Sports Direct Regulatory News (SPD)

7 Feb 2005 08:10

SP Holdings PLC07 February 2005 7 February 2005 SP Holdings PLC (the 'Company') New US Joint Venture Secures Denver As Client SP Holdings PLC, the marketing services company, today announces that itssubsidiary TSE Consulting SA has established a new American joint venture, TSEConsulting LLC, which has secured its first client, Metro Denver SportsCommission. TSE Consulting LLC builds on the strengths of SP Holdings' subsidiary, theSwiss-based TSE Consulting SA, and American-based Hirthler & Partners. Thispartnership is aimed at North American cities interested in hostinginternational sports events, eg World Championships and World Cups, to raisetheir global profile, meet civic aspirations and add value to their localeconomies. The Metro Denver Sports Commission, the public body responsible for sport inDenver, has engaged TSE Consulting LLC to help develop a strategic plan forraising the city's international sports profile. Denver is already a leading U.S. centre of sport, with seven professional teams,including the Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball, the Denver Broncos inthe National Football League, the Denver Nuggets in the National BasketballAssociation and the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League. Denver isalso the gateway to a dozen of the leading U.S. ski resorts, including Vail,Aspen, Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs. TSE Consulting SA provides a range of specialist sports consultancy services tocities, governments and international sporting federations. Existing clientsinclude New York, Copenhagen, International Olympic Committee and IAAF. Hirthler & Partners, run by renowned Olympic Bid strategist George Hirthler, hasserved as a lead communications strategist for six Olympic bid campaigns,including Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010, the last two successful Olympic bidcampaigns. Mr Hirthler will head TSE consulting LLC. Commenting on the joint venture, Tony Simpson, Chief Executive, SP Holdings,said: "This joint venture builds on our existing expertise and enables us to provideNorth American cities with a unique offer to maximise their participation ininternational events." George Hirthler, Director of TSE Consulting LLC, said: "Sport is increasingly being seen as a key tool to inspire economic regenerationand civic pride. American cities are waking up to the opportunities of theglobal marketplace, only to find that many of the decision-makers for globalsports are based in Europe. TSE Consulting LLC delivers the best of both worlds- American civic marketing acumen and European sports expertise." ENDS For further information, please contact: SP Holdings PLC gcg hudson sandler Matthew Patten, Deputy Chairman Nick Lyon / Wendy Baker Tel: 020 7182 7600: 07970 906962 Tel: 020 7796 4133 Notes to Editors: SP Holdings PLC is a marketing services company listed on the London StockExchange. The Company specialises in sports, retail, leisure and entertainmentsectors, with offices in London, Lausanne, Bahrain and Atlanta. Clientsinclude; Mastercard Europe, Nationwide, JVC, Tesco, Manchester United andGlasgow Rangers FC. www.spholdings.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange