KUCHING: Tune Group, the lifestyle and entertainment brand founded by AirAsia Bhd’s (AirAsia) chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Tony Fernandes, signed a deal in London to become the new principal partner for the Professional Games Match Officials (PGMO).
REFEREE-IN-ARMS: Lankester (left) showing the ‘red card’ alongside EPL’s Referee Andre Marriner.
Formed in 2001 to improve refereeing standards, PGMO officiates across all Premier League, Football League and Football Association competitions. Former PGMO referee Mike Riley was recently appointed its general manager, with his team of managers and coaches being responsible for the training, development and mentoring of 77 referees and 225 assistant referees.
A media announcement stated that the partnership would give Tune Group access to 2,000 professional football matches, with an estimated cumulative global TV audience in excess of three billion.
Covering for three seasons beginning with the 2010-2011 period, it would deliver a range of designation and promotional rights, including shirt sleeve and training wear branding on all professional match referees, assistant referees and fourth officials, branding and accreditation on all publicity material, PGMO itself and all governing body websites, as well as refereeing inventory with extensive public relations opportunities.
Representing the group, Tune Hotels group’s chief executive officer, Mark Lankester commented, “We have seen how AirAsia and AirAsia X benefited from this sponsorship before by establishing its brand in such a mature, competitive market as the UK, as well as with Tune Hotels opening its first London property later this month, this sponsorship could not be more timely.
“Communicating to English Premier League’s (EPL) three billion viewers globally, presents Tune Group with a powerful global branding tool for us in enhancing our brand awareness, not only facilitating our regional expansions but most importantly connecting with our customers.”
Stating the group’s specific plan on 15 hotels in Greater London amongst its significant expansion plans in the Asia Pacific and India, Lankester added that the group’s Tune Talk unit would also be eyeing aggressive expansion plans in Southeast Asia to democratise its mobile telecommunications presence.
Currently, PGMO has a knowledge transfer programme that benefits entire confederations such as the Asian Football Confederation, which would have a future referees project supported by PGMO, as well as individual football associations in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, all collaborating with PGMO to improve the performance of their own officials.
“The group has significant plans outside of their traditional home markets, at the same time engaging in challenging the norms. This association with EPL and PGMO will translate firmly into a direct boost to our brand and positioning,” he underlined.
On PGMO’s behalf, Riley said, “We are very pleased to be working with Tune Group and are, of course, very familiar with them already thanks to our previous successful partnership with AirAsia. Their investment has resulted in significant investment in the training and development of officials at all levels of the game.
“Over the last year that has diversely manifested itself in a seven per cent increase in referee recruitment at grassroots level through to Howard Webb becoming the first referee to officiate the UEFA Champions League and World Cup Final in the same season. I’m very positive that our new relationship with Tune Group will further help the development of refereeing in this country and throughout the world.