Plasma screens to carry advertising in football grounds

Plasma screens carrying advertising and sponsor-funded content are to appear in kiosks, bars and concourses at UK football clubs. The company behind the venture, Match Day Media (MDM), claims that the medium will generate more than &£1m over five years for each of the clubs involved.

Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United have already signed up for the screens, and MDM claims a further 12 clubs from the Premier League and the Scottish Premier League are close to agreeing terms. MDM plans to have the service operating by December.

Content will run on 42-inch plasma screens in the clubs from ten minutes before kick-off and for 20 minutes starting just before half-time. MDM has signed up Universal Pictures as its first advertiser.

MDM managing director Gerry McKenna estimates that the medium will guarantee brands access to 500,000 16to 44-year-old males every Saturday.

Two years ago, Diageo-owned Translucis launched a similar system in pubs and bars (MW November 16 2000). However, McKenna claims his scheme has the advantage, in that football spectators are theoretically more receptive to the messages on the screens because they are not out on a night of drinking.

He adds that the flexibility of the medium will help the company avoid conflicts with clubs’ own sponsors.