Sportal Australia has confirmed its status as Australia’s leading online sports content provider by launching leading-edge Internet sites for two of Australia’s leading football clubs.

Sportal has entered the cut-throat AFL online world with the recent launch of www.westcoasteagles.com.au and today also launched a new-look site for the reigning National Rugby League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos at www.broncos.com.au.

The new websites feature breaking news from both clubs, regular contributions from coaches and players, audio and video features such as West Coast TV, interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, forums, chat and games, online shopping, ticketing information and player and club statistics, and weekly newsletters to supporters.

‘The on-line football market is the place to be in this industry, and we are fortunate to be working with two outstanding partners – the West Coast and the Brisbane Broncos,’ said Sportal Australia’s chief executive, Chris Hume.

‘Both clubs are known for their professionalism, on-field success and the passion and devotion of their fans across their respective states and around the country. We’re confident that these websites will come to be regarded as the premier online destinations in their sport and that they will sit comfortably among the football club websites Sportal has built around the world.’

Among the clubs Sportal partners with are Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus, German powerhouse Bayern Munich, leading French club Paris-St.Germain and Real Madrid, perhaps the greatest soccer club of all. Sportal also built the official website for last year’s Euro 2000 soccer championship in partnership with UEFA

He also said that the deal with the West Coast Eagles is for the 2001 season only, and will not impact on the AFL’s ongoing negotiations for an Internet partner for the 2002 season and beyond.

‘We are delighted to be partnering with a truly global organisation that is also in partnership with some of the biggest names in sport and football clubs internationally,’ said West Coast’s chief executive, Trevor Nisbett.

‘We have been working closely with Sportal for almost four months now and we are confident the end result has made the wait well worthwhile,’ said Broncos managing director, Shane Edwards. ‘We know we have the best people involved and I am certain that is reflected in the quality site that we have unveiled.’

Despite only commencing operations in Australia in January, 2000, Sportal now operates 11 sports websites locally, including the perennial no.1 soccer website (source: Hitwise) website www.theworldgame.com.au, which is produced in conjunction with SBS Television and the country’s most popular multi-sports news website, www.sportal.com.au. It also produces the official site of the PGA Tour of Australasia, www.pgatour.com.au.

Sportal also operates grass-roots websites for the Victorian and Tasmanian cricket associations, the Professional Golfers’ Association of Australia, the Victorian Soccer Federation and the New South Wales Institute of Sport.

For further information,please contact:

Ashley Browne
Managing editor
Tel: +61 03 982 62 744