Jerome Valcke, ”Back Alive”

The Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast by Marcus Luer

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

1. Early days of Canal+, first Pay TV operator in France - as news presenter and magazine producer (from wars to news)
2. 1991 - getting involved in acquisition of sports rights for Canal +, dealing with Don King to David Stern
3. 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
4. Don King story and doing business with him (negotiation is same as war)
5. French Football League (Ligue One) and the new Pay TV money coming in to change the game forever – new production values
6. Canal+, turning channel into a 24 hrs Olympic channel for the entire two weeks of the Barcelona Olympics 92’ and Atlanta 96’
7. 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
8. 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.
9. 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
10. Changing what FIFA was delivering to broadcasters, going beyond previous offerings
11. Infront & Dentsu controlled certain territory rights in Asia, and other agencies around the world – top countries controlled by FIFA directly, FIFA signing all contracts
12. Secretary General of FIFA - the link between the political side of the Federation with the commercial and operating side
13. Dealing with Governments and Head of States to deliver the FIFA World Cup – need to deal with politics
14. Blatter stories – his rise within FIFA, from a low level marketing role to President - “I am FIFA, FIFA is me”
15. Bidding process for World Cups – 2018 & 2022 – huge significance for the winners
16. World Cup Legacy – South Africa 2010 stories – falling in love with the country and more…
17. Brazil World Cup 2014 – it was complicated …….. being banned for a period of time from entering the country…..
18. Could World Cup ever be moved if the event is at risk? Legal position vs actuality/reality
19. 2018 & 2022 host country choices and his view on it
20. The different parts of FIFA, from Committees and other parts of the organization
21. 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
22. Mastercard vs VISA and what happened on Sept 2015……. his side of the story
23. Moral vs criminal accusations – rules of engagement – code of conduct in business

To reach Jerome Valcke - [e-mail] ([phone])

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: [e-mail]
Mobile number: [phone]

• 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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