Zug, Switzerland – Infront Sports & Media has extended its partnerships with a further seven national ski federations covering the international media rights to the respective FIS World Cup events taking place in Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia and Spain from 2016 until the 2021 season. Under the agreements, the FIS World Cup events across the disciplines of Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing will be marketed on a collective basis, with Infront ensuring the effective co-ordination of television coverage, high broadcast standards and an exciting television showcase for the competition.
Win-win for federations and broadcasters
Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront, commented: “The renewal of these key rights agreements with the national ski federations of Norway, Japan, Russia, Spain, China, Korea and Canada are significant for the FIS World Cup’s continued stability and impact as a broadcast product. The result of our collective marketing approach is indeed a win-win situation: The federations are provided with financial security and the ability to plan for the long-term, whilst broadcasters appreciate access to all rights from one central source.”
The new agreements stretch out across all four continents staging FIS World Cup events and include prestigious races, such as the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup at Holmenkollen, Norway, the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Lake Louise, Canada, the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Sapporo, Japan or the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup in La Molina, Spain. With Russia, Korea and China – the most recent and upcoming hosts of the Winter Olympic Games are all committed to the collective approach along with traditional skiing markets in Europe and North America. The new agreements add to the media rights prolongations already reached - in total 21 signed partnerships.
Coherent television coverage
The FIS Ski World Cup events stretch across the entire winter season, with Infront having introduced the collective media rights approach in 2009. In an effort to boost the popularity of skiing on a global level, Infront has not only focused on the well-established disciplines, but also the emerging ones.
Together with the International Skiing Federation (FIS), Infront also spurred the production of a top quality world feed to FIS TV Standards – developed to suit each discipline individually. This is also in line with the FIS objective of raising audience interest in the races and the continuity of the competition, in particular among a younger audience.
All FIS World Cup races are offered to broadcasters live and/or delayed in full HD production quality. In addition, Infront produces and distributes weekly TV magazine programmes throughout the winter season including the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Report, the Snowboard FIS World Cup Magazine and the Freestyle FIS World Cup Magazine.
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 4,000 event days of top class sport around the world every year.
