Champions League to be like Super Bowl

[Nobby]

Great soccer is almost enough, but UEFA wants more

Andrew Culf February 16, 2007

 

THE Champions League soccer final is set for a makeover after the marketing chiefs of UEFA visited the Super Bowl in the US for inspiration on how to transform the event.

 

The tournament, regarded by the European governing body as the fourth hottest property in sport — after the World Cup, Olympic Games and the European Championship — resumes next week with the last-16 knockout phase.

 

Marketing chiefs have been casting their net wide for ideas for this year's final in Athens' Olympic Stadium on May 23, also visiting the Heineken Cup rugby union final, Tour de France and tennis and golf tournaments.

 

UEFA's marketing and media rights director, Philippe Le Floc'h, said: "We went to the Super Bowl for a bit of inspiration."

 

The keenly anticipated American sporting event has become an eight-hour extravaganza, with pre-game and half-time entertainment attracting a US television audience of 93 million and creating the nation's second biggest day of food consumption after Thanksgiving.

 

While the 72,000 fans at the Champions League final will not experience the sight of trucks driving on to the pitch to build a half-time concert stage, Le Floc'h has plans to improve the entertainment in Athens as well as building the expectation before kick-off.

 

The build-up to the final will begin in Athens on March 9, with the draw for the quarter-finals, when the mayor of Barcelona, the titleholder, hands over the trophy before it begins a tour of Greece and emerging UEFA markets in Asia. There will be an official launch of the ball design for the final and a five-day fan experience in Athens.

 

For Le Floc'h, who joined UEFA six years ago from a sports marketing agency the initiatives are a natural development in building the competition's brand identity.

 

"It is the best club competition in the world," he said. "It is a competition of champions, the best clubs, and the best players in the world. We have to make sure that whoever comes to the stadium, or watches on television, can fully experience it."

 

The Champions League is already a carefully choreographed brand: synchronised Tuesday and Wednesday night kick-off times across Europe, the centre circle "star ball" logo display before kick-off and the upbeat theme tune that acts as an anthem in the stadium and the "sonic logo" marking advertising breaks on TV.

 

"We thought about changing the music," Le Floc'h said. "But it is the second most recognised feature after the star ball and we get requests from all over the world for it to be used at weddings."

 

The most distinctive element of UEFA's marketing strategy is the way the organisation takes over match venues, dressing stadiums with its own branding and the banners of its six blue-chip sponsors.

 

"It is not a commercial fair, but a serious football competition. We provide the cleanest, most clutter-free environment," he said.

 

Le Floc'h says that viewers of formula one would be assailed by 220 commercial messages during a race. The number falls to 60 for a Premier League match, and about 50 for an international game.

 

"With the Champions League, you are down to about 30 messages, you do not feel assaulted by advertising."

 

About 80 per cent of the $1.5 billion marketing revenue generated by the tournament goes to the clubs, one of the reasons it has won widespread club support.

 

"They acknowledge the success story," Le Floc'h said. "No one questions the rationale for the existence of the Champions League any more."

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/soccer/great-soccer-is-almost-enough-but-uefa-wants-more/2007/02/15/1171405370303.html

 

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hmmm does this mean more music / cheerleaders etc?

[Karjala]

Might be a while til we experience it...  :'(

[PM]

An ad break every throw in then.

[Karjala]

Cheerleaders could be promising 

[Nobby]

Strippers would be better 

[GeordieDazzler]

endless statistics?

 

 

[chicago_shearer]

"We thought about changing the music," Le Floc'h said. "But it is the second most recognised feature after the star ball and we get requests from all over the world for it to be used at weddings."

 

I want to meet the man that talked his fiancee into using the Champions League theme at the wedding.

[Nobby]

"We thought about changing the music," Le Floc'h said. "But it is the second most recognised feature after the star ball and we get requests from all over the world for it to be used at weddings."

 

I want to meet the man that talked his fiancee into using the Champions League theme at the wedding.

[Wullie]

Pathetic. If I wanted all that shite, I'd go and watch Bolton.

[womblemaster]

"We thought about changing the music," Le Floc'h said. "But it is the second most recognised feature after the star ball and we get requests from all over the world for it to be used at weddings."

 

 

thats unreal.  its nice music, but having it at a wedding smaclks of complete mungness.  Surely they have a big enough musical knowledge to come up with something less cringey ??

 

 

[Nobby]

Pathetic. If I wanted all that shite, I'd go and watch Bolton.

 

 

i hate it, not welcome in football tbh

[SEMTEX]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

[Nobby]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

i was commenting on Bolton

[Dr Spectrum]

About 80 per cent of the $1.5 billion marketing revenue generated by the tournament goes to the clubs, one of the reasons it has won widespread club support.

 

"They acknowledge the success story," Le Floc'h said. "No one questions the rationale for the existence of the Champions League any more."

 

 

80% of the rediculous ammount of money generated goes to the clubs who compete in it - who are already fucking loaded beyond all reason - giving them the transfer budget, wage bill, and pulling power to keep them on top. It will keep clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton, Villa, etc, from ever winning anything major ever again. EVER. FACT.

 

I question its existence. Its a fucking cartel for G14 and co. >

 

I hope they bring in all this cheerleader shite so it can die on its arse. It won't give us our game back - They'll just change it back to get the ratings up so they can all keep their fucking money - but at least it'll make me feel a little better about not being involved with such cringetastic shite.

 

 

[Nobby]

About 80 per cent of the $1.5 billion marketing revenue generated by the tournament goes to the clubs, one of the reasons it has won widespread club support.

 

"They acknowledge the success story," Le Floc'h said. "No one questions the rationale for the existence of the Champions League any more."

 

 

80% of the rediculous ammount of money generated goes to the clubs who compete in it - who are already fucking loaded beyond all reason - giving them the transfer budget, wage bill, and pulling power to keep them on top. It will keep clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton, Villa, etc, from ever winning anything major ever again. EVER. FACT.

 

I question its existence. Its a fucking cartel for G14 and co. >

 

I hope they bring in all this cheerleader shite so it can die on its arse. It won't give us our game back - They'll just change it back to get the ratings up so they can all keep their fucking money - but at least it'll make me feel a little better about not being involved with such cringetastic shite.

 

 

 

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/5504/g14ol0.jpg

[Wullie]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

Any "entertainment" at football is to be frowned at as far as I'm concerned. Get to your seat 5 minutes before kick off, watch the first half, go and watch the goals on the screen at half time, watch the second half, fuck off. That's my routine at SJP and that's pretty much how it should be. I don't want cheerleaders or fireworks or Janet Jackson getting her tit out. The entertainment comes from what you go and pay to watch, not some school kids pretending they can dance in the centre circle to 'Is This The Way To Amarillo'.

[CaliMag]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

Any "entertainment" at football is to be frowned at as far as I'm concerned. Get to your seat 5 minutes before kick off, watch the first half, go and watch the goals on the screen at half time, watch the second half, f*** off. That's my routine at SJP and that's pretty much how it should be. I don't want cheerleaders or fireworks or Janet Jackson getting her tit out. The entertainment comes from what you go and pay to watch, not some school kids pretending they can dance in the centre circle to 'Is This The Way To Amarillo'.

I agree with the sociopathic bairn here.

[Stevie]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

Any "entertainment" at football is to be frowned at as far as I'm concerned. Get to your seat 5 minutes before kick off, watch the first half, go and watch the goals on the screen at half time, watch the second half, f*** off. That's my routine at SJP and that's pretty much how it should be. I don't want cheerleaders or fireworks or Janet Jackson getting her tit out. The entertainment comes from what you go and pay to watch, not some school kids pretending they can dance in the centre circle to 'Is This The Way To Amarillo'.

To be honest, for the likes of me fatha who never has a half time pint, the half time hero is a good idea.  I always go inside for a pint.

[Wullie]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

Any "entertainment" at football is to be frowned at as far as I'm concerned. Get to your seat 5 minutes before kick off, watch the first half, go and watch the goals on the screen at half time, watch the second half, f*** off. That's my routine at SJP and that's pretty much how it should be. I don't want cheerleaders or fireworks or Janet Jackson getting her tit out. The entertainment comes from what you go and pay to watch, not some school kids pretending they can dance in the centre circle to 'Is This The Way To Amarillo'.

To be honest, for the likes of me fatha who never has a half time pint, the half time hero is a good idea.  I always go inside for a pint.

 

Aye I don't mind that. At least it's football and NUFC related.

 

CaliMag, you cheeky bastard!

[Shak]

you dont even know what it would entail, so how you can judge it yet is beyond me.

 

Any "entertainment" at football is to be frowned at as far as I'm concerned. Get to your seat 5 minutes before kick off, watch the first half, go and watch the goals on the screen at half time, watch the second half, f*** off. That's my routine at SJP and that's pretty much how it should be. I don't want cheerleaders or fireworks or Janet Jackson getting her tit out. The entertainment comes from what you go and pay to watch, not some school kids pretending they can dance in the centre circle to 'Is This The Way To Amarillo'.

 

 

Impassioned as ever.

 

I must admit I'm a big fan of The NFL but I'd agree that there's no need for any of the pageantry. In it's own right, American Football is a great sport and they have a great setup that works for them but I'd hate to see football do the same thing over here.