Catalyst Media

In acquiring media distribution rights to the 2019 and 2020 International Champions Cup, IMG was the beneficiary of a change in direction by the former sales agency for the competition, Catalyst Media.

An absence of competition in Spain and the Indian subcontinent has seen the value of International Champions Cup rights stall in both markets.

The International Champions Cup increased rights fees for its 2016 edition in new deals in the UK and Russia last week.

The International Champions Cup friendly tournament is thought to have broken the $100m (€89m) income barrier this summer. Its organisers, US-based Relevent Sports, expect continued growth in the coming seasons.

Revenues for the 2015 International Champions Cup summer friendly competition are set to double as a consequence of expanding to three tournaments, and adding matches in Australia, China, England, Italy and Mexico to the US and Canada.

Interview with Oliver Duss, senior vice president of sales at the Catalyst Media agency, on the media rights strategy behind the International Champions Cup summer friendly competition for 2015.

USA

US investment company RSE Ventures enjoyed a substantial increase in the value of the global media rights for the 2014 International Champions Cup, the summer friendly club tournament involving some of Europe’s top clubs.