New digital radio stations for Premier League clubs
Four Premier League soccer clubs are set to kick off next season with their own digital radio stations.
Digital radio broadcaster Radio First has signed a joint venture agreement with Derby County to launch a new station in the East Midlands.
Radio First has already signed similar deals with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Southampton, and all four new stations are expected to be launched before or during the 2001-2 season.
Derby County and Radio First will each hold 50% of the new company in a 12-year deal, and their joint venture will own the club's exclusive non-national digital audio rights.
The Derby County radio station will broadcast 24 hours a day, all year round, and will be based at the club's Pride Park stadium.
It will be exclusively available to listeners in the East Midlands on a variety of digital audio platforms, with the further option of worldwide coverage via the club's official website.
Radio First says the station will marry showbusiness and football, including highly partisan coverage of each club. There will be exclusive digital radio commentaries, phone-ins, and a tailored information stream for supporters, as well as match reports and score flashes from other Premier League fixtures.
Radio First hopes to complete up to eight joint venture deals with Premier League clubs in order to form The Fan Radio Network, a radio marketing resource for national advertisers.
John Aumonier, chief executive of Radio First, said: "We are delighted with this latest deal with Derby County and look forward to working with them to build a station that will be of value to both the club and all its supporters."
Derby County's managing director Keith Loring said: "The board of directors and everyone connected with the club is very excited about at the prospect of working with Radio First to provide a top-class station at Pride Park."
