Rupert Murdoch’s British newspapers could lose exclusive access to the country’s athletes as they prepare for next year’s Summer Games in London because of the phone-hacking scandal that led to the closing of the tabloid The News of the World and testimony before Parliament by Murdoch and his son James.
“The shuttering of The News of the World means that the terms of the contract could no longer be fulfilled,” said Andrew Owen, a spokesman for Team 2012, which raises money for British Olympians.
He said that the media partnership with Team 2012 and News International, the unit of the News Corporation that owns the newspapers, had not been terminated.
Owen said that News International could “explore remedies” for its deal with its other newspapers — The Times, the Sunday Times and the Sun. But it was unclear how much leeway Team 2012 has contractually to end the deal, with The News of the World gone, and seek a new media sponsor.
It is also not known how vigorously News International will fight to retain the deal as it copes with the phone-hacking scandal, which has embroiled not only the company but also Scotland Yard.
A spokeswoman for News International declined to comment.
Team 2012 is a joint venture of the British Olympic Association, the London Olympic organizing committee, the British Paralympic Association and UK Sport. The presenting sponsor of the fund-raising organization is Visa, which is also a worldwide Olympic sponsor.
The deal between Team 2012 and News International involved all four of its newspapers, which were all entitled to carry the slogan “Official Newspaper of Team 2012.” But the potency of the partnership with News International was diminished by the loss of The News of the World’s 2.7 million Sunday circulation.
According to a news release last January that announced Team 2012’s partnership with News International, the four newspapers were part of a campaign to help the British public “get behind each of the athletes, their sports and their personal stories.”
At the time, Rebekah Brooks, who was the chief executive of News International, offered a reason for the company’s interest in the deal. “This unique partnership gives our newspapers unrivaled access to the Team 2012 athletes,” she said, “and means we will be able to throw our full support behind the team and give our readers the inside track.”
Brooks, who was the editor of The News of the World when the phone-hacking abuses began in 2002, has resigned from the company and testified before Parliament, along with the Murdochs.
“The shuttering of The News of the World means that the terms of the contract could no longer be fulfilled,” said Andrew Owen, a spokesman for Team 2012, which raises money for British Olympians.
He said that the media partnership with Team 2012 and News International, the unit of the News Corporation that owns the newspapers, had not been terminated.
Owen said that News International could “explore remedies” for its deal with its other newspapers — The Times, the Sunday Times and the Sun. But it was unclear how much leeway Team 2012 has contractually to end the deal, with The News of the World gone, and seek a new media sponsor.
It is also not known how vigorously News International will fight to retain the deal as it copes with the phone-hacking scandal, which has embroiled not only the company but also Scotland Yard.
A spokeswoman for News International declined to comment.
Team 2012 is a joint venture of the British Olympic Association, the London Olympic organizing committee, the British Paralympic Association and UK Sport. The presenting sponsor of the fund-raising organization is Visa, which is also a worldwide Olympic sponsor.
The deal between Team 2012 and News International involved all four of its newspapers, which were all entitled to carry the slogan “Official Newspaper of Team 2012.” But the potency of the partnership with News International was diminished by the loss of The News of the World’s 2.7 million Sunday circulation.
According to a news release last January that announced Team 2012’s partnership with News International, the four newspapers were part of a campaign to help the British public “get behind each of the athletes, their sports and their personal stories.”
At the time, Rebekah Brooks, who was the chief executive of News International, offered a reason for the company’s interest in the deal. “This unique partnership gives our newspapers unrivaled access to the Team 2012 athletes,” she said, “and means we will be able to throw our full support behind the team and give our readers the inside track.”
Brooks, who was the editor of The News of the World when the phone-hacking abuses began in 2002, has resigned from the company and testified before Parliament, along with the Murdochs.
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