Asia JV with First Artist

World Sport Group PLC 18 March 2002 Date: 18 March 2002 On behalf of: World Sport Group plc ('World Sport Group') Embargoed until: 0700hrs WORLD SPORT GROUP OPENS GATES TO ASIA FORMING JOINT VENTURE WITH FIRST ARTIST The Board of World Sport Group plc, a major sports media, marketing and management company, is pleased to announce the establishment of a joint venture with First Artist Corporation Plc ('First Artist'), the leading football management and representation company. The joint venture company, which will be called First Artist International, has been established to identify and promote sporting talent across the Asia Pacific and Australasian regions. World Sport Group owns an extensive portfolio of blue chip sports properties predominantly across Asia. Its media and marketing rights include the Asian Professional Golfers' Association, Asian Football Confederation ('AFC') events, Oceania Football Confederation events as well as an interest in the Cricket World Cup. First Artist is the world's largest football player management agency whose portfolio of leading European based players includes Kanu (Arsenal), Patrik Andersson (Barcelona), Paul Gascoigne (Everton), Kevin Phillips (Sunderland), Tore Andre Flo (Glasgow Rangers) and Francesco Antonioli (AS Roma). The joint venture will allow both organisations to pool their expertise at a time when the world's attention is focused on Asia in the lead up to the forthcoming World Cup in Japan and South Korea, 2002, and the Asian Cup in China in 2004. First Artist International will be operated by a number of staff from First Artist who will be based at World Sport Group's existing offices in Hong Kong. David Ciclitira, Executive Chairman of World Sport Group, commented: 'World Sport Group enjoys a dominant position in the Asian sports market. Our joint venture with First Artist is a further endorsement of our strategy and reinforces our belief that World Sport Group is the partner for businesses looking to build their operations and brands through sport in Asia.' Phil Smith, Director of First Artist, commented: 'This is an exciting opportunity to establish a commanding presence in an increasingly important football market. Over 1 billion people watch the English premiership every weekend across the globe. The forthcoming World Cup in South Korea and Japan means that there is the potential to generate interest amongst a further few hundred million people in the region. This is of great importance to First Artist as there is a positive correlation between an expanding fan base and the strength of the transfer market. 'This joint venture means that we now have an office in every important football market place in the world.' For further details please contact: Jon Smith/Phil Smith Tel: 020 8900 1818 First Artist Corporation Plc www.1startist.com Emma Kane Redleaf Communications Tel: 020 7955 1410 ek@redleafpr.com Mob: 07876 338339 Adam Reynolds/Takki Sulaiman Tel: 020 7735 9415 Hansard Communications Mob: 07778 419218 www.hansardcommunications.com mail@hansardcommunications.com Notes to Editors:- About World Sport Group plc: 1. World Sport Group plc (WSG) listed on AIM on 15 August 2001, following the reverse takeover of Orchard Furniture plc by the combined businesses of World Sport Group Limited and Parallel Media Group International Limited. 2. The company offers a comprehensive one-stop shop for advertisers and sponsors: television programming, airtime sales, outdoor marketing opportunities, Internet services, exposure in print publications and bespoke event management plus sponsorship in football, cricket, rugby and golf. 3. WSG's ownership of media and marketing rights includes the Asian Professional Golfers' Association (Asian PGA) for 90 years and rights to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) events until 2009 (with matching rights to 2013). In partnership with News Corporation, it also has the rights to ICC International Cricket, including the World Cups in 2003 (South Africa) and 2007 (West Indies). About First Artist Corporation plc: 1. First Artist (FAN.L) listed on AIM in December 2001 having come to OFEX in March 2001. 2. In December 2001 the company acquired FIMO Sport Promotion AG, the leading pan-European football player management agency. 3. First Artist is now one of the largest football player agencies with 400 players under management. 4. On March 15th 2002 the company announced the creation of a Joint Venture company with Superfute FA ('Superfute') of Portugal and Media Global Audiovisual SL ('Media Global') of Spain. The Joint Venture company will be known as International Profoot Services Group ('IPS'). IPS will be able to leverage considerable cross border market intelligence between four of the largest football transfer markets in Europe - the UK, Italy, Spain and Portugal. ENDS This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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