By Duncan Mackay

ABU logoJuly 5 - Glagow 2014 announced today that they have appointed the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) as it latest broadcast rights holder for the Commonwealth Games. 


As well as providing free-to-air coverage to the Commonwealth nations of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius, ABU will showcase the Games to territories outside of the Commonwealth further broadening the opportunity for the event to reach a global audience for the Games, which are due to be held between July 23 and August 3, 2014. 

The Malaysian-based ABU has 200 members in 57 countries and regions, including Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Timo Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, reaching a potential audience estimated at three billion people.

This latest agreement complements the existing broadcast deals for the Games, in particular with TAJ Television for the Indian subcontinent and SuperSport for the Sub-Saharan African rights, and provides further proof of the strong appeal to the world's broadcasters of Glasgow 2014, Scottish officials claimed.

It is anticipated that a total audience of 1.5 billion worldwide will experience Glasgow 2014's sports action and Opening and Closing Ceremonies through a range of international television and radio channels.

Glasgow 2014 will be the biggest multi-sport event Scotland has ever hosted and around 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories will take part in the Games with 17 sports on show across the 11 days of competition.

Glasgow 2014 opening ceremony 2A worldwide television audience of up to 1.5 billion are predicted to tune into Glasgow 2014, including the Opening Ceremony at Celtic Park on July 23

The sale of broadcast right packages worldwide is a part of Glasgow 2014's commercial programme which aims to raise around £100 million ($150 million/€120 million) in revenue through licensing, merchandise and ticketing.

"We are delighted that the excitement of the Games will reach so many millions of people, including now a number of countries who are outside of the Commonwealth, but whose public will appreciate the opportunity to sample world-class sport across a range of events," said David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014. 

"The spectacle and wonder of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games has the ability to inspire tens of millions of young people worldwide and the ABU will help us to share globally the sporting achievements of the thousands of great athletes coming to compete in Scotland."

It is the second major deal signed by ABU in two weeks, following an agreement to broadcast the 2013 Summer and Winter Universiades in Kazan and Trentino respectively.

"The ABU has had a long association with the Commonwealth Games, and is delighted to continue that association with Glasgow 2014," said Javad Mottaghi, secretary general of the ABU.

"The ABU will deliver a multi-platform coverage that will expand the scope and reach of the Commonwealth Games throughout Asia creating new audiences in new countries.

"It will also please the many Commonwealth ex-pats who live and work in Asia and rely on the ABU and its members to provide coverage of the Games."

The latest deal has been brokered by London-based marketing company, Fast Track, who are acting as the agents for Glasgow 2014. 

"I'm delighted that the ABU is continuing its long relationship with the Commonwealth Games," said Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

"The 2014 Commonwealth Games will provide the ABU with a wide array of fantastic sporting moments that will once more thrill, excite and inspire millions of sports fans across Asia."

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May 2013: SuperSport wins Africa broadcast rights for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
March 2013: TAJ TV set to broadcast Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in India
July 2012: Sunset+Vine and Global Television win host broadcaster contract for Glasgow 2014
June 2011: BBC appointed as host rights broadcaster for Glasgow 2014