Handball Champions League Partners with the Eurosport Group
Vienna, 18 September 2006 – EHF Marketing GmbH is on the brink of signing a contract with the Eurosport Group, which means a massive increase in the coverage of Champions League Handball. The Champions League product reached new heights last season in terms of media figures. Following the rapid development of the product, with its new "on-air look", there has been increasing interest from the market to purchase the rights.
The optimum placement on the market is one of EHF Marketing GmbH objectives, which is why a partnership with a TV sports’ channel of Eurosport’s status is seen as highly positive for the future of the Champions League and its popularity around Europe.
The deal will mean that Eurosport in Germany will have the full-exclusive TV rights for the German-speaking market. Viewers of Eurosport in Germany will have the chance to enjoy the home and away matches of the German Champions League participants, as well as additional matches being shown at a later stage of the competition.. This is a groundbreaking step for the Champions League product.
In addition, the contract with Eurosport awards the exclusive rights for the home and away matches of the Polish Champions League participants for transmission on a pan-European basis on Eurosport 2, together with a large selection of other matches, in cooperation with EHF Marketing GmbH.
Tor Lian, EHF President, is looking forward to entering into the partnership with Eurosport, “This is a huge step forward for the Champions League and EHF Marketing Gmbh is proud to be working together with the Eurosport Group to offer Champions League Handball on the German market and throughout Europe on Eurosport 2. Eurosport is a leading TV channel in the sporting sector, which will give sports fans even greater access to top level handball ”
EHF Marketing GmbH will also produce the matches for TV, which will ensure consistency of the production and which will give the EHF full control for the implementation of the optimum-required new "on-air look”, in line with the strategic product development and event identity of the Handball Champions League
"The signature of this partnership with the EHF is a great milestone for us as for the first time, we will be showing top quality European Handball which shows the depth of our commitment to all sports", said Laurent-Eric Le Lay Eurosport's Managing Director of Broadcasting. "We are very pleased to bring the excitement and the variety of the Handball Champions League to all our European viewers and contribute to further develop this great competition."
The match coverage is due to begin on 28th September 2006, with the first matches of the Men’s Champions League Group Phase being shown, where Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) meets RK Zagreb (CRO) in the Campus Arena, which promises to be a top, sell-out match. The coverage on Eurosport 2 starts on the same day with the clash between Wisla Plock (POL) and Red Star Belgrade (SRB).
The news of increased Champions League coverage has been met with euphoric words from the elite German clubs:
Uwe Schwenker- THW Kiel/GER, “…this whole story is great, Champions League coverage in Germany was not satisfactory up to now but handball is a leading product and the TV stations know that.”
Thorsten Storm - SG Flensburg- Handewitt/GER, “The EHF is on the right way and through the fixed scheduling and the wide-scale transmission via Eurosport, the Champions league product will go from strength to strength.”
Hans-Peter Krämer – Gummersbach/GER, ”We are sure that handball in Germany will become more popular through this coverage. On that channel and with fixed scheduling, this will bring handball out of its hiding place in German TV and mobilise the sporting public into watching handball.”
…………………………………………….
Contact:
Peter Vargo – EHF Marketing GmbH Director
Tel: +43-1-801-51-200
e-mail: vargo@ehfmarketing.com
The optimum placement on the market is one of EHF Marketing GmbH objectives, which is why a partnership with a TV sports’ channel of Eurosport’s status is seen as highly positive for the future of the Champions League and its popularity around Europe.
The deal will mean that Eurosport in Germany will have the full-exclusive TV rights for the German-speaking market. Viewers of Eurosport in Germany will have the chance to enjoy the home and away matches of the German Champions League participants, as well as additional matches being shown at a later stage of the competition.. This is a groundbreaking step for the Champions League product.
In addition, the contract with Eurosport awards the exclusive rights for the home and away matches of the Polish Champions League participants for transmission on a pan-European basis on Eurosport 2, together with a large selection of other matches, in cooperation with EHF Marketing GmbH.
Tor Lian, EHF President, is looking forward to entering into the partnership with Eurosport, “This is a huge step forward for the Champions League and EHF Marketing Gmbh is proud to be working together with the Eurosport Group to offer Champions League Handball on the German market and throughout Europe on Eurosport 2. Eurosport is a leading TV channel in the sporting sector, which will give sports fans even greater access to top level handball ”
EHF Marketing GmbH will also produce the matches for TV, which will ensure consistency of the production and which will give the EHF full control for the implementation of the optimum-required new "on-air look”, in line with the strategic product development and event identity of the Handball Champions League
"The signature of this partnership with the EHF is a great milestone for us as for the first time, we will be showing top quality European Handball which shows the depth of our commitment to all sports", said Laurent-Eric Le Lay Eurosport's Managing Director of Broadcasting. "We are very pleased to bring the excitement and the variety of the Handball Champions League to all our European viewers and contribute to further develop this great competition."
The match coverage is due to begin on 28th September 2006, with the first matches of the Men’s Champions League Group Phase being shown, where Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) meets RK Zagreb (CRO) in the Campus Arena, which promises to be a top, sell-out match. The coverage on Eurosport 2 starts on the same day with the clash between Wisla Plock (POL) and Red Star Belgrade (SRB).
The news of increased Champions League coverage has been met with euphoric words from the elite German clubs:
Uwe Schwenker- THW Kiel/GER, “…this whole story is great, Champions League coverage in Germany was not satisfactory up to now but handball is a leading product and the TV stations know that.”
Thorsten Storm - SG Flensburg- Handewitt/GER, “The EHF is on the right way and through the fixed scheduling and the wide-scale transmission via Eurosport, the Champions league product will go from strength to strength.”
Hans-Peter Krämer – Gummersbach/GER, ”We are sure that handball in Germany will become more popular through this coverage. On that channel and with fixed scheduling, this will bring handball out of its hiding place in German TV and mobilise the sporting public into watching handball.”
…………………………………………….
Contact:
Peter Vargo – EHF Marketing GmbH Director
Tel: +43-1-801-51-200
e-mail: vargo@ehfmarketing.com