UEFA EURO 2008™: "EURO Experience Tour" kicks off

Nyon – On 28 January, at 13.00 hours, the "EURO Experience Tour" gets under way at the Rosentalanlage in Basel. Until the start of UEFA EURO 2008™ on 7 June, the European Championship trophy and a multimedia cinema will be making 13 stops in the two host countries, Austria and Switzerland, including in all eight host cities. The event is part of an extensive promotional programme and is intended to get the fans into the right mood for the forthcoming main event.

UEFA President, Michel Platini, comments "The EURO Experience Tour gives football fans of all ages the opportunity to be part of this exciting European Football Championship. The Tour will be groundbreaking in its size, technology and its ability to bring a wonderful football experience to thousands of football fans."

For this purpose, the biggest inflatable tour tent in the world will be erected in the city centres (height: 14m; width: 40m; length: 60m, weight: 10t). One of the two domes contains an interactive action zone and the other a multimedia cinema. Entry is free for the fans to see a 25-minute film showing the spectacular action from the last 12 UEFA European Football Championships, the original Henri Delaunay trophy and an interactive multimedia area. The "EURO Experience Tour" should appeal to fans of all ages and will be open to the public from 09.00 to 18.00 every day.

The day before the tour opens in each of the cities concerned, the official UEFA EURO 2008™ hot-air balloon (height: 34.5m, volume: 3,440m3) will ascend to signal the countdown.

For more information about the EURO Experience Tour, contact:
Dominik Känel
Tel.: +49 895 454 7740
Email: dominik.kaenel@gloeckner-company.com


For more information about UEFA EURO 2008™, contact:
Euro 2008 SA, Media Desk
Tel.: +41 (0)22 707 2001
Email: media@euro2008.com

Facts and figures about the "EURO Experience Tour"

Tour calendar (13 stops)
January/February
Basel 28.01.2008 – 03.02.2008
Geneva 07.02.2008 – 10.02.2008
Zurich 21.02.2008 – 24.02.2008
Bern 28.02.2008 – 02.03.2008
March
Lausanne 06.03.2008 – 09.03.2008
Innsbruck 20.03.2008 – 23.03.2008
Linz 27.03.2008 – 30.03.2008
April
Klagenfurt 03.04.2008 – 06.04.2008
Salzburg 10.04.2008 – 16.04.2008
Graz 24.04.2008 – 27.04.2008
May
Lugano 01.05.2008 – 04.05.2008
Lucerne 08.05.2008 – 11.05.2008
June
Vienna 05.06.2008 – 29.06.2008

Programme
Generally, the tour is open to the public from 09.00 to 18.00. Depending on the time of day, however, different groups of visitors will be catered for in particular.
Morning: Schools, associations and clubs, other public institutions
Afternoon: General public
Evening: The tour can be used by UEFA EURO 2008™ partners, the host cities and media organisations for private events.

Tent structure
• Biggest inflatable tour tent in the world (14m high, 40 x 60m)
• 10,000m² of canvas will be used
• 2,000 panels, each unique
• Each dome weighs 5 tonnes

Transport and logistics
• 3 articulated lorries for transport
• About 10 tonnes transported
• Staff/number of people: 20

Hot-air balloon
• Height: 34.5m
• Volume: 3,440m³
• Diameter: 16.5m
• Weight: 240 kg
• Flight time: 2 hours
• Capacity: max. 3 people

European Championship trophy
• Named after the former UEFA general secretary Henri Delaunay
• Brand-new trophy for UEFA EURO 2008™
• Weight: 8kg
• Height: 60cm
• Material: Sterling silver
• Names of the European champions engraved on the back
• Value: about CHF 25,000/EUR 15,400