Vodafone K.K. to Sponsor Urawa Reds Football Team

Vodafone K.K. today announces that it has agreed on a main partner sponsorship agreement with the Urawa Red Diamonds (Urawa Reds) football club in the J.League Division 1 (J1) for a two year period starting with the 2005 season. As part of the main partnership agreement, the Vodafone logo will feature on the front of the Urawa Reds shirts [Photo]. With this new partnership, Vodafone K.K. plans to deliver special Vodafone live! content to customers, develop merchandise featuring the logos of Vodafone and the Urawa Reds and hold events at stadiums and Vodafone shops.

As the world’s leading mobile carrier with equity interests in 26 countries and 398.5 million venture customers at the end of September 2004 and a further fourteen partner networks, the Vodafone Group aims to enrich customers’ lives through mobile communications by operating according to its four Passions: for customers, employees, results, and the world around us. As a member of the Vodafone Group, Vodafone K.K. believes it can improve awareness and perception of the Vodafone brand in Japan by connecting people with passion–the players, coaches, team staff and supporters of the Urawa Reds, which is a club which has shown remarkable progress in recent years.

Vodafone is the principal sponsor of the Manchester United football club in the English Premier League and also supports the Benfica club in Portugal and the Greek national football team. Vodafone K.K.’s main partner sponsorship of the Urawa Reds represents a key part of the Group’s overall sports sponsorship activities.

For more information, please contact:
Matthew Nicholson
Vodafone K.K. Public Relations
Tel: +81 3 6403 2506
E-mail: matthew.nicholson@vodafone.com
URL: http://www.vodafone.jp