Optus has launched a new digital platform via
M&C Saatchi Sydney, where Australian sports fans can discover their
English Premier League (EPL) heritage and identify the team they were
born to support.
In collaboration with Ancestry Australia, Optus has created Fancestry,
an interactive site that analyses users' surnames against 20 billion
records to identify which team their ancestors are likely to
have supported.
Says Corin Dimopoulos, head of television and
content, Optus: "Optus Fancestry allows people to learn more about
their heritage and gives a new generation of Premier League fans
the opportunity to discover their EPL roots.
"Curious fans can also use it to get their hands on the information
they need to understand their new club's history and
players, and stay up-to-date on the matches."
Says Nigel Seeto, marketing director, Ancestry: "Ancestry helps people gain a new
level of understanding about their lives and the story that led to them.
Optus Fancestry brings this to life in a fun and relevant way for a new
generation of Premier League fans, ensuring they can
discover more about their sporting heritage."
Says
Michael Canning, ECD, M&C Saatchi: "Like most Australians I love
sport, but in Australia you don't grow up with a Premier League team. By
tracing your ancestors back multiple generations you get a perfect
reason to follow the team you were born to support this Premier League
season".
Says David Jackson, CD, M&C Saatchi: "As a long-time
supporter of Leeds United and the days of Harry Kewell and Mark, I was
gutted when Fancestry told me my team was Burnley. But since Leeds
United are currently running around in the 2nd Division, I finally have a
team to cheer for during this Premier League season."
Says Andy
Flemming, CD, M&C Saatchi: "Fancestry's one of those ideas that's so
wonderfully simple we're amazed that it hasn't been done before. As the
only real Pom on the team, I was still intrigued to find out which team
my ancestors went for. And no. I shan't be replacing my beloved
Brighton with Burnley."
Says Mark
Schwarzer, former
Australian Soccer Player and Optus Sport Premier League expert: "Having played in the Premier League, I've witnessed
what it's like to be surrounded by such passionate fans and it's an
incredible experience. Most Premier League fans have loyally supported
their team for generations and this passion shines through to the
players. I love that Optus Fancestry is giving Australians the
opportunity to discover their team based on their family heritage. They
can revive old family traditions and identify the teams they were born
to support."
While Fancestry gives the most accurate results to
Australians whose ancestors can be traced back to the UK, it has been
designed to find a team for everyone. If Fancestry can't find any
British ancestors living in the UK at the turn of the 19th century, it
will determine the user's family name, country of origin and use UK
migration data to pinpoint a team their fellow
countryman would have supported.
Users who discover their
team via Fancestry are eligible for a 14-day trial of the live and
exclusive Premier League coverage on Optus Sport. Users are also
provided with the times and dates their new team will be playing so they
can stay up to date on matches through Optus Sport.
Fancestry
can be accessed on any device, whether users are
at home or on-the-go. To find your team with Fancestry
head to fancestry.optus.com.au.
Optus Sport is the only
place you can watch every match of the English Premier League live at
home, in selected venues or on-the-go, data free. To find out more about
the Optus Sport live streaming of the English Premier League visit:
https://sport.optus.com.au/.