How to manage a successful football event: the case of Italian TIM Supercup

Dubai, Global Soccer, 29 December 2012

Marco BRUNELLI, CEO Italian Serie A Professional League

Football as a global phenomenon

200 million active players worldwide (FIFA, 2007)

2,1 billion world’s estimated football fans (Sport+Markt, 2011)

8 billion people live cumulative average audience for 2010 FIFA World Cup (Futures sport+entertainment, 2011)

UEFA Champions League finale as the world’s most watched Tv sporting event in 2009 (Futures sport+entertainment, 2010)

social, commercial, political and cultural implications

new markets already opened up and many others still to be addressed

the biggest and most popular federation in the world

the world’s most watched Tv sport

The international Tv coverage of Italian Serie A

: TERRITORIES WHERE ITALIAN SERIE A IS REGULARLY BROADCASTED, LIVE OR DELAYED

• Number of international Tv licensors: 82 • Number of territories covered: 211 • Number of continents: 6 • Number of new territories added in last season: 11

Football: more universal than the United Nations …

The new geography of globalised football

Conquering the BRICs. The example of Formula 1

Countries marked in green host a grand prix in 2012. Those in pink have hosted a Formula One grand prix in the past, while countries which are going to host F1 in near future are shaded yellow

The international expansion of NBA

The promotion of domestic football on the international stage

The reasons to host a League’s event abroad

A gain in legitimacy

A proof of excellence and organizational skills

A strong promotional tool for domestic football

A way to enhance the global value of a League’s (and its clubs’) brand

An effective way to enter new markets

A celebration of a NA/League’s values

A solid commercial/business opportunity by itself

A benchmark at international level

Worldwide competition among Leagues and clubs

The top 20 most valuable football brands

How Italian Serie A promotes itself abroad

Every week the Italian League delivers worldwide:

• 7 live Serie A matches in HD (high definition) format, delivered via satellite

• 3 live Serie A matches in SD (standard definition) format, delivered via satellite

• a 30’ HD review magazine with the highlights of the last Serie A round (Serie A Show, available on Monday)

• a 30’ SD preview magazine introducing the upcoming Serie A matches (Total Italian Football, delivered every Thursday)

• a further 30’ magazine presenting the history behind the League’s most traditional matches (Rivals, distributed on Monday)

• five news programs per week (Serie A news, 12’ each)

• single match highlights

Other promotional initiatives addressed to international markets include:

• advertising using popular players’ greetings

• public screenings

• public relations/hospitality initiatives

• special editions of Serie A magazines and promotional campaigns

• promotions through social media

• co-marketing and merchandising

Event concept (exclusivity, uniqueness)

Team work (stakeholders map)

Coordination (who does what?)

Planning and preparation

Timing

Constraints management

Benchmarking (learning by best practices)

The pillars for building a remarkable event

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The UEFA Champions League Final’s concept

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The Italian TIM Supercup’s concept

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The Italian TIM Supercup identity

The Italian Supercup is the first trophy awarded for the new season (opening match)

However, it can also be considered as a celebration of the previous season since it is played between the winner of the Serie A TIM championship and the winner of the TIM Cup (National Cup)

For these reasons, TIM Supercup is the right ambassador for Italian football abroad

Usually it is played at the end of August

The first edition was played on 87/88 season

So far, it was played 6 times outside Italy (Washington 1993, Tripoli 2002, New York 2003, Beijing 2009, 2011 and 2012)

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Facts and figures about 2011 Italian TIM Supercup in Beijing

• 80.000 Bird’s Nest stadium attendance

• 6.139.364 average Tv audience in Italy (41,11% share)

• 67 Tv territories covered worldwide, in 5 continents (referred to 2012 edition)

• LOC fully supported by dedicated Italian staff:

– 12 Italian people on site

– 3 site visits to manage logistical aspects

– 3 site visits to supervise Bird’s Nest pitch conditions (including management of grass replacement)

– 3 hotels and 3 stadia involved

– 1 press conference one month before the event

– 10 commercial events directly organized in Beijing by two Italian clubs

– 6 commercial events organized by LOC for its chinese sponsors

– 4 open training sessions

– 4 press conferences on the days before the event

– 2 gala dinners (Italian Embassy and COL)

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The stakeholders’ map: a wide network to deal with

Local Organizing Committee

Football clubs

(finalist) National

Association

Local Municipality

Stadium owner

Audiovisual operators

(right holders)

Commercial partners

Security Authorities

Services providers (e.g.

ticketing, stewarding, etc.)

Transportation Authorities

Media community

Fans

Guests

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Project Leader

Sporting

matters Marketing

Travel, VISA and

hotels

TV and Photo

Press Office

Protocol Logistics

League’s CEO

Liaisons officers

The League’s staff in charge of managing the Supercup abroad

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Contractual rights/obligations

Place and Venue

Site visits

Organization (who does what?)

Communication

Security

Host broadcasting

Ticketing

Accreditation

Fan welcoming and management

Side events (e.g. promotional initiatives)

Protocol/ceremonies

The number one rule: prepare as much as possible in advance

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Main obligations of LOC towards the Italian League in order to host the Supercup

Contractual fee (better if including extra-bonuses)

Tv rights income (excl. the hosting territory)

50% of perimetral advertising

Production of materials (e.g. backdrops, tickets, etc.)

Complimentary tickets

Air transportation from and to Italy for the two clubs’ delegations and the League’s personnel (including match officials)

Full accommodation for all the components of the three delegations for 6 days

Food and beverages for the participating clubs

Local transportation for all the three delegations

Training kits laundry

Custom duties for all the goods brought in by the delegations

Medical care for all the delegations

Rent of main stadium and training grounds

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Local transportation provided by the Chinese organizers of the Italian Supercup

Beijing 2011: teams’ buses

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Site visits (grass replacement)

16 May 2011

24 June 2011

26 June 2011 22 July 2011

20 January 2011

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Interaction with fans: pre-game entertainment

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Interaction with fans: fan zones

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The award ceremony

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The anthem

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and

PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

The marketing and PR opportunities

Official ball expressly designed for the event

A completely “dressed” stadium

Hospitality opportunities

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Timing: not all can be planned too much in advance

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Budget

Date

Clubs

Venue

Decisions by Police/Public Authorities

… many other unpredictable factors

Main constraints

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

Looking at best practices: the UEFA Champions League

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

TEAM WORK

PLANNING and PREPARATION

TIMING

CONSTRAINTS

CONCEPT

BENCHMARKING

A fully integrated package, involving both on-air and off-air rights

Last year in Beijing

Thank you

for your kind attention