Get Closer to the Tour - Sony Ericsson and Eurosport Launch a Behind the Scenes Look at the Players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
Rome – Italy, 15 May, 2006 – Get Closer to the Tour - ‘Inspiration and Performance’ a unique programme delving into the private world of the professional female tennis player is launched this month. Sony Ericsson, title sponsor of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and Eurosport teamed up to create ‘Get Closer to the Tour’, an exclusive series of TV ‘vignettes’ that promises to show the viewer the real person behind the tennis star.
‘Inspiration and Performance’ focuses on how the girls perceive their performance and results on the court, how they ensure that each week they are able to play at the peak of their ability, and more importantly what inspires and motivates them to keep going. Players featured include Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo, Nadia Petrova and Anastasia Myskina.
Sony Ericsson and Eurosport are both dedicated to developing the profile and visibility of the game. ‘Inspiration and Performance’ is just one of four themes of the programmes in the ‘Get Closer to the Tour’ series aiming to increase the fan base of tennis. Other programmes focus on ‘The Real Me’ – a look at the real person behind the tennis star (aired in March), ‘Hobbies and Interests’ – what the players get up to off the court and ‘My Tour and Travelling’ – which explores the ups and downs of being on the Tour on a day to day basis. The last two will be broadcast later this year.
“The ‘Get Closer to the Tour’ series is yet another important step in our total commitment to innovating women’s tennis and making the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour a more fan friendly and exciting sport, to fans and viewers of all ages,” said Dee Dutta, Sony Ericsson CVP and Head of Global Marketing. “Our partnership with a top-level broadcaster such as Eurosport was key for us to be able to provide this new element of innovation to our overall programme,” he added.
“Eurosport has always been strongly involved in the promotion of women's tennis, contributing to the non-stop growing interest of the fans in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Today we are very pleased to work with Sony Ericsson on this new concept giving viewers the chance to discover the life and personality of the players. We are convinced that this series will continue to boost the popularity of women's tennis," declared Angelo Codignoni, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eurosport.
Note to editors:
Broadcast Dates
The Real Me - was broadcast during Miami: 14/03/06 -02/04/06
Inspiration & Performance - is broadcast during Rome: 09/05/06 – 28/05/06
My Tour - will be broadcast during Montreal: 08/08/06 –27/08/06
Hobbies & Interests - will be broadcast during Stuttgart: 19/09/06 – 08/10/06
A “Best of” will be broadcast during Madrid: 24/10/06 – 12/11/06
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications serves the global communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, and PC-cards. Established as a joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in 2001, with global corporate functions located in London, the company employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. Sony Ericsson is the global title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association, and works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80 cities during the year. For more information on Sony Ericsson, please visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/
Eurosport is the leading sports channel in Europe reaching over 22 million viewers per day in 54 countries. In addition to its exclusive reach in Europe, Eurosportnews adds reach worldwide. Eurosport is dedicated to increasing the profile and visibility of women’s tennis on a long term basis and works closely with the WTA to ensure that the maximum TV exposure is achieved. In 2005 Eurosport broadcast 624 hours of WTA tennis from 28 tournaments and are set to broadcast in excess of this in 2006.
Media Enquiries:
Laura May
Four Sports Marketing and Sponsorship
T: 0870 066 8719
E: laura.may@fourcommunications.com
Isabelle Nguyen & Laura Dickinson
Eurosport
T: +33 1 40.93. 81.42 / +33 1 40.93.82.70
‘Inspiration and Performance’ focuses on how the girls perceive their performance and results on the court, how they ensure that each week they are able to play at the peak of their ability, and more importantly what inspires and motivates them to keep going. Players featured include Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo, Nadia Petrova and Anastasia Myskina.
Sony Ericsson and Eurosport are both dedicated to developing the profile and visibility of the game. ‘Inspiration and Performance’ is just one of four themes of the programmes in the ‘Get Closer to the Tour’ series aiming to increase the fan base of tennis. Other programmes focus on ‘The Real Me’ – a look at the real person behind the tennis star (aired in March), ‘Hobbies and Interests’ – what the players get up to off the court and ‘My Tour and Travelling’ – which explores the ups and downs of being on the Tour on a day to day basis. The last two will be broadcast later this year.
“The ‘Get Closer to the Tour’ series is yet another important step in our total commitment to innovating women’s tennis and making the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour a more fan friendly and exciting sport, to fans and viewers of all ages,” said Dee Dutta, Sony Ericsson CVP and Head of Global Marketing. “Our partnership with a top-level broadcaster such as Eurosport was key for us to be able to provide this new element of innovation to our overall programme,” he added.
“Eurosport has always been strongly involved in the promotion of women's tennis, contributing to the non-stop growing interest of the fans in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Today we are very pleased to work with Sony Ericsson on this new concept giving viewers the chance to discover the life and personality of the players. We are convinced that this series will continue to boost the popularity of women's tennis," declared Angelo Codignoni, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eurosport.
Note to editors:
Broadcast Dates
The Real Me - was broadcast during Miami: 14/03/06 -02/04/06
Inspiration & Performance - is broadcast during Rome: 09/05/06 – 28/05/06
My Tour - will be broadcast during Montreal: 08/08/06 –27/08/06
Hobbies & Interests - will be broadcast during Stuttgart: 19/09/06 – 08/10/06
A “Best of” will be broadcast during Madrid: 24/10/06 – 12/11/06
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications serves the global communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, and PC-cards. Established as a joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in 2001, with global corporate functions located in London, the company employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. Sony Ericsson is the global title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association, and works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80 cities during the year. For more information on Sony Ericsson, please visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/
Eurosport is the leading sports channel in Europe reaching over 22 million viewers per day in 54 countries. In addition to its exclusive reach in Europe, Eurosportnews adds reach worldwide. Eurosport is dedicated to increasing the profile and visibility of women’s tennis on a long term basis and works closely with the WTA to ensure that the maximum TV exposure is achieved. In 2005 Eurosport broadcast 624 hours of WTA tennis from 28 tournaments and are set to broadcast in excess of this in 2006.
Media Enquiries:
Laura May
Four Sports Marketing and Sponsorship
T: 0870 066 8719
E: laura.may@fourcommunications.com
Isabelle Nguyen & Laura Dickinson
Eurosport
T: +33 1 40.93. 81.42 / +33 1 40.93.82.70