World Sailing Issues Tender Invitation for World Cup

World Sailing, the sport’s international federation, has issued an invitation to tender for a broadcast production and distribution contract at its World Cup events.

The ‘International Video Production and Distribution’ tender covers the World Cup Series from 2017 to 2019.

Sunset+Vine, the UK-based sports television production and media rights company, has been responsible for the production and distribution of rights to the events.

World Sailing has promised to “change the face of the sport” over the next quadrennial, reaching out to “new audiences and opening up dynamic, new conversation with members, sailors, partners and fans.”

The international federation added: “This is a new era for the sport and World Sailing’s video product needs to reflect this.”

Events included in the production and distribution mandate include: 

• World Cup Series 2017: Santander (June 2017)
• World Cup Series 2018: Gamagori (October 2017), Miami (January 2018), Hyères (April 2018), Final venue TBC (June/July 2018)
• World Cup Series 2019: Enoshima (October 2018), Miami (January 2019), Europe venue TBC (May/June 2019), Final venue TBC (June/July 2019).

Among the challenges laid down by World Sailing to the successful production firm appointed are: responding to evolving viewer habits and the change in content consumption (away from traditional live TV and towards short-form video); harnessing data to create ‘insight-driven content and better engage audiences’; and deriving optimal value and impact from video coverage activity by looking at ‘lower cost, lean production strategies.’

A large part of World Sailing’s broadcast strategy for the World Cup events relies upon coverage on its YouTube channel, complemented by highlights and news access deals with broadcasters.

Last year, World Sailing and Sunset+Vine created a new monthly television programme focusing on the build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympics.