Hyundai Super Match Ice Show, June 5th and 6th

[Bennett]

I think you can't really answer some of those questions without looking at Yuna's (3,5 and 6) contract with IB, which is obviously not in the public domain.
I will say however that it's totally reasonable for skaters from one agency to skate in a show organized by someone else. Jeremy Abbott is full-time on Stars on Ice while Rachael Flatt is scheduled to participated with selected dates. As I mentioned before neither skater is a IMG client.
It's important to note that while IMG and IB are both worldwide organizations, IB is still a Korean company. It's headquarters are in Seoul.

I tracked down an fairly old annual report from IB, [2007; see link here: www.ibsports.com/ir/2007_ibsports_eng.pdf ]
Don't know if any of this applies now
1.) It had an exclusive marketing agreement with the Korean Skating Union and
2.) It was responsible for sponsorship from Koomin Bank to the KSU.
3.) Yu-na has been on with IB since April 2007 and her contract is set expire next month.

There's probably a more current annual report out there, but it requires me to look through IB's mostly Korean Web site, and obviously I don't read Korean.

Oh, wow, thanks!

Doesn't the item #1 (IB's exclusive marketing agreement with KSU) create a situation where Yuna cannot leave IB Sports unless she completely retires? She would need to have KSU behind her as long as she wants to remain eligible. Even if she takes a break for a year or two, it seems necessary for her to stay with IB Sports in order to maintain a good relationship with KSU upon her comeback. According to your document, this exlusive marketing contract with KSU (June 2007) was realized right after Yuna had switched to IB Sports (April 2007) (see page 35 of the slides). This gives an impression that these three parties (Yuna, KSU, and IB Sports) cannot split.

Please correct me if I am not understanding it well. But re #2, is Koomin Bank the same bank with the one referred to as the only sponsor that Yuna got during her contract with IMG Korea? And I read in the Yuna Forum linked above that the bank sponsorship is said to have come personally. It says that they called her mom directly, rather than through IMG. I wonder if IB Sports was not involved in the process at all. IB Sports, KSU, and KB bank have tied up together. The fourth party, the Yuna as the famous skater, seems to be an important part of the business for the said three parties (like a strawberry topped on the cake).

If the situation #1 is confounded with the situation #2, I feel that Yuna really cannot leave IB Sports as long as she remains eligible. She needs to have KSU behind her and KSU seems strongly connected to IB Sports that brought KB bank (which seems like the biggest bank in Korea). And I am guessing that KB bank has not been the only sponsor of KSU that has come through IB Sports, considering the item #1.


Yet, I still wonder why IMG Korea was not successful at marketing though. Is it not big in Korea even though it is a mega international cooperation? Or is it just that IB Sports as an international company primarily based in Korea is far bigger than IMG Korea over there?


Finally, who made/influenced the decision to switch to IB Sports? Was it recommended by KSU?

[Mrs. P]

Oh, wow, thanks!

Doesn't the item #1 (IB's exclusive marketing agreement with KSU) create a situation where Yuna cannot leave IB Sports unless she completely retires? She would need to have KSU behind her as long as she wants to remain eligible. Even if she takes a break for a year or two, it seems necessary for her to stay with IB Sports in order to maintain a good relationship with KSU upon her comeback. According to your document, this exlusive marketing contract with KSU (June 2007) was realized right after Yuna had switched to IB Sports (April 2007) (see page 35 of the slides). This gives an impression that these three parties (Yuna, KSU, and IB Sports) cannot split.

Please correct me if I am not understanding it well. But re #2, is Koomin Bank the same bank with the one referred to as the only sponsor that Yuna got during her contract with IMG Korea? And I read in the Yuna Forum linked above that the bank sponsorship is said to have come personally. It says that they called her mom directly, rather than through IMG. I wonder if IB Sports was not involved in the process at all. IB Sports, KSU, and KB bank have tied up together. The fourth party, the Yuna as the famous skater, seems to be an important part of the business for the said three parties (like a strawberry topped on the cake).

If the situation #1 is confounded with the situation #2, I feel that Yuna really cannot leave IB Sports as long as she remains eligible. She needs to have KSU behind her and KSU seems strongly connected to IB Sports that brought KB bank (which seems like the biggest bank in Korea). And I am guessing that KB bank has not been the only sponsor of KSU that has come through IB Sports, considering the item #1.


Yet, I still wonder why IMG Korea was not successful at marketing though. Is it not big in Korea even though it is a mega international cooperation? Or is it just that IB Sports as an international company primarily based in Korea is far bigger than IMG Korea over there?


Finally, who made/influenced the decision to switch to IB Sports? Was it recommended by KSU?

My impression, and this is only my opinion, is that Koreans feel a certain bit of nationalistic obligation (or pride?) in working with a homegrown (relatively so) company. Even though IB is a big corporation it's still a Korean-based one. So chances are even if IMG has a branch in Korea, I think IB might have a better relationship with potential sponsors because to those businesses IB Sports is one of them.

Yu-na is clearly IB's biggest client. While IMG can focus on other figure skating phenoms, IB seems to focus exclusively on Yu-na. That's a good thing. Sure skaters have their own agents to tend to their marketing needs, but in this case it seems like the ENTIRE company is behind Yuna.

While I don't see Yuna leaving IB anytime soon, I don't necessarily think that the IB contract with KSU makes it mandatory for her to stay. While it all seems intertwined, really an exclusive marketing agreement with KSU simply may mean that 1.) it may shop around the Korean TV stations broadcast rights of international skating events 2.) they help the KSU market itself for ISU events 3.) The obvious, promote KSU events such as its National championships. While having Yu-na as a client certainly sweetens the deal, I'm not sure if that means she will be blackballed if she leaves IB. And considering that she's happy with IB this seems like a moot point anyway.

[Ren]

Thanks. I read your link. I have follow-up questions to ask:

1. What did IMG Korea do and not do to Yuna---other than not finding sponsors but one bank---which led to the split between Yuna and IMG Korea?

2. Is it the entire IMG or just IMG Korea that is against IB Sports? I assume that IMG is an international company with various branches in many places in the world. Is it only IMG Korea that's against IB Sports? Or does the entire company have a bad relationship with IB Sports? Alternatively, does IB Sports have bad feelings towards the entire IMG or just IMG Korea?

3. Is it IB Sports that does not send Yuna to IMG-organized events or is it IMG that does not send their skaters to IB-organized events? Or both?

4. Suppose a skater like Shizuka, who does not seem to belong to either of them, hosts an ice show. Then can Yuna and IMG-related skaters participate in the show together? Or will they have the situation where either Yuna or IMG-related skaters have to decline/withdraw because of the presence of the other(s)?

5. Does Yuna have to do everything through IB Sports? Can she organize an ice show independent of IB Sports?

6. Can't skaters work independent of the preferences of their agencies? Suppose any of the IMG skaters says that he/she wants to participate in IB-organized events, can they really not? Alternatively, if Yuna says that she really wants to participate in IMG-organized events, can she really not?

Bennett, I will have to echo Mrs. P that we can't answer all of these questions definitively unless we've seen Yu-Na's contract. All I can contribute are my musings/suppositions.

#1 It's my opinion that in the beginning, Yu-Na's leaving IMG Korea was nothing nefarious at all. When her contract with them was ended, she signed up with IB Sports, who probably proposed a better contract. It didn't quite work out with IMG Korea, so she opted for a new agency. I think this is reasonable. After all, when a skater/coach, skater/choreographer, skater/skater (pairs and ice dance), relationships don't work, the people involved looked for other people. Common, a poster at Yu-Na Kim forum, said on the above-mentioned thread that IB had promised "to support the training fee in Toronto until 2010". This was in the off-season after 2007 Worlds. I honestly think this was a huge investment then.

I think the bad feelings came after. Yu-Na had just become the bronze medalist at Worlds, her star was rising. Why on earth would they want to let her go? But they apparently didn't do much for her. According to Common's recounting of the events as he/she remembers, "What the agency said, 'We did our best, but the problem is that she lacks star quality.' " (Excuse me while I laugh hysterically at this statement. Yu-Na not having star quality. Really, now. :sheesh Common also said that there were articles where the IMG Korea representative said that they won't allow Yu-Na to do IMG-related ice shows in the future (I can't verify these articles, though, because I don't read Korean and am thus not able to do follow-up research). He/she noted though that he/she "heard IMG Korea a.k.a. IM doesn't have an influence on IMG head office in America." So maybe there's a chance that Yu-Na will perform in an IMG-related event in the future. And she was slated to skate in the ill-fated Hyundai Card Super Match 2007, before fire forced the organizers to cancel. I think it's the aftermath of that one show, as detailed in cooper's post (#30) on this thread, that cemented the ill will between the two agencies.

As for #2, I think it's just IMG Korea, not entire IMG.

About the #3 question, Shen and Zhao are IMG clients, but they skated in Yu-Na's show, so it is possible for skaters who are with one sports agency to perform in events organized by another. As for IB sports not sending Yu-Na to IMG organized events, Yu-Na herself was to skate in this Super Match back in 2007 (organized by IMG Korea and Sema, but she was with IB by that time), but the fire at the location (where she was supposed to skate with Plushenko and others) cancelled the show. Again, I refer to cooper's post (#30) on this thread. Yu-Na skated at a mall rink by herself after that fire to make up for it. She didn't have to; it's not like the fire and cancellation was her fault. But she skated because she didn't want to disappoint the Korean fans.

My personal opinion is that while it's possible for skaters to perform in shows organized by another agency, it's probably not encouraged (but don't quote me on that, this is just my opinion :D ). I mean, if you signed up with one party, it makes sense that you most frequently perform in their events, right? It's like when a recording artist signs up for a label. Signing a contract with a company, implies to me, some sense of exclusivity.

Also, we have to take into account Yu-Na's schedule, endorsements and overall health. She had injuries in the earlier part of this quadrennial, and the ton of ice shows/long skating tour that other skaters do was probably not advisable for her. She also has ad campaigns/commercials, fashion photo shoots, sponsor's events she has to do/go to/consider. These endorsements are what makes her training abroad possible. The money she makes from these also help her fund the training of younger Korean skaters, as well as the huge donations she makes towards charitable causes. After spending a lot of time in the year training and competing abroad, she probably wants to cool her heels off in Korea during the off-season, when the pressure is much less. And she does want to see her friends and the rest of her family.

#4 question. I think it's definitely possible that Yu-Na will skate in a non-IB, non-IMG Korea show. But the past two years have been very hectic for her. If someone's made some overtures, Team Yu-Na probably had to turn it down because of conflict with schedules of both training and endorsement obligations. Again, this is my supposition. Perhaps in the future this will happen; after all Yu-Na is finally injury free, and there's definitely an international interest in the reigning Olympic champion.

#5 and #6 There's likely terms of exclusivity in her contract... Why would she want to organize an ice show independent of IB Sports? They're her agency, and they've treated her well. My opinion is that you build loyalty to people who treat you well/decently, and as far I've seen, IB seems to be treating her like, well, a queen. If Yu-Na really wants (as in badly) to participate in IMG-organized events, she probably could--after her agency has hammered out the very fine details. :D But if you're a skater who signs up to one company, and say you want to participate in the activities of another, then why on earth did you choose one after all? You could have worked as a free agent. In my opinion, a client will prioritize the company he/she signed up with; this is reasonable and expected.

Edited to add: Hyundai Card Super Match organized by IMG Korea and Sema (event company)
Another edit: My mistake, it seems that Yu-Na's contract with IMG Korea was not supposed to expire in 2007, but that the contract had an exceptional clause that "Yuna can move to the new agency anytime she wants when a better agency appears." This is from Common's post (#11) at this thread: http://yunaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1506 So I'm editing this post accordingly. I apologize for my mistake.

[Ren]

Finally, who made/influenced the decision to switch to IB Sports? Was it recommended by KSU?

I don't know who suggested IB Sports to Yu-Na. Korean fans on this board may shed better light on the issue. She seems happy with what they're doing so far, and for me, that's what's important.

[#1Kerryfan]

You'd think Yu-Na would be there - it's in her country, she's the best skater in all time from Korea....

I hope Plushy treats Evan better at this show than he did in Vancouver....

[Mrs. P]

Here's a link that sheds a little more light on the issue: http://www.firsons.com/main/bbs/boar...r_id=30&page=2 (Looks like it's a story from The Korea Times)

In summary, the issue is that last year there was a conflict between IB Sports and IMG Korea over the appearance of Jeffery Buttle, Joannie Rochette and Evan Lysacek at their respect shows which were a week apart:

Super Class on Ice and Ice All-Stars each announced its performers for their upcoming shows on Aug. 1 and 2, and Aug. 14 to 16, respectively.

However, controversy is brewing over whether three skaters, Jeffrey Buttle and Joannie Rochette of Canada, and American Evan Lysacek will be performing at both shows.

The Super Class show, now in its eighth year, is hosted by Hyundai Card while Samsung Electronics is hosting its first ever Ice All-Stars show. While both are claiming that the three will skate at their shows, a representative from IMG, the agency that represents the trio, said they will only be at the Hyundai Card show.

``We never heard about that. The three players will perform at the Super Class only,'' IMG Korea figure skating representative Jung Joon-seok told The Korea Times, Tuesday.

But IB Sports, which is organizing the Ice All-Stars show, said it contacted the three skaters directly and they all agreed to perform.

Later on:

Korean figure skating superstar Kim Yu-na will also perform at the Ice All-Stars show. Super Class organizers had contacted IB Sports, which also represents Kim, but she will only skate at the one show.

``We had negotiations with IB Sports about inviting Kim Yu-na, but they failed. So that we decided to call the three skaters to guarantee the show's quality,'' a Hyundai Card representative said. ``We made a deal with IMG, the agency of the three skaters. There is no problem with us.''

An official who is involved in the Super Class criticized the arrogance of IB Sports.

``I think IB Sports thought that we could not do the ice show without Kim Yu-na. We want to show that the event can be successful without Kim Yu-na.''

AND...

The complicated situation appears to illustrate the competitive behind-the-scenes squabbles between sports agencies. Kim, who has become a skating superstar in Korea, signed a contract with IMG Korea in May 2006 that ran until 2010 but made the move to IB Sports in 2007. United States-based IMG filed a lawsuit against the IB Sports for 2 billion won ($1.6 million), but failed to win the case.

[sleepymom]

I can say with some certainty that IMG Korea has been trying to mess up IB Ice show. One thing curious about all this is that, what Hyundai Card is thinking. Hyundai-Card Super match is basically anything, no need to be Ice show. - It's has been inviting Tennis starts and other sports starts for such exhibition before. Just spending less money can't be all that attractive considering all those ill wills they're gathering in Korea due to what IMG Korea is doing. There is this funny disjoint between what this is about and what is actually happening in the ground level. I doubt Hyundai Card executives are knowing about this?

[sleepymom]

Yet, I still wonder why IMG Korea was not successful at marketing though. Is it not big in Korea even though it is a mega international cooperation? Or is it just that IB Sports as an international company primarily based in Korea is far bigger than IMG Korea over there?


Finally, who made/influenced the decision to switch to IB Sports? Was it recommended by KSU?

1.) It had an exclusive marketing agreement with the Korean Skating Union
<= I don't think Yuna needs to worry about this in KR. Basically, in Korea Yuna is the figure skating. I bet this actually comes about after they got Yuna.

For your last question, unlike IMG international, IMG Korea is really small company. From what I understand, while IMG international is much bigger company worldwide, IB Korea has bigger presence in KR than IMG. But I think the reason why IMG fails to market Yuna was mainly due to the line of thinking that FS in KR had been negligible and she would not be successful, in their mind. Remember that Yuna is the first one in KR to be successful although she's a mega star now, in 2006 she was with injury and considering retirement. So they didn't have much resource in KR and didn't want to put short resource in uncertain prospect, I suspect.

[Ren]

Can some Korean fans confirm whether Yu-Na's contract with IMG Korea really had that clause which says she could move to a new agency anytime (if that agency is better)? This stuff must have been in the news...

ETA: If she really had that clause in the contract, that explains why IMG Korea lost that lawsuit. They shot themselves in the leg with that loophole, IMO...

[Ren]

Nevermind, gtwyvill from the relevant YNKF thread had linked to this article from The Korea Times: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news.../136_1929.html

Part of the article:

Despite recovery _ even slower than expected _ from a chronic back injury, Korean figure skater Kim Yu-na, 16, has yet to see light at the end of the tunnel. The 2007 World bronze medallist is facing a severe court battle over changing agents.

On April 20, Kim's mother Park Mi-hee notified IMG Korea, which managed Kim over the past year, of her and her husband's decision to part from the agent, saying IMG Korea's management was not satisfactory.

Five days later, Park signed a three-year contract with IB Korea, granting the local sports marketing firm exclusive rights as an agent for the skater in the business areas of advertising, licensing, publishing, Internet content and even movies.

Lee Jung-han, IMG Korea president, responded with legal action, claiming it is a double contract. He hired a lawyer from Kim & Chang, the biggest law firm in Korea, and is preparing to file the lawsuit.

He said the contract between his company and Kim's parents was made with the consent of both parties and a mutual agreement is required as well to nullify it.

Ahn Sang-wook, IB Sports vice president, replied that there was no illegality in Kim entering into a new contract as the deal between IMG Korea and Kim's parents was just an agent contract. Ahn quoted a local civil code stating any party in an agent contract can notify of its intention to terminate the deal at any time unilaterally.

He said IB Sports made a more comprehensive ``management deal'' with Kim, not an agent one.

``Kim's commercial value is great, and we will do anything we can on and off the rink to support her to become a stronger and dominant figure skater in the world,'' Ahn was quoted as saying by a local paper.

Kim, the 2006 junior champion, rose to international fame under the management of IMG Korea winning a gold medal in the International Skating Union Grand Prix in Paris last November _ the first gold medal in the 100 years of Korean figure skating history. She also won a bronze medal in the World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo last month after a slight injury to her back in early January.

Kim's parents, however, have been dissatisfied with what they say is a lack of support from IMG Korea as an agent.

According to IB Sports, Kim's parents said IMG Korea did little in helping Kim.

The company said Kim's mother complained about overseas air travel, for which Kim only used economy-class seats without any financial support from IMG Korea.

In another YNKF thread, another article linked by leon: http://joongangdaily.joins.com/artic...sp?aid=2890540

The court found that under Korean law athletes have a right to terminate contracts with agents at their discretion without breach of contract. The court also said there was no evidence that IB Sports approached Kim with the intent to induce her to cancel the original contract.

I'm curious. What does 'agent contract' mean? Can any knowledgeable people/lawyer types answer?

[Bennett]

Thanks all for your insights!

While I don't see Yuna leaving IB anytime soon, I don't necessarily think that the IB contract with KSU makes it mandatory for her to stay. While it all seems intertwined, really an exclusive marketing agreement with KSU simply may mean that 1.) it may shop around the Korean TV stations broadcast rights of international skating events 2.) they help the KSU market itself for ISU events 3.) The obvious, promote KSU events such as its National championships. While having Yu-na as a client certainly sweetens the deal, I'm not sure if that means she will be blackballed if she leaves IB. And considering that she's happy with IB this seems like a moot point anyway.

These scenarios seem already a lot to me....

From the KSU's economic, organizational standpoint (regardless of what they may feel as individuals), it would be helpful if Yuna stays in competitive skating because the exclusive marketing through IB Sports would have obviously depended a lot on Yuna's super success.

Does KSU also take care of speed skating? If so, they have really a lot of skaters to take care.

I also recall that Korea wants to participate in the Oly bid. Is it going to be the Winter Oly or Summer Oly? If the former is the case, the KSU has big missions to develop strong teams as well as lobby activities. Bidding and hosting Oly really needs a lot of money.

For Yuna, I understand ppl saying that she has been happy with IB Sports. But a problem can arise if and when she wants to be a pro skater. Having difficulties in collaborating with some other skaters would hurt her pro career.

[sleepymom]

I'm curious. What does 'agent contract' mean? Can any knowledgeable people/lawyer types answer?

The thing is that until we know what was in the actual contract, it's kind of hard to figure out what was the exact nature of it. From the article about IMG lawsuit against IB, Korean law system apparently deemed IB didn't act outside of Korean contractual law. I don't think we can get any thing more than that.

[Ren]

I also recall that Korea wants to participate in the Oly bid. Is it going to be the Winter Oly or Summer Oly? If the former is the case, the KSU has big missions to develop strong teams as well as lobby activities. Bidding and hosting Oly really needs a lot of money.

They're going to bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, I think. And of course, Yu-Na will probably be one of the spokespersons.

[Ren]

We've gone somewhat off-topic, and for that, I apologize. There's been Super Match in 2008 and 2009? What is the format like? Is it televised or shown on online stream?

[common]

Oh, wow, thanks!

Doesn't the item #1 (IB's exclusive marketing agreement with KSU) create a situation where Yuna cannot leave IB Sports unless she completely retires? She would need to have KSU behind her as long as she wants to remain eligible. Even if she takes a break for a year or two, it seems necessary for her to stay with IB Sports in order to maintain a good relationship with KSU upon her comeback. According to your document, this exlusive marketing contract with KSU (June 2007) was realized right after Yuna had switched to IB Sports (April 2007) (see page 35 of the slides). This gives an impression that these three parties (Yuna, KSU, and IB Sports) cannot split.

Please correct me if I am not understanding it well. But re #2, is Koomin Bank the same bank with the one referred to as the only sponsor that Yuna got during her contract with IMG Korea? And I read in the Yuna Forum linked above that the bank sponsorship is said to have come personally. It says that they called her mom directly, rather than through IMG. I wonder if IB Sports was not involved in the process at all. IB Sports, KSU, and KB bank have tied up together. The fourth party, the Yuna as the famous skater, seems to be an important part of the business for the said three parties (like a strawberry topped on the cake).

If the situation #1 is confounded with the situation #2, I feel that Yuna really cannot leave IB Sports as long as she remains eligible. She needs to have KSU behind her and KSU seems strongly connected to IB Sports that brought KB bank (which seems like the biggest bank in Korea). And I am guessing that KB bank has not been the only sponsor of KSU that has come through IB Sports, considering the item #1.


Yet, I still wonder why IMG Korea was not successful at marketing though. Is it not big in Korea even though it is a mega international cooperation? Or is it just that IB Sports as an international company primarily based in Korea is far bigger than IMG Korea over there?


Finally, who made/influenced the decision to switch to IB Sports? Was it recommended by KSU?

I apologize in advance before going off topic again, just roughed out a few thoughts since the causal connection between the companies and union seems to be mixed up in the post I quoted.

KB, IBsports and KSU were complete strangers to one another when Yuna did the first commercial endorsing KB. They got to enter into a relation with one another only after they got to know Yuna through separate channel.

In the year of her senior debut, she did the first commercial, and yet she was in financial difficulties to train in Toronto, donated some part of the commercial profits for the scholarships supporting the young Korean skaters, also handed out a scholarship to her junior skaters after doing her second commercial.

Since she has been supporting young junior skaters whenever she got big money, her first sponsor KB got to know the poor domestic skating environment, and that leads to signing the sponsorship deal with KSU. If you can read this Korean article, KB official says in the interview that they got to know the poor skating environment of Korea national team through Yuna, and it is true that her advice affected their sponsorship deal.

And IB sports and KB are both involved in long track/ short track/ figure skating, and support all three sports. Though all of them became to have a relation with one another through Yuna so the skaters suffering from financial troubles could be supported financially from the big company, the system has been working without Yuna. As you can see, if you watch the skating event in the Olys, you can find KB logo in all the Korean speed/short track skaters' suits.

As for the Yuna's future career mentioned in this thread, she announced that she will not leave figure skating for the rest of her life, and wants to help Korean junior skaters and contribute to the advancement of this sport. Maybe only Yuna knows what she wants to become in the future. Interesting thing is that she is also majoring in education at the college of PE and taking a course of teaching and sports psychology, so it would be interesting to wait and see which path she will choose not in the near future but after 10 or 20 years.