Media Content eyes sports opportunities

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