Diasporic Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean - Firm Profiles.pdf Vol 2 | Page 40

Creative/Cultural Firms

14. SPORTS MAX
Company Background:
The International Media Content Ltd (IMC) is
the parent company of SportsMax, which is
a regional sports cable channel. IMC started
in 2002 as an Intellectual Property company
acquiring rights for sports, who bought
and sold these rights. At that time, there
were no outlets for the sports, therefore no
traditional markets were existent. IMC began
broadcasting English premiere league and
West Indian cricket in late 2002.
Their startup market was located in Jamaica
between 2002 and 2006, where they built an
inventory of sports. In 2005, IMC established
a Satellite channel. Bermuda was the first
overseas market, followed by the Cayman
Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, the
Dutch Caribbean and the French Caribbean.
In 2006, IMC and FIFA had a deal to distribute
to CARICOM, followed by a deal with TTFA to
broadcast the run up games to the World Cup
in Trinidad and Tobago.
SportsMax is strategically placed within the
Caribbean Entertainment Everyday Network
(CEEN) which reaches the Caribbean Diaspora
through programmes, such as school and
professional (regional and international) sports
events, entertainment shows and discussions,
local television production, music events and
local talk shows. The Planning Institute of
Jamaica (PIOJ) has also engaged CEEN TV to
provide coverage of the organization’s major
events to the diaspora community.
Main Products/Services:
SportsMax’s model is to secure broadcast
rights for various international competitions,
including regional and international football
(such as the Barclays Premier League, UEFA
Champions League, and international matches
featuring regional teams (such as the Reggae
Boys and Soca Warriors). The company
also broadcasts games from South America,
including from Brazil and Argentina. Coverage
is also provided on national, regional and
international cricket tournaments, boxing, and
athletics competitions.

40

Programmes carried by SportsMax include
discussions and features, which not only
entertain but also inform and educate the
region. Importantly, SportsMax also affords
exposure of talented athletes.
This model allows SportsMax to utilize
the revenue stream of major international
competitions, particularly the EPL and
international cricket, to provide the necessary
inflows to allow them to record and broadcast
local and national sporting event across the to
the Diaspora.
Employment:
Sports Max currently employs approximately
74 employees, 72 based in Jamaica, 1 in
Barbados and 1 in the New York Tri-state
area, including New York, New Jersey and
Connecticut.
Target Market:
SportsMax is transmitted regionally to 23
countries through cable operators in each
territory, and is sold along with Fox Soccer
Plus in the MaxPak, is a la carte subscription
package. SportsMax’s parent, IMC, are rights
holders for undoubtedly the world’s top
sporting content, including international
competitions such as the 2006, 2010 and 2014
FIFA World Cups, the London 2012 Olympic
Games and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.