IMG to Rep Select NFL Rights

NEW YORK: IMG Worldwide has signed a three-year agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to be the exclusive agent for select preseason, regular season and playoff games in a number of international markets.

The deal takes immediate effect, and covers through the 2011 season, which includes playoffs extending to 2012. IMG will sell the local-language TV rights for NFL preseason, regular season, and playoff games, including the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl, along with NFL Films content, in certain countries within Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. IMG will also license the international distribution of NFL Network and NFL Sunday Ticket in each of these regions, except for Europe.

The NFL will continue to manage all other rights within these territories and the remainder of the media business around the world.

"The selection of IMG by the NFL, one of the most prestigious sports leagues in the world, is a reflection of the long-standing, excellent relationship we have had with the league, and a recognition of their confidence in our ability to maximize the value of these much sought after assets," said Ted Forstmann, IMG’s chairman and chief executive.

"We are pleased to partner with IMG to continue to grow our international distribution of NFL programming," added Steve Bornstein, NFL’s executive VP of media. "We are excited to deliver more games and content to NFL fans around the world."

"We are thrilled to have the NFL return to us as a client," commented Barry Frank, the executive VP for media sports programming at IMG. "Certainly for us it is a jewel in the crown of properties we are honored to represent. We expect to be able to prove to the league that IMG offers the most effective and efficient method of worldwide distribution."