The Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast by Marcus Luer Jerome Valcke, ”Back Alive”
Jerome Valcke, a true legend and also tragic figure in our industry. We are going back to his early days at Canal+/Sport+ to his amazing time as Secretary General of FIFA. 30+ years in the industry, his ups and downs and the challenges at the end of his FIFA reign and his comeback plans.
Key Highlights
- Early days of Canal+, first Pay TV operator in France - as news presenter and magazine producer (from wars to news)
- 1991 - getting involved in acquisition of sports rights for Canal +, dealing with Don King to David Stern
- Forming Sport+ (internal agency of Canal+) to buy sports media rights for Canal + and sell across the world, working with other agencies around the world
- Don King story and doing business with him (negotiation is same as war)
- French Football League (Ligue One) and the new Pay TV money coming in to change the game forever – new production values
- Canal+, turning channel into a 24 hrs Olympic channel for the entire two weeks of the Barcelona Olympics 92’ and Atlanta 96’
- Merger between three agencies, JC Darmon, UFA Sport and Sport+ - Bertelsmann (UFA), Jean-Claude Darmon and Canal+ (Sport+) merged in 2001 creating SportFive – and the rest is history with decades of changes for the agency
- Joining FIFA in 2003 as Director of Marketing – FIFA Marketing AG – in-house agency created after the collapse of ISL Marketing (initially focused on sponsorship only - Media rights still with Robert Louis Dreyfus (owner of Adidas, Olympique Marseille). Jerome lobbying to bring media rights in-house too.
- Agency offering large guarantee to FIFA – (Swiss) 1.8 billion per World Cup - Joseph Blatter (President at the time) putting his trust in Jerome and he delivered in 2010 – close to 4 billion
- Changing what FIFA was delivering to broadcasters, going beyond previous offerings
- Infront & Dentsu controlled certain territory rights in Asia, and other agencies around the world – top countries controlled by FIFA directly, FIFA signing all contracts
- Secretary General of FIFA - the link between the political side of the Federation with the commercial and operating side
- Dealing with Governments and Head of States to deliver the FIFA World Cup – need to deal with politics
- Blatter stories – his rise within FIFA, from a low level marketing role to President - “I am FIFA, FIFA is me”
- Bidding process for World Cups – 2018 & 2022 – huge significance for the winners
- World Cup Legacy – South Africa 2010 stories – falling in love with the country and more…
- Brazil World Cup 2014 – it was complicated …….. being banned for a period of time from entering the country…..
- Could World Cup ever be moved if the event is at risk? Legal position vs actuality/reality
- 2018 & 2022 host country choices and his view on it
- The different parts of FIFA, from Committees and other parts of the organization
- Women’s Football at FIFA level – Women’s World Cup wasn’t yet able to make enough money on its own – role of FIFA to support and develop Football for everyone
- Mastercard vs VISA and what happened on Sept 2015……. his side of the story
- Moral vs criminal accusations – rules of engagement – code of conduct in business
To reach Jerome Valcke - Jerome.valcke@gmx.es (+34607937298)
About
Jérôme Valcke, born 6/10/1960 in Paris
French and South African citizenships
Living in Carrer Catalunya 17, 08960 Sant Just Desvern, Spain
E-mail: jerome.valcke@gmx.es
Mobile number: +34 607 937 298
- 1983 RMC Journalist
- 1984 to 1988 CANAL+ News Presenter
- 1988 to 1991 CANAL+ Deputy Editor in Chief Newsroom
- 1992 to 1997 CANAL+ Deputy Director Sports Division. Responsible for all international sport rights acquisitions
- 1997 to 2001 CEO Sport+, Media Group CANAL+. Sport+ was a subsidiary of the Group CANAL+ for Media and Marketing rights. Sport+ acquired the international of all major football European leagues.
- 2002 COO Sportfive. Sportfive was created by Group CANAL+, UFA- Bertelsmann and Group Jean-Claude Darmont. Sportfive was one of the leading sports agencies in the world.
- 2003 to 2006 FIFA Marketing & TV Director
- 2007 to 2015 FIFA Secretary General. CEO of the institution. My main task was the preparation, organization and delivery of the World Cups (2010 & 2014) and the preparation for WC 2028 & WC 2022. Management of a team of 500 people.
Today, owner of a winery located in Spain in the DOQ Priorat, Mas Igneus.
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