“I was part of the internet hype,” says the man responsible for two of the most heavily trafficked sporting websites of their time, “and I think I’ve heard so much bullshit over the past seven years that now I prefer just to take one step at a time.”
It’s a refreshingly honest assessment of an industry that specialised in not only running before it could walk, but trying to win the Olympic 100m title before it was even out of diapers.
And at 36, Charles-Henry Contamine is well placed to comment on how he sees the so often over-hyped online landscape; young enough to be excited by the future, old enough to have ‘been there, done that’ – a vital requirement of anyone looking to make money online.
As FIFA’s new media chief, he is master of all he surveys but he does not assume it gives him any great insight into the future.
“People have a lot of clear views about the future,” he says in a voice eerily similar to that of Arsenal boss and fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger.
“I’m not so sure.
“Let’s do Germany 2006 well on the fixed internet and mobile and see how that goes. Then let’s start putting our heads together for 2010.”
But don’t let his failure to believe the hype suggest he is not ambitious and excited about the future. He speaks of a far more integrated TV and internet package in the years to come, and believes the way mobile devices could carry TV broadcasts could revolutionise the way in which rights are sold.
Originally a journalist, he took the leap from the printed page to cyberspace back in 1998 when he joined the organising committee for France 98 and oversaw its then record-breaking official site.
Leaping on the Sportal bandwagon at its height, working on the Euro 2000 site, he bailed out when Rob Hersov’s money-guzzling exercise in online brand-building failed to deliver enough revenues to sustain it.
In July 2001, he moved to head up FIFA.com and was in charge of the official website for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Now he is preparing himself for the Germany 2006 tournament.
STREAMLINING
A key phrase in his career in FIFA so far has been streamlining. First he oversaw the merger of the two distinct new media departments at soccer’s HQ in Zurich. By making the editorial and marketing sides become one it immediately reinforced the offering and the service.
Now he is looking at a more obvious step – and cutting down the excess URLs.
He explains: “In 1998 it was a nightmare. We had France98.com against FIFA.com. In 2002 we had FIFAWorldCup.com but we also had the Japan and Korea organisers’ website too. There was also another website for ticketing. You name it, we seemed to have a website for it.
“After 2002 we said we wanted only one URL – so everything World Cup-related went on FIFAWorldCup.com. On that platform, the local organising committee have a section that they run themselves, and we also have a ticketing section. Everything on one site.
“That basically gives a better experience to the user, as they can find the match info next to the travel and ticketing system.”
The next stage will be ditching FIFAWorldCup.com and focusing purely on the FIFA.com URL. A move designed to cut confusion, attract more users to the main FIFA site outside of tournaments, and one designed to be more memorable for the non-English speaking football fan.
The relationship with Yahoo!, which has hosted, developed and published the site since the collapse of the ISL agreement, has worked well for FIFA and Contamine says the company has done ‘a very good job’ for the federation.
But things are set for a change as the new marketing cycle after the Germany World Cup approaches; and it can only be assumed Yahoo!’s involvement will be up for consideration as is everything else.
While Contamine refuses to be drawn on quite what the future will hold for any online partner, it seems reasonable to presume FIFA will put reliability and a willingness to enhance the FIFA brand near the top of its wish list.Certainly when it comes to the way it provides a platform for its sponsors on the official World Cup website, it knows integration is the name of the game.
Of course, it is nothing new. UEFA blazed a trail with Euro2004.com when it offered tournament sponsors a subtle, but far more satisfying approach to weaving an online presence to the goals of their involvement.
Sponsors took control of certain sections, branding key heavily trafficked areas that not only ensure wide brand exposure, but endeared them to the football fan – the crucial emotion to activate for any consumer-directed sponsorship strategy.
Contamine intends to follow suit.
“What we have done for 2006 is sit down with the sponsors and clearly identify what they want to achieve and what would make most sense for them.
“A good example is with German tyre manufacturer Continental. They now sponsor the entire ‘Destination Germany’ section of FIFAWorldCup.com. They have an animated banner ad and the page is in their company colours. We sat down, we asked them what they wanted to get across through their association with the World Cup – they said it was that they were German, a tyre manufacturer, and they utilised technology to help people move around – so what could be better than getting them to provide the information to allow fans to reach the games?
“So we ensure we deliver them with the best possible value, but never lose sight of the fact the site must deliver information and entertainment to the user.”
RECORD-BREAKER
What is almost a given is that FIFAWorldCup.com will break visitor records next summer. The trick is ensuring it is worthy of those numbers – and can convince a percentage of those visitors that FIFA.com should be their football destination of choice.
Contamine adds: “Within an organisation like FIFA, the web is one of the most competitive areas we manage – because the World Cup is ours.
“Fans watch the TV to see the games, but online there is a wealth of sites they can visit so we need to be always competitive to our users and it means we have to integrate commercial involvement in a clever and imaginative way.
“We have a lot of video content, especially in our archive.
“But I think the text, the scores, the immediate visibility of information is crucial. You have to remember most people are still at work and just want the scores, and that most people will watch the game on the TV. You then log-on to find out the extra detail – the quotes, the statistics.
“It is perfect when it plays a complementary role. I mean, we are not going to compete with TV now are we?”
Fresh from June’s Confederations’ Cup, a testing ground for the service which will launch for next summer’s World Cup, Contamine is also keeping details of the services available to the consumer for 2006 under wraps at least for now.
“We will have a mobile download service for the Confederations Cup and something much more ambitious for the World Cup,” he says.
“I am absolutely unable to tell you what will happen in 2010. But no-one yet knows what the technology will be like. The one thing people will have to come to grips with is that you will likely be able to get TV on your mobile.
“Mobiles in Japan provide that already, and that is branching out into Europe too.
“Speaking for myself, I feel TV is a great medium for live football, and I would not be surprised if at some point the broadcasters provide content on both mobile and TV.
“For example, the BBC could say they allow users to access their channels via mobiles, therefore they could negotiate to ensure FIFA do not sell the mobile rights – because if someone else gets them then the BBC’s mobile stream is spoiled.
“We are currently in the process of deciding the 2010 TV rights and we will be looking at having a more complementary role with the broadcasters.
“We are looking at branching out into interactive television so if, for example, the BBC get the rights to 2010 then we could provide an interactive data feed basically giving you the website via your TV screen which will enhance the experience so much more.
“There is obviously a convergence but I prefer to take a wait and see approach.”
The possible permutations of how a raft of rights could be delivered five years down the line is almost endless and one which will be carefully monitored.
For now Contamine knows in just a matter of months now, the eyes of the world will once again settle on him and his team.
