in the press - october

 

marketingmagazine.co.uk, 06 October 2009

England vs Ukraine football World Cup qualifier heralds future of sports on web

LONDON - This Saturday, football fans will be glued to their laptops rather than heading to the local, as England's World Cup qualifier against the Ukraine is shown exclusively online.

The match was left without a broadcast partner following the collapse of Setanta in June. The Ukrainian FA hired football agency Kentaro to secure one, and, having rejected several app-roaches made by TV broadcasters, it eventually sold the rights to digital media company Perform.

It is no secret that online and mobile transmissions are becoming increasingly lucrative to rights-holders, especially in overseas rights sales. As internet-enabled TV sets become more widely available from 2010, the appeal to brands of web-based broad-casting will grow still further.

'This is an interim period but the ability to run bespoke ads will be very appealing,' says Antony Marcou, managing director of media-rights company Sports Revolution.

The England/Ukraine qualifier's move online has also presented the opportunity for several media owners to drive traffic to their sites. The official stream will be shown at ukraine-vengland.com, but, having agreed affiliate deals, New International's The Times and The Sun, are urging fans to watch the game via their sites.

Responsibility for online ad sales lies with Kentaro but a spokeswoman for NI said it would be speaking to relevant advertisers about opportunities to place ads on its sites in the build-up to the game.

Fans are being asked for a one-off pay-to-view fee of between £4.99 and £11.99 on the day of the match. However, Marcou believes many people will be put off by the price. 'No-body is going to pay £12,' he says. 'It's a bit of a wake-up call for everyone.'

Under another affiliate deal, online gaming company Bet365 will offer the game for free to fans who open an account with a minimum balance of £10, as well as its existing customers.

The game will also be shown live in Odeon cinemas, after Arts Alliance Media secured the rights from Kentaro; 13 screenings are confirmed and others may be announced. A spokeswoman for the cinema chain said it had no plans to run ads prior to the game or during half-time.

According to the Odeon website, the game's certificate is TBC. With the pressure off the squad following its qualif-ication last month for the finals in South Africa, England fans will be hoping it does not turn into a horror show.

 

SportsProMedia.com, October 1, 2009

Chris Ingram takes majority stake in Sports Revolution

Chris Ingram, founder of media agency CIA, has taken a majority shareholding in the sports media company Investors in Media.

Investors in Media owns both Sports Revolution, the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia, and the sports media consultancy, Sports Insight.

Ingram’s investment company Ingram Enterprise acquired shares held by the private equity firm Pi Capital, increasing its stake from 15 per cent to over 65 per cent. The majority of the remaining shares are held by the Investors in Media management team.

The move comes just two months after Ingram became executive chairman for Sports Revolution. Sports Revolution has exclusive media rights with over 75 football clubs across the UK, including 16 in the Premier League.

Ingram said: “The speed with which I have increased my involvement illustrates my enthusiasm for the business and its future. It is a dominant player in a key area of media, and has the ideal model for advertisers to connect with men through sport. With nearly three million men attending football matches every month, Sports Revolution is one of the largest deliverers of a mass male audience in the UK and is well placed to capitalise on the shift in modern media communications towards events, experiences and engaging content.”

Ingram has already overseen a management restructure, promoting Antony Marcou to managing director and former Manchester United business development manager Vange Kourentis to the board. Since becoming executive chairman, he has also formed a new sports sponsorship consultancy, SMG Sports. This is a joint venture between Sports Insight and Starcom Media Vest Group UK.

Antony Marcou, Sports Revolution managing director, welcomes Ingram’s increased investment: “Chris’ belief in our model and investment in our future is an exciting boost. We have a compelling offer, and it is rewarding that someone of Chris’ stature has recognised that.”

 

 

Stadia Tech.com, October 1, 2009

Chris Ingram Increases Stake In Sports Revolution

Chris Ingram, the founder of the media agency CIA, has acquired a majority shareholding in the sports media company Investors in Media.

Investors in Media owns Sports Revolution, the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia, and the sports media consultancy, Sports Insight.

Ingram’s investment company Ingram Enterprise acquired shares held by the private equity firm Pi Capital, increasing its stake from 15% to over 65%. The majority of the remaining shares are held by the Investors in Media management team.

The move comes just two months after Ingram took a hands-on role in Sports Revolution as Executive Chairman. Sports Revolution has exclusive media rights with over 75 football clubs across the UK, including 16 in the Premier League.

Ingram comments: “The speed with which I have increased my involvement illustrates my enthusiasm for the business and its future. It is a dominant player in a key area of media, and has the ideal model for advertisers to connect with men through sport. With nearly three million men attending football matches every month, Sports Revolution is one of the largest deliverers of a mass male audience in the UK and is well placed to capitalise on the shift in modern media communications towards events, experiences and engaging content.”

Ingram has already overseen a management restructure, promoting Antony Marcou to managing director and former Manchester United business development manager Vange Kourentis to the board. Since becoming Executive Chairman, a new sports sponsorship consultancy, SMG Sports, has also been formed. This is a joint venture between Sports Insight and Starcom Media Vest Group UK.

Antony Marcou, Sports Revolution Managing Director, welcomes Ingram’s increased investment: “Chris’ belief in our model and investment in our future is an exciting boost. We have a compelling offer, and it is rewarding that someone of Chris’ stature has recognised that.”