The objective is to create the largest online sports service in the world, for children aged 6-14 years.
The sports sites will include a selection from Sportal?s European sports-related content, appropriate for kids, which will then be customised and offered to children as part of Fox Kids local websites, under the brand `Sportal On Fox Kids?.
Said Rob Hersov, CEO of Sportal: " With Fox Kids Europe?s ability to promote their websites to 23 million TV households across Europe, this new sports content will no doubt find a large and loyal audience.?
The first sports site will launch on Fox Kid?s UK website in early 2001, with further launches planned on Fox Kids Europe?s websites in all of Sportal?s current markets, including Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark and Sweden and other European markets in the future.
In the first phase of development, the sites? content will include ?universally popular? sports such as football, Formula One motor racing, rugby and tennis.
As part of the second phase of development, the sites? content will be expanded to include special `fan? sites devoted to various teams or individuals, and will allow children to create their own homepages.
Both Fox Kids Europe and Sportal intend to extend the service to broadband and are currently discussing further platforms, such as iTV and wireless.
Fox Kids Europe, the pan-European children?s entertainment company, and interactive sports content provider Sportal have signed a long-term agreement to launch dedicated children?s sports sites.
