IMG offers unique marketing and media opportunities across a diverse portfolio of team sports. We work with some of the world's most popular sports organizations to help generate greater sponsor value, increase advertising and media revenue, boost ticket sales, and extend brands into new markets through licensing.
Rugby | Cricket | Slamball |
Rugby
Rugby is a fast-growing, popular sport played in more than 100 countries across five continents. In 2007, the IRB Rugby World Cup attracted an audience of 4.3 billion, making it the third most-watched sporting event in the world and underscoring the sport's international television and marketing appeal. IMG has exclusively managed and brokered the Rugby World Cup commercial rights program since 1995 and is contracted to work through the 2019 event. In addition, we manage media rights to the FFR, FIR, WRU, SRU, IRFU, UAR and the Magners League.
Separately, IMG manages international TV rights for top tier Rugby League properties, including the Superleague, the Challenge Cup, The Tri-Nations tournament, Home Tests and the World Club Challenge.
IMG’s capabilities in rugby include:
- Sponsorship sales
- Media rights
- Management of ancillary programs, including travel, tours and corporate hospitality
- Licensing and merchandising
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Cricket
IMG has long recognized the international value of cricket and pioneered the sport’s television production in the West Indies, India, Pakistan and Kenya. As cricket evolves to meet current television, entertainment and spectator needs, IMG is at the forefront. We worked with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to create the Indian Premier League (IPL). IMG researched the optimum sporting and commercial model for the IPL, and conducted the historic Franchise sale process which raised $724m. The IPL is the biggest sports and entertainment initiative ever introduced in India and one of the most financially successful sports concepts launched anywhere in the world in recent years. IPL is played under cricket’s newest format – Twenty20 – which reduces match playing time to three hours, making it perfect for prime time television and live in-stadia audiences. IMG handles television production and distribution rights, franchise rights, event and venue management and sponsorship sales. In 2009 the second season of the IPL was moved to South Africa at very short notice, and IMG played a crucial role in relocating the event to a new continent.
In addition to IPL, IMG will continue to provide coverage of cricket events from the West Indies for BSkyB television. Our client roster includes the England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket, Cricket South Africa, Zimbabwe Cricket and the BCCI.
IMG's expertise in cricket includes:
- Promoting the unique spirit of the game through creative media programming
- Delivering memorable coverage to global audiences
- Optimizing media rights and helping brands to deliver maximum impact through sponsorship
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Slamball
Slamball, the first action team sport, is a hard-hitting, high-flying full-contact competition that combines elements of football, hockey, soccer and gymnastics. IMG Sports Media and Mike Tollin Productions formed a joint venture to develop Slamball into a league sport and eventually bring it to worldwide audiences. The inaugural season ended with a championship game in November 2008 that scored impressive TV ratings. Eight teams are expected to play in cities across the U.S. when the 2009 season gets underway this summer.
Slamball features two teams, playing four on four, engaged in 20-minute high intensity game. The playing surface is similar to a regulation basketball court and includes four springbeds built around each basket. The remainder of the court is fully shock absorbent and surrounded by 12-foot plexiglass walls that keep the ball continuously in play. Learn more about Slamball.
IMG's capabilities in developing Slamball include:
- Recruitment and training of high-caliber athletes and coaches at IMG Academies, a world-renowned, multi-sport training and education facility
- Industry-leading sports production and distribution network able to deliver Slamball to a worldwide audience
- Entertainment programming expertise to expand Slamball's appeal across diverse viewing platforms
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