The advertising account for The Arena, the FAI's proposed £65 million (€82.53 million) soccer stadium, is out for pitch with three agencies presenting for it next week. CDP, Des O'Meara and McCann Erickson have been asked to put forward a strategic and creative approach for the 45,000 all-seater arena in Citywest.

The pitch will be overseen by the International Management Group (IMG), the world's largest sports management organisation, headed by Mr Mark McCormack. IMG is the FAI's marketing partner for The Arena. It's an unusually early ad pitch because The Arena is still very much in the planning stages. The FAI hope that it will be open by 2001 and even its name is likely to change if IMG can find a sponsor willing to pay the 10-year name fee of £11 million.

As well as a brand awareness campaign, the three agencies have been asked to come up with a campaign to sell the two types of 10-year tickets. Premium tickets cost £5,500 and are for all football games. The price includes preferential booking for any other events that go on in the arena, while the club tickets cost £2,900 without the preferential booking option.