National Football League (NFL) is to invest a significant sum in the marketing of its flagship event, the Super Bowl. This unprecedented commitment coincides with the first live broadcast of the Super Bowl on terrestrial television since 1998.

This year’s event, Super Bowl XXXVII, will take place in San Diego, California on Sunday, January 26th 2003 and broadcast live on Five and Sky Sports Extra. Five has also allocated prime time slots to Super Bowl programming in the week running up to the event.

An integrated marketing campaign will be developed to drive UK television audience figures for this year’s Super Bowl, a fixture that traditionally attracts a massive global audience. All ten of the most-watched television programmes in the history of US broadcasting have been Super Bowls.

The NFL has briefed a short-list of UK advertising agencies that have been invited to present their recommendations to the organisation by the end of November.

An extensive campaign is planned including TV, print and out-door executions. An interactive campaign will also drive viewers to the live broadcasts of Super Bowl XXXVII. This significant media spend will be supported by the NFL Europe’s public relations agency of record, Hill and Knowlton Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.

It is the first time that the NFL has briefed above-the-line work to UK agencies and the process itself marks a significant development for a sports governing body.

Alistair Kirkwood, Vice-President of Strategic Planning/Development, NFL Europe said: ‘The NFL is committing substantial resources to the UK market on the back of the opportunity presented to us by Super Bowl moving back to terrestrial television for the first time in five years.

‘Five is also offering prime-time coverage in support of the Super Bowl and this is a great opportunity for the NFL to start making its way back to the successes we enjoyed in the UK in the 1980s.’

For more details contact:

Neil Hopkins
Hill and Knowlton
0207 413 3789