I am aware of that. GOLTV Canada is NOT available to partner with beIN SPORT LLC because GOLTV, Inc. holds a 19.9% equity stake. EuroWorld Sport is "soccer-centric" because it has been all-soccer since it was launched in 2010, regardless the exact terms of its CRTC licence. The meat of the story remains the following: if beIN SPORT LLC wants to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada within 90 days, its ONLY option is to negotiate with TeleLatino Network to re-brand EuroWorld Sport.
The University of Michigan's International Center reports that O-1B visas can take up to 4 months to turn around, though one can apply for "premium processing" which will guarantee that the USCIS examine the application within 15 business days: http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/immig/ovisa/ However, according to one immigration law firm, O-1B visas can take as little as 2 weeks to turn around. http://valentinilawoffices.com/o-1-visas-for-aliens-of-extraordinary-ability.html
There is nothing stopping MLSE from buying out GolTV US and partnering up with Al Jazeera instead. The channel is majority owned by a Canadian company (MLSE) and as such the programming decisions for the channel rest with them. They could add coverage from the leagues ALJ has the rights to (as well as GolTV content like German and Brazilian soccer) while the equity stake goes through the process of changing hands. Face it you got nothing, the only reason that a partnership with GolTV Canada cannot happen is if MLSE (Bell/Rogers) fail to come to an agreement.
MLSE cannot force GOLTV, Inc. to sell its stake. I understand that GOLTV, Inc. does NOT want to sell. Furthermore, Rogers knows that beIN SPORT LLC (Qatar Media Corporation) wants to kill off Sportsnet World so there is no way Rogers, which will end up controlling MLSE (with Bell as a non-managing partner), will sell a piece of MLSE to beIN SPORT LLC. One more thing: "Al Jazeera" is NOT involved in any way. The media continues to use "Al Jazeera" to confuse and stir up anti-Arab sentiment. beIN SPORT LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of QATAR MEDIA CORPORATION. beIN SPORT LLC is managed separately from Al Jazeera, which is also owned by Qatar Media Corporation.
Well if that's true then I guess GolTV Canada will remain as is, albeit with a weaker programming lineup. In additon, I think Rogers & Bell will team up to snatch the EPL rights so that bein doesn't get them. Rogers has already secured Champions League, Europa League & F.A. Cup rights so all that remains is the Premiership. Also, if TLN does partner up with the Qataris then it will be all out war, Rogers will surely dump EuroWorld Sport from its lineup in retaliation- without carriage on Bell & Rogers, this bein channel will be finished before it starts. Rogers & Bell are the two powerhouses in Canadian media, you need them onside if you hope to have any success. Same parent company so what's the difference?!
The Canadian rights to EPL are currently valued at around $2 million/season, or $6 million for 3 seasons. Rogers Media (Sportsnet) will have to bid at least $30 million to have any chance of retaining the rights, knowing that it will lose money for certain with a $30 million bid, even with the assistance of Bell Media Sports (TSN/RDS), which is 33% owned by ESPN, Inc. Remember that Bell Media Sports is just a sublicensee so it can play Rogers and TeleLatino/beIN SPORT LLC (assuming that TeleLatino doesn't ask for too much and chase beIN SPORT LLC away to Rogers/Bell/MLSE) against each other before deciding which bid to back. I now project a bid of $39-45 million from TeleLatino/beIN SPORT LLC to win the rights to EPL in Canada comfortably, with Bell Media Sports (TSN/RDS) switching sides, from Rogers to TeleLatino, before the bids are submitted to Richard Scudamore's email box in October. $45 million is pocket change for the likes of beIN SPORT LLC (Qatar Media Corporation). The battle for the rights to EPL in Canada for August 2013-May 2016 will not be a close contest, as the contest is OVER. Rogers has NO CHANCE against beIN SPORT LLC, especially since Bell Media Sports is not obligated to go down with a sinking ship. Bell will most likely switch sides, just as ESPN may have already decided to switch sides in the U.S. from FOX Sports Media Group to beIN SPORT LLC. It is up to TeleLatino to play "poker" carefully at this point, knowing that all it has to do is not to ask for too much money from beIN SPORT LLC for a 20% equity stake in TeleLatino in order for the balance of power in Canada to shift. (The UEFA Champions League will be the next soccer property to change hands in Canada after EPL. There is no doubt that beIN SPORT LLC covets that property as well. Remember that beIN SPORT LLC didn't make the decision to enter the Canadian market until May 2012, AFTER the rights to the UEFA Champions League for August 2012-May 2015 were sold to Rogers Media.)
Thomas Dobby is leaving "The Score" I am wondering where is heading & does this mean there will be no games at all there besides maybe the Club World Cup.
I understand that one of the two Canadian candidates from the Province of Manitoba who interviewed and auditioned for the studio host role at beIN SPORT 1 USA in Medley, Florida has come to terms and is awaiting her O-1B visa to be processed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. (I had personally recommended both candidates to the company, as they were both well-qualified for the role with enough experience to be credible to the U.S. audience. The younger of the 2 candidates interviewed 6 days before the older one did.) One would expect to see this Canadian personality as the face of beIN SPORT 1 Canada at the beginning when beIN SPORT 1 Canada is in the process of setting up its Canadian TV production hub in Toronto, where I expect a nightly news program i.e "beIN SPORT Tonight" will originate starting August 2013 or perhaps sooner. Do NOT be surprised if "beIN SPORT Tonight" were to feature 100% female anchors. I estimate with 90% probability that the anchor desk will be made of transparent plexiglass.
All the soccer guys from The Score are looking for work, either with Sportsnet (Rogers), TSN (Bell), or beIN SPORT LLC (either TeleLatino in Toronto or Imagina U.S. in Medley, Florida.) I do know that Brendan Dunlop has applied with both Imagina U.S. for a possible role with beIN SPORT 1 USA and with TeleLatino for a possible role with beIN SPORT 1 Canada. -- As for the Winnipeg contingent: 1. Sr. Producer Luke Crofford is not likely to leave Winnipeg as I understand that he is involved with a foster children organization that is heavily government-subsidized. 2. I understand that producer Neil Devanny is switching careers by joining an accounting firm. I don't know yet whether he will be tempted to jump to TeleLatino/beIN SPORT 1 Canada by August 2013. 3. Eoin O'Callaghan will have to return to Ireland before his work visa expires. 4. One would expect Asa Rehman to look for another gig in the Vancouver area. 5. Bobby McMahon has business interests in Winnipeg so it is unlikely that he will leave the area. 6. I don't know yet where Michelle Lissel will land. We do know now that she was NOT hired by Rogers (read: Gerry Dobson) to anchor the new FOX Soccer Report (and she badly overestimated her chances of being hired, as she was quite upset when she found out that Kara Lang was hired), and that she interviewed and auditioned at Imagina U.S. 6 days AFTER the other female candidate from Manitoba interviewed and auditioned.
I really don't see James Sharman & Kristian Jack leaving The Score especially with "The Footy Show podcast" still around. Why would they wanna drop it.
Michelle Lissel decided to use the Friday July 27 episode of FOX Soccer Report as yet another opportunity to update her demo reel with a more contemporary look:
Other than female anchors working in prairie towns in Western Canada without access to ethnic television, I won't have enough clients to pay the bills to keep the consultancy running. -- Seriously, all this effort is worth it, as we have lit a much-needed fire under Michelle Lissel to bring her appearance to 2012 standards. She is an accomplished broadcaster who is good enough to get another gig. The question: where will Michelle land on her feet? Rogers Sportsnet in Toronto doesn't appear to be a likely destination because of Kara Lang (who is at least 10 years younger than Michelle), and she interviewed at Imagina U.S. (beIN SPORT 1 USA) 6 days after the other candidate from Manitoba (who is at least 5 years younger than Michelle) did.
Looks like Gol TV Canada will have the Spanish Super Cup tie between Barcelona & Real Madrid on August 23rd (1st leg) Barcelona & August 29th (2nd leg) Madrid
Correct. MLSE did a deal on its own with Santa Monica Sports that covered the Copa del Rey Final in May as well as the SuperCopa de España. La Roja (national team) home games through early June 2014 may also be included in that deal. Santa Monica Sports cut the same deal for those rights in the U.S. with ESPN Deportes. -- MEDIAPRO is the distributor of Copa Del Rey matches from the 3rd round through the semifinals. The rights to those matches in Canada are held by beIN SPORT LLC (USA) because both MEDIAPRO and Imagina U.S. are part of Imagina Holdings S.A.
I don't see any Spain games on Gol TV Canada unless it's friendlies even away World Cup Qualifiers for Spain because of Sportsnet World picking up the World Cup qualifiers only home matches for most of the top countries of the world plus Canada as usual no surprise.
EuroWorld Sport guide been weird lately nothing on the main site or on the TV guide?? No information whatsoever coming up.
beIN SPORT LLC has confirmed a 4-year deal with Pitch International LLC for U.S. and Canadian rights to the English Football League: League Cup, "Championship", and Promotion Playoffs in all 3 divisions. FOX Sports Media Group (USA) and Rogers Media (Canada) were blown away, as expected. -- Lawyers should be involved with the (unannounced) proposed acquisition of 19.9% of TeleLatino Network by beIN SPORT LLC (USA) for the purpose of rebranding EuroWorld Sport into beIN SPORT 1 Canada. If TeleLatino were to ask for too much money, the beIN SPORT LLC will have to negotiate with MLSE to convert GOLTV Canada, which will be very difficult as Rogers, Bell, and GOLTV Inc. (USA) will own GOLTV Canada pending regulatory approval and GOLTV Inc. (USA) does not really want to sell its 19.9% stake in GOLTV Canada.
I have a friend who works at TLN and he told me that as of next week, EuroWorld Sport will be airing the FoxSoccer Report 24/7 until further notice This is the final week airing repeat Ligue 1 games/highlights as the rights expire Aug 5. The next couple of weeks are going to be very interesting.
Thanks Don, That's pretty interesting to hear no wonder there is no information on the guide or even online. I am hoping something gets resolved in the next couple of weeks but it seems like Ligue 1 1st week of the season will not air at all not even on TV5 who had the rights as well until BeIN Sport.
I disagree with your conclusion. In my opinion the best course of action for Bein Sports Canada would be to cut a deal with Shaw Communications. Shaw currently owns an existing licence for Fox Sports World Canada, and Bein Sports can simply takeover that channel and rebrand it. At the same time they would also gain access to a major distributor in Shaw both via cable and via satellite (Shaw Direct formerly known as Starchoice) where they can use that platform to distribute any extra content. And looking at their TV rights aquisitions, it looks like they will need more than just one channel aka Euroworld Sport.
You are completely out of touch. FOX Sports World Canada was shut down by Shaw Media on April 30, 2012 and its digital TV licence is in the process of being REVOKED by the CRTC. Furthermore, the Shaw family owns controlling interest in both Shaw Communications and Corus (the parent company of TeleLatino). Mr. Shaw has already decided that TeleLatino is the only one that should hold the CRTC licence for a soccer-centric digital TV channel. The fastest way for beIN SPORT LLC (Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA) to get beIN SPORT 1 Canada up and running is to partner with TeleLatino Network to rebrand EuroWorld Sport (EWS) into beIN SPORT 1 Canada. Note that EWS will air FOX Soccer Report around the clock 24/7 starting Sunday August 5 at 10pm until further notice (i.e. when negotiations between TeleLatino Network and beIN SPORT LLC concludes.)