FIFA bags $1.85B in WC TV deals
GENEVA: FIFA’s bumper week of World Cup business was completed with broadcast deals worth $1.85 billion for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, the governing body announced Thursday. The deals include an estimated $1.2 billion earned from United States broadcast right sales to Fox, Telemundo and Futbol de Primera Radio. Those deals were confirmed last Friday. FIFA said Thursday that it also sold rights to SBS in Australia, Bell Media in Canada and IMC across the Caribbean. Bell Media, which includes the channels CTV, TSN and RDS, takes rights to world football’s biggest asset away from the incumbent holder, public broadcaster CBC. “FIFA is delighted with the progress of our media rights sales to date which, coming amid austere economic times, more than confirm the strength and appeal of our competitions,” FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said. The deals also confirm the lure and enduring value of FIFA’s signature event after a year of financial and election scandals and negative headlines. (Agencies)
Kabaddi WC to be held in Punjab
Chandigarh: The second edition of the World Kabaddi Cup will get under way in Punjab Nov 1, with teams from 12 countries besides hosts India participating, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced here Thursday. Kabaddi teams from Argentina, Pakistan, the US, Canada, Britain, Italy, Norway, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany, Spain and hosts India would vie for the Rs.2 crore cup prize. The teams finishing second and third will get a prize money of Rs.1 crore and Rs.51 lakh. All participating teams will get a reward of Rs.10 lakh each, Badal told reporters here. The first edition of the cup was held last year. Badal said that for the first time, women World Cup Kabaddi was being organised and teams from four countries – the US, Britain, Turkmenistan and India – will feature. (IANS)