3 March 2014
Eurosport and France Télévisions have announced that in partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) they will continue to broadcast the French Open until 2018. This agreement, which makes Eurosport and France Télévisions the official broadcasters for the five coming editions of the Roland-Garros tournament in the French market, is the result of a tender launched last autumn regarding the commercialisation of the audio-visual rights for the coming editions 2014 until 2018 of the tournament.
France Télévisions will remain domestic broadcaster of the French Open, as they have been since 1987. Eurosport, already broadcaster of the French Open in the rest of Europe until 2021, has acquired with this deal sub-licensed rights in France from France Télévisions.
Jean-Thierry Augustin, CEO of the Eurosport Group, says: “We are very pleased that we are able to continue our collaboration with the FFT thanks to this agreement, with whom we are already partnering in all other European countries to broadcast Roland-Garros until 2021. This new agreement will enable us to offer our subscribers extensive coverage of the tournament, both on our channels (Eurosport and Eurosport 2) and on our various digital offerings, whether on the internet, mobile, tablet or connected TV. The Roland Garros tournament is one of the flagship events in the portfolio rights of the Eurosport Group, and we are very proud to be able to continue, through the various agreements we have now signed, to support the development of tournament in France and internationally in 54 countries.” (Source: press release)
13 February 2014
Eurosport will take sports fans on a global journey of discovery in 2014 with the launch of a unique series of intimate sporting portraits.
Called “Sports Insiders” Eurosport will be drawing on its unrivalled access to the world of sport to present monthly programmes showing unseen stories from Eurosport’s own pillar sports alongside insights into new environments and experiences.
The “Spring Collection” of shows running from March until June will travel first to Gran Canaria in Spain to join the professional Tinkoff-Saxo cycling team during its first preparation camp for the 2014 season. Led by Alberto Contador, the team gave Eurosport unprecedented access to its rider bonding sessions, its strategic planning for the racing season ahead and shows how it creates vital team spirit for the campaign ahead, blending riders of different nationalities, ages, experience and talents.
Stefano Bernabino, Eurosport’s Head of Cycling and Executive Producer for the Sports Insider series said: “This is a fascinating insight into the dynamics of a UCI World Tour cycling team. It is one of the few occasions in the year that everyone gets together before travelling starts to the many different races. It is a time for the riders, the technical staff and all the different, wider members of the team’s operations to be together, to plan and build the relationships needed for the racing year ahead. It is a unique environment and one that only Eurosport was granted access to.”
Philippe Mauduit, Tinkoff-Saxo Sporting Director said: “Gran Canaria is the first and most important camp of the season, especially because it integrates new riders and staff members, helps them discover the life rules of the team and enables them to introduce their own thinking. These 15 days to build team spirit are crucial and experience shows that if the camp goes well, the rest of the season is successful too, but, if not, it’s hard to correct things afterwards. We let Eurosport film the camp because it was an opportunity to show another vision of cycling. Fans often tell us they do not know how riders prepare and work, contrary to some other sports. Here, viewers will see riders’ skills are not limited to only pedalling and things are much more complex. The Eurosport crew quickly gained the confidence of the team which explains why they really could let go and talk freely.”
As with any business the previous year is reviewed and Eurosport captured the frank assessment of the sporting performances as well as the preview of the 2014 calendar. Individual riders also have their annual performance reviews and Eurosport was given unprecedented access to Czech rider Roman Kreuziger’s session with the team management discussing his contribution in 2013 and objectives for 2014.
The first edition of Sports Insiders featuring Tinkoff-Saxo will be broadcast on Wednesday March 12 at 20:00 CET.
The remaining shows in the “Spring Collection” take us to Brazil in May, home of the 2014 FIFA World Cup to present a view of the football culture in the favelas of Rio ahead of global competition this summer.
The show then travels back to Europe in June to follow US actor and racing driver Patrick Dempsey as he returns to tackle the infamous Le Mans 24 Hour Race for the third time.
The 26 or 52 minute Sports Insiders shows will give fans of sport a proximity and insight into both mainstream sports, and many new ones as well.
The “Winter Collection” of Sports Insider shows starts in September with a look at adventure racing, followed by tennis in October, Skiing in November and the legendary Four Hills Ski-jumping event in December. (Source: Eurosport press release)
10 February 2014
Eurosport, the leading sports entertainment group, has picked three potential breakthrough stars at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games in its list of ‘10 Future Stars in Sport’ for 2014. Norwegian skier Henrik Kristoffersen, German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier and German ski jumping sensation Gianina Ernst, who at 15 years old will become the youngest competitor in Sochi, are among 10 young prospects selected by Eurosport’s commentators and pundits for Eurosport Now!, a new publication to mark the broadcaster’s 25th anniversary.
Henrik Kristoffersen, 19, who won his first World Cup race last month in Schladming, Austria – an event televised by Eurosport – has the potential to become “the greatest slalom and giant slalom skier in the world,” according to Alexandre Pasteur, skiing commentator for Eurosport in France.
Eurosport’s Swedish biathlon commentator Tord Wiksten believes 20-year-old Dahlmeier has the temperament and shooting skills to take her to the top in the increasingly popular and competitive biathlon field.
Meanwhile Ernst, who stunned spectators and Eurosport viewers alike when she finished second in the small hill event on her World Cup debut in Lillehammer in December, is another one to watch in Sochi. She has been backed by Eurosport’s German commentator Marc Rhode to hit even greater heights in 2014.
American golfer Jordan Spieth, Romanian tennis ace Simona Halep, Russian swimmer Daria Ustinova, Polish road cyclist Michal Kwiatkowski, triple jumper Ana Peleteiro from Spain, English snooker player Shane Castle and Brazilian footballer Neymar, who has the potential to light up the 2014 Fifa World Cup in his home country, were also named in Eurosport Now!.
“It is amazing to think none of our 10 future stars had been born when Eurosport started broadcasting in 1989,” says Heather Bowler, Global Communications Director of Eurosport Group. “Neymar is already a big name, but with the Fifa World Cup in his home country, 2014 could be the year when he really reaches global superstar status and becomes a genuine Ballon d’Or contender. As for the others on the list, they may not be household names yet, but 2014 promises to be their breakthrough year. Whatever their fortunes in the future, our viewers can be certain that we will follow their careers.”
With a dedicated team of experts committed to providing unrivalled year-round LIVE coverage of 120 sports, Eurosport is better placed than any media platform to pick out future stars across the world of sport.
To find out what Eurosport’s experts said about the ‘10 Future Stars in Sport 2014’ and to read Eurosport’s 25th anniversary magazine Eurosport Now! click here (also available to download on mobile devices).
Eurosport will broadcast ‘DAVAI SOCHI’, its evening review show LIVE from Sochi at 20:00 & 22:00 CET every night during the Winter Olympics. For all breaking news, LIVE results, interviews and analysis visit the dedicated Sochi section on Eurosport.com.
(Source: press release)
29 November 2013
The Eurosport Group has signed a multi-year agreement deal for the distribution of Eurosport HD and Eurosport 2 HD with one of the biggest Russian IPTV operators, Beeline TV.
Eurosport and Beeline TV secured a deal for the return of Eurosport’s channels onto the IPTV platform.
Beeline TV is owned by VimpelCom, and is one of the Russian leading IPTV platforms with over 900,000 active subscribers across Russia.
With this new agreement, Beeline TV subscribers can watch 1500 hours coverage of the wintersports season, including ski jumping, cross country and biathlon World Cup tournaments. In the coming year, fans can enjoy extensive live action from three tennis grand slams, starting with the Australian Open in January.
| Eurosport HD also broadcasts a full calendar of cycling with top races such as Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta. Each weekend Eurosport 2 HD broadcasts up to 5 live matches from the German football league, Bundesliga.
Olivier Bramly, Sr. Executive VP, Global distribution said: “We are delighted to be back on the Beeline IPTV Platform. Eurosport offers an unrivalled portfolio of live sporting events, which feature many famous Russian athletes, we are confident fans will enjoy.”
Anna Ryzhikova, chief of OJSC VimpelCom’s Wire Internet and TV Services Marketing Department said: “In our country sport is an important part of our lives. We are happy to offer Beeline TV users the opportunity to watch the most current sporting events through this new agreement with Eurosport.”
The deal with Eurosport completes an impressive Beeline TV HD offer consisting of more than 40 channels produced in High Definition. |
15 November 2013
The Eurosport Group has signed exclusive live TV and digital rights in 36 of its European territories* for the next two editions of the annual FIFA Club World Cup, held on 11-21 December 2013 and 10-20 December 2014 in Morocco.
All matches, of both tournaments, will be broadcast on Eurosport France and Eurosport 2 in 35 northern, eastern and central European territories. Viewers can enjoy the same broadcast on internet and mobile with the Eurosport Player online simulcast TV service.
The annual FIFA Club World Cup pits the club champions from FIFA’s six continental confederations and the host country league against each other for the crown of world football club of the year.
This year the 10th edition in Morocco includes Bayern Munich and South American Champions Atletico Mineiro, and will feature stars such as Frank Ribery, 2013 UEFA Best Player, and Ronaldinho, 1995 Golden Ball winner.
Last year’s tournament was won by Corinthians (1-0 versus Chelsea). Past winners include Barcelona, Inter Milan, Manchester United, AC Milan and Sao Paolo.
