Leading Internet Company Named Exclusive Producer of FIFAworldcup.com
and Official Partner for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups™
FIFAworldcup.com to Feature Comprehensive Online Football Package including Six Languages, Video
of Past FIFA World Cups, Real-Time Stats, Subscription Services, Wireless Internet Updates and
the Official FIFA World Cup™ e-Shop
ZURICH, Switzerland - September 11, 2001. Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), a leading global Internet
communications, commerce and media company, today announced an exclusive, multi-year deal with
the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the world governing body of
football and host to the world’s most popular sporting event. Through the agreement, Yahoo! will
exclusively produce, market, host, and with FIFA, sell sponsorships of the official co-branded
Web site of the FIFA World Cup™ (http://www.fifaworldcup.com) and has become one of 15
official worldwide FIFA Partners. The deal includes the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™
(May 31 - June 30) and the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany. Today’s announcement was made
at a news conference from FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Video of the news conference
can be viewed at http://webevents.broadcast.com/yahoo/fifa090
1.
"This relationship brings together the pinnacle of professional sports and the
globally-recognized brand of Yahoo! to create an unprecedented FIFA World Cup™ experience
for passionate fans everywhere," said Jeff Mallett, president and chief operating officer, Yahoo!
Inc. "This expansive collaboration with FIFA further underscores the power of the Yahoo! network
and its 24 properties worldwide as the partner of choice for sports rights holders and clients.
Marketing and sponsorship packages available on FIFAworldcup.com also allow Yahoo! to demonstrate
its ability to deliver on advertisers’ goals by reaching their targeted audiences with creative,
relevant and compelling solutions."
"FIFA is very pleased to announce this latest relationship for its flagship competition, the
FIFA World Cup™. With Yahoo!-- the Internet stalwart par excellence-- another truly global
player has now completed the prestigious group of the 15 FIFA World Cup Partners," said FIFA
President Joseph S. Blatter. "Together with Yahoo!, we are very much looking forward to keeping
the football fans throughout the world online for the 64 matches of the final competition in
Korea and Japan."
Considered the biggest global sports event, the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ in France drew a
cumulative television audience of more than 33 billion viewers for its 64 matches. The 1998 FIFA
World Cup™ Final match between France and Brazil was viewed by one billion people, far
exceeding the nearly 140 million viewers of the NFL Super Bowl each year. Moreover, the event’s
official Web site, www.France98.com, registered 1.1 billion page
views during the 33 days of the event itself. Combining the worldwide popularity of both the FIFA
World Cup™ and the Internet, along with Yahoo!’s 200 million unique monthly visitors, the
aim will be to exceed this mark and create a new precedent for event traffic.
FIFAworldcup.com
The official multi-lingual FIFA World Cup™ Web site, produced, marketed, sold and hosted by
Yahoo!, is expected to bring football fans around the world a comprehensive package of content
(from the most accurate updates and analysis to interactive features) in a user-friendly and
entertaining way. For the millions of passionate football fans who will be following results at
all hours of the day and night, the Internet is expected to serve as an essential service,
providing up to date information and extensive FIFA World Cup™ resources-- regardless of
location or time zone. The official FIFA World Cup™ Web site will be available in six
languages-- English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, French and German.
Below is a list of some site features that will be available to fans around the world leading up
to and during the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™. Additional details about these features
and tools, including free and pay-for services, are expected later in the year and in early 2002:
- "FIFA Club"-- Die-hard fans can join this exclusive online club to be at the heart of the
online event community, where they can access unique content, receive special deals and official
promotions
- FIFA World Cup™ TV-- live broadcast streaming of events surrounding the month-long World
Cup
- Archived Video Highlights-- See past FIFA World Cup™ matches, including Best Goals of
the Century, Dream Team
- Official live real-time stats that keep fans on top of the action from anywhere in the world
- Wireless Internet Updates-- Fans can stay in step with every goal while away from their PC
- Predict-the-Winner Games-- Fans can play against other fans, predicting the winners of each
match through a customized bracket game
- Official E-Shop-- Official jerseys, hats, pins, programs and other memorabilia
- Official Auctions-- Fans can buy or sell FIFA World Cup™ items
- News Room-- From the final draw to the final match, complete with news, recaps, analysis,
team and player coverage from sources around the world providing fans a global perspective with a
local viewpoint
- Official E-Mail and Fan Communication Tools-- One World, One Cup, One Site only where fans
can communicate with other fans through e-mail, instant messenger, chat, groups and message
boards
Yahoo! is responsible for marketing all sponsorship, advertising and promotional opportunities
for the official site, providing a select number of companies, including FIFA’s Partners, the
ability to reach millions of Internet consumers on a global or regional basis. Advertisers on
FIFAworldcup.com will also have the opportunity to extend their marketing message to Yahoo!’s
global network, which reaches more than 200 million unique visitors every month.
64 Matches, 20 Stadiums, One Global Stage
Through the marketing portion of the agreement, millions of fans at stadiums and billions more
watching on television will also be able to see two Yahoo! on-field advertising boards in each of
the 20 stadiums where the 64 World Cup matches will take place. As an official FIFA World
Cup™ Partner with category exclusivity, Yahoo! will also have certain exclusive use of the
FIFA World Cup™ marks and emblems for use in online and offline Yahoo! promotions and
marketing initiatives. In addition, fans in Korea and Japan at the 2002 FIFA World Cup™
matches will have the opportunity to interact with on-location Yahoo! kiosks, featuring online
access to FIFAworldcup.com and Yahoo! services. In addition to its official Partner status for
the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup™, Yahoo!’s marketing rights extend to the 2003 FIFA
Women’s World Cup in China and additional FIFA football championships.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet communications, commerce and media company that offers a
comprehensive branded network of services to more than 200 million individuals each month
worldwide. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the leading guide
in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach. Yahoo! is the No. 1
Internet brand globally and reaches the largest audience worldwide. The company also provides
online business and enterprise services designed to enhance the productivity and Web presence of
Yahoo!’s clients. These services include Corporate Yahoo!, a popular customized enterprise
portal solution; audio and video streaming; store hosting and management; and Web site tools and
services. The company’s global Web network includes 24 World properties. Headquartered in
Sunnyvale, Calif., Yahoo! has offices in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, Canada and the
United States.
Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.
All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Media Contacts:
Betsy Skarecky, Fleishman-Hillard, Direct Line: +44 20 7395 7009, skareckb@fleishman.com
Christian Lindgren, Prime PR, Direct Line: +46 8503 146 12, yahoo@primepr.se
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