William Hill

Multi-platform, integrated agreement with William Hill across TV, mobile and online

William Hill, one of the UK’s leading sports betting providers, has signed on to be the exclusive sponsor of ESPN’s televised UK coverage of Italy’s Serie A, the Russian Premier League and the Dutch Eredivisie as part of an integrated, multi-platform affiliation with European football. The deal, booked through media and planning buying agency the7stars, demonstrates ESPN’s ability to deliver value to brands and advertisers with international scale and relevance, as well as local precision.

The bookmaker will sponsor all of ESPN’s televised match coverage – live, delayed and highlights – of three of Europe’s leading domestic football leagues, with pre- and end-break TV bumpers. The sponsorship also extends to ESPN’s various preview and review TV shows around the leagues.

Reflecting ESPN’s ability to connect fans and brands to leading leagues and competitions via multiple platforms and devices, William Hill will also be the exclusive UK betting partner for the sports media company’s forthcoming mobile app for football news and information site, ESPNsoccernet. Further details will be announced at a later date. As well as display advertising, William Hill will be integrated into the app with a ‘bet now’ button enabling users to place bets on football action as it happens.

Completing the multi-platform deal, William Hill will run display banners and rich-media ads online with ESPNsoccernet.

Kristof Fahy, Chief Marketing Officer, William Hill, said: “ESPN is one of the leading names in sports media and we’re really looking forward to working with them. This multi-platform deal will enable us to promote our brand and services to millions of sports fans across the UK, while our mobile betting partnership with ESPN looks like a real winner.”

Alan Fagan, director advertising sales, ESPN EMEA: “Our multi-platform coverage of Europe’s top football leagues is a popular part of the ESPN offering to fans and brands alike. Our agreement with William Hill, one of the UK’s leading brands, reflects how we can deliver value to top-flight advertisers, connecting them with loyal and passionate UK football fans across multiple screens. ESPN has an unrivalled ability to serve advertisers with local precision and solutions in the UK, and in markets around the world.”

This season, ESPN connects both fans and advertisers to football action from across Europe and the rest of the world. The sports media company screens live action from the Barclays Premier League, FA Cup, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, UEFA Europa League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Eredivisie and Russian Premier League. ESPN also screens games from the MLS, summer tournaments including the Copa America and Emirates Cup, international friendlies, UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies featuring Germany and France.

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Tony Kenny
International & On-line PR

T: 020 8918 3627M: 07714126514
E: tkenny@williamhill.co.uk
William Hill, Greenside House, 50 Station Road, Wood Green, London, N22 7TP.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About William Hill

William Hill is one of the world’s leading bookmakers and one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the gambling industry, providing gaming and betting services across multiple channels: online, on the high street, on the phone and on the move.

William Hill PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange (WMH.L) and operates over 2,300 betting shops in Ireland and Britain. The William Hill Group employs over 15,000 people worldwide and reported a net revenues of around €1.2 bn in 2010.

William Hill, the Home of betting, offers football fans more opportunities to bet on a match than any other bookmaker across the globe. They offer up to 180 markets before a match and up to 100 in-play (after the match has started.)

The bookmaker’s online site offers players access to 26 different langauge sites and last year they took wagers from over 170 different countries across the world.

William Hill’s five-star rated mobile sportsbook offers players a dynamic, super-quick and user friendly way to bet on the go. Mobile users can also access all the same odds and markets (up to 500,000 a week) on the William Hill mobile platform.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

ESPN International has grown to include ownership — in whole or in part — of 46 television networks outside of the United States, as well as a variety of brand extension businesses, which allow ESPN to reach fans in 200 countries and territories.

In the UK, ESPN now includes a portfolio of television and digital brands including ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Classic, ESPN America and ESPN America HD, ESPN.co.uk, ESPNCricinfo.com, ESPNSoccernet.com, ESPNScrum.com, ESPNF1.com, ESPN Goals and ESPN Player (broadband).

ESPN and ESPN HD feature exclusive live coverage of the Barclays Premier League, the FA Cup, Aviva Premiership Rugby, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, UEFA Europa League, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, UFC, French Top 14 Rugby, NBA, NFL and much more.

ESPN Classic now has five networks (UK, French, Italian, pan-European, African and Middle Eastern feeds) available in more than 40 countries.

ESPN America and ESPN America HD, the only European networks devoted exclusively to the best in North American sport, features coverage of the NFL, NHL, MLB and NCAA Football and Basketball across Europe, available to 19 million homes in more than 40 countries.