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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="F6" valign="top">Editorial
The Straits Times
Publication Date : 27-03-2010
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Footbal fans were only a bit anxious some months ago about where the wrangling over Singapore's bid for the World Cup television rights was going.
They would by now be frantic, as the newest offer put together jointly by StarHub and SingTel was still not acceptable to Fifa, the football world body, and its marketing agents for this region, according to a report in this newspaper.
The competition in South Africa begins in just over 10 weeks. By April last year, a statement attributed to Fifa's TV director said the organisation stood to net US$2.7 billion (S$3.8 billion) from worldwide broadcast rights. By implication, the bulk of contracts had already had terms agreed.
On both the contracts timeline and the scale of payment involved, Singapore looks like it is out of the play. Whatever amount Singapore's bidders offer will be small change to Fifa.
Yet, unless there are other undisclosed factors jeopardising the bid, it is evident Fifa's agents are holding out for more. In all this the interests of devoted fans, Fifa's ultimate paymasters, seem a peripheral matter. This is no way to be treated as Singapore, through its national football association, is a member of Fifa.
We shall say outright to the bidding cable operators and fans: Drop it - consider the 2010 World Cup lost as a television spectacle. Fans will get over the deprivation. Singaporeans should no longer place themselves in the position of being undignified supplicants. It is not seemly to be kicked about, toyed with, over a differential of a few million dollars.
Fifa's hard-bargaining, mercenary attitude is shameful. This dishonours one of its mission objectives, which is to popularise and teach the sport, through the medium of television among other methods, in those regions where playing standards and participation rates are low. South-east Asia does not lack for passionate followers, but playing skills have been woeful for decades while Africa became a revelation. And Fifa thinks a couple of million more from Singapore to add to its billions matters more?
SingTel and StarHub are not blameless, although they are doing their utmost to please fans. Their contest for the English Premier League (EPL) rights for the next three seasons, which SingTel won at an indefensible cost, was used by Fifa to scale its asking price.
It turned out the EPL bidding made a nonsense of cable competition as it would raise eventual subscriber costs and inconvenience viewers. The telcos need not compound the error by prostrating themselves before Fifa to be granted the World Cup rights. Tell Fifa's agents to take it or lump it - not a dollar more.
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="F6" valign="top">
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="F6" valign="top">Editorial
The Straits Times
Publication Date : 27-03-2010
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Footbal fans were only a bit anxious some months ago about where the wrangling over Singapore's bid for the World Cup television rights was going.
They would by now be frantic, as the newest offer put together jointly by StarHub and SingTel was still not acceptable to Fifa, the football world body, and its marketing agents for this region, according to a report in this newspaper.
The competition in South Africa begins in just over 10 weeks. By April last year, a statement attributed to Fifa's TV director said the organisation stood to net US$2.7 billion (S$3.8 billion) from worldwide broadcast rights. By implication, the bulk of contracts had already had terms agreed.
On both the contracts timeline and the scale of payment involved, Singapore looks like it is out of the play. Whatever amount Singapore's bidders offer will be small change to Fifa.
Yet, unless there are other undisclosed factors jeopardising the bid, it is evident Fifa's agents are holding out for more. In all this the interests of devoted fans, Fifa's ultimate paymasters, seem a peripheral matter. This is no way to be treated as Singapore, through its national football association, is a member of Fifa.
We shall say outright to the bidding cable operators and fans: Drop it - consider the 2010 World Cup lost as a television spectacle. Fans will get over the deprivation. Singaporeans should no longer place themselves in the position of being undignified supplicants. It is not seemly to be kicked about, toyed with, over a differential of a few million dollars.
Fifa's hard-bargaining, mercenary attitude is shameful. This dishonours one of its mission objectives, which is to popularise and teach the sport, through the medium of television among other methods, in those regions where playing standards and participation rates are low. South-east Asia does not lack for passionate followers, but playing skills have been woeful for decades while Africa became a revelation. And Fifa thinks a couple of million more from Singapore to add to its billions matters more?
SingTel and StarHub are not blameless, although they are doing their utmost to please fans. Their contest for the English Premier League (EPL) rights for the next three seasons, which SingTel won at an indefensible cost, was used by Fifa to scale its asking price.
It turned out the EPL bidding made a nonsense of cable competition as it would raise eventual subscriber costs and inconvenience viewers. The telcos need not compound the error by prostrating themselves before Fifa to be granted the World Cup rights. Tell Fifa's agents to take it or lump it - not a dollar more.
