Championship Manager 2009

Wednesday 12th August/...Beautiful Game Studios today announces that Championship ManagerTM and IMScouting have signed a strategic partnership that will enable Championship Manager to further enhance the quality and breadth of their player data.

The world famous football management simulation has sealed a deal with the online scouting resource to share their unrivalled player data, which comprises an unprecedented level of detailed information on hundreds of thousands of different players from every major professional football league in the world. Championship Manager will use IMScouting’s vast amount of information to ensure a much higher level of detail on players across the world, adding even more depth to the CM playing experience.

Pini Zahavi1, football “super agent”, commented “I am confident that Championship Manager fans will find this strategic partnership to be another enhancement to aid their enjoyment of a first class game.”

IMScouting.com is a leading resource for football professionals such as scouts, managers, coaches and agents looking to get an edge over their rivals in finding the “next big thing” in football. Currently used by some of the world’s most high profile clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Panathanaikos, Lille, Club Brugge, Olympiakos, IFK Gothenburg, Anderlecht and many more. Constantly updated, IMScouting.com blends updated information, including injuries, estimated market value and skills ratings, with an advanced search engine that is groundbreaking in the world of scouting for professional footballers.

Roy Meredith, general manager of Championship Manager, said: “This exciting partnership with IMScouting will ensure that players of our game will be using a replica of the same database to scout their footballers as a host of top flight clubs do across Europe’s best leagues.”

Pini Zahavi continued: “As IMScouting has played a major role in a number of high-profile transfers over the last two transfer windows, it is only natural that Championship Manager would utilise this remarkable database to provide the most lifelike representation of what it is like to scout and sign professional footballers. IMScouting provides all the tools needed to make the most informed decision in the quickest time.”

IMScouting CEO Dvir Ben-Aroya said: “As the leading information resource for the professional football industry our aim is to provide both fans and customers with the most accurate and up-to-date information. This collaboration will help Championship Manager become, without doubt, the most realistic management simulation on the market.”

As well as data sharing the partnership includes collaborative marketing arrangements and an ongoing dialogue on changing trends in global football scouting.

Note to editors

IMScouting counts among its board members the football “Super-Agent” Pini Zahavi. Zahavi has brokered some of the largest football transfers in history including taking both Rio Ferdinand and Juan Sebastian Veron to Manchester United. He recently represented Chelsea in the deal that took Wayne Bridge to Manchester City from the Stamford Bridge club.

About Eidos

Eidos is the creator of some of the world's leading videogame properties, consisting of several development studios including Crystal Dynamics, IO Interactive, Beautiful Game Studios, Eidos Game Studios, Eidos Hungary and Eidos Montreal, plus sales and distribution offices in Europe and the US. The Group has a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: Tomb Raider™, Hitman™, Deus Ex™, Championship Manager™ and Just Cause™. Eidos is a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

Thief, Deus Ex, Tomb Raider, Hitman, Championship Manager, Just Cause, Eidos and Eidos Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive Ltd. All rights reserved. SQUARE ENIX is a trademark or a registered trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other territories. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About IMScouting

IMScouting is a leading service for football professionals combining a revolutionary database that provides “e-Scouting” online alongside a consultancy service that can supply a genuine global grassroots insight into the world of professional football.

Some of the most high-profile clubs in world football and leading agents utilise the scouting services provided by IMScouting. This includes the renowned database that is the largest in existence of professional footballers and includes a powerful and easy to use search engine that delivers innovative analytical tools.

The IMScouting database has been cited as a major factor in a number of transfers over the last year and the scouting services provided by the company have gone into the behind-the-scenes preparation for numerous major matches, including in the Champions League.

Contact details: dvir@imscouting.com