IFSC sportsbiz

IFSC Agrees Broadcast Deals With Four Partners To Expand Coverage

May 13, 2021

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has announced new broadcasting agreements with four partners. 

The new deals will see an increase in coverage of IFSC competitions both live and delayed across linear television and digital platforms in additional territories.

In the IFSC’s first ever deal with an Italian broadcaster, RAI Sport will broadcast all IFSC World Cup and World Championships competitions in 2021 on a live and delayed-as-live basis. The sports channel of Italy’s national broadcaster will also air the IFSC’s monthly highlights show.

Israel’s sport channel Sport5 will cover the 2021 IFSC season after agreeing to a deal that gives the broadcaster exclusive television rights and non-exclusive mobile and simulcasts in the country. This includes all Boulder, Lead and Speed finals of the 12 World Cup competitions in addition to the World Championships set to take place in September. Sport 5 is Israel’s largest sports media outlet, with five sports TV channels available on cable and satellite. The IFSC will continue to broadcast live events via its YouTube channel in the territory.

With an eye to increasing the digital footprint of IFSC competitions, Zhibo.tv in China has acquired exclusive digital rights with a commitment to broadcast all IFSC competitions live or delayed for the 2021 and 2022 seasons in the territory of China. The deal also includes non-exclusive rights for the 2021 World Championships and the IFSC events taking place in China. As one of the biggest sports-only digital platforms in China, Zhibo.tv continues to develop digital partnerships worldwide and the agreement with the IFSC adds another leading International Federation to its growing list of clients.

Switzerland’s free-to-air public broadcasting association SRG-SSR will also be increasing its coverage of IFSC competitions, after beginning with a live broadcast of the season opener in Meiringen, Switzerland – the first time SRG had broadcast an IFSC World Cup. The deal also includes the live broadcast of the IFSC Lead World Cup in Villars, Switzerland, set to take place in July. 

Commenting on the new broadcast partnerships, IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “With live sport returning to the global sporting calendar, we have seen increased demand for rights to show our competitions and we are delighted to welcome these partners to the IFSC for the 2021 season. We are confident that these partnerships will provide climbing fans around the world a more comprehensive offering of our events. I would like to extend our gratitude to all our Member Federations and local organisers, for their outstanding, tireless work; and to our athletes, who are always able to compete at the highest level, despite the many difficulties.”

IFSC sportsbiz