Week in Sportbiz: Fenerbahce step up attacks on beIN; CVC serves up $300m volleyball deal; London pipped by Big Apple; Qatar sales record; Man Utd
Conflict is in the air at Fenerbahce – and not just because they face rivals Galatasaray in the Istanbul derby this weekend.
Mesut Ozil’s new club have embarked on a bizarre crusade against broadcaster beIN Sports, accusing it of conspiring against the club by manipulating VAR and choosing camera angles or highlights that show them in an unfavourable light.
Fenerbahce stepped up the campaign on Saturday by displaying “beFAIR” messaging – borrowing beIN’s logo and branding – on pitchside digital advertising boards during their home match with Rizespor.
It followed specially commissioned “beFAIR” T-shirts and tracksuits, obstruction of media access and a fan-led campaign to boycott beIN.
The broadcaster has dismissed Fenerbahce’s claims as unfounded and last month pleaded for calm in the tinderbox that is Turkish football.
One theory is that the attack on beIN is a cynical attempt by Fenerbahce president Ali Koc to deflect attention from the club’s underachievement and $700m of debt. Koc is due to stand for re-election this year.
Whatever the motivation, it is only likely to do further damage to Fenerbahce’s ailing bank balance.
Aside from giving up valuable advertising inventory in order to target beIN, all this is hardly likely to help the Turkish Football Federation – and, by extension, clubs like Fenerbahce – match the $370m a year that beIN currently pays when the tender process starts, amid falling media rights values everywhere, later this year.
CVC serves up $300m volleyball deal
CVC Capital Partners raised a few eyebrows this week with the latest sporting addition to its portfolio.
Having exited Formula 1 and begun pouring cash into commercialising rugby union, CVC has now invested in volleyball.
The deal – reported to be worth $300m (£219m) – sees the private equity giant partner with governing body FIVB to launch Volleyball World, a new commercial entity.
CVC clearly sees growth potential in volleyball, which ranks as the world’s fourth most popular sport.
A ramping up of the men’s and women’s World Championships, which happen every four years, and further events to fill the gap between major tournaments is expected to be on the agenda.
Intriguingly, the process will be overseen by the former head of Cirque du Soleil’s globetrotting business, Finn Taylor, who has been appointed chief executive of Volleyball World.
London only pipped by Big Apple
The cancellation of Wimbledon and the annual NFL fixtures in 2020 has not dented London’s reputation as a sporting mecca.
London remains second only to New York on the BCW Ranking of Sports Cities, and ahead of LA, Barcelona and Paris.
The list, released this week by global communications agency Burson Cohn & Wolfe, is based on quantitative research and interviews with leading industry figures.
The NFL’s confirmation that it plans to return in 2021 can surely only help London’s hopes of maintaining its lofty position.
Record demand for Qatar 2022 World Cup
Fifa has reported record-breaking demand for hospitality packages at next year’s Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Despite a global pandemic and ongoing questions over the suitability of the host nation, Fifa’s sole hospitality seller Match announced pre-sales of $90m.
“We are delighted to see such extraordinary interest in the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, when following challenging times, the world can come together for a global festival of football,” said Nick Brown, Fifa’s director of commercial revenue.
Eight of 10 for United chief
Manchester United’s chief operating officer Collette Roche was asked to score her current mood, on a scale of 1-10, in an interview with sports networking company Leaders.
She gave herself an eight in the piece, published on Tuesday. After United ran up a record-equalling tally against Southampton a few hours later, presumably she was a nine.