PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND – October 31, 2008 – GTECH Corporation announced that it has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Access Licensing Group giving GTECH the exclusive rights to the four most popular Mexican Fútbol clubs – Chivas, América, Cruz Azul, and Pumas – for use across all lottery channels in the United States. Access Licensing Group has the licensing and merchandising rights to these clubs in the United States. With this agreement, GTECH will be able to utilize the clubs’ names and logos, as well as the players’ names, numbers and likenesses, among other things.
With more than 44 million U.S. Hispanic consumers spending approximately $900 billion in annual purchases, and demographics that include 20% of all Americans under the age of 40, the Hispanic population is the fastest-growing community in the United States. Soccer has become one of the most popular sports in the U.S. in recent years, with an estimated fan base of 60 million people. Mexican Fútbol is the top-ranking program on Univision, the leading Spanish-language TV network.
“The combination of the massive appeal of soccer in the U.S., and the huge fan base for the Mexican Fútbol teams, made this a very strategic brand for GTECH to add to our brand portfolio, and we believe it will be a strong performing game for our customers,”said Pat Schmidt, Senior Director of Brand Licensing for GTECH Corporation.
Players of the Mexican Fútbol lottery games will have the opportunity to win both cash prizes and/or unique branded merchandise including autographed jerseys, shirts, hats, and additional one-of-a-kind collectibles. Players will also have a chance to win tickets to Mexican Fútbol games in the U.S. and Mexico. This brand is typically most successful in 10 key states where 80% of the total U.S. Hispanic population resides, including California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Arizona – all of which are currently GTECH lottery customers.
“The Mexican Fútbol clubs’ merchandising programs have been more successful than originally forecasted with retailers jumping at the opportunity to give their customers a piece of their favorite team,” said David Gebel, Vice President of Marketing for Access Licensing Group.
GTECH Corporation is a leading gaming technology and services company. With 5,900 people in over 50 countries, GTECH provides innovative technology, creative content, and superior service delivery to effectively manage and grow today’s evolving gaming markets. GTECH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lottomatica, one of the world’s largest commercial lottery operators and a market leader in the Italian gaming industry. For more information about the Company, please visit GTECH’s website at www.gtech.com.