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Tag: Uefa Euro 2008

  • ESPN Star Sports wins broadcast rights to Uefa Euro 2008

    ESPN Star Sports wins broadcast rights to Uefa Euro 2008

    MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports has won exclusive broadcast and internet rights for the Indian subcontinent for the 2008 European Football Championship (Uefa Euro 2008).

    The territories that are covered in the deal are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives. With this acquisition, ESPN Star Sports will be broadcasting all 31 matches from the tournament live and exclusive.

    Uefa Euro 2008 is the most prestigious tournament in the football calendar after the World Cup. The competition will feature the top 16 national teams from Europe and will be held in Austria and Switzerland in June, 2008. In addition to its live coverage of matches, ESPN Star Sports will be producing exclusive pre-game, post-game, and halftime shows around Uefa Euro 2008 as well as other localised content designed to broaden the base of football viewers in the Indian subcontinent. This commitment to broadcast Uefa Euro 2008 continues the 14-year association between ESS and Uefa which goes back to the inaugural season of the Uefa Champions League in 1992/3.

    Commenting on the acquisition, ESS managing director Jamie Davis said: “I am delighted that the Uefa European Championship is returning to our networks in 2008. The fact that we are working directly with Uefa for the first time affirms their confidence in our efforts to deliver the best football programming to South Asian fans.”

    “We have expanded the football-watching audience in India through concentrated marketing efforts and programming initiatives such as the introduction of Hindi commentary. Viewers can expect an exciting presentation and fresh innovations for Uefa Euro 2008.” Davis added.

    Uefa director of marketing and media rights Philippe Le Floc’h said: “ESPN Star Sports is one of the most experienced sports broadcasters in the Indian subcontinent. We are excited to work again with ESPN Star Sports whose expertise and market position will further enhance the Uefa European Championship brand in the Indian subcontinent.”

    This latest acquisition follows the recent three-year extension of rights for the English Premier League for the Indian subcontinent. ESS football coverage also includes the Spanish Primera Liga and the English FA Cup. ESS also annually produces over 1,000 hours of original football programming, including Nokia Football Crazy, Football Focus, Goals, Tiger FC Locker Room, Here We Go, First Edition and Football Extra.

  • Uefa Euro 2008 mascot launched in Vienna

    Europe’s next festival of football will have a duo to bring it luck. Dressed in red and white football strips, the dynamic twins sport the national colours of both the host countries, Austria and Switzerland.

    Their bright red, pointy hairstyles mirror the shape of the mountain peaks symbolically depicted in the official Uefa Euro 2008 logo.

    At a media conference Uefa CEO Lars-Christer Olsson, Euro 2008 SA Board of Administration Chairman and president of the Swiss Football Association Euro 2008 SA Board of Administration member and president of the Austrian Football Association Ralph Zloczower Friedrich Stickler and Warner Bros. Consumer Products VP Bruno Schwobthaler spoke about the creation, development and marketing of the official mascots, as well as their characters.

    Then it was time for their first appearance: forming 2008 with their shirt numbers as they stood side by side, the dynamic duo walked onto the stage – with the immediate aim of winning the hearts of football fans all over Europe.

    After the media conference, the two mascots got into a horse-drawn carriage and set off for the Stephansplatz. From here, an eight-carriage escort of 32 children, chosen by two of the Uefa Euro 2008 sponsors, McDonald’s and Telekom Austria, accompanied the mascots, where the Viennese public had the opportunity for a close-up view.

    Football fans can also choose mascot names. The first appearance of the twin mascots on a football pitch is scheduled for 11 October, when Austria will host Switzerland in a friendly match in Innsbruck. On 10 October, the day before the Austria v Switzerland friendly, the twin mascots will be ‘christened’ in Innsbruck. Their names will be chosen by football fans in Switzerland and Austria, who will be able to vote between 27 September and 8 October for one of the following pairs of names:

    • Zagi and Zigi

    • Flitz and Bitz

    • Trix and Flix

    The fans in Austria and Switzerland will have three ways of voting:

    • On www.euro2008.com, where all participants will be entered in a draw to win mascot prizes (voting 27 September – 8 October).

    • In McDonald’s restaurants in Switzerland and Austria, with one voter in each country winning two tickets for the friendly match in Innsbruck on 11 October (voting till 5 October).

    • On the hotline number of Austria’s first Uefa Euro 2008 National Supporter Telekom Austria with two voters winning one ticket.

  • BBC, ITV to share coverage of Euro 2008

    BBC, ITV to share coverage of Euro 2008

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC and ITV have announced plans for shared coverage of the UEFA Euro 2008 Championships in Austria and Switzerland.

    Live coverage of the group stage will begin on 7 June with the BBC broadcasting the opening match between Switzerland and the Czech Republic, and ITV broadcasting the later match between Portugal and Turkey.

    During the latter stage of the group phase where matches are played simultaneously, games will be shown live on BBC One, BBCi, ITV1 and ITV channels. Both broadcasters will simulcast all of their games online.

    Both broadcasters will show live coverage of two quarter finals and will show one semi-final each, with ITV taking the first pick.

    The final will be shown live on BBC One on Sunday 29 June, with highlights on ITV1 later in the evening.

    BBC director of sport Roger Mosey said, “We’re confident many millions of people will enjoy the tournament on BBC television, radio and online. There will be plenty of familiar faces on the pitch, and some great matches in prospect.”

    ITV director of news and sport Mark Sharman said, “Euro 2008 is one of the highlights of a huge year of live football on ITV and, with some of the world’s best players taking part, we are looking forward to an exciting tournament.”