With One Year and Counting...Octagon's Football Experts Eye Africa's First FIFA World...

With One Year and Counting...Octagon's Football Experts Eye Africa's First
FIFA World Cup

On the eve of the FIFA Confederations Cup, and, as the FIFA World Cup 2010
approaches the year-to-go countdown, Octagon's team of senior football
executives are at the ready to assist you in developing your football coverage
by providing background, insight and commentary on a wide range of topics:

-- Impact on host country, South Africa, and the rest of the African
continent
-- Role that will be played by technology and marketing
-- Reaction of passionate football fans from around the world
-- Perspective on the players and officials

-- Evolving competition, providing nuances only experienced insiders can
offer

The Question of "Will Africa Be Ready?" Has Been Answered

You could say the people of Africa have been preparing to host their
first-ever FIFA World Cup for a lifetime. Now, with one year to go, they will
be more than ready to showcase African football and African culture on this
spectacular world stage. That's the opinion of Octagon's South Africa
Managing Director, Qondisa Ngwenya. "It's important to realize that we just
came out of successfully hosting IPL cricket with just few weeks to prepare.
One can say to sports fans across the globe that the country is ready to host
an event of this caliber." Contact: Qondisa.ngwenya@octagon.com

Technology Will Play A Huge Role Like Never Before

Phil Carling, Octagon Marketing's Senior Vice President/Football, believes
football fans will witness the most technologically-advanced FIFA World Cup
ever. "Since 2006, there have been massive developments in technology and the
manner in which the FIFA World Cup will be consumed...over TV, the internet
and on mobile platforms...is a rapidly evolving tapestry." Contact:
Phil.carling@octagon.com

Fan Passion For Football South African Style Will Be A Developing Story

As the FIFA World Cup 2010 approaches, football fans the world over will put
nearly everything else in life aside to follow their sport. SimonWardle,
Octagon's Senior Vice President of Insights and Strategy, can help you
understand why. "Not unlike the hosting of the Rugby World Cup in the
post-apartheid era, a legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2010 is that it will
provide a rallying social event for all South Africans. The FIFA World Cup
also is an opportunity for the African people across the continent to unite
and share a much more positive representation of themselves." Contact:
Simon.wardle@octagon.com

Football Fans Follow Their Passions---All The Way To The Beach!

Joan Cusco, President Octagon Spain, can provide unique insights including the
evolution of football to the FIFA-sanctioned derivative sport of Beach Soccer,
which Joan manages through Beach Soccer Worldwide. "We have experienced
professionalism at every level firsthand as we worked to organize beach soccer
events in Durban for the past four years. That commitment to professionalism
also will be part of the legacy." Contact: Joan.Cusco@octagon.com

Players See Opportunity For Media Showcase

Providing a perspective from the players' point of view is Octagon Athlete &
Personalities Football Worldwide Managing Director, Mariano Torres. "Given the
historic nature of the FIFA World Cup 2010, the anticipated media coverage
will be greater than ever before and this reality will provide an unparalleled
showcase for players' talents." Contact: Mariano.torres@octagon.com

What Can The World Expect From The U.S. Team?

Derek Aframe, Octagon's Vice President/Consulting, believes the FIFA World Cup
2010 will not only be a "showcase" for Africa, but also can advance U.S.
football's presence on the world stage. "The FIFA Confederations Cup will give
the U.S. a great opportunity to prepare for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a chance
they did not have heading into the FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006, when
Mexico was the regional representative to the FIFA Confederations Cup
Tournament." Contact: Derek.aframe@octagon.com

Octagon is the world's largest sponsorship consulting practice and a pioneer
and leader in athlete & personality representation & management. With more
than 800 employees in 53 offices across 21 countries, Octagon works with
hundreds of blue-chip corporate clients, more than 800 athletes & personality
clients and manages more than 5,000 events per year.

Contact: Lance Hill
Vice President, Octagon Worldwide

(678-587-4942)
lance.hill@octagon.com

/PRNewswire - June 10/

SOURCE Octagon