A sale of Wembley stadium memorabilia was simultaneously broadcast on television and the net last night as QXL.com launched its live auctioneering programmes.
The company has rebranded its subsidiary, Ibidlive, as QXL.tv after increasing its stake to 62% last week; it plans to run hundreds of online auctions every year.
Jim Rose, chief executive officer of OXL, said the move followed a year of working with Ibidlive and examining the opportunities for interactive auctioneering.
"QXL.tv is a platform from which we can showcase our regularly featured, live, online auctions," he said in a statement to the stock market.
Analysts describe the Ibidlive subsidiary, which provides the interactive online auctioneering software, as a "very interesting business" but still in its infancy.
"The Ibidlive name is a slightly more recognised brand in the US, although it's in its early days," said Phil Clark of Goldman Sachs. "QXL has a strong brand in Europe, so from that perspective the rebranding makes sense."
Football fans were yesterday able to bid for a piece of history as everything from flags to the famed steps went under the hammer, screened over the web and on BSkyB's Sky Sports 1 channel.
It is hoped the high-profile launch will further boost the popularity of online auctions, already very popular in America, within the UK.
QXL's rebranding comes in a turbulent year for the company, which has suffered a 96% fall in its shares from the highs of 800p to only 31p earlier this month.
Analysts have blamed a fickle marketplace and the sell-off of hi-tech stocks, which appears to have hit QXL more than most dot.coms, for the rapid decline in its fortunes.
"There's been a general negative sentiment across the whole internet sector," said one. "The fact QXL will need cash to fund it into profitability is not new, it's just been more of a focus since the change in sentiment."
But as the London markets closed last night there was still no respite for QXL's management, with the shares slipping 0.5p to 28p - perilously close to its 22p year-low.
The company is due to report its third quarter figures at the end of next month.
