New broadcast model for World Championship Match
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:24 am
Morning everyone
The below is a press release that Agon is putting out this morning.
Since the Candidates we have been working hard to put in place a broadcasting model that will hopefully support the sustainable commercial development of chess for the benefit of everyone including chess websites and national federations. We got hit by a fair amount of criticism over our decision to enforce our broadcast rights at the time of the Candidates and I don't want to reopen that debate. But I hope that the below announcement will be well received. In short it means that anyone can watch the live moves of the Championship Match for free in their preferred chess website. it also means that chess websites will be able to share in the financial upside of what we are doing.
There is also an open letter from Ilya Merenzon, Agon CEO, on this subject at https://worldchess.com/2016/10/17/an-op ... st-policy/
I look forward to hearing your feedback.
Release follows:
Agon Ltd launches affiliate programme for broadcast of World Championship Match
• Chess websites to profit from virtual reality broadcast of Match
• Live moves will be freely available on major chess and media websites
• National chess federations also set to benefit
November 17, 2016: Agon Ltd, the commercial rights holder to the World Chess Championship cycle, today launched its affiliate programme for the broadcast of the forthcoming Championship Match that takes place in November.
The strategy is designed to provide chess enthusiasts around the world with the highest-level user experience for the eagerly awaited Match between reigning champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and his challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia. It will also enable chess websites or media organisations to directly profit from the broadcast of the contest.
Affiliate partners, such as chess and media websites, will be supplied with a widget that will show the live representation of the game board in the Championship Match and also includes a cutting edge chess analysis engine which can think up to 16 moves ahead. The widget will be available in a number of different colours and formats and will be available as a free “plug in” for affiliates’ websites.
The widget will also feature a link to the premium service that includes 360° virtual reality broadcast of the Match, numerous other video feeds as well as grandmaster and guest celebrity commentary.
The premium pay-per-view broadcast, that will cost $15 for the whole match, or about the same price as a cinema ticket, will be promoted on the free widget with the host website receiving up to 10% commission for each of its users who upgrades to it.
Chess websites that accept the terms of using the official broadcast widget will decline to add their own commentary and analysis tools to the live representation of the moves. Instead they will financially benefit from the official Agon premium broadcast.
National chess federations will also be given a unique affiliate code for the premium broadcast product. When a chess fan uses this code to purchase the broadcast, a percentage of that sale goes back to the federation.
Ilya Merenzon, the Chief Executive of Agon, said: “Our mandate has always been to increase the commercial prospects for chess as a global sport and to grow its audience size.
“Today’s announcement is a major milestone in the sustainable commercial development of the sport we all love.
“Our affiliate programme is designed to make the Championship Match available for anyone to watch, for free, on their preferred choice of chess website. Secondly, when a user of any website that incorporates our widget chooses to upgrade to our premium pay-per-view broadcast product, that website will directly profit.
“And by including national chess federations in our affiliate programme, we will be directly ploughing money back into the grassroots of chess around the world.
Any chess or other media organisation that wishes to incorporate the free broadcast widget should request membership in the affiliate program at agonlimited.com/affiliates.
Agon also reiterated today that it would take legal action against any website that broadcasts the live moves of the Championship games without taking the official broadcast widget.
Mr Merenzon said: “A website that wants to broadcast the live moves for free simply has to request the use of our official widget. But any rogue website that chooses to operate a pirate broadcast of the live moves will be subject to legal action that is in line with our ongoing commitment to professionalise the commercial side of chess for the benefit of players and fans alike. ”
Spectator and VIP tickets for the World Chess Championship Match are available at: http://www.ticketfly.com/venue/24715
Full details of the Championship Match are available at: http://nyc2016.fide.com/
ENDS
About FIDE:
The World Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Echecs, (FIDE), is recognised by its members and the International Olympic Committee as the international federation in the domain of chess, the supreme body responsible for the sport of chess and its Championships. FIDE has the sole rights to organise the World Chess Championships and the Chess Olympiads.
About Agon Limited:
Agon Limited is the official partner of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and owner the World Chess brand as well as commercial rights holder to the FIDE World Chess Championship cycle. The company aims to develop and commercialize chess, create favorable environment for partners, players, and brands, and to significantly expand the broadcast coverage of the sport.
For further information please contact:
Andrew Murray-Watson
Director of Communications
Mob: +44 7515 695232
Tel: +44 207 564 8909
Email: [email protected]
The below is a press release that Agon is putting out this morning.
Since the Candidates we have been working hard to put in place a broadcasting model that will hopefully support the sustainable commercial development of chess for the benefit of everyone including chess websites and national federations. We got hit by a fair amount of criticism over our decision to enforce our broadcast rights at the time of the Candidates and I don't want to reopen that debate. But I hope that the below announcement will be well received. In short it means that anyone can watch the live moves of the Championship Match for free in their preferred chess website. it also means that chess websites will be able to share in the financial upside of what we are doing.
There is also an open letter from Ilya Merenzon, Agon CEO, on this subject at https://worldchess.com/2016/10/17/an-op ... st-policy/
I look forward to hearing your feedback.
Release follows:
Agon Ltd launches affiliate programme for broadcast of World Championship Match
• Chess websites to profit from virtual reality broadcast of Match
• Live moves will be freely available on major chess and media websites
• National chess federations also set to benefit
November 17, 2016: Agon Ltd, the commercial rights holder to the World Chess Championship cycle, today launched its affiliate programme for the broadcast of the forthcoming Championship Match that takes place in November.
The strategy is designed to provide chess enthusiasts around the world with the highest-level user experience for the eagerly awaited Match between reigning champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and his challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia. It will also enable chess websites or media organisations to directly profit from the broadcast of the contest.
Affiliate partners, such as chess and media websites, will be supplied with a widget that will show the live representation of the game board in the Championship Match and also includes a cutting edge chess analysis engine which can think up to 16 moves ahead. The widget will be available in a number of different colours and formats and will be available as a free “plug in” for affiliates’ websites.
The widget will also feature a link to the premium service that includes 360° virtual reality broadcast of the Match, numerous other video feeds as well as grandmaster and guest celebrity commentary.
The premium pay-per-view broadcast, that will cost $15 for the whole match, or about the same price as a cinema ticket, will be promoted on the free widget with the host website receiving up to 10% commission for each of its users who upgrades to it.
Chess websites that accept the terms of using the official broadcast widget will decline to add their own commentary and analysis tools to the live representation of the moves. Instead they will financially benefit from the official Agon premium broadcast.
National chess federations will also be given a unique affiliate code for the premium broadcast product. When a chess fan uses this code to purchase the broadcast, a percentage of that sale goes back to the federation.
Ilya Merenzon, the Chief Executive of Agon, said: “Our mandate has always been to increase the commercial prospects for chess as a global sport and to grow its audience size.
“Today’s announcement is a major milestone in the sustainable commercial development of the sport we all love.
“Our affiliate programme is designed to make the Championship Match available for anyone to watch, for free, on their preferred choice of chess website. Secondly, when a user of any website that incorporates our widget chooses to upgrade to our premium pay-per-view broadcast product, that website will directly profit.
“And by including national chess federations in our affiliate programme, we will be directly ploughing money back into the grassroots of chess around the world.
Any chess or other media organisation that wishes to incorporate the free broadcast widget should request membership in the affiliate program at agonlimited.com/affiliates.
Agon also reiterated today that it would take legal action against any website that broadcasts the live moves of the Championship games without taking the official broadcast widget.
Mr Merenzon said: “A website that wants to broadcast the live moves for free simply has to request the use of our official widget. But any rogue website that chooses to operate a pirate broadcast of the live moves will be subject to legal action that is in line with our ongoing commitment to professionalise the commercial side of chess for the benefit of players and fans alike. ”
Spectator and VIP tickets for the World Chess Championship Match are available at: http://www.ticketfly.com/venue/24715
Full details of the Championship Match are available at: http://nyc2016.fide.com/
ENDS
About FIDE:
The World Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Echecs, (FIDE), is recognised by its members and the International Olympic Committee as the international federation in the domain of chess, the supreme body responsible for the sport of chess and its Championships. FIDE has the sole rights to organise the World Chess Championships and the Chess Olympiads.
About Agon Limited:
Agon Limited is the official partner of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and owner the World Chess brand as well as commercial rights holder to the FIDE World Chess Championship cycle. The company aims to develop and commercialize chess, create favorable environment for partners, players, and brands, and to significantly expand the broadcast coverage of the sport.
For further information please contact:
Andrew Murray-Watson
Director of Communications
Mob: +44 7515 695232
Tel: +44 207 564 8909
Email: [email protected]