EBU and ESPN Media Distribution team up for indoor athletics

Public broadcasters’ organisation the EBU and ESPN Media Distribution have struck a deal with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) covering the sale and distribution of media rights for selected events in the IAAF World Indoor Tour (WIT) from 2018 to 2023.

ESPN and the EBU jointly will represent the global media rights to  IAAF WIT events in Karslruhe, Dusseldorf and Torun in February next year, excluding the rights in each event’s host territory. Rights for the Muller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow are also included in the agreement from 2019.

ESPN and the EBU teamed up in August to represent the media rights to IAAF events across Europe and Africa including the next three IAAF World Championships and IAAF World Indoor Championships and other competitions in the IAAF World Athletics Series.

The EBU said that the addition of rights to indoor competitions meant that the pair would be able to provide broadcasters with access to all the most relevant tournaments in the run-up to the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 which takes place next March in the UK.

Director of EBU Sport Stefan Kürten said: “The World Indoor Tour Athletics is an exciting addition to our existing agreement with IAAF and ESPN. Athletics is enjoying incredible success across Europe at the moment with viewers able to enjoy over 2,300 hours of action from this year’s IAAF World Championships across our territories. We look forward to building on our partnership to bring the indoor events to both new and traditional athletics fans.”

IAAF CEO Olivier Gers said: “Athletics has had a phenomenal year with World championship events in Uganda, Kenya and of course the spectacular IAAF World Championships in London this summer which was viewed in over 200 territories around the world. Bringing our sport in to the homes and hands of our growing fan base underpins the media rights deals we are pursuing. ESPN and the EBU have both the experience and the creativity to deliver this ambition.”

Charly Classen, VP and general manager, ESPN EMEA, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the IAAF and the EBU. These events in the World Indoor Tour are a great addition to the deal, and an excellent way for us to build on the solid foundations that began with the agreement we announced in August.”