Eurosport launches Smart TV app with Panasonic

30 May 2012

Eurosport has just launched the Eurosport Player application, the sports channel’s online simulcast streaming service on VIERA Connect, Panasonic Smart VIERA’s cloud-based connected TV platform. The launch of the app[1] coincides with the start of Roland Garros, the French Tennis Open Grand Slam this week, enabling fans to select live action from up to seven different courts depending on the schedule of play.

The Smart VIERA app will give its pay subscribers access to live streaming from Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and bonus channel content for other significant sporting events such as snooker, World Superbikes and wintersports, and feature a full seven day EPG schedule.

The launch consolidates Eurosport’s position as a multi-screen broadcaster with the channel’s content now extensively available beyond television on PC, Mobile, Tablet and now Smart TV.

The Eurosport Player app operates as a subscription service and will be pre-installed on all 2012 Panasonic Smart VIERA models and is also compatible with all VIERA TV models from 2010 onwards.

Sports fans in 23 countries* will be able to access the Eurosport Player app and enjoy commentary in their local language. This summer, Panasonic Smart VIERA customers who will subscribe to the Eurosport Player application, will also be able to enjoy the Tour de France and London 2012 Olympic Games[2] via the app.

Fabien Roth, Director TV Group at Panasonic Marketing Europe said: “We are delighted to be the first to offer the Eurosport Player application via Smart VIERA. The app showcases the possibilities of Smart TV, providing great interactive and personalised experiences. For Roland Garros, subscribers can now choose the courts they would like to watch the match on – putting them in the director’s chair. With the Eurosport Player we further strengthening our VIERA Connect eco-system of innovative and benefit-oriented applications. It supports our Smart VIERA strategy to provide easy-to-use networking functionality, allowing the user to enjoy interactive functionality that goes far beyond traditional broadcast experiences.”

Arnaud Maillard, Eurosport’s New Media Director said: “Eurosport continues to develop innovative ways for sports fans to access its great content. This launch with Panasonic opens up new opportunities for fans to experience our Eurosport Player service which is at the forefront of our multi-screen offer. It is timely that the first event to be accessible is Roland Garros which really complements the Eurosport Player’s multi-court coverage offer.”

*Andorra; Austria; Belarus; Belgium; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Latvia, Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Russia; San Marino;  Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine; Vatican and the UK.

ABOUT EUROSPORT GROUP

The Eurosport Group is Europe’s leading sports entertainment group. Eurosport, the n°1 pan-European TV channel, broadcasts in 20 languages and reaches 129 million homes across 59 countries. Eurosport HD is the high definition simulcast of Eurosport. Eurosport 2 broadcasts to 59 million households in 18 languages across 47 countries. Eurosport 2 HD was launched in August 2009. Eurosport Asia-Pacific reaches 17 countries in the region and launched an HD channel in September 2011. Eurosportnews is the sports news channel transmitted worldwide. Eurosport.com, Europe’s n°1 online sports destination, has up to 19 million unique users per month (comScore) across an international network of sports websites in 11 languages, including Yahoo! co-branded sites in Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK. The Eurosport.com free mobile applications are available in 10 languages. Eurosport Player, Eurosport’s web TV service, provides LIVE and on-demand sports to fans’ PCs in 52 countries and the Player mobile application is available in up to 18 countries. Eurosport Events is the group’s expert division in the management and promotion of international sporting events.

Eurosport to broadcast 2012 French Open Tennis Grand Slam in 3D in the UK

17 May 2012

Eurosport will broadcast the 2012 French Open – Roland Garros Live, in 3D, via Sky in the UK market.

The Global sports channel will broadcast a Live 3D feed from Centre Court at Roland Garros from Monday May 28th to June 10th and it will be available to UK sports fans, non exclusively, via Sky’s 3D channel.

It will be the third consecutive French Open tournament to be produced and available for fans in 3D.

Jean Thierry Augustin, Eurosport’s Managing Director of Rights Acquisition, Distribution & Development said: “Eurosport was the first broadcaster to present live tennis in 3D with the French Open in 2010 and this agreements with Sky will give the British public an opportunity to experience live Grand Slam tennis in 3D.  Eurosport has already committed to broadcast over 100 hours of 3D content from the London Olympic Games this summer ensuring an even wider variety of sports can also be viewed in this innovative way. In January 2012 Eurosport extended its relationship with the French Tennis Federation for a further three years to reinforce its position as the leading live tennis channel in Europe.”

John Cassy, Director of Sky 3D, comments: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Eurosport and bringing our customers live action from the French Open, as well as the first 3D Olympics this summer. By working with channel partners and continuing to invest heavily in our own 3D sports coverage, we’re able to offer our customers a fantastic array of sport in 3D this summer, with football, rugby, cricket and tennis all available in immersive 3D over the next few months. Thanks to our ongoing commitment to 3D, Sky 3D customers can look forward to a monumental summer of sport.”

www.eurosport.com

Eurosport partners with Acer for London 2012 Olympic Games

3 May 2012

Acer, Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, is giving its customers unlimited access to live action from the Olympic Games thanks to a partnership with Official Broadcaster, Eurosport.

Customers who purchase the new Olympic Games Editions of the ICONIA tablets and ASPIRE Notebooks before and during the London 2012 Olympic Games will be given a trial access to the Eurosport Player.  The Acer Special Edition computers for the Olympic Games symbolize the partnership of Acer with the Olympic Movement.

The Eurosport Player – which is embedded into the devices – offers access to Eurosport live streaming service. Using their notebook or tablet, Acer customers will benefit from Eurosport round-the-clock coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games, featuring up to 13 hours of live action each day and broadcasted in 20 languages.

As part of this partnership Acer will be featured as a Presenting Partner of all Olympic Games coverage on Eurosport TV and digital media platforms around all Olympic Games programming.

Oliver Ahrens, Acer EMEA President commented: “We are proud to support the London 2012 Olympic Games and we want to give our customers an opportunity to enjoy every minute of the most exciting sports event in the world. Installed on our latest tablets and notebooks, the Eurosport player will provide unlimited sporting actions as we approach the Olympic Games and during all the 17 days of competition. Acer and Eurosport combine technological innovations and premium content to create unforgettable Olympic experience.”

Olivier Fisch, Global Commercial Director, Eurosport Group said:  “The London 2012 Olympic Games will be a great sporting spectacle and fans will be keen to watch the action at any time, in any place. This exciting partnership with Acer gives their customers not only world leading technical hardware but with the Eurosport Player already embedded into the devices instant access to the London Olympics, live, wherever they are.”

As exclusive computing equipment partner, Acer is providing the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) with 13,000 computers, 900 servers and more than 350 engineers and technicians to facilitate the smooth delivery of all aspects of the Games across the various venues.

www.eurosport.com