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Marketing blitz set to envelop Euro 2004

It used to be that an -- often unseemly -- mascot and a bunch of T-shirts were the only souvenirs at a European soccer event. Not any more.

What about a women's watch or a China dish set for the 2004 European Championship?

With the growing popularity of European soccer around the globe, the "official licensed products" of UEFA's European Championship in Portugal next year is targeting a rapidly expanding market.

Not only are products for the Europe-limited event now sold worldwide, marketeers also want to sell their wares to more than just the average soccer fan. It ranges from the obvious, such as soccer balls, to the surprising, such as women's watches.

They will be sold anywhere from the airport shop in Lisbon, the hub of the Euro 2004 tournament, to stores as far away as Thailand and Brazil.

"It is a great marketing opportunity," UEFA Chief Executive Gerhard Aigner said in an interview.

"Around the world, people love the players who play in the European leagues. Thanks to the new media, the Internet, they can follow our games better. Yes, it is spreading across the globe."

This year, UEFA is teaming up with Warner Bros., an icon of the US entertainment business, as its cartoon figure Bugs Bunny makes abundantly clear.

"We have entered the entertainment industry," Aigner said. "It is not our original mission but to serve football, to bring the revenues to the grassroots, it is the way to go."
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