Zug, Switzerland / Planica, Slovenia – The leading international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media has renewed its media rights agreement with national public broadcaster RTV Slovenija for another FIS World Cup cycle until the 2020/21 season – including the popular Slovenian ski events in Kranjska Gora, Maribor and Planica. For the first time ever, the agreement comprises all FIS disciplines including the FIS World Cups in Alpine, Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Snowboard and Freestyle skiing. The partnership was officially announced yesterday at a press conference organised by the Ski Association of Slovenia in Planica.
The FIS Ski World Cups are spread across the entire winter sports season - held from October through till March. The extended and expanded agreement with RTV Slovenija will provide Slovenian audiences with comprehensive live, delayed and highlights coverage of more than 1,200 races across five seasons on the broadcaster's TV and digital platforms.
FIS World Championships programming as a key property
In addition, RTV has secured the rights to air the 2019 and 2021 FIS Alpine and Nordic World Ski Championships as well as the 2017 FIS Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships. RTV will also be provided with the FIS World Cup magazine programs produced by Infront.
Experienced and reliable production partner
As part of the long-term partnership, RTV will once again handle the media production of the Slovenian events including: the Men’s FIS Alpine Ski races in Kranjska Gora, the Women’s FIS Alpine Ski events in Maribor, the FIS Cross-Country races and the FIS Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup Finals in Planica, the Women’s Ski Jumping in Ljubno and the FIS Snowboard World Cup in Rogla.
Marko Filli, General Manager of RTV Slovenija: “Slovene winter sportsmen have been writing their success stories at home and abroad for decades. I am extremely glad and proud that over the next five years we shall continue to offer to our TV viewers, radio listeners and users of our web portal the winter sports events that connect us as a nation. In addition, we have already proven ourselves in the past at delivering top-level high quality productions and I am convinced that we shall continue to do so. RTV Slovenija has been collaborating with Infront since 1992; signing another contract allows us to continue our mission of securing suitable programs for all our sports fans.”
Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront: “The extension of the media rights agreement with RTV will ensure extended coverage for the ski-enthusiastic Slovenian audience. In addition, with RTV as an experienced and reliable production partner, fans across the world can be guaranteed top quality programming covering all the race action in the host country. Over the years, we have established a solid partnership with RTV not only for the FIS but also for other Infront properties – the broadcaster is therefore an ideal partner for us.”
Across the 2015/16 season, RTV broadcast more than 160 hours of Infront-managed FIS programming, mostly on a live basis resulting in an average audience share of 29.7 per cent for the Men’s FIS Alpine Skiing and 48.3 per cent for Men’s FIS Ski Jumping.
Leading role in international ski and snowboard
For the majority of FIS World Cup events, Infront facilitates global media rights distribution through a collective approach and has developed and produced attractive programming formats and increased worldwide visibility for the series. Together with the FIS, Infront has also established guidelines to ensure a consistent quality in media production across the entire season.
In addition, Infront was chosen by the International Ski Federation as its overall commercial partner for the 2019 and 2021 FIS Alpine and Nordic World Skiing Championships – handling the media rights distribution, TV production, sponsorship, merchandising and hospitality. With respect to the media production, broadcasters will receive a quality of signal and level of support that matches the highest standards in sport today. Infront also manages the international media rights distribution – excluding domestic territories – for the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships.
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 more than 900 experienced staff working from over 35 offices across more than 15 countries, delivering 4,100 event days of top class sport around the world every year. In November 2015, Infront was integrated into Wanda Sports Holding, part of the Chinese conglomerate the Dalian Wanda Group.
