JAPAN: THE NAMES OF THREE OFFICIAL MASCOTS FOR THE 2002 WORLD CUP ARE UNVEILED

Record ID: 549840

  • Title: JAPAN: THE NAMES OF THREE OFFICIAL MASCOTS FOR THE 2002 WORLD CUP ARE UNVEILED
  • Date: 26th April 2001
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (APRIL 26, 2001) (REUTERS) 2002 WORLD CUP MASCOTS CLIMBING ONTO STAGE PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES RONALD MCDONALD UNVEILING NAMES OF THREE MASCOTS - ATO (YELL0W), KAZ (PURPLE) AND NIK (BLUE) MASCOTS ON STAGE MASCOT NIK STAGE IN FRONT OF 2002 WORLD CUP SHOP INTERIOR OF SHOP PEOPLE LOOKING AT MASCOTS AND OTHER 2002 WORLD CUP SOUVENIRS 2002 WORLD CUP SOCCER MASCOTS ON SALE AT SHOP FIFA NEWS CONFERENCE DAVID H. WILL, FIFA VICE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETING SUB-COMMITTEE ADDRESSING REPORTERS FIFA NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID H. WILL, FIFA VICE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETING SUB-COMMITTEE SAYING "The only effect of the ISL problems on ticketing is in connection with the Prestige programme, that is to say the programme of tickets at the very top level, the best level, together with hospitality. This programme at the moment belongs to ISL, it has been contracted to ISL. If ISL goes bankrupt, the programme falls back to FIFA and we then can decide on what arrangements we are going to make to cover the Prestige programme. If on the other hand ISL is taken over by Vivendi, then of course, FIFA has to discuss with Vivendi, who will simply have replaced ISL, whether they wish to run a prestige programme or not. If they do, then they will take over ISL's contract, if they do not, FIFA is in the position again of deciding on a new plan for the Prestige programme."
  • Embargoed: 11th May 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZGLAY8EMD83VXMVL8K5HE6T0
  • Story Text: With 400 days to go until the 2002 World Cup kickoff, the names of three official mascots for the tournament are unveiled in Tokyo, as FIFA waits for the final word on the the possible bankruptcy of the company holding its World Cup marketing and television rights.
    People all over Japan and South Korea voted for the names of these perky mascots either by Internet or through fast food outlets.
    As a result, the yellow "coach" of the mascots has been named Ato, the purple "striker" Kaz and blue "striker" Nik.
    Die-hard soccer fans as well as passers by had the chance have their picture taken with the life-size mascots on a make-shift stage put up in front of the official 2002 World Cup shop in Tokyo.
    Inside the shop, the mascots went on sale along with hundreds of other souvenirs including pins, towels and T-shirts.
    While the names of the mascots were being unveiled however, World Cup officials were deep in consultations to discuss contingency plans after International Sports Media and Marketing (ISMM) was ordered into bankruptcy proceedings by a Swiss court.
    ISL Worldwide, a subsidiary of the ISMM Group, which holds the television rights to the 2002 and 2006 World Cups for countries outside Europe, could see those rights awarded to French media giant Vivendi Universal, should the company fail.
    But officials said ticket sales would not be affected much by the financial difficulties facing the ISMM marketing group.
    "The only effect of the ISL problems on ticketing is in connection with the Prestige programme, that is to say the programme of tickets at the very top level, the best level, together with hospitality. This programme at the moment belongs to ISL, it has been contracted to ISL," David H. Will, FIFA vice president and chairman of FIFA World Cup ticketing sub-committee told reporters.
    "If ISL goes bankrupt, the programme falls back to FIFA and we then can decide on what arrangements we are going to make to cover the Prestige programme. If on the other hand ISL is taken over by Vivendi, then of course, FIFA has to discuss with Vivendi, who will simply have replaced ISL, whether they wish to run a prestige programme or not. If they do, then they will take over ISL's contract, if they do not, FIFA is in the position again, of deciding on a new plan for the Prestige programme," he added.
    Contingency plans to deal the situation have been drawn up, but Will said it was too early to determine what would happen.
    "At the moment it is impossible to make plans because the whole procedure is in court in Switzerland at the moment, we are hoping for a decision at the beginning of next week and then we will know and begin to think about the next step for the prestige programme," he added.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register