Hamburg/10 April 2002 – Real Madrid C.F. is celebrating 100 years of club history. After the World Cup being jointly hosted by Japan and Korea, the centennial celebrations of this, the best-known and most successful football club in the world, will be one of the major highlights of the football year 2002. SPORTFIVE has been given the exclusive rights to market the broadcasting rights for all the matches being staged as part of the centenary year agenda.

The absolute highlight on this agenda promises to be a contest scheduled for 18 December, when Real Madrid (home to greats the likes of Zidane, Figo and Raúl) meets a FIFA All Star Team. In honour of the club, a day of rest will be proclaimed for all other football events around the world.

‘The 100th anniversary of this legendary club will elicit enthusiasm from football fans around the globe,’ confirms SPORTFIVE’s managing director, Bernd Hoffmann. ‘We consider it a great honour that Real Madrid has chosen SPORTFIVE as its partner for the centennial celebrations.’

The programme of planned events includes a number of further matches between Real and other first-rate guests. May 7 will see a friendly against Japan’s national squad, to be held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. From 2 to 4 August, top clubs and Champions League rivals– FC Liverpool, FC Bayern Munich and AC Milan – will all be matching their skills alongside Real in a tournament organised in tribute to the Madrid club. The year of centenary celebrations will be further complemented by a number of indoor football and basketball tournaments as well as a match between Real Madrid and the Mexican national squad to be held in New York.

If you would like further information, please feel free to contact us.

Katja Kraus
Head of Public Relations
SPORTFIVE GmbH
Phone: +49 40 376 77-110
Fax: +49 40 376 77-115
Email: katja.kraus@sportfive.com