Global Brands, Motorola and AC Milan to join licensing and sponsorship panels at Soccerex 2008
 

Soccerex 2008 will take place from 23rd to 26th November in Gauteng in South Africa. The four day event aims to provide the global football community with a platform where they can learn, network and do business in the province that will host the FIFA 2010 World Cup Final. Over 4,000 delegates and three hundred exhibitors, from over ninety-five countries, are expected to attend the event and Soccerex have now announce the final two International Football Club Summit (IFCS) workshops. The inaugural IFCS will feature panels dedicated to licensing and sponsorship, featuring industry experts discussing and sharing their knowledge on two of the key revenue streams of any sport. Licensing is recognised as a key revenue stream for clubs of all sizes, say the organisers, and the IFCS licensing workshop will be looking at different ways in which rights holders can reach their markets at home and abroad. Sessions will feature senior representatives from Global Brands, Superleague Formula and AC Milan. Mark Matheny, CEO and Co-Chairman of Global Brands, will discuss his company's appointment both as FIFA's exclusive licensing representative to create a range of FIFA official licensed products and as on-site concessionaire for all FIFA events throughout the eight-year term. Leverage Alex Andreu, President of Superleague Formula, will examine partnership opportunities between football and the world of motor racing. And Laura Masi, Vice Commercial and Marketing Director of AC Milan, will impart her knowledge on how a club can ensure its brand is successfully marketed domestically as well as globally. The IFCS Sponsorship workshop will focus on sponsorship deals from both sides of the fence - how clubs can find a sponsor that will work for them and the ways in which sponsors can leverage their involvement with rights holders. The session will bring together leading decision-makers from Wasserman Media Group, Motorola, Gulf Air, QPR and Navyblue. Jeff Slack, Executive Vice President Europe, Marketing, of Wasserman Media Group, the leading sports management and marketing company, will discuss the potential for sponsorship within the football industry. Advice Meanwhile Jeremy Dale, Corporate VP Global Marketing Communicat- ions, Motorola, will examine player sponsorship opportunities with particular focus on Motorola's sponsorship deal with David Beckham. Jon Barnett, Sponsorship Manager of Gulf Air, and Ali Russell, Deputy Managing Director of QPR, will examine their recent sponsorship deal and provide advice for clubs and sponsors on forming a mutually-beneficial partnership. This session will also feature a key note address by Ron Cregan, director of brand consultants Navyblue, on the importance of brands in attracting sponsorship. The Licensing and Sponsorship workshops are two of six IFCS workshops at Soccerex that will focus on the key revenue streams available to football clubs (Player Development, Stadia, Law & Finance, Media, Licensing and Sponsorship). Each session will feature ninety minutes of networking, debate and a key note address from leading figures in each of the industry sectors. www.soccerex.com