Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

13.3.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 70/5

Notification of a number of agreements concerning the European Football League

(Case No IV/37.400 — Project Gandalf)

(1999/C 70/07)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 3 February 1999, the Commission received notification pursuant to Article 4 of Council
Regulation No 17 of a number of agreements concerning the establishment and administration
of a new European Football League (EFL). The EFL will comprise two main pan-European
football competitions, the SuperLeague and the ProCup involving a total of 132 clubs from all
territories covered by UEFA-affiliated associations. The competition will run for three years.

The notifying party is Media Partners International Limited (MPI) a member of the Media
Partners Group. MPI has notified:

(a)�a standard form founder’s club agreement to be signed between Parsifal Football Company
Limited (FootballCo), a subsidiary of the Media Partners Group and the 18 Founder
Clubs, and

(b) a draft marketing agreement between FootballCo and EFL Properties BV, a special
purpose vehicle to be incorporated to perform certain marketing functions in connection
with the EFL, and which will be owned by the participating clubs.

The 18 founder clubs will commit themselves to participate in the EFL exclusively for a period
of three years. Other participating clubs will qualify for one season only, based on their
performance in their domestic league or cup competitions. All participating clubs will assign all
intellectual property rights relating to the EFL competitions, including the EFL brand name,
TV rights, merchandising rights, sponsorship, advertising, licensing, and multimedia rights to
EFL Properties BV, which will therefore have the exclusive right to commercialise the EFL
competition for a three-year period. Pursuant to the marketing agreement above, FootballCo
will have the exclusive right to market the EFL’s rights for three years.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the
proposed operation.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 20 days following the date of this
publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (No (32-2) 295�30�80) or by
post under reference IV/37.400 — Project Gandalf to:

European Commission,
Directorate-General for Competition (DG�IV),
Directorate D,
Office 5/131,
Avenue de Cortenberg/Kortenberglaan 150,
B-1040 Brussels.