Halcyon days for event agencies

The industry is poised to earn a packet from the World Cup. But there are risks, too. Legal parameters set by FIFA can turn public celebrations into a juridical minefield.

Halcyon days for event agencies: For many industry players the extra business generated by the FIFA World Cup holds out vistas of a golden year. But seldom have agencies seen their ideas and the way they aim to realise these so hedged about by a major event's rulebook and the rigid parameters governing sponsorship and advertising. Conflicts of interest abound as domestic businesses seek to clamber on board the World Cup express - admittedly rather belatedly in some cases. As an old hand in sports sponsorship, Ulrich Roth, proprietor of the agency Roth & Lorenz in Stuttgart, is naturally familiar with the broad legal and trademark framework surrounding the world of soccer. The agency is now perfectly placed to turn its expertise to advantage in its day-to-day business, both as a consultant for the FIFA World Cup 2006 fan festivals in the 12 host cities and as the agency representing one of the main sponsors, the automotive group Hyundai.
The advertising spoils have long since been carved up, and there can be no questioning the legitimate concern of the main World Cup sponsors and national sponsors to cast their brands in a glittering light. They have, after all, dug deep into their pockets for the privilege. Even so: "There are still lots of possibilities open to local sponsors to advertise in the World Cup context. Understandably, the FIFA guidelines must be observed and the FIFA sponsors rights protected," Ulrich Roth insists. As far as the Stuttgart region is concerned, he expects most of the potential sponsors to know by the beginning of May what is doable and workable. "I see opportunities mainly in the fields in which companies have been able to create a local tie-in," Roth continues. Many good ideas are running in cooperation with local media, such as city magazines. "Ultimately, I expect about ten local companies to take part in public activities with a wide variety of different sponsoring campaigns." For Stuttgart the fan festival and public viewings are particularly challenging, Roth adds. "Although the city is by all means accustomed to major sporting events, having hosted the World Athletic Championships, the FIFA World Cup is in a category quite of its own." Each city hosting events on a similar scale will try and outshine the others in an attempt to attract the most public attention.
For this the cities are really splashing out. The examples of Hamburg, Frankfurt and the case in point Stuttgart are indication enough of the material that is likely to be thrown into battle when it is "time to make friends" at the World Cup. At each of the twelve host venues there will be a FIFA fan festival with live broadcasts. Its central location makes the public viewing place in Stuttgart, for example, particularly attractive. All 64 fixtures can be followed in the city centre on Schlossplatz square, which will also be open for celebrations from eleven to one o'clock. This time, too, the Atelier Markgraph in Frankfurt, renowned for spectacular public events at the Frankfurt Museum Festival on the banks of the River Main as well as for other public spectacles, is training the limelight on Frankfurt's skyline, using it as a grandiose backcloth. All the World Cup matches can be watched by around 15,000 fans in the Main- and SkyArena on a mega-screen in the middle of the river. The fan festival is being held along the Main between the two bridges. On the weekend of the World Cup final, from July 7 to 9, another Frankfurt highlight takes place, the Frankfurt Museum Festival. The big World Cup festival in Hamburg will occupy the entire Heiligengeistfeld right next to the Reeperbahn amusement district. Up to 50,000 fans are expected there. To get a real party going in the chilly north, fans can look forward to a stage programme, lots of food stands and a host of join-in activities.

m+a report Nr.3 / 2006 vom 28.04.2006
m+a report vom 28. April 2006