New collaboration aims to further expand the sport, push the marketing platform and broaden media exposure for the future

Monaco/Zug, Switzerland, 11 October 2011 – Infront Sports & Media and the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) will continue their successful collaboration. The respective agreement was signed today at the SPORTELMonaco convention and runs for four seasons up to 2014/15. The partnership covers the worldwide media rights for the Men's and Women's FIBT World Cup and the FIBT World Championships. It also includes an expansion of Infront’s role with the FIBT in representing international marketing packages for the sport's top-tier sponsorship programme on an exclusive basis.

Increasing media coverage boosts sports exposure
As part of the agreement, Infront will continue to market all forms of media and electronic media rights including TV, radio, internet and mobile communications worldwide. Infront offers segmented packages market-by-market, including live, delayed and highlights coverage. The FIBT will produce its own, high-quality television coverage for the FIBT events.

 

Since 2003, Infront Sports & Media has embarked on a path of expansion resulting in impressive levels of international broadcast coverage for the top FIBT events. Over the last six years, there has been an 84% increase in the cumulative audience (across all disciplines) and the hours of coverage have also grown impressively – up a huge 313% from 2004/05. In the 2010/11 season, FIBT World Cup competitions were broadcast across 59 TV stations in 23 countries reaching a cumulative audience of 747 million viewers and a total of 988 broadcast hours.

 

Continuous exposure throughout the season
In addition to the media rights distribution, Infront will exclusively represent the FIBT’s international marketing programme for the FIBT World Cup and World Championship events, offering sponsors a continuous, wide-reaching communication platform throughout the bobsleigh and skeleton season.

Along with the growing appeal of the FIBT events to fans and commercial partners, Infront’s efforts on the marketing side have resulted in very good results in terms of sponsorship. Among other agreements, Infront secured title sponsor Bauhaus and main sponsor Crystall Lefortovo for the FIBT World Championship – both long-term agreements that boost the stability of the platform into the future.

 

Ivo Ferriani, FIBT President, said: “Infront, as the leading expert in winter sports marketing, is undoubtedly in the best position to increase the impact of our marketing and media rights platforms. Top bobsleigh and skeleton events gaining popularity and it is therefore highly beneficial for us to have a marketing partner on board that holds the ‘big picture’, one that can harness this growth opportunity and help drive our sport forward on the long term.”

 

Bruno Marty, Infront’s Executive Director Winter Sports, said: “Over the four seasons, the aim will be to enhance various elements of the communication platform and to further strengthen the international appeal of the FIBT competitions on the road to Sochi and beyond. Working closely with the FIBT to offer a highly attractive broadcast product, we will increase the exposure of these premium winter sport events market by market and across all platforms – with particular focus on exploiting the new media potential.”

 

For the 2011/12 season, sponsors, fans and media can look forward to exciting bobsleigh and skeleton events across the world’s most prestigious tracks, including the ones in St Moritz (Switzerland), Winterberg (Germany) and Cesana (Italy). The 2011/12 VIESSMANN FIBT World Cup will start in Igls, Austria on 2 December and culminate with the BAUHAUS FIBT World Championships in Lake Placid, USA in February 2012.

 

About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, has grown impressively in recent years to become one of the leading international sports marketing groups in the world. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company covers all aspects of a successful sport event – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operations. As a key player in winter sport, football and other summer sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 120 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. With an experienced and passionate team of 500 staff in over 20 offices across 10 countries, the Group helps to annually deliver more than 2,300 event days of top class sport around the world.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com

Heike Groesswang
Executive Director
Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh
et de Tobogganing (FIBT)
heike.groesswang fibt.com
www.fibt.com