The much-anticipated Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC football classic at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Saturday 30 May will be telecast live on the Seven Network to an audience of more than 1 million nationally, and broadcast to millions more throughout Europe.
More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the game, which is a jewel in the crown of an amazing week of sport at ANZ Stadium and a huge month of major events in Sydney this May.
Saul Shtein, Seven’s Head of Sport, said: “Tottenham Hotspur is one of the biggest sports franchises in the world and we are delighted to be delivering this match to all Australians. This will be a big event and we are looking forward to Spurs v Sydney FC. It fits perfectly with who we are and where we are going: big sports events, and live on Seven. We can’t wait.”
The two teams will play for the AIA Cup, with the leading pan Asian independent life insurance company AIA the official partner of Spurs’ tour to the Asia-Pacific region.
AIA is the official shirt partner of Spurs for all their matches, including those in the English Premier League. AIA’s support for Spurs’ visit to Sydney complements the recently launched AIA Vitality MiniRoos program in Australia, a grassroots football program designed to provide a fun introduction to the sport for boys and girls aged 4 to 11 years. About 220,000 children are expected to take part in the program, which will be delivered by over 1600 local football clubs.
AIA Australia Chief Executive Officer, Damien Mu, said: “We are proud to be supporting Spurs’ visit to Australia as we continue to promote participation in sport as a key component of healthy living.
“We believe in the power of football as a positive force to benefit the community by encouraging young people, in a fun and engaging way, to experience not only the value of healthy living, but also the benefits of teamwork and perseverance.”
The winning team will be awarded the AIA Cup. A specially designed logo has been created for the tour, which links with Vivid Sydney, the 18-day festival of light, music and ideas on Sydney harbour.
The Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC match is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase, said: “Tottenham Hotspur is a team with a huge international following, and I can’t wait to welcome them to Sydney in May. The announcement today is a great win for the event, and will see Sydney broadcast to millions across Australia and the world.
“The event will also attract thousands of interstate and international fans to our State, who are expected to contribute more than $8 million in visitor expenditure to the NSW economy.”
The Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC game at ANZ Stadium follows visits by Manchester United in 2013 and Italian champions Juventus last year, and is further evidence of the growth of football in Australia.
Football Federation Australia CEO, David Gallop, said: “We are delighted that Channel 7 has continued its association with football by winning the rights to broadcast the Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC match at ANZ Stadium.
“We had a lot of interest from the commercial networks to broadcast this game. Channel 7 was the first commercial network to see the huge potential of the A-League and broadcast the first two All Stars games to millions of Australian households.
“Tottenham Hotspur have a rich history in English Football and we look forward to seeing them come up against one of the Hyundai A-League’s in-form teams in Sydney FC.
“It is also exciting to see a global company like AIA support the match. AIA Vitality is already an important member of the FFA corporate family as sponsor of the MiniRoos program, which is the introduction program for young football players all over Australia.”
In a huge sporting week at ANZ Stadium, reigning NRL premiers the South Sydney Rabbitohs will play the Parramatta Eels on Friday 22 May; the NSW Waratahs will play a Super Rugby Grand Final rematch against the NZ Crusaders on Saturday 23 May; rugby league’s showpiece State of Origin I will be played on Wednesday 27 May; capped by the Spurs v Sky Blues football classic on Saturday 30 May.
Insurance giant AIA the major sponsor for Spurs v Sydney FC
Game to be televised live on Channel 7 Sydney
TV audience of 1 million in Australia & millions more overseas
More than 50,000 tickets already sold
Game to bring more than $8 million in visitor expenditure to the NSW economy
