News & Opinion

Also Set: Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea in UEFA Super Cup, Arsenal vs. Spurs in Premier League  What: This Labor Day weekend, enjoy coverage of a pair of Nippon Professional baseball games pitting the Yomiuri Giants vs. the Chunichi Dragons, plus four Asian soccer matches from Japan’s J.League and Korea’s K League Classic—all presented live and exclusively in HD on ONE World Sports. The network’s other weekend highlights include delayed gamecasts of the high-profile UEFA Super Cup showdown between European soccer powers Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and a London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League. When:            ONE World Sports, the English-language global sports network, will carry all of this world-class action live or delayed on Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. Saturday, Aug. 31 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 9 a.m. (Delayed) Kashima Antlers vs. Kashiwa Reysol J.League 11 a.m. (Delayed) Omiya Ardija vs. Yokohama F-Marinos J.League 1 p.m. (Delayed) Sanfreece Hirshima vs. FC Tokyo J.League  Sunday, Sept. 1 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Pohang vs. Busan K League Classic 7 p.m. (Delayed) Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich UEFA Super Cup  Monday, Sept. 2 Time (EDT) Event Competition 7 p.m. (Delayed) Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur Barclays Premier League  Where: ONE World Sports is available via DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber.

Also on Tap: 5 Matches from 3 Asian Soccer Leagues, Plus Arsenal vs. Aston Villa  What:             ONE World Sports presents—exclusively and live—a pair of Nippon Professional Baseball games in which the world-famous Yomiuri Giants take on the Chunichi Dragons. The network’s other weekend highlights include exclusive coverage of soccer matches from Japan’s J.League, Korea’s K League Classic and the Chinese Super League, and a Barclays English Premier League game pitting Arsenal vs. Aston Villa. When:            ONE World Sports, the English-language global sports network, will carry all of this world-class action live or delayed during the upcoming weekend.  Saturday, Aug. 17 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Sagan Tosu vs. Omiya Ardija J.League 8 a.m. (Delayed) Urawa Reds vs. Oita Trinita J.League 10 a.m. (Delayed) FC Tokyo vs. Yokohama F-Marinos J.League Noon (Delayed) Liaoning Whowin vs. Shandong Luneng Chinese Super League Sunday, Aug. 18 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Busan vs. Ulsan K League Classic 8 a.m. (Delayed) Guizhou Renhe vs. Beijing Guoan Chinese Super League 9 p.m. (Delayed) Arsenal vs. Aston Villa Barclays Premier League  Where: ONE World Sports is available on DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber.

NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) and beIN SPORT announced today that beIN SPORT's live English-language play-by-play of the best soccer leagues in the world – including Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1 -- will be available to SiriusXM subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM's dedicated soccer channel, SiriusXM FC, channel 94, and other SiriusXM play-by-play channels. Each week, listeners will hear multiple La Liga matches, including all matches featuring Real Madrid and Barcelona, multiple Serie A and Ligue 1 matches, as well as select matches from the Copa del Rey tournament and select World Cup qualifiers for CONMEBOL South American teams. The SiriusXM FC channel is available to subscribers on all satellite radios, through theSiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com. Additionally, SiriusXM will broadcast Spanish-language beIN SPORT en Espanol on SiriusXM channel 158, starting August 15.  This programming will include live play-by-play of La Liga, Serie A, Copa del Rey and World Cup qualifying matches, exclusive club shows from Barca TV and Real Madrid TV as well as the network's most popular news and magazine shows including The Locker Room and The Express as well as top international sports including Million Dollar horse racing from Dubai, European basketball and cycling and motorsports, like the FIM Superbike Championships. beIN SPORT en Espanol (SiriusXM channel 158) will be available to subscribers on satellite radios, through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com. France's Ligue 1 season begins today, August 9, with Montpellier v. reigning champion Paris Saint-Germain.  SiriusXM will air live coverage of the match starting at 2:30pm ET on SiriusXM FC, channel 94. The La Liga season kicks off on Saturday, August 17.  The Serie A season begins Saturday, August 24.  For a schedule of upcoming matches on SiriusXM visit www.siriusxm.com/soccer. "We're thrilled to work with beIN SPORT to deliver our subscribers more of the world's best soccer and we're particularly pleased to make this programming available to our listeners in both English and Spanish," said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM's SVP of Sports Programming.  "The addition of La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 play-by-play further enhances our already abundant soccer programming and gives our listeners direct access to the world's game through their satellite radios, handheld devices and online." "Carriage on SiriusXM is a major coup for every international sports fan," said Antonio Briceno, General Manager of beIN SPORT.  "We will be offering thousands of hours of exclusive beIN SPORT events to SiriusXM listeners – which is nothing less than a major win for everyone involved." The addition of beIN SPORT's broadcasts to the SiriusXM airwaves expands SiriusXM's soccer offerings to include live coverage of four of the best soccer leagues in the world – the Barclays Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 – as well as the prestigious UEFA Champions League.  SiriusXM FC, channel 94, launched last October and offers listeners a mix of soccer talk and play-by-play 365 days a year.  The channel also carries play-by-play from the FA Cup, the Capital One Cup and the UEFA Europa League, as well as daily soccer talk shows hosted by an expert cast of former players, coaches, executives and journalists from the U.S. and Europe. For more info on SiriusXM FC visit www.siriusxm.com/soccer. Follow the channel on Twitter@SiriusXMFC. About Sirius XM Radio Sirius XM Radio Inc. is the world's largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has more than 25 million subscribers.  SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S., from retailers nationwide, and online atsiriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is also available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android, Apple, and BlackBerry smartphones and other connected devices. SiriusXM also holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers. On social media, join the SiriusXM community on Facebook, facebook.com/siriusxm, Twitter,twitter.com/siriusxm, Instagram, instagram.com/siriusxm, and YouTube atyoutube.com/siriusxm. This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and other statements identified by words such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimated," "believe," "intend," "plan," "projection," "outlook" or words of similar meaning.  Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control.  Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.  The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: our competitive position versus other forms of radio and  audio services; our dependence upon automakers; general economic conditions; failure of our satellites, which, in most cases, are not insured; our ability to attract and retain subscribers at a profitable level; royalties we pay for music rights; the unfavorable outcome of pending or future litigation; rapid technological and industry change; failure of third parties to perform; changes in consumer protection laws and their enforcement; and our substantial indebtedness.  Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).  The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

  Amdocs, the leading provider of customer experience systems and services, conducted a global consumer survey of smartphone owners that explores the link between Net Promoter Score (NPS) and service provider revenues and costs. The NPS is a customer loyalty metric, which measures the willingness of consumers to recommend a product or service to others. The survey revealed a direct link between NPS and service provider revenues, with 88 percent of consumers indicating that they would increase spending with their service provider by almost one third if they received better service, and a further 84 percent stating they would be happy to recommend their service provider to family and friends, thus reducing the cost of customer acquisition. “This type of research helps quantify the link between customer loyalty (NPS) and profitable growth,” said Fred Reichheld, founder of Bain & Company’s Loyalty Practice and creator of the Net Promoter system of management. “The results provide a clear message to the industry: improve customer service if you want to grow.”

One World Sports has launched on Google Fiber’s system serving Kansas City. The global sports network can now be found in Kansas City, Mo. and Kansas City, Kan. via Sports Plus, Google Fiber’s new sports tier, that includes Pac 12 Networks, NFL Red Zone and MLB Strike Zone. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, marks One World Sports’ fourth linear pact, as the network is available on Dish Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV and Mediacom Communications. The rollout on Google Fiber comes just two days before the network will undergo a comprehensive re-launch on Aug. 3, including a new on-air look and graphics package. The service, which appeals to millennials interested in worldwide sporting action, will also bow a new high-definition production facility in Stamford, Conn. that day and initiate match coverage of the rebooted New York Cosmos soccer franchise.  Programming also encompasses live and same-day action of leagues and competitions in soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, table tennis and badminton “OneWorld Sports is a terrific fit with Google Fiber’s younger-skewing profile,” said Alexander “Sandy” Brown, president and CEO of One World Sports. “We’re very excited to announce this important launch on Google Fiber’s high-profile, ultra-high speed service in America’s heartland.” Google Fiber is a 1 gigabit per second fiber network designed to deliver ultra-high speed broadband connections and video to homes and businesses.

  Bob Gold represented the agency in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the eighth annual Whiteoaks International Network meeting.  Top independent high-tech agency owners from as far away as Korea and Dubai met for two days of intensive meetings and some great local experiences. They shared an international approach to business that benefits many shared clients. The Whiteoaks International Network will assemble in July 2014 in Redondo Beach, California, where our agency will for the first time host our distinguishd colleagues.

Less than a year into the global sports network’s inaugural year with Bob Gold & Associates, ONE World Sports in July debuted its first-ever original series with “Cosmos Classics,” a series showcasing North American Soccer League games starring Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and other members of the original New York Cosmos. Colorful former Cosmos goalkeeper Shep Messing will host the series. Then, on Aug. 3, the network will begin carrying telecasts of the rebooted Cosmos’ first NASL season of the 21st century. ONE World Sports will carry all seven home games of the Cosmos in high definition during the iconic soccer team’s high-profile return to the league. “We’re thrilled to be bringing the historic New York Cosmos franchise to viewers of ONE World Sports,” said Alexander “Sandy” Brown, president and CEO of ONE World Sports. Green indeed: Network brass will be on hand when Pele pulls a switch on Aug. 1 to turn lighting at the Empire State Building “Cosmos green” in honor of the team’s NASL season launch. Well-known soccer commentator JP Dellacamera will provide the play-by-play for the Cosmos telecasts. Messing will provide color commentary for most of the games, with former U.S. National Team defender Janusz Michallik on board for select matches. The Cosmos games are the first live domestic sports programming to be carried on ONE World Sports. The network also has extensive coverage of soccer from Asia and Europe, along with sports competitions from around the globe.  

In April Sprint announced the availability of its all-new 4G LTE network in several new markets – one being Los Angeles – and currently Sprint’s 4G LTE is available in more than 100 cities across the country. Since April, Bob Gold & Associates has hosted two events with Sprint, and will be hosting a media tour to show how 4G LTE is positively affecting Los Angeles pet owners. While the previous two events were focused on the combination of technology and entertainment, the upcoming tour focuses on apps targeted at pet owners. On July 30, Sprint is working with world renowned pet expert Warren Eckstein to show how pet owners can re-establish an amazing relationship with their pets through a number of apps. Sprint spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy will demonstrate some of these apps that can be used on Sprint's Truly Unlimited plan to make your lives with your pets more interactive. Warren is excited to be a part of this media tour as he believes apps specifically tailored for pet lovers, “help better the quality of life for pets and their owners and allow both to have more fun!”

Rob Wynne of Forbes interviewed Bob Gold, our fearless leader, to ask what it is that a PR agency does, and what makes great agencies stand out from the rest. Here are some excerpts from that conversation: “A good agency is a strategic partner who helps clients successfully talk to and with their audiences,” says Bob Gold of Bob Gold & Associates of Redondo Beach, CA “An agency is a good listener to the marketplace and knows what conversation starters will work, but also what just might catch fire. How well can your agency push back on ideas without offending? And are they an innovative partner, or a bunch of “yes men and women?” Gold advises clients to look for the best cultural fit. “Can your agency find and “ get” your voice? And do they lead the conversation, like a good dinner partner or are they too busy gathering clips?” Read the full story on Forbes here. You can follow Rob Wynne on Twitter here: @robwynne.