SCP Worldwide has scored with its rights to the 2010 South American World Cup qualifying tournament, netting a number of distribution pacts and adding an equity partner for the property.
The New York-based sports, media and entertainment company has brought JumpTV on board as a minority equity holder and the broadband distribution outlet for the remaining 70 games of the tournament, which resumes in June and culminates on Oct.14, 2009. Moreover, SCP and JumpTV, which was also the exclusive Internet pay-per-view distributor for the first 20 matches of the tournament that were completed last November, are currently negotiating with other distributors for related tournament programming, as well as additional broadband, mobile and sponsorship packages.
In addition, SCP, which last month signed a carriage contract with In Demand to distribute the matches into the cable community, notched distribution deals with DirecTV Inc., DirecTV Mas and Dish Network. All of those outlets will televise 56 of the remaining matches, which includes action from such international futbol powerhouses as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay.
For its ESPN Deportes has also secured the rights to 14 matches, plus encores for all the contests. It produce the games SCP and also supply marketing services for the tourney. ESPN’s Spanish-language service also gains rights to televise “friendlies” involving the South American sides as part of its agreement.
The combination of the deals will make the SAWC matches available to some 70 million U.S. TV households and 60 million broadband customers, according to SCP officials.
“We are big believers in the world’s most popular sport in general and of this property in particular,” said SCP chairman David Checketts in a statement. “These partnerships show how other leaders in the industry also have placed a high value on it as well and are further evidence of the importance of the Hispanic audience and the growing success of the sport in this country.”
Added JumpTV CEO Jordan Banks: “With over 90 Hispanic television channels streaming live globally on JumpTV, we are uniquely positioned to optimize the marketing of the South American World Cup qualifying tournament. We are delighted to be partnering with SCP, and companies like DirecTV, Dish Network, and In Demand to bring this valuable sports property to soccer fans across North America.”
