STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 3, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Seger United AB, which is included in New Wave Group and has exclusive distribution and license rights to the international trademark Umbro in Sweden, has made a long-term cooperation deal with the Swedish Football Association. The cooperation, which is one of the most innovative within Swedish football ever, means that the Swedish Football Association will cooperate and develop the association's different activities with Umbro on a long-term basis. This new cooperation deal will be valid for six years, starting in 2003 and reaching through the year 2008.
The deal means that all Swedish national teams and the Swedish Football Association will, during the six-year period, use Umbro's products in all their activities, with the exception of underwear. Craft's underwear will instead be used, since Craft is also a part of New Wave Group. The co-operation will promote Swedish football on all levels.
"We consider this to be a great step towards the development of the trademark Umbro, and since it is a growing football trademark, we have certainly wished for a cooperation with the Swedish Football Association - a wish that has come true, giving us as well as our customers great opportunities," commented Ulf Segerqvist from Seger United AB.
"Swedish football will now be further developed. Umbro's genuine interest in the sport together with the experience of developing rewarding business relating to football, through many international contracts among other things, will contribute to a continuous positive development of Swedish football," said Mikael Salzer from the Swedish Football Association.
Seger United/Umbro will not only be the Swedish Football Association's exclusive and official sportswear supplier. It will also be a main sponsor of the Swedish Football Association's sponsor program "Top 2000," an offensive cooperation between the Swedish Football Association and Swedish' trade and industry.
Umbro and Seger United will within this intimate co-operation create a wide range relating to the Swedish Football Association and the Swedish national teams, which is expected to lead to great sales for the co- operation parties as well as Umbro's customers, since football is a growing sport in Sweden and internationally. The media's interest in football is also growing, which will favour the co-operation and its effects further.
Umbro and Seger United will also use the expertise of the Swedish Football Association when it comes to product development, in order to further strengthen its position in the Swedish market.
Craft of Scandinavia
Craft of Scandinavia, a part of New Wave Group, has also made a long-term cooperation deal with the Swedish Football Association. The deal makes Craft of Scandinavia the exclusive and official underwear supplier to the Swedish Football Association from 2003 through 2008.
Craft is Europe's leading trademark on functional underwear, an important part of every athlete's equipment. Among the successful teams and athletes that already use Craft, the Swedish National Skiing Team, Per Elofsson, several football teams, Tre Kronor and other hockey teams can be mentioned.
"We are obviously happy that yet another team will be dressed in Craft, especially since it is one of the most popular teams in Sweden. We also believe that this is very important for the trademark, since many people still think that functional underwear is only used for isolation in cold weather, when it is really meant to lead sweat away from your body, increase your perseverance etc. We now take another step towards making people understand that Craft's underwear can be used throughout the year. Today, the products are developed in cooperation with several national teams and now we can add another dimension to this area. Even though we already equip national football teams in Sweden as well as internationally, this can be seen as a door into the world's greatest sport: football," commented Jens Petersson from Craft of Scandinavia.
New Wave Group
"Of course we are happy to grow in cooperation with the Swedish Football Association, with the help of both Umbro and Craft. We see this engagement as a natural step towards the further strengthening of these trademarks. We estimate that the deal will result in heavily increased sales volumes. The development of the Retailing business area and its trademarks will speed up and it is intimately related to sports in the countries where we operate," commented Goran Harstedt from New Wave Group.
Boras on 3 June 2002
New Wave Group AB (publ) Torsten Jansson Goran Harstedt
For more information, please contact:
Torsten Jansson, President and CEO of New Wave Group Telephone: + 46 (0) 708 99 80 50, +46 (0) 33 22 58 55 Goran Harstedt, Executive Vice President of New Wave Group Telephone: +46 (0) 708 99 80 17, +46 (0) 33 22 58 63 Ulf Segerqvist, President and CEO of Segerkoncernen Telephone: +46 (0) 705 91 47 20, +46 (0) 321 260 02 Jens Petersson, President of Craft of Scandinavia Telephone: +46 (0) 708 99 80 60, +46 (0) 33 22 58 06 Mikael Salzer, the Swedish Football Association Telephone: +46 (0) 8 735 09 00
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