UEFA Champions League attracting the best

The UEFA Champions League continues to excite and attract not only the top players and football enthusiasts throughout the world - the competition also provides a superb commercial platform for some of the world’s leading business concerns.

Three-year support
In the past few weeks, both the vehicle manufacturer Ford and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have been delighted to announce new three-year deals to support European football's most prestigious club competition between 2003 and 2006.

Appeal on and off the field
The agreements show the appeal generated on and off the field by the UEFA Champions League, in which UEFA and its business and broadcasting partners unite to produce one of the most spectacular sporting packages across the globe.

Loyal partners
Ford has been a loyal UEFA partner. Next season's UEFA Champions League kick-off will see the company enter its record 12th campaign as an official vehicle supplier for the competition – as Ford says, "underlining its total commitment to Europe’s premier football championship and to the sport".

Significant investment
The partnership between UEFA and Ford began in 1992, and Ford currently provides over 800 vehicles each season. "Being a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League is a significant investment for Ford, but our involvement goes a long way beyond this," said Earl Hesterberg, Ford of Europe's vice-president of marketing, sales and service.

Great value
"We understand the great value of the competition from a commercial point of view, but also from the supporter's perspective, and as a partner we do everything within our power to ensure that fans can get to the heart of the action."

Since 1997
Meanwhile, London-based Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), which is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of Playstation, PS one and PlayStation 2 hardware and software in 102 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania, is extending its sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, thereby continuing a partnership which was launched in 1997.

Football commitment
"The sponsorship agreement further extends PlayStation's commitment to European football and its development of the world’s finest club competition," was the company’s reaction to the new deal.

Boosting awareness
"PlayStation's involvement with the UEFA Champions League has served us well over the past five seasons, and has significantly assisted in promoting the PlayStation brand, boosting awareness and image level across the whole of Europe and beyond," said SCEE's vice-president of marketing, David Patton.

Communications tool
"The UEFA Champions League is an extremely powerful communications tool, and has been a cornerstone of PlayStation's communication strategy since 1997, during which time the stature of the competition has increased greatly along with the PlayStation user base," added Mr Patton. "The UEFA Champions League provides a solid foundation for our plans in Europe."