with the views of those protesting? Is there a need for those organising major events like the World Cup to communicate better on matters of expectation and expenditure?

For sure, the standards for an event of the magnitude of the Fifa World Cup are very high. And we acknowledge and support the wish of the Brazilian people to discuss public investments and level of services. At the same time the Brazilian government has explained 20 | www.soccerex.com

several times that the public money to build or refurbish the stadia does not come from the federal budget, unlike education and healthcare.

If you compare what was invested in these areas to what was invested in stadiums, you will see this in a different context. The stadiums will cost about R$8 billion in total. Since 2007, when Brazil was chosen to host the 2014 World Cup, the areas of health and education have received more than R$700 billion according to public records.

In addition, the investment needed for the World Cup project comes from the Brazilian Development Bank as loans and will be fully paid back with interest by the private operators of the stadia. Research by Ernst & Young as well as FGV indicates that for every real invested by the public sector in Fifa World Cup-related projects, R$3.40 are being invested by the private sector.

It is very important to understand that the World Cup also brings a lot of returns, especially when it comes to tourism over the long term. The governments of Germany and South Africa made some comprehensive studies with concrete data following the 2006 and 2010 Fifa World Cups. And it may be worth mentioning in this context that Fifa is investing about US$1.6 billion in the staging of the 2014 Fifa World Cup â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all generated privately through sales of marketing and TV rights. Of this amount, more than US$800 million is directly injected into the Brazilian economy through hiring local businesses

Would you recommend another World Cup in a country which is preparing for another event of that scale at the same time?

You have to consider the circunstances in any given country or moment. Some countries can easily pull off two major events, others canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that needs to be decided by each country.

Does there need to be greater ďŹ&#x201A;exibility in the way the competition is organised, or in the standards that are required of it in each host nation?

" @ D sometimes necessary and we must work closer with the host countries and cities from the beginning. However, it is important to understand that the Fifa World Cup is a mega-event where there are certain requirements which do not # @ D Have you considered changes to the way the Confederations Cup is used before the tournament? What about the introduction of further test events?

The Fifa Confederations Cup is today more than a test event for the World Cup, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a festival of champions with world class players. To give you an idea, the average television audience across key markets was more than 50 per cent higher than in 2009 and the tournament has set new viewing records in key markets from the group stages to the

^ event in the global sporting calendar.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to separate that from a test event. Fifa and the LOC encourage the host cities to organise at least three test events in the brand new or refurbished stadiums, so that all operational aspects

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have the guarantee from President Dilma Rousseff that Brazil will deliver a great event. And we trust her.â&#x20AC;? can be perfected. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to the host cities to follow the advice and plan accordingly.

After Brazil, the World Cup will again be taking place in countries where substantial amounts of building work will have to take place. What has been learned from the experience of Brazil?

While the focus is currently on Brazil, we are already working hand in hand with Russia and Qatar. We already have regular working group meetings and workshops, and we believe the knowledge transfer and observer programmes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which started at the occasion of the Preliminary Draw in 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will prove very valuable.

As said before, after the World Cup weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll analyse the whole process in detail to see what aspects can be improved for future events. But it was the decision of Russia to stage the 2018 Fifa World Cup in 11 host cities of which the majority needs important investments but as part of the development of the country.

With countries like India hosting events like the U17 World Cup, do you see the pool of potential tournament hosts expanding? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the knowledge transfer process between nations staging those smaller events and the World Cup?

Absolutely! And you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even need to go far. Just four years ago, who would have thought that in 2022 we will have a Fifa World Cup in Qatar? This is

@ # that several countries see the potential.

We organise knowledge transfer programmes across all our competitions.

Naturally, not always it includes exchanges with the Fifa World Cup team, as footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s @ #

But as all Fifa competitions follow similar standards and the knowledge transfer programme englobes all operational areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from logistics to marketing and media operations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the youth competitions 22 | www.soccerex.com

provide a pretty good basis on staging the Fifa World Cup. You just have to multiply challenges and rewards by 1,000!

Next year, there will be a Fifa presidential election. What direction do you see Fifa taking in the next few years? What changes does Fifa as an organisation need to make?

Fifa has already taken important steps for the future through the reform process that was launched by Fifa president Sepp Blatter at the Fifa Congress in 2011. And we always need to improve our standards and we will when we feel it is necessary.

But we do not need a revolution, we are doing well.

In the coming years it will be important to reinforce the need of having a global

problems facing football. The decisions taken by the Fifa Congress have to be implemented at both national association and confederation level. Therefore we have already started a systematic process of consultation to continue dialogue on football governance. As far as events are concerned, the fact that countries like India, Jordan, Russia and Qatar will be hosting Fifa competitions gives us a great opportunity to promote development through football within an enlarged fanbase.

Is there a need to regain some credibility after some of the events of recent years, particularly relating to the conduct of executive committee members?

Fifa is a democratic organisation that listens to its 209 member associations.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Fifa Congress that is the one making decisions relating to Fifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing statutes and the method by which they are implemented and applied.

The Congress also approves the annual report, decides on the acceptance of new national associations and holds elections,

most notably for the Fifa presidency.

The fact that such decisions are taken based on the opinion of 209 member associations makes us credible.

Of course we have faced some problems in the past, but we have also taken concrete measures with a view to the future: within the scope of the reform process a clear structure was put in place in the area of governance, including a two-chamber Ethics Committee and an Audit and Compliance Committee. Throughout the past year we have seen that the new structure has been working well.

How can you use the World Cup as a platform for that message?

Throughout the whole World Cup preparation process we have been openly informing about all key matters, including the challenges we face, the investment

World Cup will bring to Brazil. In spite

# committed towards host country Brazil since we do see a World Cup in the country of football as a fundamental milestone for the world of football.

I remember that ahead of the World Cup in South Africa there were a lot of doubts about the host country, though in the end the event was a big success with a very positive social impact. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very optimistic Brazil will be the same.

Where do you see your own future?

Could you imagine yourself in the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job by the time the next World Cup comes around?

I prefer to think about one thing at a time. My main focus is now on the the 2014 Fifa World Cup and to support Sepp Blatter in his campaign for 2015.

After, we will see.

Given the ongoing growth of club football, and the debate that still lies ahead about the calendar changes that may be needed if the 2022 World Cup is moved from June and July, just how important is this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament? What does it need to achieve, culturally and commercially?

+ #

World Cup can bring to a country, and

years, the country hosting the Fifa World

Cup is in the spotlight of the world media, with stories about the country, its culture and people. The visibility that the World Cup and related events provide the host country is immense.

For example, in 2014, more than 500 TV networks from over 200 countries and territories will cover the event, giving Brazil a fantastic platform to promote themselves. Traditionally, this is an opportunity that allows exploration of new markets in tourism and business sectors. In addition, the event offers a great PR opportunity to change perceptions and show the host country to the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; good examples are Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010. We expect Brazil can also take advantage of the tournament.

Commercially, it is no secret that

_ @

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not receive any public money, we are

#

of marketing and media rights for our events and particularly the Fifa World Cup. We expect revenues of about US$4 billion for the 2011-2014 cycle. " ` `

has the obligation to invest all revenues into the development of football and football-related events. Since 1998 Fifa has invested nearly US$2 billion in football development, with an overall development budget for the 2011-2014

{ |})) Most of the 209 member associations would not be able to play football professionally without Fifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support.

We can proudly say that in 2013 a total of US$183 million went into funding football development and corporate social responsibility projects, equivalent to more than US$500,000 per day.

And the staging of the 2014 Fifa World Cup costs Fifa about US$2 billion,

US$850 million are directly invest into the Brazilian economy through services hired locally.

What are your hopes and expectations now for the World Cup?

I think Brazil willl organise a great event.

When the 32 teams start arriving in the country and fans realise the current best players in the world are on their home soil and that Brazilians â&#x20AC;&#x201C; many for the * #

Delays to construction at stadiums like the one in SĂŁo Paulo have kept Valcke busy to the very end

performances up close, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the World Cup fever will spread.

I think Brazilians will impress foreigners so much with their happiness and friendliness that they will make this World Cup memorable. I truly hope this

blown on 13th July 2014.

What have you been most impressed by in the build-up to the tournament and what are you most excited about?

Since 2012 I have been travelling to all corners of Brazil, and the cultural diversity of the country always impresses me. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been multiple times to all host cities and the people are always very warm. Everybody has always wondered how a World Cup would be in the country of football.

Also, the legacy is already there for those who want to see it. You can

# footballing infrastructure. The new stadia already registered the highest average spectator attendance in the last season of the Brazilian championship since 1983. The improvements of the pitches lead to higher quality of play. And the investments in the team base camps beyond the 12 host cities will further enhance football professionalism in Brazil.

Furthermore, Fifa has a comprehensive sustainability strategy, ranging from the training of stadium operators to help them manage and maintain the stadiums in a sustainable manner to providing,

` # commentary services for fans with visual impairments in Brazil during the Fifa World Cup. The equipment and the trained professionals will remain in Brazil and this will be another important legacy to be introduced at Brazilian championship matches.

I am convinced that the Brazilian championship will take a further step up in quality to possibly challenge the big European leagues in future. This will happen if improvements in the standards of management match the improvements on the pitch and in the stadia following the Fifa World Cup. Also, our legacy trust will count on at least US$20 million for investments in football development in Brazil and in particular on womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and youth football. This look ahead and the possibility of contributing to the future of football in Brazil truly excites me.

Will it all have been worth it?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very positive about the World Cup. Yes, some stadiums are late and we had a few challenges, but we have the guarantee from President Dilma Rousseff that Brazil will deliver a great event. And we trust her.

SOCCEREXPRO | 23

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THE WORLD CUP: A COMPLETE COMMERCIAL GUIDE 31 days. 64 games. 32 teams. 736 players. 600,000 international visitors.

12 stadiums in 12 cities with three million tickets sold. One winner. And an awful lot of money.

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Adidas will supply the ofďŹ cial ball, the Brazuca, and has signed up with Fifa until at least 2030 28 | www.soccerex.com

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1 Manaus Arena Amazonia New build Capacity: 42,374 Hosts four group-stage games

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Estádio Castelão Renovated Capacity: 64,846 Key games: Brazil v Mexico, quarter-final

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3 Natal Estadio das Dunas New build Capacity: 42,086 Hosts four group-stage games

4 Recife Arena Pernambuco New build Capacity: 44,248 Key games: Round of 16

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Arena Pantanal New build Capacity: 42,968 Hosts four group-stage games

6 Brasilia Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha Renovated Capacity: 68,009 Key games: Cameroon v Brazil, quarterfinal, third-place play-off

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7 Salvador Arena Fonte Nova New build Capacity: 48,747 Key games: Quarter-final

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8 Belo Horizonte Estádio Mineirão Renovated Capacity: 62,254 Key games: Semi-final

9 Curitiba Arena da Baixada Renovated Capacity: 41,456 Hosts four group-stage games

11 10

São Paulo Arena de São Paulo New build Capacity: 65,807 Key games: Opening match, semi-final

11

Rio de Janeiro Estádio Do Maracanã Renovated Capacity: 76,804 Key games: Final

12

Porto Alegre Estádio Beira-Rio Renovated Capacity: 48,849 Key games: Round of 16

Source: Fifa.com SOCCEREXPRO | 29

GROUP A

Kit suppliers in italics

Brazil: Nike, Itaú, Vivo, Sadia, Guaraná Antartica, Mastercard, Nestlé, Samsung, Extra, Gillette, Volkswagen, Voegol, Englishtown, Seguros Unimed, Parmigiani, Tenys Pé Baruel Croatia: Nike, INA, PBZ, Ožujsko Pivo, Generali Osiguranje, MercedesBenz (Jolly Autoline), Anic Holding Plus, Konzum, Autotrans, Zagreb, Di Caprio

by Varteks, Ban Tours, Jana, Pik, Ledo Mexico: Nature Nutrition, Gillette, Ford, Bimbo, Comex, Inter Jet, Roshfrans, Corona, Lala, Visa, Hublot, Adidas, Banamex, Coca-Cola, Movistar Cameroon: Puma, Orange, Centauro, Tangui, Bolloré Corporate interest in hosts Brazil has soared in the run-up to the World Cup. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has taken its sponsorship revenue from an estimated R$107.4 million

(US$46.3 million) in 2008 to R$235.5 million (US$101.6 million) in 2013.

Croatia, Brazil’s opponents in the tournament opener, are also Nike clients, but many of their sponsors would be unfamiliar to those outside of the country. Reigning Olympic champions Mexico count on a core of sponsors while their national body, the FMF, also

targets Latino fans with US deals, some linked to an annual tour of its northern neighbour. These are negotiated by Major League Soccer’s commercial arm, Soccer United Marketing.

Cameroon’s portfolio includes two prominent backers of African soccer in Puma and Orange – both sponsors of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations.

brand’s US$32.73 million deal with the Spanish federation, the RFEF, runs through the 2018 World Cup. The RFEF took sponsorship sales in-house from Group Santa Monica Sports last year.

The KNVB, the football association of losing 2010 finalists the Netherlands, is also signed up with Nike until 2018.

ING and PwC are also heavy backers.

South American hopefuls Chile’s national association, the ANFP, has brought in six key sponsors since 2010, swapping a Brooks kit deal for Nike.

Qantas is to downgrade its title sponsorship of Australia’s Socceroos, amid reports of frustration at activation clashes with the likes of Fifa airline sponsor Emirates.

GROUP B Spain: Cruzcampo, Iderdrola, Movistar, Cespam Pelayo, Nissan, Gillette, Continental, Cabreiroa, PfH, Bimbo, Marca, Once, ASM, LG, Sanitas, Iberia, Adidas Netherlands: ING, Nike, PWC, Staatsloterij, Heineken, Unit4, Albert Heijn, Adecco, Aquarius, Continental, Sunweb, Van Gils, Volkswagen, De Telegraaf, Radio 538, SBS 6 Chile: Entel, Coca-Cola, Banco de Chile, Sodimac, Cristal, Samsung, Puma, PF, Gillette, Chery, Ariel, Head & Shoulders Australia: Qantas, Nike, Hyundai, Westfield, NAB, Cenovis, Foxtel, Fox Sports, SBS, TAB, Australian Sports Commission, Destination NSW, Sony, MJ Bale World champions Spain are one of Adidas’ most prized assets. The German

30 | www.soccerex.com

GROUP C Colombia: Aguila, Home Center, Movistar, Pacific Energy, P&G, Adidas, Caracol, Efecty, Allianz, Golty Ivory Coast: Aspetar, Kia, Guru, Sofitel, LONACI, Puma, Bollore, Sportcash, Port Autonome D’Abidjan, ARTCI, RTi, Orange, BNI, LPF, ChicShop, Centauro, Olgane, Prosuma, Le Conseil du Café-Cacao Greece: Opap, Vodafone, Piraeus bank, Nike, Amstel, Travelplan, intersport, Nova, Aegean, Metropolitan Hospital, Hellasod Japan: Kirin, Adidas, Audi, Saison card, FamilyMart, Japan Airlines, Konami, MS&AD, Mizuho, Sony, Asahi Managed by advertising giant Dentsu, the Japanese FA’s (JFA) marketing portfolio is one of the most sought-after in Japanese sport, boasting a stack of domestic and global blue-chip brands.

Group favourites Colombia’s kit deal with Adidas, first penned in 2011, is in place until 2022. Principal partner Aguila, a local lager brand, is activating through an unreconstructed campaign with bikini models ‘celebrating’ Colombia goals.

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) commercial department capitalised on the appeal of its ‘golden generation’

through a longstanding deal with Puma, which has a history of signing highprofile Ivorians to individual deals.

Underdogs Greece are the least glamorous team of the group. The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) swapped Adidas for Nike at the end of 2012, while several national brands fit into a flat sponsorship structure.

England go into their first major tournament with the Nike swoosh after agreeing a US$45 million per year deal in 2012. Vauxhall is England’s next most prominent sponsor; its Luton headquarters hosted Roy Hodgson’s squad announcement in May. Puma’s deal with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is its richest in

international football at US$27.5 million a year.

Uruguay are also sponsored by Puma.

They have a huge World Cup history but their commercial potential is limited by a sub-four million population. Outsiders Costa Rica have a similar population but a hugely different sponsorship strategy based on heavy volume.

GROUP D Uruguay: Geant Travel, Puma, Uruguay Natural TV, Coca-Cola, Antel, Pilsen, Grupo Sancor Seguros Costa Rica: CMM Cinemas, Marvi, Hertz, MetalCo, Clinica Santa Fe, Comex Pinturas, Euromobilia, Acqui Colombia Radio, Aldia, 103, Amanco, Gillette, Wizard, Sonrisa Para Todos, DonPedro, Herbalife, CocaCola, Banco Nacional, Dos Pinos, Sportec, Eaton, Pioneer, Gollo, Plycem, Lotto, Cristal, Pipasa, Dario, Kolbi, Dona Maria, Cemex, Tropical, Powerade, Traffic Sports, Wyndham Herradura, EPA Italy: Puma, TIM, Fiat, Compass, Uliveto, Dolce & Gabbana, Generali, Pai, Gruppo API, Nutella, Alitalia, Radio Italia, Segafrdo, Garnier, Zucchi, Sixtus.it England: Carlsberg, Lucozade Sport, M&S, Mars, McDonald’s, Nike, Nivea Men, Vauxhall, William Hill

SOCCEREXPRO | 31

GROUP E Switzerland: Puma, Credit Suisse, Volkswagen, Athleticum, Swiss Life, SRG SSR Ecuador: Marathon, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola. Banco de Guayaquil France: Nike, Credit Agricole, GDF Suez, PMU, Volkswagen, Belin Honduras: Coca-Cola, Salva Vida, Joma Sport, Ficohsa, Claro, Imaginaus, Televicentro tv, Diunsa, Grupointur, Avianca France’s disastrous campaign in South Africa four years ago saw the French Football Federation (FFF) reimburse millions of euros to key sponsors like Adidas, energy firm GDF Suez and Crédit Agricole. All three, however, have remained on board. In 2011, though, the FFF ended a 32-year partnership with Adidas to sign a US$474 million deal over seven and a

half years with Nike.

Across the border in Switzerland, the SFV has a kit deal with Puma until after Euro 2016, said to be worth US$1.5 million a year. Credit Suisse is in its 21st season of sponsoring the Swiss national teams and remains the main partner.

FENAFUTH, the national FA of Central American nation Honduras,

has a group of around ten commercial partners, led by Joma Sport which has supplied kits since 2000. Further south lies Ecuador, which has qualified for its third World Cup and first since 2006. Kit supplier Marathon has a long-term deal of unspecified length with the team, who were the company’s first client when it was founded in the mid 1990s.

chip brands like Coca-Cola, Claro, Volkswagen and Procter & Gamble are all behind the team’s attempt to win a third World Cup in the home of rivals Brazil. Adidas has supplied the team’s kit since 1974 and will do so until 2022.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will also wear the three stripes of Adidas when they make their Fifa World Cup debut in

Brazil. The German brand signed a longterm deal in March to replace Legea.

Iran, like Bosnia, were once supplied

by Legea, but will compete this year in kits made by Germany’s Uhlsport, best known for its goalkeeper gloves.

Nigeria have a relatively small collection of deals, with Malta Guinness the latest to sign in April.

GROUP F Argentina: Adidas, Coca-Cola, Quilmes, Claro, Naranja, Volkswagen, ICBC, Sancor Seguros, YPF, Noblex, Bon Aqua, Powerade, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aegatone, Easy, P&G Bosnia and Herzegovina: Hugo Boss, BH telecom, Elektroprivreda, Volkswagen, Lutjija, Sparkasse, Ziraat Bank, AS Group, Razvojna Banka, Sarajevo Osiguranje, Sarajevska, Violeta, Securitas, Tom Tailor, HT Eronet, Centrotrans, Radiom, Dnevni Avaz, a2b, VGT, Gong, Fotoart, Zap, Panini, bht, Karatbars, Airwaves, Milkos, Adidas Iran: Uhlsport, Kaspid, Iran Khodro Nigeria: Adidas, Malta Guinness, Hotsports Nigeria, wakanow.com, Globacom Favourites Argentina are Group F’s prime commercial power. Blue-

32 | www.soccerex.com

GROUP G Germany: Mercedes Benz, Adidas, Bitburger, Coca-Cola, Commerzbank, Deutsche Post, t mobile, SAP, Alliaz, Lufthansa, McDonald’s, Nivea, REWE, Allianz Portugal: Nike, Meo, Sagres, Hertz Ghana: Puma, GNPC, Cheki, Ghana National Petroleum Company, Latex Foam, Rice Master’s, UniBank, First Capital Plus USA: Allstate, AT&T, Castrol, Century 21, Anheuser-Busch, Chevrolet, Continental, Clorox, Degree, DePuy Synthes, El Jimador, Gatorade, Marriott, Panasonic, Pepsi, Visa, Yingli Solar, Mondelez International, McDonald’s, Nike Germany have some of the longestrunning commercial agreements in world football. Mercedes has been a German Football Association (DFB) sponsor since 1972, while Adidas

has supplied the team’s kits for over 50 years. The latter’s current deal is thought to be US$37 million per year.

Fellow European qualifiers Portugal signed a multi-year kit renewal with Nike earlier this year. Beer brand Sagres, meanwhile, is the FPF’s oldest sponsor and invests over US$16 million each year in Portuguese soccer.

US Soccer has had a busy year, signing a nine-year kit extension with Nike in January and adding Chevrolet and Clorox over the past 12 months.

Ghana have picked up the most short-term World Cup sponsors, with UniBank, Rice Master’s, Cheki Ghana Limited, Latex Foam and Huawei joining its stable since last May.

Russia are making their World Cup return with the likes of Aeroflot, MegaFon and Adidas in tow, along with major national groups. Reports last October suggested the Russian Football Union had run up debts of up to US$25 million under its previous leadership.

Hyundai, Samsung and Coca-Cola sponsor 2002 co-hosts South Korea, with

whom Nike secured a cut-price deal at the expense of rival Adidas – apparently after threatening the KFA with legal action for its failure to enforce a ban on players displaying logos other than the Nike swoosh.

Finally, Algeria’s clutch of partners includes Puma, Groupe Benamor, CocaCola and Qatar’s Ooredoo.

GROUP H Belgium: Verelst, Belgacom, BMW, Burrda, Coca-Cola, Ergo, GLS, ING, Jupiler, PWC, RTL Sport, Scooore, Sporza, Brussels Airlines Russia: Novatek, Coca-Cola, Megafon, Sogaz, Veb, Russian Railways, VW, Adidas, Aeroflot, Man, Deloitte, Yust, Radeo Mayak, Radio Vesti, Championat, R-Sport, sovsport, ftbl, karris Algeria: Ooredoo, Coca-Cola, Peugeot, Puma, Macrivia, Groupe Benamor South Korea: Nike, KT, Hanabank, Daum Communications, Hyundai, Kyobo Life, E1 Corporation, Asiana, Samsung, Hitejinro, Caffé Bene, Coca-Cola, Seoul Dairy Cooperative Brussels Airlines signed a contract with Belgium’s KBVB in February until after Euro 2016. Beer brand Jupiler is also a 25-year partner.

SOCCEREXPRO | 33

CENTRE CIRCLE STAGE No other event produces the same level of sustained, focused interest as the Fifa World Cup and for brands sponsoring footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading stars, that is a compelling proposition. Yet as some of those managing the interests of Neymar and Wayne Rooney explain to Eoin Connolly, it pays to have the bigger picture in mind.

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Triple S Sports & Entertainmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paul Stretford

34 | www.soccerex.com

The one: 22-year-old Neymar has been the source of much Brazilian hope ahead of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fifa World Cup and sponsors have ďŹ&#x201A;ocked to his side

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SOCCEREXPRO | 35

England manager Roy Hodgson has said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the eyes, certainly of England, if not the rest of the worldâ&#x20AC;? will be on striker Wayne Rooney this summer

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of character, strength of purpose, this courageous player, this determined person. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a position, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a position 36 | www.soccerex.com

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n May, SportsPro magazine produced its annual list of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50 most marketable athletes. Rankings were based on a range of criteria, which combined to form an assessment of the value a brand would get from an endorsement over the next three years.

Although the list did not take into account this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fifa World Cup there were ďŹ ve of its participants involved, including the best player of this generation, Argentinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lionel Messi, and the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best, Cristiano Ronaldo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From a marketing point of view Ronaldo is the man to endorse in the football world,â&#x20AC;? said Eurosport commentator Gonçalo Moreira, who described the 29-year-old as â&#x20AC;&#x153;by far the most well-known Portuguese person of all timeâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He represents himself through the CR7 trademark and he sells a glamorous lifestyle. Many might not like his style, but the 2014 [Fifa Ballon Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or] winner was always careful with his career by becoming a leader in clubs with global awareness such as Manchester United and Real Madrid, the two richest clubs on the planet.â&#x20AC;?

Sandwiched between the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two leading players â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Messi was 11th with Ronaldo fourth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is Brazilian Neymar in seventh. The 22-year-old will carry many home hopes this summer and actually topped the list in 2012 and 2013,

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when the tournament was of greater consideration. For Simon Oliveira, the Barcelona striker has huge potential as a crossover star. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think he is close to David [Beckham], I would say, in terms of the way he can switch on in front of a camera and his presence in that sense,â&#x20AC;? he suggests. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has that star quality and presence which I think if handled in the right way, and not overexposed, could be something that everyone could really like. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see Neymar do in the next couple of years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of course, he speaks Spanish and Portuguese â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love him to speak English well, because outside of PelĂŠ thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing that many Brazilian players havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t done to a great degree, certainly at the top level. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something which I think will help his brand going forward, particularly in markets like America â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and even in Asia, to be honest.â&#x20AC;?

Wayne Rooney does not make the list this year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; youngsters Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of England and Julian Green of the US are the other male footballers included â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but he has featured in the past. His agent, Paul Stretford, believes the key to making a footballerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s persona work for brands is to keep it authentic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and associate with those who will do the same. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It depends what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to aspire to as a brand,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cristiano markets himself on a number of levels; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about being the fantastic footballer that he is. Messi markets himself in a completely different way to Cristiano and probably markets himself much more aligned to where we are with Wayne as being the real football product. You may see things and say Wayne could have got to there if it had been for this or for that, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not really like that because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about positioning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cristiano is positioning himself beyond football-related products and those around the periphery that want to be associated with football.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s into lifestyle, fashion. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more Beckham-esque. I think it would be wrong of us, whether it was attainable or not, to position Wayne into that. I think if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be a commercial vehicle, the one thing you need to be is true to who you are. Otherwise the public will see through it.â&#x20AC;?

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;You try not to attach it to any particular outcome because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s completely impossible to predict.â&#x20AC;?

“I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL AND I AM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO REPRISING ITS SUCCESS AT SOCCEREX IN MANCHESTER FOR THE GLOBAL CONVENTION IN SEPTEMBER. I WISH YOU ALL A GREAT 2014 FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE!” JOSEPH S. BLATTER PRESIDENT, FIFA

CONTACT US NOW TO BOOK YOUR PLACE! +44 (0) 208 987 5522 PROMOTIONS@SOCCEREX.COM WWW.SOCCEREX.COM/GLOBAL

Global partners

PelĂŠ brings football home

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any of world footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most enthralling talents will be on show in Brazil this summer, but it will also be a homecoming of sorts for perhaps the most gifted player of them all. Edson Arantes do Nascimento â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the man they call PelĂŠ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; graced the World Cup like no other, ďŹ ring the Seleção to their ďŹ rst world title while still only a teenager on his way to a still unmatched haul of three winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medals.

This year, almost as much as any of those appearing on the pitch, his will be the face of the World Cup. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will be in extreme demand,â&#x20AC;? says MediaCom global head of sport Marcus John. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You will see probably three key images on the television, which will be the president of Brazil, Sepp Blatter and PelĂŠ.

I think those will probably be the most photographed personalities other than, of course, the players. So he will have a whole variety of Fifa responsibilities and responsibilities for his partners on the ground. He will be

Tournament football being what it is, it is a brave or foolish endeavour to link any ` _ # A bad error, a rolled ankle, a refereeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lapse in judgement or a small unlucky bounce

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best way to explain it, but we certainly wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to forecast how far a

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the World Cup on the bench, made a belated and decisive entry in Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

as he was dismissed for kicking out Â&#x192; `

" " " 40 | www.soccerex.com

an extremely busy man.â&#x20AC;?

PelĂŠ has long been a proliďŹ c spokesman for brands but in the leadup to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament and the Rio Olympics of 2016, a concerted effort has been made to bring coherence to his marketing pursuits. The 73-yearoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affairs have been managed since February 2012 by the bespoke agency Legends 10, while in August of the same year he signed a four-year partnership with the newly created MediaCom Sport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Legends 10 is the management, so they manage the access in terms of what a traditional agent would do, and we take care of the commercial aspect,â&#x20AC;? explains John. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So on behalf of Legends 10, we look after the commercialisation of his image.â&#x20AC;?

It has so far been a productive collaboration. PelĂŠ, as might be expected, is a magnet for well-minted brands and MediaCom Sport has agreed global deals with the likes of Procter & Gamble, Volkswagen, Subway and Coca-Cola.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He clearly has a high resonance wherever you go in the world,â&#x20AC;? gushes John, â&#x20AC;&#x153;whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Cairo or Tokyo or in London. His appeal is incredible.

Age certainly has no impact on his resonance with brands, and you can tell that a brand like Coca-Cola were also overwhelmed by the response that they got from also very young audiences. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a very successful last year for him.â&#x20AC;?

There are commercial beneďŹ ts to retirement, too. As well as an instantly, internationally recognisable public ďŹ gure, brands associating with PelĂŠ will have, for the duration of this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament, a participant in their marketing activities rather than just an emblem for them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With an active player during the World Cup, there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really anything you can do in terms of face to face appearances and things,â&#x20AC;? notes John. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes a lot more pre-planning ahead of the World Cup to create enough content and other things to be able to execute around the World Cup. So that

Neymar may become a global star at Barcelona

print ad on the morning of that game â&#x20AC;&#x201C; referencing Diego Maradonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handled

'Â&#x2021;}Â&#x20AC; Â ` teams â&#x20AC;&#x201C; promised that this time, a player

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the freight ship, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re navigating across choppy waters and the freight ship is your brand, instead of worrying about what waves are coming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you know what waves are going to come â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you need to make sure that the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hull is reinforced, that the navigation

requires more planning whereas a player who is retired is much more accessible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken PelĂŠ around the world several times over the last year and the assets that brands can use him with are therefore very different. One of the reasons that Coca-Cola was very pleased with the association is because

he was able to attend several of their key events in person, which generated an enormous amount of local press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and local press is always critical for the local operation.â&#x20AC;?

John says that planning PelĂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule for this summer began â&#x20AC;&#x153;probably a good year agoâ&#x20AC;?, with a

number of parties to be considered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously he also has government responsibilities,â&#x20AC;? he adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;with the Brazilian government, and those things tend to come in a little later. So thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a constant arrangement, if you like, and small changes here and there pre kick-off.â&#x20AC;?

After his many achievements and his decades in the public eye, PelĂŠ is both a ďŹ gurehead for his country and a gatekeeper for the companies trying to get into it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is Mr Brazil, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also Mr Football,â&#x20AC;? says John. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a global ambassador so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s various ways, depending on brandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; objectives, that you can associate with him.

And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly the most famous Brazilian so he works very well as a brand ambassador outside of Brazil, and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not forget that Brazil, in terms of foreign direct investment for companies, is one of the key markets globally. So heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a great ambassador for the country to attract foreign direct investment.â&#x20AC;?

towards where we need to go is in place Â&#x2022; None of which is to suggest that a brand will have nothing in hand to capitalise if one of its players goes on to achieve great things this summer, or gets his hands on that coveted hunk of gold ( Â ~ Â&#x2019;+

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these are images that could endure for

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PelĂŠ is â&#x20AC;&#x153;clearly the most famous Brazilianâ&#x20AC;? and will be ubiquitous on TV screens in June and July

SOCCEREXPRO | 41

ALL ON THE LINE History will be made this summer as goal-line technology is used in open play for the first time at a Fifa World Cup. The world governing body sprung something of a surprise in April 2013 when it awarded the contract for the tournament to GoalControl, looking past better-known companies like Sony’s Hawk-Eye. Managing director Dirk Broichhausen tells Eoin Connolly what put the German company over the line.

What makes GoalControl different from the other Fifa-licensed goal-line technology (GLT) aids?

The outstanding features of the GoalControl-4D system are the high accuracy, the real-time processing and the high frequency of the pictures, as well as the absolute reliability and repeatability.

Why do you think the product was chosen ahead of its competitors for the Fifa World Cup?

Regarding a detailed answer to this question, you’d better ask Fifa. We think the complete package of system solution and performance, the attractive price and service ratio, the project management plan and the fact that technology made in Germany stands for reliability, quality, enduring value and innovation in engineering and system solutions contributed to Fifa’s decision.

The GoalControl system uses 14 cameras, seven at each end, operating at 500 frames per second

What are the origins of GoalControl – both as a company and a product?

Due to a wrong decision in Germany’s second league, where the referee had not given a goal. I was very disappointed and this was the initial situation to start to go on with goal-line technology. That was in 2009.

The roots of the technology rise from a spin-off out of the Institute of Plastics Processing, or IKV, at Technical University, RWTH Aachen. Pixargus was founded in 1999 and is a specialised automated surface inspection and

measurement system for rubber and plastic extrusion. GoalControl GmbH, a subsidiary of Pixargus, was founded in October 2012.

How did you approach the challenge of creating a goal-line technology solution? How much did you have to adapt once you became aware of the criteria for a Fifa licence?

It is the result of restless development and countless hours of testing the system’s accurate ball detection and tracking function under

“In our opinion, goal-line technology will become a permanent part of football in all major football leagues.”

Dirk Broichhausen is the founder and managing director of German GLT provider GoalControl 42 | www.soccerex.com

all weather conditions, and tests that included all football types, different pitch grounds, various types of goal nets and game situations.

Our advantage is that the team has many years of experience in developing and deploying camera-based vision systems that can detect, identify and track moving objects in complex sceneries.

Right from the beginning, the Fifa criteria were the base of our development process.

What are your targets for the World Cup this summer? Is it a question of raising the awareness of GoalControl or of ensuring those in the industry are aware of how it performs?

The technology is mature and reliable.

We will implement our GoalControl-4D system in all 12 host stadia, ensuring

at the most important and prestigious tournament in world football. A successful tournament will give Â? _ #

and positive image boost.

How important is the GoalControl Replay product to the system? How closely have you been working with HBS and broadcasters on this?

Among other aspects, it leads to a higher acceptance among viewers and fans. The replays also gain a maximum of attention and can thereby be a generator of additional sponsorship revenues as they

sponsor logo, etc.

Supporters in the stadia and across the world will be able to enjoy GoalControlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique replay technology, which will settle decisions to their universal satisfaction thanks to its 3D animation.

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and those watching on television, a unique view of the goal line, and whether a ball has crossed it or not.

Do you hope to raise the proďŹ le of GoalControl this summer, given that it lacks the name recognition of HawkEye, for example, which has been used in other sports?

Of course. It may be possible that football fans around the world will associate goal-line decisions in general with the name GoalControl...

There are four Fifa-licensed GLT systems but the World Cup contract was awarded to GoalControl in April 2013 SOCCEREXPRO | 43

The GoalControl system: how it works

G

oalControl-4D is a camerabased goal-line technology (GLT) system, like Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hawk-Eye but unlike the magnetic ďŹ eld-based GoalRef and Cairos.

14 high-speed cameras, operating at 500 frames per second, are installed under the stadium roof. Seven are used for each goal. These are connected to an image-processing computer which ďŹ lters out all visual disturbances, such as the movement of players, ofďŹ cials, supporters or any other ambient objects. This leaves the system free to coordinate the precise position of the ball across three axes.

When a goal is scored, a message is sent to the refereeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wristwatch which

Footage from the 14 cameras is ďŹ ltered through image-processing computers to isolate the ball

A message is sent to the refereeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wristwatch within a second of a goal being registered

then vibrates. As per Fifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licensing requirements, this process takes less than one second. Footage of all goals and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;near-goal eventsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is stored for later analysis. Broadcasters can then make use of the GoalControl Replay

system, which produces a 3D-modelled image of the goal-line incident and uses a virtual camera to provide a view alongside the goal line.

According to GoalControl, the system is accurate to within ďŹ ve millimetres.

The failure to award this Frank Lampard â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;goalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the 2010 World Cup, to the irritation of Wayne Rooney, prompted Fifa to push for goal-line technology

It was notable that Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bundesliga recently passed up the opportunity to use goal-line technology, with those clubs opposing it citing excessive costs.

What is your response to this? Is it a case of making the technology more affordable or making the case for it more effectively?

How big can the market for goal-line technology get?

In our eyes, the technology is already affordable for a league with sales in the billions range. What we have to convey is GLT as an additional marketable tool which generated revenue.

What do you think changed in terms of footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attitude to goalline technology in order to make it happen? Could you see any other aids being used in the sport in future? Are you working on any such products?

44 | www.soccerex.com

In our opinion, goal-line technology will become a permanent part of football in all major football leagues. And a lot of other

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of course in different ways. So it is

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GoalControl is continually developing its business. We are focusing on new applications for football as well as systems for other kinds of sport.

Furthermore, the worldwide sales and implementation of the Fifa-licensed GoalControl-4D System plays a

The system is scalable for new applications on demand: match analysis for coaches and clubs, as well as an entertainment solution for fans.

We are expecting worldwide attention and demand, especially for the mobile fan app.

AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD The 2014 Fifa World Cup will be followed in the years ahead by two 16-team tournaments that are stark evidence of the changed landscape in the game. In January, Australia hosts the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. Then in 2016, the Copa AmĂŠrica Centenario unites North and South American football for the ďŹ rst time in the United States. Mark Falvo of Football Federation Australia and US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati tell Eoin Connolly what to expect, and what they hope this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events in Brazil can do for football in their countries.

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SOCCEREXPRO | 47

The ďŹ ve venues for the 32 games in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, played from 9th to 31st January: Newcastle Stadium (1) will host a semi-ďŹ nal and the third-place play-off, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (2) stages the opening ceremony, Brisbane Stadium (3) gets a quarter-ďŹ nal, Stadium Australia (4) in Sydney will stage the ďŹ nal, and Canberra Stadium (5) will be the venue for a quarter-ďŹ nal.

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Australia is hosting a World Cup next year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Cricket World Cup follows your tournament. Are you conscious of the fact that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be competing for media and public attention?

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The US and the Copa América Centenario

Sunil Gulati (left, with US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann) is the president of the United States Soccer Federation.

How do you feel US football is doing at the moment?

Listen, we’ve come a long way in the last quarter of a century, I think. That quarter of a century encompasses the World Cup. It encompasses us qualifying for the first World Cup back in 1989, winning the right to host the World Cup in ’88, putting it on in ’94, winning a Women’s World Cup, the start of Major League Soccer, the women’s league. So I think it’s been an extraordinary 20 to 30 years. But we’re still not where we want to be. Our national team’s not one of the top five teams on a regular basis – we wouldn’t expect to be favourites at any World Cup yet – and we’re still a long way to go from where we want to be in terms of the landscape in the United States, in terms of popularity. But we have come a very long way.

How enthused are you by the expansion of Major League Soccer?

Do you feel there’s still a need to be careful, as the league has been in the last decade or so, in terms of not stretching it too far?

Well, it depends what you mean by stretching it too far – in terms of expansion or in terms of spending. I think the league has been very sensible about how they’ve approached growth, both in terms of expenditure and in terms of expansion, and that’s a policy I think you’ll see continue.

Do you think having more geographical coverage will help your aims as a federation?

Sure, because the more places you can take the game and have teams, TV ratings go up in those markets, there’s greater interest if you can follow your local team. So having teams in the south east, which we’ll have now with Miami and Atlanta coming on, there’s been talk of another team in the centre of the country – in Minneapolis – which is a possibility in the future. All those things are plusses.

What can you tell me about plans for the Copa América Centenario in 2016?

Other than that we’re excited about a big tournament, not much yet. I can’t tell you about numbers of venues and all those issues. I think it’ll be a big hit over the summer of 2016 – certainly the biggest event we’ll have hosted since the ’94 World Cup. In terms of character, and given how American soccer as a culture has progressed since then, do you imagine that it will be quite different from the World Cup in 1994?

I think there’ll be huge interest, so that won’t be different from the World Cup. Where the game is is certainly different.

You’ve got professional teams and a league with first, second and third divisions – that didn’t exist then in the same way. Our team is very different than it was in ’94. So I think a lot has changed but the basics of why this will be a very successful tournament in the US is still there. That hasn’t changed.

What are some of your ambitions for it? What can it do for the game in the US? It’s very hard for anything other than the World Cup to have a long-term legacy impact – we have a Gold Cup every couple of years – because some of the things that would be normal legacy issues in countries of building infrastructure or new stadiums or public works projects, none of that’s going to happen in the United States. So for us, the legacy’s all about the game. It’s not about nation-building in a country like the US. For a tournament, whether

The US are in their eighth straight World Cup

it’s the Olympics or the World Cup, we don’t add infrastructure because of it, because that already exists. So it has to be football infrastructure, increasing the popularity of the game, and hopefully we can carry some of that forward.

Do you still have ambitions to host the World Cup again in the foreseeable future?

Yeah. I don’t think anybody that’s involved in a big federation will say they have no interest in that. We’ll see what happens in the future.

Looking ahead to this summer’s World Cup, it’s the first one in an Americas time zone since 1994. What kind of an opportunity does that present to you to grow the game?

Well, if the US team does well I think the TV ratings will exceed anything that’s ever been the case – and actually, I should say if the US and Mexico do well, because of the large Hispanic community in the US. ESPN and Univision in the US are putting more resources behind this World Cup than anything we’ve ever seen, which is extraordinary, and so if those two teams in particular can play deeper into the tournament, because of the US market I think the ratings will be off the charts compared to anything we’ve seen.

Coming out of that, where would you like US soccer to be in the next World Cup in four years’ time?

Wherever we get in this World Cup, at least a round further, and continued growth of the game. Continued expansion of the sport’s place in American society.

SOCCEREXPRO | 49

SURE FOOTING Civil unrest, crime and questions about infrastructure are marking the build-up to the 2014 Fifa World Cup. Companies like SNTV, which will be sending a large team to Brazil this summer, have spent the last two years taking the necessary precautions, as David Cushnan discovers.

The inďŹ&#x201A;ux of visitors to Brazilian cities during the Fifa World Cup could put a strain on road networks

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s Fifa has discovered over the past few years, hosting a World Cup in Brazil has its complications. The size of the country, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth-largest, is only part of the problem: potentially creaky transport links in a country where @

viable option, existing serious crime problems even before the World Cup heightens the tension, and the likelihood of civil disturbances pock-marking the tournament have contrived to make security and personal safety hot topics for every team, sponsor, service provider and media organisation which will have large numbers of feet on the ground in Brazil this summer.

50 | www.soccerex.com

It all adds up to one of the sternest tests imaginable for even the most accomplished operations team. Brazil is seven times larger than South Africa, which hosted the tournament in 2010, and has a murder rate four times higher

than the United States. In Rio de Janeiro,

13th July, there was a 17.5 per cent increase in murders last year.

Other host cities pose different threats. Some, like Manaus, located deep in the Amazon rainforest, are geographical, but others are more sinister: SĂŁo Paulo, which will stage

` Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most dangerous city; Fortaleza, in the north east, is reported to have a murder rate of 35 per 100,000; while in Natal, visitors are told to be wary of outbreaks of dengue fever. There are also the more general threats which are now par for the course at any modern-day global sporting event, such as terrorism and issues of large numbers of people in

Quite apart, then, from the day-today logistical challenges of a preparing for a six-week long tournament â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hotel rooms, correct customs documents for equipment and a domestic airport set-up which is likely to buckle under the strain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ensuring that people on the ground remain safe has been a fundamental part of the planning phase for companies like SNTV over the last couple of years. The sports video news agency, which is co-owned by IMG and

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a duty of care you have to make sure they are looked after because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very easy to make the wrong call.â&#x20AC;?

Protests marked last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil and continued in 2014, giving those preparing to work at the World Cup much to consider

the Associated Press (AP) newswire, is a non rights-holding broadcaster and will therefore be concentrating its coverage around team training camps and press conferences, plus post-game mixed zone interviews. Its World Cup coverage is costing just under US$1 million, up a third from South Africa four years ago.

Partly, that is due to increased coverage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it plans to deploy 20 two-person crews and has a bureau in Rio up and running already â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but it is also the result of the increased travel and hotel expenses necessary given the size of the host country.

" >+Â&#x2DC; itself in the slightly jarring position of trying to keep its staff safe while also ensuring that it is ready to meet the demands of clients by covering any news around the tournament, which this year seems likely to include civil @ 5 ( ` course for all Brazil-bound employees, held by SNTV at the brand new west London IMG Studios, all the more vital. SNTV hired specialist security and

_ which involved presentations and group discussions on common-sense measures

# V X ` advice and tips. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to be seen, both from an insurance point of view and as a responsible employer, to have actually given your guys the option to understand what happens,â&#x20AC;? explains Andrew Parkinson, SNTVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managing editor.

While another editor, Steve Hann â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who will coordinate operations from SNTVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rio base â&#x20AC;&#x201C; says he wants â&#x20AC;&#x153;everyone to start with the mindset of covering sportâ&#x20AC;?, Parkinson concedes that â&#x20AC;&#x153;there could be situations theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re faced with where things get nastyâ&#x20AC;?.

SOCCEREXPRO | 51

As well as security advice, courses like Centurion give information such as the fact that the sun rises and sets very quickly in some parts of the country

Parkinson adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of our guys are international journalists, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been around the world, but for just one or two of the less experienced ones itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about making them understand. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a duty of care you have to make sure they are looked after because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very easy to make the wrong call and get yourself into a bad situation, and either get badly hurt or arrested for any reason.â&#x20AC;?

The Centurion course, given by former Territorial Army medic Jenny Willis, is essentially a refresher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; focused on making good decisions, fuelled by common sense. This is a singleday course based in a boardroom but _ # ` #

aid, emergency evacuations and, as Willis puts it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;bombs and bulletsâ&#x20AC;?. While Centurion has delivered several pre _

and butter is preparing visitors for areas

@ Willis begins the SNTV session by

# of the 20 or so people in the room will get pick-pocketed or mugged during their time in Brazil, before going on to discuss the importance of recognising threats and the need for situational awareness. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If something looks or feels wrong, it is,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; reads a slide on the 52 | www.soccerex.com

Powerpoint presentation. In the room, there is the usual mix of dark humour and an understanding that days like these are necessary for a team who will be providing SNTVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest coverage of a sports event to date â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a mix of producers, journalists and technical operators.

There is practical advice, ranging from the obvious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not travelling alone at night, using hotel ATMs, removing @

on the streets and carrying cash in small denominations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to precautionary suggestions such as travelling with a small doorstop to prevent intruders entering hotel rooms.

The group is also given some hints and V X

useful tidbits such as the fact the sun rises and sets very quickly in certain areas of the country, to the need for patience at airports and on the roads.

It is noted that western concepts of travelling should not be applied in Brazil, and that at night stopping at red lights is not advisable. The south of Brazil is generally considered safer and more developed than the north, but taking buses and hailing taxis on the street should be avoided in all host cities, where luxury residential areas can become favelas in as little as 50 or 100 yards.

In line with most sensible companies, SNTV will be providing all travelling staff with a detailed World Cup handbook, a local mobile phone programmed with

accreditation-holders, and a supply of per diem bank cards. The company has also

@ D Â&#x2122; D * " live or have been stationed in Brazil for some time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are being utilised to help with day-to-day arrangements and language issues. Staff will also travel to Brazil early, # ` also to acclimatise to their home for the following month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to try and cover the knowns,â&#x20AC;? Parkinson says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You know that certain situations are going to happen, and then you look at what the unknowns are going to be and what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to try and do.â&#x20AC;?

He is talking about the need for a newsgathering organisation like SNTV to be

@ D its planning for an event like the World Cup. He could just as easily, however, be summing up the hostile environment training sessions which have formed an essential part of the build-up to what has become, by dint of location and circumstance, the most complex and challenging World Cup ever staged.

Arsenal players pile on to Aaron Ramsey after the midfielder’s extra-time goal secures a 3-2 win in the FA Cup final and a first trophy in nine years

THE UPDATE NEWS AND DEALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SOCCEREX PRO | 53

THE SCORE: UEFA PLAYS FAIR

F

inancial Fair Play has been on European footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda for some time, but only in May did the consequences of Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new, complicated and controversial set of regulations begin to be felt. In meting

two of the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most resourcerich and ambitious club football projects, Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing body sent out a clear message: it is prepared to enforce the rules it has worked so thoroughly to piece together over the past few years and it is prepared to punish non Â

fairer European football landscape.

The champions of England and France â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City and Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paris Saint-Germain â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

were hit with similar, sizeable penalties: a ÂŚÂ&#x20AC;)

of withheld Uefa prize money; reduced squad sizes for next seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Champions League, from 25 to 21 players; and breakeven targets for the next two seasons.

Seven other clubs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Zenit St Petersburg, Rubin Kazan and Anzhi Makhachkala from Russia, Bulgariaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â&#x2122; # + Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Bursaspor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were also found to be non-compliant after lengthy investigations. They were hit with a range of smaller sanctions.

Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Financial Control Body (CFBC) Investigatory Chamber spent

#

237 clubs which entered the 2013/14 Champions League and Europa League

and which were thus required to meet the FFP rules. An initial investigation prompted a request for additional information from 76 clubs, after which 67 more teams were found to have complied with regulations which state that clubs can spend up to â&#x201A;Ź5 million more than they earn every three years, the period in which they are assessed.

That spend, however, can be exceeded up to a point if the payment comes directly from the club owner.

The limit for the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons was â&#x201A;Ź45 million, which will reduce to â&#x201A;Ź30 million for the three seasons from 2015/16. The break #

development costs, or money spent on stadium and training facilities.

Uefa thwarted Paris Saint-Germainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempts to cover the expensive signings of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic through inďŹ&#x201A;ated sponsorship deals 54 | www.soccerex.com

The champions of France and England, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, were the two clubs hit hardest by Financial Fair Play penalties

In depth: the legal points of the Manchester City settlement – by Daniel Geey and Sean Cottrell

O

n 16th May 2014, the Chief Investigator of the Uefa’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) issued the decision on the settlement agreement between the CFCB and Manchester City Football Club Limited along with eight other football clubs.

The settlement agreements were reached in accordance with the Article 14 (1)(b) and Article 15 of the Procedural rules governing the Uefa CFCB (Procedural rules) after the nine clubs were found to have breached Uefa’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations breakeven requirements.

These are the most salient points from the Manchester City settlement decision.

1. City and the other eight clubs have settled with UEFA’s CFCB. No appeal to the CFCB adjudicatory chamber is permitted as a result of the settlement agreement, which in turn means the club cannot appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The positive benefit to Uefa is that all clubs in breach have settled and there will be unlikely to be direct disputes over the summer months, bar affected parties challenging the settlement agreement within ten days of the

decision in accordance with under Article 16 (2) of the Procedural rules.

to be homegrown based on Uefa’s competition restrictions.

2. City have agreed to the following: a maximum loss of €20m for the 2013/14 season and a €10m loss for the 2014/15 season.

City explained in their statement that they have stipulated losses they must adhere to, which will be different to the normal break-even €45m loss that other clubs must comply with.

5. City explained in their statement that Uefa have stipulated that they will not be able to spend more than €60m on transfers in the summer transfer window.

3. The club’s employee benefit expenses cannot increase for at least the next accounting period.

According to City, this includes playing and non-playing staff but excludes performance related bonuses.

4. City are limited to registering 21 players for their 2014/15 Champions League season squad.

If they comply with the other above/ below conditions, they will be able to field their full 25-man squad for the 2015/16 Champions League season. City explained that they only registered 23 players for the 2013/14 Champions League season and only used 21. Nonetheless, it is assumed that eight, or pro-rata’ed down potentially to six or seven, from their 21-man list will be required

6. City have been given a €10m fine based on 2013/14 Champions League prize monies and an additional €10m fine based on their upcoming 2014/15 Champions League prize monies. If they do not comply with the above conditions, an extra €40m fine will be imposed. It is still unclear whether the fine money will be allocated to other clubs from the Premier League who have qualified for next season’s competition or into a wider fine allocation pool.

7. By settling, City can play in the Champions League next season, though affected parties had ten days to appeal the settlement agreement, as outlined above.

Daniel Geey, is an editorial board member of LawInSport and a sports lawyer at Field Fisher Waterhouse.

Sean Cottrell is the founder and chief executive of LawInSport.

SOCCEREXPRO | 55

It remains unclear by how much City and PSG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the worst offenders by some distance given the severity of the penalties compared to the other seven clubs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; missed Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s targets, but both have received a large amount of investment in recent years as new owners have moved in to build squads capable of challenging for domestic and European honours. Both clubs have conquered their domestic leagues but  `

this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Uefa Champions League, with City falling in the second round.

The City and PSG projects are similar in that additional money was invested in the club through sponsorship deals with companies connected to their owners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Abu Dhabi national carrier Etihad, which holds naming rights to Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stadium and is helping to fund its ambitious training complex, and Qatar Tourism Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reported â&#x201A;Ź150 million investment in PSG. As part of the settlements with both City and PSG, Uefa and the clubs have agreed on fair valuations of those deals.

to have been largely accepted and agreed upon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reluctantly in the case of City, who reportedly rejected Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initial attempt at settling before falling into line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps predictably it is the sporting element to the sanctions which

@ may continue to do so. Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current regulations require eight so-called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;homegrownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; players within the 25-man squads submitted by clubs when they enter a European competition. After the initial decision in May, it emerged that City successfully negotiated with Uefa a scenario whereby they will only be

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak gave a rare interview to the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website on FFP

 #

in their squad for the 2014/15 season, a decision which will have an obvious impact on the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer transfer # {

concession and lessen Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s punishment.

In a rare interview, conducted by ( _ _ chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak insisted that the club is on course to break even this year, adding: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Next year, we will

# project, we have zero debt and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay a penny to service any debt. For me thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sustainable model. However, our friends at Uefa seem to believe otherwise. They have their view, we have ours. It will not compromise our strategy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will always do what is best for this club and the fans. If that means we have to take a pinch then we will do so. But we know that we have the right model and will believe in the model.â&#x20AC;?

At the time of writing, there were indications that PSG would continue to spend heavily on individual players in spite of their sanctions. The club was linked with a UKÂŁ40 million move for Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brazilian international David Luiz in May, a record fee for a defender.

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the range of sanctions which could be handed to clubs in breach, from

of points, the withholding of Uefa revenues, restrictions of players in Uefa   bans. In the end, it decided the breaches it discovered were not serious enough to merit a ban from competing in European competition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; although the cooperation of the clubs in violation of the rules was also a likely factor.

The return of the likes of Liverpool and AS Monaco to European competition next season â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with the former fuelled by American investment and the latter in the hands of a Russian oligarch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the continued monitoring of City and PSG all but guarantee that FFP regulations will continue to become part of the European football soap opera.

The other settlements at a glance PSG - Undertaking to report maximum break-even deďŹ cit of â&#x201A;Ź30 million for ďŹ nancial year ending in 2015 and no break-even deďŹ cit for 2016 - Acceptance that employee beneďŹ t expenses will not increase over next two years - 21 instead of 25 players allowed in Champions League squad

56 | www.soccerex.com

- Agreement to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;signiďŹ cantly limitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; transfer spending in 2014/15 and 2015/16 - Agreement to pay â&#x201A;Ź60 million ďŹ ne, to be withheld from due Uefa revenues. â&#x201A;Ź40 million of that will be returned to PSG should it fulďŹ l the conditions in its FFP agreement.

The others Zenit St Petersburg, Rubin Kazan and Anzhi Makhachkala: restrictions on transfer spending; a two-year wage freeze. Anzhi and Kazan to have European squads cut to 21. Rubin ďŹ ned â&#x201A;Ź6 million, Anzhi â&#x201A;Ź2 million.

Levski SoďŹ a, Galatasaray, Bursaspor and Trabzonspor: â&#x201A;Ź200,000 ďŹ ne and a wage freeze for one year.

“Our first ever Olympic medal in Beijing, followed by two more in London, could not have been achieved without the support and commitment of Manchester and the sporting expertise within the city.”

Steve Flynn, Operations Director, GB Taekwondo

MANCHESTER

Home to the business of sport With its impressive reputation and experience of hosting world-class events, its premiership football teams, rugby super league teams and national sporting body head offices – it is no wonder that Manchester offers the perfect environment for the business of sport.

Football alone contributes an estimated £330 million per season to Greater Manchester’s economy - the equivalent of Manchester hosting an Olympic Games every four years, demonstrating the business potential of the region for the full sports industry supply chain.

With a high value commercial property offer, including the only Enterprise Zone in the UK directly connected to an international airport, Manchester has the infrastructure to support business growth, including networks such as Pro Manchester and Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

Manchester is home to a number of Sporting Governing Bodies, including British Cycling, English Lacrosse, England Squash & Racketball and British Taekwondo as well as a strong sports sector which spans major brands to professional services, such as Adidas, Umbro, Deloitte and Pinsent Masons.

Manchester Airport, the 3rd largest airport in the UK, connects direct with 200 destinations, including from across the US, Asia and the Middle East. You are never more than one stop from anywhere in the world, making Manchester one of the most accessible cities in Europe.

From the BUPA Great Manchester Run to the Investec India v England Test Match this summer and Rugby World Cup in 2015, Manchester continues to attract the type of events that add to its status as a city of sport.

If sport is your business, your business should be in Manchester.

investinmanchester.com

EUROPE

Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vero appointment sparks Platini speculation Uefa, European soccerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing body, has appointed Vero Communications to help â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;develop and support its international communications activitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The news was announced at the conclusion of Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ordinary Congress in the Kazakh city of Astana in March, and came just weeks after former CNN presenter Pedro Pinto was appointed as Uefa president Michel Platiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief of press. Mike Lee (above), the founder of Vero, was the director of communications and public affairs for Uefa between 2000 and 2004, before running the communications for Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful Olympic bid. Lee created Vero â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which also works with world cyclingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing body, the UCI, and has been contracted by various mega-event bidders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in 2006. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With an evolving European football landscape, Uefa is playing a key role in shaping the future and we are delighted to be joining the team to help develop and deliver effective communications to stakeholders and the international media,â&#x20AC;? Lee said. There has been speculation that the appointment may be linked a Platini plan to stand for the presidency of Fifa next year.

Wembley and Munich face off for Euro 2020 ďŹ nal Â&#x2122; (

of Uefa Euro 2020, after European

#

it had received 19 bids to stage matches in a competition it will stage in up to 13 countries across the continent. However, only England and Germany submitted

58 | www.soccerex.com

The tournament will either conclude at

Euro 96, or Munichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Allianz Arena, the home of Bayern Munich and a 2006 Fifa World Cup venue. The other bidders comprise a healthy mix of established and new markets. Rome, Glasgow, Cardiff, Brussels, Dublin, Bilbao, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Baku, Minsk, ^ V ~ Bucharest and St Petersburg have all submitted bids. Istanbul, which had been D

did not make an application, with Turkey now set to concentrate on a solo effort for the 2024 tournament. The successful cities will be selected in September.

Dyke unveils FA reform proposal Football Association (FA) chairman Greg Dyke (right) has proposed the introduction of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; teams in his wideranging England Commission Report,

in May. The B-team plan, which was almost universally condemned, would see Â&#x2122; V new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;League Threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sitting between the existing League Two, English footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth tier, and the non-league pyramid â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the 2016/17 season. The B teams would not, however, be allowed to play in either the FA or League Cups. The 80-page document, which also suggests work permit and coaching revisions plus measures to increase the number of English players playing in the Premier League, was put together by Dyke and a commission including former England defender Rio Ferdinand, England manager Roy Hodgson and former England manager Glenn Hoddle.

MIDDLE EAST of the year and that a decision would be made with Fifa in 2015 on the number of venues needed in eight yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time.

In May, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said awarding the World Cup to Qatar had been â&#x20AC;&#x153;a mistakeâ&#x20AC;?.

Qatar prepares for limited labour reform The Qatari government has issued a series of proposals aimed at reforming the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hugely controversial kafala visa sponsorship system. The changes, announced on 14th May, amount to a liberalisation of the existing laws and have been billed as a Â&#x2019; Â&#x2022; #

labour practices as criticism mounts ahead of preparations for the Fifa World Cup in 2022. Meanwhile, Qatar 2022 communications and marketing executive director Nasser Al Khater gave the Soccerex Asian Forum and update on the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans for the

# projects would be launched by the end

Blatter heads to Middle East as row brews Fifa president Sepp Blatter (below)

~ 5 and the Palestinian territories as a row continues to fester between the Palestine Football Association and 5 " ~ Rajoub, the head of the Palestine Football Association, has called for sanctions against the Israel Football

Association if travel restrictions against Palestinian players and foreign visitors are not lifted. Rajoub called the Israeli body â&#x20AC;&#x153;the bully of the neighbourhoodâ&#x20AC;?. Blatter insisted Fifa would do everything possible to resolve the situation at the Fifa Congress in SĂŁo ') '' ~ Â&#x2C6; # he was cool on the subject of sanctions, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think at the Congress we should try to be in the sporting spirit and not in the spirit of punishment.â&#x20AC;?

Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICSS conďŹ rms European expansion The Qatar-based International Centre

Â&#x201C;5_ Â&#x201D; Â&#x160;

Former European Professional Football Leagues chief executive Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros (below) has been appointed 5_ Â&#x160; ~ â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ICSS is fast becoming a leading # # the integrity and safety of sport,â&#x20AC;? said ICSS president Mohammed Hanzab. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order to continue to serve sport at a global level and to continue our work with Governments and International organisations, we need to ensure that we are well-positioned to maximise these partnerships and to have the resources and the added expertise to be at the forefront of issues affecting sport.â&#x20AC;?

SOCCEREXPRO | 59

ASIA Indian Super League owners revealed The All India Football Federation (AIFF) unveiled the owners and locations of the eight new Indian Super League (ISL) franchises in April. The leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promoters, IMG Reliance and Star 5

will be based in Delhi, Kochi, Guwahti, Bangalore, Kolkata, Goa, Pune and Mumbai. Chennai was the only city included on the Invitation to Bid document not to receive a team. Retired cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar (below) and Sourav Ganguly will be involved, Tendulkar as a brand ambassador for the Kochi team and Ganguly as an investor in the Kolkata franchise alongside AtlĂŠtico Madrid. Each of the league partners is thought to have paid around US$19 million for a ten-year franchise, with Kolkata commanding a slightly higher price. The inaugural season â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which will feature squads of ten foreign players, eight domestic Indian players and four local Indian players â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is set to begin in September.

60 | www.soccerex.com

South Korea to bid for Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup Â&#x2030; # have registered its interest in hosting the 2019 Fifa Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup. The others are England, France, New Zealand and South Africa. South Korea, England, France and New Zealand have also expressed an interest in staging the 2018 Under-20 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup â&#x20AC;&#x201C; "

host of the 2016 edition. Formal bids must be made by the end of October, with a decision expected early in 2015. ~ D for the 2019 World Cup, was not on Fifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list, having deciding to concentrate on its 2019 Rugby World Cup and preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Asia expands along European lines The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) " _ expand from 16 to 24 teams in 2019.

The change mirrors that being made

by European footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing body Uefa in time for Euro 2016 but will not affect next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition, which will be staged in Australia. The AFC has also decided to end its Challenge Cup competition, with the preliminary Â

D Asian Cup and the Fifa World Cup combined. The qualifying section will comprise eight groups, with the winners of each and the four best second-placed teams qualifying for the Asian Cup and _ Â

+ Â

tournament will take place separately, with the next best-placed group of 24 teams

Â

split into six different groups to battle for the remaining Asian Cup places.

AFRICA

CAF begins its Africa Cup of Nations inspections The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has begun inspections of potential host nations for the 2019 and %)%' @

team competition, the African Cup on Nations. A delegation from CAF, including two members of its executive committee, visited Algeria at the beginning of May, having previously travelled to Guinea and Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire.

Following its meetings with Algeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national association, the CAF delegation @

Cameroon. It has also scheduled visits to Zambia and Congo DR after the Fifa _ ~ _"

report back to the wider organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership, with decisions on the two host nations expected in September.

Next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco, with the 2017 edition set to take place in Libya.

15 killed in Kinshasa stadium tragedy At least 15 football fans were killed following a stampede at a Congolese league game in May. The incident happened at the Tata Raphael Stadium in DR Congoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital, Kinshasa. Trouble began when the home team, AS Vita Club, were defeated by TP Mazembe, a club from the city of Lubumbashi,

" and gate collapsed, causing the fatalities and injuries to at least 20 other people.

CAF president Issa Hayatou offered his condolences to the families of those affected and added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to

re-emphasise that any acts of violence have no place in football. They must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and I urge the FECOFA [DR Congoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national football association] to thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure that measures put in place to avoid a repeat of any incidents are fully briefed with CAF and forestall any such occurrence.â&#x20AC;? Kinshasaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governor has launched a full inquiry.

# # Â

the African Under-20 Championship.

The country had already been banned from the tournament by CAF but its senior team will now no longer be able to participate in qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, with The Seychelles progressing to the next round in their place. Gambia beat Â&#x2122; '`) `%) Â 6th April before the trangressions were discovered â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with documents suggesting

_ # Ali Sowe, could be as old as 25. The Gambia Football Federation has said it will appeal the decision.

Gambia banned for two years after overage players win Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest country, Gambia, has received a two-year ban from all SOCCEREXPRO | 61

NORTH AMERICA

MLS expansion reaches Atlanta Major League Soccer (MLS) has " Â?

home of its 22nd team, which will be owned by The Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank (above right). The team will make their MLS debut in 2017 and will play at a new US$1.2 billion stadium with a retractable roof, currently being built in downtown Atlanta. The 65,000-capacity venue will host the new franchise alongside its main tenants, the Atlanta Falcons NFL side also owned by Blank, in a model similar to that seen in Seattle, where the Seahawks share with the Sounders, and New England, whose Patriots and Revolution also use the same ground. According to an MLS statement, V the league about a potential franchise in Atlanta in 2008. The 71-year-old businessman and his group then visited six MLS stadiums and cities as part of their research, before agreeing to pay the reported US$70 million expansion fee for the franchise. MLS said Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logo, along with the coaching and administrative staff, will be announced at a later date, with fans also set to be invited to suggest names for the team.

Bayern Munich pursue American dream Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have followed in the footsteps of Manchester United by setting up an

{ States. Bayernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premises are in New = +

April and is headed by managing director Rudolph Vidal, one of three Bayern employees who will work from the USA. 62 | www.soccerex.com

~ÂŹ V ( of internationalisation and strategy, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an American, Rudolf Vidal, with his many years of experience in the

is ideally cast for Bayern. We are sure that Rudolf Vidal and his team in New York will, with great commitment and D V its internationalisation.â&#x20AC;? Bayern cantered to this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bundesliga title and won the DFB Pokal but failed to defend the Uefa Champions League, losing to Real ( ` Gulati re-elected for third term as US Soccer president Sunil Gulati (right), the longstanding chief of US Soccer, was re-elected as president of the organisation in March.

He ran unopposed and will now serve

a third four-year term. He has been president since 1996. Gulati is a member of Fifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive committee and was a major player behind the ultimately unsuccessful US bid to host the 2022 World Cup. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m honoured to be granted the opportunity to serve our membership as president of the US soccer federation,â&#x20AC;? said Gulati. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the years, soccer has made numerous strides in the US and we are excited by the sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boundless potential for growth in the future. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to being part of soccerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bright future on all levels throughout the country.â&#x20AC;? At the start of May, US Soccer announced a new broadcast deal, with ESPN, Fox and Univision, for Major League Soccer and US national team games. ESPN replaces NBC. The new arrangement will run from 2015 to 2022.

SOUTH AMERICA US to host historic Copa The United States will host its largest national team soccer tournament since the 1994 Fifa World Cup in 2016, when it stages the Copa AmĂŠrica Centenario.

The special tournament will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Conmebol, the governing body for soccer in South America. It will follow a regular Copa America, played by South American teams, in 2015. Six teams from Concacaf, made up of North American and Caribbean soccer associations, will compete alongside the regular South American participants in the Centenario.

Hosts USA and Mexico have been granted automatic slots alongside

four teams who will qualify over the next two years. No venues have been Miami Herald newspaper suggested that the likes of Pasadenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rose Bowl, which

_ 'Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; RFK Stadium in Washington, Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â&#x2039; > ~ MetLife Stadium could be in line to stage games. In an indication, however, that

Conmebol president Eugenio Figueredo admitted during Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement that Fifa, world soccerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing body,

the tournament, which is due to be

? %Â&#x20AC; ~ %)'Â&#x20AC;

Argentina unveils plans for new league Argentinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football association, the AFA, has decided to create a new 30-team top league. The structural change will kick in in 2015, replacing the existing twotournament 20-team competition which has run for 23 years. The single league will run

from February to November, with a special

D to ensure local teams play each other. The format was voted in unanimously by the AFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive committee, which was made up of 27 attending members, in ( ~ Â? " " # president, was quoted by local radio as saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the directors raised their hands to approve the change.â&#x20AC;?

Del Nero to head CBF after World Cup Marco Polo Del Nero (below) will become the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in 2015.

The 73-year-old lawyer ran unopposed ~ ( ( remain at the head of the organisation for several months after the Fifa World Cup. Del Nero has been a Fifa executive committee member since March 2012, when he was chosen by Comnebol to replace the controversial Ricardo Teixeira.

Del Neroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CBF appointment came amid a dispute over the start of the Brazilian league season, with relegated Fluminense @

V Â after Portuguesa received a points

%)'?

appeal the decision in court.

SOCCEREXPRO | 63

SIGNINGS A selection of the major deals agreed by the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading clubs, players and competitions in the past three months. For daily updates visit www.sportspromedia.com or follow @SportsPro on Twitter.

Manchester City add J-League team to group English Premier League champions Manchester City have taken an ownership stake in Japanese J-League team Yokohama F Marinos (YF Marinos).

City Football Group (CFG) has acquired an undisclosed minority shareholding in the club from majority owner Nissan Motor Company.

The Marinos, three-time J-League champions, will join the City â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of clubs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which also includes New York City FC, who will debut in Major League Soccer next year, and Australian A-League side Melbourne Heart. +

investment in a J-League team, will see the Marinos work with CFG to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;create new global opportunitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

According to a Nissan release announcing the agreement, the Marinos will gain access to a host of CFG resources, including training methods, medical care, sports science, management practices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The YF Marinos is an excellent soccer club with a rich history which has grown hand in hand with Nissan,â&#x20AC;? said Carlos Ghosn, the Nissan president

and chief executive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Together we see opportunities that CFGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global soccer infrastructure will bring to the club and the excitement it will bring to the fans.

This partnership will contribute to the growth of the club, the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown and Japanese soccer.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thrilled to be able to play a role in investing and building on the ongoing success of YF Marinos,â&#x20AC;? said Ferran Soriano, chief executive of Manchester City FC and of City Football Group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are proud to offer a collaborative and integrated approach to the football, marketing, media and commercial development of all the clubs in the City family. At the same time, we are proud that each of our # local community as well as connected and engaged with its supporter base.

We are very much looking forward to starting our collaboration.â&#x20AC;?

In May Manchester City, recently crowned Premier League champions for the second time in three years, reluctantly {Â&#x2030;Â&#x203A; Â&#x2021; restrictions on their playing squad in European competition after falling foul of Uefaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Financial Fair Play regulations.

AS Monaco replace Macron with Nike French club AS Monaco have agreed a kit supply deal with Nike.

The American sportswear giant will supply the Ligue 1 runners-up with matchday and training wear from the 2014/15 season until at least 2019. It will

for Monaco supporters.

Nike replaces Macron as Monacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kit +

were not released.

Dermot Cleary, the vice president and general manager of Nike Football, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;AS Monaco are one of the most exciting football clubs in Europe and 64 | www.soccerex.com

their ambition to become one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading clubs is clear. We look forward to working with them as we continue to grow our position as number one brand in football.â&#x20AC;?

AS Monaco vice president and chief executive Vadim Vasilyev added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;AS Monaco would like to say thanks to Macron for their support over the last four years. As we look to the future it is telling of our ambition to welcome Nike as our new partner. This partnership supports our global strategy as we look to grow AS Monaco as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading football clubs and we look forward to working closely with Nike.â&#x20AC;?

Peter Lim named new Valencia CF owner Singaporean tycoon Peter Lim (below) has acquired a majority stake in debtridden Spanish club Valencia CF. The billionaire investor, through his Meriton Holdings Limited company, has reportedly spent â&#x201A;Ź100 million to purchase 70.4 per cent of the shares owned by the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundation, following a protracted seven-way bidding war over the La Liga side.

Valenciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accepted Peter Limâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal following a four-hour meeting at the Valencia Palace Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in May, according to Spanish newspaper Marca. + 17th May. Lim, whose fortune of US$2.05 billion saw him ranked by Forbes as the tenth richest man in Singapore last year, has been linked with a number of soccer club takeovers in the past. Though a Manchester United fan, he tried to buy Liverpool for UKÂŁ300 million in 2010 and was linked with a buyout of AC Milan earlier this year.

According to reports, Lim has had to take on Valenciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sizeable debts as part of his takeover. The club is reported to owe creditors Bankia more than â&#x201A;Ź220 million, which is due to be repaid on 27th May, while its overall debt is said to total some â&#x201A;Ź360 million.

Valencia, the 2003/04 Spanish

Â&#x2122; Â&#x2122;

season. Club president Aurelio Martinez has revealed that â&#x201A;Ź60 million will be made immediately available for the purchase of new players following Limâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s takeover. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very happy that the project has been chosen after such a rigorous selection process,â&#x20AC;? Lim told the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Â&#x2DC; _ end to months of uncertainty.â&#x20AC;?

Lim has also pledged to complete the construction of Valenciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new stadium, Nou Mestalla, by 2019. Work on the 61,500-seat venue has been stalled since 2009.

Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Suarez to endorse 888poker.com Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has signed a global endorsement contract with online poker site 888poker.com.

As part of the deal, the Uruguayan becomes a member of Team 888poker and will regularly play online on the site.

He will also participate in live events and what the company calls â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;money-canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t-buy experiencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

A statement from 888 announcing the partnership in May referred to Suarez as Â&#x201A; > terms were disclosed.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Luis Suarez is an incredible sporting talent: passionate, competitive, technically gifted and emotionally invested in the game,â&#x20AC;? said Itai Pazner, a senior vice president at 888. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s those qualities that make him an exciting player to watch, in poker as well as football. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantastic to have him on board.â&#x20AC;?

Suarez won the Premier Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golden Boot award this season, scoring 31 goals in a year in which he was also named the Football Writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association and Professional Footballerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Footballer of the Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

IMG picks up Euro 2016 licensing assignment IMG Licensing has been appointed as the master licensee for the Uefa Euro 2016 soccer tournament.

The global rights contract runs until 2017 and also covers the Uefa European U21 Championship, the Uefa European Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Championship and the Uefa Futsal Euro. "

in May, IMG Licensing, which will lead ^

both core category and creative licensees to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;design, produce and distribute ranges of fan, lifestyle, fashion and leisure products to be sold throughout Europe and other worldwide marketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, the marketing director at Uefa Events SA, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As part of the continued growth of national team football in Europe, Uefa Euro %)'Â&#x20AC;

% #

commercial platform with 65 per cent more matches played and almost 80 per cent more tickets available for fans compared to the last edition.

Â&#x2019;+

important part of the event promotion allowing fans of all ages, in France as well as around the world, to connect with the competition. We look forward to working with IMG and using their expertise to together create a great range of Uefa Â&#x160; %)'Â&#x20AC; Â&#x2022; Uefa Euro 2016 will take place from 10th June to 10th July and is set to be played across ten different French cities.

SOCCEREXPRO | 65

Chevrolet puts its name to BrasileirĂŁo Chevrolet has agreed a deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to take the naming rights to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elite league, the BrasileirĂŁo.

Details of the General Motors-owned car brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership have not been released but according to reports in Brazil, it is likely to have signed a multiyear agreement. The league, which kicked off in April, will now be known as the BrasileirĂŁo Chevrolet.

The sponsorship will be promoted with a composite logo, while pitchside

round of matches in the 2014 season.

Chevrolet replaces Petrobras as the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main sponsor. The Brazilian energy multinational had held the role for two years.

Univision spends US$60m on 2016 Copa America Centenario Spanish language network Univision has reportedly moved quickly to secure broadcast rights to the 2016 Copa America Centenario The tournament, which will be played in the United States, was only ( + centenary of Conmebol, the governing body for football in South America, the organisation will stage a special

_ " @

national team competition.

Teams from Concacaf, which covers North and Central America, will be invited to compete.

Univision will reportedly broadcast the tournament in the United States in Spanish, with estimates suggesting it will pay US$60 million. The agreement shores up Univisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national team soccer coverage, as it has lost the Spanish-language US rights to Fifasanctioned tournaments to Telemundo from 2015. It will, however, broadcast this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup from Brazil.

The English rights to the Copa America Centenario have yet to be sold ^

bidding battle amongst the likes of Fox, NBC and ESPN. Fox, which acquired the rights to Major League Soccer until 2022 in May and will broadcast the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, is believed to have

66 | www.soccerex.com

Concacaf renews with TrafďŹ c Sports until 2022 Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America, plus the Caribbean, has passed on its sponsorship rights to the Brazilian-headquartered +

%)%% + _ ` sanctioned competitions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including four editions of the Gold Cup, seven seasons of the Champions League, youth ! Â ` from 2015/16 to 2021/22.

The deal is an extention of one originally agreed in late 2012, which runs to the end of next season, and +

> were immediately available.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are grateful to Concacaf for

+

development and growth of its corporate partnership program,â&#x20AC;? said Aaron Davidson, the president of + { " Â&#x2019;!# 'Â&#x201E;

current agreement, we have focused on laying a new foundation for the

@ Â?

Cup and Champions League. And now after growing Gold Cup sponsorship over 50 per cent in 2013 and validating the Concacaf Champions League as the most important professional club tournament in the region, we are very well positioned to exponentially grow the confederationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate partnerships over the next two World Cup cycles.â&#x20AC;?

Ford shifts soccer focus to Chinese Super League Automobile giant Ford has become the Â&#x201A; D #

_ Super League (CSL).

The company, through its Chang An Ford dealership, has signed a three-year deal to support the league as a premier partner until 2017.

As part of its commitment, Ford will supply 20 cars to the CSL clubs. It is

the league.

A press conference was held in Beijing to announce the partnership, which comes as Ford refocuses its football sponsorships after electing not to renew its deal for the Uefa Champions League beyond this season.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but, according to China Sports Insider, the deal is worth as much as 390 million yuan (US$62.5 million).

The website said 240 million yuan of that will be paid as a cash sponsorship fee, while the remaining sum will go towards promotion and activation.

Ford is said to be planning to invest more than 150 million RMB (around US$24 million) in organising over 600 soccer-themed events across China. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only do we fully support the league, we will also help to expand and improve the football business and

contribute to the development of Chinese football,â&#x20AC;? said Marin Burela, the president of Chang An Ford Automobile Co. Ltd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ford, as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular car brand and deeply passionate about football, hope to bring in and incorporate Fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience with football globally into the CSL and see an immediate effect to the development of Chinese football.â&#x20AC;?

Talks over the sponsorship are said to have been ongoing between Ford, the CSL and IMG, the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing partner, since the end of last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am extremely proud that Ford and the CSL have partnered together after

much talk and negotiation,â&#x20AC;? said Adam ­ 5(Â? " ` chief executive for Greater China. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are honoured that IMG, as the CSLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic partner, contributed to this partnership and our work will not stop here; we will ceaselessly and actively strive to contribute more to Chinese football.â&#x20AC;?

Since signing a ten-year strategic partnership with the CSL in 2012, IMG has secured sponsorship agreements with the likes of Carlsberg, Jingdong and Ping An Insurance. Global icon David Beckham has also been brought on board as an ambassador of the league.

WSFF to support Manchester City title push Manchester City Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Football Club have agreed what they describe as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;groundbreakingâ&#x20AC;? partnership with the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF).

The WSFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logo appeared on the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training kit as City made their FA Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super League debut in April.

5 ` partnership to be announced since the Premier League club announced the formation of their womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team.

Founded in 1984, the WSFF is a UK charity focused on increasing female participation and involvement.

WSFF chief executive Ruth Holdaway said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This partnership with MCWFC #

collaborated with a football team and we are delighted that one of the biggest clubs in world sport is demonstrating such a

strong commitment to the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our shared values will help create a strong pathway to get women more involved in sport.â&#x20AC;?

Tom Glick, the managing director of City Football Marketing, added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As # " Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super League itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to us that we have the right partners on board. We hope that this unique partnership will have a real and lasting impact on girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sport both in the UK and worldwide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The players are fantastic role models to young people and we, with the WSFF, are fortunate to have a platform to showcase that to the next generation of sportswomen.â&#x20AC;?

City are playing their home games at Manchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Regional Athletics Arena this season, before they move into the newly constructed 7,000-capacity City Football Academy in 2015.

SOCCEREXPRO | 67

Socceroos score sweet new deal US confectionary company Mondelez has reached an agreement with Football Federation Australia (FFA) to become

countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national side, the Socceroos.

The company will use the sponsorship to promote its Cadbury, Vegemite, Oreos and Philadelphia brands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very pleased to announce that Mondelez Australia have signed rights to be the snacking partner of the Socceroos as they start their World Cup campaign in Brazil this year,â&#x20AC;? a Mondelez spokesperson told AdNews. Â&#x2019;

biscuit, candy, spreads and coffee partner of the Socceroos and will be activating the partnership in store and on POS across all our major customers in May and June.â&#x20AC;?

The Socceroos are still searching for a primary sponsor following the expiration of its long-running agreement with Qantas.

Cristiano Ronaldo signs timely new deal Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a personal endorsement deal with Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer. " # been released, Ronaldo, a two-time Ballon dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or winner and Real Madridâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marquee player, will act as a Tag Heuer ambassador for a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;long-termâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; period.

Tag joins the likes of Nike, Coca-Cola, Konami, Castrol, Banco Espirito Santo, and Emirates as a personal sponsor of the 29-year-old.

The Portuguese (right) is perhaps footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most marketable active player, estimated to earn more than US$20 million annually from endorsement fees alone.

Ronaldo joins the likes of Jenson Button, SĂŠbastien Ogier, Maria 68 | www.soccerex.com

Huawei broadens soccer reach with Ghana FA deal Huawei has become a sponsor of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) ahead of this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fifa World Cup. + _ ^ sponsor of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, has committed US$100,000 in cash and products to Ghanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior national team. The Black Stars will face the USA, Germany and Portugal in Group G at this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup in Brazil.

The one-year deal sees Huawei become the sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information

Sharapova, Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio as a Tag-sponsored global personality.

Ronaldo put his name to the following statement about the Tag brand: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is incredibly glamorous yet also so unconventional, and we share exactly the same determination: to totally change the game, push the limits and make our own rules. It is a great honour to be a part of such a powerful and pioneering legacy.â&#x20AC;? Â&#x2019;+

do that with Cristiano, opening a new trend and a new way to engage with our fans,â&#x20AC;? explained Tag Heuer chief executive StĂŠphane Linder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sports is part of our tradition because we share the same values: self motivation and discipline, pushing oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limit, never giving up.â&#x20AC;?

at GFA headquarters.

GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will like to assure that you will have a # Â? " and I hope that, after the one-year spell, you will be encouraged to continue to deal with the GFA.â&#x20AC;?

Zhao Gang, the chief technical

Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2018; Â&#x2019;+ are privileged to sponsor the Black stars and we are joined together to make a big > 5 am talking about long-term relationship between Black Stars and Huawei.â&#x20AC;?

Veltins scores four-year FC Schalke extension The C. & A. Veltins Brewery has renewed its stadium naming rights agreement with Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 for a further four years.

The Meschede-Grevenstein-based

1997 and acquired the naming rights to the 62,000-seat stadium in 2005. It also has a pouring rights agreement in place with the side, which will run until 2023.

Though financial terms were not

Infront and Serie A conďŹ rm billion-dollar renewal Infront Sports & Media and Serie A #

rights agreement for the three seasons to 2017/18.

The new contract was signed in Milan in May, following months of rumour and negotiation. The fundamentals of the agreement were agreed in December, but 5

guaranteed the league a minimum revenue of ĂŠ5.94 billion (US$8.28 billion) for the next six seasons.

The contract includes an option to extend the agreement for a further three seasons, until 2020/21.

Infont will now begin work on preparing the media packages for the domestic rights to Serie A, the TIM Cup and TIM Supercup, covering the 2015/16 to 2017/18 seasons.

formally announced, Sponsors.de values the agreement at around â&#x201A;Ź5.5 million a year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Veltins Arena name is the epitome of an engaging and sustainable sporting linkup and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking forward to the furtherance of our relationship,â&#x20AC;? said chief Veltins representative Michael Huber. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For us as a premium brand, having Schalke as partners gives us maximum identity and acceptance. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re convinced Schalke fans have been behind the

Veltins Arena name from the beginning because we have similar values â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re down to earth, true to life and authentic.â&#x20AC;?

Schalkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director of marketing Alexander Jobst added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;With this contract extension we are setting an exclamation mark for the club and for the Bundesliga. Besides the commercial aspects, durability and credibility are important success factors for stadium naming rights. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to continue a partnership with Veltins that is recognised and lived by the fans in equal measure.â&#x20AC;?

Infront has sold Serie A media rights in Italy since agreeing an initial six-year deal in 2009. That agreement, worth US$6.9 billion in total to the league, had been due to expire at the end of the %)'Â&#x2020;ÂŁ'Â&#x20AC;

the deal has now been superseded by the new contract.

Maurizio Beretta, the president of Lega Serie A, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are proud to continue our strategic partnership with Infront.

Over the past years it has allowed us to

increment the media rights value. Â&#x2019;+

Italian football is of great value â&#x20AC;&#x201C; recognised nationally and internationally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and, thanks to the new technologies, we will work on diffusing it globally, with a particular attention to new generations.â&#x20AC;?

Infront chief executive Philippe Blatter added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past six years, the League and Infront have proven the success of

the value of Lega Serie A media rights and further exploiting the high potential of the respective properties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to continue to provide our professional advice and expertise to our partner Lega Serie A â&#x20AC;&#x201C; further strengthening the appeal and accessibility of Italian football and providing seamless, targeted and premium football content across multiple delivery platforms and devices for the fan.â&#x20AC;?

SOCCEREXPRO | 69

REPLAY

1950: MARACANAZO Brazil 1-2 Uruguay 16th July 1950 EstĂĄdio do MaracanĂŁ, Rio de Janeiro Attendance: 173,850* Brazil: Barbosa; Augusto, Juvenal; Bauer, Danilo, Bigode; FriaÂĄa, Zizinho, Ademir, Jair da Rosa Pinto, Chico Uruguay: MĂĄspoli; M Gonzalez, Tejera; Gambetta, O Varela, R Andrade; Gigghia, J q2 % ?w+ % Referee: George Reader (England) ; 7 { &9| 99 ; ++

}: = + /

Despite the kind of construction delays that will be familiar today, the build V X _

+

II was also a chance for South Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest country to announce itself on a global stage.

The competition was decided by a round-robin group of four, rather than `

V X Uruguay went into the last game with a

chance of winning the title. Brazil were heavily fancied â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their exciting blend of extravagant talents had impressed throughout â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and only needed a draw to get their hands on the Jules Rimet trophy. The day before the game the Gazeta Esportiva declared â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tomorrow, we will beat Uruguayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, while Rio mayor Ă&#x201A;ngelo Mendes de Moraes addressed the players as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You, who I already salute as champions!â&#x20AC;?

La Celeste of Uruguay, however, had

that left a scar on the Brazilian national psyche for generations: the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Maracanazoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

This was how the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manchester Guardian reported the news on 17th July 1950: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;All attendance records were broken at Rio de Janeiro to-day for the world championship Brazil-Uruguay football game: more than 160,000 people attended, paying the equivalent ( Â&#x201A; ' ? / by special units of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, stood by and every precaution was taken to prevent scenes like those that took place

last Thursday, when two people died and more

9 " < ' 5 " " # " ( + + ' 5 * ( + and bottles of soft drinks, as these are handy " * " + " ' $ " + ' $ % " # # Â&#x201E; ( ( (* Â&#x201E; " ' " / ' 5 * " / $ % Â&#x2026; + Â&#x2020;$ % $ % $ % 'Â&#x2021; But it was Uruguay that won - by two goals Â&#x201E; " " ( " Brazilian players, who had expected to obtain gold medals and thousands of pounds for a win ( " # " * ( " "' In the huge white-and-blue concrete stands, women were prostrate with grief, and the announcer was so thunderstruck that he forgot to broadcast the result of the other cup match between Spain and Sweden to decide minor + ' 9 * ( ' 6 " # * ')

Alcides Gigghia (centre): â&#x20AC;&#x153;Down through its history, only three people have managed to silence the MaracanĂŁ: the Pope, Frank Sinatra and me.â&#x20AC;?

70 | www.soccerex.com

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