US buy W/Cup rights for US$425M
NEW YORK: FIFA awarded US television rights to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups yesterday for a record US$425 million, the largest contract for any single country and a more than 120 percent increase from the previous American deals. Spanish-language broadcaster Univision said they will pay US$325 million, US$175 million more than for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. ABC and ESPN will pay US$100 million for the English-language rights, two and a half times more than the US$40 million Soccer United Marketing — an arm of Major League Soccer — paid four years ago. The 2010 World Cup is scheduled to be played in South Africa while the 2014 tournament is designated for a country in South America. The contracts also include internet, broadband and mobile telephone rights to the men’s World Cup as well as 2007 and 2011 Women’s World Cups, the 2009 and 2013 Confederations Cups, the Under-17 and World Youth championships, the Under-20 Women’s Championship, and the futsal and beach soccer championships. It is the third contract FIFA has awarded for the 2010 World Cup or beyond. The world body already has signed deals for Japan and Europe. The European deal for 2010 is worth approximately US $1.2 billion. (AP)
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"US buy W/Cup rights for US$425M"