Football Comes To Vodafone LIVE and 3G

Europe : Vodafone Italia has acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to show pictures of the games of 31 Italian Serie A, Serie B and Serie C football teams. The agreement will run for a period of 8 years until the 2009-2010 season and covers all wireless access technologies, UMTS included.

The rights cover all home league games, regardless of who the visiting opponents are.

Italy boasts close on 22 million football fans, to whom Vodafone will offer pictures of 50% of Serie A games and 70% of Serie B matches, in addition to action from leading Serie C1 encounters. The total number of teams in Serie A will increase with the start of the coming 2003/2004 season, thanks to the promotion of a number of teams that currently play in Serie B and for whom Vodafone has acquired the rights.

From next season, images of 61% of all Italian championship matches will be available to Vodafone Italia customers, even whilst abroad.

Fans will be able to receive on their Vodafone Live! handsets photos and videos of the goals scored and the match highlights near-live or consult the Vodafone Live! football channel to view content and images.

The services will be accessible on Vodafone Live! handsets from next season and will continue to be available on the next-generation of phones.
The project has been developed and run in collaboration with MP WEB, a Media Partners Group company.

The portfolio of teams consists of:
• Serie A (9 teams): Udinese, Parma, Atalanta, Brescia, Perugia, Chievo, Modena, Como, Empoli.
• Serie B (14 teams): Verona, Venezia, Vicenza, Sampdoria, Catania, Lecce, Palermo, Cagliari, Ancona, Ascoli, Livorno, Triestina, Messina, Cosenza.
• Serie C (8 teams): Fiorentina, Treviso, Pistoiese, Spal, Taranto, Padova, Pescara, Avellino.

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