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MUMBAI:
The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the international
sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media have entered
into an agreement for broadcast coverage of the UCI Road,
Track, Mountain Bike and BMX World Championships as well as
the UCI Track Cycling World Cup for four years till 2016.
Marking
a strategic shift in worldwide coverage after cycling's success
at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in all disciplines, Infront
Sports & Media will become the UCI's exclusive agency
to distribute the federation's media rights globally, with
the exception of the USA and Japan.
"The
UCI is delighted to have this new and dynamic partner which
has significant worldwide sales power," said UCI President
Pat McQuaid. "Infront Sports & Media has a large
network worldwide which is totally in line with the UCI's
goal to universalize cycling. Cycling is going through a boom
as seen at the recent London Olympics. Our aim is to work
together to continue to reinforce the development of cycling
across the globe and the draw of our sport as a high appeal
television product, which merges tradition and innovation
in all disciplines."
Free-to-air
coverage forms an important basis to this agreement. It will
favour a flexible approach in order to find the best broadcast
outlet for UCI events in each individual territory. "We
will use their drive, their expertise and their input for
the long-term development of cycling," said the UCI President.
Infront
Sports & Media President & CEO Philippe Blatter said,
"We are very much looking forward to contributing our
comprehensive expertise in media rights distribution to further
strengthen the international coverage of the prestigious UCI
World Championship events. Our dedicated team shares the UCI
vision to strengthen the public positioning of its various
properties - in both the well-established and the growing
disciplines - and to ensure access for the broadest possible
cycling fan base around the globe."
In
the longer term, the UCI and Infront Sports & Media envisage
to collaborate also in other areas, including the centralised
media production, sponsorship distribution and the introduction
of new technologies, such as such as digital media solutions.
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