MUMBAI: Soccer clubs will get ?100 million for Euro 2012, gaining from the signing of a renewed MoU between the European Club Association (ECA) and Uefa in March 2012.

Around 580 clubs, representing all 53 Uefa national associations, will benefit from the distribution of payments, adding 400 clubs compared to the 180 that received a share in 2008.

Following a proposal of the ECA board, and after thorough discussion between UEFA and the ECA, the Uefa Executive Committee has approved the mechanism that will be applied to distribute payments to clubs from the revenue of Uefa Euro 2012.

This result has been made possible by the decision to reserve ?40 million for all clubs who released players for Uefa Euro 2012 qualification matches. These clubs will receive an equal share per player released for each qualification game.

The remaining ?60 million will be distributed to clubs who released one or more of their players for the Uefa Euro 2012 final tournament. The global amount will be broken down into a fixed amount per player per day, weighted in accordance with a club categorisation reflecting the different situations in European football. More details of the mechanism will be published at a later stage once the calculations are finalised.

Uefa president Michel Platini said of the agreement, "Thanks to an excellent cooperation between Uefa and the ECA, today?s decision will benefit the whole football family and help shape a good and solid future for football in Europe."

ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, "The increase from ?55m to ?100m clearly recognises the significant contribution clubs make to the success of the tournament.The new distribution mechanism is the result of the great collaboration between ECA and Uefa. We are pleased with the overall outcome. It will not only benefit around 580 clubs, but football as a whole."

Meanwhile Platin described Euro 2012 as a unique event which has left an important legacy as he looked back on three memorable weeks that, he said, has also emphasised the special nature of national team football.

MUMBAI: New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Pitch International have signed a long-term sponsorship and media rights agreement which will underpin the financial security of cricket in New Zealand.

In the agreement, Pitch International has secured all New Zealand Cricket?s media rights for international matches played by the Blackcaps in New Zealand for the 2012/13 to 2019/20 seasons. The agreement grants Pitch the world-wide rights to distribute the matches across various platforms including television, radio, mobile and Internet while NZC retains the rights to matches broadcast in New Zealand and to its domestic competitions.

Pitch International specialises in the representation of media rights, selling content globally across all media. They work with sporting federations, clubs and global stars including the English Rugby Union, The Football Association, Six Nations and Uefa.

In the Future Tours Programme, India and Australia visit twice and England visits three times in the next eight years.

NZC CEO David White said, ?New Zealand Cricket is delighted to secure the length and value of this extremely important relationship with Pitch. We are thrilled that Pitch will be helping put the Blackcaps in front of so many fans around the world.

"This agreement puts NZC in a position to safeguard the future of our game by allowing us to concentrate on driving participation and support of cricket. Media rights provide revenue that enables us to fund grassroots and community cricket investments, domestic cricket competitions and retain our best professional players in New Zealand?.

Pitch International founding partner Jon Owen said ?We look forward to representing the Blackcaps brand around the world and building long term value for New Zealand Cricket and its commercial partners.

MUMBAI: Ten Sports, operated by Taj TV, has renewed its exclusive rights for the 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and Uefa Europa League.

Ten Sports will broadcast live at least four matches per match week, as well as delayed coverage and highlights for both club competitions.

Live and delayed broadcasts of the matches will be available on Ten Sports and Ten Action+, with highlights being broadcast on Ten Sports.

Ten Sports has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms which will enable it to reach audiences throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Commenting on the award of these media rights in Asia, Uefa said: ?The media rights sales process is successfully continuing in Asia, reflecting the growing interest for UEFA?s club football competitions in the region. UEFA is happy to announce these deals as they will enable football fans throughout the respective territories to enjoy increased levels of match choice and coverage of both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League."

Meanwhile, Malaysian pay TV operator Astro has been awarded exclusive media rights for the 2012-15 Uefa Champions League and Uefa Europa League for Malaysia and Brunei. Football fans in these countries will be able to see live at least six UEFA Champions League and at least four UEFA Europa League matches per match week, as well as highlights and delayed match coverage for both competitions each week. Astro will exploit the rights across its Astro SuperSport pay platform throughout the territories.

In Myanmar, S Media has been granted all rights to the league. S Media will broadcast live at least six matches per match week on its pay television channels, as well as highlights and delayed coverage, in respect of both the UEFA Champions League and the Uefa Europa League.

All rights have been granted on a platform-neutral basis, so all broadcast partners will exploit the rights via television, Internet and mobile.