Liverpool FC and BT team up for broadband push

BT Openworld and Liverpool Football Club (LFC) have launched a joint marketing campaign that targets fans with exclusive internet deals.

Billed as an industry first, the campaign aims to attract supporters by offering them opportunities to see more of their team’s action by using the Web. The deal will be promoted using a variety of marketing tactics over five months.

The key message of the campaign is that club supporters will receive three months’ free e-Season ticket access for LFC when they sign up to BT Openworld’s consumer broadband internet service. This gives them access to match commentary and seven channels of Web TV. Three months’ access would normally cost about £12.

Fans will also be able to try out BT Openworld broadband and access club information on two new broadband terminals. These will be situated in various locations at Anfield, the club’s home ground.

The alliance is being promoted to fans across several media. It can be seen online at liverpoolfc.tv and btopenworld.com, and in print in the match programme and LFC magazine. Supporters will also be made aware of the promotion through a direct mail campaign, while point-of-sale display units have been designed for the LFC premises in Liverpool, including Anfield itself.

BT Openworld head of partnerships Chris Jones says: “No other internet service provider has tied in with a football club to this extent to offer Web-focused benefits to supporters. We are hoping that it will be a great introduction for Liverpool supporters to the possibilities of broadband internet, particularly when it comes to the services provided by their own club.”

LFC brand director Davide De Maestri says: “Liverpool FC has the biggest football club website in the world. We believe it also offers fans the best services, and this deal with BT Openworld confirms that. The improved quality of internet browsing achieved through broadband makes it the perfect ally.”

The deal follows BT Openworld’s recent announcement that it has made it cheaper for people to go online with broadband, with free activation and lower prices for ADSL modems and microfilters. Other ISPs have responded with their own promotions.

LFC’s e-Season ticket is an online subscription service for premium content. It uses Web technology to bring fans Premiership match highlights and goals, seven Web TV channels of footage, live audio commentary, a matchday Web radio show, press conferences with the manager and exclusive player interviews. It is a virtual “access all areas” pass, including views of the players tunnel.

BT Openworld, BT’s internet division, delivers broadband and narrowband services to more than 1.7 million business and consumer customers in the UK.