SELLING SPORT

News and opinions on the business side of sports

AFL agree record €922m TV deal

THERE could be an avalanche of GAA players going to Australian after the AFL agreeda record $1.25b (€922m) deal with television and online broadcasters for the rights to air games over the next five years.

The money will be spent on player wages across its 17 teams and player recruitment according to the league.

“This represents an outstanding result for our fans across the country, with more live football on free-to-air [television] than ever before,” said Andrew Demetriou, CEO of the AFL.

Worth fighting for

- A FIVE-YEAR dispute over golf ball patents shows no sign of closure despite a US federal court judge’s decision denying a request for a new trial this week. Following the decision, the Acushnet Company, which makes the Titleist Pro V1 ball, declared a victory in its long-running dispute with Callaway Golf, which in February 2006 filed a lawsuit asserting that the Pro V1 golf balls infringed four of its patents. That led to a jury trial, which a year later ruled primarily in Callaway’s favour, only for Acushnet to win a new trial that determined in March last year the four patents were invalid. Callaway have now lost its latest appeal. It is easy to see what the fuss is about, the worldwide golf ball market is estimated to be worth €375m per annum.

- RUGBY World cup organisers in New Zealand are insisting a projected €277m deficit from the tournament this September and October is not reflective of benefits the event will accrue. A survey by the New Zealand Herald newspaper this week revealed more than €0.66bn will be spent but the tournament will make only €383m in direct economic returns. University of Auckland economics professor Tim Hazledine said official estimates are overstated, however. “In total, you can find about NZ$150m (€82m) actual money in the pocket benefits to New Zealand.”

- ON THE day of the Europa Cup final, one business getting little return from the final is Aviva. Despite spending €40m to secure naming rights, UEFA will only allow branding linked to companies which are official sponsors. The venue will be referred to as the Dublin Arena and Aviva can’t advertise in it on the night.