Zug, Switzerland – The stage is set for the 12th Men’s EHF EURO 2016, which will be played from 15 to 31 January in Poland. Infront Sports & Media, the exclusive media and marketing partner of the European Handball Federation (EHF) for the EHF EUROs, has announced TV coverage in 175 countries and territories and a strong line-up of international brands as Official Partners – with the VELUX Group and MoneyGram newly on board. On the digital side, fans in Europe and beyond will enjoy comprehensive coverage across a broad range of online platforms. As the EHF and Infront take their digital efforts forward, the official Men’s EHF EURO App presented by Grundfos has just been launched.
Coverage extended into additional markets
The media rights agreement for the home market Poland is with POLSAT - also handling the host broadcast supervised by Infront. Coverage in other key markets includes Germany with public service broadcasters ARD/ZDF, France and MENA region with beIN SPORTS, Denmark with TV2 and Sweden and Norway with the free-TV channels of Viasat. Also the entire Latin America region including Brazil, Central America and Mexico is covered through agreements with Televisa Networks and ESPN do Brasil. For the first time in a long time, Infront closed agreements again in the Netherlands (Ziggo Sport) and Turkey (Sport TV).
Broad array of video clips made available to broadcasters
Full HDTV coverage is guaranteed with production using up to 15 cameras per game. For the first time, the full array of video clips that Infront produces for digital channels will be shared for free with Infront’s broadcast partners and rights holders worldwide, in order to enrich their coverage. Over 1,200 media representatives working in television, print and online media will be reporting onsite across the championship.
Breaking digital ground for the EHF EURO
The digital and social media presence, fully implemented by Infront in close collaboration with the EHF, offers fans continuous interaction across all games. The official championship website at www.ehf-euro.com is available in English and Polish and provides extensive information including live blogging throughout the tournament. Additionally, live and on-demand streaming in English commentary is provided of all 48 matches at www.ehfTV.com and through the official App.
New Snapchat and WhatsApp channels
Handball fans will also be able to enjoy near-live viral clips, daily highlights, best goals and programme teasers, produced by Infront, on the championship’s official YouTube Channel (www.YouTube.com/ehfeuro). Furthermore, the tournament’s social media outreach, across Twitter (www.twitter.com/ehfeuro), Facebook (www.facebook.com/ehfeuro), Instagram (www.instagram.com/ehfeuro) and Snapchat (ehf_live) allows for interaction between fans. Finally, as a completely new initiative at the EHF EURO 2016, a dedicated WhatsApp service has been launched to deliver the latest content directly to fans on their mobile phones.
Strong sponsor line-up
The Official Sponsor line-up for 2016 sees both long-standing and new brands committed to the event. Seven Official Sponsors and five advertising partners will all benefit from TV visibility. Official Sponsors are: AJ (mail order office furniture, materials handling and storage solutions), BAUHAUS (workshop, house and garden specialist), engelbert strauss (functional work-wear manufacturer), Grundfos (leading pump manufacturer), Intersport (sporting goods retailer) and new to 2016 MoneyGram (money transfer and payment services company) plus the VELUX Group (windows and blinds manufacturer).
High profile exposure, activation and fan touchpoints
Besides an extensive advertising presence, this year for the first time, partners have been offered additional digital activation opportunities. Grundfos will present the official App enabling the brand to take advantage and combine their advertising presence on LED boards with fan engagement via mobile phones.
Jean Brihault, EHF President, said: “Due to the popularity of handball in Poland and the fact the championship is being hosted across four cities, I am sure we will see handball fever quickly spread across the country. As this year’s event unfolds, the very best European handball talent will once again deliver an exciting sport highlight that I’m confident will be received well by the fans – particularly as extensive TV and digital coverage will generate wider coverage of the tournament than ever before.”
Stephan Herth, Executive Director Summer Sports at Infront, added: “The strength of the EHF EURO platform has again been reflected by the loyalty of many long-term partners, but also by the new brands that we have secured in support of the tournament. As our digital initiative for the EHF EURO moves forward, we are not only able to increase touchpoints with the fans but also to actively involve our Official Sponsors. As such, we have managed to extend the handball fan experience far beyond the arenas in Poland, offering intense and engaging interaction with the sport of handball, its stars and its sponsors.”
As of 15 January 2016, Europe’s top 16 teams will compete across the four cities of Gdansk, Katowice, Wroclaw and Krakow playing a total of 48 games for the European Championship title. The semi-finals and finals will take place in the TAURON Arena, Krakow with a capacity of 15,328 spectators on 29 and 31 January respectively.
About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media is the most respected sports marketing company in the world, managing a comprehensive portfolio of top properties. Led by President & CEO Philippe Blatter, Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operation – and has won a reputation for its high standards of delivery. As the number one player in winter sport and with a leading role in football, summer and endurance sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 170 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of experienced staff working from 25 offices across 13 countries, delivering 4,100 event days of top class sport around the world every year. In November 2015, its integration into the Wanda Sports Holding was communicated.
