Agreed With the Wireless Group
Sports Internet Group PLC
2 March 2000
SPORTS INTERNET GROUP PLC
('Sports Internet')
ONLINE PARTNERSHIP AGREED WITH THE WIRELESS GROUP,
OWNERS OF THE UK'S ONLY SPORTS RADIO STATION
Sports Internet, Europe's leading integrated Internet sports content,
statistics and gaming group, announces a partnership agreement with The
Wireless Group ('TWG'), the UK's fourth largest radio group and owner of
talkSport, the UK's only sports radio station.
The Board of Sports Internet is delighted to announce that it has entered
into a partnership agreement to manage talkSport.net, TWG's website, and
to jointly develop sports-related content and e-commerce opportunities
relating to that site. TWG is the UK's fourth largest radio group and
owner of talkSport - the UK's only sports radio station and its related
website, www. talkSport.net. It is intended to develop the talkSports.net
website as a platform to leverage a number of sports e-commerce
opportunities, including the creation of a bespoke online betting service,
the development of an online sports merchandising hub, the expansion of
the online advertising opportunity and the implementation of various
telephony opportunities.
Under the terms of the partnership agreement, TWG will provide its own
unique content in the form of its radio coverage, and Sports Internet will
use its extensive website development, bookmaking and online merchandising
expertise to develop the e-commerce platform for talkSport.net.
Sports Internet and TWG have also agreed to establish, by way of a joint
venture, a specialist online advertising sales agency. This will work
alongside TWG's existing sales house, Impact, and will provide advertisers
and sponsors with the opportunity to reach sports fans across all media
platforms.
In addition to the radio and internet platforms, the partnership agreement
also provides for exploring various opportunities available in the area of
telephony products with a view to capitalising on the forecast growth in
WAP enabled products.
Jeremy Fenn, Chief Executive of Sports Internet, commented:
'We are delighted that The Wireless Group, the owner of the only national
dedicated sports radio station, has chosen us as their on-line partner for
talkSport. Creating an Internet platform for talkSport which can be
promoted across its network represents a huge opportunity for Sports
Internet. This is yet further irrefutable evidence that the overwhelming
power of the Internet lies in the combination of brands, content and
technology.'
Kelvin Mackenzie, Chairman and Chief Executive of The Wireless Group,
added:
'This announcement represents a significant opportunity for talkSport to
develop a sports network providing our listeners with quality sports
content across all new media platforms. The combination of talkSport's
excellent audio content and dedicated listeners with Sports Internet's
experience in website management, online betting and merchandising will
place us in a unique position to capitalise on the enormous growth
potential of the sports related e-commerce market.'
2 March 2000
Enquiries:
Sports Internet Group plc Tel: 01423 700 800
Jeremy Fenn, Chief Executive
The Wireless Group Tel: 020 7959 7900
Kelvin MacKenzie, Chairman and Chief Executive
Jonathan Goodwin, Group Managing Director
College Hill Tel: 020 7457 2020
Nicola Weiner
Archie Berens
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Notes for Editors
The Wireless Group
The Wireless Group (TWG) is a major UK radio group with a national and
regional presence. Major announcements made to date:
* November 1998: consortium led by Kelvin Mackenzie acquires the national
radio station, Talk Radio.
* July 1999: Talkco Holdings, subsequently renamed TWG, acquires the seven
wholly owned and two partly-owned local radio stations of The Radio
Partnership for £47 million, which broadcast in the North West of
England and in South Wales.
* December 1999: TWG acquires the Independent Radio Group for £21 million,
adding an additional six local radio stations in Scotland and North West
England to the Group.
* January 2000: re-launched Talk Radio as talkSport - one of only three
national commercial radio stations in the UK.