Uefa and Warner Bros sign licensing deal for Euro 2008

LONDON - Uefa has appointed entertainment giant Warner Brothers Consumer Products as its exclusive worldwide licensing representative to help generate over €1bn (£680m) through its commercial programme at Euro 2008 and other key tournaments.

The deal includes all merchandising for Euro 2008, the European Under 21s Championship, Women's European Championships and European Futsal Championships for the next four years.

The partnership carries on from Uefa and Warner Brothers' Euro 2004 deal, which saw on-site merchandising activities double when compared with Euro 2000. This was due to the introduction of an official mascot, Kinas, developed by Warner Brothers and both companies launching football retail stores for the first time.

Euro 2008, to be held in Austria and Switzerland, will bring together Europe's top 16 national football teams. The event, second only to the World Cup, will provide a global television audience of around 7bn.

Uefa's revenue goal for Euro 2008 is €800m and €1bn for the 2006 to 2009 period.

Uefa's 2008 commercial programme includes sponsorship, merchandising, TV rights, ticket sales and hospitality. 

Pilar Zulueta, senior vice-president and general manager EMEA for Warner Bros Consumer Products, said its strategy will be to ensure licensees, retailers and other partners are provided with strong business propositions early in the programme to ensure that football fans around world can access products.

"This is a major step to establishing a solid base for growing football licensing in Europe, as well as internationally over a long period of time. We are looking forward to developing strong revenue opportunities for our business partners," Zulueta said. 

Professor Helmut Dietl, sport economy lecturer at the University of Zurich, said organisations have not fully exploited the potential of merchandising in the football market yet.

"It's like a huge oil field with many drill holes yet to be discovered," he said.

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