Zug, Switzerland / Moscow, Russia, 11 May 2007 – Infront Sports & Media, the exclusive marketing partner to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in respect of the annual IIHF World Championship, has announced that Škoda Auto’s role as Official Main Sponsor of the IIHF event has now reached a record 15 consecutive years.

This record also has officially been approved and acknowledged as a world record by Guinness World Records. According to the organisation, never in history has any commercial partner in any sport supported World Championships longer as a Main Sponsor. The anniversary and the official inauguration of Škoda Auto into the Guinness World Records Book will be celebrated this week-end in Moscow, where the 2007 event is currently taking place.

A successful partnership since 1992
Škoda Auto last renewed its Official Main Sponsorship from 2005 to 2011, extending it by seven years. The car company has been an IIHF sponsor since 1992 and the Official Main Sponsor of IIHF World Championships since 1993. By the time the current contract expires, Škoda Auto’s involvement with IIHF World Championships will have risen to 20 years.

Detlef Wittig, Chairman of the Board of Škoda Auto: “We are very proud that Škoda is a world record holder now. With this longest main sponsorship of World Championships ever in sport history, we have made our contribution to raising IIHF World Championships to today’s outstanding level. Those 15 years have also been showing that teaming up with Škoda Auto is something, our partners can safely count on, just as every customer can rely on the quality of our cars. Of course, Škoda also benefits from this record-crowned partnership: IIHF World Championships with their enormous media attention are helping Škoda to carry the name of the brand to sport fans all over the world and to share in the highly positive image of Ice Hockey.”

René Fasel, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation: “The co-operation that the IIHF and Infront have with Škoda is a role example of commercial partnership. It is based on mutual values, common goals and also a great interest in the game. It makes me extremely happy that this has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest lasting main event sponsorship in sport history.”

Infront’s President & CEO Philippe Blatter commented: “I am delighted to help celebrate this quite exceptional 15 year record. Infront’s relationship with Škoda lasts just as long as its role as the Official Main Sponsor of the IIHF World Championship. It is a fundamental of good sponsorship that it takes time to achieve all defined objectives – sport and sponsor can grow together, creating a property that becomes much more valuable over time. This has proved especially true with the long-term relationship of Škoda, the IIHF World Championship and Infront.”

From eight teams, the IIHF World Championship has doubled in size and now consists of the best 16 hockey nations in the world the world. It enjoys global television coverage; a cumulative television audience of around 700 million and Infront has just initiated a new service that allows Internet users around the world to access all matches live and on demand.

Extensive Sponsorship Package
The sponsorship agreement with Infront provides Škoda Auto with a comprehensive package of rights, including title sponsorship, perimeter board advertising in the best camera positions, centre circle advertising; car placement in the arenas and Official Car Service on-site and around the event.

This productive partnership has been of such long duration that the Škoda logo in the centre circle of the rink is now almost a “trademark” for the World Championship. Such combined branding is powerful – television viewers can identify the event on their screens immediately, as soon as this image appears.

For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer
Manager, Communication & PR
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press@infrontsports.com
http://www.infrontsports.com/

Jaroslav Cerny
Corporate Communications
Škoda Auto a.s.
Tel. +420 326 8117 76
jaroslav.cerny@skoda-auto.com
http://www.skoda-auto.com/