No 2010 Fifa World Cup for Singapore?

December 15, 2009

By Wayang Times

no 2010 fifa world cup for singapore SingTel-Starhub joint bid failed

Singapore may not be able to watch the complete series of 2010 Fifa World Cup?! A recent joint SingTel-Starhub press statement stated that their joint bid to secure the rights show the 2010 Fifa World Cup has failed.

The statement said that this was in spite the fact that the bid ‘would provide Fifa with an increase in value from four years ago for the rights to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, while ensuring that it would remain affordable to the broadest number of our customers’.

‘In an attempt to reach a value that is acceptable to Fifa to bring World Cup to Singapore, the price offered to Fifa would sacrifice all World Cup margins for both SingTel and StarHub while keeping the price affordable for consumers,’ the statement went on to say. ‘However, we have yet to reach an agreement with Fifa.’

It was previously thought that the two parties had submitted two rival bids but from today’s press statement it is clear that it was a joint bid. There is big money riding on these broadcast rights.The matches are expected to attract a total of 29 billion viewers worldwide.

The only silver lining in the clouds for viewers in Singapore is Fifa’s ruling to make four of the most important World Cup games free-to-air. The opening game between host South Africa and Mexico on June 11, the semi-finals on July 6 and 7, and the final on July 11 will be available for free.

Source: Straits Times

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