MUMBAI: TWI has won a four-year deal for the international broadcasting rights to French football's top league. It has become the new partner of the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionel).

TWI gained the rights for all territories outside France after offering a varied and diverse service to France's Ligue 1. Its multi-layered strategy will include producing different versions of highlights, specifically, edited versions of live matches.

TWI already does this for the English Premier League which airs in India on ESPN Star Sports (ESS).

TWI is also in charge of producing a multi-language version of a new international website. As far as promotional activity is concerned TWI will promote the image of the league through regular updates and Club / Player profiles throughout regular news and features in various television specials such as Futbol Mundial and Trans World Sport.

TWI will also seek to harness the expertise of SNTV. The sports news agency is a joint venture between Associated Press and TWI and will also play a very pro-active role in promoting the League, organise worldwide tours and special events with the Clubs

Rather than concentrating on trading the broadcast rights, TWI will instead heavily invest time, energy and expertise in promoting the French League as a brand. It will be underpinned by the activities of the IMG Football agent division who will devise a co-ordinated approach to build interest in French national stars abroad. The IMG sponsorship division will also be involved in marketing the programmes.

TWI senior VP and sales head Michel Masquelier said "In the short term, we are confident of tripling audiences, and, if played correctly over the next seven years, we expect the French League be in the world top three in terms of media profile."