Tottenham Hotspur and Wales hero Gareth Bale has signed up to become a BT Ambassador. He will feature in TV adverts for the new BT Sport channels as well as regularly appearing as a guest.
Bale, 23, currently the hottest name in the Barclays Premier League, will be at the forefront of BT’s marketing campaigns to promote BT Sport, which will show 38 live Premier League games a season for three years starting in August 2013.
The Welsh wingman, in the form of his life having already scored 25 goals in all competitions this season, has built on his relationship with BT by agreeing to act as an ambassador for the next three years. Bale starred in BT’s TV ads in 2010 when the company started selling Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to its customers.
He has also helped to promote the Life’s a Pitch football website. Recently, he exclusively revealed to the BT site that he believes he is playing the best football of his life this season.
Gareth said: “I am delighted to continue my relationship with BT by becoming a BT Ambassador. I feel honoured to join an exciting band of inspirational sporting figures, which has included Olympic heroes like the Brownlee brothers and Paralympic gold medallist Jonnie Peacock.
“A great deal has changed in my football career since my first partnership with BT, and I am happy to extend that relationship for the next three years. I am excited about the launch of BT Sport and I am happy to play my part in making it a big hit.”
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “We are thrilled that Gareth has agreed to feature in our TV adverts and some BT Sport programmes, as well as becoming a BT Ambassador. He has developed into one of the most-admired and coveted players in the Barclays Premier League in recent years. He is also an inspiring role model for young sports fans, who remains dedicated and focused on developing his considerable talent. We are delighted that we’ve managed to do what dozens of top football managers would like to do – sign Bale.”
As well as the rights to show 38 live games a season from the Barclays Premier League, including 18 of the top picks, BT Sport has also secured the rights to live top tier matches from Serie A in Italy, Ligue 1 in France, Brasileiro in Brazil and Major League Soccer in the USA.
And BT’s acquisition of ESPN’s TV channels business in the UK and Ireland has also brought the rights to show live games for the FA Cup, Scottish Premier League, Europa League and the German Bundesliga.
BT Sport will also show up to 69 live rugby union games a season from the Aviva Premiership. In addition, BT has signed a deal with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to show up to 800 hours of live tennis, including the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships. The BT Sport channels will be based at the iCITY development at the Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford. The company has opened a pre-registration site for customers to register their interest in BT Sport at www.btsport.com