Pearson Television International, one of the world’s premier developers and distributors of entertainment programming, has entered into a production and distribution agreement with ISL Productions, a global leader among television sports production companies, on ‘History of Football: The Beautiful Game’. The partnership gives Pearson Television International worldwide distribution rights for the project, and a full industry launch of the project is timed for the upcoming MIPCOM market.
Production will begin immediately on 13 one-hour episodes that offer the definitive story of the game, a sport that continually delivers the world’s largest committed television audience and incites more passion and excitement around the globe than any other live event. Timed to be delivered to broadcasters in the build up to the 2002 World Cup, ‘History of Football: The Beautiful Game’ will examine the sport’s unique societal imprint, both culturally and politically, throughout the world and showcase an extensive selection of the best match action, combined with previously unseen footage, stories shot on location from more than 60 countries and interviews with past and present football stars.
‘Worldwide interest in football continues to grow, and ‘History of Football: The Beautiful Game’ will capitalize on the momentum leading up to the next World Cup,’ commented Brian Harris, managing director, Pearson Television International.. ‘Through ISL’s unique skills in bringing world sport to a mass television audience, this project will provide exclusive insight into what makes football the world’s most popular game, making it a rare and entertaining `must see’ for all viewers.’
John Davis, managing director, ISL Productions, added, ‘We are delighted to partner with Pearson Television International on this venture. Pearson’s expertise in worldwide television distribution, coupled with ISL’s contacts, experience and access to the world’s most extensive football archives, will ensure the ratings success of this project.’
ISL, part of global company ISMM (International Sports Media & Marketing), has unprecedented access to world football archives and houses all FIFA (FÚdÚration Internationale de Football Association) and UEFA (Union des Associations EuropÚennes de Football) events footage. ISL’s World Cup Official Film Archive alone contains more than 300 hours of edited and unedited material, much of it previously unseen.
Davis will oversee production for ‘History of Football: The Beautiful Game’, and Clive Lawrence, ISL’s head of programming and documentaries, will serve as the project’s executive producer. Prior to joining ISL, Davis was head of directors, an executive producer and a director of football at Sky Sports, and before that, he held the post of main midweek football director for ITV. Lawrence joined ISL in 1996 to executive produce a number of high profile sports series.
Pearson Television International is the distribution arm of Pearson Television, an international leader in production, broadcasting and global program distribution. One of the world’s leading producers, Pearson Television is currently producing over 150 shows on six continents around the world and oversees program sales to over 100 additional territories.
ISL Productions is the production arm of ISMM, the world’s leading independent sports event media and marketing group. It markets on behalf of international sports federations and other governing bodies on an exclusive worldwide basis event media and marketing rights including TV, video and other electronic media rights, sponsorships, licensing and merchandising rights and all related services. ISL Productions delivers live TV coverage of sporting events, and produces promotional films, specialist videos, multimedia productions and magazine style programmes such as FIFA-TV and the ATP Tennis show.
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Contact:
Kate Chester
THE LIPPIN GROUP
+1 323 965 1990 ext. 311
kchester@lippingroup.com
Paul Raven
PEARSON TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL
+44 20 7691 6870
paul.raven@pearsontv.com