Ice Hockey World Championship Kicks Off in Moscow With Another Marketing Success Story
Zug, Switzerland, 27 April 2007 – The start of the 2007 IIHF World Championships, running form April 27 to May 13 in Moscow, will feature a most comprehensive global media and marketing programme implemented by Infront Sports & Media, the exclusive commercial partner for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) premier event. The tournament is taking place in Moscow (Russia) with the games played in the two world championship arenas Khodynka and Mytischi.
Infront’s 26-year relationship with the event is stronger than ever and the company will deliver a state-of the-art marketing programme and worldwide coverage, including dedicated live online coverage on http://www.ihwc.net/, the official website of the event.
A comprehensive marketing programme for major brands
The marketing programme for the 2007 IIHF World Championships has been developed to provide enhanced visibility and marketing opportunities for each of the companies taking part. Infront has introduced an effective marketing concept with a consistent onsite advertising theme, including rink boards, under ice advertising, penalty and team benches, team advertising, product placement, media backdrops and presentation stands. The VIP hospitality programme is exclusive to the Official Sponsors and Official Partners during all 56 games.
The 2007 sponsor group is led by long-term partner Škoda Auto as the Official Main Sponsor for the 15th year in succession. It is now one of the longest partnerships in ice hockey history.
The agreement provides Škoda with a comprehensive package of rights, including, rink board advertising, centre circle under ice advertising, exclusive car product placement in each arena as well as the provision of the Official Car Service. The sponsorship also includes team sponsorship of the Czech Republic and Slovakian teams.
The Official Sponsors include eleven well-known international companies and organisations: AJ (Home and office furniture; Sweden), Bauhaus (Homestores; Germany), Caparol (Paints, Germany), Henkel (Branded products, Germany), Intersport (Sports retailing, Switzerland), Konica Minolta (Copies and document solutions, Japan), Nike (Sports apparel, USA/Canada), Raiffeisenbank International (Banking, Austria), Sochi 2014 (Russia's bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games), Tissot (Watches/Timing, Switzerland), and Zepter (Home and kitchen ware, Cosmetics, Health Lamps; France).
The event will feature an extensive merchandising programme offering fans the opportunity to directly share in the excitement of the event through high quality merchandising products on site, at retail and via the official IIHF website (http://www.ihwc.net/). The programme is being carried out by Infront’s licensing partner Ochsner Hockey and Inline AG.
Extensive Broadcast Coverage
Distribution of the media rights for the Championship has been very successful. Infront concluded agreements for 80 territories worldwide and the event will be transmitted by more than 50 broadcasters. Most of these broadcasters will provide live or near-live transmissions, depending on the time zones and broadcaster schedules. In addition, there is a high level of news access interest. News coverage will be available additionally worldwide through broadcast partners with international television stations, such as Deutsche Welle in Germany.
The host broadcasting for 2007 IIHF World Championship, overseen by Infront and being carried out by Dream Team Productions, will provide a state-of-the-art multi-and unilateral broadcast production.This includes filming and transmitting a high quality signal, as well as supporting broadcasters in their unilateral production, transmission and commentary facilities and services. The production will include more than 20 cameras in each arena and for each game. For the first time in the history of the event, in-goal-cameras will be installed for each of the 56 games.
Television audiences and spectator totals for the IIHF World Championship are rising year on year. The event is predicted to deliver another success story in terms of reach and exposure around the world building on past successes. Cumulative viewer totals for the previous event in Latvia (2006) reached 600 million. The total worldwide broadcast time was 2,870 hours, an average of 51 hours per game.
Live and on demand online
The official website, http://www.ihwc.net/, will again be jointly produced by the IIHF and Infront. This platform offers fans extensive information about the event, participating nations, players and live game statistics. The coverage of the 2007 IIHF World Championship will be highlighted by a dedicated online broadcast service produced by Infront. The complete schedule of 56 games will be offered Live and On Demand online on http://www.ihwc.net/. Prices for the service range from €2.50 for a single game (delayed) to €40 for the entire live tournament package. Other features on http://www.ihwc.net/ include a live score applet, global experts, fan forum, statistics, game stories and feature articles. The variety of services will ensure that the site will once again be one of the most successful event websites worldwide in 2007.
IIHF and Infront – Partners for more than 25 years
Infront Sports & Media’s relationship with ice hockey started in 1981. The Swiss-based sports marketing agency is responsible for the worldwide marketing of the annual IIHF World Championship. The company also markets all forms of electronic media rights including television, radio and new media broadcast rights for the IIHF World Championships on an open-market basis. Infront offered the rights including live, delayed, highlight and news coverage rights.
Its relationship with the federation is one of the longest in sports history and Infront has helped to develop the tournament into one of the world’s biggest and most commercially successful annual winter sports events.
Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront, said: “The IIHF and Infront share a vision for the marketing of ice hockey that will take the sport into new areas and expand its following among fans. The World Championship – as the IIHF’s flagship event – is a showcase for the sport and an inspirationfor future growth. This is why we are making sure that coverage is more widely available than ever before, especially the new live and on demand online service.”
Infront’s 26-year relationship with the event is stronger than ever and the company will deliver a state-of the-art marketing programme and worldwide coverage, including dedicated live online coverage on http://www.ihwc.net/, the official website of the event.
A comprehensive marketing programme for major brands
The marketing programme for the 2007 IIHF World Championships has been developed to provide enhanced visibility and marketing opportunities for each of the companies taking part. Infront has introduced an effective marketing concept with a consistent onsite advertising theme, including rink boards, under ice advertising, penalty and team benches, team advertising, product placement, media backdrops and presentation stands. The VIP hospitality programme is exclusive to the Official Sponsors and Official Partners during all 56 games.
The 2007 sponsor group is led by long-term partner Škoda Auto as the Official Main Sponsor for the 15th year in succession. It is now one of the longest partnerships in ice hockey history.
The agreement provides Škoda with a comprehensive package of rights, including, rink board advertising, centre circle under ice advertising, exclusive car product placement in each arena as well as the provision of the Official Car Service. The sponsorship also includes team sponsorship of the Czech Republic and Slovakian teams.
The Official Sponsors include eleven well-known international companies and organisations: AJ (Home and office furniture; Sweden), Bauhaus (Homestores; Germany), Caparol (Paints, Germany), Henkel (Branded products, Germany), Intersport (Sports retailing, Switzerland), Konica Minolta (Copies and document solutions, Japan), Nike (Sports apparel, USA/Canada), Raiffeisenbank International (Banking, Austria), Sochi 2014 (Russia's bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games), Tissot (Watches/Timing, Switzerland), and Zepter (Home and kitchen ware, Cosmetics, Health Lamps; France).
The event will feature an extensive merchandising programme offering fans the opportunity to directly share in the excitement of the event through high quality merchandising products on site, at retail and via the official IIHF website (http://www.ihwc.net/). The programme is being carried out by Infront’s licensing partner Ochsner Hockey and Inline AG.
Extensive Broadcast Coverage
Distribution of the media rights for the Championship has been very successful. Infront concluded agreements for 80 territories worldwide and the event will be transmitted by more than 50 broadcasters. Most of these broadcasters will provide live or near-live transmissions, depending on the time zones and broadcaster schedules. In addition, there is a high level of news access interest. News coverage will be available additionally worldwide through broadcast partners with international television stations, such as Deutsche Welle in Germany.
The host broadcasting for 2007 IIHF World Championship, overseen by Infront and being carried out by Dream Team Productions, will provide a state-of-the-art multi-and unilateral broadcast production.This includes filming and transmitting a high quality signal, as well as supporting broadcasters in their unilateral production, transmission and commentary facilities and services. The production will include more than 20 cameras in each arena and for each game. For the first time in the history of the event, in-goal-cameras will be installed for each of the 56 games.
Television audiences and spectator totals for the IIHF World Championship are rising year on year. The event is predicted to deliver another success story in terms of reach and exposure around the world building on past successes. Cumulative viewer totals for the previous event in Latvia (2006) reached 600 million. The total worldwide broadcast time was 2,870 hours, an average of 51 hours per game.
Live and on demand online
The official website, http://www.ihwc.net/, will again be jointly produced by the IIHF and Infront. This platform offers fans extensive information about the event, participating nations, players and live game statistics. The coverage of the 2007 IIHF World Championship will be highlighted by a dedicated online broadcast service produced by Infront. The complete schedule of 56 games will be offered Live and On Demand online on http://www.ihwc.net/. Prices for the service range from €2.50 for a single game (delayed) to €40 for the entire live tournament package. Other features on http://www.ihwc.net/ include a live score applet, global experts, fan forum, statistics, game stories and feature articles. The variety of services will ensure that the site will once again be one of the most successful event websites worldwide in 2007.
IIHF and Infront – Partners for more than 25 years
Infront Sports & Media’s relationship with ice hockey started in 1981. The Swiss-based sports marketing agency is responsible for the worldwide marketing of the annual IIHF World Championship. The company also markets all forms of electronic media rights including television, radio and new media broadcast rights for the IIHF World Championships on an open-market basis. Infront offered the rights including live, delayed, highlight and news coverage rights.
Its relationship with the federation is one of the longest in sports history and Infront has helped to develop the tournament into one of the world’s biggest and most commercially successful annual winter sports events.
Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront, said: “The IIHF and Infront share a vision for the marketing of ice hockey that will take the sport into new areas and expand its following among fans. The World Championship – as the IIHF’s flagship event – is a showcase for the sport and an inspirationfor future growth. This is why we are making sure that coverage is more widely available than ever before, especially the new live and on demand online service.”