Anschutz trying to purchase Gold Cup and WCQ Rights

thanx for the info v.s.

don't know all the ramifications, but if sum gets the gold cup we'll more than likely see the games on espn. we haven't in the past.

if you don't mind, i'll make a quick post re this in business and media. giving you due credit of course.

 

very interesting...thanks v.s.

 

...the plot thickens...



Great find VS

 

Thanks VS. From what I gather, these are the rights within the USA. This isn't some sort of Kirch media deal where they buy all the rights and then turn around and resell them, is it?

If the USSF and the FMF develop close ties, they will become the political heavyweight in CONCACAF.

Sachin

 

Correct me if I'm wrong (does that really need to be said on BS?) but I think VS' complaints in the past about CONCACAF leadership has been that it focuses too much on the tiny Caribbean nations and doesn't allow FMF to become a political heavyweight in CONCACAF. But when FMF tries to challenge Blazer/Warner they lose badly in the elections because while FMF and USSF are the 800-lb. gorillas on the field, they only have one vote each which gets watered down by all of the votes coming from tiny Caribbean nations.

FMF has struggled with this situation for years and has, as a result, desired to join CONMEBOL. I think VS is now trying to show that the Blazer/Warner rule is now trying to pull the same crap with USSF that they have done with FMF. So, the USSF should work with FMF to overthrow the current CONCACAF leadership rather than support them.

Murf

 

now, what about the Confed Cup rights, which are even more important to me? (at least this year)

 

Sounds a lot like what's going on in Scotland with the Old Firm and the gang of Ten.

 

Galavision has the rights..(their parent company)

 

There are votes, and then there is money. If you have the two biggest bread winners in the confederation singing the same tune, then that has its own sort of power.

 

Except that Warner gets his money from Blatter, which comes in exchange for delivering votes, which can be bought cheaply among the smallest nations.

 

Sheer numbers, passion and money from FMF and USSF will eventually prevail. Blatter's trickle down politics may have been able to slide past the FMF and to the Jack Warner project in the past, but he'll realize that it's not nice to piss off the country that held one of the most lucrative World Cups ever.

Playing politics is an unfortunate way of doing business, but Warner and Batter better recognize USA's growth in soccer may dictate a different way of doing things.


And....don't *************** with Anschultz

 

Tell that to the State of New Jersey.

Sachin

 

Translation of the article in question

Gold for the Cup

The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) made a "million" dollar offer for the rights to both the Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifiers

Rafael Ramos Villagrana
Redactor Deportivo


AEG offered TFC a million dollar sum for the rights to the Gold Cup and to handle the World Cup Germany 2006 qualifiers.

"I can tell you that it was a lot of money. Millions, many millions (which they offered to TFC)", assured an anonymous informant of the region's soccer organization.

Negotiations with AEG, the most powerful sports consortium of the United States and one of the most solid in the world, took place directly with the Vice President of TFC and according to many, the power behind the throne, Chuck Blazer.

"Chuck did not want the deal, but he did not shut the door completely," commented an interviewee who asked anonymity.

Takeoff

AEG, owners of 4 MLS teams, will make a counter offer because it has a vested interest in the development of soccer in the USA, and in their judgment, the Gold Cup is the right vehicle, but it is not being taken advantage of by TFC.

"The belief within AEG is that Chuck Blazer is selfish and does not want to lose any parts of the authority that for him means control of the region," affirmed the interviewee.

"But Anschutz is worried that Chuck has no interest in the growth of soccer in the US, beyond minority groups," established the confidential source.

AEG has not lost hope of being able to buy the rights to the Gold Cup and WCQ.

"There are two advantages: it is an untapped mine and it could be the great springboard that soccer in the US has been waiting for," he assured.

"They believe that if handled correctly it can be as important as the Copa América if you know how to reel in important guests for each edition of the tournament,' emphasized the member of the directive body of TFC.

Dawn

Nevertheless, the Gold Cup is waking up to new horizons. Nike will be one of its most solid sponsors after placing three of its national teams in the 2003 competition (July 12-27): USA, Brazil, and Mexico.

This excites the demons of various parties who are interested in capitalizing on the returns this competition might produce: the understandable greed and the justifiable projections of realizing the potential of soccer in the USA.

(This next sentence is absolutely terrible, but here is my best effort at an understandable translation)

The Gold Cup and WCQs are controlled by TFC, and they are drawing implicit interest from expecting financiers. The organization controlled by Jack Warner, InterForever (also the president of TFC), is shooting for higher profits, especially after discovering the pretensions of Anschutz. InterForever has released its leaders (the Colombian Jorge Garcia) and projects, but it is preoccupied with a worrisome balance sheet full of financial risks.

In fact the determining factor that led to the Gold Cup migrating from California to the East Coast of the US originated from a direct order of InterForever, whose parent company, Traffic, headquartered in Brazil, is demanding black numbers.

Disgust

Anschutz (and all of MLS) and the USSF share their annoyance in seeing how TFC could care less about the soccer of the country that is accommodating them.

"Alen Rotheberg (USSF ex-President) endorses AEG in its interest in acquiring the management of the Gold Cup, because he knows that they would approach it differently: they would bring the tournament closer to more than just South Americans, African Americans, and different ethnic groups, and soccer would grow in the USA," commented the TFC informant.

"MLS is making an impact to the benefit soccer in the US and the USSF, and proof of that is the SuperDraft with young players. Bruce Arena knows that every year he will have excellent new players. In a few years the level of the quantity and quality of players for the US Team will require an expanded league, with more teams and healthy economics, and that is the interest of both Anschutz and the USSF," affirmed the interviewee.

New Channels

All this, according to the informant, puts in perspective the importance of bringing to light the Gold Cup, so that it is not just a regional tournament for the soccer demographic, but so that it will provide benefits to the soccer community both in quality of play and in economics.

Ironically, if it is a question of finances or politics the saying goes, "when the US sneezes, Mexico gets the cold," but in soccer it is just the opposite.

For that reason, the conflict between Televisa, TV Azteca, and the FMF against Alejandro Burillo, whom they practically cut off, soccer in the US took a step backwards.

TFC, specifically Chuck Blazer, caused a short circuit, on both sides, because the project between Anschutz and Burillo was a promissory alliance between soccer in the US and Mexico, to work together towards common ground, taking advantage of the already developed soccer culture in Mexico and the potential market in the US. Nevertheless Warner and Blazer were able to convince the FMF to marginalize Burillo, in exchange for support and positions within TFC and before the bridge between FIFA and the FMF fell crumbling down.

"Mexico lost little, but the US saw a project designed to benefit MLS and soccer in the US ruined," commented the spokesman.

The goal of AEG to manage the Gold Cup and WCQs follows a "feeling of frustration within AEG and MLS," he assured.

"They (AEG and MLS) see it as a challenge that the World Champions Manchester United (as they are being promoted by European Football) is on a world tour saturating the US market. When Real Madrid and Roma were able to play in Giants stadium in New York, it was a slap in the face to the US: 60 thousand fans, on a Thursday night, when the average attendance for a Metrostars game is only 15 thousand," emphasized the informant.

 

I love St. Phil, but is it the best idea to be pissing off the people you're trying to buy television rights from by saying they're "selfish" and don't want to lose control of what they have?

I'm glad hes going after the rights, but it can't be the best idea to do that...

 

Hmm.. there are some serious inconsistencies with the viewpoints on the ManU tour. SoccerAmerica implied in an old MLS Confidential that SUM passed on the ManU tour. Now it seems like SUM may have been passed up instead.

Sachin

 

Well at some point somebody has to stand up to the farce that is CONCACAF. The whole Warner/InterForever connection is just maddening, to think that could be allowed. This federation will never rise above joke material, including where club federation competitions are concerned, without a complete purge - and the leaders aren't going to go quietly.

Excellent article and thread, btw. I actually learned some things.

 

I must concur. Great thread. And mad props to AEG for not only trying to wrest away the rights of these tourneys from the dictators that is CONCACAF, but for standing up to them as well. AEG/Anshutz is actually trying TO DO something to sell/promote/market this beautiful game to the U.S., and I actually feel some hope that it could all come to pass.

If it wasn't for that Blazer fellow I guess. But maybe something will happen. Like negotiations, and a few more bucks are offered. Everyone has a price, and no doubt Blazer will find a way to pocket some of the extra coin for him and his minions.

 

Re: Re: Translation of the article in question

Champions World is based in Northern New Jersey, not Europe.

Sachin

 

Champions World is the company formed by Charlie Stillitano, ex GM of the Metrostars. When the Metrostars fired him, he formed Champions World.

His company's first major event was the Real Madrid-Roma game from last summer.

George

 

So shouldn't Stilitano still have ties to MLS? If promoting soccer in this country is the big goal, why can't common ground be found?


I'm not a polyana, but I fail to see why there would be people in soccer againt the proliferation of soccer in this country. In Jack Warner's case, it looks like he doesn't mind being on the take. But what about the richest country in the world trying to do something right? Anschultz is a godsend to soccer in this country, and I must remember to support his efforts. He's a refreshing opposite of Rupert Murdoch, who's only out to consume and dispose. Good Grief, he wants to sell the Dodgers so he can buy something else.

Anschultz may have his motives, but at least he's will to do things to help the sport grow.

I'm sorry for rambling, but the USA has the infrastructure, organization and cash to do great things in soccer. FIFA and other organizations should realize that, and allow us into more positions of power within our region and FIFA. Does St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados really worry that they'll be ignored if someone like Alan Rothenberg runs TFC?

This thread has been really informative. Thanks to V.S. and others for their help.

 

Oh, I'm sorry for mistyping Anschutz's name.....