Tag Archives: npower Football League

npower Research Reveals Notts Teens Spend More Time Watching Sport Than Playing It

npower research has revealed that one in three (30%) teens in Nottingham spend more time watching sport on TV than playing sport outdoors, with all (100%) of the young people surveyed stating they would like to spend more time outside. Even more revealing is that two-thirds (60%) of children in Nottingham admitted they have no one to take them out or there are not enough facilities for them to enjoy the great outdoors.

The research, commissioned by the energy provider to celebrate the launch of its No Power Hour road show 2012, reveals that four out of 10 (40%) Nottingham kids admit they’re addicted to TV, the computer or video games, as Nottingham’s kids are growing up increasingly cut off from their community.

However, the unprecedented number of sporting events and national celebrations this summer may be inspiring a newfound wave of patriotism, uptake of sport and community spirit, with over a fifth (22%) of Nottingham’s children attending their first ever street party or picnic this year. One in five (20%) has also been inspired to take up a new sport or hobby this year, with athletics, track and field being the most popular choice (43%), closely followed by football (29%), cycling (15%) and gymnastics (15%).

In light of Nottingham’s desire to get outdoors and capture their sporting enthusiasm, npower’s No Power Hour road show recently returned to Nottingham for its hat-trick year. Robbie Savage and the No Power Hour roadshow visited Nottingham’s Old Market Square for a family fun football day.

Npower’s No Power Hour is a UK-wide football road show, hosted by former Premiership and Welsh national midfielder and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Robbie Savage, designed to encourage kids to spend more time outdoors with friends and family and saveenergy at the same time.

Robbie Savage commented: “If you can pry kids away from video games and television, there is a whole world of new things to discover and enjoy. When I was a young lad, I definitely spent more time outdoors than today’s kids. It’s how I learnt my footie skills and it was the only way to improve, as well as keep fit and healthy. It definitely kept me out of trouble and gave me the head start I needed to get into top flight football.”

As the title sponsor of the npower Football League, the energy company is treating kids in four major cities to yet another fab summer event with a football-tastic display of themed activity zones, including a penalty shootout area, keepy-uppy contests and a dribbling zone to practice footie skills. The npower No Power Hour road shows aim to show how football can be just one of many activities kids can take part in if they just turn off their gadgets and technology for an hour each day.

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of education and community, said: “Our research shows that there is a real desire amongst children to spend time outdoors but they are constrained by being constantly switched on to video games, TV and the computer or have no one available to take them outside.

“This summer’s spectacular series of events is providing inspiration for young people to switch off technology and spend time with friends, family and neighbours, learn new sports and hobbies and get out and about within their communities.

“Our npower No Power Hour road show will visit four of the UK’s major cities to energise families and show just how much fun can be had outside, away from gadgets, using their own energy.”

Via EPR Network
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npower ‘What’s Your Goal’ Gives Teens Start In Football Industry

Npower’s ‘What’s Your Goal’ series, broadcast on Sky Sports, has given six UK teenagers their start in the football industry. The programme follows the journeys of six ambitious youngsters as they get to grips with working alonsgide the brightest and best behind the scenes in the football industry.

Aizaz Hussain from Surrey kickstarted a career in the football industry with John Sibley as a sports photographer on national TV. Aizaz beat hundreds of eager young people to win the one-of-a-kind work experience placement. He can be seen being mentored by Action Images veteran John Sibley and completing a challenge set by him.

Renaee Oduro from Brixton was mentored by Sky Sports’ Billy McGinty as a TV producer on national TV and can be seen completing a challenge set by McGinty on the show.

Grace Copley from Leicestershiore was mentored by Lynn Walker, the business manager for Ipswich Town FC, shadowing her for the day as she ‘meets and greets’ important commerical partners. Grace was even given the responsibility of presenting competion winners with their prize in front of a stadium full of fans on the pitch at half time.

Louie Waldock from London can be seen being mentored by Sasa Ihringova, one of the most senior female referees in the npower Football League, and completing a challenge set by her. As part of his mentoring session, Louie was given a one-to-one training session with Sasa before helping her to referee a real youth team game. The camers then followed Louie as he and his mentor arrive at Old Trafford to watch a play-off final where they are given access to the match officals’ briefing, something that has never been allowed before.

Luke Harris, a dedicated QPR fan from Kent, was mentored by the team’s manager, Neil Warnock, as he steered the team into the premiership at Loftus Road. Luke was also given access to the QPR training ground where he was invited to lunch with Neil and took the opportunity to grill him on what it’s like to be a ‘Marmite manager’.

Ollie Marden, also from Kent, spent time with Sky Sports’ David Jones. As part of his mentoring session, Ollie travelled to Portsmouth where he spent the day in an outside broadcast studio at Fratton Park, learning how to research facts and stats under the guidance of David before the game took place as well as writing and presenting his very own piece to camera.

The npower What’s Your Goal initiative was launched earlier this year to showcase the vast and varied careers found in Britain’s national sport and to encourage young people to start thinking about what their dream job would be.

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of education and community, said: “‘What’s Your Goal’ offered young people fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experiences that allowed them to get stuck in with the professionals and learn the ropes first hand, so we weren’t surprised by the overwhelming response we got from parents and their children across the UK.

“The TV show will help to spread npower’s What’s Your Goal message even further and we look forward to seeing npower’s What’s Your Goal winners as they make their TV debuts on screen, showing the world how ambitious and talented our teenagers are and hopefully encouraging others to start thinking about what their goal is.”

Via EPR Network
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npower Teams Up With Sky Sports To Launch Ad-Funded TV Show

npower’s new three part ad-funded TV series, ‘What’s Your Goal’, is set to launch on Sky Sports on Thursday 25th August – the culmination of npower’s successful 2011 campaign of the same name.

The series captures the moments that six children from around the UK discover they are handpicked as winners of the npower What’s Your Goal competition, to be mentored by some of the brightest and best in the football industry.

Viewers will follow the journeys of the young winners as they work side-by-side with their mentors, getting their hands dirty and mucking in with the professionals before being set a challenge relating to the day-to-day workings of the role.

Npower’s ‘What’s Your Goal’ is a football-based initiative launched as part of npower’s title sponsorship of the npower Football League. It was designed to inspire young people aged 12-16 to think about their future careers by showcasing the different roles available behind the scenes of football clubs up and down the UK.

Sky currently holds the broadcasting rights for the npower Football League and teamed up with npower, commissioning production company North One to capture the action. The shows are voiced by Sky presenter Ben Shepherd, who also features in the final episode which airs in September.

Along with Sky Sports presenter Dave Jones and long time Sky Sports TV producer Billy McGinty, the ‘What’s Your Goal’ winners also spend time with Ipswich Town’s business manager, an Action Images sports photographer and one of the npower Football League’s most senior female referees, Sasa Ihringova.

QPR’s manager, Neil Warnock also features in the series to mentor a young QPR fan who joins him and his team amidst talk of possible point deductions by the FA, when the future of QPR’s promotion into the Premier League looked uncertain.

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of education and community, said: “What’s Your Goal offered young people fantastic one-in-a-lifetime experiences that allowed them to get stuck in with the professionals and learn the ropes first hand, so we weren’t surprised by the overwhelming response we got from parents and their children across the UK.

“As not everyone could win the mentoring days, we worked with schools and parents to offer lesson plans and content that was designed to educate youngsters about the endless possibilities in the football industry, inspiring them to think about their future careers by looking at what they enjoy and thinking about potential opportunities.

“The TV show will help to spread npower’s What’s Your Goal message even further and we look forward to seeing npower’s ‘What’s Your Goal’ winners as they make their TV debuts on screen, showing the world how ambitious and talented our teenagers are and hopefully encouraging others to start thinking about what their goal is.”

Via EPR Network
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npower and Robbie Savage Team Up to Break Record

npower has announced that, as part of its Club 72 initiative, former football player, Robbie Savage, will attempt to set the World Record for the most football league shirts worn at once.

Savage brought his playing career to an end last season but to celebrate the start of 2011/12 season, the Welshman has teamed up with the npower Club 72 initiative to wear a football shirt from every single football league club, and in doing so setting the record for most amount of npower football league shirts worn at one time.

In a league career spanning seventeen years, there’s not many team strips that Savage hasn’t encoutered before but with newly promoted AFC Wimbledon and Crawley Town both joining the league for the first time, there will be at least two shirts he won’t have seen before.

As well as donning the colours once again of some of his previous clubs such as Derby County and Leicester City, Savage will also model some real blasts from the past with Football League Shirts some fans would be pleased to forget..

On the record attempt, Savage said: “It seems quite an easy challenge at first glance but having seen photos of similar attempts I’m actually a little worried now.

“Throughout my playing career I was fortunate enough to weigh exactly the same in my final season at Derby as when I first started out with Crewe Alexandra – I certainly don’t think there is any room to be carrying any extra pounds for this challenge.

“The t-shirts’ collective weight will obviously put my shoulders and back under a lot of pressure and heat stroke is also something else to consider.

“Naturally I’m hugely proud of my playing career and this is a great way to end it. If I break the record, I expect that makes me the only player in the world to wear every single npower Football League team strip.”

The record attempt is to celebrate the launch of npower’s Club 72 initiative which will be an interactive platform for football supporters to chart their own performance throughout the season.

Launching to coincide with the start of the 2011/12 season, Club 72 will offer fans the chance to document their own performance in terms of attending football league games at npowerclub72.com. The site will allow fans to record the Football League stadiums they’ve been to and show how far they’ll go to follow the beautiful game. For every stadium visited, you’ll be awarded a virtual badge as well as bonus points for being a “lucky charm” (seeing three victories in a row) and reaching certain milestones such as “all Championship grounds visited”.

Via EPR Network
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npower Teams Up With Kevin Keegan For No Power Hour

npower has announced it will be teaming with Kevin Keegan to help fans of the beautiful game save energy in Sunderland.

Former Newcastle boss Keegan will visit the city to encourage families to spend an hour doing something fun without using electricity.

And the 60-year-old reckons a kick-about is the perfect way to get fit and help the environment at the same time.

Kevin Keegan said: “The No Power Hour is designed to get kids and parents off computers and get them out for an hour after switching everything off.

“We’re in Sunderland first then in a couple of weeks up in Leeds – it’s a fantastic set-up we’ve got.

“We’re not saying you can replace technology, it’s here forever after all. What we’re saying is sometimes you’ve got to switch it off and spend a bit of time with your kids – and you can do it together.

“You can do things that will become a lot of fun for you. What happened to making kites and things like that?

“What we’re saying is come out and just do something with your kids, the things you do that are great fun and cost nothing except the effort to get out the house and go somewhere.”

Children and parents can join Keegan’s master class at Seaburn Recreation Park where he will display football skills they can practise together in back gardens, on playing fields, at the beach, the sports centre, the park and even in the living room using no power.

Children can also get involved on the Climate cops, where they can download a mission chart, to keep track of the activities they participate in.

Via EPR Network
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npower Announces its Manager of the Month Award Winners for April

npower has announced the winners of the Manager of the Month awards for the npower Football League in April.

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has been named npower League 1 Manager of the Month for April.

Adkins’ side stand on the brink of promotion thanks to wins against Milton Keynes Dons, Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient, Bristol Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Hartlepool United and Brentford.

Former Charlton Athletic boss Alan Curbishley chairs the npower Football League Manager of the Month judging panel. He said: “Southampton maintained their fine form throughout April with seven wins from their eight games.

“Nigel Adkins has done a great job since his appointment and his side have all but secured promotion back to the npower Championship.”

In League 2, Bury caretaker manager Richie Barker has been named npower League 2 Manager of the Month for April.

Barker took charge in March, and went on to lead his side through a six-game unbeaten run to ensure automatic promotion to npower League 1.

npower head of sponsorship Emma Collins added: “For the club to do so well with a managerial change late in the season is very impressive.

“Barker has hit the ground running, and fully deserves the award.”

Finally, in the Championship Norwich City striker Simeon Jackson has been named npower Championship Player of the Month for April.

Jackson netted eight times during the month to help the Canaries secure automatic promotion.

Via EPR Network
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npower Announces Its Player of the Month Award Winners for April

npower has announced the winners of the players of the month awards for the npower Football League in April.

Sheffield Wednesday striker Neil Mellor has been named npower League 1 Player of the Month for April.

Mellor, who is on loan from Preston North End, fired in six goals during the month, including vital strikes against Colchester United, Walsall and Swindon Town.

Sky Sports’ Football League expert Peter Beagrie sits on the npower Football League Player of the Month judging panel. He said: “At the beginning of the month, Wednesday were hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th position.

“But Mellor’s six goal contribution has helped navigate the Owls up the table – a safe distance 11 points from the drop-zone.”

Over in League 2, Bury striker Ryan Lowe has been named npower League 2 Player of the Month for April.

The veteran skipper netted four times during the month, leading his team to an automatic promotion place in League 2.

npower head of sponsorship Emma Collins said: “Lowe’s experience and quality has been a huge part of Bury’s success this season.

“His performances have been of the highest order in recent weeks, and he fully deserves the League 2 award.”

Finally, in the Championship Norwich City striker Simeon Jackson has been named npower Championship Player of the Month for April.

Jackson netted eight times during the month to help the Canaries secure automatic promotion.

His impressive goal haul included hat-tricks against Scunthorpe United and Derby County.

Peter Beagrie added: “After going more than 20 games without a goal, Jackson produced a show of true marksmanship in April.

Via EPR Network
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npower To Launch New TV Campaign

npower will launch a new TV campaign promoting its new easier to understand bills from the beginning of February.

The new npower energy bills have been designed incorporating feedback from both Consumer Focus (the statutory consumer champion for the UK) and Which?. The bill carries the Plain English Crystal Mark for its ‘Jargon Busting’ page.

The new 20 second TV ad, designed and produced by Aardman Animations, features ‘Penny’, npower’s customer service representative, solving a ‘Countdown-style’ conundrum.

The new TV ad will be supported by a multi-media campaign that includes sponsorship of regional quiz and crossword pages, print advertising in match-day programmes across npower Football League clubs and a competition to win an Apple Ipad on npower.com

Kevin Peake, marketing director at npower said: “Over the last year a criticism often levelled at energy suppliers is that gas and electricity bills can be complicated to understand. We decided at an early stage to take action and started to make changes to the lay-out.

“We deliberately sought feedback from some of the industry’s fiercest critics, Consumer Focus and Which? and, where possible, we have included their recommendations. We will continue to seek feedback and constantly review our bills.”

Via EPR Network
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Aaron Mokoena Calls On Schools To Join npower Football League Kids Cup

Aaron Mokoena of Portsmouth FC has unveiled the new npower Football League Kid’s Cup competition, a six-a-side competition for teams of mixed under 11’s designed to nurture a new generation of football stars and encourage healthy competition amongst kids.

Alongside the Kids Cup, npower will also be supporting a similar competition for teams of under 13 girls titled the npower Football League Girls Cup.

Aaron is encouraging schools to sign up for both cups by entering their local competition, in the hopes of winning the chance to represent the club at the regional, and then later area and national phases of the competitions.

The best sides will then battle it out in front of thousands of fans before one of The Football League’s showpiece finals.

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of Education and Community, commented:

“npower is really pleased to be supporting the involvement of children in sport from an early age – a key component of our sponsorship of The Football League. Encouraging a bit of healthy competition amongst kids is great for building their self-confidence and who knows, we may even be nurturing a few future pro players too”

Greg Clarke, Chairman of The Football League, said:

“The npower Football League Kids Cup and Girls Cup are fantastic ways of encouraging schoolchildren to take part in competitive sport as well as offering them the chance of a lifetime to play in front of thousands of fans.”

The npower Football League Kids Cup was formerly known as The Football League Community Cup. The road to the Finals starts in September with each Football League club organising a competition for all local schools wishing to take part. The finals of the U11 Cup will be played prior to the npower Football League Play-Off Finals. The U13 Girls Cup will be played prior to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final.

Via EPR Network
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npower Announces Competition For New Customers

npower has released details of a competition for all new customers signing up to its Football Saver tariff online via npower.com. The competition gives entrants the chance to win one of two prizes; A Football League Club Experience day or a signed ball and shirt for a club of the winner’s choice.

The competition is set to run from 5 to 19 August 2010 with customers who sign up to the new Football Saver tariff placed into a draw for a chance to win one of the prizes on offer. The tariff also offers customers a discount of 7%, a lower rate than the standard variable gas and electricity tariff, until 30 September 2011 and a £45 voucher to spend at any official Football League club shop.

This deal ties in with the sponsorship of the Football Leagues – from the Championship to League 2 – which will go under the name npower Football League for the 2010/11 season. Coupled with this is the Football League Fan Club that allows npower customers the chance to win tickets to Football League matches as well as other exclusive offers, all made public through the quarterly football e-mail updates.

The Big Ticket Giveaway will see a pair of tickets for every single npower Football League match up for grabs this season and fan club members will also have the opportunity to win club player and manager appearances.

Via EPR Network
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