Zug, Switzerland – Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR has acquired the exclusive media rights in Switzerland for a number of first-class international events across the three winter sport disciplines of ice hockey, bob/skeleton and curling. The contract was brokered by Infront Sports & Media and includes all audio-visual rights.
Comprehensive winter sports rights package
The agreement covers the broadcast of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from 2018 to 2023 – including the 2020 event which will take place in Switzerland. Additionally, SRG SSR has purchased media rights for the pan-european ice hockey club competition, the Champions Hockey League, for the upcoming 2017/18 season through to 2022/23, as well as for the BMW IBSF World Cup and BMW IBSF World Championships Bob & Skeleton up to and including the 2017/18 season. The wide-ranging winter sports media rights package is rounded off with the World Curling Championships and the Le Gruyère European Curling Championships until spring 2018.
Infront acts as the exclusive marketing partner of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the Champions Hockey League (CHL), the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) as well as the World Curling Federation (WCF) and distributes media rights for their respective flagship events.
Winter sports nation Switzerland
Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront, commented: “Winter sports play an extremely important role and have a long tradition in Switzerland. Therefore, we are extremely happy that SRG SSR is taking the strong public interest and enthusiasm for these key winter sports disciplines into account and that we can continue our successful partnership over the coming years. Spectators and fans can now look forward to compelling and extensive live free-TV sports programming in Switzerland. With this approach, we are achieving an immense presence in one of the core winter sports markets for some of the top international events in our winter sports portfolio.”
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.
