BBC's Mark Pougatch on Side...
11 Management, the newly formed sport PR agency fronted by BBC sportscaster Mark Pougatch, has been retained by Football Superstars, the first ever ‘fully interactive online virtual footballing world', to run its launch campaign.
11 Management was chosen by the game–makers after a competitive pitch process and have been commissioned to create an Autumn 2008 campaign to drive registrations and active players to the Football Superstars site.
Last week PagetBaker, the PR firm co-founded by Will Paget and Lisa Baker, announced that Pougatch had joined the company to form 11 Management. “Coming from a sporting background I can bring to the business an understanding of the sports media environment and the unique demands that are part of it,” Pougatch said.
The Football Superstars concept will likely stretch the very best PR and communication skills. Put simply, the game allows users to recreate themselves online as a virtual player with all the trappings of a top football player, including increased (virtual) wages based on the game player’s level of performance.
“Football Superstars is a totally new concept therefore PR will play an integral part in its future success,” said Phil Booker Head of Sales & Marketing for Football Superstars. “We are excited by the breadth of contacts that 11 bring with them from the world of sport and media and we’re really looking forward to working with them.”
As well as driving registrations to the site, 11 Management aims to develop corporate media relations in Football Superstars’ drive to attract major brands and sponsorship opportunities from the retail and business environment.
Describing its overall offering in a press release last week, 11 Management said, “ The business will offer communications advice across the sports and leisure industries and is in talks with a number of companies and individuals in many areas such as motorsport and the gaming and leisure industries.”
