Fablon Signs £3m deal with Women's Squash
International women's squash received a £3 million boost today (Wednesday 13 September) with the announcement that London-based intellectual property rights acquisition company Fablon Investments Limited have acquired the rights to the Women's World Open and Women's World Team Championships in a unique nine-year agreement with the World Squash Federation (WSF).
The agreement – in which Fablon have acquired a full package of commercial rights to the events from 2000 to 2008, including the rights to domestic and international broadcasting, advertising, sponsorship, merchandising, licensing and publishing – comes into force immediately and guarantees prize money for the World Open of at least $800,000 over the period.
This year's championships will be held in Britain. The Women's World Open 2000 will be hosted in Edinburgh from 11-17 November by Scottish Squash. The event will begin at the National Squash Centre at Heriot Watt University, with the final stages being staged on the all-glass showcourt at the Meadowbank Stadium, home of two Commonwealth Games.
England's Squash Rackets Association (SRA) will host the Women's World Team Championship from 19-25 November at the Hallamshire Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in Sheffield.
'This agreement is a wonderful boost for Squash which gives the WSF the opportunity to showcase its most attractive asset, the Women's World Championships, in selected countries around the world. Fablon and the WSF have entered into an innovative, profit sharing, win/win partnership which we believe will greatly benefit both parties and raise the profile of Squash to a new high level,' commented Ted Wallbutton, Chief Executive of the WSF, the sport's international governing body which is responsible for the rules, the promotion and growth of the game, as well as the organisation and promotion of its World Championships.
Karl Oliver, a partner in the Fablon Group, responded: 'We are delighted to be involved with the sport at a world level and particularly with the premier women's world titles. We believe strongly in the game and its future, with some 20 million people now actively playing the sport around the world in over 100 countries. We are looking forward to the beginning of a long term relationship with the WSF – and this year's events, although imminent, are very much part of that development programme.'
Archie McCue, President of Scottish Squash, expressed delight at the Women's World Open coming to Scotland: 'Whilst it's short notice to organise such a major and prestigious event, we have considerable experience from the 1998 World Junior Men's and 1993 World Masters' Championships, and I am particularly heartened by the great enthusiasm with which news of this coming has been received by so many in the squash community here. We are all very excited and looking forward to it a lot – and even have the whisky miniatures organised!'
England's Cassie Campion is the reigning World Open champion after winning the title in the USA last year for the first time. She is expected to face stiff resistance in Edinburgh, however, from Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald – the world champion for the previous three years who was unable to defend her title in Seattle due to a knee injury. In the forthcoming biennial World Team championships, Australia will be seeking a record fifth successive title.
Fablon Group Limited is the holding company of Fablon Investments Limited, which earlier this year entered into a similar eight-year agreement with the Squash Rackets Association (the English governing body of squash), securing the long term future of the British Open – recognised universally as the 'Wimbledon of squash'.
For further information: Howard Harding
Tel: (44) 1737-243333 or (home) (44) 1737-222425 Fax: (44) 1737-222787
WSQ 888 Email: HowHard@aol.com 13 September 2000
The agreement – in which Fablon have acquired a full package of commercial rights to the events from 2000 to 2008, including the rights to domestic and international broadcasting, advertising, sponsorship, merchandising, licensing and publishing – comes into force immediately and guarantees prize money for the World Open of at least $800,000 over the period.
This year's championships will be held in Britain. The Women's World Open 2000 will be hosted in Edinburgh from 11-17 November by Scottish Squash. The event will begin at the National Squash Centre at Heriot Watt University, with the final stages being staged on the all-glass showcourt at the Meadowbank Stadium, home of two Commonwealth Games.
England's Squash Rackets Association (SRA) will host the Women's World Team Championship from 19-25 November at the Hallamshire Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in Sheffield.
'This agreement is a wonderful boost for Squash which gives the WSF the opportunity to showcase its most attractive asset, the Women's World Championships, in selected countries around the world. Fablon and the WSF have entered into an innovative, profit sharing, win/win partnership which we believe will greatly benefit both parties and raise the profile of Squash to a new high level,' commented Ted Wallbutton, Chief Executive of the WSF, the sport's international governing body which is responsible for the rules, the promotion and growth of the game, as well as the organisation and promotion of its World Championships.
Karl Oliver, a partner in the Fablon Group, responded: 'We are delighted to be involved with the sport at a world level and particularly with the premier women's world titles. We believe strongly in the game and its future, with some 20 million people now actively playing the sport around the world in over 100 countries. We are looking forward to the beginning of a long term relationship with the WSF – and this year's events, although imminent, are very much part of that development programme.'
Archie McCue, President of Scottish Squash, expressed delight at the Women's World Open coming to Scotland: 'Whilst it's short notice to organise such a major and prestigious event, we have considerable experience from the 1998 World Junior Men's and 1993 World Masters' Championships, and I am particularly heartened by the great enthusiasm with which news of this coming has been received by so many in the squash community here. We are all very excited and looking forward to it a lot – and even have the whisky miniatures organised!'
England's Cassie Campion is the reigning World Open champion after winning the title in the USA last year for the first time. She is expected to face stiff resistance in Edinburgh, however, from Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald – the world champion for the previous three years who was unable to defend her title in Seattle due to a knee injury. In the forthcoming biennial World Team championships, Australia will be seeking a record fifth successive title.
Fablon Group Limited is the holding company of Fablon Investments Limited, which earlier this year entered into a similar eight-year agreement with the Squash Rackets Association (the English governing body of squash), securing the long term future of the British Open – recognised universally as the 'Wimbledon of squash'.
For further information: Howard Harding
Tel: (44) 1737-243333 or (home) (44) 1737-222425 Fax: (44) 1737-222787
WSQ 888 Email: HowHard@aol.com 13 September 2000