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Archive
January - June 2006
ITMS Sports client involved in highest-rated
French Open match
(June 7) The highest television ratings
for a match in the first week of the French Open men's singles
was reached when Gael Monfils of France had match point against
Ex-ITMS Sports client Dick Norman of Belgium with six million
viewers glued to their screens. Monfils won the marathon match
4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-0, 7-5.
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Sponsorship of tennis more effective
than football
(June 6) The top sponsor of tennis’
US Open received more TV coverage than the leading brand backing
the Super Bowl, according to findings from research firm Nielsen
Sports.
The firm released a ‘comparative analysis’ that
lets sports franchises and sponsors evaluate the effectiveness
of sponsor-placed media across multiple sports.
The analysis, which is based on measurements from Nielsen's
Sponsorship Scorecard service, compares the top three sponsors
in four major sporting events during the past year, including
the NASCAR Daytona 500, US Open men's final, NFL Super Bowl
and NCAA Rose Bowl.
Sponsors were ranked by average number of televised impressions
– or viewers - per hour among viewers ages 25-54.
It found the number one sponsor at the US Open, JPMorgan
Chase, achieved
162 million impressions per hour compared to the Super Bowl's
top sponsor, Motorola, which achieved 157m impressions.
Lowe's Home Improvement, the top sponsors in the NASCAR Daytona
500 achieved 110m, while Citibank’s branding during
the NCAA Rose Bowl received 95m.
The Scorecard measures takes the old-school approach of measuring
the amount of time a sponsor’s logo appeared on US TV
coverage during the telecasts – covering anything from
in-stadium signage, to on screen billboards, to product use
on the field or sidelines.
Said Ron Schneier, general manager of Nielsen Ventures: “Major
sports entities are taking the lead by using this service
to demonstrate the marketing effectiveness of this medium.
While some sports will deliver more impressions than others,
once the cost factor is included, leagues, teams and sponsors
can, for the first time, compare ROI by sport and locations
within stadiums."
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MLB unanimously approves sale of Washington
Nationals
(May 19) The Major League Baseball owners
voted during their quarterly meeting to relinquish control
of the Washington Nationals and sell the franchise for a reported
$450-million to a consortium headed by real estate millionaire
Ted Lerner, his son Mark and former Atlanta Braves president
Stan Kasten.
The deal comes two months after the city council agreed to
a 30-year deal for the team to play in a $710m ballpark as
of 2008.
The hand-over of the club will be concluded in around one
month.
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Europe’s top tennis juniors gather
in Munich
(May 3) Europe’s top junior tennis
players will gather in Munich this week. The “AS Gebäudeservice
Junior Cup”, held alongside the ATP’s BMW Open
by FWU AG, will once again host eight of Europe’s top
juniors at the grounds of prestigious MTTC Iphitos.
Leading the field is current European champion and ITF world
number two Thiemo De Bakker from the Netherlands. He’s
joined by Australian Open champion Alexandre Sidorenko (ITF
4) from France and a pair of hopeful young Croatians in Luka
Belic (ITF 7) and Antonio Veic (ITF 11). Completing the field
are German prospects Peter Gojowczyk, Nico Hegge, Marc Meigel
and Marc Sieber.
After its premiere in 2004, the Junior Cup returns this week
(May 5 – May 7) for the third straight year. Initially
put in place to support German and European junior tennis
with a showcase event surrounded by an ATP type atmosphere,
the tournament has already established itself as a fixture
in the international junior tennis calendar. And with the
winner of the three day event being awarded a wild card for
the 2007 BMW Open qualifying tournament, the Junior Cup certainly
has the potential to serve as a launch pad for an international
career.
The “AS Gebäudeservice Junior Cup” is organised
jointly by ITMS Sports and BMW Open tournament director Rudi
Berger.
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Smashnova sets Fed Cup record
(April 18) Despite suffering a straight-sets
defeat in Israel's opening rubber against Romania, Anna Smashnova
broke Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario's record for most Fed Cup ties
played, when she took part in her 59th tie today.
Israel had gotten off to a flying start on the first day
of the Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 tournament, with
a 3-0 victory over Sweden on Monday.
In the first rubber, Anna Smashnova - in her 70th Fed Cup
rubber for her country - beat Johanna Larsson in straight
sets. Shahar Peer ensured the Israeli victory by beating Sofia
Arvidsson in the second rubber. The clean sweep was completed
by the doubles team of Peer and Tzipi Obziler, who saw off
Johanna Larsson and Nadja Roma, despite losing the first set
6-2.
Israel was drawn in Pool D of the 17-nation tournament, which
is being held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The winners of each pool
will play-off to decide which two nations will be promoted
to the World Group II Play-offs in July 2006. The nations
in last position in each pool will play-off to decide which
two nations will be relegated to Group II in 2007.
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Germany favored against USA in Fed Cup
(April 12) When the United States meets
host Germany in next week's first-round Fed Cup matchup, it
will do so without top players Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams
and Serena Williams.
Captain Zina Garrison will head to Ettenheim with Jill Craybas,
Jamea Jackson, Shenay Perry and Vania King.
Davenport is nursing a back injury, while Venus is slowed
by a right elbow sprain and Serena is sidelined with a left
knee problem.
The 17-time champion Americans will meet the Germans on an
outdoor clay court at TC Ettenheim from April 22-23. Germany,
captained by Barbara Rittner, will counter with a foursome
of Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Julia Schruff, Martina Muller and
Sandra Kloesel.
The USA-Germany winner will meet the Belgium-Russia victor
in the semifinals in July. The Russians are the two-time defending
champions, while the Belgians will boast two of the world's
top-three stars in second-ranked US Open champ Kim Clijsters
and No. 2 French Open titlist Justine Henin-Hardenne.
The other World Group ties will pit France against Italy
and Spain versus Austria.
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Inaugural World Baseball Classic rated
successful
(March 21) Cuban players in those lucky
red uniforms sprinted to the mound for an exhilarating embrace.
A South Korean band pounded drums right outside the ballpark.
Dominican fans danced to a merengue beat and Venezuelans draped
themselves in bright yellow flags.
All the chants, cheers and national pride provided exactly
the kind of international spirit Bud Selig envisioned all
along for the World Baseball Classic.
The inaugural 16-team tournament showed that making baseball
count in March isn't a bad concept after all -- even if there
are kinks to be worked out before the next one in 2009.
"This was not perfect so far," said Seattle Mariners
star Ichiro Suzuki, one of only two major leaguers in last
night's championship game between Japan and Cuba, won 10-6
by Japan.
"But I believe a lot of people in the whole world paid
attention to baseball."
Fans stayed up late to watch on television, even after the
star-laden squads from the U.S. and Dominican Republic made
early exits. Supporters stayed in their seats to wait out
a 45-minute rain delay Saturday night to watch Japan eliminate
its previously unbeaten rival, South Korea.
Cuba wasn't even certain it would be allowed to play at all.
Now the Communist Caribbean nation is hinting it would like
to be a WBC host down the road.
Dominican general manager Stan Javier, a 17-year major leaguer,
questioned the timing of the tournament and suggested it be
held at the end of spring training next time -- delaying the
start of Major League Baseball's 162-game schedule by a week.
Selig has said he and his colleagues, not only in the commissioner's
office but all around international baseball, will evaluate
every aspect of the WBC as they plan for 2009. Some involved
in the Classic think its success may move Olympic organizers
to bring back baseball on that level.
A day after Mexico's 2-1 win over the U.S. last week that
let Japan advance, Japanese manager Sadaharu Oh was quick
to praise the Mexicans, who easily could have let down because
its players knew they were headed home anyway.
"We respect that they fought their heart out to show
the best game ever," Oh said.
For Ichiro, who had a seven-game WBC hitting streak entering
the title game, the defeat of the American team of all-stars
is a sign that this was a true world tournament.
"That's the reason the WBC event is held," he said,
"to show something like this."
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World Baseball Classic to go full throttle
(March 7) Four days after the official start
of the inaugural World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Tokyo, the
tournament will see its first full day of baseball action,
with games in the remaining pools B, C and D being scheduled
for today.
Highlighting today’s slate of games will be Team USA’s
first appearance on the international scene since the 2000
Olympic games in Sydney. With a line-up comprised of 30 MLB
professionals, the American’s are a popular pick to
make it all the way to San Diego, site of the first WBC final
on March 20. However, heading into tonight’s tournament
opener against Mexico, the US squad is keenly aware of the
challenging task ahead. Anchored by 18 MLB professionals themselves,
the Mexicans will provide a first stern test in front of what
should be a sell-out crowd at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Today’s other games include:
- Canada vs. South Africa at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale,
Arizona
- Puerto Rico vs. Panama at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San
Juan
- Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela at Disney’s Wide
World of Sports in Orlando, Florida
- Australia vs. Italy at Disney’s Wide World of Sports
in Orlando, Florida
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ITMS Sports website updated to better
service clients
(February 7) This website has been fully
refurbished and now offers new content. The main navigation
as well as different sections of the ITMS Sports website have
been overhauled or updated to better inform visitors about
the sports marketing agency, its diverse areas of operation
and activities.
The improved navigation enables visitors to quickly find the
sections relevant to their specific interests. New content
and images added to the client and case study sections make
these areas more informative and accessible.
The client section, divided into four sub-sections, provides
readers with a wealth of information about ITMS Sports’
athletes, corporate clients, sport organizations and events.
The different projects now featured in the case study section
offer several samples of ITMS Sports’ achievements and
methodology. A sponsorship opportunities sub-section was also
added to the services section to inform viewers about select
event opportunities on offer.
The newsletter sub-section (under news) currently features
downloadable copies of the MLB Marketing News, a German language
newsletter that ITMS Sports produces to support its marketing
initiatives on behalf of Major League Baseball in Germany.
ITMS Sports welcomes comments, suggestions and indeed all
contributions from visitors to any of its sites. Please send
your feedback to:
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Players to be drug tested at World Baseball
Classic
(February 7) Two players from each team
will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs before most
games of next month's World Baseball Classic.
The International Baseball Federation, which oversees the
sport worldwide, said 108 players will be tested at random
during the competition, with samples taken at 27 of the 39
games scheduled.
Prior to the start of the tournament March 3, 80 players listed
on teams' preliminary rosters will be tested at random, the
Lausanne, Switzerland-based federation said in a news release.
Players who test positive at the tournament will be suspended
from international competition for two years without being
penalized under Major League Baseball's drug policy.
Teams in the tournament won't be allowed to replace a player
who is banned because of a positive drug test, MLB spokesman
Rich Levin said.
“This is no big surprise,” Rob Manfred, MLB vice
president of labor relations and human resources said on Monday.
“It’s completely consistent with the agreement
we made with the IBAF more than a year ago and completely
consistent with the way IBAF tests at other international
baseball events. It’s a rehash”
The 16-nation tournament will feature Major League Baseball
players in international competition for the first time. They
will be subject to Olympic-level drug rules, which test for
more substances and carry stiffer penalties than baseball's
steroid policy. All tests will be conducted by the World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA)
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ITMS Sports client new head coach of
Australian tennis
(February 6) Tennis Australia Friday named
former ITMS Sports client Brent Larkham as the new head coach
for the Australian Institute of Sport's revamped tennis program.
Larkham, 34, retired as a player in 1997 with a back injury
having reached a career high singles ranking of 108.
He has since coached a number of leading Australian players
including his brother Todd Larkham, Wayne Arthurs, Paul Hanley
and Richard Fromberg. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
program is designed to support Davis Cup and Federation Cup
players while also assisting players leaving the junior ranks
for the WTA and ATP Tours.
Larkham will work with fellow head coaches, including Jason
Stoltenberg and Wally Masur, who are responsible for developing
outstanding junior players.
"He has a proven track record in player development and
his past success is a perfect fit for the current positioning
of the AIS as a feeder program to the Davis Cup and Fed Cup
teams," said director of player development at Tennis
Australia, Craig Tiley.
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Career-high rankings for Groenefeld
(January 31) Good news for German tennis
hopeful Anna-Lena Groenefeld (20): Her performances at the
Australian Open have earned her career-high rankings for both
singles and doubles in the latest rankings released by the
WTA Tour on Monday.
Groenefeld’s new singles ranking of 19 matches her previous
best set on October 3, 2005. No other German player has been
ranked this high since the days of Steffi Graf and Anke Huber.
In doubles, Groenefeld’s semi-final showing in Melbourne
(w/ Shaughnessy) has helped her crack the Top Ten for the
first time in her career. Now ranked No. 8, the Nordhorn native
is one of just two players with a simultaneous Top 10 and
Top 20 ranking in both singles and doubles.
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