Feature: US Sports Biz - May 2006  

S&T's US correspondent Mark J Jeffers, takes another look at the wild and wacky world of the movers and shakers in sports across the other side of the pond...

My latest assignment from the chief was to cover the World Congress of Sports in New York…no it was not a bunch of politicians gathering to play badminton, but the sports industry’s leaders convene to discuss the changing dynamics in sport business. The sessions were full of the top names in sports, from Ross Greenburg president of HBO Sports to Ed Horne, president of NHL Enterprises. Here’s an interesting fact that came out of their session…US consumers spent $15bn on tickets to sporting events last year compared to $9m spent on movie tickets.
In a session that included Don Garber commissioner Major League Soccer and Rick Dudley CEO of Octagon, a projected value of global sports market will be over $86bn dollars by 2008. You would think with all that money around, my editor could afford a small raise for me by 2008…[Note from Editor: “Keep on dreaming Jeffers.”]
Overall, a very well run event and hats off to the speakers as most of them left their egos at the door and engaged in some pretty interesting subjects. The Congress could be summed up with the line…”We are moving from Wide World of Sports to my world of sports.”
 
In other sports biz

The Senior Bowl is not a football game played by over-the-hill retired football players. That would be kind of scary, with the potential for broken hips and all. Rather it's a college all-star game that will be carried on The NFL Network a week before the Super Bowl. The game is played in Mobile, Alabama, and feature NFL hopefuls and prospects, being coached by NFL coaching staffs. The practices will also be carried on NFL in the week before the big game.

I guess change of address cards will soon be out…as everyone in the New York area is getting a new stadium, baseball’s Yankees and Mets, football’s Jets and Giants and soccer’s NY Red Bulls have all entered into agreements to build new stadia.
As you know, Red Bull has purchased the MLS Metrostars. We assume the new owners were up all night finalising the deal. Not to worry, drinking Red Bull keeps everyone up all night.
FIFA has signed Anheuser-Busch as the first FIFA World Cup sponsor for 2007-14. Budweiser has been the official beer of every World Cup since 1986. That sure is a lot of Bud.
In more Budweiser news (you know, I think Bud should sponsor this column…at least a barter deal could be worked out), oh yes, back to business…Anheuser-Busch has inked a multi-year deal to become the official beer of Daytona International Speedway.
The Professional Bull Riders have hitched their saddles with OLN for another five years with annual right fees of more than $1m. In other OLN news, the network has announced that come September they will be called Versus; I really don’t make this stuff up.
And finally, after 11 years on the peacock network, the Gator Bowl will be televised on CBS starting in 2007. I guess you could say CBS was chomping at the bit for this deal…
That wraps it up for this edition of ‘US Sports Biz’ folks.

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