$250m to TTFF from TV rights—Hunt.
By: Francis Joseph (Guardian).[/size]
Sports Minister Gary Hunt claimed yesterday that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) could rake in US$40 million (TT$250 million) or more from television rights for the T&T-England clash at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on June 1.
At a news conference called at the Ministry of Sport in Port-of-Spain, Hunt said a lot of fuss was being made about the cost of staging the event and the revenue which the TTFF would collect.
“We are not hearing about the media rights and sponsorship money,” he said.
Hunt said it was reported that $15 million would be spent to stage the international match, with some $8 million or $9 million coming in from gate receipts.
He said the advertising billboards inside the stadium would bring in another $2.8 million.
He also revealed that the TTFF had negotiated contracts with other sponsors which could bring the revenue collection near to the figure being bandied about to stage the match.
“The ministry has not been privy to any contracts relating to the stream of the TTFF,” Hunt said.
“It has been reported that the media rights for the game has been sold to the English FA. Who knows what the figure is for the television rights?
“More than 100 million people worldwide will be seeing this match. It could be US$40 million or more.”
Hunt’s press conference was called after he and officials of his ministry met with TTFF president Oliver Camps, special adviser to the federation, Jack Warner, and attorney Om Lalla.
When Warner emerged from the meeting, all he said to the Guardian was, “we are back to square one.”
A dispute erupted days ago over a new draft lease agreement which the ministry wants the TTFF to sign before the June 1 match.
Unlike previous years when the TTFF was charged a rental fee of $3,000 or ten per cent of the gate receipts, the new agreement increases that to a $150,000 rental fee or ten per cent of the gate receipts, whichever is greater.
The dispute has put the match in jeopardy, with the TTFF threatening to go to court next week if Hunt did not respond by 9 am tomorrow.
Asked if the match would be played on June 1, Hunte replied on five different occasions, “We would like to see the match played.”
He said lawyers representing the TTFF and the Ministry of Sport would meet tomorrow to resolve certain issues which would clear the way for the game to be played.
Asked whether politics was involved in this matter, Hunt replied: “I have no argument with Mr Warner...I have never ever said anything negative about Mr Warner in the media. There is no rift between the TTFF and the Government. We have always called for transparency and accountability. This has nothing to do with politics.”
Hunt said he was concerned that the country’s international image could be tarnished if the match was cancelled.
“The TTFF should be more concerned,” he said.
Hunt said a policy which governed the stadium was before Cabinet.
“The ministry recognises that this event is commercial in nature and as such, it is incumbent upon us to seek and protect the rights and intellectual property of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
“In the past, rental of the stadium has been done in an ad hoc manner. The policy seeks to standardise rental agreements and professionalise the way the ministry conducts business.”
Hunt announced that the ministry would charge the TTFF a rental of $150,000 for use of the stadium, instead of the ten per cent gate receipts which would have brought in $900,000.
He asked the TTFF to utilise the profits from this match to invest them into development programmes to assist people in areas such as Toco, Point Fortin, Tabaquite and Sangre Grande.
Hunt said his ministry was prepared to reconsider the terms of the draft lease agreement.
“We are now aware of contractual arrangements with the English FA...We are willing to listen to it,” he said.
“We are also willing to look at the prohibition of alcohol and tobacco advertising for this game. We recognise that it is not safe to advertise these products. We have taken a stance to protect the development of the youth of this country.”
Hunt insisted there must be a rental of the stadium.
He said the Government has a duty to protect its facilities.
On the issue of requesting 100 VIP tickets for the match, Hunt said there were many government officials including permanent secretaries.
This is in addition to a minister’s box which holds 24 seats.
TTFF: We have received no $$.
T&T Guardian Reports.[/size]
The TTFF last night denied that it had received money for the television rights for the T&T-England clash on June 1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The TTFF indicated that the TV rights were given to the English FA for England and Europe as a condition precedent for them to play in Trinidad.
“To date, no one has contracted with the TTFF for the TV rights of the Caribbean or the Americas or even Trinidad,” the statement added.
President of the TTFF, Oliver Camps, and special adviser Jack Warner, along with attorney Om Lalla, met with Sports Minister Gary Hunt and officials in an effort to resolve the impasse.
The local federation hopes that Hunt, in his deliberations, would consider not only the 11th-hour new draft lease agreement, but the benefit the national community would derive from the match.
“It was also indicated (to the minister) that the unfortunate event is now in the international media and the world would wait anxiously to see what proposal the minister arrives on Friday. The future of the game and football nationally is now in the hands of the Honourable Minister of Sport,” the statement added.
The statement continued, “It is with great disappointment that the TTFF has been informed that the minister in his press conference misrepresented the terms and issues raised and discussed in the meeting, and accordingly has demonstrated his lack of bona fide in seeking a resolution of this matter. The TTFF will request its attorney to take the appropriate steps to ensure that its interest is protected in this matter.”
The TTFF indicated to the minister that the new draft lease agreement, forwarded mere days before the historic match, was unacceptable morally, and in commercial terms.
English FA gets TV rights.
T&T Express Reports.[/size]
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) says it has given the English Football Association the television rights to the upcoming friendly international between Trinidad & Tobago and England, which is due to take place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on June 1.
In a release issued yesterday by TTFF media officer, Shaun Fuentes, the federation said the "TV rights were given to the English FA for England and Europe as a condition precedent for them to play in Trinidad".
It added, "To date, no one has contracted with the TTFF for the TV rights of the Caribbean or the Americas or even Trinidad. Accordingly, no commercial revenue has been received to date by the TTFF for TV rights. "
The TTFF statement came following a meeting called by Sports Minister Gary Hunt yesterday to discuss the pending dispute surrounding the rental of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for the match. Attending the meeting on behalf of the TTFF was president Oliver Camps, special advisor Jack Warner and attorney Om Lalla. Representatives of the ministry and its legal advisor were also present.
The TTFF indicated that its problem was not that a lease was prepared, but rather that the only time it was made aware of a lease or any new proposed terms was mere days before the international game.
The TTFF also indicated that the terms of the agreement with commercial entities had no bearing on the terms of the rental of a stadium. The TTFF indicated that its hope was that the minister, in his deliberations, would consider not only his eleventh hour proposed lease, but the benefit the national community will derive from the game.
In the release, the TTFF delegation also expressed disappointment with information released at a later meeting between Hunt and the media.
"The TTFF has been informed that the minster, in his press conference, misrepresented the terms and issues raised and discussed in the meeting and, accordingly, has demonstrated his lack of bona fide in seeking a resolution of this matter. The TTFF will request its attorney to take the appropriate steps to insure that its interest is protected in this matter," the release said.
