KirchSport confirms contract for Middle East and Northern Africa with Entertainment International 31 January 2002, Zug, Switzerland: ERT – the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation – has reached agreement with FIFA World Cup rights holder KirchMedia GmbH & Co. KGaA for the television broadcasting rights of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Greece on an exclusive basis and for radio rights on a non-exclusive basis.

ERT, which is Greece’s national public service broadcasting organisation, is expected to screen all 64 matches free-to-air, ensuring maximum television exposure and coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Greece and achieving high audiences.

An agreement was also reached with Entertainment International LLC for all television and radio rights – on an exclusive basis – for 22 Middle Eastern and African countries. These are Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine strip (non-exclusive), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The negotiations were handled by KirchSport, the sports marketing arm of KirchMedia and the organisation responsible for implementing the sale of FIFA World Cup broadcast rights throughout the world.

The sale of rights to the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan is now close to completion, with major deals falling into place in quick succession, Now that Greece has confirmed, most of the EU market deals are done. KirchSport has also recently announced deals with TF1 in France and the BBC and ITV in the UK.

For further infromation please contacts:

KirchSport AG
John Kristick
T: +41-41-723 15 15
E: john.kristick@kirchsport.com