Ford extends Sky Sports TV support to all media
Ford is extending its television sponsorship of Sky Sports’ Barclays Premier League coverage into mobile, broadband, interactive and teletext.
The three-year deal with BSkyB is the car marque’s 16th consecutive season of support for English football, making it the UK’s longest-running TV sports sponsorship.
In addition to sponsoring 92 live Barclays Premier League matches, Ford will be the exclusive broadcast sponsor of support programmes including Football First, Goals on Sunday and Sky Sports News strands, such as Football Today.
The partnership will also include new elements, such as a Ford interactive site that can be accessed via red button advertising, banner advertising on Sky’s interactive portals and a permanent presence on Sky Sports Active.
As part of the deal, Ford will also sponsor the Premier League pages on Sky Text and the revamped skysports.com, extend its broadcast sponsorship to live simulcasts on mobile and broadband, and sponsor Sky Pub Sports.
Ford was the first car manufacturer to broadcast an ad in high definition in the UK, during Sky Sports’ coverage’ of the UEFA Champions League final for its relaunched Mondeo model (MW May 24).
Ford marketing director Mark Ovenden says the deal “ensures” the Ford brand is at the centre of football in the UK. He says it also demonstrates the marque is at the forefront of new developments including HD, mobile and broadband coverage.
Sky estimates that 16 million people saw Ford’s sports sponsorship coverage last season.
