Lausanne (SUI), 10 May 2011 – The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has signed a new four-year contract with IMG Media (IMG), a division of the global sports, fashion and media company IMG Worldwide, that will ensure global distribution of the FEI’s major equestrian events to television audiences worldwide. The contract runs through to the end of 2014.
The renewed agreement covers the distribution of broadcast rights to FEI flagship events such as the FEI World Equestrian Games 2014, the FEI European Championships 2011 and 2013 in the Olympic Disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing and the finals of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage through to 2014 outside EBU territories.
The contract also covers worldwide broadcast distribution of the FEI’s prestigious and successful annual series such as the FEI Nations Cup Jumping, the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European Leagues and the HSBC FEI Classics in Eventing.
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial, welcomed the renewed contract with IMG: “Our cooperation with IMG is a key element of our overall broadcast media distribution strategy. IMG is the world’s largest independent distributor of sports programming and they have a physical presence in more than 30 countries and daily contact with thousands of international broadcast media. We are convinced that this is the best route to maximise global exposure of equestrian sport and bring it to an even bigger audience. We are looking forward to continuing and further developing this fruitful partnership.”
Michel Masquelier, President, IMG Media, stated: “IMG is delighted to renew with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Equestrian sport is a first-class property and IMG is proud to be associated with the FEI. Together we will bring its media coverage to new heights.”
About the FEI:
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations.
Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes – horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
For more information about the FEI: www.fei.org.
About IMG:
IMG Media is the world’s largest independent distributor of sports programming, distributing over 20,000 hours of content to major global broadcasters annually. This content originates from more than 350 events ranging from Rugby World Cup to the ATP Masters 1000s, MOTO GP, National Football League (NFL), FIVB Volleyball World Championships, English Premier League, the Carling Cup, the Russian Football League, PGA European Tour, The Open Championship, to name a few.
IMG Media operates from over 30 offices worldwide and has daily exchanges with over 4,000 key media contacts. IMG Media distributes across all forms of media, including TV, audio, fixed media, inflight and closed circuit, broadband and mobile. IMG Media also maintains the world’s largest sports archive with more than 250,000 hours of footage.
More information at www.imgworld.com.