Amsterdam, The Netherlands and London, UK – Fox Kids Europe N.V. (FKE) (AMEX: FKE; Reuters: FOXK.AS; Bloomberg: FKE.NA), the leading pan-European integrated children’s entertainment company, and Sportal, the leading global provider of interactive sports content, today signed a long-term agreement to launch dedicated children’s sports sites. The objective is to create the largest online sports service in the world, for children aged 6-14 years.
The sports sites will include a selection from Sportal’s European sports-related content, appropriate for kids, which will then be customised and offered to children as part of Fox Kids local websites, under the brand ‘Sportal On Fox Kids’. The first sports site will launch on Fox Kid’s UK website in early 2001, with further launches planned on Fox Kids Europe’s websites in all of Sportal’s current markets, including Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark and Sweden and other European markets in the future. Sportal’s quality content will be selected and adapted by local editors to suit the tastes and culture of kids in each market, highlighting favourite local sports, teams and athletes. The sports sites may also include specially developed original content for children.
In the first phase of development, the sites’ wide-ranging content will include universally popular sports such as football, Formula One motor racing, rugby and tennis. The sites will provide general information (match results, league information, team and player statistics and profiles), and will feature photo galleries, celebrity chats, games, screensavers, quizzes and competitions, downloads and polls.
Through Sportal’s relationships with leading sports clubs and organisations, such as Juventus and AC Milan (Italy), Real Madrid (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), Paris Saint Germain (France), the South African Rugby Football Union and Benetton Formula One motor racing team, it will be possible to provide extended information on local sports events and popular teams. The navigation and design of the sites will be developed specifically to provide an easy, engaging and fun experience for the younger audience.
As part of the second phase of development, the sites’ content will be expanded to include special ‘fan’ sites devoted to various teams or individuals, and will allow children to create their own homepages. Both Fox Kids Europe and Sportal intend to extend the service to broadband and are currently discussing further platforms, such as iTV and wireless.
Fox Kids Europe will actively promote this new service through its online offerings in all key European markets, and via relevant channels within its pan-European network of TV channels. Sportal will also provide access and links from its various online services. Revenues will be generated initially via advertising, sponsorship and syndication and Fox Kids Europe will be primarily responsible for selling all advertising and sponsorship.
Rob Hersov, CEO of Sportal, says: ‘There are no two better companies in the world to co-produce and co-brand online sports content for this key age group. Together, we will provide the most compelling, informative sports service for kids available anywhere on the web today. And, with Fox Kids Europe’s ability to promote their websites to 23 million TV households across Europe, this new sports content will no doubt find a large and loyal audience.’
Says Ynon Kreiz, Chairman & CEO, Fox Kids Europe: ‘Fox Kids Europe and Sportal are coming together with the aim of developing the world’s number one sports site for children, building on their dominant positions in their respective fields. Sports and team sites are high amongst children’s favourite places to visit on the web, and children will now be able to benefit from top quality sports content selected and designed specifically for them. Advertisers will also have a new channel through which to reach a highly engaged children’s audience.’
For further details, please contact:
Media/Investor Relations Department
Fox Kids Europe Limited
Tel: +44 (0)20 7554 9000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7554 9144
Or visit www.foxkidseurope.com
For further details on Sportal, please contact:
Mark Thursfield
Tel: 0207 350 4825 or via
e-mail: mark.thursfield@sportal.net