CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    Saudi Arabia hosts large-scale iftar banquets in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia    Saudi Arabia records 23,865 violations in nationwide residency and labor law inspections    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



IOC's balancing act with new sports
By Karolos Grohmann
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 08 - 2009

The International Olympic Committee's plan to introduce golf and rugby sevens at the 2016 Olympics makes financial sense but the impact on younger audiences is far less certain.
When the IOC launched its plan a few years back to take sports in and out of the Olympic program, the main aim was to give the Games a facelift as the average age of television viewers and spectators was steadily rising with younger fans moving away to other forms of sport and entertainment.
Until 2005 no sport had ever been taken off the program since 1936, with more coming in to lift the total number at the world's biggest sporting event to 28.
So when President Jacques Rogge announced in 2006 the number of core sports would drop to 26 for 2016 and 25 for 2020 with three spots up for grabs at every Games for new sports, the move was welcomed by federations around the world.
Olympic inclusion automatically means more money for the sport from the IOC and state coffers, more global exposure and bigger broadcasting deals.
In return the IOC can count on more lucrative deals themselves from sponsors and TV if they bring in a sport that carries extra financial weight.
Target audience
“We have no doubt that golf and rugby are very spectacular sports,” Rogge told Reuters in an interview on Friday.
“There is no reason they would not participate in the trend – the augmentation by 20 percent of the TV ratings for the Games in general after Beijing – and in particular the major audience, this very crucial 12-24 age category, where we have seen a surge in audience after a slump of 10-14 years.”
The IOC redistributes 92 percent of its marketing revenues that are estimated to top $5 billion for the 2010-2012 period, with broadcasting rights making up the lion's share of that.
Golf certainly meets financial criteria, being arguably among the richest sports in the world, but is it also as popular among young people as karate or roller sports, two of the sports not shortlisted along with baseball, softball and squash?
Some of the sports, who consider they have a bigger youth appeal than those selected, disagreed with the IOC choice.
“I feel that it is a very negative message for those on the outside,” Karate international federation chief Antonio Espinos said after the shortlist was announced.
“I don't see when on the horizon we might have this possibility.
“I don't know how much more we can do, in terms of development of our sport, to convince the IOC,” he said of the sport which claims to have 100 million active athletes of all ages worldwide.
Financial choice
Sports marketing experts say the decision to shortlist golf and rugby makes financial sense.
“I can understand the negativity that surrounds this decision,” Gareth Moore, International Sales Director at international research and consultancy firm Sport+Markt told Reuters.
“But whilst rugby and golf have a stronger pull, they are also not fully global yet and can play a significant role in the uptake of these sports in new and emerging countries.
“The commercial impact of the sports should not just be seen with negativity.
“Ultimately, with the attraction of old and new target groups for these sports, they can help deliver strong revenues – revenues which the IOC can then redistribute to new emerging sports for the future,” said Moore.
With the host of the 2016 Games still to be decided – Madrid, Tokyo, Chicago and Rio de Janeiro are bidding – and the 2014-2016 US broadcasting rights deal, which is the biggest IOC money-maker, still to be signed, the inclusion of these two sports should make the TV deal that much more lucrative.
But whether the sports will add to a larger number of younger viewers remains to be seen.


Clic here to read the story from its source.