Media Content eyes sports opportunities

Media Content - the company which markets the global television rights of Manchester United, the Paralympics and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union - has set up shop in Hong Kong with a view to helping raise Asia's sports profile in the West. Asia-Pacific vice-president Siabhan Graffius said that there was a wealth of quality sporting events in the region, but few saw the light of day in the West. "In Indonesia, badminton is hugely popular, but where outside of Asia can you watch this sport in connection with major tournaments just like you would the English Premier League, the SuperBowl or the Olympics?" she said. She said Media Content was looking to export Asian sporting events into international markets as well as import non-Asian events into the region. However, building international recognition of an event or a league is no easy task. "In the UK, tickets to soccer matches would cost about pounds 40 each (about USdollars 25) including a drink and a hotdog. If well attended on a regular basis, event organisers can invest in training, marketing and infrastructure which combine to create a brand that people become excited about. "But in a place like Vietnam where the ticket price is about USdollars 2 each, it is difficult to generate the kind of cash you need to do a proper promotion." Mr Graffius said that one of the solutions lay in Media Content working with sports federation on ways in which they could exploit the broadcasting rights they held. Media Content, she added, was well positioned to give impartial advice because it was not aligned with any media owner.

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