Archive notice: This article was originally published on May 29, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
IGA Worldwide, the largest independent in-game advertising company, has entered into an exclusive partnership with SEGA Europe Ltd. and Sports Interactive for upcoming titles in the Football Manager series. The cooperation also covers the highly anticipated massively multiplayer online version, Football Manager Live.
Football Manager Live will launch in the summer and combines the philosophy of the highly successful Football Manager series with the dynamic possibilities of a massively multiplayer online game. For the first time, football managers can test their tactical abilities directly against hundreds of fellow players. Players can choose their own team name, colors, badges, and home stadiums, and then sign footballers from Sports Interactive’s world-famous database, which contains more than 270,000 currently active players.
Within this completely new game concept, football enthusiasts can determine the course of play themselves, change tactics from a virtual bench during a live match, and communicate with other virtual managers through in-game chat. Football experts must also run their teams successfully from a financial perspective—all in direct competition with managers from around the world.
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IGA Worldwide offers companies a broad range of advertising opportunities also found in real football environments. These include sponsorship of leagues and cup competitions, pitch-side advertising, web-based online banners, and a range of high-quality static integrations.
IGA Worldwide uses its specially developed Radial technology to connect advertising spaces dynamically between the Football Manager Live game client and the corresponding locations in the Football Manager Live web portal. This gives advertisers even more connected presentation opportunities, alongside video and diverse media content within web-based online banners.
The website http://www.footballmanagerlive.co.uk is more than a simple web portal. It is linked to the game servers so managers and audiences can browse other managers’ profiles, teams, and results and interact with them through a forum—a genuine football Facebook.
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“The Football Manager series has three titles among the five fastest-selling PC games of all time,” said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. “We are therefore delighted to partner with Sports Interactive and SEGA on these world-leading games, continuing with the Euro 2008 title. The unique opportunities this gives our customers include creative variety, strong player engagement, and high measurability, while advertising simultaneously adds more realism and coherence to the game environment.”
“Using in-game advertising in all upcoming game titles will improve our customers’ gameplay experience,” added Miles Jacobson, Studio Director at Sports Interactive. “In IGA Worldwide, we have found a partner that meets our needs and supports us in implementing them in Football Manager and Football Manager Live.”
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