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German fans are the most loyal, lowest audience of the FIFA World Cup in France

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:36:00 +0200

In the U.K., the average market share for the ”Three Lions” was over 68%. These are some of the findings of SPORT+MARKT’s analysis of the free-to-air TV audiences of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in six European countries. The varying behaviour of the European audiences at the event are demonstrated. During the FIFA World Cup, “football” equals England games in the U.K.. Although in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the English national team games may not be of high interest, more than 15 million British TV viewers watched the matches of the “Three Lions”.

Just over than 4 million watched the other matches. “No matter if England is playing in the group stage or the last 16: the TV audience is always impressive”, comments Gareth Moore, U.K. and Ireland Director SPORT+MARKT. “The second game of the group phase against Algeria attracted even more than the knock-out game against the major rivals, Germany - but just because many English fans chose public viewing for the big-match!”.

A European comparison shows that whilst in Spain and Italy, only the best games were shown free-to-air, which suggests a higher market share for the games analysed, in Germany, France and Switzerland, the games were all broadcast on free-to-air TV as in England. Nevertheless, the U.K. figures remained lower. “In other European countries, the FIFA World cup is more of a TV event than in the U.K., where if England is not playing, interest decreases significantly.” In all the markets analysed, the top audience was a national team match. Only in Switzerland, the final between the Netherlands and Spain led the ranking. Furthermore, half of Swiss spectators watched all the games not involving the Swiss national team, evidencing the great passion for football in general in the country.

According to FIFA policy, despite the competition of pay TV in some countries, all the most important games at the FIFA World Cup were broadcast free-to-air. Therefore, it is no surprise that the average market share for the final was almost 70% across the most important European markets.

Kontakt
SPORT+MARKT AG
Luxemburger Straße 299
50939 Cologne
Phone: +49 (0) 221 / 430 73 177
Leonardo.giammarioli@sportundmarkt.com
www.sportundmarkt.com

Brazil are (fan) World Champions

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:14:00 +0200

In Argentina, the “Albiceleste“ generated a comparable level of interest with 73 percent. The host nation South Africa, ranked third out of the 12 markets analysed*; in England, 42 percent of the total population is interested in their national team. Supporting the home team forms bonds and creates national identity as it moves the entire nation. In particular, the success of the team boosts support even further, although even hosting the tournament has an impact, which was seen four years ago in Germany and now in South Africa, where national interest ranked third. While football faces more competition in South Africa and has not always been popular throughout the entire nation, it is clearly number one in the South American markets. In Brazil, 74 percent support their own national team. ”As the top stars play abroad, the nation stands united behind their team when it comes together from all parts of the world. Figures are already the highest with 74 percent, but they will shoot through the roof when the country is host in 2014!“ expects Gareth Moore, UK and Ireland Director SPORT+MARKT. Amongst the top European football markets, the Germans show the highest level of interest in their national team with 68 percent, while England is at the end of the line. Gareth Moore stated that, “42 percent of support for the national team in England is not a bad level keeping in mind our very strong domestic league. A lot of football lovers mainly support their own club where their stars play.” He also points out that the survey is based on the total population – not only football fans. “The German national team is still benefiting from the World Cup in their country, which has drawn the entire nation behind their national squad – no matter whether they are interested in football or not”, adds Moore of SPORT+MARKT.

Not only in Germany do we still see the impact of hosting the biggest football event. In South Korea, host of the 2002 tournament, 63 percent of the population is interested in their national football squad. The reason behind the USA ranking at the bottom of the 12 nations analysed is not only because the World Cup 1994 is so long ago. “We cannot compare the market situation in the US with that of Europe or Latin America where football is clearly number one”, comments Moore of SPORT+MARKT. “While competing with national giants American football, baseball, and basketball, 17 percent support their national soccer team which is a positive development – and with the scale of the market it represents 37 million people who will support the team in their first match against England on the 12th of June.” Despite large gaps of interest between the nations analysed, Moore draws an overall positive conclusion, as each nation faces different conditions and challenges. He expects figures to increase as the tournament draws nearer: “We have to keep in mind that our survey was taken during a quiet football period when the national team was not yet present in the media. As the tournament starts, interest will rise, riveting everyone to their TV screens.“ Especially in host nation South Africa, the expert still expects a boost despite an already impressive third position with 69 percent support.

Contact
SPORT+MARKT
Luxemburger Str. 299
50939 Cologne
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)221 430 73 177
Fax: +49 (0)221 430 73 161
leonardo.giammarioli[at]sportundmarkt.com
www.sportundmarkt.com

Commercial masters vs. TV Rights giants in the Champions League

Fri, 21 May 2010 10:44:00 +0200

Bayern receives 20 million Euro from its jersey sponsor, almost double the 11.5 million Euro received by Inter from Pirelli. The situation is completely different in terms of broadcasting income. Inter’s media revenue exceeds 115 million Euro, corresponding to 60% of total revenue. Bayern only generates 25% of its income from TV.

“The Commercial Masters defy the Giants of TV rights. In terms of revenue, Bayern has already defeated Inter Milan: thanks to a great commercial strategy, the Bavarians have been able to earn almost 100 million Euro more than their Italian rivals” says Hartmut Zastrow, Executive Director SPORT+MARKT.

Ticketing revenue also differs strongly: capacity usage at Bayern’s Allianz Arena is at 100% for domestic matches. FC Bayern’s new stadium has been completely sold out in the last three seasons with an average income of 60.6 million Euro per year. Inter Milan’s San Siro stadium, by contrast, has only been 68% full. This is positive compared to the Italian average attendance, but with 28.2 million Euro generated from matchday revenue, there is still enormous scope for improvement: “The revenue from the stadium ticketing is impressive for Bayern and represents 22% of the total, almost equal to broadcasting income”, underlines Zastrow. “Bayern’s figures are a dream for every club. Of course, a new stadium for Inter Milan would help reduce the gap and bring more fans to the matches, generating more cash for the club.”

Not only the 5.9 million Inter fans in Italy and 8.3 million Bayern fans in Germany will be on tenterhooks for the Champions League Final in Madrid: all the football fans in Italy and Germany will cross their fingers for their own national club, as the winner will achieve the UEFA coefficient to qualify 4 clubs from its own domestic league for the 2012 edition of the Champions League. So far, Bayern and Inter have earned 22.5 million Euro for reaching the final. Now they are approaching the final hurdle, which is worth 9 million Euro and that might not only secure more fans across the world, but also more sponsors and higher media value for the winner.

Contact
SPORT+MARKT AG
Leonardo Giammarioli
International PR Manager
SPORT+MARKT AG
Luxemburger Straße 299
50939 Cologne, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 221 / 430 73 177
Fax: +49 (0) 221 / 430 73 161
Leonardo.giammarioli@sportundmarkt.com
www.sportundmarkt.com

Cricketing innovations bowling women over

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:16:00 +0200

It is evident that cricket is beginning to draw a much younger and wider demographic base on TV. “Cricket is finally attracting the attention of non-traditional cricket audiences - the more hard to reach demographic groups of women and youth”, states Ravi Chavan, Cricket Expert SPORT+MARKT. There has been a significant increase in women following cricket on TV in the United Kingdom (+ 12%) and South Africa (+ 6%) between 2008 and 2009 (see Graph 2). Similarly, during the same period cricket has also experienced an increase amongst the target audience of 16-29 year olds in countries such as Australia (+ 5%) and South Africa (+ 4%), whereas there was a marginal decrease of one percentage point in India and the United Kingdom (see Graph 3). However, given the fact that there has been an overall increase in following of cricket on TV in India (+ 5 %) and the United Kingdom (+ 1 %) as illustrated in Graph-1, the total number of 16-29 year olds following cricket on TV has nevertheless increased in 2009 as compared to 2008. This trend is further expected to continue, as the Twenty20 cricket format matures and attracts greater number of viewers. “Twenty20 format primarily designed for television and with its high octane contests appeals to women and young people, whose attention is much craved by sponsors and advertisers alike”, underlines the SPORT+MARKT project manager.

Interesting to note is the considerable decline in the 30-44 years age category in all the countries. This can be partly attributed to the fact that this category represents the traditional cricketing audience, which are more inclined towards the longer version of the game. Also, they have a cynical view towards the new format. “The 30 to 44 year-olds more often consider Twenty20 to be similar to ‘Speed Dating’ as compared to the ‘True Romance’ offered by the Test or One-day international format”, says Chavan. On the other hand there has been a considerable increase in the 45 plus age category in all the countries. Nevertheless, Twenty20 cricket has managed to transform the face of cricket worldwide by simply innovating on the structure, construct and presentation of a nearly 5 century old sport in order to complement today's short attention spans and entertainment infrastructure.

This strategy seems to be effective and is working at least in the short-term, as evident in the results of this study. Ravi Chavan: “However, from a long term perspective the challenge for cricket’s governing bodies would be to sustain the spectator appeal of these valuable new found audiences, but more importantly to find a way to resurrect the declining interests in Test cricket”.

Contact
SPORT+MARKT AG
Luxemburger Straße 299
50939 Cologne Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 221 / 430 73 177
Fax: +49 (0) 221 / 430 73 161
Leonardo.giammarioli@sportundmarkt.com
www.sportundmarkt.com

Electronic Sports League (ESL) is the first sport league in the ESB-Network - Operator Turtle Entertainment rely on innovation consistently!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:06:00 +0200

The league portal www.esl.eu reaches above ten million visits a month generated by more than 2,4 million registered users. Turtle Entertainment has over 170 employees and is located in Cologne, Germany. Fifteen international license holders operate the ESL worldwide. Turtle Entertainment owns the majority of the Chinese eSports league PGL (Pro Gamer League) since 2007. Important business partners of Turtle Entertainment are global corporations and brands such as Intel, Alienware, ASUS, adidas, Volkswagen, Nokia, Blizzard Entertainment, Trend Micro, Sennheiser, Windows 7, Sidewinder and Razer. Turtle Entertainment markets its products worldwide using these specific brands: Electronic Sports League (ESL), ESL Pro Series, ESL Major Series, ESL European Nations Championship (ENC), ESL WC3L Series, ESL TV, Intel Extreme Masters, Consoles Sports League, eSport Schulmeisterschaft, eSports Award, ESL Female and ESL Sports.

Further information is available at www.turtle-entertainment.com

Electronic Sports League
The Electronic Sports League (ESL) is the largest and most important league for gamers in Europe consisting of more than 2,4 million registered members and more than 600,000 registered teams. ESL is operated by the company Turtle Entertainment GmbH since 2000 and offers more than 3,500 professional leagues and amateur ladders from a variety of games. Nearly 400.000 matches per month are being played worldwide using the ESL technology. The ESL website currently reaches above 1,6 million unique visitors a month. The ESL has 12 franchise holders and two subsidiaries working in 37 countries around the globe. Global Corporations such as Intel, Alienware, Asus, adidas, Volkswagen and Nokia support the ESL. In close cooperation with the chinese ProGamerLeague ESL opened the ESL Asia section in 2007.

The ESL system includes ladders, leagues and cups for everyone. 90% of the active members play in free ladders and cups. About 9% take Gaming to the next level in the ESL Amateur Series, and less than 1% of all active users manage to reach the professional leagues like the ESL Pro Series.

Intel supports the professional segment of the Electronic Sports League since 2001. 500.000 Euro prize money are awarded 2008 in the ESL Pro Series across Europe. The stars of these leagues are presented live at Intel Friday Night Games, where up to 2.000 fans come together to watch and support them. Up to 160.000 viewers follow the final event of an ESL Pro Series live on TV screens, online and as live visitors.

Further information online at: www.esl.eu

Contact
Turtle Entertainment GmbH
Andreas Nicklas, Vice President Sales
Siegburger Str. 189,
50679 Cologne
Germany
fon. +49 221 880449-616
fax. +49 221 880449-699
Mobile. +49 170 3858883
http://www.turtle-entertainment.de/
http://www.esl.eu/
http://www.consoles.net/

Spanish football finance rules flawed, claims academic

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:28:00 +0200

The club finance rules are being proposed by the Spanish football league (LFP), partly in response to Uefa's financial fair play initiative, which is seeking to get clubs operating within their means. Jose Maria Gay, a professor of economics at the University of Barcelona, estimates that La Liga clubs are nearly €4 billion in debt, and that spending last season of €1.7 billion outstripped income of €1.55 billion.

The flaw in the proposed rules is that extraordinary items such as the sale of players and real estate would be counted as income, said Gay, speaking to Reuters. “The sale of players or real estate happens only once in a while and the amount the clubs generate from these sources has diminished," Gay said. “The calculation of revenue must be based on ordinary income otherwise it would be a fatal mistake."

Contact
ESB Event Sport Business
ESB Marketing Consult AG
Andreas Gußmann
Head of International Relations
Brunneggstr. 9
CH-9001 St. Gallen
www.esb-online.com
info[at]esb-online.com

F1 in Russia by 2012, New York 2013

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:26:00 +0200

According to Bloomberg, the Formula One supremo said a Russian grand prix would most likely be held in capital Moscow or in Sochi, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.Ecclestone added at least three places have been identified for a circuit outside Manhattan - with the idea of New York being visible in the background – and that a decision will be made over the next couple of months.

It is also understood Ecclestone will continue to review the “traditional” European events such as the two races in Spain. “We’re going to lose some races for sure, there are some races we can afford to lose without too much problem,” he said. “I’ve spoken to the countries to see what we can come up with.” Formula One races have been added in Asia and the Middle East, with Abu Dhabi making its debut last year and South Korea joining in 2010.

Contact
ESB Event Sport Business
ESB Marketing Consult AG
Andreas Gußmann
Head of International Relations
Brunneggstr. 9
CH-9001 St. Gallen
www.esb-online.com
info[at]esb-online.com

ESB Partner Asphalt Art goes international - first steps in Nigeria

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:07:00 +0100

ESB Partner Asphalt Art from Bonn, Germany goes international. The company realize an order during the Glo/CAF Africa´s Footballer of the Year Awards in 2009. The venue of these special event was the State House Banquet hall in Accra.

Asphalt Art is a company for advertising banners at the ground. The advertising or information art is for every event suitable. The ESB Partner create all ISPO SpoBiS Sport Business Summit www.spobis.com information and advertising banners. The conference is the biggest sport business meeting point in Europe. More than 1500 participants from all over the world come to Munich and discuss about the new developments in the branche.

Nigeria was the first venue in Africa for the ESB Partner Asphalt Art. The company looks forward for the next orders in other african countries.

Contact
Asphalt Art
Andreas Schmich
Meßdorfer Strasse 47
53121 Bonn
Telefon: +49 228 422 80 89
Telefax: +49 228 422 80 92
E-Mail: info@asphalt-art.de
Internet*: www.asphalt-art.de

Corporate Community Involvement - New book from Veronica Scheubel

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:28:00 +0100

The book highlights proven best-practice approaches, effective methods, and concise tools to help managers "get there faster" and "get it right first time." It shows how to: conduct a current state analysis and devise a strategy, organize staffing and budgets, integrate Corporate Community Involvement throughout the business and create high-profile programs, partner across sectors, measure and evaluate results, communicate successful activities, and overcome challenges. It is designed to be practical - for those who want to act upon what they have read. It will fill a long-neglected niche as a day-to-day reference guide for practitioners. Representatives from other sectors, notably government, international agencies, NGOs, and academia, will come to understand companies' internal requirements for cross-sector collaboration programs in the community better. And students interested in this field will be better equipped to start careers.

Advance praise
The authors are to be congratulated. I can't imagine a better guidebook for any company that plans to enter or improve its community relations. Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Kellogg School of Management

Lakin and Scheubel have succeeded wonderfully in bringing all of the essential elements in community engagement into one very readable and hands-on book that any company attempting to reset their corporate citizenship will find immediately and essentially useful. Professor Brad Googins, Department of Organizational Studies, Boston College, and former Director, Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College

Lakin and Scheubel are expert practitioners with years of highly relevant experience working in important companies. In this timely, practical and topical guide they generously share their insights in an engaging and accessible style. Adrian Hodges, Former Managing Director, IBLF, and currently VP Corporate Responsibility, GlaxoSmithKline

About the authors
Veronica Scheubel originally came from Marketing at Nokia and then built up and managed Nokia's global Community Involvement program in more than 20 countries, including global external and internal stakeholder communications and engagement; cause-related marketing activities; program evaluation and reporting; and capacity building within a global partnership network. Before joining the corporate world, Veronica worked with a number of non-profit organizations in Canada. After leaving Nokia, she acquired a Master's degree in Organization Consulting. Now a self-employed consultant, trainer, and coach based in Germany, one focus of her work is Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability as a strategic, integrated way of doing business and a catalyst for organizational change and transformation.

Nick Lakin, a law graduate, worked in Corporate Communications for over ten years, leading external and internal relations. He was then asked to set up the global Community Involvement practice at E.ON, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies, operating in over 25 markets, including the US, Russia, and a number of European countries. At the time of publishing, he is Vice President, Marketplace & Community, at E.ON AG. It was while here that he saw the difficulties organizations experience in deciding what they should and should not do in the communities where they operate and the importance of inspiring and motivating employees in every part of the business to bring Community Involvement to life.

You can buy the book at
Greenleaf
Stanford UP
amazon.com

If you'd like to add your own Community Involvement best practice stories, ask the authors questions, or want to comment, clarify, or correct anything you've read in the book, you can do so in the book's discussion forum on www.cciguide.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Contact
ESB Event Sport Business
ESB Marketing Consult AG
Andreas Gußmann
Head of International Relations
Brunneggstr. 9
CH-9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland
www.esb-online.com
gussmann[at]esb-online.com

SAVE THE DATE: sport.forum.schweiz on 17./18.11.10

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:58:00 +0100

The program will be extended with the parallel events "media.forum.schweiz" and "responsibility.forum.schweiz". The conference organizer will expect many top speakers from the sport business branch. More than 450 participants will be at the sport.forum.schweiz in 2010.

All informations you could find under: www.sportforumschweiz.ch

Contact:
ESB Event Sport Business
ESB Marketing Consult AG
Roman Berther
Brunneggstr. 9, Po Box 519
CH-9001 St. Gallen
Tel. 0041 (0)71 223 78 82
Fax 0041 (0)71 223 78 87
Mail: presse@esb-online.com