The Sony Corporation has signed a global partnership programme contract with soccer's world governing body FIFA. The contract will run from 2007 to 2014 with a contract value (excluding services and product leases) of $305m. Through this programme, Sony will be able to exercise various rights as an official sponsor of over 40 FIFA events. These include the FIFA World Cup (due to be held in South Africa in 2010 and South America in 2014) as well as the FIFA Women's World Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA Interactive World Cup. As a FIFA Partner, Sony will energetically promote advertising and marketing activities at these events, utilising the global strength of its group companies in electronics, entertainment and games. The agreement signed with FIFA makes Sony a 'FIFA Partner', the highest level of sponsorship status which is accorded to only six companies. Only one FIFA Partner is chosen for a number of defined industry or business categories. Sony has been chosen for the 'Digital Life' category which will be established in 2007. 'Digital Life' covers a wide variety of business activities from entertainment to electronics and as a FIFA Partner in this category, Sony will be able to exercise certain exclusive rights. Through this partnership contract, Sony has been given a broad array of rights at FIFA events. Sony will be able to use the partner logo at the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA events as well as having rights to the use of certain FIFA images and archive materials. Other rights will include advertising boards in stadiums, TV sponsor credits, on-screen IDs and preferential negotiation rights for TV Commercial spots.
ATOS completes live testing
ATOS Origin, the Worldwide Information Technology (IT) Partner for the Olympic Games, has successfully completed 10 weeks of live testing of the IT infrastructure in sub-zero temperatures, for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games (10-26 February, 2006). Held during 13 winter sport competitions (including World and European championships) that took place at the competition venues for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the process tested the Games Management Systems, Information Diffusion Systems (Info 2006 and Commentator Information System), and the supporting IT infrastructure. The live tests, part of ATOS Origin’s global IT testing programme initiated two and a half years before the Games, are designed to examine not only the robustness of the IT infrastructure but also the communications between ATOS Origin, the Organising Committee for the XX (20th) Olympic Winter Games (TOROC), technology partners and volunteer teams. Outside of the live Sport Events, ATOS Origin also tested how the IT team handles various simulated crisis situations, such as a power outage or network failure.
New branding for BT
BT Broadcast Services, which has been supporting the broadcast industry for over 40 years, is set to lead BT's global media and broadcast offering in response to the rapidly growing market for digital content. The division has taken on a new name - BT Media and Broadcast (BTM&B) - and integrates BT Rich Media, recent sponsor of Sport and Technology: The Conference 2005, which develops channels to market for digital content. BT Media and Broadcast has also unveiled plans to establish a truly global capability with the development of digital media hubs that will be operational within 12 months in continental Europe, the US and Asia. This global offering and new structure will build on BTM&B's investment in its UK-based 'BT Mediahive' digital content management capabilities, enabling it to capture, store, manage and distribute any type of media file, including video, audio and still images. 'BT Mediahive', in partnership with software partner Blueprint, is already providing a unique marketplace for the secure global distribution of digital music. Further applications, currently in development, will cover film and television production, digital cinema and advertising, in addition to bespoke solutions for individual market sectors. BTM&B will continue to support the broadcast industry with solutions to transport and manage video, audio and data, delivering greater value and efficiencies through the outsourcing of non-core business functions in a managed services approach. The recently-established BT Entertainment division will also take advantage of BTM&B's capabilities to deliver compelling consumer-facing broadband content, including sport.
Just the ticket for MLB
MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and internet arm of Major League Baseball, announced that it has, through a wholly owned subsidiary, successfully completed its tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of Tickets.com. MLBAM now owns 26,757,558, or approximately 94.9%, of the 28,192,746 issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Tickets.com. Meanwhile, MLB.com has teamed up with CAT Games to launch a brand-new simulation game called Bush League Baseball. Bush League (http://bushleague.mlb.com) is a humorous, cartoon-style game in which fans manage teams of ‘Average Joes’ in daily match-ups against thousands of other competitors worldwide. The players on the game are all fictional and can be named after friends, family or whoever fans choose. Fans can improve their teams through various training methods, by morale-boosting activities (every player has his own specific character and preferences) and by drafting new star players from the waiver market. Team hitting and pitching strategies can be set for each game. Choices depend on a team's abilities, opponents' strategies, the ballpark and the umpire (their strike zones and tempers vary widely!) Fans are also in full control of their lineup, pitching rotation, bullpen usage and more.
Mobile poker launched
PokerRoom.com, the Swedish online poker company, has become the first company in the world to launch fully interactive poker games available via mobile phones. From April 2005, players will be able to hone their poker skills over their mobiles playing real people at either 'play money' or 'real money' versions. The fifth largest poker site in the world has been developing the mobile gaming technology over the last six months. Juniper Research has recently predicted worldwide mobile gaming revenues to increase six-fold by 2009, rising from 2004's $3.1bn to $18.5bn. Players sign up for the game on the PokerRoom.com site where the game is then sent to their phone for download. They will then be able to play other members of the PokerRoom.com community, either playing at their computer or phone, as well as other mobile phone users on the same network. Unlike other mobile phone games where players pit their wits against a computer, this application allows players to tap into PokerRoom.com's community of more than 3.5m users worldwide.
Racing unveils major new funding stream
A group of leading figures within horse racing have laid down a template for how the sport, and its constituent members, will secure their future financial reward from the developing areas of online betting and information analysis. A new company, Race-O, will launch during the UK’s summer with a suite of betting and information products that will position it at the heart of the convergent betting industry. It will include among those services a brand new ‘Super Bet’ aimed at providing a regular route for racing and sports fans to land million pound jackpots. Revenue from every bet type struck through Race-O will be distributed directly to the sport of horse racing. Race-O is chaired by Sir David Sieff and the company’s chief executive is Rob Hartnett, formerly managing director of Betdaq, the betting exchange, and previously of the Tote and Coral. As well as the new ‘Super Bet’, Race-O will also provide a wide range of other betting facilities, from fixed odds betting to online poker, revenue from all of which will lead to a direct injection of revenue for British racing authorities, racecourses, racehorse owners and others within the sport. In addition to betting, Race-O has developed race tracking technology which will set new standards in how racing fans will interact with the sport. It welcomes the British Horseracing Board’s recent moves in this area, and looks forward to participating in discussions over the next few months aimed at ensuring that the customer is getting the best use out of the technology, and that racing is getting its full financial value from that use.
Toshiba in new golf deal
The US PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour has announced that Toshiba has extended its title sponsorship of the Toshiba Senior Classic for four years through to 2009. The Toshiba Senior Classic is one of the most successful charity fundraisers in golf. Since 2000, the Classic has raised a minimum of $1m every year. During this period it has raised more net dollars for charity than any other event on the Champions Tour. The first round of the 2005 Toshiba Senior Classic was played in March at the Newport Beach Country Club in California. The Toshiba announcement brings to 27 the number of Champions Tour title sponsors that have already extended commitments to the Tour through 2006.
Success for SportelAsia
A total of 521 participants, representing 301 companies from 42 countries worldwide, attended SportelAsia 2005 in March at the InterContinental Hong Kong Hotel. Business on the crowded exhibition floor was brisk, with attendees reporting many productive meetings with new contacts and established clients, alike. The Doha Asian Games Organising Committee and the National Football League provided sponsorships and support to the event. SportelAsia 2005 brought together the highest level of television sports executives representing broadcasters, cable and satellite services, professional leagues, programme distributors, event organisers, satellite services, producers, hardware/software and facilities providers, sports marketing agents, sponsorship and investment groups, sports federations, new media and international press from around the world.
Rangers hooks up with EMPICS
Credit: Empics
Leading Scottish soccer club Rangers has announced an agreement with photographic agency EMPICS that will allow fans to buy up-to-the-minute Rangers pictures online. EMPICS has teamed up with Rangers official website to create an easy to use on-line site at www.rangerspictures.co.uk which provides prints to fans and the general public, as well as access to images for editorial use. Pictures from training and games, as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes shots, will be added daily. There is also a massive archive of shots dating back to 1878, including some classic images from the nine-in-a-row period and European Cup Winners Cup victory in 1972, as well as highlights from the careers of legends such as John Greig, Davie Cooper, Ally McCoist and Jim Baxter. The site also allows fans to send Rangers on-line greetings cards to family and friends.
True love in online golf
Golfmates.com, the world's first online dating service designed specifically for golfers, has announced the recent marriage of Robert Evans and Penny Chin Evans in the US. Robert and Penny are the first couple to meet through Golfmates.com and tie the knot. Robert and Penny met on Golfmates.com in the summer of 2004 and were married at sunset on 31 December, 2004, in the grounds of the Stadium Course at PGA West, La Quinta, in Palm Springs, California. Before joining Golfmates.com, Robert and Penny both tried other online dating services, all without success. Golfmates.com was launched in May 2004 by Omaha-based entrepreneur Scott Kroeger, who, after setting up a handful of friends on dates, decided that the golfing community needed an online dating service. Today, Golfmates.com has more than 3,000 members in the US, Canada, and Europe. The philosophy behind Golfmates.com is simple: Golf is the perfect first date. Why? “It's a sport that both men and women can enjoy playing together,” says a spokesperson for the site. “The sport provides an instantaneous icebreaker - a common interest that two people can discuss. Golf is a relaxing, safe, outdoor activity that provides ample opportunities for socialising between shots. What is more, after nine or 18 holes, a round of golf comes to an end; if two people are not compatible, the end of the round is the end of the date.” The number of US citizens using online personal ads is expected to reach 24m by 2007. The United States National Golf Foundation estimates that there are more than 26m golfers over the age of 18 in the US. Sixty percent of golfers in the US own home computers, and 90% use computers at work. Meanwhile, 58% of golfers in the US use the internet.
Page from ArkSports' Sport and Technology (www.sportandtechnology.com) on 2008-11-21 : News - April 2005 : http://www.sportandtechnology.com/news/0261.html
Sony Corporation has signed a global partnership programme contract with soccer's world governing body FIFA. The contract will run from 2007 to 2014 with a contract value (excluding services and product leases) of $305m. Through this programme, Sony will be able to exercise various rights as an official sponsor of over 40 FIFA events. These include the FIFA World Cup (due to be held in South Africa in 2010 and South America in 2014) as well as the FIFA Women's World Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA Interactive World Cup. As a FIFA Partner, Sony will energetically promote advertising and marketing activities at these events, utilising the global strength of its group companies in electronics, entertainment and games. The agreement signed with FIFA makes Sony a 'FIFA Partner', the highest level of sponsorship status which is accorded to only six companies. Only one FIFA Partner is chosen for a number of defined industry or business categories. Sony has been chosen for the 'Digital Life' category which will be established in 2007. 'Digital Life' covers a wide variety of business activities from entertainment to electronics and as a FIFA Partner in this category, Sony will be able to exercise certain exclusive rights. Through this partnership contract, Sony has been given a broad array of rights at FIFA events. Sony will be able to use the partner logo at the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA events as well as having rights to the use of certain FIFA images and archive materials. Other rights will include advertising boards in stadiums, TV sponsor credits, on-screen IDs and preferential negotiation rights for TV Commercial spots. 
BAM), the interactive media and internet arm of Major League Baseball, announced that it has, through a wholly owned subsidiary, successfully completed its tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of Tickets.com. MLBAM now owns 26,757,558, or approximately 94.9%, of the 28,192,746 issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Tickets.com. Meanwhile, MLB.com has teamed up with CAT Games to launch a brand-new simulation game called Bush League Baseball. Bush League (
