The match was left without a broadcast partner following the collapse of Setanta in June. The Ukrainian FA hired football agency Kentaro to secure one, and, having rejected several app-roaches made by TV broadcasters, it eventually sold the rights to digital media company Perform.
It is no secret that online and mobile transmissions are becoming increasingly lucrative to rights-holders, especially in overseas rights sales. As internet-enabled TV sets become more widely available from 2010, the appeal to brands of web-based broad-casting will grow still further.
'This is an interim period but the ability to run bespoke ads will be very appealing,' says Antony Marcou, managing director of media-rights company Sports Revolution.
The England/Ukraine qualifier's move online has also presented the opportunity for several media owners to drive traffic to their sites. The official stream will be shown at ukraine-vengland.com, but, having agreed affiliate deals, New International's The Times and The Sun, are urging fans to watch the game via their sites.
Responsibility for online ad sales lies with Kentaro but a spokeswoman for NI said it would be speaking to relevant advertisers about opportunities to place ads on its sites in the build-up to the game.
Fans are being asked for a one-off pay-to-view fee of between £4.99 and £11.99 on the day of the match. However, Marcou believes many people will be put off by the price. 'No-body is going to pay £12,' he says. 'It's a bit of a wake-up call for everyone.'
Under another affiliate deal, online gaming company Bet365 will offer the game for free to fans who open an account with a minimum balance of £10, as well as its existing customers.
The game will also be shown live in Odeon cinemas, after Arts Alliance Media secured the rights from Kentaro; 13 screenings are confirmed and others may be announced. A spokeswoman for the cinema chain said it had no plans to run ads prior to the game or during half-time.
According to the Odeon website, the game's certificate is TBC. With the pressure off the squad following its qualif-ication last month for the finals in South Africa, England fans will be hoping it does not turn into a horror show.
Sports online
- According to Kentaro, more than 20m fans watch sport online in the UK.
- Perform broadcasts more than 15,000 live games a year across the world, including 2008 UEFA Cup away fixtures for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
- Odeon is charging £12 a ticket for adults at its Leicester Square cinema, and £8 elsewhere.
- England player Rio Ferdinand said: 'I read that online advertising has taken over from TV, so that tells you something about where it's going in terms of the digital world. I'm sure it'll be the way forward and in the future it'll probably be the reality.'
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