Coldplay to help ESPN market European Championship soccer

In this July 13, 2006 file photo, Chris Martin from Coldplay speaks during a news conference in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

BRISTOL, Conn.—Coldplay and ESPN are teaming up on a soccer marketing campaign.

The rock band's music will be featured in promotions for ESPN's coverage next month of the European Championship soccer tournament, the sports network announced Wednesday.

ESPN agreed to incorporate music from Coldplay's new release, "Viva La Vida," into game and studio production. The quadrennial tournament is scheduled for June 7-29 in Austria and Switzerland. The CD is due out June 12.

ESPN and ABC, both owned by The Walt Disney Co., have broadcast rights for the tournament in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America and India.

Two of the 31 matches will be televised by ABC: a quarterfinal on June 21 and the final on June 29, which will be part of a doubleheader that opens with David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy at D.C. United.

Seven games will be on ESPN, 17 on ESPN2 and five on ESPN Classic. This marks the first time the entire Euros will be shown live on non-pay-per-view U.S. television.

ESPN said the idea is to demonstrate the global importance of soccer and create greater interest in the sport "even among American fans."

"This is the first time ESPN has created a global marketing campaign with a unified strategy, message and advertising campaign," said Seth Ader, a senior director of sports marketing for ESPN. "The campaign captures the passion for European soccer."