How receptive are advertisers to
using these platforms?
There is a lot of demand from
advertisers because they want to
surprise, and when you surprise
you attract interest. We are a living
brand online. We get more than 4m
users a day on the web, our mobile
figure is over half that so we are
becoming very strong in mobile as
well. If you take Roland Garros as
an example, it’s not only multi‐
court in Paris, it’s also results on the
web, it’s clips on the web, results on
the apps, data, results live as well
on the tablet. You have more than
one occasion to catch the same user
or many occasions to catch many
more users. This is where digital is
really able to take businesses
further than the local ads.
Can you still talk about ‘core sports’?
Our pillars are evolving. Our
winter sports proposition is
definitely a strong pillar, as are our
three tennis Grand Slams. We are
strong on motor sports with our
own series FIA WTCC and the ERC
but also the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
We covered more than 40 events in
cycling in 2013, and offer
traditional athletics.
We are also innovating.
University sports is something we
strongly believe in. We have
developed a close partnership with
the Universiade which was
extremely successful in Kazan last
July. The ratings were amazing:
27 million! In football, which is
another pillar, we have rights for
the Bundesliga in all Nordic and
Central Eastern Europe territories
but we are also developing
women’s football.
The 2013 UEFA Women’s EURO
has been very successful, with a
50% increase in audience. When 4K
comes we will definitely be at the
forefront of 4K but we are also
working strongly on our content
proposition.
Why is Eurosport so strong
in Poland?
We have a great mix for Poland –
winter sports, tennis, cycling. Being
named as Poland’s best Sports TV
Channel shows the power of being
a long‐term player. Poland is a very
good showcase of our know‐how
and our performance. The brand is
extremely well known, it’s not only
a TV brand as we have developed a
very effective strategic partnership
with Poland’s leading portal Onet.
What about your involvement with
ConnectedTV and Samsung?
I think this is not a leading
distribution model at this moment.
It is very much a starting business
but it was very important for us to
be present. This is an additional
exposure of the brand which we
welcome.
When we don’t have DTH we
have a strong cable business.
Whatever the relationship with a
particular platform Eurosport
keeps a firm foothold in each
territory in Europe. That’s the
beauty of having been there for 25
years, of 21 local versions, a team
that comprises more than 25
nationalities, and a network of
business partners.
How do newcomers like BT Sport
or beIN SPORT affect you?
These changes affect everybody.
This is clearly a worry for everyone
operating on a country by country
basis because this is something that
changes the forces in a market. But
we are less sensitive to big swings
from national markets thanks to
our pan‐European approach.
We have seen our sports rights
increase in price and this is
definitely driven by the countries
where you have wider competition.
But we have a solid, resilient model
and are going to continue with it.
We are developing a much wider
partnership with rights holders, we
are giving them amazing exposure.
Who else is able to broadcast to
131m homes in Europe – no one is
able to do that. We bring them huge
market awareness and promotion
which is vital for the sponsors.
What’s your mobile proposition?
There is a big rise in the mobile fan
base. Our mobile proposition is
converging more and more with
www.eurosport.com
▼
Jean-Thierry
Augustin
the TV business, not in terms of
content but in terms of video. We
have a policy of ‘video first’ which
we implemented in 2013. We
produce original video content
that’s consumed on mobile.
Obviously the tablet is having a
big effect – it is a key driver for
mobile traffic which is growing all
the time. One section of our web
site is the transfer window – all the
news of who is going where and all
the gossip. The traffic numbers go
through the roof when this is
active. This is content which is very
different from our TV content but it
is a way for us to get closer to the
younger generation, sometimes
bring them back to TV.
And looking ahead?
We are living in a crowded world
with many centres of attraction.
What is important is to bring great
live, immersive, engaging content.
A great brand is always a human
adventure shared by many people.
Eurosport is 25 this year. We are a
living body and we are able to
constantly rejuvenate.
Jean-Thierry Augustin, thank you.
We are
less
sensitive
to big
swings
from
national
markets
“
”
FRENCH
OPEN
- 26. MAI - 9. JUNI -
BEI EUROSPORT
& EUROSPORT 2
FALLSSIEEUROSPORTUNDEUROSPORT2NICHTEMPFANGEN
KÖNNEN,WENDENSIESICHBITTEAN IHRENTV-ANBIETER.
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