Blog|Marketing sportif

Sales of the UEFA Champions League next three seasons (2006-09) will reach breaking-record levels. From both sporting and marketing points of view, the competition is back as an attractive product to broadcast and communicate with. New entrants such as Italian RAI and Spanish Antena 3 will join the broadcaster partners club. In terms of sponsorship, six top level partners are to be confirmed shortly.

UEFA’s decision to revamp the competition

According to UEFA, “this successful picture underlines the attractiveness of the Champions League in its current 13-match week format”. From a financial point of view, the new format will “comfortably outstrip the previous record of over CHF1bn per season, which was achieved when the previous 17-match week format was in place.”

UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson said: “The record sales levels from a very competitive market are extremely gratifying and a clear indication that UEFA’s decision to reduce the competition format two seasons ago has been vindicated, and resulted in a highly-prized value in the commercial marketplace.”

For years, numerous sports have been compeled to adapt their rules and format in order to be broadcast or offer a more spectacular show. As viewers demand more excitement, the media may jeopardize sport development by deeply modifying the rules and eventually sporting spirit and values. But minor changes such as the tie-break in the fifth set in tennis really meet a need as well as the new rugby format in France with only 14 top teams in the best League.

Julien Hermetet
Le blog du marketing sportif

Here are the broadcaster partners for the 2006-09 period in Europe:

United Kingdom – ITV and BSkyB
Italy – RAI (free-to-air), Mediaset (DTT), Sky Italia (DTH)
Spain – Antena 3 and Canal+
France – TF1 and Canal+
Germany – Premiere (free-to-air and pay TV)
Netherlands – NOS and UPC
Scandinavia – TV3 and Viasat
Greece – ERT and Supersport

Source: uefa.com / Credits: virgin.net

Tags: champions league, Football, marketing, sponsorship, UEFA