Motorola signs 8m UEFA league contract

Technology brand Motorola has signed a three-year, $12m (7.7m) deal to secure “supply-partner” credits during all broadcasts of the UEFA Champions League.

The Motorola logo is expected to be featured at least a dozen times in all of the games, alongside live updates of match scores, time and player substitutions, as part of its official supply-partner deal. The company will also supply UEFA with computer, modem and mobile communications.

Kevin Lawless, the corporate communications manager at Motorola, is managing the deal. He says the sponsorship will secure an average TV audience across Europe of 180 million viewers during each round of the competition, including the final.

The Motorola credits will be televised first in the UK during ITV’s September 17 first-round coverage of matches involving Manchester United and Newcastle United.

“We hope the competition will dominate ITV’s schedules even more this year, given there are two English teams involved in the competition,” says Lawless. The effectiveness of the sponsorship will be tracked through continuing market research.