The media circus

By Richard Pedler

JAKARTA (JP): The Fifteenth World Cup is costing between US$300 and $400 million dollars to stage. Funding comes from the 3.6 million match ticket sales and the rest courtesy of FIFA's exclusive marketing arm, ISL.

The 11 official World Cup Sponsors have paid $15 - $20 million each for exclusive use of the World Cup Logo and Mascot 'Striker' in their merchandising and advertising to the majority of the world's population.

Since the first World Cup match was televised back in 1954, TV has come to dominate the sport throughout the huge European market. Match-day schedules are primarily determined by European prime-time, which led to mid-day kick-offs despite the heat and humidity of host nation Mexico in both 1970 and 1986.

This year for the first time a major national US channel, ABC, will show eleven matches live (on Sundays and holidays). The rest are available to the 60 million plus subscribers to the 24-hour ESPN sports cable network.

Over 180 countries will be covering USA'94 live. All pictures are provided by the European Broadcast Union, with worldwide commentary available from the BBC via Hong Kong. Thankfully the coverage will be uninterrupted.

World Cup Village

Thousands of the world's press and broadcasters are now descending on the World Cup Village, a self-contained communications hub in Dallas housing the International Broadcast Center (IBC), as well as the Operations and Press Centers.

On a scale never before reached in international sports broadcasting and print media, the Village will be the busiest media transit point for over a month as writers, photographers, commentators and broadcasters criss-cross the USA covering every moment that makes this the biggest media event ever staged.

Should they grow weary covering 52 matches in 31 days, the IBC houses a 40,000 square feet Service Center including banks, shops, travel, food, business and medical services.

A complimentary shuttle service links up the Cotton Bowl, hotels, Dallas International Airport, and the Baylor Fitness Center.

Tomorrow: STAY UP LATE!