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| Barclays ambassador for Tour Marcel Desailly with the trophy |
Barclays and the Premier League will bring the Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour to Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar from April 14-16 as part of their global Tour over the next two years.
The Tour which will be open from 3pm to 11pm tomorrow, on Friday and Saturday, the organisers have confirmed. A dedicated website www.barclayspremierleaguetrophytour.com has been created for fans to find out more information, as well as to pre-book priority places for the tour.
According to the organisers, each tour lasting approximately 30 minutes will allow a maximum of 30 people to pass through at one time.
The free interactive experience will take fans through four domes: 1. The Changing Room - Each of the current 20 Barclays Premier League clubs has its own pod, many of which contain unique items of football memorabilia from current and former Premier League stars. Special exhibits include:
– A chance to see if fans can kick a ball harder than Obafemi Martins.
– Measure their feet against the actual boots of Aaron Lennon, Andy Carroll and Nikola Zigic
– See if they can outstretch Petr Cech’s arms.
– Attempt to run faster than Theo Walcott.
– Experience the holler of the loudest fans from Stoke City and the passion of West Ham United fans singing “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”.
2. The Centre Circle - A replica centre-circle where supporters get the sense of what it’s like to sit in Barclays Premier League stadia. Fans will experience the noise and excitement of a match-day before watching a film telling the story of all the teams and captains who have lifted the Premier League Trophy since the inaugural 1992/93 season.
3. The Trophy Room - The main exhibit; encased in a special cabinet, the official Barclays Premier League Trophy will be on show for supporters, who will also learn about how the Trophy was made and how it is restored to pristine condition for the day it is presented to the Champions.
4. Becoming the Third Lion - A personal memento for fans to take away from the Tour. Through green screen technology, fans will be able to picture themselves lifting the Barclays Premier League Trophy. The Trophy was designed with two lions either side and is ‘completed’ when held aloft by the winning captain, the third lion, thereby representing the three lions of English football. Fans can choose to have the trophy ribbons and background in the colours of any one of the 20 current Barclays Premier League clubs. Supporters will be able to download this unique memento from the Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour website after they have visited.
The Barclays Premier League is the biggest continuous annual global sporting event in the world, with the global audience growing each year - every match-day is broadcast to more than 580mn households in over 200 countries. The tour offers an opportunity for the many fans around the globe that may never get the chance to attend Barclays Premier League football in England to get up close and have a behind the scenes experience of the teams and players that they follow so passionately.
Marcel Desailly, who is a Barclays ambassador for the Tour and played two seasons for Al-Gharafa Sports Club in Doha, said: “ The Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour has already attracted over ten thousand fans to the first two events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and I know from experience that Qataris are massive football fans, and really appreciate the excitement of the Barclays Premier League. I hope that as many fans as possible make it down to Souq Waqif and enjoy seeing what all the teams in the Barclays Premier League are playing for.”
The Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour will then next appear at the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong at the end of July 2011.